JP2014055809A - Position information management system, position information management method and management server - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an effective position information management system.SOLUTION: The position information management system includes: an outdoor position information receiving device; a communication device installed in an indoor location; a radio terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication device; and a management server for managing a position of the radio terminal. The management server includes: storage means for storing a distance between an installation position of the outdoor position information receiving device and an installation position of the communication device; receiving means for receiving outdoor position information on the outdoor position information receiving device, from the outdoor position information receiving device; position information calculation means for calculating outdoor position information on the communication device on the basis of the outdoor position information and the distance; and transmission means for transmitting the outdoor position information on the communication device to the communication device.

Description

  The present invention relates to a location information management system, a location information management method, and a management server.

  Various location information management systems have been proposed in order to grasp and manage the position of a wireless terminal or a person having a wireless terminal or an article in a facility where accurate positioning using GPS or the like is difficult.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a system that reads a passive RF tag attached to a person with a fixed RF reader / writer and notifies the position to another wireless terminal or the like.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a system in which a wireless terminal specifies its own position by replacing an identifier wirelessly transmitted from a nearby transmitter with position specifying information.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a system in which a wireless terminal receives specific information transmitted from a lighting device, and transmits the specific information to a server to identify the position of the wireless terminal.

  However, in the system of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to install a large number of RF readers / writers in order to read passive RF tags having a narrow communication range, which may increase the cost of introducing infrastructure.

  Further, in the system of Patent Document 2, the power consumption of the wireless terminal may increase depending on the communication method between the wireless terminal and the server.

  Further, in the system of Patent Document 3, as in Patent Document 2, power consumption of the wireless terminal is not taken into consideration. In addition, in the server, in order to specify the position of the wireless terminal, it is necessary to search for a position associated with the unique information, which may increase the calculation cost.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an efficient position information management system and the like.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a location information management system according to the present invention includes an outdoor location information receiving device, a communication device installed indoors, and a wireless terminal that holds identification information and communicates with the communication device And a management server that manages the location of the wireless terminal, wherein the management server determines a distance between an installation location of the outdoor location information receiving device and an installation location of the communication device. Based on the stored storage means, the receiving means for receiving outdoor position information of the outdoor position information receiving apparatus from the outdoor position information receiving apparatus, and the outdoor position information of the communication apparatus based on the outdoor position information and the distance. Position information calculating means for calculating the position information, and transmitting means for transmitting outdoor position information of the communication device to the communication device.

  In addition, what applied the arbitrary combination of the component of this invention, expression, or a component to a method, an apparatus, a system, a computer program, a recording medium, etc. is effective as an aspect of this invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the positional information management system etc. which manage positional information efficiently can be provided.

The figure showing the positional infomation management system in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the network which comprises the positional infomation management system in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the management apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the management apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the example of the information which the communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. The figure showing the example of the information which the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. The figure showing the example of the format of the positional information which the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention transmits. The figure showing the example of the information which the management server in one Embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. The figure showing the operation | movement sequence of the positional infomation management system in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the example of the search screen of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the example of the search result screen of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The position information management system 2 (the 1) in one Embodiment of this invention is represented. The functional block diagram of the management server 160-2 in one Embodiment of this invention is represented. An example of GPS position information 367 in one embodiment of the present invention is shown. An example of the communication apparatus position information 369 in one Embodiment of this invention is represented. It is a figure showing the operation | movement sequence of the positional infomation management system 2 in one Embodiment of this invention. An example of the positional information for transmitting to each communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention is represented. Fig. 6 illustrates a position coordinate calculation example 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 7 illustrates a second example of position coordinate calculation according to an embodiment of the present invention. The position information management system 2 (the 2) in one Embodiment of this invention is represented An example (the 2) of the communication apparatus position information 369 in one Embodiment of this invention is represented.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1. System 2. 2. Hardware configuration example Function 4. Operation sequence (1. System)
FIG. 1A shows a location information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A includes communication apparatuses 100, 102, 104, and 106, wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124, a management apparatus 140, a management server 160, and a network 180 and a network 190 that include the communication apparatus, the wireless terminal, and the management apparatus. . Here, the network 180 is a wireless network managed by the management device 140. FIG. 1B shows the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106, the wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124, and the management device 140 that constitute the wireless network in FIG. 1A.

  The communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106 are fixed to, for example, a ceiling of a room, and position information (hereinafter referred to as “position information”) such as history information, the number of floors of a building, and a building number related to the fixed position. This is transmitted wirelessly continuously or intermittently. Each communication device has an independent casing and operates by being supplied with power from a previously installed power source, or is incorporated in a lighting fixture such as an LED fluorescent tube and operates with power supplied from the lighting fixture. Each of the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106 transmits position information held by each of the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106 to a predetermined range using a radio signal. The predetermined range is determined by the signal strength of the radio signal used. The communication device is arranged so as to cover an area that is a position management target, and is configured so that the respective areas do not overlap. Or even if it is a case where it overlaps, in the side which receives a positional information, it is comprised so that any one communication apparatus can be determined based on the intensity | strength of a received radio wave. In the example of FIG. 1A, a conical dotted line shown below each communication device represents a predetermined range. As a communication method for transmitting position information, for example, a ground complementary signal (Indoor Messaging System; IMES) can be used.

  The wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124 can receive wireless signals transmitted by the nearest communication device among the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106. In the example of FIG. 1A, each wireless terminal is attached to a rectangular parallelepiped managed object that is a target whose position is to be managed. The wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124 are terminals that can transmit radio waves themselves, such as active tags. Hereinafter, the wireless terminal 120 will be described.

  The wireless terminal 120 is within a range in which a wireless signal from the communication device 100 can be received, and receives position information of the communication device 100. The position information of the communication device 100 is received using, for example, IMES. The wireless terminal 120 transmits information including its own identification information such as a network address to the communication apparatus 100 together with the received position information. The transmission is performed through a network 180 by short-range wireless communication such as IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark). In this case, IEEE802.15.4 abbreviated address or IEEE extended (MAC) address can be used as identification information of the wireless terminal 120. The identification information and position information transmitted to the communication device 100 are then transmitted to the management device 140 via the adjacent communication device 102. The transmission / reception operation in the wireless terminal 120 is performed at a timing determined in advance in the wireless terminal 120 or at a timing when a change in acceleration by the acceleration sensor included in the wireless terminal 120 is detected.

  The management device 140 connects the network 180 and the network 190 to each other, and bridges data transmitted from the network 180 side to the network 190. The management device 140 is installed, for example, for each floor of a building or for each room partitioned by walls. When the network 180 is a PAN (Personal Area Network) based on IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) and the network 190 is a LAN based on the IEEE802.3 standard, the communication system is converted between them. If the identification information of the wireless terminal 120 is represented by an IEEE 802.15.4 abbreviated address, it is converted into an IEEE extended address based on the information at the time of PAN configuration and transmitted to the management server 160.

  The management server 160 records the identification information and position information received via the management apparatus 140 together with the reception date and time, and manages the position of the communication apparatus. In the management server 160, management objects related to wireless terminals are recorded in advance. Therefore, the location of the management target can be searched using these pieces of information.

  The network 180 connects the respective communication devices 100, 102, 104, 106, the wireless terminals 120, 122, 124, and the management device 140, for example, a PAN configured by IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards. It is. When the PAN is configured with IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards, the wireless terminal, the communication device, and the management device each have an end device function, a router function, and a coordinator function defined by the ZigBee (registered trademark) standard. . Each communication device and wireless terminal enters the management of the management device at the time of activation, forms a PAN, and determines the minimum path to the management device.

  The network 190 is a network that connects the management apparatus 140 and the management server 160, and is, for example, a LAN defined by the IEEE 802.3 standard.

  As described above, in the location information management system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the wireless terminal can transmit the identification information and the location information to the management server using power that can be communicated with the nearest communication device. it can. In addition, it is not necessary to install a new infrastructure for installing the communication device, and the introduction cost can be reduced.

  Note that the location information of the communication device may be provided through the network 180. This eliminates the need for transmission means for transmitting position information such as IMES.

  Further, the wireless terminal may transmit the identification information and the position information to the management apparatus 140 when the management apparatus is present in the vicinity of the communication apparatus that transmitted the position information. Thereby, identification information and position information can be transmitted to the management server by the shortest path.

  Further, the management server function may be integrated into the management server. This eliminates the need for a separate management device.

  The wireless terminal may be a wireless terminal having a function equivalent to an active tag, such as a smartphone, PDA, PC, or smart meter. As a result, it is possible to manage the position information of the existing wireless terminal without attaching a tag.

  Further, in addition to the above-described position information, information for specifying a finer position, such as information representing a section in the room, may be included. As a result, finer location management is possible.

  The location management target may be a person. Thereby, the location of a person can be managed by the system 1.

  The network 180 may be configured using short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth LE, ANT, Z-Wave, and the like. This makes it possible to manage position information of various wireless terminals.

  The network 190 may include a plurality of types of networks such as the Internet. This makes it possible to manage the location information of the wireless terminal regardless of the physical location between the network 180 and the management server 160.

(2. Hardware configuration example)
Next, the hardware configuration of the communication device 100, the wireless terminal 120, the management device 140, and the management server 160 included in the location information management system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D.

  FIG. 2A shows a hardware configuration of the communication apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication device 100 includes a CPU 200, a RAM 202, a ROM 204, a position signal transmission control unit 206, a position signal transmission unit 208, a wireless communication control unit 210, a wireless communication unit 212, and a bus 214.

  The CPU 200 executes a program that controls the operation of the communication device 100. The RAM 202 constitutes a work area of the CPU 200 and the like. The ROM 204 stores position information of the communication device 100 in addition to the program executed by the CPU 200. The position signal transmission control unit 206 executes processing for transmitting a positioning signal representing the position information of the communication device 100 via the position signal transmission unit 208. The position signal transmission unit 208 is a device including an antenna that transmits a positioning signal such as IMES. The wireless communication control unit 210 performs wireless communication processing via the wireless communication unit 212. The wireless communication unit 212 is a device that includes an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves conforming to the IEEE802.15.4 standard, for example. A bus 214 electrically connects the above devices.

  With the above configuration, the communication apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention transmits position information to the wireless terminal 120, receives identification information and position information from the wireless terminal 120, and transmits these information via the management apparatus. Can be sent to the management server.

  As described above, when the position information is transmitted by wireless communication, the position signal transmission control unit 206 and the position signal transmission unit 208 are not necessary.

  FIG. 2B shows a hardware configuration of the wireless terminal 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication terminal 120 includes a CPU 220, a RAM 222, a ROM 224, a position signal reception control unit 226, a position signal reception unit 228, a wireless communication control unit 230, a wireless communication unit 232, an acceleration detection control unit 234, an acceleration detection unit 236, and a bus 238. .

  The CPU 220 executes a program that controls the operation of the wireless terminal 120. The RAM 222 constitutes a work area of the CPU 220 and the like. The ROM 224 stores identification information of the wireless terminal 120 and position information received from the communication device 100 in addition to the program executed by the CPU 220. The position signal reception control unit 226 performs processing for receiving a positioning signal representing position information via the position signal reception unit 228. The position signal receiving unit 228 is a device including an antenna that receives a positioning signal such as IMES. The wireless communication control unit 230 executes wireless communication processing via the wireless communication unit 232. The wireless communication unit 232 is a device that includes an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves conforming to, for example, IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The acceleration detection control unit 234 detects a change in acceleration via the acceleration detection unit 236. The acceleration detector 236 is, for example, an acceleration sensor or a motion sensor using inertial force or magnetism. A bus 238 electrically connects the above devices.

  With the above configuration, the wireless terminal 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention can receive location information from the communication device 100 and transmit its own identification information to the communication device 100 together with the location information. In particular, identification information and position information can be efficiently transmitted by performing a transmission or reception operation at a timing when the wireless terminal is moved.

  In addition, when the wireless terminal 120 is an information terminal such as a smartphone or a PC, the wireless terminal 120 includes an input device such as a touch panel, a dial key, a keyboard, and a mouse and a corresponding input control unit that accepts input from the user. Also good. Furthermore, a display device such as a screen and a corresponding display control unit may be provided.

  In addition, when the wireless terminal 120 includes a GPS antenna and a corresponding control unit, it is possible to receive a positioning signal by IMES using the antenna, and it is possible to correspond to the position information management system 1 only by software modification.

  Further, the acceleration detection control unit 234 and the acceleration detection unit 236 are arbitrary components. When the acceleration detection control unit 234 and the acceleration detection unit 236 are not provided, the transmission or reception operation of the wireless terminal 120 is performed at a predetermined interval or time.

  Further, as described above, when the position information is received by wireless communication, the position signal reception control unit 226 and the position signal reception unit 228 are not necessary.

  FIG. 2C shows the hardware configuration of the management apparatus 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management device 140 includes a CPU 240, a RAM 242, a ROM 244, a wireless communication control unit 246, a wireless communication device 248, a wired communication control unit 250, a wired communication device 252, and a bus 254.

  The CPU 240 executes a program that controls the operation of the management apparatus 140. The RAM 242 constitutes a work area of the CPU 240 and the like. The ROM 244 stores programs executed by the CPU 240 and data used by the programs. The wireless communication control unit 246 executes wireless communication processing via the wireless communication device 248. The wireless communication device 248 is a device including an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves conforming to IEEE802.15.4 standard, for example. The wired communication control unit 250 executes wired communication processing via the wired communication device 252. The wired communication device 252 is a device having a network interface that conforms to, for example, the IEEE 802.3 standard. A bus 254 electrically connects the above devices.

  With the above configuration, the management apparatus 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention can convert a signal from the network 180 including the communication apparatus 100 and the wireless terminal 120 into a network 190 including the management server 160. When the network 180 configuring the PAN is ZigBee (registered trademark), it can have a coordinator function for managing devices participating in the PAN.

  FIG. 2D shows the hardware configuration of the management server 160 in one embodiment of the present invention. The management server 160 includes a CPU 260, a RAM 262, a ROM 264, an HDD 266, a communication control unit 268, a communication unit 270, a display control unit 272, a display unit 274, an input control unit 276, an input unit 278, and a bus 280.

  The CPU 260 executes a program that controls the operation of the management server 160. The RAM 262 constitutes a work area for the CPU 260 and the like. The ROM 264 stores a program executed by the CPU 260 and data used by the program. The HDD 266 stores information for managing the position of the wireless terminal 120 used in the position information management system 1. The communication control unit 268 executes communication processing via the communication unit 270. The communication unit 270 is a device having a network interface that conforms to, for example, the IEEE 802.3 standard. The display control unit 272 controls the content displayed on the display unit 274 in accordance with the processing content of the location management program executed on the management server 160. The display unit 274 includes a display such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT display. The input control unit 276 processes a signal from the input unit 278 such as a keyboard and a mouse that receives an input from the user. A bus 280 electrically connects the above devices.

  With the above configuration, the management server 160 in one embodiment of the present invention can manage the location of the wireless terminal 120 and search for the location of the wireless terminal 120.

  The HDD 266 may be any storage device including a tape drive, or may be a storage area accessible via a network.

  In addition, the management server 160 may include a wireless communication control unit and a wireless communication device included in the management device 140 described above, and may perform processing instead of the management device 140. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide the management device 140 separately.

(3. Function)
FIG. 3A shows a functional block diagram of the communication apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage unit 300, a communication unit 304, and a control unit 312.

  The storage unit 300 stores the position information 302 of the communication device 100. An example of a table for storing the position information 302 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 includes items of floor number, latitude, longitude, and building number. The floor number represents the floor number of the building where the communication device 100 is installed. The latitude and longitude represent the latitude and longitude of the position where the communication device 100 is located. The building number represents the building number of the building where the communication device 100 is installed. In the example of FIG. 4, the communication device 100 is located on the 16th floor of a building C of a certain building, and is located at a point where the latitude is 35.459555 and the longitude is 139.3387110.

  The communication unit 304 includes a position information transmission unit 306, a terminal information reception unit 308, and a terminal information transmission unit 310.

  The position information transmitting unit 306 wirelessly transmits the position information 302 including information such as the history information, the number of floors of the building, and the building number continuously or intermittently to the wireless terminal 120 within a predetermined range. The position information 302 is transmitted using, for example, a format defined in IMES.

  The terminal information receiving unit 308 receives identification information and position information transmitted from the wireless terminal 120.

  The terminal information transmission unit 310 transmits the identification information and position information transmitted from the wireless terminal 120 to the management server 160 via the management device 140. When the network 180 is made using the ZigBee (registered trademark) standard, the transmission is performed using routing information held by the communication apparatus 100.

  The control unit 312 controls the operation of the communication device 100. When the communication apparatus 100 configures a PAN using the wireless terminal 120 and the management apparatus 140 and ZigBee (registered trademark), the communication apparatus 100 is controlled to provide a router function.

  With the above configuration, the communication apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention holds the position information 302, transmits the position information 302 to the wireless terminal 120, receives the identification information and the position information of the wireless terminal 120, and The identification information can be transmitted to the management server through the management device 140.

  Note that the position information 302 may include additional information such as the name of the building where the communication apparatus 100 is installed and information indicating a section in the room. As a result, finer location management is possible.

  FIG. 3B shows a functional block diagram of the wireless terminal 120 in an embodiment of the present invention. The wireless terminal 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a storage unit 320, a communication unit 326, an acceleration detection unit 332, and a control unit 334.

  The storage unit 320 stores and holds identification information 322 and position information 324. The identification information 322 includes information such as the network address of the wireless terminal 120 that can identify the wireless terminal 120 on the location information management system 1. For example, when the network 180 is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards, an IEEE 802.15.4 abbreviated address or an IEEE extended (MAC) address can be used. The position information 324 is the position information 302 transmitted from the communication apparatus 100. An example of a table for storing the position information 324 is shown in FIG. The configuration is the same as in FIG.

  The communication unit 326 includes a position information receiving unit 328 and an identification information transmitting unit 330.

  The position information receiving unit 328 receives the position information 302 transmitted from the communication device 100. The received position information 302 is held in the storage unit 320 of the wireless terminal 120.

  The identification information transmitting unit 330 transmits the position information 324 together with the identification information 322 of the wireless terminal 120 to the communication device 100. The position information 322 is transmitted to the wireless terminal 120 in a format as shown in FIG. 6, for example. In the format of FIG. 5, the floor, latitude, longitude, and building number fields are represented by 9 bits, 21 bits, 21 bits, and 8 bits, respectively, and the corresponding fields of the message received according to the IMES standard are connected. . The representation format of each field conforms to the IMES standard. Actually, in addition to this format, a header and checksum information defined by the communication method are added and transmitted. As a communication method, for example, IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards are used.

  The acceleration detection unit 332 detects a change in acceleration of the wireless terminal 120. The change in acceleration is detected, for example, when the wireless terminal 120 starts moving, when the movement stops, or when a tilt is detected. The detected change in acceleration is used to determine the timing of the transmission or reception operation of the wireless terminal 120. The acceleration detection means 332 is an arbitrary component.

  The control unit 334 controls the reception timing of the position information by the position information reception unit 238 and the transmission timing of the identification information 322 and the position information 324 by the identification information transmission unit 330. The transmission / reception timing is determined based on the detection of a change in acceleration by the acceleration detection means 332. Alternatively, it may be determined based on an interval or time preset in the wireless terminal 120. Also, transmission and reception timings may be determined independently of each other. Further, when the wireless terminal 120 forms a PAN with ZigBee (registered trademark) together with the communication device 100 and the management device 140, the control unit 334 controls the wireless terminal 120 to provide an endpoint function.

  With the configuration described above, the wireless terminal 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention can efficiently receive location information from a communication device and efficiently transmit the location information together with the location information to an identification information communication device.

  When the wireless terminal 120 is an information terminal such as a smartphone or a PC, an input unit that receives an input from the user or a display unit that presents information to the user may be provided. As a result, it is possible to present identification information or position information to the user and to input or modify identification information or position information from the user.

  FIG. 3C is a functional block diagram of the management apparatus 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management apparatus 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit 340, a conversion unit 346, and a control unit 348.

  The communication unit 340 includes a reception unit 342 and a transmission unit 344. The receiving unit 342 receives data transmitted from a communication device or a wireless terminal belonging to the network 180. The transmission unit 344 transmits the data converted by the management apparatus 140 to the management server 160 belonging to the network 190. The network 180 is a PAN based on IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards, for example. The network 190 is a LAN based on the IEEE802.3 standard, for example.

  The converting unit 346 converts the data received by the receiving unit 342 from the network 180 into a format compatible with the network 190. The converted data is transmitted to the management server 160 via the network 190 by the transmission unit 344. Here, when the identification information of the wireless terminal 120 included in the data is represented by an IEEE 802.15.4 abbreviated address, it is converted into an IEEE extended address based on the information at the time of PAN configuration.

  The control unit 348 controls the operation of the management device 140. When the management device 140 configures a PAN according to the ZigBee (registered trademark) standard together with the communication device 100 and the wireless terminal 120, the management device 140 is controlled to provide a coordinator function.

  With the above configuration, the management apparatus 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention can bridge communication between the network 180 to which the communication apparatus 100 and the wireless terminal 120 belong and the network 190 to which the management server belongs.

  FIG. 3D shows a functional block diagram of the management server 160 in one embodiment of the present invention. The management server 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit 360, a storage unit 366, an input unit 370, a display unit 372, and a control unit 374.

  The communication unit 360 includes a reception unit 362 and a transmission unit 364. The receiving unit 362 receives the identification information and the position information transmitted from the wireless terminal through the management device 140. The received identification information and position information are stored in the storage means 366. When the transmission unit 364 is requested to provide location information to an external server or the like, the transmission unit 364 transmits the location information to the external server or the like.

  The storage unit 366 has location management information 368. The location management information 368 is information obtained by adding management information such as a reception time to the identification information and location information received from the wireless terminal 120. An example of a table storing the information is shown in FIG. FIG. 7 includes items of identification information, device name, owned department, latitude, longitude, floor number, building, and reception date and time. The identification information is information such as an IEEE extended address of the wireless terminal 120 that has transmitted the identification information. The latitude, longitude, number of floors, and building correspond to the positional information received together with the identification information. The reception date and time is the date and time when the management server 160 received the information. The device name is the name of the management target to which the wireless terminal 120 that transmitted the information is attached or the device name of the wireless terminal 120. The owned department is a department name that owns the wireless terminal 120 that has transmitted the information. Information on the device name and the owned department is associated with identification information by the management server 160 in advance.

  The input unit 370 accepts an input from the user so that the user searches for position information.

  The display unit 372 displays on the screen a GUI related to a search screen for the user to search for position information. An example of the search screen is shown in FIG. 9A. In the “location search system” shown in FIG. 9A, based on the information stored in the storage unit 366, the department and device name related to the wireless terminal are displayed in a list on the screen. When the user selects a check box of a device to be searched through the input unit 370, a check mark is added. When all the devices to be searched are checked and the “Execute Search” button is selected, the search is executed and the screen is switched to a result display screen. In the example of FIG. 9A, an example is shown in which the user performs a search for a device called “UCS P3000” owned by “Sales Section 1”. FIG. 9B is an example of the search result screen. When the “execute search” button is selected, the display unit 372 displays a floor plan of “A building 4th floor” where “UCS P3000” is located based on the data stored in the storage unit 366, the device name, Displays the reception date and time.

  The control unit 374 controls the operation of the management server.

  With the above configuration, the management server 160 according to an embodiment of the present invention can manage the location of the wireless terminal and search for the location. In particular, information representing the position of the wireless terminal itself can be directly received and managed, and the amount of calculation for searching for the position can be reduced.

  The management server 160 has the same functions as the conversion unit 346, the control unit 348, and the reception unit 342 included in the management device 160, and may have the same functions as the management device 160. This eliminates the need to provide the management device 160 individually.

  Further, the location management information 368 stored by the management server 160 includes the date and time when the wireless terminal transmits the information together with the information shown in FIG. Information including time taken for arrival of information or electric field strength may be stored. Thereby, position information can be managed under more detailed conditions.

  In addition, the management server 160 may record past location information of the wireless terminal. Thereby, the movement of the wireless terminal can be tracked.

(4. Operation sequence)
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation sequence of the location information management system 1 in the embodiment of the present invention in the configuration of FIG. In FIG. 8, when a change in acceleration is detected, the communication apparatus 100 that receives position information and transmits identification information, the wireless terminal 120 that transmits position information to a region to which the communication apparatus 100 belongs, PAN (IEEE802.15.4 and An example of a management apparatus 140 that bridges ZigBee (registered trademark) and a LAN (IEEE802.3) and a management server 160 will be described. It is assumed that the PAN among the communication device 100, the wireless terminal 120, and the management device 140 has already been established.

  In step S800, the communication apparatus 100 transmits the position information continuously or intermittently using IMES or the like.

  In step S802, the wireless terminal 120 detects a change in acceleration.

  In step S804, the wireless terminal 120 receives the position information transmitted from the communication device 100.

  In step S806, the wireless terminal 120 stores the received position information.

  In step S808, the wireless terminal 120 transmits identification information and position information to the communication apparatus 100.

  In step S810, the communication apparatus 100 transmits the identification information and the position information received from the wireless terminal 120 to the management apparatus through the minimum path.

  In step S812, the management apparatus 140 converts the data transmitted from the network 180 including the identification information and the position information received from the communication apparatus 100 into a format compatible with the network 190.

  In step S <b> 814, the management apparatus 140 transmits the identification information and position information converted into a format compatible with the network 190 to the management server 160.

  In step S816, the management server 160 registers the identification information and the position information received from the management device together with information on the wireless terminal corresponding to the identification information.

  Through the above procedure, the location information management system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention efficiently transmits the identification information and the location information to the nearest communication device by the radio terminal, thereby reducing the power consumption of the radio terminal. Can be suppressed.

  As described above, the management server 160 may execute the functions of the management apparatus 140 in an integrated manner. In this case, it is not necessary to install a separate management device 140.

  If the wireless terminal does not include the acceleration detection unit 332, step S802 is not executed, and the reception of the position information in step S804 can be performed at a predetermined time or at a predetermined interval. The subsequent processing is the same as steps S806 to S816.

[Embodiment 2]
Next, Embodiment 2 will be described.

  The position information management system 1 according to the first embodiment described above is used in facilities where accurate positioning using an outdoor GPS or the like is difficult, such as in a building. When a communication device having position information (position coordinates, etc.) is installed on the ceiling or the like, a wireless terminal (for example, an active tag) receives its position information from the communication device such as the ceiling, thereby obtaining its own position information. get. Further, this positional information is transmitted to the management server together with its own identification information, and it is possible to grasp and manage the position of the wireless terminal or the person or article having the wireless terminal on the management server (for example, FIG. 1A). ). In addition, position information (position coordinates and the like) is stored in advance for a communication device installed on a ceiling or the like. Specifically, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, history information including latitude and longitude, the number of floors of a building, and a building number are stored in advance in the communication device as position information.

  However, for example, when the position information management system 1 is applied in a relatively large mobile facility such as a train, a ship, or an aircraft, it is not possible to use absolute position information such as latitude / longitude history information. Can not. Because it is a mobile body, as described above, absolute position information such as history information cannot be determined in advance and stored in a fixed manner in the communication device. Of course, in these mobile facilities as well as in buildings, etc., accurate positioning using outdoor GPS is difficult, so it is not possible to acquire absolute position information directly from GPS satellites in mobile facilities. Can not.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment, when a communication device having position information (position coordinates or the like) is installed on a ceiling or the like even in a mobile facility, a wireless terminal (for example, an active tag) By receiving the position information from the communication device, absolute position information such as its own background information can be acquired. Moreover, since this absolute position information is transmitted to the management server together with its own identification information, as in the first embodiment, the position of the person or article having the wireless terminal or the wireless terminal is grasped on the management server, It is also possible to manage. This will be described in detail below.

(system)
FIG. 10 shows a location information management system 2 (part 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The location information management system 2 includes communication devices 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, 106-2, a wireless terminal 120, management devices 140, 140-2, a management server 160-2, and an outdoor GPS receiver 150. Have.

  Here, the location information management system 2 according to the present embodiment is installed in, for example, a train of two vehicles that are moving bodies. In the case of the illustrated example, the outdoor GPS receiver 150 is installed outdoors at the top of the train. Communication devices 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, and 106-2 are installed on the ceiling or the like in each vehicle so as to cover the inside of the vehicle for each vehicle.

  The outdoor GPS receiving device 150 is a device that receives absolute position coordinates from a GPS satellite. The received position coordinates are transmitted to the management server 160-2. Here, the absolute position coordinates are, for example, position coordinates composed of latitude and longitude. The position coordinates can be expressed in the form of (latitude x. Longitude y), specifically, for example, (35.459555.139.387110).

  As described above, the communication devices 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, and 106-2 continuously transmit position information using IMES or the like. However, in the present embodiment, the position information transmitted by the communication device is not stored in advance in the storage unit of the communication device, but uses the position information received from the management server 160-2 one by one. This point will be described later.

  The wireless terminal 120 receives position information from a communication device (communication device 102-2 in the case of the figure). The wireless terminal 120 stores the received position information and transmits the identification information and the position information to the communication device (the communication device 102-2 in the illustrated example). Finally, the identification information and the position information are transmitted by the management server 160-2. As a result, the management server 160-2 registers the identification information and the position information together with information on the wireless terminal corresponding to the identification information. Thus, the position (location) of the wireless terminal 120 is managed.

  As described above, the wireless terminal 120 (including the wireless terminals 122 and 124 described above) is a wireless device having functions equivalent to those of the active tag, such as a smartphone, a PDA, a PC, or a smart meter, in addition to the active tag itself. It may be a terminal. As a result, the position of the existing wireless terminal 120 can be managed without attaching an active tag to an object whose position is to be managed. Further, when the wireless terminal 120 is a smartphone or the like, it is possible to manage the position of the person who owns the smartphone.

(Management server)
FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of the management server 160-2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 3D, the management server 160-2 includes a position information calculation unit 373 in addition to the communication unit 360, the storage unit 366, the input unit 370, the display unit 372, and the control unit 374. Further, the storage unit 366 has GPS position information 367 and communication device position information 369.

  The communication unit 360 (reception unit 362) receives the identification information and the position information transmitted from the wireless terminal through the management device 140, and further receives the position coordinates from the outdoor GPS reception device 150. The received position information is stored in the GPS position information 367 of the storage unit 366 every time it is received.

  The position information calculation unit 373 calculates and calculates position information to be transmitted to each communication device for each communication device based on the position coordinates received from the outdoor GPS receiver 150 and the communication device position information 369.

  The communication unit 360 (transmission unit 364) transmits the position information calculated for each communication device to each communication device.

(Example of GPS position information 367)
FIG. 12 shows an example of the GPS position information 367 in one embodiment of the present invention. The GPS position information 367 is position coordinates received from the outdoor GPS receiver 150.

  As shown in (a), every time the received position information is received, the old position coordinates are deleted, and the latest received position coordinates are updated and stored in the GPS position information 367 of the storage means 366.

  Alternatively, as shown in (b), each time the position information is received, the position coordinates are sequentially updated and stored in the GPS position information 367 of the storage unit 366. The old position coordinates are not deleted immediately, but are deleted after being stored for a certain period or a certain amount. The reception interval of the position information depends on the GPS position information 367, but since it can be received in real time in practice, the interval for receiving and storing the position coordinates on the management server 160-2 side is arbitrarily adjusted ( For example, every second, every 0.1 second, etc.).

(Example of communication device position information 369)
FIG. 13 shows an example of the communication device position information 369 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication device position information 369 is position information of a communication device installed in the vehicle in advance, and includes information on a distance between base points indicating position information relative to the outdoor GPS receiver 150.

  Specifically, the communication device position information 369 includes items of distance between base points, floor number, latitude, longitude, and building number. The distance between the base points indicates the distance between the position where the outdoor GPS receiver 150 as the base point is installed and the position where the communication device is installed. This information is a fixed value that the administrator or the like inputs in advance in accordance with the position where the communication device in the vehicle is installed. The distance can also be entered in units of m (meters), for example 5 m. Here, in consideration of the coordinate position, the position coordinate difference between the outdoor GPS receiving device 150 as the base point and the communication device can also be used.

  The number of floors represents the number of floors of the building where the communication device is installed. Here, since the number of floors of the vehicle exists only once, it is a fixed value in which 1 is input in advance.

  The latitude and longitude represent the latitude and longitude of the position where the communication device is located. In this embodiment, the latitude and longitude are variable values that are calculated and determined in real time by the position information calculation unit 373. It is indicated as “TBD (undecided)”.

  The building number usually represents the building number of the building where the communication device is installed, but in the vehicle application example, it is handled as a fixed value representing the vehicle number, such as 1 for the first vehicle and 2 for the second vehicle. And

  From the above, for example, in the communication device position information 369 (initial value) in the figure, the communication device 100-2 is located on the first floor and the first vehicle of a certain vehicle, and both the latitude and longitude are TBDs.

(Operation sequence)
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an operation sequence of the location information management system 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step S1400, outdoor GPS receiver 150 receives absolute position coordinates from a GPS satellite. The received position coordinates can be expressed by (35.459555.139.387110), for example.

  In step S1401, the outdoor GPS receiver 150 transmits the received position coordinates to the management server 160-2.

  In step S1402, when location information is received via the receiving unit 362 of the management server 160-2, the storage unit 366 stores the received location information as GPS location information 367 each time it is received (for example, FIG. 12).

  In step S1403, the location information calculation unit 373 of the management server 160-2 acquires the GPS location information 367 and the communication device location information 369 from the storage unit 366. Here, the communication device position information 369 is stored in the storage unit 366 in advance (for example, FIG. 13).

  The position information calculation unit 373 watches the storage unit 366, and acquires the GPS position information 367 and the communication device position information 369 from the storage unit 366 at the timing when the GPS position information 367 of the storage unit 366 is updated. do it.

  In step S <b> 1404, the position information calculation unit 373 of the management server 160-2 is configured for each communication device based on the GPS position information 367 (position coordinates received from the outdoor GPS receiver 150) and the communication device position information 369. Position information for transmission to the communication device is calculated.

  FIG. 15 illustrates an example of position information for transmission to each communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Of the location information, the floor number and building number follow the communication device location information 369 as they are, and the latitude and longitude are calculated by the location information calculation means 373. A specific calculation calculation example will be described later again.

  In step S1405, the transmission unit 364 of the management server 160-2 transmits the position information calculated by the position information calculation unit 373 to each of the communication devices 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, and 106-2.

  In step S1406, each communication device 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, 106-2 stores the received position information as its own position information (for example, position information 302 in FIG. 3A).

  Note that steps after S1406 are the same as the sequence in FIG. The communication devices 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, and 106-2 continuously use the location information (for example, FIG. 15) received from the management server 160-2 using IMES or the like as its own location information. Or send intermittently.

  Moreover, the outdoor GPS receiver 150 receives position information in real time and transmits it to the management server 160-2. Each time the management server 160-2 receives the position coordinates, the management server 160-2 recalculates the position information of each communication apparatus, and transmits the recalculated position information to each communication apparatus one by one. Therefore, each communication apparatus transmits the newly received position information as its own position information as a moving body such as a train moves. Thereby, the radio | wireless terminal 120 can receive the positional information updated one by one in real time as moving bodies, such as a train, move.

(Position coordinate calculation example 1)
The position coordinate calculation example 1 will be described. In the above-described S1404, the position information calculation unit 373 of the management server 160-2 determines the position of each communication apparatus based on the GPS position information 367 (position coordinates received from the outdoor GPS receiver 150) and the communication apparatus position information 369. Position information for transmission to each communication device is calculated. Hereinafter, an example of position coordinate calculation when the GPS position information 367 is (35.459555.139.387110) will be described. The communication device position information 369 is as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 16 shows a position coordinate calculation example 1 in one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, when the train is traveling in the west direction, if the position coordinates of the outdoor GPS receiver 150 that is the base point is (xy), the base point between the outdoor GPS receiver 150 and the communication device 100-2 Since the inter-distance is 0.000001, the position coordinates of the communication device 100-2 can be calculated as (x.y + 0.000001). Similarly, the position coordinate of the communication device 102-2 is (x.y + 0.000002), the position coordinate of the communication device 104-2 is (x.y + 0.000004), and the position coordinate of the communication device 106-2 is (x.y + 0.000002). y + 0.000005).

Here, since the GPS position information 367 (position coordinates received from the outdoor GPS receiving apparatus 150) is (35.459555.139.387110), the calculated position information of each communication apparatus is as follows.
Communication device 100-2: (35.459555.139.38711)
Communication device 102-2: (35.459555.139.38712)
Communication device 104-2: (35.459555.139.38714)
Communication device 106-2: (35.459555.139.38715)
The position information calculation means 373 includes the floor number and building number in the position information as it is according to the communication apparatus position information 369, and the calculated position coordinates for the latitude and longitude are used as position information for each communication apparatus (for example, FIG. 15).

  In this example, the train is traveling in the west direction in order to simplify the calculation. However, it goes without saying that the position information calculation unit 373 can calculate the position information of each communication device by using the distance between the base points even when the train is traveling in a direction other than the west direction. . Note that the traveling direction of the train, that is, the direction information used for the calculation, may be acquired from a measuring instrument of the train itself, or known direction information based on a route map or the like can be used.

  Here, referring to FIG. 14 again, after S1406, each communication device 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, 106-2 uses the IMES or the like to receive the location information received from the management server 160-2. (For example, FIG. 15) is transmitted continuously or intermittently. At this time, the position information transmitted from each communication device is as calculated above.

  In addition, the management server 160-2 recalculates the position information of each communication device every time a moving body such as a train moves and receives a new position coordinate, and the recalculated position information is sequentially updated for each communication device. Send to. Accordingly, each communication device transmits the newly received position information and its own position information as a moving body such as a train moves.

(Position coordinate calculation example 2)
Further, it is also possible to calculate the position information of each communication device by using the distance between the base points and the speed.

  Referring to FIG. 12B, the management server 160-2 accumulates the received position coordinates. According to this position coordinate, it can be seen that the outdoor GPS receiver 150 is located at (35.459555.139.38711) at the current time of 10:01:00. On the other hand, at the past 10:00:59, the outdoor GPS receiver 150 is located at (35.459555.139.38712).

  Here, since the train travels on the rail, each communication device 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, 106-2 has the same cage (trajectory) as the outdoor GPS receiver 150 installed in the leading vehicle. I should step on it. Therefore, if the current train speed is known, the position information of each communication device 100-2, 102-2, 104-2, 106-2 at the time of 10:01:00 is calculated based on the outdoor GPS receiver 150. it can.

FIG. 17 shows a position coordinate calculation example 2 in one embodiment of the present invention. For example, if it is assumed that the current train speed is 5 km per second, which is 18 km / h, the current position of the communication device 100-2 is the position where the outdoor GPS receiver 150 has passed one second ago. With reference to FIG.12 (b), the position coordinate of the outdoor GPS receiver 150 of 1 second before, and the position of the communication apparatus 100-2 now are the same. That is, the position of the communication device 100-2 at the time of 10:00 is the position coordinate (35.459555.139.38712) that the outdoor GPS receiver 150 has passed one second ago. As described above, the position information of the outdoor GPS receiving device 150 and each communication device at the time of 10:01:00 is as follows.
Outdoor GPS receiver 150: (35.459555.139.38711)
Communication device 100-2: (35.459555.139.38711)
Communication device 102-2: (35.459555.139.38712)
Communication device 104-2: (35.459555.139.38714)
Communication device 106-2: (35.459555.139.38715)
However, speed: 18km / h
In addition, what is necessary is just to acquire the train speed information used in the calculation from the measuring instrument of the train itself.

(Application examples to other mobile objects)
FIG. 18 shows the location information management system 2 (part 2) according to the embodiment of the present invention. This figure is an example in which the position information management system 2 is applied to a ship that is a moving body. Similar to the train example described above, the position information management system 2 includes 18 communication devices, a management server 160-2, and an outdoor GPS receiver 150.

  FIG. 19 shows an example (part 2) of the communication device position information 369 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 13, the distance between the base points of the communication device position information 369 is determined by information in two directions, that is, the X axis direction and the Y axis direction with respect to the base point. In any case, since the distance between the base points indicates the distance between the outdoor GPS receiving device 150 that is the base point and the communication device, the position information calculating unit 373 performs the outdoor GPS reception in the same manner as the train described above. Based on the position coordinates received from the apparatus 150 and the communication apparatus position information 369, position information for transmission to each communication apparatus can be calculated for each communication apparatus.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to provide a position information management system that efficiently manages position information even in a mobile facility. Note that the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

100, 102, 104, 106 Communication device 120, 122, 124 Wireless terminal 140 Management device 160 Management server 180 Network 190 Network

Japanese Patent No. 4620410 JP 2010-159980 A International Publication No. 2005/086375

Claims (7)

A position information management system comprising an outdoor position information receiving device, a communication device installed indoors, a wireless terminal that holds identification information and communicates with the communication device, and a management server that manages the position of the wireless terminal. And
The management server
Storage means for storing a distance between an installation position of the outdoor position information receiving device and an installation position of the communication device;
Receiving means for receiving outdoor position information of the outdoor position information receiving device from the outdoor position information receiving device;
Position information calculating means for calculating outdoor position information of the communication device based on the outdoor position information and the distance;
Transmitting means for transmitting outdoor position information of the communication device to the communication device;
A positional information management system comprising: The communication device
Receiving means for receiving outdoor position information of the communication device from the management server;
Transmitting means for transmitting the received outdoor position information to the wireless terminal;
The position information management system according to claim 1, further comprising: The wireless terminal is
Receiving means for receiving the outdoor position information from the communication device;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification information of the wireless terminal together with the received outdoor position information to the communication device;
The communication device
Receiving means for receiving the identification information and the outdoor position information transmitted from the wireless terminal that has received the position information of the communication device;
Transmission means for transmitting the received identification information and the outdoor position information to the management server;
The management server
Management means for managing the position of the wireless terminal based on the identification information and the outdoor position information received from the communication device;
The position information management system according to claim 2, further comprising: The location information management system is installed in a moving body,
The outdoor position information receiving device is installed at a tip portion with respect to the traveling direction of the moving body,
The outdoor position information is position coordinates,
The position information calculating means calculates position coordinates shifted by the distance in the reverse direction of travel of the moving body as the position coordinates, as outdoor position information of the communication device;
The position information management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The location information management system is installed in a moving body,
The outdoor position information is position coordinates,
The position information calculating means calculates a moving time of the distance from a moving speed of the moving body, and calculates position coordinates received before the moving time as outdoor position information of the communication device;
The position information management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Location in a location information management system having an outdoor location information receiving device, a communication device installed indoors, a wireless terminal that holds identification information and communicates with the communication device, and a management server that manages the location of the wireless terminal An information management method,
The management server
A reading procedure for reading the distance between the installation position of the outdoor position information receiving device and the installation position of the communication device from storage means;
A reception procedure for receiving outdoor position information of the outdoor position information receiving device from the outdoor position information receiving device;
A position information calculation procedure for calculating outdoor position information of the communication device based on the outdoor position information and the distance;
A transmission procedure for transmitting outdoor position information of the communication device to the communication device;
A location information management method characterized by comprising: An outdoor position information receiving device, a communication device installed indoors, a wireless terminal that holds identification information and communicates with the communication device, is connected via a network, and is a management server that manages the position of the wireless terminal,
Storage means for storing a distance between an installation position of the outdoor position information receiving device and an installation position of the communication device;
Receiving means for receiving outdoor position information of the outdoor position information receiving device from the outdoor position information receiving device;
Position information calculating means for calculating outdoor position information of the communication device based on the outdoor position information and the distance;
Transmitting means for transmitting outdoor position information of the communication device to the communication device;
A management server characterized by comprising:

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