Patents Assigned to Sensormatic Electronics
  • Patent number: 7998301
    Abstract: Techniques to apply a label to an object are described. In one embodiment, the label application system can include a magazine, an indexer, a separator, an applicator and an impressor. The magazine may hold one or more sets of contiguous labels. The indexer advances a label from the contiguous set of labels. The separator separates the label from the contiguous set of labels. The applicator may apply adhesive to the separated label or, alternatively, a substrate of the object. The impressor presses the label onto the desired object to complete the attachment process. In one embodiment the indexer is mechanically implemented. Alternatively, the indexer can receive control signals from a processor which control the movement of the indexer through the desired indexing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Denholm, John C. Ford
  • Patent number: 7978078
    Abstract: A magnetic core transceiver antenna for EAS marker detection is provided. The core includes a stack of amorphous alloy ribbons insulated from each other and laminated together. A coil winding of wire, also insulted from the ribbons, and connected to an electronic controller provides the transmitter and receiver modes. The transceiver antenna is optimized for the dual mode operation, and is smaller and uses less power than conventional air-core EAS antennas with equivalent performance. Complex core geometries, such as a sandwiched stack of different sized ribbons, can be implemented to vary the effective permeability of the core to customize antenna performance. Multiple transceiver antennas can be combined to increase the size of the generated EAS interrogation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Richard L. Copeland, Brent F. Balch, Steven W. Embling, William M. Farrell, Stewart E. Hall
  • Patent number: 7973660
    Abstract: A method and system for preventing simultaneous deactivation of multiple electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) tags. An RF pulse is transmitted within an EAS interrogation zone to induce a response from at least one EAS tag placed within the interrogation zone. The response of the at least one EAS tag is received. A presence of more than one EAS tag is determined by evaluating a frequency response curve corresponding to the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Stewart E. Hall
  • Patent number: 7973729
    Abstract: An antenna assembly is capable of being installed in a structure wherein the structure includes a covering and a substructure and the antenna assembly is configured with thin film materials to have a total thickness such that the antenna assembly can be disposed between the substructure and the covering. The antenna assembly may have a total thickness not greater than about 15 millimeters (mm), and may include at least one of a transmitter antenna, a transceiver antenna, and a receiver antenna. The receiver antenna may be configured as an air core antenna or a non-air core antenna. The receiver antenna may be configured as a non-air core receiver antenna in an internal compartment over or within a base insulating layer. The antenna assembly may be at least partially housed within a housing assembly of thin film materials so that both can be disposed between the substructure and the covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Adam S. Bergman, Stewart E. Hall, Manuel A. Soto
  • Patent number: 7961096
    Abstract: A system for detecting electronic article surveillance marker shielding includes electronic article surveillance (“EAS”), metal detection and video analysis subsystems communicatively coupled to a system controller. The EAS subsystem detects EAS markers within a detection zone. The metal detection subsystem detects metallic objects within the detection zone. The video analysis subsystem captures a video image of the metallic object. The system controller determines a probable classification for the metallic object and calculates a confidence weight for the probable classification. If the metallic object is identified as EAS marker shielding according to the probable classification and the corresponding confidence weight, an alert is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart E. Hall
  • Patent number: 7961099
    Abstract: A method and device for protecting an article, wherein the security device has belt having a latch mating element. A magnetically actuable locking mechanism has a magnetically actuable latch and a flexible element. The magnetically actuable latch includes a lower surface having at least one protrusion extending there from and adapted to engage with the latch mating element of the belt, and a front surface adjacent the lower surface. The front surface has a lateral notch formed therein. The flexible element biases the magnetically actuable latch and the belt into a locked position. A housing has the magnetically actuable latch disposed therein and housing includes a passageway therein defining a belt pathway configured to slidingly receive the belt therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Oscar Rendon, Gilbert Fernandez, Jr., Luis E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7946496
    Abstract: The invention is related to an RFID applicator that may include a peeler member (140) including a peel end (142), the peeler member being configured to cause an RFID label (102) to peel away from a web (110) when the web passes around the peel end; a label tamp assembly (150) configured to receive the RFID label and to move the RFID label into contact with an item (104) on which the RFID label is to be applied; and a label reject assembly having an extendable path altering mechanism (500) located proximate to said peel end, configured to advance from a retracted position to an extended position to alter a path of the web around said peel end, and wherein said extendable path altering mechanism is positioned and dimensioned to inhibit an RFID label from peeling away from said web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: John C. Ford, Christopher Marcus
  • Patent number: 7932830
    Abstract: In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, a method (and corresponding apparatus) is provided for deducing the location of one or more items or objects to be monitored. In exemplary embodiments, the method (and corresponding apparatus) is implemented in RFID (radio frequency identification) applications (e.g., reading RFID tags at 13.56 MHz and approximately 900 MHz) by deducing the location of an item associated with a unique RFID tag in one or more areas of detection covered by multiple RFID reader antennae.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Richard J. Campero, Donald G. Bauer, Paul B. Rasband, Richard H. Spedden, Matthew A. Jones
  • Patent number: 7915849
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system that improve the low-speed control stability of a video camera assembly, including a video camera, a tilt motor operable to tilt the video camera and a pan motor operable to pan the video camera. A first encoder is coupled to one of the tilt motor and pan motor. The first encoder outputs a plurality of signals having corresponding signal edges, based on a rotation speed of the one of the tilt motor and pan motor. A first controller is in electrical communication with the first encoder. The first controller determines a speed of the one of the tilt motor and pan motor at least in part by correlating a time period between detection of the first edge and detection of the second edge to the speed of the at least one tilt motor and pan motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas F. Berkey, Carlos DeJesus
  • Patent number: 7888140
    Abstract: An integrated circuit package may include a substrate and an integrated circuit. The substrate may include at least one region, and a first magnetic material associated with the at least one region. The integrated circuit may have a second magnetic material associated therewith. The second magnetic material may be attracted to the first magnetic material to coupled the integrated circuit to the at least one region of the substrate. The IC package may be utilized in an RFID tag of an RFID system. An associated method for assembling an integrated circuit to a substrate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Ming-Ren Lian, Gary Mark Shafer, George A. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 7874743
    Abstract: A pressure equalizing housing may be used to house equipment (e.g., one or more mechanical and/or electronic devices). The pressure equalizing housing may include a pressure equalization device to provide pressure equalization between an internal pressure inside of the housing and an ambient pressure outside of the housing. The pressure equalization prevents relatively humid air outside of the housing from passing into the housing and thus prevents or substantially minimizes condensation inside of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas F. Berkey, Michael Camelia
  • Patent number: 7859407
    Abstract: An electronic article surveillance antenna system with wide interrogation zones has a number of core transceiver antennas with each connectable to a transmitter. The core transceiver antennas are adapted to be installed adjacent a ceiling of the wide interrogation zone and generate an interrogation signal into the wide interrogation zone. The core transceiver antennas each are connectable to a receiver to receive and detect a response signal from an electronic surveillance marker disposed in the wide interrogation zone. The system also has transceiver antenna coils with each connectable to the transmitter and adapted to be installed adjacent a floor of the wide interrogation zone. The transceiver antenna coils generate the interrogation signal into the wide interrogation zone and each is also connectable to the receiver to receive and detect the response signal from the electronic surveillance marker disposed in the wide interrogation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Stewart E. Hall, Richard Copeland, William Farrell
  • Patent number: 7841526
    Abstract: A method, activity monitoring station and system automatically track lost or stolen items. The method begins by searching a sales activity database for at least one sales data record containing information for items sold or offered for sale on at least one Internet site, and searching a loss database for at least one loss data record containing information relating to lost or stolen items. The at least one sales data record is compared to the at least one loss data record to discover at least one matching item. If at least one matching item is discovered, a suspicious activity report is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Stewart E. Hall
  • Patent number: 7834816
    Abstract: In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an antenna structure is provided having one or more antennae arranged so as to read all possible orientations of a randomly placed tag. Also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, is a method of configuring one or more antennae composed of the steps of: identifying the “dead zones” of each discrete antennae used, and orienting each antennae such that there are no “dead zones” common to all antennae. The unique antenna structure (and corresponding method) has particular application in tag reader antenna systems for use in RFID (radio frequency identification) applications (13.56 MHz) and the like. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, multiple RF (radio frequency) antennae are utilized as part of an intelligent station to track items tagged with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC
    Inventors: Ronald A. Marino, Richard J. Campero, William J. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 7834761
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus and system are disclosed for activating, deactivating or reactivating an electronic article surveillance (EAS) label by way of a coil antenna in an H-bridge circuit which generates from the antenna: a positive increasing magnetic field; a positive decreasing magnetic field; a negative increasing magnetic field; and a negative decreasing magnetic field. The positive and negative magnetic fields are created by positive and negative currents directed through the antenna by four switches connected to the antenna in an H-bridge configuration. The method and apparatus enable low voltage activation, deactivation or reactivation of an EAS tag, e.g., at voltage levels of 12 to 24VDC, ensure uninterruptible power in case of loss of external power, and portability without a high voltage capacitor which is normally required in large deactivation designs. Activation and reactivation is by an increasing magnetic field followed by a decreasing magnetic field without altering polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Steven V. Leone
  • Patent number: 7830255
    Abstract: An electric motor, system and method for activating and deactivating an EAS article is disclosed. The electric motor has a stationary electromagnet having a center. The electric motor further has a platform located parallel to the electromagnet, wherein the platform rotates about a center concentric with the center of the electromagnet. The electric motor further has a first magnet with a first polarity located on the platform and a second magnet with a second polarity located on the platform radially opposite to the first magnet. The electric motor further has a commutator for periodically reversing current supplied to the electromagnet so as to produce a first magnetic field that interacts with the first and the second magnet and causes the platform to spin about its center. When the platform rotates, a second magnetic field for one of activation and deactivation of an EAS article is produced by the first and the second magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Steven V. Leone
  • Patent number: 7825792
    Abstract: Templates are used to define generic site layouts in terms of site-independent elements. The templates are customized by site-knowledgeable users and employed within a surveillance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC
    Inventor: Christopher J. Buehler
  • Patent number: 7821403
    Abstract: A system, apparatus (100) and method are described for an electronic article surveillance security tag (102) having a magnetically releasable tack retaining system, and a magnetic detaching device for use with the electronic article surveillance tag. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Dennis L. Hogan, Paul Griffiths, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7812729
    Abstract: A security tag includes an EAS component having a defined surface area, and an RFID component having a defined surface area. The EAS component surface area is configured to at least partially overlap the RFID component surface area. The RFID component includes an antenna which at least partially overlaps the first surface. A substantially planar spacer having a thickness is at least partially disposed between the defined surface areas of the EAS and RFID components. The RFID element read range is affected and controlled by the spacing between the RFID element and the EAS element. The RFID reader is capable of activating the RFID component when the RFID component is within the read range. The antenna includes a magnetic loop antenna in electrical contact with a spiral antenna to increase near field read response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Richard L. Copeland
  • Patent number: 7804407
    Abstract: A security tag includes an EAS component having a defined surface area, and an RFID component having a defined surface area. The EAS component surface area is configured to at least partially overlap the RFID component surface area. The RFID component includes an antenna which at least partially overlaps the first surface. A substantially planar spacer having a thickness is at least partially disposed between the defined surface areas of the EAS and RFID components. The thickness of the spacer is configured to effect a read range between an RFID reader and the RFID component. The RFID reader is capable of activating the RFID component when the RFID component is within the read range. The antenna has a complex impedance, and the EAS component forms a part of an impedance matching network of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventor: Richard L. Copeland