Estimation device, estimation method, and estimation program

Abstract

This makes it possible to estimate the location of the device being searched, even if location information of the device cannot be received. [Solution] The estimation device comprises a movement control unit that controls the movement of a search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device in a search area where the transmitting device may be located; a receiving unit that receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft; and an estimation unit that estimates a range including the location of the transmitting device based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured by the search aircraft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an estimation device, an estimation method, and an estimation program.

Background Art

[0002] While the development of mobile communication networks is progressing, there are still areas where mobile communication services are not provided, such as deep mountains. In areas where mobile communication services are not provided, inconveniences such as being unable to use a mobile phone due to the inability to use mobile communication can be considered.

[0003] On the other hand, areas where mobile communication services are not provided are often places where it is difficult for people to enter or leave, such as deep mountains, so they are also areas where services using communication networks can be considered, such as the implementation of telemedicine and construction in mountainous areas. Also, in deep mountains and mountains, there are also needs to use mobile phones for information sharing in search and rescue of disaster victims.

[0004] Therefore, it is desirable to eliminate areas where mobile communication services are not provided in preparation for search activities for disaster victims. However, the installation of mobile communication facilities such as base stations and relay stations is costly. Also, in disaster-stricken areas such as earthquakes and floods, mobile communication facilities may be damaged and mobile communication services may not be provided.

[0005] As a technology related to communication in areas where mobile communication services are not provided, for example, there is the technology described in Patent Document 1. In the safety confirmation system described in Patent Document 1, a base station mounted on a drone relays a position registration signal transmitted from a communication terminal and transfers the position registration signal to a terrestrial base station. Also, a base station mounted on a drone establishes a wireless connection with the communication terminal. Thereby, the safety confirmation system described in Patent Document 1 enables confirmation of the safety of disaster victims outside the area of mobile communication services.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-069803 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Patent Document 1 further describes a communication terminal that acquires its current location using a GPS (Global Positioning System) device or the like, and includes the acquired location information in a location registration signal to notify a base station. This allows the land base station to determine the location of the communication terminal. If the communication terminal is carried by a person in distress, this method allows the land base station to determine the location of the person's communication terminal.

[0008] However, it is possible that the person in distress may have turned off the GPS function of their communication device to conserve power. It is also possible that the person in distress does not have a communication device with GPS capabilities. In this case, the land base station will be unable to obtain location information from the communication device.

[0009] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an estimation device, estimation method, and estimation program that enable the estimation of the location of a device to be searched even when location information of the device to be searched cannot be received. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the estimation device includes a movement control unit that controls the movement of a search aircraft for searching for a radio wave transmitting device in a search area where the transmitting device may be located; a receiving unit that receives radio wave information including information regarding the received field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft; and an estimation unit that estimates a range including the location of the transmitting device based on the received field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received field strength was measured by the search aircraft.

[0011] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the estimation method controls a search aircraft for searching for a radio wave transmitting device to move within a search area where the transmitting device may be located, receives radio wave information including information regarding the received field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft, and estimates a range including the location of the transmitting device based on the received field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received field strength was measured by the search aircraft.

[0012] In another aspect of this disclosure, the estimation program enables a computer to implement a movement control function that controls a search aircraft to move within a search area where a radio transmitter may be located; a reception function that receives radio wave information, including information regarding the received field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft; and an estimation function that estimates a range including the location of the transmitter based on the received field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received field strength was measured by the search aircraft. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to this disclosure, it becomes possible to estimate the location of a device being searched even if location information of the device being searched cannot be received. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example configuration of the estimation device disclosed herein. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the operation flow of the estimation device in this disclosure. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a group of devices related to the estimation device of this disclosure. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a group of devices related to the estimation device of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the transmitting device disclosed herein. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the aircraft in this disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing a configuration example of the control device of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing an example of the connection configuration of the aircraft of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing an example of the connection configuration of the aircraft of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing a configuration example of the search aircraft of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] This is a diagram showing a configuration example of the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing a configuration example of the search aircraft of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing an example of the display image of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the device group related to the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the device group related to the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the device group related to the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] This is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the estimation device of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of each embodiment of the present disclosure.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] [First Embodiment] The first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0016] Furthermore, a specific example of the estimation device 10 in the first embodiment is the estimation device 20 in the second embodiment, which will be described later.

[0017] First, an example of the configuration of the estimation device 10 will be described using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the estimation device 10. The estimation device 10 includes a movement control unit 11, a receiving unit 12, and an estimation unit 13.

[0018] The movement control unit 11 controls the movement of the search aircraft within the search area. The search aircraft is designed to search for a transmitter. The transmitter emits radio waves. The search area is the area where the transmitter may be located.

[0019] The receiving unit 12 receives radio wave information. The radio wave information includes information regarding the received electric field strength of radio waves measured by the search aircraft.

[0020] The estimation unit 13 estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft.

[0021] Next, we will describe an example of the operation flow of the estimation device 10. Figure 2 shows an example of the operation flow of the estimation device 10.

[0022] The movement control unit 11 controls the movement of the search aircraft within the search area (step S101).

[0023] The receiving unit 12 receives radio wave information (step S102). The radio wave information includes information regarding the received electric field strength of radio waves measured by the search aircraft.

[0024] The estimation unit 13 estimates the range including the position of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft (step S103).

[0025] As described above, in the first embodiment of this disclosure, the estimation device 10 includes a movement control unit 11, a receiving unit 12, and an estimation unit 13. The movement control unit 11 controls the movement of the search aircraft within the search area. The search aircraft is an aircraft for searching for a transmitter. The transmitter emits radio waves. The search area is an area where a transmitter may be located. The receiving unit 12 receives radio wave information. The radio wave information includes information about the received electric field strength of radio waves measured on the search aircraft. The estimation unit 13 estimates a range including the location of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft.

[0026] In this way, the estimation device 10 moves the search aircraft within the search area and estimates the range including the position of the radio wave transmitting device based on the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured by the search aircraft. As a result, the estimation device 10 can estimate the position of the device to be searched if the device is transmitting radio waves. Therefore, even if the position information of the device to be searched cannot be received, it is still possible to estimate the position of the device to be searched.

[0027] [Second Embodiment] Next, the estimation device 20 in the second embodiment of this disclosure will be described. Note that the estimation device 20 in the second embodiment is a specific example of the estimation device 10 in the first embodiment.

[0028] First, Figure 3 shows an example of a group of devices related to the estimation device 20.

[0029] Base station 70 is a base station that provides mobile wireless communication services such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and satellite communications. Base station 70 may be located on the ground, or it may be located in the air, such as a base station mounted on an artificial satellite.

[0030] Aerial vehicles 50-i (where i is an integer from 1 to N) are unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Note that when there is no need to distinguish between aerial vehicles 50-1 through 50-N, they are sometimes collectively referred to as aerial vehicle 50.

[0031] The aircraft 50-i can establish a wireless connection with the base station 70. When the aircraft 50-i establishes a wireless connection with the base station 70, it does so by using the mobile radio communication provided by the base station 70.

[0032] Furthermore, the aircraft 50-i can wirelessly connect with other aircraft. The aircraft 50-i may communicate with other aircraft using any wireless communication method, such as Wi-Fi (Local Area Network) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0033] The control device 40 can connect to the base station 70 via the communication line 80. The control device 40 controls the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N via the base station 70.

[0034] The transmitter 60 is a device that emits radio waves. The transmitter 60 may be, for example, a wireless communication terminal that can use the mobile wireless communication service provided by the base station 70. Alternatively, the transmitter 60 may be a wireless communication terminal that can use any wireless communication method capable of communicating with the aircraft 50-i. For example, the transmitter 60 may be a wireless communication terminal that can use a wireless LAN. Alternatively, the transmitter 60 may be a device that does not have wireless communication capabilities. For example, the transmitter 60 may be a beacon carried by a climber.

[0035] In this embodiment, the control device 40 uses aircraft 50-1 to 50-N to search for the transmitter 60. The transmitter 60 is carried by a person in distress or the like.

[0036] The estimation device 20 estimates the position of the transmitter 60. The estimation device 20 may estimate a range that includes the position of the transmitter 60 as the position of the transmitter 60. In the example of Figure 3, the estimation device 20 is included in the control device 40. In this case, the estimation device 20 may include at least some of the functions of the control device 40. The estimation device 20 may also be included in at least one of the aircraft bodies 50-1 to 50-N. Figure 4 shows an example of a group of devices associated with the estimation device 20 when the estimation device 20 is included in aircraft body 50. In the example of Figure 4, the estimation device 20 is included in aircraft body 50-N. In this case, the estimation device 20 may include at least some of the functions of aircraft body 50-N.

[0037] Next, Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the transmitter 60.

[0038] The transmitting device 60 includes a transmitting unit 61. The transmitting unit 61 emits radio waves. The radio waves emitted from the transmitting unit 61 may be intentionally emitted radio waves, such as radio waves for wireless communication or beacon radio waves. Alternatively, the radio waves emitted from the transmitting unit 61 may be unintentionally emitted radio waves, such as radio waves emitted from a battery mounted on the transmitting device 60 or radio waves from a clock circuit mounted on the transmitting device 60.

[0039] Next, Figure 6 shows an example of the configuration of the aircraft 50-i.

[0040] The aircraft 50-i includes a flight control unit 51-i, a positioning unit 52-i, a measurement unit 53-i, and a communication unit 54-i.

[0041] The flight control unit 51-i controls the flight of the aircraft 50-i. The flight control unit 51-i can make the aircraft 50-i fly according to the control from the control device 40. In addition, the flight control unit 51-i can make the aircraft 50-i fly according to the control from the movement control unit 21 (described later) of the estimation device 20.

[0042] The positioning unit 52-i measures the position of the aircraft 50-i. The positioning method used by the positioning unit 52-i is arbitrary. For example, the positioning unit 52-i may measure the position of the aircraft 50-i using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), or it may measure the position of the aircraft 50-i using an acceleration sensor or the like.

[0043] The measurement unit 53-i measures the received electric field strength of the radio waves transmitted by the transmitter 60. For example, if the transmitter 60 is a wireless communication terminal capable of LTE communication, the measurement unit 53-i measures the received electric field strength of radio waves in the LTE frequency band.

[0044] The conditions for the radio waves to be measured for received electric field strength may be set in advance in the measurement unit 53-i. For example, the frequency band and modulation method of the radio waves to be measured may be set in advance in the measurement unit 53-i. The conditions for the radio waves to be measured may also be transmitted from the control device 40 to the aircraft 50.

[0045] Furthermore, conditions for radio waves that are not subject to measurement of the received electric field strength may be set in advance in the measurement unit 53-i. For example, information about radio waves used by other aircraft 50 for wireless communication may be set in advance in the measurement unit 53-i as information about radio waves that are not subject to measurement. Note that the conditions for radio waves that are not subject to measurement may be transmitted from the control device 40 to the aircraft 50. For example, radio waves that are not subject to measurement may be radio waves used in an area where a transmitting device 60 may be present.

[0046] The communication unit 54-i can communicate wirelessly (inter-aircraft communication) with other aircraft 50. Furthermore, the communication unit 54-i can communicate directly with the base station 70 via mobile wireless communication provided by the base station 70. Additionally, the communication unit 54-i can communicate with the base station 70 via inter-aircraft communication.

[0047] Furthermore, the communication unit 54-i may be equipped with a repeater function for relaying radio waves of mobile wireless communication provided by the base station 70. The communication unit 54-i may also be equipped with a bridge function for relaying data transmitted by radio waves for mobile wireless communication provided by the base station 70. The communication unit 54-i may perform inter-aircraft communication using the bridge function.

[0048] Next, Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of the control device 40.

[0049] The control device 40 includes a control unit 41. The control unit 41 controls the aircraft 50 via the base station 70. The control unit 41 can also transmit information to the aircraft 50 via wired communication or short-range wireless communication before the aircraft 50 begins flight.

[0050] The control unit 41 determines the connection configuration of the aircraft 50 to be used for the search based on the search area information. The connection configuration includes the number of aircraft 50 to be used for the search (N), the arrangement of aircraft 50-1 to 50-N, and the connection relationships of the aircraft 50. The search area information is information about the search area. The search area is the area where the transmitter 60 may be located. If the purpose of estimating the location of the transmitter 60 is to search for a distressed person, the search area is the area where the distressed person may be in distress. The search area information is input to the control unit 40, for example, by an operator's operation of the control unit 40. The search area information may also be input to the control unit 40 from other devices (not shown). The search area may include areas outside the service area of ​​mobile radio communication.

[0051] More specifically, the control unit 41 determines the connection configuration of the aircraft 50 used for the search based, for example, on information about the area from which it can communicate directly with the base station 70 and the distance over which the aircraft 50 can communicate with other aircraft. The control unit 41 may also use information about the terrain between the base station 70 and the search area to determine the connection configuration of the aircraft 50.

[0052] The control unit 41 determines the connection configuration of the aircraft 50 so that the control device 40 and the aircraft 50-N can communicate via the aircraft 50 connected in series, as shown in Figure 8.

[0053] Figure 8 shows an example of the connection configuration of the aircraft 50. In Figure 8, the dashed lines indicate connections via wireless communication. In Figure 8, the base station 70 and aircraft 50-1 are connected by wireless communication provided by the base station 70. In addition, aircraft 50-i (i=1 to (N-1)) are connected to aircraft 50-(i+1) by inter-aircraft communication.

[0054] At least one of the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N is a search aircraft. The search aircraft is an aircraft that moves within the search area while searching for the transmitter 60. In the example in Figure 8, aircraft 50-N is the search aircraft. In the example in Figure 8, aircraft 50-N moves within the search area while maintaining communication with aircraft 50-(N-1). There may be more than one search aircraft.

[0055] Furthermore, at least one of the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N connects to the base station 70 via mobile radio communication provided by the base station 70. In the example shown in Figure 8, aircraft 50-1 connects to the base station 70. The aircraft 50 connected to the base station 70 may be more than one, but two or more.

[0056] The control unit 41 determines the connection configuration of the search aircraft 50 so that the search aircraft can move within the search area while maintaining communication with at least one of the aircraft 50 or the base station 70.

[0057] In the connection example shown in Figure 8, aircraft 50-1 can communicate wirelessly with base station 70 and aircraft 50-2. Furthermore, aircraft 50-i (in this case, i is between 2 and (N-1)) can communicate wirelessly with aircraft 50-(i-1) and aircraft 50-(i+1). Also, aircraft 50-N can communicate wirelessly with aircraft 50-(N-1). Therefore, aircraft 50-N can send and receive data with control device 40.

[0058] Furthermore, aircraft 50-1 to 50-N may be equipped with a bridge function for mobile radio communication provided by base station 70. In this case, if the transmitter 60 is a radio communication terminal that can utilize mobile radio communication provided by base station 70, the transmitter 60 can wirelessly connect to aircraft 50-N and connect to base station 70 via aircraft 50-1 to 50-N. In this case, the transmitter 60 can utilize the mobile radio communication service after being detected by the search aircraft.

[0059] Furthermore, if the search area is included in the service area of ​​the mobile wireless communication provided by the base station 70, the control unit 41 may decide that the aircraft directly connected to the base station 70 and the aircraft used for the search are the same aircraft. For example, the control unit 41 may decide that the number of aircraft 50 used for the search is one. Alternatively, for example, the control unit 41 may decide that the number of aircraft 50 used for the search is two or more, connect all of the aircraft 50 used for the search directly to the base station 70, and decide that all of the aircraft used for the search are search aircraft.

[0060] Figure 9 shows an example of another connectivity configuration for the aircraft 50. In the example shown in Figure 9, the search aircraft 50-N can communicate with at least one of the aircraft 50-(N-1), aircraft 50-(N-2), and aircraft 50-(N-3) no matter where it is within the search area.

[0061] The control unit 41 may, for example, determine the number of aircraft 50 to be connected in series based on the distance between the base station 70 and the point in the search area that is furthest from the base station 70. Alternatively, the control unit 41 may determine the connection configuration of the aircraft 50 while plotting the positions of the aircraft 50 on a map.

[0062] Furthermore, the control unit 41 may determine the connection configuration such that at least a portion of the communication path from the base station 70 to the search aircraft consists of two or more paths. In other words, the communication path from the base station 70 to the search aircraft may be in parallel in at least a portion of it. For example, there may be two or more aircraft 50 that are directly connected to the base station 70. Also, each of the aircraft 50 may be able to connect to three or more other aircraft.

[0063] Furthermore, the control unit 41 transmits search information to the aircraft 50-i used for the search. The search information is information related to the search. The control unit 41 may transmit the search information to the aircraft 50-i via the base station 70. Alternatively, the control unit 41 can transmit the search information to the aircraft 50-i via wired communication or short-range wireless communication.

[0064] Search information may include, for example, the following: • Destination of aircraft 50-i • Role of the 50-i aircraft • If aircraft 50-i is a search aircraft, search area • Configuration information for inter-aircraft communication

[0065] Information regarding the destination of the aircraft 50-i is information regarding the placement of the aircraft 50-i in the connection configuration determined by the control unit 41. Information regarding the role of the aircraft 50-i is information regarding whether the aircraft 50-i is a search aircraft, an aircraft that connects to the base station 70, or an aircraft that relays between aircraft.

[0066] Furthermore, if the aircraft 50-i is a search aircraft, the search information may include information about the search route. The search route is the movement route of the search aircraft within the search area. The search information may also include information about the movement route of the aircraft 50-i from the point where it begins flight to its destination.

[0067] Furthermore, if the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N are able to start flying in response to instructions from the control unit 41, the control unit 41 may transmit search information to aircraft 50-i and then transmit an instruction to aircraft 50-1 to 50-N to start flying. Note that the instruction to start flying for aircraft 50-1 to 50-N may also be input to aircraft 50 by an operator.

[0068] When the instruction to begin flight is received, aircraft 50-1 to 50-N move to their respective destinations. Upon arrival at their destinations, aircraft 50-1 to 50-N confirm that they can communicate with each other at that destination. They also confirm that they can send and receive data with the control device 40.

[0069] The search aircraft then moves within the search area to search for the transmitter 60. The search aircraft may move autonomously along a search route in its search for the transmitter 60. Alternatively, the search aircraft may move within the search area according to control from the control device 40. In this case, the control device 40 may control the search aircraft so that it moves along a search route.

[0070] Hereafter, the search aircraft among the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N may be referred to as search aircraft 50A. Figure 10 shows an example of the configuration of search aircraft 50A. Search aircraft 50A includes a flight control unit 51A, a positioning unit 52A, a measurement unit 53A, and a communication unit 54A. When aircraft 50-i is assigned the role of search aircraft 50A, it operates as search aircraft 50A.

[0071] Next, Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the estimation device 20.

[0072] The movement control unit 21 controls the movement of the search aircraft 50A within the search area. The search area is the area where the transmitter 60 may be located.

[0073] If the estimation device 20 is included in the control device 40, the movement control unit 21 may control the search aircraft 50A via the control unit 41. For example, as control for moving the search aircraft 50A in the search area, the movement control unit 21 may transmit information about the search route to the control unit 41, and the control unit 41 may transmit information about the search route to the search aircraft 50A. In this case, the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A will fly the search aircraft 50A according to the search route information received from the movement control unit 21.

[0074] Alternatively, the movement control unit 21 may transmit information regarding the destination of the search aircraft 50A to the control unit 41 as a control for moving the search aircraft 50A within the search area, and the control unit 41 may transmit information regarding the destination of the search aircraft 50A to the search aircraft 50A. In this case, the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A will fly the search aircraft 50A according to the information regarding the destination of the search aircraft 50A that it has received from the movement control unit 21.

[0075] Furthermore, the movement control unit 21 may transmit information regarding the destination of the search aircraft 50A to the control unit 41 as control for moving the search aircraft 50A within the search area. The control unit 41 may then transmit a control signal to the search aircraft 50A so that it moves to the destination. In this case, the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A flies the search aircraft 50A according to the control signal received from the control unit 41.

[0076] Furthermore, if the estimation device 20 is included in the search aircraft 50A, the movement control unit 21 may control the search aircraft 50A via the flight control unit 51A. The movement control unit 21 may transmit information about the search route to the flight control unit 51A as control for moving the search aircraft 50A within the search area. In this case, the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A flies the search aircraft 50A according to the information about the search route received from the movement control unit 21.

[0077] Furthermore, the movement control unit 21 may transmit information regarding the destination of the search aircraft 50A to the flight control unit 51A as control for moving the search aircraft 50A within the search area. In this case, the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A will fly the search aircraft 50A according to the information regarding the destination of the search aircraft 50A that it has received from the movement control unit 21.

[0078] Furthermore, the movement control unit 21 may transmit a control signal to the flight control unit 51A to move the search aircraft 50A within the search area. In this case, the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A will fly the search aircraft 50A in accordance with the control signal received from the movement control unit 21.

[0079] The receiving unit 22 receives radio wave information. The radio wave information includes information regarding the received electric field strength of radio waves measured by the measuring unit 53A of the search aircraft 50A. The radio wave information may further include information on the frequency of the radio waves, information on the modulation scheme of the radio waves, and so on. The radio wave information may also further include information used in radio wave transmission position estimation methods such as the AOA (Angle of Arrival) method, the POA (Power of Arrival) method, and the TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival) method. The radio wave information may further include, for example, directional information indicating the direction of arrival of the radio waves.

[0080] The estimation unit 23 estimates a range including the position of the transmitter 60 based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft 50A at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft 50A.

[0081] Next, we will describe an example of a method for estimating the position of the transmitter 60 in the estimation device 20. Two methods will be described here. The first is a method in which the received electric field strength is recorded while the search aircraft moves along the search route, and the position of the transmitter 60 is estimated based on the recorded received electric field strength. The second is a method in which, when the search aircraft 50A receives radio waves from the transmitter 60, the search aircraft 50A is moved in the vicinity of the point where the search aircraft 50A received the radio waves from the transmitter 60.

[0082] First, let me explain the first method.

[0083] In the first method, the movement control unit 21 moves the search aircraft 50A according to the search route. The search route may be predetermined by the control device 40. Alternatively, the search route may be determined by the movement control unit 21 based on information about the search area and terrain information. For example, the movement control unit 21 may use terrain information to determine the search route so that it can prioritize searching areas within the search area that correspond to terrain where there is a high probability of a missing person being present, such as areas with rock shelters or man-made structures. The search route may be set to draw a pattern such as a grid, a spiral, or concentric circles.

[0084] While the search aircraft 50A moves along the search route, the receiving unit 22 sequentially receives information on the received electric field strength from the search aircraft 50A. The estimation unit 23 then estimates the range including the position of the transmitter 60 based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft 50A at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft 50A.

[0085] The estimation unit 23 estimates the position of the transmitter 60 based, for example, on the position of the search aircraft 50A when the strongest received electric field strength is measured. The estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 as a point on the ground directly below the position of the search aircraft 50A when the strongest received electric field strength is measured. Alternatively, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 as a predetermined range from the point on the ground directly below the position of the search aircraft 50A when the strongest received electric field strength is measured.

[0086] Furthermore, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 based, for example, on the received electric field strength at two or more locations and the receivable distance of the search aircraft 50A. The receivable distance is the maximum distance between the search aircraft 50A and the transmitter 60 when the search aircraft 50A can receive the radio waves from the transmitter 60. For example, if the radio waves from the transmitter 60 are received at two or more locations, it is estimated that the transmitter 60 is located within an overlapping area where circles centered at each location and with a radius equal to the receivable distance overlap. The estimation unit 23 may estimate this area as a range that includes the position of the transmitter 60. Alternatively, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 by reflecting the received electric field strength at each location in the radius of each circle.

[0087] Furthermore, if the radio wave information includes information used in the radio wave emission position estimation method, the estimation unit 23 may use that information to improve the accuracy of the position estimation of the transmitter 60.

[0088] Furthermore, while the movement control unit 21 is moving the search aircraft 50A along the search route, the estimation unit 23 may repeatedly perform the above position estimation. By increasing the amount of information on the received electric field strength used for estimation, the accuracy of estimating the position of the transmitter 60 can be improved.

[0089] Next, the second method will be explained. In this method, the movement control unit 21 first moves the search aircraft 50A according to the search route. Then, when the search aircraft 50A receives radio waves from the transmitter 60, the movement control unit 21 moves the search aircraft 50A in the vicinity of the point where the search aircraft 50A received the radio waves from the transmitter 60. For example, the movement control unit 21 controls the movement of the search aircraft 50A within a predetermined range centered on the point where the search aircraft 50A detected radio waves from the transmitter 60 (referred to as the discovery point). Specifically, the movement control unit 21 moves the search aircraft 50A to trace a trajectory such as a circle, spiral, or grid within a predetermined range centered on the discovery point. The movement control unit 21 may move the search aircraft 50A at the same altitude, or it may move the search aircraft 50A in a direction that changes the altitude.

[0090] Furthermore, while the movement control unit 21 is moving the search aircraft 50A within a predetermined range, the receiving unit 22 sequentially receives information on the received electric field strength of the radio waves from the transmitter 60 on the search aircraft 50A. Based on the received electric field strength information, the estimation unit 23 determines the direction in which the received electric field strength will increase. The movement control unit 21 then controls the search aircraft 50A to move in the direction in which the received electric field strength will increase. The estimation device 20 then repeats the above process within a predetermined range centered on the destination in the direction in which the received electric field strength will increase.

[0091] Furthermore, the information regarding the position of the search aircraft 50A at the time it receives radio waves from the transmitter 60 may be the information held by the movement control unit 21, which controls the movement of the search aircraft 50A. In addition, the receiving unit 22 may receive information on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft 50A at the time the received electric field strength was measured from the search aircraft 50A.

[0092] By repeating the process described above, the search aircraft 50A approaches the transmitter 60. Finally, the estimation unit 23 estimates the position of the transmitter 60 based on the point where the strongest received electric field strength is obtained. For example, the estimation unit 23 estimates the position of the transmitter 60 to be a point on the ground directly below the point where the strongest received electric field strength is obtained.

[0093] Furthermore, if the search aircraft 50A receives radio waves from the transmitter 60 at two or more different locations while the movement control unit 21 is moving the search aircraft 50A within a predetermined range, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the location of the transmitter 60 using the received electric field strength at two or more locations. The method for estimating the location of the transmitter 60 using the received electric field strength at two or more locations is the same as the first method.

[0094] If the estimation unit 23 estimates the position of the transmitter 60, the movement control unit 21 may move the search aircraft 50A to the estimated position as the destination. The movement control unit 21 may then repeat the above process within a predetermined range centered on the destination.

[0095] The first and second methods described above may be selected or used in combination depending on the situation. For example, in the initial stages of a search, the first method may be used to conduct a rough search and estimate the approximate location, and then the second method may be used to conduct a search in the vicinity of the estimated approximate location.

[0096] Furthermore, one or more search aircraft 50A may be used. In this case, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 using information on the received electric field strength from two or more search aircraft 50A. Alternatively, one or more search aircraft 50A may perform a search using the first method, and one or more other search aircraft 50A, separate from the search aircraft 50A using the first method, may perform a search using the second method.

[0097] Furthermore, for example, the movement control unit 21 may move two or more search aircraft 50A in conjunction with each other. For example, if the estimation device 20 is included in the control device 40, the movement control unit 21 may move each search aircraft 50A so that they are spaced equally apart. Also, for example, the movement control unit 21 may instruct one search aircraft to follow a search route, and instruct other search aircraft to move while maintaining a predetermined distance from the search aircraft that has been instructed to follow the search route. In this case, the search aircraft may determine their distance from each other by the strength of the radio waves transmitted via inter-aircraft radio communication.

[0098] Furthermore, the estimation unit 23 may further improve the accuracy of estimating the position of the transmitting device 60 by using additional information. The additional information is information that can be used to locate the transmitting device 60, in addition to the information of the radio waves from the transmitting device 60.

[0099] Figure 12 shows an example configuration of the search aircraft 501A. In this example, the search aircraft 501A includes a flight control unit 51A, a positioning unit 52A, a measurement unit 53A, and a communication unit 54, as well as an acquisition unit 55A. The acquisition unit 55A acquires additional information.

[0100] The additional information may be, for example, image information. In this case, the acquisition unit 55A may include a shooting means. The shooting means may include a visible light camera or an infrared camera. The shooting means photographs the ground. The estimation unit 23 may then determine the presence or absence of a person from the image of the ground corresponding to the location of the transmitter 60 estimated based on the received electric field strength. If the presence of a person is detected, the estimation unit 23 may then estimate the location of the person as the location of the transmitter 60. The estimation unit 23 may, for example, detect a person from the image using a learning model that detects people captured in the image.

[0101] Furthermore, the additional information may be, for example, audio information. In this case, the acquisition unit 55A may include audio acquisition means such as a microphone. The estimation unit 23 may detect a person's voice or a sound emitted by an object carried by a person (for example, the sound of a whistle) based on the audio information acquired by the audio acquisition means. The estimation unit 23 may then estimate the position of the transmitter 60 using the position estimated by the received electric field strength and the position where a predetermined sound was detected. For example, if the range of the position estimated by the received electric field strength when the transmitter 60 is present is wide, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the range within that range in which the detected predetermined sound can be detected as the range including the position of the transmitter 60.

[0102] If the estimation unit 23 uses voice information to estimate the location of the transmitter 60, and the transmitter 60 is a wireless communication terminal, the detected sound may be a sound output from the transmitter 60. For example, the sound output from the transmitter 60 may be a sound output by the transmitter 60 in response to the distressed person's operation on an application installed on the transmitter 60.

[0103] Furthermore, this application may be pre-installed on the transmitter 60 so that it can be used by the person in distress in the event of an emergency. Also, this application may enable the necessary functions for the search by the estimation device 20 while minimizing the power consumption of the transmitter 60, in response to operations by the person in distress. For example, this application may cause the transmitter 60 to switch to a mode that periodically transmits radio waves while minimizing power consumption.

[0104] Furthermore, when data transmission and reception between the transmitter 60 and the control device 40 becomes possible, this application may, in response to a request from the control device 40, acquire the location information of the transmitter 60 and transmit the acquired location information to the control device 40. In this case, the transmitter 60 may acquire its location information using GNSS or the like.

[0105] Furthermore, the estimation unit 23 outputs information including the estimation result of the position of the transmitting device 60 to the control device 40. The control device 40 may display an image including the estimation result of the position of the transmitting device 60 on a display means (not shown). Hereafter, the image that the control device 40 displays on the display means will be referred to as the display image. The display image may also be displayed on the display means by the estimation device 20. In this case, the display image is the image that the estimation device 20 displays on the display means.

[0106] The displayed image may include, for example, an image showing the location of the transmitter 60 on a map. If the estimated location information indicates a range (a range in which it may exist), the displayed image may also include an image showing that range.

[0107] Furthermore, the displayed image may include, for example, an image showing the positions of aircraft 50-1 to 50-N on a map. The displayed image may also include an image showing the remaining battery level of each aircraft 50-1 to 50-N. In this case, the battery level information is transmitted from aircraft 50-1 to 50-N to the control device 40.

[0108] Furthermore, the displayed image may include an image showing the search route. If the search route is determined by the estimation device 20, the estimation device 20 may transmit information regarding the search route to the control device 40.

[0109] The displayed image may also include a received field strength map showing the received field strength measured by the search aircraft 50A. In this case, the search aircraft 50A transmits the measured received field strength information to the control device 40.

[0110] Furthermore, the displayed image may include images taken by the search aircraft 501A. In this case, the search aircraft 501A transmits the image information of the captured images to the control device 40.

[0111] Figure 13 shows an example of a display image. In this figure, the position of the search aircraft 50A, the search route, and the searched area are displayed in the image. In this figure, the arrows indicate the search route within the search area. The black circles indicate the position of the search aircraft 50A. The gray-colored area indicates the searched area. The searched area may be, for example, the area from the route taken by the search aircraft 50A to a predetermined distance. In this case, the predetermined distance may be the maximum distance at which the search aircraft 50A can receive radio waves transmitted by the transmitter 60. This distance may be determined by the assumed transmission power of the radio waves transmitted by the transmitter 60. Alternatively, the searched area may be, for example, the area from the position where the received electric field strength was measured by the search aircraft 50A to a predetermined distance.

[0112] Furthermore, the display image in Figure 13 includes the estimated position of the transmitter 60. In this display image, the estimated position is shown by a circle indicating the range centered on the black circle. This display image is an example of a search aircraft receiving radio waves from the transmitter 60 at the position indicated by the black circle. As the search progresses, the range indicated as the estimated position narrows.

[0113] Next, using Figures 14 to 19, we will explain an example of the operation flow of the device group related to the estimation device 20.

[0114] Figure 14 shows an example of the operation flow of the group of devices related to the estimation device 20 until the search aircraft begins its search. Figure 15 shows an example of the operation flow of the movement control unit 21 of the estimation device 20. Figure 16 shows an example of the operation flow of the receiving unit 22 of the estimation device 20. Figure 17 shows an example of the operation flow of the estimation unit 23 of the estimation device 20. Figure 18 shows an example of the operation flow of the group of devices related to the estimation device 20 when the estimation device 20 is included in the control unit 40. Figure 19 shows an example of the operation flow of the group of devices related to the estimation device 20 when the estimation device 20 is included in the search aircraft 50A.

[0115] First, search area information is input to the control device 40 (step S201 in Figure 14). Search area information is input to the control device 40 when a search for a missing person is to be conducted.

[0116] The control unit 41 of the control device 40 determines the connection configuration of the aircraft 50 to be used for the search based on the search area information (step S202). Figures 14, 18, and 19 show an example where aircraft 50-1 to 50-N are connected in series for communication, as shown in Figure 8, and aircraft 50-N is the search aircraft 50A.

[0117] The control unit 41 then transmits search information to the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N used for the search. The aircraft 50-1 to 50-N also receive, for example, an instruction to start flight from the control device 40 (step S203).

[0118] When an instruction to begin flight is received, aircraft 50-1 to 50-N move to their respective destinations (step S204). Upon arrival at their destinations, aircraft 50-1 to 50-N confirm that they can perform inter-aircraft communication at these destinations. They also confirm that they can send and receive data with the control device 40 (step S205).

[0119] Then, the search aircraft 50A (aircraft 50-N) begins searching for the transmitter 60 (step S206).

[0120] In the search for the transmitter 60, the movement control unit 21 of the estimation device 20 controls the movement of the search aircraft 50A within the search area (step S301 in Figure 15). The movement control unit 21 terminates the operation of step S301 when the termination condition is met (YES in step S302).

[0121] The termination conditions are met when a signal indicating the termination of the search is input from the control device 40, or when the battery level of the search aircraft 50A falls below a predetermined amount.

[0122] Furthermore, the receiving unit 22 of the estimation device 20 receives radio wave information (step S303 in Figure 16). The receiving unit 22 terminates the operation in step S303 when the termination condition is met (YES in step S304).

[0123] Furthermore, the estimation unit 23 of the estimation device 20 estimates the range including the position of the transmitter 60 based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft 50A at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft 50A (step S305 in Figure 17). The estimation unit 23 also outputs information including the estimation result of the position of the transmitter 60 to the control device 40. The estimation unit 23 terminates the operation of step S305 when the termination condition is met (YES in step S306).

[0124] For example, if the estimation device 20 is included in the control device 40, and the connection relationship between the aircraft 50-1 to 50-N is as shown in Figure 8, the mobile control unit 21 of the estimation device 20 controls the search aircraft 50A via the base station 70 and the aircraft 50-1 to 50-(N-1) (step S401 in Figure 18). In this case, the receiving unit 22 receives radio wave information from the search aircraft 50A via the aircraft 50-1 to 50-(N-1) (step S402). The estimation unit 23 estimates the position of the transmitting device 60 and outputs the estimation result to the control device 40 (step S403).

[0125] Furthermore, for example, if the estimation device 20 is included in the search aircraft 50A, and the connection relationship between aircraft 50-1 to 50-N is as shown in Figure 8, the movement control unit 21 of the estimation device 20 may control the movement of the search aircraft 50A via the flight control unit 51A of the search aircraft 50A (step S501 in Figure 19). In this case, the receiving unit 22 receives radio wave information from the measurement unit 53A of the search aircraft 50A (step S502). The estimation unit 23 also estimates the position of the transmitting device 60 (step S503). The estimation unit 23 also outputs the estimation result to the control device 40 (step S504).

[0126] Next, we will describe an example of the operation flow of the estimation device 20 related to the estimation of the position of the transmitting device 60.

[0127] Figure 20 shows an example of the operation flow of the estimation device 20 in the first position estimation method. The first method involves recording the received electric field strength while moving the search aircraft along the search route, and estimating the position of the transmitter 60 based on the recorded received electric field strength.

[0128] First, the movement control unit 21 of the estimation device 20 determines the search route based on the operation area information (step S601). The movement control unit 21 may also receive the search route information from the control device 40.

[0129] Furthermore, the movement control unit 21 moves the search aircraft 50A according to the search route (step S602). While the search aircraft 50A is moving along the search route, the receiving unit 22 sequentially receives radio wave information from the search aircraft 50A (step S603). Then, the estimation unit 23 estimates the range including the position of the transmitter 60 based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft 50A at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft 50A (step S604). The estimation unit 23 also outputs the estimation result information to the control device 40.

[0130] Furthermore, while the search aircraft 50A moves along the search route, the estimation unit 23 may repeatedly estimate the position of the transmitter 60. The estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 after the search aircraft 50A has moved to the end of the search route and the receiving unit 22 has received radio wave information at the end of the search route. Alternatively, the estimation unit 23 may estimate the position of the transmitter 60 based on radio wave information received by the receiving unit 22 up to the time of instruction from the control device 40.

[0131] The estimation device 20 terminates the operations in steps S602 to S604 when the termination condition is met (YES in step S605). Here, the termination condition may be, for example, that the search aircraft 50A has moved to the end of the search route, the receiving unit 22 has received radio wave information at the end of the search route, and the estimation unit 23 has completed the estimation of the position of the transmitting device 60. Alternatively, the termination condition may be that the control device 40 has input an instruction to terminate the search.

[0132] Figure 21 is a diagram showing an example of the operation flow of the estimation device 20 in the second position estimation method. The second method is a method in which, when the search aircraft 50A receives radio waves from the transmitter 60, the search aircraft 50A is moved in the vicinity of the point where the search aircraft 50A received the radio waves from the transmitter 60.

[0133] First, the movement control unit 21 of the estimation device 20 determines the search route based on the operation area information (step S701). The movement control unit 21 may also receive the search route information from the control device 40.

[0134] Furthermore, the movement control unit 21 moves the search aircraft 50A according to the search route (step S702). When radio waves from the transmitter 60 are received by the search aircraft 50A (YES in step S703), the movement control unit 21 moves the search aircraft 50A within a predetermined range from the point where the search aircraft 50A received the radio waves from the transmitter 60, using the reference point as the reference point. While the movement control unit 21 is moving the search aircraft 50A within the predetermined range, the receiving unit 22 sequentially receives information on the received electric field strength of the radio waves from the transmitter 60 at the search aircraft 50A. Based on the received electric field strength information, the estimation unit 23 determines the direction in which the received electric field strength is increasing (step S704).

[0135] If there is no direction in which the received electric field strength increases, that is, if there is no point within a predetermined range from the reference point where the received electric field strength is higher than that of the reference point (NO in step S705), the estimation unit 23 estimates the position of the transmitting device 60 as a point on the ground directly below the reference point (step S706). The estimation unit 23 also outputs the estimation result information to the control device 40.

[0136] Furthermore, if there is a direction in which the received electric field strength increases (YES in step S705), the movement control unit 21 controls the search aircraft 50A to move in the direction in which the received electric field strength increases (step S707). The estimation device 20 then repeats steps S704 to S707, using the destination in the direction in which the received electric field strength increases as a reference point.

[0137] The estimation device 20 terminates the iteration when the termination condition is met (YES in step S708). Here, the termination condition may be, for example, that in step S705 it is determined that there is no direction in which the received electric field strength increases, or that in step S706 the position of the transmitting device 60 is estimated based on the reference point. Alternatively, the termination condition may be that the control device 40 has input an instruction to terminate the search.

[0138] Furthermore, the estimation device 20 can terminate the operations of steps S701 to S707 if the termination condition is met, even while the operation of any of the steps S701 to S707 is being performed.

[0139] As described above, in the second embodiment of this disclosure, the estimation device 20 includes a movement control unit 21, a receiving unit 22, and an estimation unit 23. The movement control unit 21 controls the movement of the search aircraft within the search area. The search aircraft is an aircraft for searching for a transmitter. The transmitter emits radio waves. The search area is an area where a transmitter may be located. The receiving unit 22 receives radio wave information. The radio wave information includes information about the received electric field strength of radio waves measured on the search aircraft. The estimation unit 23 estimates a range including the location of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft.

[0140] In this way, the estimation device 20 moves the search aircraft within the search area and estimates the range including the position of the radio wave transmitting device based on the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured by the search aircraft. As a result, the estimation device 20 can estimate the position of the device to be searched if the device is transmitting radio waves. Therefore, even if the position information of the device to be searched cannot be received, it is still possible to estimate the position of the device to be searched.

[0141] [Example Hardware Configuration] This section describes an example of hardware resource configurations for realizing the estimation devices (10, 20) in each embodiment of the present disclosure described above using a single information processing device (computer). Note that the estimation device may be realized using at least two information processing devices, either physically or functionally. Furthermore, the estimation device may be realized as a dedicated device. Also, only some functions of the estimation device may be realized using information processing devices.

[0142] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device capable of realizing the estimation device of each embodiment of the present disclosure. The information processing device 90 includes a communication interface 91, an input / output interface 92, an arithmetic unit 93, a storage device 94, a non-volatile storage device 95, and a drive device 96.

[0143] For example, the motion control unit 11 and the receiving unit 12 in Figure 1 can be implemented using a communication interface 91 and a computing device 93. Furthermore, the estimation unit 23 can also be implemented using a computing device 93.

[0144] The communication interface 91 is a communication means for the estimation device of each embodiment to communicate with an external device by wire and / or wirelessly. If the estimation device is implemented using at least two information processing devices, these devices may be connected via the communication interface 91 to enable mutual communication.

[0145] The input / output interface 92 is a human-machine interface, such as a keyboard as an example of an input device, or a display as an output device.

[0146] The arithmetic unit 93 is implemented by a general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit) or microprocessor, as well as multiple electrical circuits. The arithmetic unit 93 can, for example, read various programs stored in the non-volatile memory device 95 into the memory device 94 and execute processing according to the read programs.

[0147] The storage device 94 is a memory device such as RAM (Random Access Memory) that can be accessed by the arithmetic unit 93, and stores programs and various data. The storage device 94 may be a volatile memory device.

[0148] The non-volatile storage device 95 is a non-volatile storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or flash memory, and is capable of storing various programs and data.

[0149] The drive device 96 is, for example, a device that processes data reading and writing to the recording medium 97, which will be described later.

[0150] The recording medium 97 is any recording medium capable of recording data, such as an optical disc, magneto-optical disc, or semiconductor flash memory.

[0151] Each embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented, for example, by configuring an estimation device with the information processing device 90 illustrated in Figure 22, and supplying this estimation device with a program capable of realizing the functions described in each embodiment above.

[0152] In this case, the embodiment can be realized by having the arithmetic unit 93 execute the program supplied to the estimation device. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure some, rather than all, of the functions of the estimation device in the information processing device 90.

[0153] Furthermore, the above program may be recorded on the recording medium 97, and the estimation device may be configured so that the program is stored in the non-volatile storage device 95 as appropriate during the shipment or operation phase of the estimation device. In this case, the method of supplying the above program may be to install it into the estimation device using an appropriate jig during the manufacturing phase before shipment or during the operation phase. Alternatively, the method of supplying the above program may be to use a general procedure such as downloading it from an external source via a communication line such as the Internet.

[0154] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following:

[0155] (Note 1) A movement control unit that controls the movement of a search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device in a search area where such a transmitting device may be present, A receiving unit that receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured in the search aircraft, An estimation unit estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft. An estimation device equipped with the following features.

[0156] (Note 2) The estimation unit causes the display means to display an image including the estimated position of the transmitting device. The estimation device described in Appendix 1.

[0157] (Note 3) When the radio waves are received by the search aircraft, the movement control unit estimates the direction in which the received electric field strength increases by moving the search aircraft within a predetermined range, and moves the search aircraft in the direction in which the received electric field strength increases. The estimation device described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2.

[0158] (Note 4) When the radio waves are received by the search aircraft, the movement control unit moves the search aircraft within a predetermined range from the point where the radio waves were received by the search aircraft, using the point where the radio waves were received as a reference point. The estimation unit estimates the direction in which the received electric field strength increases, based on the received electric field strength within the predetermined range. Estimation device as described in Appendix 3.

[0159] (Note 5) The estimation unit estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the position of the search aircraft when the strongest received electric field strength was measured. An estimation device described in any one of the appendices 1 through 4.

[0160] (Note 6) The estimation unit estimates a range including the position of the transmitting device based on the received electric field strength measured at multiple locations. An estimation device described in any one of the appendices 1 through 5.

[0161] (Note 7) The movement control unit moves the search aircraft according to the search route, which is the path the search aircraft takes within the search area. The receiving unit receives the radio wave information sequentially while the search aircraft moves along the search route. An estimation device described in any one of the appendices 1 through 6.

[0162] (Note 8) The search aircraft acquires additional information which is information that can be used to search for the transmitter, The estimation unit further estimates a range including the position of the transmitting device using the additional information. An estimation device described in any one of the appendices 1 through 7.

[0163] (Note 9) The aforementioned additional information includes image information, which is information about images taken by the search aircraft. The estimation unit estimates the range including the position of the transmitting device by detecting the presence of a person from the image. Estimation device as described in Appendix 8.

[0164] (Note 10) The aforementioned additional information includes audio information, which is audio information acquired by the search aircraft. The estimation unit estimates a range including the location of the transmitting device by detecting a predetermined sound from the sound. The estimation device described in Appendix 8 or Appendix 9.

[0165] (Note 11) The aforementioned search area includes areas outside the service area of ​​mobile radio communication. The search aircraft communicates with a mobile radio communication base station via inter-aircraft communication with other aircraft. An estimation device described in any one of the appendices 1 through 10.

[0166] (Note 12) The search aircraft and the other aircraft are equipped with a bridge function that relays data transmitted by radio waves of mobile radio communication, and use the bridge function to communicate between the aircraft. If the transmitting device is a wireless communication terminal capable of mobile wireless communication, the transmitting device can be connected to the base station via the search aircraft. Estimation device as described in Appendix 11.

[0167] (Note 13) A search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device is controlled to move within a search area where such a transmitting device may be present. The search aircraft receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft, Based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft, the range including the position of the transmitter is estimated. Estimation method.

[0168] (Note 14) On the computer, A movement control function that controls the movement of a search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device within a search area where such a transmitting device may be present, A receiving function that receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured in the search aircraft, An estimation function that estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft. An estimation program that achieves this.

[0169] Furthermore, some or all of the configurations described in Appendices 2 to 12, which are subordinate to Appendice 1 above, may also be subordinate to Appendices 13 and 14 in the same way as those described in Appendices 2 to 12. Moreover, not limited to Appendices 1, 13, and 14, some or all of the configurations described as appendices may also be subordinate to various hardware, software, various recording means for recording software, or systems, without departing from the embodiments described above.

[0170] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present disclosure can be made as can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0171] 10, 20 Estimation device 11, 21 Movement Control Unit 12, 22 Receiving section 13, 23 Estimation part 40 Control device 41 Control Unit 50, 50-i flying object 50A, 501A Search and Destroyers 51A, 51-i Flight Control Unit 52A, 52-i Positioning Unit 53A, 53-i measurement section 54A, 54-i Communications Department 55A Acquisition Department 60 Transmitter 61 Transmission Unit 70 base station 80 Communication lines 90 Information Processing Equipment 91 Communication Interface 92 Input / Output Interfaces 93 Arithmetic unit 94 Storage device 95 Non-volatile memory devices 96 Drive unit 97 Recording media

Claims

1. A movement control unit that controls the movement of a search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device in a search area where such a transmitting device may be present, A receiving unit that receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured in the search aircraft, An estimation unit estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft. An estimation device equipped with the following features.

2. The estimation unit causes the display means to display an image including the estimated position of the transmitting device. The estimation device according to claim 1.

3. When the radio waves are received by the search aircraft, the movement control unit estimates the direction in which the received electric field strength increases by moving the search aircraft within a predetermined range, and moves the search aircraft in the direction in which the received electric field strength increases. The estimation device according to claim 1.

4. When the radio waves are received by the search aircraft, the movement control unit moves the search aircraft within a predetermined range from the point where the radio waves were received by the search aircraft, using the point where the radio waves were received as a reference point. The estimation unit estimates the direction in which the received electric field strength increases, based on the received electric field strength within the predetermined range. The estimation device according to claim 3.

5. The estimation unit estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the position of the search aircraft when the strongest received electric field strength was measured. The estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The estimation unit estimates a range including the position of the transmitting device based on the received electric field strength measured at multiple locations. The estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The movement control unit moves the search aircraft according to the search route, which is the path the search aircraft takes within the search area. The receiving unit receives the radio wave information sequentially while the search aircraft moves along the search route. The estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The aforementioned search area includes areas outside the service area of ​​mobile radio communication. The search aircraft communicates with a mobile radio communication base station via inter-aircraft communication with other aircraft. The estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

9. A search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device is controlled to move within a search area where such a transmitting device may be present. The search aircraft receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured by the search aircraft, Based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft, the range including the position of the transmitter is estimated. Estimation method.

10. On the computer, A movement control function that controls the movement of a search aircraft for a radio wave transmitting device within a search area where such a transmitting device may be present, A receiving function that receives radio wave information including information regarding the received electric field strength of the radio waves measured in the search aircraft, An estimation function that estimates a range including the position of the transmitter based on the received electric field strength and the position of the search aircraft at the time the received electric field strength was measured on the search aircraft. An estimation program that achieves this.

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