Locational information transmission system, locational information transmission apparatus, and information processing device

• US 10,051,412 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shinotsuka, Michiaki, Kawase, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS-FILS, NICOLE M
• Application Number:
  US15/045,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20160249160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/042 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/75 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A locational information transmission apparatus that transmits information for identifying a location is provided. The locational information transmission apparatus includes a radio communication unit that performs radio communication; a sound wave transmitting unit that transmits a sound wave including first identification information; a radio wave transmitting unit that transmits a radio wave including second identification information; and a transmission control unit that changes, depending on control information reported via the radio communication, a method of transmitting the sound wave or a method of transmitting the radio wave.

Claims

1. A locational information transmission apparatus that transmits information for identifying a location, the locational information transmission apparatus comprising a processor and a memory that executes instructions and causes:

transmitting a sound wave at a sound output level, the sound wave including first identification information;

transmitting a radio wave including second identification information that is different from the first identification information; and

increasing the sound output level, depending on control information which has been received, when the control information which has been received indicates receipt of the second identification information and omission of the first identification information,

increasing a strength of the radio wave, depending on the control information which has been received, when the control information which has been received indicates receipt of the first identification information and omission of the second identification information.

2. The locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the transmitting of the sound wave transmits the sound wave at a predetermined center frequency, and

the executing of the instructions further cause changing the center frequency depending on the control information.

3. The locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor further executes:

collecting surrounding sound waves around the locational information transmission apparatus.

11. A locational information transmission system comprising:

the locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 3; and

an information processing device which communicates with the locational information transmission apparatus via radio communication, the information processing device including;

a processor that reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus via the radio communication, the control information to control, based on conditions of the surrounding sound waves collected by the collecting of surrounding sound waves, a sound output level at which the locational information transmission apparatus transmits the sound wave.

12. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

an analysis processor that analyzes, based on the surrounding sound waves collected by the collecting of the surrounding sound waves, the first identification information included in the sound wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus.

13. The locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the transmitting of the radio wave transmits the radio wave at predetermined time intervals, and

the increasing further includes changing the time intervals depending on the control information.

4. A locational information transmission system comprising:

a locational information transmission apparatus that transmits information for identifying a location, the locational information transmission apparatus comprising a processor that executes instructions which cause;

transmitting a sound wave at a sound output level, the sound wave including first identification information;

transmitting a radio wave including second identification information that is different from the first identification information; and

an information processing device for communicating with the locational information transmission apparatus which communicates with a mobile terminal, the information processing device including;

a receiver that receives the first identification information or the second identification information as obtained information transmitted via the mobile terminal, and

a transmitter that transmits;

control information for increasing the sound output level of the sound wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus, when the obtained information that has been received includes the second identification information and omits the first identification information, and

control information for increasing a strength of the radio wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus, when the obtained information that has been received includes the first identification information and omits the second identification information,

a processor to update location information of the mobile terminal which is stored in a memory, when the obtained information includes the first identification information and the second identification information.

5. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 4, wherein if the first identification information is not included in the obtained information, the processor of the information processing device reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus, the control information to shorten time intervals at which the locational information transmission apparatus transmits the radio wave.

6. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 4, wherein if the first identification information is not included in the obtained information, the processor of the information processing device reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus, the control information to change a center frequency at which the locational information transmission apparatus transmits the sound wave.

7. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses disposed at mutually different locations,

wherein the information processing device includes;

a management processor that manages location management information in which the first identification information and the second identification information about the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses are stored in association with information about locations where the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses are disposed.

8. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 7, wherein if a plurality of pieces of the first identification information are included in the obtained information, the processor of the information processing device reports, to at least one of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses corresponding to the plurality of pieces of the first identification information, the control information to lower a sound output level at which the at least one of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses transmits the sound wave.

9. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 7, wherein if a plurality of pieces of the second identification information are included in the obtained information, the processor of the information processing device reports, to at least one of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses corresponding to the plurality of pieces of the second identification information, the control information to lower a radio output level at which the at least one of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses transmits the radio wave.

10. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 7, wherein if the second identification information is not included in the obtained information, the processor of the information processing device reports, to one or more of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses including one of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses that corresponds to the first identification information included in the obtained information, the control information to lower a radio output level at which the one or more of the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses transmit the radio wave.