Location determination system and mobile terminal

• US 9,026,437 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, MATTHEW H
• Application Number:
  US13/429,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 367/124, 700/94
• US Class Current: 704/216
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/028 using properties of sound source
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0308 characterised by the type of parameter measurement, e.g. correlation techniques, zero crossing techniques or predictive techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/06 the extracted parameters being correlation coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/51 for comparison or discrimination
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A location determination system includes a first mobile terminal and a second mobile terminal. The first mobile terminal includes a first processor to acquire a first sound signal, analyze the first sound signal to obtain a first analysis result, and transmit the first analysis result. The second mobile terminal includes a second processor to acquire a second sound signal, analyze the second sound signal to obtain a second analysis result, receive the first analysis result from the first mobile terminal, compare the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result, and determine whether the first mobile terminal locates in an area in which the second mobile terminal locates, based on the comparison result.

Claims

1. A location determination system comprising:

a first mobile terminal including;

a first processor to

acquire a first sound signal,

analyze the first sound signal to obtain a first analysis result, and

transmit the first analysis result; and

a second mobile terminal including;

a second processor to

acquire a second sound signal,

analyze the second sound signal to obtain a second analysis result,

receive the first analysis result from the first mobile terminal,

compare the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result, and

determine whether the first mobile terminal is located in an area in which the second mobile terminal is located, based on the comparison result, wherein

the first processor acquires and analyzes the first sound signal periodically at given time intervals to acquire a first feature quantity,

the first processor transmits the first feature quantity as the first analysis result,

the second processor acquires and analyzes the second sound signal periodically at the given time intervals to acquire a second feature quantity as the second analysis result,

the second processor compares the second feature quantity with the first feature quantity received from the first mobile terminal,

the second sound signal corresponding to the compared second feature quantity and the first sound signal corresponding to the compared first feature quantity are acquired at the same time,

the second processor counts a first number of the comparisons within a predetermined time period,

the second processor counts a second number of times when a degree of matching between the second feature quantity and the first feature quantity exceeds a first threshold within the predetermined time period,

the second processor calculates a ratio of the second number to the first number, and

the second processor determines whether the ratio exceeds a second threshold to determine whether the first mobile terminal is located in the area in which the second mobile terminal is located.

2. The location determination system according to claim 1, wherein

the first mobile terminal further includes a first clock,

the first processor acquires first time information indicated by the first clock,

the first processor transmits the first time information,

the second mobile terminal further includes a second clock,

the second processor acquires second time information indicated by the second clock,

the second processor receives the first time information from the first mobile terminal,

the second processor calculates a time difference between the second time information and the first time information, and

the second processor instructs the first mobile terminal to acquire the first sound signal in accordance with the first clock adjusted by the time difference.

3. The location determination system according to claim 1, wherein

the first processor applies a frequency analysis on the first sound signal to obtain first plural peak frequencies,

the first processor transmits the first plural peak frequencies as the first analysis result,

the second processor applies the frequency analysis on the second sound signal to obtain second plural peak frequencies as the second analysis result, and

the second processor compares the second plural peak frequencies with the first plural peak frequencies received from the first mobile terminal, to determine whether the first mobile terminal is located in the area in which the second mobile terminal is located.

4. The location determination system according to claim 1, wherein

the second processor determines that the second mobile terminal is a monitoring terminal, based on predetermined information,

the second processor monitors the second sound signal while the first mobile terminal is in a sleep state in which the first mobile terminal withholds acquiring the first sound signal, and

the second processor instructs, upon receiving the second sound signal having an intensity level exceeding a predetermined intensity level, the first mobile terminal to start acquiring the first sound signal.

5. The location determination system according to claim 4, wherein

the predetermined information includes at least one of

whether the second mobile terminal uses an external power supply,

remaining battery charge of the second mobile terminal,

estimated available operation time of the second mobile terminal, and

whether the second mobile terminal uses a microphone.

6. A location determination system comprising:

a first mobile terminal including;

a first processor to

acquire a first sound signal, and

transmit the first sound signal; and

a second mobile terminal including;

a second processor to

acquire a second sound signal,

receive the first sound signal from the first mobile terminal,

analyze the first sound signal to obtain a first analysis result,

analyze the second sound signal to obtain a second analysis result,

compare the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result, and

determine whether the first mobile terminal is locator is located in an area in which the second mobile terminal is located, based on the comparison result, wherein

the first processor acquires and transmits the first sound signal periodically at given time intervals,

the second processor analyzes the first sound signal to obtain a first feature quantity as the first analysis result,

the second processor acquires and analyzes the second sound signal periodically at the given time intervals to obtain a second feature quantity as the second analysis result,

the second processor compares the second feature quantity with the first feature quantity,

the second sound signal corresponding to the compared second feature quantity and the first sound signal corresponding to the first feature quantity are acquired at the same time,

the second processor counts a first number of the comparisons within a predetermined time period,

the second processor counts a second number of times when a degree of matching between the second feature quantity and the first feature quantity exceeds a first threshold within the predetermined time period,

the second processor calculates a ratio of the second number to the first number, and

the second processor determines whether the ratio exceeds a second threshold to determine whether the first mobile terminal is located in the area in which the second mobile terminal is located.

7. The location determination system according to claim 6, wherein

the first mobile terminal further includes a first clock,

the first processor acquires first time information indicated by the first clock,

the first processor transmits the first time information,

the second mobile terminal further includes a second clock,

the second processor acquires second time information indicated by the second clock,

the second processor receives the first time information from the first mobile terminal,

the second processor calculates a time difference between the second time information and the first time information, and

the second processor instructs the first mobile terminal to acquire the first sound signal in accordance with the first clock adjusted by the time difference.

8. The location determination system according to claim 6, wherein

the second processor applies a frequency analysis on the first sound signal to obtain first plural peak frequencies,

the second processor applies the frequency analysis on the second sound signal to obtain second plural peak frequencies as the second analysis result, and

the second processor compares the second plural peak frequencies with the first plural peak frequencies, to determine whether the first mobile terminal is located in the area in which the second mobile terminal is located.

9. The location determination system according to claim 6, wherein

the second processor determines that the second mobile terminal is a monitoring terminal, based on predetermined information,

the second processor monitors the second sound signal while the first mobile terminal is in a sleep state in which the first mobile terminal withholds acquiring the first sound signal, and

the second processor instructs, upon receiving the second sound signal having an intensity level exceeding a predetermined intensity level, the first mobile terminal to start acquiring the first sound signal.

10. The location determination system according to claim 9, wherein

the predetermined information includes at least one of

whether the second mobile terminal uses an external power supply,

remaining battery charge of the second mobile terminal,

estimated available operation time of the second mobile terminal, and

whether the second mobile terminal uses a microphone.

11. A mobile terminal comprising:

a processor to

receive a first analysis result from an apparatus,

acquire a sound signal,

analyze the sound signal to obtain a second analysis result,

compare the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result, and

determine whether the apparatus is located in an area in which the mobile terminal is located, based on the comparison result, wherein

the processor acquires and analyzes the first analysis result periodically at given time intervals to acquire a first feature quantity,

the processor acquires and analyzes the sound signal periodically at the given time intervals to acquire a second feature quantity as the second analysis result,

the processor compares the second feature quantity with the first feature quantity,

the sound signal corresponding to the compared second feature quantity and the first analysis result corresponding to the compared first feature quantity are acquired at the same time,

the processor counts a first number of the comparisons within a predetermined time period,

the processor counts a second number of times when a degree of matching between the second feature quantity and the first feature quantity exceeds a first threshold within the predetermined time period,

the processor calculates a ratio of the second number to the first number, and

the processor determines whether the ratio exceeds a second threshold to determine whether the apparatus is located in the area in which the mobile terminal is located.

12. A mobile terminal comprising:

a processor to

receive a first sound signal from an apparatus,

analyze the first sound signal to obtain a first analysis result,

acquire a second sound signal,

analyze the second sound signal to obtain a second analysis result,

compare the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result, and

determine whether the apparatus is located in an area in which the mobile terminal is located, based on the comparison result, wherein

the processor acquires and analyzes the first sound signal periodically at given time intervals to acquire a first feature quantity,

the processor acquires and analyzes the second sound signal periodically at the given time intervals to acquire a second feature quantity as the second analysis result,

the processor compares the second feature quantity with the first feature quantity,

the second sound signal corresponding to the compared second feature quantity and the first sound signal corresponding to the compared first feature quantity are acquired at the same time,

the processor counts a first number of the comparisons within a predetermined time period,

the processor counts a second number of times when a degree of matching between the second feature quantity and the first feature quantity exceeds a first threshold within the predetermined time period,

the processor calculates a ratio of the second number to the first number, and

the processor determines whether the ratio exceeds a second threshold to determine whether the apparatus is located in the area in which the mobile terminal is located.

13. A location determination method executed by a mobile terminal, the location determination method comprising:

receiving a first analysis result from an apparatus;

acquiring a sound signal;

analyzing the sound signal to obtain a second analysis result;

comparing the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result; and

determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the apparatus is located in an area in which the mobile terminal is located, based on the comparison result, wherein

acquiring and analyzing the first analysis result periodically at given time intervals to acquire a first feature quantity,

acquiring and analyzing the sound signal periodically at the given time intervals to acquire a second feature quantity as the second analysis result,

comparing the second feature quantity with the first feature quantity,

the sound signal corresponding to the compared second feature quantity and the first analysis result corresponding to the compared first feature quantity are acquired at the same time,

counting a first number of the comparisons within a predetermined time period,

counting a second number of times when a degree of matching between the second feature quantity and the first feature quantity exceeds a first threshold within the predetermined time period,

calculating a ratio of the second number to the first number, and

determining whether the ratio exceeds a second threshold to determine whether the apparatus is located in the area in which the mobile terminal is located.

14. A location determination method executed by a mobile terminal, the location determination method comprising:

receiving a first sound signal from an apparatus;

analyzing the first sound signal to obtain a first analysis result;

acquiring a second sound signal;

analyzing the second sound signal to obtain a second analysis result;

comparing the second analysis result with the first analysis result to obtain a comparison result;

determining, by the mobile terminal, whether the apparatus is located in an area in which the mobile terminal is located, based on the comparison result,

acquiring and analyzing the first sound signal periodically at given time intervals to acquire a first feature quantity,

transmitting the first feature quantity as the first analysis result,

acquiring and analyzing the second sound signal periodically at the given time intervals to acquire a second feature quantity as the second analysis result,

comparing the second feature quantity with the first feature quantity,

the second sound signal corresponding to the compared second feature quantity and the first sound signal corresponding to the compared first feature quantity are acquired at the same time,

counting a first number of the comparisons within a predetermined time period,

counting a second number of times when a degree of matching between the second feature quantity and the first feature quantity exceeds a first threshold within the predetermined time period,

calculating a ratio of the second number to the first number, and

determining whether the ratio exceeds a second threshold to determine whether the apparatus is located in the area in which the mobile terminal is located.