System providing self-service access to locked merchandise
A system providing self-service access to locked merchandise comprising: (a) providing a fixture that restricts access to the locked merchandise, wherein the fixture can automatically lock or unlock, allowing or restricting access to the locked merchandise; (b) providing a means of uniquely identifying an individual attempting to access the merchandise; (c) measuring a set of behaviors of the individual during any time the fixture is an open mode; (d) assessing whether the set of behaviors of the individual are suspicious or not relative to a set of suspicious event thresholds; (e) storing the individual and their set of behaviors as accessible records in at least one database; and (f) providing an algorithm which determines future access privileges of the individual to the enclosure based on a set of variables.
1. A system for maximizing sales and minimizing theft in a retail environment, the system comprising:
(a) providing a fixture comprising locked merchandise, wherein the fixture can allow or restrict access to the locked merchandise;
(b) providing a means of uniquely identifying an individual attempting to access the locked merchandise;
(c) measuring a set of behaviors of the individual during a time when the individual is in proximity of or interacting with the fixture; and
(d) assessing whether the set of behaviors of the individual are suspicious or not relative to a set of suspicious event thresholds,
wherein the fixture is a case with at least one door allowing access to the merchandise inside.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one sensor is used to count units of merchandise removed from the case.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of video analytics, time of flight, weight sensing, artificial intelligence, infrared sensors, vibration sensing, peg hook counters, RFID, or other merchandise removal sensing technology.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the door has an automatic closing mechanism which could include gravity.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a touch screen is integrated into the system to all the individual to interact with the system.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the individual can interact with the system's user interface through use of a smart phone.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the individual scans a QR code to access the system's user interface via the individual's smart phone.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein an audible sound can be played through an integrated speaker through the individual's interaction with the fixture.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the audible sound can be transmitted to an overhead speaker system.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein authorized personnel can be notified via a communications device such as a 2-way radio, smart phone, or other communication device in response to the individual's interaction with the fixture.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the audible sound and/or a visual alert can be communicated via the individual's smart phone.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the case is available in a range of form factors from small format such as the size of a single typical retail shelf, up to large format, enclosing a complete multi-shelving system.
13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the individual can select from at least two options in order to access the case from the system's user interface, wherein one option is self-service and the other option is assistance from authorized personnel.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the option to access the case is selected via an integrated touch screen.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the option to access the case is selected via a smartphone app.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locked merchandise is locked using a locking mechanism consisting of at least one selected from the group consisting of magnetic locks, solenoid locks, electronic locks, or any locking mechanism which can be externally triggered to lock and unlock.
17. A system for maximizing sales and minimizing theft in a retail environment, the system comprising:
(a) providing a fixture comprising locked merchandise, wherein the fixture can allow or restrict access to the locked merchandise;
(b) providing a means of uniquely identifying an individual attempting to access the locked merchandise;
(c) measuring a set of behaviors of the individual during a time when the individual is in proximity of or interacting with the fixture;
(d) assessing whether the set of behaviors of the individual are suspicious or not relative to a set of suspicious event thresholds;
(e) storing the individual and their set of behaviors as accessible records in at least one database; and
(f) providing an algorithm which determines future access privileges of the individual to the fixture based on a set of variables,
wherein the fixture is a case with at least one door allowing access to the merchandise inside.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein at least one sensor is used to count units of merchandise removed from the case.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the at least one sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of video analytics, time of flight, weight sensing, artificial intelligence, infrared sensors, vibration sensing, peg hook counters, RFID, or other merchandise removal sensing technology.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the door has an automatic closing mechanism which could include gravity.
21. The system of claim 17 , wherein a touch screen is integrated into the system to all the individual to interact with the system.
22. The system of claim 17 , wherein the individual can interact with the system's user interface through use of a smart phone.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the individual scans a QR code to access the system's user interface via the individual's smart phone.
24. The system of claim 17 , wherein an audible sound can be played through an integrated speaker through the individual's interaction with the fixture.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the audible sound can be transmitted to an overhead speaker system.
26. The system of claim 17 , wherein authorized personnel can be notified via a communications device such as a 2-way radio, smart phone, or other communication device in response to the individual's interaction with the fixture.
27. The system of claim 24 , wherein the audible sound and/or a visual alert can be communicated via the individual's smart phone.
28. The system of claim 17 , wherein the case is available in a range of form factors from small format such as the size of a single typical retail shelf, up to large format, enclosing a complete multi-shelving system.
29. The system of claim 22 , wherein the individual can select from at least two options in order to access the case from the system's user interface, wherein one option is self-service and the other option is assistance from authorized personnel.
30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the option to access the case is selected via an integrated touch screen.
31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the option to access the case is selected via a smartphone app.
32. The system of claim 17 , wherein the locked merchandise is locked using a locking mechanism consisting of at least one selected from the group consisting of magnetic locks, solenoid locks, electronic locks, or any locking mechanism which can be externally triggered to lock and unlock.