Abstract:
A line monitoring system and method may be used to monitor objects (e.g., people or vehicles) in a line. The system may receive object data associated with objects in a surveillance area including object identifying data and object location data. The system may analyze the object data with reference to one or more line behavior pattern parameters representing one or more behavior patterns indicative of objects in a line to determine if one or more of the objects should be designated as in a line in the surveillance area. They system may also determine one or more line statistics associated with objects designated as in the line, such as a number of objects in line, a wait time in the line, and/or a volume of objects moving through the line.
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.
Abstract:
A marker for use in a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system is described. The EAS marker includes at least one resonator, a housing configured to provide a cavity for vibration of the at least one resonator, a first, magnetized, biasing element configured to provide a biasing magnetic field for the at least one resonator, and a second, non-magnetized, biasing element.
Abstract:
A multiple image video surveillance camera system that uses a common set of sequencing logic to sample multiple imaging devices or multiple pre-set image windows within a large high-resolution imaging device is provided. The images are multiplexed into a single frame or switched on a frame-by-frame basis at the imaging device. The switched frames are marked or encoded to facilitate separation for individual image display. This configuration allows one camera processor or sequencer to support multiple imagers and eliminates the need for a separate multiplexer, which lowers the system cost. Using a single transmission media to the video recording or display devices significantly reduces system installation cost.
Abstract:
A deactivation apparatus for an electronic article surveillance tag having a plurality of layers and an equivalent resonant circuit containing an inductor and a capacitor is provided. The apparatus includes: a capacitor formed by a pair of conductive capacitor plates separated apart by a dielectric layer; an inductor connected to each of the pair of capacitor plates where an electromagnetic field of a preselected frequency at a first magnitude impinging upon the tag causes the equivalent resonant circuit to resonate and produce a detectable response from the tag; and, an electrically weakened area in the dielectric layer between the pair of conductive capacitor plates where the electromagnetic field at a second magnitude higher than the first magnitude impinging upon the tag causes a conductive path through the weakened area electrically connecting the pair of capacitor plates together and deactivating the tag.
Abstract:
A method to power a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader to increase multitag reading capability and increase the reading range of a passive tag without maximizing the continuous transmitted power level is provided. The RFID reader transmits a pulsed interrogation signal until an RFID tag response is received, and then switches to a continuous and pulsed power scheme. The continuous power emitted maintains the power supplied to the RFID tags so the tags will not reset due to loss of power. The pulsed signal permits reading the tags at longer ranges, especially when there is a plurality of tags in the area.
Abstract:
Automatic synchronization of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems operating in proximity to each other is provided. The system and method involves determining the source of a detected signal (1-11), and automatically adjusting the phase of a pulsed EAS transmitter (13-17) by amplitude sampling a received signal to detect the leading edge of an interfering transmit pulse, and calculating a corresponding delay for synchronizing the instant transmitter to the interfering transmitter. Detection of EAS tags placed too close to the EAS transmitter interrogation zone (20) is also provided. An alarm can be implemented to indicate detected EAS tags that are placed too close to the interrogation zone.
Abstract:
An EAS tag (100) in which the tag is held to an article by an attaching assembly a part of shich 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 (6) provides the releasable preventing function and includes jaws specifically adapted to respond to in-plane tortional forces provided by the arcuate probe which is moved through the arcuate channel by rotation to reach the spring clamp (6). The tag has improved anti-defeat devices and methods including one or more of the following; a shield (106) to protect the EAS sensor (5), a shield (108) to protect the releasable spring clamp (6), and a tag self-alarm that alarms upon various unauthorized defeat attempts.
Abstract:
Digital implementation of electronic article surveillance (EAS) detection filtering for pulsed EAS systems is provided. Embodiments include direct implementation as a quadrature matched filter bank (Fig. 9), as an envelope detector (Fig. 10), a correlation receiver (Fig. 11), and as a discrete Fourier transform (Fig. 12). Pre-detection nonlinear filtering (Fig. 13) is also provided for impulsive noise environments.