A power generation system for wheeled objects comprises a generator mechanically coupled to one or more of the object's wheels to convert wheel rotational energy into electrical energy. The power generation system may comprise an electrical storage device configured to store the electrical power produced by the generator. Power from the generator and/or the electrical storage device can be used to provide power to other electrical systems in or on the object. In certain embodiments, the electrical storage device comprises a bank of high-capacity capacitors connected in series. Some embodiments use a control circuit, for example, to regulate the charging and discharging of the capacitor bank and to provide suitable voltages for other systems. The power generation system may be disposed within an object's wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.

Systems and methods for detecting potential theft and identifying individuals having a history of committing theft use an electromagnetic emission associated with a personal electronic device associated with an individual is received from at least one of a sensor that is coupled to at least one of a traffic camera or an aerial drone camera. One or more signal properties of the electromagnetic emission are analyzed to determine an emission signature. Video data and video analytics are correlated with the emission signature to identify the individual having possession of the item. The emission signature and video data are stored for later use during a checkout procedure. If an emission signature detected at a checkout station matches that of the individual having possession of the item, and the item is not processed through the checkout station, an alert is issued and the individual is flagged as a potential shoplifter.

Theft of an item from a department of a venue having a department-specific, point-of-sale (POS) station for completing a transaction of the item prior to authorized removal of the item from the department, is deterred by sensing and tracking movement of a target associated with the item from the department by deploying a plurality of sensing units overhead at the venue, and by generating an alert when the sensing units sense and track that the target associated with the item has bypassed the department-specific POS station without the transaction having been completed for the item at the department-specific POS station. Security personnel execute a theft-deterrent action in response to the alert.

A system for providing and/or collecting information relating to at least one object is provided. The system comprises a radio-frequency identification, RFID, tag that is provided proximate to the at least one object, the RFID tag being configured to enable detection of a position and/or a movement of the at least one object; a server device configured to receive position and/or movement data about the at least one object; and a mobile device configured to: identify the at least one object; send a request to the server device for object information about the identified at least one object; wherein: the server device is further configured to, in response to the request, provide to the mobile device targeted object information about the identified at least one object, the targeted object information being at least partially based on the position and/or movement data; and the mobile device is further configured to display the targeted object information.

Examples described herein generally relate to a system for monitoring tags in a retail environment. The system includes an exit system including one or more sensors that read a tag to obtain exit system measurements associated with a tag detection event. The system includes a memory and a processor configured to execute instructions to receive a selection of a base configuration, the base configuration including weighting values for a plurality of exit system measurements. The processor may classify a tag detection event into a first tag status for the tag detection event based on application of the weighting values to exit system measurements associated with the tag detection event. The processor may determine a second tag status of the tag after the tag detection event. The processor may update the weighting values using a machine-learning algorithm based on at least the first tag status and the second tag status.

A method and a system for enabling in-store purchasing of security-tagged merchandise, avoiding going through the point of sale of a retailer, are provided herein. The method may include the following steps: identifying, using a user-coupled device, a security tag attached to specific item to be purchased, wherein the security-tag is unique to the specific identified item; initiating a purchase request of said item via the user-coupled device, wherein the request includes a price of the item and identifiers of: the item, the security-tag identification, the retailer, and the user; attempting a transaction based on the purchase request, wherein the transaction is capable of being authorised by a third party; and indicating at a data repository associated with an in-store security gate sensitive to said security tag, that the security tag is no longer capable of initiating an alarm.

Systems and methods for operating a marker. The method comprising: receiving, by a Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) element of the marker, an RFID deactivation signal transmitted from an external device; and responsive to the RFID deactivation signal, supplying power from the RFID element to a detuner element so that the detuner element switches from a first state to a second state. The marker's resonant frequency is changed to a first value that falls outside of an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) systems operating frequency range when the detuner element switches from the first state to the second state.

A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media for receiving a confirmation signal to unlock the security tag being detachably locked to a merchandise, wherein the confirmation signal includes a RFID device identifier associated with a RFID device of the security tag, and the RFID device is associated with a wireless device of the security tag, identifying the wireless device associated with the RFID device based on the RFID device identifier, transmitting a wireless signal to the wireless device to enable a controller to receive a release signal used to unlock the security tag from the merchandise, and transmitting the release signal to the controller to unlock the security tag from the merchandise.

Storage units including platforms that are outfitted with RFID antennas and auxiliary sensors detect changes in loading on the platforms based on changes in loading determined by the auxiliary sensors or changes in signals received by the RFID antennas. The platforms include surfaces for receiving items tagged with RFID transmitters thereon, such as items of common types and variable weights. An interaction involving the placement of an item on the platform, or the removal of the item from the platform, is detected by the auxiliary sensors. The energization of an RFID field is triggered in response to the detected interaction, and an item is identified where an RFID signal transmitted by the item is present at one time and absent at another time.