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US 10,885,753 B2Granted
Anti-theft device with remote alarm feature
AssigneeFasteners for Retail, Inc.
InventorsBrent O. Ewing, Chan Chor Man, Thomas O. Nagel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A anti-theft device with a remote alarm feature is provided. The device is configured to attach to an item of retail merchandise and detect when a predetermined motion and light condition are met which together are indicative of a potential retail theft. Upon detection, the device is configured to generate a local alarm, and send a radio frequency to a remote device to generate an alarm at the remote device.
Claims22
A theft detection device, comprising:
- a light sensor;
- a motion sensor;
- an emitter configured to emit an audible tone or visual signal;
- an antenna, separate from the emitter, configured to emit a wireless radio signal separately from the audible tone or visual signal;
- a controller coupled to the light sensor, motion sensor, emitter, and antenna;
- wherein the controller is configured to determine a light level sensed by the light sensor;
- wherein the controller is configured to determine, via the motion sensor, whether the theft detection device is in motion;
- wherein the controller is configured to operate the antenna and the emitter based on both whether the theft detection device is in motion and the light level sensed by the light sensor such that simultaneously i) the wireless radio signal is transmitted by the antenna to an alarm box, which is located separate from the theft detection device;
- and the audible tone or visual signal is emitted by the emitter;
- wherein the controller is further configured to determine;
- a) whether the theft detection device is in motion and whether the light level is below a threshold level, wherein if the theft detection device is in motion and the light level is below the threshold level, or the light level is above the threshold level but the theft detection device is in motion for a period of time longer than a threshold time period, in which case the controller simultaneously operates the antenna to transmit the wireless radio signal, and operates the emitter to emit the audible tone or visual signal;
- b) whether the theft detection device is in motion for a period of time less than the threshold time period and the light level is above the threshold level, in which case the controller does not cause transmission of the wireless radio signal, the audible tone, or the visual signal, and wherein the controller continuously monitors the light level and whether the theft detection device is in motion.
9 more elements
A theft detection system, comprising:
- at least one retail merchandise tag configured for attachment to an item of retail merchandise, the at least one retail merchandise tag configured to detect a change in motion of the retail merchandise tag sensed by a motion sensor of the at least one retail merchandise tag, and a change in light sensed via a light sensor of the at least one retail merchandise tag which together are indicative of a potential retail theft condition, the at least one retail merchandise tag having a controller, the controller being configured to determine:
- whether the retail merchandise tag is in motion and whether a light level is below a threshold level, wherein if the retail merchandise tag is in motion and the light level is below the threshold level, or the light level is above the threshold level but the retail merchandise tag is in motion for a period of time longer than a threshold time period, in which case the controller operates the retail merchandise tag to simultaneously transmit a wireless radio signal, and an audible tone or visual signal;
- and
- whether the retail merchandise tag is in motion for a period of time less than the threshold time period and the light level is above the threshold level, in which case the controller does not cause transmission of the wireless radio signal, the audible tone, or the visual signal, and wherein the controller continuously monitors the light level and whether the retail merchandise tag is in motion;
- an alarm box, the alarm box configured to receive the wireless radio signal from the at least one retail merchandise tag, the audible tone or visual signal being generated by an emitter of the at least one retail merchandise tag, and the wireless radio signal being generated by an antenna of the retail merchandise tag;
- and
- wherein the at least one retail merchandise tag and the alarm box are each operable to simultaneously generate an alarm upon detection of the potential retail theft condition.
4 more elements
A method of detecting a potential retail theft and generating an alarm, the method comprising:
- attaching a retail merchandise tag to an item of retail merchandise;
- detecting motion of a retail merchandise tag using a motion sensor of the retail merchandise tag;
- detecting a light condition using a light sensor of the retail merchandise tag;
- determining whether the motion and the light condition are indicative of a potential retail theft using a microprocessor of the retail merchandise tag the microprocessor coupled to the motion sensor and to the light sensor, wherein determining whether the motion and the light condition are indicative of a potential retail theft comprises:
- determining whether the retail merchandise tag is in motion and whether a light level is below a threshold level, wherein if the retail merchandise tag is in motion and the light level is below the threshold level, or the light level is above the threshold level but the retail merchandise tag is in motion for a period of time longer than a threshold time period, in which case the microprocessor operates the retail merchandise tag to simultaneously transmit a wireless radio signal, and an audible tone or visual signal;
- and
- determining whether the retail merchandise tag is in motion for a period of time less than the threshold time period and the light level is above the threshold level, in which case the microprocessor does not cause transmission of the wireless radio signal, the audible tone, or the visual signal, and wherein the microprocessor continuously monitors the light level and whether the retail merchandise tag is in motion;
- and
- upon determination that the motion and the light condition are indicative of the potential retail theft, transmitting a wireless radio signal generated by an antenna of the retail merchandise tag to an alarm box located remotely from the retail merchandise tag, and generating an alarm at the alarm box.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.