Wireless information distribution apparatus, control method for wireless information distribution apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing control program

• US 10,244,487 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Yosuke, Inaba, Yukitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Raymond S
• Application Number:
  US15/768,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20180310256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/54 where broadcast information is generated
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading

Abstract

In a wireless information distribution apparatus, a transmission unit transmits radio waves for distributing information. An adjustment unit acquires first data indicating a degree in which a person is present around the wireless information distribution apparatus. Moreover, the adjustment unit acquires second data serving as an index of a possibility that another apparatus that distributes information by radio waves is present around the wireless information distribution apparatus. The adjustment unit adjusts, based on the first data and the second data, the intensity of the radio waves to be transmitted by the transmission unit.

Claims

1. A wireless information distribution apparatus that distributes information to a surrounding wireless terminal by radio waves, the wireless information distribution apparatus comprising:

a transmitter to transmit radio waves for distributing information; and

processing circuitry

to detect a speed of movement of the wireless information distribution apparatus, and

to acquire first data indicating a degree in which a person is present around and second data including, as data serving as an index of a possibility that an other apparatus that distributes information by radio waves is present around, speed data indicating the detected speed, and to adjust, based on the first data and the second data, an intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter.

2. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver to receive radio waves from the other apparatus,

wherein the second data includes, as data serving as the index, radio wave data indicating whether radio waves from the other apparatus have been received by the receiver, and

wherein the processing circuitry makes the intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter lower in a case where the radio wave data indicates that radio waves from the other apparatus have been received than in a case where the radio wave data indicates that radio waves from the other apparatus are not received.

3. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver to receive radio waves from the other apparatus,

wherein the processing circuitry identifies, based on radio waves received by the receiver, a transmission source of the received radio waves,

wherein the second data includes, as data serving as the index, number-of-apparatuses data indicating a number of apparatuses each serving as the identified other apparatus, and

wherein the processing circuitry makes the intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter lower in a case where the number of apparatuses indicated by the number-of-apparatuses data is greater than a threshold value than in a case where the number of apparatuses is less than the threshold value.

4. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry makes the intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter lower in a case where the speed indicated by the speed data is lower than a threshold value than in a case where the speed is higher than the threshold value.

5. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry makes the intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter lower in a case where the speed indicated by the speed data is zero than in a case where the speed is not zero.

6. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry stores geographical data indicating a geographical range in which the other apparatus is present,

wherein the processing circuitry detects a location of the wireless information distribution apparatus,

wherein the second data includes, as data serving as the index, location data indicating the detected location, and

wherein the processing circuitry makes the intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter lower in a case where the location indicated by the location data is within the geographical range indicated by the stored geographical data than in a case where the location is outside the geographical range.

7. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry detects an opening or closing state of a partition used to close a space in which the wireless information distribution apparatus is installed,

wherein the second data includes, as data serving as the index, state data indicating the opening or closing state detected, and

wherein the processing circuitry makes the intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the transmitter lower in a case where the opening or closing state indicated by the state data is an opening state than in a case where the opening or closing state is a closing state.

8. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry performs a calculation of a number of persons present around,

wherein the first data is data indicating, as the degree, a result of the performed calculation.

9. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processing circuitry performs a calculation of a density of persons present around,

wherein the first data is data indicating, as the degree, a result of the performed calculation.

10. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry performs the calculation using a measured value of weight input from a weight sensor located under a floor of a place in which the wireless information distribution apparatus is installed.

11. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry performs the calculation using an image input from a camera that photographs a place in which the wireless information distribution apparatus is installed.

12. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry performs the calculation by counting a number of wireless terminals that are identified by radio waves from surrounding wireless terminals.

15. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry performs the calculation using a measured value of weight input from a weight sensor located under a floor of a place in which the wireless information distribution apparatus is installed.

16. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry performs the calculation using an image input from a camera that photographs a place in which the wireless information distribution apparatus is installed.

17. The wireless information distribution apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry performs the calculation by counting a number of wireless terminals that are identified by radio waves from surrounding wireless terminals.

13. A control method for a wireless information distribution apparatus that distributes information to a surrounding wireless terminal by radio waves, the control method comprising:

detecting a speed of movement of the wireless information distribution apparatus;

acquiring first data indicating a degree in which a person is present around the wireless information distribution apparatus and second data including, as data serving as an index of a possibility that an other apparatus that distributes information by radio waves is present around the wireless information distribution apparatus, speed data indicating the detected speed of the movement of the wireless information distribution apparatus; and

adjusting, based on the first data and the second data, an intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the wireless information distribution apparatus.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program that causes a computer used to control a wireless information distribution apparatus that distributes information to a surrounding wireless terminal by radio waves to perform:

processing to detect a speed of movement of the wireless information distribution apparatus;

processing to acquire first data indicating a degree in which a person is present around the wireless information distribution apparatus and second data including, as data serving as an index of a possibility that an other apparatus that distributes information by radio waves is present around the wireless information distribution apparatus, speed data indicating the detected speed of the movement of the wireless information distribution apparatus; and

processing to adjust, based on the first data and the second data, an intensity of radio waves to be transmitted by the wireless information distribution apparatus.