JP2007079997A - Device, method and program for location information management, computer readable recording medium, and system for location information management - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage location information of an object over a wide range area. <P>SOLUTION: A location information management server connected with other location information management servers through a network is equipped with: a storage section which stores addresses of other location information management servers, and an ID correspondence management table which matches a tag ID which identifies a tag and a UID which identifies an object; a tag reception processing section which performs processing of receiving information transmitted from a reader which has detected a tag; a determination section which determines whether the tag ID contained in the received information is held in the ID correspondence management table; a request transmission section which transmits a request to send a UID corresponding to the tag ID to the other location information management server specified by the address stored in the storage section when it is determined that the tag ID is not held in the ID correspondence management table; and a UID reception section which receives the UID corresponding to the tag ID from the location information management server of a transmission destination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a position information management apparatus, a position information management method, a position information management program, a computer-readable recording medium, and a position information management system, and more particularly to a technique for managing position information detected by a detection apparatus. It is.

  Conventionally, indoor person and thing position information that can be identified from a signal received from a radio tag such as an RFID tag can be used in various applications such as article management and entrance / exit management.

  Therefore, a technique has been proposed in which information from a plurality of terminal devices such as a wireless tag and a PHS is acquired and processed collectively. By managing the positions collectively, it becomes possible for various applications to easily use the position information (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the position information of the terminal device is transmitted from the position information processing server when the application server requests the position information processing server to transmit the position information. Thereby, the application server can obtain position information.

JP 2002-315032 A

  However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it is not considered that the position information processing server cooperates with other position information and the processing server. For this reason, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the number of users that can be processed and the range to be detected are limited to the number or range of users that can be processed by one position information processing server.

  As described above, the invention described in the cited document 1 has a problem that the position information cannot be managed in a wide range.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and can be read by a position information management apparatus, a position information management method, a position information management program, and a computer that can manage position information of objects in a wide range of areas. It is an object to provide a simple recording medium and position information management system.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the invention according to claim 1 is a position information management apparatus connected to another position information management apparatus that manages position information of an object via a network. Storage means for storing the address on the network of the other location information management device, medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium, and object identification information for identifying the object are stored. Medium correspondence storage means, reception processing means for performing processing for receiving detection information including the medium identification information from the detection device that has detected the portable information storage medium, and the detection information received by the reception processing means Determining means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the medium correspondence information is held in the medium correspondence information; When it is determined that no information is held, a request transmission is performed to transmit a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to another position information management device specified by an address stored in the storage unit. And identification information receiving means for receiving the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another location information management device identified by the address transmitted by the request transmission means. And

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the transmission request for the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is received together with the medium identification information from the other position information management device. Request receiving means, wherein the determining means determines whether or not the medium identification information received by the request receiving means is held in the medium correspondence information, and the request transmitting means is the determining means When it is determined that the information is not held in the medium correspondence information, the transmission request for the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is sent to another position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage unit. Is transmitted.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2, wherein the identification information receiving means is transmitted from the other location information management device specified by the address transmitted by the request transmitting means. The other location information management device that has received the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information, and that has received the object identification information received by the identification information receiving means, the request source of the transmission request received by the request receiving means. It further comprises an identification information transmitting means for transmitting to.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the storage means stores all addresses of the other location information management devices connected to the network. And

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the object identification information is compared with another position information management device specified by an address stored in the storage means. Together with a position information transmission request means for transmitting a request for transmission of the position information of the object identified by the object identification information, and the other position information management device as a transmission destination by the position information transmission request means, And a position information receiving means for receiving position information of the object identified by the identification information.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided another position information management apparatus that manages position information of an object, medium identification information that identifies a portable information storage medium, and a position information management apparatus that manages the portable information storage medium. In the medium identification information management apparatus that associates and manages the address of the medium, and the position information management apparatus that is connected via the network, the medium correspondence that associates the medium identification information with the object identification information that identifies the object A medium correspondence storage means for storing information; a reception processing means for performing a process of receiving detection information including the medium identification information from a detection device that detects a portable information storage medium; and the reception processing means received by the reception processing means Determining means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the detection information is held in the medium correspondence information; and the medium correspondence information is added to the medium correspondence information by the determination means. If it is determined that the separate information is not held, an address request transmission unit that transmits an address transmission request of another position information management device that manages the medium identification information to the object identification information management device; An address receiving unit that receives an address of another location information management device that manages the medium identification information from the object identification information management device that is a transmission destination by an address request transmission unit, and the address received by the address receiving unit A request transmission unit that transmits a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to the other location information management device, and the other specified by the address transmitted by the request transmission unit. And an identification information receiving means for receiving object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the position information management device. To.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the present invention, the object together with the object identification information is transmitted to the other position information management apparatus specified by the address received from the medium identification information management apparatus. Position information transmission request means for transmitting a request for transmission of position information of identification information, and position information of the object identified by the object identification information from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the position information transmission request means And a positional information receiving means for receiving.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the position information of the portable information storage medium is obtained by the detection information received by the reception processing means, and the identification information is obtained. It further comprises position information acquisition means that is acquired in association with the object identification information received by the reception means.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the object identification information and an address of the position information management device that manages the object identification information are obtained. An object correspondence storage unit that stores the associated object device correspondence information, the object identification information received by the identification information receiving unit, and an address of another location information management device that has transmitted the object identification information are associated with each other. And an information management means for storing the object device correspondence information.

  The invention according to claim 10 is the invention according to claim 9, wherein the information associated with the object identification information is the object device correspondence information stored in the object device correspondence information stored by the information management means. The correspondence information request transmitting means for transmitting an acquisition request to another position information management apparatus associated with the associated address, and the other position information management apparatus of the request destination transmitted by the correspondence information request transmission means from the object It further comprises correspondence information receiving means for acquiring information associated with the identification information.

  The invention according to claim 11 is a request for receiving a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another position information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 10. Receiving means, wherein the judging means judges whether or not the medium identification information received by the request receiving means is held in the medium correspondence information, and the medium identifying information is held by the judging means. And an identification information transmitting means for transmitting the object identification information to the other position information management device when it is determined that the object identification information has been determined.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the eleventh aspect, the position information identified by the object of the object identification information transmitted from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the identification information transmitting means. And a positional information receiving means for receiving.

  The invention according to claim 13 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 12, with respect to the other position information management device that has transmitted the object identification information received by the identification information receiving means. And a position information transmitting means for transmitting the position information acquired by the position information acquiring means.

  According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a portable information storage medium is detected in a position information management method for managing position information by connecting to another position information management apparatus for managing position information of an object via a network. A reception processing step for receiving detection information including medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium from a detection device; and the medium identification information included in the detection information received by the reception processing step. A determination step of determining whether or not the medium identification information and the object identification information are stored in association with each other and held in the medium correspondence information stored in the storage unit; and the medium correspondence information is added to the medium correspondence information by the determination step. If it is determined that the identification information is not held, the medium identification information is sent to the position information management device specified by the address stored by the storage means. A request transmission step for transmitting a transmission request for the corresponding object identification information, and an identification for receiving the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the position information management device specified by the address transmitted in the request transmission step An information receiving step.

  According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fourteenth aspect, a request receiving step of receiving a transmission request for the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information together with the medium identification information from the position information management device. The determination step determines whether the medium identification information received in the request reception step is held in the medium correspondence information, and the request transmission step includes the medium according to the determination step. If it is determined that the information is not held in the correspondence information, a transmission request for the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is transmitted to the position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage unit. It is characterized by.

  According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fifteenth aspect, in the identification information receiving step, the medium identification transmitted from the location information management device specified by the address transmitted in the request transmission step. The object identification information corresponding to the information is received, and the object identification information received in the identification information reception step is transmitted to the other location information management device that is the request source of the transmission request received in the request reception step. An identification information transmission step is further provided.

  The invention according to claim 17 is the invention according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the object identification information is compared with another position information management device specified by an address stored in the storage means. Together with a position information transmission request step for transmitting a request for transmission of the position information of the object identified by the object identification information, and from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the position information transmission request step, the object And a position information receiving step of receiving position information of the object identified by the identification information.

  The invention according to claim 18 is another positional information management device that manages positional information of an object, medium identification information that identifies a portable information storage medium, and a positional information management device that manages the portable information storage medium. In a position information management method for managing position information by connecting to a medium identification information management apparatus that manages addresses in association with each other via a network, the medium identification information is retained in the medium correspondence information by the determination step. If it is determined that the request is not made, an address request transmission step of transmitting an address transmission request of another position information management device that manages the medium identification information to the object identification information management device, and the address request transmission step An address receiving the address of another location information management device that manages the medium identification information from the object identification information management device of the transmission destination by A reception request step, a request transmission step of transmitting a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to the position information management device specified by the address received in the address reception step, and the request transmission An identification information receiving step of receiving object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the position information management device specified by the address transmitted in the step.

  The invention according to claim 19 is the invention according to claim 18, wherein the object identification information together with the object identification information is provided to the position information management apparatus specified by the address received from the medium identification information management apparatus. A position information transmission request step for transmitting a request for transmission of the position information, and a position for receiving the position information of the object identified by the object identification information from the position information management device of the transmission destination by the position information transmission request step And an information receiving step.

  The invention according to claim 20 is the invention according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the position information of the portable information storage medium is obtained by the detection information received in the reception processing step, and the identification information is obtained. It further comprises a position information acquisition step that is acquired in association with the object identification information received in the reception step.

  The invention according to claim 21 is the invention according to any one of claims 14 to 20, wherein the object identification information received in the identification information receiving step and the position information management device that has transmitted the object identification information. And an information management step for storing the information as object device correspondence information in association with each other address.

  The invention according to claim 22 is the invention according to claim 21, wherein the information associated with the object identification information is the object device correspondence information stored in the object management information stored in the information management step. A correspondence information request transmission step of transmitting an acquisition request to the position information management device specified by the associated address; and the object identification information from the position information management device of the transmission destination by the correspondence information request transmission step. And a correspondence information receiving step for acquiring the associated information.

  The invention according to claim 23 is the request according to any one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the request for receiving a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is received from another position information management device. A reception step, wherein the determination step determines whether or not the medium identification information received in the request reception step is held in the medium correspondence information, and the medium identification information is held in the determination step. When it is determined that the object information has been determined, the method further includes an identification information transmission step of transmitting the object identification information to the position information management device.

  The invention according to a twenty-fourth aspect is the invention according to the twenty-third aspect, wherein the position information of the object identified by the transmitted object identification information is received from the position information management device of the transmission destination in the identification information transmitting step. And a positional information receiving step.

  An invention according to claim 25 is the invention according to any one of claims 14 to 24, wherein the position information management device that has transmitted the object identification information received by the identification information reception step is A positional information transmission step of transmitting the positional information acquired in the positional information acquisition step.

  According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the location information management method according to any one of the fourteenth to twenty-fifth aspects is executed by a computer.

  The invention according to claim 27 is a computer-readable recording medium storing the position information management program according to claim 26.

  The invention according to claim 28 is based on a portable information storage medium provided for each object, a detection device that detects the portable information storage medium without contact, and information input from the detection device. In the position information management system comprising: a position information management device that manages the position information acquired in step S1 and is connected to another position information management device via a network. Medium correspondence storage for storing medium correspondence information in which storage means for storing an address on the network of the information management device, medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium, and object identification information for identifying an object are associated with each other Means for receiving detection information including the medium identification information from the detection device that has detected the portable information storage medium, and receiving by the reception processing means Determining means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the detected information is held in the medium correspondence information; and if the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information by the determination means A request transmission unit that transmits a request for transmitting object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to another position information management device specified by an address stored in the storage unit; And an identification information receiving means for receiving the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another position information management device specified by the address transmitted by.

  According to a twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information storage medium provided for each object, a detection device for detecting the portable information storage medium without contact, and a medium identification for identifying the portable information storage medium. A medium identification information management device that manages information in association with an address of a location information management device that manages the portable information storage medium, and manages location information acquired based on information input from the detection device, In a position information management system comprising a position information management apparatus connected to another position information management apparatus via a network, the position information management apparatus includes the medium identification information and object identification information for identifying an object. Receiving processing for receiving the detection information including the medium identification information from the medium correspondence storage means for storing the medium correspondence information associated with the medium and the detection device detecting the portable information storage medium. A processing unit; a determination unit that determines whether the medium identification information included in the detection information received by the reception processing unit is held in the medium correspondence information; and An address request transmitting means for transmitting an address transmission request of another location information management device that manages the medium identification information to the object identification information management device when it is determined that the medium identification information is not held; An address receiving unit that receives an address of another location information management device that manages the medium identification information from the object identification information management device that is a transmission destination by the address request transmission unit; and the address that is received by the address receiving unit. A transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is transmitted to the other position information management device specified by Request transmitting means, and identification information receiving means for receiving object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the other location information management device specified by the address transmitted by the request transmitting means. It is characterized by that.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information managed by each position information management apparatus can be transmitted and received, so that a plurality of position information management apparatuses can be installed to cover a wide area. It is possible to manage the position information of the object in

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that the object identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, a transmission request is sent to another position information management device, so that the position information management of the transmission source is performed. There is an effect that it is possible to confirm whether or not the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is held with respect to another position information management apparatus to which the apparatus cannot make a transmission request.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the received object identification information is transmitted to the original position information management apparatus that made the transmission request, so that the object identification information is obtained via the plurality of position information management apparatuses. Even when it is received, there is an effect that it can be transmitted to the original location information management device.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since all addresses of other location information management devices connected to the network are held, the location information management device managing the medium identification information can be detected. There is an effect that is possible.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the position information can be acquired in association with the object identification information, so that there is an effect that the convenience in performing the process using the position information for each object is improved.

  According to the invention of claim 6, the location identification management device managing the media correspondence information is specified by making an inquiry to the media identification information management device, and the media identification information managed by each location information management device. By enabling the transmission / reception of the object identification information corresponding to the above, it is possible to install a plurality of position information management devices and manage the position information of objects in a wide area.

  Further, according to the invention of claim 7, since object identification information and position information are obtained in association with each position information management apparatus, a plurality of position information management apparatuses are installed to obtain position information of objects in a wide area. There is an effect that it can be managed.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the received position information can be acquired in association with the object identification information, so that the position information of the object identified by the object identification information can be managed.

  In addition, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily acquire information corresponding to the object identification information by holding the object identification information and the address of the position information management device in association with each other.

  Further, according to the invention of claim 10, since information corresponding to the object identification information can be easily obtained, there is an effect that the management of the object becomes easy.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information detected by another position information management device can be acquired by transmitting the held object identification information. There is an effect that it is possible to manage the position information of the object in a wide area by installing a plurality of management devices.

  According to the invention of claim 12, since the position information of the object corresponding to the transmitted object identification information can be received, a plurality of position information management devices are installed to manage the position information of the object in a wide area. There is an effect that is possible.

  According to the invention of claim 13, by transmitting the position information of the object corresponding to the received object identification information, a plurality of position information management devices are installed to manage the position information of the object in a wide area. There is an effect that it is possible.

  According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, since the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information managed by each position information management device can be transmitted and received, a plurality of position information management devices can be installed to cover a wide area. It is possible to manage the position information of the object in

  According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that the object identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, a transmission request is sent to the position information management apparatus, so that the position information management apparatus of the transmission source For the position information management apparatus that cannot make a transmission request, it is possible to confirm whether or not the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information is held.

  According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the received object identification information is transmitted to the original position information management apparatus that made the transmission request, so that the object identification information is obtained via the plurality of position information management apparatuses. Even when it is received, there is an effect that it can be transmitted to the original location information management device.

  According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the positional information can be acquired in association with the object identification information, so that the convenience of performing processing using the positional information for each object is improved.

  According to the invention of claim 18, the location identification management device that manages the media correspondence information is specified by making an inquiry to the media identification information management device, and the media identification information managed by each location information management device. By enabling the transmission / reception of the object identification information corresponding to the above, it is possible to install a plurality of position information management devices and manage the position information of objects in a wide area.

  According to the nineteenth aspect of the present invention, since object identification information and position information are obtained in association with each position information management apparatus, a plurality of position information management apparatuses are installed to obtain position information of objects in a wide area. There is an effect that it can be managed.

  Further, according to the twentieth aspect, since the received position information can be acquired in association with the object identification information, the position information of the object identified by the object identification information can be managed.

  According to the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily acquire information corresponding to the object identification information by holding the object identification information and the address of the position information management device in association with each other.

  According to the invention of claim 22, since information corresponding to the object identification information can be easily obtained, there is an effect that management of the object is facilitated.

  According to the twenty-third aspect of the present invention, the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information detected by the position information management apparatus can be acquired by transmitting the held object identification information. It is possible to manage the position information of an object in a wide area by installing a plurality of.

  According to the twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, since the position information of the object corresponding to the transmitted object identification information can be received, a plurality of position information management devices are installed to manage the position information of the object in a wide area. There is an effect that is possible.

  According to the invention of claim 25, by transmitting the position information of the object corresponding to the received object identification information, a plurality of position information management devices are installed to manage the position information of the object in a wide area. There is an effect that it is possible.

  According to the invention of claim 26, the location information management method according to any one of claims 14 to 25 can be realized by using a computer by causing the computer to read and execute the method. The same effects as those of the position information management methods are achieved.

  According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing the positional information management program according to the twenty-seventh aspect, and the positional information management program is executed by causing the computer to read the recording medium. There is an effect that is possible.

  According to the invention of claim 28, since the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information managed by each position information management device can be transmitted and received, a plurality of position information management devices can be installed to cover a wide area. It is possible to manage the position information of the object in

  According to the invention of claim 29, the location identification management device managing the media correspondence information is specified by making an inquiry to the media identification information management device, and the media identification information managed by each location information management device. By enabling the transmission / reception of the object identification information corresponding to the above, it is possible to install a plurality of position information management devices and manage the position information of objects in a wide area.

  Exemplary embodiments of a position information management device, a position information management method, a position information management program, a computer-readable recording medium, and a position information management system according to the present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. To do.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a location information management system according to the first embodiment. In the position information management system according to the present embodiment, active tags 161a to 161n provided to an object, readers 151a to 151n that receive identification signals transmitted from the active tags 161a to 161n, and readers 151a to 151n. It is comprised from the location information management server 100a connected to. The location information management server 100a is connected to the other location information management servers 100b to 100n via the network 11.

  Further, the location information management server 100a has the function of the location information management device of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the readers 151a to 151n detect signals output from the active tags 161a to 161n. The readers 151a to 151n transmit the information included in the detected identification signal and the measured signal strength to the location information management server 100a connected through the network. Then, the location information management server 100 a transmits information acquired based on the transmitted information and the measured signal strength for each application via the network 10. Since the location information management servers 100b to 100n have the same configuration as the location information management server 100a, the description thereof is omitted.

  The readers 151a to 151n may follow any route as long as they are connected to the location information management server 100a. For example, the readers 151a to 151n and the location information management server 100a may be directly connected or may be connected via a network. In the present embodiment, the readers 151a to 151n are assumed to be connected to the location information management server 100a via the network 10. In FIG. 1, although it is directly connected to a tag reception processing unit 121, which will be described later, this is to facilitate understanding.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, the object with which the active tags 161a-n are provided is not limited to a person or a predetermined object, but can be provided to any object including an object or a person. As a result, the tag is detected in various situations, for example, the user holds the active tag 161l, the active tag 161m is provided on an object such as a PHS held by the user, and the active tag 161n is provided on a package to be loaded. Thus, the processing described later can be performed.

  In other words, the active tags 161a to 161n correspond to portable information storage media, and are provided for each object. The active tags 161a to 161n may be any tag as long as the position information of the object can be grasped. The active tags 161a to 161n according to the present embodiment are assumed to actively transmit radio waves, for example, to transmit an identification signal every second. Further, as an example of a tag other than the present embodiment, a passive tag such as a passive RFID tag may be used, and a Bluetooth standard or ZigBee standard tag that actively emits radio waves may be used. .

  In other words, the readers 151a to 151n correspond to detection devices. When the identification signals are received from the active tags 161a to 161n, the reader 151a to n includes the tag included in the received identification signal at the address and port indicating the location information management server 100a. ID and measured signal strength are transmitted. Further, the location information management server 100a stores the received tag ID and signal intensity in association with the reader IDs of the readers 151a to 151n. The position information management server 100a can identify the reader IDs of the readers 151a to 151n that have detected the active tags 161a to n from the correspondence relationship between the reader ID and the reader address stored in advance. Further, the address of the source reader can be identified from the source address included in the header of the packet used when sending the information.

  Further, as a form different from the present embodiment, the readers 151a to 151n may transmit the above information in association with the reader IDs indicating the readers 151a to 151n.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the overall configuration of the network 11 to which the location information management servers 100a to 100n according to the present embodiment are connected. Each reader 151a-c transmits the detected identification signal together with the signal intensity to the position information management server 100a through the network, and the position information management server 100a acquires the position information of the object based on the received information. The application A201 to application D204 are notified through the network. The notifications for the applications A201 to D204 are transmitted every predetermined time, or when there is a request from each application.

  Any location information management server 100a to 100n may be arranged in any manner. The location information management servers 100a to 100n according to the present embodiment are arranged for different organizations. For each different organization, for example, the location information management server 100a may be arranged to manage the organization of the Tokyo office, and the location information management server 100b may be arranged to manage the organization of the Sendai office. .

  The location information management servers 100a to 100n manage active tags provided to objects belonging to an organization that is a management target of the server. That is, the managed tag is different for each position information management server 100a to 100n. For this reason, for example, when the position information management server 100a detects a tag that is not managed, an object having the tag can be specified by making an inquiry to the other position information management servers 100b to 100n. Thus, since the location information management servers 100a to 100n are connected via the network, information can be transmitted and received between the location information management servers 100a to 100n. A detailed procedure for transmitting and receiving information will be described later.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the location information management server 100 a includes a storage unit 101, a tag information management unit 102, a determination unit 103, a location information acquisition unit 104, an event generation unit 105, and a location information DB management unit 106. A notification information generation unit 107, a filter DB management unit 108, and a communication control unit 109. After the identification signals and measured signal strengths transmitted from the readers 151a to 151n are stored, the position information of the object is obtained. The notification information including the position information can be generated and transmitted to the application when a predetermined condition is satisfied. Further, the location information management server 100a performs transmission / reception with the location information management servers 100b to 100n as necessary.

  The storage unit 101 stores a device database 111, a position information database 112, and a filtering database 113.

  The device database 111 holds a reader position management table and a tag signal management table. FIG. 3 shows the structure of the reader position management table. As shown in the figure, the reader position management table holds a reader ID, reader position information, reader address, and reader coordinate system in association with each other. By associating the reader ID with the address of the reader, the reader ID can be specified from the address of the reader of the information transmission source. Thereby, the coordinate system and the position information of the reader can be specified based on the reader ID. The coordinate system is a coordinate system used to indicate the position of the reader in position coordinates, and a different coordinate system is defined for each region. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a different coordinate system is assigned to each floor. For this reason, the “coordinate system” field holds the rank. Thereby, when a reader detects, the floor for every establishment can be specified.

  FIG. 4 shows the structure of the tag signal management table. As shown in the figure, the tag signal management table holds a tag ID, a reader ID, a signal intensity, and a detection time in association with each other. That is, the tag signal management table manages information in which detection time is associated with information transmitted from the readers 151a to 151n as a record. The tag ID is an ID used for specifying the object provided with the active tags 161a to 161n.

  The location information database 112 holds an ID correspondence management table, a UID location management table, a server management table, and a UID address management table.

  FIG. 5 shows the structure of the ID correspondence management table. As shown in the figure, the ID correspondence management table holds a UID, a device type, and a tag ID in association with each other. It is assumed that a unique ID is assigned to each of the active tags 161a to 161n regardless of the device type or the like. As a result, the tag can be managed collectively regardless of the type of tag device. Specifically, the device type is used for recognizing a manufacturer that produced or sold a tag in an environment where a plurality of types of tags are used, a difference in communication standards, and the like. Although different from the present embodiment, even if the tags as described above are different, such as active and passive, they can be managed collectively.

  The ID correspondence management table manages only correspondence between tag IDs and UIDs managed by the location information management server 100a, and manages correspondence between tag IDs and UIDs managed by the other location information management servers 100b to 100n. Absent. Accordingly, when the readers 151a to 151n detect tags that are not managed by the ID correspondence management table, the position information management server 100a requests the other position information management servers 100b to 100n to acquire UIDs. It will be.

  FIG. 6 shows the structure of the server management table. As shown in the figure, the server management table holds the IP addresses of the location information management servers 100b to 100n. Note that the server management table need not hold the IP addresses of all the location information management servers 100b to 100n connected to the network 11. In addition, even if the location information management servers 100b to 100n do not hold the IP addresses of the location information management servers 100b to 100n, the location information management server 100a transmits and receives information to and from all the location information management servers 100b to 100n connected to the network 11. Make it possible to do. The detailed procedure of the information transmission / reception method will be described later.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the structure of the UID address management table. As shown in the figure, the UID address management table manages UIDs and home addresses in association with each other. This UID is a UID associated with a tag ID that is not managed by the location information management server 100a. The home address is the address of the location information management server that manages the tag ID.

  That is, the position information management server 100a inquires of the other position information management servers 100b to 100n about the UID corresponding to the detected tag ID, and then receives the corresponding UID, the position information management that has transmitted the UID and the UID. The server addresses are managed in association with each other. As a result, the location information management server 100a allows the information associated with the UID (for example, a record in which the UID is set as a filter condition in a record of a service filter table described later, a name, a type, etc. associated with the UID). ) Can be transmitted to the location information server that manages the UID.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the structure of the UID location management table. As shown in the figure, the UID position management table holds a UID, a coordinate system, position information, and a detection time in association with each other. Each record held by the UID position management table is generated based on the records held by the reader position management table, the tag signal management table, and the ID correspondence management table. Further, when a tag ID that is not managed by the ID correspondence management table is detected, the location information management server 100a manages location information using UIDs acquired by transmitting / receiving to / from the other location information management servers 100b to 100n.

  The filtering database 113 holds an area table, a UID information management table, and a service filter table.

  FIG. 9 shows the structure of the area table. As shown in the figure, the area table holds a coordinate system, position 1, position 2, and a label in association with each other. The arrowhead of each record indicates the area corresponding to the record. Then, each field of the area table will be described. The “position 1” field and the “position 2” field are used to define a region. Specifically, the rectangular area can be specified by setting the position coordinates of the “position 1” field and the position coordinates of the “position 2” field as opposing vertices. The “label” field holds a name indicating the specified rectangular area.

  FIG. 10 shows the structure of the UID information management table. As shown in the figure, the UID information management table holds UIDs, names, and types in association with each other. The name indicates the name of the object, and the name unified in each application can be used by holding it in the UID information management table. Also, by holding the name in the UID information management table, it becomes possible for a human to identify the object itself provided with a tag. The type holds the attribute of the object indicated by the UID, such as whether the object specified by the UID is a person or an object, and if the object is a person, the affiliation destination, and if the object is an object, the property. Thus, filtering based on the attribute of the object can be performed by holding the type in association with the UID.

  FIG. 11 shows the structure of the service filter table. As shown in the figure, a filter ID, an event, a filter, and transmission are held in association with each other. The filter holds a UID, a position, a type, and a filter ID, and these fields are used as conditions used for filtering. Further, the transmission holds a transmission type, a transmission destination, a protocol, and transmission information, and these fields are used when generating notification information.

  The “event” field indicates an event to be transmitted to another application. For example, “LOST” indicates that an event generated when position information is lost is transmitted. Further, “EV_POS_CHANGE” indicates that an event generated when the position coordinate of the UID changes from the previous position coordinate is transmitted. Further, “POS_UPDATE” indicates that an event generated when the position coordinates of the UID are updated is transmitted. Further, “EV_CREATED_EVENT” indicates that a generated event is transmitted when the notification information reception processing unit 129 described later receives notification information.

  Each field of the filter indicates a condition for filtering the generated event. In addition, when nothing is described in the field, it indicates that it is not used as a condition.

  The “UID” field describes the conditions of the UID to be transmitted. The “position” field describes the conditions of the position information to be transmitted. The “position” field is indicated by (X coordinate, Y coordinate, radius). For example, (10, 20, 5) indicates that the condition is satisfied when the coordinates (10, 20) are included within a radius of 5 m. If “not” is described first, it means that the condition is satisfied when the detected position information is not included in (X coordinate, Y coordinate, radius).

  The “type” field indicates a transmission condition for the type associated with the UID. The “filter ID” field indicates a transmission condition for the filter ID held by the received notification information.

  In other words, filtering means, for example, that an event with the event name “LOST” is generated and the position information held by the event is within a range of 5 m from the coordinates (10, 20) by the record with the filter ID fil.0001. When the UID is UID0001, it indicates that the filter condition is satisfied and transmission is performed.

  Each field of transmission is used when generating an event to be transmitted. In the “transmission type” field, a transmission timing condition is indicated. The types of types used in the present embodiment are ‘normal’, ‘bulk’, ‘continue’, and ‘lost’, but other types may be set.

  'Normal' is a type in which the notification processing unit 128 sequentially transmits notification information generated by satisfying the filter condition. 'bulk' is described as 'bulk: seconds: number of notification information', and notification information generated when buffering notification information for the number of seconds set by the timer, or satisfying the filter condition, When buffering is performed for the set number of pieces of notification information, the notification processing unit 128 is configured to transmit the buffered notification information. Note that 'bulk' can omit either the number of seconds or the event.

  'Continue' is described as 'continue: number of seconds', and is transmitted when the same state continues for the number of seconds set after the notification information is first input. 'lost' is described as 'lost: seconds' and is the type to send when notification information that has passed the same filter is not entered even after the set number of seconds has passed since the notification information was entered. To do.

  The “transmission destination” field indicates the transmission destination of information, and indicates that an application for processing information exists at the transmission destination. The “protocol” field holds a transmission protocol for transmission.

  The “transmission information” field holds information to be included in the notification information. By holding the information included in the notification information in the “transmission information” field, only information necessary for each application can be transmitted.

  In other words, when the event indicated by “Event” is generated, if there is an event that satisfies the conditions set in “Filter”, the record holds the information held in “Transmission information” as notification information. In addition, at the timing set in the “transmission type”, the “transmission destination” is transmitted using the “protocol”.

  The service filter table record can be added, deleted, or changed by an application connected via the network 10.

  The tag information management unit 102 refers to the reader position management table and identifies the reader ID from the reader IP address input from the communication control unit 109 described later. Then, the tag information management unit 102 associates the identified reader ID, the input tag ID, the signal intensity, and the detection time with a record that matches using the reader ID and tag ID of the tag signal management table as a key. Update. Thereby, in the tag signal management table, the latest information on the signal intensity and the detection time associated with the reader ID and the tag ID is held.

  Further, the tag information management unit 102 updates the corresponding record using the reader ID and the tag ID as keys when updating the record as described above. Further, the tag information management unit 102 according to the present embodiment deletes after a certain time when there is a record that is not updated. In the present embodiment, this fixed time is 3 seconds. That is, if it is within 3 seconds, it is maintained even if it is not updated.

  Thereby, for example, it is assumed that the reader 151a, the reader 151b, and the reader 151c detect a predetermined active tag one second ago. If only the reader 151a and the reader 151b are detected this time, the record associated with the reader ID indicating the reader 151a and the reader 151b is updated, and the record associated with the reader ID indicating the reader 151c is the information one second before. Is held. The position information is calculated using records associated with the readers 151a to 151c.

  That is, if it is detected at least once within 3 seconds, the information detected by the reader is used for calculation of position information. That is, the position information can be calculated even when a signal from the active tag cannot be detected temporarily due to some trouble.

  The determination unit 103 determines whether the tag ID newly added to the tag signal management table is managed in the ID correspondence management table. That is, it means that it is determined whether or not the newly detected tag is a tag managed by the location information management server 100a.

  Further, when the UID associated with the newly added tag ID can be acquired from the ID correspondence management table, the determination unit 103 outputs the tag ID and the acquired UID in association with each other to the position information acquisition unit 104. To do.

  In addition, when the UID associated with the newly added tag ID cannot be acquired from the ID correspondence management table, the determination unit 103 determines the tag ID and the other location information management server acquired from the server management table. Along with the address, a corresponding UID transmission request is output to the UID request transmission unit 122 of the communication control unit 109 described later. When a corresponding UID is input from a UID receiving unit 123 of the communication control unit 109 described later, the tag ID and the input UID are associated and output to the position information acquisition unit 104. With such a process, even when a tag that is not managed by the position information management server 100a is detected, a UID that identifies an object having the tag can be specified.

  The position information acquisition unit 104 acquires position information in association with a UID at predetermined time intervals. The predetermined time interval may be any time interval. In the present embodiment, the position information acquisition unit 104 acquires position information every 3 seconds.

  The position information acquisition unit 104 also associates the tag ID and UID input from the determination unit 103, associates the reader ID held in the reader position management table with position information, and tag signal management. The position information associated with the UID can be acquired from the association of the tag ID, reader ID, signal intensity, and detection time held in the table. Thereby, the position information acquisition unit 104 can acquire the position information of the corresponding UID from all the detected tags.

  In addition, after calculating the position information, the position information acquisition unit 104 outputs the UID, the position information, the detection time, and the coordinate system in association with each other to the event generation unit 105.

  Further, the position information acquisition unit 104 may use any method for calculating the position information of the active tags 161a to 161n. For example, when there is only one reader that detects the active tag 161b, the position information acquisition unit 104 uses the detected reader coordinate system and position information as a coordinate system and position information indicating the position of the active tag 161b.

  When there are a plurality of readers that have detected the active tag 161c, the position information acquisition unit 104 may use any method for calculating the position information of the active tag 161c. For example, the position information acquisition unit 104 uses the average value of the detected position information of the reader as the position information of the active tag 161c, or calculates the average value calculated by weighting the detected position information of the reader with the signal intensity as the active tag. The position information of 161c may be considered.

  The position information acquisition unit 104 calculates position information every 3 seconds. As described above, the record of the tag signal management table is held for 3 seconds without being updated. Thereby, the position information acquisition unit 104 can calculate the position information based on the updated information even in a radio wave situation in which the reader can receive a signal transmitted from the active tag only once every three times.

  Further, when the other location information management servers 100b to 100n detect the tag, if the tag is a tag managed by the location information management server 100a, the location information acquisition unit 104 associates the tag with the tag ID of the tag. The obtained UID and position information are acquired. This can be achieved by the position information acquisition unit 104 receiving position information associated with the UID by the position information receiving unit 126 described later.

  The event generation unit 105 generates event information when a predetermined condition is satisfied. Conditions for generating event information will be described later.

  Further, the event generation unit 105 generates event information whose event name is “POS_UPDATE” when the UID, the position information, the detection time, and the coordinate system are input from the position information acquisition unit 104 in association with each other. And output to the notification information generation unit 107. Note that the generated event information includes an event name, position information input from the position information acquisition unit 104, a detection time, a coordinate system, and a UID.

  Further, when the location information associated with the UID is input from the location information acquisition unit 104, the event generation unit 105 associates the location information previously detected with the UID from the location information management DB 112. Entered. Then, the event generation unit 105 compares the position information input from the position information acquisition unit 104 having the same UID with the position information when detected previously.

  If the event generation unit 105 determines that the position information has changed, the event generation unit 105 generates event information whose event name is “EV_POS_CHANGE” and outputs the event information to the notification information generation unit 107. Note that the generated event holds an event name, position information input from the position information acquisition unit 104, a detection time, a coordinate system, and a UID.

  In addition, the event generation unit 105 receives position information associated with a tag ID previously detected from the position information DB management unit 106 described later, and inputs information on the corresponding tag ID from the position information acquisition unit 104. If not, event information of event name “LOST” is generated and output to the notification information generation unit 107. It is assumed that the generated event has an event name, a UID that was previously detected, position information, a detection time, and a coordinate system.

  In addition, when position information is input from the position information acquisition unit 104, the event generation unit 105 uses the position information input to the position information DB management unit 106 after the generation of the event information described above to complete the UID position. Instructs to update the management table. At this time, the event generation unit 105 outputs the positional information, the UID, and the detection time in association with each other.

  In addition, when the notification information is input from the notification information reception processing unit 129 described later, the event generation unit 105 generates event information with an event name “EV_CREATED_EVENT” and outputs the event information to the notification information generation unit 107. It is assumed that the generated event holds the event name and information included in the notification information.

  The position information DB management unit 106 performs processing on each table held in the position information DB. In addition, when the UID, the position information, and the detection time are input from the event generation unit 105 together with the request for updating, the position information DB management unit 106 updates the UID information management table. As a result, the UID information management table holds the current position information of all objects having the detected active tag.

  The notification information generation unit 107 generates notification information based on the input event information and outputs it to the notification processing unit 128 described later together with transmission type information, transmission destination information, and protocol information held in the service filter table. . The notification information generation unit 107 according to the present embodiment performs filtering processing on input event information when generating notification information. The notification information generation unit 107 acquires record information that matches the event name of the input event information from the filter DB management unit 108 as a filter used for the filtering process.

  Then, the notification information generation unit 107 determines whether or not the condition indicated by each field of the filter of the record information acquired from the filter DB management unit 108 is satisfied. When it is determined that the condition is satisfied, the notification information generation unit 107 generates notification information from the event information. Also, the notification information generation unit 107 acquires information indicated by transmission information held by the record, and includes the acquired information in the generated notification information.

  Also, whether or not it matches each field of the filter is, for example, when the position information included in the event information exists within the range specified in the “position” field of the filter of the service filter table. Judge that the condition is met.

  As another example, when the UID specified in the “UID” field of the filter of the service filter table matches the UID included in the event information, it is determined that the condition is satisfied.

  Further, the notification information generation unit 107 acquires necessary information from the area table and the UID information management table by instructing the filter DB management unit 108 as necessary.

  Then, the notification information generation unit 107 outputs the generated notification information to the notification processing unit 128 together with the transmission type information, transmission destination information, and protocol information of the record information.

  The filter DB management unit 108 performs processing on each table held in the filtering database 113. In the present embodiment, the filter DB management unit 108 acquires the record information of the filter that matches the event name input from the notification information generation unit 107 from the service filter table and outputs it to the notification information generation unit 107. Further, the filter DB management unit 108 acquires from the information held in the UID information management table or the area table in response to an instruction from the notification information generation unit 107 and outputs the information to the notification information generation unit 107.

  When the filter DB management unit 108 receives information indicating that a filter is to be added from the request reception unit 130 and information indicating the conditions to be added, the filter DB management unit 108 adds a record indicating the conditions to the service filter table. Further, when a request to change or delete a filter is input from the request receiving unit 130, the service filter table is similarly changed or deleted.

  The communication control unit 109 includes a tag reception processing unit 121, a UID request transmission unit 122, a UID reception unit 123, a UID request reception unit 124, a UID transmission unit 125, a position information reception unit 126, and a position information transmission unit. 127, a notification processing unit 128, a notification information reception processing unit 129, and a request reception unit 130, and performs transmission / reception with the readers 151a to 151n, applications, and position information management servers b to n.

  The tag reception processing unit 121 performs processing for receiving information transmitted from the readers 151a to 151n. In the present embodiment, the tag reception processing unit 121 receives the tag ID and the measured signal strength received from the readers 151a to 151n via the network. When receiving, the IP address of the reader can be specified by referring to the header of the received packet. The tag reception processing unit 121 instructs the tag information management unit 102 to update the tag signal management table in association with the received information and the detection time. The detection time is the time when the readers 151a to 151n are regarded as detecting the active tags 161a to n, that is, the current time when the tag ID or the like is received from the readers 151a to 151n.

  When a tag ID, an address of another location information management server, and a corresponding UID transmission request are input from the determination unit 10 to the UID request transmission unit 122, the UID request transmission unit 122 sends the request to the other location information management server specified by the address. On the other hand, a transmission request for a UID corresponding to the tag ID is transmitted.

  The UID reception unit 123 acquires the result of the transmission request made by the UID request transmission unit 122 from the other location information management server of the transmission request destination. Specifically, if the location information management server (for example, the location information management server 100b) that is the transmission request destination does not manage the tag ID, the UID reception unit 123 receives information that the tag ID is not known. In addition, when the location information management server (for example, the location information management server 100c) of the transmission request destination manages the tag ID, the UID reception unit 123 receives the UID associated with the tag ID.

  When the UID receiving unit 123 receives the UID, the UID receiving unit 123 can recognize the position information management server that is the transmission source of the UID as a position information management server that manages the tag ID and the UID in association with each other. Thereby, the determination unit 103 further associates the UID and the address of the location information management server that has managed the UID and adds them to the UID address management table. Then, the determination unit 103 holds the record of the UID address management table while the tag ID associated with the UID is detected. Thereby, it becomes easy to acquire information associated with the UID.

  The UID request receiving unit 124 receives a transmission request for a UID corresponding to the tag ID together with the tag ID from the other location information management servers 100b to 100n. When the UID request receiving unit 124 receives the request, the determination unit 103 is requested to determine whether there is a UID associated with the tag ID. At this time, the UID request reception unit 124 outputs the tag ID to the determination unit 103.

  The determination unit 103 requested to make the determination determines whether the UID associated with the input tag ID is managed in the ID correspondence management table. If the determination unit 103 determines that the tag is managed, the determination unit 103 acquires the UID associated with the tag ID and outputs the UID to the UID transmission unit 125. When the determination unit 103 determines that the corresponding tag ID is not managed, the determination unit 103 outputs to the UID transmission unit 125 that the tag ID is not known.

  Further, when the determination unit 103 determines that the corresponding tag ID is not managed by the position information management server 100a, it further acquires the address of the position information management server held in the server management table, and the UID request transmission unit 122 A transmission request for the UID associated with the input tag ID may be made to the location information management server specified by the address acquired from the above. In this case, when the UID reception unit 123 receives the corresponding UID, the determination unit 103 outputs the received UID to the UID transmission unit 125. Further, when the determination unit 103 receives that the UID reception unit 123 does not know the tag ID, the determination unit 103 outputs to the UID transmission unit 125 that the tag ID is not known. As a result, the transmission source location information management server can make a UID transmission request to the location information management server at an address not held in the server management table of the server itself. As a technique for preventing a large amount of UID transmission requests from being generated, any technique such as providing a lifetime may be used.

  When the UID is input from the determination unit 103, the UID transmission unit 125 transmits the UID to the location information management server that has issued the UID transmission request. In addition, when the determination unit 103 inputs that the tag ID is not known, the UID transmission unit 125 outputs a message indicating that the tag ID is not known to the location information management server that has made the UID transmission request.

  The location information receiving unit 126 receives the location information corresponding to the UID from the destination location information management server after the location information management server 100a transmits the UID from the UID transmission unit 125. Thereby, the position information management server can acquire the position information of an object belonging to the organization to be managed that exists outside the range without requiring special processing.

  The location information transmission unit 127 transmits the location information corresponding to the UID to the location information management server that transmitted the UID after the UID reception unit 123 receives the UID transmitted from another location information management server. . Thereby, the position information transmission unit 127 has transmitted the position information of the object identified by the UID to the position information management server that manages the UID.

  The UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 receives a transmission request for information corresponding to the UID from an application or the like. As information corresponding to the UID, for example, position information can be considered. As a result, the position information management server 100a acquires information corresponding to the UID even when inquiring of another position information management server or the like.

  Further, the UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 transmits a transmission request for information corresponding to the UID to another location information management server by the UID correspondence information transmission unit 132 described later, and from the location information management server of the transmission request destination, Information corresponding to the UID is received. Thereby, information corresponding to the UID can be transmitted to the application or the like.

  When the UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 receives a transmission request for information corresponding to a UID, the UID correspondence information transmission unit 132 transmits a transmission request for information corresponding to the UID to another location information management server. The transmission destination is a position information management server identified by an address held in the server management table of the position information management server 100a. However, if the location information management server 100a holds information corresponding to the UID, no transmission request is sent to another location information management server.

  In addition, when the UID correspondence information transmission unit 132 holds information corresponding to the UID, or when the UID correspondence information reception unit 131 receives the information, the UID correspondence information transmission unit 132 notifies the transmission request source application or other location information management server. Information corresponding to the UID is transmitted.

  That is, when the information corresponding to the UID requested from the application is held in the filtering DB 113 and the position information DB 112, the position information management server 100a acquires the information and outputs it to the application. When the information corresponding to the UID requested from the application is not held in the filtering DB 113 and the position information DB 112, a request for transmission is made to the other position information management servers 100b to 100n, and other position information management is performed. Receive information from servers 100a-n. Detailed procedures will be described later.

  The notification processing unit 128 performs processing for transmitting notification information to an application or the like when a predetermined condition is satisfied. In addition, the notification processing unit 128 performs processing for transmission based on the transmission type, the transmission destination, and the protocol that are input together with the notification information.

  The notification processing unit 128 performs processing by changing the timing of transmitting the notification information according to the input transmission type information.

  When the transmission type is “normal”, the notification processing unit 128 does not perform timing control and starts processing for transmission when input.

  The notification processing unit 128 buffers the input notification information when the transmission type is 'bulk', and displays the input notification information after a predetermined time or when the input notification information exceeds a predetermined number. Send in bulk.

  When the transmission type is 'continue', the notification processing unit 128 starts a timer when matching notification information is input, buffers the input notification information, and is input when a predetermined time has elapsed. If the received notification information is in the same state, the input notification information is transmitted.

  When the transmission type is 'lost', the notification processing unit 128 starts a timer when notification information matching the filter is input, and input information that matches the filter even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer started. If is not input, the notification information input first is transmitted.

  Moreover, the notification process part 128 sets the transmission destination input from the notification information generation part 107 as a transmission destination, when the process to transmit is started. As described above, the location information management server 100a can transmit the notification information at a timing suitable for each transmission destination set in the service filter table.

  In addition, the notification processing unit 128 sets a transmission destination, and then performs processing for transmission using the protocol input from the notification information generation unit 107 as a protocol used for communication.

  The notification information reception processing unit 129 receives notification information transmitted from the location information management server 100a with the own device as a transmission destination. When the notification information is received, the received notification information is output to the event generation unit 105. As a result, the event generation unit 105 generates event information of the event name “EV_CREATED_EVENT”. The filter set with this device as the transmission destination is fil.0006 in FIG. As a result, the notification information generated based on fil0006 can be filtered again with fil.0007.

  As described above, in the location information management server 100a, filtering is performed only once, but two or more stages of filtering can be performed by the above-described processing. That is, the notification information can be transmitted to the transmission destination application only when a plurality of transmission conditions are satisfied. Thereby, transmission information suitable for the detailed request of the application can be transmitted.

  The request reception unit 130 receives a request from an application or process connected to the location information management server 100a, and transmits information suitable for the request to the filter DB management unit 108. Then, the filter DB management unit 108 registers a record suitable for the request in the service filter table.

  In addition to registering records in the service filter table, the request receiving unit 130 also receives requests for changing or deleting records. Then, the received request is output to the filter DB management unit 108 together with information specifying the filter received together with the request, and information indicating the condition to be changed in the case of a change. Further, the condition for designating the filter may be any condition as long as the record can be specified, such as the “filter ID” field of the service filter table.

  Next, a process from reception of information such as a tag ID to notification of notification information to the application in the position information management server 100a according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the above-described processing procedure in the location information management server 100a according to the present embodiment.

  First, the tag reception processing unit 121 receives information such as the tag IDs of the active tags 161a to 161n detected by the readers 151a to 151n from the readers 151a to 151n (step S1201).

  Then, the tag information management unit 102 updates the tag signal management table in association with the tag ID received by the tag reception processing unit 121, the reader ID of the received lead, the signal strength, and the detection time (step S1202).

  Next, the determination unit 103 determines whether or not the tag ID newly added to the tag signal management table is managed in the ID correspondence management table (step S1203). Specifically, the determination is made based on whether or not there is a UID associated with the tag ID. If it is determined that the ID is managed in the ID correspondence management table (step S1203: Yes), the determination unit 103 associates the tag ID with the UID and outputs the associated tag ID to the position information acquisition unit 104.

  If the determination unit 103 determines that the ID correspondence management table does not manage (step S1203: No), the UID request transmission unit 122 transmits the transmission request for the UID corresponding to the tag ID to another location information management. It transmits to the server (step S1204). Note that the address of the location information management server to be transmitted is the address managed by the server management table input from the determination unit 103. Then, a transmission request is made to the location information management server in the order of registration in the server management table.

  Next, the UID receiving unit 123 receives information from another location information management server that has made a transmission request (step S1205).

  Then, the UID receiving unit 123 determines whether or not the received information is a UID (step S1206). If it is received that the tag ID is not known instead of the UID (step S1206: No), the UID request transmission unit 122 again sends a transmission request for the UID corresponding to the tag ID to the next location information management server. It transmits to (step S1204).

  When the UID is received (step S1206: Yes), the UID received by the UID receiving unit 123 is output to the determining unit 103, and the determining unit 103 associates the tag ID with the received UID and acquires the position information acquisition unit. To 104. The detailed procedure for transmission / reception between the location information management servers will be described later.

  Next, the position information acquisition unit 104 associates the input tag ID with the UID every 3 seconds, the tag ID of the active tags 161a to 161n acquired from the tag signal management table, the reader ID of the detected reader, and Based on the signal strength and the position information for each reader, position information associated with the UID is acquired (step S1207).

  Then, the event generation unit 105 generates event information based on the position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit 104 and the previous position information input from the position information DB management unit 106 (step S1208).

  Next, the position information DB management unit 106 updates the UID position management table based on the acquired position information (step S1209).

  The notification information generation unit 107 performs filtering on the event information input from the event generation unit 105, and generates notification information based on the event information that satisfies the filter condition (step S1210). This filtering is performed when the filter DB management unit 108 acquires a record that matches the filter name of the input event information from the service filter table and outputs the record to the notification information generation unit 107. When the condition of each field of the input record information filter is satisfied, the notification information generation unit 107 generates notification information. Further, the notification information generation unit 107 includes the transmission information included in the record when generating the notification information.

  Next, when the notification information is input from the notification information generation unit 107, the notification processing unit 128 performs a transmission process of the notification information when the transmission type condition input together with the notification information is satisfied (step S1211). .

  Regardless of whether or not the tag ID of the tag detected by the location information management server 100a is managed by the above-described processing procedure, the tag ID of the detected tag is processed and the generated notification information is transmitted. It becomes possible to do. The above-described processing procedure shows an example of the processing procedure from receiving the information such as the tag ID according to the present embodiment to generating the notification information when the position information is changed and performing the notification processing. However, the present invention is not limited to this processing procedure.

  Next, the location information management servers 100a to 100c connected to each other via the network 11 according to this embodiment configured as described above are associated with the tag IDs detected by the location information management server 100a. A process performed until the notification information is notified after the obtained UID is acquired will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the above-described processing in the location information management system including the location information management servers 100a to 100c according to the present embodiment. In this flowchart, it is assumed that the location information management server 100a and the location information management server 100c do not manage the UID corresponding to the tag A, and the location information management server 100b manages the UID corresponding to the tag A. ing.

  The tag A is detected by the reader 151a connected to the position information management server 100a (step S1301). Then, the reader 151a outputs the detected information of the detected tag A to the position information management server 100a (step S1302).

  After the detection information is input to the location information management server 100a and a predetermined process is performed, the determination unit 103 determines whether there is a UID corresponding to the tag A, and determines that there is no UID (step S1303). .

  Next, the location information management server 100a requests the location information management server 100c to transmit a UID corresponding to the tag A (step S1304). In the server management table held by the location information management server 100a, the location information management server 100c and the location information management server 100b are described in this order. Therefore, the location information management server 100a requests transmission of UIDs in this order. However, the present embodiment is not limited to such a transmission procedure. For example, two or more location information management servers may be simultaneously requested for transmission.

  When the location information management server 100c receives a request for transmitting a UID corresponding to the tag A, the determination unit 103 of the location information management server 100c starts determining whether there is a UID corresponding to the tag A. It is determined that there is no UID.

  Next, the location information management server 100c transmits a message indicating that the tag A is not known to the location information management server 100a (step S1305).

  Next, the location information management server 100a requests the location information management server 100b to transmit a UID corresponding to the tag A (step S1306).

  When the location information management server 100b receives a request for transmitting a UID corresponding to the tag A, the determination unit of the location information management server 100c starts determining whether there is a UID corresponding to the tag A. , It is determined that there is a UID.

  Next, the location information management server 100b transmits the UID corresponding to the tag A to the location information management server 100a (step S1307).

  Thereby, the location information management server 100a acquires the UID corresponding to the tag A. Then, the position information acquisition unit 104 of the position information management server 100a calculates position information (step S1308).

  Next, the position information DB management unit 106 registers the calculated position information in the UID position management table (step S1309).

  Then, the position information management server 100a transmits the calculated position information to the position information management server 100b that transmitted the UID (step S1310).

  In addition, the location information management server 100a generates an event from the location information, performs a filtering process or the like on the generated event, and generates notification information (step S1311). Then, the notification processing unit 128 transmits the generated notification information to the transmission destination application A determined by the filter (step S1312).

  Then, the position information DB management unit of the position information management server 100b registers the received position information in the UID position management table (step S1313).

  Further, the location information management server 100b generates an event from the location information, performs a filtering process on the generated event, and generates notification information (step S1314). Then, the notification processing unit 128 of the location information management server 100b transmits the generated notification information to the transmission destination application E determined by the filter (step S1315).

  Even if the position information management server 100a does not hold the UID corresponding to the tag ID, the UID is acquired from the other position information management servers 100b to 100n, and the UID and the position information are obtained after the acquisition. Can be managed in association. That is, the location information management server 100a can perform filtering processing or the like regardless of whether or not the tag is managed by the server, and can transmit notification information to the application as necessary. Note that the above-described processing procedure is performed by the location information management servers 100a to 100c connected to each other via the network 11 according to the present embodiment using the UID associated with the tag ID detected by the location information management server 100a. It shows an example of a processing procedure that is performed until the notification information is acquired, and the present invention is not limited to this processing procedure.

  In addition, when another location information management server that has received a UID transmission request from the location information management server 100a does not hold the corresponding UID, it further sends a UID transmission request to another location information management server. May be.

  Next, the positional information management server 100a, the positional information management server 100b, and the positional information management server 100d connected to each other via the network 11 according to the present embodiment configured as described above are configured as the positional information management server 100a. A process performed until the UID associated with the tag ID detected in step S1 is acquired will be described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the above-described processing procedure in the location information management server 100a, the location information management server 100b, and the location information management server 100d according to the present embodiment. In this flowchart, it is assumed that the location information management server 100a and the location information management server 100b do not manage the UID corresponding to the tag B, but the location information management server 100d manages the UID corresponding to the tag B. ing. Further, the server management table of the location information management server 100a does not hold the address of the location information management server 100d, but the server management address of the location information management server 100b holds the address of the location information management server 100d. And

  First, the location information management server 100a starts determining whether there is a UID corresponding to the tag ID of the detected tag B, and determines that there is no UID (step S1401).

  Then, the location information management server 100a requests the location information management server 100b to transmit a UID corresponding to the tag B (step S1402). Since the location information management server 100b is described first in the server management table held by the location information management server 100a in this flowchart, the location information management server 100a first transmits a UID to the location information management server 100b. Is required.

  When the location information management server 100b receives a request for transmitting a UID corresponding to the tag B, the determination unit 103 of the location information management server 100b starts determining whether there is a UID corresponding to the tag B. Then, it is determined that there is no UID (step S1403).

  Then, the location information management server 100b requests the location information management server 100d to transmit a UID corresponding to the tag B (step S1404). Since the location information management server 100b is described first in the server management table held by the location information management server 100b in this flowchart, the location information management server 100b first transmits a UID to the location information management server 100b. Is required.

  When the location information management server 100d receives a request for transmitting a UID corresponding to the tag B, the determination unit 103 of the location information management server 100d starts determining whether there is a UID corresponding to the tag B. Then, it is determined that there is a UID (step S1405).

  Next, the location information management server 100d transmits the UID corresponding to the tag B to the location information management server 100b (step S1406).

  Next, when the UID is input from the position information management server 100d, the position information management server 100b transmits the UID corresponding to the tag B to the position information management server 100a (step S1407).

  According to the processing procedure described above, even when the location information management server 100a does not hold a UID corresponding to a tag ID, it is possible to acquire a UID via a plurality of location information management servers. In the above-described processing procedure, the location information management server 100a detects the location information management server 100a, the location information management server 100b, and the location information management server 100d connected to each other via the network 11 according to this embodiment. This is an example of a processing procedure performed until the UID associated with the tag ID is acquired, and the present embodiment is not limited to this processing procedure.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, after the position information management server that detects the tag acquires the position information, the position information is transmitted to the position information management server that manages the tag. That is, the position information management server that detects the tag and the position information management server that manages the tag hold the position information. Accordingly, these location information management servers can perform notification information transmission processing and the like based on the location information held. However, position information management servers other than these position information management servers can also perform processing using position information that is not held.

  Next, the location information management server 100a, the location information management server 100b, and the location information management server 100e connected to each other via the network 11 according to the present embodiment configured as described above are transferred from the application B to the UID: Processing when a request for acquiring position information of ID 0009 is input will be described. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the above-described processing procedure in the location information management server 100a, the location information management server 100b, and the location information management server 100e according to this embodiment. In this flowchart, the location information management server 100a and the location information management server 100b do not hold location information corresponding to UID: ID0009, and the location information management server 100e holds location information corresponding to UID: ID0009. Assume the case.

  First, the application B 202 transmits a transmission request for position information of UID: ID0009 to the connected position information management server 100a (step S1501).

  When the UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 of the location information management server 100a receives a transmission request for the location information of the UID from the application B, the determination unit 103 displays the location information corresponding to the UID: 0009 in the UID location management table. Judgment is started on whether or not management is performed, and it is determined that there is no management (step S1502).

  Next, the location information management server 100a transmits a location information transmission request of UID: ID0009 to the location information management server 100b (step S1503). Note that the order of inquiring to the location information management server is based on the server management table in the same manner as the processing procedure described above.

  When the UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 of the location information management server 100b receives a transmission request for the location information of the UID from the location information management server 100a, the determination unit 103 displays the location information corresponding to UID: ID0009 as the UID location. It is determined whether or not the management table is managed, and it is determined that there is no management (step S1504). Note that the location information management server 100b makes a transmission request for UID: ID0009 to another location information management server, but the processing is the same as the processing already described, and is therefore omitted.

  Next, the UID correspondence information transmission unit 132 of the location information management server 100b transmits to the location information management server 100a that the location information corresponding to the UID: ID0009 is not known (step S1505).

  Next, the location information management server 100a transmits a location information transmission request of UID: ID0009 to the location information management server 100e (step S1506).

  When the UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 of the location information management server 100e receives a transmission request for the location information of the UID from the location information management server 100a, the determination unit 103 displays the location information corresponding to the UID: ID0009 as the UID location. It is determined whether or not the management table is managed, and it is determined that it is present (step S1507).

  Next, the UID correspondence information transmitting unit 132 of the positional information management server 100b transmits positional information corresponding to the UID: ID0009 to the positional information management server 100a (step S1508).

  Then, the UID correspondence information receiving unit 131 of the location information management server 100a transmits the received location information to the application B (step S1509).

  According to the above-described processing procedure, it is possible to acquire and use the position information of the UID from another position information management server even if the position information of the UID is not held by the position information management server 100a. Note that the above-described processing procedure is such that the location information management server 100a, the location information management server 100b, and the location information management server 100e connected to each other via the network 11 according to the present embodiment have the location of UID: ID0009 from the application B. An example of a processing procedure when a request for acquiring information is input is shown, and the present embodiment is not limited to this processing procedure.

  In addition, the location information management server according to the present embodiment is arranged for each organization. However, the location information management server is not limited for each organization, and may be arranged for every condition for each location, for example.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the UID corresponding to the detected tag ID is received from another location information management server, or the location information corresponding to the UID is received in response to a request from an application or the like. It is possible to manage the position information of an object in a wide area by installing a plurality of objects.

  In addition, since the UID corresponding to the tag ID can be acquired via a plurality of location information management servers, it is possible to send and receive transmission requests and the like to the location information management server not held in the server management table. did. As a result, when a location information management server is added, it is possible to send and receive transmission requests and the like without updating the server management tables of all location information management servers.

  In addition, the position information management server according to the present embodiment can manage position information in association with a UID regardless of whether the tag ID is managed. In addition, the position information management server can easily perform processing using position information for each object. Even if the location information management server does not manage location information on its own server, the location information management server can easily acquire corresponding information such as location information corresponding to the UID by making an inquiry to another location information management server. Accordingly, the position information management server can easily manage the position information of the object regardless of the area that the server can detect.

(Modification)
Moreover, it is not limited to each embodiment mentioned above, The various deformation | transformation which is illustrated below is possible.

(Modification 1 of the first embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, the server management table does not hold the addresses of all the location information management servers connected to the network 11. However, the address management method is not limited to this. Absent.

  Therefore, in this modification, it is assumed that the server management table manages the addresses of all location information management servers connected to the network 11. As a result, the location information management server can make a transmission request for the UID corresponding to the tag ID to all location information management servers. As a result, when a transmission request for a UID is received together with a tag ID from the location information management server, and when it is determined that the location information management server does not manage the tag ID, the location information management server further It becomes unnecessary to make a transmission request for the UID together with the tag ID.

(Second Embodiment)
In the position information management system according to the first embodiment, the position information management server manages the addresses of other position information management servers, thereby enabling transmission and reception with other position information management servers. However, the connection between the location information management servers is not limited to such a connection, and the managed tag ID and the address of the location information management server may be associated and managed collectively. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a case will be described in which the tag ID management server manages the tag ID and the address of the location information management server in association with each other.

  FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a location information management system according to the second embodiment. The location information management servers 1600a to 1600n are different from the location information management servers 100a to 100n according to the first embodiment described above, and a tag ID management server 1650 is added. Different. In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing the overall configuration of the network 11 to which the location information management servers 1600a to 1600n and the tag ID management server 1650 according to the present embodiment are connected. When the location information management servers 1600a to 1600n shown in the drawing detect a tag ID that is not managed, the location information management server 1600a-n requests the tag ID management server 1650 to transmit the address of the location information management server that manages the tag ID. Then, the location information management servers 1600a to 1600n receive the location information management server address from the tag ID management server 1650. Accordingly, the position information management servers 1600a to 1600n can perform processing for acquiring a UID corresponding to a tag ID that is not managed.

  Returning to FIG. 16, the location information management server 1600a according to the second embodiment differs from the location information management server 100a according to the first embodiment described above in the table held by the storage unit 101. The storage unit 1601 is changed and the communication control unit 109 is different from the communication control unit 109 in that the communication control unit 1602 has a different process. In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  The storage unit 1601 is different from the storage unit 101 according to the first embodiment in that the stored table holds a different position information DB. This location information DB is different from the location information DB of the first embodiment in that the server management table is deleted. Since the other tables are the same, the description is omitted.

  The communication control unit 1602 is different from the communication control unit 109 according to the first embodiment in that an address request transmission unit 1622 is added, an address reception unit 1623 is added, and the processing is different from that of the UID request transmission unit 122. The difference is that the transmitter 1621 is changed.

  When the address request transmission unit 1622 determines that the tag information of the tag detected by the determination unit 103 is not managed by the location information management server 1600a, the address request transmission unit 1622 sends the tag ID management server 1650 described later together with the tag ID together A transmission request for the address of the location information management server that manages the tag ID is transmitted. Note that the address of the tag ID management server 1650 is held in advance. Accordingly, the location information management server 1600a can make an inquiry to the tag ID management server 1650.

  The address receiving unit 1623 receives the address of the location information management server that manages the tag ID as a result of the transmission request made by the address request transmission unit 1622 from the tag ID management server 1650.

  The UID request transmission unit 1621 transmits a transmission request for a UID corresponding to the tag ID of the detected tag to the address of the location information management server received by the address reception unit 1623.

  FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a tag ID management server 1650 according to the second embodiment. As shown in the figure, the inside of the tag ID management server 1650 includes a storage unit 1801, a communication control unit 1802, and a data processing unit 1803, and corresponds to the case where tag IDs are received from the location information management servers 1600a-n. The address of the location information management server to be transmitted is transmitted.

  The storage unit 1801 includes a tag ID DB 1811. The tag IDDB includes a tag ID server correspondence management table.

  FIG. 19 shows the structure of the tag ID server correspondence management table. As shown in the figure, the tag ID server correspondence management table holds a tag ID and a home address in association with each other. That is, the location information management server 100a holds the address of the location information management server that manages the tag ID as a home address. Thereby, when tag ID is transmitted, the address of the position information management server which manages the tag ID can be specified.

  Returning to FIG. 18, the communication control unit 1802 includes an address request reception unit 1821 and an address transmission unit 1822, and performs transmission and reception with the location information management servers 1600 a to 1600 n.

  The address request receiving unit 1821 receives, from the position information management servers 1600a to 1600n, a transmission request for the address of the position information management server that manages the tag ID together with the tag ID.

  The address transmission unit 1822 transmits the address of the location information management server that manages the tag ID received together with the transmission request to the location information management server that has transmitted the transmission request. It is assumed that this transmitted address is input from a data processing unit 1803 described later.

  The data processing unit 1803 acquires the address of the location information management server associated with the tag ID received by the address request receiving unit 1821 from the tag ID server correspondence management table. Then, the data processing unit 1803 outputs the acquired location information management server address to the address transmission unit 1822.

  As described above, the tag ID management server 1650 transmits the address of the other location information management server that manages the detected tag ID to the location information management server. In order to specify another location information management server that manages the detected tag ID, it is not necessary to make an inquiry for each other location information management server, and processing can be reduced. In addition, network traffic was reduced.

  Next, a process from reception of information such as a tag ID in the position information management server 1600a according to the present embodiment configured as described above to transmission of notification information will be described. FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the above-described processing in the location information management server 1600a according to the present embodiment.

  First, similarly to steps S1201 to S1203 in FIG. 12 of the first embodiment, the tag ID detected in the tag signal management table after receiving information such as the tag ID is displayed in the ID correspondence management table. It is determined whether or not it is managed (steps S2001 to S2003).

  When the determination unit 103 determines that the ID correspondence management table does not manage (step S2003: No), the address request transmission unit 1622 sends the tag ID together with the tag ID to the tag ID management server 1650. A request for transmitting the address of the location information management server that manages the ID is transmitted (step S2004).

  Next, the address receiving unit 1623 receives the address of the position information management server that manages the tag ID from the tag ID management server 1650 (step S2005).

  Then, the UID request transmission unit 1621 transmits a transmission request for the UID associated with the tag ID to the received address of the location information management server (step S2006).

  The location information management server 1600a receives the UID corresponding to the tag ID or is associated with the tag ID in the ID correspondence management table in the same manner as in steps S1205 to S1210 in FIG. 12 of the first embodiment. The UID is acquired and the notification information transmission process is performed (steps S2007 to S2012).

  According to the processing procedure described above, when the tag ID of the tag detected by the position information management server 100a is not managed, the position information management server managing the tag ID can be identified by inquiring the tag ID management server 1650. It is possible to process the tag ID of the detected tag and transmit the generated notification information. The above-described processing procedure shows an example of the processing procedure from receiving the information such as the tag ID according to the present embodiment to generating the notification information when the position information is changed and performing the notification processing. However, the present invention is not limited to this processing procedure.

  Further, this embodiment does not limit the number of tag ID management servers installed to one. For example, in the DNS (Domain Name System) architecture that resolves the IP address of the host based on the host name on the network, the resolution server that links the UID and the tag ID is distributed in a hierarchical structure and cannot be resolved. It is also possible to solve the problem by inquiring the upper server.

  In the above-described embodiment, the location information management server that manages the tag ID is specified by making an inquiry to the tag ID management device, and the UID corresponding to the tag ID managed by each location information management server is transmitted and received. As a result, a plurality of position information management servers can be installed to manage the position information of objects in a wide area.

  FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a PC that executes a program for realizing the function of the location information management server. The location information management server of this embodiment includes a control device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2101, a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) 2102 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 2103, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). ), An external storage device 2104 such as a CD (Compact Disk) drive device, a display device 2105 such as a display device, an input device 2106 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a communication I / F 2107, and a bus 2108 for connecting them. It has a hardware configuration using a normal computer.

  The location information management program executed by the location information management server according to the embodiment described above is a file in an installable format or an executable format, and is a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, DVD (Digital Versatile). Disk) and the like are provided by being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

  Further, the location information management program executed by the location information management server of the above-described embodiment is stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet, and is provided by being downloaded via the network. Also good. Further, the location information management program executed by the location information management server of the above-described embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  Further, the position information management program according to the above-described embodiment may be provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like.

  The location information management program executed by the location information management server according to the above-described embodiment includes the above-described units (tag information management unit, determination unit, location information acquisition unit, event generation unit, location information DB management unit, notification information generation). Module, filter DB management unit, and communication control unit). As actual hardware, the CPU 2101 reads out and executes the location information management program from the recording medium, so that each unit is on the main storage device. The tag information management unit, the determination unit, the location information acquisition unit, the event generation unit, the location information DB management unit, the notification information generation unit, the filter DB management unit, and the communication control unit are generated on the main storage device. It has become.

  As described above, the position information management device, the position information management method, the position information management program, the computer-readable recording medium, and the position information management system according to the present invention are useful for techniques for managing the position information of an object. In particular, the present invention is suitable for a technique in which a plurality of location information management devices that manage location information are arranged to transmit and receive each other.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the positional infomation management system concerning 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which showed notionally the whole structure of the network to which the positional information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment was connected. It is the figure which showed the structure of the reader position management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the tag signal management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the ID corresponding | compatible management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the server management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the UID address management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the UID position management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the area table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the UID information management table which the position information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is the figure which showed the structure of the service filter table which the location information management server which concerns on 1st Embodiment hold | maintains. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which notifies notification information to reception from the reception of information, such as tag ID in the positional information management server concerning 1st Embodiment. In the position information management system including a plurality of position information management servers according to the first embodiment, a UID associated with a tag ID detected by an arbitrary position information management server is acquired and notification information is notified. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process performed until. 5 is a flowchart showing a process procedure described before a UID associated with a tag ID detected by one position information management server in a plurality of position information management servers according to the first embodiment is described. is there. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a process when the request | requirement which acquires the positional information on UID: ID0009 is input from the application B in the some positional information management server concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the positional infomation management system concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which showed notionally the whole structure of the network to which the positional information management server and tag ID management server which concern on 2nd Embodiment were connected. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the tag ID management server concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed the structure of the tag ID server corresponding | compatible management table which the tag ID management server concerning 2nd Embodiment hold | maintains. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process after receiving information, such as tag ID in the positional information management server concerning 2nd Embodiment, after receiving. It is the figure which showed the hardware constitutions of PC which performed the program for implement | achieving the function of a positional information management server.

Explanation of symbols

10, 11 Network 100a-n, 1600a-n Location information management server 101, 1601 Storage unit 102 Tag information management unit 103 Judgment unit 104 Location information acquisition unit 105 Event generation unit 106 Location information DB management unit 107 Notification information generation unit 108 Filter DB management unit 109, 1602 Communication control unit 111 Device database 112 Location information database 113 Filtering database 121 Tag reception processing unit 122, 1621 UID request transmission unit 123 UID reception unit 124 UID request reception unit 125 UID transmission unit 126 Location information reception unit 127 Position information transmission unit 128 Notification processing unit 129 Notification information reception processing unit 130 Request reception unit 131 UID correspondence information reception unit 132 Corresponding information transmission unit 151a-n Reader 161a-n Acti Blue tag 1622 Address request transmission unit 1623 Address reception unit 1650 Tag ID management server 1801 Storage unit 1802 Communication control unit 1803 Data processing unit 1811 Tag ID database 1821 Address request reception unit 1822 Address transmission unit 2101 CPU
2102 ROM
2103 RAM
2104 External storage device 2105 Display device 2106 Input device 2107 Communication I / F
2108 bus

Claims (29)

In a location information management device connected via a network to another location information management device that manages the location information of an object,
Storage means for storing an address on the network of the other location information management device;
Medium correspondence storage means for storing medium correspondence information in which medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium is associated with object identification information for identifying an object;
Reception processing means for performing processing for receiving detection information including the medium identification information from a detection device that has detected the portable information storage medium;
Determination means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the detection information received by the reception processing means is held in the medium correspondence information;
When the determination means determines that the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, it corresponds to the medium identification information with respect to another position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage means. Request transmission means for transmitting a transmission request for object identification information to be transmitted;
Identification information receiving means for receiving the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another location information management device identified by the address transmitted by the request transmission means;
A position information management device comprising: Request receiving means for receiving a transmission request for the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information together with the medium identification information from the other position information management device;
The determination unit determines whether the medium identification information received by the request reception unit is held in the medium correspondence information;
When the request transmission unit determines that the medium correspondence information is not held by the determination unit, the request transmission unit uses the medium identification information as a reference to another location information management device specified by the address stored in the storage unit. Transmitting a transmission request for the corresponding object identification information;
The position information management device according to claim 1. The identification information receiving means receives the object identification information corresponding to the transmitted medium identification information from the other position information management device specified by the address transmitted by the request transmission means,
An identification information transmitting means for transmitting the object identification information received by the identification information receiving means to the other location information management device that requested the transmission request received by the request receiving means;
The position information management apparatus according to claim 2. The storage means stores all addresses of the other location information management devices connected to the network;
The position information management device according to claim 1. Position information transmission for transmitting a request for transmitting the position information of the object identified by the object identification information together with the object identification information to another position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage means Request means;
Position information receiving means for receiving position information of the object identified by the object identification information from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the position information transmission request means;
The position information management device according to claim 1, further comprising: Another location information management device that manages location information of an object, a media that manages media identification information for identifying a portable information storage medium and an address of a location information management device that manages the portable information storage medium in association with each other In the identification information management device and the location information management device connected via the network,
Medium correspondence storage means for storing medium correspondence information in which the medium identification information is associated with object identification information for identifying an object;
Reception processing means for performing processing for receiving detection information including the medium identification information from a detection device that has detected a portable information storage medium;
Determination means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the detection information received by the reception processing means is held in the medium correspondence information;
When it is determined by the determination means that the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, an address of another location information management apparatus that manages the medium identification information is transmitted to the object identification information management apparatus An address request transmitting means for transmitting the request;
Address receiving means for receiving an address of another location information management apparatus that manages the medium identification information from the object identification information management apparatus that is the transmission destination by the address request transmission means;
Request transmission means for transmitting a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to the other position information management device specified by the address received by the address reception means;
Identification information receiving means for receiving object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the other location information management device specified by the address transmitted by the request transmission means;
A position information management device comprising: Position information transmission requesting means for transmitting a request for transmission of position information of the object identification information together with the object identification information to another position information management apparatus specified by the address received from the medium identification information management apparatus; ,
Position information receiving means for receiving position information of an object identified by the object identification information from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the position information transmission request means;
The position information management device according to claim 6, further comprising:   Position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of the portable information storage medium in association with the object identification information received by the identification information receiving means based on the detection information received by the reception processing means; The position information management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position information management apparatus is a position information management apparatus. Object correspondence storage means for storing object device correspondence information in which the object identification information is associated with the address of the position information management device that manages the object identification information;
Information management means for associating the object identification information received by the identification information receiving means with the address of another location information management apparatus that has transmitted the object identification information and storing the information in the object apparatus correspondence information; Was it,
The position information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. A request for acquisition of information associated with the object identification information is sent to another position information management device at an address associated with the object device correspondence information in the object device correspondence information stored by the information management means. Correspondence information request transmitting means for transmitting;
Correspondence information receiving means for acquiring information associated with the object identification information from the other location information management device of the request destination transmitted by the correspondence information request transmitting means;
The position information management apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: Request receiving means for receiving a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another position information management device;
The determination unit determines whether the medium identification information received by the request reception unit is held in the medium correspondence information;
An identification information transmission means for transmitting the object identification information to the other position information management device when the determination means determines that the medium identification information is held;
The position information management device according to claim 1, wherein Position information receiving means for receiving position information identified by an object of the transmitted object identification information from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the identification information transmitting means;
The position information management device according to claim 11, further comprising: Position information transmitting means for transmitting the position information acquired by the position information acquiring means to the other position information management device that has transmitted the object identification information received by the identification information receiving means;
The position information management device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising: In a position information management method for managing position information by connecting to another position information management apparatus that manages position information of an object via a network,
A reception processing step for performing a process of receiving detection information including medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium from a detection device that has detected the portable information storage medium;
Whether the medium identification information included in the detection information received in the reception processing step stores the medium identification information and the object identification information in association with each other and holds the medium correspondence information stored in the storage unit A determination step for determining whether or not,
If it is determined in the determination step that the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, the object identification corresponding to the medium identification information is performed with respect to the position information management device specified by the address stored by the storage unit. A request sending step for sending a request for sending information;
An identification information receiving step of receiving the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the position information management device specified by the address transmitted in the request transmission step;
A location information management method comprising: A request receiving step of receiving a transmission request for the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information together with the medium identification information from a position information management device;
The determining step determines whether the medium identification information received in the request receiving step is held in the medium correspondence information;
The request transmission step corresponds to the medium identification information for the position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage means when it is determined that the medium correspondence information is not held in the determination step. Transmitting a transmission request for the object identification information;
The position information management method according to claim 14. The identification information receiving step receives the object identification information corresponding to the transmitted medium identification information from the position information management device specified by the address transmitted in the request transmission step,
An identification information transmission step of transmitting the object identification information received in the identification information reception step to the other location information management device that is the request source of the transmission request received in the request reception step;
The position information management method according to claim 15. Position information transmission for transmitting a request for transmitting the position information of the object identified by the object identification information together with the object identification information to another position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage means A request step;
A position information receiving step of receiving position information of the object identified by the object identification information from the other position information management device of the transmission destination by the position information transmission request step;
The position information management method according to claim 14, further comprising: Another location information management device that manages location information of an object, a media that manages media identification information for identifying a portable information storage medium and an address of a location information management device that manages the portable information storage medium in association with each other In a location information management method for managing location information by connecting to an identification information management device via a network,
If it is determined in the determination step that the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, an address of another location information management apparatus that manages the medium identification information is transmitted to the object identification information management apparatus An address request sending step for sending a request; and
An address receiving step of receiving an address of another location information management device that manages the medium identification information from the object identification information management device of the transmission destination in the address request transmission step;
A request transmission step of transmitting a transmission request of object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to the position information management device specified by the address received in the address reception step;
An identification information receiving step of receiving object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the position information management device identified by the address transmitted in the request transmission step;
A location information management method comprising: A position information transmission request step for transmitting a request for transmission of position information of the object identification information together with the object identification information to the position information management apparatus specified by the address received from the medium identification information management apparatus;
A position information receiving step of receiving position information of an object identified by the object identification information from the position information management device of the transmission destination in the position information transmission request step;
The position information management method according to claim 18, further comprising:   A positional information acquisition step of acquiring positional information of the portable information storage medium in association with the object identification information received in the identification information receiving step based on the detection information received in the reception processing step; The position information management method according to claim 14, wherein the position information management method is the same as the position information management method according to claim 14. An information management step of associating the object identification information received in the identification information receiving step with the address of the position information management device that transmitted the object identification information and storing the information as object device correspondence information; ,
The position information management method according to claim 14, wherein Request for acquisition of the information associated with the object identification information to the position information management device identified by the address associated with the object device correspondence information in the object device correspondence information stored in the information management step. A correspondence information request sending step for sending
A correspondence information receiving step of acquiring information associated with the object identification information from the location information management device of the transmission destination in the correspondence information request transmission step;
The position information management method according to claim 21, further comprising: A request receiving step of receiving a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another position information management device,
The determining step determines whether the medium identification information received in the request receiving step is held in the medium correspondence information;
An identification information transmission step of transmitting the object identification information to the position information management device when it is determined by the determination step that the medium identification information is held;
The position information management method according to any one of claims 14 to 22. A position information receiving step of receiving position information of an object identified by the transmitted object identification information from the position information management device of the transmission destination in the identification information transmission step;
The position information management method according to claim 23, further comprising: A position information transmission step of transmitting the position information acquired by the position information acquisition step to the position information management device that has transmitted the object identification information received by the identification information reception step;
The position information management method according to claim 14, further comprising:   A position information management program that causes a computer to execute the position information management method according to any one of claims 14 to 25.   A computer-readable recording medium storing the position information management program according to claim 26. A portable information storage medium provided for each object; a detection device that detects the portable information storage medium without contact; and location information acquired based on information input from the detection device; In a location information management system comprising a location information management device connected to another location information management device via
The location information management device includes:
Storage means for storing an address on the network of the other location information management device;
Medium correspondence storage means for storing medium correspondence information in which medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium is associated with object identification information for identifying an object;
Reception processing means for performing processing for receiving detection information including the medium identification information from a detection device that has detected the portable information storage medium;
Determination means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the detection information received by the reception processing means is held in the medium correspondence information;
When the determination means determines that the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, it corresponds to the medium identification information with respect to another position information management device specified by the address stored in the storage means. Request transmission means for transmitting a transmission request for object identification information to be transmitted;
Identification information receiving means for receiving the object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from another location information management device identified by the address transmitted by the request transmission means;
A location information management system comprising: A portable information storage medium provided for each object, a detection device that detects the portable information storage medium without contact, medium identification information for identifying the portable information storage medium, and management of the portable information storage medium A medium identification information management device that manages the location information management device in association with the address, and manages the location information acquired based on the information input from the detection device, and another location information management device via the network In a location information management system comprising a location information management device connected to
The location information management device includes:
Medium correspondence storage means for storing medium correspondence information in which the medium identification information is associated with object identification information for identifying an object;
Reception processing means for performing processing for receiving detection information including the medium identification information from a detection device that has detected a portable information storage medium;
Determination means for determining whether or not the medium identification information included in the detection information received by the reception processing means is held in the medium correspondence information;
When it is determined by the determination means that the medium identification information is not held in the medium correspondence information, an address of another location information management apparatus that manages the medium identification information is transmitted to the object identification information management apparatus An address request transmitting means for transmitting the request;
Address receiving means for receiving an address of another location information management apparatus that manages the medium identification information from the object identification information management apparatus that is the transmission destination by the address request transmission means;
Request transmission means for transmitting a transmission request for object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information to the other position information management device specified by the address received by the address reception means;
Identification information receiving means for receiving object identification information corresponding to the medium identification information from the other location information management device specified by the address transmitted by the request transmission means;
A location information management system comprising:

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