BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to merchandise anti-theft devices. More specifically, it relates to an anti-theft device for monitoring the integrity of a tether cable connection which secures an article of merchandise to a display counter.

2. Brief Description of the Related Art

Retailers often prefer to present their merchandise to consumers in a way that allows the consumers to touch, inspect, and otherwise interact with the products at a display counter. Many merchandise items, especially portable electronic devices, are relatively expensive and, therefore, are under a serious threat of theft. Retailers often face a dilemma pertaining to how to interactively display their merchandise to attract customers and increase sales, while, at the same time, safeguarding the merchandise against theft.

A number of anti-theft devices are known in the art. Some anti-theft solutions involve various types of brackets that secure an electronic gadget to the display counter. Others involve protective sheaths and cases. What is needed, however, is an anti-theft device that discretely monitors the electronic gadget against unauthorized removal from the display counter without interfering with its aesthetic or functional features.

One such solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,818,274 (the '274 Patent). This solution involves a security sensor that couples to an article of merchandise and a tether cable connected to the security sensor. The tether cable provides a mechanical safeguard against unauthorized removal of the article of merchandise from the display counter. To prevent a thief from stealing the article of merchandise by either disconnecting or cutting the tether cable, the '274 Patent discloses a bidirectional optical communication scheme for determining whether the cable has been cut or disconnected. The bidirectional optical communication scheme relies on a first optical transceiver being disposed within the sensor, and a second optical transceiver being disposed within the cable. The first and second optical transceivers communicate optical signals to one another when the tether cable is connected to the sensor. If a thief cuts or disconnects the cable, the bidirectional communication between the optical transceivers ceases, thereby triggering an alarm.

One major flaw of the security system disclosed in the '274 Patent is attributed to the complexity associated with implementing a reliable bidirectional communication. To enable bidirectional communication, there must be a scheme whereby the sensor transceiver energizes its receiver circuit and the cable transceiver energizes its transmitter circuit in a synchronized manner, therefore imposing significant requirements for timing coordination. Missed communications increase the likelihood of false alarms.

Furthermore, because the accuracy of the security system disclosed in the '274 Patent requires two separate transceivers—i.e., two separate sets of optical transmitters and optical receivers—working properly and in unison, the security system becomes unreliable when either one of the two transceivers fails to respond as required by the synchronization scheme.

Another significant flaw of the '274 Patent is that it requires two separate power sources to power its two separate transceivers. The security system disclosed in the '274 Patent requires a battery to energize the transceiver within the sensor. The battery constitutes another possible point of failure for the security system because, in the event that the battery is compromised, or its charge has been depleted, the bidirectional communication between the sensor and the cable will fail. The requirement to have a separate power source for each transceiver also increases the cost of the security system and introduces further complexities to its design. These flaws are inherent in the security systems that utilize active two-way communication between the sensor and the cable.

Thus, what is needed is an improved and simplified anti-theft device for monitoring integrity of a tether cable connection using a single optical transmitter and a single optical receiver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A long-felt but heretofore unfulfilled need for an anti-theft security device for monitoring integrity of a tether cable connection using a single optical transmitter and an optical sensor is now met by a new, useful, and non-obvious anti-theft device. The anti-theft device for safeguarding an article of merchandise includes a retention member configured to couple to the article of merchandise. The anti-theft security device further includes a cable configured to be coupled to the retention member. The cable is in an electrical communication with a security interface. The security interface is electrical circuitry that is configured to trigger an alarm responsive to detecting a predetermined event.

An optical transmitter is disposed within the cable. The optical transmitter is energized by an electrical current supplied to the optical transmitter via the cable. When the cable is coupled to the retention member, a chamber is formed at the interface of that coupling. The optical transmitter is configured to emit an optical signal into that chamber. The cable also has an optical sensor in communication with the chamber. The optical sensor is configured to detect a reflected optical signal, wherein the reflected optical signal is an optical reflection of the first optical signal within the chamber.

If the cable is disconnected from the retention member, the chamber becomes compromised, and the optical signal stops being reflected therein. Likewise, if the cable is cut, supply of the electrical current to the optical transmitter ceases, which causes the optical transmitter to deenergize. Either of these events results in the optical sensor not detecting the reflected optical signal. The security interface is configured to trigger an alarm responsive to the optical sensor failing to detect the reflected optical signal, thereby indicating that the cable has been cut or disconnected.

The optical transmitter and the optical sensor disclosed above can both be integrated into a single optical transceiver having optical receiving and transmitting circuits.

The anti-theft device can also include a pedestal configured to support the retention member and the article of merchandise to which it is coupled. The security interface can be housed within the pedestal. The cable is anchored to a non-movable structure either within the pedestal or the display surface.

In an embodiment, the retention member includes a security sensor. The security sensor is equipped with its own optical sensor, which is configured to detect the optical signal emitted by the transmitter disposed within the cable. This embodiment achieves redundancy by enabling both the electrical circuitry within the pedestal and the security sensor within the retention member to independently trigger the alarm when the cable is either cut or disconnected.

In an embodiment, the cable has a male plug and the retention member has a female port configured to accept the male plug. The optical transmitter can be housed within the plug. In an embodiment, the optical transmitter is an infrared emitter, and the optical sensor is a photo-transistor.

