Property management apparatus, property management method, and property management system

• US 7,230,536 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsumura, Kenji, Shinada, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk; Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US10/960,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/539.2
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

In the present invention, any change of devices in possession by a user who gets on or gets off, for example, a vehicle is detected by comparing the devices detected by wireless communication at the time of getting on or getting off, thereby enabling the easy and sure prevention of any personal belongings of the passenger from being lost or left without constantly monitoring them. The property management apparatus sums up in time series the detection results by the plurality of property detection apparatuses for notifying the user the place of where the user loses the property.

Claims

1. A property management method comprising:

generating a first trigger within a wireless communication range;

acquiring first device ID information, the acquired first device ID information identifying any device responding to said first trigger;

generating a second trigger within said wireless communication range;

acquiring second device ID information, the acquired second device ID information identifying any device responding to said second trigger; and

comparing said acquired first device ID information with said acquired second device ID information, the comparison identifying any of the devices failing to respond to both said first and second triggers.

2. The property management method according to claim 1, wherein a communication unit generates said first and second triggers.

3. The property management method according to claim 1, wherein said first trigger is generated in response to a first operation of a user, and said second trigger is generated in response to another operation of said user different than said first operation.

4. The property management method according to claim 3, wherein said first operation is to get in a place, and said another operation is to get out of said place.

5. The property management method according to claim 3, wherein said first operation is to get out of a place, and said another operation is to get in said place.

6. The property management method according to claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring condition information, said condition information representing a condition of the devices.

7. A property management apparatus comprising:

a communication unit adapted to generate a first trigger and a second trigger, said communication unit acquiring first device ID information and second device ID information, the acquired first device ID information identifying any device within a wireless communication range responding to said first trigger, the acquired second device ID information identifying any device within said wireless communication range responding to said second trigger, and

a controller adapted to compare said acquired first device ID information with said acquired second device ID information, the comparison identifying any of the devices failing to respond to both said first and second triggers.

8. The property management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a communication unit generates said first and second triggers.

9. The property management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first trigger is generated in response to a first operation of a user, and said second trigger is generated in response to another operation of said user different than said first operation.

10. The property management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first operation is to get in a place, and said another operation is to get out of said place.

11. The property management method according to claim 9, wherein said first operation is to get out of a place, and said another operation is to get in said place.