Behavior monitoring apparatus and behavior monitoring method

Abstract

To provide a behavior monitoring apparatus and a behavior monitoring method for properly determining whether to issue a warning based on the behavior of a user.SOLUTION: A behavior monitoring apparatus includes: a distance determination unit which determines distances between the apparatus and a plurality of other devices; a behavior information acquisition unit which acquires behavior information of the apparatus and behavior information of the other devices; a group behavior determination unit which determines a state of behavior of a group; a separation determination unit which determines that the apparatus has separated from the group. The group behavior determination unit determines, when a ratio of specific behavior information in all behavior information is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, that the behavior of the group is in a first behavior state. When the group behavior determination unit determines the first behavior state, the distance determination unit calculates a difference between an average value of distances between all devices included in the group and an average value of distances between the apparatus and the other devices, as first behavior distance. The separation determination unit determines, when the first behavior distance is equal to or larger than a first threshold, that a user of the apparatus has separated from the group.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a behavior monitoring device and a behavior monitoring method. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known technologies for monitoring the status of an object. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for detecting an individual that is behaving differently from the rest of a group of individuals. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for issuing an alarm when the distance between a receiving device and a transmitting device exceeds the alarm sound emission range. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-21342 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3785502 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, it is possible to detect a user who has left the group among multiple users who act as a group and issue an alert. However, it is not necessarily a problem if a user who makes up a group leaves the group or behaves differently from the group. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the behavior of multiple users who make up a group and appropriately determine whether to issue an alert.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a behavior monitoring device and a behavior monitoring method that can appropriately determine whether to issue a warning based on a user's behavior. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The behavior monitoring device of the present disclosure includes a sensor control unit that selects a type of behavior of a user who owns the device from preset behavior types and detects the type as behavior information; a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with multiple other devices belonging to the same group; a distance determination unit that determines a distance between the device and the multiple other devices; a behavior information acquisition unit that acquires the behavior information of the device detected by the sensor control unit and the behavior information of the multiple other devices via the communication unit; a group behavior determination unit that determines a behavior state of the group based on all behavior information consisting of the behavior information of the device and the behavior information of the multiple other devices acquired by the behavior information acquisition unit; and a withdrawal determination unit that determines withdrawal from the group, wherein the group behavior determination unit determines the group's behavior as a first behavior state if a proportion of specific behavior information among all the behavior information is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and determines the group's behavior as a second behavior state if the group behavior determination unit does not determine the group's behavior as the first behavior state, and when the group behavior determination unit determines the group to be in the first behavior state, the distance determination unit calculates a first behavior distance as the difference between the average value of the distances between all the devices included in the group and the average value of the distances between the own device and the plurality of other devices, and when the first behavior distance is equal to or greater than a first threshold, the withdrawal determination unit determines that the user of the own device has withdrawn from the group.

[0007] The behavior monitoring method of the present disclosure includes the steps of selecting a type of behavior of a user who owns the device from preset behavior types and having a sensor control unit detect the type as behavior information; wirelessly communicating with multiple other devices belonging to the same group using a communication unit; determining a distance between the device and the multiple other devices; acquiring the behavior information of the device detected by the sensor control unit and the behavior information of the multiple other devices via the communication unit; determining a behavior state of the group based on all behavior information consisting of the acquired behavior information of the device and the behavior information of the multiple other devices; The method includes a step of determining whether the user has left the loop; a step of determining the group's behavior as a first behavioral state if a proportion of specific behavioral information among all the behavioral information is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and determining the group's behavior as a second behavioral state if the group's behavior is not determined to be the first behavioral state; a step of calculating, if the group's behavior is determined to be the first behavioral state, the difference between the average value of the distances between all the devices included in the group and the average value of the distances between the user's own device and the plurality of other devices as a first behavioral distance; and a step of determining that the user of the user's own device has left the group if the first behavioral distance is equal to or greater than a first threshold value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately determine whether to issue a warning based on the user's behavior. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a behavior monitoring system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the processing of the behavior monitoring system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the behavior monitoring device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the behavior monitoring method according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and in the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0011] [Embodiment] (Behavior monitoring system) An example of the configuration of a behavior monitoring system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a behavior monitoring system according to an embodiment.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the behavior monitoring system 1 includes multiple behavior monitoring devices 10. The multiple behavior monitoring devices 10 are communicably connected via a wireless network N. The behavior monitoring devices 10 monitor user behavior. The behavior monitoring devices 10 may be implemented, for example, as smartphones, tablet terminals, or commercial walkie-talkies. The behavior monitoring devices 10 may also be implemented as dedicated devices for monitoring user behavior.

[0013] (Overview of behavior monitoring system processing) An overview of the processing of the behavior monitoring system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the processing of the behavior monitoring system according to the embodiment.

[0014] The behavior monitoring system 1 is a system that detects the behavior of multiple users who act as a group and issues a notification when the behavior of a specific user meets predetermined conditions. In the example shown in FIG. 2, eight users, user U1 to user U8, belong to the same group and act as a group, and each of users U1 to U8 possesses a behavior monitoring device 10. To distinguish between the behavior monitoring devices 10 possessed by the users, users U1 to U8 are distinguished by assuming that they possess behavior monitoring devices 10-1 to 10-8, respectively. In this case, behavior monitoring devices 10-1 to 10-8 form a group and perform group communication. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to distinguish between users U1 to U8, they may be collectively referred to as user U. Although FIG. 2 shows an example of eight users, the number of users is not limited to this.

[0015] The behavior monitoring device 10 detects the behavior of the user U who owns the device. The behavior monitoring device 10 calculates the distance between the user U who owns the device and other users U. For example, in the case of the behavior monitoring device 10-1 owned by user U1, the device calculates the distance from the behavior monitoring device 10-1 to the behavior monitoring device 10-2 to the behavior monitoring device 10-8. This is equivalent to calculating the distance from the user U1 to the user U2 to the user U8. The following explanation takes the behavior monitoring device 10-1 owned by user U1 as an example.

[0016] The behavior monitoring device 10-1 detects the behavior of user U1 and determines the type of behavior. The behavior monitoring device 10-1 transmits behavior information indicating the type of user U1's behavior and its own device's identification information to the behavior monitoring devices 10 carried by users U2 to U8 via network N. The behavior information will be described later. The behavior monitoring device 10-1 receives information including the behavior information of users U2 to U8 and the identification information of each behavior monitoring device 10 from the behavior monitoring devices 10 carried by users U2 to U8 via network N. The behavior monitoring device 10-1 carried by user U1 calculates and stores the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10-1 and each of the behavior monitoring devices 10-2 to 10-8, for example, based on the measured value of the radio wave intensity of radio waves including information received via wireless communication on network N from each of the behavior monitoring devices 10-2 to 10-8. Similarly, the other behavior monitoring devices 10 calculate and store the distances between the respective users U based on the measured values ​​of the radio wave intensity of the radio waves including information received via the network N. The relationship between the measured values ​​of the radio wave intensity and the distances between the behavior monitoring devices 10 can be calculated using a list or formula obtained in advance through measurements. The behavior monitoring device 10-1 acquires distance information between each of the behavior monitoring devices 10 (between each user) calculated by each of the behavior monitoring devices 10-2 to 10-8. Furthermore, the behavior monitoring device 10-1 also receives information including the distance information acquired by the other behavior monitoring devices 10, thereby acquiring and storing the behavior information of all users U included in the group and the distance information between all of the behavior monitoring devices 10 (between users U). For example, the behavior monitoring device 10-1 cannot measure the radio wave intensity when the behavior monitoring device 10-3 receives radio waves transmitted by the behavior monitoring device 10-2. In other words, the behavior monitoring device 10-1 cannot know the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10-2 and the behavior monitoring device 10-3. However, the behavior monitoring device 10-1 can know the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10-2 and the behavior monitoring device 10-3 by acquiring distance information measured by the behavior monitoring device 10-3.In this way, the behavior monitoring device 10 issues a notification when a predetermined condition is met based on the behavior information of all users U and the distance information between all behavior monitoring devices 10 (between users U).

[0017] (behavior monitoring device) An example of the configuration of a behavior monitoring device according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a behavior monitoring device according to an embodiment.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the behavior monitoring device 10 includes a behavior sensor unit 20, an input unit 22, an audio input unit 24, a display unit 26, an audio output unit 28, a communication unit 30, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiving unit 32, a memory unit 34, and a control unit 36.

[0019] The behavior sensor unit 20 detects the behavior of the user who carries the behavior monitoring device 10. The behavior sensor unit 20 is exemplified by, but not limited to, an acceleration sensor or an angle sensor that detects the movement of the user.

[0020] The input unit 22 accepts various operations for the behavior monitoring device 10. The input unit 22 is realized by various input devices such as a switch, a button, or a touch panel.

[0021] The voice input unit 24 detects the voice of the user using the behavior monitoring device 10. The voice input unit 24 converts the detected voice into a voice signal. The voice input unit 24 is realized by a microphone.

[0022] The display unit 26 displays various types of information. For example, the display unit 26 displays notification information. The display unit 26 is realized by a display including, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display. The display unit 26 is a type of notification unit.

[0023] The audio output unit 28 is a speaker that outputs various types of audio. For example, the audio output unit 28 outputs notification information as audio. For example, the audio output unit 28 outputs the voice of a communication partner. The audio output unit 28 is a type of notification unit.

[0024] The communication unit 30 is a communication interface that performs communication between the behavior monitoring device 10 and an external device. For example, the communication unit 30 executes communication between the behavior monitoring device 10 and another behavior monitoring device 10 via a wireless network N. The communication unit 30 is realized, for example, by a communication circuit.

[0025] The GNSS receiving unit 32 is configured with a GNSS receiver that receives GNSS signals from GNSS satellites, etc. The GNSS receiving unit 32 outputs the received GNSS signals to the position information acquiring unit 44. It should be noted that the behavior monitoring device 10 does not necessarily have to include the GNSS receiving unit 32.

[0026] The storage unit 34 stores various types of information. The storage unit 34 stores information such as the contents of calculations performed by the control unit 36 ​​and programs. The storage unit 34 includes at least one of a RAM (Random Access Memory), a main storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an external storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0027] The storage unit 34 stores, for example, dictionary data for determining the user's behavior. The dictionary data is, for example, a list that associates predefined types of behavior with the contents of detection data detected by the behavior sensor unit 20 for determining whether the user is performing that behavior. For example, if the detection data detected by the behavior sensor unit 20 is waveform data indicating a change in acceleration over time, the dictionary data is a list in which the waveform data is expressed in terms of signal level (amplitude) and frequency and registered in association with the type of behavior. Examples of predefined types of behavior include, but are not limited to, "walking," "running," and "standing still."

[0028] The control unit 36 ​​controls each unit of the behavior monitoring device 10. The control unit 36 ​​includes, for example, an information processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a storage device such as a RAM or a ROM. The control unit 36 ​​executes a program that controls the operation of the behavior monitoring device 10 according to the present disclosure. The control unit 36 ​​may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 36 ​​may be realized by a combination of hardware and software.

[0029] The control unit 36 ​​includes a sensor control unit 40, a communication control unit 42, a position information acquisition unit 44, a distance determination unit 46, a behavior information acquisition unit 48, a group behavior determination unit 50, a departure determination unit 52, and an output control unit 54.

[0030] The sensor control unit 40 controls the behavior sensor unit 20 to detect the behavior of the user who carries the behavior monitoring device 10. The sensor control unit 40 acquires detection data from the behavior sensor unit 20.

[0031] The sensor control unit 40 identifies the type of behavior of the user who possesses the behavior monitoring device 10. For example, the sensor control unit 40 compares the detection data acquired by the sensor control unit 40 with dictionary data stored in the storage unit 34 to identify the type of behavior of the user. For example, when waveform data indicating a time change in acceleration is acquired as detection data from the behavior sensor unit 20, the sensor control unit 40 compares the waveform data with registered waveform data defined by signal levels (amplitudes) and frequencies registered in the dictionary data, and identifies the type of behavior associated with the registered waveform data with the smallest error as the behavior performed by the user of the behavior monitoring device 10. The error is, for example, the squared error value between the two waveforms. The error is, for example, the correlation value between the two waveforms. The sensor control unit 40 then outputs behavior information including the identified type of behavior. In other words, the behavior information is information indicating the type of behavior of the user who possesses the behavior monitoring device 10.

[0032] The communication control unit 42 controls the communication unit 30 to transmit and receive various information. For example, the communication control unit 42 controls the communication unit 30 to transmit behavior information indicating the user's behavior identified by the sensor control unit 40 to multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10 that are part of the same group as the behavior monitoring device 10. For example, the communication control unit 42 controls the communication unit 30 to transmit location information of the behavior monitoring device 10 acquired by the location information acquisition unit 44 to the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. For example, the communication control unit 42 controls the communication unit 30 to transmit distance information between the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10, calculated by the distance determination unit 46, to the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. For example, the communication control unit 42 controls the communication unit 30 to transmit information indicating the average value of the distances between the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10 to the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10.

[0033] The location information acquisition unit 44 acquires location information indicating the current location of the behavior monitoring device 10. The location information acquisition unit 44 calculates location information of the current location of the behavior monitoring device 10 using a known method based on the radio waves received by the GNSS receiver unit 32. The location information acquisition unit 44 acquires current location information of multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10 via the communication unit 30. Note that if the behavior monitoring device 10 does not have a GNSS receiver unit 32, it does not need to have the location information acquisition unit 44.

[0034] The distance determination unit 46 calculates the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. The distance determination unit 46 calculates the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10, for example, based on the radio wave intensity of radio waves received when the communication unit 30 communicates with the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. The distance determination unit 46 calculates the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10, for example, based on the location information of the behavior monitoring device 10 acquired by the location information acquisition unit 44 and location information received from the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10.

[0035] The distance determination unit 46 calculates the average value of the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. The distance determination unit 46 calculates a group average value, which is the average value of the distances between all of the behavior monitoring devices 10 (between users) included in the group, based on an individual average value, which is the average value of the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10, and the distances between the behavior monitoring devices 10 (between users) calculated by each of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. When the distance determination unit 46 acquires position information from the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10, it calculates the group average value, which is the average value of the distances between all of the behavior monitoring devices 10 (between users) included in the group, based on the acquired position information.

[0036] The individual average value Mn1 of the behavior monitoring device 10-1 is, for example, Mn1=(D12+D13+D14+D15+D16+D17+D18) / 7...Equation (1) Here, D12 is the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10-1 and the behavior monitoring device 10-2, and D13 to D18 are the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10-1 and each of the behavior monitoring devices 10-3 to 10-8. That is, the individual average value Mn1 is the sum of the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10-1 and each of the other behavior monitoring devices 10 divided by 7, which is the number of distances. Here, an example has been shown in which the behavior monitoring device 10-1 is the target and the individual average values ​​between the other behavior monitoring devices 10-2 to 10-8 are calculated. However, formula (1) can be generalized to calculate the individual average value by dividing the sum of the distances between the target behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the other behavior monitoring devices 10 by the number of distances.

[0037] The group average value GMn among all the behavior monitoring devices 10 is, for example, GMn=(Mn1+Mn2+Mn3+Mn4+Mn5+Mn6+Mn7+Mn8) / 8...Equation (2) Here, Mn1 is the individual average value calculated by the behavior monitoring device 10-1, and Mn2 to Mn8 are the individual average values ​​calculated by the behavior monitoring device 10-2 to 10-8, respectively. Since the number of distances calculated by each behavior monitoring device 10 is seven, the total number of distances calculated by all behavior monitoring devices 10 is 7 × 8 = 56. In this case, since Mn1 to Mn8 have already been divided by 7, the group average value GMn is the sum of the individual average values ​​divided by 8, which is the number of individual average values. Here, an example has been shown in which the behavior monitoring devices 10-1 to 10-8 are treated as a group and the group average value is calculated. However, formula (2) can be generalized to calculate the group average value by dividing the sum of the individual average values ​​of the behavior monitoring devices 10 belonging to the group by the number of individual average values.

[0038] When all users included in a group are engaging in collective behavior, the distance determination unit 46 calculates the difference between the group average value, which is the average value of the distances of all the behavior monitoring devices 10 included in the group, and the individual average values, which are the average values ​​of the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10 being determined and each of the other behavior monitoring devices 10. In the example shown in FIG. 2, when the behavior monitoring device 10-1 owned by user U1 is the determination target, the distance determination unit 46 calculates the difference between the group average value of the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10-1 and each of the behavior monitoring devices 10-8 and the individual average values ​​of the distances between the behavior monitoring device 10-1 and each of the behavior monitoring devices 10-2 and 10-8. The difference between the group average value GMn and the individual average value Mn1 is called the first behavior distance. The first behavior distance is expressed by the following equation (3): First action distance = Mn1-GMn...Equation (3)

[0039] The first behavior distance can be said to be an index that compares the degree of distance (concentration) of the behavior monitoring devices 10 of the entire group with the degree of distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 to be judged and the other behavior monitoring devices 10. For example, if only the behavior monitoring device 10 to be judged is far from the group, the first behavior distance will be a large positive value.

[0040] When the group is moving freely, the distance determination unit 46 calculates the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 to be determined and a behavior monitoring device 10 (a predetermined behavior monitoring device 10) owned by an administrator among the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10. The administrator is, for example, a user selected in advance from all users included in the group. The number of users selected as the administrator is one, but is not limited to this. For example, multiple users may be selected from all users included in the group depending on the number of users included in the group. When there are multiple administrators, the distance determination unit 46, for example, calculates the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 to be determined and the behavior monitoring devices 10 owned by each of the multiple administrators, and selects the device with the shortest distance from the behavior monitoring device 10 to be determined. The distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 to be determined and the behavior monitoring device 10 owned by the administrator is referred to as the second behavior distance. The second behavior distance is an index used in free movement assuming that users will move away from the group.

[0041] The behavior information acquisition unit 48 acquires behavior information of the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 identified by the sensor control unit 40. The behavior information acquisition unit 48 acquires behavior information of each of the users of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10 via the communication unit 30. Information consisting of the behavior information of the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 and the behavior information of each of the users of the multiple other behavior monitoring devices 10 is called total behavior information.

[0042] The group behavior determination unit 50 determines the behavior of the group to which the user who owns the behavior monitoring device 10 belongs based on all behavior information. The group behavior determination unit 50 determines whether a predetermined percentage or more of the users in the group are behaving in the same manner. For example, if a predetermined percentage or more of the users in the group are behaving in the same manner, the group behavior determination unit 50 determines that all users belonging to the group are behaving in a group. For example, if a predetermined percentage or more of the users in the group are not behaving in the same manner, the group behavior determination unit 50 determines that all users belonging to the group are behaving freely. Group behavior is a type of first behavior state. Free behavior is a type of second behavior state.

[0043] The departure determination unit 52 determines whether the user carrying the behavior monitoring device 10 has left the group behavior. For example, if the first behavior distance is equal to or greater than a first threshold, or if the second behavior distance is equal to or greater than a second threshold, the departure determination unit 52 determines that the user carrying the behavior monitoring device 10 has left the group behavior. The first threshold and the second threshold may be set arbitrarily depending on the usage environment of the behavior monitoring system 1.

[0044] The output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to display various types of information. For example, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to display notification information.

[0045] The output control unit 54 controls the audio output unit 28 to output various sounds. For example, the output control unit 54 controls the audio output unit 28 to output notification information.

[0046] [Behavior monitoring method] The processing flow of the behavior monitoring method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the behavior monitoring method according to the embodiment. The processing of the behavior monitoring method in Fig. 4 is executed by each behavior monitoring device 10, and determines whether or not to issue a warning to the user who owns the behavior monitoring device 10.

[0047] The behavior information acquisition unit 48 acquires behavior information of all users included in the group (step S10), and then proceeds to step S12.

[0048] The group behavior determination unit 50 determines whether the group is behaving as a group based on all the behavior information (step S12). Specifically, the group behavior determination unit 50 determines that the group is behaving as a group when, for example, a predetermined percentage or more of all the behavior information included in the all the behavior information indicates the same type of behavior. The predetermined percentage is, for example, but is not limited to, 85% or more. For example, the group behavior determination unit 50 determines that the group is behaving as a group when it is determined that 85% or more of all the users included in the group are "walking." If it is not determined that the group is behaving as a group (step S12; No), the process proceeds to step S14. If it is determined that the group is behaving as a group (step S12; Yes), the process proceeds to step S20.

[0049] If the determination in step S12 is No, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to output information indicating that the group's behavior is free activity (step S14). For example, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to display a character string saying, "All members of the group are free activity." The output control unit 54 may control the audio output unit 28 to output the information indicating that the group's behavior is free activity by audio. The output control unit 54 may transmit, via the communication unit 30, information indicating that the output control unit 54 has determined that the group's behavior is free activity to other behavior monitoring devices 10 of users belonging to the group, and issue output control instructions to the output control units 54 of the other behavior monitoring devices 10. Then, the process proceeds to step S16.

[0050] The distance determination unit 46 acquires distance information between the behavior monitoring device 10 executing this process and the behavior monitoring device 10 possessed by the administrator (step S16). Specifically, the distance determination unit 46 calculates the distance between the behavior monitoring device 10 executing this process and the behavior monitoring device 10 possessed by the administrator based on the radio wave intensity when receiving radio waves from the behavior monitoring device 10 of the administrator. Then, the process proceeds to step S18.

[0051] The departure determination unit 52 determines whether the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 has moved away from the behavior monitoring device 10 held by the administrator by a predetermined distance or more (step S18). In other words, the departure determination unit 52 determines whether the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 has deviated from the permitted range of free movement. Specifically, if the second behavior distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, the departure determination unit 52 determines that the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 has moved away from the administrator by a predetermined distance or more. For example, if the radio wave intensity when receiving radio waves from the administrator's behavior monitoring device 10 is less than a predetermined value, the distance determination unit 46 determines that the distance between the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 and the administrator has reached a predetermined distance or more. This predetermined distance is referred to as a second threshold. The second threshold may be set arbitrarily depending on the usage environment of the behavior monitoring system 1. For example, the second threshold may be set relatively high when the group is moving around a large commercial facility or an amusement park, and may be set low when the group is mountain climbing or trekking. If it is determined that the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 has moved away from the administrator by a predetermined distance or more (step S18; Yes), proceed to step S28. If it is not determined that the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 has moved away from the administrator by a predetermined distance or more (step S18; No), proceed to step S32.

[0052] If the determination in step S12 is Yes, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to output information indicating that the group's behavior is collective behavior and identification information of the users who are freely acting (step S20). For example, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to display the text "The group is acting as a group" and the names of the users who are freely acting. Here, the users who are freely acting are users who, in step S12, performed a different behavior when a predetermined percentage or more of users were performing the same behavior. For example, a user who was determined to be "running" or "standing still" when 85% or more of the users were determined to be "walking." The output control unit 54 may control the audio output unit 28 to output information indicating that the group's behavior is collective behavior and identification information of the users who are freely acting by audio. The output control unit 54 may transmit information indicating that the group's behavior is collective behavior and identification information of the users who are moving freely to the other behavior monitoring devices 10 of the users who belong to the group via the communication unit 30, and issue output control instructions to the output control units 54 of the other behavior monitoring devices 10. Then, the process proceeds to step S22.

[0053] The distance determination unit 46 acquires distance information between each user included in the group (step S22). Specifically, the distance determination unit 46 calculates distance information between the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 and each of the users of the other behavior monitoring devices 10. The distance determination unit 46 also acquires, from each of the other behavior monitoring devices 10 via the communication unit 30, the distance information between each of the users calculated by each of the other behavior monitoring devices 10. Then, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0054] The distance determination unit 46 determines whether the concentration level of the group is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step S24). Specifically, the distance determination unit 46 calculates the group average value of the distances between all users included in the group based on the distance information acquired in step S22, and determines that the concentration level of the group is equal to or greater than a predetermined value if the calculated group average value is less than a predetermined distance. In other words, the concentration level of the group can also be referred to as the density of the group. This predetermined distance is referred to as a third threshold. The third threshold may be set arbitrarily depending on the usage environment of the behavior monitoring system 1. For example, the third threshold may be set relatively large when the group is moving around a large commercial facility or an amusement park, and may be set small when the group is mountain climbing or trekking, etc. If it is determined that the concentration level of the group is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S24; Yes), the process proceeds to step S26. If it is not determined that the concentration level of the group is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S24; No), the process proceeds to step S14. That is, if the determination in step S24 is No, the group was determined to be a group activity based on the behavior information of all users included in the group, but the determination is changed to a free activity based on the group's concentration level. This is because even if users are performing the same behavior, if the users are dispersed at a distance from each other, it is considered appropriate to determine the group as a free activity. Note that the determination of the behavior type based on the group's concentration level using the third threshold may be performed after the group activity has been determined, or may be performed when the behavior type has not yet been determined.

[0055] If step S24 returns Yes, the distance determination unit 46 determines whether the behavior monitoring device 10 executing this process has moved away from the group by a predetermined distance or more (step S26). Here, a state in which a group is engaging in group behavior is referred to as a group. Specifically, if the first behavior distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the distance determination unit 46 determines that the users of the behavior monitoring device 10 have moved away from the group by a predetermined distance or more. This predetermined distance is referred to as a first threshold. The first threshold may be set arbitrarily depending on the usage environment of the behavior monitoring system 1. For example, the first threshold may be set relatively large when the group is moving through a large shopping mall or an amusement park, and may be set small when the group is mountain climbing or trekking, for example. If it is determined that the behavior monitoring device 10 has moved away from the group by a predetermined distance or more (step S26; Yes), the process proceeds to step S30. If it is not determined that the users of the behavior monitoring device 10 have moved away from the group by a predetermined distance or more (step S26; No), the process proceeds to step S32.

[0056] If the determination in step S18 is Yes, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to display information indicating that the user has deviated from the permitted range of free movement (step S28). The information indicating that the user has deviated from the permitted range of free movement is a type of notification information. Specifically, the output control unit 54 may control the audio output unit 28 to output the notification information by audio. The output control unit 54 may transmit the notification information to other behavior monitoring devices 10 of users belonging to the group via the communication unit 30. Then, the process proceeds to step S32.

[0057] If the determination in step S26 is Yes, the output control unit 54 controls the display unit 26 to output information indicating that only the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 executing this process has left the group (step S30). The information indicating that only the user of the behavior monitoring device 10 has left the group is a type of notification information.

[0058] The control unit 36 ​​determines whether or not to end the process (step S32). Specifically, the control unit 36 ​​determines to end the process when an operation to turn off the power or an operation to end the process is input to the input unit 22. If it is determined to end the process (step S32; Yes), the control unit 36 ​​ends the process of Fig. 4. If it is not determined to end the process (step S32; No), the control unit 36 ​​proceeds to step S10.

[0059] As described above, in this embodiment, when the user of the own device is acting in a group, it is determined whether the user of the own device has left the group based on the first behavior distance. As a result, in this embodiment, when the user of the own device is acting in a group, it can be appropriately determined that the user of the own device has left the group.

[0060] In addition, in this embodiment, when the user of the own device is moving freely, it is determined whether the user of the own device has deviated from the permitted range for free movement based on the second movement distance. As a result, in this embodiment, when the user of the own device is moving freely, it is possible to appropriately determine that the user has deviated from the permitted range for free movement.

[0061] In addition, in the embodiment, when a user is acting as a group and moves away from the group by a predetermined distance or more, information indicating that the user has moved away from the group is output. Also, in the embodiment, when a user is acting freely and moves away from the administrator of the group by a predetermined distance or more, information indicating that the user has deviated from the permitted range of free movement is output. In this way, the embodiment can appropriately determine whether a user included in a group has left the group and can notify when the user has left the group.

[0062] The components of each device shown in the figure are conceptual functional components and do not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads and usage conditions. This distribution and integration configuration may also be performed dynamically.

[0063] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1. Behavioral monitoring system 10 Behavior monitoring device 20 Behavior Sensor Unit 22 Input section 24 Audio input section 26 Display section 28 Audio output section 30 Communications Department 32 GNSS receiver 34 Storage section 36 Control Unit 40 Sensor control unit 42 Communication control section 44 Location information acquisition unit 46 Distance determination unit 48 Behavioral Information Acquisition Unit 50 Group Behavior Judgment Department 52 Detachment determination unit 54 Output control section

Claims

1. a sensor control unit that selects a type of activity of a user who owns the device from preset types of activities and detects the type of activity as activity information; a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a plurality of other devices that belong to the same group; a distance determination unit that determines distances between the device itself and the plurality of other devices; a behavior information acquisition unit that acquires behavior information of the own device detected by the sensor control unit and behavior information of the plurality of other devices via the communication unit; a group behavior determination unit that determines a behavioral state of the group based on all behavior information configured from the behavior information of the own device acquired by the behavior information acquisition unit and behavior information of the plurality of other devices; a withdrawal determination unit that determines whether the device itself is to withdraw from the group; Equipped with the group behavior determination unit determines the behavior of the group to be in a first behavior state when a ratio of specific behavior information to all behavior information is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and determines the behavior of the group to be in a second behavior state when the behavior is not determined to be in the first behavior state; when the group behavior determination unit determines that the device is in the first behavior state, the distance determination unit calculates, as a first behavior distance, a difference between an average value of distances between all devices included in the group and an average value of distances between the device itself and the plurality of other devices; the departure determination unit determines that the user of the own device has left the group when the first behavior distance is equal to or greater than a first threshold value; Behavior monitoring device.

2. when the group behavior determination unit determines that the device is in the second behavior state, the distance determination unit calculates a distance between the device itself and a predetermined device among the plurality of other devices as a second behavior distance; the departure determination unit determines that the host device has left the group when the second behavior distance is equal to or greater than a second threshold value; The behavior monitoring device according to claim 1 .

3. the group behavior determination unit determines the behavior of the group to be in the second behavior state when an average value of distances between all devices included in the group is equal to or greater than a third threshold value; The behavior monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Further provided is a notification unit that notifies information, the notification unit notifies group behavior information indicating the behavior of the group determined by the group behavior determination unit and departure information indicating that the own device or the plurality of other devices have left, determined by the departure determination unit. The behavior monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a step of selecting a type of activity of a user who owns the device from preset types of activities and causing a sensor control unit to detect the type of activity as activity information; wirelessly communicating with a plurality of other devices belonging to the same group via a communication unit; determining distances between the own device and the plurality of other devices; acquiring behavior information of the own device detected by the sensor control unit and behavior information of the plurality of other devices via the communication unit; determining a state of the behavior of the group based on all behavior information consisting of the acquired behavior information of the own device and behavior information of the plurality of other devices; determining whether the own device will leave the group; a step of determining the behavior of the group as a first behavioral state when a ratio of specific behavioral information to all the behavioral information is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and determining the behavior of the group as a second behavioral state when the behavior is not determined as the first behavioral state; when the behavior of the group is determined to be in the first behavioral state, calculating a difference between an average value of distances between all devices included in the group and an average value of distances between the own device and the plurality of other devices as a first behavior distance; determining that the user of the own device has left the group when the first behavior distance is equal to or greater than a first threshold; A behavioral monitoring method, comprising:

Images