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: 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: 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: A security tag includes a tag body member, a connecting member releasably engageable with the tag body member, and a locking member having a locked position in a first thermal state configured to lock the connecting member to the tag body member, and having an unlocked position in a second thermal state configured to unlock the connecting member from the tag body member. The locking member includes a locking body comprising a shape memory alloy, and a clamping member connected to the shape memory alloy. A transition of the shape memory alloy element from the first thermal state to the second thermal state moves the clamping member from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby enabling the connecting member to be detached from the tag body member.

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: A security tag includes a tag body member, a connecting member releasably engageable with the tag body member, and a locking member having a locked position in a first thermal state configured to lock the connecting member to the tag body member, and having an unlocked position in a second thermal state configured to unlock the connecting member from the tag body member. The locking member includes a locking body comprising a shape memory alloy, and a clamping member connected to the shape memory alloy. A transition of the shape memory alloy element from the first thermal state to the second thermal state moves the clamping member from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby enabling the connecting member to be detached from the tag body member.

Abstract: A security tag includes a tag body member, a connecting member releasably engageable with the tag body member, and a locking member having a locked position in a first thermal state configured to lock the connecting member to the tag body member, and having an unlocked position in a second thermal state configured to unlock the connecting member from the tag body member. The locking member includes a locking body comprising a shape memory alloy, and a clamping member connected to the shape memory alloy. A transition of the shape memory alloy element from the first thermal state to the second thermal state moves the clamping member from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby enabling the connecting member to be detached from the tag body member.

Abstract: A security tag includes a tag body member, a connecting member releasably engageable with the tag body member, and a locking member having a locked position in a first thermal state configured to lock the connecting member to the tag body member, and having an unlocked position in a second thermal state configured to unlock the connecting member from the tag body member. The locking member includes a locking body comprising a shape memory alloy, and a clamping member connected to the shape memory alloy. A transition of the shape memory alloy element from the first thermal state to the second thermal state moves the clamping member from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby enabling the connecting member to be detached from the tag body member.

Abstract: An antenna system for an electronic article surveillance system, comprising: a first, tunable transmitting loop; a second, tunable transmitting loop, the first and second transmitting loops being arranged for first and second modes of operation, the transmitting loops being field-coupled to one another such that tuning the antenna system for one of the modes of operation detunes the antenna system for the other mode of operation; a tunable compensation coil field-coupled to each of the first and second transmitting loops, the tunable compensation coil enabling the antenna system to be tuned for operation in one of the modes at a first resonant frequency, and despite the detuning, enabling the antenna system to be tuned for operation in the other of the modes at a second resonant frequency independently of the tuning for the first mode of operation. The first and second resonant frequencies can be the same as or different from one another.

Abstract: A deactivatable electronic theft detection marker is made from a strip or ribbon of high magnetic permeability strip or ribbon and then high magnetic coercivity material is deposited on the strip or ribbon by electroplating.

Abstract: Items of merchandise (30) are protected from shoplifting or theft by affixing to them special responder targets (32), which are formed by drawing a material of high magnetic permeability into a thin wire and thereafter rolling the wire into a flattened strip and annealing the strip and severing the strip into individual lengths. The flattened strip may be positioned on an adhesively coated base strip (42) and covered by a peel strip (46). Slug-like deactivation elements (48) of hard magnetic material may be positioned along the strip for deactivating it.

Abstract: Articles of merchandise (42) which contain deactivatable theft detection targets (44) have their targets deactivated by passing them through a box-like apparatus (30) made of low coercive force, high saturation induction material with a multiplicity of permament magnets (48) on its inside surfaces so as to generate magnetic fields which extend at different directions and at decreasing intensities from one end of the apparatus to the other so that irrespective of a target's orientation while passing through the apparatus, the target's magnetic deactivation slugs or elements will encounter a magnetizing field along the target's length sufficient to magnetize the elements.

Abstract: A novel sensor element having low magnetic coercivity and an asymmetric hysteresis characteristic is formed by heating a strip of cobalt alloy in an exidizing atmosphere to form an oxide coating thereon and then the strip is cooled in the presence of a magnetic field of about 0.3 oersteds along its length. The strip is detected by subjecting it to an alternating magnetic interrogation field and passing the resulting magnetic disturbances through signal processing circuits which select pulses produced only once in each interrogation field cycle. The element is deactivated by subjecting it to a magnetic field which eliminates its asymmetry.