Security system

Abstract

A security mechanism for a store in which the exit door is selectively locked when an alarm, such as the sound of breaking glass is sensed. The locked door, once locked in response to a security alarm, is opened by the presence of an emergency vehicle proximate to the store, thereby allowing police to enter the store.

Claims

1. A safety portal for a store comprising: a) an exit door being selectively locked; b) a theft alarm mechanism, when activated, locks the exit door; c) a sensor responsive to an emergency signal, said sensor changing a locked/unlocked status of the exit door upon sensing the emergency signal; d) an emergency vehicle sensor generating an emergency vehicle signal when an emergency vehicle is located proximate to the store; and, e) wherein, once the sensor has been activated by the theft alarm mechanism, the emergency vehicle sensor assures the exit door is in an unlocked status upon the emergency vehicle signal.

2. The safety portal according to claim 1, further including a fire alarm mechanism generating the emergency signal and wherein the sensor assures the exit door is in an unlocked status upon sensing the emergency signal.

3. The safety portal according to claim 1, further including: a) a sound sensor generating the emergency signal upon sensing a breaking of glass sound; and, b) wherein the sensor assures the exit door is in a locked status in response to the emergency signal.

4. The safety portal according to claim 3, further including a strobing light mechanism being responsive to the emergency signal, said strobing light mechanism being directed towards an interior of the store.

5. A security mechanism for a store comprising: a) an exit door being selectively locked; b) a sound sensor generating a security alert signal upon sensing a breaking of glass sound; c) a locking mechanism responsive to the security alert signal to lock the exit door; d) an emergency vehicle sensor generating an emergency vehicle signal when an emergency vehicle is located proximate to the store; and, e) an unlocking mechanism adapted to unlock the exit door upon both, 1) sensing the emergency vehicle signal, and, 2) sensing the security alert signal.

6. The security mechanism according to claim 5, further including: a) a radio frequency identification tag generating an identification of a wearer; and, b) wherein the locking mechanism unlocks the exit door when said radio frequency identification tag is proximate to the exit door.

7. The security mechanism according to claim 6, further including a strobing light mechanism being responsive to the security alert signal, and strobing light directed towards an interior of the store.

8. The security mechanism according to claim 7, further including a control mechanism selectively activating the sound sensor during selected periods of time.

9. A security mechanism for a store comprising: a) a sound sensor generating a security alert signal upon sensing a breaking of glass sound; b) a strobing light mechanism responsive to the security alert signal; c) a locking mechanism responsive to the security alert signal and adapted to lock an exit door; d) an emergency vehicle sensor generating an emergency vehicle signal when an emergency vehicle is located proximate to the store; and, e) an unlocking mechanism adapted to unlock the exit door upon both, 1) sensing the emergency vehicle signal, and, 2) sensing the security alert signal.

10. The security mechanism for a store according to claim 9, further including a locking mechanism responsive to the security alert signal and adapted to lock an exit door.

11. The security mechanism for a store according to claim 9, further including a control mechanism selectively activating the sound sensor during selected periods of time.

Description

DRAWINGS IN BRIEF

(1) FIG. 1 is an overhead view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIGS. 2A and 2B are horizontal views of the entry and exit portals.

(3) FIG. 3 is an informational flow diagram of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the movement of the entry/exit in an embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a flow-chart of the preferred operation of the of the embodiment of FIG. 5

DRAWINGS IN DETAIL

(7) FIG. 1 is an overhead view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(8) An opening between exterior walls 12A and 12B is used for ingress and egress from the store. Positioned in this opening, are panels 10A, 10B, and 10C which form two channels, one for ingress and one for egress from the store.

(9) For egress, the customer (not shown) has obtained receipt 19 from the cash register 18. Barrier 13B has been moved to block egress as the customer passes as indicated by arrow 14E. Using receipt 19, the customer presents receipt 19 to reader 15 (positioned near a window on panel 10C). Reader 15, communicates with controller 16 which identifies the proper code (or lack thereof) and selectively move barrier 13B as indicated by arrow 14B. In this manner, a valid customer is given free access to leave the store while a shoplifter (without a receipt) is thwarted in their endeavors.

(10) Camera 11B captures an image of the customer and communicates this image to the controller which may use facial recognition to identify the customer.

(11) Emergency switch 17, ideally positioned near register 18, permits a store employee to cause all barriers to open in case of an emergency so that egress from the store is not hindered.

(12) For ingress into the store, the customer enters between panels 10A and 10B as indicated by arrow 14D. As with egress, a camera 11A is used to capture an image of the entering customer for storage by controller 16 (possibly with facial recognition). Barrier 13A is typically left open but in some necessary situations, such as when the facial recognition identifies a previous thief, moves barrier 13A as indicated by arrow 14A to prevent entry.

(13) Barriers 13A and 13B in this illustration are full or substantially full doors that slide (as indicated by arrows 14A, 14B, and 14C) to either open or close.

(14) FIGS. 2A and 2B are views of the entry and exit portals.

(15) Referring to FIG. 2A, the egress portion of the invention, looking as the customer would see the egress portion as they approach, are panels 10B and 10C forming a channel therebetween. Barrier 21B (an arm in this illustration) moves downward to block egress. The customer's image is captured by camera 11B. To move arm 21B, the customer presents his receipt to reader 15 which, if the proper code exists on the receipt, lifts arm 21B as indicated by arrow 22B.

(16) The ode is ideally unique at least to the date and preferably to the individual purchase receipt.

(17) The store's worker may also raise arm 21B should the need arise such as when the customer has not bought anything and then does not have a receipt, although in this situation, a “blank” receipt may be printed for the purpose of allowing egress.

(18) FIG. 2B illustrates the ingress portion as seen by the customer seeking to enter the store between panels 10A and 10B. Camera 11A captures an image of the customer and, in one embodiment, performs facial recognition on the image to identify if the customer is someone that the store does not want to grant entry such as a former shoplifter, a writer of bad checks, has previously caused a disturbance in the store, or has used a fraudulent credit card in the past.

(19) If the customer is a non-desirable, then arm 21A moves as indicated by arrow 22A to block entry and ideally a notice is displayed on screen 23. Screen 23 is also used to promote different sales items or for informational purposes such as hours of operation.

(20) FIG. 3 is an informational flow diagram of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

(21) Controller 16 receives the images from cameras 11A and 11B, performs facial recognition, and communicates the facial recognition data to data storage 30. Data storage 30 is used to identify customers who are undesirable as well as valued customers.

(22) Controller 16 also communicates with the customer via screen 23 and opens/closes entry door 14A and exit door 146.

(23) FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the movement of the entry/exit in an embodiment of the invention.

(24) When the store is open for business, ingress/egress mechanism 41, as outlined above, is positioned between walls 40A and 40B. In this embodiment, ingress/egress mechanism 41 is a unified body. Latching bolts 42A and 426 are used to secure ingress/egress mechanism 41 in the position shown in FIG. 4A.

(25) At store closing, FIG. 4B, the latching bolts 42A and 42B are released and the ingress/egress mechanism 41B, supported by wheels not shown, is pulled or rolled into the store and a rolling or security shutter/door 44 is used to securely cover the opening between wall 40A and 40B.

(26) FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention.

(27) Exit door 57 is positioned between walls 50A and 50B and opens as indicated by arrow 51. Door 57 is secured by locking mechanism 58 which is selectively locked/unlocked via controller 53 which communicates with locking mechanism 58 either via wires or radio 55B. Controller 53 is programmable by a user to automatically unlock door 57 (when the store is open for business) and to lock door 57 (when the store is closed for business).

(28) Within the store is display cabinet 52 which contains merchandise offered for sale by the store. In this embodiment, the top of cabinet 52 is glass allowing customers to view the merchandise. In a typical “smash and dash” type robbery, the thief smashes or breaks the glass covering to display cabinet 52.

(29) This breaking of the glass is sensed by sound sensor 54A as discussed above. Sound sensor 54A communicates with controller 53 which then lock door 57, preventing the thief from “dashing” with the merchandise from the store.

(30) Additionally, in one embodiment of the invention, when the breaking of glass is sensed by sound sensor 54A, controller 53 also activates a high intensity strobing light 59 which is intended to disorient the thief, now trapped within the store.

(31) When the door is locked due to the breaking of glass as outlined above, sensor 54D for emergency vehicles determines if an emergency vehicle is proximate and communicates this to the controller 53 via wire or radio waves 55A. When this occurs, controller 53 activates lock 58 to “unlock” allowing the police entrance to the store.

(32) If a fire is sensed by sensor 54B, a signal is sent to controller 53 which causes the door to go unlocked 58 to allow fire fighters access to the interior of the store and to allow anyone within the store to have access to escape the fire.

(33) Another safety feature is that store employee 56 has an RFID 54E secured to their body so that when they are near the door, and it is locked, the RFID is sensed 54C, communicated to the controller 53, and the locking mechanism 58 is unlocked allowing the personnel 52 to exit the building. This is important for escaping from a thief as the door relocks after employee 56 has passed through to the exterior of the building, and also during a fire within the building.

(34) FIG. 6 is a flow-chart of the preferred operation of the of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

(35) Once the program starts, 60, the time is checked 61A and a determination on if the store is open for business or not 62A is made. If open, the glass sensor's input is checked 61B and a determination if breaking glass is sensed 62B; if not, then the fire alarm is checked 62C.

(36) If the fire alarm has not been tripped, then the presence of the emergency vehicle is determined 62D. If no emergency vehicle is sensed then the door is locked 63B, a check for the RFID is made 62E to see if the door should be unlocked 63C or not, the program then returns to check the time 61A.

(37) If the breaking of glass is sensed 62B, then the door is locked 63B.

(38) If the fire alarm 62C has been tripped, the door is unlocked 63A and the program cycles back to check the time 61A.

(39) If an emergency vehicle 62D is senses, the door is unlocked 63A and program returns to check the time 61A,

(40) In this manner the different sensors are continuously monitored and the appropriate action is taken.

(41) It is clear that the present invention provides for additional security from shoplifting.