Information management system, wireless terminal, and management method

• US 9,173,246 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohashi, Yasuo, Fukuda, Michitaka, Kusakari, Shin, Miyawaki, Seiji, Miyauchi, Kunihiro, Kawasaki, Satoshi, Hiroi, Takaaki, Aoki, Shinji, Matsushita, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Min
• Application Number:
  US14/023,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An information management system is disclosed that includes a wireless terminal configured to store identification data of the wireless terminal used to identify the wireless terminal in the system; a broadcasting device configured to transmit position data which represents a position at which the device is located for a predetermined area; and a server configured to store position data indicating a position at which the terminal is located. The terminal includes a collection unit configured to collect environmental data which represents a state of an environment around the terminal; a receiving unit configured to receive the position data from the device when the terminal is located in the predetermined area; and a transmission unit configured to transmit, via the device, to the server, the identification of the terminal, the position data received from the device, and the environmental data collected by the collection unit.

Claims

1. An information management system comprising:

a wireless terminal configured to store identification data of the wireless terminal used to identify the wireless terminal in the information management system;

a broadcasting device configured to transmit first position data which represents a position at which the broadcasting device is located for a predetermined area; and

a management server configured to store second position data indicating a position at which the wireless terminal is located,

wherein the wireless terminal includes;

an environmental data collection unit configured to collect environmental data which represents a state of an environment around the wireless terminal;

a first position data receiving unit configured to receive the first position data from the broadcasting device when the wireless terminal is located in the predetermined area; and

a first terminal data transmission unit configured to transmit, via the broadcasting device, to the management server, the identification of the wireless terminal, the first position data received from the broadcasting device, and the environmental data collected by the environmental data collection unit.

2. The information management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcasting device includes:

a first terminal data receiving unit configured to receive, from the first terminal data transmission unit the identification, the first position data, and the environmental data; and

a second terminal data transmission unit configured to transmit to the management server, the identification, the first position data, and the environmental data received by the first terminal data receiving unit, and

wherein the management server includes;

a second terminal data receiving unit configured to receive, from the second terminal data transmission unit, the identification, the first position data, and the environmental data; and

a managing unit configured to manage the position at which the wireless terminal is located based on the identification and the first position data received by the second terminal data receiving unit, and manage the state of the environment around the wireless terminal based on the environmental data received by the second terminal data receiving unit.

3. The information management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless terminal further includes a display configured to output the environmental data on a screen.

4. The information management system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal includes:

a second position data receiving unit configured to receive from the broadcasting device third position data;

a third terminal data transmission unit configured to transmit to the management server identification data used to identify the mobile terminal in the information management system and the third position data received from the broadcasting device; and

a display configured to output the environmental data on a screen, and

wherein the management server includes an environmental data transmission unit configured to transmit to the mobile terminal the environmental data when both the third position data transmitted by the mobile terminal and the first position data transmitted by the wireless terminal represent a same position.

5. The information management system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a controlled apparatus, wherein the management server includes a control unit configured to control the controlled apparatus according to a predetermined rule when a value represented by the environmental data equals, exceeds, or falls below a threshold value.

6. The information management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the environmental data collection unit is configured to collect the environmental data, which represents at least one of a temperature value, a humidity value, an illuminance value, an odor value, a human detecting value, an air pressure value, a contact value, a radiation value, an acoustic value, an electromagnetic value, a pulse rate, a flow rate, and a wattage value.

7. A wireless terminal which communicates with a broadcasting device transmitting position data, which represents a position at which the broadcasting device is located for a predetermined area, the wireless terminal storing identification data used to identify the wireless terminal, the wireless terminal comprising:

an environmental data collection unit configured to collect environmental data which represents a state of an environment around the wireless terminal;

a position data receiving unit configured to receive the position data from the broadcasting device when the wireless terminal is located in the predetermined area; and

a terminal data transmission unit configured to transmit, via the broadcasting device, to a management server, the identification of the wireless terminal, the position data received from the broadcasting device, and the environmental data collected by the environmental data collection unit.

8. A management method executed on a wireless terminal in an information management system including (1) the wireless terminal, which stores identification data used to identify the wireless terminal in the information management system, (2) a broadcasting device transmitting first position data that represents a position at which the broadcasting device is located for a predetermined area, and (3) a management server storing second position data indicating a position at which the wireless terminal is located, the method comprising:

collecting environmental data, which represents a state of an environment around the wireless terminal;

receiving the first position data from the broadcasting device when the wireless terminal is located in the predetermined area; and

transmitting, via the broadcasting device, to the management server, the identification of the wireless terminal, the first position data received from the broadcasting device, and the environmental data collected in the collecting.