Light device, communication unit and positional information management system

• US 9,301,090 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kusakari, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderpuye, Ken
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sandhu, Amritbir
• Application Number:
  US13/905,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20130330085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 398/115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25752 Optical arrangements for wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25753 Distribution optical network, e.g. between a base station and a plurality of remote units
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25758 between a central unit and a single remote unit by means of an optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 14/0298 with sub-carrier multiplexing [SCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/043 using ambient awareness, e.g. involving buildings using floor or room numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

A light device includes a light source that irradiates light to the outside; a positional information transmission part that transmits positional information of the light device to a wireless terminal; a terminal information reception part that receives identification information of the wireless terminal and the positional information from the wireless terminal that has received the positional information; a terminal information transmission part that transmits the identification information and the positional information to a management server that manages a position of the wireless terminal; and a voltage conversion part that converts a voltage of power supplied from an external power source and supplies the power to the positional information transmission part, the terminal information reception part and the terminal information transmission part.

Claims

1. A positional information management system comprising:

a plurality of light devices configured to irradiate light and store positional information of the plurality of light devices;

a plurality of communication units configured to store positional information of the communication units;

a plurality of light sources configured to irradiate light without any associated communication capability;

a plurality of lighting fixtures configured to mount therein any one of the plurality of light devices, the plurality of communication units and the plurality of light sources;

a wireless terminal configured to receive the positional information from the plurality of light devices and communication units, and configured to transmit the received positional information and identification information of the wireless terminal to the corresponding light devices and communication units; and

a management server configured to receive the positional information and the identification information from the plurality of light devices and communication units, and configured to manage a position of the wireless terminal;

wherein

each of the plurality of light devices, communication units, and light sources is a separate unit from remaining ones of the plurality of light devices, communication units and light sources,

at least two different ones of the plurality of lighting fixtures have varying number of receiving sockets for receiving one of the plurality of lighting devices, communication units and light sources, or a combination of two of the plurality of light devices, communication units and light sources,

the positional management information system has at least one of each of the at least two different ones of the plurality of lighting fixtures used therein to mount two or more of the plurality of lighting devices, communication units and light sources,

and

the plurality of light devices include,

a positional information transmission part configured to transmit the positional information to the wireless terminal;

a terminal information reception part configured to receive the identification information of the wireless terminal and the positional information from the wireless terminal that has received the positional information;

a terminal information transmission part configured to transmit the identification information and the positional information to the management server; and

a voltage conversion part configured to convert a voltage of a power supplied from an external power source, and supply the power to the positional information transmission part, the terminal information reception part and the terminal information transmission part.

2. The positional information management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the management server is configured to manage the positional information of the light device and the identification information of the wireless terminal device to be associated with each other to provide information indicating that the position of the wireless terminal corresponds to a position of the light device.