APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM FOR DISTRIBUTING POSITION DATA

• US 20140106778A1
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: FUKUDA, Michitaka
• Granted Patent: US 9,491,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A distribution apparatus for distributing a wireless signal to a communication terminal includes a distribution unit configured to distribute the wireless signal containing unique data that is unique to the distribution apparatus. A position data indicating a position of the distribution apparatus and a predetermined threshold value pertaining to a signal strength of the wireless signal received by the communication terminal are identifiable based on the unique data.

Claims

1. A distribution apparatus for distributing a wireless signal to a communication terminal, the distribution apparatus comprising:

a distribution unit configured to distribute the wireless signal containing unique data that is unique to the distribution apparatus;

wherein a position data indicating a position of the distribution apparatus and a predetermined threshold value pertaining to a signal strength of the wireless signal received by the communication terminal are identifiable based on the unique data.

2. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in a case where the signal strength of the wireless signal is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value, the position data is determined as position data indicating a current position of the communication terminal.

3. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the communication terminal is configured to calculate a position data of the communication terminal by relative positioning,

wherein in a case where the signal strength of the wireless signal is less than the predetermined threshold value, the position data calculated by the communication terminal is determined to indicate the current position of the communication terminal.

4. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique data is at least one of a MAC address or an identification data assigned to the distribution apparatus beforehand.

5. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique data includes the position data and the predetermined threshold value.

6. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the position data and the predetermined threshold value are stored in a single frame constituting the wireless signal and distributed from the distribution apparatus.

7. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the position data and the predetermined threshold value are stored in two or more frames constituting the wireless signal and distributed from the distribution apparatus.

8. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unique data is distributed by a communication method complying with an IMES (Indoor MEssaging System) standard.

9. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position data includes data pertaining to at least one of latitude, longitude, and a floor number.

10. The distribution apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is indicated by a unit of dBHz.

11. A method for distributing a wireless signal from a distribution apparatus to a communication terminal, the method comprising a step of:

distributing the wireless signal containing unique data that is unique to the distribution apparatus;

wherein a position data indicating a position of the distribution apparatus and a predetermined threshold value pertaining to a signal strength of the wireless signal received by the communication terminal are identifiable based on the unique data.

12. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded for causing a computer to execute a method for distributing a wireless signal to a communication terminal, the distribution method comprising a step of:

distributing the wireless signal containing unique data that is unique to the distribution apparatus;

wherein a position data indicating a position of the distribution apparatus and a predetermined threshold value pertaining to a signal strength of the wireless signal received by the communication terminal are identifiable based on the unique data.