Product presence sensor security device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9959723-B2
Application number	US-201514848709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2015
Priority date	Sep 9, 2015
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A security device is provided including a product presence sensor configured to sense a change in product presence relative to the product presence sensor and a directional element configured to direct the product presence sensor in a sensing direction.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A security device comprising:
an attachment coupling configured to attach the security device to product packaging, the product packaging having a product disposed therein;
a product presence sensor configured to sense a change in product presence within the product packaging, the change in product presence being relative to the product presence sensor and indicative of an occurrence of a product being removed from the product packaging, the product presence sensor comprising:
a capacitance sensor, and
a driven shield; and

a directional element configured to direct the product presence sensor in a sensing direction;
wherein a first portion of the driven shield is disposed on a common plane with the capacitance sensor and a second portion, that is electrically connected to the first portion, of the driven shield is disposed in a plane between the capacitance sensor and the directional element and parallel to the common plane.

2. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the product presence sensor further comprises a ground, wherein a change in capacitance detected by the capacitance sensor is indicative of a change in product presence.

3. The security device of claim 2 , wherein the ground is shaped as a ground ring and the capacitance sensor is disposed within the ground ring.

4. The security device of claim 2 , wherein the ground is shaped as a ground ring and the capacitance sensor is disposed within the ground ring.

5. The security device of claim 1 further comprising:
an alarm configured to cause an alert based on a sensed change in product presence.

6. The security device of claim 5 , wherein the alarm causes different alerts based on a change in the product presence magnitude.

7. The security device of claim 1 , wherein the directional element comprises a backplane shield.

8. The security device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motion sensor configured to detect motion of the security device and transition the security device from a sleep mode to an active mode in response to detecting motion of the security device, wherein, in the active mode, the product presence sensor is configured to sense a presence of a product and wherein security device is further configured to cease sensing the presence of the product in the active mode in response to a detection of no motion by the motion sensor for a threshold duration of time.

9. The security device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an alarm; and
processing circuitry configured to:
determine if the change in product presence satisfies a predetermined change threshold, and
cause an alert by generating an audible sound via the alarm in response to the change in product presence satisfying the predetermined change threshold.

10. A method of loss prevention comprising:
providing a security device comprising:
an attachment coupling configured to attach the security device to product packaging, the product packaging having a product disposed therein;
a product presence sensor configured to sense a change in product presence within the product packaging, the change in product presence being relative to the product presence sensor and indicative of an occurrence of a product being removed from the product packaging, the product presence sensor comprising:
a capacitance sensor, and
a driven shield; and
a directional element configured to direct the product presence sensor in a sensing direction,

wherein a first portion of the driven shield is disposed on a common plane with the capacitance sensor and a second portion of the driven shield, that is electrically connected to the first portion, is disposed between the capacitance sensor and the directional element in a plane parallel to the common plane; and

attaching the security device to product packaging via an attachment coupling.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the product presence sensor comprises:
a ground, wherein a change in capacitance detected by the capacitance sensor is indicative of the change in product presence.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ground is shaped as a ground ring and the capacitance sensor is disposed within the ground ring.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a portion of the driven shield is disposed between the capacitance sensor and the ground ring.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the security device further comprises:
an alarm configured to cause an alert based on a change in product presence magnitude.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the alarm is configured to cause different alerts based on a change in product presence magnitude.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
determining a high product presence position on the product packaging based on the different alerts, and
wherein the attaching the security device is based on the high product presence position.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the directional element comprises a backplane.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the security device further comprises:
a motion sensor configured to determine motion of the security device and transition the security device from a sleep mode to an active mode in response to detecting motion of the security device,
wherein, in the active mode, the product presence sensor is configured to sense the product presence and wherein security device is further configured to cease sensing the presence of the product in the active mode in response to a detection of no motion by the motion sensor for a threshold duration of time.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the security device further comprises:
an alarm; and
processing circuitry configured to:
determine if the change in product presence satisfies a predetermined change threshold, and
cause an alert by generating an audible sound via the alarm in response to the change in product presence satisfying the predetermined change threshold.

Assignees

• Checkpoint Systems Inc

Inventors

• Perreau Benoit
• Christianson David

Classifications

• G08B13/149 Primary

  with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation · CPC title

• H03K17/955

  using a capacitive detector · CPC title

• H03K2217/960765

  Details of shielding arrangements · CPC title

• G08B13/2431 Primary

  Tag circuit details · CPC title

• H03K2217/960755

  Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches · CPC title