Allocating of mobile Anti-theft devices

Abstract

The invention provides inter alia methods of allocating mobile anti-theft devices (20) to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in an anti-theft security system or point-of-sales system (100). Provided is also a method of obtaining allocation data relating to at least one of mobile anti-theft devices (20) and merchandise items, storing and updating the allocation data in a database and transmitting allocation data to one or plural systems to enable at least on functionality of the system, wherein the allocation data comprise one or plural of: - allocation data that enable an anti-theft security system (100) to individually identify mobile anti-theft devices (20), - device identification data identifying mobile anti-theft devices (20), - access key data enabling to initiate a release operation with respect to the mobile anti-theft devices (20), - merchandise item identification data identifying merchandise items being protected or to be protected by attaching mobile anti-theft devices (20) thereto, - entity identification data identifying an entity or sub-entity of an entity being related to at least one of respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and respective merchandize items, - location data identifying a location of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) or a respective merchandise item at a site, - price data relating to merchandise items, - customer data or customer profile data, - marketing data relating to merchandise items.

Description

[0001] Allocating of mobile anti-theft devices

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to anti-theft security systems and mobile anti-theft devices belonging to anti-theft security systems or to be allocated to anti-theft security systems, and to point-of-sales systems interacting with or comprising an anti-theft security system, as is disclosed and discussed for example in WO 2016 / 055446 A1 and corresponding US 2017 / 0306657 A1 , in WO 2020 / 165038 A1 , in WO 2020 / 178054 A1 and in WO 2020 / 200618 A1 . The complete disclosure of these publications is included by reference into the present disclosure. As general prior art it is further referred to US 8,963,717 B2.

[0004] Mobile anti-theft devices have been preferentially used for many years in the field of stores open to the public, as they provide sufficient protection against unauthorized removal from the store, or from or a demarcated sales area within said store, of merchandise sold therein. For this purpose, appropriate detector units are usually provided at all entrances and exits of the store, or of any demarcated sales areas therein, and these are designed and intended to emit an acoustic and / or visual warning signal if a customer attempts to remove any protected merchandise to which an anti-theft device of this kind is attached from the store or sales area without authorization, i.e., without paying for it beforehand.

[0005] Particularly well known is the use of mobile anti-theft device in the field of textile products. Anti-theft devices of this kind usually comprise a multi-part housing and a locking mechanism, which has a needle that, when in a locked state, engages with the merchandise to be protected in such a way that the anti-theft device cannot be removed from the merchandise to be protected, or at least not without destroying the merchandise to be protected in the process. If, for example, an anti-theft device of this kind is provided with a two-part housing, then in order to assemble the anti-theft device on the textile product to be protected a first housing part is usually attached to the outside of the textile product and a second housing part is attached to a corresponding internal side of the textile product, and the textile product part located in between the two housing parts is pierced by a needle that, for example, has been attached beforehand to one of the two housing parts, in such a way that the needle can latch to the other of the two housing parts, thereby interconnecting the textile product and the two housing parts by means of the needle.

[0006] To open the locking mechanism of an anti-theft device that is attached to a textile product in this way, in the customer service or checkout area of a store there are usually appropriate unlocking devices which can generally be operated only by the sales staff, are magnetic or have another kind of mechanical action, and are designed and intended to release the locking mechanism of the anti-theft device such that the needle can be removed from the anti-theft device and the two housing parts of the anti-theft device can be separated from each other again.

[0007] Other kinds of mobile anti-theft devices are available for protecting bottles, card boxes and various other kinds of merchandise.

[0008] State of the art anti-theft devices do not require manual or magnetic interaction with a dedicated unlocking device in a customer service or checkout area, but can be unlocked based on wireless signal communication. Such a mobile anti-theft device typically includes: an electro-mechanical fixation arrangement, which enables the mobile antitheft 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 reception arrangement, which is configured to receive wireless signals, a controller which is configured to interact with the electro-mechanical fixation arrangement and the wireless signal reception arrangement, wherein the controller is configured to react to commands received as wireless signals by the wireless signal 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 received release command.

[0009] Such mobile anti-theft devices may appropriately be denoted as smart (mobile) anti-theft devices.

[0010] Typically, an anti-theft security system or a point-of-sales system having an antitheft security function will typically comprise a plurality of such mobile anti-theft devices, together with superordinate anti-theft security system or superordinate point-of-sales system infrastructure having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities. For a point-of-sales system having an anti-theft security function the terms “superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure” and “superordinate point-of-sales system infrastructure” may be used synonymously in the context of the present disclosure. In this case, also the terms “point-of-sales system” and “anti-theft security system” may be used synonymously in the context of the present disclosure.

[0011] This superordinate infrastructure can wirelessly interact with a respective mobile anti-theft device, directly or via another wirelessly enabled device, for example a personal mobile device of a customer, such as the customer's smartphone. The latter makes particular sense according to modern payment and checkout concepts. For example, an application (app), which is configured to communicate with such an anti-theft device, could be installed on the smartphone. Using this smartphone software, goods information could be read out, transactions could be triggered and the needed release command for unlocking the anti-theft device could forwarded to the anti-theft device. Customers without a corresponding mobile device could release the anti-theft device at a special self-service terminal or a similar element of the superordinate infrastructure.

[0012] The wireless communication between the superordinate infrastructure and the mobile anti-theft devices or / and between the superordinate infrastructure and the personal mobile devices or / and between the respective personal mobile device and the respective mobile anti-theft device may be based on various wireless communication and wireless signal transmission standards, such as a WIFI standard or an NFC standard or a Bluetooth standard or any other short-range or near field communication standard. Wireless communications between the superordinate infrastructure and the personal mobile devices could also be achieved in an optical manner in principle, e.g. using a camera of the superordinate infrastructure and a display of the personal mobile device or / and using camera of the personal mobile device and a display of the superordinate infrastructure. Alternatively, the superordinate infrastructure and the personal mobile devices could interact via the internet.

[0013] For example, the personal mobile device could communicate via a public WIFI network or a cellular communications network and via the internet with the superordinate infrastructure. This is particularly appropriate in most cases, also in the case that a remote server, possibly a cloud server, is provided. Such a remote server may be configured to interact with and possibly control the superordinate infrastructure by means of data communication via a communications network, e.g. the internet, and may be configured to interact by means of data communication via a communications network, typically the internet, with such a personal mobile device. From a functional point of view, such a remote server may appropriately be considered to belong to the anti-theft security system or to the point-of-sales system or the superordinate infrastructure of the respective system. However, in case of a chain of shops or similar, such a remote server will typically be configured to interact by means of data communication via the communications network, e.g. the internet, with plural anti-theft security systems or plural point-of-sales system deployed in plural respective shops.

[0014] State of the art mobile anti-theft devices are smart loT products and offer a wide range of data collection options, in principle. It has been recognized that many benefits can be achieved from this principle feature of smart mobile anti-theft devices, but that is not enough only being able to read the individual ID of a respective mobile anti-theft device. It was recognized that the individual ID of a respective mobile anti-theft device must be linked with other information in order to exploit the full potential. In more detail, it was recognized that particular important benefits can be achieved, if other information can be linked with this ID, such as a trading company (briefly “dealer”), a particular store or another side of the trading company, a product (or merchandise item) secured by a respective mobile anti-theft device, a current location of the mobile anti-theft device and therewith the product secured thereby, process and marketing information and the like.

[0015] The present invention provides methods for linking smart mobile anti-theft devices with advanced information to increase security, reliability, or accuracy in the operation of smart anti-theft solutions and to enable new favorable use scenarios.

[0016] Particular relevant cases of linking such smart mobile anti-theft devices with other information are the following:

[0017] 1 . Allocation (assignment) of a respective mobile anti-theft device to a trading company

[0018] 2. Allocation (assignment) of a respective mobile anti-theft device to a local store

[0019] 3. Allocation (assignment) of a respective mobile anti-theft device to a product

[0020] 4. Relating a respective mobile anti-theft device to a spatial position

[0021] In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides according to a first inde- pendent aspect a method of allocating mobile anti-theft devices to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in an anti-theft security system that comprises antitheft security system infrastructure having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities. The mobile anti-theft devices are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein a respective anti-theft device includes: an electro-mechanical fixation arrangement, which enables the mobile antitheft 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 detach- ment 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 and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure.

[0022] The method comprises the provision of allocation data that enable the anti-theft security system to individually identify the mobile anti-theft de-vices based on wireless signals transmitted by the wireless signal trans-mission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft devices and to individually address the mobile anti-theft devices in release commands transmitted as wireless signals by the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein the release commands individually ad-dress a particular mobile anti-theft device to perform the release operation by means of an individual access key that is included in the respective release command based on the allocation data and allows to initiate the release operation only for this particular mobile anti-theft device but for no other of the mobile anti-theft devices used in the anti-theft security system.

[0023] In particular, the method may comprise the following method steps: a) at a first site being associated to a first entity: picking the mobile antitheft devices to be allocated; b) obtaining device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices; c) delivering the picked mobile anti-theft devices to a second site associated to a second entity or a sub-entity of the second entity; d) associating the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity or another sub-entity of the second entity in a database of the server; e) based on the association between the device identification data and the entity identification data collocating the allocation data which comprise the device identification data and access key data comprising one particular access key for the picked mobile anti-theft devices or a sub-set thereof; f) transmitting the allocation data under the responsibility of the first entity to the responsibility of the second entity or a particular sub-entity of the second entity that is associated to the anti-theft security system, for being used by the anti-theft security system.

[0024] To advantage, the server may be established and operated by the first entity.

[0025] To advantage, the method may further comprise the step b1 ) subsequent of step b) or step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity under the responsibility of the first entity to a server; or may comprise the steps c1 ) subsequent of step b) or step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting delivery data comprising the device identification data under the responsibility of the first entity to the responsibility the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity; c2) subsequent of step c1 ) and preceding to step d), transferring the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity under the responsibility of the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity to a server.

[0026] It is further proposed that the method further comprises the steps: c3) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), delivering the delivered mobile anti-theft devices from the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity to a third site that is associated to a second sub-entity of the second entity; c4) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity of the second entity to the server; or that the method comprises the steps: c3-1 ) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), picking mobile anti-theft devices from the delivered mobile anti-theft devices to form a subset of picked mobile anti-theft devices at the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity; and c3-2) delivering the subset from the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity to a third site that is associated to a second sub-entity of the second entity; c4-1 ) subsequent of step c3-1 ) and preceding to step d), obtaining device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices that form the subset; c4-2) transmitting device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity of the second entity to the server.

[0027] Said device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity may be transmitted under the responsibility of the second entity or under the responsibility of the third entity to the server. As already mentioned, the server may be established and operated by the first entity.

[0028] According to a possible scenario, the first entity may be a manufacturer or distributor of mobile anti-theft devices and the second entity may be a trading company having at least one store in which the or a respective anti-theft security system is deployed, wherein the second entity has ordered the mobile anti-theft devices from the first entity, which are delivered to the second site.

[0029] For example, the second entity may be a trading company having a warehouse and one or plural stores, wherein the sub-entity or the second sub-entity of the second entity may be a store of the second entity and wherein the first sub-entity of the second entity may be the warehouse of the second entity.

[0030] In particular, the second entity may be a trading company and the particular subentity of the second entity may be a particular store of the trading company in which the anti-theft security system is deployed.

[0031] It is suggested that the allocation data, which include the device identification data and access key data for the mobile anti-theft de-vices delivered or to be delivered to the particular store, are (also) stored locally in at least one of the anti-theft security system deployed in this particular store and a backup server deployed in this particular store, even if the allocation data are stored in a central data base of computing infrastructure of the second entity and are normally used by the or a respective anti-theft security system of the second entity remotely via data communication.

[0032] Preferably, the device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices are obtained in step b) wirelessly by receiving signals from these mobile anti-theft devices, which indicate anti-theft device IDs of a respective of the picked mobile anti-theft devices. For example, anti-theft security system infrastructure of an anti-theft security system deployed at the second site may be used to obtain the device identification data. In this case, the device identification data and the entity identification data may be sent by said anti-theft security system to at least one of a server of the first entity and a server of the second entity.

[0033] It is further proposed that the device identification data that identify the mobile antitheft devices picked from the delivered mobile anti-theft devices are obtained in step c4-1 ) wirelessly by receiving signals from these mobile anti-theft devices which indicate anti-theft device IDs of a respective of the picked mobile anti-theft devices. In this respect, anti-theft security system infrastructure of an anti-theft security system deployed at the second site or at the third site may favorably be used to obtain the device identification data. In this case, the device identification data and the entity identification data may be sent by said anti-theft security system to at least one of a server of the first entity and a server of the second entity.

[0034] In view of the foregoing, the present invention further provides according to a sec- ond i a method of allocating mobile anti-theft devices to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in a point-of-sales system which comprises anti-theft security system infrastructure having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities. The mobile anti-theft devices are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein a respective anti-theft device includes: an electro-mechanical fixation arrangement, which enables the mobile antitheft 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 and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure. The method comprises the provision of allocation data that enable the point of sales system to individually identify the mobile anti-theft devices based on wireless signals transmitted by the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft devices and to individually identify a respective merchandise item to which a respective mobile anti-theft device is currently attached and which is to be released by initiating the release operation for the respective mobile anti-theft device in a check-out procedure after successful completion of a payment procedure.

[0035] In particular, the method may comprise the following steps: a) attaching mobile anti-theft devices to merchandise items; b) for each pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto that has an anti-theft device ID identifying the respective mobile anti-theft device, obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing and associating the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data or obtaining a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing the merchandise item ID via wireless interaction with the mobile anti-theft device in a memory of the respective mobile antitheft device, to therewith associate the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data or obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing and associating the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data and storing the merchandise item ID via wireless interaction with the mobile anti-theft device in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device, to therewith associate the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of redundant allocation data. To advantage, the merchandise item ID may be obtained wirelessly using an optical code reader device or radio frequency reader device.

[0036] Another favorable option is that the anti-theft device ID is obtained wirelessly using the anti-theft security system infrastructure or a mobile wireless reader device.

[0037] To advantage, the merchandise item ID may be stored wirelessly in the respective mobile anti-theft device wirelessly using the anti-theft security system infrastructure or a mobile wireless reader writer device.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, a multi-functional mobile device is used having plural functionalities of an optical code reader functionality for obtaining the merchandise item ID, a radio frequency reader functionality for obtaining the merchandise item ID, a wireless reader functionality for obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a wireless writer functionality for storing the merchandise item ID in the respective mobile anti-theft device.

[0039] Additional advantages may be achieved, if further information relating to the merchandise item is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device together with the merchandise item ID.

[0040] According to a possible favorable realization, performing the release operation by the controller may trigger that the controller performs a resetting operation, in which the merchandise item ID or the merchandise item ID together with further information relating to the merchandise item is deleted from the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device or is marked to be deleted or overwritten in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device.

[0041] According to on possible scenario, steps a) and b) may be performed sequentially for a respective merchandise item and a respective mobile anti-theft device and the resulting pair of pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto, wherein the merchandise item ID may vary between the pairs of a respective merchandise item and a respective mobile anti-theft device.

[0042] According to another scenario, step a) may be performed with respect to a plurality of merchandise items and a respective mobile anti-theft device, and thereafter step b) may be performed with respect to the resulting pairs of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto. In particular, step a) may be performed with respect to a plurality of corresponding merchandise items having the same merchandise item ID, wherein the merchandise item ID is obtained only once in step b) for being used for all merchandize items of this plurality of corresponding merchandise items.

[0043] If the merchandise item ID is stored in the memory of the respective mobile antitheft device, this mobile anti-theft device may be the only carrier of the merchandise item ID allowing to obtain the merchandise item ID wirelessly using a radio frequency reader device or anti-theft security system infrastructure of the respective pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto. In particular, in this case the mobile anti-theft device may be the only carrier of the merchandise item ID allowing to obtain the merchandise item ID wirelessly using an optical code reader device or radio frequency reader device or anti-theft security system infrastructure of the respective pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto.

[0044] In view of the foregoing, the present invention further provides according to a third an anti-theft security system, comprising: superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities; 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 antitheft 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 and to transmit wireless signals including advertising signals that indicate an anti-theft device ID to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infra-structure.

[0045] According to the invention, the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure has plural spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units that are configured to receive advertising signals from the mobile anti-theft devices, to obtain the antitheft device IDs from the received advertising signals, to perform at least one measurement with respect to the received advertising signals, which de-pends on a relative positioning between the respective receiver or transceiver unit and the respective mobile anti-theft device and to make available for a respective mobile anti-theft device the anti-theft device ID and locating raw data being based on the at least one measurement to a locating functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure.

[0046] The superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, according to its locating functionality, is further configured, to derive from the anti-theft device IDs and the locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units locating data for the mobile anti-theft devices, which represent a current location of the respective mobile anti-theft device at a site at which said receiver or transceiver units are deployed in a spatially distributed manner.

[0047] Corresponding locating data may be stored in a database of a server, for example a server as considered in the context of the first independent aspect or the second independent aspects of the invention. The locating data may be associated to other data stored in the database, e.g. as part of the mentioned allocation data.

[0048] To advantage, the locating functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure may be a locating and tracking functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, so that the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure may be configured, to derive from the anti-theft device IDs and locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units also tracking data for the mobile anti-theft devices, which represent a sequence of locations comprising an earliest location and the current location of the respective mobile anti-theft device or a trajectory from the earliest location to the current location of the respective mobile anti-theft device.

[0049] Corresponding tracking data may be stored in a database of a server, for example a server as considered in the context of the first independent aspect or the second independent aspects of the invention. The tracking data may be associated to other data stored in the database, e.g. as part of the mentioned allocation data.

[0050] The spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units may be configured to perform at least one of an angle of arrival measurement, a time of arrival measurement and a received signal strength measurement with respect to the received advert advertising signals. In this case, the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, according to its locating functionality, may be configured, to derive from at least one of angle of arrival measurement data, time of arrival measurement data and time of arrival measurement made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units said locating data for the mobile anti-theft devices. According to a preferred embodiment, the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangements of the mobile anti-theft devices and the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure are favorably configured to wirelessly interact according to a Bluetooth protocol that enables locating of or relative to Bluetooth beacons. For example, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology and protocol may favorably be used.

[0051] In this respect it is further proposed that the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangements of the mobile anti-theft devices are configured to operate as Bluetooth beacons and that the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units of the superordinate anti-theft security system infra-structure are configured to estimate a distance from a respective mobile anti-theft device based on measuring the signal strength of an advertising signal received from that mobile anti-theft device.

[0052] For achieving a high locating accuracy, the transmitted advertising signals may indicate a transmitted power value that represents a sending signal strength of the advertising signal transmitted by the respective mobile anti-theft device. In this case, the locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units may also be based on the indicated transmitted power value or may comprise the indicated transmitted power value for a respective mobile antitheft device.

[0053] According to a fourth aspect, the invention also provides a method of locating or tracking mobile anti-theft devices using an anti-theft security system according to the third aspect, wherein the method comprises the definition of at least one event procedure which is associated to a respective location or location range of the site at which said receiver or transceiver units are deployed in a spatially distributed manner and perform the event procedure with respect to at least one mobile antitheft device if the at least one mobile anti-theft device is located at or proximate to the location or within the location range being associated to the event procedure or if the at least one mobile anti-theft device is located at a distance from the location or the location range exceeding a predefined distance threshold or if tracking data obtained for the at least one mobile anti-theft device correspond to at least one predefined tracking pattern or are identified to indicate an irregularity.

[0054] To advantage, the method is performed with respect to pre-defined zones of a store. The predefined tracking pattern may be a tracking pattern of a group of mobile anti-theft devices that comprises a number of mobile anti-theft devices corresponding to or exceeding a predefined number of mobile anti-theft devices.

[0055] Various favorable event procedures may be provided. For example, the event procedure may comprise at least one of i) an alarm procedure, ii) a check-out procedure, iii) a payment procedure, and iv) an exit or path blocking procedure.

[0056] According to a fifth aspect, the invention also provides a method of carrying out an inventory of merchandise items in a store or warehouse using an anti-theft security system according to the third aspect, wherein a respective mobile anti-theft device is attached to the merchandise items to be taken into account in the inventory and merchandise item IDs of the merchandise items are associated to anti-theft device IDs in a database of a server or are stored in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device, wherein the method comprises: locating of mobile anti-theft device using the an anti-theft security system, associating the location of a respective mobile anti-theft device and the merchandise item ID of an merchandise item attached thereto based on the anti-theft device ID indicated in a signal wirelessly received from the mobile anti-theft device or the merchandise item ID indicated in a signal wirelessly received from the mobile anti-theft device.

[0057] To advantage, obtained inventory results are automatically reviewed and actions are automatically initiated depending on the obtained inventory results. Various favorable actions may be provided. For example, actions to be automatically initiated may comprise one or plural of i) replenishment of merchandise items, ii) transferring a merchandize item from a location or zone identified to be a wrong lo-cation or zone to a correct location or zone being associated to the merchandize item and iii) issuing an alarm. According to a sixth aspect, the invention provides a method of monitoring pre-defined zones of a store using an anti-theft security system according to the third aspect, wherein a respective mobile anti-theft device is attached to the merchandise items to be taken into account in the inventory and merchandise item IDs of the merchandise items are asso-ciated to anti-theft device IDs in a database of a server or are stored in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device, wherein the method comprises: locating or tracking of mobile anti-theft devices with regard to the pre-defined zones using the anti-theft security system to obtain locating or tracking data, automatically reviewing the locating or tracking data with regard to pre-defined pattern data or based on locating or tracking training da-ta.

[0058] The step of automatic reviewing may be performed to identify an irregularity calling to subsequently perform at least one predefined action. To advantage, the step of automatic reviewing may be performed using a neural network.

[0059] In view of the foregoing, the present invention further provides according to a sev- enth i a method of obtaining allocation data relating to at least one of mobile anti-theft devices and merchandise items, storing and updating the allocation data in a database and transmitting allocation data to one or plural systems to enable at least on functionality of the system, wherein the allocation data comprise one or plural of: allocation data that enable an anti-theft security system to individually identify mobile anti-theft devices, device identification data identifying mobile anti-theft devices, access key data enabling to initiate a release operation with respect to the mobile anti-theft devices, merchandise item identification data identifying merchandise items being protected or to be protected by attaching mobile anti-theft devices thereto, entity identification data identifying an entity or sub-entity of an entity being related to at least one of respective mobile anti-theft devices and respective merchandize items, location data identifying a location of a respective mobile anti-theft devices or a respective merchandise item at a site, price data relating to merchandise items, customer data or customer profile data, marketing data relating to merchandise items.

[0060] This method may favorably be performed in the context of the invention according to any one of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth aspect of the invention, as considered in the forgoing.

[0061] To advantage, the method may comprise the provision of a dedicated data transfer interface for a respective system which shall be supplied with allocation data or from which allocation data shall be received for storing in the database or for updating allocation data already stored in the database.

[0062] Further, the method may favorably comprise that data and allocation data obtained at different times or / and from different systems are associated to each other for generating allocation data that are stored in the database.

[0063] The invention will be described below in more detail based on non-limiting illustrative embodiments and variants thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0064] Fig. 1 shows schematically components belonging to or interacting with an anti-theft security system or a point-of-sales system;

[0065] Fig. 2 shows a database table held in a server of a supplier of mobile anti-theft devices; Fig. 3 shows the database table after assigning a plurality of mobile anti-theft devices to a B2B customer and registering this assignment in the database table;

[0066] Fig. 4 shows the database table after assigning the mobile anti-theft devices to a warehouse of the B2B customer and registering this assignment in the database table;

[0067] Fig. 5 shows the database table after assigning the mobile anti-theft devices to a respective one of plural stores of the B2B customer and registering this assignment in the database table;

[0068] Fig. 6 shows the database table after assigning the mobile anti-theft devices to various products that are on sale in the respective store and registration of this assignment in the database table;

[0069] Fig. 7 illustrates in the partial Figs. 6A and 6B a division of a store floor in various zones and the assignment of plural Bluetooth receiver units represented by respective Bluetooth antennas to these zones;

[0070] Fig. 8 illustrates a general store floor, in which plural zones are defined, for enabling a zone based analysis of location or tracking data obtained for mobile anti-theft devices;

[0071] Fig. 9 shows the database table after locating the products to which the mobile anti-theft devices had been associated and registering the respective location in the database table;

[0072] Fig. 10 shows the database table with hyperlinks leading to product information for the respective product and the current price of the respective product included in respective database entries. The present invention concerns mobile anti-theft devices for retail, which can be denoted as smart anti-theft devices, since the mobile anti-theft devices have and enable functionalities substantially going beyond what is known for many years. One object in this context is to provide a solution that enables customers in a (mobile) self-checkout to remove a respective anti-theft device from the respect product after the payment process without having to rely on the assistance of employees. The term mobile self-checkout refers to checkout scenarios in which the customer uses a personal mobile device like a smartphone in the checkout procedure, and in which the personal mobile device ideally will directly interact with a respective smart (mobile) anti-theft device for unlocking and allowing detachment of it from the respective product.

[0073] Such anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of-sales system infrastructure 10 may comprise, as is illustrated in Fig. 1 , at least one of i) one or plural point-of-sales terminals 12 operated by a cashier, ii) one or plural self-checkout terminals 14, iii) at least one local server 16, iv) one or plural anti-theft detector units 18. A corresponding anti-theft security system 100 or point-of-sales system 100 may comprise such anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of- sales infrastructure 10 and a plurality of smart (mobile) anti-theft devices 20, which may interact with the at least one anti-theft detector unit 18, to trigger an alarm, if a still locked or activated smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 approaches or passes a / the anti-theft detector unit 18.

[0074] The smart (mobile) anti-theft devices 20 may be of a kind and construction as described and shown in detail in the publications WO 2016 / 055446 A1 , US 2017 / 0306657 A1 , WO 2020 / 165038 A1 , WO 2020 / 178054 A1 , WO 2020 / 200618 A1 and WO 2021 / 160710 A1 originating from the present applicant. The disclosure of these publications is included by reference completely into the present disclosure. Also other smart (mobile) anti-theft devices known in the art and providing similar functionalities may be used, of course.

[0075] In addition or instead of at least one local server 16, at least one remote server, possibly a cloud server 22 as illustrated in Fig. 1 , may be provided. The anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of-sales system infrastructure 10 and the at least one remote server 22 may be configured to interact with each other directly or indirectly by data communication, possibly using a LAN or WIFI network and the internet. In case of at least one local server 16, the local server 16 and the other components of the anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of- sales system infrastructure 10 may interact with each other directly or indirectly by data communication, possibly using a LAN or WIFI network. Antennas 50 in Fig. 1 represent a WIFI network

[0076] The anti-theft security system 100 or point-of-sales system 100 or / and the at least one remote server 22 may be configured to interact by data communication with personal mobile devices of customers, such as smartphones 24, possibly using the internet and at least one of a WIFI network and a cellular network. Such a personal mobile device 24 may be configured to wirelessly interact with smart (mobile) anti-theft devices 20 in the context of payment and checkout procedures, for unlocking a respective smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20, for which the customer has successfully effected the necessary payment, so that the smart (mobile) antitheft device 20 can be detached from the product (or merchandise item) having been purchased. In this respect, the personal mobile device 24 may receive by said data communication an opening command or / and an ID identifying the smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 to be unlocked or / and a dedicated access key for the particular anti-theft device 20 to be unlocked from the anti-theft security system 100 or point-of-sales system 100 or the remote server 22, for sending it to the respective smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20. This wireless interaction may use a respective Bluetooth functionality of the personal mobile device 24 and of the smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20.

[0077] The anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of-sales system infrastructure 10 may be configured to wirelessly interact with smart (mobile) anti-theft devices 20 in the context of payment and checkout procedures, for unlocking a respective smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20, for which the customer has successfully effected the necessary payment, so that the smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 can be detached from the product (or merchandise item) having been purchased. In this respect, the anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of- sales system infrastructure 10 may receive by said data communication an opening command or / and an ID identifying the smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 to be unlocked or / and a dedicated access key for the particular anti-theft device 20 to be unlocked from the remote server 22, for sending it to the respective smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20. Corresponding wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities of the anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of-sales system infrastructure 10 e.g. according to a short range or medium range communication standard like a Bluetooth standard are represented by antennas 42a and 44a in Fig. 1.

[0078] For all payment and checkout scenarios, the correct smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 of possibly plural smart (mobile) anti-theft devices 20 present in the vicinity of a point-of-sales terminal 12 or self-checkout terminals 14 must be unlocked, namely only that smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 which is associated to and attached to a particular product or merchandize item for which the payment was effected. This can favorably achieved by individual access keys which are stored in a database associated to a respective anti-theft device ID and are sent with the opening command to the respective smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20, either directly by the anti-theft security system infrastructure 10 or point-of-sales system infrastructure 10 or indirectly via the personal mobile device 24 of a customer. To this end, also an association between respective smart (mobile) anti-theft devices 20 on the one hand and respective products (merchandise items) on the other hand should be known to the system. To this end, merchandise item IDs may be stored in the database associated to a respective anti-theft device ID.

[0079] Accordingly, various data should be dealt with and entered in respective systems in an effective and secure manner, and data originating from different sources should be linked or assigned to enable various functionalities. In the following, plural favorable solutions are explained as non-limiting examples in this context. 1 ) Assignment (allocation) of smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 to a B2B customer (e.g. a trading company)

[0080] The mobile anti-theft devices 20 must be assigned to a B2B customer of the distributor or manufacturer or supplier of the mobile anti-theft devices 20. The B2B customer is typically a trading company or retailer. The assignment must be such that the mobile anti-theft devices 20 are compatible with the IT infrastructure of the trading company. Only if the IDs of the mobile anti-theft devices 20 are known and linked to the B2B customer e.g. by means of a customer ID, the individual activation codes or access keys can be made available to the B2B customer. These codes can then only open the anti-theft device 20 that are in use at the corresponding B2B customer.

[0081] In this way, data streams related to the mobile anti-theft devices 20 can be separated according to customer, and the B2B customer can only access the mobile anti-theft devices 20 in use and their generated data.

[0082] The assignment of the mobile anti-theft devices 20 to the B2B customer dealer may be made in the logistics process, either on the side of the supplier or on the side of the B2B customer.

[0083] For achieving the assignment on the side of the supplier, the process may be realized as follows:

[0084] 1 . B2B customer orders mobile anti-theft devices 20

[0085] 2. mobile anti-theft devices 20 are picked after order

[0086] 3. device information on the picked mobile anti-theft devices 20 (type, quantity, ID, etc.) for fulfilling the order is read out

[0087] 4. device information is transferred to a server

[0088] 5. server links B2B customer and device information

[0089] 6. order is shipped

[0090] 7. optionally: opening codes (access keys) are transmitted to the B2B customer For achieving the assignment on the side of the B2B customer, the process may be realized as follows:

[0091] 1 . B2B customer orders mobile anti-theft devices 20

[0092] 2. mobile anti-theft devices 20 are picked after order

[0093] 3. device information on the picked mobile anti-theft devices 20 (type, quantity, ID, etc.) for fulfilling the order is read out

[0094] 4. device information is transferred to the B2B customer or included in electronic documentation or an electronic delivery bill to be sent to the B2B customer

[0095] 5. order is shipped

[0096] 6. B2B customer reads out device information from the transferred data or electronic documentation or electronic delivery bill

[0097] 7. device information is transferred to a server

[0098] 8. server links B2B customer and device information

[0099] 9. optionally: opening codes (access keys) are transmitted to the B2B customer

[0100] Fig. 2 shows a database table stored in the server of the supplier before the mobile anti-theft devices have been picked and assigned to the B2B customer, and Fig. 3 shows the database table after the picking and assignment of a number of mobile anti-theft devices to a particular B2B customer. A customer ID was recorded in the database.

[0101] The database includes device IDs for the mobile anti-theft devices and access keys that allow unlocking the mobile anti-theft devices and must be made available at the latest in the course of checkout procedures for being sent by the local antitheft security system or point-of-sales infrastructure in a store to the respective mobile anti-theft device to be opened.

[0102] 2) Assignment (allocation) of smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 to a particular store (e.g. of a trading company having plural stores) The assignment of mobile anti-theft devices 20 to a store may reside one level lower than the assignment to the trading company (B2B customer) itself. For security reasons, it is highly advisable to assign the mobile anti-theft devices 20 to a store. Stores are the entity that must be able to open the mobile anti-theft devices 20. However, it should be prevented that also such mobile anti-theft devices 20 can be are opened, whose products do not belong to this store at all.

[0103] Another example is the provision of an emergency backup mode that is advisable. In the event of a power, Internet or similar failure, the functionality of the store should be ensured for a temporary period of time, e.g. in order to be able to process current customers in the store before the store has to close due to the breakdown.

[0104] Assuming that the local anti-theft security system or local point-of-sales system in a store interacts with a remote server of the trading company that holds and provides the necessary operation data to the local system, all the opening codes (access keys) of all mobile anti-theft devices that the trading company has in use globally would have to be cached on a local store backup server, if there was no store allocation of the mobile anti-theft devices. This would be a significant security risk that can be can be minimized by caching only the opening codes (access keys) of the local mobile anti-theft devices in the emergency cache.

[0105] Further, in case that a local anti-theft security system or point-of-sales system operates independently of a remote server also according to normal operating conditions, a store allocation is required for making the opening codes (access keys) available to the local anti-theft security system or local point-of-sales system.

[0106] Case A: The mobile anti-theft devices are sent directly to the store

[0107] The process may be realized as follows:

[0108] 1. B2B customer orders mobile anti-theft devices 20

[0109] 2. mobile anti-theft devices 20 are picked after order 3. device information on the picked mobile anti-theft devices 20 (type, quantity, ID, etc.) for fulfilling the order is read out

[0110] 4. device information is transferred to the B2B customer's store or included in electronic documentation or an electronic delivery bill to be sent to the B2B customer's store

[0111] 5. order is shipped to the store

[0112] 6. employee of the store reads out device information from the transferred data or electronic documentation or electronic delivery bill

[0113] 7. device information is transferred to the server

[0114] 8. server links store and device information

[0115] 9. optionally: opening codes (access keys) are transmitted to the B2B customer or to the store

[0116] Case B: The mobile anti-theft devices are sent to a central warehouse of the

[0117] B2B customer

[0118] The process may be realized as follows:

[0119] 1 . B2B customer orders mobile anti-theft devices 20

[0120] 2. mobile anti-theft devices 20 are picked after order

[0121] 3. device information on the picked mobile anti-theft devices 20 (type, quantity, ID, etc.) for fulfilling the order is read out

[0122] 4. device information is transferred to the B2B customer's warehouse or included in electronic documentation or an electronic delivery bill to be sent to the B2B customer's warehouse

[0123] 5. order is shipped to the warehouse

[0124] 6. employee of the warehouse reads out device information from the transferred data or electronic documentation or electronic delivery bill

[0125] 7. device information is transferred to the server

[0126] 8. server links warehouse and device information (instead of store and device information)

[0127] 9. optionally: opening codes (access keys) are transmitted to the B2B customer or to the warehouse 10. warehouse forwards a (partial) delivery to a store

[0128] 11a. Possibility 1 : store and device information is transferred to the server from the side of the warehouse on dispatch of the mobile anti-theft device

[0129] 11 b. Possibility 2: store and device information is transferred to the server from the side of the store upon delivery of the mobile anti-theft devices

[0130] 12. server links store and device information

[0131] 13. optionally: opening codes (access keys) are transmitted to the B2B customer or to the store

[0132] Fig. 4 shows the database table of Figs. 2 and 3 after the assignment of the mobile anti-theft devices to a warehouse of the B2B customer, which is a preliminary assignment before the mobile anti-theft devices are delivered from the warehouse to a respective store of the B2B customer. A warehouse ID was recorded in the database instead of a store ID.

[0133] Fig. 5 shows the database table after delivery and assignment of the mobile antitheft devices to a particular store of the B2B customer. A respective store ID was recorded in the database. If the mobile anti-theft devices were delivered directly from the supplier to the respective store, a preliminary assignment of the mobile anti-theft devices to a warehouse would not be recorded in the database.

[0134] According to all scenarios considered under the preceding headlines 1 ) and 2), the opening codes (access keys) of the mobile anti-theft devices 20 will typically be made available to the B2B customer or to a particular store of the B2B customer. However, there are many options at which stage of the overall process this is done, so that the above example processes indicate certain possible stages only as options.

[0135] The mentioned server typically will be a server of the supplier. However, depending on the scenario, the server may alternatively be a server of the B2B customer, which typically will interact with a server of the supplier remotely. Further, there is the option that the B2B customer has no corresponding server at all, except possibly a backup server as mentioned, so that a server of the supplier is the only backend server that interacts with the local systems of the B2B customer for achieving a proper operation of the local infrastructure of the anti-theft security system or point-of-sales system in a respective shop.

[0136] 3) Assignment (allocation) of smart (mobile) anti-theft device 20 to products

[0137] Smart mobile ant-theft devices as considered allow collecting useful data that can be analyzed to obtain information on the behavior of customers in a stationary store. Such information may help in marketing and price finding and the like.

[0138] Another important aspect is to achieve a high security against fraud and misuse, in particular for self-check scenarios. If a respective mobile anti-theft device would not be uniquely assigned to a product, there would be the danger of fraud at checkout. For example, a customer could have two secured products in checkout, namely an expensive one and a cheap one. If he now scans and pays only for the cheap one, but initiates the opening of the mobile anti-theft device of the expensive product, substantial financial losses could occur. Fraud like this must be prevented, and customers should not be tempted by a low level of security.

[0139] To prevent such misuse and to enable the collection of valuable date, the products must be clearly identified in association to the mobile anti-theft devices. This is possible, for example, via the standardized European Article Number (EAN). Various information may be available under this product ID, such as price, type, size, etc., in a database, and this ID may be linked by corresponding entries in the database to the respective mobile anti-theft device being attached to the respective product item.

[0140] The first step is to attach the respective mobile anti-theft device to a product. For example, the mobile anti-theft device may have the ID 4711 and the product may have the ID 0815. In order to display the corresponding product information to the customer, to enable the mentioned collecting and analyzing of data and to prevent fraud as considered, there must be a link between the two IDs. In a sense, the respective mobile anti-theft device or the functionality of the infrastructure interacting with the mobile anti-theft devices must be aware to which product a respective mobile anti-theft device is attached.

[0141] This can be achieved according to two alternate approaches that may be combined, however.

[0142] According to the first approach, the associations or links between products and mobile anti-theft devices could be realized by corresponding entries in a database of a server, which give the information: 4711 = 0815.

[0143] According to the second approach, the associations or links between products and mobile anti-theft devices could be realized by corresponding entries in a respective memory of the mobile anti-theft devices. For example, the memory of the mobile anti-theft device having the ID 4711 could have the product ID entry 0815, and this entry could be wirelessly read out by the infrastructure or could be communicated in wireless messages of the respective mobile anti-theft device, giving the information 0815 = 4711.

[0144] Accordingly, processes are needed which achieve a proper association between the products and the mobile anti-theft devices and save corresponding association or allocation data in the database or the respective memory.

[0145] If the association or allocation data are stored in a database of a server, the general process could be realized as follows:

[0146] During or following to production / logistics / receipt of goods (products, articles, merchandise items), the product items are furnished with a respective mobile anti-theft device, the device ID of the mobile anti-theft device is read and the product ID of the product is scanned (e.g. barcode or RFID scan). A mobile barcode / RFID reader with Bluetooth function could be used for this purpose. Such a reader could transmit the product ID and the device ID after the successful scan to the server, which then stores the linkage or association between the two ID2: 4711 -0815. During checkout or when the customer requires product information, the device ID can be read by a customer's smart mobile device (e.g. smartphone) or a POS system, leading to an inquiry at the server for the device ID 4711 , and the server would return the product data for the product ID 0815.

[0147] If the customer buys this product, this linkage between 4711 and 0815 is deleted, allowing linking the mobile anti-theft device 4711 again, possibly to a completely different product. A mobile anti-theft device of an already sold article cannot be read out a second time in a checkout procedure until such a re-linking. A corresponding request at the server would come to nothing or could cause an error message.

[0148] If the association or allocation data are stored in the memory of a respective mobile anti-theft device by storing the product ID therein, the general process could be realized as follows:

[0149] During or following to production / logistics / receipt of goods (products, articles, merchandise items), the product items are furnished with a respective mobile anti-theft device, the device ID of the mobile anti-theft device is read and the product ID of the product is scanned (e.g. barcode or RFID scan). A mobile barcode / RFID reader with Bluetooth function could be used for this purpose. Such a reader could transmit the product ID after the successful scan to the respective mobile anti-theft device, which then stores the linkage or association between the two ID2: 4711- 0815. It would be sufficient to store only the product ID 0815 in the memory of the mobile anti-theft device, since the device ID 4711 is already available, either as entry in the memory or in a hardware-coded manner.

[0150] If the mobile anti-theft device 4711 is now called up by a customer's smart mobile device (e.g. smartphone) or a POS system, the mobile anti-theft device responds by wireless data transmission of the product ID 0815 or / and product information stored in its memory. It would be conceivable that all product information is stored on the mobile anti-theft devices (images, prices, etc.), so that now connection to a server, in particular no internet connection would be required. However, storing such product information on the mobile anti-theft devices could be deemed not being the optimal solution, since it would be elaborate to implement changes. It wouldn't be sufficient to implement the changes in the backend, but the changes would have to be implemented individually for each backup.

[0151] Instantaneous and frequent live price changes would be rather demanding, but not impossible. A good compromise could be to store only such additional information besides the product ID on the mobile anti-theft device that typically is not subject to changes over the time a respective product is available in the store.

[0152] In a checkout scenario, the server would provide the opening token (opening key, access key) for mobile anti-theft device 4711 based on the device ID 4711 and the product ID, as soon as the product item has been purchased.

[0153] According to a preferable embodiment, mobile anti-theft device would have an auto-deletion or auto-deactivation function, so that the product ID I product data would automatically be deleted or deactivated after purchase so that the product ID or product data cannot be read out a second time in a checkout procedure until re-linking to another product.

[0154] The linking between products and mobile anti-theft devices can be done according to a “one to one” approach and according to a “one to many” approach, as is illustrated by the following non-limiting examples:

[0155] Individual linkages (“one to one”)

[0156] 1 . employee starts an assignment software on a handheld, MDE device, smartphone or stationary scan station or similar

[0157] 2. employee scans the product ID with the corresponding device

[0158] 3. employee scans the device ID of the respective mobile anti-theft device with the corresponding device

[0159] 4. product ID and device ID are associated (assigned) to each other (are linked) 5. employee starts next assignment process with the next product scan according to step 2.

[0160] Mass linkages (“one to many”)

[0161] 1 . employee starts an assignment software on a handheld, MDE device, smartphone or stationary scan station or similar

[0162] 2. employee scans the product ID with the corresponding device

[0163] 3. employee determines the number of the same products

[0164] 4. employee scans the device IDs for the corresponding number of mobile anti-theft devices

[0165] 5. product ID and backup IDs are associated (assigned) to each other (are linked)

[0166] 6. employee starts next assignment process with next product scan according to step 2.

[0167] In case, that the products are equipped with RFID tags (RFID labels) carrying the product IDs, so that the products can be identified by RFID, the RFID signal can be used very quickly and easily for linking. Existing processes in which the RFID tag is assigned to a product (e.g. during production) can also be adapted early on for using mobile anti-theft devices instead of simple RFID tags. This would allow to use conventional processes, but with respect to the mobile anti-theft devices instead of the conventional RFID tags, so that the mobile anti-theft devices could be used as the sole product identifiers.

[0168] To avoid assigning a mobile anti-theft device more than once, already assigned mobile anti-theft device IDs could be hidden by the system in the assignment procedure. Optionally, the mobile anti-theft devices may issue audio and / or visual signal to confirm a successful assignment.

[0169] Fig. 6 shows the database table after assigning the mobile anti-theft devices to a respective product, by recording the respective product ID in the database table.

[0170] 4) Locating and possibly tracking of mobile anti-theft devices and therewith of the product to which the mobile anti-theft devices are attached The infrastructure in a store may use state of the art locating and tracking technology, e.g. Bluetooth Beacon technology of a Bluetooth standard, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Bluetooth 5.1 and similar.

[0171] For enabling such a locating and even tracking of mobile anti-theft devices and therewith of the product to which the mobile anti-theft devices are attached in a favorable manner, one may define suitably different zones in a store or on a store floor 200. Plural receiver units, in particular Bluetooth receiver units or Bluetooth antennas, may be deployed in the store, for covering the store and, in particular, the defined zones of the store, so that each zone and all relevant regions of the store is covered by plural receiver units. Such a defining of different zones in the store and the employment of suitable Bluetooth receiver units or Bluetooth transceiver units having a transmission besides a reception functionality is illustrate in Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B.

[0172] For example, the following zones may be defined and equipped with a Bluetooth receiver unit or Bluetooth transceiver unit as represented by a respective antenna:

[0173] - cashier zone 202 with antenna A1 ,

[0174] - exit zone 204 with antennas E1 and E2 and with pre-alarm antenna D1 ,

[0175] - changing cubicle 205 with antenna A2

[0176] - accessories counter 206 with antenna A3,

[0177] - shirts zone 208 with antenna B1 ,

[0178] - skirts zone 210 with antenna B2,

[0179] - dresses zone 212 with antenna B3,

[0180] - jacket zone 214 with antenna B4,

[0181] - purse wall zone 220 with antenna C1 ,

[0182] - jeans zone with antenna C2, and

[0183] - shorts zone with antenna C3.

[0184] The basis of such locating and tracking may by advertising signals that indicate the respective device ID, which are sent by the mobile anti-theft devices, e.g. using the Bluetooth technology. The mobile anti-theft devices may act as Bluetooth beacons in this respect. These advertising signals will be received by plural receiver or transceiver units (plural antennas), and the respective reception will differs in at least one of

[0185] A) intensity,

[0186] B) in the time of reception and

[0187] C) the direction from which the signal is received.

[0188] In this way, a position can be calculated from the strength of the signal, the time of arrival, and the angle from which the signal hits the antenna. If two or more antennas are used, the position of the fuse can be determined or triangulated very accurately.

[0189] The position and device ID of the respective mobile anti-theft device may be evaluated and compared with the predetermined zone by a corresponding functionality of a (possibly remote) server or the local anti-theft security system or local point- of-sales system, and predetermined events or procedures may be triggered based on this comparison.

[0190] For example, if a mobile anti-theft device having a certain device ID is currently located in or enters an exit zone, an anti-theft alarm may triggered by the server and sent to the store or may be triggered by the local system of the store. It would even be possible to define along the path to the exit zone certain pre-alarm events, so that e.g. antenna D1 of Fig. 7B could trigger a pre-alarm before the mobile anti-theft device enters into the exit zone being monitored by antennas E1 & E2. Therewith a looming theft could be detected well before the theft is actual completed at the store exit.

[0191] Suitable data flows may be anti-theft device > antenna > server > (antenna >) alarm siren or anti-theft device > antenna > server > (antenna >) employee. There are many other valuable options. For example, mobile anti-theft devices present in the checkout zone could be wirelessly triggered after a certain period of time to assume a dormant state. This makes sense, since mobile anti-theft devices present in the checkout zone tend to be mobile anti-theft devices that are already used and removed from products, so that such mobile anti-theft devices can be put into a power-saving mode until they are transferred back to the store zone.

[0192] A suitable data flow may be anti-theft device > antenna > server > antenna > anti-theft device

[0193] A suitable process might be implemented as follows:

[0194] 1 . anti-theft device sends device ID by means of BLE

[0195] 2. antennas receive device ID

[0196] 3. antennas send device ID and antenna information (strength, direction, etc.) to the server

[0197] 4. server links device ID and antennas information to determine location

[0198] 5. stored events are triggered based on the linkage

[0199] 6. event information is sent to the antennas or / and other infrastructure

[0200] 7. antennas send event information to store personnel and / or anti-theft device backup

[0201] When the mobile anti-theft device move in the store, new device ID <> antenna links are repeatedly created. For example, a mobile anti-theft device may send the ID signal every 500 ms. Based on this link history, movement profiles or trajectories of the mobile anti-theft device and therewith of the respectively protected products in the store may be created.

[0202] The antennas or receiver or transceiver units considered here under headline 4) can also be used in the context of the assignment or allocation processes as considered under the headlines 1 ), 2) and 3). If the antennas or receiver or transceiver units are uniquely assigned to a trading company and a particular store of the trad- ing company, this assignment information may be associated more or less automatically with the device ID of the respective mobile anti-theft device at the server, so that corresponding manual process steps may be eliminated.

[0203] Based on the assignment of the mobile anti-theft devices to products as considered under headline 3), the mobile anti-theft devices cannot only be located when a product link is established and store, but also the products linked to them, as long as the mobile anti-theft devices are attached to the respective products. This enables to carry out a live inventory of all products (via their mobile anti-theft devices) in the store. In case of a remote server holding the relevant information, a corresponding linkage of information may be as follows: anti-theft device > trading company > store > product > position

[0204] Fig. 9 shows the database table after locating the products in the store of Figs. 7a and 7B having the store ID “store09” by means of Bluetooth triangulation or the like and registering the respective current location of the products in the database table.

[0205] Fig. 10 illustrates a general store floor, in which plural zones A to G are defined, for enabling a zone based analysis of location or tracking data obtained for mobile anti-theft devices, which may be denoted as “zoning”. The zones A to G may be monitored for mobile anti-theft devices present and being moved within, or out of or into a respective zone as explained based on Figs. 7A and 7B. Obtained location and tracking data may be automatically analyzed to identify situations or patterns calling to perform an action or a sequence of actions. The arrows may represent related tracked movement trajectories that indicate a “grap and run” shop lifting situation caused by a group of thieves, that is also known as “OCR” (Organized Retail Crime). A typical pattern of such an OCR case is a sudden and exceptionally fast movement of one or plural mobile ant-theft devices that are identified by their respective ID in a direction towards an exit. An appropriate automatic counter action could be to issue an alarm and to block a path or exit. Also other kinds of "conspicuous behaviour" may be automatically detected zoning.

[0206] Such a zoning enables various different use cases, for example:

[0207] Logistics: Where is the respective mobile anti-theft device located? This is not only about “warehouse vs. shop” (classic restocking) but may be precisely about “which department”, “which shelf”, etc. In this manner products (e.g. headphones) in the wrong department (e.g. washing machines department) can be identified and brought back to increase the sales rate ("On Shelf Availability"). Products that are in stock but not in the right place obviously do not sell.

[0208] Prevention of theft: As mentioned, the anti-theft device (or several anti-theft devices) wake up due to movement, and quickl movements towards the exit indicate ab OCR incident . Then doors could be locked automatically. Current antitheft systems react "too late", i.e. always at the exit door when the theft is usually no longer preventable. But an analysis based on the path through different (critical, from low to high) zones and automated triggering of events based on this can reduce theft, Especially if several mobile anti-theft devices behave "unusually" at the same time, organized crime is indicated.

[0209] Shop concepts: So-called shop-in-shop concepts are becoming more and more widespread. Large retail stores with a lot of space, such as Karstadt-Kaufhof (Germany), Macy's (USA) and so forth, may sublet small areas so that a zone can be allocated to a brand. On the one hand, products could be assigned to this brand and are not allowed to leave the zone, and / or the checkout for these products is limited to this zone. Not only can a shop be divided into different zones, but each zone can also be a separate shop. The “zoning” approach may also be applied to holistic shopping mall concepts.

[0210] 5) Obtaining, storing, updating and making available of linkage data An important aspect addressed by the present invention is that the underlying factual situations to be reflected by such linkage data (that may alternatively be denoted as assignment data or association data or allocation data) as considered in the forgoing could repeatedly change on a shore time scale. According to the invention, a corresponding updating of such linkage data and other backend data is facilitated.

[0211] Some examples for such changes, which can be easily, be reflected in the backend data, are the following:

[0212] - Transfers between stores (store linkage is updated)

[0213] - a live inventory may be kept (based on the product linkage)

[0214] - prices can dynamically be adjusted (based on the product linkage) o e.g. to follow the best internet price o by date / time o according to customer (or costumer profile) o special actions are enabled (also regional actions)

[0215] - product reviews may be compiled in a customized manner (e.g. customer or costumer profile specific)

[0216] - alternative or additional products may offered (cross- / upselling)

[0217] - product bundles may be offered based on the live inventory (e.g. to set deals or to a suitable complementary product based on the position in the store)

[0218] Such data collection and processing is enabled by linking the mobile anti-theft devices based on their device IDs to different data sources and by collecting these data centrally in one or plural server databases. These server data may also be linked to the trading company's merchandise management system (and possibly the trading company's Customer-Relationship-Management-System (CRM)). Using API calls, the centrally collected data can be combined with evaluations done using the resources of the merchandise management system or CRM system. Fig. 10 shows the database table with entries for giving additional information, namely hyperlinks leading to additional product information for the respective product and the current price of the respective product.

[0219] The server or servers mentioned here could all be servers of the distributor or manufacturer or supplier of the mobile anti-theft devices, who may offer added value services to his B2B customers based on the centrally collected data. Such a server may be a kind of middleware that receives the data from the mobile antitheft devices, links them, evaluates them if necessary and communicates with other software systems using programming and data communication interfaces.

[0220] Depending on the situation or scenario, the server(s) mentioned here mostly could alternatively be a server I servers of a respective B2B customer or trading company. The distributor or manufacturer or supplier of the mobile anti-theft devices may provide corresponding server software to the respective B2B customer, for setting up a corresponding server on the side or the B2B customer.

[0221] However, the server initially storing the opening codes (access keys) and making the opening codes (access keys) available e.g. by data transmission to a server of the B2B customer typically is a server of the distributor or manufacturer or supplier of the mobile anti-theft devices.

[0222] Herewith also the following items are disclosed:

[0223] 1 . Method of allocating mobile anti-theft devices (20) to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in an anti-theft security system (100) which comprises anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities, wherein the mobile anti-theft devices (20) are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the 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 antitheft security system infrastructure and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 antitheft 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure; wherein the method comprises the provision of allocation data that enable the anti-theft security system (100) to individually identify the mobile anti-theft devices (20) based on wireless signals transmitted by the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and to individually address the mobile anti-theft devices (20) in release commands transmitted as wireless signals by the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein the release commands individually address a particular mobile anti-theft device to perform the release operation by means of an individual access key that is included in the respective release command based on the allocation data and allows to initiate the release operation only for this particular mobile anti-theft device but for no other of the mobile anti-theft devices used in the anti-theft security system (100); wherein the method comprises the following method steps: a) at a first site being associated to a first entity: picking the mobile antitheft devices (20) to be allocated; b) obtaining device identification data that identify the picked mobile antitheft devices (20); c) delivering the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) to a second site associated to a second entity or a sub-entity of the second entity; d) associating the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity or another sub-entity of the second entity in a data base of the server; e) based on the association between the device identification data and the entity identification data collocating the allocation data which comprise the device identification data and access key data comprising one particular access key for the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) or a subset thereof; f) transmitting the allocation data under the responsibility of the first entity to the responsibility of the second entity or a particular sub-entity of the second entity that is associated to the anti-theft security system (100), for being used by the anti-theft security system (100). Method according to item 1 , further comprising the step b1 ) subsequent of step b) or step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity under the responsibility of the first entity to a server; or comprising the steps c1 ) subsequent of step b) or step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting delivery data comprising the device identification data under the responsibility of the first entity to the responsibility the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity; c2) subsequent of step c1 ) and preceding to step d), transferring the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity under the responsibility of the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity to a server. Method according to item 1 or 2, further comprising the steps: c3) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), delivering the delivered mobile anti-theft devices (20) from the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity to a third site that is associated to a second sub-entity of the second entity; c4) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second subentity of the second entity to the server; or comprising the steps c3-1 ) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), picking mobile anti-theft devices (20) from the delivered mobile anti-theft devices (20) to form a subset of picked mobile antitheft devices (20) at the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity; and c3-2) delivering the subset from the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity to a third site that is associated to a second sub-entity of the second entity; c4-1 ) subsequent of step c3-1 ) and preceding to step d), obtaining device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) that form the subset; c4-2) transmitting device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity of the second entity to the server. Method according to item 3, wherein said device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity are transmitted under the responsibility of the second entity or under the responsibility of the third entity to the server. 5. Method according to item 3 or 4, wherein the device identification data that identify the mobile anti-theft devices (20) picked from the delivered mobile anti-theft devices (20) are obtained in step c4-1 ) wirelessly by receiving signals from these mobile anti-theft devices (20) which indicate anti-theft device IDs of a respective of the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20).

[0224] 6. Method according to item 5, wherein anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of an anti-theft security system (100) deployed at the second site or at the third site is used to obtain the device identification data.

[0225] 7. Method according to item 6, wherein the device identification data and the entity identification data are sent by said anti-theft security system (100) to at least one of a server of the first entity and a server of the second entity.

[0226] 8. Method according to one of items 1 to 7, wherein the first entity is a manufacturer or distributor of mobile anti-theft devices (20) and the second entity is a trading company having at least one store in which the or a respective antitheft security system (100) is deployed, wherein the second entity has ordered the mobile anti-theft devices (20) from the first entity, which are delivered to the second site.

[0227] 9. Method according to one of items 1 to 8, wherein the second entity is a trading company having a warehouse and one or plural stores, wherein the subentity or the second sub-entity of the second entity may be a store of the second entity and wherein the first sub-entity of the second entity may be the warehouse of the second entity.

[0228] 10. Method according to one of items 1 to 9, wherein the second entity is a trading company and the particular sub-entity of the second entity is a particular store of the trading company in which the anti-theft security system (100) is deployed.

[0229] 11 . Method according to item 10, wherein the allocation data, which include the device identification data and access key data for the mobile anti-theft de- vices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the particular store, are stored locally in at least one of the anti-theft security system (100) deployed in this particular store and a backup server deployed in this particular store, even if the allocation data are stored in a central data base of computing infrastructure of the second entity and are normally used by the or a respective antitheft security system (100) of the second entity remotely via data communication.

[0230] 12. Method according to one of items 1 to 11 , wherein the device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) are obtained in step b) wirelessly by receiving signals from these mobile anti-theft devices (20) which indicate anti-theft device IDs of a respective of the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20).

[0231] 13. Method according to item 12, wherein anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of an anti-theft security system (100) deployed at the second site is used to obtain the device identification data.

[0232] 14. Method according to item 13, wherein the device identification data and the entity identification data are sent by said anti-theft security system (100) to at least one of a server of the first entity and a server of the second entity.

[0233] 15. Method of allocating mobile anti-theft devices (20) to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in a point-of-sales system (100) which comprises antitheft security system infrastructure (10) having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities, wherein the mobile anti-theft devices (20) are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the 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 and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 antitheft 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure; wherein the method comprises the provision of allocation data that enable the point of sales system (100) to individually identify the mobile anti-theft devices (20) based on wireless signals transmitted by the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and to individually identify a respective merchandise item to which a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) is currently attached and which is to be released by initiating the release operation for the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) in a check-out procedure after successful completion of a payment procedure; wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) attaching mobile anti-theft devices (20) to merchandise items; b) for each pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached (20) thereto that has an anti-theft device ID identifying the respective mobile anti-theft device, obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing and associating the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data or obtaining a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing the merchandise item ID via wireless interaction with the mobile anti-theft device in a memory of the respective mobile anti- theft device, to therewith associate the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data or obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing and associating the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data and storing the merchandise item ID via wireless interaction with the mobile anti-theft device in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device, to therewith associate the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of redundant allocation data. Method according to item 15, wherein the merchandise item ID is obtained wirelessly using an optical code reader device or radio frequency reader device. Method according to item 15 or 16, wherein the anti-theft device ID is obtained wirelessly using the anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) or a mobile wireless reader device. Method according to one of items 15 to 17, wherein the merchandise item ID is stored wirelessly in the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) wirelessly using the anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) or a mobile wireless reader writer device. Method according to one of items 15 to 18, wherein a multi-functional mobile device is used having plural functionalities of an optical code reader functionality for obtaining the merchandise item ID, a radio frequency reader functionality for obtaining the merchandise item ID, a wireless reader functionality for obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a wireless writer functionality for storing the merchandise item ID in the respective mobile anti-theft device (20). 20. Method according to one of items 15 to 19, wherein further information relating to the merchandise item is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) together with the merchandise item ID.

[0234] 21 . Method according to one of items 15 to 20, wherein performing the release operation by the controller triggers that the controller performs a resetting operation, in which the merchandise item ID or the merchandise item ID together with further information relating to the merchandise item is deleted from the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) or is marked to be deleted or overwritten in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

[0235] 22. Method according to one of items 15 to 21 , wherein steps a) and b) are performed sequentially for a respective merchandise item and a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the resulting pair of pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device (20) attached thereto, wherein the merchandise item ID may vary between the pairs of a respective merchandise item and a respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

[0236] 23. Method according to one of items 15 to 22, wherein step a) is performed with respect to a plurality of merchandise items and a respective mobile anti-theft device (20), and wherein thereafter step b) is performed with respect to the resulting pairs of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device (20) attached thereto.

[0237] 24. Method according to item 23, wherein step a) is performed with respect to a plurality of corresponding merchandise items having the same merchandise item ID, wherein the merchandise item ID is obtained only once in step b) for being used for all merchandize items of this plurality of corresponding merchandise items.

[0238] 25. Method according to one of items 15 to 24, wherein the merchandise item ID is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the mobile anti-theft device (20) is the only carrier of the merchandise item ID allowing to obtain the merchandise item ID wirelessly using a radio frequency reader device or anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of the respective pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device (20) attached thereto.

[0239] 26. Method according to one of items 15 to 25, wherein the merchandise item ID is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the mobile anti-theft device (20) is the only carrier of the merchandise item ID allowing to obtain the merchandise item ID wirelessly using an optical code reader device or radio frequency reader device or anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of the respective pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto (20).

[0240] 27. Anti-theft security system (100), comprising: superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities; a plurality of mobile anti-theft devices (20), 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 and to transmit wireless signals including advertising signals that indicate an anti-theft device ID to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure; wherein the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) has plural spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units (A1 , A2, A3, B1 , B2, B3, B4, C1 , C2, C3, D1 , E1 , E2) that are configured to receive advertising signals from the mobile anti-theft devices (20), to obtain the anti-theft device IDs from the received advertising signals, to perform at least one measurement with respect to the received advertising signals, which depends on a relative positioning between the respective receiver or transceiver unit and the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and to make available for a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) the anti-theft device ID and locating raw data being based on the at least one measurement to a locating functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10); and wherein the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10), according to its locating functionality, is further configured, to derive from the anti-theft device IDs and the locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units locating data for the mobile anti-theft devices (20), which represent a current location of the respective mobile antitheft device (20) at a site at which said receiver or transceiver units are deployed in a spatially distributed manner. Anti-theft security system according to item 27, wherein the locating functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) is a Io- eating and tracking functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10), so that the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) is configured, to derive from the anti-theft device IDs and locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units also tracking data for the mobile anti-theft devices (20), which represent a sequence of locations comprising an earliest location and the current location of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) or a trajectory from the earliest location to the current location of the respective mobile antitheft device (20).

[0241] 29. Anti-theft security system according to item 27 or 28, wherein spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units that are configured to perform at least one of an angle of arrival measurement, a time of arrival measurement and a received signal strength measurement with respect to the received advert advertising signals, and wherein the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10), according to its locating functionality, is configured, to derive from at least one of angle of arrival measurement data, time of arrival measurement data and time of arrival measurement made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units said locating data for the mobile anti-theft devices (20).

[0242] 30. Anti-theft security system according to one of items 27 to 29, wherein the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangements of the mobile antitheft devices (20) and the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units (A1 , A2, A3, B1 , B2, B3, B4, C1 , C2, C3, D1 , E1 , E2) of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) are configured to wirelessly interact according to a Bluetooth protocol that enables locating of or relative to Bluetooth beacons.

[0243] 31 . Anti-theft security system according to one of items 27 to 30, wherein the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangements of the mobile antitheft devices (20) are configured to operate as Bluetooth beacons and the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units of the superordinate antitheft security system infrastructure (10) are configured to estimate a distance from a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) based on measuring the signal strength of an advertising signal received from that mobile anti-theft device (20).

[0244] 32. Anti-theft security system according to item 31 , wherein the transmitted advertising signals indicate a transmitted power value that represents a sending signal strength of the advertising signal transmitted by the respective mobile anti-theft device (20), and wherein the locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units are also based on the indicated transmitted power value or comprise the indicated transmitted power value for a respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

[0245] 33. Method of locating or tracking mobile anti-theft devices (20) using an antitheft security system (100) according to one of items 27 to 32, wherein the method comprises the definition of at least one event procedure which is associated to a respective location or location range of the site at which said receiver or transceiver units are deployed in a spatially distributed manner and perform the event procedure with respect to at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) if the at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) is located at or proximate to the location or within the location range being associated to the event procedure or if the at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) is located at a distance from the location or the location range exceeding a predefined distance threshold or if tracking data obtained for the at least one mobile antitheft device (20) correspond to at least one predefined tracking pattern or are identified to indicate an irregularity.

[0246] 34. Method according to item 33, wherein the method is performed with respect to pre-defined zones of a store.

[0247] 35. Method according to item 33 or 34, wherein the predefined tracking pattern is a tracking pattern of a group of mobile anti-theft devices that comprises a number of mobile anti-theft devices (20) corresponding to or exceeding a predefined number of mobile anti-theft devices. 36. Method according to one of items 33 to 35, wherein the event procedure comprises at least one of i) an alarm procedure, ii) a check-out procedure, iii) a payment procedure, and iv) an exit or path blocking procedure.

[0248] 37. Method of carrying out an inventory of merchandise items in a store or warehouse using an anti-theft security system (100) according to one of items 27 to 32, wherein a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) is attached to the merchandise items to be taken into account in the inventory and merchandise item IDs of the merchandise items are associated to anti-theft device IDs in a database of a server or are stored in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20), wherein the method comprises:

[0249] - locating of mobile anti-theft device (20) using the an anti-theft security system (100),

[0250] - associating the location of a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the merchandise item ID of an merchandise item attached thereto based on the anti-theft device ID indicated in a signal wirelessly received from the mobile anti-theft device (20) or the merchandise item ID indicated in a signal wirelessly received from the mobile anti-theft device (20).

[0251] 38. Method according to item 37, wherein obtained inventory results are automatically reviewed and actions are automatically initiated depending on the obtained inventory results.

[0252] 39. Method according to item 38, wherein actions to be automatically initiated comprise one or plural of i) replenishment of merchandise items, ii) transferring a merchandize item from a location or zone identified to be a wrong location or zone to a correct location or zone being associated to the merchandize item and iii) issuing an alarm.

[0253] 40. Method of monitoring pre-defined zones of a store using an anti-theft security system (100) according to item 27, wherein a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) is attached to the merchandise items to be taken into account in the inventory and merchandise item IDs of the merchandise items are associated to anti-theft device IDs in a database of a server or are stored in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20), wherein the method comprises: locating or tracking of mobile anti-theft devices (20) with regard to the pre-defined zones using the anti-theft security system (100) to obtain locating or tracking data, automatically reviewing the locating or tracking data with regard to pre-defined pattern data or based on locating or tracking training data. Method according to item 40, wherein the step of automatic reviewing is performed to identify an irregularity calling to subsequently perform at least one predefined action. Method according to item 40 or 41 , wherein the step of automatic reviewing is performed using a neural network. Method of obtaining allocation data relating to at least one of mobile anti-theft devices (20) and merchandise items, storing and updating the allocation data in a database and transmitting allocation data to one or plural systems to enable at least on functionality of the system, wherein the allocation data comprise one or plural of:

[0254] - allocation data that enable an anti-theft security system (100) to individually identify mobile anti-theft devices (20),

[0255] - device identification data identifying mobile anti-theft devices (20),

[0256] - access key data enabling to initiate a release operation with respect to the mobile anti-theft devices (20),

[0257] - merchandise item identification data identifying merchandise items being protected or to be protected by attaching mobile anti-theft devices (20) thereto,

[0258] - entity identification data identifying an entity or sub-entity of an entity being related to at least one of respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and respective merchandize items,

[0259] - location data identifying a location of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) or a respective merchandise item at a site, price data relating to merchandise items, customer data or customer profile data, marketing data relating to merchandise items.

[0260] 44. Method according to item 43, wherein the method comprises the provision of a dedicated data transfer interface for a respective system which shall be supplied with allocation data or from which allocation data shall be received for storing in the database or for updating allocation data already stored in the database.

[0261] 45. Method according to item 43 or 44, wherein data and allocation data obtained at different times or / and from different systems are associated to each other for generating allocation data that are stored in the database.

[0262] 46. System for performing the method according to one or plural of items 1 to 14 or / and according to one or plural of items 15 to 26 or / and according to one or plural of items 33 to 36 or / and according to one or plural of items 37 to 39 or / and according to one or plural of items 40 to 42 or / and according to one or plural of items 43 to 45, preferably having also the features of one or plural of items 27 to 32.

Claims

Claims1 . Method of allocating mobile anti-theft devices (20) to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in an anti-theft security system (100) which comprises antitheft security system infrastructure (10) having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities, wherein the mobile anti-theft devices (20) are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the 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 antitheft security system infrastructure and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 antitheft 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure; wherein the method comprises the provision of allocation data that enable the anti-theft security system (100) to individually identify the mobile anti-theft devices (20) based on wireless signals transmitted by the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and to individually address the mobile anti-theft devices (20) in releasecommands transmitted as wireless signals by the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, wherein the release commands individually address a particular mobile anti-theft device to perform the release operation by means of an individual access key that is included in the respective release command based on the allocation data and allows to initiate the release operation only for this particular mobile anti-theft device but for no other of the mobile anti-theft devices used in the anti-theft security system (100); wherein the method comprises the following method steps: g) at a first site being associated to a first entity: picking the mobile antitheft devices (20) to be allocated; h) obtaining device identification data that identify the picked mobile antitheft devices (20); i) delivering the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) to a second site associated to a second entity or a sub-entity of the second entity; j) associating the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity or another sub-entity of the second entity in a data base of the server; k) based on the association between the device identification data and the entity identification data collocating the allocation data which comprise the device identification data and access key data comprising one particular access key for the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) or a subset thereof; l) transmitting the allocation data under the responsibility of the first entity to the responsibility of the second entity or a particular sub-entity of the second entity that is associated to the anti-theft security system (100), for being used by the anti-theft security system (100).

2. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step b1 ) subsequent of step b) or step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity under the responsibility of the first entity to a server;or comprising the steps c1 ) subsequent of step b) or step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting delivery data comprising the device identification data under the responsibility of the first entity to the responsibility the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity; c2) subsequent of step c1 ) and preceding to step d), transferring the device identification data and entity identification data identifying the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity under the responsibility of the second entity or the sub-entity of the second entity to a server.

3. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps: c3) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), delivering the delivered mobile anti-theft devices (20) from the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity to a third site that is associated to a second sub-entity of the second entity; c4) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), transmitting device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second subentity of the second entity to the server; or comprising the steps c3-1 ) subsequent of step c) and preceding to step d), picking mobile anti-theft devices (20) from the delivered mobile anti-theft devices (20) to form a subset of picked mobile antitheft devices (20) at the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity; and c3-2) delivering the subset from the second site that is associated to a first sub-entity of the second entity to a third site that is associated to a second sub-entity of the second entity; c4-1 ) subsequent of step c3-1 ) and preceding to step d),obtaining device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) that form the subset; c4-2) transmitting device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity of the second entity to the server.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein said device identification data identifying the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the third site and entity identification data identifying the second sub-entity are transmitted under the responsibility of the second entity or under the responsibility of the third entity to the server.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the device identification data that identify the mobile anti-theft devices (20) picked from the delivered mobile antitheft devices (20) are obtained in step c4-1 ) wirelessly by receiving signals from these mobile anti-theft devices (20) which indicate anti-theft device IDs of a respective of the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of an anti-theft security system (100) deployed at the second site or at the third site is used to obtain the device identification data.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the device identification data and the entity identification data are sent by said anti-theft security system (100) to at least one of a server of the first entity and a server of the second entity.

8. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the first entity is a manufacturer or distributor of mobile anti-theft devices (20) and the second entity is a trading company having at least one store in which the or a respective anti-theft security system (100) is deployed, wherein the second entity has ordered the mobile anti-theft devices (20) from the first entity, which are delivered to the second site.

9. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second entity is a trading company having a warehouse and one or plural stores, wherein the sub-entity or the second sub-entity of the second entity may be a store of the second entity and wherein the first sub-entity of the second entity may be the warehouse of the second entity.

10. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the second entity is a trading company and the particular sub-entity of the second entity is a particular store of the trading company in which the anti-theft security system (100) is deployed.11 . Method according to claim 7, wherein the allocation data, which include the device identification data and access key data for the mobile anti-theft devices (20) delivered or to be delivered to the particular store, are stored locally in at least one of the anti-theft security system (100) deployed in this particular store and a backup server deployed in this particular store, even if the allocation data are stored in a central data base of computing infrastructure of the second entity and are normally used by the or a respective antitheft security system (100) of the second entity remotely via data communication.

12. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the device identification data that identify the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20) are obtained in step b) wirelessly by receiving signals from these mobile anti-theft devices (20) which indicate anti-theft device IDs of a respective of the picked mobile anti-theft devices (20).

13. Method according to claim 9, wherein anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of an anti-theft security system (100) deployed at the second site is used to obtain the device identification data.

14. Method according to claim 10, wherein the device identification data and the entity identification data are sent by said anti-theft security system (100) to at least one of a server of the first entity and a server of the second entity.

15. Method of allocating mobile anti-theft devices (20) to enable use of the mobile anti-theft devices in a point-of-sales system (100) which comprises antitheft security system infrastructure (10) having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities, wherein the mobile anti-theft devices (20) are configured to be attached to merchandise items to be protected and to wirelessly interact with the 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 antitheft security system infrastructure and to transmit wireless signals to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 antitheft 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure; wherein the method comprises the provision of allocation data that enable the point of sales system (100) to individually identify the mobile anti-theft devices (20) based on wireless signals transmitted by the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangement of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and to individually identify a respective merchandise item to which a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) is currently attached and which is to be released by initiating the release operation for the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) in a check-out procedure after successful completion of a payment procedure;wherein the method comprises the following steps: c) attaching mobile anti-theft devices (20) to merchandise items; d) for each pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached (20) thereto that has an anti-theft device ID identifying the respective mobile anti-theft device, obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing and associating the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data or obtaining a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing the merchandise item ID via wireless interaction with the mobile anti-theft device in a memory of the respective mobile antitheft device, to therewith associate the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data or obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a merchandise item ID identifying the merchandise item and storing and associating the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of the allocation data and storing the merchandise item ID via wireless interaction with the mobile anti-theft device in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device, to therewith associate the anti-theft device ID and the merchandise item ID as allocation data set of redundant allocation data.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein the merchandise item ID is obtained wirelessly using an optical code reader device or radio frequency reader device.

17. Method according to claim 15, wherein the anti-theft device ID is obtained wirelessly using the anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) or a mobile wireless reader device.

18. Method according to claim 15, wherein the merchandise item ID is stored wirelessly in the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) wirelessly using the anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) or a mobile wireless reader writer device.

19. Method according to claim 15, wherein a multi-functional mobile device is used having plural functionalities of an optical code reader functionality for obtaining the merchandise item ID, a radio frequency reader functionality for obtaining the merchandise item ID, a wireless reader functionality for obtaining the anti-theft device ID and a wireless writer functionality for storing the merchandise item ID in the respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

20. Method according to claim 15, wherein further information relating to the merchandise item is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) together with the merchandise item ID.21 . Method according to claim 15, wherein performing the release operation by the controller triggers that the controller performs a resetting operation, in which the merchandise item ID or the merchandise item ID together with further information relating to the merchandise item is deleted from the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) or is marked to be deleted or overwritten in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

22. Method according to claim 15, wherein steps a) and b) are performed sequentially for a respective merchandise item and a respective mobile antitheft device (20) and the resulting pair of pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device (20) attached thereto, wherein the merchandise item ID may vary between the pairs of a respective merchandise item and a respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

23. Method according to claim 15, wherein step a) is performed with respect to a plurality of merchandise items and a respective mobile anti-theft device (20), and wherein thereafter step b) is performed with respect to the resulting pairs of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device (20) attached thereto.

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein step a) is performed with respect to a plurality of corresponding merchandise items having the same merchandise item ID, wherein the merchandise item ID is obtained only once in step b) for being used for all merchandize items of this plurality of corresponding merchandise items.

25. Method according to claim 15, wherein the merchandise item ID is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the mobile anti-theft device (20) is the only carrier of the merchandise item ID allowing to obtain the merchandise item ID wirelessly using a radio frequency reader device or anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of the respective pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device (20) attached thereto.

26. Method according to claim 15, wherein the merchandise item ID is stored in the memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the mobile anti-theft device (20) is the only carrier of the merchandise item ID allowing to obtain the merchandise item ID wirelessly using an optical code reader device or radio frequency reader device or anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) of the respective pair of a merchandise item and a mobile anti-theft device attached thereto (20).

27. Anti-theft security system (100), comprising: superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) having wireless signal transmission and reception capabilities; a plurality of mobile anti-theft devices (20), 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 and to transmit wireless signals including advertising signals that indicate an anti-theft device ID to the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure, 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 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 a release operation in response to an release command received from the anti-theft security system infrastructure; wherein the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) has plural spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units (A1 , A2, A3, B1 , B2, B3, B4, C1 , C2, C3, D1 , E1 , E2) that are configured to receive advertising signals from the mobile anti-theft devices (20), to obtain the anti-theft device IDs from the received advertising signals, to perform at least one measurement with respect to the received advertising signals, which depends on a relative positioning between the respective receiver or transceiver unit and the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and to make available for a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) the anti-theft device ID and locating raw data being based on the at least one measurement to a locating functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10); and wherein the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10), according to its locating functionality, is further configured, to derive from the anti-theft device IDs and the locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units locating data for the mobile anti-theft devices (20), which represent a current location of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) at a site at which said receiver or transceiver units are deployed in a spatially distributed manner.

28. Anti-theft security system according to claim 27, wherein the locating functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) is a locating and tracking functionality of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10), so that the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) is configured, to derive from the anti-theft device IDs and locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units also tracking data for the mobile anti-theft devices (20), which represent a sequence of locations comprising an earliest location and the current location of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20) or a trajectory from the earliest location to the current location of the respective mobile antitheft device (20).

29. Anti-theft security system according to claim 27, wherein spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units that are configured to perform at least one of an angle of arrival measurement, a time of arrival measurement and a received signal strength measurement with respect to the received advert advertising signals, and wherein the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10), according to its locating functionality, is configured, to derive from at least one of angle of arrival measurement data, time of arrival measurement data and time of arrival measurement made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units said locating data for the mobile antitheft devices (20).

30. Anti-theft security system according to claim 27, wherein the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangements of the mobile anti-theft devices (20) and the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units (A1 , A2, A3, B1 , B2, B3, B4, C1 , C2, C3, D1 , E1 , E2) of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) are configured to wirelessly interact according to a Bluetooth protocol that enables locating of or relative to Bluetooth beacons.31 . Anti-theft security system according to claim 27, wherein the wireless signal transmission and reception arrangements of the mobile anti-theft devices (20) are configured to operate as Bluetooth beacons and the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units of the superordinate anti-theft security system infrastructure (10) are configured to estimate a distance from a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) based on measuring the signal strength of an advertising signal received from that mobile anti-theft device (20).

32. Anti-theft security system according to claim 31 , wherein the transmitted advertising signals indicate a transmitted power value that represents a sending signal strength of the advertising signal transmitted by the respective mobile anti-theft device (20), and wherein the locating raw data made available by the spatially distributed receiver or transceiver units are also based on the indicated transmitted power value or comprise the indicated transmitted power value for a respective mobile anti-theft device (20).

33. Method of locating or tracking mobile anti-theft devices (20) using an antitheft security system (100) according to claim 27, wherein the method comprises the definition of at least one event procedure which is associated to a respective location or location range of the site at which said receiver or transceiver units are deployed in a spatially distributed manner and perform the event procedure with respect to at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) if the at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) is located at or proximate to the location or within the location range being associated to the event procedure or if the at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) is located at a distance from the location or the location range exceeding a predefined distances threshold or if tracking data obtained for the at least one mobile anti-theft device (20) correspond to a least one predefined tracking pattern or are identified to indicate an irregularity.

34. Method according to claim 33, wherein the method is performed with respect to pre-defined zones of a store.

35. Method according to claim 33, wherein the predefined tracking pattern is a tracking pattern of a group of mobile anti-theft devices that comprises a number of mobile anti-theft devices (20) corresponding to or exceeding a predefined number of mobile anti-theft devices.

36. Method according to claim 33, wherein the event procedure comprises at least one of i) an alarm procedure, ii) a check-out procedure, iii) a payment procedure, and iv) an exit or path blocking procedure.

37. Method of carrying out an inventory of merchandise items in a store or warehouse or in one or plural zones of a store or warehouse using an anti-theft security system (100) according to claim 27, wherein a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) is attached to the merchandise items to be taken into account in the inventory and merchandise item IDs of the merchandise items are associated to anti-theft device IDs in a database of a server or are stored in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20), wherein the method comprises:- locating of mobile anti-theft device (20) using the an anti-theft security system (100),- associating the location of a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) and the merchandise item ID of an merchandise item attached thereto based on the anti-theft device ID indicated in a signal wirelessly received from the mobile anti-theft device (20) or the merchandise item ID indicated in a signal wirelessly received from the mobile anti-theft device (20).

38. Method according to claim 37, wherein obtained inventory results are automatically reviewed and actions are automatically initiated depending on the obtained inventory results.

39. Method according to claim 38, wherein actions to be automatically initiated comprise one or plural of i) replenishment of merchandise items, ii) transferring a merchandize item from a location or zone identified to be a wrong location or zone to a correct location or zone being associated to the merchandize item and iii) issuing an alarm.

40. Method of monitoring pre-defined zones of a store using an anti-theft security system (100) according to claim 27, wherein a respective mobile anti-theft device (20) is attached to the merchandise items to be taken into account in the inventory and merchandise item IDs of the merchandise items are associated to anti-theft device IDs in a database of a server or are stored in a memory of the respective mobile anti-theft device (20), wherein the method comprises:- locating or tracking of mobile anti-theft devices (20) with regard to the pre-defined zones using the anti-theft security system (100) to obtain locating or tracking data,- automatically reviewing the locating or tracking data with regard to predefined pattern data or based on locating or tracking training data.41 . Method according to claim 40, wherein the step of automatic reviewing is performed to identify an irregularity calling to subsequently perform at least one predefined action.

42. Method according to claim 40, wherein the step of automatic reviewing is performed using a neural network.

43. Method of obtaining allocation data relating to at least one of mobile anti-theft devices (20) and merchandise items, storing and updating the allocation data in a database and transmitting allocation data to one or plural systems to enable at least on functionality of the system, wherein the allocation data comprise one or plural of:- allocation data that enable an anti-theft security system (100) to individually identify mobile anti-theft devices (20),- device identification data identifying mobile anti-theft devices (20),- access key data enabling to initiate a release operation with respect to the mobile anti-theft devices (20),- merchandise item identification data identifying merchandise items being protected or to be protected by attaching mobile anti-theft devices (20) thereto,- entity identification data identifying an entity or sub-entity of an entity being related to at least one of respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) and respective merchandize items,- location data identifying a location of a respective mobile anti-theft devices (20) or a respective merchandise item at a site,- price data relating to merchandise items,- customer data or customer profile data,- marketing data relating to merchandise items.

44. Method according to claim 43, wherein the method comprises the provision of a dedicated data transfer interface for a respective system which shall be supplied with allocation data or from which allocation data shall be received for storing in the database or for updating allocation data already stored in the database.

45. Method according to claim 43, wherein data and allocation data obtained at different times or / and from different systems are associated to each other for generating allocation data that are stored in the database.

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