Patent Application
20090091448
The present invention relates generally to security systems, and, more particularly, to a security system utilizing a radiofrequency communications link between one or more remote units and a central alarm unit.
The use of “hands on” displays at points of purchase is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the electronics industry. Electronic devices are becoming more and more sophisticated, with a wide range of capabilities and features. Given the considerable potential investment in these devices, consumers have come to expect that they will be given the opportunity to hold and operate the devices as they would in the event of purchase. This is true of, among other types of products, cellular telephones, personal digital assistant devices (PDA's), digital music players, etc.
In many circumstances, it is impractical for potential customers to be given devices, one-by-one, and for any handling thereof to be monitored, as by a sales person. First of all, this practice could potentially require an inordinately large number of personnel, depending upon the number of products to be displayed and number of shoppers. Secondly, it is impractical to expect a sales force to keep track of all individual devices that are made available to prospective purchasers. This type of an environment is particularly attractive to thieves, recognizing that tracking of all devices made available to prospective consumers would be difficult, if not impossible. While safeguards have been devised at exits, through electronic sensing and/or strategic placement of security personnel and inspection of departing patrons, to a sophisticated thief, these normal safeguards may represent an insignificant impediment to theft.
Thus, the trend in the electronics industry has been to display most available products for inspection without requiring supervision by store personnel. Typically, security systems are employed in which sample articles are tethered to a display structure, such that prospective purchasers can handle each article within a range of the display structure corresponding to the length of the tether. The tether may include security sensors, which detect if the article is removed or the tether is cut. The security sensors are electrically connected via cabling back to a central security controller, which detects and responds to alarm conditions.
While tether-based security systems can be effective in permitting secure, unmonitored handling of portable articles, installation of such systems can be cumbersome, particularly to the extent that a number of tethered security displays may be utilized in various locations within a retail establishment, some or all of which locations may be remotely located from such an establishment's primary or desired location for security system controllers.
In accordance with one form of the invention, a security system includes a central unit and one or more remote units. Each remote unit includes a system for monitoring the status of portable articles as being secured or unsecured, such as a tethering system connecting one or more portable articles to the remote unit. The remote unit also includes an alarm circuit which can operate to generate a remote alarm signal if one or more portable articles is disconnected from the remote unit or otherwise identified as being in an unsecured condition. A radiofrequency (“RF”) transmitter responds to the remote alarm signal by generating a RF transmission.
The central unit includes a RF receiver which receives the RF transmission and outputs a central alarm signal. In some embodiments, the RF receiver will require receipt of a plurality of RF transmissions before outputting the central alarm signal. A dialer responds to the central alarm signal by initiating one or more telephone connections via a telephone line, to report the disconnection of the portable article from the remote unit or other unsecured condition.
In some embodiments, a plurality of remote units can be provided, and the identity of the remote unit that generates the remote alarm signal can be conveyed via the remote alarm signal, such as via a main code that can be conveyed by the remote alarm signal. Additionally or alternatively, the tethering system can connect a plurality of portable articles to the remote unit, and the remote alarm signal can identify the specific portable article that is disconnected from the remote unit, such as via a box code that can also be conveyed by the remote alarm signal. In some forms, the main code and/or box code can be conveyed via the RF transmission, and included in the central alarm signal as well.
In some embodiments, a dialer within the central unit can be configured to initiate one or more telephone connections via the telephone line and play a predetermined audible message. In other embodiments, the dialer can be configured to play a selected one of a plurality of messages after initiating each of the one or more telephone connections via the telephone line. The message that is played can be selected based upon criteria such as the identity of the call recipient, or based upon which one of the one or more remote units generated the remote alarm signal.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, certain specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure should be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments so illustrated or described.
Referring initially to
Remote unit 100 includes alarm controller 105 and article monitor 120. Article monitor 120 determines whether article 20 is maintained in a secured or unsecured status. A variety of article monitoring mechanisms are known in the art, and can be implemented in connection with the system described herein. For example, one such mechanism is illustrated in the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
When sensor 122 is attached to portable article 20, a signal indicative of a secured status can be conveyed via tether 124. Other conditions may result in communication of a signal indicative of an unsecured status, such as removal of sensor 122 from article 20 or destruction of sensor 122. In embodiments having tethers that are implemented via physical interconnection, an unsecured status may also be indicated by the severing of tether 124. In embodiments having tethers implemented by wireless communications link, an unsecured status may also be indicated by interruption of the communications link, and/or movement of sensor 122 more than a predetermined distance away from splitter 126. Splitter 126 concatenates sensor signals from one or more tethers 124, such that the status of sensors 122 can be communicated to alarm controller 105.
In the embodiments of
In an exemplary embodiment, the alarm notification signal includes an 8-bit main code and a 4-bit box code. The 8-bit main code uniquely identifies remote unit 100, amongst the one or more remote units that may be utilized within a given system. The 4-bit box code uniquely identifies a sensor within a particular remote unit 100 that has experienced an alarm condition, such as, in the embodiment of
After receiving an alarm notification signal, RF transceiver 130 generates a corresponding modulated RF signal, which is transmitted via antenna 135 to central unit 200 via wireless communications link 210. The RF signal is received at antenna 220 and conveyed to receiver 230. In an exemplary embodiment, receiver 230 is a four-channel receiver, whereby it is able to receive up to four alarm signals simultaneously. Accordingly, in embodiments having a plurality of remote units 100 associated with different merchandise displays, multiple alarm signals from different merchandise displays can be received simultaneously. In some such embodiments, each remote unit can be pre-assigned to one of the plurality of channels. In other embodiments, the remote unit transmitters can be configured to select one of the plurality of available channels prior to transmission.
Receiver 230 decodes the signal received from remote unit 100, towards making a determination as to whether an alarm condition exists, and an identification of the source of the alarm. In an exemplary embodiment, remote unit 100 operates to transmit the RF alarm signal via wireless communications link 210 periodically, throughout the duration of the alarm condition. Accordingly, receiver 230 can optionally be configured to require verification of any alarm condition before responding. For example, receiver 230 can be configured to require the receipt of three consistent transmissions, having matching 8-bit main codes and 4-bit box codes, either consecutively or within a predetermined period of time, before determining that the corresponding alarm condition is verified, such that it should be responded to by generating a central alarm signal.
Once a central alarm signal is generated, receiver 230 illuminates indicator 240 to provide a local indication that a verified alarm condition has occurred. In some embodiments, indicator 240 may include a light emitting diode. In other embodiments, indicator 240 may include a multi-segment LCD display which can provide information descriptive of the particular alarm condition that has occurred. In yet other embodiments, indicator 240 may provide an audible alert of an alarm condition, in combination with or instead of a visual alert.
Receiver 230 also responds to receipt of a verified alarm condition by triggering a relay, which conveys a responsive signal to telephone dialer 250. While the functions of receiving a RF transmission, verifying an alarm condition, and generating alarm signals in response thereto are described and depicted in the diagrammatic view of
Dialer 250 can be configured to place a telephone call via line tamper circuit 260 and telephone line 270 in response to an alarm condition. In an exemplary embodiment, dialer 250 can place a plurality of telephone calls to up to eight different numbers. Each call can be configured to convey one of a plurality of different messages. For example, four different messages can be preconfigured, and selected by dialer 250 based upon factors such as the identity of the remote unit that has generated the alarm, and/or the identity of the call recipient.
Line tamper circuit 260 operates to monitor the connection to telephone line 270. For example, line tamper circuit 260 identifies low voltage, open circuit or other abnormal line condition which may be indicative of telephone line failure, tampering or cutting. Preferably, line tamper circuit 260 requires an abnormal line condition to be experienced for a predetermined period of time, such as 17 seconds, before verifying the condition and responding. Once the abnormal line condition is verified, an audible external horn 280 is sounded, thus providing individuals on-site with a prominent notification that telephone line 270 is likely disabled, such that alarm conditions may not be reported properly. Optionally, line tamper circuit 260 also includes signal output 290, which can be tied to an alarm system such as a premises alarm system, providing an alternative means of reporting an abnormal line condition.
Dialer 250 further includes telephone line through-connection 300, to which a local telephone handset can be connected. During periods in which no verified alarm conditions have been detected, through-connection 300 provides a pathway through which a local handset can access telephone line 270 for general usage. When a verified alarm condition is detected, or when dialer 250 is otherwise ready to place a call on telephone line 270, dialer 250 seizes the line and deactivates through-connection 300, such that a telephone connected to through-connection 300 cannot be picked up and manipulated via button pressing or other actions, to interrupt an outbound call placed by dialer 250 on line 270.
Central unit 200 is preferably provided with power and battery backup subsystem 310. During normal operation, subsystem 310 receives power from external power connection 320, to operate central unit 200 and charge a backup battery integral to subsystem 310. If power to external connection 320 is interrupted or corrupted, the integral backup battery can be automatically employed to power central unit 200 and maintain its operation.
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, inasmuch as those skilled in the art, having the present disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.
