Place-status management system, radio tag reader, and managing apparatus

• US 7,768,401 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nagai, Yukimasa, Suga, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/628,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/10.1, 340/10.31, 340/10.32, 235375-385
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas

Abstract

A radio tag is arranged in each of a plurality of radio tag areas. The radio tag areas can be parking lots. A radio tag reader is configured to perform radio communications with the radio tags. The radio tag reader performs radio communications with each radio tag and based on the radio communication determines whether an object, which can be a vehicle, is present in the radio tag area corresponding to the radio tag.

Claims

1. A place-status management system that detects presence or absence of an object in a management area to manage a use status of the management area, the place-status management system comprising a plurality of radio tags, a plurality of radio tag readers, and a managing apparatus, wherein

each of the radio tags being arranged in each of a plurality of radio tag areas obtained by dividing the management area,

each of the radio tag readers being capable of performing radio communications with radio tags arranged in each of a plurality of communication areas obtained by grouping a specific number of the radio tag areas, each of the radio tag readers holding, for a corresponding communication area, radio-tag registration information indicative of a correspondence of each radio tag and a radio tag area in which the radio tag is arranged, and each of the radio tag readers performing radio communications with the radio tags arranged in the corresponding communication area based on the radio-tag registration information to thereby determine presence or absence of an object in each of the radio tag areas in the corresponding communication area,

the managing apparatus generates place status information indicating the presence or absence of the object in each of the radio tag areas in the management area based on a result of determination made by each of the radio tag readers, and

the radio tag reader transmits read request including identification information of a radio tag to each of the radio tags in the corresponding communication area, and determines the presence or absence of the object in a particular radio tag area based on whether there is a read response from the radio tag identified in the read request,

wherein the place-status management system further includes a plurality of path radio tags arranged at a predetermined position on a path that connects to an entrance of a building and the managing apparatus includes a time calculating unit that calculates an approximate number of objects queuing on the path based on the place status information, to calculate waiting time until the objects reach the entrance by dividing the obtained approximate number of objects by the number of object that can enter the building at a time, and multiplying the divided number by the time required for the building.

2. The place-status management system according to claim 1, wherein the managing apparatus, when generating the place status information, discards duplicate information of the radio tag, when there is a radio tag belonging to communication areas of a plurality of the radio tag readers.

3. The place-status management system according to claim 1, wherein the radio tag reader includes a display unit, and

the managing apparatus further includes a management-area managing unit that causes the display unit to display a radio tag area in which an object is present and a radio tag area in which an object is absent in different form which allows visual differentiation.

4. The place-status management system according to claim 1, further comprising a display apparatus that displays status of the management area based on the place status information, wherein

the managing apparatus further includes a management-area managing unit that causes the display apparatus to display a radio tag area in which an object is present and a radio tag area in which an object is absent in different form which allows visual differentiation.

5. The place-status management system according to claim 4, further comprising a moveable radio tag configured to be carried by a moving object that can be removeably placed in any of the radio tag areas,

the radio tag reader holds radio-tag-area status information in which the moveable radio tag attached to the object is associated with the radio tag area in which the object is placed, and

the management-area managing unit displays the radio tag area in which the object is placed on the display apparatus based on the radio-tag-area status information.

6. The place-status management system according to claim 1, wherein the management area having an entrance from where the object enters the management area and an exit from where the object exits the management area, further comprising:

a entry counting unit that counts first number of objects entering the management area through the entrance;

a blocking unit configured to restrict entrance of the objects through the entrance in the management area; and

an exit counting unit that counts second number of objects exiting the management area through the exit, wherein

the managing apparatus further includes

a calculating unit that calculates number of objects present in the management area based on the first count and the second count; and

a management-area managing unit that controls the blocking unit so as to restrict entrance of the objects through the entrance in the management area if the number of objects calculated by the calculating unit is equal to a predetermined number.

7. The place-status management system according to claim 6, further comprising an entrance display unit, wherein

the management-area managing unit based on the place status information causes the entrance display unit to display an empty radio tag area at a point in time when an object enters the management area through the entrance.

8. The place-status management system according to claim 1, wherein the radio tag reader includes

a radio communication unit configured to perform radio communication with a plurality of radio tags, each of the radio tags being arranged in each of a plurality of radio tag areas obtained by dividing the management area, the radio communication unit capable of performing radio communications with radio tags arranged in each of a plurality of communication areas obtained by grouping a specific number of the radio tag areas, transmitting read requests including identification information of a radio tag, to each of the radio tags in the corresponding communication area, and determining the presence or absence of the object in a particular radio tag area based on whether there is a read response from the radio tag identified in a read request;

a storage unit that stores therein radio-tag registration information indicative of a correspondence of each radio tag and a radio tag area in which the radio tag is arranged; and

a processing unit that accesses the radio tags registered in the radio-tag registration information to determine whether there is a object in the radio tag area corresponding to the radio tag.