JP5994415B2 - Position information management system, management server, and flow line management method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a position information management system, a management server, and a flow line management method.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide an accurate location information management system and the like with high accuracy.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a position information management system according to the present invention includes a communication apparatus having position information of the communication apparatus, a wireless terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication apparatus, A position information management system having a management server for managing a position of a wireless terminal, wherein the management server receives the identification information and the position information including a floor number of a building from the communication device; Storage means for storing the identification information and the position information received by the reception means together with a reception time; the rank of the first position information stored in the storage means; and the next of the first position information. The second position information received at the reception time is different in rank, and the reception interval between the reception time of the first position information and the reception time of the second position information is longer than a predetermined time. Itoki includes a replacement means that the rank of the second position information stored in the storage means, substituting the rank of the first position information.

  The management server in the present invention includes a communication device having position information of the communication device, a wireless terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication device, and a management server for managing the position of the wireless terminal. A management server in a location information management system, the receiving unit receiving the identification information and the location information including the number of floors of a building from the communication device, the identification information received by the receiving unit, and the location information Are stored together with the reception time, the rank of the first position information stored in the storage means, and the rank of the second position information received at the reception time next to the first position information, Are different, and when the reception interval between the reception time of the first position information and the reception time of the second position information is shorter than a predetermined time, the second information stored in the storage means The rank of the position information, and a replacement means for replacing the rank of the first position information.

  Further, the flow line management method according to the present invention includes a communication device having position information of the communication device, a wireless terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication device, and a management server for managing the position of the wireless terminal; A flow line management method for a wireless terminal in a positional information management system comprising: receiving the identification information and the positional information including the number of floors of a building from the communication device; and the receiving unit receiving the positional information The identification information and the position information are stored in the storage means together with the reception time, the rank of the first position information stored in the storage means, and the reception time next to the first position information is received. If the rank of the second position information is different and the reception interval between the reception time of the first position information and the reception time of the second position information is shorter than a predetermined time, the storage Note on means The rank of the second position information, and a step of replacing the rank of the first position information.

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

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

The figure showing the positional infomation management system in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the network which comprises the positional infomation management system in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the management apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The hardware block diagram of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the management apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the example of the information which the communication apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. The figure showing the example of the information which the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. The figure showing the example of the format of the positional information which the radio | wireless terminal in one Embodiment of this invention transmits. The figure showing the example of the information which the management server in one Embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. The figure showing the operation | movement sequence of the positional infomation management system in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the example of the search screen of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure showing the example of the search result screen of the management server in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the example (the 1) of the display screen of the user flow line in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the display screen example (the 2) of the user flow line in one Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart figure explaining the display processing of the user flow line in one embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the location management information in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the example of the operation screen for the user flow line display in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the sort table example of the positional information in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the case 1 which needs correction | amendment of a flow line. The figure which shows the case 2 where correction | amendment of a flow line is needed. The flowchart figure explaining the display process (with flow line correction | amendment) of the user flow line in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the sort table example of the positional information in one Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart figure explaining the contradiction check of the record in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the correction condition table in one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the sort table example (after correction | amendment) of the positional information in one Embodiment of this invention.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  As described so far, according to the position information management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the management server 160 manages the position (location) of the wireless terminal on the screen (for example, FIG. 9B), for example. It is possible.

  Here, it is considered that an active tag, which is the wireless terminal 120, is attached to a portable item that is always carried by a person such as an employee ID card. Alternatively, as described above, the wireless terminal 120 (including the wireless terminals 122 and 124 described above) is not an active tag itself, but a wireless device having a function equivalent to that of an active tag, such as a smartphone, a PDA, a PC, or a smart meter. It may be a terminal. And when the radio | wireless terminal 120 is a smart phone, for example, a smart phone is normally carried by the user (person).

  Paying attention to this point, the wireless terminal 120 is possessed by connecting a series of position information points acquired from a wireless terminal 120 (for example, an active tag or a smartphone) possessed by a person on the map as a line in time series. It is possible to display a person's action as a flow line. That is, the position information management system 1 according to the above-described embodiment can be applied to a system for managing actions on humans.

  FIG. 10 shows an example (part 1) of a user flow line display screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the location information management system 1, on the map, the location point of the wireless terminal 120 possessed by a person is obtained, for example, at predetermined intervals (for example, every few seconds), and the obtained location point is obtained as an acquisition time. What is displayed together with this is the user flow line.

  As described above, when the position information management system 1 is applied to a system for managing actions on people, for example, in a restricted space or a restricted floor where entrance is severely restricted, the monitor of the management server 160 such as a management room, etc. Therefore, it is possible to manage the visitor's actions one by one. In addition, for example, in a department store or the like, it is possible to use it as store layout optimization or marketing data by tracking visitor behavior one by one.

  In such a restricted space or restricted floor, a communication device 100 that continuously or intermittently transmits position information using IMES or the like is attached to a ceiling or the like at regular intervals. The wireless terminal 120 possessed by a person receives position information from the communication device 100 such as a ceiling, stores the received position information, and transmits its own identification information and the received position information to the communication device 100. Finally, the management server 160 can manage the position (location) of the wireless terminal 120 and the flow line thereof by receiving the identification information and the position information.

  FIG. 11 shows an example (part 2) of a user flow line display screen in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a map display form on one floor, while FIG. 11 shows a map display form on a plurality of layers. Needless to say, in the location information management system 1, a communication device 100 for transmitting location information is attached to the ceiling or the like, for example, on the ceiling or the like of each floor. For this reason, when the restricted space or restricted floor to be managed uses escalators, stairs, elevators, etc., and the user can move to each floor, the flow line may be managed across multiple floors. Is possible. The management server 160 can arbitrarily switch and display the map display forms of FIGS. 10 and 11.

(User flow line display processing)
FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a user flow line display process according to an embodiment of the present invention. As a premise, as described above, the storage unit 366 of the management server 160 has the position management information 368, and the position management information 368 includes the identification information and the position information received from the wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user. , And stored together with the reception time (for example, FIG. 13). However, instead of “device name”, an item such as “owner” is provided, and a user name or the like who owns the wireless terminal 120 is managed. Needless to say, the management server 160 has a floor map.

  In S1200, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 determines whether there is a user flow line display request. Specifically, when the user performs an operation for displaying a user flow line through the input unit 370 of the management server 160, it can be determined that there is a user flow line display request.

  FIG. 14 shows an example of an operation screen for user flow line display according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the user designates the user who wants to display the user flow line and the time. The user flow line display request includes parameters such as a user who wants to display a flow line (wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user) and a designated designated time.

  In S1210, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 acquires the position information of the user (wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user) whose flow line is to be displayed within the specified time, together with the time.

  Specifically, for example, referring to FIG. 13, a record having “reception date and time” that satisfies the specified time is extracted and acquired. Further, among these, a record having “user name” specified by the user who wants to display the user flow line is extracted and acquired.

  In S1220, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 sorts the position information in time series.

  FIG. 15 shows an example of a sorting table of position information in one embodiment of the present invention. In the case of the figure, records within the time of “2012/3/29 15: 00: 00-15: 30” for the user “user001” are extracted from the location management information 368 (FIG. 13), and are time-sequentially. , The position information is sorted.

  In S1230, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 draws position information on the map according to the sorting result (for example, FIGS. 10 and 11). More specifically, the user flow line is drawn by plotting the position information in the time-series order of the sorting result on the map and connecting the plot points with lines or the like. As a method for drawing user flow lines, in addition to connecting plot points of position information with lines, etc., considering the presence of obstacles, etc., it is determined whether the flow lines are physically passable by humans. Thus, it is possible to draw a user flow line with higher accuracy.

  As described above, the management server 160 displays the user flow line that displays the position point of the wireless terminal 120 possessed by the designated user (person) along with the acquisition time on the map. Thereby, in the positional information management system 1, it can apply as a system which can manage the action with respect to a person one by one.

(Correction of user flow line)
Next, the flow line correction of the management server 160 will be described.

  FIG. 16 shows Case 1 in which correction of the flow line is necessary. (A) shows how the user (person) has actually moved. It is assumed that the user has actually moved straight through the escalator from the 16th floor of Building C.

  On the other hand, (b) shows a user flow line created and displayed by the management server 160 from position information based on the wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user. According to this user flow line, the user is displayed as having moved from the 16th floor of the C building to the 17th floor using an escalator and then suddenly moved straight on the 16th floor.

  As described above, the wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user receives the position information 302 from the communication device 100 installed on the ceiling or the like. Then, the management server 160 receives the wireless terminal identification information 322 and the position information 324 received by the wireless terminal 120 from the communication device 100, thereby managing the position information of the wireless terminal 120, and the user flow line. indicate.

  However, as shown in (a), when there is an atrium structure between the floors, the position information transmitted from the communication device 100 installed on the ceiling of the upper floor and the lower floor is, for example, reflection or the like. Due to this unforeseen event, the location information may not be received from the communication device 100 in which the wireless terminal 120 is actually located, and unintended location information may be received instead.

  Referring to FIG. 16 again, for example, the position information transmitted by the communication device 100-6 and the communication device 100-7 installed on the 17th floor may be received unintentionally and also on the 16th floor through the atrium. . In the case of (b), when the wireless terminal receives the position information transmitted from the communication device 100-6 on the 16th floor next to the elevator, the management server 160 recognizes that the position of the wireless terminal 120 is the 17th floor. , (B) user flow lines are displayed. Note that in this case, the wireless terminal should properly receive the position information transmitted from the communication device 100-3 on the 16th floor next to the elevator.

  Here, if the wireless terminal 120 receives a plurality of pieces of position information, it may be possible to adopt the position information with the strongest reception strength (radio wave intensity) of the position information. It is difficult to determine the distance of the communication device simply by the reception intensity due to reflection or the like (the communication device that is physically close is not always strong).

  Needless to say, in principle, the wireless terminal can receive the position information transmitted by the communication device 100-2 and the communication device 100-3 on the 16th floor next to the elevator so that the communication device 100-2 can receive the position information. And the communication apparatus 100-3 is installed and the original correct position information is received. However, sometimes, when the wireless terminal 120 receives position information from an unintended communication device 100-5, communication device 100-6, or the like, the above-described user flow line is displayed.

  FIG. 17 shows the case 2 that requires correction of the flow line. (A) shows how the user (person) has actually moved. It is assumed that the user has actually moved straight through the 16th floor of Building C. In this example, there are no escalators or stairs, and the atrium is between the 16th and 17th floors.

  On the other hand, (b) shows a user flow line created and displayed by the management server 160 from position information based on the wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user. According to this user flow line, the user is displayed as having moved from the 16th floor of building C through the space to the 17th floor and then suddenly moved to the 16th floor.

  For example, the position information transmitted by the communication device 100-5 or the communication device 100-6 installed on the 17th floor may be received on the 16th floor through the atrium. In the case of (b), when the wireless terminal receives the location information transmitted from the communication device 100-6 that has been transmitted through the atrium on the 16th floor, the management server 160 determines that the location of the wireless terminal 120 is the 16th floor. As a result of grasping that, the user flow line as shown in (b) is displayed. Note that in this case, the wireless terminal should properly receive the position information transmitted from the communication device 100-3 on the 16th floor.

(User flow line display processing: with flow line correction)
FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating user flow line display processing (with flow line correction) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the case where there is a flow line correction, S1221 is added in comparison with FIG. Also, as a premise, the storage unit 366 of the management server 160 has location management information 368, and the location management information 368 stores the identification information and location information received from the wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user together with the reception time. (For example, FIG. 13).

  In S1200, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 determines whether there is a user flow line display request.

  In S1210, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 acquires the position information of the user (wireless terminal 120 possessed by the user) whose flow line is to be displayed within the specified time, together with the time.

  In S1220, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 sorts the position information in time series.

  FIG. 19 shows an example of a sorting table of position information in one embodiment of the present invention. In the case of the figure, from the location management information 368 (FIG. 13), records within the time “2012/3/29 15: 00: 00-15: 0: 20” are extracted for the user “user001” and are time-sequentially. Assume that the position information is sorted.

  In step S1221, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 performs a record contradiction check. This point will be described in detail below.

  FIG. 20 is a flowchart for explaining a record contradiction check according to an embodiment of the present invention. The record inconsistency check in S1221 will be described.

  In S1221-1, first, a variable is set. In N, the maximum sort number of the sort table is set. Here, referring to FIG. 19, N = 5. Further, 1 is set for the sort NO variable a, and 2 is set for the sort NO variable b.

  In S1221-2, the records of a and b with the sort NO are extracted. That is, two records in the sort table are extracted in order from the top. Here, since a = 1 and b = 2, the records of sort Nos. 1 and 2 are extracted with reference to FIG.

  In S1221-3, it is determined whether or not the “story number” in the record is the same in the two extracted consecutive records. When the “floor” in the record is not the same, this record indicates that the floor (floor floor) has changed, that is, the user has moved the floor. In this case, the process proceeds to S1221-4.

  For example, referring to the “floor” of the records of the sorts NO 1 and 2 in FIG. Therefore, it is determined that the “floor” in the record is the same. In this case, the number of floors (floor floors) has not changed between the records (the user has not moved the number of floors), which means movement within the same floor.

  On the other hand, for example, referring to the “floor” of the records of sort No. 2 and 3 in FIG. 19, the “floor” is 16 and 17. Therefore, it is determined that the “floor” in the record is not the same. In this case, it means that the number of floors (floor floor) has changed between the records (the user has moved the floor number).

  In S1221-4, the correction condition table is referred to. FIG. 21 shows an example of the correction condition table in one embodiment of the present invention. The correction condition table is used when correcting the user flow line, and is created in advance by an administrator or the like.

  Here, the correction condition table is large and includes “NO”, “position information” (including “latitude”, “longitude”, “floor”, “building”), and “minimum movable time”.

  For example, the administrator or the like registers “position information” that may cause erroneous acquisition of position information in advance, taking into account the existence of an atrium. For example, in the case of FIGS. 16 and 17, in the communication device 100-2 installed on the 16th floor and the position information arrival point range transmitted by the communication device 100-2, the position information from the upper floor (17th floor) is erroneously acquired. Since there is a possibility, this point is registered in advance. In addition, in the location information arrival point range transmitted by the communication device 100-5 and the communication device 100-6 installed on the 17th floor, there is a possibility of location information being erroneously acquired from the lower floor (16th floor). , Register this point.

  Further, in the “minimum movable time”, the minimum time that can actually be moved is registered when the floor is moved from the position specified by the “position information” to another floor. For example, in order for a user to move from that position on the 16th floor to the 17th floor, no matter what kind of moving means is used, no matter how fast, the “minimum movable time” needs 10 seconds. To do. In this case, 10 is registered as the “minimum movable time”.

  In S1221-5, it is determined whether or not the “position information” (“latitude”, “longitude”, “number of floors”, “building”) in the record of sort NOa satisfies the correction condition.

  For example, a case where a = 2 and b = 3 and the “floor” of the records of sort No 2 and 3 in FIG. In this case, it is determined whether or not the “position information” (“latitude”, “longitude”, “floor”, “building”) in the record of sort NO2 meets the correction condition.

  First, “position information” (“latitude”, “longitude”, “number of floors”, “building”) of the record of sort NO2 completely matches No1 in the correction condition table.

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the floor moving time is within the “minimum movable time”. “Minimum movable time” indicates the minimum movable time when the user moves the floor from the position specified by the “position information” to another floor. For example, in order for a user to move from that position on the 16th floor to the 17th floor, 10 seconds is required as the “minimum movable time” no matter what moving means is used, no matter how fast. Therefore, conversely, if the floor is moved to another floor within 10 seconds, the data can be handled as incorrect.

  Specifically, when the records of sort NO2 and sort NO3 in FIG. 19 are confirmed, the movement from the 16th floor to the 17th floor is made within 5 seconds from the “reception date” of both records (this is This is impossible in reality). That is, the floor movement time (5 seconds) is within the “minimum movable time” (10 seconds).

  From the above, it is determined that the “position information” (“latitude”, “longitude”, “floor”, “building”) in the record of sort NO2 meets the correction condition.

  In S1221-6, the sort NO is corrected by replacing the “floor” of the record of b with the “floor” of the record of a. Specifically, for example, when a = 2 and b = 3, the “floor” 17 of the record of sort NO3 is replaced with the “floor” 16 of the record of sort NO2. In this case, if the records of sort NO2 and sort NO3 are confirmed, the movement from the 16th floor to the 17th floor has been made within 5 seconds. It was corrected that there was no movement.

  In S1221-7, the variable is reset. 1 is added to each of the sorts NOa and b. Thereby, the process of the above-mentioned step is performed between all the records of the sort table.

  In S1221-8, determination of b> N is performed. This is because the process of the above-described step is executed between all records of the sort table. When b> N is satisfied, the process proceeds to “END” (proceeds to S1230 in FIG. 18).

  Finally, returning to FIG. 18 again, in S1230, the display unit 327 of the management server 160 draws position information on the map according to the sorting result.

  FIG. 22 shows an example of a sorting table of position information (after correction) in one embodiment of the present invention. Compared to FIG. 19, in the case of FIG. 22, the “floor” of the records of sort Nos. 3 and 4 is corrected to 16 by the correction. A user flow line can be drawn by plotting position information in the time-series order of the sorting results on the map and connecting the plot points with lines or the like.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the position information management system 1 can be applied to a system for managing actions on a person. Thereby, for example, in a restricted space or a restricted floor where entrance is severely restricted, it is possible to manage the visitor's actions one by one from the monitor of the management server 160 such as a management room. In addition, for example, in a department store or the like, it is possible to use it as store layout optimization or marketing data by tracking visitor behavior one by one.

  In addition, when there is an atrium structure between the floors of the building, the position information transmitted from the communication device 100 installed on the ceiling of the upper floor and the lower floor may be caused by an unexpected event such as reflection. In some cases, the wireless terminal 120 cannot receive position information from the communication device 100 in which it is actually located, and instead receives unintended position information. Even in such a case, the position information management system 1 (management server 160) can improve the accuracy of the received position information by correcting the position information. Accordingly, it is possible to further improve the display accuracy of the user flow line.

[Summary]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a position information management system that manages position information with high accuracy and efficiency. Note that the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

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

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

Claims (10)

A position information management system comprising: a communication apparatus having position information of the communication apparatus; a wireless terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication apparatus; and a management server for managing the position of the wireless terminal,
The management server
Receiving means for receiving the identification information and the location information including the number of floors of the building from the communication device;
Storage means for storing the identification information and the position information received by the receiving means together with a reception time;
The first position information stored in the storage means is different from the second position information received at the reception time next to the first position information, and the first position When the reception interval between the reception time of information and the reception time of the second position information is shorter than a predetermined time, the rank of the second position information stored in the storage means is set to the first position. A replacement means for replacing the rank of information;
A positional information management system comprising: After the rank of the second position information is replaced by the replacement means, the flow line of the wireless terminal is displayed based on the identification information, the position information, and the reception time stored in the storage means Display means;
The position information management system according to claim 1, further comprising: The predetermined time is a minimum time required for the wireless terminal to move between a position specified by the first position information and a position specified by the second position information;
The position information management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The storage means stores in advance the second position information to be replaced by the replacement means and the predetermined time;
The position information management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The communication device
Position information transmitting means for transmitting position information having position information of the communication device;
Terminal information receiving means for receiving the identification information and the position information transmitted from the wireless terminal that has received the position information of the communication device;
Terminal information transmitting means for transmitting the identification information and the position information received by the terminal information receiving means to the management server;
Have
The wireless terminal is
Position information receiving means for receiving the position information from the communication device;
Identification information transmitting means for transmitting the identification information of the wireless terminal together with the received position information to the communication device;
The position information management system according to claim 1, further comprising: A management server in a location information management system having a communication device having location information of the communication device, a radio terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication device, and a management server managing the location of the radio terminal. And
Receiving means for receiving the identification information and the location information including the number of floors of the building from the communication device;
Storage means for storing the identification information and the position information received by the receiving means together with a reception time;
The first position information stored in the storage means is different from the second position information received at the reception time next to the first position information, and the first position When the reception interval between the reception time of information and the reception time of the second position information is shorter than a predetermined time, the rank of the second position information stored in the storage means is set to the first position. A replacement means for replacing the rank of information;
A management server characterized by comprising: After the rank of the second position information is replaced by the replacement means, the flow line of the wireless terminal is displayed based on the identification information, the position information, and the reception time stored in the storage means Display means;
The management server according to claim 6, further comprising: The predetermined time is a minimum time required for the wireless terminal to move between a position specified by the first position information and a position specified by the second position information;
8. The management server according to claim 6 or 7, wherein: The storage means stores in advance the second position information to be replaced by the replacement means and the predetermined time;
The management server according to claim 6, wherein: Operation of a radio terminal in a location information management system having a communication device having location information of the communication device, a radio terminal having identification information and communicating with the communication device, and a management server managing the location of the radio terminal A line management method,
The management server is
Receiving the identification information and the location information including the number of floors of the building from the communication device;
Storing the identification information and the position information received in the receiving step together with a reception time in a storage means;
The first position information stored in the storage means is different from the second position information received at the reception time next to the first position information, and the first position When the reception interval between the reception time of information and the reception time of the second position information is shorter than a predetermined time, the rank of the second position information stored in the storage means is set to the first position. Replacing it with the rank of the information,
A flow line management method characterized by comprising:

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