System, communication device, program, and information processing method

Abstract

To provide a system that enables efficient tracking of individuals within a scope that does not violate Act on the Protection of Personal Information.SOLUTION: A system 40 includes multiple communication devices and a server that communicate via a communication network. Each of the multiple communication devices includes: a personal information acquisition unit configured to acquire personal information on a user; a conversion unit configured to irreversibly convert the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit, using a conversion method that can generate the same conversion information from different personal information, to generate conversion information; and a conversion information transmission unit configured to transmit the conversion information to the server via the communication network. The server includes: a conversion information receiving unit configured to receive the conversion information from the multiple communication devices; and a conversion information storage unit configured to store the conversion information received by the conversion information receiving unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system, a communication device, a program, and an information processing method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a security system using an imaging device such as a surveillance camera. [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-154997

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0003] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided. The system may include a plurality of communication devices and a server. Each of the plurality of communication devices may include a personal information acquisition unit that acquires personal information of a user. Each of the plurality of communication devices may include a conversion unit that irreversibly converts the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit using a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information to generate conversion information. Each of the plurality of communication devices may include a conversion information transmission unit that transmits the conversion information to the server via a communication network. The server may include a conversion information reception unit that receives the conversion information from the plurality of communication devices. The server may include a conversion information storage unit that stores the conversion information received by the conversion information reception unit.

[0004] In the system, the conversion unit may generate compressed information obtained by irreversibly compressing the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit using a compression method by which the same compressed information can be generated from different personal information as the conversion information.

[0005] In any of the above systems, the personal information acquisition unit may acquire vector information including the user's biometric information as the user's personal information, and the conversion unit may generate bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information as the conversion information. The conversion unit may generate the bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information using a conversion method in which similar bit string information is generated from similar vector information.

[0006] In any of the above systems, the conversion unit may generate the bit string information having a number of bits such that the number of all possible bit strings obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information is less than the number of users targeted.

[0007] In any of the above systems, the conversion unit may use Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) to generate the bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information. The conversion unit may generate first bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information using a first type of LSH, and generate second bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information using a second type of LSH different from the first type of LSH. The conversion information transmission unit may transmit the first bit string information and the second bit string information to the server via the communication network, the conversion information reception unit may receive the first bit string information and the second bit string information, and the conversion information storage unit may store the first bit string information and the second bit string information in different storage areas.

[0008] In any of the above systems, the personal information acquisition unit may acquire the vector information of the user generated from the captured image of the user captured by the camera and user position information indicating the position of the user within the imaging range of the camera. The conversion information transmission unit may transmit the conversion information and the user position information to the server. The conversion information reception unit may receive the conversion information and the user position information from the plurality of communication devices. The conversion information storage unit may store the conversion information and the user position information. The server may further include a tracking process execution unit that executes a tracking process for tracking the user using the conversion information and the user position information received from the plurality of communication devices.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a communication device is provided. The communication device may include a personal information acquisition unit that acquires personal information of a user. The communication device may include a conversion unit that irreversibly converts the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit using a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information to generate conversion information. The communication device may include a conversion information transmission unit that transmits the conversion information to a server via a communication network.

[0010] In the communication device, the personal information acquisition unit may acquire vector information including biometric information of the user as the personal information of the user. The conversion unit may generate, as the conversion information, bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information using the conversion method by which similar bit string information is generated from similar vector information.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a program for causing a computer to function as the communication device is provided.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an information processing method executed by a computer is provided. The information processing method may include a personal information acquisition step of acquiring personal information of a user. The information processing method may include a conversion step of irreversibly converting the personal information acquired in the personal information acquisition step using a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information to generate conversion information. The information processing method may include a conversion information transmission step of transmitting the conversion information to a server via a communication network.

[0013] Note that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

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Figure 10

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0016] For example, in a conventional monitoring system, it is possible to identify a person using AI (artificial intelligence) or the like. However, since the feature quantity information of a person at an identifiable level corresponds to so-called personal information, it is difficult legally to protect personal information to directly transmit it over a communication network. Therefore, for example, when tracking a person using a plurality of cameras, the cameras only detect the person and transmit the coordinate information to a server on the communication network, and the server predicts the movement route of each person using the coordinate information received from the plurality of cameras. In this case, since personal identification is not performed, it is difficult to track a person if the viewpoints of the plurality of cameras do not overlap. In the system 40 according to the present embodiment, for example, a mechanism is adopted in which personal information of a person is converted into information that does not correspond to personal information but can identify an individual to some extent and then transmitted via a communication network.

[0017] FIGS. 1 to 4 are explanatory diagrams for explaining the prior art. The monitoring system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a server 100, a communication device 200, and a communication device 210. The server 100, the communication device 200, and the communication device 210 communicate via a communication network 20.

[0018] The communication network 20 may include the Internet. The communication network 20 may include a LAN (Local Area Network). The communication network 20 may include a mobile communication network. The mobile communication network may comply with any of the 5G (5th Generation) communication system, the LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication system, the 3G (3rd Generation) communication system, and communication systems after the 6G (6th Generation) communication system.

[0019] The communication device 200 includes an imaging unit 202. The communication device 200 has a function of analyzing the captured image captured by the imaging unit 202. The communication device 210 includes an imaging unit 212. The communication device 210 has a function of analyzing the captured image captured by the imaging unit 212. As shown in the figure, the imaging range of the imaging unit 202 and the imaging range of the imaging unit 212 overlap.

[0020] Although it is possible for the communication device 200 or the communication device 210 to identify an individual person by AI or the like, since the feature quantity information of a person corresponds to personal information, it can be said that it is difficult to transmit the feature quantity information via the communication network 20 from the viewpoint of the Personal Information Protection Law. Therefore, for example, each of the communication device 200 and the communication device 210 only performs person detection in the captured image and transmits a detection result including the coordinate positions of each person to the server 100, and on the server 100 side, the movement route of each person is predicted using the coordinate positions.

[0021] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the communication device 200 analyzes the captured image by the imaging unit 202 and transmits a detection result 300 including the position 302 of the person 52 and the position 304 of the person 54 to the server 100. Further, the communication device 210 analyzes the captured image by the imaging unit 212 and transmits a detection result 310 including the position 314 of the person 54 and the position 316 of the person 56 to the server 100.

[0022] After a little time has passed, as shown in FIG. 2, the communication device 200 analyzes the captured image by the imaging unit 202 and transmits a detection result 320 including the position 322 of the person 52 and the position 326 of the person 56 to the server 100. Further, the communication device 210 analyzes the captured image by the imaging unit 212 and transmits a detection result 330 including the position 332 of the person 52, the position 334 of the person 54, and the position 336 of the person 56 to the server 100.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, based on detection results 300, 310, 320, and 330, server 100 predicts the movement trajectories of persons 52, 54, and 56, and generates a tracking result 340. Thus, if the imaging ranges of imaging unit 202 and imaging unit 212 overlap, it is possible to some extent to track a person.

[0024] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the imaging ranges of imaging unit 202 and imaging unit 212 do not overlap, it becomes difficult to track a person. In such a case, if persons 52, 54, and 56 can be identified as three individuals, even if it is not possible to identify who each of them is until then, it becomes easier to perform tracking.

[0025] FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of a system 40 according to the present embodiment. System 40 includes a server 400 and a plurality of communication devices 500.

[0026] Communication device 500 has a function of acquiring personal information of user 50, converting the personal information into information that can identify the individual but does not correspond to the personal information, and transmitting it to server 100 via communication network 20. User 50 may be a person related to the processing by system 40. For example, when system 40 is a monitoring system, user 50 may be a person to be monitored.

[0027] The communication device 500 irreversibly converts the personal information of user 50 using, for example, a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information to generate conversion information, and transmits the conversion information to the server 400 via the communication network 20. Since the conversion information cannot identify an individual and cannot be restored to the personal information, it does not correspond to so-called personal information. Note that the fact that the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information indicates, for example, that in the system 40, there is a possibility that a person different from user 50 may be treated as user 50. That is, the conversion information does not correspond to personal information and is not information that can identify an individual, but may be information that can identify user 50 to a certain extent such that a user other than user 50 may be identified as user 50.

[0028] The server 400 stores the conversion information received from a plurality of communication devices 500. The server 400 executes various processes using the conversion information received from the plurality of communication devices 500.

[0029] FIG. 6 schematically shows a specific example of the configuration of the system 40. In FIG. 6, the communication device 550 and the communication device 560 are illustrated as examples of a plurality of communication devices 500.

[0030] The communication device 550 includes an imaging unit 552. The communication device 550 has a function of analyzing the captured image captured by the imaging unit 552. The communication device 560 includes an imaging unit 562. The communication device 560 has a function of analyzing the captured image captured by the imaging unit 562. As shown, the imaging range of the imaging unit 552 and the imaging range of the imaging unit 562 do not overlap.

[0031] The communication device 550 generates vector information including biometric information of a person within the imaging range by analyzing the captured image captured by the imaging unit 552. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 550 generates vector information of the person 52 and vector information of the person 54.

[0032] The communication device 550 generates conversion information by irreversibly converting the generated vector information using a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 550 generates conversion information of person 52 and conversion information of person 54.

[0033] Also, the communication device 550 generates position information indicating the position of a person in the imaging range of the imaging unit 552 by analyzing the captured image. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 550 generates position information of person 52 and position information of person 54.

[0034] The communication device 550 transmits the generated change information and position information to the server 400 via the communication network 20. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 550 transmits the conversion information and position information of person 52 and the conversion information and position information of person 54 to the server 400 via the communication network 20.

[0035] The communication device 550 continuously executes such processing.

[0036] The communication device 560 generates vector information including biometric information of a person within the imaging range by analyzing the captured image captured by the imaging unit 562. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 560 generates vector information of person 56.

[0037] The communication device 560 generates conversion information by irreversibly converting the generated vector information using a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 560 generates conversion information of person 56.

[0038] Also, the communication device 560 generates position information indicating the position of a person in the imaging range of the imaging unit 562 by analyzing the captured image. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 560 generates position information of person 56.

[0039] The communication device 560 transmits the generated change information and location information to the server 400 via the communication network 20. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the communication device 560 transmits the conversion information and location information of the person 56 to the server 400 via the communication network 20.

[0040] The communication device 560 continuously executes such processing.

[0041] The server 400 executes the tracking of each of the plurality of persons using the conversion information and location information of each of the plurality of persons received from the communication device 550 and the communication device 560.

[0042] As described above, the conversion information is not information that can identify an individual, but is information that can identify an individual to a certain extent. In the example shown in FIG. 6, even if it is not known who each of the person 52, the person 54, and the person 56 is, as long as the person 52, the person 54, and the person 56 can be identified, even if the imaging ranges of the imaging unit 552 and the imaging unit 562 do not overlap, it is possible to track the person 52, the person 54, and the person 56. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently track an individual within the scope that does not violate the Personal Information Protection Law.

[0043] FIG. 7 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the communication device 500. The communication device 500 includes a personal information acquisition unit 512, a conversion unit 514, and a conversion information transmission unit 516.

[0044] The personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires the personal information of the user 50. The personal information of the user 50 may include the attribute information of the user 50. The personal information of the user 50 may include the captured image of the user 50. The personal information of the user 50 may include the biometric information of the user 50. The personal information of the user 50 may include vector information indicating the characteristics of the biometric information of the user 50. For example, the personal information of the user 50 may include the face image of the user 50 and vector information generated by analyzing the full-body image of the user 50. For example, the personal information of the user 50 may include vector information generated by measuring the user 50 with an arbitrary sensor.

[0045] The personal information acquisition unit 512 may acquire the personal information of the user 50 from the outside. For example, the personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires the captured image of the user 50 from the imaging unit that captured the user 50. For example, the personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires the biometric information of the user 50 generated by the imaging unit that captured the user 50 by analyzing the captured image from the imaging unit. For example, the personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires vector information indicating the characteristics of the biometric information of the user 50 generated by the imaging unit that captured the user 50 by analyzing the captured image from the imaging unit. For example, the personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires vector information generated by a sensor that has measured the user 50 from the sensor.

[0046] The personal information acquisition unit 512 may generate the personal information of the user 50 using the information acquired from the outside. For example, the personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires the captured image of the user 50 from the imaging unit that captured the user 50, and generates the biometric information of the user 50 or generates vector information indicating the characteristics of the biometric information of the user 50 by analyzing the captured image. For example, the personal information acquisition unit 512 acquires the measurement result from the sensor that has measured the user 50, and generates the biometric information of the user 50 or generates vector information including the biometric information of the user 50 by analyzing the measurement result.

[0047] The conversion unit 514 converts the personal information of the user 50 acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 512 to generate conversion information. The conversion unit 514 may convert the personal information of the user 50 into conversion information that does not correspond to personal information but can identify an individual to a certain extent. For example, the conversion unit 514 uses a conversion method by which the same conversion information can be generated from different personal information to irreversibly convert the personal information of the user 50 to generate conversion information.

[0048] The conversion information transmission unit 516 transmits the conversion information generated by the conversion unit 514 to the server 400 via the communication network 20. If the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 512 is transmitted to the server 400 via the communication network 20, it will violate the Personal Information Protection Law. However, since the conversion information does not correspond to personal information, transmitting the conversion information to the server 400 via the communication network 20 does not violate the Personal Information Protection Law. Since the conversion information is information that can identify an individual to a certain extent, it can be effectively utilized in the server 400.

[0049] For example, the conversion unit 514 generates compressed information obtained by irreversibly compressing the personal information of the user 50 using a compression method by which the same compressed information can be generated from different personal information as the conversion information.

[0050] The personal information acquisition unit 512 may acquire vector information including the biometric information of the user 50 as the personal information of the user 50. The conversion unit 514 may generate a bit string obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information as the conversion information. The conversion unit 514 may convert a plurality of vector information into bit strings of the same size. According to such conversion, the same bit string can be generated from different vector information.

[0051] The conversion unit 514 may generate bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information using a conversion method by which similar bit string information is generated from similar vector information. The conversion unit 514 may generate bit string information with a number of bits such that the total number of all possible bit strings obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information is less than the number of target users.

[0052] For example, when the conversion unit 514 converts vector information into a 16-bit bit string, the number of types of bit strings is 65,536. Assuming that the number of target users 50 is 1 million, about 15 people may have the same bit string. In this case, although one bit string indicates any one of the 15 people, it cannot identify an individual, so it does not correspond to personal information. Nevertheless, since it indicates that it is different from people other than the 15 people among 1 million people, at the server 400, the bit string can be effectively utilized for various processes.

[0053] As a specific example, the conversion unit 514 may generate bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting vector information using LSH. LSH is a method of dimension compression for high-dimensional data by probabilistic processing. LSH can represent a multi-dimensional vector as a bit string (here, for the sake of explanation, the bit string is referred to as an LSH code). Since LSH compresses the dimension of data, the vector information and the LSH code do not correspond one-to-one, and there are a plurality of vector information that become the same LSH code. Also, the original vector information cannot be restored from the LSH code. Also, similar vector information becomes a similar LSH code (a code with a short Hamming distance).

[0054] When the system 40 is used for monitoring a plurality of users 50, the personal information acquisition unit 512 may acquire the vector information of the user 50 generated from the captured image of the user 50 captured by the imaging unit provided in the communication device 500 and the user position information indicating the position of the user 50 in the imaging range of the imaging unit. The conversion information transmission unit 516 may transmit the conversion information generated from the vector information and the user position information to the server 400 by the conversion unit 514.

[0055] FIG. 8 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the server 400. The server 400 includes a conversion information reception unit 412, a conversion information storage unit 414, and a process execution unit 416.

[0056] The conversion information receiving unit 412 receives the conversion information transmitted by the conversion information transmitting unit 516. The conversion information receiving unit 412 receives the conversion information and the user position information transmitted by the conversion information transmitting unit 516.

[0057] When the conversion information receiving unit 412 receives the conversion information, the conversion information storage unit 414 stores the conversion information. When the conversion information receiving unit 412 receives the conversion information and the user position information, the conversion information storage unit 414 may store the conversion information and the user position information.

[0058] The processing execution unit 416 executes processing using the conversion information stored in the conversion information storage unit 414. The processing execution unit 416 executes, for example, a tracking process for tracking the user 50. For example, the processing execution unit 416 executes a tracking process for tracking the user 50 using a plurality of conversion information and a plurality of user position information received from a plurality of communication devices and stored in the conversion information storage unit 414. As a specific example, while the user 50 is located within the imaging range of the imaging unit of the communication device 500, the processing execution unit 416 tracks the user 50 based on the continuously generated user position information. When the user 50 moves outside the imaging range of the imaging unit of one communication device 500, the processing execution unit 416 uses the conversion information and the user position information generated by another communication device 500 having an imaging unit that images a range adjacent to the imaging range of the imaging unit of the one communication device 500 to track the user 50. The processing execution unit 416 may identify the user 50 based on the conversion information generated by one communication device 500 and the conversion information generated by another communication device 500, and identify the movement route of the user 50 based on the user position information generated by one communication device 500 and the user position information generated by another communication device 500.

[0059] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of generation of conversion information by the conversion unit 514. The conversion unit 514 may generate a plurality of pieces of conversion information for each of the plurality of users 50 using different types of LSH. Examples of different types of LSH include a method using random bit sampling, a method using random projection, and Nilsimsa Hash. Also, in a method using random numbers, a plurality of pieces of conversion information may be generated by changing the values of the random numbers.

[0060] For example, the conversion unit 514 generates first bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit 512 using a first type of LSH, and second bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information using a second type of LSH different from the first type of LSH. The conversion information transmission unit 516 transmits the first bit string information and the second bit string information generated by the conversion unit 514 to the server 400 via the communication network 20.

[0061] The conversion information reception unit 412 of the server 400 receives the first bit string information and the second bit string information. The conversion information storage unit 414 stores the first bit string information and the second bit string information in different storage areas. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the conversion information storage unit 414 stores the first bit string information in the storage area 422 and stores the second bit string information in the storage area 424.

[0062] The first bit string information generated from the vector information of one user 50 using the first method of LSH is different from the first bit string information generated from the vector information of most other users 50 using the first method of LSH, but will match the first bit string information generated from the vector information of some users 50 using the first method of LSH. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 6, if the first bit string information of person 52 and the first bit string information of person 54 match, it will be difficult to distinguish between person 52 and person 54, and there is a risk that it will be difficult to track person 52 and person 54. On the other hand, by generating and managing the second bit string information from the vector information of one user 50 using the second method of LSH, the possibility of identifying one user 50 can be significantly increased.

[0063] FIG. 10 schematically shows an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 1200 that functions as the server 400 or the communication device 500. The program installed in the computer 1200 causes the computer 1200 to function as one or more "parts" of the device according to the present embodiment, or causes the computer 1200 to execute an operation associated with the device according to the present embodiment or the one or more "parts", and / or causes the computer 1200 to execute the process according to the present embodiment or a stage of the process. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to execute certain operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0064] The computer 1200 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 1212, a RAM 1214, and a graphic controller 1216, which are interconnected by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 1222, a storage device 1224, a DVD drive, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input / output controller 1220. The DVD drive may be a DVD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, or the like. The storage device 1224 may be a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, or the like. The computer 1200 also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard, which are connected to the input / output controller 1220 via an input / output chip 1240.

[0065] The CPU 1212 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 1216 acquires image information generated by the CPU 1212 in a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 1214 or within itself, and causes the image information to be displayed on the display device 1218.

[0066] The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The storage device 1224 stores programs and information used by the CPU 1212 within the computer 1200. The DVD drive reads a program or information from a DVD-ROM or the like and provides it to the storage device 1224. The IC card drive reads programs and information from an IC card and / or writes programs and information to an IC card.

[0067] ROM 1230 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by computer 1200 at activation, and / or a program dependent on the hardware of computer 1200. Input / output chip 1240 may also be connected to input / output controller 1220 via various input / output units through a USB port, a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, etc.

[0068] The program is provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM or an IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable storage medium, installed in storage device 1224, RAM 1214, or ROM 1230 which is also an example of a computer-readable storage medium, and executed by CPU 1212. The information processing described in these programs is read by computer 1200, bringing about cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. The device or method may be configured by realizing the operation or processing of information according to the use of computer 1200.

[0069] For example, when communication is executed between computer 1200 and an external device, CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded in RAM 1214 and instruct communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Communication interface 1222 reads the transmission information stored in the transmission buffer area provided in a recording medium such as RAM 1214, storage device 1224, DVD-ROM, or IC card under the control of CPU 1212, transmits the read transmission information to the network, or writes the received information received from the network to the reception buffer area provided on the recording medium, etc.

[0070] In addition, the CPU 1212 may cause all or necessary parts of files or information bases stored in an external recording medium such as the storage device 1224, a DVD drive (DVD-ROM), an IC card, etc. to be read into the RAM 1214, and execute various types of processing on the information on the RAM 1214. Next, the CPU 1212 may write back the processed information to the external recording medium.

[0071] Various types of information such as various types of programs, information, tables, and information bases may be stored in the recording medium and may undergo information processing. The CPU 1212 may execute various types of processing on the information read from the RAM 1214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branch, unconditional branch, information search / replacement, etc. described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the result to the RAM 1214. Also, the CPU 1212 may search for information in files, information bases, etc. within the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 searches for an entry that matches the condition where the attribute value of the first attribute is specified among the plurality of entries, reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby may obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0072] The programs or software modules described above may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on or near the computer 1200. Also, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable storage medium, thereby providing the program to the computer 1200 via the network.

[0073] The blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams in this embodiment may represent stages of a process in which an operation is performed or "parts" of a device that serves to perform an operation. A specific stage and "part" may be implemented by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or a processor supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The dedicated circuit may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. The programmable circuit may include, for example, a reconfigurable hardware circuit including logical products, logical sums, exclusive logical sums, negative logical products, negative logical sums, and other logical operations, flip-flops, registers, and memory elements, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and a programmable logic array (PLA).

[0074] The computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions executable by an appropriate device. As a result, a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein will comprise a product including instructions executable to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include floppy (registered trademark) disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc, memory stick, integrated circuit card, and the like.

[0075] Computer-readable instructions may include any combination of one or more programming languages, including assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting information, or object-oriented programming languages such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages, either in source code or object code.

[0076] The computer-readable instructions may be provided locally or via a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc., to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable information processing device, or a programmable circuit, for the processor of the general-purpose computer, the special-purpose computer, or other programmable information processing device, or the programmable circuit to execute the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagram by generating means for executing the computer-readable instructions. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

[0077] As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0078] In the claims, the specification, and the drawings, the execution order of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the disclosed apparatus, system, program, and method is not explicitly indicated with terms such as "earlier" or "preceding" in particular. It should be noted that, unless the output of a previous process is used in a subsequent process, it can be realized in any order. Regarding the operation flows in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if terms such as "first" and "next" are used for convenience in the description, this does not mean that it is essential to implement in this order.

[0079] As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0080] In the claims, the specification, and the drawings, the execution order of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the disclosed apparatus, system, program, and method is not explicitly indicated with terms such as "earlier" or "preceding" in particular. It should be noted that, unless the output of a previous process is used in a subsequent process, it can be realized in any order. Regarding the operation flows in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if terms such as "first" and "next" are used for convenience in the description, this does not mean that it is essential to implement in this order.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0081] 10 Monitoring system, 20 Network, 40 System, 50 User, 52, 54, 56 Person, 100 Server, 200 Communication device, 202 Imaging unit, 210 Communication device, 212 Imaging unit, 300 Detection result, 302 Location, 304 Location, 310 Detection result, 314 Location, 316 Location, 320 Detection result, 322 Location, 326 Location, 330 Detection result, 332 Location, 334 Location, 336 Location, 340 Tracking result, 400 Server, 412 Conversion information receiving unit, 414 Conversion information storage unit, 416 Processing execution unit, 422 Storage area, 424 Storage area, 500 Communication device, 512 Personal information acquisition unit, 514 Conversion unit, 516 Conversion information transmission unit, 550 Communication device, 552 Imaging unit, 560 Communication device, 562 Imaging unit, 1200 Computer, 1210 Host controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 Graphics controller, 1218 Display device, 1220 Input / output controller, 1222 Communication interface, 1224 Storage device, 1230 ROM, 1240 Input / output chip

Claims

1. A plurality of communication devices; Server and A system comprising: Each of the plurality of communication devices A personal information acquisition unit that acquires personal information of a user; a conversion unit that generates conversion information by irreversibly converting the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit using a conversion method that can generate identical conversion information from different personal information; a conversion information transmission unit that transmits the conversion information to the server via a communication network; having The server, a conversion information receiving unit for receiving the conversion information from the plurality of communication devices; a conversion information storage unit that stores the conversion information received by the conversion information receiving unit; The system has:

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion unit generates, as the conversion information, compressed information by lossy compressing the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit using a compression technique that can generate identical compressed information from different personal information.

3. the personal information acquisition unit acquires vector information including biometric information of the user as personal information of the user; The system according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion unit generates, as the conversion information, bit string information obtained by irreversibly converting the vector information.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the conversion unit generates the bit string information by irreversibly converting the vector information using the conversion technique in which similar bit string information is generated from similar vector information.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the conversion unit irreversibly converts the vector information to generate the bit string information, the number of all possible bit strings being less than the number of target users.

6. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the conversion unit generates the bit string information by irreversibly converting the vector information using Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH).

7. the conversion unit generates first bit string information by lossy converting the vector information using an LSH of a first method, and generates second bit string information by lossy converting the vector information using an LSH of a second method different from the LSH of the first method; the conversion information transmission unit transmits the first bit string information and the second bit string information to the server via the communication network; the conversion information receiving unit receives the first bit string information and the second bit string information; The system according to claim 6 , wherein the conversion information storage unit stores the first bit string information and the second bit string information in different storage areas.

8. the personal information acquisition unit acquires the vector information of the user generated from an image of the user captured by an imaging unit, and user position information indicating a position of the user within an imaging range of the imaging unit; The conversion information transmission unit transmits the conversion information and the user position information to the server, the conversion information receiving unit receives the conversion information and the user location information from the plurality of communication devices; the conversion information storage unit stores the conversion information and the user position information; The server, a process execution unit that executes a tracking process for tracking the user by using the conversion information and the user position information received from the plurality of communication devices; The system of claim 3 further comprising:

9. A personal information acquisition unit that acquires personal information of a user; a conversion unit that generates conversion information by irreversibly converting the personal information acquired by the personal information acquisition unit using a conversion method that can generate identical conversion information from different personal information; a conversion information transmission unit that transmits the conversion information to a server via a communication network; A communication device comprising:

10. the personal information acquisition unit acquires vector information including biometric information of the user as personal information of the user; The communication device according to claim 9 , wherein the conversion unit generates, as the conversion information, bit string information by irreversibly converting the vector information using the conversion technique in which similar bit string information is generated from similar vector information.

11. A program for causing a computer to function as the communication device according to claim 9 or 10.

12. 1. A computer-implemented information processing method, comprising: A personal information acquisition stage for acquiring personal information of a user; a conversion step of irreversibly converting the personal information acquired in the personal information acquisition step using a conversion method capable of generating identical converted information from different personal information, to generate converted information; a conversion information transmitting step of transmitting the conversion information to a server via a communication network; An information processing method comprising:

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