Patent · US Expired

Magnetic article surveillance system and method

US4791412A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
2References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 1988
Grant dateDec 13, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG08B13/2488
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A surveillance system based upon generation and detection of phase shifted harmonic signals from markers on articles or persons, responsive to transmission of a reference signal at a fundamental frequency in a detection zone, may be adversely affected by the presence in the detection zone of large metal objects, such as shopping carts. Such objects can alter the phase of the harmonic signals from predetermined values. An alternate signal processing technique for such a surveillance system recognizes that immunity to such disturbances can be achieved by measuring the phase between two or more of the harmonic signals returned from the marker, because the effect of such large metal objects has been found to have the same effect on all of the harmonic signals. Correspondence to a predetermined phase difference is a reliable indicator of marker detection.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.