Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the position of magnetic tape within a magnetic tape cassette to ascertain whether the magnetic tape is in a rewound position within the cassette is provided. In a first aspect of the present invention, the magnetic tape cassette has two internal magnetic tape take-up reels. The magnetic tape stored on the tape-up reels is detected. The rewound status of the tape is determined by whether the magnetic tape is detected on only one reel or on both reels. In a second aspect of the present invention, a preselected amount of magnetic tape is detected within the magnetic tape cassette. The magnetic tape cassette is oriented and the position of the detected magnetic tape is determined relative to the orientation of the magnetic tape cassette. In a third aspect of the present invention, an electronically detectable member positioned in a known location of the cassette is detected. A preselected amount of magnetic tape within the cassette is detected.

Abstract: The present invention replaces the conventional bias magnets for EAS markers with a paintable or printable bias magnet material, which is either directly painted onto the EAS marker or first placed onto a substrate material, which is then placed into the EAS marker. The material includes a magnetic powder mixed with resin and solvent. This “bias paint” is then applied onto the EAS marker. The magnetic powder, resin, and solvent provide a very dense layer after drying, which has a magnetic material density that is usually lower than a rolled product, but is higher than that of the injection-molded magnet material. Printing the bias magnet allows nondeactivatable magnetomechanical EAS markers to be made using web-based mass production methods.

Abstract: An EAS tag in which the tag is held to an article by an attaching assembly a part of which is releasably prevented from being withdrawn from the body of the tag. The tag body is provided with an arcuate channel through which an arcuate detacher probe can be guided for releasing the attaching assembly part. A spring clamp provides the releasable preventing function and includes jaws specifically adapted to respond to in-plane torsional forces provided by the arcuate probe which is moved through the arcuate channel by rotation to reach the spring clamp. The tag has improved anti-defeat devices and methods including one or more of the following; a shield to protect the EAS sensor, a shield to protect the releasable spring clamp, a tag self-alarm that alarms upon various unauthorized defeat attempts, an LED to signal an armed condition of the tag alarm, a magnet switch to alarm the tag upon exposure to a relatively strong magnetic field, and a plurality of apertures to decoy the position of the alarm piezo.

Abstract: Isolated planar conductive structures on separated layers of a PCB provide the normally-open, common, and normally-closed components of an electromechanical relay circuit to minimize inductive area. The isolated planar configuration reduces coupling of relay contact-noise currents to nearby sensitive circuits, and minimizes coupling EMI energy from nearby logic or microprocessor circuits to the relay contact circuits.

Abstract: An integrated self-checkout system and method incorporates access control, electronic article surveillance (EAS), and radio frequency identification (RFID) subsystems, and allows marketing advertisements and pricing to be directed to a specific individual. The customer uses either a cell phone or an interactive personal digital assistant (PDA) when in the store, which displays prices and/or advertisements. The prices and advertisements are selected according to the customer's buying habits. The customer's buying habits are obtained by tracking the customer in the store and recording selected parameters such as the customer's track through the store, the time spent in various locations in the store, items selected by the customer, and items purchased. A database of customer habits is input to a decision program that determines the content of advertisements, and the pricing of various items.

Abstract: An EAS antenna having uniform antenna thickness along the antenna height is provided. The antenna is contains at least two overlapping coils where the individual coil cross-sections are variable with respect to the circumference. If the individual coil thickness is halved at the overlap, the antenna will have uniform thickness along the antenna height. This is accomplished by reducing the number of wire turns per layer along one or more sections of the coil, and simultaneously increasing the number of wire layers on the same sections.

Abstract: A magnetomechanical EAS tag having a bias magnet made of a high magnetostrictive material so that stress, which is a result of ordinary use of an article incorporating the tag, demagnetizes the bias rending the EAS tag inactive is provided. In an alternate embodiment a mechanical mechanism is incorporated with a conventional EAS tag to deactivate the tag upon ordinary use of an article to which the tag is associated. In yet another embodiment, a combination of the bias magnet made of a high magnetostrictive material and a mechanical deactivation mechanism is used to deactivate an EAS tag during ordinary use of an article to which the tag is associated.

Abstract: A product tag system comprises: an RFID tag adapted for attachment to a product; a data store in the tag for bar code information relating to the product; a tag detacher for removing the tag from the product at a point of sale; an RFID tag reader for retrieving the bar code information from the tag when the tag is placed in the tag detacher; and, an display for presenting the bar code information in a form which can be scanned by a conventional bar code scanner, and/or in human readable form. A method for monitoring products comprise the steps of: attaching an RFID tag to a product; writing bar code information onto the tag; retrieving the bar code information from the tag at a point of sale; displaying the bar code information in a form which can be scanned by a conventional bar code scanner, and/or in human readable form; and, detaching the tag from the product.

Abstract: A flat magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance marker is provided having a magnetostrictive resonator and a pair of bias magnets disposed on opposite sides and adjacent the resonator to bias the resonator with a magnetic field of a preselected field strength. The pair of bias magnets and the resonator are maintained substantially parallel and coplanar with each other to form a thin, flat EAS marker. During assembly of the marker, the bias magnets can be laterally adjustable to fine-tune the resonant frequency of the marker, and to compensate for material variability. Alternately, during assembly of the marker, the bias magnets can be adjustable in length to fine-tune the resonant frequency of the marker, and to compensate for material variability.

Abstract: An EAS activation/deactivation antenna in accordance with the invention comprises a core; a coil arrangement having at least two coils spirally wrapped about the core, the first coil having a first rotational direction and the second coil having a rotational direction counter to the first rotational direction; and, a current source operatively connected to the coil arrangement. In consequence of the inventive arrangement, a decaying or steady state, alternating or direct current supplied by a current source can excite the coil arrangement to produce a significant near magnetic field and a reduced far magnetic field, for activation or deactivation of EAS markers.

Abstract: An EAS tag in which the tag is held to an article by an attaching assembly a part of which is releasably prevented from being withdrawn from the body of the tag. The tag body is provided with an arcuate channel through which an arcuate detacher probe can be guided for releasing the attaching assembly part. A spring clamp provides the releasable preventing function and includes jaws specifically adapted to respond to in-plane torsional forces provided by the arcuate probe which is moved through the arcuate channel by rotation to reach the spring clamp. An abutment and spring gate mechanism is placed within the arcuate channel to prevent a relatively rigid wire formed into an arcuate shape from being used to release the attaching assembly part.

Abstract: An electronic article surveillance and identification tag and system is provided. The tag couples energy from a radiated energy source, which comprises first and second radiated signals. A mixing member in the tag mixes the first and second signals to produce a sideband of the first signal, which is re-radiated by the tag. The mixing member is activated by a controller that switches the mixing member into and out of the circuit according to a code stored within the controller that is associated with an article to be identified. As the mixing member is activated and deactivated, the sideband is radiated in a sequential manner according to the stored code. A receiver detects the sideband, and a decoder recovers the stored code according to the sequence of received sideband emissions from the tag.

Abstract: A method for operator feedback when utilizing an RFID reader to find a specific RFID tagged article located in a plurality of RFID tagged articles is provided. Specific search criteria associated with a desired article are entered into the RFID reader. To begin searching for the specific RFID tagged article, the RFID reader sends out an interrogation signal to the RFID tags. An RFID tag responds with the desired RFID tag data. A processor compares the number of RFID tags matching the search criteria to the total number of RFID tags received. A feedback signal is generated according to the ratio of RFID tags matching the search criteria to the total number of RFID tags received.

Abstract: In an EAS system and method, a reference antenna is used to spatially separate the interference and tag signal allowing the interference signal to be removed, which improves performance of the EAS receiver. The reference antenna is coupled to the system by an adaptive filter, which can be a software filter that is continually adapting itself to optimum performance. The continuous adaptation obviates the need for manually tuning the coupling network and permits the system to perform at its optimum level over long periods of time.

Abstract: An electronic article surveillance (EAS) system and method utilizing two transmitted signals to generate and detect a marker signal is provided. The first signal is set at or near the resonance of the marker so its energy can be transmitted and stored in the marker. The second signal is a low frequency magnetic field that changes the resonant frequency of the marker. Because the marker's resonant frequency is constantly varying in response to the low frequency magnetic field, the marker's response to the first transmitted signal also changes. As a result, the marker performs a modulation on the first transmitted signal. Detection of a sideband of the modulated signal indicates the presence of the marker within an interrogation zone formed by the two transmitted signals. Multiple interrogation zones can be implemented by transmitting multiple low frequency signals, one low frequency signal for each interrogation zone.