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
• • 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
• • 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
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2431—Tag circuit details
• • 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
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2437—Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
• • 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
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2437—Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
  • G08B13/244—Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes
• • 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
  • G08B13/2428—Tag details
  • G08B13/2437—Tag layered structure, processes for making layered tags
  • G08B13/2445—Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to so-called “electronic article surveillance”, and in particular, to a system which involves the use of electronically detectable tags or labels which are attached to articles of merchandise in order to protect these articles from unauthorized removal, such as by shoplifting.
• EAS electronic article surveillance
• tags or labels which contain an electronic circuit (e.g., a resonant circuit) for interacting with an applied (e.g. , swept radio-frequency) electromagnetic field.
• a trans ⁇ mitter and accompanying antenna produce this field, and a nearby receiver and accompanying antenna detect variations in the received field caused by the presence of a tag.
• This transmitting and receiving equipment is positioned at the location or locations where it is desired to detect the unauthorized removal of tag-bearing articles, e.g., at the exit of a retail store.
• the tags attached to those articles whose removal is authorized are either physically removed from the articles, or deacti ⁇ vated, i.e. treated so that they become incapable of producing detectable variations in the received field. Otherwise, these tags will be detected and an alarm signal will be produced by the equipment.
• Commercial EAS systems as generally described above are available from manufacturers such as Checkpoint Systems, Inc. of Thorofare, New Jersey, among others. An important consideration in the use of such EAS systems is the manner in which the detect ⁇ able tags or labels are applied to the articles which are to be protected. Some retail stores, for example, wish to have tags applied to all the articles in their inventory, while others wish to have tags applied only to some of these articles, leaving others untagged.
• detectable tags were to be applied to articles of merchandise at their manufacturing stage, then a given product line would have to be processed in two different varieties, one tagged and one not tagged. Moreover, this segregation would have to be perpetuated throughout the sub ⁇ sequent distribution channels. The reason for this is that many—indeed most—stores do not yet use EAS. These non-EAS using stores would need to be reliably supplied with non-tagged articles; other ⁇ wise EAS tags would leave these stores, still attached to the articles being sold, and thereby create what is sometimes called "pollution" of the marketplace with EAS tags. Conversely, stores which do use EAS would have to be reliably supplied with tagged articles, or their EAS protection would become ineffective.
• tags which, at that stage, are not yet detectable by the EAS equipment with which they are ultimately destined to function. Furthermore, these tags remain undetectable through the subsequent distribution channel, until they reach that stage at which it is inherently determined that all the so-tagged articles in a given bulk package will be used in an EAS equipped store. This will typically occur at the merchan ⁇ dise receiving facility of such an individual store. At that stage, the tags previously attached to the individual articles are rendered detectable and the articles with the now-detectable tags attached, are then processed through the store in conventional manner.
• FIG 1 is a flow diagram of the EAS tag treatment technique embodying the present inven ⁇ tion.
• Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a tag which is useful in implementing the technique diagrammed in Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross- sectional view of the tag of Figure 2, taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 2.
• Figure 4 is a diagram of the equivalent circuit of the tag of Figure 2.
• block 10 represents the manufacturing stage of the articles of merchandise which are to be subjected to.the technique embodying the present invention.
• EAS tags are applied to these articles in conjunction with their manufacture. Further in accordance with the present invention, these tags are then in a state in which they would not be detectable by the particular type of EAS equipment with which they are designed to ultimately function.
• Block 13 represents the distribution channel through which these now-tagged articles then pass on their way to the retail stores.
• Block 14 represents the merchandise receiving facility of one of these retail stores.
• Block 15 represents means, located preferably at store receiving facility 14, for “activating” the EAS tags attached to the articles which reach receiving facility 14 from distribution channel 13. By “activating” is meant rendering these tags detectable by the store's EAS equipment.
• Block 16 represents the retail store in which the received articles, now bearing tags which are detectable, are displayed for retail sale.
• Block 17 represents the means, in store 16, for deactivating those tags which are attached to articles whose removal from store 16 has become authorized, by virtue of the fact that these articles have been properly checked out.
• Block 18 represents the EAS detection equipment with which the store 16 is equipped and the activity of detecting tags which have not been deactivated at checkout.
• the manufacturing stage represented by block 10 may be entirely conventional, with the sole exception that EAS tags are applied to the merchandise at that stage.
• this application can also be carried out by various, but well known and conven ⁇ tional means.
• an EAS tag may simply be adhesively attached either to each article itself, or to the individual package for that article. Since these EAS tags are typically similar in external configuration to a thick piece of paper, an inch or two square, and coated on one side with pressure sensitive adhesive, such application may involve nothing more than simply pressing them against a surface of the article or its individual packaging.
• the application procedure may be the same as would previously have been performed at the retail store, itself, except that it can now be performed more efficiently, and more reliably, by means of the same type of machinery which is conventionally used in manufacturing to apply other kinds of tags and labels to articles of merchandise.
• the distribution channel represented by block 13 in Figure 1 may be entirely conventional, comprising the various transportation means for moving merchandise to retail stores, the warehouses in which it is stored, etc. While in this channel, the merchandise is typically contained in bulk packaging, such as cardboard cases, each containing multiple units of the individual articles. In accordance with the present invention, these cases now contain articles to which not-yet-detectable EAS tags have already been attached.
• Store receiving facility 14 may also be conventional, in that it comprises the customary unloading location and material handling equipment used by retail stores to receive their merchandise. However, in accordance with the inven- tion, there is also provided at this receiving facility 14 the means 1.5 for activating the heretofore not-detectable tags attached to the received merchandise. How this is done is described later in this specification.
• this received merchandise is treated in the same way as in any other EAS equipped store. That is, it is processed through store 16 in conventional manner, e.g. by being displayed in the merchandise display area and checked out after being selected by customers for purchase. As part of the checkout operation, the EAS tags are subjected to deactivation by means 17, or alternatively are detected by EAS detection equipment 18 upon unauthorized removal. All of this may be accomplished in completely conventional manner by completely conventional means.
• the conventional EAS equipment 18 used to detect EAS tags which have not been deactivated by means 17 may be of the so-called swept-frequency RF type.
• this type of equipment transmits a radio frequency (RF) signal whose frequency is periodically varied between, say, 7.4 and 9.0 MHz.
• the EAS tags for use with this type of equipment comprise an inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit which is resonant within that transmitted band, e.g. at approximately 8.2 MHz. The presence of the EAS tag distorts the RF signal and that distortion is detected by a nearby receiver which then gives an alarm.
• LC inductor-capacitor
• Such swept-frequency RF EAS-detection equipment is disclosed for example, in U.S. Patents No. 3,500,373, No. 3,810,147 and No. 3,828,337, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
• this may also operate on a swept-frequency RF basis in the 7.4 to 9.0 MHz range.
• deactivating means is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patents No. 4,498,076 and No. 4,567,473, the contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference.
• FIGS 2, 3 and 4 these diagrammatically illustrate a kind of EAS tag which is suitable for use in the practice of the present invention, in conjunction with EAS equipment of the above-mentioned swept-frequency RF type.
• This tag 20 comprises a dielectric sub ⁇ strate 21, which may be made of polyethylene and which bears on each side a conductive pattern 22 and 23, respectively, which may be of aluminum. As is particularly clearly visible in
• the angular spiral portion of pattern 22 defines an inductor 22a, while the square portion in the center defines one plate of a capacitor 24.
• the opposite plate of capacitor 24 is defined by the corresponding square portion of pattern 23 which is shown in phantom by broken lines in Figure 2.
• One plate of a second, smaller capaci ⁇ tor 25 is defined by the triangular portion at the upper right-hand end of the spiral portion of pattern 22.
• the opposite plate of this second capacitor 25 is defined by the corresponding triangular portion of pattern 23 shown in phantom by broken lines in Figure 2.
• a conductive path 26 (shown in phantom by broken lines in Figure 2) connects the plates of capacitors 24 and 25.
• the equivalent circuit of the EAS tag 20 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is seen to consist of a resonant circuit defined by inductor 22a and capacitors 24 and 25.
• the tag 20 is further provided with two indentations, 26a and 27.
• Indentation 26a is formed in capacitor 24, while indentation 27 is formed in capacitor 25.
• the EAS equipment 18 in Figure 1 by which tag 20 is to be ultimately detectable, and the deactivating equipment 17 by which tag 20 is to be ultimately capable of being deactivated, are both of the swept-frequency RF type previously mentioned, with transmitted signals varying in frequency between 7.4 and 9.0 MHz
• the values of inductor 23 and capacitors 24 and 25 are so chosen that tag 20 initially forms an LC circuit which is resonant at a frequency substan ⁇ tially above the 7.4 to 9.0 MHz range, e.g. at a frequency of approximately 18 MHz.
• inductor 22a and capacitor 24 are further so chosen that, if capacitor 25 is shorted out, then tag 20 forms an LC circuit which is resonant within the 7.4 to 9.0 MHz range, e.g. at approximately 8.2 MHz.
• the indentation 26a in capacitor 24 is provided for the very same purpose, namely for use in ultimately deactivating tag 20 at state 17 in Figure 1.
• the indentation 27 in the other capacitor 25 is provided for the exact opposite purpose, namely for use in activating tag 20, which had previously been not-detectable at the EAS detection stage 18 in Figure 1.
• the electronic equipment which is used at activation stage 15 in Figure 1 in cooperation with a tag 20 may be the same as illustrated and de ⁇ scribed in said U.S. Patents No. 4,498,076 and 4,567,473, with two exceptions.
• the frequencies at which it operates are in a range which includes the higher frequency (of approximately 18 MHz) at which tag 20 is initially resonant. This higher range may be from 16.5 to 19.5 MHz.
• this elec ⁇ tronic equipment operates at a substantially higher power.
• the equipment By operating in the higher frequency range, the equipment becomes capable of shorting out the capacitor 25 via indentation 27. By operating at high enough power, it becomes capable of shorting out that same capacitor simultaneously in a plurality of tags 20, such as would be present in a bulk package containing multiple units of merchandise articles to which such tags had been attached at the manufacturing and tag application stage 10, 11 of Figure 1.
• stage 18 Detection at stage 18 would result simply from having such an activated tag 20 present in the swept-frequency RF field, whose distortion by that tag is then sensed by the EAS receiver, causing an alarm.
• Deactivation at stage 17 would result from operating as disclosed in said U.S. Patents No. 4,498,076 and 4,567,473, namely by shorting out capacitor 24 via its indentation 26. With both capacitors 24 and 25 (see Figure 4) so shorted out via respective indentations 26, 27, the tag 20 again becomes undetectable at stage 18 of Figure 1.
• the activating means 15 in order to perform the simultaneous activation of the tags attached to all the articles in a bulk package of merchandise, in accordance with the present invention, it may be necessary to operate the activating means 15 at higher power than the deactivating means 17, which is typically used to deactivate only one tag at a time. Such higher power may exceed the limit imposed by regulatory agencies such as the United States Federal Communications Commission.
• a simple treatment is to provide an enclosure which contains the RF fields produced by the activating means and which is large enough to contain both that means and the EAS tag bearing merchandise, still in its bulk package.
• This enclosure may take any of various conventional forms, such as a metal box.
• the same treatment, namely enclosure of the activating means and the bulk package, may also be used if the frequency range within which the activating signal is transmitted presents a problem in terms of regulatory requirements. That frequency range is preferably so chosen that it does not include integral multiples of the frequency range within which the deactivation signal is subsequently transmitted. That is to forestall the possibility that the activating signal may also cause deacti- vation of the now-activated tags due to possible spurious resonances at multiples of the resonant frequency of the activated tags.
• capaci ⁇ tor 25 is shorted out by the application of a sufficiently strong field at the initial frequency.
• the total voltage developed by this applied field will appear across the series combination of that capacitor 25 and capacitor 24 (see Figure 4) .
• this total voltage will be distributed between those capacitors in inverse proportion to their plate sizes.
• the invention is not limited to use with articles for sale in retail stores. Other applications can also benefit, such as book stores, video stores, etc.
• the initial change in the tag's resonant frequency in order to "activate" it need not necessarily involve an indentation in a capacitor such as indentation 27 shown in Figures 2 and 3.
• the tags may be provided with two sets of capacitors connected by a fusible link, as disclosed more fully in U.S. Patent No. 3,967,161, whose contents are incorporated herein by refer ⁇ ence.
• the fusible link may be opened at the activating stage 15 in Figure 1 in order to change the frequency to that which will then be detectable by the store's EAS system.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Burglar Alarm Systems (AREA)
• Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
• Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Labeling Devices (AREA)
• Moving Of Heads (AREA)
• Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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Cited By (6)

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• 1990
  • 1990-10-04 DK DK96120857T patent/DK0774740T3/da active
  • 1990-10-04 CA CA002064191A patent/CA2064191C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-10-04 JP JP51437390A patent/JP3221876B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-10-04 DE DE69034050T patent/DE69034050T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-10-04 KR KR1019920700724A patent/KR0172100B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-10-04 AU AU65426/90A patent/AU637418B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1990-10-04 EP EP96120857A patent/EP0774740B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-10-04 ES ES90915373T patent/ES2133272T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-10-04 DE DE69033093T patent/DE69033093T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-10-04 ES ES96120857T patent/ES2194951T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-10-04 AT AT96120857T patent/ATE234491T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-10-04 WO PCT/US1990/005688 patent/WO1991006934A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1990-10-04 EP EP90915373A patent/EP0541544B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-10-04 AT AT90915373T patent/ATE179822T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-10-04 DK DK90915373T patent/DK0541544T3/da active
  • 1990-10-15 NZ NZ235685A patent/NZ235685A/en unknown
  • 1990-10-30 IE IE389390A patent/IE903893A1/en unknown
  • 1990-10-31 MX MX023156A patent/MX172162B/es unknown
• 1992
  • 1992-02-26 FI FI920847A patent/FI112553B/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1992-04-23 NO NO92921564A patent/NO921564L/no unknown
• 2000
  • 2000-03-13 JP JP2000069524A patent/JP2000315284A/ja active Pending
• 2001
  • 2001-11-15 JP JP2001350840A patent/JP2002197159A/ja active Pending

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