HK40048290A - Anti-theft system for stores - Google Patents

Description

Anti-theft system for shop

Technical Field

The present invention relates to security systems applicable in luxury stores such as glasses or watch stores.

Background

In order to protect products displayed in stores, systems using RFID (radio frequency identification) chips attached to the products are known. These systems require the use of bulky mechanical chip fasteners that are removed during purchase using special devices or scissors at checkout, and the installation of bulky infrastructure, particularly doors installed at store exits.

European patent application EP2575112a1 discloses an inventory and theft prevention system using Transponders (TAGs) provided with RFID chips which are interrogated in a temporary or continuous manner by an RFID reader which transmits data to a database. The transponder or tag includes a coupling mechanism that opens at the point of sale. The chip records the number of times the tag has been turned on and off. This information forms part of the transmitted data. Thus detecting unauthorized opening. The system still requires a door and a special device to open the tag at checkout. Movement of the product within the store is not detected.

Anti-theft systems of the wired type are also known, which use cables between the products and the display board to prevent the products mounted on the display board from being removed from the display board. These systems are also capable of managing the presence of products on the display board. However, these systems are bulky and often prevent the customer from trying the product.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention aims to provide an anti-theft system that requires a less expensive infrastructure and allows to manage the presence of products without the need for tags or other bulky mechanisms provided with locks.

This object is achieved by a system according to the appended claims. The present invention relates to an anti-theft system that can be applied in a commercial environment such as a watch shop. Products displayed in stores are protected by electronic tags attached to the products. The tag is provided with a chip that emits a first signal that can only be received within a perimeter defined around the chip. Electronic transmission means are located within the perimeter which transmit the data transmitted within the first signal in the form of a second signal further containing a value related to the distance between the tag and the transmission means. The second signal is managed by one or more computers, preferably of the portable type, equipped with a digital application configured to analyze the second signal and in particular to check for the presence of a tag within a security zone defined around the transmission device.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear when reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows an environment in which a security system according to the invention is integrated.

Fig. 2a and 2b show an electronic tag (transponder) that can be used in a security system according to the invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a typical configuration of an antitheft system according to the present invention. The space within the watch shop is shown as rectangle 1. The table 2 is located in a shop and a plurality of watches 3 are displayed on the table 2. An electronic tag 4 is attached to the watch 3. Each tag (transponder) includes a BLE (bluetooth low energy) chip. BLE technology is known per se and allows BLE chips to transmit data packets called broadcast frames. These consecutive sequences of broadcast frames represent the "first signal" recited in the appended claims. In a manner characterized by BLE technology, the first signal may be received only within a limited perimeter around the tag 4.

The broadcast frame transmitted by the tag comprises a unique code for each watch 3 which allows to identify the watch on display. When the watch 3 is positioned at a given position on the table 2, an electronic transmission device 5 ("connection gateway of the BLE/WiFi gateway" type) is installed in a fixed position with respect to the table and within the perimeter of all the tags 4, which receives the broadcast frames from the different tags 4. Connectivity gateways ("BLE/WiFi gateways") are well known per se and allow information encoded in broadcast frames to be transmitted over WiFi links. The connection gateway 5 used in the present invention further transmits, for each tag, a so-called RSSI (received signal strength indication) value indicating the strength of the BLE signal received by the connection gateway 5.

According to a preferred mode of application, one or more of the personnel attached to the shop have a portable computer of the type of a mobile phone or tablet 6, which communicates continuously via a WiFi link using a BLE/WiFi gateway 5, and which therefore receives the "second signal" recited in the claims. The second signal is generated by a technology (WiFi) different from a technology (BLE) that generates the broadcast frame. The second signal includes at least identification information encoded in the broadcast frame by a different tag and an RSSI value.

A configurable security zone 10 is defined around the location of the connection gateway 5. The second signal is synchronized with a broadcast frame transmitted by a tag set within the security zone. The format of the second signal consists of a concatenation of the broadcast frames (with all transmitted data for each tag) and RSSI values for all tags within zone 10.

Each portable computer 6 is provided with a digital application which checks the RSSI values for the different tags 4 in real time and which generates an alarm when the RSSI of the tag 4 falls below a predefined threshold, indicating that the tag has been moved outside the safe zone 10. This indicates that the tag has been removed from zone 10 by an unauthorized person. The application will display information on the screen of the portable computer 6 to identify the label in question and the product to which it is attached. This information is derived from the broadcast frame transmitted by the tag 4.

According to a preferred embodiment, the digital application is further configured to generate an alarm when the connection between the tag 4 and the connection gateway 5 is lost. For this purpose, tag 4 is attached to watch 3, so that detaching tag 4 from watch 3 by an unauthorized person will automatically deactivate the BLE chip inside tag 4. A tag 4 of this type is shown in fig. 2a and 2 b. The tag or transponder comprises a plastic housing 15 in which a BLE chip 16 and an energy source (which may be a battery 17) are housed. A cover 18, for example made of plastic, is removably mounted on the housing 15 and may include a price tag that displays the price of the product being displayed. The label 4 is attached to the product by a loop 19, the loop 19 comprising two strands 19a and 19b, the two strands 19a and 19b comprising or consisting of an electrical cable. The loop can be opened and closed by means of a plug or screw connector 20, the two parts 20a and 20b of which plug or screw connector 20 are fastened in an electrically conductive manner to the ends of the two strands 19a and 19 b.

According to a preferred embodiment, the loops are constructed of synthetic fibers associated with the electrical cable, giving the appearance of a nylon cord ("E-textile" type material). According to one embodiment, the rings form electrical connections that, when closed, form part of a power circuit that powers the chip 16. If an unauthorized person removes the tag by cutting the loop 19 or by opening the connection 20, the BLE chip 16 stops transmitting the broadcast frame, which generates an alarm on the portable computer 6. The alert message identifies one or more particular watches based on a code integrated into the broadcast frame.

According to another embodiment, the closed loop 19 also forms part of the electrical circuit connected to the BLE chip 16, whereas opening of the loop does not cut off the power supply to the chip. Nevertheless, such opening will be detected by the circuit, which triggers the transmission by the chip of a broadcast frame containing an alarm message within a predefined period of time (for example a few minutes). This message will alert the user of the portable computer 6 that the tag has been removed in an unauthorized manner. After a predefined period, the BLE chip 16 may be deactivated.

According to one embodiment, the tag 4 is provided with an accelerometer which generates signals as a function of the movement of the tag 4 within the security zone 10, and data relating to these movements is integrated into the broadcast frame and transmitted to the portable computer 6. The digital application of the portable computer 6 is configured to interpret the movement data and possibly to generate an alert in case of unauthorized movement. This allows the product to be protected at several levels or allows the security level to be adapted to conform to the product. For example, a table on which a watch may be installed, which table must generate an alarm as soon as the watch is moved from the display board on which it is presented, and another table on which the watch may be operated by the customer does not trigger an alarm, while data relating to the movement is transmitted. This data can be stored in the mobile phone or in a central computer and used as a basis for market research, for example.

The security system may include multiple connection gateways 5 associated with multiple sets of tags 4 within the store, such as one connection gateway for each display board table in a watch store. Different security zones 10 are therefore assigned to the respective connection gateways 5. Each portable computer 6 can receive information for all connection gateways 5 and thus for all tags 4 valid in the shop. Each portable computer receives the same information sent by one or more gateways 5. According to a preferred embodiment, the digital application is configured so that each portable computer can filter in different ways as a function of the needs of the user. For example, a portable computer user may select a particular protected area 10 or may choose to display only the information contained in the broadcast frame and not the information regarding the displacement of the tag, or vice versa.

Before a tag can be added to a system, a pairing process between the tag and one or more portable computers must be performed. This process generally consists of communication between the tag and the portable computer, during which the portable computer receives the encoded information in the tag and registers the tag based on the identification data for the tag and associated product. In the case of BLE tags, this pairing procedure is preferably performed by generating a direct BLE link between the portable computer and the tag 4, i.e. a direct BLE link is a link that is not passed via the connection gateway 5. For this purpose, the BLE chip operates in a "connectable" mode during the pairing process. The chip switches to "not connectable" mode as soon as the pairing is completed, which prevents any new connection and thus any new pairing. To return to the "connectable" mode, the tag must be restarted, for example by removing its battery.

Preferably, the first signal is encrypted to secure communications between the tag and the portable computer. During the pairing process, the encryption key may be communicated to the tag by one of the portable computers. By using the key, the portable computer is able to decrypt the data.

According to a preferred embodiment, the broadcast frame is partially encrypted. The encrypted portion includes, inter alia, a time stamp and other data. However, a portion of the data is not encrypted, which allows it to be read without being paired. The encrypted data including the time stamp can only be read by one or more portable devices or mobile phones that know the encryption key. This encryption prevents any unauthorized person from being able to read the information or encrypt data, such as alarms or errors or other data. Furthermore, adding a timestamp in the encrypted portion allows the data to vary as a function of time and thus prevents unauthorized persons from cloning the tag.

A certain amount of information contained in the broadcast frame, such as for example the battery status for the tag, is visible in unencrypted form so as to be readable without being paired. However, other data must be encrypted, such as, for example, timestamps and alarms. The encryption information of the broadcast frame can be read only if the encryption key is known.

As indicated here above, the time stamp is contained in the encrypted broadcast frame. This may be an increasing time value per second. The time stamp allows the encrypted broadcast frame to be completely changed, which prevents the tag from being cloned. Without knowing the encryption key and the encryption algorithm, it is essentially impossible to predict the subsequent frames. Frames that have stopped changing or frames that are in error are considered corrupting alarms.

Claims (10)

1. An anti-theft system for protecting products inside a defined space (1), the system comprising:

-at least one tag (4) provided with an electronic chip (16) capable of transmitting a first signal in a repetitive manner and generated with a first technology, the signal being receivable only within a limited perimeter around the tag (4), the tag being connected to the product on display by a breakable mechanical connection, the signal comprising information allowing the product to be identified,

-electronic transmission means (5) mounted at a fixed position within said perimeter, the means being able to receive a first signal when located within said perimeter and to transmit a second signal in a repetitive manner, the second signal being able to be received outside the perimeter and being generated with a second technique different from the first technique, the second signal comprising at least information identifying the product and a value related to the distance between the tag and the transmission means, and

-at least one fixed or portable computer (6) configured such that it receives a second signal and provided with a digital application configured such that it manages the presence of tags within a defined security zone (10) around the transmission means (5) on the basis of said second signal, the fixed or portable computer (6) being further configured such that it performs a procedure for pairing tags (4) by generating a direct link with tags (4) not passing through the electronic transmission means (5) according to a first technique, when the electronic chip (16) operates in a so-called connectable mode.

2. Anti-theft system according to claim 1, characterized in that the digital application generates an alarm when the tag (4) is moved outside the security zone.

3. Anti-theft system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of said electronic transmission devices (5) distributed within said space (1) so that different security zones (10) are assigned to the devices (5), and in that each device (5) communicates continuously with one or more tags (4) connected to the products displayed in the respective zone, and in that said one or more computers communicate continuously with each of the devices (5).

4. Anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein the digital application and the disconnectable mechanical connection (20) connecting the tag (4) to the product (3) are configured so that the removal of said connection or the unauthorized disconnection thereof generates an alarm on a fixed or portable computer.

5. Anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein the tag (4) comprises:

-a housing (15, 18) containing a chip (16) and a source of electrical energy for powering the chip,

-a power supply circuit for the chip (16),

-a ring (19) which can be opened and closed for attaching the label (4) to the product (3), the ring comprising two parts (19a, 19b), the two parts (19a, 19b) comprising or consisting of an electrical cable, such that in a closed state the ring forms part of an electrical circuit connected to the chip (16).

6. The anti-theft system of claim 1, wherein:

-at least one of the tags (4) comprises an accelerometer configured such that it records data related to the movement of the tag within the security zone (10),

-the tag (4) is configured such that it transmits said data in a first signal to an electronic transmission means (5),

-the electronic transmission means (5) are configured such that they transmit said data to the computer (6) in a second signal,

-the digital application is configured such that it records data relating to the movement of the tag (4), and optionally such that it generates an alert when unauthorized movements are recorded.

7. The anti-theft system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is encrypted.

8. An anti-theft system according to claim 6, wherein the first signal is partially encrypted.

9. An anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein the first signal is provided with a time stamp.

10. An anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein the first technology is a BLE (bluetooth low energy) technology, and wherein the first signal consists of a sequence of broadcast frames in a BLE format.