Simulation device, reception device, simulation method, configuration method, and program

Abstract

[Technical problem] To provide a configuration method of a reception unit group or the like capable of improving interference resistance. [Solution] The configuration method includes: a step of arranging a first reception unit group (31) including one or more first reception units that receive a position determination signal transmitted from a terminal device (5) to be determined as a position; a step of arranging a second reception unit group (32) including one or more second reception units that receive the position determination signal; and a step of arranging a shielding member (41 to 43) for changing a propagation distance of the position determination signal, so that a reception intensity of the position determination signal received by the first and second reception unit groups (31, 32) corresponds to a reception intensity of the position determination signal received by the first and second reception unit groups (31, 32) in a case where the first and second reception unit groups (31, 32) are arranged at a predetermined distance longer than a distance between the first and second positions in an actual space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an analog device, a receiving device, an analog method, a configuration method, and a program. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, the location of a terminal device is determined by receiving location determination signals sent from a terminal device such as a smartphone at two or more locations, thereby suppressing the deterioration of location measurement accuracy caused by changes in the transceiver sensitivity of the terminal device and the receiver over time (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2020 / 080314 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention

[0007] In free space where no position determination signal reflection occurs, the position of the terminal device can be determined with high accuracy by receiving position determination signals at two or more locations as described above. On the other hand, in actual space, the position determination signal transmitted from the terminal device is sometimes reflected and received from the floor, walls, ceiling, etc. Furthermore, due to this multipath propagation, interference occurs in the received position determination signal, which reduces the accuracy of the terminal device's position. For example, even if the terminal device is far from the receiver, it can be determined that the terminal device is near the receiver by making the straight wave and the reflected wave of the position determination signal reinforce each other.

[0008] Furthermore, when determining the position of a terminal device that sent the position determination signal by receiving position determination signals at two locations, higher accuracy can be achieved when the two receiving locations are far apart. However, in real-world spaces, constraints such as those imposed by existing objects and wiring sometimes prevent the ideal receiver configuration from being achieved.

[0009] The present invention is proposed based on the above-described situation, and one objective is to obtain a range within which the location of the terminal device can be determined, taking into account interference caused by multipath propagation of the location determination signal. Another objective is to achieve more accurate location determination of the terminal device through a more compact structure.

[0010] Technical means for solving technical problems

[0011] To achieve at least one of the above objectives, one configuration method of the present invention comprises: configuring a first receiver group at a first position, including one or more first receivers that receive a location determination signal transmitted from a terminal device that is the object whose location is to be determined; configuring a second receiver group at a second position different from the first position, including one or more second receivers that receive the location determination signal; and configuring a shielding member for changing the propagation distance of the location determination signal, such that the reception strength of the location determination signal received by the first and second receiver groups is equivalent to the reception strength of the location determination signal received by the first and second receiver groups when the first and second receiver groups are configured at a predetermined distance in actual space that is longer than the distance between the first and second positions.

[0012] With this structure, even if the first and second receiving units are arranged at a distance shorter than the predetermined distance, the same position determination signal can be received as if the first and second receiving units were arranged at a predetermined distance. Therefore, a more accurate position determination of the terminal device can be achieved through a more compact configuration.

[0013] To achieve at least one of the above objectives, a simulation method according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a step of receiving a distance parameter representing the distance between the first position and the second position in actual space, based on the strength difference of a position determination signal transmitted from a terminal device whose position is to be determined, received by a first receiving unit group including one or more first receiving units disposed at a first position and a second receiving unit group including one or more second receiving units disposed at a second position different from the first position; and a step of using the distance parameter, taking into account interference caused by multipath of the position determination signal, to obtain a relationship between the strength difference and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first position.

[0014] Based on this structure, considering interference caused by multipath propagation of the location-determining signal, the relationship between the range and intensity difference that can determine the location of the terminal device can be obtained. Using this result, for example, the distance parameter in the receiving device that determines the location of the terminal device can be determined.

[0015] Furthermore, one aspect of the simulation apparatus of the present invention includes: a receiving unit that receives a distance parameter representing the distance between the first position and the second position in actual space, based on a determination of the position of a terminal device sent from a terminal device whose position is to be determined, which is received by a first receiving unit group including one or more first receiving units disposed at a first position and a second receiving unit group including one or more second receiving units disposed at a second position different from the first position; and an acquiring unit that, using the distance parameter, takes into account interference caused by multipath of the position determination signal, and acquires a relationship between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the intensity difference and the distance from the position of the terminal device that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first position.

[0016] Based on this structure, for example, distance parameters in a receiving device can be determined to locate the terminal device.

[0017] Additionally, a receiving device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a planar shielding member for changing the propagation distance of a position determination signal transmitted from a terminal device that is an object whose position is to be determined; a first receiving unit group including one or more first receiving units disposed on a first surface side of the planar shielding member for receiving the position determination signal; and a second receiving unit group including one or more second receiving units disposed on a second surface side of the planar shielding member that is different from the first surface for receiving the position determination signal.

[0018] Based on this structure, the position of the terminal device is determined by the strength difference of the position determination signals received by the first and second receiving units, respectively. This allows for more precise position determination of the terminal device through a more compact arrangement of the first and second receiving units. Furthermore, it also allows for determination of which side of the planar shielding member the terminal device is located on.

[0019] In addition, in one embodiment of the receiving device of the present invention, it may further include: a first shielding member configured to surround a first receiving unit group; and a second shielding member configured to surround a second receiving unit group, wherein the first and second shielding members each have an opening.

[0020] According to this structure, the reception strength in the first and second receiving units can be adjusted in accordance with predetermined distance parameters by using the first and second shielding components.

[0021] In addition, in one aspect of the receiving device of the present invention, the first receiving unit group and the second receiving unit group may be arranged at different positions in the planar direction of the planar shielding member.

[0022] Based on this structure, for example, it is possible to achieve more precise positioning of the terminal device.

[0023] In addition, in one embodiment of the receiving device of the present invention, a determining unit may be further provided, which is used to determine the position of the terminal device by determining the signal strength difference based on the positions received by the first receiving unit group and the second receiving unit group respectively.

[0024] The effects of the invention

[0025] According to one aspect of the configuration method and receiving device of the present invention, a more accurate position determination of the terminal device can be achieved through a more compact structure. Furthermore, according to one aspect of the simulation device, simulation method, and program of the present invention, interference caused by multipath propagation of the position determination signal can be taken into account, and the relationship between the strength difference of the position determination signals received by the first and second receiving units and the range within which the position of the terminal device can be determined can be obtained. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a simulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the simulation device in this embodiment.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the first and second receiving unit groups in this embodiment.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the distance from the terminal device to the receiving unit group in this embodiment.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the distance from the terminal device to the receiving unit group in this embodiment.

[0031] Figure 6A This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the range within which the location of the terminal device can be determined in this embodiment.

[0032] Figure 6B This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the range within which the location of the terminal device can be determined in this embodiment.

[0033] Figure 6C This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the range within which the location of the terminal device can be determined in this embodiment.

[0034] Figure 6D This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the range within which the location of the terminal device can be determined in this embodiment.

[0035] Figure 6E This is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the intensity difference of radio waves and the range within which the location of the terminal device can be determined in this embodiment.

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the receiving device in this embodiment.

[0037] Figure 8A This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the receiving device according to this embodiment.

[0038] Figure 8B This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the receiving device according to this embodiment.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of the computer system in this embodiment.

[0040] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of the computer system in this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0041] Hereinafter, the simulation apparatus, receiving apparatus, simulation method, configuration method, and program of the present invention will be described using embodiments. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, structural elements and steps that are given the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and there are instances where further description is omitted. The simulation apparatus and simulation method of this embodiment obtain the relationship between the strength difference of the position determination signals received by the first and second receiving units, respectively, and the range from the position of the terminal device that can be determined using the position determination signals to the position of the receiving units. In addition, although the configuration method and receiving apparatus of this embodiment configure the first and second receiving units more compactly, they can determine the position of the terminal device with the same accuracy as when the two are configured further apart.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the structure of the simulation device 1. The simulation device 1 includes a receiving unit 11, a storage unit 12, an acquisition unit 13, and an output unit 14.

[0043] Here, firstly, refer to Figure 3 The first receiving unit group 31 and the second receiving unit group 32, which receive a location determination signal sent from the terminal device 5, the object whose location is to be determined, will be described below. Furthermore, the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 receive the location determination signal for determining the location of the terminal device 5. Figure 3In this configuration, the first receiving unit group 31 includes one or more first receiving units 51 and is disposed in a first position. Conversely, the second receiving unit group 32 includes one or more second receiving units 52 and is disposed in a second position. The first position and the second position are different positions. From the viewpoint of achieving more precise positioning of the terminal device 5, the first receiving unit group 31 preferably includes multiple first receiving units 51, and the second receiving unit group 32 preferably includes multiple second receiving units 52. Figure 3 As shown, for example, the first receiving unit group 31 may include four first receiving units 51, and the second receiving unit group 32 may include four second receiving units 52. However, the number of receiving units included in the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 may be any one to three, or even five or more. Each receiving unit 51 and 52 included in the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 is capable of obtaining the intensity of the radio wave of the position determination signal.

[0044] The terminal device 5 that transmits the location determination signal can be, for example, a mobile information terminal with communication functions such as a smartphone, tablet, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), laptop, transceiver, etc., or a dedicated device for transmitting the location determination signal, or other devices. In this embodiment, the case where the terminal device 5 is a smartphone will be mainly described.

[0045] Furthermore, when the first receiving unit group 31 includes a plurality of first receiving units 51, the first position may, for example, be the position of the center of gravity of the plurality of first receiving units 51. More specifically, the position of the center of gravity of each first receiving unit 51 may be determined, and the position of the center of gravity related to the determined position of the plurality of centers of gravity may be used as the first position. The same applies to the second position of the second receiving unit group 32.

[0046] Location determination signals can be either intermittently transmitted pulse waves or continuously transmitted waves. More specifically, location determination signals can also be signals transmitted using Bluetooth (registered trademark), wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11), ZigBee (registered trademark), or other wireless communication standards such as IEEE 802.15.4. For example, Bluetooth location determination signals can be Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals or Bluetooth Basic Rate (BR) / Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) signals. The frequency of the location determination signal is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. Furthermore, location determination signals can be transmitted via broadcast or unicast. From the viewpoint of being able to transmit location determination signals without knowing the communication target, broadcast transmission is preferred.

[0047] The first receiving unit group 31 and the second receiving unit group 32 respectively receive the position determination signal transmitted from the terminal device 5, and determine the position of the terminal device 5 based on the strength difference of the received position determination signal. For this position determination, please refer to Patent Document 1. Here, the strength difference of the position determination signal can be, for example, the difference in the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) of the position determination signal. Furthermore, when the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 include two or more receiving units, the strength difference can also be, for example, the difference between representative values ​​of multiple received signal strengths obtained by two or more receiving units in the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32. Representative values ​​can be, for example, the average value, the median, etc. Furthermore, when the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 include two or more receiving units, these two or more receiving units preferably have equivalent performance. For example, it is preferable that the antennas of the two or more receiving units included in the first receiving unit group 31 or the second receiving unit group 32 each have the same gain.

[0048] like Figure 3As indicated by the dashed arrow, sometimes the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 receive both the straight wave and the reflected wave of the position determination signal. The reflected wave is the electromagnetic wave of the position determination signal reflected, for example, at a wall or floor, ceiling, or other scattering reflector 7 existing in the actual space. Thus, by receiving both the straight wave and the reflected wave, interference occurs due to the multipath of the position determination signal. As will be described later, in the acquisition unit 13, this interference is also taken into consideration to obtain the relationship between the intensity difference and the range of distances from the position of the terminal device 5 that can be determined using the position determination signal to the position of the first receiving unit 31, i.e., the first position. Furthermore, for ease of explanation, straight waves and reflected waves are used here, but it can also be understood as waves that propagate over the shortest distance and waves that do not propagate over the shortest distance.

[0049] Regarding the determination of the position of the terminal device 5 based on the strength difference of the signals received by the first receiving unit group 31 and the second receiving unit group 32 respectively, the receiving unit 11 receives a distance parameter representing the distance in actual space between a first position, which is the position of the first receiving unit group 31, and a second position, which is the position of the second receiving unit group 32. Figure 3 In this context, the distance parameter is D. Furthermore, when the actual distance between the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 in the actual space is equal to the distance parameter of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32, the shielding component described later is not arranged around the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32. On the other hand, when a shielding component is arranged, the two situations differ. Normally, the distance parameter is input by the user of the simulation device 1 and received by the receiving unit 11. For example, the user can repeatedly input different distance parameters to determine the distance parameter. Moreover, the receiving unit 11 can sequentially receive multiple distance parameters.

[0050] The receiving unit 11 can accept information input from input devices (e.g., keyboards, mice, touch panels, etc.) and also receive information transmitted via wired or wireless communication lines. Furthermore, the receiving unit 11 may or may not include devices for accepting information (e.g., input devices or communication devices). Additionally, the receiving unit 11 can be implemented in hardware or in software such as drivers that drive specified devices.

[0051] The storage unit 12 may store information relating to the strength difference of the acquisition unit 13 to the range of distances from the position of the terminal device 5, which can be determined using the position determination signal, to the first position, such as a formula for acquiring this range. The process of storing information in the storage unit 12 is not limited. For example, information can be stored in the storage unit 12 using a storage medium, information transmitted via a communication line, or information input via an input device. The storage unit 12 is preferably implemented using a non-volatile storage medium, but it can also be implemented using a volatile storage medium. The storage medium may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc.

[0052] The acquisition unit 13 uses the distance parameters received by the receiving unit 11, taking into account interference caused by multipath propagation of the position determination signal, to obtain the relationship between the strength difference of the position determination signal received by the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the location of the terminal device 5 capable of using the position determination signal to the first location. Details of obtaining this relationship will be explained later.

[0053] Output unit 14 outputs the acquisition result of acquisition unit 13, namely the relationship between the intensity difference and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position. This output can be, for example, a display to a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display), a transmission to a designated device via a communication line, printing based on a printer, storage on a storage medium, or delivery to other structural elements. Furthermore, output unit 14 may or may not include output devices (e.g., display devices or communication devices). Additionally, output unit 14 can be implemented in hardware or in software such as drivers that drive these devices.

[0054] Next, the relationship between the intensity difference of interference caused by the multipath of the position determination signal and the distance from the terminal device 5 to the first receiving unit group 31 will be explained. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as... Figure 3 As shown, the explanation mainly focuses on the case where the distance from the terminal device 5 to the first receiving unit group 31 is shorter than the distance from the terminal device 5 to the second receiving unit group 32, that is, the case where the first receiving unit group 31 is the receiving unit group on the closer side.

[0055] First, refer to Figure 4 The effects of interference caused by multipath propagation are explained. Figure 4In the graph, curve 101 shows the relationship between the intensity difference calculated without considering interference and the distance between the nearby receiver assembly and terminal device 5, while curve 102 shows the relationship between the intensity difference calculated considering interference caused by multipath propagation and the distance between the nearby receiver assembly and terminal device 5. Additionally, the black circles represent experimental values ​​obtained under conditions where interference may occur. The error bars represent the range of ±2σ. Figure 4 It can be seen that curve 102 matches the experimental values ​​better than curve 101. Therefore, considering interference is appropriate. Furthermore, under conditions influenced by interference, such as... Figure 4 As shown by curve 102, a width is generated in the distance to the terminal device 5 that determines the transmission location. For example, in Figure 4 In this configuration, assuming the signal strength difference between the position determination signals in the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 is 8 dBm, the distance between the first receiver group 31 and the terminal device 5 could be shorter than 100 cm or approximately 150 cm. If these factors are not considered when configuring the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32, it is possible that the terminal device 5 may be incorrectly identified as being nearby even though it is far away, or conversely, it may be incorrectly identified as being far away even though it is nearby. Therefore, it is preferable to obtain the width of the distance to the terminal device 5 under conditions of interference. The acquisition unit 13 of the analog device 1 acquires this width.

[0056] and Figure 4 Similarly, Figure 5 This curve also represents the relationship between the strength difference of the location-determining signal and the distance between the nearby receiving unit group and the terminal device 5. Figure 5Curve 201, shown in the diagram, represents the relationship between the intensity difference calculated without considering interference and the distance between the nearby receiving unit assembly and the terminal device 5. Curve 202 represents the relationship between the intensity difference calculated considering interference caused by multipath interference and the distance between the nearby receiving unit assembly and the terminal device 5. When interference occurs, since there are positions where the straight wave and the reflected wave (i.e., the interference wave) reinforce each other and positions where they weaken each other, curve 202 contains ranges where the intensity difference is larger or smaller compared to curve 201. However, curve 202 exists within the range of curve 203 on the lower side and curve 204 on the upper side. Furthermore, curve 202 only considers interference caused by a single reflected wave. However, as long as the two boundary lines of the lower and upper side curves, which are related to all curves considering interference caused by multipath interference, can be determined, the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device 5, which can be determined using the position determination signal, to the first position can be obtained for each intensity difference. The method for determining these two boundary lines will be explained in detail below. Furthermore, as long as the curves between the two boundary lines include all curves that represent the relationship between the intensity difference and the distance from the position of the terminal device 5 to the first position, and take into account interference caused by multipath, it is acceptable. Therefore, the curves of the two boundary lines are preferably curves that represent the minimum and maximum values ​​among all distances (i.e., values ​​on the horizontal axis) of all curves that take into account interference caused by such multipath. However, as long as the curves between the two boundary lines include all curves that take into account interference caused by multipath, they can also be curves that represent the boundaries close to the minimum and maximum values.

[0057] like Figure 3 As shown, with the distance from the terminal device 5 to the first receiving unit group 31 located at the first position being L, and the distance between the first receiving unit group 31 and the second receiving unit group 32 located at the second position being D, the strength difference of the position determination signal calculated without considering interference is shown in the following formula. Here, the receiving strength difference is set as p.

[0058] [Number 1]

[0059]

[0060] On the other hand, considering interference, the received intensity difference p is as shown in the following formula. Here, λ is the wavelength of the radio wave of the position-determining signal, and S is a parameter related to interference. Hereinafter, this parameter S is sometimes referred to as the interference parameter. Here, the length of the propagation path of the reflected wave to the first receiving unit group 31 is (L 2 +S 2 ) 1 / 2 Furthermore, the effect of reflected waves is not considered for the second receiving unit group 32. The first receiving unit group 31 on the near-field side is most affected by reflected waves.

[0061] [Number 2]

[0062]

[0063] When the above formula is transformed, it becomes as shown in the following formula.

[0064] [Number 3]

[0065]

[0066] Here, firstly, the minimum distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position is studied. That is, the lower boundary line of the curve relating the received intensity difference to the distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position is studied. Even if the interference parameter S is changed to make the minimum value of the distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position... Figure 5 The curve 202 shown is deformed, and the lower boundary line is also the boundary line located lower than all the deformed curves. That is, among all distances, the value of all deformed curves that deform curve 202 by changing the interference parameter S is greater than or equal to the value of the lower boundary line. In order to study the lower boundary line, it is sufficient to study the case where the cosine on the right side of equation (1) is -1. By setting the cosine on the right side of equation (1) to -1, the following equation can be obtained.

[0067] [Number 4]

[0068]

[0069] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the curve of the lower boundary line can also exist at a position lower than the curve shown in the above equation. Therefore, the relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L of the curve containing the boundary line is shown in the following equation. The relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L below the lower limit, referred to as the interference parameter S, can also be shown in the following equation.

[0070] [Number 5]

[0071]

[0072] Here, since the parameter of cosine in equation (1) is greater than or equal to 0, when cosine is -1, the parameter of cosine is greater than π as a condition, as follows.

[0073] [Number 6]

[0074]

[0075] When this inequality is transformed, it becomes the inequality on the left side of the following equation. Furthermore, since the wavelength λ is a real number greater than 0, the inequality on the right side of the following equation also holds.

[0076] [Number 7]

[0077]

[0078] Furthermore, when the above inequality relating the received intensity difference p to the distance L below the lower limit is transformed, it becomes as shown in the following equation.

[0079] [Number 8]

[0080]

[0081] Additionally, from S 2 >λL becomes 1 / (λL)>1 / S 2 Therefore, the above equation also applies when the received intensity difference p and the distance L satisfy the following equation. Thus, the lower boundary line can be determined using the following equation. The following equation is an inequality that holds for all interference parameters S, representing the relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L of the curve containing the lower boundary line.

[0082] [Number 9]

[0083]

[0084] The above formula can be rewritten as follows.

[0085] [Number 10]

[0086]

[0087] Furthermore, the above formula is also satisfied when the received intensity difference p and the distance L satisfy the following formula. Therefore, the lower boundary line can be obtained by the following formula.

[0088] [Number 11]

[0089]

[0090] The inequality can be rewritten as follows.

[0091] [Number 12]

[0092]

[0093] Therefore, given a fixed distance D and wavelength λ, the relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L less than the lower limit, i.e., the relationship between the received intensity difference p that will not be obtained and the distance L, is as shown in equation (2). Furthermore, the curve representing the relationship between the distance L and the received intensity difference p when the inequality sign in equation (2) is changed to an equality sign is the curve of the lower boundary line.

[0094] Next, the maximum value of the distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position is studied. That is, the upper boundary line of the curve relating the received intensity difference to the distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position is studied. Even if the interference parameter S is changed, the maximum value of the distance from the position of terminal device 5 to the first position is studied. Figure 5 The curve 202 shown is deformed, and the upper boundary line is also the upper boundary line of all deformed curves. That is, at each distance, the value of all deformed curves that deform curve 202 by varying the interference parameter S is less than or equal to the value of the upper boundary line. In order to study the upper boundary line, it is sufficient to study the case where the cosine is set to 1 on the right side of equation (1). By setting the cosine to 1 on the right side of equation (1), the following equation is obtained.

[0095] [Number 13]

[0096]

[0097] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the curve of the upper boundary line can also exist at a position higher than the curve shown in the above equation. Therefore, the relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L of the curve containing the boundary line is shown in the following equation. The relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L above the upper limit, referred to as the interference parameter S, can also be shown in the following equation.

[0098] [Number 14]

[0099]

[0100] Furthermore, when this formula is transformed, it becomes as shown in the following formula.

[0101] [Number 15]

[0102]

[0103] The right side of the above equation is 2. 1 / 2 Therefore, the above equation also applies when the received intensity difference p and distance L satisfy the following equation. Thus, the upper boundary line can be determined using the following equation. The following equation is an inequality that holds for all interference parameters S, representing the relationship between the received intensity difference p and distance L of the curve containing the upper boundary line.

[0104] [Number 16]

[0105]

[0106] When this formula is transformed, it becomes as shown in the following formula.

[0107] [Number 17]

[0108]

[0109] With a fixed distance D, the relationship between the received strength difference p and the distance L above the upper limit is shown in equation (3). In addition, the curve representing the relationship between the distance L and the received strength difference p after changing the inequality sign in equation (3) to an equality sign is the curve of the upper boundary line.

[0110] In this way, by changing the inequality signs of equations (2) and (3) to equality signs, regardless of the value of the interference parameter S, it is possible to determine the curves containing the two boundary lines of all curves representing the relationship between the received intensity difference p and the distance L between the nearby receiving unit and the terminal device 5. Figures 6A-6E It is a graph representing the curve of that boundary line. In Figures 6A-6E In the diagram, curve 301 represents the relationship between the intensity difference calculated without considering interference and the distance between the nearby receiver assembly and the terminal device 5. Curve 302 is the lower boundary line, curve 303 is the upper boundary line, and curve 304 represents the relationship between the intensity difference calculated considering interference caused by multipath interference corresponding to the specified interference parameter S and the distance between the nearby receiver assembly and the terminal device 5. Furthermore, as from... Figures 6A to 6E The value of the interference parameter S gradually increases. From Figures 6A-6E As can be seen from the curve, even when the interference parameter S is varied while plotting curve 304, curve 304 is always sandwiched between the lower boundary curve 302 and the upper boundary curve 303. Therefore, it can be seen that the boundary curves 302 and 303 are appropriately determined. Furthermore, curves 302 and 303 are curves with a predetermined distance D and wavelength λ. Based on the boundary curves 302 and 303, for each intensity difference, the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device 5 that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first position can be determined. For example, it can be seen that when the intensity difference is 20 dBm, the position of the terminal device 5 with a distance L in the range of approximately 40 cm to approximately 140 cm can be determined. Therefore, the relationship between the intensity difference of the position determination signal obtained by the acquisition unit 13 and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device 5 that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first position can also be, for example, in Figure 6A The curves of the two boundary lines are shown in the figure. More specifically, the acquisition unit 13 can also acquire the curves of the two boundary lines by substituting the distance parameter D received by the receiving unit 11 and the wavelength λ of the position determination signal preset in the storage unit 12 into the equation stored in the storage unit 12 with the inequality signs of equations (2) and (3) changed to equality signs. In addition, by using the curves of the two boundary lines shown in the figure, the curves of the two boundary lines can be obtained. Figure 6ACurves 302 and 303 shown in the diagram, for example, indicate that by using a strength difference of 20 dBm or more to determine the position, it is known that the position of the terminal device 5 at a distance L greater than or equal to approximately 140 cm cannot be determined, while the position of the terminal device 5 can be reliably determined if the distance L is approximately less than or equal to 40 cm. Therefore, the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 are configured according to the distance parameters corresponding to curves 302 and 303, and processing corresponding to the determination of the position of the terminal device 5 (e.g., the unlocking of a door and the purchase of goods from a vending machine) is performed only when the difference in the received strength of the position determination signals received by the two is greater than or equal to 20 dBm. This ensures that the processing is reliably performed when the terminal device 5 is within approximately 40 cm of the first receiving unit group 31, and not performed when the terminal device 5 is not within approximately 140 cm of the first receiving unit group 31. To perform this control, a threshold for the received strength difference can also be determined using the relationship between the strength difference and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device 5, which can be determined using the position determination signal, to the first position, obtained by the acquisition unit 13.

[0111] Furthermore, here, as a model of interference caused by multipath, the equation was calculated using a two-wave model of interference caused by straight waves and reflected waves. However, it is natural that other models can also be used to calculate the equation.

[0112] Furthermore, this explanation describes a curve representing the relationship between the intensity difference of the location determination signal and the minimum and maximum distances from the location of the terminal device 5 (which can be determined using the location determination signal) to the first location, but this is not always the case. For example, if the user inputs an intensity difference p along with the distance parameter D, the receiving unit 11 may also receive the intensity difference p, and the acquiring unit 13 may calculate the minimum and maximum distances from the location of the terminal device 5 (which can be determined using the location determination signal) to the first location by substituting the distance parameter D, the intensity difference p, and the wavelength λ into equations (2) and (3) that change the inequalities to equalities. In this case, the acquiring unit 13 determines only the minimum and maximum distances corresponding to the specific intensity difference, i.e., the intensity difference received by the receiving unit 11.

[0113] Furthermore, this explanation illustrates the case where the inequality signs in equations (2) and (3) are changed to equality signs to calculate the curves of the two boundary lines. However, the curves of the two boundary lines can be anything other than those described above, and the curves of the two boundary lines can also be determined using methods other than those described in the equations. For example, Figure 5Curve 202 is the curve when the interference parameter S has a specific value, but curve 202 changes by changing the interference parameter S. Therefore, in the minimum value of curve 202 when the interference parameter S changes from 0 to a sufficiently large value equivalent to infinity, the curve connecting the minimum values ​​at each distance can be determined as the curve of the lower boundary line (i.e., the curve equivalent to curve 302), and in the maximum value of curve 202 when the interference parameter S changes from 0 to a sufficiently large value equivalent to infinity, the curve connecting the maximum values ​​at each distance can be determined as the curve of the upper boundary line (i.e., the curve equivalent to curve 303). In this case, the curve of the boundary line can be determined without using equations (2) and (3).

[0114] Next, use Figure 2 The flowchart illustrates the operation of simulation device 1.

[0115] (Step S101) The receiving unit 11 determines whether the distance parameter has been accepted. Then, if the distance parameter has been accepted, proceed to step S102; otherwise, repeat the process of step S101 until the distance parameter is accepted.

[0116] (Step S102) The acquisition unit 13 uses the distance parameter received in step S101, considering interference caused by multipath propagation of the position determination signal, to obtain the relationship between the strength difference of the position determination signals received by the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32, respectively, and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device 5 that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first position. This relationship can be obtained, for example, as described above, by obtaining the curves of the two boundary lines using equations (2) and (3). Obtaining the curves of the boundary lines means, for example, obtaining an image representing the curves of the boundary lines.

[0117] (Step S103) Output unit 14 outputs the relationship between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the intensity difference and distance obtained in step S102. This output may be, for example, a display of the boundary line curve. Then, return to step S101.

[0118] In addition, Figure 2 In the flowchart, the process ends by powering off or by an interrupt indicating the end of the process.

[0119] Next, an example of the configuration method of the first and second receiving unit groups 31, 32, etc., using the output results of the analog device 1 will be described. First, the user sets the wavelength λ of the position determination signal to the analog device 1. This wavelength can be stored in the storage unit 12, for example. In addition, if the wavelength of the position determination signal is predetermined and does not change, the wavelength of the position determination signal can also be preset in the storage unit 12. Then, the user inputs the distance parameter D between the first position and the second position to the analog device 1. This distance parameter D is received by the receiving unit 11 and transferred to the acquisition unit 13. The acquisition unit 13 uses the received distance parameter D, the preset wavelength λ, and the equations (2) and (3) stored in the storage unit 12 to obtain the image of the curve of the two boundary lines and transfers it to the output unit 14. The output unit 14 outputs the image of the curve of the two boundary lines. By observing the output curve, the user can know the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance L of each received strength difference p. Moreover, by observing the curve of the output boundary lines, it can be determined whether the position of the target can be determined. For example, the location of a terminal device 5 located more than 120cm in front of the vending machine will not be mistakenly determined to be within 120cm in front of the vending machine. Furthermore, for a terminal device 5 located within 50cm in front of the vending machine to reliably determine its location, the output of the output unit 14 only needs to confirm the existence of a reception strength difference where the value of the upper boundary line curve is less than or equal to 120cm and the value of the lower boundary line curve is greater than or equal to 50cm. Then, if such a reception strength difference exists, it is known that the location of the target terminal device 5 can be determined by determining the location of the terminal device 5 based on a reception strength difference greater than or equal to this difference. Therefore, the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 can be configured according to the distance parameter at that time point. On the other hand, if such a reception strength difference does not exist, different distance parameters D are input to the analog device 1, and the same operation is repeatedly performed until a result that allows for the determination of the location of the target terminal device 5 is output.

[0120] Furthermore, the larger the distance parameter D, which represents the distance between the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 for receiving the position determination signal, the higher the accuracy of position determination; conversely, the smaller the distance parameter D, the lower the accuracy of position determination. Therefore, when a larger distance parameter D is input, the interval between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device 5 (which can be determined using the position determination signal) to the first position for each intensity difference becomes narrower. That is, interference resistance is improved. On the other hand, when the distance parameter D increases, the distance (L+D) from the terminal device 5 to the second receiving unit 32 becomes longer, and correspondingly, the accuracy of position determination using the position determination signal decreases. Therefore, the user preferably inputs various distance parameters D while discovering a smaller distance parameter D that enables the determination of the target's position. Let's assume that the value of the distance parameter determined in this way, enabling the determination of the target terminal device 5's position, is D0.

[0121] After determining the distance parameter D0 using simulation device 1, for example, with Figure 3 Similarly, the location of a target can be determined by arranging the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 with a distance parameter D0 between them. However, it is sometimes difficult to arrange the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 with a distance D0 between them. For example, even if the distance parameter D0 is 200cm, if the length of the housing in which the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 are arranged is shorter than 200cm, it is impossible to arrange the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 with a 200cm distance between them in the housing. On the other hand, by using a shielding component to change the propagation distance of the position determination signal, even if the actual distance between the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 in space is shorter than the distance parameter D0, it is possible to achieve the same position determination signal reception strength as when they are separated by a distance D0. Therefore, by using a shielding component, the distance between the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 is extended, which can achieve both a more compact arrangement of the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 and higher accuracy in position detection. Furthermore, as described above, interference resistance is improved by extending the distance between the first and second receiving units 31 and 32. Therefore, interference resistance is further improved by configuring a shielding component. Hereinafter, the configuration method of the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 and the shielding component, and a receiving device having such a configuration of the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 and the shielding component will be described.

[0122] The configuration method may include: configuring a first receiver group 31, comprising one or more first receivers that receive location determination signals transmitted from the terminal device 5, at a first position; configuring a second receiver group 32, comprising one or more second receivers that receive location determination signals, at a second position different from the first position; and configuring a shielding member to change the propagation distance of the location determination signals, such that the received strength of the location determination signals received by the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 is equivalent to the received strength of the location determination signals received by the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 when they are configured with a predetermined distance D0 in actual space that is longer than the distance D1 between the first and second positions. Furthermore, the position of the terminal device 5 is determined using the first and second receiver groups 31 and 32 configured in this way.

[0123] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing a receiving device 3 configured with first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32, a first shielding member 41, a second shielding member 42, a planar shielding member 43, a determining unit 33, and an output unit 34. Figure 7 The first and second shielding components 41 and 42 are shown in cross-section, allowing a view of the internal first and second receiving assemblies 31 and 32. Additionally, in... Figure 7 For ease of explanation, the arrow representing the position determination signal received by the second receiving unit group 32 has been omitted.

[0124] The first and second receiving units 31 and 32 are arranged at a distance D1 apart. That is, in Figure 7 In this configuration, the distance between the first position and the second position is D1. This distance D1 or the first and second positions can be appropriately selected based on environmental constraints related to the configuration of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32. However, it is assumed that the distance D1 is shorter than the distance parameter D0 determined as described above. Furthermore, the first receiving unit group 31 is disposed on the first surface 43a side of the planar shielding member 43, and the second receiving unit group 32 is disposed on the second surface 43b side of the planar shielding member 43. The second surface 43b is a different surface from the first surface 43a.

[0125] The first shielding member 41 is configured to surround the first receiving assembly 31. Additionally, the first shielding member 41 has an opening 41a. The first shielding member 41 may also be, for example, a box-shaped structure capable of housing the first receiving assembly 31 internally. The shape of the first shielding member 41 may be, for example, as shown in the image. Figure 7 The rectangular shape shown could also be a sphere, a cylinder, or other shapes. Furthermore, in Figure 7The diagram shows a case where an opening 41a is provided near the center of one of the six faces of the first shielding member 41, which is a cuboid shape. However, the first shielding member 41, which is a cuboid shape, may also be a face with an opening on one of the six faces.

[0126] The second shielding member 42 is configured to surround the second receiving assembly 32. Additionally, the second shielding member 42 has an opening 42a. Furthermore, the second shielding member 42 is identical to the first shielding member 41, except that the second receiving assembly 32 is disposed inside it.

[0127] The first and second shielding members 41 and 42 are preferably disposed on both sides of the planar shielding member 43, such that the vector from the center of the first receiving part group 31 toward the center of the opening 41a and the vector from the center of the second receiving part group 32 toward the center of the opening 42a have different orientations. Figure 7 As shown, it is particularly preferable to configure the two vectors to be opposite in direction. With this configuration, the same reception strength can be achieved over a shorter distance D1 as over a longer distance D. Furthermore, the center of the first and second receiver groups 31, 32, or the center of the openings 41a, 42a, can also be their center of gravity. Additionally, the first and second shielding members 41, 42 can, for example, be arranged similarly and symmetrically. In this case, even if either of the first and second receiver groups 31, 32 is the receiver group closest to the terminal device 5, the same position can be determined.

[0128] The planar shielding component 43 can be, for example, a planar shielding component, a curved shielding component, or other planar shielding components. The planar shielding component 43 can be, for example, a door or door leaf, a room wall, the wall surface of a device or equipment housing, or other planar components.

[0129] The first and second shielding components 41, 42, and the planar shielding component 43 shield the position determination signal. For example, they can be made of a material that prevents electromagnetic waves from passing through. This material can either reflect or absorb the electromagnetic waves of the position determination signal. The material that reflects the electromagnetic waves can be, for example, a material that reflects 100% of the electromagnetic waves or a material that reflects them to a near-percentage. Similarly, the material that absorbs the electromagnetic waves can be, for example, a material that absorbs 100% of the electromagnetic waves or a material that absorbs them to a near-percentage. The material that reflects the electromagnetic waves can be, for example, a metal. The material that absorbs the electromagnetic waves can be, for example, an electromagnetic wave absorber that absorbs the electromagnetic waves and converts them into heat. The electromagnetic wave absorber can be, for example, a substance containing a high relative permittivity, such as water. Alternatively, a resin or similar material incorporating conductive materials can be used as a shielding component. The first and second shielding components 41, 42, and the planar shielding component 43 can, for example, be used to extend the propagation distance of the electromagnetic waves reaching the first and second receiving groups 31, 32 by causing the electromagnetic waves to bypass them. For example, in... Figure 7 In this process, the radio wave carrying the position determination signal transmitted from the terminal device 5 bypasses the planar shielding member 43 and reaches the second receiving unit group 32 via the opening 42a of the second shielding member 42. Therefore, the propagation distance of the radio wave from the terminal device 5 to the second receiving unit group 32 is longer than L+D1. Furthermore, to allow the radio wave to bypass, for example, a reflector for reflecting the radio wave can be placed in actual space, or it can be omitted. Additionally, the propagation distance can be, for example, the effective propagation distance. In this case, for example, the effective propagation distance can be increased by placing a material with a specified refractive index (e.g., a high refractive index material) in the propagation path of the radio wave. The effective propagation distance can refer to the distance at which the radio wave is sensed. Furthermore, when the first receiving unit group 31 is a near-field receiving unit group, the second shielding member 42 and the planar shielding member 43 are shielding members used to change the propagation distance of radio waves from the terminal device 5 to the second receiving unit group 32. When the second receiving unit group 32 is a near-field receiving unit group, the first shielding member 41 and the planar shielding member 43 are shielding members used to change the propagation distance of radio waves from the terminal device 5 to the first receiving unit group 31. Generally, since the location of the terminal device 5 cannot be known, it can be said that the first and second shielding members 41, 42, and the planar shielding member 43 are shielding members used to change the propagation distance of location-determining signals transmitted from the terminal device 5.

[0130] The first and second shielding members 41 and 42, and the planar shielding member 43, are configured such that the received signal strength determined by the position of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32, respectively arranged at the first and second positions, is equivalent to the received signal strength determined by the position of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 when they are arranged at a predetermined distance D0 apart in actual space. Furthermore, as described above, the interval D1 between the first and second positions is shorter than the distance D0.

[0131] Here, the method for configuring the shielding components as described above will be explained. First, the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 are arranged at a distance D1 apart, and the first and second shielding components 41 and 42, as well as the planar shielding component 43, are also arranged. In this situation, as Figure 7 As shown, the terminal device 5, located at a distance L from the first position (i.e., the first receiving unit group 31), transmits a position determination signal and measures the difference in received signal strength. Furthermore, this measurement is repeatedly performed while changing the distance L. As a result, it is possible to obtain a signal that matches the received signal strength. Figure 4 The black circle indicates the same measurement result as the experimental value. Then, the interference parameter S and distance D that fit the measurement result to equation (0) are determined. This determination can be performed, for example, using the least squares method. Furthermore, if the absolute value of the difference between the determined distance D and distance D0 is less than a predetermined allowable error, it can be determined that the shielding components have been configured such that the received signal strength of the position determined by the first and second receiving units 31, 32 is equivalent to the received signal strength of the position determined by the first and second receiving units 31, 32 when they are arranged at a distance D0 apart in actual space. Therefore, the measurement result and the determination of distance D can be repeatedly performed while changing the shielding components of at least one of the first and second shielding components 41, 42 and the planar shielding component 43, until the absolute value of the difference between the determined distance D and distance D0 is less than the allowable error. Furthermore, it is preferable to perform the above measurement when there are fewer scattering reflectors 7. This is because, when there are more scattering reflectors 7, the fit between the measurement result and equation (0) deteriorates. Alternatively, distance D can be determined using methods other than those mentioned above.

[0132] Typically, when the terminal device 5 is located in any position, it is difficult to configure the shielding components such that the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 positioned at a distance D1 have the same receiving strength as the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 positioned at a distance D0. Therefore, the above-described experiment can be performed with the terminal device 5 positioned in a detection area that serves as the area where the location of the terminal device 5 is to be determined. For example, when the receiving device 3 is used in a vending machine or door, the area on the front side of the vending machine or the area on the front side of the door can serve as the detection area. Furthermore, changes to the shielding components can include, for example, changes to the thickness of the shielding components, changes to the size of the openings 41a and 42a of the first and second shielding components 41 and 42, changes to the material of the shielding components, changes to the size or shape of the shielding components, or other changes to the shielding components. In addition, the measurement results can be obtained, for example, through experiments in actual space or through simulation.

[0133] The determining unit 33 determines the position of the terminal device 5 based on the signal strength difference received by the first receiving unit group 31 and the second receiving unit group 32, respectively. For example, the position of the terminal device 5 can be determined using the difference between a representative value of the received strength obtained by one or more first receiving units 51 of the first receiving unit group 31 and a representative value of the received strength obtained by one or more second receiving units 52 of the second receiving unit group 32. In determining the position of the wave source using the received strength difference, an Apollonius circle corresponding to the received strength difference can be determined, and the position on or within that Apollonius circle can be determined. Furthermore, the determined position can be represented as a point, a line, or a surface, for example. Moreover, the determination of the position of the wave source using the received strength difference of radio waves is well known, and its detailed description is omitted. For example, see Patent Document 1 mentioned above as a method for determining the position of such a wave source.

[0134] In addition, such as Figure 7As shown, when the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 are respectively disposed on both sides of the planar shielding member 43, the determining unit 33 can determine with higher accuracy whether the terminal device 5 exists on the first side 43a or the second side 43b of the planar shielding member 43. Therefore, the determining unit 33 can also perform this determination. For example, the determining unit 33 can determine that the terminal device 5 is located on the receiving unit group side that receives the position determination signal with the greater reception strength among the reception strengths of the position determination signals based on the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32. For example, if the reception strength of the position determination signal obtained by the first receiving unit group 31 is greater than the reception strength of the position determination signal obtained by the second receiving unit group 32, it can also be determined that the terminal device 5 exists on the first receiving unit group 31 side, that is, on the first side 43a of the planar shielding member 43. In this way, since the side where the terminal device 5 is located can be determined relative to the planar shielding member 43, processing corresponding to the side where the terminal device 5 is located can also be performed. For example, if the door is to be unlocked based on the event that the terminal device 5 is near the door, the door can be unlocked when it is determined that the terminal device 5 is near the outside of the door, and not when it is determined that the terminal device 5 is near the inside of the door. In this way, for example, even if the person holding the terminal device 5 is near the inside of the door, the situation of the door being unlocked arbitrarily can be avoided.

[0135] The output unit 34 outputs the position determined by the determination unit 33. For example, if a threshold for the received signal strength difference is set, the output unit 34 can output the determined position when the strength difference of the position determination signals received by the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 exceeds the threshold, and not output the determined position when the strength difference is less than the threshold. When the strength difference matches the threshold, for example, the position determined by the video signal can be output, or it can be left unoutput. Furthermore, when the received signal strength difference is less than the threshold, the position determination based on the determination unit 33 can be omitted, and as a result, the position is not output. Additionally, the output unit 34 can, for example, output the received signal strength difference used for determining the position along with the determined position. In this case, the limitation of outputting the result corresponding to the comparison between the received signal strength difference and the threshold can be omitted. Moreover, in the receiving device, for example, when the received signal strength difference exceeds the threshold, processing using the output position (e.g., door unlocking processing) can be performed, and when the received signal strength difference is less than the threshold, processing using the output position can be left unperformed. When the intensity difference matches the threshold, for example, location processing can be performed or not. Here, the output can be, for example, a display to a display device, a transmission to a designated device via a communication line, printing based on a printer, storage on a storage medium, or delivery to other structural elements. Furthermore, the output unit 34 may or may not include the output device. Additionally, the output unit 34 can be implemented in hardware or in software such as drivers that drive these devices.

[0136] Furthermore, in the configuration method of the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 and the shielding member, as a result, the configuration order of the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 and the shielding member is not limited, as long as the configuration of the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 and the shielding member can achieve the purpose. For example, the first and second receiving units 31 and 32 can be configured after the shielding member is configured, or vice versa.

[0137] In addition, Figure 7 The diagram shows a receiving device 3 having first and second shielding components 41, 42 and a planar shielding component 43. However, the receiving device 3 may also have at least one of the first and second shielding components 41, 42 and the planar shielding component 43.

[0138] Figure 8A , Figure 8B The figure shows an example of a receiving device 3 without the first and second shielding components 41, 42. Figure 8A This is a diagram showing the planar shielding component 43, which serves as a door leaf, viewed from its surface direction. Figure 8BThis is a view of the planar shielding member 43, which serves as the door leaf, as seen from the first surface 43a. Furthermore, the first surface 43a is the outer side of the door leaf, and the second surface 43b is the inner side of the door leaf. Additionally, in Figure 8A , Figure 8B The diagram omits the determination unit 33 and the output unit 34. The first receiving unit group 31 is disposed near the door handle, and the second receiving unit group 32 is disposed on the lower side of the door. That is, the first receiving unit group 31 and the second receiving unit group 32 are disposed at different positions in the planar direction of the planar shielding member 43. In this case, for example, by changing the distance between the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 in the vertical direction, the position of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 can be adjusted to determine the desired signal reception strength. In addition, for example, if a part of the planar shielding member 43 is provided with an area that allows radio waves to pass through, the position or size of this area can also be changed to determine the desired signal reception strength by adjusting the position of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32.

[0139] Typically, it's assumed that the person holding the terminal device 5 will hold it in their hand, or place it in a pocket or bag. Therefore, in the vertical direction, the distance between the terminal device 5 and the first receiving unit group 31 becomes shorter, while the distance between the terminal device 5 and the second receiving unit group 32 becomes longer. Thus, when the person holding the terminal device 5 approaches the door from the first side 43a, the first receiving unit group 31 becomes a closer receiving unit group, and the second receiving unit group 32 becomes a farther receiving unit group, enabling more accurate position determination. Furthermore, when the person holding the terminal device 5 approaches the door from the second side 43b, due to the presence of the planar shielding member 43, both the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 become farther receiving unit groups, reducing the accuracy of position determination. However, for example, if the terminal device 5 is near the inside of the door and no unlocking is performed, there is no particular problem.

[0140] On the other hand, since the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 are respectively arranged on both sides of the planar shielding member 43, the determining unit 33 can determine with high accuracy which side of the door the terminal device 5 exists on. For example, the determining unit 33 can determine that the terminal device 5 exists on the first side 43a if it determines that the signal reception strength based on the position of the first receiving unit group 31 is greater than a predetermined first threshold and the difference in signal reception strength based on the positions of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 is greater than a predetermined second threshold, and determine that the terminal device 5 exists on the second side 43b if it determines that the signal reception strength based on the position of the second receiving unit group 32 is greater than a predetermined third threshold and the difference in signal reception strength based on the positions of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 is less than a predetermined fourth threshold.

[0141] In addition, Figure 8A , Figure 8B In the receiving device 3 shown, at least one of the first and second shielding components 41 and 42 may also be provided. Additionally, in Figure 8A , Figure 8B In this case, the second receiving unit group 32 is disposed on the lower side of the door leaf, but the second receiving unit group 32 may also be disposed on the upper side of the door leaf.

[0142] In addition, Figure 8A , Figure 8B The text describes the case where the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 are arranged on both sides of the planar shielding member 43. However, the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 can also be arranged on one side of the planar shielding member 43. In this case, with... Figure 8A , Figure 8B Similarly, the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 can also be arranged at different positions in the planar shielding member 43. For example, the first receiving unit group 31 can be arranged near the handle of the planar shielding member 43, which is a door leaf, and the second receiving unit group 32 can be arranged on the lower or upper side of the planar shielding member 43, which is a door leaf. In this case, although the effect of extending the distance between the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 by means of the shielding member cannot be obtained, it is possible to determine which side of the planar shielding member 43 the terminal device 5 is located on. Therefore, for example, if the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 are arranged on the outside of the planar shielding member 43, which is a door leaf, the position of the terminal device 5 located on the outside of the planar shielding member 43 can be determined, while the position of the terminal device 5 located on the inside of the planar shielding member 43 can not be determined.

[0143] As described above, according to the simulation device 1 and simulation method of this embodiment, the interference caused by multipath propagation of the location determination signal can be considered using the received distance parameters. For each received distance parameter, the relationship between the received strength difference of the location determination signals of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the location of the terminal device 5 that can be determined using the location determination signal to the location of the first receiving unit group 31 can be obtained. Therefore, by using this relationship, a preferred distance parameter can be determined for determining the location of the target.

[0144] Furthermore, according to the configuration method and receiving device 3 of this embodiment, the positions of the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 can be determined with the same accuracy as the position determination of the terminal device 5 when it is configured with a distance greater than the actual distance between the two in space, by using a shielding member. Therefore, a more compact structure can be formed. In addition, the greater the distance between the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32, the less interference caused by multipath of the position determination signal can be reduced. Therefore, by configuring the shielding member, a higher accuracy position determination with improved interference resistance can be achieved. In addition, by arranging the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 on both sides of the planar shielding member 43, it is possible to determine which side of the planar shielding member 43 the terminal device 5 is located on.

[0145] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the receiving device 3 is described with either a determination unit 33 or an output unit 34, but this is not always the case. The receiving device 3 may also not have a determination unit 33 or an output unit 34. In this case, the location determination process of the terminal device 5 using the difference in reception strength of the location determination signals received by the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 can be performed in an external device. Therefore, for example, the difference in reception strength of the location determination signals received by the first and second receiving unit groups 31 and 32 can be output to an external device.

[0146] Alternatively, in the receiving device 3 of this embodiment, a location determination signal or other signals transmitted together with the location determination signal may be used to authenticate the terminal device 5. Then, through this authentication, if the terminal device 5 is determined to be legitimate, predetermined processing may be performed.

[0147] Finally, examples of devices or systems equipped with receiving device 3 in this embodiment will be briefly described.

[0148] The receiving device 3 can also be assembled into an automatic ticket gate, for example. Furthermore, when the location of the terminal device 5, as determined by the receiving device 3, is within a predetermined range and the authentication process confirms that the terminal device 5 is legitimate, the entrance / exit of the automatic ticket gate is opened, allowing the user holding the terminal device 5 to enter or exit the ticket gate. Additionally, the user can be charged when entering or exiting the ticket gate. In this way, for example, the user can ride the train without operating their smartphone (which serves as the terminal device 5).

[0149] Alternatively, the receiving device 3 can be assembled into the door leaf, for example. Furthermore, the door leaf can be automatically unlocked if the location of the terminal device 5, as determined by the receiving device 3, is within a predetermined range and the authentication process confirms that the terminal device 5 is legitimate. In this way, the user holding the terminal device 5 can unlock the door leaf without operating the terminal device 5. This door leaf can be, for example, a door in a home, a hotel room, the entrance to a workplace, or a meeting room.

[0150] Alternatively, the receiving device 3 can be mounted on a wall, for example. Furthermore, if the location of the terminal device 5, as determined by the receiving device 3, is within a predetermined range, and the authentication process confirms that the terminal device 5 is legitimate, electrical appliances and other similar products in the room where the terminal device 5 is located can be activated. In this way, even without operating the terminal device 5, the user holding it can activate electrical appliances and other similar products in the room.

[0151] Furthermore, the receiving device 3 can also be integrated into vending machines for beverages, etc. Moreover, when the location of the terminal device 5, as determined by the receiving device 3, is within a predetermined range, and the authentication process confirms that the terminal device 5 is legitimate, the vending machine can provide the user with a beverage or other product corresponding to the purchased item when the user holding the terminal device 5 presses the purchase button. Additionally, the user can be appropriately charged based on the product provided. Thus, for example, the user can purchase goods through the vending machine without operating a smartphone or other device that serves as the terminal device 5.

[0152] Alternatively, the receiving device 3 can also be installed in a store's cash register. Furthermore, when the location of the terminal device 5, as determined by the receiving device 3, is within a predetermined range, and the authentication process confirms that the terminal device 5 is legitimate, when the user and the store clerk press the payment button on the cash register, the cash register can charge the purchase amount for the payment method (e.g., credit card or electronic money) that is registered and associated with the terminal device 5. In this way, for example, the user can purchase goods in the store without operating their smartphone, which serves as the terminal device 5.

[0153] Furthermore, the receiving device 3 can also be installed in devices requiring personal authentication, such as PCs (Personal Computers) or ATMs (Automated Teller Machines). Moreover, when the location of the terminal device 5, as determined by the receiving device 3, is within a predetermined range, and the authentication process confirms that the terminal device 5 is legitimate, the device can perform processing corresponding to the user's operation when the user operates the PC or ATM. Thus, for example, the user can perform personal authentication within the PC or ATM without entering a password, and can then operate the device.

[0154] Alternatively, the receiving device 3 can be used in situations other than those described above. For example, it can also be used for user authentication in car-sharing or rental cars, airplane check-in, concerts, sporting events, seminars, art galleries, museums, theme parks, sports clubs, members-only lounges, etc.

[0155] Furthermore, the above embodiments primarily described the case where the simulation device 1 is a separate device; however, the simulation device 1 can be either a separate device or a server device within a server / client system. In the latter case, the receiving unit or the output unit can also receive input or output information via a communication line.

[0156] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the case where the position determination signal is an electromagnetic wave was mainly described, but the position determination signal can be light such as infrared or visible light, or it can be a sound wave.

[0157] In addition, in the above embodiments, each process or function can be implemented by centralized processing by a single device or a single system, or by decentralized processing by multiple devices or multiple systems.

[0158] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the exchange of information between the structural elements can be carried out, for example, by outputting information based on one structural element and receiving information based on the other structural element when the two structural elements exchanging the information are physically different, or by transferring from the processing stage corresponding to one structural element to the processing stage corresponding to the other structural element when the two structural elements transmitting the information are physically the same.

[0159] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, even if not explicitly stated in the above description, information related to the processing performed by each structural element can be temporarily or permanently stored in a storage medium (not shown). This includes information received, acquired, selected, generated, sent, or received by each structural element, as well as information such as thresholds, mathematical formulas, and addresses used by each structural element in the processing. Additionally, information can be stored in the storage medium (not shown) by each structural element or by an accumulation unit (not shown). Furthermore, information can be read from the storage medium (not shown) by each structural element or by a read unit (not shown).

[0160] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, where the information used in various structural elements, such as thresholds or addresses used in processing, and various setting values, can be changed by the user, the user may or may not be able to change this information, even if it is not explicitly described in the above description. When the user can change this information, the change may be implemented, for example, by a receiving unit (not shown) that receives a change instruction from the user, and a change unit (not shown) that changes the information according to the change instruction. The acceptance of the change instruction based on the receiving unit (not shown) may be, for example, acceptance from an input device, reception of information transmitted via a communication line, or acceptance of information read from a specified storage medium.

[0161] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, each structural element can be constructed by dedicated hardware, or, for structural elements that can be implemented by software, can be implemented by executing a program. For example, each structural element can be implemented by reading and executing a software program stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory by a program execution unit such as a CPU. During execution, the program execution unit can also execute the program while accessing the storage unit or storage medium. In addition, the software implementing the simulation device 1 in the above embodiments is a program as follows. That is, the program is used to make the computer perform the following steps: regarding the determination of the position of the terminal device based on the strength difference of the position determination signal sent from the terminal device, which is the object whose position is to be determined, received by a first receiving unit group including one or more first receiving units configured at a first position and a second receiving unit group including one or more second receiving units configured at a second position different from the first position, the step of receiving a distance parameter representing the distance between the first position and the second position in actual space; and using the distance parameter, taking into account interference caused by multipath of the position determination signal, the step of obtaining the relationship between the strength difference and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the position of the terminal device that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first position.

[0162] Furthermore, the above procedures do not include any processing performed solely by hardware, such as the steps of accepting information, outputting information, and sending and receiving information, including but not limited to hardware processing, such as the processing performed by communication equipment or interface cards in the step of accepting information.

[0163] Furthermore, the program can be executed either by downloading it from a server or by reading it from a program stored on a specified storage medium (e.g., an optical disc or disk such as a CD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, etc.). Additionally, the program can also be used as a component of a program product.

[0164] Furthermore, the computer executing the program can be a single computer or multiple computers. That is, it can be processed centrally or distributed.

[0165] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of the computer in the simulation device 1 that executes the above-described program to implement the above-described embodiments. The above-described embodiments can also be implemented by computer hardware and a computer program executed thereon.

[0166] exist Figure 9 In the computer system 900, there is a computer 901 including a CD-ROM drive 905, a keyboard 902, a mouse 903, and a monitor 904.

[0167] Figure 10 This is a diagram showing the internal structure of computer system 900. Figure 10 In this computer 901, in addition to the CD-ROM drive 905, the following components are included: an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 911, a ROM 912 for storing programs such as boot programs, a RAM 913 connected to the MPU 911 that temporarily stores application program commands and provides temporary storage space, a hard disk 914 for storing application programs, system programs, and data, and a bus 915 connecting the MPU 911, ROM 912, etc. to each other. Furthermore, the computer 901 may also include a network card (not shown) providing connectivity to a LAN or WAN.

[0168] The program that enables the computer system 900 to perform the functions of the simulation device 1 described in the above embodiment can also be stored in the CD-ROM 921, inserted into the CD-ROM drive 905, and forwarded to the hard disk 914. Alternatively, the program can be sent to the computer 901 via a network (not shown) and stored in the hard disk 914. The program is loaded into the RAM 913 during execution. Furthermore, the program can be loaded directly from the CD-ROM 921 or from the network. Alternatively, the program can be read into the computer system 900 using other storage media (e.g., DVD) instead of the CD-ROM 921.

[0169] The program may not necessarily include an operating system (OS) or third-party programs that enable the computer 901 to perform the functions of the simulation device 1 described above. The program may also only contain commands that call appropriate functions or modules in a controlled manner to obtain the desired results. How the computer system 900 operates is well-known, and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0170] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made; naturally, these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0171] Industrial utilization potential

[0172] Based on the above, one aspect of the present invention includes an analog device, a receiving device, an analog method, a configuration method, and a program, which can be used, for example, to obtain the relationship between the received strength difference of a position determination signal sent from a payment terminal device for cash registers and automatic ticket gates, and the range from which the position of the terminal device can be determined, or to determine the position of the terminal device with higher accuracy in a compact configuration.

Claims

1. A configuration method, comprising: The step of configuring a first receiving unit group at a first location, wherein the first receiving unit group includes one or more first receiving units that receive a location determination signal, the location determination signal being sent from a terminal device that is the object whose location is to be determined; The step of configuring a second receiving unit group at a second location different from the first location, wherein the second receiving unit group includes one or more second receiving units that receive the location determination signal; The step of determining the distance in actual space between the first receiving unit group and the second receiving unit group, which is used to determine the position of the terminal device as the target, is a distance longer than the distance between the first position and the second position. as well as A shielding component is disposed between the first position and the second position such that the received strength of the position-determined signal received by the first receiving unit group and the second receiving unit group is equivalent to the received strength of the position-determined signal received by the first receiving unit group and the second receiving unit group when they are configured at a distance determined by the actual spatial separation. In the step of determining the distance, the distance is determined using the results obtained from the simulation method. The simulation method described therein includes: Regarding the determination of the position of the terminal device based on the strength difference of the position determination signals received by the first receiving unit group configured at the third position and the second receiving unit group configured at the fourth position different from the third position, the step of accepting a distance parameter representing the distance between the third position and the fourth position in actual space. as well as Using the distance parameter, taking into account interference caused by multipath propagation of the location determination signal, the step of obtaining the relationship between the intensity difference and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the location determination signal to the third location, is as follows: In this process, while inputting the distance parameter, the simulation method is used to discover a smaller, more precise distance parameter that indicates the location of the terminal device capable of achieving the target, thereby determining the distance. The detection area of ​​the terminal device is located on the first position side relative to the shielding component.

2. A simulation method, comprising: Regarding the determination of the position of a terminal device based on the strength difference of position determination signals received by a first receiving unit group and a second receiving unit group respectively, the step of receiving a distance parameter representing the distance between a first position and a second position in actual space, wherein the position determination signal is transmitted from the terminal device, which is the object whose position is to be determined, the first receiving unit group is configured at the first position and includes one or more first receiving units, and the second receiving unit is configured at a second position different from the first position and includes one or more second receiving units; and Using the distance parameter, and considering interference caused by multipath propagation of the location determination signal, the step of obtaining the relationship between the intensity difference and the minimum and maximum distances from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the location determination signal to the first location. Information used to obtain the relationship between the intensity difference and the range of distances from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the location determination signal to the first location is pre-stored in the storage unit.

3. The simulation method according to claim 2 further comprises: Using the obtained relationship, a step is taken to determine a threshold value with respect to the intensity difference that can determine the location of the terminal device.

4. A simulation device comprising: The receiving unit, regarding the determination of the position of a terminal device based on the strength difference of position determination signals received by a first receiving unit group and a second receiving unit group respectively, accepts a distance parameter representing the distance between a first position and a second position in actual space, wherein the position determination signal is transmitted from the terminal device, which is the object whose position is to be determined, the first receiving unit group is configured at the first position and includes one or more first receiving units, and the second receiving unit is configured at a second position different from the first position and includes one or more second receiving units; and The acquisition unit, using the distance parameter and considering interference caused by multipath propagation of the position determination signal, obtains the relationship between the intensity difference and the minimum and maximum values ​​of the distance from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the position determination signal to the first location. Information used to obtain the relationship between the intensity difference and the range of distances from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the location determination signal to the first location is pre-stored in the storage unit.

5. A storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform the following steps: Regarding the determination of the position of a terminal device based on the strength difference of position determination signals received by a first receiving unit group and a second receiving unit group respectively, the step of receiving a distance parameter representing the distance between a first position and a second position in actual space, wherein the position determination signal is transmitted from the terminal device, which is the object whose position is to be determined, the first receiving unit group is configured at the first position and includes one or more first receiving units, and the second receiving unit is configured at a second position different from the first position and includes one or more second receiving units; and Using the distance parameter, and considering interference caused by multipath propagation of the location determination signal, the step of obtaining the relationship between the intensity difference and the minimum and maximum distances from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the location determination signal to the first location. Information used to obtain the relationship between the intensity difference and the range of distances from the location of the terminal device that can be determined using the location determination signal to the first location is pre-stored in the storage unit.

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