초록 ▼

A combined article surveillance and product identification system is formed of conventional elements, of which some are modified. Included in the system are conventional EAS detection equipment, hard EAS tags with RFID circuitry installed in the hard tag enclosure, a tag detaching device modified to

A combined article surveillance and product identification system is formed of conventional elements, of which some are modified. Included in the system are conventional EAS detection equipment, hard EAS tags with RFID circuitry installed in the hard tag enclosure, a tag detaching device modified to include product data reading and transaction data writing capabilities, and a point-of-sale terminal modified to interact with the detaching device. The point-of-sale terminal triggers operation of the detaching device to separate the hard tag from an article of merchandise in response to data read from the tag by the detaching device and relayed to the point-of-sale terminal.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] Detacher apparatus for removing an EAS tag from an article of merchandise, the EAS tag comprising a first element and a second element, the first and second elements adapted for assembly together by snap connection through the article of merchandise, the EAS tag further c

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] Detacher apparatus for removing an EAS tag from an article of merchandise, the EAS tag comprising a first element and a second element, the first and second elements adapted for assembly together by snap connection through the article of merchandise, the EAS tag further comprising release means for selectively releasing said snap connection, the detacher apparatus comprising:a housing;a movable probe, mounted in said housing, for selectively actuating said release means of the EAS tag to release said snap connection so that said first and second elements may be separated from each other to detach the EAS tag from the article of merchandise;trigger means, in said housing, for receiving a trigger signal generated by a device that is separate from the detacher apparatus, said trigger means actuating movement of said probe in response to receiving the trigger signal; andmeans in said housing for receiving an identification signal generated by the EAS tag; andfurther comprising means for transmitting said identification signal from said housing to said device separate from the detacher apparatus.