LOCATIONAL INFORMATION TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, LOCATIONAL INFORMATION TRANSMISSION APPARATUS, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE

• US 20160249160A1
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Michiaki Shinotsuka, Tsutomu Kawase
• Inventors: SHINOTSUKA, Michiaki, KAWASE, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 10,051,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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.

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

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

the transmission control unit changes the time intervals depending on the control information.

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

the radio wave transmitting unit transmits the radio wave at a predetermined radio output level, and

the transmission control unit changes the radio output level depending on the control information.

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

the sound wave transmitting unit transmits the sound wave at a predetermined sound output level, and

the transmission control unit changes the sound output level depending on the control information.

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

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

the transmission control unit changes the center frequency depending on the control information.

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

the sound wave transmitting unit is capable of transmitting the sound wave using a plurality of different center frequencies, and

the transmission control unit changes the number of the plurality of different center frequencies depending on the control information.

7. The locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a sound wave collection unit that collects surrounding sound waves around the locational information transmission apparatus.

8. A locational information transmission system comprising:

the locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 1; and

an information processing device capable of communicating with the locational information transmission apparatus via radio communication, wherein

the information processing device includes,

a reception unit that receives, from an information terminal that obtains the first identification information included in the sound wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus or the second identification information included in the radio wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus, information including the first identification information or the second identification information obtained by the information terminal, and

a complementary control unit that reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus via the radio communication, control information to control, based on the obtained information, the method of transmitting the sound wave by the locational information transmission apparatus or the method of transmitting the radio wave by the locational information transmission apparatus.

9. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 8, wherein if the first identification information is not included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit 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.

10. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 8, wherein if the first identification information is not included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus, the control information to raise a sound output level at which the locational information transmission apparatus transmits the sound wave.

11. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 8, wherein if the first identification information is not included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit 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.

12. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 8, wherein if the second identification information is not included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus, the control information to raise a radio output level at which the locational information transmission apparatus transmits the radio wave.

13. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

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

the information processing device includes,

a management unit 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 the locations where the plurality of the locational information transmission apparatuses are disposed.

14. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 13, wherein if a plurality of pieces of the first identification information are included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit 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.

15. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 13, wherein if a plurality of pieces of the second identification information are included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit 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.

16. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 13, wherein if the second identification information is not included in the obtained information, the complementary control unit 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.

17. A locational information transmission system comprising:

the locational information transmission apparatus as claimed in claim 7; and

an information processing device capable of communicating with the locational information transmission apparatus via radio communication, wherein

the information processing device includes,

a complementary control unit 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 sound wave collection unit of the locational information transmission apparatus, a sound output level at which the locational information transmission apparatus transmits the sound wave.

18. The locational information transmission system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:

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

19. An information processing device capable of communicating with a locational information transmission apparatus via radio communication, the locational information transmission apparatus transmitting a sound wave including first identification information and a radio wave including second identification information, the information processing device comprising:

a reception unit that receives, from an information terminal that obtains the first identification information included in the sound wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus or the second identification information included in the radio wave transmitted by the locational information transmission apparatus, information including the first identification information or the second identification information obtained by the information terminal; and

a complementary control unit that reports, to the locational information transmission apparatus via the radio communication, control information to control, based on the obtained information, a method of transmitting the sound wave by the locational information transmission apparatus or a method of transmitting the radio wave by the locational information transmission apparatus.