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US 7,002,467 B2Granted
Alarm interface system
AssigneeProtex International Corp.
InventorsJoseph Deconinck, Dominick Dimonda
Life of this patent
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AssigneeProtex International Corp.
InventorsJoseph Deconinck, Dominick Dimonda
Estimating the term…
An alarm interface for a merchandise security system is coupled to an alarm system of the merchandise security system. The alarm interface includes one or more wireless interface transmitters and receivers. One or more output devices are connected to at least one of the one or more wireless receivers. In one aspect, the alarm system includes a controller for sensing alarm events, one or more hubs connected to the controllers, and a plurality of sensors capable of attachment to a plurality of objects to be secured. A set of sensors within the plurality of sensors is attached to a corresponding hub, and each sensor or hub generates an alarm event when separated from the controller or object to be secured. The wireless interface transmitters wirelessly transmit one or more alarm signals from the alarm system. The wireless interface receivers are adapted to receive at least one of these alarm signals transmitted from one or more of the wireless interface transmitters. One or more of the output devices are activated by at least one of the wireless interface receivers in response to at least one alarm signal-received by the receiver.
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be scouted against theft, which comprises:
An alarm interface system for actuating at least one output device in response to an alarm system coupled to said alarm interface system, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system tot monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
An alarm interface system for actuating at least one output device in response to an alarm system coupled to said alarm interface system, which comprises:
An alarm interface system for actuating at least one output device in response to an alarm system coupled to said alarm interface system, which comprises:
A merchandise security system for monitoring objects to be secured against theft, which comprises:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
By lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles: with detection of interference with a cable tethering an article, e.g. alarm activated…
By lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles: with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child: system arrangements with a plurality of child units
Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child: power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up…
Term ended 11 Jul 2023 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to security and anti-theft devices. More particularly, it relates to an alarm interface system between an alarm system and a video camera or other output device to protect merchandise and consumer product displays.
2. The Prior Art
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:
FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram showing the overall parts of an embodiment of the present invention.
Turning now in detail to the drawings, FIG. 1A shows a merchandise security system 100 including one or more alarm systems 200, an alarm interface 300, and one or more output devices 401-422. Alarm interface 300 is addressable or can be programmed to permit specific receivers within the interface to respond. Alarm interface 300 includes at least one wireless interface transmitter, such as transmitters 301-304, and at least one wireless interface receiver, such as receivers 351-372. The transmitters are connected to respective alarm boxes 200, preferably by cables 500. The receivers are likewise connected to the respective output devices, preferably by cables 700.
Each alarm system 200 may be an alarm system such as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,726,627 or 6,104,289. As shown in FIG. 2A, alarm system 200 includes a control unit 210, a plurality of hubs 220 and a plurality of sensors 230 coupled to the hubs 220. As shown in FIG. 2B, each sensor 230 may include an indicator 232 such as an LED and a sensor cable 234. Sensor 230 is connected to an object, for example, by adhesive foam tape 236 which depresses plunger 238 and closes a switch (not shown) contained within sensor 230 to complete the circuit as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,289. The sensor 230 is connected to a hub 220 by plugging the sensor cable 234 into a sensor jack 222 having corresponding status indicators 223 such as bi-color LEDs having red and green operating modes as shown in FIG. 2C. Each hub 220 includes a plurality of sensor jacks 222. Each hub 220 also includes a hub/sensor location annunciator 242, a hub reset switch 228, and an upstream jack 246 and a downstream jack 244. The downstream jack 244 is connected to another hub 220 by using hub connection cable 250. The hub connection cable 250 is connected between the downstream jack 244 of one hub 220 and the upstream jack 246 of another hub 220. In this manner, a plurality of hubs 220 can be connected in a serial chain. The first hub 221 is connected to the control unit 210 by a control unit hub connection cable 252 connected to the upstream jack 246 of the first hub 221 and the control unit 210.
The control unit 210 includes the display unit including indicator lights 212 and optionally a keypad (not shown). Information such as passwords and commands may be entered through the keypad 214 and displayed on control unit 210. The control unit 210 also displays other data such as alarm event locations using the display unit 212.