AREA RANGE ESTIMATION DEVICE AND AREA RANGE ESTIMATION METHOD

• US 20130184006A1
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Takayasu, Terada, Masayuki, Okajima, Ichiro, Hagiwara, Junichiro
• Application Number:
  US13/824,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20130184006A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

An area range estimation device includes a first location information acquisition unit that acquires first location information containing terminal identification information identifying a mobile terminal and area identification information identifying a location area of the mobile terminal, a second location information acquisition unit that acquires second location information containing the terminal identification information and location information indicating a location of the mobile terminal, a correspondence information generation unit that generates correspondence information based on the area identification information and the location information by using the acquired first location information and second location information, and an area range estimation unit that estimates a range of an area identified by the area identification information based on the generated correspondence information.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. An area range estimation device using correspondence information containing area identification information identifying a location area of a terminal and location information indicating a location of the terminal, comprising:

an area boundary estimation unit that estimates a boundary of an area identified by each area identification information based on location information associated with each of the area identification information identifying a plurality of different location areas of the terminal;

an area range estimation unit that estimates a range of an area based on a boundary of an area estimated by the area boundary estimation unit;

an area terminal number acquisition unit that acquires the number of terminals in an area identified by the area identification information; and

a conversion unit that converts the number of terminals in the area acquired by the area terminal number acquisition unit into the number of terminals in a partition based on a positional relationship between a range of the area estimated by the area range estimation unit and the partition partitioned according to a specified partition rule.

19. The area range estimation device according to claim 18, further comprising:

a population estimation unit that estimates a population of one user attribute based on the number of terminals converted by the conversion unit and a ratio of the number of in-area terminals having the one user attribute in a predetermined wide area and a population of the one user attribute included in the wide area based on statistical data.

20. The area range estimation device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a first location information acquisition unit that acquires first location information containing terminal identification information identifying the terminal and area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal; and

a second location information acquisition unit that acquires second location information containing the terminal identification information and location information indicating a location of the terminal, wherein

the correspondence information contains at least one of first correspondence information generated by a correspondence information generation unit that generates correspondence information based on the area identification information and the location information by using the first location information acquired by the first location information acquisition unit and the second location information acquired by the second location information acquisition unit, and second correspondence information acquired by a correspondence information acquisition unit that acquires correspondence information containing the terminal identification information identifying the terminal, the area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal, and the location information indicating a location of the terminal.

21. The area range estimation device according to claim 20, wherein

the first location information further contains first time information indicating a time when the first location information is acquired,

the second location information further contains second time information indicating a time when the second location information is acquired, and

the correspondence information generation unit extracts the first location information and the second location information having the same terminal identification information and having a time difference between a time indicated by the first time information and a time indicated by the second time information being a specified value or less, and generates first correspondence information based on the area identification information of the first location information and the location information of the second location information.

22. The area range estimation device according to claim 20, wherein

the first location information further contains first time information indicating a time when the first location information is acquired,

the second location information further contains second time information indicating a time when the second location information is acquired, and

the correspondence information generation unit

extracts the second location information having the same terminal identification information as one first location information, the second location information being a specified number of second location information containing the second time information indicating a time earlier than a time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first time information and a specified number of second location information containing the second time information indicating a time later than a time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first time information,

estimates location information indicating a location of the terminal at the time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first location information based on the second time information and the location information contained in each of the extracted second location information and the first time information contained in the one first location information, and

generates first correspondence information based on the estimated location information of the terminal and the area identification information of the one first location information.

23. The area range estimation device according to claim 21, wherein

when first observation target information containing at least one of observation target period information indicating a period to be observed and observation area information indicating an area to be observed is input from outside, the first location information acquisition unit acquires the first location information based on the first observation target information, and

when second observation target information containing at least one of observation target period information indicating a period to be observed and observation range information indicating a geographical range to be observed is input from outside, the second location information acquisition unit acquires the second location information based on the second observation target information.

24. The area range estimation device according to claim 21, wherein

the correspondence information generation unit generates first correspondence information further containing time difference information indicating a time difference between a time indicated by the first time information and a time indicated by the second time information, and

the area boundary estimation unit corrects the correspondence information in accordance with the time difference information of the correspondence information and estimates a boundary of an area identified by the area identification information based on the corrected correspondence information.

25. The area range estimation device according to claim 21, wherein

the correspondence information generation unit generates correspondence information further containing time difference information indicating a time difference between a time indicated by the first time information and a time indicated by the second time information, and

the area range estimation unit

calculates a weight for each of the correspondence information in accordance with the time difference information of the correspondence information, and

calculates a probability that the terminal is present in the location indicated by the location information contained in the correspondence information and its vicinity by using a probability density function in accordance with a specified distribution on which the weight of the correspondence information is reflected, and estimates a range of an area identified by the area identification information based on the calculated probability.

26. An area range estimation device using correspondence information containing area identification information identifying a location area of a terminal and location information indicating a location of the terminal, comprising:

an area boundary estimation unit that estimates a boundary of an area identified by each area identification information based on location information associated with each of the area identification information identifying a plurality of different location areas of the terminal;

an area range estimation unit that estimates a range of an area based on a boundary of an area estimated by the area boundary estimation unit;

a first location information acquisition unit that acquires first location information containing terminal identification information identifying the terminal and area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal; and

a second location information acquisition unit that acquires second location information containing the terminal identification information and location information indicating a location of the terminal, wherein

the correspondence information contains at least one of first correspondence information generated by a correspondence information generation unit that generates correspondence information based on the area identification information and the location information by using the first location information acquired by the first location information acquisition unit and the second location information acquired by the second location information acquisition unit, and second correspondence information acquired by a correspondence information acquisition unit that acquires correspondence information containing the terminal identification information identifying the terminal, the area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal, and the location information indicating a location of the terminal,

the first location information further contains first time information indicating a time when the first location information is acquired,

the second location information further contains second time information indicating a time when the second location information is acquired, and

the correspondence information generation unit extracts the first location information and the second location information having the same terminal identification information and having a time difference between a time indicated by the first time information and a time indicated by the second time information being a specified value or less, and generates first correspondence information based on the area identification information of the first location information and the location information of the second location information.

27. An area range estimation device using correspondence information containing area identification information identifying a location area of a terminal and location information indicating a location of the terminal, comprising:

an area boundary estimation unit that estimates a boundary of an area identified by each area identification information based on location information associated with each of the area identification information identifying a plurality of different location areas of the terminal;

an area range estimation unit that estimates a range of an area based on a boundary of an area estimated by the area boundary estimation unit;

a first location information acquisition unit that acquires first location information containing terminal identification information identifying the terminal and area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal; and

a second location information acquisition unit that acquires second location information containing the terminal identification information and location information indicating a location of the terminal, wherein

the correspondence information contains at least one of first correspondence information generated by a correspondence information generation unit that generates correspondence information based on the area identification information and the location information by using the first location information acquired by the first location information acquisition unit and the second location information acquired by the second location information acquisition unit, and second correspondence information acquired by a correspondence information acquisition unit that acquires correspondence information containing the terminal identification information identifying the terminal, the area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal, and the location information indicating a location of the terminal,

the first location information further contains first time information indicating a time when the first location information is acquired,

the second location information further contains second time information indicating a time when the second location information is acquired, and

the correspondence information generation unit

extracts the second location information having the same terminal identification information as one first location information, the second location information being a specified number of second location information containing the second time information indicating a time earlier than a time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first time information and a specified number of second location information containing the second time information indicating a time later than a time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first time information,

estimates location information indicating a location of the terminal at the time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first location information based on the second time information and the location information contained in each of the extracted second location information and the first time information contained in the one first location information, and

generates first correspondence information based on the estimated location information of the terminal and the area identification information of the one first location information.

28. An area range estimation method performed by an area range estimation device using correspondence information containing area identification information identifying a location area of a terminal and location information indicating a location of the terminal, comprising:

an area boundary estimation step of estimating a boundary of an area identified by each area identification information based on location information associated with each of the area identification information identifying a plurality of different location areas of the terminal;

an area range estimation step of estimating a range of an area based on a boundary of an area estimated in the area boundary estimation step;

an area terminal number acquisition step of acquiring the number of terminals in an area identified by the area identification information; and

a conversion step of converting the number of terminals in the area acquired in the area terminal number acquisition step into the number of terminals in a partition based on a positional relationship between a range of the area estimated in the area range estimation step and the partition partitioned according to a specified partition rule.

29. An area range estimation method performed by an area range estimation device using correspondence information containing area identification information identifying a location area of a terminal and location information indicating a location of the terminal, comprising:

an area boundary estimation step of estimating a boundary of an area identified by each area identification information based on location information associated with each of the area identification information identifying a plurality of different location areas of the terminal;

an area range estimation step of estimating a range of an area based on a boundary of an area estimated in the area boundary estimation step;

a first location information acquisition step of acquiring first location information containing terminal identification information identifying a terminal and area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal; and

a second location information acquisition step of acquiring second location information containing the terminal identification information and location information indicating a location of the terminal, wherein

the correspondence information contains at least one of first correspondence information generated in a correspondence information generation step for generating correspondence information based on the area identification information and the location information by using the first location information acquired in the first location information acquisition step and the second location information acquired in the second location information acquisition step, and second correspondence information acquired in a correspondence information acquisition step for acquiring correspondence information containing the terminal identification information identifying the terminal, the area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal, and the location information indicating a location of the terminal,

the first location information further contains first time information indicating a time when the first location information is acquired,

the second location information further contains second time information indicating a time when the second location information is acquired, and

the correspondence information generation step extracts the first location information and the second location information having the same terminal identification information and having a time difference between a time indicated by the first time information and a time indicated by the second time information being a specified value or less, and generates first correspondence information based on the area identification information of the first location information and the location information of the second location information.

30. An area range estimation method performed by an area range estimation device using correspondence information containing area identification information identifying a location area of a terminal and location information indicating a location of the terminal, comprising:

an area boundary estimation step of estimating a boundary of an area identified by each area identification information based on location information associated with each of the area identification information identifying a plurality of different location areas of the terminal;

an area range estimation step of estimating a range of an area based on a boundary of an area estimated in the area boundary estimation step;

a first location information acquisition step of acquiring first location information containing terminal identification information identifying a terminal and area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal; and

a second location information acquisition step of acquiring second location information containing the terminal identification information and location information indicating a location of the terminal, wherein

the correspondence information contains at least one of first correspondence information generated in a correspondence information generation step for generating correspondence information based on the area identification information and the location information by using the first location information acquired in the first location information acquisition step and the second location information acquired in the second location information acquisition step, and second correspondence information acquired in a correspondence information acquisition step for acquiring correspondence information containing the terminal identification information identifying the terminal, the area identification information identifying a location area of the terminal, and the location information indicating a location of the terminal,

the first location information further contains first time information indicating a time when the first location information is acquired,

the second location information further contains second time information indicating a time when the second location information is acquired, and

the correspondence information generation step

extracts the second location information having the same terminal identification information as one first location information, the second location information being a specified number of second location information containing the second time information indicating a time earlier than a time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first time information and a specified number of second location information containing the second time information indicating a time later than a time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first time information,

estimates location information indicating a location of the terminal at the time indicated by the first time information contained in the one first location information based on the second time information and the location information contained in each of the extracted second location information and the first time information contained in the one first location information, and

generates first correspondence information based on the estimated location information of the terminal and the area identification information of the one first location information.