Transmission system, location management system, and method of transmitting location data

• US 9,094,793 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kusakari, Shin, Miyawaki, Seiji, Fukuda, Michitaka, Miyauchi, Kunihiro, Kawasaki, Satoshi, Ohashi, Yasuo, Aoki, Shinji, Hiroi, Takaaki, Matsushita, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohiuddin, Ather
• Application Number:
  US14/022,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20140087766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/10 providing dedicated supplementary positioning signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A transmission system, a location management system, and a transmission method, each of which transmits first location data and second location data, respectively, from a first transmission device and a second transmission device, and receives, at the second transmission device, the first location data and terminal identification data that identifies a communication terminal, from the communication terminal that receives at least the first location data.

Claims

1. A transmission system, comprising:

a first transmission device including a first transmitting circuit configured to transmit first location data to a communication terminal, the first location data indicating a location at which the first transmission device is located; and

a second transmission device different from the first transmission device, the second transmission device including;

a second transmitting circuit configured to transmit second location data indicating a location at which the second transmission device is located, and

a communication circuit communicably connected to the second transmitting circuit via a bus, the communication circuit configured to receive the first location data and terminal identification data from the communication terminal, the terminal identification data identifying the communication terminal.

2. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein

the first transmission device further includes a second communication circuit configured to receive the first location data and the terminal identification data from the communication terminal that receives at least the first location data.

3. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the first transmission device further includes a memory configured to store the first location data.

4. The transmission system of claim 3, wherein the first transmission device is further configured to receive the first location data from the outside of the transmission system.

5. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit of the second transmission device is further configured to transmit the first location data and the terminal identification data to a location data management system, the location data management system managing location data via a communication network.

6. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the first transmitting circuit transmits the first location data in a first signal via a communication protocol in compliance with the Indoor Messaging System, and

the communication circuit receives a second signal that includes the first location data and the terminal identification data via a communication protocol in compliance with at least a physical layer of the IEEE 802.15.4.

7. The transmission system of claim 6, wherein the first transmitting circuit transmits the first signal via a first wireless communication network established with the communication terminal, and

the communication circuit receives the second signal via a second wireless communication network established with the communication terminal.

8. The transmission system of claim 1, wherein the first transmission device and the second transmission device are respectively incorporated in separate electrical devices.

9. A location management system, comprising:

the transmission system of claim 1; and

the communication terminal, the communication terminal including;

a second communication circuit configured to receive at least the first location data from the transmission system; and

a third transmitting circuit configured to transmit the first location data and the terminal identification data to the transmission system.

10. A location management system, comprising:

the transmission system of claim 1; and

a location data management system configured to store the first location data in association with the terminal identification data.

11. A transmission system, comprising:

a first transmission device including a first transmitter that transmits first location data to a communication terminal, the first location data indicating a location at which the first transmission device is located; and

a second transmission device different from the first transmission device, the second transmission device including;

a second transmitter that transmits second location data indicating a location at which the second transmission device is located, and

a receiver that is communicably connected to the second transmitter via a bus, the receiver receives the first location data and terminal identification data from the communication terminal, the terminal identification data identifying the communication terminal.

12. The transmission system of claim 11, wherein the first transmission device further includes a storage area configured to store the first location data.

13. The transmission system of claim 12, wherein the first transmission device further includes a second receiver that receives the first location data from the outside of the transmission system, and

the storage area stores the first location data received by the second receiver of the first transmission device.

14. The transmission system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first transmission device or the second transmission device includes a converter that converts electrical voltage supplied from an outside power source to a driving force that drives the at least one of the first transmission device or the second transmission device.

15. The transmission system of claim 11, wherein the second transmitter is further configured to transmit the first location data and the terminal identification data to a location data management system, the location data management system managing location data via a communication network.

16. The transmission system of claim 11, wherein the first transmitter transmits the first location data in a first signal via a communication protocol in compliance with the Indoor Messaging System, and

the receiver receives a second signal that includes the first location data and the terminal identification data via a communication protocol in compliance with at least a physical layer of the IEEE 802.15.4.

17. A location management system, comprising:

the transmission system of claim 11; and

a location data management system configured to store the first location data in association with the terminal identification data.

18. A method of transmitting location data, comprising:

transmitting, by a first transmission device, first location data to a communication terminal, the first location data indicating a location at which the first transmission device is located;

transmitting, by a transmitting circuit of a second transmission device different from the first transmission device, second location data indicating a location at which the second transmission device is located; and

receiving, by a communication circuit of the second transmission device, the communication circuit being communicably connected to the transmitting circuit via a bus, the first location data and terminal identification data from the communication terminal, the terminal identification data identifying the communication terminal.