As technology progresses, connectivity and functionality of electronic devices have expanded. This has resulted in rapid advancements in machine-to-machine connectivity and user experience with the electronic devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet personal computers). Operational improvements and value added applications are being achieved by the emergence of cost effective and ubiquitous connectivity. Standardization in the area of communication protocols and security measures is allowing for a rapidly evolving landscape in the retail and other environments.
In retail environments, Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) systems are employed. A typical EAS system in a retail setting may comprise a monitoring system and at least one security tag or label attached to an article to be protected from unauthorized removal. The monitoring system establishes a surveillance zone in which the presence of security tags and/or labels can be detected. The surveillance zone is usually established at an access point for the controlled area (e.g., adjacent to a retail store entrance and/or exit). If an article enters the surveillance zone with an active security tag and/or label, then an alarm may be triggered to indicate possible unauthorized removal thereof from the controlled area. In contrast, if an article is authorized for removal from the controlled area, then the security tag and/or label thereof can be deactivated and/or detached therefrom. Consequently, the article can be carried through the surveillance zone without being detected by the monitoring system and/or without triggering the alarm.
The security tags may be reusable, and thus include releasable attachment elements for affixing the security tags to the articles. Such attachment elements are further designed to be releasable by authorized personnel only so that unauthorized removal of the security tags from their articles can be avoided. To this end, many attachment elements are made releasable only through the use of an associated special hook or detaching mechanism.
An exemplary security tag employing an attachment element and an associated detacher is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,419 (“the '419 patent”), entitled SECURITY TAG HAVING ARCUATE CHANNEL AND DETACHER APPARATUS FOR SAME and assigned to the same assignee hereof. The security tag of the '419 patent includes a tag body and an attachment element in the form of a tack assembly. Notably, all of the security tag electronic components are disposed within the tag body. Accordingly, the tack assembly comprises a mechanical component absent of any electronic components.
The tack assembly is used to attach the tag body to an article which is to be protected by the security tag. This is accomplished by inserting a tack into an opening in the tag body. When the tack is fully inserted into the opening, it is releasably secured in the tag body via a releasable locking means. Access to the releasable locking means is through an arcuate channel. With this configuration, a special arcuate probe is needed to reach and release the releasable locking means, and thus detach the security tag from the article.