US 12,307,865 B2
Anti-theft device with remote alarm feature
Brent O. Ewing, Roscoe, IL (US); Chan Chor Man, Tai Po (HK); and Thomas O. Nagel, Rockford, IL (US)
Assigned to Fasteners for Retail, Inc., Twinsburg, OH (US)
Filed by Fasteners for Retail, Inc., Twinsburg, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/106,233.
Application 18/106,233 is a continuation of application No. 17/107,064, filed on Nov. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,605,276.
Application 17/107,064 is a continuation of application No. 16/295,063, filed on Mar. 7, 2019, granted, now 10,885,753, issued on Jan. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/646,116, filed on Mar. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0186740 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G08B 13/189 (2006.01); G08B 13/14 (2006.01); G08B 13/24 (2006.01)
CPC G08B 13/1895 (2013.01) [G08B 13/1436 (2013.01); G08B 13/2448 (2013.01); G08B 13/248 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A theft detection device, comprising:
a light sensor;
a motion sensor;
an emitter configured to emit an audible or visual signal;
an antenna located separately from the emitter and configured to emit a wireless signal;
a controller;
wherein the controller is configured to determine a light level sensed by the light sensor;
wherein the controller is configured to determine, via the motion sensor, whether the theft detection device is in motion;
wherein the controller is configured to operate the antenna based on the sensed motion of the theft detection device and the light level sensed by the light sensor such that the wireless signal is transmitted by the antenna to an alarm box; wherein the alarm box is located remotely from the theft detection device; and
wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the theft detection device is in motion, wherein if the theft detection device is in motion for a period of time longer than a threshold time period, the controller simultaneously i) operates the antenna to transmit the wireless signal, and ii) operates the emitter to emit the audible tone or the visual signal;
wherein the wireless signal is: iii) indicative of a potential theft condition, iv) transmitted independently from the audible tone or the visual signal and v) of a different type from the audible tone or the visual signal.