EP1125264B1 - Systemes de securite destines a lutter contre les vols de marchandises dans les grands magasins - Google Patents

Systemes de securite destines a lutter contre les vols de marchandises dans les grands magasins Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1125264B1
EP1125264B1 EP99957593A EP99957593A EP1125264B1 EP 1125264 B1 EP1125264 B1 EP 1125264B1 EP 99957593 A EP99957593 A EP 99957593A EP 99957593 A EP99957593 A EP 99957593A EP 1125264 B1 EP1125264 B1 EP 1125264B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signal
bar code
code reader
theft tag
deactivator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP99957593A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1125264A2 (fr
Inventor
Henry Martin ;Alfred
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sensormatic Electronics Corp
Original Assignee
Sensormatic Electronics Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sensormatic Electronics Corp filed Critical Sensormatic Electronics Corp
Publication of EP1125264A2 publication Critical patent/EP1125264A2/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1125264B1 publication Critical patent/EP1125264B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
    • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
    • G08B13/22—Electrical actuation
    • G08B13/24—Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
    • G08B13/2402—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting
    • G08B13/2405—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used
    • G08B13/2414—Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting characterised by the tag technology used using inductive tags
    • G08B13/242—Tag deactivation

Definitions

  • THIS INVENTION relates to the field of security systems and concerns a checkout system having a bar code reader and a anti-theft tag deactivator.
  • a commercially used system for inhibiting the theft of goods from retail stores comprises tagging each article with a tag which, unless deactivated by an authorized employee, triggers an alarm at the store exit.
  • the tag is tuned to react to signals emitted by security devices located at the exits of the retail store.
  • the signals can, for example, be radio frequency signals at 58kHz.
  • the tag vibrates transmitting a signal to a receiver of the adjacent security device whereupon an alarm is activated.
  • To deactivate the tag its response frequency is altered using suitable equipment. For example, the response frequency of the tag can be changed from 58kHz to 60kHz.
  • the tag When the article with the deactivated tag attached is taken out of the retail store, the tag remains passive as it now requires a signal of 60kHz to activate it. The response frequency of the tag can subsequently be changed back to 58kHz thereby enabling the tag to be used again. This feature is particularly necessary when goods, such as video cassettes, are repeatedly rented out but must be protected whilst in the store.
  • This system can be circumvented when the cashier at the checkout is in collusion with the customer.
  • the simplest way of defeating the system is for the tag on the article to be deactivated but not rung up on the till or "swiped" over the bar code reader. Hence the article does not appear on the customer's till slip but can still safely be taken out of the store.
  • the present invention seeks to counter this type of theft.
  • US 5,477,219 discloses a composite electronic article surveillance, identification and security marker assembly and system, in which a bar code reader and an anti-theft tag deactivator are used.
  • a controller connected by a bus to the bar code reader activates the deactivator when the bar code reader generates an electrical signal into the bus, when a successful scan has been verified.
  • the known system comprises an indicator light and an optional buzzer to notify the clerk that a complete transaction has taken place.
  • a checkout system for a retail store including;
  • the sensing means is a microphone
  • An advantage of using an acoustic pick-up is that it prevents the necessity of tampering with the bar code reader's circuitry.
  • said controller including means for selecting the activation period of said anti-theft tag deactivator after receiving said second signal, and including manual means to activate said anti-theft tag deactivator without receiving said second signal.
  • a method of countering theft of an article from a retail store which article carries a tag that, unless deactivated, triggers an anti-theft alarm at a store exit comprising swiping the article across a bar code reader to read a bar code carried by the article, using the signal generated by the bar code reader upon a successful swipe to enable a tag deactivator for a predetermined period of time, and disabling said deactivator at the end of said predetermined period of time.
  • the checkout illustrated comprises a bar code reader 10 over which articles being checked out are swiped. If the bar code reader 10 fails successfully to read the bar code, which can happen for a number of reasons, the bar code reader 10 remains entirely passive and does not react to the fact that an article has been swiped. The article has to be swiped until there is a successful read. The cashier and customer know that this has happened because the bar code reader 10 generates a signal which is fed to a speaker or piezo electric device 12 and is emitted as an audible beep.
  • Reference numeral 14 designates an anti-theft tag deactivator.
  • the bar code reader 10 and deactivator 14 are placed adjacent one another so that the cashier, in one sweeping motion along the path indicated at P ( Figure 2), can move the article across the bar code reader 10 and then bring the tag within the field generated by the deactivator 14.
  • a processing unit 16 (which will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to Figure 3) is connected by a line 18 to an acoustic pick-up 20.
  • the pick-up 20 is attached to the casing 22 of the bar code reader 10 adjacent the speaker or piezo electric device 12 which emits the audible beep.
  • the device 12 and the pick-up 20 are preferably on the rear of the casing 22 of the reader 10.
  • the unit 16 receives a signal each time an audible beep is "heard" by the pick-up 20. For a period of, for example, two seconds after the signal from the pick-up 20 reaches the unit 16, the unit 16 generates a signal which is fed along a line 24 to a port on the deactivator 14. This signal switches the deactivator 14 to its enabled condition in which it will deactivate a tag, and holds it in that condition for the duration of the signal. The duration of the signal is long enough to enable the article to be moved along the path designated P but too short to allow another article to be moved into range of the deactivator's field whilst bypassing the bar code reader 10.
  • each successful swipe across the bar code reader 10 enables the deactivator 14 for a brief period of time. Any effort by the cashier to move two articles past the deactivator 14 after having swiped only one of them over the bar code reader 10 is difficult and moreover can be detected on surveillance cameras.
  • the beep picked up by the pick-up 20 can be used, in conjunction with a microswitch 26 on a cash drawer 28, to detect fraudulent activities based on the cashier deliberately failing to shut the drawer 28 after a transaction.
  • the unit 16 receives two signals. The one received from the microswitch 26 along the line 30 indicates if the drawer 28 has been closed or left open. The other signal is received along the line 18 and indicates that an article has been swiped over the bar code reader 10. This combination of a signal received along the line 30 indicating that the drawer 28 is open and a signal received along the line 18 indicating that an article has been swiped is used to establish an alarm condition. This is because failure to close the drawer 28 but to swipe articles, unless it happens infrequently and is genuinely by accident, has to be taken as an indication that possibly a fraudulent scheme is underway.
  • the unit 16 is illustrated as is the acoustic pick-up 20, the line 24 and the deactivator 14. Between the pick-up 20 and the unit 16 there is a two stage amplifier 32 with gain control and rectification. The output of the amplifier 32 is fed to the unit 16 as a control pulse.
  • a digital band pass control 34 is connected to the unit 16 and can be adjusted to tune the unit 16 to the frequency of the audio signal.
  • a further control 36 is provided for adjusting the time for which a pulse remains on the line 24 after an input pulse is received at the unit 16 from the amplifier 32.
  • the unit 16 which can be a programmable controller, can have a so-called jug plug socket 40 into which a programmed jug plug 42 can be inserted. This overrides the unit 16 and results in a pulse on line 24 which remains on line 24 until the jug plug 42 is removed.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)
  • Burglar Alarm Systems (AREA)

Claims (4)

  1. Système de caisse ou de contrôle de sortie pour une interface non invasive d'un lecteur de code à barres (10) avec un désactivateur d'étiquette anti-vol (14), comprenant :
    un lecteur de code à barres (10) destiné à lire des marques associées à un article et à générer un premier signal audible indiquant une lecture réussie des marques,
    un moyen (20) destiné à détecter ledit premier signal audible disposé à moins d'une distance présélectionnée dudit lecteur de code à barres (10), ledit moyen de détection (20) générant un second signal lors de la détection dudit premier signal audible, ledit moyen (20) captant le premier signal sonore audible émis par le lecteur de code à barres à l'aide d'un capteur acoustique, et
    un désactivateur d'étiquette anti-vol (14), ledit désactivateur d'étiquette anti-vol étant activé pendant une période prédéterminée lors du déclenchement par ledit second signal.
  2. Système selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit moyen de détection (20) est un microphone.
  3. Système selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre un contrôleur (36), le contrôleur (36) comprenant un moyen destiné à sélectionner la période d'activation dudit désactivateur d'étiquette anti-vol (14) après la réception dudit second signal, et comprenant un moyen manuel (40, 42) pour activer ledit désactivateur d'étiquette anti-vol (14) sans réception dudit second signal.
  4. Procédé pour une interface non invasive d'un lecteur de point de vente avec un désactivateur d'étiquette anti-vol, comprenant :
    la lecture de marques associées à un article et la génération d'un premier signal audible,
    la détection dudit premier signal à l'aide d'un capteur acoustique et la génération d'un second signal, où ledit premier signal est électriquement séparé de ladite détection et dudit second signal, et,
    la réception dudit second signal et la désactivation d'une étiquette anti-vol.
EP99957593A 1998-10-30 1999-10-28 Systemes de securite destines a lutter contre les vols de marchandises dans les grands magasins Expired - Lifetime EP1125264B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA9809918 1998-10-30
ZA989918 1998-10-30
PCT/ZA1999/000114 WO2000026880A2 (fr) 1998-10-30 1999-10-28 Systemes de securite destines a lutter contre les vols de marchandises dans les grands magasins

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1125264A2 EP1125264A2 (fr) 2001-08-22
EP1125264B1 true EP1125264B1 (fr) 2004-02-04

Family

ID=25587364

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99957593A Expired - Lifetime EP1125264B1 (fr) 1998-10-30 1999-10-28 Systemes de securite destines a lutter contre les vols de marchandises dans les grands magasins

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1125264B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2002529831A (fr)
AU (1) AU769526B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR9914856B1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2348535C (fr)
DE (1) DE69914619T2 (fr)
WO (1) WO2000026880A2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US12101310B2 (en) 2020-01-31 2024-09-24 Lowe's Companies, Inc. Systems and techniques for trans-account device key transfer in benefit denial system

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6783072B2 (en) 2002-02-01 2004-08-31 Psc Scanning, Inc. Combined data reader and electronic article surveillance (EAS) system
WO2003067538A2 (fr) 2002-02-01 2003-08-14 Psc Scanning, Inc. Systemes et procedes de lecture de donnees et de detection et desactivation d'etiquettes de systeme electronique de surveillance d'articles au niveau du controle des magasins
US6974083B1 (en) * 2004-07-23 2005-12-13 Symbol Technologies, Inc. Point-of-transaction workstation for electro-optically reading one-dimensional indicia, including image capture of two-dimensional targets
US7619527B2 (en) 2005-02-08 2009-11-17 Datalogic Scanning, Inc. Integrated data reader and electronic article surveillance (EAS) system
US10701561B1 (en) 2020-01-31 2020-06-30 Lowe's Companies, Inc. System and techniques for secret key transfer in benefit denial system
US11395142B2 (en) 2020-01-31 2022-07-19 Lowe's Companies, Inc. System and techniques for secret key transfer in benefit denial system

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE68912450T2 (de) * 1988-08-25 1994-08-25 Symbol Technologies Inc Tragbares Abtastsystem, das einen Überwachungsetikett-Ausmacher enthält.
US5594228A (en) * 1988-08-25 1997-01-14 Symbol Technologies, Inc. Self-checkout, point-of-transaction system including deactivatable electro-optically coded surveillance tags
US5059951A (en) * 1988-11-14 1991-10-22 Checkpoint Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for integrated data capture and electronic article surveillance
US4881061A (en) * 1988-12-05 1989-11-14 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Article removal control system
DK0454021T3 (da) * 1990-04-25 1997-06-16 Actron Entwicklungs Ag Fremgangsmåde til deaktivering af en resonansetiket og kredsløb til gennemførelse af fremgangsmåden
FR2669756A1 (fr) * 1990-11-23 1992-05-29 Cga Hbs Systeme pour l'enregistrement et l'invalidation de l'identification d'un produit.
EP0723692A4 (fr) * 1993-10-05 1997-05-28 Pac Scan Inc Dispositif d'information et de prevention des vols a l'etalage
US5477219A (en) * 1995-03-30 1995-12-19 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Composite electronic article surveillance, identification, and security marker assembly and system

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US12101310B2 (en) 2020-01-31 2024-09-24 Lowe's Companies, Inc. Systems and techniques for trans-account device key transfer in benefit denial system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69914619D1 (de) 2004-03-11
DE69914619T2 (de) 2004-12-16
WO2000026880A3 (fr) 2000-08-17
BR9914856A (pt) 2001-07-17
WO2000026880A2 (fr) 2000-05-11
CA2348535C (fr) 2009-01-06
JP2002529831A (ja) 2002-09-10
EP1125264A2 (fr) 2001-08-22
AU769526B2 (en) 2004-01-29
CA2348535A1 (fr) 2000-05-11
BR9914856B1 (pt) 2011-05-31
AU1526900A (en) 2000-05-22

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