JP2016152512A - Beacon discovery system, beacon discovery support device, beacon discovery support method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a system which allows the user of a stray child discovery service of small number of users to discover a stray child easily, even in such a situation that a large number of service providers provide the stray child discovery service.SOLUTION: A beacon discovery system includes a plurality of intermediate servers (200) providing stray child discovery services different from each other, and an ID management server (100) communicating with each intermediate servers. Upon receiving a notification that the terminal (300) of a user of stray child discovery service cannot detect a beacon (400) from some intermediate server, the ID management server instructs other intermediate server to acquire the information about the beacon from the terminal of a user of stray child discovery service.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to a system for discovering beacons and an apparatus and method for supporting beacon discovery.

  Conventionally, a system for confirming the position of a person to be protected (for example, a dementia patient protection system of Patent Document 1) has been disclosed.

  The system of Patent Literature 1 is carried by a person to be protected (patient) and transmits an electromagnetic wave of short-range wireless communication, and each access point is based on the reception power of the electric wave received from the end device by each access point. And a mobile terminal that calculates the distance to the end device and measures the position of the end device (patient) from the calculated distance.

  A similar system using a short-range wireless communication technology (iBeacon (registered trademark)) using Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy (BLE), which has been attracting attention recently, has also been proposed.

  This system includes a receiver (central device) and a beacon (peripheral device), and the receiver has a function of detecting a nearby beacon and measuring a distance from the detected beacon.

  The guardian can check the distance from his / her child acting together by carrying the receiver and having his / her child carry a beacon associated with the receiver.

  In addition, when the receiver becomes unable to detect the beacon associated with the own device, the receiver reports the position of the beacon to the own device based on the operation of the guardian who has determined that the child has been lost. A function for instructing the receiver is provided.

  When the other receiver detects the beacon after receiving this instruction, it measures the position of the beacon and reports the measured position of the beacon to the receiver carried by the guardian.

JP 2008-118256 A (released May 22, 2008)

  By the way, it is assumed that “a number of service providers will build their own servers and provide their own services using the system using iBeacon” above. It is assumed that the lost child discovery service is deployed on its own server and used by those who are interested in the lost child discovery service.

  In this situation, it is assumed that each service is deployed in a limited area due to the problem of customer information management. Parents who use the lost child detection service are fixedly installed in the receivers of other parents who use the same lost child detection service and even in cases where it is determined that their child has been lost. The beacon receiver can only report the location of the beacon carried by their child.

  Therefore, if the above situation occurs in the future, even in the situation of finding lost children with high urgency, the search range is limited to a limited area, and the lost child can be used to find lost children. The problem can be that it is not easy to discover.

  This problem cannot be solved even by using the technique described in Patent Document 1.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its main purpose is that many service providers provide services in a limited service providing area using a unique server by many service providers. The situation is to enable the service provider to provide a highly urgent service (for example, lost child detection service) in a wider area (service provision area of each unique server).

  In order to solve the above problems, a beacon discovery system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a second server that performs communication between a plurality of first servers that provide different beacon discovery services and the plurality of first servers. Each of the plurality of first servers receives a notification from the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service provided by the first server that the beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected. Is transmitted to the second server, and when the second server receives the notification from a certain first server, the other first server provides a beacon discovery provided by the other first server. An instruction unit is provided for instructing to acquire information on the beacon detected by the terminal from a service user terminal.

  In order to solve the above problem, a beacon discovery support apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is a beacon discovery support apparatus including a communication unit, and the communication unit provides a plurality of servers that provide different beacon discovery services. When each of the plurality of servers receives a notification from the user's terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the server that the beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected, the notification is sent to the server. A server that transmits data to a beacon discovery support device, and when the communication unit receives the notification from any server, the beacon discovery service provided by the server to the other server from the user terminal And an instruction unit that instructs to transmit the acquired information to the beacon discovery support apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a beacon discovery support method according to an aspect of the present invention is a beacon discovery support method by a device including a communication unit, and the communication unit provides a plurality of different beacon discovery services. When each of the plurality of servers receives a notification from the user's terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the server that the beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected, the notification A reception step in which the communication unit receives the notification from one of the servers, and use of a beacon discovery service provided by the server to another server after the reception step. An instruction step for obtaining information on the beacon from a person's terminal and instructing to transmit the obtained information to the device.

  A beacon discovery system, a beacon discovery support apparatus, and a beacon discovery support method according to an aspect of the present invention are provided in a situation where a large number of service providers provide services in a limited service providing area using unique servers. This is to enable the service provider to provide a highly urgent service in a wider area.

It is a system configuration figure of a lost child discovery system concerning Embodiment 1 of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the various servers which concern on Embodiment 1, 3 of this invention. It is the figure which illustrated typically the data which the ID management server which concerns on Embodiment 1, 2 of this invention hold | maintains. It is the figure which illustrated typically the data which the intermediate | middle server which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention hold | maintains. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the terminal and beacon which concern on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the figure which illustrated typically the data which the terminal which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention hold | maintains. It is a sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of the lost child discovery system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a system configuration | structure figure of the lost child discovery system which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the various servers which concern on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the figure which illustrated typically the data which the intermediate | middle server which concerns on Embodiment 2, 3 of this invention hold | maintains. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the terminal and beacon which concern on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is the figure which illustrated typically the data which the terminal which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention hold | maintains. It is a sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of the lost child discovery system which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a system configuration | structure figure of the lost child discovery system which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is the figure which illustrated typically the data which the ID management server which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention hold | maintains. It is a sequence diagram which shows operation | movement of the lost child discovery system which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. In the modifications 1 and 2 which concern on Embodiment 3 of this invention, it is the figure which illustrated the data which an intermediate | middle server transmits to an ID management server. In the said modification 2, it is the figure which illustrated typically the data which an ID management server hold | maintains. In the said modification 2, it is the figure which illustrated typically the data which an intermediate | middle server hold | maintains. In the modification 3 which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention, it is the figure which illustrated the data which an intermediate | middle server transmits to an ID management server.

<Embodiment 1>
Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1-7, the lost child discovery system (beacon discovery system) which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

(Outline and configuration of the lost child detection system)
The outline and configuration of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a lost child detection system according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lost child discovery system according to the present embodiment includes an ID management server 100 (beacon discovery support device), a plurality of intermediate servers 200, a large number of terminals 300, and a large number of beacons 400.

  The plurality of intermediate servers 200 are servers that provide users with different lost child discovery services. In the present embodiment, the plurality of intermediate servers 200 are specifically the intermediate server 200 used by the mall to provide a lost child discovery service to the members, and a service for finding an elderly person (aged elderly person) whose local government has been lost. And an intermediate server 200 used to provide a service for finding an infant whose kindergarten has been lost.

  In the present embodiment, the number of intermediate servers 200 is three, but the number of intermediate servers 200 can be any number of two or more.

  In addition, for the sake of explanation, the service provided by each intermediate server 200 is limited to the lost child discovery service, but each intermediate server 200 provides various unique services other than the lost child discovery service. For example, the intermediate server 200 is used for a coupon providing service for visiting members in a mall, various administrative service providing services in a local government, and attendance confirmation services in a kindergarten.

  The ID management server 100 is a server for managing the UUID assigned to each lost child discovery service.

  The beacon 400 is provided by an operator of a lost child discovery service (beacon discovery service). The beacon 400 transmits a signal including iBeacon ID (UUID, Major ID, and Minor ID) unique to the beacon 400. Note that this UUID is a UUID assigned to a provider that provides the beacon 400.

  Each terminal 300 has a function of measuring the distance to the beacon 400 from the reception intensity of the signal transmitted by the detected beacon 400.

  In this embodiment, each user (each guardian) of the lost child discovery service uses his / her own terminal 300 and a person to be protected (for example, a young child) using a predetermined application installed in his / her terminal 300. Or a beacon 400 that is carried by an older person who has become demented and is carried by him / her.

  The guardian carries his / her own terminal 300 in which the predetermined application is activated, and also causes the protected person to carry the beacon 400 associated with the terminal 300, thereby allowing the guardian to carry the distance ( That is, it is possible to confirm the distance to the protected person acting together.

  In addition, when the predetermined application installed in the terminal 300 can no longer detect the beacon 400 associated with the terminal 300 (that is, the protected person is no longer near the guardian). When a predetermined operation by the guardian who has determined that “the guardian is lost” is received, the following processing is performed.

  That is, the predetermined application notifies the target intermediate server 200 that the beacon 400 (target beacon 400) associated with the terminal 300 cannot be detected. The target intermediate server is the intermediate server 200 that provides a lost child detection service used by a guardian carrying the terminal 300.

When the target intermediate server 200 receives this notification (request for searching for the target beacon 400) from the terminal 300, the target intermediate server 200 performs the following characteristic process 2 in addition to the following process 1.
(Process 1) When the target beacon 400 that is not linked to the guardian's terminal 300 is detected for each guardian's terminal 300 that uses the lost child detection service provided by the own device Instructs the device to transmit information regarding the target beacon 400.
(Process 2) The notification is transmitted to the ID management server 100.

  When the ID management server 100 receives the notification from the intermediate server 200, the ID management server 100 gives the following instructions to all the intermediate servers 200 other than the target intermediate server 200.

  That is, the ID management server 100 instructs the terminal 300 of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200 to acquire information regarding the target beacon 400 detected by the terminal 300.

Each intermediate server 200 that has received this instruction performs the following process 3.
(Process 3) When the target beacon 400 that is not linked to the guardian's terminal 300 is detected for each guardian's terminal 300 that uses the lost child discovery service provided by the device, the target To send information related to the beacon 400 to its own device.

  As a result, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment can increase the probability of finding a lost child using the lost child discovery service, as compared with the lost child discovery system that performs the process 1 but does not perform the process 2.

(Specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment)
Next, a specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “lost child detection system”) will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of the ID management server 100 and the intermediate server 200. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the ID management server 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the intermediate server 200. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing configurations of terminal 300 and beacon 400. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the terminal 300.

(ID management server 100)
As shown in FIG. 2A, the ID management server 100 (lost child discovery support apparatus) includes a control unit (CPU) 110, an operation reception unit 120, a display unit 130, a recording medium 140, and a communication I / F unit. 150 (communication unit).

  The control unit 110 functions as a registration processing unit 111 and a beacon search request processing unit 112.

  The registration processing unit 111 performs processing for registering a UUID corresponding to the lost child discovery service. The UUID may be an ID generated by the registration processing unit 111 and assigned to the lost child discovery service, or assigned to the lost child discovery service by another ID issuing organization and input through the operation reception unit 120. It may be an ID.

  When the beacon search request processing unit 112 receives the notification (request for searching for the target beacon 400) from a certain intermediate server 200, the beacon search request processing unit 112 requests the other intermediate servers 200 to search for the target beacon 400.

  That is, the beacon search request processing unit 112 acquires information regarding the target beacon 400 detected by the terminal 300 from the terminal 300 of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200 for each intermediate server 200. To instruct.

  The operation reception unit 120 is an operation device (for example, a keyboard) that receives an operation by an operator of the ID management server 100.

  The display unit 130 is a display that displays details of operations performed by the operator.

  The recording medium 140 is a recording medium in which a UUID corresponding to each lost child discovery service is registered. In the present embodiment, the UUID corresponding to each lost child discovery service is registered as part of the table illustrated in FIG.

  The communication I / F unit 150 is an Ethernet (registered trademark) interface provided to enable IP communication with other devices.

(Intermediate server 200)
The intermediate server 200 includes a control unit (CPU) 210, an operation receiving unit 220, a display unit 230, a recording medium 240, and a communication I / F unit 250, as shown in FIG.

  The control unit 210 functions as a registration processing unit 211 and a beacon search request processing unit 212.

  When the registration processing unit 211 acquires information related to the new user of the lost child discovery service from the terminal 300, the registration processing unit 211 registers the information in the user information table of the lost child discovery service (the table illustrated in FIG. 4A). Process.

  Also, the registration processing unit 221 acquires each UUID registered in the ID management server 100 and registers each acquired UUID (for example, each UUID in FIG. 4C) in the recording medium 240.

  The UUID may be generated by the intermediate server 200, sent to the ID management server 100, and registered in the ID management server.

  The beacon search request processing unit 212 has received a notification that the beacon 400 associated with the terminal 300 cannot be detected from the user's terminal 300 of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200 (search request for the target beacon 400). In this case, the following processing is performed.

  That is, the beacon search request processing unit 212 searches for a target beacon for each other user terminal 300 of the lost child discovery service (each terminal 300 not linked to the target beacon 400) (target beacon). When 400 is detected, information regarding the target beacon 400 is transmitted to the intermediate server 200).

  Also, the beacon search request processing unit 212 makes a similar request to the terminal 300 of each user of the lost child discovery service (each terminal 300 not linked to the target beacon 400) based on an instruction from the ID management server 100. I do.

  The operation reception unit 220 is an operation device (for example, a keyboard) that receives an operation by an operator of the intermediate server 200.

  The display unit 230 is a display that displays details of operations performed by the operator.

  The recording medium 240 is a recording medium on which a user information table for the lost child discovery service (the table illustrated in FIG. 4A) is recorded. The recording medium 240 associates the IP address of the terminal 300 with the terminal 300 of each user 300 of the lost child discovery service (specifically, each terminal 300 executing the predetermined application). Data including the iBeaconID of the received beacon 400 (data illustrated in FIG. 4B) is also recorded.

  The communication I / F unit 250 is an Ethernet interface provided to enable IP communication with other devices.

(Terminal 300)
As shown in FIG. 5A, the terminal 300 includes a control unit (CPU) 310, a touch panel display unit 320, a recording medium 330, a carrier communication module unit 340, and BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy). A smartphone provided with a communication module unit 350. As the terminal 300, other types of terminals (tablet terminal, mobile PC, feature phone, etc.) configured in the same manner as the smartphone may be used instead of the smartphone.

  The control unit 310 functions as a registration processing unit 311, a beacon detection processing unit 312, and a beacon search request processing unit 313 by executing the predetermined application described above.

  The registration processing unit 311 performs processing such as associating the terminal 300 with the beacon 400.

Specifically, the registration processing unit 311 performs the following processes.
Register the iBeacon ID of the beacon 400 to be associated with the terminal 300 (for example, the iBeacon ID of FIG. 6 input using the touch panel display unit 320) in the recording medium 330.
Requests the intermediate server 200 to register information (information including this iBeaconID) related to the user (user of the terminal 300) of the lost child discovery service input using the touch panel display unit 320.

  The beacon detection processing unit 312 performs processing for detecting the beacon 400 located around the terminal 300.

  When the beacon detection processing unit 312 cannot detect the beacon 400 during the detection process of the beacon 400 associated with the terminal 300, the beacon search request processing unit 313 notifies the intermediate server 200 that the beacon 400 cannot be detected.

  Further, the beacon search request processing unit 313 detects the beacon 400 when the beacon detection processing unit 312 detects the beacon 400 during the detection process of the beacon 400 that is not associated with the terminal 300 based on the request from the intermediate server 200. Is notified to the intermediate server 200.

  The touch panel display unit 320 is a display that functions as both a display device and an input device.

  The recording medium 330 is a recording medium in which the predetermined application is installed.

  The carrier communication module unit 340 is a communication module for performing communication with the intermediate server 200 via the carrier network.

  The BLE communication module unit 350 is a communication module for performing BLE communication with the beacon 400.

(Beacon 400)
As shown in FIG. 5B, the beacon 400 includes a transmission unit 410.

  The transmission unit 410 is a communication module that transmits a transmission signal including iBeaconID.

  The specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system has been described above.

(Operation of lost child detection system)
Next, when the terminal 300 (terminal 300-1) cannot detect the target beacon 400 during the detection process of the beacon 400 (target beacon 400) of the person to be protected who should act with the user of the terminal 300-1. The schematic operation of the lost child detection system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the operation.

  In step S <b> 1, the beacon search request processing unit 313 transmits a search request for the target beacon 400 to the intermediate server 200-1. This search request includes the iBeaconID of the target beacon 400.

  In the intermediate server 200-1 that has received the search request, the beacon search request processing unit 212 performs the process 1 described above, and then performs the process 2 described above in step S2. In other words, the beacon search request processing unit 212 transmits this search request to the ID management server 100 in step S2.

  In the ID management server 100 that has received this search request, in step S3, the beacon search request processing unit 112 determines whether or not the UUID constituting the iBeaconID included in the search request is registered in the ID management server 100 (recording medium 140). Determine whether or not.

If the beacon search request processing unit 112 determines that “UUID is registered in the ID management server 100”, it proceeds to step S4 after performing the following processes.
-From the table of FIG. 3A, the record in which the UUID corresponding to the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200-1 that is the transmission source of the search request is specified, and the "status" of the specified record When the field value is “normal”, the field value is updated to “abnormal”.
The iBeacon ID included in the search request is temporarily recorded on the recording medium 330.

  Note that the data in FIG. 3B is data composed of one or more iBeacon IDs temporarily recorded on the recording medium 330.

  On the other hand, when the beacon search request processing unit 112 determines that “the UUID is not registered in the ID management server 100”, the lost child detection system ends the operation according to the sequence diagram of FIG.

  In step S4, beacon search request processing section 112 transmits the search request received from intermediate server 200 (intermediate server 200-1) to each other intermediate server 200 (each intermediate server 200-2).

  In each intermediate server 200-2 that has received the search request for the target beacon 400, in step S5, the beacon search request processing unit 212 provides each terminal 300 of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200-2. This search request is transmitted to -2.

  In each terminal 300-2 that has received the search request for the target beacon 400, in step S6, the beacon search request processing unit 313 refers to the data illustrated in FIG. 4C and is included in the search request. It is determined whether or not the UUID constituting the iBeaconID to be registered is registered in the terminal 300-2 (recording medium 330).

  If the terminal 300-2 determines that “UUID is registered in the terminal 300-2”, the process proceeds to step S7. If it is determined that “UUID is not registered in the terminal 300-2”, the terminal 300-2 does nothing. Do not process.

  In step S <b> 7, the beacon search request processing unit 313 instructs the beacon detection processing unit 312 to start processing for detecting the target beacon 400. The beacon detection processing unit 312 starts processing for detecting the target beacon 400 according to the instruction.

  Thereafter, when the beacon detection processing unit 312 succeeds in detecting the target beacon 400 (that is, when the BLE communication module unit 350 receives a transmission signal including the iBeaconID of the target beacon 400), the lost child detection system performs step S8. Proceed to

  That is, in step S8, the beacon search request processing unit 313 acquires the iBeaconID of the target beacon 400 from the beacon detection processing unit 312, and notifies the intermediate server 200- that the target beacon 400 is found (discovery notification). 2 to send. This discovery notification includes iBeaconID (beacon identification information) of the target beacon 400 and position information of the target beacon 400.

  Here, the position information of the target beacon 400 is specifically information indicating the approximate position of the target beacon 400 when the terminal 300-2 receives a transmission signal including the iBeaconID of the target beacon 400. .

  Note that the beacon search request processing unit 313 uses the GPS information indicating the position of the terminal 300-2 at this time (GPS information obtained using a GPS module (not shown)) as the position information of the target beacon 400. May be sent to.

  Alternatively, the beacon search request processing unit 313 includes GPS information indicating the position of the terminal 300-2 at this time and distance information indicating the distance between the target beacon 400 and the terminal 300-2 at this time (specifically, The beacon search request processing unit 313 uses the pair with the information indicating the measured value of the distance measured based on the received signal strength of the transmission signal from the target beacon 400 as the position information of the target beacon 400, as an intermediate server 200- 2 may be transmitted.

  Alternatively, the beacon search request processing unit 313 receives a transmission signal from the beacon 400 that is fixedly installed by the operator at the same time that the terminal 300-2 receives the transmission signal from the target beacon 400. In this case, the ID of the beacon 400 may be transmitted to the intermediate server 200-2.

  In the intermediate server 200-2 that has received the discovery notification from the terminal 300-2, the beacon search request processing unit 212 transmits the discovery notification to the ID management server 100 in step S9.

In the ID management server 100 that has received the discovery notification, the beacon search request processing unit 112 transmits the discovery notification to the intermediate server 200-1 in step S9 after performing the following processes.
Delete the iBeaconID included in this discovery notification from the data in FIG.
It is determined whether the UUID corresponding to the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200-1 is included in the data in FIG. 3B after deleting the iBeaconID. If it is determined that it is not included, the value of the “status” field of the record including the corresponding UUID in the table of FIG. 3A is updated from “abnormal” to “normal”.

  In the intermediate server 200-1 that has received the discovery notification from the ID management server 100, the beacon search request processing unit 212 is associated with the iBeaconID included in the discovery notification with reference to the data in FIG. (That is, the IP address of the terminal 300-1 to be the destination of the discovery notification).

  And the beacon search request process part 212 transmits the discovery notification containing the positional information on the target beacon 400 to the terminal 300-1 in step S11.

  In the terminal 300-1 that has received the discovery notification, the beacon search request processing unit 313 displays the position information of the target beacon 400 on the touch panel display unit 320 in step S12.

  The operation of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment has been described above.

  Note that step S3 is not essential in the present invention. That is, the lost child detection system may proceed to step S4 after step S2. Similarly, step S6 is not essential in the present invention. That is, the lost child detection system may proceed to step S7 after step S5. By not performing steps S3 and S6, the search range for finding lost children can be further expanded.

  In step S2, the intermediate server 200-1 always transmits a beacon search request to the ID management server 100 when there is a beacon search request. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the intermediate server 200-1 provides a lost child. A beacon search request may be transmitted to the ID management server 100 only when a lost child cannot be found in the discovery service.

(UUID data recorded by each server)
The ID management server 100 records the data in FIG. 3A as the constantly recorded UUID data, the data in FIG. 3B as the temporarily recorded UUID data, and the intermediate server 200 records the data in FIG. 4 as the constantly recorded UUID data. The data in FIG. 4B is recorded as the primary recording UUID data with the data in FIG. 4A and the data in FIG.

  In this way, the ID management server 100 only manages the UUID of each intermediate server, does not manage the user information of the terminal 300, and allows the user information to be managed only by each intermediate server 200. Further, by limiting the primary information managed in an emergency such as the occurrence of a lost child to UUID or the like, the user information of the terminal 300 can be excluded from the data exchanged between the intermediate servers 200 to the last. Has been able to secure the closed information that is being built.

  This makes it possible to achieve both protection of personal information and expansion of the search range for finding lost children in an emergency.

(Advantages of the lost child detection system)
From the above description, the following can be said about the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment.
The lost child detection system includes a plurality of intermediate servers 200 (first server) that provide different lost child detection services, and an ID management server 100 (second server) that communicates with the plurality of intermediate servers 200. Contains.
The fact that each of the plurality of intermediate servers 200 cannot detect the beacon 400 associated with the terminal 300-1 from the terminal 300 (terminal 300-1) of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200. When the notification is received, a beacon search request processing unit 212 (transmission processing unit) that transmits the notification to the ID management server 100 is provided.
When the ID management server 100 receives the notification from an intermediate server 200 (intermediate server 200-1), the ID management server 100 sends the other intermediate server 200-2 to the other intermediate server 200-2. The beacon search request processing unit 112 (instruction unit) that instructs to acquire information related to the beacon 400 detected by the terminal 300-2 from the terminal 300 (terminal 300-2) of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by It has.

  According to the above configuration, the lost child detection system is configured such that when a person who is protected and supervised by a user of a lost child detection service with the smallest number of users is lost, another lost child with a larger number of users is used. It is possible to cause the terminal 300-2 of the user of the discovery service to perform processing for discovering the lost child.

  Therefore, the lost child detection system can increase the probability of finding lost children using a lost child detection service with a small number of users.

  As can be seen from the above description, the lost child detection system is configured so that when a person who is protected and supervised by a user of a certain lost child discovery service gets lost, Both the terminal 300 and the terminal 300 of the user of another lost child discovery service can perform the above processing.

  Therefore, the lost child detection system can increase the probability of finding a lost child using the lost child discovery service, regardless of the number of users of the lost child discovery service, regardless of the number of users of the lost child discovery service. It can be said that there is an effect.

<Embodiment 2>
Hereinafter, a lost child detection system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having exactly the same or substantially the same functions as those described in the first embodiment are basically denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

(Outline and configuration of the lost child detection system)
The outline and configuration of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment.

The lost child detection system according to the present embodiment is a system that allows users of each lost child detection service to enjoy the same effects as the lost child detection system according to the first embodiment. Is different.
As shown in FIG. 8, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment includes an ID management server 100A, a plurality of intermediate servers 200A, a large number of terminals 300A, and a large number of beacons 400.
As can be seen from FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the intermediate server 200A, the ID management server 100A, and other lost child discovery services that provide a certain lost child discovery service are provided from the terminal 300A of the user of the lost child discovery service. It is not a search request for the beacon 400 but a request for transmitting a detection log of the beacon 400 that reaches the terminal 300A of the user of the other lost child discovery service via the provided intermediate server 200A.
Each terminal 300A is related to a detection log of a plurality of specific beacons 400 specified by the intermediate server 200A (a plurality of beacons different from the beacon 400 of the protected person managed and protected by the guardian using the terminal 300A). Is supposed to always run. More specifically, this process includes a record including detection time information of the beacon 400, position information of the beacon 400, and iBeaconID of the beacon 400 when the beacon 400 is detected for each of the plurality of beacons. This process is added to the detection log.
Each terminal 300A that holds the detection log of the target beacon 400 at the time when the request for transmitting the detection log of the beacon 400 is received from the intermediate server 200A transmits the detection log to the intermediate server 200A. .
Each intermediate server 200A that has received this detection log from the terminal 300A transmits the detection log received from the terminal 300A to the ID management server 100A.
The ID management server 100A transmits the detection log collected from each intermediate server 200A to the intermediate server 200A that is the transmission source of the detection log transmission request.
The intermediate server 200A that has received the detection log transmits the detection log to the terminal 300A that is the transmission source of the detection log transmission request, and the terminal 300A displays the received detection log.

  In the present embodiment, the terminal 300A holds the detection log, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the intermediate server 200A may hold the detection log instead of the terminal 300A.

  In this case, every time the terminal 300A detects the specific beacon 400 specified by the intermediate server 200A, the detection time information of the beacon 400, the position information of the beacon 400, and the iBeaconID of the beacon 400 are transmitted to the intermediate server 200A. Will be sent. Then, each time the intermediate server 200A receives the information from the terminal 300A, the intermediate server 200A adds a record including the information to the detection log.

  Further, as described above, each terminal 300A of the present embodiment is configured to always execute the above-described processing related to the detection log only for a plurality of specific beacons 400 designated by the intermediate server 200A. It is not limited to such a configuration. For example, each terminal 300 </ b> A may execute the above-described processing regarding the detection log for an arbitrary beacon 400.

(Specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment)
Next, a specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “lost child detection system”) will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing configurations of the ID management server 100A and the intermediate server 200A. FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the intermediate server 200A. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing configurations of terminal 300A and beacon 400. FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the terminal 300A.

(ID management server 100A)
As shown in FIG. 9A, the ID management server 100A includes a control unit (CPU) 110A, an operation receiving unit 120, a display unit 130, a recording medium 140, and a communication I / F unit 150.

  The control unit 110A functions as a registration processing unit 111 and a beacon detection log request processing unit 112A.

  When the beacon detection log request processing unit 112 </ b> A receives a request to transmit a detection log of a beacon 400 from a certain intermediate server 200, the beacon detection log request processing unit 112 </ b> A requests the other intermediate server 200 to transmit a detection log of the target beacon 400.

  The recording medium 140 is a recording medium in which a UUID corresponding to each lost child discovery service is registered. Also in this embodiment, the UUID corresponding to each lost child discovery service is registered as part of the table illustrated in FIG.

(Intermediate server 200A)
The intermediate server 200A includes a control unit (CPU) 210A, an operation receiving unit 220, a display unit 230, a recording medium 240, and a communication I / F unit 250, as shown in FIG. 9B.

  The control unit 210A functions as a registration processing unit 211A and a beacon detection log request processing unit 212A.

  When the registration processing unit 211A acquires information about a new user of the lost child discovery service from the terminal 300A, the registration processing unit 211A registers the information in the user information table of the lost child discovery service (the table illustrated in FIG. 10A). Process.

  Note that when the registration processing unit 211A acquires information about a new user from the terminal 300A, the registration processing unit 211A refers to the user information table and identifies other plural users who live in the same area as the user. Although not essential in the present invention, in the present embodiment, the registration processing unit 211A identifies the iBeaconID of the beacon 400 of the protected person managed and protected by the user for each identified user, As the information indicating the beacon, the specified plurality of iBeacon IDs are transmitted to the terminal 300A of the new user.

  The beacon detection log request processing unit 212A notifies from the terminal 300A of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200A that the protected person's beacon 400 that should act with the user of the terminal 300A cannot be detected. The following processing is performed when (the request for transmitting the detection log of the target beacon 400) is received.

  That is, if the beacon detection log request processing unit 112A holds the detection log of the target beacon 400 for each other user terminal 300A of the lost child discovery service, the beacon detection log request processing unit 112A Request to send to server 200A.

  Further, the beacon detection log request processing unit 112A makes a similar request to the terminal 300A of each user of the lost child discovery service based on the request from the ID management server 100A.

  The recording medium 240 is a recording medium on which a user information table for the lost child discovery service (the table illustrated in FIG. 10A) is recorded. Similar to the first embodiment, the recording medium 240 also includes data including the IP address of the terminal 300A and the iBeaconID of the beacon 400 linked to the terminal 300A (data illustrated in FIG. 10B). To be recorded.

(Terminal 300A)
As shown in FIG. 11A, the terminal 300A is a smartphone including a control unit (CPU) 310A, a touch panel display unit 320, a recording medium 330, a carrier communication module unit 340, and a BLE communication module unit 350. is there.

  The control unit 310A functions as a registration processing unit 311A, a beacon detection processing unit 312A, and a beacon detection log request processing unit 313A by executing a predetermined application.

  The registration processing unit 311A performs processing such as associating the terminal and the beacon 400 as described in the first embodiment (for example, processing for registering each UUID shown in FIG. 12A or FIG. 12B). In addition to the process of registering the iBeaconID of the beacon 400 to be associated with the terminal 300 as shown in FIG.

  That is, when the registration processing unit 311A receives information indicating the above-described specific plurality of beacons (for example, information shown in FIG. 12C) from the intermediate server 200A, the registration processing unit 311A registers the information in the recording medium 330.

  The beacon detection processing unit 312A performs processing for detecting the beacon 400 located around the terminal 300A, as in the first embodiment.

  Further, unlike the first embodiment, the beacon detection processing unit 312A updates the detection log of the beacon when one of the specific beacons is detected.

  The beacon detection log request processing unit 313A detects the beacon 400 during the detection process of the beacon 400 (the protected person's beacon that should act with the user of the terminal 300A) associated with the terminal 300A by the beacon detection processing unit 312A. If not, the intermediate server 200A is notified that the beacon 400 cannot be detected.

  In addition, when the beacon detection log request processing unit 313A receives a beacon detection log transmission request from the intermediate server 200A and the beacon detection log is recorded on the recording medium 330, the beacon detection log request processing unit 313A Transmit to server 200A.

(Beacon 400)
As shown in FIG. 11B, the beacon 400 according to the present embodiment is exactly the same as the beacon 400 according to the first embodiment.

  The specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system has been described above.

(Operation of lost child detection system)
Next, when the terminal 300A (terminal 300A-1) cannot detect the target beacon 400 during the detection process of the beacon 400 (target beacon 400) of the person to be protected who should act together with the user of the terminal 300A-1. The schematic operation of the lost child detection system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing the operation.

  In step S21, the beacon detection log request processing unit 313A transmits a detection log transmission request for the target beacon 400 to the intermediate server 200A-1. This transmission request includes the iBeaconID of the target beacon 400.

  In the intermediate server 200A-1 that has received this transmission request, the beacon detection log request processing unit 212A transmits this transmission request to the ID management server 100A (step S22).

  In the ID management server 100A that has received this transmission request, in step S23, the beacon detection log request processing unit 112A determines whether or not the UUID constituting the iBeaconID included in this transmission request is registered in the ID management server 100A. judge.

  If the beacon search request processing unit 112A determines that “UUID is registered in the ID management server 100A”, the beacon search request processing unit 112A proceeds to step S24 after performing the same processes as in the first embodiment. On the other hand, if the beacon search request processing unit 112A determines that “UUID is not registered in the ID management server 100A”, the lost child detection system ends the operation according to the sequence diagram of FIG.

  In step S24, beacon detection log request processing section 112A transmits the transmission request received from intermediate server 200A-1 to each other intermediate server 200A-2.

  In each intermediate server 200A-2 that has received the detection log transmission request of the target beacon 400, in step S25, the beacon detection log request processing unit 212A uses the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200A-2. This transmission request is transmitted to each terminal 300A-2.

  In each terminal 300A-2 that has received the transmission request, in step S26, the beacon detection processing unit 312A refers to the data illustrated in FIG. 4C and configures the iBeaconID included in the transmission request. It is determined whether or not the UUID is registered in the terminal 300A-2.

  If it is determined that “UUID is registered in terminal 300A-2”, terminal 300A-2 proceeds to step S27. If it is determined that “UUID is not registered in terminal 300A-2”, terminal 300A-2 does nothing. Do not process.

  In step S <b> 27, the beacon detection processing unit 312 </ b> A determines whether or not the target beacon detection log is recorded on the recording medium 330.

  If the terminal 300A-2 determines that “the target beacon detection log is recorded on the recording medium 330”, the terminal 300A-2 proceeds to step S28, and “the target beacon detection log is not recorded on the recording medium 330. ", No processing is performed.

  In step S28, the beacon detection log request processing unit 313A acquires the detection log of the target beacon 400 from the beacon detection processing unit 312A, and transmits the iBeaconID and the detection log of the target beacon 400 to the intermediate server 200A-2.

  In step S29, intermediate server 200A-2 transmits the iBeaconID and detection log received from terminal 300A-2 to ID management server 100A.

  In the ID management server 100A that has received the iBeaconID and the detection log, the beacon search request processing unit 112A sends the iBeaconID and the detection log to the intermediate server 200A-1 in step S30 after performing the same processes as in the first embodiment. Send.

  In the intermediate server 200A-1 that has received the iBeaconID and the detection log from the ID management server 100A, the beacon detection log request processing unit 212A refers to the data in FIG. 10B and the IP address associated with the iBeaconID. (That is, the IP address of the terminal 300A-1 to be the transmission destination of the detection log) is specified.

  And beacon detection log request processing part 212A transmits a detection log of object beacon 400 to terminal 300A-1 at Step S31.

  In step S32, beacon detection processing unit 312A of terminal 300A-1 displays a detection log of target beacon 400 on touch panel display unit 320.

  The operation of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment has been described above.

  Note that step S23 is not essential in the present invention. That is, the lost child detection system may proceed to step S24 after step S22. Similarly, step S26 is not essential in the present invention. That is, the lost child detection system may proceed to step S27 after step S25.

(Advantages of the lost child detection system)
The lost child detection system according to the present embodiment also has the same effects as the lost child detection system according to the first embodiment.

  In addition, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment displays the detection log of the beacon carried by the lost child when the user of the lost child detection service notices the lost child, so that the user can quickly get lost. A clue of whereabouts can be obtained, and even when the whereabouts of the lost child at the current time is unknown, the whereabouts can be estimated from past logs.

<Embodiment 3>
Hereinafter, a lost child detection system according to still another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having exactly the same or substantially the same functions as those described in the first embodiment are basically denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

(Outline and configuration of the lost child detection system)
The outline and configuration of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a system configuration diagram of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment.

The lost child detection system according to the present embodiment is a system that allows users of each lost child detection service to enjoy the same effects as the lost child detection system according to the first embodiment. Is different.
As shown in FIG. 14, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment includes an ID management server 100 </ b> B, a plurality of intermediate servers 200, a large number of terminals 300, and a large number of beacons 400.
・ Each lost child discovery service has a service area. Each lost child discovery service is a service for residents in a service providing area, and is a service that assists in finding a lost child when a user (guardian) loses sight of a protected person in the service providing area.
As can be seen from FIG. 14, when the ID management server 100B receives a search request for the beacon 400 from the intermediate server 200 that provides a lost child discovery service, the ID management server 100B The lost child discovery service is transmitted only to the intermediate server 200 that provides another lost child discovery service having the same service providing area.

(Specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment)
Next, a specific configuration of each device included in the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “lost child detection system”) will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 15.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the ID management server 100B.

(ID management server 100B)
As shown in FIG. 2A, the ID management server 100B includes a control unit (CPU) 110B, an operation receiving unit 120, a display unit 130, a recording medium 140, and a communication I / F unit 150.

  The control unit 110B functions as a registration processing unit 111 and a beacon search request processing unit 112B.

  When the beacon search request processing unit 112B receives a search request for a beacon 400 from a certain intermediate server 200, the beacon search request processing unit 112B requests each other intermediate server 200 that provides a lost child detection service in the corresponding area to search for the target beacon 400. To do.

  The recording medium 140 is a recording medium in which a UUID corresponding to each lost child discovery service is registered. In the present embodiment, the UUID corresponding to each lost child discovery service is registered as part of the table illustrated in FIG.

  The “Region” field of this table indicates the service provision area of each lost child discovery service. That is, it can be said that this table is information indicating a service providing area of the lost child discovery service for each of the plurality of lost child discovery services provided by the plurality of intermediate servers 200.

(Operation of lost child detection system)
Next, when the terminal 300 (terminal 300-1) cannot detect the target beacon 400 during the detection process of the beacon 400 (target beacon 400) of the person to be protected who should act with the user of the terminal 300-1. The schematic operation of the lost child detection system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram showing the operation.

  First, the lost child discovery system performs the processes of Steps S41 to S43 (the same processes as Steps S1 to S3 described in Embodiment 1).

If the beacon search request processing unit 112B determines that “UUID is registered in the ID management server 100B” in step S43, the beacon search request processing unit 112B proceeds to step S44 after performing the following processes.
-From the table of FIG. 15A, the record in which the UUID corresponding to the lost child detection service provided by the intermediate server 200-1 that is the transmission source of the search request is specified, and the "status" of the specified record When the field value is “normal”, the field value is updated to “abnormal”.
The iBeacon ID included in the search request is temporarily recorded on the recording medium 330.

  Note that the data in FIG. 15B is data composed of one or more iBeacon IDs temporarily recorded on the recording medium 330.

  On the other hand, when the beacon search request processing unit 112B determines that “UUID is not registered in the ID management server 100B”, the lost child discovery system ends the operation according to the sequence diagram of FIG.

  In step S44, the beacon search request processing unit 112B (reference processing unit) refers to the table exemplified in FIG. 15A, and the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200-1 and the service providing area are the same. The other intermediate server (intermediate server 200-2) that provides the lost child discovery service is specified.

  For example, when the IP address of the intermediate server 200-1 is “210.211.212.213”, the beacon search request processing unit 112B referring to the table in FIG. Identify intermediate server 200-2 such as 210.213.14.215 ".

  After step S44, the beacon search request processing unit 112B transmits the search request received from the intermediate server 200-1 to each intermediate server 200-2 identified in step S44 (step S45). That is, the beacon search request processing unit 112B is detected by the terminal 300 from the terminal 300 of the user of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server 200-2 for each intermediate server 200-2 identified in step S44. Instruct to obtain information on the target beacon 400.

  As can be seen by comparing the portion from step S46 to step S53 in FIG. 16 with the portion from step S5 to step S12 in FIG. 7, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment is hereinafter referred to as the lost child according to the first embodiment. Performs the same operation as the discovery system.

  The operation of the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment has been described above.

  Step S43 is not essential in the present invention. That is, the lost child detection system may proceed to step S44 after step S42. Similarly, step S47 is not essential in the present invention. That is, the lost child detection system may proceed to step S48 after step S46.

(Advantages of the lost child detection system)
The lost child detection system according to the present embodiment also has the same effects as the lost child detection system according to the first embodiment.

  In addition, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment is an area completely different from the service providing area of the lost child detection service used by the guardian (the area where the guardian who was acting with the guardian is not found) The search request is not transmitted to the intermediate server that provides the lost child detection service. Therefore, the lost child detection system according to the present embodiment has the further effect that the terminal 300 of the person who uses the lost child detection service in the area (the person who resides in the area) does not perform useless search processing.

[Modification 1]
A modified example of the lost child detection system according to the third embodiment will be further described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating search request data transmitted from the intermediate server according to the first modification to the ID management server.

  Hereinafter, differences 1 to 3 in the lost child detection system according to the modified example 1 from the already described lost child detection system according to the third embodiment will be described.

(Difference 1: User information table)
The intermediate server holds a user information table as shown in FIG.

(Difference 2: Search request sent by the intermediate server to the ID management server)
When receiving the search request from the terminal, the intermediate server transmits search request data including the desired search area information as shown in FIG. 17 to the ID management server.

  Search desired area information may be included in a search request received from a terminal, or may be information added by an intermediate server to a search request received from a terminal.

  In the former case, the search desired area information may be, for example, an area code of an area to which the terminal position specified by the terminal using a GPS module (not shown) belongs. In the latter case, the search desired area information may be, for example, an area code (area code indicating the residence area of the user of the terminal) specified by the intermediate server by referring to the user information table.

(Difference 3: Processing executed by the intermediate server based on the search request)
When receiving the search request from the ID management server, the intermediate server determines the transmission destination of the search request as follows.

  That is, the intermediate server refers to the user information table of FIG. 10A, and compares the region code indicating the search desired area with the region code of the region where the user resides, thereby obtaining the intermediate server. Among all users of the lost child discovery service provided by, specify those who live in the desired search area.

  The intermediate server determines the terminal of each user identified in this way as a search request transmission destination.

  In addition, when the intermediate server receives a search request from the terminal, the intermediate server similarly specifies another terminal to be a transmission destination of the search request.

  In addition, the lost child discovery system (the lost child detection system according to the first modification of the first embodiment) that is different from the lost child discovery system according to the first embodiment in the above differences 1 to 3 is also included in the category of the present invention.

[Modification 2]
Another modified example of the lost child detection system according to the third embodiment will be further described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19.

  FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the ID management server according to the second modification. FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating data held by the intermediate server according to the second modification.

  Hereinafter, differences 1 to 3 in the lost child detection system according to the modified example 2 from the already described lost child discovery system according to the modified example 1 will be described.

(Difference 1: Data held by ID management server and intermediate server)
In the ID management server, instead of the table illustrated in FIG. 15A, a table illustrated in FIG. 18 (one lost child discovery service (intermediate server) is associated with a single or a plurality of UUIDs. Hold the table).

  The intermediate server holds a user information table as shown in FIG.

  Further, the specific N digits (specifically, the last 6 digits) constituting the value of the “UUID” field of each record in each table of FIGS. 18 and 19 are the area codes, and the user information table of FIG. The area code of each record indicates the residence area of the user corresponding to the record. The specific N digits are not limited to the last six digits, and may be, for example, the first four digits.

(Difference 2: iBeaconID)
The iBeaconID of the beacon 400 carried by the user (guardian) of each lost child discovery service to the protected person is a specific N digit among the one or more UUIDs corresponding to the lost child discovery service. The UUID that is the region code that indicates is included.

  In other words, the specific N digits of the UUID included in the iBeaconID of the beacon 400 indicate the residence area of the guardian who protects and manages the guardian carrying the beacon 400.

(Difference 3: Processing executed by the intermediate server based on the search request)
When receiving the search request from the ID management server, the intermediate server determines the transmission destination of the search request as follows.

  That is, the intermediate server refers to the user information table of FIG. 19, and the region code indicating the search desired area and the region code of the region where the user resides (the record corresponding to the user in the user information table). Of the “UUID” field in the “UUID” field), among the users of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server, those who live in the search desired area are identified.

  The intermediate server determines the terminal of each user identified in this way as a search request transmission destination.

  In addition, when the intermediate server receives a search request from the terminal, the intermediate server similarly specifies another terminal to be a transmission destination of the search request.

  In addition, the lost child discovery system which differs from the lost child discovery system according to the first embodiment in the difference 1 and the difference 2 described above (the lost child discovery system according to the second modification of the first embodiment) is also included in the category of the present invention.

[Modification 3]
Still another modified example of the lost child detection system according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating search request data transmitted from the intermediate server according to the third modification to the ID management server.

  Hereinafter, differences 1 to 3 in the lost child detection system according to the modified example 3 from the already described lost child discovery system according to the modified example 1 will be described.

(Difference 1: Search request sent by the intermediate server to the ID management server)
When the intermediate server receives a search request from the terminal, as shown in FIG. 20, a search including the search desired area information already described in Modification 1 and lost child age information indicating the age of the lost child to be searched. The request data is transmitted to the ID management server. The lost child age information may be information recorded in a search request received from the terminal.

(Difference 2: Processing executed by the ID management server based on the search request)
When the age value indicated by the lost child age information included in the search request data is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold (for example, 10), the ID management server becomes the search request transmission destination by the same method as in the third embodiment. While determining the intermediate server, only the lost child age information is deleted from the search request data, and the search request data not including the lost child age information is transmitted to the intermediate server.

  On the other hand, when the age value indicated by the lost child age information is larger than the predetermined threshold, an intermediate server that is the transmission destination of the search request is determined by the same method as in the third embodiment, and the search request area is determined from the search request data. The information and the lost child age information are deleted, and the search request data that does not include the lost child age information is transmitted to the intermediate server.

(Difference 3: Processing executed by the intermediate server based on the search request)
When the intermediate server receives the search request data including the desired search area information from the ID management server or the terminal, the intermediate server determines the transmission destination of the search request by the same method as in the first modification (that is, the lost child provided by the intermediate server) A search request is transmitted to a terminal of a user who is a user of the discovery service and lives in the desired search area).

  On the other hand, when the intermediate server receives search request data that does not include the desired search area information from the ID management server, the intermediate server transmits a search request to the terminals of all users of the lost child discovery service provided by the intermediate server.

  As can be seen from the description of the third embodiment, the description of the first modification of the third embodiment, and the description of the above differences 1 to 3, even in the lost child detection system according to the third modification, the protected person who is lost An area considered to be present is specified, and a search request is transmitted to each terminal of a person living in the area.

  On the other hand, as can be seen from the explanation of the above differences 1 to 3, the lost child detection system according to the modified example 3 is more effective when the lost guardian is young (when the action range is considered to be narrow). If a narrow area (eg, “Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture”) is identified as the area, and the guardian who is lost is not young (if the area of action is considered wide), a wider area (eg, “ The entire region of Gunma Prefecture ") is set as the region.

  Therefore, the effect of the lost child detection system according to the modification 3 that “a terminal of a person living in an area where it is considered that a protected person who is lost cannot be found is not subjected to useless search processing” is described in the third embodiment. It becomes remarkable compared with the lost child detection system concerning.

  Note that the lost child detection system according to the modified example 3 is identified as a “region where a lost guardian is present” when the guardian who is lost is young and is lost. If the person to be protected is not young, a narrower range may be set as the area.

<Embodiment 4>
The ID management server, intermediate server, and terminal control blocks (particularly, the beacon search request processing unit and the beacon detection log request processing unit) of the first to third embodiments (each modification) are integrated circuits (IC chips). It may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in the same manner, or may be realized by software using a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

  In the latter case, the ID management server, the intermediate server, and the terminal have a CPU that executes instructions of a program that is software that realizes each function, and the program and various data are recorded so as to be readable by a computer (or CPU). A ROM (Read Only Memory) or a storage device (these are referred to as “recording media”), a RAM (Random Access Memory) for expanding the program, and the like are provided. And the objective of this invention is achieved when a computer (or CPU) reads the said program from the said recording medium and runs it. As the recording medium, a “non-temporary tangible medium” such as a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, or the like can be used. The program may be supplied to the computer via an arbitrary transmission medium (such as a communication network or a broadcast wave) that can transmit the program. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

(Appendix 1)
In the lost child detection system according to the first and third embodiments, the discovery notification of the beacon 400 carried by the lost guardian is transmitted from the intermediate server 200-2 to the ID management servers 100 and 100B and the intermediate server 200-1. Then, it reached the guardian's terminal 300-1.

  However, in the present invention, for the following reason, the discovery notification of the beacon 400 may not reach the guardian's terminal 300-1 as long as it reaches the intermediate server 200-2.

  That is, the discovery notification received by the intermediate server 200-2 includes the iBeaconID of the beacon 400 carried by the guardian who is lost, and this iBeaconID corresponds to the lost child discovery service used by the guardian. Contains a UUID.

  The business entity that manages the intermediate server 200-2 identifies the lost child discovery service used by the guardian by confirming the UUID, and provides the business that provides the lost child discovery service (the business that manages the intermediate server 200-1). IBeaconID and location information of the discovered beacon.

  Then, the business operator who manages the intermediate server 200-1 who has heard the iBeaconID and the location information from the business operator who manages the intermediate server 200-2 stores the user information table (for example, (a) in FIG. 4) of the guardian. By referring to the illustrated table), the contact information of the guardian can be specified, and the position information of the beacon 400 (that is, the lost guardian) can be transmitted to the guardian.

(Appendix 2)
In the first to third embodiments, the UUID is a value that can identify the lost child discovery service from the value, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. That is, a value obtained by combining the UUID and the Major ID may be a value that can identify the lost child detection service from the value.

(Appendix 3)
In the first to third embodiments, the lost child detection service is described as an example of the description of the highly urgent service (the service that supports the user to specify the position of the search target as soon as possible). It is not limited to a simple configuration. In other words, the present invention may be used for other highly urgent services (for example, a lost child pet discovery service, a dwarf elderly discovery service, a lost article discovery service, etc.).

[Summary]
The beacon discovery system according to aspect 1 of the present invention is configured to perform communication between a plurality of first servers (for example, intermediate servers 200 and 200A) that provide different beacon discovery services and the plurality of first servers. 2 servers (for example, ID management servers 100, 100A, 100B), and each of the plurality of first servers is a terminal of a user of a beacon discovery service provided by the first server (for example, terminal 300-1). , 300A-1), a transmission processing unit (for example, beacon search request processing unit 212) that transmits the notification to the second server upon receiving a notification that the beacon associated with the terminal (for example, beacon 400) cannot be detected. , The beacon detection log request processing unit 212A), the second server is a certain first server (for example, intermediate servers 200-1, 200A-1) When the above notification is received, the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service provided by the other first server (for example, the intermediate server 200-2, 200A-2) (for example, the intermediate server 200-2, 200A-2) An instruction unit (for example, an instruction unit for instructing to acquire information related to the beacon detected by the terminal (for example, notification that the beacon has been detected, a detection log of the beacon) from the terminal 300-2, 300A-2) A beacon search request processing unit 112 and a beacon detection log request processing unit 112A).

  According to said structure, the said beacon discovery system is a target (person carrying the said terminal) (the person who is wearing the beacon) which the user (person carrying the said terminal) of the beacon discovery service with the least number of users should manage. When the user loses sight of a pet or an object, the terminal of a user of another beacon discovery service having a larger number of users can perform processing for discovering the target (that is, a search target).

  Therefore, the beacon discovery system can increase the probability of finding a search target using a beacon discovery service with a small number of users.

  Further, in a situation where a large number of service providers provide services in a limited service providing area using their own servers, each service provider can incorporate their own server as a first server into the beacon discovery system. It is possible to provide a highly urgent service (a service for assisting the user in identifying the position of the search target wearing the beacon as soon as possible) in a wider area.

  In the beacon discovery system according to aspect 2 of the present invention, in the above aspect 1, each of the plurality of first servers transmits a beacon associated with the terminal from a user terminal of a beacon discovery service provided by the first server. Even when a notification indicating that detection is not possible is received, or when an instruction is received from the instruction unit (for example, beacon search request processing unit 112, beacon detection log request processing unit 112A) of the second server, Information related to the beacon detected by the terminal is transmitted to the first server to terminals (for example, the terminals 300-2 and 300A-2) different from the terminals (for example, the terminal 300-1 and the terminal 300A-1). An instruction unit (for example, a beacon search request processing unit 212, a beacon detection log request processing unit 212A) that instructs to do so may be provided.

  According to the above configuration, when the user of a certain beacon discovery service loses sight of the object to be managed, the beacon discovery system can be configured to use the terminals of other users of the certain beacon discovery service and other beacon discovery services. It is possible to cause both of the user terminals to perform the above processing.

  Therefore, the beacon discovery system can increase the probability of discovery of a search target using the beacon discovery service for any beacon discovery service regardless of the number of users of the beacon discovery service. It can be said that there is a further effect.

  The beacon discovery system according to aspect 3 of the present invention is the beacon discovery system according to aspect 1 or 2, in which the instruction to the terminal by the instruction unit of the first server detects the beacon for the terminal. May be an instruction for causing the first server to transmit a notification that the message is found.

  In the beacon discovery system according to aspect 4 of the present invention, in the aspect 1 or 2, the instruction to the terminal by the instruction unit (for example, beacon detection log request processing unit 112A) of the first server (for example, the intermediate server 200A) is The terminal may be an instruction for transmitting the detection log to the first server when the terminal holds the beacon detection log, for example, the terminal 300A-2. .

  According to the above configuration, when the first server receives a notification that the beacon associated with the terminal (beacon attached to the search target) cannot be detected from the service user's terminal, The first server collects the beacon detection log detected in the past by the terminal of each user of the beacon discovery service.

  That is, the beacon discovery system has the further effect that information indicating the movement history of the search target from when the service user loses sight of the target to be managed to when the instruction is given can be obtained.

  In the beacon discovery system according to aspect 5 of the present invention, in any of the above aspects 1 to 4, the second server (for example, ID management server 100B) is provided by the plurality of first servers (for example, intermediate server 200). For each of the plurality of beacon discovery services to be performed, a reference processing unit (for example, beacon search request processing unit 112B) that refers to information (for example, the table of FIG. 15A) indicating the service providing area of the beacon discovery service. The reference unit of the second server (for example, the beacon search request processing unit 112B) is referred to by the reference processing unit when receiving the notification from a certain first server (for example, the intermediate server 200-1). Based on the information, the beacon discovery service provided by the first server and the beacon discovery service in which the service providing area is the same. To the other first server (for example, the intermediate server 200-2) that provides the identified beacon discovery service, the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service provided by the other first server (for example, You may instruct | indicate to acquire the information regarding the said beacon detected by this terminal from the terminal 300-2).

  According to the above configuration, the beacon discovery system is an area completely different from the service providing area of the beacon discovery service used by the service user when the service user loses sight of the target wearing the beacon. Information regarding the beacon is not requested to the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service whose service providing area is (the area where the search target lost by the service user is not found).

  Therefore, the beacon discovery system has the further effect that the terminal of the person who uses the beacon discovery service in the service providing area does not perform useless processing.

  The beacon discovery support apparatus (for example, ID management server 100, 100A, 100B) which concerns on aspect 6 of this invention is a beacon discovery support apparatus provided with the communication part (for example, communication I / F part 150), Comprising: The unit communicates with a plurality of servers (for example, intermediate servers 200 and 200A) that provide different beacon discovery services, and each of the plurality of servers is a terminal of a user of a beacon discovery service provided by the server ( For example, when a notification indicating that a beacon associated with the terminal (for example, beacon 400) cannot be detected is received from the terminal 300 or 300A), the server transmits the notification to the beacon discovery support device. When the unit receives the above notification from any server (for example, the intermediate server 200-1, 200A-1), the other server For example, for the intermediate servers 200-2 and 200A-2), information about the beacon (for example, notification that the beacon has been found, the beacon detection log) from the user terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the server ) And an instruction unit (for example, a beacon search request processing unit 112, a beacon detection log request processing unit 112A) that instructs to transmit the acquired information to the beacon discovery support apparatus.

  According to said structure, the said beacon discovery assistance apparatus has an effect similar to the beacon discovery system which concerns on the said aspect 1. FIG.

  A beacon discovery support method according to aspect 7 of the present invention is a beacon discovery support method by a device (for example, ID management server 100, 100A, 100B) including a communication unit (for example, communication I / F unit 150), The communication unit communicates with a plurality of servers providing different beacon discovery services, and each of the plurality of servers (for example, the intermediate servers 200 and 200A) is a user of a beacon discovery service provided by the servers. When a notification indicating that a beacon (for example, beacon 400) associated with the terminal cannot be detected is received from a terminal (for example, terminal 300 or 300A), the server transmits the notification to the device, and the communication unit Receives the notification from any server (for example, the intermediate server 200-1, 200A-1), and the reception After the step, information related to the beacon (for example, that the beacon has been discovered) from the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service provided by the server to other servers (for example, the intermediate servers 200-2 and 200A-2) And an instruction step for instructing to transmit the acquired information to the device.

  According to said structure, the said beacon discovery assistance method has an effect similar to the beacon discovery system which concerns on the said aspect 1. FIG.

  The beacon discovery support apparatus according to aspect 6 may be realized by a computer. In this case, the instruction unit is operated by the computer by operating the computer as the instruction unit included in the beacon discovery support apparatus. A program to be realized (a program according to aspect 8 of the present invention) and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded also fall within the scope of the present invention.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, a new technical feature can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

  For example, the following beacon discovery system that combines the technical means disclosed in the second embodiment and the technical means disclosed in the third embodiment is also included in the scope of the present invention.

  That is, this beacon discovery system includes a plurality of intermediate servers that provide different beacon discovery services and an ID management server that communicates with the plurality of intermediate servers, as in the second and third embodiments. Yes.

  When each of the plurality of intermediate servers receives a notification that the beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected from the user terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the intermediate server, as in the second and third embodiments, A transmission processing unit configured to transmit the notification to the ID management server;

  As with the ID management server 100B according to the third embodiment, the ID management server refers to the information indicating the service providing area of the beacon discovery service for each of the plurality of beacon discovery services provided by the plurality of intermediate servers. A reference processing unit.

  And when the said ID management server receives the said notification from a certain intermediate server, based on the said information, the beacon discovery service which the said intermediate server provides, and the beacon discovery service where the said service provision area is the same are specified. , With respect to another intermediate server providing the specified beacon discovery service, the detection is performed from a terminal of a user of the beacon discovery service provided by the other intermediate server and holding the detection log of the beacon. An instruction unit for instructing to acquire a log is provided.

  The present invention can be suitably applied to a lost child discovery service.

100 ID management server (second server, beacon discovery support device)
110 control unit 112 beacon search request processing unit (instruction unit, reference processing unit)
150 Communication I / F part (communication part)
200 Intermediate server (first server, server)
210 Control unit 212 Beacon search request processing unit (transmission processing unit, instruction unit)
300 terminals

Claims (8)

Including a plurality of first servers that provide different beacon discovery services and a second server that communicates with the plurality of first servers,
Each of the plurality of first servers is
When receiving a notification that a beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected from the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service provided by the first server, the transmission processing unit transmits the notification to the second server.
The second server
When the notification is received from a certain first server, the information related to the beacon detected by the terminal from the user terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the other first server to the other first server. A beacon discovery system comprising: an instruction unit that instructs to acquire Each of the plurality of first servers is
Even when a notification indicating that a beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected is received from a user terminal of a beacon discovery service provided by the first server, or when an instruction from the instruction unit of the second server is received 2. An instruction unit for instructing a terminal different from the user's terminal to transmit information related to the beacon detected by the terminal to the first server. Beacon discovery system described in.   The instruction to the terminal by the instruction unit of the first server is an instruction for causing the terminal to transmit a notification that the beacon has been detected when the beacon is detected to the terminal. The beacon discovery system according to claim 1 or 2.   The instruction to the terminal by the instruction unit of the first server is an instruction to cause the terminal to transmit the detection log to the first server when the terminal holds the beacon detection log. The beacon discovery system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The second server
A reference processing unit that refers to information indicating a service providing area of the beacon discovery service for each of the plurality of beacon discovery services provided by the plurality of first servers;
The instruction unit of the second server is
When the notification is received from a certain first server, based on the information referred to by the reference processing unit, the beacon discovery service provided by the first server and the beacon discovery service having the same service providing area are identified. Then, for the other first server that provides the specified beacon discovery service, information on the beacon detected by the terminal is acquired from the terminal of the user of the beacon discovery service provided by the other first server. The beacon discovery system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A beacon discovery support device including a communication unit,
The communication unit communicates with a plurality of servers that provide different beacon discovery services,
When each of the plurality of servers receives a notification from the user's terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the server that the beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected, the server notifies the beacon discovery support apparatus of the notification. Server to send,
When the communication unit receives the notification from one of the servers, the information regarding the beacon is acquired from the user terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the server to the other server, and the acquired information is A beacon discovery support apparatus comprising an instruction unit that instructs transmission to a beacon discovery support apparatus. A beacon discovery support method by a device including a communication unit,
The communication unit communicates with a plurality of servers that provide different beacon discovery services,
When each of the plurality of servers receives a notification from the user terminal of the beacon discovery service provided by the server that the beacon associated with the terminal cannot be detected, the server transmits the notification to the device. And
A receiving step in which the communication unit receives the notification from any server;
An instruction step for instructing another server to acquire information related to the beacon from a terminal of a user of a beacon discovery service provided by the server and to transmit the acquired information to the device after the receiving step; The beacon discovery support method characterized by including.   The program which makes a computer function as said instruction | indication part of the beacon discovery assistance apparatus of Claim 6.

Images