KR102284618B1 - Apparatus and Method for location information service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a location information service apparatus and method capable of providing an indoor location-based service using a universal map application without the need for an additional application download and installation process by utilizing a web (WEB) technology. The present invention calculates the current location based on a plurality of anchors fixed to a predetermined location in a building, a tag that receives a location information message from the anchor, and at least one location information message delivered through the tag and a web server that transmits a map file in which the mobile device is located to the mobile device based on a map information message transmitted by the mobile device and the mobile device. In addition, the mobile device implements its own coordinate values in a GUI in the map file transmitted by the web server and displays the screen.

Description

Location information service apparatus and method {Apparatus and Method for location information service}

The present invention relates to a location-based service, and in particular, a location information service apparatus and method capable of providing an indoor location-based service using a universal map application without the need for an additional application download and installation process by utilizing a web (WEB) technology is about

Location Based Service (LBS) provides a variety of services and conveniences through smart devices. For example, a representative location-based service that is currently widely used is an information providing system for nearby places, a road guidance system, and a traffic information providing system. And location-based service enables various activities that were conventionally done outdoors in accordance with the enlargement of buildings, and thus, a precise location providing service is required indoors.

Conventionally, location-based services provided indoors are provided based on GPS and mobile communication network technology. However, GPS technology is difficult to use indoors. When GPS technology is used, there is a problem in that it is difficult to accurately determine the location due to a large error in the measured location indoors.

Therefore, research is being actively conducted to precisely provide indoor location-based services using technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ultra-Wideband (UWB), which are short-range wireless communications. These technologies have advantages and disadvantages depending on the communication method. For example, UWB can provide more accurate location information within a complex and large-scale building because it has relatively small transmittance and error for obstacles compared to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth methods. On the other hand, the location information service based on UWB wireless technology has a problem that the user must download and install a separate application on his/her smart device.

1, the indoor location-based service using the existing UWB communication network is a UWB anchor (4), a UWB tag (3), a Raspberry Pi (2) (Raspbery Pi), an application installed on a mobile device (user) based on an Android app ( 1) is included, and in this configuration, when a user uses a location service with a mobile device, a separate application must be downloaded.

In addition, if the Raspberry Pi (2) is not mounted on the mobile device, the UWB tag (3) and the Raspberry Pi (2) must be additionally attached to use the location service.

As such, the location information service based on the conventional UWB wireless technology has a limitation in the model of the mobile device, and when using the location service with a mobile device of another model, additional equipment must be attached as well as the application download, so it is very difficult from the user's perspective. It was inconvenient and cumbersome. This may be a cause of substantially reducing the utilization rate of the location information service.

Also, depending on the memory capacity of the mobile device, it may not be possible to install the application. In this case, other applications had to be deleted or the location information service could not be used at all.

In other communication methods, mobile devices can use location services for free in a Wi-Fi environment, but if not, wireless data must be used. In this case, there is no choice but to incur charges for data use. When using location services for a long time, there is a burden of cost.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems, and the location information service apparatus and method for using indoor location-based services without CPU usage rate and Internet data usage, and without downloading and installing a separate application, etc. is to provide

Another object of the present invention is to enable more users to use accurate location information indoors.

And it will be said that these purposes are actually based on the Web (World Wide Web) technology.

The present invention for achieving the above object, a plurality of anchors fixed to a predetermined position in the building; a tag for receiving a location information message from the anchor; a mobile device for calculating a current location based on the location information messages of at least three anchors received through the tag; and a web server transmitting a map file in which the mobile device is located to the mobile device based on a map information message transmitted by the mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes its own in the map file transmitted by the web server. Provided is a location information service device characterized in that the coordinate values are implemented in a GUI and displayed on the screen.

According to the present invention, it further includes a service providing server that transmits map files of all buildings, anchor location information, and coordinate information of buildings for location-based service to the web server periodically or whenever updates occur.

The location information message includes distance information between the anchor and the tag.

The map information message includes longitude and latitude measured by GPS, a mobile device ID, a connected IP address, and an anchor ID.

The web server includes: a map table for storing all map files transmitted by the service provider; A database including a map information table that provides a map file for a current location of a mobile device according to a map information message transmitted by the mobile device is provided.

The location of the mobile device is calculated using a triangulation method.

Any one of wired and wireless communication methods may be used for the anchor and the tag, and the tag and the mobile device, and the same or different communication methods may be applied.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of anchors installed in a building, transmitting a location information (Location Information) message to a tag located in a building where the location-based service is provided; receiving, by the mobile device connected to the tag, a location information message and calculating coordinates (x, y, z) values of the current location; transmitting, by the mobile device, a map information message to a web server; transmitting, by the web server, to the mobile device after accessing the map file including the current location of the mobile device; The mobile device provides a location information service method comprising the step of displaying the coordinates (x, y, z) values in the map file in a GUI form and displaying the screen.

The map information message is transmitted only when requesting the location-based service.

When the mobile device requests a location-based service from a building that does not provide the location-based service, the web server provides the web server to check the service unavailable area message.

According to the present invention, there is further provided a service providing server communicating with the web server, wherein the service providing server transmits map files, anchor location information, and coordinate information of all buildings that provide a location based service to the web server to or upon request of the web server.

According to the location information service apparatus and method of the present invention as described above, when a web server receives a map information message from a mobile device (user), it compares it with information stored in its own database and searches for a map file. It is transmitted to the device, and the mobile device may apply the current location calculated by the triangulation operation to the map file and display it on the screen.

Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience and inconvenience of the user having to download and install the configuration and application delivered through the Raspberry Pi of the existing location-based service system in order to receive location information from the tag.

In addition, according to the present invention, proximity wireless communication methods such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband communication (UWB), and USB communication method can be used in an appropriate combination between the anchor and the tag, and the tag and the mobile device, so that the fixed communication of the conventional location-based system It is possible to broaden the range of choices rather than the method, and accordingly, the system can be constructed suitable for a building or place that provides location-based services.

In addition, the present invention can base a mobile device on various OSs other than Android, so that a mobile device using another OS can freely use the location-based service.

In addition, this effect can be expected to substantially reduce the cost for building the location-based system and to improve the penetration rate of the location-based system due to more convenient use.

1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional UWB-based location-based system;
2 is a block diagram of a location information service device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a flowchart illustrating a location information service method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Objects and effects of the present invention, and technical configurations for achieving them will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a well-known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, the terms described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to intentions or customs of users and operators.

However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. Only the present embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention is complete, and to fully inform those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, the scope of the invention, the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims will only be Therefore, the definition should be made based on the content throughout this specification.

The present invention eliminates the need to download configurations and applications such as Raspberry Pi used in the existing UWB location-based service system, thereby reducing the cost of building a location-based service system and providing location information in a more convenient environment. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the location information service device 100 is equipped with anchors 110 at predetermined locations within the building. A plurality of anchors 110 are arranged spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and are appropriately arranged to provide the location of the mobile device (ie, the user) 120 through triangulation operation. In addition, the building is a building that provides a location-based service, and information on such a building is managed by the service providing server 140 described below.

A tag 122 for receiving a location information message from the anchor 110 is provided. The tag 122 is connected to the mobile device (ie, a mobile phone, etc.) 120 carried by the user through one of wired and wireless communication methods. Likewise, the anchor 110 and the tag 122 are not limited to any one communication method, and various communication methods may be adopted.

A mobile device 120 that calculates its own location using a location information message transmitted from at least three anchors 110 is provided. The location information message includes distance information between the anchor 110 and the tag 122, and the mobile device 120 may calculate its own location coordinate value through a triangulation operation process based on such information. Coordinate values can be (x, y) or (x, y, z).

In addition, the mobile device 120 also serves to request a location-based service. For example, when a user wants to know where he is located, he/she will use a location-based service, and the location-based service will be started by generating a Map Information message from the mobile device 120 . In addition, the mobile device 120 implements its coordinate values in a map file to be described later as a GUI and displays them. Through this, the user can easily check his/her location. The map information message includes a longitude and latitude measured by GPS, a mobile device ID, a connected IP address, and an anchor ID.

A web server 130 is provided that accesses the map file in which the user is located according to the location-based service request of the mobile device 120 and transmits the access to the mobile device 120 . The web server 130 is configured to include a series of databases, and the database includes a map table 132 that stores map files of all buildings that provide location-based services, and a user according to the map information message. It includes a map information table (Map Information Table) 134 that provides a map file for the current location of .

In addition, the service providing server 140 for transmitting the map files of all the buildings that perform the location-based service, the location information of the anchor, and the coordinate information of the building to the web server 130 is also configured. The service providing server 140 transmits the above-described information to the web server 130 periodically or whenever an update occurs.

Next, the driving process of the location information service apparatus of the present invention will be described.

The service providing server 140 has map files (JPG) of all buildings to be serviced based on location, location information of anchors, and coordinate information of buildings, and these information are provided to the web server 130 whenever periodic or updates occur. must (s100). If the web server 130 does not sufficiently receive the above information from the service providing server 140 , the location-based service may not be smoothly provided.

The service providing server 140 and the web server 130 check whether information is normally transmitted and received through the request and response messages. For example, the service providing server 140 transmits the information through a Registration Request message, and the web server 130 transmits a Request Ack message to the service providing server 140 in response thereto.

So, if the service providing server 140 transmits the Registration Request message but does not receive the Request Ack message from the web server 130 , the service providing server 140 receives the Request Ack message from the web server 130 . Repeatedly transmitting information. Of course, if the Request Ack message is not received for a certain number of times or for a certain amount of time, it will stop sending the Registration Request message and provide a guide message so that the service provider can recognize it, so that follow-up actions can be taken.

The web server 130 stores all the building map files (JPG), anchor location information, and building coordinate information transmitted by the service providing server 140 in the map table 134 (s102). Of course, it will be natural that the map file, location information, and coordinate information may be stored in different memories or stored in different areas in one memory.

As such, in a state in which map files (JPG) of all buildings, location information of anchors, and coordinate information of buildings are stored in the web server 130, the location information service may be provided.

The location information service is started when a user carrying the mobile device 120 enters the building (s104).

When the user enters the building, the plurality of anchors 110 arranged around the user periodically transmits a location information message to the tag 122 connected to the mobile device 120 using a predetermined communication method ( s106). Here, the anchor 110 may transmit the location information message regardless of the presence of the user. If the user is not present, communication between the tag 122 and the mobile device 120, which is the next process, will not be performed.

When the tag 122 receives the location information message from the anchor 110, it transmits it to the mobile device 120 using a predetermined communication method (s108).

Therefore, the mobile device 120 can receive the location information message from at least three different anchors 110, respectively. At least three location information messages are for calculating the user's accurate location information. Accordingly, after the mobile device 120 receives at least three different location information messages, the mobile device 120 may calculate its current location coordinates using the triangulation method (s110). The calculation process of triangulation is performed through the background APK.

You cannot receive location information service only with your own location coordinates. A process of matching the map information is required. Accordingly, the mobile device 120 requests a location-based service from the web server 130 by transmitting a map information message (s112).

In the case of a building providing location service (s114), the web server 130 includes longitude and latitude information measured by GPS included in the map information, a connected IP address, anchor ID information and configured in its own database. Information stored in the map information table 134 is compared. As a result of the comparison, the web server 130 may know the building and the number of floors in which the user is currently located by searching the user's current location map file (s116). Then, the web server 130 transmits the user's current location map file retrieved from the map table 132 to the mobile device 120 using a Map Reply message (s118).

Then, the mobile device 120 implements its own coordinates (x, y, z) information measured in the current location map file transmitted from the web server 130 as a GUI and displays the screen (s120). Accordingly, the user may check his or her exact current location in the building through the mobile device 120 .

On the other hand, if the user transmits the map information message to the web server 130 , but in step 114 , in the case of a building that does not provide a location service, the web server 130 sends the user to the web server through the mobile device 120 . (web) to check 'Not service area' (s130).

As described above, according to the present invention, the mobile device 120 transmits a map information message to the web server 130 , and the web server 130 compares its own map information DB to provide the mobile device 120 with the current location. It can be seen that the mobile device 120 provides a location information service apparatus using a web server, which transmits a map file of .

Although described with reference to the illustrated embodiments of the present invention as described above, these are merely exemplary, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can use various functions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be apparent that modifications, variations, and other equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

On the other hand, although the present embodiment is only described as an example of providing a user's location information service within a building, the present invention may also be utilized for the purpose of preventing lost children. This is because, for example, if a child only carries a portable device, parents and the like can check Ja-hyun's current location in real time.

100: location information service device
110: anchor
120: mobile device
122: tag
130: web server
132: Map Table
134: Map Information Table
140: service providing server

Claims (11)

a plurality of anchors fixed to predetermined positions within the building;
a tag for receiving a location information message from the anchor;
a mobile device for calculating a current location based on at least one location information message received through the tag;
a web server transmitting a map file in which the mobile device is located to the mobile device based on a map information message transmitted by the mobile device; and
A service providing server that transmits map files of all buildings, anchor location information, and coordinate information of buildings to the web server periodically or whenever an update occurs, for location-based service;
The mobile device implements its coordinate values in a GUI on the map file transmitted by the web server and displays the screen,
The web server is
a map table that stores all map files transmitted by the service provider; and
and a map information table that provides a map file for the current location of the mobile device according to the map information message transmitted by the mobile device. delete The method of claim 1,
The location information message is
A location information service device including distance information between the anchor and the tag. The method of claim 1,
The map information message is
Location information service apparatus including longitude and latitude measured by GPS, mobile device ID, connected IP address, and anchor ID. delete The method of claim 1,
The location information service device for calculating the location of the mobile device by a triangulation method. The method of claim 1,
The anchor and the tag, and the tag and the mobile device use any one of wired and wireless communication methods, and the same or different communication methods may be applied. transmitting a location information message to a tag located in a building where a plurality of anchors installed in a building are location-based services;
receiving, by the mobile device connected to the tag, a location information message and calculating coordinates (x, y, z) values of the current location;
transmitting, by the mobile device, a map information message to a web server;
transmitting, by the web server, to the mobile device after accessing the map file including the current location of the mobile device; and
and displaying, by the mobile device, the coordinates (x, y, z) values in the map file in a GUI form,
A service providing server communicating with the web server is further provided,
The service providing server transmits map files, anchor location information, and building coordinate information of all buildings that provide a location-based service to the web server, or transmits it upon a request from the web server. Information Service Methods. 9. The method of claim 8,
The map information message is transmitted only when the location-based service is requested. 10. The method of claim 9,
When the mobile device requests a location-based service from a building that does not provide a location-based service,
The web server provides a location information service method to check the service unavailable area message on the web. delete

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