Patent Application
20120279780
Despite the growing popularity of web-based commerce, in-person retail experiences remain an important part of many people's decisions when purchasing electronic products. This is particularly true for products that provide a high-quality user experience. These products that have a sophisticated look and feel are best shown in person, where customers can interact with them, as opposed to simple on-line images.
Since quality products are best shown in person, it may be desirable that customers have full access to them in the retail environment. For example, it may be desirable to allow customers to play with keyboards, monitors, and power plugs on such devices as laptop and netbook computers.
Unfortunately, there is a downside in allowing customers such unfettered access to these high-quality products. On occasion, the products may be stolen. For this reason, it is desirable to be able to detect when a device is being removed from a retail environment in an unauthorized manner. Once an attempt at such an unauthorized removal is detected, steps can be initiated to stop the removal, to prevent other such removals, or to attempt to recover the removed devices at that or a later time.
But it is also desirable to avoid “false alarms.” That is, it may be desirable to avoid misidentifying mere customer activity and exploration as attempted theft. For example, it may be undesirable for an alarm to sound when a customer merely types on a keyboard or plays with a power connector. Such misidentification can embarrass customers, cause confusion, and create an unprofessional appearing environment, which may lead to customer dissatisfaction, reduced reputation, and a corresponding drop in sales.
It may also be desirable to avoid product-loss counter measures that visually clutter or complicate a user's experience. For example, bolting a laptop, or tethering it using a thick cable, may prevent removal of the laptop, but may also inhibit a user from interacting with the device and provide an unpleasing appearance.
Thus, what is needed are apparatus that help identify unauthorized removal of goods while maintaining a pleasing physical appearance, avoiding misidentifications, and allowing a high degree of customer interaction.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus that may help identify unauthorized removal of goods while maintaining a pleasing physical appearance, avoiding misidentifications, and allowing a high degree of customer interaction.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide a signal path for conveying a signal that is active when a good or device is removed from a retail or other environment in an authorized manner. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the signal path may be over a pair of wires connected to a sensor. The sensor may be attached by adhesive or otherwise affixed to a good to be protected. When the sensor is attached to the good, a pin may be depressed, thereby closing a switch and connecting the wires together. When the sensor is removed, or the wire path cut, the wires may be disconnected. This disconnect may be sensed as an attempt to remove the good in an unauthorized manner.
In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the signal path may be a wireless path where the sensor may include a transmitter and may be attached by adhesive or otherwise affixed to a good to be protected. When the sensor is attached to the good, a pin may be depressed, thereby closing a switch and activating a transmitter. When the good and the attached sensor are moved a certain distance away, reception may be lost and an authorized removal attempt may be detected. When the sensor is removed, the transmitter may be deactivated and an authorized removal attempt may be detected.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide a security device that may provide a desirable physical appearance. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a signal path for a sensor may be inconspicuously combined with a power cable. In one example, the signal path may be combined with a power cable up to a power plug. Only a segment of the signal path from the power plug to a sensor may be visible to a user. In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the signal path may be wireless, and this segment may not be needed. These and other configurations provided by embodiments of the present invention may provide a pleasing appearance and allow a user to remove the power plug without activating the sensor, while still providing notification of an authorized removal.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide a security device that helps avoid misidentification of an attempted theft. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, misidentifications may be prevented by not relying on connections that a customer is likely to interact with to detect a theft. In one example, a sensor may be separate from a power plug. This may allow a user to remove the power plug for inspection without triggering a false alarm. This may be particularly useful where the plug is interesting, for example, where the plug and receptacle are magnetically attracted to each other.
Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention may provide a security device that may allow a high degree of customer interaction. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a sensor may be unobtrusively attached to the back of the device. For example, where the device is a laptop or netbook computer, the sensor may be attached to the back of a display. This may allow a user to play with a keyboard, remove a power connection, and otherwise interact with the device while security measures remain in place.
While embodiments of the present invention are particularly suited to securing laptop or netbook computers, other devices, such as portable computing devices, tablet, desktop, and all-in-one computers, cell, smart, and media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, and others, may be secured using embodiments of the present invention.
Various embodiments of the present invention may incorporate one or more of these and the other features described herein. A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
Again, it may be desirable to allow customers to be able to fully interact with laptops 120. That is, it may be desirable to allow customers to pick up a laptop 120, play with its keyboard, adjust its display, examine its power connector, and interact with it in other ways. Unfortunately, on occasion, an unauthorized removal of a laptop 120 may be attempted. That is, someone may try to steal one or more of the laptops 120. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus that may help in avoiding such unauthorized removal.
Again, it may be desirable to provide a pleasant retail environment. Moreover, it may be desirable to avoid false alarms, or incorrect indications of an attempted theft. Such false alarms may confuse or annoy shoppers, and provide an unprofessional appearance. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention further provide apparatus that may have an aesthetically pleasing appearance and may avoid false alarms. An example of one such apparatus is shown in the following figure.
In this example, laptop 220 may be powered via power adapter 230 and may be protected by alarm 240. Power adapter 230 may provide power to laptop 220 via cable 232 and power connector 234. Alarm 240 may be connected to sensor 244 through cable 242.
Again, power adapter 230 may provide power to laptop 220. Power adapter 230 may be a power adapter that provides power to several laptops 220. Power adapter 230 may be integrated or housed with other electronic circuitry, such as alarm 240 or other power supply circuitry. Power adapter 230 may convert AC power to DC power that may be used by computer 220. Power adapter 230 may provide power to laptop 220 using power connector 234, which may be a magnetic or other type of connector.
Sensor 244 may be attached to a back of display 222 of laptop 220. In this way, sensor 244 may remain unobtrusive and out of view of a user, though sensor 244 may be located on or inside other parts of laptop 220. Sensor 244 may connect to alarm 240 via cable 242. If cable 242 is cut, alarm 240 may sense this and signal that an unauthorized removal may be taking place. Also, if sensor 244 is removed from laptop 220, sensor 244 may detect this and signal that an unauthorized removal may be taking place.
Specifically, sensor 244 may be held in place with an adhesive layer, magnets, or other appropriate manner. While sensor 244 is held in place, a spring-biased pin (not shown) may be depressed closing a switch (not shown) in sensor 244. When sensor 244 is removed, this pin may be released, thereby opening the switch. This opening may be detected by alarm 240, which may indicate that an unauthorized removal may be occurring.
Alarm 240 may be a dedicated alarm, or may be an alarm that is integrated in the functionality of a computer, server, or other electronic device.
In this embodiment of the present invention, two cables, specifically cables 232 and 242, are needed. Accordingly, another embodiment of the present invention combines these cables along part of their length to provide a cable apparatus having an aesthetically pleasing appearance. An example is shown in the following figure.
In this way, cables 332 and 342 appear to a customer as a single cable 336 up to power connector 334. Cable 342 may emerge from power connector 334 and connect to sensor 344, as before. If cables 342 or 336 are cut, alarm 340 may indicate that a theft may be occurring. Similarly, if sensor 344 is removed, alarm 340 may indicate that a theft may be occurring.
In various embodiments of the present invention, alarm 340 may provide various indications that a theft is occurring. For example, a loud sound may be generated by, or caused to be generated by, alarm 340. In other embodiments of the present invention, alarm 340 may send, or cause to be sent, an email, text, or other message. Alarm 340 may provide an indication in the form of a light, sound, or other mechanism to a sales desk, security station, or other personnel or location.
By employing a cable apparatus consistent with an embodiment of the present invention, such as the cable apparatus in
Cable apparatus 400 may also include connector 434 connecting to an alarm. Connector 430 may be an RJ-11 or other type of connector. Connector 430 may connect to wires 432 and 434. Wires 432 and 434 may be routed through power connector 420. For example, wires 432 and 434 may be routed through power connector 420 such that they do not interact with circuitry or other component in power connector 420. Wires 432 and 434 may connect to sensor 440. Sensor 440 may include a face 442, which may be covered with an adhesive layer for attaching to a laptop or other electronic device. Sensor 440 may also include a pin 444. When sensor 440 is attached to an electronic device, pin 444 may be depressed, thereby closing a switch. If one or both wires 432 or 434 are cut, or pin 444 is not depressed, an alarm may detect an opening between wires 432 and 434, and may indicate that a theft may be occurring. When wires 432 and 434 are intact and pin 444 is depressed, an alarm may sense a short between wires 432 and 434 and may not indicate that a theft may be occurring. A more detailed view of the sensor is shown in the following figure.
Again, when sensor face 442 is attached to a device to be protected, pin 444 may be depressed. This action closes switch 450, thereby shorting wires 432 and 434 together. An alarm may sense a short between these wires and may not provide an indication that a theft is taking place. Conversely, when sensor 440 is removed, pin 444 may be biased to the out position and switch 450 may be open. When this occurs, or when one or both of the wires 432 or 434 are cut, an alarm may sense an open circuit between wires 432 or 434 and provide an indication that a theft is taking place.
In one example, as wires 412 and 414 emerge from power connector 410, they may be clad in a jacket or insulating layer as a single cable. Similarly, as wires 432 and 434 emerge from connector 430, they may be clad in a jacket or insulating layer as a separate cable. At some point, these cables may join as a single cable and be routed to power connector 420. Wires 432 and 434 may emerge from power connector 420 clad in a jacket or insulating layer as another separate cable portion. An example of this is shown in the following figure.
In one embodiment of the present invention, circuitry for an alarm and power adapter may be combined in a single unit. An example is shown in the following figure.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a cable connecting to a sensor may not be routed through a power connector. An example is shown in the following figure.
In other embodiments of the present invention, a sensor may be wireless. This may eliminate the need for a separate cable to the sensor. An example is shown in the following figure.
While these and other embodiments of the present invention are well-suited for a retail environment, they are also well-suited for other environments. For example, in education or public access environments, it may be desirable to allow users to interact with laptops or other electronic devices while providing an indication of an unauthorized removal. As one example, a laptop may be used in an office. If an unauthorized removal occurs, an alarm or other notification, such as an email or text message, may be sent. Alternatively, personnel at a front desk or security station may be alerted, and they may be able to prevent or mitigate a theft.
Also, while embodiments of the present invention are well-suited for protecting laptop, tablet, or netbook computers, other types of electronic devices, such as portable computing devices, desktop and all-in-one computers, cell, smart, and media phones, storage devices, portable media players, navigation systems, monitors, and others, may be protected. Also, other goods may be protected using embodiments of the present invention, such as conventional or electronic bicycles or other transportation, or other goods or materials.
The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.
