Security system
AssigneeInnovation 2 Market Limited
InventorsRichard Marc Clement, Stephen Davies
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Unauthorized removal of articles e.g. from a retail store, each article carrying a read/write tag, is detected by a security system having at least one point-of-sale apparatus (30) arranged to write specific data into (or erase specific data from) the tag to indicate that the article has been paid for, and a detector apparatus (40) for the or each exit of the store and arranged to read each tag to determine if the specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag, and otherwise to initiate an alarm. The system also includes a refunds/returns detector apparatus (50) to read the tag of each article presented to it, to determine if the specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag, and to erase (or write in) that data so that the article can be returned to stock.
Claims45
A security system for detecting unauthorized removal of goods from a restricted area having at least one goods entry and at least one goods exit, in which each of the goods carries a read/write tag, the security system comprising:
- a) first read/write means at the at least one goods entry;
- b) second read/write means at the at least one goods exit;
- c) b) stock control computer means linked to said first read/write means for reading/writing first specific data from/to the respective tag of each of the goods entering the restricted area;
- d) c) at least one point of authorization means having third second read/write means, said third second read/write means being linked to said stock control computer means and arranged to change second specific data on the respective tag to indicate that the exit of the goods from the restricted area has been authorized;
- f) d) at least one fixed detector means at the at least one goods exit for reading each a tag of the goods to determine if said second specific data have been changed on the tag;
- g) e) means for initiating an alarm if said fixed detector means determines no change of said second specific data;
- and
- h) f) at least one refunds/returns detector means having fourth third read/write means, said fourth third read/write means for reading the respective tag of each of the goods presented to said refunds/returns detector means and to determine if said second specific data have been changed on the tag, and to change said second specific data.
A security system for detecting unauthorized removal of goods from a restricted area having at least one goods entry and at least one goods exit, in which each of the goods carries a semiconductor chip to which data can be written and from which data can be read, the security system comprising:
- a) first read/write means at the at least one goods entry;
- b) second read/write means at the at least one goods exit;
- c) b) stock control computer means linked to said first read/write means, to read/write first specific data from/to a respective said semiconductor chip of each of the goods entering the restricted area;
- d) c) at least one point of authorization means having third second read/write means, said third second read/write means being linked to said stock control computer means, arranged to change second specific data on the respective semiconductor chip to indicate that the exit of the goods from the restricted area has been authorized;
- e) d) at least one fixed detector means at the at least one goods exit, arranged to read each tag of the goods to determine if said second specific data have been changed on said semiconductor chip;
- f) e) means for initiating an alarm if said fixed detector means determines no-change of said second specific data;
- and
- g) f) at least one refunds/returns detector means having fourth third read/write means, said fourth third read/write means for reading the respective semiconductor chip of each of the goods presented to said refunds/returns detector means and for determining if said second specific data have been changed on the semiconductor chip, and to change said second specific data.
A security system for detecting unauthorized removal of good from a restricted area having at least one goods entry and at least one goods exit, in which each of the goods carries a read/write tag, the security system comprising:
- a) first read/write means at the at least one goods entry;
- b) second read/write means at the at least one goods exit;
- c) b) stock control computer means linked to said first read/write means, for reading/writing first specific data from/to the respective tag of each of the goods entering the restricted area;
- d) c) at least one point of authorization means having third second read/write means, said third second read/write means linked to said stock control computer means and arranged to change second specific data on the respective tag to indicate that the exit of the goods from the restricted area has been authorized;
- e) d) at least one fixed detector means at said at least one goods exit for reading each tag of the goods and for determining if said second specific data have been changed on the tag;
- and
- f) e) means for initiating an alarm if said fixed detector means determines no change of said second specific data, said fixed detector means having at least one ferrite core aerial mounted to a drive apparatus which is arranged to displace the aerial in a scanning mode across said at least one goods exit.
A security system to detect unauthorized removal of articles from a restricted area such as a retail store, in which each article carries a read/write tag, the security system comprising:
- at least one point-of-sale or point-of-authorization apparatus arranged to write specific data into (or erase specific data from) the tag to indicate that the article has been paid for, or its removal has otherwise been authorized;
- a detector apparatus for the or each exit of said restricted area, said detector apparatus being arranged to read each tag to determine if said specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag and otherwise to initiate an alarm;
- and
- a refunds/returns detector apparatus arranged to read the tag of each article presented to it and to determine if said specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag, and to erase (or write in) said data so that the article can be returned to stock.
A security system to detect unauthorized removal of articles from a restricted area such as a retail store, in which each article carries a read/write tag, the security system comprising:
- at least one point-of-sale or point-of-authorization apparatus arranged to write specific data into (or erase specific data from) the tag to indicate that the article has been paid for, or its removal has otherwise been authorized, and in which said specific data represents the date of sale and the actual price paid;
- and
- a detector apparatus for the or each exit of said restricted area, said detector apparatus being arranged to read each tag to determine if said specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag and otherwise to initiate an alarm.
A security system to detect unauthorized removal of articles from a restricted area such as a retail store, in which each article carries a read/write tag, the security system comprising:
- at least one point-of-sale or point-of authorization apparatus arranged to write specific data into (or erase specific data from) the tag to indicate that the article has been paid for, or its removal has otherwise been authorized, and in which said specific data represents the date of sale and the actual price paid;
- and
- a detector apparatus for the or each exit of said restricted area, said detector apparatus being arranged to read each tag to determine if said specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag and otherwise to initiate an alarm;
- and
- a refunds/returns detector apparatus arranged to read the tag of each article presented to it and to determine if said specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag, and to erase (or write in) said specific data so that the article can be returned to stock.
A security system to detect unauthorized removal of articles from a restricted area such as a retail store, in which each article carries a read/write tag, the security system comprising:
- at least one point-of-sale or point-of authorization apparatus arranged to write specific data into (or erase specific data from) the tag to indicate that the article has been paid for, or its removal has otherwise been authorized;
- a detector apparatus for the or each exit of said restricted area, said detector apparatus being arranged to read each tag to determine if said specific data has been written into (or erased from) the tag and otherwise to initiate an alarm;
- and
- at least one ferrite core aerial mounted to a drive apparatus which is arranged to displace said aerial in a scanning mode across said or each exit or another passageway of said restricted area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.