Clock, location guidance system, control method and program

Abstract

To enable the acquisition of other people's location information using a more appropriate wireless communication method. [Solution] The control unit of the clock acquires direction information from a direction sensor, acquires the location information of the device from a GPS antenna, and acquires the location information of a mobile terminal from a mobile terminal via BLE or LPWA at predetermined time intervals. Based on the acquired direction information, the location information of the device, and the location information of the mobile terminal, it calculates the distance from the device to the mobile terminal 2 and the direction of the mobile terminal 2. The calculated distance and direction are displayed on the display unit, and the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the mobile terminal is switched based on the distance from the device to the mobile terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a clock, a position guidance system, a control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, techniques for displaying the distance and direction to a destination on a clock have been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above technique, when setting the current position of another person as the destination, if the other person moves away from the set destination, it is impossible to reach the original position of the other person. In such a case, in order to specify the position of the other person, it is conceivable to acquire the current position information of the other person's terminal device from the other person's terminal device by wireless communication or the like. However, depending on the wireless communication method used, there is a risk of problems such as high power consumption and inability to communicate.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to enable acquisition of the position information of another person by a more appropriate wireless communication method.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the clock according to the present invention comprises a positioning unit, a display unit, and a control unit that acquires the current location information of the device from the positioning unit, acquires location information of an external device from the external device at predetermined time intervals using a first wireless communication method or a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method, derives the distance from the device to the external device based on the current location information of the device and the location information of the external device, and displays the derived distance from the device to the external device on the display unit, wherein the control unit determines the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the external device from the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method based on the distance from the device to the external device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to acquire location information of others using a more appropriate wireless communication method. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows an example of the overall configuration of a location guidance system. [Figure 2] In the first embodiment, this is a flowchart showing the flow of position guidance processing A performed by the control unit of the clock shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] (a) is a diagram showing an example of the display unit in time display mode, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display unit in location guidance mode. [Figure 4] In the second embodiment, this is a flowchart showing the flow of the position guidance process B performed by the control unit of the clock in Figure 1. [Figure 5] In the third embodiment, the flowchart shows the flow of the position guidance process C performed by the control unit of the clock in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This figure shows another example of the display unit in location guidance mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are subject to various technically preferred limitations for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and illustrated examples below.

[0010] (First embodiment) As shown in Figure 1, the location guidance system 100 according to this embodiment comprises a clock 1 (own device) and a mobile terminal 2 (external device). The mobile terminal 2 is a terminal device held by the person whose location the user of the clock 1 wants to know. The clock 1 and the mobile terminal 2 can communicate with each other using a first wireless communication method and a second wireless communication method. The first wireless communication method is a short-range wireless communication method with lower power consumption and lower latency than the second wireless communication method. The second wireless communication method enables communication over longer distances than the first wireless communication method. In this embodiment, the case where the first wireless communication method is BLE (Bluetooth® Low Energy) and the second wireless communication method is LPWA (Low Power, Wide Area) will be explained as an example.

[0011] Clock 1 acquires location information from mobile terminal 2 and displays the distance from Clock 1 to mobile terminal 2 and the direction of mobile terminal 2 (i.e., the distance to the user (other person) of mobile terminal 2 and the direction of the user of mobile terminal 2). As shown in Figure 1, Clock 1 is composed of a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, an operation unit 103, an analog display unit 104, a digital display unit 105, a GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna 106, a compass sensor 107, a timing unit 108, a first communication unit 109, a second communication unit 110, an output unit 111, and a battery 112, with each unit connected via a bus 113.

[0012] The control unit 101 is a processor equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., which controls each part of the clock 1. The CPU of the control unit 101 reads a specified program from the system program and various processing programs stored in the memory unit 102, loads it into RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the loaded program.

[0013] The control unit 101 may have multiple CPUs. The multiple CPUs may then execute the multiple processes performed by the control unit 101 in this embodiment. In this case, the multiple CPUs may be involved in common processes, or they may independently execute different processes in parallel.

[0014] The memory unit 102 is composed of non-volatile memory or the like and stores programs, data, etc. The memory unit 102 is not limited to being built into the clock 1, but may include an external recording medium that can be attached to or removed from the clock 1. The memory unit 102 stores, for example, the system program of the clock 1, and various application programs, including the location guidance application 102a for executing the location guidance function.

[0015] The control unit 103 includes a crown, push-button switches, etc. The control unit 103 receives operations from the user and outputs a signal corresponding to the operation to the control unit 101.

[0016] The analog display unit 104 consists of a second hand 43, a minute hand 44, an hour hand 45, a motor for moving these hands, and a gear train mechanism, as shown in Figure 3. The second hand 43, minute hand 44, and hour hand 45 rotate around a central axis of the dial 41 and indicate the time by pointing to the hour markers 42 (indices) and scales arranged along the circumference of the dial 41. In addition, for example, in position guidance mode, the analog display unit 104 indicates the direction to the mobile terminal 2 using the minute hand 44 and hour hand 45, according to instructions from the control unit 101.

[0017] The digital display unit 105 is composed of a display screen such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, and performs various displays according to the instructions of the control unit 101. For example, in the position guidance mode, the digital display unit 105 displays the distance to the mobile terminal 2 or the like according to the instructions of the control unit 101. The analog display unit 104 and the digital display unit 105 are collectively referred to as the display unit 40.

[0018] The GPS antenna 106 (position measuring unit) acquires the current position information of the clock 1 by receiving signals from GPS satellites and outputs it to the control unit 101.

[0019] The azimuth sensor 107 (azimuth acquisition unit) is composed of, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, etc., detects the current azimuth of the clock 1, and outputs the information of the azimuth to the control unit 101.

[0020] The timekeeping unit 108 includes an oscillation circuit, a frequency division circuit, a timekeeping circuit, etc., measures the current date and time, and outputs the measured result to the control unit 101.

[0021] The first communication unit 109 performs communication control for communicating with external devices such as the mobile terminal 2 via BLE.

[0022] The second communication unit 110 performs communication control for wirelessly communicating with external devices such as the mobile terminal 2 via LPWA.

[0023] The output unit 111 outputs sound, vibration, or light according to the instructions from the control unit 101. The battery 112 is a primary battery or a rechargeable secondary battery, and supplies power to each part of the clock 1.

[0024] The mobile terminal 2 acquires location information via the GPS antenna 205 in response to a request from the watch 1 and transmits it to the watch 1. The mobile terminal 2 can be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet. Alternatively, the mobile terminal 2 may be a wearable device such as a watch. As shown in Figure 1, the mobile terminal 2 comprises a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, an operation unit 203, a display unit 204, a GPS 205, a first communication unit 206, a second communication unit 207, and a battery 208, with each unit connected via a bus 209.

[0025] The control unit 201 is a processor equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., which controls various parts of the mobile terminal 2. The CPU of the control unit 201 reads a specified program from the system programs and various processing programs stored in the memory unit 202, loads it into RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the loaded program.

[0026] The control unit 201 may have multiple CPUs. The multiple processes executed by the control unit 201 in this embodiment may be executed by these multiple CPUs. In this case, the multiple CPUs may be involved in common processes, or the multiple CPUs may independently execute different processes in parallel.

[0027] The storage unit 202 is composed of non-volatile memory or the like and stores programs, data, etc. The storage unit 202 is not limited to being built into the mobile terminal 2, but may also include an external recording medium that can be attached to or removed from the mobile terminal 2. The storage unit 202 stores, for example, the system program of the mobile terminal 2, various application programs including the location transmission application 202a, etc.

[0028] The operation unit 203 consists of push-button switches and a touch panel attached to the display unit 204. The operation unit 203 outputs user operation signals from the push-button switches and on-screen operation signals to the control unit 201.

[0029] The display unit 204 is composed of a display screen such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, and displays various information according to the instructions of the control unit 201.

[0030] The GPS antenna 205 acquires the current location information of the mobile terminal 2 by receiving signals from GPS satellites and outputs it to the control unit 201.

[0031] The first communication unit 206 performs communication control for communicating with other devices such as the clock 1 via Bluetooth communication, including BLE.

[0032] The second communication unit 207 performs communication control for wireless communication with other devices such as the clock 1 using LPWA. The mobile terminal 2 can connect to communication networks such as LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), mobile communication network, and the Internet, not limited to BLE and LPWA, and can communicate with external devices via the communication network.

[0033] Battery 208 is a primary battery or a rechargeable secondary battery, and supplies power to various parts of the mobile terminal 2.

[0034] Next, the operation of the location guidance system 100 in this embodiment will be described. The operation of the clock 1 in the location guidance system 100 is performed by the cooperation of the control unit 101 and the location guidance application 102a. The operation of the mobile terminal 2 in the location guidance system 100 is performed by the cooperation of the control unit 201 and the location transmission application 202a.

[0035] First, initial wireless communication setup is performed between watch 1 and mobile terminal 2. For example, the control unit 101 of watch 1 and the control unit 201 of mobile terminal 2 perform pairing for BLE communication using the first communication unit 109 and the first communication unit 206 in response to user operation, exchange encryption information (key) for communication encryption, and store it in the storage unit 102 and storage unit 202, respectively. Also, for example, the control unit 101 of watch 1 and the control unit 201 of mobile terminal 2 set the identification information of the other device (terminal) as the communication connection destination via LPWA in response to user operation. Once pairing and LPWA setup are complete, watch 1 can switch to location guidance mode and provide location guidance for mobile terminal 2.

[0036] In the clock 1, when the operation unit 103 instructs the user to switch to location guidance mode, the control unit 101, in cooperation with the location guidance application 102a, starts location guidance process A as shown in Figure 2. The location guidance process A will be described below with reference to Figure 2.

[0037] In location guidance processing A, first, the control unit 101 determines whether or not it can communicate with the mobile terminal 2 via BLE (step S1). For example, the control unit 101 has the first communication unit 109 advertise, and based on whether or not it can connect with the mobile terminal 2 via BLE communication, it determines whether or not it can communicate with the mobile terminal 2 via BLE.

[0038] If it is determined that BLE communication is possible with the mobile terminal 2 (Step S1; YES), the control unit 101 decides to use BLE for the initial communication (Step S2) and proceeds to Step S4. If it is determined that BLE communication is not possible with the mobile terminal 2 (Step S1; NO), the control unit 101 decides to use LPWA for the initial communication, connects to the mobile terminal 2 via LPWA using the second communication unit 110 (Step S3), and proceeds to Step S4.

[0039] In step S4, the control unit 101 acquires the current location information of the clock 1 (own device) using the GPS antenna 106 (step S4). Next, the control unit 101 requests the mobile terminal 2 to transmit the current location information using the communication method determined in the initial communication, and acquires the current location information from the mobile terminal 2 (step S5). In response to the request from the clock 1, the mobile terminal 2 transmits the current location information acquired by the GPS antenna 205 to the clock 1 using the wireless communication method determined in the initial communication.

[0040] Next, the control unit 101 calculates (derives) the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 based on the location information of the clock 1 and the location information of the mobile terminal 2 (step S6). Then, the control unit 101 determines the direction of north based on the output value of the compass sensor 107 (step S7), and determines (derives) the direction of the mobile terminal 2 relative to the clock 1 based on the direction of north (step S8).

[0041] Next, the control unit 101 displays the direction to the mobile terminal 2, that is, the direction of the user (other person) of the mobile terminal 2, on the analog display unit 104 (step S9), and displays the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2, that is, the distance to the user (other person) of the mobile terminal 2, on the digital display unit 105 (step S10).

[0042] For example, in the normal time display mode, as shown in Figure 3(a), the time is displayed on the analog display unit 104 by the second hand 43, minute hand 44, and hour hand 45, and the hours, minutes, seconds, etc. are displayed on the digital display unit 105. When a predetermined user operation (such as an operation on the operation unit 103) instructs the device to switch to the position guidance mode, the minute hand 44 and hour hand 45 are fast-forwarded through the processing in steps S9 and S10 to point towards the mobile terminal 2, and as shown in Figure 3(b), the direction of the mobile terminal 2 is displayed on the analog display unit 104. In addition, the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 is displayed on the digital display unit 105.

[0043] In this way, in location guidance mode, the direction of the mobile terminal 2 and the distance to the mobile terminal 2 are simply and clearly displayed on the display unit 40 of the watch 1 (analog display unit 104 and digital display unit 105), so the user of the watch 1 can easily recognize the location of the mobile terminal 2, that is, the location (direction and distance) of the user of the mobile terminal 2. Therefore, the user of the watch 1 can easily find out the location of the user of the mobile terminal 2, for example, when meeting up. Also, if the parent is the user of the watch 1 and the child is the user of the mobile terminal 2, the parent can know the general location of the child.

[0044] The method of displaying the direction of the mobile terminal 2 and the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is not limited to that shown in Figure 3(b). For example, the direction of the mobile terminal 2 may be indicated by a separate pointer on the dial 41, distinct from the minute hand 44 and hour hand 45 used to display the time. In the case of a digital clock without an analog display unit 104, a pointer indicating the direction of the mobile terminal 2 may be drawn on the digital display unit 105. The distance to the mobile terminal 2 may also be displayed on the analog display unit 104. For example, a pointer for distance display and a scale indicating distance may be provided on the dial 41.

[0045] Next, the control unit 101 determines whether or not it is currently communicating with the mobile terminal 2 using LPWA (step S11). If it determines that it is currently communicating with the mobile terminal 2 using LPWA (step S11; YES), the control unit 101 determines whether or not the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is less than a first threshold (for example, 20m) (step S12). Here, the first threshold is the distance at which BLE communication is possible.

[0046] If the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is less than the first threshold (step S12; YES), it switches the communication with the mobile terminal 2 to BLE communication by the first communication unit 109 (step S13) and returns to step S4. If the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is not less than the first threshold (20m or more) (step S12; NO), it continues LPWA communication as is (step S14) and returns to step S4.

[0047] On the other hand, if in step S11 it is determined that the clock 1 is not currently communicating with the mobile terminal 2 using LPWA (i.e., it is using BLE communication) (step S11; NO), the control unit 101 determines whether the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is greater than or equal to the second threshold (for example, 30m) (step S15). Here, the second threshold is the distance at which BLE communication is possible, and the first threshold < the second threshold. The second threshold is a distance close to the upper limit at which BLE communication is possible, determined by considering, for example, the presence of barriers in the surroundings. It is also possible to set the first threshold = the second threshold, but if the first threshold = the second threshold, switching may occur frequently when the distance between the clock 1 and the mobile terminal 2 is near the first threshold, which is inefficient, so it is preferable to set the first threshold < the second threshold.

[0048] If the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is greater than or equal to the second threshold (step S15; YES), it switches the communication with the mobile terminal 2 to LPWA communication by the second communication unit 110 (step S16) and returns to step S4. If the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is not greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold (30m) (less than 30m) (step S15; NO), it continues BLE communication as is (step S17) and returns to step S4.

[0049] In this way, in location guidance mode, the control unit 101 switches the wireless communication method for acquiring location information of the mobile terminal 2 based on the distance to the mobile terminal 2. Therefore, even when the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is too far and BLE communication is not possible, the clock 1 can acquire location information from the mobile terminal 2 via LPWA communication and display the direction and distance to the mobile terminal 2. Furthermore, when the distance to the mobile terminal 2 becomes closer and BLE communication becomes possible, the clock 1 can switch from LPWA communication to BLE communication, thereby acquiring location information with less delay and power consumption than LPWA and displaying the direction and distance to the mobile terminal 2. In other words, it becomes possible to acquire the location of another person (the user of the mobile terminal 2) using a more appropriate communication method.

[0050] The control unit 101 repeatedly executes the processes from step S4 onward at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second) until the operation unit 103 instructs it to switch to the time display mode. If the wireless communication method is switched, in step S5, the control unit 101 requests the mobile terminal 2 to transmit the current location information using the switched wireless communication method, and obtains the current location information from the mobile terminal 2. The mobile terminal 2 transmits the current location information obtained by the GPS antenna 205 to the watch 1 using the switched wireless communication method in response to a request from the watch 1.

[0051] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, it was explained that the watch 1 and the mobile terminal 2 were paired for BLE communication in advance before using the location guidance mode. However, in order to pair, the watch 1 and the mobile terminal 2 must be in close proximity, and if the user of the watch 1 and the user of the mobile terminal 2 are in different locations, it is not possible to pair them in advance. In this case, pairing will occur when the watch 1 and the mobile terminal 2 get closer and the system switches from LPWA communication to BLE communication, but pairing requires the exchange of encryption information (keys) for communication encryption, which takes time and prevents a smooth switch to BLE communication. Therefore, in the second embodiment, an example will be described in which encryption information is exchanged in advance using LPWA communication.

[0052] The configuration of the location guidance system 100 in the second embodiment is the same as that described in the first embodiment using Figure 1, so the operation of the location guidance system 100 in the second embodiment will be described below by referring to that description.

[0053] In the location guidance system 100 of the second embodiment, the operation of the clock 1 is performed in cooperation with the control unit 101 and the location guidance application 102a. In the location guidance system 100 of the second embodiment, the operation of the mobile terminal 2 is performed in cooperation with the control unit 201 and the location transmission application 202a.

[0054] First, initial wireless communication is set up between the watch 1 and the mobile terminal 2. For example, the control unit 101 of the watch 1 and the control unit 201 of the mobile terminal 2 set the identification information of the other device (terminal) as the communication destination via LPWA in response to user operation, and exchange encryption information (key) for BLE communication via LPWA communication between the second communication unit 110 and the second communication unit 207. The exchanged encryption information is stored in the storage unit 102 and the storage unit 202, respectively. Once the LPWA setting and the exchange of encryption information are complete, the watch 1 can switch to location guidance mode and the mobile terminal 2 can provide location guidance to the user.

[0055] In the clock 1, when the operation unit 103 instructs the user to switch to location guidance mode, the control unit 101, in cooperation with the location guidance application 102a, starts location guidance process B as shown in Figure 4. The location guidance process B will be described below with reference to Figure 4.

[0056] In the location guidance process B, first, the control unit 101 uses LPWA for initial communication and connects to the mobile terminal 2 via LPWA communication using the second communication unit 110 (step 21).

[0057] Next, the control unit 101 executes the processes in steps S22 to S29. The processes in steps S22 to S29 are the same as those in steps S4 to S11 in Figure 2, so the explanation will be based on that.

[0058] In step S29, if it is determined that communication with the mobile terminal 2 is currently being conducted using LPWA (step S29; YES), the control unit 101 determines whether the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is less than the first threshold (for example, 20m) (step S30). The first threshold and the second threshold are the same as those described in the first embodiment, so the explanation will be used accordingly.

[0059] If the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is less than a first threshold (for example, 20m) (step S30; YES), it determines whether or not the mobile terminal 2 has already been paired for BLE communication (step S31). If it determines that the mobile terminal 2 has already been paired (step S31; YES), the control unit 101 switches the communication method with the mobile terminal 2 to BLE (step S34) and returns to step S22.

[0060] If it is determined that the device is not already paired (step S31; NO), the control unit 101 sends a request for permission to pair to the mobile terminal 2 via the first communication unit 109 (step S32).

[0061] When the mobile terminal 2 receives a pairing permission request from the watch 1 via the first communication unit 206, the control unit 201 notifies the user that a pairing permission request has been received from the watch 1 and displays a notification screen as a pop-up on the display unit 204, allowing the user to choose whether or not to allow pairing. If "Allow" is selected from the notification screen via the operation unit 203, the control unit 201 sends a pairing approval to the watch 1 via the first communication unit 206. If "Do not allow" is selected, the control unit 201 sends a pairing rejection to the watch 1 via the first communication unit 206.

[0062] Next, the control unit 101 determines whether or not it has received approval for pairing from the mobile terminal 2 via the first communication unit 109 (step S33). If it determines that it has received approval for pairing from the mobile terminal 2 (step S33; YES), the control unit 101 completes the pairing with the mobile terminal 2 via the first communication unit 109 and switches the wireless communication method with the mobile terminal 2 to BLE (step S34), and returns to step S22. Here, the exchange of encryption information that occurs during pairing has already taken place, so it is omitted. That is, the control unit 101 starts BLE communication with the mobile terminal 2 using the encryption information that has been previously stored in the storage unit 102 via the first communication unit 109. On the other hand, if it determines that it has received rejection of pairing from the mobile terminal 2 (step S33; NO), the control unit 101 continues LPWA communication as is (step S35), and returns to step S22.

[0063] On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is not less than the first threshold (for example, 20m) (i.e., it is greater than or equal to the first threshold) (step S30; NO), the control unit 101 continues LPWA communication as is (step S35) and returns to step S22.

[0064] On the other hand, if in step S29 it is determined that the mobile terminal 2 is not currently communicating via LPWA (i.e., it is communicating via BLE) (step S29; YES), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S36, executes the processes in steps S36 to S38, and returns to step S22. The processes in steps S36 to S38 are the same as those in steps S15 to S17 in Figure 2, so the explanation will be based on that.

[0065] The control unit 101 repeats the process from step S22 onward at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second) until the operation unit 103 instructs it to switch to the time display mode. If the wireless communication method is switched, in step S23, the control unit 101 requests the mobile terminal 2 to transmit the current location information using the switched wireless communication method, and obtains the current location information from the mobile terminal 2. The mobile terminal 2 transmits the current location information obtained by the GPS antenna 205 to the watch 1 using the switched wireless communication method in response to the request from the watch 1.

[0066] In the above location guidance process B, the encrypted information exchanged during BLE communication pairing is exchanged in advance via LPWA, which simplifies the pairing process when switching from LPWA to BLE and enables a smooth switch to BLE communication.

[0067] In the above location guidance process B, if the control unit 101 determines in step S31 that the mobile terminal 2 is not paired with the mobile terminal 2 for BLE communication, the first communication unit 109 sends a request for permission to pair to the mobile terminal 2, and if approval is obtained from the user of the mobile terminal 2, the control unit 101 completes the pairing and switches to BLE communication. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S31 that the BLE communication is not paired, the processes in steps S32 and S33 may be omitted, and the pairing may be automatically completed and the system may switch to BLE communication. This would reduce the level of security, but would make it easier for users to use location guidance.

[0068] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, when the distance to the mobile terminal 2 falls below a first threshold, a confirmation screen is displayed on the display unit 40 (for example, the digital display unit 105) of the clock 1 to confirm whether or not to switch to BLE communication, and when confirmation is obtained from the user, an example of switching to BLE communication will be described.

[0069] The configuration of the location guidance system 100 in the third embodiment is the same as that described in the first embodiment using Figure 1, so the operation of the location guidance system 100 in the third embodiment will be described below by referring to that description.

[0070] In the third embodiment of the location guidance system 100, the operation of the clock 1 is performed in cooperation with the control unit 101 and the location guidance application 102a. In the third embodiment of the location guidance system 100, the operation of the mobile terminal 2 is performed in cooperation with the control unit 201 and the location transmission application 202a.

[0071] First, the initial setup for wireless communication is performed between the watch 1 and the mobile terminal 2. The initial setup is the same as that described in the second embodiment, so we will refer to that explanation. Specifically, the control unit 101 of the watch 1 and the control unit 201 of the mobile terminal 2 set the communication destination using LPWA, and exchange and store encryption information for BLE communication using LPWA communication. Once the LPWA setup and the exchange and storage of encryption information are completed, the watch 1 can switch to location guidance mode and the mobile terminal 2 can provide location guidance to the user.

[0072] In the clock 1, when the operation unit 103 instructs the user to switch to location guidance mode, the control unit 101, in cooperation with the location guidance application 102a, starts the location guidance process C shown in Figure 5. The location guidance process C will be described below with reference to Figure 5.

[0073] The processing in steps S41 to S50 of position guidance process C is the same as the processing in steps S21 to S30 in Figure 4, so the explanation will be referred to there. Also, the processing in steps S57 to S60 is the same as the processing in steps S35 to S38 in Figure 4, so the explanation will be referred to there.

[0074] In step S50 of the location guidance process C, the control unit 101 determines whether the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is less than a first threshold (for example, 20 m) (step S50). The first threshold and the second threshold are the same as those described in the first embodiment, so the explanation will be used accordingly.

[0075] If the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is less than a first threshold (for example, 20m) (step S50; YES), it determines whether or not the mobile terminal 2 has already been paired for BLE communication (step S51). If it determines that the devices have already been paired (step S51; YES), the control unit 101 switches to BLE communication using the first communication unit 109 and returns to step S42.

[0076] If it is determined in step S51 that the devices are not paired (step S51; NO), the control unit 101 displays a confirmation screen on the digital display unit 105 asking whether or not to switch to BLE communication (step S52).

[0077] Next, the control unit 101 determines whether or not an operation has been performed by the operation unit 103 to confirm that it has switched to BLE communication (step S53). If it determines that an operation has not been performed by the operation unit 103 to confirm that it has switched to BLE communication (step S53; NO), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S57. That is, it continues LPWA communication as is.

[0078] If the control unit 103 determines that an operation has been performed to confirm that it has switched to BLE communication (step S53; YES), the control unit 101 sends a pairing permission request to the mobile terminal 2 via the first communication unit 109 (step S54). The operation when the mobile terminal 2 receives a pairing permission request from the watch 1 via the first communication unit 206 is the same as that described in the second embodiment, so that explanation will be used accordingly.

[0079] Next, the control unit 101 determines whether or not it has received approval for pairing from the mobile terminal 2 via the first communication unit 109 (step S55). If it determines that it has received approval for pairing from the mobile terminal 2 (step S55; YES), the control unit 101 completes the pairing and switches the communication method with the mobile terminal 2 to BLE (step S56), and returns to step S42. At this point, since the exchange of encryption information that occurs during pairing has already taken place, the exchange of encryption information is omitted. That is, the control unit 101 starts BLE communication with the mobile terminal 2 using the encryption information that has been previously stored in the storage unit 102 via the first communication unit 109. On the other hand, if it determines that it has received rejection of pairing approval from the mobile terminal 2 (step S55; NO), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S57. That is, it continues LPWA communication as is.

[0080] On the other hand, if the control unit 101 determines that the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is not less than the first threshold (for example, 20m) (i.e., it is greater than or equal to the first threshold) (step S50; NO), the control unit 101 proceeds to step S57 and returns to step S42. That is, it continues LPWA communication and returns to step S42.

[0081] The control unit 101 repeats the process from step S42 onward at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second) until the operation unit 103 instructs it to switch to the time display mode. If the wireless communication method is switched, in step S43, the control unit 101 requests the mobile terminal 2 to transmit the current location information using the switched wireless communication method, and obtains the current location information from the mobile terminal 2. The mobile terminal 2 transmits the current location information obtained by the GPS antenna 205 to the watch 1 using the switched wireless communication method in response to a request from the watch 1.

[0082] Thus, in the above-described location guidance process C, if the control unit 101 determines in step S51 that BLE communication pairing has not been completed, it displays a confirmation screen on the digital display unit 105 asking whether or not to switch to BLE communication before sending a pairing permission request to the mobile terminal 2 via the first communication unit 109. This prevents the watch 1 from being paired unintentionally by the user, further improving security.

[0083] As explained above, the control unit 101 of the clock 1 acquires direction information from the direction sensor 107, acquires the location information of the device itself from the GPS antenna 106, and acquires the location information of the mobile terminal 2 from the mobile terminal 2 via BLE or LPWA at predetermined time intervals. Based on the acquired direction information, the location information of the device itself, and the location information of the mobile terminal 2, it calculates the distance from the device to the mobile terminal 2 and the direction of the mobile terminal 2. The calculated distance and direction are displayed on the display unit 40, and the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the mobile terminal 2 is switched based on the distance from the device to the mobile terminal 2. Therefore, the location information of another person (the user of the mobile terminal 2) can be acquired using a more appropriate wireless communication method.

[0084] For example, during LPWA communication, the control unit 101 switches the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the mobile terminal 2 to BLE when the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 falls below a first threshold. Therefore, when the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 falls below the first threshold, the location information of the mobile terminal 2 can be acquired using a short-range wireless communication method that consumes less power and has less latency.

[0085] Furthermore, during BLE communication, if the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 exceeds a second threshold (which is greater than the first threshold), the control unit 101 switches the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the mobile terminal 2 to LPWA. Therefore, even if the distance between the clock 1 and the mobile terminal 2 is too great for short-range wireless communication, the location information of the mobile terminal 2 can still be acquired.

[0086] Furthermore, the control unit 101 exchanges encryption information to be used for BLE communication with the mobile terminal 2 in advance via LPWA communication and stores it in the storage unit 102. Using the encryption information previously stored in the storage unit 102, the first communication unit 109 initiates BLE communication with the mobile terminal 2. Therefore, pairing when switching the wireless communication method from LPWA to BLE can be simplified, and the switch to BLE can be made smoothly.

[0087] The descriptions in the above embodiments are merely preferred examples of embodiments relating to the clock, position guidance system, control method, and program of the present invention, and are not limited thereto.

[0088] For example, in the above embodiment, the current location information of the clock 1, the location information of the mobile terminal 2, and the direction information are acquired at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second) to calculate the distance and direction from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 and display them on the display unit 40 of the clock 1. However, the control unit 101 may acquire the remaining battery level of the clock 1 and change the predetermined time interval based on the acquired battery level. For example, when the battery level falls below a predetermined amount, the predetermined time interval may be lengthened (for example, to every 5 seconds). This can reduce power consumption.

[0089] Alternatively, the control unit 101 may change the predetermined time interval based on the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2. For example, if the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 is greater than or equal to the first distance (e.g., 100m or more), the interval may be set to 10 seconds; if it is less than the first distance but greater than or equal to the second distance (e.g., 50m or more but less than 100m), the interval may be set to 5 seconds; and if it is less than the second distance (e.g., less than 50m), the interval may be set to 1 second. This allows for longer processing intervals and reduced power consumption when the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is large, as only a rough estimate of the distance and direction from the mobile terminal 2 is needed. When the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is small, precise distance and direction are required to reach the mobile terminal 2, so the processing interval can be shortened to provide accurate information. The control unit 101 may also control the predetermined time interval to be shorter when using BLE communication than when using LPWA communication. Even with this control, power consumption can be reduced by lengthening the processing interval when the distance to the mobile terminal 2 is large. Furthermore, since the predetermined time interval can be changed at the timing of switching wireless communication methods, control becomes easier. The predetermined time interval may also be changed based on a combination of the battery level of clock 1 and the distance from clock 1 to mobile terminal 2 (or wireless communication method).

[0090] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the current location information of the clock 1, the location information of the mobile terminal 2, and the direction information are acquired at predetermined time intervals (for example, every second) to calculate the distance and direction from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 and display it on the display unit 40 of the clock 1. However, some of the processes may be performed at different time intervals. For example, the acquisition of the location information of the mobile terminal 2 may be performed at every 2 seconds, or the display process (display update) may be performed at every 3 seconds.

[0091] Furthermore, the control unit 101 may output notification information to inform the user when the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 falls below a predetermined value. For example, the output unit 111 may output a buzzer sound, vibration, light, etc. This allows the user to recognize that the distance to the other party has decreased.

[0092] Furthermore, the control unit 101 may output notification information to inform the user when the LPWA communication and BLE communication switch. For example, the output unit 111 may output a buzzer sound, vibration, light, etc. This allows the user of the watch 1 to recognize that the wireless communication method has switched.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control unit 101 acquires the current location information of the clock 1, the location information of the mobile terminal 2, and the direction information, calculates the distance and direction from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2, and displays it on the display unit 40 of the clock 1. However, based on the current location information of the clock 1, the location information of the mobile terminal 2, and the direction information, directions to reach the mobile terminal 2 may be derived and displayed on the display unit. For example, map information may be stored in the memory unit 102, and the control unit 101 may derive a route from the position of the clock 1 to the position of the mobile terminal 2 based on the current location information of the clock 1, the location information of the mobile terminal 2, the direction information, and the map information, and display it on the display unit 40. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the control unit 101 may display the direction of travel on the analog display unit 104 (minute hand 44, hour hand 45, etc.) and display the distance to the next corner and the direction to turn at the next corner (arrow), etc., on the digital display unit 105. This allows the user of watch 1 to understand exactly which direction and how to proceed to reach the other person.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control unit 101 acquires the current location information of the clock 1, the location information of the mobile terminal 2, and the direction information, calculates the distance and direction from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2, and displays it on the display unit 40 of the clock 1. However, it is also possible to calculate only the distance from the clock 1 to the mobile terminal 2 and display it on the display unit 40. In this case, the direction sensor 107 is not necessary.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the current location information of the clock 1 was described using the GPS antenna 106 and the location information of the mobile terminal 2 was described using the GPS antenna 205 as an example. However, the system is not limited to GPS antennas, and the information may be acquired using antennas for other satellite positioning systems (GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)).

[0096] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was described as sending location information from the mobile terminal 2 to the watch 1, if the mobile terminal 2 requests the watch 1 to send location information, the watch 1 may also send its location information to the mobile terminal 1 (they may send it to each other).

[0097] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the external device was described as a mobile device 2 such as a smartphone or tablet owned by the person whose location the user of the watch 1 wants to know, but the external device is not limited to these. Also, in the example, the first wireless communication method was described as BLE and the second wireless communication method was described as LPWA, but the first wireless communication method and the second communication method are not limited to the above.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the distance between the clock 1 and the mobile terminal 2 is calculated based on location information obtained by the GPS antenna, but the location information may be obtained by a method other than that obtained by the GPS antenna. For example, if BLE communication is possible, the distance between the clock 1 and the mobile terminal 2 may be determined based on RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator).

[0099] Furthermore, in the clock 1, multiple mobile terminals 2 may be set as communication destinations for LPWA and BLE in location guidance mode. When switching to location guidance mode is instructed, the control unit 101 may display a list of the set communication destinations on the display unit 40, allowing the user to select the mobile terminal 2 to be used for location guidance in location guidance mode.

[0100] Furthermore, while the above description discloses examples using semiconductor memory, HDDs, etc., as computer-readable media for the program according to the present invention, the invention is not limited to these examples. Portable recording media such as CD-ROMs can also be used as other computer-readable media. In addition, carrier waves can be used as a medium for providing the data of the program according to the present invention via a communication line.

[0101] Although embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, but includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0102] 100 Location guidance system, 1 Clock, 101 Control unit, 104 Analog display unit, 105 Digital display unit, 106 GPS antenna, 107 Direction sensor, 109 First communication unit, 110 Second communication unit, 2 Mobile terminals

Claims

1. A positioning unit and a display unit, The device acquires its current location information from the positioning unit. Location information of an external device is acquired from the external device at predetermined time intervals using a first wireless communication method or a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method. Based on the current location information of the local device and the location information of the external device, the distance from the local device to the external device is derived. The distance from the local device to the external device, which has been derived, is displayed on the display unit. It comprises a control unit and, The control unit determines a wireless communication method for acquiring location information of the external device from among the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method, based on the distance from the self-device to the external device. clock.

2. The control unit acquires the current location information of the device from the positioning unit at predetermined time intervals. The clock according to claim 1.

3. The device includes a direction acquisition unit that acquires direction information of the device itself, The control unit derives the direction to the external device based on the orientation information of the device itself, and displays the derived direction on the display unit. The clock according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned display unit has a pointer and a digital display unit. The control unit displays the direction using the pointer and the distance using a digital display unit. The clock according to claim 3.

5. The first wireless communication method is a short-range wireless communication method that has lower power consumption and lower latency than the second wireless communication method. The second wireless communication method is a wireless communication method that enables longer-distance communication than the first wireless communication method. The clock according to claim 1.

6. The control unit switches the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the external device to the first wireless communication method when the distance from the local device to the external device falls below a first threshold during communication using the second wireless communication method. The clock according to claim 1.

7. The control unit switches the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the external device to the second wireless communication method when the distance from the local device to the external device becomes greater than or equal to a second threshold, which is greater than the first threshold, during communication using the first wireless communication method. The clock according to claim 6.

8. The control unit, The encrypted information used in the first wireless communication method is exchanged with the external device in advance using the second wireless communication method and stored in the storage unit. When switching the wireless communication method for acquiring the location information of the external device from the second wireless communication method to the first wireless communication method, communication with the external device using the first wireless communication method is initiated using the encryption information previously stored in the storage unit. The clock according to claim 1.

9. The control unit obtains the remaining battery level of the clock and changes the predetermined time interval based on the remaining battery level. The clock according to claim 1.

10. The control unit changes the predetermined time interval based on the distance from the device itself to the external device. The clock according to claim 1.

11. The control unit controls the system so that the predetermined time interval is shorter when using the first wireless communication method than when using the second wireless communication method. The clock according to claim 1.

12. The control unit causes the output unit to output notification information to the user when the distance from the device to the external device falls below a predetermined value. The clock according to claim 1.

13. A clock according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The external device transmits location information of the external device to the clock at predetermined time intervals using the first wireless communication method or a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method, A location guidance system equipped with the following features.

14. A computer in a clock, which includes a positioning unit and a display unit, The device acquires its current location information from the positioning unit. Location information of an external device is acquired from the external device at predetermined time intervals using a first wireless communication method or a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method. Based on the current location information of the local device and the location information of the external device, the distance from the local device to the external device is derived. The distance from the local device to the external device, which has been derived, is displayed on the display unit. Including the control process, The control step determines a wireless communication method for acquiring location information of the external device from among the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method, based on the distance from the local device to the external device. Control method.

15. A computer for a clock, comprising a positioning unit and a display unit, The device acquires its current location information from the positioning unit. Location information of an external device is acquired from the external device at predetermined time intervals using a first wireless communication method or a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method. Based on the current location information of the local device and the location information of the external device, the distance from the local device to the external device is derived. The distance from the local device to the external device, which has been derived, is displayed on the display unit. It will function as a control unit. The control unit determines a wireless communication method for acquiring location information of the external device from among the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method, based on the distance from the self-device to the external device. program.

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