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US6333692B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Security tag deactivation system

Assignee: Talaris Inc
•
Filing: 2000-07-05
•
Granted: 2001-12-25
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Expires: 2020-07-05
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Abstract

Abstract A method for tracking deactivation of security devices being associated with items to be sold, each of the items being associated with a tracking identifier. The method includes determining a number of security tag deactivations which should occur using select ones of the identifiers and determining a number of actual security tag deactivations which occurred. The method then compares the number of actual security tag deactivations to the number of security tag deactivations which should have occurred, and generates an output when the comparing results in an inconsistency therebetween.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenneth Andersen
  • 👤 Gerard F. Murphy
  • 👤 Vance Daddi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 05:51
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/22; G08B13/24; G08B13/2402; G08B13/2405; G08B13/2414; G07; G07G; G07G1/00; G07G1/0036; G07G1/0045; G07G1/0054; G08B13/2451; G08B13/246; G08B13/2465; G08B13/2482

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 79 words
A method for tracking deactivations of security tags each being associated with an item for sale, each of said items having an identification, said method comprising the steps of: entering at least one of said identifications; determining a first number of security tag deactivations that should occur for each entered identification; determining a second number of security tag deactivations that actually occurred; and, comparing said first number to said second number to determine whether an exception event should occur.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 79 words
A method for tracking deactivations of security tags each being associated with an item for sale, each of said items having an identification, said method comprising the steps of: entering at least one of said identifications; determining a first number of security tag deactivations that should occur for each entered identification; determining a second number of security tag deactivations that actually occurred; and, comparing said first number to said second number to determine whether an exception event should occur.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said entering is performed using a POS terminal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein said entering comprises: manually entering a code number manually or scanning an identification element associated with said item to recover said code number.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein said tag deactivation comprises degaussing a magnetic security tag or resonating a security tag using at least one RF signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of determining whether an exception event should occur is based upon said determination of whether one or more security tag deactivations occurred within a given temporal proximity to said entering.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein said exception event comprises storing data indicative of said comparison.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 5 , further comprising selectively enabling said deactivation dependently upon said determination of how many security tags should be deactivated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein said selective activation is dependent upon data corresponding to said identification and being stored in an electronic medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said security tag associated with an item is secured to said item or packaging of said item.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 90 words
A method for tracking deactivation of security devices being associated with items to be sold, each of said items being associated with a tracking identifier, said method comprising the steps of: determining a number of security tag deactivations which should occur using select ones of said identifiers; determining a number of actual security tag deactivations which occurred; comparing said number of actual security tag deactivations which occurred to said number of security tag deactivations which should have occurred; and, generating an output when said comparing results in an inconsistency therebetween.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 90 words
A method for tracking deactivation of security devices being associated with items to be sold, each of said items being associated with a tracking identifier, said method comprising the steps of: determining a number of security tag deactivations which should occur using select ones of said identifiers; determining a number of actual security tag deactivations which occurred; comparing said number of actual security tag deactivations which occurred to said number of security tag deactivations which should have occurred; and, generating an output when said comparing results in an inconsistency therebetween.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating a corresponding record in a database when said inconsistency exists.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 53 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein said identification is performed using a POS terminal to enter a code manually or scan an indicator associated with said item to recover said code, and said tag deactivation comprises degaussing a magnetic security tag or resonating a security tag using at least one RF signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising selectively deactivating said security tags device dependently upon said determination of said expected number of security tags should be deactivated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein if said determined number of expected tag deactivations is zero, said deactivation device is temporarily deactivated.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US3810147A Cited
US5594228A Cited
US4881061A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2004-12-24 2005-06-25 2005-12-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-12-24 2009-06-25 2009-12-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-12-24 2013-06-25 2013-12-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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