Position information system, information processing device, and information processing method

Abstract

To reduce time and trouble pertaining to creation of a work record for recording work contents and a worker by associating them.SOLUTION: A position information system includes multiple beacon tags, multiple gateways, a terminal, and a server. The terminal generates a work record by associating a worker from among multiple workers who hold a beacon tag each with work contents. The server stores a registration list for registering identification information and holding workers' names regarding each of multiple beacon tags. The server generates an update list in which a worker who exists in a specific area in which a terminal is located from among multiple workers who are registered in the registration list is advanced to a higher rank. The server transmits a display list showing order in the list of the update list to the terminal. The terminal displays multiple workers registered in the registration list side by side so as to be selectable in order in the list of the update list.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to a location information system, an information processing device, and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, there have been tasks that require the creation of work records linking the work content to the worker in order to clarify who performed what work in a specific area, such as in medical settings, automobile maintenance, and shipping inspections in the manufacturing industry. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-197734 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-118643 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-224491 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, in some cases, names and roles (types) are pre-registered on the server, and the worker's name can be entered in the name field by selecting from a displayed list of pre-registered workers, and the selected worker's name is linked to the work content and recorded as a work record. In such cases, depending on the display order in the list, the worker must use a slide bar or other means to find their own name, which makes creating a work record time-consuming. As a result, there is a risk that work will be started with the name field blank, or that work records will continue to be created with the previous worker's name entered and without changing the name for each work.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and one of its objects is to reduce the effort involved in creating a work record that links work content with workers and records them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A location information system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of beacon tags, a plurality of gateways, a terminal, and a server. Each of the plurality of beacon tags transmits a wireless signal including identification information that uniquely identifies the terminal. The plurality of gateways are provided for each area, and each is configured to receive the wireless signal transmitted from each of the plurality of beacon tags. The terminal receives input of a name of one of a plurality of workers who each hold a beacon tag and a task content, and generates a work record by linking the received worker and task content. The server is communicatively connected to each of the plurality of gateways and the terminal. The server includes a communication unit, a storage unit, and a generation unit. The communication unit receives information related to the wireless signal from each of the plurality of gateways. The storage unit stores a registration list in which the identification information for each of the plurality of beacon tags and the name of the worker holding the tag are registered. The generation unit generates an updated list in which workers who are present in a specific area where the terminal is located are moved up to the top of the registration list among the plurality of workers registered in the registration list. The storage unit further stores the generated update list. When the communication unit receives a list request from the terminal, it transmits a display list indicating the order in the update list stored in the storage unit to the terminal. The terminal, based on the display list from the server, displays the plurality of workers registered in the registration list in a selectable order in the order in the update list. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the effort required to create a work record that links work content with workers and records them. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a location information system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the server according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing device that realizes each device of the location information system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an application example of the location information system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a display list generation process executed in the server according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a registration list according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a display list set according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a work record generation process executed in the position information system according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a worker name input screen displayed on the terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a name selection screen when the order of the registration list is used, unlike the terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a name selection screen displayed on the terminal according to the embodiment when the order of the display list is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, a location information system, an information processing device, and an information processing method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, parts with the same reference numerals perform similar operations, and redundant descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0010] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a location information system 1 according to an embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the location information system 1 includes a plurality of beacon tags 2, a plurality of gateways 3, at least one terminal 5, and a server 7.

[0011] 1, the server 7 is communicatively connected to each of the multiple gateways 3 and at least one terminal 5 via a network N. As the network N, any telecommunications line can be used as appropriate, such as a dedicated line such as a local area network (LAN) or a wireless LAN, or a public line such as the Internet.

[0012] 1, any beacon tag 2 and any gateway 3 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. Specifically, the beacon tag 2 is configured to be able to transmit a wireless signal to any unspecified gateway 3. The gateway 3 is configured to be able to receive a wireless signal from any unspecified beacon tag 2. For communication between the beacon tag 2 and the gateway 3, wireless communication compatible with various communication standards such as BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Sub-1 GHz, IEEE802.15.4, and LTE Cat-1 can be used as appropriate. In the description of this embodiment, a case where wireless communication conforming to the BLE standard is used for communication between the beacon tag 2 and the gateway 3 will be exemplified.

[0013] 1 illustrates three beacon tags 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 as the plurality of beacon tags 2, but is not limited to this. The number of beacon tags 2 corresponds to the number of users registered in the location information system 1 and can be set arbitrarily.

[0014] 1 illustrates two gateways 3-1 and 3-2 as an example of the multiple gateways 3, but the number is not limited to this. The number of gateways 3 corresponds to the number of specific areas 10 used in the location information system 1, and can be set arbitrarily.

[0015] 1 illustrates one terminal 5 as the at least one terminal 5, but is not limited to this. The number of terminals 5 can be set arbitrarily. For example, a terminal 5 may be provided for each specific area 10.

[0016] The multiple beacon tags 2 are held by multiple users registered in the location information system 1. Each of the multiple users holds, for example, one beacon tag 2. However, there may be a user who holds two or more beacon tags 2, such as a user who can perform work in two or more roles. Of course, a user who can perform work in two or more roles may hold one beacon tag 2, and the tag ID may be associated with multiple roles along with the user's name in the registration list 732 described below. As an example, the beacon tag 2 is attached to the name tag of a registered user. Each of the multiple beacon tags 2 wirelessly transmits a wireless signal including a tag ID, which is identification information for uniquely identifying the device, to the gateway 3 via communication in accordance with the BLE standard. The wireless signal may further include a measurement time. In this wireless transmission, the destination gateway 3 is not specified, but the beacon tag 2 may be configured to specify the destination for wireless transmission.

[0017] Each of the multiple gateways 3 is installed in each of the multiple areas 10. Fig. 1 illustrates a gateway 3-1 installed in an examination area 10-1 and a gateway 3-2 installed in an adjacent area 10-2.

[0018] Note that two or more gateways 3 may be installed in one area 10. The number of areas 10 may be one, or may be three or more. Each of the examination area 10-1 and the adjacent area 10-2 may be defined as a range in which each installed gateway 3 can receive a wireless signal from the beacon tag 2, and may be, for example, a room, but may also be a range without partitions such as walls, such as different ranges within the same room or any range outdoors.

[0019] Here, the examination area 10-1 in the location information system 1 according to the embodiment is an area 10 where examinations are performed by multiple medical professionals. This examination is a task related to a medical site, and requires the creation of a medical record linking the contents of the examination with the medical professional who attended. In other words, the contents of the examination and the medical professional are examples of the work content and the worker, respectively. The examination area 10-1 is also an example of a "specific area." The adjacent area 10-2 is an area adjacent to the examination area 10-1.

[0020] Each of the multiple gateways 3 receives a wireless signal wirelessly transmitted from the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5 by communication conforming to the BLE standard. This wireless signal is, for example, wirelessly transmitted from the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5 without specifying the destination gateway 3, but it may also be wirelessly transmitted by specifying the destination gateway 3. Furthermore, each of the multiple gateways 3 acquires the received signal strength (RSSI: Received Signal Strength Indicator) of the wireless signal received from the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5. Furthermore, each of the multiple gateways 3 outputs to the server 7 "reception information" including the tag ID or terminal ID included in the received wireless signal, the received signal strength, and a gateway ID that is identification information for uniquely identifying the own terminal.

[0021] In the present embodiment, a case is exemplified in which the position of the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5 is identified based on the received signal strength at the gateway 3 that receives a wireless signal from the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the location information system 1 according to the embodiment, it is sufficient to be able to identify a "positional relationship" that indicates how close the beacon tag 2 is to the terminal 5 as a reference, and the position of the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5 may be identified by any method. Specifically, in the location information system 1 according to the embodiment, it is sufficient to be able to identify the area 10 in which the terminal 5 is located and the position of the beacon tag 2 relative to the area 10 as the "positional relationship," and any information may be acquired as the "positional relationship," and the "positional relationship" may be identified by any method.

[0022] For example, the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5 may output location information indicating the location of the terminal itself. In this case, the location information indicating the location of the terminal itself may be measured and acquired in each beacon tag 2 or each terminal 5 using a positioning system such as a GPS (Global Positioning System). Alternatively, the terminal 5 may accept location information input by a user and output the input location information. This location information may be input by inputting the area 10 in which the terminal 5 is located, or by selecting the location or area 10 on a map. In these cases, the gateway 3 may output to the server 7 "received information" including the location information of the beacon tag 2 or terminal 5 that emitted the received wireless signal.

[0023] For example, the location of the beacon tag 2 or the terminal 5 may be specified by the gateway 3. In this case, the gateway 3 may output "reception information" including location information of the beacon tag 2 that emitted the received wireless signal to the server 7. Alternatively, the gateway 3 may output "reception information" including the tag ID of the beacon tag 2 that is located in the area 10 where the own terminal is installed, among at least one beacon tag 2 that received the wireless signal, and the gateway ID of the own terminal to the server 7.

[0024] Note that the gateway 3 may output location information indicating the location of its own terminal instead of the gateway ID. In this case, the location information indicating the location of its own terminal may be set in advance and stored in the internal memory of each gateway 3, or may be measured and acquired by each gateway 3 using a positioning system such as GPS. In this case, the location information of each gateway 3 does not need to be stored in the server 7.

[0025] The terminal 5 is a portable information processing device such as a smartphone or tablet PC. The terminal 5 performs processing related to work records that record the work content and workers for various work performed in a specific area 10 set up at a work site. As an example, the terminal 5 receives input of the name of one of multiple workers who hold multiple beacon tags 2 and the work content, and generates a work record by linking the received worker and work content. As an example, based on the display list 532 from the server 7, the terminal 5 displays multiple workers registered in the registration list 732 of the server 7 in a selectable order in the list of the update list 733 of the server 7.

[0026] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the terminal 5 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal 5 has functions as a communication unit 51, a display unit 52, and a storage unit 53.

[0027] The communication unit 51 is connected to the network N and communicates with the server 7. In this communication, the communication unit 51 outputs a "list request" requesting a display list 532 for its own terminal to the server 7 via the network N, for example, periodically or periodically. The communication unit 51 also acquires the display list 532 from the server 7 via the network N and supplies it to the display unit 52 or the storage unit 53. The display list 532 is information indicating the order in the list of the update list 733 stored in the server 7.

[0028] The display list 532 is returned from the server 7 in response to a "list request" from the terminal 5, for example, but is not limited to this. The display list 532 may be pushed from the server 7, for example, periodically or periodically.

[0029] The timing of the "list request" from the terminal 5 or the output timing of the display list 532 from the server 7 may be a fixed cycle, such as 10 seconds, 30 seconds, or 1 minute, that is predetermined and stored in the storage unit 53 or the storage unit 73 (see FIG. 3), or may be a variable cycle, or may be a predetermined time that is predetermined and stored in the storage unit 53 or the storage unit 73 (see FIG. 3), such as the start time of work or the time when work is resumed after a break. For example, the presence or absence of output or the frequency of output may be changed depending on the time of day, such as not outputting at night or outside of work hours or reducing the frequency of output.

[0030] The timing of the "list request" from the terminal 5 or the output of the display list 532 from the server 7 is not limited to periodic or regular timing, but may be timing in response to any trigger. This trigger may be, for example, the power being turned on to the terminal 5, the sleep state of the terminal 5 being woken up, the logged-in user of the terminal 5 being switched, or the start of a work record application on the terminal 5. Furthermore, for example, the trigger may be the acquisition of location information of the terminal 5, the identification of the area 10 in which the terminal 5 is located, or the detection of movement of the terminal 5.

[0031] Similarly to the beacon tag 2, the communication unit 51 outputs a wireless signal including a terminal ID, which is identification information for uniquely identifying the terminal itself, to an unspecified gateway 3. This wireless signal is used to identify the location of the terminal 5, i.e., the terminal position. The communication unit 51 may be configured to specify a destination and transmit the signal wirelessly.

[0032] The communication unit 51 may output the location information of the terminal 5, acquired based on the positioning at the terminal 5 or the user input, together with the terminal ID to the server 7 via the network N. This location information may be assigned at an access point through which the terminal 5 connects to the network N, or an access point ID, which is identification information for uniquely identifying the access point, or location information of the access point stored in its internal memory may be used.

[0033] The display unit 52 displays various display screens related to the generation of work records. Specifically, the display unit 52 displays a worker name input screen 901 (see FIG. 10) and a name selection screen 903 (see FIG. 12). For example, the display unit 52 displays the name selection screen 903 that displays registered users in a selectable order based on the display list 532 from the server 7. The display unit 52 also accepts user operations on the display screen.

[0034] The storage unit 53 stores various types of information required to generate a work record. For example, the storage unit 53 stores a control program 531 for implementing each function of the terminal 5. For example, the storage unit 53 stores a display list 532 from the server 7. The configuration of this display list 532, i.e., the items included in the list, will be described in detail later, but may be the same as or a part of an update list 733 (see FIG. 8) for the terminal itself generated by the server 7.

[0035] The server 7 is an information processing device such as a PC or a server device. The server 7 may be realized by cooperation of a plurality of information processing devices. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the server 7 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the server 7 has functions as a communication unit 71, a generation unit 72, and a storage unit 73.

[0036] The communication unit 71 is connected to a network N and communicates between each of the multiple gateways 3 and at least one terminal 5. In this communication, the communication unit 71 acquires "received information" from each of the multiple gateways 3 via the network N and supplies the information to the generation unit 72 or the storage unit 73. The communication unit 71 also acquires a "list request" from each of the at least one terminal 5 via the network N and supplies the information to the generation unit 72 or the storage unit 73. In response to a "list request" from each of the at least one terminal 5, the communication unit 71 outputs a display list 532, which is part or all of an update list 733 for the terminal, to the terminal 5 via the network N.

[0037] The generation unit 72 identifies, for each of at least one terminal 5, a "positional relationship" that indicates how close the beacon tag 2 is relative to each terminal 5. The generation unit 72 also generates an update list 733 for each terminal by rearranging the users registered in the registration list 732 based on the identified "positional relationship." As an example, the generation unit 72 generates an update list 733 in which, of the multiple workers registered in the registration list 732, workers who are present in the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located are moved to the top. At this time, the generation unit 72 refers to the registration list 732 but does not edit it.

[0038] The generation unit 72 generates the update list 733 for each terminal, for example, periodically. The timing of this generation may be, for example, a fixed period that is predetermined and stored in the storage unit 73, or a variable period that is short during business hours and long during time periods such as outside business hours, during breaks, and at night. For example, the presence or absence of output or the frequency of output may be changed depending on the time period, such as not outputting or reducing the frequency of output during time periods such as outside business hours, during breaks, and at night. The generation timing is not limited to periodic timing, and may also be timing based on an arbitrary trigger. This trigger may be, for example, when the terminal 5 is turned on, when the terminal 5 is woken up from sleep mode, when the logged-in user of the terminal 5 is changed, or when a work record application is launched on the terminal 5. For example, the trigger may be when location information of the terminal 5 is acquired, when the area 10 in which the terminal 5 is located is identified, or when movement of the terminal 5 is detected. For example, the trigger may be reception of a "list request" from the terminal 5.

[0039] For example, the generation unit 72 identifies the area 10 in which each of the at least one terminal 5 is located, based on “received information” relating to each of the at least one terminal 5 from each of the multiple gateways 3 .

[0040] For example, the generation unit 72 identifies the terminal position of the terminal 5 based on the received signal strength at each gateway 3 and the installation information of each gateway 3, and identifies the area 10 in which each terminal 5 is located based on the identified terminal position and map information of the work site. Here, the installation information of the gateway 3 is information that indicates the installation location of the gateway 3, which is stored in advance in the storage unit 73, for example. The map information of the work site is location information that defines the range of each area 10, or information that indicates the correspondence between the installation location of the gateway 3 and the area 10.

[0041] The generation unit 72 may identify the gateway 3 with the highest received signal strength among the multiple gateways 3, and identify the area 10 in which each terminal 5 is located based on the installation information of the gateway 3, that is, without identifying the terminal position itself of the terminal 5. In this case, the installation information of the gateway 3 is information that indicates the correspondence between the installation location of the gateway 3 and the area 10, and is stored in advance in the storage unit 73, for example.

[0042] For example, the generation unit 72 identifies the beacon tag 2 located in each area 10 based on "received information" regarding each of the multiple beacon tags 2 from each of the multiple gateways 3. The beacon tag 2 located in each area 10 may be identified by identifying the tag position, as with the terminal 5, or may be identified based on information indicating the correspondence between the installation location of the gateway 3 and the area 10.

[0043] Note that, although an example is shown in which the area 10 in which the terminal 5 is located is identified, and then multiple beacon tags 2 located in the area 10 are identified, this is not limiting. The generation unit 72 may identify the positions or areas 10 of the beacon tag 2 and at least one terminal 5 independently, and then identify the beacon tag 2 located in each area 10.

[0044] For example, the generation unit 72 sets the priority to be assigned to each area 10 based on the examination area 10-1 in which the terminal 5 is located, for the tag ID of each beacon tag 2, i.e., for the user who holds the beacon tag 2, for each role.

[0045] As an example, the generation unit 72 sets a higher priority for the beacon tag 2 located within the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located than for the beacon tag 2 located outside the examination area 10-1. As a result, an updated list 733 is generated in which the workers present in the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located are moved up to the top.

[0046] As an example, the generation unit 72 sets a higher priority for the beacon tags 2 located in the adjacent area 10-2 adjacent to the examination area 10-1 among the beacon tags 2 located outside the examination area 10-1 than for the beacon tags 2 located outside the adjacent area 10-2. As a result, an updated list 733 is generated in which the workers present in the adjacent area 10-2 are raised to the next higher position after the workers present in the examination area 10-1.

[0047] As an example, the generation unit 72 sets a higher priority for the beacon tag 2 that is moving between the examination area 10-1 and the adjacent area 10-2 among the beacon tags 2 located outside the examination area 10-1 and the adjacent area 10-2 than for the other beacon tags 2 located outside the examination area 10-1 and the adjacent area 10-2. As a result, an updated list 733 is generated in which workers who are moving between the areas 10-1 and the adjacent area 10-2 are raised to the next higher position after workers who are present in the adjacent area 10-2.

[0048] For example, the generation unit 72 generates the update list 733 for each terminal by sorting the users registered in the registration list 732 in descending order of the set priority. That is, the update list 733 according to the embodiment is a list in which, for each terminal 5, the users registered in the registration list 732 are sorted in descending order of proximity to the terminal 5, for example, for each area 10. As a result, for multiple workers who exist in the same area 10, the order in the update list 733 is determined in descending order of distance from the terminal 5.

[0049] The above-described priority setting is an example and can be changed as appropriate. For example, a beacon tag 2 moving between areas 10 may be set to a higher priority than a beacon tag 2 located in the adjacent area 10-2. This generates an updated list 733 in which workers moving between areas 10 are ranked next to workers present in the examination area 10-1.

[0050] It should be noted that the priority is not limited to being set for each area 10. For example, the generation unit 72 may set the priority in order of distance from the terminal 5. Furthermore, for example, the generation unit 72 may set the priority for each area 10, and then further set the priority within the area 10 in order of distance from the terminal 5.

[0051] The generation unit 72 may update the "positional relationship" determined by tracking the tag position of each beacon tag 2 and the terminal position of each terminal 5, or may repeat the same process to determine the "positional relationship" each time.

[0052] The storage unit 73 stores various information required to generate work records. For example, the storage unit 73 stores a control program 731 for implementing each function of the server 7. For example, the storage unit 73 stores a registration list 732 and an update list 733. The registration list 732 is a list in which tag information for each of a plurality of beacon tags 2 and the names of the workers who hold the tags are registered. The update list 733 is a list in which the order of the workers in the registration list 732 is rearranged based on the positional relationship between the beacon tags 2 and the terminal 5. The configurations of the registration list 732 and the update list 733, i.e., the items included in the lists, will be described later. The storage unit 73 may also store, for example, predetermined installation information indicating a correspondence between the gateway ID of each gateway 3 and the location or the area 10 in which the gateway 3 is installed. The storage unit 73 may also store, for example, predetermined map information of the work site. Furthermore, the storage unit 73 may store, for example, a predetermined setting condition for the "priority" of the sorting.

[0053] 4 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing device 8 that realizes each device of the location information system 1 according to the embodiment. Each of the beacon tag 2, the gateway 3, the terminal 5, and the server 7 according to the embodiment is realized by, for example, the information processing device 8 illustrated in FIG.

[0054] The information processing device 8 has, for example, the same hardware configuration as a normal computer. As shown in Fig. 4, the information processing device 8 has, for example, at least one processor 81, a main storage device 82, an auxiliary storage device 83, and a communication I / F 84. The at least one processor 81, the main storage device 82, the auxiliary storage device 83, and the communication I / F 84 are communicatively connected by, for example, a bus or the like.

[0055] At least one processor 81 controls the overall operation of each device. At least one processor 81 loads programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 83 into the main storage device 82 and executes them to realize the functions of each device in the location information system 1. The main storage device 82 stores data being processed by each device. The auxiliary storage device 83 stores operating systems and application programs executed by each device, data, and parameters such as thresholds used in each process.

[0056] It should be noted that a part or all of at least one processor 81 may be configured as a dedicated hardware circuit. As the processor 81, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is used, but other processors such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), etc. may also be used.

[0057] The main storage device 82 may be, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), but other volatile memories may also be used.

[0058] The auxiliary storage device 83 may be, for example, a read only memory (ROM), but various non-volatile memories and storage devices such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a flash memory may also be used as appropriate.

[0059] For example, in the terminal 5, the main memory device 82 and the auxiliary memory device 83 realize part of the functions of the memory unit 53. Also, in the server 7, for example, the main memory device 82 and the auxiliary memory device 83 realize part of the functions of the memory unit 73.

[0060] The communication I / F 84 is an interface circuit for communicating with the outside world, and includes a communication circuit for wireless communication or a communication circuit for wired communication that is compatible with various communication standards such as BLE, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Sub-1 GHz, IEEE802.15.4, and LTE Cat-1 that are supported by each device.

[0061] For example, in the terminal 5, the communication I / F 84 realizes part of the function of the communication unit 51. Also, in the server 7, the communication I / F 84 realizes part of the function of the communication unit 71.

[0062] The terminal 5 further includes an output I / F 85 and an input I / F 86. The output I / F 85 and the input I / F 86 are each communicatively connected to at least one processor 81, a main memory device 82, an auxiliary memory device 83, and a communication I / F 84 via a bus or the like.

[0063] The output I / F 85 is an interface that presents various display screens to the user under the control of the processor 81. For example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display can be used as the output I / F 85 as appropriate. The output I / F 85 may also be an interface for outputting various display screens to the outside. The output I / F 85 may also include an output device other than a display, such as a speaker that outputs notification sounds, voices, etc. For example, the output I / F 85 of the terminal 5 presents to the user a worker name input screen, a name selection screen, a work content input screen, etc. under the control of the display unit 52.

[0064] The input I / F 86 is an interface that accepts various user operations under the control of the processor 81. As the input I / F 86, various input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, button, lever, switch, etc. can be used as appropriate. The input I / F 86 may also be an interface for inputting the results of various user operations from outside. For example, under the control of the display unit 52, the input I / F 86 of the terminal 5 accepts various user operations related to work records, such as selecting a role on a worker name input screen, selecting a name on a name selection screen, and inputting work content on a work content input screen.

[0065] For example, in the terminal 5, the output I / F 85 and the input I / F 86 are configured as a touch panel display, and realize part of the function of the display unit 52.

[0066] In addition, the program executed by the information processing device 8 according to the embodiment may be provided as a file in an installable or executable format stored on a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, a DVD, or a flash memory.

[0067] The program executed by the information processing device 8 according to the embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The program executed by the information processing device 8 according to the embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet. The program executed by the information processing device 8 according to the embodiment may be provided by being pre-installed in an auxiliary storage device 83 such as a ROM.

[0068] For example, a control program 531 for causing the information processing device 8 to function as the terminal 5 has a modular configuration of the functional units of the terminal 5, including a communication unit 51, a display unit 52, and a storage unit 53. Also, for example, a control program 731 for causing the information processing device 8 to function as the server 7 has a modular configuration of the functional units of the terminal 5, including a communication unit 71, a generation unit 72, and a storage unit 73.

[0069] For example, in the information processing device 8, the processor 81 reads and executes a program from a storage medium or storage device such as the auxiliary storage device 83, thereby loading each module into a main storage device such as a RAM. As a result, for example, the processor 81 of the terminal 5 functions as each functional unit of the terminal 5, including the communication unit 51, the display unit 52, and the storage unit 53. Also, for example, the processor 81 of the server 7 functions as each functional unit of the terminal 5, including the communication unit 71, the generation unit 72, and the storage unit 73. Note that part or all of the functional configuration of the information processing device 8 may be realized by a dedicated hardware circuit.

[0070] An example of the operation of the position information system 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0071] Here, a case where the position information system 1 according to the embodiment is applied to a medical field will be illustrated as an example. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining an application example of the position information system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 5, gateways 3-1 and 3-2 are installed in the examination area 10-1 and the adjacent area 10-2, respectively. A terminal 5, where a medical assistant who plays the role of recorder inputs work records, and beacon tags 2-8, 2-12, and 2-18 are located in the examination area 10-1. The beacon tags 2-8, 2-12, and 2-18 are held by doctors H, L, and R, respectively. These doctors H, L, and R are registered in the registration list 732 as users who hold the beacon tags 2-8, 2-12, and 2-18, respectively. Doctor E, who is registered in the registration list 732 as a user who holds the beacon tag 2-5, is present in the adjacent area 10-2. Doctor J, who is registered in the registration list 732 as a user who holds the beacon tag 2-10, is moving from the adjacent area 10-2 to the examination area 10-1.

[0073] Note that while the example shown here is the process of selecting the name of a doctor who will act as an instructor during a medical examination, the same process is also performed for other medical professionals, such as nurses who will act as caregivers and support staff who will act as recorders.

[0074] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of an update list generation process executed by the server 7 according to the embodiment.

[0075] The server 7 identifies the examination area 10-1 among the multiple areas 10 in the medical site based on the terminal location of the terminal 5 (S101).

[0076] The server 7 determines whether there is a user located in the identified examination area 10-1 (S102). If there is a user located in the examination area 10-1 (S102: Yes), the server 7 sets the user to "Priority 1," which is the priority that gives the user the highest display order (S103). In the example of FIG. 5, the server 7 sets "Priority 1" for doctors H, L, and R who have beacon tags 2-8, 2-12, and 2-18.

[0077] If there is no user located in the examination area 10-1 (S102: No), or after the processing of S103, the server 7 determines whether there is a user located in the adjacent area 10-2 adjacent to the identified examination area 10-1 (S104). If there is a user located in the adjacent area 10-2 (S104: Yes), the server 7 sets the display order of that user to "Priority 2," which is a lower priority than "Priority 1" (S105). In the example of FIG. 5, the server 7 sets "Priority 2" for Doctor E, who holds the beacon tag 2-5.

[0078] If there is no user located in the adjacent area 10-2 (S104: No), or after the processing of S105, the server 7 determines whether there is a user traveling between areas (S106). If there is a user traveling between areas (S106: Yes), the server 7 sets the display order of that user to "Priority 3," which is a lower priority than "Priority 2" (S107). In the example of FIG. 5, the server 7 sets "Priority 3" for Doctor J who holds the beacon tag 2-10.

[0079] If there are no users moving between areas (S106: No), or after the processing of S107, the server 7 generates an update list 733 for each terminal 5 by rearranging the users in the registration list 732 according to the set priority (S108). The generated update list 733 for each terminal 5 is stored in the storage unit 73.

[0080] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a registration list 732 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, for example, the registration list 732 has items for each role, such as the name of the worker and the tag ID of the beacon tag 2 held by the worker.

[0081] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the update list 733 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, for example, the update list 733 includes a plurality of update lists 733-1, 733-2, 733-3, 733-4, ... for each terminal 5. Here, an example will be described in which the update list 733-1 is generated for the terminal 5 located in the examination area 10-1.

[0082] Similar to the registration list 732, the update list 733-1 has, for each role, the items of the worker's name and the tag ID of the beacon tag 2 held by that worker. Meanwhile, in the update list 733-1, the users of each role are sorted according to the set priority.

[0083] For example, in the example of Fig. 8, doctors H, L, and R, who were ranked 8th, 12th, and 18th, respectively, in the registration list 732, have been set to "priority 1," and are now ranked 1st to 3rd, respectively. In other words, in the example of Fig. 8, the ranking of the user located in the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located has been raised to the top of the list.

[0084] For example, in the example of Fig. 8, Doctor E, who was ranked fifth in the registration list 732, has been set to "Priority 2," and has been promoted to fourth place, following Doctors H, L, and R, who have "Priority 1." In other words, in the example of Fig. 8, a user who is located in the adjacent area 10-2 adjacent to the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located has been promoted to a higher position in the list, next to the user who is located in the examination area 10-1.

[0085] For example, in the example of Fig. 8, Doctor J, who was ranked 10th in the registration list 732, has been set to "Priority 3," and has been promoted to 5th place, following Doctor E, who has "Priority 2." In other words, in the example of Fig. 8, a user who is moving between the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located and the adjacent area 10-2 has been promoted to a higher position in the list, next to a user who is located in the adjacent area 10-2.

[0086] In addition, the ranking in the update list 733-1 between users with the same priority may be, for example, based on the ranking in the registration list 732, or may be further changed depending on the distance from the terminal 5.

[0087] The order in the list of update list 733 corresponds to the display order, for example, but is not limited to this. The order in the list of update list 733 itself may not be changed, and information indicating the display order of each registered user may be further linked. Furthermore, the order in the list of registration list 732 is, for example, the order of registration, but may also be arranged according to other rules, such as job title.

[0088] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the work record generation process executed in the position information system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0089] The server 7 executes an update list generation process as shown in FIG. 6 (S201).

[0090] Thereafter, terminal 5 outputs a "list request" to server 7 (S202). When server 7 receives the "list request" from terminal 5, it outputs display list 532 to terminal 5 based on update list 733-1 generated in the update list generation process based on the location information of terminal 5 that sent the "list request" (S203). Then, terminal 5 stores display list 532 received from server 7 in storage unit 53.

[0091] This display list 532 is, for example, the same as the update list 733, but is not limited to this. For example, the display list 532 may be a list of names for each role arranged in display order, without including tag IDs. For example, the display list 532 may be a list of tag IDs for each role arranged in display order, without including names. Furthermore, for example, instead of information in list format, information for displaying names in the order of the update list 733 and indicating the difference from the registration list 732 or the transmitted display list 532 may be used. According to these configurations, the amount of data in the display list 532 repeatedly transmitted from the server 7 to the terminal 5 can be reduced.

[0092] Furthermore, after an application that realizes a function of generating a work record is launched (S204), the terminal 5 displays an input screen 901 for inputting the worker's name (S205). Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the input screen 901 for inputting the worker's name displayed on the terminal 5 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, the input screen 901 includes at least one input field 911, 912, 913 for inputting the worker for each role. The input fields 911, 912, 913 are input fields for inputting the names of a "doctor," a "nurse," and a "supporter" who have the roles of instructor, practitioner, and recorder, respectively.

[0093] The terminal 5 accepts the selection of the role for which the name input operation is to be started (S206). For example, the person inputting the name selects the input field for the role for which the name input is to be started by an operation such as tapping on the screen. Then, the terminal 5 displays the name selection screen 903 (see FIG. 12) for the selected role (S207).

[0094] Thereafter, the terminal 5 accepts the selection of the name on the name selection screen 903 (S208), and links the examination details, which are the work details entered separately, with the name selected as the worker to generate a work record, which is then stored in the memory unit 53 (S209).

[0095] Here, the explanation will be continued using as an example a case where an input field 911 is selected to input the name of "Doctor" on the worker name input screen 901. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a name selection screen 902 when the order of the registration list 732 is used, unlike the terminal 5 according to the embodiment. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a name selection screen 903 displayed on the terminal 5 according to the embodiment when the display list 532 is used. The selected input field 911 may be highlighted as shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

[0096] The name selection screen 902 illustrated in Fig. 11 is a screen in which, for example, the registration list 732 is stored in the storage unit 53 of the terminal 5, and the names to be selected are displayed based on the order in the registration list 732. In this configuration, as shown in Fig. 11, the terminal 5 acquires the registration list 732 from the server 7 only once when the application is started, and displays the names of the selection candidates in the order in which they are registered in the registration list 732. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 11, the name list 921 of the selection candidates is displayed in the order in which they are registered in the registration list 732. For this reason, when selecting, for example, Doctor H from the name list 921, it was time-consuming to operate the slide bar 923 until the selection button 931 for selecting Doctor H was displayed.

[0097] Furthermore, since the workers who perform the tasks are not fixed and may change, even if a specific user is moved up in the display order, one of the users will have to make a selection, which will require a lot of effort when using a fixed registration list 732. Furthermore, with this configuration, the display order will not change unless the registration list 732 stored in the storage unit 53 is intentionally updated, and after updating the list, it is necessary to reload the updated stored registration list 732 by restarting the application, for example. Therefore, when using a fixed registration list 732 to display names of selection candidates, it is unrealistic to frequently update the list, even though the workers who perform the tasks may change.

[0098] In this situation, the location information system 1 according to the embodiment displays a list 922 of names of selection candidates sorted in order of area or distance from the terminal 5 or the examination area 10-1 where the terminal 5 is located, based on the location information, as shown on a name selection screen 903 in Fig. 12. Therefore, a user who operates the terminal 5 in the examination area 10-1 to select a name can select from the name list 922 in which the names of the workers to be selected are displayed at the top. Therefore, the location information system 1 according to the embodiment can reduce the user's effort in operating a slide bar up and down.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the example in which users to be selected are arranged and displayed in a selectable manner in a list format has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The users to be selected may be arranged and displayed in a selectable manner, for example, by representing each user as a tile.

[0100] In the above-described embodiment, the location information system 1 according to the embodiment is mainly applied to a medical site, but is not limited thereto. The location information system 1 according to the embodiment can be applied to various work sites where the creation of work records for work related to business is required.

[0101] For example, the location information system 1 according to the embodiment may be applied to an automobile maintenance site. In this case, the specific area and the adjacent area may be an area where automobile maintenance work is performed and an area where other work such as clerical work or rest is performed, respectively.

[0102] For example, the location information system 1 according to the embodiment may be applied to a shipping inspection site in the manufacturing industry. In this case, the specific area and the adjacent area may be an area where shipping inspection is carried out and an area where other work such as clerical work or rest is carried out.

[0103] Note that the processing of each device in the location information system 1 according to each of the above-described embodiments is not limited to the above-described examples, and some or all of the processing may be realized by other devices included in the location information system 1. For example, any one of the gateways 3 and the server 7 may be configured integrally. For example, the server 7 may be realized by cooperation of multiple gateways 3. For example, the gateway 3 and the terminal 5 may be configured integrally. For example, the terminal 5 and the server 7 may be configured integrally.

[0104] According to at least one of the embodiments described above, it is possible to reduce the effort involved in creating a work record that records work content and workers in association with each other.

[0105] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1. Location Information System 10-1 Examination area 10-2 Adjacent Areas 2 Beacon Tags 3 Gateway 5. Terminal 51 Communications Department 52 Display section 53 Memory section 531 Control Program 532 Display List 7 Server 71 Communications Department 72 Generation part 73 Memory section 731 Control Program 732 Registration List 733 Update List 8. Information processing equipment 81 processors 82 Main storage 83 Auxiliary storage device 84 Communication I / F 85 Output I / F 86 Input I / F N Network

Claims

1. a plurality of beacon tags each transmitting a radio signal including identification information that uniquely identifies the terminal; a plurality of gateways provided for each area, each gateway being configured to be able to receive the wireless signals transmitted from each of the plurality of beacon tags; a terminal that receives input of the name of one of a plurality of workers who each hold the beacon tag and the work content, and generates a work record by linking the received worker and the work content; a server communicably connected to each of the plurality of gateways and the terminal; The server a communication unit that receives information about the wireless signal from each of the plurality of gateways; a storage unit that stores a registration list in which the identification information and the name of the worker who holds the identification information for each of the plurality of beacon tags are registered; a generating unit that generates an updated list in which workers who are present in the specific area where the terminal is located among the plurality of workers registered in the registration list are moved up to the top, The storage unit further stores the generated update list; when receiving a list request from the terminal, the communication unit transmits to the terminal a display list indicating an order in the update list stored in the storage unit; the terminal, based on the display list from the server, arranges and displays the plurality of workers registered in the registration list in a selectable order in the order in which they appear in the updated list; Location information system.

2. the generation unit generates an updated list in which workers who are in an adjacent area adjacent to the specific area among the plurality of workers registered in the registration list are moved up to a higher rank next to the workers who are in the specific area. The location information system of claim 1 .

3. the generation unit generates an updated list in which a worker who is traveling between the specific area and an adjacent area adjacent to the specific area, among the plurality of workers registered in the registration list, is moved up to a higher position next to a worker who is present in the specific area. The location information system of claim 1 .

4. the generation unit determines the order in the update list of a plurality of workers who exist in the same area in order of distance from the terminal. The location information system of claim 1 .

5. the generation unit determines an order in the update list for each role in the work content of the plurality of workers registered in the registration list. The location information system of claim 1 .

6. the generation unit generates the update list at a predetermined cycle. The location information system of claim 1 .

7. The predetermined period varies depending on the time period. The location information system according to claim 6.

8. the generation unit generates the update list each time the specific area in which the terminal is located is identified. The location information system of claim 1 .

9. a plurality of gateways provided for each area, each configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted from a plurality of beacon tags, each of which transmits a wireless signal including identification information that uniquely identifies the terminal; and a terminal that receives input of a name of one of a plurality of workers who each hold a beacon tag and a work content, and generates a work record by linking the received worker and work content; and a communication unit that is communicatively connected to each of the plurality of gateways and receives information regarding the wireless signal from each of the plurality of gateways; a storage unit that stores a registration list in which the identification information and the name of the worker who holds the identification information for each of the plurality of beacon tags are registered; a generating unit that generates an updated list in which workers who are present in the specific area where the terminal is located among the plurality of workers registered in the registration list are moved up to the top, The storage unit further stores the generated update list; When the communication unit receives a list request from the terminal, the communication unit transmits to the terminal a display list indicating an order in the updated list stored in the storage unit as an order when a plurality of workers registered in the registration list are to be selectably arranged and displayed. Information processing device.

10. A method executed in an information processing device communicably connected to a plurality of gateways provided for each area, each configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted from a plurality of beacon tags, each of which transmits a wireless signal including identification information that uniquely identifies the gateway, and a terminal that receives input of a name of one of a plurality of workers who each hold a beacon tag and a work content, and generates a work record by linking the received worker and work content, receiving information relating to the wireless signal from each of the plurality of gateways; storing a registration list in which the identification information and the name of the worker who holds each of the plurality of beacon tags are registered; generating an updated list in which workers who are present in the specific area where the terminal is located among the plurality of workers registered in the registration list are moved up to the top; further storing the generated update list; When a list request is received from the terminal, transmitting to the terminal a display list indicating the order in the stored update list as the order in which the plurality of workers registered in the registration list are to be selected and displayed. Information processing methods.

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