Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide streamline techniques to alert sales personal/associate of an item in need of replenishment on the sales floor or in the stock room, and provide real-time data indicating units of an item within a retail location. The present disclosure provides a method, system and computer readable medium for inventory management utilizing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. The method may include detecting a first signal from an electronic product code (EPC) tag at a first location; generating a value of an inventory count based on the first signal; detecting a second signal from the EPC tag at a second location; updating the value of the inventory count based on the second signal; comparing the updated value to a threshold value, and when the updated value meets the threshold; and sending a notification of a task to a mobile device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a security tag. The methods comprise: causing a plunger of the security tag to engage a latch of the security tag; preventing, by an anti-defeat structure of the security tag, a disengagement between the plunger and the latch when an impact force is applied to the security tag; and allowing, by the anti-defeat structure, the plunger to disengage the latch when a magnetic field is applied to the security tag.

Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for electronic article surveillance (EAS), comprising transmitting an acousto-magnetic (AM) interrogation signal into an AM interrogation zone of an EAS system. The AM interrogation zone and a wireless communication zone overlapping to form a zone of interest. The wireless communication zone employing a wireless communication technology other than AM. Indicating, by the EAS system, a presence of a first tag of the EAS system in the zone of interest upon a concurrent detection of both i) a response signal of the first tag via the wireless communication technology and ii) an AM response signal of the first tag in response to the AM interrogation signal.

Abstract: The present aspects include a magnetic detacher including a housing having a wall that defines a nest configured to receive a security tag; a gate member and an actuator configured to move the gate member between a closed position and an open position, wherein the gate member in the closed position blocks the nest, and in the open position allows access to the nest; a magnet positioned on an opposite side of the housing relative to the nest and adjacent to the nest, the magnet having a field in an area of the nest sufficient to unlock a magnetic lock of the security tag; and a processor in communication with the actuator and with a transaction system, wherein the processor is configured to control the actuator to move the gate member from the closed position to the open position based on receipt of an unlock signal from the transaction system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a Security Tag (“ST”) coupled to an item. The methods comprise: storing first Item Related Information (“IRI”) is a datastore of ST that is associated with an output device and second IRI in an integrated RFID element of ST; receiving third IRI at a microcontroller of ST; performing comparison operations by the microcontroller to compare the third IRI with the first and/or second IRI; using the third IRI to write over the first and/or second IRI based on results of the comparison operations; and synchronizing advertised information and register information for the item by outputting the third IRI from the output device and the integrated RFID element.

Abstract: An electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) tag for an EAS system, comprising an antenna, a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) chip configured to transmit and/or receive a wireless signal via the antenna; and a magnetically-actuatable switch configured to move between a first position and a second position. The switch is configured to electrically couple the RFID chip to the antenna in the first position. The switch is further configured to electrically decouple the RFID chip from the antenna in the second position.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to security tags, and more specifically relates to electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags. The tag prevents unauthorized removal of an article as well as triggers an alarm when the tag is attempted for tampering. The tag comprises a housing, a switch, and a processing circuit. The switch includes a first contact coupled with the housing and a second contact coupled with an article. The second contact is movable relative to the first contact. The processing circuit is provided to detect electrical disconnection between the first contact and the second contact, and trigger an alarm upon detecting the electrical disconnection.

Abstract: Electronic article surveillance (EAS) in which an EAS-enabled item includes a textile element and an EAS element. The EAS element includes an antenna subsystem and EAS electronic. The antenna subsystem is integrated into the textile element, where “integrated” connotes a manner of incorporation that would require damage to the item to remove by typical methods. The EAS electronics are in conductive communication with the antenna subsystem.

Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus and computer-readable medium of computer vision configured for person classification, comprising receiving, during a first period of time, a plurality of image frames of an environment, identifying images of persons from each frame of the plurality of image frames, and determining a respective vector representation of each of the images. The implementations include generating a probability distribution indicative of a likelihood of a particular vector representation appearing in the plurality of image frames and identifying an associate vector representation by sampling the probability distribution using a probability model. The implementations include determining an input vector representation of an input image identified in an image frame depicting a person and received during a second period of time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying a detachment of a security tag from an article. The methods comprise: using a voltage induced in an internal circuit of the security tag by a magnetic field generated by a detaching unit to power a controller of the security tag; receiving, by the security tag, a first signal sent from the detaching unit; selectively supplying power to an electro-mechanical lock mechanism of the security tag for a certain amount of time to cause a pin to be released from a lock, in response to the first signal; and communicating, from the security tag, a second signal indicating whether or not the pin was released. The voltage is no longer induced in the internal circuit by the detaching unit when the second signal indicates that the pin was released.

Abstract: Electronic Article Surveillance in which a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogation signal is transmitted, over a first window of time, into an RFID interrogation zone of the EAS system. A plurality of response signals are detected from a first RFID tag of the EAS system responding to the interrogation signal. Over a second window of time overlapping at least in part with the first window of time, image data is captured within a field of view. The field of view and the RFID interrogation zone overlap to form a zone of interest. Movement of a non-tag object is characterized during the first window of time based on the image data. Whether the first RFID tag is associated with the characterized non-tag object is determined based on a comparison of the detected plurality of response signals and the characterized movement of the non-tag object.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media for receiving an initial image of the area, receiving an updated image of the area, detecting at least one of a person in the area or a movement in the area based on the updated image, comparing the updated image and the initial image to identify a change in the area, and determining a presence or an absence of the occlusion based on the change in the area and the at least one of the person or the movement in the area.

Abstract: Methods and system for monitoring and assessing employee moods are disclosed. A proposed enterprise employee monitoring system includes surveillance cameras, a facial recognition module, an emotional analyzer module, and an employee database. The surveillance cameras capture image data including employee individuals within the enterprise. The facial recognition module identifies the individuals in the image data, and the emotional analyzer module determines an emotional state of the individuals based upon the image data. The employee database stores employee information and the emotional state information from the emotional analyzer module, based upon the identification performed by the facial recognition module.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying a person of interest exiting or entering an establishment. In an example, the system may derive a confidence factor that for an individual exiting an establishment based on image recognition and device identification technologies when the individual when a security event, such as an alarm, is set off. The system may also identify an individual entering an establishment as a person of interest based on the confidence score by using the same technologies.

Abstract: An EAS system first transmits a radio frequency identification (RFID) interrogation signal into an RFID interrogation zone of an EAS system. The system then first receives at least one RFID response signal from a first RFID tag of the system responding to the interrogation signal. The system second transmits a non-RFID RF signal into a second zone. The second zone and the RFID interrogation zone overlap to form a zone of interest. The system second receives, from the first RFID tag, an indication that the first RFID tag received the second transmission. The system determines, based on receiving both the RFID response signal from a first RFID tag and the indication that the first RFID tag received the second transmission, that the first RFID tag is in the zone of interest.

Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a marker that involve receiving, by a Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) element of the marker, an RFID deactivation signal; and responsive to the RFID deactivation signal, supplying power to a detuner element of the marker so that the detuner element switches from a first state to a second state. The marker's resonant frequency is changed to a first value that falls outside of an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) systems operating frequency range when the detuner element switches from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: Example implementations include a method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for person detection by a computer device, comprising receiving a plurality of video frames from a camera located in an environment, wherein the video frames include a depiction of a person in the environment. The implementations further include identifying attributes of the person from the video frames and comparing the attributes with attribute entries in a database of suspicious persons, wherein the database of suspicious persons includes attributes of a plurality of persons associated with an alert in the environment. The implementations include retrieving a profile indicative of an alert history of the suspicious person in response to determining a match between the attributes of the person and an entry in the database corresponding to a suspicious person, and transmitting, to a second computer device, the retrieved profile and a notification that indicates that the suspicious person is in the environment.

Abstract: A method for securing a security tag into an article of clothing includes positioning an end of the security tag into a first opening to an interface space between two layers of the article of clothing. The two layers are fixedly connected by one or more opposing connectors that are spaced apart in a manner to form the interface space sized to receive the security tag. The security tag is fully moved into the interface space. Also described herein is a security tag specially configured for placement into the interface space between two layers of the article of clothing.