BACKGROUND a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a security system and method for detecting theft of items from a retail store or similar environment. In particular the invention relates to a system and method that transmits images of an alleged shoplifter to a control centre when the system is triggered by a tagged item leaving the store, allowing users of the system to build a database of possible repeated offenders. b. Related Art It is known to tag items in a retail store to deter or prevent theft of those items. Security tags are often applied to high value goods or those that are targeted by thieves.

The security tags may be in the form of hard tags that are pinned to or wrapped around a product, or soft tags such as labels that may be adhered to a box or other packaging. When a person purchases a tagged item, the security tag is detached or deactivated at the checkout so that the product can be removed from the shop without triggering an alarm. If a person tries to remove an item without the security tag having been deactivated, as the tag passes through or by a verifier an alarm will be activated. Verifiers are typically installed in gates or pedestals at the store entrance and exit such that it is necessary to walk pass the verifier as a person exits the store. If the tag has not been deactivated an audible alarm is typically sounded, accompanied by flashing lights or other visual signal.

In many cases, however, the alarm is triggered by a tag that was not properly deactivated at the checkout, or which the checkout assistant forgot to remove. It is, therefore, becoming more common for these alarm systems to be ignored. Furthermore, there is nothing in these systems to prevent a person leaving the store even with a tagged product.

It is also known that in relation to some stores, around 80% of the thefts occurring at that store will be carried out by only about 20% of the thieves. In other words, the majority of thefts are carried out by repeat offenders who return to the same store on a regular basis, for example every day or every week, often taking the same products.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved security system and method that allows security personnel to detect and monitor thefts, thereby providing a means to target repeat offenders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a security system for a retail store comprising:

a plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags, each one of said tags being attached to an item within said retail store, and each one of said tags being programmed with product data about said item;

a detector module comprising an EAS detector, the detector module being configured to transmit an activation signal when an EAS tag is detected by said detector;

an image capture component comprising a camera arranged to image an area proximate the EAS detector, the image capture component being configured to receive the activation signal and to capture image data from the camera; and - a data management component comprising a memory, the data management component being configured to receive image data transmitted by the image capture component, wherein, in use, upon receipt of the activation signal the image capture component is configured to capture image data and to transmit said image data to the data management component, and

wherein the detector module comprises means for capturing product data associated with said detected tag and means for transmitting said product data to the data management component, and the data management component is configured to link said product data with the image data to create an incident record and to store said incident record in the memory, and the data management component comprises means for linking incident records based on said product data and/or said image data.

The EAS tags are preferably radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and the EAS detector is preferably an RFID detector. In preferred embodiments the camera is a video camera and the image capture component is configured to capture image data comprising at least one frame of video. Upon receipt of the activation signal the image capture component is preferably configured to capture image data comprising a frame of the video, a predetermined number of frames preceding said frame and a predetermined number of frames following said frame.

In particularly preferred embodiments the data management component is configured to link event data comprising a time at which the tag is detected to said incident record. The event data may also comprise a date and/or a location of the tag detection. The data management component may further comprise means for linking incident records based on said event data.

The data management component preferably comprises display means and input means allowing the image data to be analysed and/or manipulated by a user. Preferably, when the image data comprises more than one frame of video, said images are displayed on the display means and the input means is configured to receive an input from a user selecting a single one of said frames of video. The data management component may further comprise facial recognition software. This enables several images to be analysed and compared to determine repeat offenders. The facial recognition software is preferably configured to compare image data stored in said memory and to determine if more than one image shows the same person, and the data management component preferably further comprises means for linking incident records containing said images showing the same person. Typically the EAS detector and the camera will be located proximate an exit of said retail store. In some embodiments, in a retail store having more than one exit, the system preferably comprises an EAS detector and a camera located proximate each of said exits. To ensure accurate detection of tags, the detector module preferably comprises more than one EAS detector which may be, for example placed on either side of an exit. Each of the EAS detectors in said detector module is preferably configured to transmit an activation signal to a single image capture component. In preferred embodiments the data management component is configured to link location data to said image data, the location data comprising an indication of which one of said EAS detectors detected the tag. The location data will typically be transmitted by the verifier to the data management component. Alternatively the location data may be transmitted from the image capture component to the data management component.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of monitoring thefts of items from a retail store, each of said items having an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag attached thereto, and each of said tags being programmed with product data about said item, the method comprising: detecting said EAS tag using an EAS detector and capturing product data associated with said detected tag; upon detection of said tag, transmitting an activation signal to an image capture component;

upon receipt of the activation signal, the image capture component capturing image data from a camera arranged to image an area proximate the EAS detector;

transmitting said image data and said product data to a data management component;

linking said product data with the image data to create an incident record; storing said linked data in a memory of the data management component; and

linking two or more stored incident records based on said image data and/or said product data.

The EAS tag is preferably an RFID tag and the EAS detector is preferably an RFID detector.

In preferred embodiments the camera is a video camera and the method comprises capturing image data from said video camera comprising at least one frame of a video. More preferably the image capture component saves image data comprising a frame of the video, a predetermined number of frames preceding said frame and a predetermined number of frames following said frame.

Preferably the data management component comprises display means and input means, and the image data comprises more than one frame of video, and the method further comprises:

displaying said more than one frame of video on the display means; and receiving an input from a user to select one of said frames.

In preferred embodiments the method further comprises linking event data with the incident record, the event data comprising a time at which the tag was detected. The event data may also comprise a date on which the tag was detected. The event data may be transmitted from the verifier or the image capture component to the data management component. In these embodiments the method preferably further comprises linking two or more incident records based on said event data.

The method preferably further comprises linking location data with the image data. The location data preferably comprises a location of the EAS detector that detected the tag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a preferred embodiment of a security system of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the steps in one embodiment of a method of use of the security system of Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A security system 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will, typically, be installed in a retail environment such as a retail store. The system 10 is arranged to detect items being removed from the store illegally and to provide images of the suspected thief to security personnel. If the suspected thief is a repeat offender, i.e. is suspected of taking items from the store on more than one occasion, the system enables a record of their activities over time to be stored and analysed, allowing security personnel to determine patterns in behaviour. The security intelligence provided by the security system 10 results in more targeted actions by the security personnel, leading to the detention of the suspected thief and a greater likelihood of prosecution, due to the evidence provided by the system and the confidence with which the thief can be approached.

A preferred embodiment of the security system 10, as illustrated in Figure 1 , comprises a plurality of security tags 12, each one being attached to an item of stock 14 within the store, a tag reader or verifier 16, a camera 18, and a memory 20 for storing images 22 captured by the camera 18. In use, the removal of a tagged item 14, which has not been deactivated, from the store is detected by the verifier 16 and the verifier 16 sends a signal to the camera 18 which is activated to capture one or more images 22. This image or set of images 22 is then transmitted to a central memory 20 to be analysed by security personnel.

The system 10 is preferably arranged such that the verifier 16 and the camera 18 are located at or proximate an exit of the store such that the camera 18 captures images of the person removing the item as they leave the store. Ideally the system 10 is discrete such that, at the time of leaving the store with the tagged item 14, the person is unaware that they have triggered the security system 10. This allows the security personnel to monitor the person for a period of time without raising suspicion. Accordingly, in preferred embodiments, the verifier 16 does not include any audible or visual alarm. It will be appreciated, however, that in some embodiments the verifier 16 may include one or both of an audible and visual alarm. The alarm may be configured so that it can be switched on and off by a user of the system. In this way, the alarm can be deactivated if it is desired to be able to trigger the security system without alerting the suspected thief.

This system 10 is primarily designed to monitor and build a record of repeat offenders, who typically account for a relatively high percentage of a store's losses. To this end, the system 10 is able to record the movement and actions of an offender without alerting them, thereby providing valuable information to the security personnel and, ultimately, the police. The security tags 12 will typically comprise electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags. In a preferred embodiment the tags 12 that are attached to the items of stock 14 in the store are radio frequency identification (RFID) tags or labels. These tags 12, in the form of a self-adhesive label or tape, are attached directly to the products 14 or product packaging, for example to seal closed a container. The advantage of these RFID labels is that they are easy to apply and do not have to be removed from the product when it is purchased. Instead, the RFID tags 12 are simply deactivated so that they do not trigger the alarm by passing the label over a suitable deactivator, as is known in the art. Furthermore, the labels may be plain or printed with any desirable lettering or graphic, such that it may not be obvious that the item 14 has any form of security device attached to it, or the tags may be hidden inside the product packaging at source. In other embodiments the labels may be in the form of hard tags that are removed from the product when the product is purchased.

A number of types of RFID labels are well known in the art and their construction and operation will not be described in detail here. Importantly, however, the RFID labels will be programmed with information to identify the type of product to which it is attached. While the product is in the store, this information is used for stock control and allows the store owner or manager to know exactly what stock is being sold and what stock remains.

In particular, stock on shelves in a store may be checked by passing an RFID scanner along the row of products 14 to scan the tags 12. This information can be transmitted to a central stock control system which monitors stock levels and determines when new stock needs to be ordered.

When an item is purchased, a reader or rewriter at the checkout reads the RFID tag and transmits the product information to the stock control system to indicate that that item has been purchased. The reader or rewriter also deactivates the RFID tag so that the tag does not activate the store's security system when the customer leaves the store. In particular, a reader may determine that a product with a specified unique code has passed through the checkout and suitable software will prevent that tag triggering the alarm. Alternatively, a rewriter may change the code held within the tag so that the alarm is not triggered. The store is also able to determine, and keep a record of, which items 14 have been removed from the store without the tag 12 having been deactivated, i.e. which items 14 have triggered the security system 10 and may, therefore, have been stolen. In addition to a non-deactivated tag activating the security system, the security system 10 of the present invention also utilises the product information stored in the RFID label 12. In particular, the verifier 16 of the security system 10 is able to extract this product information when an RFID tag 12 is detected.

The security system 10 further comprises at least one RFID verifier 16 positioned at the exit of the store. The verifier 16 will typically be in the form of a reader and antenna, as is known in the art. The verifier 16 is preferably ceiling mounted or wall mounted so that it does not obstruct the movement of people in and out of the store. In some situations, however, the verifier 16 may be located in pedestals or gates located at the exit, between which customers pass as they leave the store. In other stores the verifier 16 may be discretely located above a ceiling, within a door frame or in the floor, so that there is no visible security system which would otherwise detract from the look and feel of the store environment.

In preferred embodiments two or three verifiers 16 are located at the store exit so that customers leaving the store pass close enough to at least one of the verifiers 16 to enable the verifier 16 to detect any RFID tags 12 on products 14 the customer may be carrying.

If a non-deactivated tag 12 is detected by a verifier 16, the verifier 16 is configured to capture the product information stored on the tag 12 and to transmit an activation signal to a camera 18 mounted proximate the exit.

The camera 18, which is preferably a video camera and which may be a standard closed circuit television (CCTV) camera, is located at or proximate the exit of the store and is arranged such that the camera 18 captures images of customers exiting the store. The camera 18 is, therefore, positioned to point in a direction substantially into the store so as to capture pictures of customers' faces. The camera 18 may be one of the store's regular CCTV cameras, or alternatively may be a dedicated, stand-alone camera linked to the security system 10 of the present invention. The camera 18 is part of an image capture component 24 of the security system 10, which further comprises a memory for storing image data, control means for controlling functions of the camera 18 and means for receiving and transmitting data.

In preferred embodiments data is received and transmitted wirelessly by the image capture component 24. In particular, the image capture component 24 is configured to receive the activation signal transmitted by the verifier 16. Although the activation signal is ideally sent wirelessly from the verifier 16 to the image capture component 24, a wired connection may alternatively be provided between these two components.

In use, the camera 18 is continuously capturing video data comprising images of the exit of the store. Upon receipt of the activation signal by the image capture component 24, the control means saves a frame of the video as an image file in the memory. The control means may additionally save a pre-determined number of frames preceding and following the current frame, with the aim of capturing a clear image of the person leaving the store with the tagged item 14. In preferred embodiments the control means saves the preceding three frames and the following three frames, such that a set of seven frames are stored as a set of separate image files 22. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments more than or less than seven frames may be stored as image files; however, seven frames is believed to offer a reasonable compromise between the amount of data being stored and transmitted, and the likelihood of one of the frames providing a clear image of the person exiting the store. The saved set of frames is then transmitted to a data management component 26 of the security system 10. The data management component 26 will typically comprise a remote computer or workstation 28 and may include a computer that is linked to the store's existing CCTV system. The data management component may comprise a tablet computer or a smart phone. The data management component 26 comprises a means for receiving data from the image capture component 24 and a memory 20. The memory 20 may comprise a database for storing image files 22. The data management component 26 preferably also comprises display means 30 for displaying the image files 22, and input means 32, for example a mouse or a keyboard, for receiving inputs from a user of the system 10. The display means 30 and input means 32 may be a single device such as a touch screen.

Upon receipt of the image files 22 by the data management component 26, the set of frames may be displayed immediately on the display device 30 for review by the user of the system 10. Alternatively, the set of unprocessed images may be saved in the memory 20 for display at a later time.

In preferred embodiments, a user reviews the set of frames and, using the input means 32, selects a single frame that most clearly displays the person exiting the store. This selected frame is then stored in the memory 20 and the remainder of the images in the set of frames are deleted or discarded. In other embodiments, all of the images of the processed set of frames may be saved in the memory 20, with the selected image being tagged or indexed to allow this image in particular to be retrieved at a later time.

Preferably the selected image or processed set of images is saved together with other data from the RFID tag 12 and the verifier 16, to create an incident record. This data may include, for example, product data including the type of product that has been removed from the store, as well as the date and time at which the verifier 16 detected the tag 12. This additional data may be transmitted from the verifier 16 to the image capture component 24 together with the activation signal, and then subsequently transmitted to the data management component 26 from the image capture component 24 with the images 22. Alternatively, the data may be transmitted directly from the verifier 16 to the data management component 26 and then subsequently linked to the image data from the image capture component 24. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the data management component 26 additionally comprises means for receiving data directly from the verifier 16. The means for receiving data from the image capture component 24, and the means for receiving data from the verifier 16 if present, preferably comprises a wireless data receiver. In some embodiments, however, a wired connection between the image capture component 24 and the data management component 26, and between the verifier 16 and the data management component 26, may be provided for the transmission of data.

In preferred embodiments, the data management component 26 further comprises facial recognition software that can compare the selected image or each image from the complete set of images 22 to previous images stored in the memory 20. This allows the system 10 to determine if the same person has previously been detected removing items from the store. If the software does find one or more images showing the same person, these incident records can be linked in the memory 20. It may be preferable if an initial link is formed between the images until a user of the system 10 has verified that the images show the same person. A confirmed link can then be established between the images or the incident records. It will be appreciated that the identification and linking steps may both be carried out manually by, for example, security personnel operating the system 10.

By analysing the additional data stored with each of the linked images in the incident records, it is possible to ascertain if there are any patterns in the behaviour of a repeat offender, for example always returning at the same time of day or always taking the same items. The security personnel may then be alerted to watch for this person in a particular aisle of the store, at a particular time the following week, for example.

Alerting the personnel in this way enables them to follow, with CCTV cameras, the person when they next enter the store. The security personnel are then able to capture, on video, the person taking something from the shelves and leaving the store with it. The alleged shoplifter can then be approached by security staff once they have left the shop and detained on the basis of the CCTV video evidence. In some embodiments of the system 10 it is, therefore, beneficial if the facial recognition software monitors a video stream from a CCTV camera showing persons entering the store. The system 10 may then be configured to trigger an alert when a person who has been identified in images 22 stored in the memory 20 enters the store. The security personnel may then follow this person either on the ground or by using CCTV cameras to monitor their actions within the store.

In other embodiments the system may include processing means for determining patterns in the data and/or incident records. For example, the processing means may alert a user if the data shows that the same type of product is being taken from the store on the same day of the week or at the same time of day on more than one occasion. A user may then choose to view or tag all incident records created on that day of the week or at that time of day to determine if those thefts are linked. In many retail stores there is more than one entrance and exit. In addition to any customer entrances and exits, there are also likely to be one or more staff entrances and exits, as well as entrances and exits for deliveries. The security system 10 of the present invention preferably includes one or more verifiers 16 and one or more associated cameras 18 or image capture components 24 at each of the entrances and exits. The data from each of the verifiers 16 and image capture components 24 is sent back to the data management component 26 for analysis and compilation. Because, in these embodiments, the data from numerous sources are compiled in a central memory 20, the data transmitted by the verifier 16 and/or the image capture component 24 preferably includes information as to which verifier 16 and camera 18 have been activated. With this system, therefore, the security personnel are able to determine through which exit the person left the store.

Although in the preceding description the security or electronic article surveillance (EAS) tag 12 was an RFID label and the verifier 16 was an RFID verifier, it will be appreciated that, in other embodiments of the invention, the tags 12 and the verifiers 16 may comprise a different type of electronic article surveillance system. For example, the tags 12 may be magnetic tags, acousto-magnetic (AM) tags or a tag incorporating a microwave-based system.

Figure 2 illustrates the steps in a method of detecting theft from a retail store using the security system 10 described above.

At a first step 40 a non-deactivated tag 12 is detected by a verifier 16 at an exit of the store. At a second step 42 the verifier 16 transmits an activation signal to the image capture component 24 associated with that verifier 16, i.e. located at the same exit.

Receipt of the activation signal causes the control means of the image capture component 24 to capture and save one or more frames of video recorded by the camera 18 at step 44. The captured image or images are then transmitted to the data management component 26 at step 46.

In preferred embodiments, after a tag 12 has been detected, the verifier 16 captures the product data stored on that tag 12 at step 48. This product data is then also transmitted to the data management component 26 at step 50. The location of the verifier within the store, and the date and time at which the tag was detected may also be transmitted, in the form of location and event data, to the data management component 26, together with the product data. Within the data management component, at step 52, software associates or links the product data to the image data to create a linked incident record. This incident record is then saved in the memory 20 for review by security personnel at step 54.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the image data and product data may be transmitted to a further data management system located off site. This remote data management system is then used to analyse the captured data and the results of this analysis are then transmitted back to the retail store. The remote data management system may, for example, be located at a head office of a chain of retail stores.

The present invention, therefore, provides an improved security system and method that allows security personnel to detect and monitor thefts, thereby providing a means to target repeat offenders.