Anti-theft security system and method to operate the anti-theft security system

Anti-theft security infrastructure arrangement comprising at least one anti-theft security infrastructure unit, which is designated and configured for being integrated into superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure of an anti-theft security system that further comprises:

• a plurality of mobile anti-theft devices, which are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein a respective anti-theft device includes:
• an electro-mechanical fixation arrangement, which enables the mobile anti-theft device to be fixedly attached to a merchandise item in a fixation state and enables the mobile anti-theft device to be detached or allow detachment from a merchandise item in a release state;
• a wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement, which is configured to receive wireless signals from the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure or a mobile device wirelessly interacting with the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure or the mobile device wirelessly interacting with the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein said wireless signals include advertising signals indicating the presence and availability for communication of the respective mobile anti-theft device, and
• a controller which is configured to interact with the electro-mechanical fixation arrangement and the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement, wherein the controller is configured to react to commands received as wireless signals from the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure or the mobile device wirelessly interacting with the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure by the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement, including to operate the electro-mechanical fixation arrangement to switch-over from the fixation state to the release state in response to a release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure,
• wherein the at least one anti-theft security infrastructure unit gives particular wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities according to plural functionalities to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, including a first functionality, which is based on the integration of the anti-theft security infrastructure arrangement, and a second functionality, which is based on the integration of the anti-theft security infrastructure arrangement, such that the first functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure provides at least signal reception capabilities and enables the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure to detect mobile anti-theft devices by receiving advertising signals therefrom and to hand over a respectively detected mobile anti-theft device to the second functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, and such that the second functionality provides at least signal transmission capabilities and enables the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure to communicate with an handed-over mobile anti-theft device including the sending of a release command to the handed-over anti-theft device, automatically after the handing-over or if at least one release condition is fulfilled, and
• wherein the first and second functionalities given to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure are characterized by at least one of the following:
• the first functionality and the second functionality operate at least in part simultaneously and independently of each other;
• a wireless signal reception and transmission range being provided by the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure according to its second functionality and being based of a given performance of the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft device for communicating with handed-over mobile anti-theft devices substantially exceeds a wireless signal reception range being provided by the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure according to its first functionality and being based of a given performance of the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft device for detecting mobile anti-theft devices by receiving advertising signals therefrom.

Method for operating an anti-theft security system or a point-of-sales system having an anti-theft security function, comprising:

• a) fixedly attaching a respective mobile anti-theft device to merchandise items, which includes that the respective mobile anti-theft device is triggered to assume a fixation state, if the respective mobile anti-theft device does not yet assume the fixation state;
• b) transporting at least one of the merchandise items with the respective mobile anti-theft device fixedly attached thereto to a surveillance area, which is defined, on basis of a given performance of a wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft device, by superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities;
• c) wirelessly monitoring the surveillance area for mobile anti-theft devices entering into or being present in the surveillance area based on wireless advertising signals that are transmitted by mobile anti-theft devices to indicate the presence and availability for communication of the respective mobile anti-theft device, wherein the wirelessly monitoring step is performed by a first functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure;
• d) handing over a respectively detected mobile anti-theft device being present in the surveillance area to a second functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure for communication between the respective mobile anti-theft device and the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure;
• e) communicating with the respective handed-over mobile anti-theft device by the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure according to its second functionality, including the sending of a release command to the handed-over anti-theft device to trigger that the mobile anti-theft device assumes a release state;
• and
• f) detaching the respective mobile anti-theft device from the merchandise item to which it had been fixedly attached, as is enabled by the release state.