JP4233356B2 - In-store theft monitoring system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a self-sounding article monitoring device that is used by being fixed to a product in order to prevent shoplifting of the product in a CD shop or the like, and in particular, that the self-sounding tag is reported (sounded) illegally in the store. And a system to notify the gate.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an article monitoring device (theft prevention tag) that is used by being fixed to a product in order to prevent shoplifting of the product in a CD shop or the like is known. As this kind of article monitoring device, a passive paper tag having no power source inside is well known. This paper tag is attached to the product, and if you try to take the product without permission, it reacts when it passes the side of the transmitting device installed at the entrance of the store, etc., and the alarm provided on the transmitting device rings and theft Prevention is in progress.
[0003]
However, although this paper tag is cheap, the alarm sounds at the gate, so if multiple people pass at the same time, you do not know who is trying to take the goods illegally, so you can suppress the site. Have difficult drawbacks. In addition, since it is not possible to determine the location where the alarm is sent to the criminal who tries to pass through the gate, there is a drawback that he / she can escape with a delay.
[0004]
Further, as an improvement of this drawback, as in JP-A-2000-90360, a self-sounding article monitoring device that has a power source inside, receives radio waves from a transmitter at the entrance, and the tag itself sounds an alarm. Is known.
[0005]
For example, in the case of a CD, the self-sounding article monitoring apparatus includes a transparent case (clear case) 51 made of synthetic resin, a warning operation detection switch 56 and a buzzer 67 as shown in FIG. 68 is stored. The operation of the buzzer 67 is controlled by the radio reception circuit 65 and the detection switch 56, and it rings when the cassette 68 does not exist in the clear case 51 or when the self-sounding article monitoring device passes the gate. Is.
[0006]
In the store, when the cassette 68 containing the CD is stored in the clear case 51 of the self-sounding article monitoring device and displayed, and the compact disc is sold to the customer, the store clerk sets the buzzer 67 not to ring. The cassette 68 is taken out from the clear case 51, and a compact disc is handed over to the customer in exchange for the charge. The self-sounding article monitoring device from which the cassette 68 has been taken out is used repeatedly.
[0007]
In the self-sounding article monitoring apparatus, when the customer takes out the cassette 68 from the clear case 51 of the self-sounding article monitoring apparatus without permission, the alarm activation detection switch 56 detects that the cassette 68 does not exist in the clear case 51. The buzzer 67 issues a ringing command, and the buzzer 67 rings in response to the ringing command. Thus, the store clerk can know that the cassette 68 has been illegally removed from the clear case 51.
[0008]
Further, if the customer tries to take the cassette 68 out of the store without receiving the cassette 68 in the clear case 51 of the self-sounding article monitoring apparatus, the receiving circuit 65 of the self-sounding article monitoring apparatus is provided at the entrance gate or the like. In response to the signal from the circuit, it issues a ringing command to the buzzer 67. The buzzer 67 rings in response to the ringing command. As a result, the store clerk can know that the compact disc is being illegally taken out of the store.
[0009]
Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a self-sounding article monitoring tag 72 that is used by being attached to a product by a tape or the like is also known. FIG. 9A is an overall perspective view, and FIG. 9B shows the back side. This is, for example, the one proposed by the same applicant (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-339557), and the proposed receiving circuit is incorporated in the case of the above proposal. In the figure, reference numeral 74 denotes a light emitting diode. The self-sounding tag 72 has a reverse boat shape with a length of 9 cm and a width of 2 cm. The operation piece of the snap switch protruding from the back surface opening 76 of the case is pressed against the product and fixed to the product with tape or the like. Has been.
[0010]
As in the case of FIG. 8, the buzzer does not sound as long as the operation piece is pressed. However, if the tag is illegally removed from the product, the operation piece is turned on and a buzzer sounds. In addition, if the product is silently held without being unlocked and silently tried to exit from the entrance, the buzzer will sound upon receiving the radio wave of the oscillation device at the entrance. Note that reference numeral 73 in FIG. 9A denotes a locking pin.
[0011]
The self-sounding tags are currently known at 22 kHz, 37.5 kHz, and 31.5 kHz. If the self-sounding tag uses the same frequency as the frequency of use of the passive paper tag, the paper tag transmitting device can be used as it is. It can be used together. That is, an expensive self-sounding tag can be used for sampling only about 1 in 10 samples, so that the anti-theft effect can be obtained. If the frequency is shared with the passive paper tag, it can be used at the entrance. Since the installed transmitter can also be shared, it is easier to spread. Therefore, it is preferable that the self-sound tag is designed at 58 kHz or 8.2 MHz, which is the most widely used frequency of the paper tag.
[0012]
The self-sounding article monitoring device (self-sounding tag) makes it easier to identify the criminal because the product to be taken out itself sounds, and is more effective than the passive paper tag described above for suppressing the site. However, if it is illegally removed behind the screen or behind the store, the ringing of the tag may be confused by noise in the store and the store clerk may not notice.
[0013]
In order to prevent this, it is necessary to detect when the self-sounding tag rings (reports) by some means, detect this and send it to the center (register) or gate, and ring the center or gate to notify the theft. is there. This makes it possible to seize shoplifters before running away from the entrance (gate) after the occurrence of fraud.
[0014]
However, there has not been an inexpensive and effective system for detecting the notification of the self-sounding tag and transmitting it to the center.
[0015]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-090360 A [Patent Document 2]
JP 2000-339557 A [0016]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and effective system that solves the above problems, detects ringing (reporting) of a self-sounding tag in a store, and notifies the center or gate of the detection signal. .
[0017]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The in-store antitheft monitoring system of the present invention uses the buzzer vibration element of the self-sounding item monitoring tag as a detector, detects the sounding of the buzzer of the self-sounding item monitoring tag with the detector, and detects the detection signal. By notifying the center or the gate, the unauthorized removal of the self-sounding article monitoring tag in the store is displayed or ringed at the center or the gate.
[0018]
Furthermore, the type of the buzzer is specified by the frequency and the repetition period of the detection signal of the buzzer.
[0019]
Furthermore, the in-store LAN is configured by installing a plurality of transmission / reception terminal devices including the detector, giving IDs to the respective terminals, and connecting the mutual terminals by infrared communication. The detector has a plurality of detection circuits having different operating frequencies corresponding to various tags.
[0020]
Furthermore, when the abnormality alarm is generated, a monitor TV that images the vicinity of the detector is operated in conjunction with the detector that detects the abnormality and displayed on the center, and the captured images before and after the alarm are separately recorded. It is characterized by that.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows the entire system of the in-store antitheft monitoring system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is also an overall system of the in-store antitheft monitoring system of the present invention, but is a simplified version of the system of FIG. FIG. 10 shows an overall image of the sound monitoring system for the self-sounding article monitoring tag of the present invention.
[0022]
In FIG. 1, 1 and 2 are conventionally known self-sounding anti-theft tags shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and the frequency used is, for example, 8.2 MHz. As mentioned above, the self-sounding tag has a power supply inside, and if it tries to take it out without unlocking it at the counter, it will receive radio waves from the transmitter at the entrance and the tag itself will sound an alarm. A self-sounding article monitoring device that detects the removal of the tag when it is illegally removed in the store, or a similar self-sounding article monitoring that is attached to a product by tape alone. It is a tag.
[0023]
Reference numerals 3 to 6 are monitoring terminals for the tag ringing provided in various places in the store. The monitoring terminal is provided with a buzzer sounding (alarm sound) detection circuit using the same element as the buzzer vibration element of the self-sounding article monitoring tag as a detector. Since the detection vibrator is the same as that used as the buzzer vibrator of the self-sounding tag, the characteristics match each other very well. For example, the buzzer vibrator has a resonance peak at 3.5 kHz, oscillates at 3.5 kHz, and generates (buzzes) a buzzer sound of 3.5 kHz. On the other hand, when viewed as a detector, the frequency detection characteristic shows frequency selectivity at 1 to 5 kHz with a peak at 3.5 kHz as shown in FIG.
[0024]
Therefore, compared with the conventional case where a microphone having a flat frequency characteristic in the audible range (10 Hz to 50 kHz) is used as the buzzer sound detector, the microphone having the flat characteristic has other noise in the store (for example, in-store broadcasting or However, since the buzzer vibrator has the same frequency selection characteristics as the buzzer ringing frequency, there is an advantage that it does not react to noise from the other sound sources. FIG. 6 shows a waveform pattern of the buzzer sounding (alarm sound). As shown in FIG. 7, there are a plurality of types of vibration elements with a natural frequency ranging from 2 to 4 kHz, and their ringing patterns are also different (A and B in FIG. 7 are A and B in FIG. 6, respectively). Corresponding to B).
[0025]
Therefore, in order to correspond to the specifications of each company, it is preferable that the buzzer sound detection circuit is provided with a plurality of circuits corresponding to a plurality of vibration frequencies in parallel because of versatility. Each detection circuit can identify the type of tag of FIG. 7 by identifying the frequency of the portion A of the waveform of FIG. 6 and the repetition period of A and B. In the embodiment, the detection distance of the buzzer sound detector is about 5 m, and the number of monitoring terminals per system is eight. Depending on the store, it may be configured by a plurality of systems.
[0026]
In the embodiment, for example, the number of types of tags that can be detected is four, and the monitoring terminals 3 to 6 and the center 7 are mutually connected by the infrared communication means 9. The infrared communication distance between the terminals is about 10 m. In each monitoring terminal, when the buzzer is detected by the sensor, the ID and tag type of each terminal indicating the alarm detection position are notified to the center 7 via the infrared communication network.
[0027]
As the system, a LAN configuration in which terminals are connected by infrared communication as shown in FIG. 1 is recommended. However, a wireless LAN or a wired network may be used, and as a simplified version, each terminal 23 to 26 is directly connected as shown in FIG. It may be configured to connect to the center 27 by infrared communication. In this case, as shown at 28 in FIG. 2, it is desirable to display a graph on the center monitor so that the monitoring terminal that detects the alarm can be seen at a glance.
[0028]
FIG. 3 shows the configuration of each of the monitoring terminals. In FIG. 3, 31 and 34 are light receiving circuits, and 32 and 35 are transmission circuits, which function as input / output circuits for infrared communication with the adjacent or center, respectively. Reference numeral 33 denotes a chip for infrared communication.
[0029]
FIG. 4 shows details of the alarm sound detection circuit on the left side of FIG. In the detection circuit, a vibrator 41 that is the same as the buzzer vibrator for generating an alarm sound used for the tag is used as a detection element. The detection output is input to the tone recorder circuit 43 through the amplifier 42 and the like. In the tone recorder circuit, the waveform pattern of the input signal as shown in FIG. 6 is analyzed to determine whether it is an alarm sound. The tone recorder circuit is configured such that 44, 45, etc. in FIG. 5 are connected in parallel to 43 in FIG. 4, and can handle a plurality of patterns. As a result, only the alarm sound of the buzzer vibrator for generating the alarm sound is effectively detected, and the frequency selectivity of the vibrator does not respond to other in-store broadcasting noises.
[0030]
Further, it is possible to detect which type of tag is ringing from the repetition period of the waveform pattern in FIG. 6 and the natural frequency in FIG. In this case, a typical buzzer vibrator is used as a buzzer sounding (reporting) detection element. The vibrator has a frequency selectivity of 1 to 5 kHz with a peak at, for example, 3.5 kHz. Since all the vibrators of various specifications shown in FIG. 7 have a natural frequency in the detection range, any type of buzzer sound can be detected.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, when the in-store theft monitoring system of the present invention is used, the sound of the buzzer of the self-sounding item monitoring tag is detected by the detector, and the detection signal is notified to the center or the gate. The unauthorized removal of the self-sounding article surveillance tag at the center or the gate can be displayed or sounded. In addition, the system has few malfunctions and can be provided at a very low cost because it can be manufactured with a general-purpose system configuration.
[0032]
Furthermore, a plurality of transmission / reception terminal devices equipped with the detector are installed, IDs are assigned to the respective terminals, and the mutual terminals are connected by infrared communication, so that an in-store LAN is configured with a conventional general-purpose infrared communication system. Thus, a monitoring network can be constructed at a low cost. In addition, since the detector has a plurality of detection circuits having different operating frequencies corresponding to various tags, it can cope with a plurality of types of the anti-theft tags, and the versatility of the system is improved. Further, in the detection circuit, the tag type can be specified from the frequency of the detection signal and the repetition period, and convenience when a plurality of tags are mixed is improved.
[0033]
Furthermore, when the abnormality alarm is generated, a monitor TV that images the vicinity of the detector is operated in conjunction with the detector that detects the abnormality and displayed on the center, and the captured images before and after the alarm are separately recorded. Thus, the crime prevention effect can be further enhanced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall view of a sound monitoring system for a self-sounding article monitoring tag according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an overall view of a simplified ring monitoring system for a self-running article monitoring tag according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a ringing monitoring terminal of the self-ringing type article monitoring tag according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a sound monitoring circuit of a self-sounding article monitoring tag according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another tone recorder incorporated in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a waveform pattern of self-sounding tag ringing.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing various specifications of a self-sounding tag.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional self-sounding article monitoring device.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of another conventional self-sounding article monitoring apparatus.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an overall image of a sound monitoring system for a self-sounding article monitoring tag according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 2 Self-sounding article monitoring tags 3-6 Self-sounding article monitoring tag sound monitoring terminal 7 Center 21, 22 Self-sounding article monitoring tags 23-26 Self-sounding article monitoring tag sound monitoring terminal 27 Center

Claims (4)

By using the vibration element for the buzzer of the self-sounding article monitoring tag as a detector, detecting the buzzer of the self-sounding article monitoring tag with the detector and notifying the center or gate of the detection signal, In the store theft monitoring system for displaying or ringing the unauthorized removal of the self-sounding article monitoring tag at the center or gate,
An in-store theft monitoring system comprising: a plurality of transmission / reception terminal devices including the detector; an ID is assigned to each of the terminals; and an in-store LAN is configured by connecting the mutual terminals by infrared communication .   The in-store theft monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the type of the buzzer is specified by a frequency and a repetition period of the detection signal of the buzzer. The in-store theft monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detector includes a plurality of detection circuits having different operating frequencies corresponding to various tags. When the abnormality alarm occurs, a monitor TV that images the vicinity of the detector is operated in conjunction with the detector that detects the abnormality and displayed at the center, and the captured images before and after the alarm are separately recorded. The in-store theft monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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