Sensormatic - Experts & Thought Leaders

Genetec Inc., a pioneering technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, announced that the lawsuit filed by Sensormatic against Genetec had ended definitively in the company's favour with Genetec exonerated of any patent infringement and with the court awarding Genetec attorney fees. Sensormatic Electronics, LLC, a subsidiary of Tyco International, which is now merged with Johnson Controls, filed suit against Genetec in Delaware in June 2020, alleging infringement of two patents, U.S. Patent No. 7,307,652 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Object Tracking and Detection" ("the '652 patent"), and U.S. Patent No. 9,463,954 entitled “Access Control System for Override Elevator Control, and Method Therefor" ("the '954 patent"). Litigation between Sensormatic and Genetec On January 3, 2023, the Court invalidated the '652 patent following the Genetec motion for summary judgement. On February 15, 2023, Sensormatic unilaterally dismissed the remaining infringement claims regarding the '954 patent with prejudice, pioneering to the judge issuing a final judgement exculpating Genetec. The court found the case choice and found Genetec entitled to a substantial portion of its attorney fees Following the final judgement in its favour, Genetec moved to have its attorney fees awarded, which required the judge to find the case “exceptional” under US patent laws. On March 27, 2024, the Court found the case exceptional and found Genetec entitled to a substantial portion of its attorney fees. The Court also ordered that the parties meet to reach an agreement on the amount of attorney's fees to be awarded, following which Genetec and Sensormatic entered into an agreement regarding the amount to be paid to Genetec, ending the litigation and terminating appeals. This concludes all outstanding litigation between Sensormatic and Genetec. Nullification of invalid patents “We have stated in the past that Genetec considers this a simple case of friendly fire, and this remains true. That said, we take patent infringement accusations very seriously, even when they come from a subsidiary of a partner,” said Pierre Racz, President of Genetec Inc. “Genetec has a forward-facing approach to development. We do not copy our peers but look to the future to create technology that doesn’t exist yet. The successful conclusion of this litigation is a vindication of our innovative approach to product development.” Genetec announced the favourable conclusion of a lawsuit brought by a non-practicing entity Genetec has always taken a firm stand against unjustified patent lawsuits and seeks the nullification of invalid patents and restitutions in unfounded patent infringement claims. In 2020, Genetec announced the favourable conclusion of a lawsuit brought by a non-practicing entity (NPE) which ended with the NPE paying Genetec in a settlement. Accusations of infringement “Lawsuits like these can be seen as an accusation of plagiarism so it is important that we set the record straight. Genetec has a policy of vigorously defending itself against any patent case we consider unjustified and to seek attorney fees awards in all such cases. This outcome demonstrates to potential patent aggressors how seriously we take these accusations of infringement,” said Jean-Yves Pikulik, Director of Intellectual Property at Genetec Inc. Genetec was represented by Fish & Richardson P.C. in this matter. Sensormatic was represented by Foley & Lardner LLP.

Intellicene, the pioneer in intelligent security management platforms, announced the appointment of Greg Colaluca as General Manager. With more than 20 years of global leadership experience, Colaluca will guide the company into its next growth phase, emphasising the delivery of intelligent security solutions for mission-critical environments. Colaluca brings a wealth of experience in customer success, growth, profitability, and operational excellence. He leverages vision, analytics, and continuous process improvement to develop successful business models and plans, and his technical background and business development skills ensure focused sales, product development, and service delivery. Delivering innovative technologies “Greg’s experience and proven track record in global leadership and customer-focused solutions will drive a continued focus on market leadership and innovation,” said Becky Stout, Volaris. “We are confident in his ability to lead the company with his extensive experience in delivering innovative technologies, his proven history of program development, and his unwavering commitment to the organisation’s mission and values.” Prior roles of Colaluca Colaluca brings extensive experience to his new role as General Manager of Intellicene Colaluca brings extensive experience to his new role as General Manager of Intellicene. At Sensormatic, he led the Global Services team, providing solutions in design, RFID consulting, solutions design/architecture, implementation, and analytics.  Before Sensormatic, he led Global Delivery at Astreya Partners, managing network engineering, network operations, and IoT services. At Hewlett Packard Enterprise, he served as Senior Director for the Consumer and Retail Industry, overseeing IT delivery across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions. Intelligence and stronger risk mitigation "Intellicene is well-positioned to deliver on its promise of helping organisations achieve greater intelligence and stronger risk mitigation in an evolving business environment,” Colaluca said. “Backed by a world-class team and a robust technology portfolio, I am excited to lead this organisation into its next era and help customers around the globe achieve safer and stronger operations.”

Advanced video projects delivered by SECOM, Johnson Controls and ISD Tech have been recognised at IFSEC with a special award event on the IDIS stand. Over the last 12 months, large-scale implementations and high definition IP system upgrades, harnessing the latest IDIS technology, have given enhanced video capability at NHS facilities, fashion chains, coffee shops, variety stores, and market leaders in the eating-out sector. Each year, IDIS invites VIP guests to recognise outstanding achievements by partners, with a presentation on its IFSEC stand followed by a drinks’ reception underscoring the value it places on long term partnership working. Awards presented to industry partners Our continued momentum in video tech development is guided by our close working ties with our industry partners"Recognising these successes, Joon Jun, President of the IDIS Global Business Division presented partner awards to Alan Blake, Commercial Director of SECOM Plc, Sean Lee, Retail Director of the Sensormatic Solutions Division of Johnson Controls and ISD Tech’s Managing Director, Nicky Stokes. “Our continued momentum in video tech development is guided by our close working ties with our industry partners,” says James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe. “We see the results of this collaboration with the impressive range of successful projects delivered over the last year, with ISD Tech, Johnson Controls and SECOM leading the field.” Implemented video integration projects SECOM Plc, which is a pioneer in tailored fire and security solutions operating internationally, was named as UK Partner of the Year. Over the last year SECOM has completed a number of notable video integration projects in retail, eating-out and various commercial sectors, and has demonstrated outstanding application of the IDIS Total Solution which has DirectIP at its heart as well as the analogue/HD-TVI solution DirectCX to leverage existing coaxial cabling. Johnson Controls has led the way in using analytics technology in the retail sector, including the IDIS VA in the Box solution Johnson Controls was confirmed as the UK Integration Partner of the Year, following a number of successful retail and healthcare deployments, including implementations for major high street fashion brands, popular variety stores and NHS facilities. Johnson Controls has also led the way in using analytics technology in the retail sector, including the IDIS VA in the Box solution, and has been among the fastest growing of IDIS’ partnership operations over the last year. Video solution for NHS healthcare trust ISD Tech was named UK Project Partner of the Year after delivering an award-winning video solution for one of the UK’s largest NHS mental healthcare trusts. The project helped to transform safety and security at child and adolescent facilities and, following its success, ISD Tech is now working on a second phase implementation due to be completed imminently with further deployments planned for later in the year. Speaking at the IFSEC presentation, James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe praised the achievements of this year’s award winners. “These awards once again demonstrate the benefits of close partnership working, not just for the companies involved but most importantly for their end-user customers who benefit from the best available video surveillance solutions.”

The holiday season is marked by festive spirit and family celebrations, but it is also the busiest time of year for retailers. Busy shoppers willing to spend money are an upside to the holiday shopping season, and many businesses depend on the holiday rush as a critical element to having a successful year. A downside of a busy holiday season is an increase in retail security threats including shoplifting. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How can technology address loss prevention challenges during the holiday shopping season?

Shoplifting is often viewed as petty theft by individuals, but that is not always the case. Overall, shoplifting is becoming more sophisticated and coordinated. Sometimes, retail crimes are strategic and expertly choreographed. Every step is carefully thought out — from the brand to the location to the items that are taken. Shoplifting, a major safety concern Also, the violence that accompanies these events is rising. Shoppers are rightly concerned about their safety while shopping, and the brand reputations of retailers are under threat. Traditional ‘shoplifting’ has two major differences, when compared to organised retail crime (ORC). The differences are numbers and motivation. ORC consists of groups working together to monetise theft, very different than an individual taking an item they need. Rise in organised retail crimes (ORC) ORC groups take in-demand items that they can resell for a profit, either online or at a physical location ORC groups take in-demand items that they can resell for a profit, either online or at a physical location. Also, ORC attacks are not random - they come with a high level of strategic thinking. “Armed with the right tools, retailers can identify ORC patterns that allow them to potentially anticipate and take steps to mitigate future events,” said Craig Szklany, the Vice President and Product General Manager - Loss Prevention & Liability at Sensormatic Solutions. Although ORC was rising before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on people’s lives and livelihoods accelerated the trend.  Economy impacts shoplifting The economy also impacts shoplifting. “When consumers have less money to spend, they are more likely to steal necessities,” said Craig Szklany, adding “Keeping food on the table or finding an alternate source of income to pay the mortgage can be powerful motivators, and some individuals turn to retail crime to keep up.” One tool to fight shoplifting is analytics, which can be used to determine where shrink is occurring. Craig Szklany continues, “Understanding where crimes take place helps retailers make strategic decisions about where to place their loss prevention efforts.” Loss prevention systems with artificial intelligence (AI) Some of these systems are equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) that can identify ‘red’ and ‘green’ shoppers (thieves versus well-intentioned customers), as they move throughout the store, so retailers can respond proactively to potential threats. With enough data on these patterns, systems can alert retailers of at-risk locations" “Widespread use of these technologies can also help track ORC groups, as they move around regions or countries,” said Craig Szklany, adding “With enough data on these patterns, systems can alert retailers of at-risk locations.” He continues, “The increased use of scan-and-go and other forms of self-service checkout has made it easier for consumers to steal. Implementation of these systems has been one of the biggest factors in increased shrink for retailers.” Store visibility technology “The purpose of scan-and-go is to provide a seamless shopping experience for consumers, with smoother checkout and to help retailers reduce the need for employees,” stated Craig Szklany, adding “However, with increased theft, retailers need some form of monitoring at these sections.” He continues, “With store visibility technology and AI, retailers can both monitor self-checkout for theft, while also gathering insights that enable them to better identify and predict theft at these checkouts.” Intelligence-led loss prevention technology Craig Szklany adds, “Intelligence-led loss prevention technology provides a huge return on investment (ROI). Traditionally, items that left the store were as good as gone. With RFID and smart-exit technology, that is no longer the case.” These systems allow retailers to quantify theft events and include data on what was stolen and how much it cost. With that information, retailers can take a proactive approach to theft prevention, by providing enhanced evidence packages to law enforcement, which increases the chances of the items being returned to stores. Challenge of shift to the Internet of Things (IoT) The biggest change in retail technology in the last five years is the shift to the Internet of Things (IoT) The biggest change in retail technology in the last five years is the shift to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Store Visibility technology. Stores outfitted with integrated tags, pedestals, and AI-enabled video cameras can be connected holistically, so that retailers have a clearer insight into the thieves’ journeys in real-time. That data helps prevent future theft. These technologies provide a more accurate look into what exactly went missing, when, and where, which allows retailers to respond to shoplifting, in a way that they had not been possible in the past.  Modern loss prevention technologies offer flexibility “The great thing about modern loss prevention technologies is that they’re flexible,” stated Craig Szklany, adding “The same system that tracks ORC events can provide insight into energy use, floor optimisation, customer experience, and more.” RFID tags allow retailers to track inventory at the item level, so they are better prepared to make decisions about stocking and promotions. Computer-vision-based AI (artificial intelligence) that identifies ‘red’ and ‘green’ shoppers can also track customer sentiments and demographics, to enable retailers to offer special discounts and enhanced customer service, in order to improve customer experiences and establish loyalty. Benefits of video loss prevention technologies Ahead of busy shopping seasons, many retailers hire extra employees to serve as physical deterrents against theft, but labour shortages may take this practice out of reach this year. Video loss prevention technologies can reinforce retailers’ workforce, allowing them to be proactive against theft without drawing associates from their main goal: helping customers.