Patent EP0526038B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0526038B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Article removal control system
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1992-07-15
•
Granted: 1998-10-07
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Expires: 2012-07-15
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Craeme R. c/o Minnesota Mining and Mann
- 👤 Rich L. c/o Minnesota Mining and Naylor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:47
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/22; G08B13/24; G08B13/2402; G08B13/2405; G08B13/2408; G08B13/2465; G08B13/2468; G08B13/2471
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A detector assembly for use in an electronic article
surveillance system, said detector assembly providing a
magnetic field (830) to energize sensitized markers (310)
which transmit energy for detection by sensors (820), said
detector assembly characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of sensors (820), and said magnetic field
(830) is provided in several regions, each region being associated with each of said sensors,
said regions forming zones of sensitivity (822) for said
sensors, in which zones an energized sensitized marker will be detected by the associated sensor; processing means (200, 400) connected to said sensors
for providing a detection pattern corresponding to
transmitted energy detected by one or more of said sensors
(820), processing said detection pattern to attempt to
determine if none, one, or more than one of said markers
(310) is present in said zones of sensitivity (822), and indicating
which one among these three determinable marker presence alternatives was determined.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein dead
zones within said magnetic field (830) and outside said
zones of sensitivity (822) are no larger than a smallest
dimension of said markers (310).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said
sensors (820) are spaced apart at between 5 to 20 mm
centres.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said
sensors (820) are spaced apart at about 12 mm centres.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said sensors (820) are arranged such that the zones of
sensitivity (822) of adjacent sensors (820) overlap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A detector assembly as claimed in any of claims 1
through 5 further comprising focusing means (821)
associated with said sensors (820) for determining a shape
of said zones of sensitivity (822).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein
said zones (822) are substantially conical in shape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein said
focusing means (821) is adapted to vary a detection beam
width of said zones (822).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein said
focusing means (821) comprises a waveguide (821) formed of
at least one metallic section (831) having a plurality of
holes (832) corresponding to said sensors (820), one of
said sensors (820) being located near or within each one of
said holes (832).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said processing means (200, 400) includes computing means
(201) for determining whether one or more than one of said
markers (310) are detected within more than one of said
zones (822) by analyzing the pattern derived from adjacent
ones of said sensors (820).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A detector assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein
said computing means (201) includes a look-up table of
predetermined patterns which are correlated with said
pattern so as to indicate none, one, or more than one
sensitized markers within said field (830) and said zones
(822).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
169 words
An article removal control system for enabling removal
of a selected one or more of a plurality of articles (110)
from a facility (100), said system comprising: an article inventory control sub-system in which each
said article and each user of said facility is identifiable
to record and process information regarding authorization
or inhibiting removal of one or more of said articles (110)
by an individual said user, each said article (110) being
provided with a sensitizable marker (310) that is
desensitized to permit removal of an article from said
facility (100) and sensitized on return to said facility
(100); a desensitizer (850) connected to said article
inventory control sub-system for desensitizing a marker
(310) to permit removal of the corresponding article (110)
from said facility (100) upon authorization from said
article inventory control sub-system; and a detector assembly as claimed in claim 1 connected to
said article inventory control sub-system to permit
authorization of said desensitizer when only one sensitized
marker (310) is detected within said zones (822).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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