JP3997911B2 - Area determination apparatus, area determination method, program for exerting area determination function, and computer-readable information recording medium having recorded program for exerting area determination function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an area determination apparatus, an area determination method, a program for demonstrating an area determination function, and a computer recording a program for demonstrating an area determination function, for determining whether a moving object is present in or out of an area. The present invention relates to a readable information recording medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, portable terminals that can detect their current position (latitude, longitude, altitude) by some self-position detecting means are becoming widespread. Examples include a mobile phone with GPS (Global Positioning System) and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) equipped with a GPS module. Since many of these portable terminals have a network connection function, the user of the portable terminal can receive various online services using the self-location as a key (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, the user of the portable terminal can very easily search for the nearest bus stop from his / her position or browse the weather forecast around the current position.
[0003]
Some of such online services use the inside / outside determination and the entry / exit determination. The inside / outside area determination refers to determining whether the position of the mobile terminal is inside or outside the specific area, and the entry / exit determination relates to the mobile terminal continuously detected at a predetermined time interval. It means detecting from the history of the position that the mobile terminal has entered or exited a specific area.
[0004]
As an application example of the inside / outside area determination, an advertisement distribution service that simultaneously distributes advertisements associated with a certain area to mobile terminals in the area is considered. As an application example of entry / exit determination, there is a service in which an elderly person is provided with a mobile terminal and an alarm is notified to a supervisor when it is detected that the elderly person has left the area around the home.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-337354 (FIG. 4)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, there are the following problems in using the self-position detected by the mobile terminal with GPS for the inside / outside region determination and the entry / exit determination.
(A) Internal / external determination
In the conventional area inside / outside determination method, since there is always an error in the result of positioning by GPS, a self-position slightly different from the original position is detected. If the detected coordinates are used for the determination of the inside / outside of the area as they are, there is a possibility that an erroneous determination result is obtained near the boundary of the area. This is because the conventional method for determining the inside / outside of the area simply determines whether the coordinates obtained by positioning with the GPS are inside or outside the area.
[0007]
(B) Entry / exit determination
In the conventional approach / exit determination method, a relatively inexpensive GPS module mounted on a mobile terminal can detect a slightly different position each time due to an error when positioning is performed multiple times while stopping at one location. There are many. Due to such positioning errors, if the position obtained as a result of positioning is used as it is for area entry / exit determination, for example, the mobile terminal continuously stops near the boundary of the area, but for example, entry and exit repeatedly. A phenomenon occurs in which a result of the determination being made is output.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and to exhibit an area determination device, an area determination method, and an area determination function that can more accurately determine whether a moving object exists within an area or outside the area. And a computer-readable information recording medium in which a program for exercising an area determination function is recorded.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An inside / outside area determination device according to the present invention is an area determination apparatus that determines whether a moving body exists in or out of an area, and includes positioning means for positioning the position of the moving body, Position information management means for managing the position at each time, a first threshold value for determining that the moving body exists inside the area, and a second threshold value for determining that the moving body exists outside the area Determining means for determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area, the determining means confirming the determination from the relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning means and the area. An area characterized in that the likelihood is obtained as a numerical index, and the numerical index is compared with the first threshold value and the second threshold value to determine whether the moving body is inside or outside the area. It is a determination device.
According to the above configuration, the region determination result based on the position obtained by the positioning means is
Instead of adopting it as it is, it is possible to provide an appropriate threshold for the probability of determination expressed as a numerical index, and finally determine the determination based on this threshold. As a result, erroneous region determination due to positioning errors can be greatly reduced, and it can be more accurately determined whether or not the moving object exists in the region.
[0010]
In the above-described configuration, the determination means uses, as the numerical index, a probability that the moving body is assumed to exist in the area according to a distance from the position of the measured moving body to a boundary of the area. The first probability is set as follows, and when the first probability is equal to or higher than a threshold probability set in advance as a threshold, it is desirable to determine that the moving object is present in the region.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the moving object exists in the region depending on whether or not the first probability has reached a preset threshold probability.
[0011]
In the above configuration, the determination means uses the first index as a probability that it is assumed to exist outside the region according to a distance from a position of the measured moving body to a boundary of the region as the numerical index. A second probability that the sum of the probabilities of the first and second probabilities becomes 1, and when the second probability is equal to or higher than a threshold probability set in advance as a threshold, it is determined that the moving object exists outside the region; It is desirable to do.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the moving object exists in the region depending on whether or not the second probability has become a preset threshold probability.
[0012]
In the above configuration, the determination unit accumulates the difference between the first probability and the second probability obtained for each positioning by a predetermined calculation method, and the accumulated value enters the region from outside the region. When the approach detection threshold value is reached as a threshold value when it is assumed that the mobile object has entered the area, it is determined that the mobile object has entered the area, and exiting as the threshold value when it is assumed that the mobile object has exited from the area. It is desirable that when the detection threshold is reached, it is determined that the moving body has left the area.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the moving body has entered or left the area depending on whether or not the accumulated value has reached a preset threshold value.
[0013]
In the above configuration, it is desirable that the moving body is a portable terminal device.
According to the above configuration, instead of directly adopting the result of region determination based on the position obtained by the positioning means, an appropriate threshold is provided for the probability of determination represented as a numerical index, and this threshold is used as a reference. The decision can finally be determined. As a result, erroneous region determination due to positioning errors can be greatly reduced, and it can be more accurately determined whether or not a portable terminal device exists in the region. Further, the difference between the first probability and the second probability obtained for each positioning is accumulated by a predetermined calculation method, and the movement is performed more accurately depending on whether or not the accumulated value becomes a preset threshold value. It is possible to determine whether the body has entered or left the area.
[0014]
A region inside / outside determination method according to the present invention is a region determination method for determining whether a moving body is present in or out of a region, a positioning step for positioning the position of the moving body, A position information management step for managing the position for each time, a first threshold value for determining that the moving body exists inside the area, and a second threshold value for determining that the moving body exists outside the area. A determination step for determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the region, and the determination step is performed based on a relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning means and the region. Probability is obtained as a numerical index, and the numerical index is compared with the first threshold value and the second threshold value to determine whether the moving body is inside or outside the region. Area judgment method A.
[0015]
The area inside / outside determination program for demonstrating the inside / outside area determination function of the present invention is a program for demonstrating an area determination function for determining whether a moving body exists in the area or outside the area, the position of the moving body Positioning means for positioning the position, position information management means for managing the position of the moving body at each time, a first threshold value for determining that the moving body exists inside the area, and the moving body outside the area And a second threshold value for determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area, and the determination means includes the position obtained by the positioning means and the position The probability of determination is obtained as a numerical index from the relative positional relationship of the areas, and the numerical index is compared with the first threshold value and the second threshold value so that the moving body is inside or outside the area. A program to exhibit area determining function and judging Luca.
[0016]
A computer-readable information recording medium that records the in-area / out-of-area determination program of the present invention is a program that exhibits an area determination function for determining whether a moving body is in or out of an area. A recorded computer-readable information recording medium, positioning means for positioning the position of the mobile body, position information management means for managing the position of the mobile body at each time, and the mobile body inside the area As a determination means for determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area based on a first threshold value that determines that the moving body exists outside the area and a second threshold value that determines that the moving body exists outside the area In the determination means, the probability of determination from the relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning means and the region is used as the numerical index. Therefore, a program for recording a function for determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area by comparing the numerical index with the first threshold value and the second threshold value is recorded. A computer-readable information recording medium.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration example of an area determination system 1 including an area determination server 7 to which an area determination apparatus as a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied.
The area determination system 1 includes at least an area determination server 7 and a mobile terminal 3, and preferably includes a network 13 and a base station 5. The area determination system 1 may be configured such that the area-related information providing server 9 and the entry / exit alarm notification server 11 are connected to the network 13.
[0018]
The mobile terminal 3 is an information terminal that can be carried by an operator who moves around the area 4, and is a portable telephone device such as a pager, for example. If this mobile terminal 3 is, for example, a portable telephone device, the mobile terminal 3 is configured to be positioned with reference to the base station 5 for performing a telephone call or data communication. Needless to say, the mobile terminal 3 may be configured to use, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System) instead of or based on the base station 5.
[0019]
The network 13 is a data communication line through which data communication is performed using, for example, TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) as a protocol. The network 13 may be configured to perform data communication by wire or may be configured to perform data communication by wireless.
[0020]
Specifically, the area determination server 7 mainly has two functions regarding the movement trajectory of the mobile terminal 3. First, the area determination server 7 has a function of determining whether the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4 (hereinafter referred to as “area inside / outside determination function”). What is characteristic about this area determination server 7 is that the relative probability between the position of the mobile terminal 3 and the area 4 or its history is obtained as a numerical index, and the mobile terminal 3 is based on this numerical index. It has a function of determining whether it exists in the area 4 or outside the area. Second, the area determination server 7 has a function of determining whether the mobile terminal 3 has entered the area 4 or has left the area 4 (hereinafter referred to as “entry / exit determination function”).
[0021]
When the area determination server 7 detects that the mobile terminal 3 has entered the area 4 or has left the area 4 by the entry / exit determination function, the area related information providing server 9 or the entry / exit alarm notification server 11 It is good also as a structure which notifies that there was entry / exit detection with respect to. Hereinafter, this notification is referred to as “entry / exit detection notification”. The region-related information providing server 9 includes a region-related information database (not shown) that manages content information associated with the region 4.
[0022]
Upon receiving the entry / exit detection notification from the area determination server 7, the area-related information providing server 9, for example, transmits content information associated with the area 4 in which entry / exit is detected via the network 13 to the mobile terminal 3. It is the composition which transmits to. As this content information, various information regarding the area 4 can be adopted, and for example, information regarding a delicious restaurant existing in the area 4 may be used. This content information is registered in advance in association with the region 4 in the related information database (not shown). If it does in this way, the mobile terminal 3 of the area | region related information provision server 9 can acquire various information according to the area | region 4 which moved.
[0023]
Further, the entry / exit alarm notification server 11 includes an alarm notification destination database (not shown) that manages a notification destination to which an alarm notification is to be notified regarding that the mobile terminal 3 enters or leaves the area 4. . The entry / exit alarm notification server 11 that has received the entry / exit detection notification from the area determination server 7 enters the area 4 with respect to the alarm notification destination 8 stored in the alarm notification destination database. It has a function of notifying that it has left the area 4.
[0024]
In this way, the receiver who has received the alarm notification can easily know that the mobile terminal 3 has entered, for example, an undesired area 4 or has left the area 4. As such an alarm notification, for example, the mobile terminal 3 is carried by an elderly person and the vicinity of the elderly person's home is designated as the area 4, and when the elderly person leaves the neighborhood of the elderly person, Informing the possessing terminal or the like.
[0025]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the area determination server 7 of FIG.
The area determination server 7 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 63, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 64, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 65, a display unit 60, a hard disk 61, an operation unit 62, and a bus 55. Part 62. The area-related information providing server 9 and the entry / exit warning notification server 11 shown in FIG. 1 have substantially the same hardware configuration as that of the area determination server 7, and a description thereof will be omitted.
[0026]
The bus 55 in FIG. 2 has a function of connecting devices such as the CPU 63 and is a bus line having an address bus and a data bus. CPU 63, ROM 64, RAM 65, hard disk 61, and display unit 60 are directly or indirectly connected to this bus 55, and preferably an operation unit 62 is connected thereto. The CPU 63 is a central processing unit and controls the ROM 64 and the like connected to the bus 55 in addition to operating programs with the RAM 65 as a work area.
[0027]
The ROM 64 is a read-only information recording medium, and may include a flash ROM that is a rewritable nonvolatile memory. The RAM 65 has a function as a work area for executing the program. The hard disk 61 is a large-capacity storage medium that magnetically records and reproduces information, for example. The operation unit 62 is an operation unit such as a mouse or a keyboard for operating the object displayed on the display unit 50.
[0028]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a software configuration example of the area determination server 7 of FIG.
The area determination server 7 includes a communication module 21, a positioning module 23, a determination module 29, and a database 24. The communication module 21 has a function of performing data communication with a computer other than the area determination server 7 using, for example, TCP / IP as a protocol. The database 24 is so-called middleware that has an area shape management table 25 and a terminal state management table 27, and is configured to be able to register, update, search, and delete information by the relation of each table.
[0029]
The positioning module 23 has a function of measuring the position of the mobile terminal 3. The positioning module 23 in FIG. 3 performs positioning at a preset time interval, for example. For example, the positioning module 23 is configured to measure the position of the mobile terminal 3 with reference to the base station 5 corresponding to the mobile terminal 3. Needless to say, the positioning module 23 may perform positioning of the mobile terminal 3 using a GPS module or the like provided in the mobile terminal 3.
[0030]
The positioning module 23 has a function of registering, for example, the position of the mobile terminal 3 at each time in the terminal state management table 27. The terminal state management table 27 is configured to be able to register, for example, a terminal ID (IDentification), a positioning time, and a position corresponding to the mobile terminal 3. This position is the latitude and longitude of each base station 5 and the radius of the communicable range when the base station 5 is used as a reference, or the latitude and longitude indicating the location of the mobile terminal 3 itself when GPS is used. Longitude.
[0031]
On the other hand, the area shape management table 25 in the database 24 manages an area ID (IDentification) as an identifier for identifying the area 4 in FIG. 1 and an area shape indicating the shape of the area 4 corresponding to the area ID. ing. The determination module 29 includes an area inside / outside determination function for determining whether the mobile terminal 3 in FIG. 1 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4, and the mobile terminal 3 enters the area 4 or enters the area 4. An entry / exit detection function that detects that the user has moved out is displayed.
[0032]
The determination module 29 in FIG. 3 acquires the shape of the region corresponding to the region ID indicating the shape of the region 4 from the region shape management table 25 in order to grasp the shape of the region 4, and grasps the shape of the region 4. In addition, the determination module 29 acquires the positioning time and position corresponding to the terminal ID indicating the mobile terminal 3 from the terminal state management table 27 when performing the inside / outside determination function or the entry / exit detection function. The determination module 29 is configured to exhibit an area inside / outside determination function and an entry / exit detection function, which will be described in detail later, based on the area shape, positioning time, and position, for example.
[0033]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the mobile terminal 3 of FIG.
The mobile terminal 3 includes a CPU 11a, a RAM 11b, a ROM 11c, an operation unit 11d, and a display unit 11g, and preferably includes a GPS signal receiving unit 11h.
The CPU 11a is a central processing unit, operates a program with the RAM 11b as a work area, and controls the ROM 11c and the like connected to the bus 11i.
[0034]
The ROM 11c is a read-only information recording medium, and may include a flash ROM that is a rewritable nonvolatile memory. The RAM 11b has a function as a work area for executing the program. The operation unit 11d is an operation unit such as a mouse, a tablet device, or a keyboard for operating an object such as a button displayed on the screen of the display unit 11g.
[0035]
The display unit 11g is a display unit having a function of displaying characters and graphics, and is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an EL (Electro Luminescence). The GPS (Global Positioning System) signal receiving unit 11h has a function of receiving a GPS signal from a satellite, and can grasp the current position based on the GPS signal.
[0036]
If the mobile terminal 3 of FIG. 1 is a portable telephone device such as a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) or a pager, the GPS signal receiving unit 11h is omitted, and the base station 5 that relays the mobile terminal 3 Needless to say, the location information of the mobile terminal 3 may be acquired. Here, the position is indicated by, for example, latitude, longitude, or address.
[0037]
The region determination system 1 is configured as described above. Next, an example of a region determination method as an operation example will be described with reference to FIGS.
<Regional / external decision function (algorithm 1)>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the mobile terminal 3 is arranged around the area 4.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the concept of the area inside / outside determination function, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example when the area inside / outside determination function is exhibited according to the movement trajectory of the mobile terminal 3, and FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the result determined by exhibiting the inside / outside area determination function.
[0038]
The inside / outside area determination function in this area determination system 1 is a function for determining whether the mobile terminal 3 shown in FIG. 5 is present in the area 4 or outside the area. First, as a general fact, positioning the mobile terminal 3 causes a positioning error, and there is a problem that the position of the mobile terminal 3 cannot be obtained accurately. For example, when the area 4 as shown in FIG. 5 is set, the actual position may be the position P even when the current location of the mobile terminal 3 that has been positioned is the position P ′. The position P ′ is within the region 4, but the position P is outside the region 4. Therefore, if the positioning error is not taken into account, the determination of whether the mobile terminal 3 is outside or outside the region will be the opposite result.
[0039]
Therefore, in this region determination system 1, the region determination server 7 employs the following algorithm 1 so that this does not occur, thereby exhibiting a region inside / outside determination function in consideration of positioning errors.
Specifically, the area determination server 7 determines whether the determination module 29 shown in FIG. 3 employs the algorithm 1 and the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4.
[0040]
More specifically, for example, when the mobile terminal 3 is present at the true position (actual position) P, the determination module 29 detects its own position P ′ as a positioning result. At this time, the determination module 29 obtains the probability p that the true position P exists in the region 4 and the probability q that the true position P exists outside the region 4 as follows. Note that the determination module 29 has already acquired the area shape and the like related to the area 4 that performs the area inside / outside determination function as described above.
[0041]
(1) The determination module 29 calculates the distance d from the boundary of the region 4 in FIG. 7 to the detected position P ′ of the mobile terminal 3 by calculation.
(2) Next, the determination module 29 determines whether the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 is within the region 4 or outside the region 4.
(3) Next, the determination module 29 determines the probability p (internal probability) that the true position P is assumed to exist in the region 4 and the outside of the region 4 according to the distance d from the boundary of the region 4. A probability q (external probability) that is considered to exist is obtained. At this time, a calculation method is used in which the resulting internal probability p and external probability q satisfy the following conditions (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e).
[0042]
(A) The sum of the internal probability p that the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 is considered to be within the region 4 and the internal probability q that is assumed to be outside the region 4 is always p + q = 1. For example, when the internal probability p = 0.7, the external probability is q = 0.3.
(B) When the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 is just on the boundary of the region 4, it is assumed that the internal probability = 0.5 and the external probability = 0.5.
[0043]
(C) When the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 is within the region 4, the internal probability p is set to be larger as the distance d from the boundary of the region 4 is larger.
(D) When the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 is outside the area 4, the external probability q is set to be larger as the distance d from the boundary of the area 4 is larger.
(E) When the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 is a sufficient distance d from the boundary of the region 4, the internal probability p = 1 or the external probability q = 1 is set according to the determination result of (2) above. To do.
[0044]
The calculation method for obtaining the internal probability p and the external probability q from the distance d is within the range satisfying the above conditions (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and the shape of the region 4 The size can be selected appropriately according to the size, positioning environment, GPS device performance, and application characteristics. The relationship between the distance d, the internal probability p, and the external probability q is illustrated in FIG. 6, for example.
[0045]
Then, the determination module 29 sets the threshold probability as a threshold for determining that the internal probability p exists in the region 4, for example, 80%, and the internal probability p is 80% or more. Determines that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4. The area determination server 7 determines whether the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4 for an application that uses whether the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4. It can provide more accurately whether it exists. In addition, it goes without saying that such an area inside / outside determination function may be performed by the external probability q instead of or in addition to the internal probability p.
[0046]
A specific example of the above-mentioned area inside / outside determination function is shown below. Here, the region 4 is assumed to be, for example, a circular region having a radius R = 1000 m, and the calculation is performed, for example, using the following formula.
[0047]
p = 1 (d <-50 m) (1)
p = −0.01 × d + 0.5 (−50 m ≦ d ≦ 50 m) (2)
q = 1-p (3)
Here, the meaning of each symbol is as follows.
p: Probability that the point X is considered to exist in the region 4 (internal probability p)
q: Probability that point X is assumed to be outside region 4 (external probability q)
d: Distance from the boundary of region 4 to point X
Here, when the point X is outside the region 4, the distance d = the distance d [m] from the boundary of the region 4 at the point X, and when the point X is within the region 4, the distance d = − (point The distance d) [m] from the boundary of the region 4 of X.
[0048]
In this area inside / outside determination function, for example, the internal probability p and the external probability q are obtained by the above formulas (1), (2), and (3). When the inside / outside determination of the points A, B, C, D, and E in FIG. 7 is performed according to the above equations (1), (2), and (3), the result shown in FIG. 8 is obtained. Then, the determination module 29 of the region determination server 7 determines that the mobile terminal 3 exists in the region 4 when the internal probability p is a threshold probability preset as a threshold.
[0049]
According to the area inside / outside determination function in the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4 in consideration of the positioning error. become. This is based on the distance between the position of the mobile terminal 3 and the boundary of the region 4 to obtain the probability that the mobile terminal exists inside the region and the probability that the mobile terminal exists outside, and only when the probability that the mobile terminal exists inside the region is sufficiently high This is because it is determined that the mobile terminal exists outside the area, and only when the probability of existing outside the area is sufficiently high.
[0050]
<Entry / exit detection function (algorithm 2)>
Next, the entry / exit detection function will be described. This entry / exit detection function is a function for determining whether the mobile terminal 3 has entered the region 4 or has left the region 4 by using the above-mentioned inside / outside region determination function. This entry / exit detection function is mainly determined by the area determination server 7 of the area determination system 1.
[0051]
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a trajectory of the mobile terminal 3 that moves around the area 4, and FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a simulation result of the entry / exit detection function.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for determining entry / exit detection to the region 4 by the entry / exit detection function.
First, the mobile terminal 3 moves so as to draw a trajectory T with respect to the circular region 4 shown in FIG. 9, for example, and the history of positions is obtained in the order of history S1, S2,. And
[0052]
Here, the determination of the inside / outside area for the histories S1, S2,..., S11 is made by adopting, for example, the expressions (1), (2), and (3) in the above-described area determining function. . And the determination module 29 of the area | region determination server 7 employ | adopts the following algorithms 2, and exhibits an entry / exit detection function.
[0053]
The parameters in the simulation of the entry / exit detection function are determined as follows, for example. “X ← y” means “substitute y for x”.
S: entry / exit decision variable
status: A flag for holding whether the mobile terminal 3 exists in the area 4 or outside the area 4. status represents “internal” or “external”.
Sin (constant): Entry detection threshold of entry / exit determination variable S (Sin> 0)
Sout (constant): Exit detection threshold (constant) of the entry / exit determination variable S (Sout <0)
[0054]
f (x): entry / exit determination function
f (0) = 0
f (a) ≧ f (b) (a> b)
Sin = 1.0 (4)
Sout = −1.0 (5)
f (x) = 2x (6)
[0055]
First, the determination module 29 of the area determination server 7 in FIG. 3 exhibits an entry / exit detection function according to the following procedure. The initial value of the entry / exit determination variable S is set, for example, as the entry / exit determination variable S ← 0, status ← “external”.
[0056]
1. First, the positioning module 23 detects the position of the mobile terminal 3 (step ST1 in FIG. 11).
2. Next, the determination module 29 obtains the internal probability p and the external probability q for the detected position of the mobile terminal 3 by using the above-mentioned area inside / outside determination function (step ST2). Needless to say, the position of the mobile terminal 3 may be measured using other positioning methods.
[0057]
3. Next, when the internal probability p = 1 in step ST3 (step ST3), the determination module 29 sets entry / exit determination variable S ← Sin (step ST10). On the other hand, in step ST7, when the external probability q = 1, the entry / exit determination variable S ← Sout is set (step ST12). If neither the internal probability p = 1 nor the external probability q = 1, the process proceeds to step ST8. In this step ST8, the determination module 29 determines the entry / exit determination variable S ← the entry / exit determination variable S + f ( Set as internal probability p-external probability q).
[0058]
4). As a result, if the entry / exit determination variable S> Sin is satisfied in step ST9, the determination module 29 sets the entry / exit determination variable S ← Sin (step ST10). On the other hand, if the entry / exit determination variable S ≦ Sout is satisfied in step ST11, the determination module 29 sets the entry / exit determination variable S ← Sout (step ST12).
5). The determination module 29 executes the next process (a) when status = “external”, and executes the process (b) when status = “internal”.
[0059]
(A) If the entry / exit determination variable S = Sin in step ST4, it is detected that the mobile terminal 3 has entered the area 4 (step ST5). Then, the determination module 29 is status ← “internal” (step ST6).
(B) If the entry / exit determination variable S = Sout in step ST13, it is detected that the mobile terminal 3 has left the area 4 (step ST14).
Then, the determination module 29 sets status ← “external” (step ST15).
6). Then, the determination module 29 returns the process to step ST1 (process 1).
[0060]
The function f (x) and the parameters Sin and Sout in the algorithm 2 can be appropriately set according to the positioning environment, the performance of the GPS (Global Positioning System) device, and the nature of the application.
[0061]
According to the entry / exit detection function in the embodiment of the present invention, even when the positioning result of the mobile terminal 3 is accompanied by an error, the mobile terminal 3 can more accurately enter the area 4 or leave the area 4. Can be detected.
[0062]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, a part of each configuration of the above embodiment can be omitted, or can be arbitrarily combined so as to be different from the above. For example, a part of each configuration of the above embodiment can be omitted, or can be arbitrarily combined so as to be different from the above. Further, for example, the area determination server 7, the area related information providing server 9, and the entry / exit warning notification server 11 in the above-described embodiment may be any one or a combination of these servers, and each function may be combined. It goes without saying that each of these servers may cause some of the plurality of functions to function on the plurality of servers.
[0063]
The program for demonstrating the above-described area determination function for operating the area determination system 1 is not limited to a form installed and operating in an electronic device such as a computer as described above, but may be a flexible disk, a CD (Compact Disc: trademark), for example. Name), CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable), CD-RW (Compact Disc-Rewriterable), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), and the like.
[0064]
In addition, the program for exercising this area determination function is not limited to the form stored in the information recording medium, but also electronic equipment such as a user's computer via a transmission medium such as a network that performs data communication wirelessly or by wire Needless to say, it may be downloaded in a form.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration example of an area determination system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of an area determination server.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a software configuration example of an area determination server.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of a mobile terminal.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which mobile terminals are arranged around a region.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a concept of an area inside / outside determination function.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example when an area inside / outside determination function is exhibited.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a result determined by performing an area inside / outside determination function;
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a trajectory of a mobile terminal that moves around an area.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a simulation result of an entry / exit detection function.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an entry / exit detection determination procedure.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 area determination system (area determination apparatus), 3 mobile terminal (mobile body), 4 area, 23 positioning module (positioning means), 29 determination module (determination means), 27 terminal state management table (position information management means), p Internal probability (first probability), q External probability (second probability)

Claims (8)

An area determination device that determines whether a moving object exists in an area or outside an area,
Positioning means for positioning the position of the moving body;
Position information management means for managing the position of the moving body at each time;
The moving body is inside or outside the area according to a first threshold value that determines that the moving body exists inside the area and a second threshold value that determines that the moving body exists outside the area. Determination means for determining whether or not
The determination unit obtains a determination probability as a numerical index from a relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning unit and the region, and the numerical index is calculated as the first threshold value and the second threshold value. An area determination apparatus characterized by comparing to determine whether the moving body is inside or outside the area.   The determination means uses, as the numerical index, a first probability as a probability that the moving body is present in the area according to a distance from a position of the measured moving body to a boundary of the area. 2. The configuration according to claim 1, wherein a probability is set, and when the first probability is equal to or higher than a threshold probability set in advance as a threshold, it is determined whether the moving body exists in the region. The region determination device described.   The determination means uses the first probability as the numerical index as a probability that the position is considered to exist outside the region according to a distance from the position of the measured moving body to a boundary of the region. A second probability that the sum is 1 is set, and when the second probability is equal to or higher than a threshold probability set in advance as a threshold, the moving body is determined to exist outside the region. The region determination device according to claim 1. The determination means accumulates the difference between the first probability and the second probability obtained for each positioning by a predetermined calculation method, and the accumulated value seems to have entered the region from outside the region. When the approach detection threshold is reached, it is determined that the mobile body has entered the area, and the exit detection threshold is reached as a threshold when it is assumed that the mobile body has exited from the area. 4. The area determination device according to claim 3, wherein the moving body is determined to have moved out of the area.   The region determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving body is a portable terminal device. An area determination method for determining whether a moving object exists within an area or outside an area,
A positioning step of positioning the position of the moving body;
A position information management step for managing the position of the moving body at each time;
The moving body is inside or outside the area according to a first threshold value that determines that the moving body exists inside the area and a second threshold value that determines that the moving body exists outside the area. A determination step for determining whether or not
The determination step obtains the probability of determination as a numerical index from the relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning means and the region, and the numerical index is calculated as the first threshold and the second threshold. An area determination method comprising: comparing and determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area. A program for demonstrating an area determination function for determining whether a moving object exists within an area or outside an area,
Positioning means for positioning the position of the moving body;
Position information management means for managing the position of the moving body at each time;
The moving body is inside or outside the area according to a first threshold value that determines that the moving body exists inside the area and a second threshold value that determines that the moving body exists outside the area. Functions as a determination means for determining whether
The determination means obtains the probability of determination as a numerical index from the relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning means and the region, and the numerical index is calculated as the first threshold and the second threshold. A program for demonstrating an area determination function characterized by determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area by comparison. A computer-readable information recording medium having recorded thereon a program for exerting an area determination function for determining whether a moving body exists within an area or outside the area,
Positioning means for positioning the position of the moving body;
Position information management means for managing the position of the moving body at each time;
The moving body is inside or outside the area according to a first threshold value that determines that the moving body exists inside the area and a second threshold value that determines that the moving body exists outside the area. Function as a determination means to determine
In the determination means, the probability of determination is obtained as the numerical index from the relative positional relationship between the position obtained by the positioning means and the area, and the numerical index is determined as the first threshold and the second threshold. A computer-readable information recording medium having recorded thereon a program for performing a function of determining whether the moving body is inside or outside the area as compared with the above.

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