BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to radio-frequency identification for tracking and securing inventory items.

2. Description of Related Art

The classic model of commerce in our world revolves around an interaction between two parties: a buyer and a seller. In a modern economy, the seller is usually a large company, owning multiple retail locations and represented in a retail location by an employee, a store salesperson or cashier. In many cases, especially in peak store traffic times, the point of sale may become a bottleneck, and limit the flow of customers into the store. In such situations, self-checkout becomes a desired feature of a future retail operation. In the self-checkout scenario, the customer selects the items, pays for them (by electronic or other means), and leaves the store, without any hindrance. However, a limitation of self-checkout, though, is that once customers regularly leave the store with goods without supervision of store personnel, the risk of theft may increase. Even today inventory shrinkage is a significant burden on retail profitability, and up to 70% of all shrinkage is the result of theft, an increase of that risk may be unacceptable.

In current retail locations, where sellers wish to protect items against theft, Electronic Article Surveillance devices (EAS) are used. EAS devices are wireless transceivers that are attached to the item in a manner in which the EAS device is not easily removed except when using dedicated equipment. The EAS devices work in tandem with EAS detection gates, which are positioned at the exits from the retail location. When an EAS device comes near such a gate, the gate can detect the presence of the EAS device, and an alarm is triggered.

EAS devices have notable drawbacks. A thief may be able to remove the EAS device from the item it is attached to (for instance, while hiding in a fitting room or toilet), and take the item out of the store without an alarm being triggered. A thief may wrap the EAS device in a conducting material (for example, aluminum foil), preventing the communication between the gate and the EAS device such that an alarm is not triggered.

EAS devices are all identical, regardless of the item they are attached to, so in case an item passes through the gate and the thief manages to escape, the store cannot tell which items were stolen even if the alarm was triggered. If a retailer wishes to enable self-checkout, the customers would need to remove the EAS device from the goods being sold before they leave the store. This may be done in the form of a "kiosk" or EAS removal station. However, EAS removal station may become a bottleneck, as the customers are much less practiced in the process of removing EAS devices from items than the store personnel, thus negating most advantages of the self-checkout system

Thus, there is a need for and it would be advantageous to have an improved systems and methods for securing items at a retail location and systems which deter theft and enable self- checkout.

RFID readers include radio transceivers which send a signal to an RFID tag and read the tag's response. RFID tags may be either passive, active or battery-assisted passive. An active tag has an on-board battery may periodically transmit a identification (ID) signal. A battery-assisted passive tag has a small battery on board and is activated in the presence of an RFID reader. A passive tag has no battery. The passive tag uses radio energy transmitted by the reader. Passive tags are inexpensive and smaller than active tags and battery-assisted passive tags. Tags may be read-only, having a factory-assigned serial number that is used as a key into a database, or tags may be read/write enabled and data may be written into the tag by the system user. Field programmable RFID tags may be once writable and readable multiple times.

An RFID reader transmits an encoded radio query signal to interrogate the tag. RFID tags include at least two parts: an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, for modulating and demodulating the RF signal and an antenna for receiving and responding to the reader query signal.

The RFID tag receives the query signal and responds usually with its identification and other information as programmed. Tag information may be stored in a non-volatile memory and may include a unique tag serial number and/or product-related information such as a stock number, lot or batch number, production date, or other specific information. Since tags have individual serial numbers, the RFID system design can discriminate among tags that are within the range of an RFID reader and read them simultaneously. RFID tags may be implemented as semiconductor chips and/or more recently by printing on flexible substrates. (Chin, Kuo-Chiang, et al. "Design of Flexible RFID Tag and Rectifier Circuit using Low Cost Screen Printing Process." Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC. )

A conventional plastic fastener 10 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3, 103,666 is shown in Figure 1 including an elongated filament having a first cross-bar 18 at one end and a second cross-bar or paddle 11 (or other enlargement, such as a knob) at the opposite end. Plastic fastener 10 is used to attach a tag to an item such as a garment. A tagging gun having a slotted and bored needle is used to attached plastic fastener 10 to the item. Cross-bar 18 is inserted into the bore of the needle. The tag may be paper or cardboard with a hole through which the needle of the tagging gun is inserted. The needle of the tagging gun is then pushed through the item to be tagged. A lever on the gun pushes cross-bar 18 inside the needle bore and through the garment. The tagging needle is removed from the garment. Cross-bar 18 held in place because its transverse dimension is much larger than the small hole which may remain in the garment. Filament 17 extends through the hole in the garment. The tag is held in place by cross-bar or paddle 11.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various tags are disclosed herein, according to different features of the present invention. The tags are attachable to respective items. A tag includes an electrical conductor at an interface between the tag and the item and an electrical circuit configured to indicate the state of the electrical conductor whether the electrical conductor is connected or severed. The tag may include a filament having at a first end a cross-bar. The electrical conductor may be routed along a length of the filament and into the cross-bar. A substrate may be mechanically attached to the filament at a second end of the filament. The substrate bearing an electrical sensing device is connectable to the electrical conductor. The electrical sensing device is configured to detect the state that the electrical conductor is connected or severed. The electrical conductor may include a loop routed through the length of the filament and into the cross-bar. The electrical sensing device is configured to determine electrical continuity between ends of the the loop to detect thereby whether the state of the loop is connected or severed. The tag may include storage configurable to store identification information of the item. The electrical circuit may be configured to modulate a received electromagnetic signal with a datum indicating the identification information. An antenna is connected to the electrical circuit, the electrical conductor may be a portion of the antenna. The tag may include an internal source of stored electrical energy and/or a mechanism configured to harvest received radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation as an energy source. According to another feature of the present invention, the tag includes an edge adapted for attaching, e.g. sewing, onto an item. An electrical conductor is routed along the edge so that when the tag is attached to the item, the electrical conductor is attached to the item. The electrical sensing device is connected to the electrical conductor. The electrical sensing device is configured to detect a state that the electrical conductor is connected or severed. When the tag is attached to the item, the electrical conductor may form an electrical loop. The electrical sensing device is configured to determine electrical continuity between ends of the loop to detect thereby whether the state of the loop is connected or severed.

Various systems and methods are disclosed herein including multiple tags attachable to respective items. The tags respectively include: an electrical conductor at an interface between the tag and the item attachable thereto and an electrical sensing device configured to detect a state that the electrically conductor connected or severed. Multiple readers are configured to be in radio frequency (RF) communication with the tags. The readers may be configured to receive an electromagnetic signal indicating a change in state of the electrical conductor from connected to severed, and/or the readers may be configured to receive an electromagnetic signal encoded with a datum indicating the state of the electrical conductor whether the electrical conductor is connected or severed. Identification information of the item may be stored on the tag and read by the reader from a response signal of the tag. A computer system may be operatively connected to the readers. The computer system may be configured to receive a signal from a reader that the electrical conductor of a tag is severed, query another reader with respect to the tag with the severed electrical conductor, receive a response from the other reader, and track location of the tag with the severed electrical conductor. The reader and/or computer system may alert with respect to a potential security breach and the location of the tag.

Various systems and methods are disclosed herein including multiple tags attachable to respective items. Multiple readers are configured to be in radio frequency (RF) communication with the tags. The tags are accessible by at least one of the readers. Location of the tags is determinable from a location of a reader accessing the tags. A data base is configured to store an inventory and respective locations of the tagged items. An alert system is configured to alert when a tag attached to a tagged item previously accessible by at least one of the readers is no longer accessible by any of the readers. An exit reader may be installed near an exit of a retail store. The exit reader may be configured to read tags in the vicinity of the exit. The exit reader is configured to trigger an alert when a tagged item in the inventory approaches the exit. A computer system may be operatively attached to the readers over a computer network. The data base is stored in the computer system or is attachable to the computer system. The readers may be configured to scan for tagged items based on a schedule. A first list of tagged items for which respective response signals are received by an earlier scan is compared to a second list of tagged items for which respective response signals are received by a later scan. The computer system is updated by signalling with respect to a difference between the first and second lists.

A tagged item when purchased at a point of sale may be removed from the inventory. The alert system may inhibit an alert when a tagged item removed from the inventory is not accessible by any of the readers.

A computer readable medium is disclosed containing executable instructions for performing methods as disclosed herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a conventional plastic fastener; Figure 2A illustrates a tag, according to an embodiment of the present invention shown attached to an item;

Figure 2B illustrates further features of the tag shown in Figure 2A;

Figure 3A illustrates a tag, according to another embodiment of the present invention shown attached to an item ; Figure 3B illustrates further features of the tag shown in Figure 3 A;

Figure 4 illustrates a system, according to features of the present invention using tags previously illustrated;

Figure 5 A illustrates a method using the system shown in Figure 4, according to a feature of the present invention; Figure 5B illustrates a method, using the system shown in Figure 4, according to a feature of the present invention;

Figure 6 illustrates a method, using the system shown in Figure 4, according to a feature of the present invention;

Figure 7 illustrates a method performed by a reader, according to features of the present invention; and

Figure 8 illustrates a method performed by computer system, according to a feature of the present invention.

The foregoing and/or other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to features of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The features are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

By way of introduction, aspects of the present invention utilize radio-frequency identification (RFID) which uses electromagnetic fields to identify and track tags attached to objects. In different aspects of the present invention, items are tagged with RFID tags. An electrical conductor may be attached at an interface between the tag and the item. An RFID circuit may detect if and when the electrical conductor is severed indicating tampering or attempted removal of the tag from the item. Moreover, according to different features of the present invention the RFID tag may be tracked within the retail location and also at the exit of the store. The system, as disclosed herein according to different features of the present invention, may provide a solution to one or more technical problems as noted in the Background section in the context of conventional EAS devices. If a potential thief attempts to remove a tag constructed according to a feature of the present invention from the item it is attached to, the system may sense the compromise of integrity of attachment to the item. Store personnel may be alerted to the fact that a theft attempt has occurred and also with respect to the location in the store of the security breach. If a tagged item is electromagnetically shielded and becomes inaccessible to to any reader, then the system may be updated with respect to the "missing" item and store personnel may be alerted.

Once a specific tagged item has been paid for, according to a feature of the present invention, the item is removed from a list of protected items, the current store inventory. An RFID reader installed at the exit gates then does not trigger an alarm when the purchased item crosses the exit threshold. The RFID tag in some embodiments of this invention, is disposable and the customer may simply leave the store, without having to remove or physically deactivate the RFID tag connected to the item just purchased. The RFID system, in different embodiments of the present invention may conform to one or more communication protocols in ISO/IEC 18000 standard that describes in detail diverse RFID technologies using different frequency ranges. Referring now to the drawings, Figures 2 A illustrates, according to an embodiment of the present invention an RFID tag 20, attached to an item 22 being protected and tracked in a retail location. Figure 2B illustrates further details of RFID tag 20. RFID tag 20 may include a crossbar 28 and a filament 27 similar to cross-bar 18 and filament 17 of conventional paddle fastener 10. A conventional tagging gun may be used to attach RFID tag 20 to an item 22 similarly to conventional paddle fastener 10. An electrical conductor 29 extends through filament 27 and into cross-bar 28. Electrical conductor 29 may be an electrically conducting loop which is attached to an RFID circuit 23 at both ends through a sensing device 21. A voltage may be applied to one end of the loop and a change in voltage, or other electrical parameter, sensed at the other end of the loop may indicate tampering or breakage of electrically conducting loop 29. An RFID antenna 25 is shown connected to or part of RFID circuit 23. In different embodiments of RFID tag 20, antenna 25 and electrical conductor 29 may be connected, directly or indirectly through RFID circuit 23 and/or sensing device 21. On receiving a query signal, antenna 25 may transfer some of the received energy to electrical conductor 29 so that sensing device 21 and/or RFID circuit 23 may determine if there is electrical continuity in electrical conductor 29, whether filament 28 has been cut or other tampering is occurring. Storage 24 may store a bit indicating the state of electrical conductor 29, whether electrical conductor 29 is conducting or severed and non-conducting. Storage 24 may store other data for transfer on query to the reader. Storage 24 may store an identification number of item 22 such as Electronic Product Code (EPC), Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) number, Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), Serial Number (SN).

Figures 3A and 3B illustrate, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an RFID sewn-in tag 30, attached to an item 32 being protected/tracked in a retail location. Figure 3B illustrates further details of RFID tag 30. RFID tag 30 may be flexible printed electronics on an inner layer substrate with conventional printing on the outside of RFID tag 30. An electrical conductor 29 may extend along the perimeter (or portion thereof) of sewn-in tag 30. Electrical conductor 29 may be an electrically conducting loop which is attached to an RFID circuit 23 at both ends through a sensing device 21. According to a feature of the present invention, conducting thread may be used to sew tag 30 to item 32 and the conducting thread may be used to complete electrical continuity of loop 29. With the use of conducting thread, even careful removal of tag 30 using a seam ripper would not avoid detection. A voltage may be applied to one end of the loop and a change in voltage (or other electrical parameter) sensed at the other end of the loop may indicate tampering removal of RFID tag 30. RFID antenna 25 is shown connected to or part of RFID circuit 23. In different embodiments of RFID tag 30, antenna 25 and electrical conductor 29 may be connected, directly or indirectly through RFID circuit 23 and/or sensing device 21. Function of RFID tag 30 may be similar to that of RFID tag 20. On receiving a query signal, antenna 25 may transfer some of the received energy to electrical conductor 29 so that sensing device 21 and/or RFID circuit 23 may determine if there is electrical continuity in electrical conductor 29, i.e. sewn-in tag 30 is being removed or other tampering is occurring. Storage 24 may store data, e.g. item identification, in addition to a bit indicating the state of electrical conductor 29, whether electrical conductor 29 is conducting or severed and non-conducting. Reference is now made to Figure 4 illustrating a system 40 according to embodiments of the present invention. System 40 is configured to secure and/or track multiple items in a retail store, by way of example. Each of the tracked items has a connected RFID tag 20 and/or RFID tag 30. System 40 includes multiple RFID readers 41 situated within range of RFID tags 20 and RFID tags 30. Any exits from the retail store are protected by one or more RFID readers 45. RFID readers 41, RFID reader 45 and a computer system 43 may be interconnected over a network, e.g. local area network LAN. Local area network may be a wireless network (WLAN) or a wired network, such as Ethernet. Computer system 43 may be part of or connected to a point of sale. Computer system 43 may include or attaches to data base management software for managing the store's inventory. Reference is now made to Figure 5 A and 5B which illustrate methods 50A and 50B according to features of the present invention. In Figure 5A, tags 20, 30 may be configured to respond to a query signal from an RFID reader 41 when a change of state is detected from connected to severed of the electrical conductor at the interface between tag 20,30 and the respective item 22,32 attached thereto. RFID reader 41 receives an electromagnetic signal from tag 20,30 indicating a change in state of electrical conductor 29 from connected to severed. According to method 50A, tags 20, 30 in which the electrical conductor is connected (whole, not severed) may not respond to a query signal from an RFID reader 41. Similarly, tags 20, 30 which have already reported one (or more) times that electrical conductor 29 is severed may not respond again to an additional query signal from the same RFID reader 41. Figure 5B illustrates a method using tag 20, 30 configured to modulate an electromagnetic signal encoded with a datum indicating the state of electrical conductor 29 whether electrical conductor 29 is connected or severed. According to method 50B, tag 20,30 is configured to respond to a received query signal, and RFID reader 41 receives, regardless of whether electrical conductor 29 is connected or severed, the response signal encoded with a datum indicating the state of electrical conductor 29 whether electrical conductor 29 is connected or severed.

Figure 6 illustrates a method 60, according to features of the present invention. Computer system 43 receives a message from an RFID reader 41 that electrical conductor 29 of a tag 20,30 is severed. Computer system 43 is configured to query (step 63) other RFID readers 41, in addition to the RFID reader 41 originally reporting the potential security breach. If a response from another RFID reader 41 is received (step 65) with respect to the same tag 20,30 with electrical conductor 29 severed, then the location of compromised tag 20,30 may be tracked (step 67) while being transported through the store. Step 67 may loop back to step 63 to continue the location tracking until tagged item 22 is located with the severed conductor 29.

Figure 7 illustrates a method performed by a reader 41, according to features of the present invention. Reader 41 may scan (step 73), e.g. based on a previously defined schedule, for tagged items 22 and/or tags 20,30 within range of reader 41 and a first list of identification numbers of tagged items 22 may be stored. Reader 41 may scan again (step 76) at a later time according to a previously determined schedule, one or more tags 20,30 based on the previously defined schedule and a second list may be stored. The first list may be compared (step 77) with the second list and any difference between the first and second list may be used to update (step 79) the computer system 43. If the second scan is complete, all tags listed in the first list from first scan 73, have been queried in the second scan then method 70 continues with a first scan according to the previously determined schedule. Otherwise, method 70 continues with second scan (step 76), compare ( step 77) first list to second list, and update (step 79) with respect to a difference between the first and second lists.

Figure 8 illustrates a method performed by computer system 43, according to a feature of the present invention. Tags 20,30 may be accessed (step 81) by readers 41. Location of tags 20,30 may be determined (step 83) at least approximately from the location of readers 41 accessing tags 20,30. An inventory is stored (step 85) in a data base along optionally with estimated locations of tagged items 22. When a tagged item 22 which was previously accessible by a reader 41 and is no longer accessible by any reader 41, then an alert (step 87 ) may be triggered.

The embodiments of the present invention may comprise a general-purpose or special purpose computer system including various computer hardware components, which are discussed in greater detail below. Embodiments within the scope of the present invention also include computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions, computer- readable instructions, or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media may be any available media, which is accessible by a general purpose or special-purpose computer system. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise physical storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, flash disk, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other media which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions, computer-readable instructions, or data structures and which may be accessed by a general-purpose or special purpose computer system.

In this description and in the following claims, a "computer system" is defined as one or more software modules, one or more hardware modules, or combinations thereof, which work together to perform operations on data. For example, the definition of computer system includes the hardware components of a personal computer, as well as software modules, such as the operating system of the personal computer. The physical layout of the modules is not important. A computer system may include one or more computers coupled via a computer network. Likewise, a computer system may include a single physical device (such as a phone or Personal Digital Assistant "PDA") where internal modules (such as a memory and processor) work together to perform operations on electronic data. While any computer system may be mobile, the term "mobile computer system" especially includes laptop computers, net-book computers, cellular telephones, smart-phones, wireless telephones, personal digital assistants, smart TVs, portable computers with touch sensitive screens and the like. In this description and in the following claims, a "network" is defined as any architecture where two or more computer systems may exchange data. The term "network" may include wide area network, Internet local area network, Intranet, wireless networks such as "Wi-fi", virtual private networks, mobile access network using access point name (APN) and Internet. Exchanged data may be in the form of electrical signals that are meaningful to the two or more computer systems. When data is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hard wired, wireless, or a combination of hard wired or wireless) to a computer system or computer device, the connection is properly viewed as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Thus, computer readable media as disclosed herein may be transitory or non-transitory. Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer system or special purpose computer system to perform a certain function or group of functions.

The term "server" as used herein, refers to a computer system including a processor, data storage and a network adapter generally configured to provide a service over the computer network. A computer system which receives a service provided by the server may be known as a "client" computer system.

The term "radio-frequency" (RF) in the context of RF electromagnetic radiation and/or RF communication refers to a frequency from 3 kiloHertz to 300 gigaHertz.

The term "radio-frequency identification" refers to use of radio frequency communications for identifying items being tracked for inventory assembly and/or security purposes.

The term "RFID" refers to one or more of ISO/IEC 18000/18046/18047 standards in current use or proj ected for future use.

The terms "access", "accessible" as used herein refer to receiving an RF response from an RF query signal.

The term "paddle" and "cross-bar" are used herein interchangeably in the context of a fastener in which the cross bar is an element connected transversely to a filament or bar which is oriented longitudinally.

The terms "alarm" and "alert" are used herein interchangeably.

The term "inventory" as used herein refers to tagged items protected and tracked in accordance with features of the present invention.

The term "list" as used herein refers to a data structure including one or more items stored in a data base.

The transitional term "comprising" as used herein is synonymous with "including", and is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional element or method steps not explicitly recited. The articles "a", "an" is used herein, such as "an electrical conductor" or "a reader" have the meaning of "one or more" that is "one or more electrical conductors", "one or more readers". All optional and preferred features and modifications of the described embodiments and dependent claims are usable in all aspects of the invention taught herein. Furthermore, the individual features of the dependent claims, as well as all optional and preferred features and modifications of the described embodiments are combinable and interchangeable with one another. Although selected features of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood the present invention is not limited to the described features.