1. An apparatus comprising
a main body portion;
a first portion connected to the main body portion; and
an extension portion connected to the first portion;
wherein the extension portion is comprised of an extension arm and a base; and
wherein the base is configured to slide up and down the extension arm.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein
the first portion is connected to the main body portion so that the main body portion pivots with respect to the first portion.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising
a clamp connected to the main body portion so that the clamp can pivot with respect to the main body portion; and
a handle connected to the clamp so that the handle can pivot with respect to the clamp.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein
the main body portion is comprised of a top surface and a bottom surface;
and wherein the apparatus is further comprised of a button on the top surface of the main body portion, which can be slid in order to slide the clamp and the handle.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising
a base release which releases the base and allows the base to slide up and down the extension arm.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein
the extension arm can be moved outwards in order to lengthen the extension portion.
7. A method comprising
using an apparatus to hang a picture up,
the apparatus comprising
a main body portion;
a first portion connected to the main body portion; and
an extension portion connected to the first portion;
wherein the extension portion is comprised of an extension arm and a base; and
wherein the base is configured to slide up and down the extension arm.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein
the first portion is connected to the main body portion so that the main body portion pivots with respect to the first portion.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein
the apparatus further includes a clamp connected to the main body portion so that the clamp can pivot with respect to the main body portion; and
a handle connected to the clamp so that the handle can pivot with respect to the clamp.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein
the main body portion is comprised of a top surface and a bottom surface;
and wherein the apparatus is further comprised of a button on the top surface of the main body portion, which can be slid in order to slide the clamp and the handle.
11. The method of claim 7 further comprising
a base release which releases the base and allows the base to slide up and down the extension arm.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein
the extension arm can be moved outwards in order to lengthen the extension portion.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for controlling transmissions between a plurality of electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, the EAS systems including detectors and controllers, said method comprising:
transmitting, from a detector of a first EAS system, an excitation signal into an interrogation zone during a transmit phase of the first EAS system;
receiving signals, at the detector, from excited EAS tags in the interrogation zone;
determining noise information during a noise detection phase of the first EAS system, wherein the excitation signal does not occur during the noise detection phase, the noise information representative of a noise level experienced at the detector of the first EAS system;
processing the received signals during a detection processing phase; and
wirelessly communicating messages between the controllers of the plurality of EAS systems during a communications phase of the first EAS system that occurs outside the transmit phase.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein wirelessly communicating messages comprises transmitting one of phase, amplitude and frequency modulated messages.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein wirelessly communicating messages comprises using an interrogation antenna to transmit the messages during the communications phase, and using the interrogation antenna to transmit the EAS excitation signal during the transmit phase, and using a communications antenna to receive the wirelessly transmitted messages during the communications phase.
4. An electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, said system comprising:
detectors configured to monitor associated interrogation zones for EAS tags;
controllers connected to the corresponding detectors, the controllers each having a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter configured to transmit an EAS excitation signal into the interrogation zones during a first window, the receiver connected to the detectors and configured to receive a signal generated by an EAS tag; and
a communications channel configured to convey wireless communication messages, outside the first window, between the controllers, the messages being used by the controllers to control transmission of the EAS excitation signals.
5. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the controllers are configured to transmit the messages during a communication phase that occurs different in time from a transmit phase in which the EAS excitation signal is transmitted.
6. The system in accordance with claim 5 further comprising an interrogation antenna to transmit the EAS excitation signals and a communications antenna to transmit the messages, wherein the messages and the EAS excitation signals are transmitted separate from one another.
7. A system in accordance with claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to one of phase, amplitude and frequency modulate the message as a wireless communication signal.
8. A method for synchronizing operation of detectors within an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, the method comprising:
providing controllers that are connected to detectors of at least one EAS system, the detectors configured to monitor associated interrogation zones for EAS tags, the controllers configured to cause the detectors to transmit EAS excitation signals into the interrogation zones during a first window and receive signals from excited EAS tags;
providing a wireless communications channel between the controllers;
transmitting, outside the first window, messages between the controllers over the wireless communications channel, the messages being used by the controllers to control transmission of the EAS excitation signals.
9. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising configuring an antenna to receive the messages over the wireless communications channel separate from the signals from the excited EAS tags.
10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the antenna comprises a single loop antenna.
11. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising wirelessly transmitting the messages from one of the controllers to at least one of the other controllers during a communication phase separate from the first window, the first window representing a tag activation transmit phase.
12. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the transmitting further comprises at least one of phase, amplitude and frequency modulating the messages, the EAS excitation signals being unmodulated.
13. A method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising configuring the communications channel to have near field sensitivity.
14. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the transmitting occurs during a communication phase for communicating the messages between the controllers separate from at least one of a transmit phase, a noise average phase and a detection processing phase.
15. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising connecting each of the controllers to a different one of the detectors.
16. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the detectors are configured as pedestal units.
17. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising receiving the signals from the excited EAS tags at a tag detection receiver and receiving the messages at a separate communications receiver.
18. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein a first controller has an associated first detector, the first controller transmitting a message requesting that the detectors, that are adjacent to the first detector, inhibit the EAS excitation signals during a next transmit phase.
19. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the messages include a zone detect message utilized by at least one of the controllers to determine which of the detectors receives a stronger signal from the excited EAS tag.
20. A method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising receiving signals at the detectors during a noise detection phase in which no EAS excitation signals are transmitted; and utilizing the signals received during the noise detection phase to obtain a noise level.
21. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting a communications message from a first controller while the first controller simultaneously monitors a low sensitivity receive channel for communications messages from at least one of the other controllers.