Monitoring system, information processing device, monitoring method, and program

Abstract

This invention provides a child monitoring system, information processing device, monitoring method, and program that optimize child monitoring processes according to diverse situations, thereby improving efficiency, accuracy, and convenience. [Solution] In a monitoring system comprising a monitoring terminal, a GPS terminal, and a server, the server acquires location information from the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, and performs monitoring processing based on this location information and, if necessary, the Wi-Fi connection status and short-range wireless communication status of the terminals. Monitoring processing includes processes to reduce the frequency of updating the GPS terminal's location information when the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal are in close proximity, processes to omit the display of nearby GPS terminals on the monitoring terminal's map, and processes to increase the monitoring frequency triggered when the GPS terminal is disconnected from the home Wi-Fi access point. The server directly executes these processes, but also takes the form of distributing processing rules and supporting cooperative processing between terminals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a monitoring system, an information processing apparatus, a monitoring method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, monitoring services for the safety of children have been widely used, and a mechanism has become common in which children are equipped with GPS terminals and their location information can be confirmed on a monitoring terminal such as a parent's smartphone. In these services, it is expected to perform more efficient and appropriate monitoring according to the positional relationship and situation between the child and the parent (holder of the monitoring terminal).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In view of such a situation, the present disclosure has been made, and an example of its object is to provide a monitoring system, an information processing apparatus, a monitoring method, and a program capable of optimizing the monitoring process of a child according to various situations and improving efficiency, accuracy, and convenience.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, a monitoring system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a monitoring terminal, a GPS terminal, and a server, and the server acquires the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal and executes a monitoring process based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] This is an overview diagram showing the overall configuration of a monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows the hardware configuration of the server according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server according to this embodiment. [Figure 3A] This is a functional block diagram of a lightweight server-type system according to a modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 3B] This is a functional block diagram of a cooperative processing system according to another modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows an example of the monitoring process in this embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the data structure of the terminal information table used in this embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the display screen of the monitoring terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 6A] This figure shows another example of the display screen of the monitoring terminal in this embodiment (display of processing basis status). [Figure 6B] This figure shows yet another example of the display screen of the monitoring terminal in this embodiment (risk score display). [Figure 6C] This figure shows yet another example of the display screen of the monitoring terminal in this embodiment (display with floor information in a multi-story building). [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the sequence of disconnection detection from the home Wi-Fi access point and subsequent communication frequency change processing in this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a state transition diagram showing an example of the proximity determination logic in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the structure of log data that can be recorded by the server in this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as "these embodiments") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, components having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0008] Prior to this embodiment, there were several existing service challenges, such as the following: For example, even when a parent and child are in the same location (e.g., home), the continued acquisition of location information and communication processing led to wasted battery power and communication resources in monitoring and GPS terminals. Also, if a child went out while the parent was at home, detection may be delayed, potentially preventing prompt monitoring. Furthermore, even in situations requiring a certain level of monitoring, such as when a child is at home and the parent is out, constant high-frequency communication was excessive and inefficient.

[0009] In addition, in environments where GPS positioning accuracy tends to decrease, such as indoor facilities and high-rise buildings, errors sometimes occurred in determining whether parents and children were actually together. When determining "together" based solely on simple distance, it was possible to misjudge proximity even when they were actually on different floors, or conversely, to misjudge distance due to slight positioning errors. Furthermore, when monitoring multiple children, constantly displaying information on all nearby children made the screen cluttered, making it easy to miss information on children who truly required attention, indicating room for improvement from a user experience perspective.

[0010] 1. Overview of the entire system Figure 1 is an overview diagram showing the overall configuration of a monitoring system 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The monitoring system 1 mainly consists of a monitoring terminal 100 operated by a user (e.g., a guardian), a GPS terminal 200 carried by the child being monitored, and a server 300 that mediates and executes information processing between these terminals.

[0011] The monitoring terminal 100, GPS terminal 200, and server 300 are connected to each other via a network NW such as the Internet or a mobile phone network. In this embodiment, "monitoring terminal" refers to any device that provides an interface for a user (such as a guardian) to input information related to monitoring the GPS terminal or to acquire information related to the GPS terminal. This may include not only dedicated application software running on smartphones, tablet terminals, and personal computers, but also devices that exchange information with the user through voice input interfaces, gesture input interfaces, or other sensory feedback (e.g., vibration, light), such as smart speakers, wearable devices, and in-vehicle systems. For example, in the case of a smart speaker, even if it accepts voice commands from the user and outputs a voice response from the monitoring server (or a cooperating platform server), it may still be considered a "monitoring terminal" in this disclosure as long as it functions as a terminal for the user to interact with the monitoring system. Furthermore, the monitoring terminal itself does not need to have all the information processing and display functions; these functions may be realized in cooperation with a server on the cloud.

[0012] The GPS terminal 200 is a dedicated terminal with a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver that measures its own location information and transmits it to the server 300, or a smartphone with a GPS function. In this embodiment, the "server" is not limited to a computer device physically housed in a single housing, but also includes a server function virtually constructed in a cloud computing environment, a distributed system in which multiple computers cooperate to provide a server function as a whole, or a device or system that performs some information processing in constructing a monitoring system, such as mediation of the entire monitoring system, support for establishing a communication path between terminals, some auxiliary monitoring processes (e.g., searching for terminals in a wide area, acting as a substitute for notifying a third party in an emergency), or distribution of rules for monitoring processes processed between terminals. Therefore, even when some of the main location information exchange and monitoring processes are performed between terminals (P2P), if there is a device that performs some information processing to maintain the integrity of the entire system or to complement and support P2P communication, it may also fall under the "server" in this disclosure.

[0013] The server 300 is an information processing device that collects and manages various types of information (location information, terminal status, etc.) transmitted from the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200, and executes the monitoring process described later based on them.

[0014] 2. Description of the Hardware Configuration FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 300 according to this embodiment.

[0015] The server 300 is configured as, for example, a general-purpose computer system, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 301, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 302 which is a main memory device, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) 303 which is an auxiliary storage device, a communication interface (I / F) 304 that controls communication with the network NW, and a bus 305 that connects these components.

[0016] The CPU 301 controls the overall operation of the server 300 by loading and executing an operating system (OS) and various application programs stored in the HDD 303 or the like into the RAM 302.

[0017] 3. Description of Functional Block Configuration FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 300 according to the present embodiment. The server 300 mainly functions as a communication unit 310, a position information acquisition unit 320, a terminal state management unit 330, a monitoring process execution unit 340, and a storage unit 350 when the CPU 301 executes a predetermined program.

[0018] The communication unit 310 transmits and receives data to and from the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 via the communication interface 304.

[0019] The location information acquisition unit 320 acquires location information (latitude, longitude, altitude, positioning time, etc.) periodically transmitted from the GPS terminal 200 and location information transmitted from the monitoring terminal 100, and stores it in the storage unit 350. In this embodiment, the "location information" acquired by the server is not limited to the raw data itself that indicates the geographical coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude, etc.) of a specific terminal positioned by GPS, etc. For example, even if the data has undergone some kind of anonymization or generalization processing on the terminal side or server side from the standpoint of privacy protection, if it originates from the original location information and suggests information about the geographical location or area of ​​the terminal, it can be included in the "location information" in this disclosure. Specifically, the following information can also be treated as "location information". (a) Location data with random noise added to the original coordinates, (b) Generalized location data in which the original coordinates are rounded to a specific grid or area (e.g., city, town, or village, mesh code), (c) Statistical regional stay information showing the density and distribution of terminals in a specific area after statistically processing the location information of multiple terminals in a way that prevents the identification of individual terminals, and (d) Information showing the relative positional relationship from a certain reference point (e.g., "located within a 500m radius of the reference point"). Even if this processed location information is obtained by the server and used for monitoring processing according to the status of the monitoring terminal and GPS terminal, it is within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure. Furthermore, the location information of the monitoring terminal does not necessarily need to be obtained and used at all times, depending on the type and content of the monitoring processing and the user settings. For example, it may be used only in limited cases, such as when performing processing based on the relative distance between the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal (e.g., proximity alert) or when adding regional information around the current location of the user of the monitoring terminal. If the monitoring terminal is a device such as a smart speaker that is permanently installed, it is conceivable to acquire and use fixed location information indicating its installation location, or a form of monitoring that does not use the location information of the monitoring terminal at all may also be included in the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] The terminal status management unit 330 acquires and manages various status information (e.g., Wi-Fi connection status, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication status, battery level, etc.) from the GPS terminal 200 and the monitoring terminal 100. This information is transmitted from the GPS terminal 200 and the monitoring terminal 100 to the server 300.

[0021] The monitoring processing execution unit 340 is the core processing unit of this disclosure, and performs various monitoring processes based on location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 320, terminal status managed by the terminal status management unit 330, and various setting information stored in the storage unit 350.

[0022] Here, when we say that the server performs processing "based on" the location information of the monitoring terminal and GPS terminal, it is not limited to cases where the server directly uses the current real-time location information itself that has been acquired, but also includes cases where the server performs processing using historical data of this location information accumulated from the past, behavioral patterns and dangerous area information statistically analyzed or learned from such historical data, or other relevant information derived from this location information (for example, speed of movement, time spent, frequency of visits to specific places, detection of unusual movement routes, etc.). Furthermore, in addition to generating information that immediately instructs action based on this information, the server may also perform processing "based on" the information when it calculates and provides indicators and evaluation values ​​to assist the user of the monitoring terminal in making decisions, such as the risk level of the monitored subject's situation, the degree of deviation from normal, and warning information. Furthermore, "based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal" is not limited to cases where the location information of both is required and always used, but also includes modes in which the location information of the GPS terminal is used as the primary information, and the location information of the monitoring terminal (or its installation location information) is used as auxiliary information as needed, or modes in which the main monitoring process is performed based solely on the location information of the GPS terminal (see also the description below for details). For example, if the monitoring terminal is a smart speaker, the process of responding with the current location of the GPS terminal by voice is mainly performed based on the location information of the GPS terminal.

[0023] The "monitoring process" performed by the monitoring processing execution unit 340 includes not only direct danger notifications and behavioral intervention processes, such as notifications when a GPS terminal deviates from a specific area and warning displays when the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal are separated by a predetermined distance, but also processes that analyze the current status and past behavioral history of the GPS terminal and present the results to the monitoring terminal in a stepwise or indicatoral manner in the form of risk level, safety score, degree of deviation from behavioral patterns, and recommended attention level (see also the description below for details). For example, providing information such as "This is an unusual behavioral pattern (score decrease: moderate)" when there is a significant deviation from the normal behavioral pattern is also a form of "monitoring process" to alert the user. Furthermore, the process may also include the server evaluating the overall activity status and risk level of GPS terminals in a specific area based on anonymized or statistically compiled location information, and providing the evaluation results to the monitoring terminal as general cautionary information or statistical reports. For example, providing information such as, "Currently, in the XX area of ​​your residence (e.g., within a 1km radius), activity from other GPS devices is more active than usual, and multiple movement patterns similar to those observed in locations with a high number of past accident reports have been observed. Please be careful when going out," can also be carried out as part of a broader definition of "monitoring."

[0024] Specifically, the monitoring processing execution unit 340 may include sub-function blocks such as a display control unit 341, a notification control unit 342, a communication frequency control unit 343, a proximity determination unit 344, and a home / away determination unit 345.

[0025] The display control unit 341 generates location information and other information of the GPS terminal 200 to be displayed on the screen of the monitoring terminal 100 (see Figures 6, 6A to 6C), and transmits it to the monitoring terminal 100.

[0026] The notification control unit 342 sends a notification message to the monitoring terminal 100 when certain conditions are met (e.g., when the GPS terminal 200 enters or leaves a pre-set area, or when the battery level of the GPS terminal 200 decreases).

[0027] The communication frequency control unit 343 dynamically controls the frequency of location information transmission from the GPS terminal 200 and the polling frequency from the server 300, depending on the situation.

[0028] The proximity determination unit 344 determines whether the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 are in close proximity ("together") based on the distance between them and the connection status of short-range wireless communication such as BLE (see Figure 8).

[0029] The home / away determination unit 345 determines whether each GPS terminal 200 or monitoring terminal 100 is at home or away from home based on information such as whether the terminal is connected to a pre-registered home Wi-Fi access point.

[0030] The storage unit 350 consists of an HDD 303 and a database system, and stores various data necessary for the operation of the monitoring system 1, such as user information, GPS terminal information (see Figure 5), monitoring terminal information, location information logs for each terminal (see Figure 9), monitoring settings (geofence information, notification conditions, etc.), and facility information (information on multi-story buildings, etc.).

[0031] (Variation of server functionality: Lightweight server type) Figure 3A is a functional block diagram of a lightweight server-type system with more limited functionality, as a modified example of this embodiment. In this configuration, the server 300A mainly includes an authentication unit (not shown) that performs authentication between terminals, a communication establishment support unit (not shown) that assists in establishing communication paths, a rule management unit 340A'' that manages and distributes basic monitoring rules (for example, a list of notification recipients, basic geofencing information, and other fixed information that is not updated frequently), and an emergency notification relay unit 340A' that receives and relays emergency notifications from terminals. In this lightweight server-type configuration, location information transmitted from the GPS terminal 200 and location information transmitted from the monitoring terminal 100 are exchanged directly between terminals without going through the server 300A, or the server 300A simply relays them. Detailed analysis of location information (for example, deviation of behavior patterns, complex proximity determination combining multiple pieces of information, etc.) and real-time decision processing based on that are mainly performed on the monitoring terminal 100 or GPS terminal 200 side (processing units within each terminal, not shown). Even with this configuration, Server 300A plays an indispensable role in establishing the entire monitoring system, such as initial system setup, ensuring reliable communication between terminals, or providing a basic framework for the system as a whole, and can therefore function as a "server" in this disclosure. In this case, Server 300A's distribution of rules related to monitoring processing and support for establishing communication may be considered "executing monitoring processing" in a broad sense (see also the description below).

[0032] (A variation of server functionality: cooperative processing type) Figure 3B is a functional block diagram of a cooperative processing system according to another modification of this embodiment. In this configuration, the server 300B, the monitoring terminal 100, and the GPS terminal 200 exchange information more closely and each performs a part of the "monitoring process" in its own way. For example, the server 300B includes a location information acquisition unit 320B, a terminal status management unit 330B, a primary alert generation unit 340B' (for example, detecting when the GPS terminal 200 has entered a wide-area restricted area), and a communication unit 310B. The GPS terminal 200 transmits its own location information to the server 300B and / or the monitoring terminal 100. The monitoring terminal 100 receives primary alert information from the server 300B and also directly receives detailed location and status information from the GPS terminal 200. A monitoring processing decision unit (not shown) within the monitoring terminal 100 comprehensively considers this information and the state of the monitoring terminal itself (e.g., the user's current status, past notification history, etc.) to perform advanced monitoring processing, such as determining the final notification content, adjusting the display method, or proposing specific actions to the user. In this way, the server 300B performs primary information processing and wide-area monitoring, while the monitoring terminal 100 makes more individual and situation-specific detailed decisions, thereby achieving efficient and precise monitoring as a whole system. In this case as well, the server 300B performs "monitoring processing," such as generating primary alerts based on location information.

[0033] 4. Explanation of Data Structure Figure 5 shows an example of the data structure of the terminal information table 500 used in this embodiment. The terminal information table 500 is stored, for example, in the storage unit 350 and manages information about each GPS terminal 200 and monitoring terminal 100. Main fields may include a "terminal ID" 501 that uniquely identifies the terminal, a "terminal type" 502 that indicates the type of terminal (GPS terminal / monitoring terminal), a "user ID" 503 that indicates the ID of the associated user, a "current location" 504 that holds the latest location information (latitude and longitude), a "last updated time" 505 that indicates the last updated time of the location information, a "home Wi-Fi connection" 506 that indicates the connection status to the home Wi-Fi, a "BLE connection destination" 507 that indicates the ID of the terminal to which BLE communication is connected, and an "update frequency mode" 508 that indicates the update frequency setting of the location information. This information is referenced by the monitoring processing execution unit 340 when performing various judgments and controls.

[0034] Figure 9 shows an example of the structure of log data 900 that can be recorded in the storage unit 350 of the server 300 in this embodiment. The log data 900 may include fields such as log ID 901, timestamp 902, event type 903 (e.g., area deviation, proximity determination, communication frequency change instruction), related terminal ID 904 (including monitoring terminal ID, GPS terminal ID, etc.), reference main parameters 905 (e.g., referenced location coordinates, determination threshold, BLE connection status), processing result 906 (e.g., notification transmission, new communication frequency setting value), and remarks 907. Such log data can be used for system operation verification, as will be explained later.

[0035] 5. Explanation of the processing flow Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the monitoring process in this embodiment. This process is executed, for example, by the monitoring process execution unit 340 of the server 300 at predetermined intervals or when a specific event occurs.

[0036] First, the server 300 obtains location information from the monitoring terminal 100 and one or more associated GPS terminals 200 (step S401). It also obtains terminal status information such as Wi-Fi connection status and BLE connection status as needed (step S402).

[0037] Next, based on the acquired information, the positional relationship (distance, etc.) between the monitoring terminal 100 and each GPS terminal 200 is determined (step S403). In addition, the home / away determination unit 345 determines the home / away status of each terminal (step S404), and the proximity determination unit 344 determines the proximity status based on BLE communication, etc. (step S405, see Figure 8).

[0038] Based on these determination results, the communication frequency control unit 343 optimizes the frequency of location information transmission for each GPS terminal 200 (step S406). For example, if both the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 are determined to be at home or in close proximity, the update frequency is set to a low setting. Alternatively, if it is detected that the GPS terminal has been disconnected from the home Wi-Fi access point, the communication frequency is set to a high setting according to the sequence shown in Figure 7 (see Example 5 below).

[0039] Next, the display control unit 341 determines the information of the GPS terminal 200 to be displayed on the map of the monitoring terminal 100 (step S407). For example, the information of GPS terminals 200 that are close to the monitoring terminal 100 is either hidden or displayed in a simplified form (see Figure 6). Also, if it is determined that the user is inside a multi-story building, the display is adjusted to take into account not only the simple horizontal distance but also the floor information (see Figure 6C). In determining the information in step S407 and transmitting the information in step S409, it is also possible to generate and transmit not only direct alerts but also risk scores and situation assessment information (see Figure 6B) based on the analysis results of the location information history to the monitoring terminal. In addition, status information of the processing basis can be added and displayed as needed (see Figure 6A).

[0040] Finally, the determined display information and any necessary notification information (generated in step S408) are sent to the monitoring terminal 100 (step S409). By repeating this series of processes, dynamic monitoring that adapts to the situation is achieved.

[0041] (Example of a specific processing sequence) Figure 7 shows an example of the sequence of disconnection detection from the home Wi-Fi access point and subsequent communication frequency change processing in this embodiment. When the GPS terminal 200 is connected to the home Wi-Fi (AP) (step S701), the GPS terminal 200 periodically transmits location information and Wi-Fi connection status to the server 300 at a low frequency (step S702). The server 300 receives this and recognizes the status (step S703). Subsequently, when the GPS terminal 200 leaves the home Wi-Fi area and the connection is terminated (step S704), the GPS terminal 200 immediately notifies the server 300 of the Wi-Fi disconnection event (step S705). The terminal status management unit 330 and the home / away determination unit 345 of the server 300 detect this (step S706), and the communication frequency control unit 343 generates an instruction to change the communication frequency of the GPS terminal 200 to high frequency mode (step S707). This instruction is sent to the GPS terminal 200 (step S708), and the GPS terminal 200 begins to send location information to the server 300 at a high frequency (step S709). At the same time, the notification control unit 342 sends a notification such as "Your child has gone out" to the monitoring terminal 100 (step S710). This allows for quick detection of a child's departure and enhances monitoring.

[0042] (Example of proximity detection logic) Figure 8 is a state transition diagram showing an example of the proximity determination logic performed by the proximity determination unit 344 in this embodiment. The initial state is "determining" 801. If the distance between the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 based on GPS positioning is less than or equal to a first threshold (e.g., 30m) (condition C1), and a BLE connection is established between the two terminals (condition C2), the state transitions to "proximity (BLE)" 802. In this state, it is determined with high accuracy that the two terminals are "together". If the BLE connection is disconnected in the "proximity (BLE)" 802 state (condition C3), the state transitions to "proximity doubt (GPS only)" 803. In this state, even if the GPS distance is less than or equal to the first threshold, it is determined that the two terminals have temporarily separated or there may be a GPS error because the BLE connection has been disconnected. If a BLE connection is re-established from this state (condition C2'), the state returns to "proximity (BLE)" 802. Furthermore, in the "Proximity Doubt (GPS only)" 803 state, if the GPS distance exceeds the first threshold and becomes greater than the second threshold (e.g., 50m) (condition C4), or if the GPS distance remains below the first threshold for a predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute) but the BLE connection is not re-established (condition C5), the state transitions to "Distant" 804. From the "Distant" 804 state, if the GPS distance becomes below the first threshold (condition C1') and the BLE connection is also established (condition C2''), it is possible to transition directly to "Proximity (BLE)" 802. In this way, by combining multiple information sources (GPS distance, BLE connection status, and elapsed time), a more reliable proximity determination is performed.

[0043] In this embodiment, "monitoring process" is a higher-level concept. Specific examples of the "monitoring process" include the "location information display control process," "location information update frequency control process," "proximity detection process," "home / away detection process," and "notification process" described in this embodiment.

[0044] Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. For example, the type and number of terminals, network configuration, and distribution of server functions (see Figures 3A and 3B) can be changed as appropriate. In addition, although the above embodiments describe an example in which the server 300 performs the main part of the monitoring process, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the monitoring terminal 100 may acquire location information directly from the GPS terminal 200 or via the server 300 (however, the server 300 only performs relay and authentication, see Figure 3A), and the processor of the monitoring terminal 100 may perform monitoring processing (proximity detection, display control, notification control, etc.). In this case, the server 300 may also play a role in providing information for establishing an initial connection between the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200, or in distributing and managing monitoring rules and setting information to be shared among terminals (see also the description below). Furthermore, if a direct communication path cannot be established between the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, or if communication is unstable, the server 300 may relay at least one of the location information between the two, or it may take over some of the monitoring processes performed by the monitoring terminal or GPS terminal (for example, determining entry into a pre-set dangerous area or notifying emergency contacts). Even with such a configuration, the entire system, in that the monitoring terminal, GPS terminal, and server that performs some processing work together to achieve monitoring, may fall within the scope of this disclosure. Elements of each embodiment may be combined as appropriate.

[0045] This embodiment contributes to the improvement of computer technology in the following ways. (1) Reduction of processing load and communication volume: By dynamically optimizing the frequency of location information transmission from GPS terminals and polling from the server according to the relative positions and status of the monitoring terminals and GPS terminals, the CPU load and battery consumption of GPS terminals and monitoring terminals are suppressed, and the processing load on the server is reduced. In addition, by reducing unnecessary and non-urgent data communication, the amount of communication traffic on the entire network is reduced, and communication bandwidth can be used efficiently. (2) Improved efficiency and real-time capabilities of data processing: By selectively processing and displaying only the necessary information depending on the situation, the efficiency of data processing is increased. For example, by immediately strengthening the monitoring mode when a child disconnects from the home Wi-Fi (see Figure 7), the real-time capabilities of detecting and responding to a child's absence are improved. (3) Improved User Interface: When displaying information from multiple GPS devices on the monitoring terminal screen, the display content will be optimized according to the situation (e.g., nearby devices will be hidden, see Figure 6), eliminating screen clutter and allowing users to quickly and accurately grasp important information. This will improve usability. In addition, by reducing false positives (e.g., improving the accuracy of detection in multi-story buildings, see Figure 6C, or improving the accuracy of proximity detection by using BLE, see Figure 8), it will prevent unnecessary confusion and anxiety for users and increase reliability.

[0046] (Examples) The following describes specific embodiments of this disclosure.

[0047] Example 1: Hiding children who are with their parents In this embodiment, we assume a situation where multiple GPS terminals 200 (for example, GPS terminal A, GPS terminal B) are registered to the monitoring terminal 100.

[0048] The proximity detection unit 344 of the server 300 compares the location of the monitoring terminal 100 with the location information of each GPS terminal 200 and calculates the distance between them. For example, if the distance between the monitoring terminal 100 and GPS terminal A is within 10 meters and this condition continues for 30 seconds or more, the proximity detection unit 344 determines that the two are "together" (see also the state transition in Figure 8).

[0049] Based on this determination, the display control unit 341 generates control data to either hide the icon for GPS terminal A or display it as a very small icon in the map display on the monitoring terminal 100, and transmits it to the monitoring terminal 100 (see Figure 6). On the other hand, for GPS terminal B, which is more than 10 meters away from the monitoring terminal 100, the icon is displayed on the map as usual.

[0050] This allows the user of the monitoring terminal 100 to focus on the status of the GPS terminal B, which is located further away, and reduces screen clutter. This embodiment particularly contributes to solving the specific technical challenge of "continuously displaying and tracking all children in the vicinity, which leads to UX and display clutter."

[0051] Example 2: High-precision proximity detection using BLE communication This embodiment addresses the problem of "misjudgment of whether people are together" in indoor facilities or high-rise buildings where GPS positioning errors are large.

[0052] The monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 are both equipped with BLE communication capabilities. The proximity determination unit 344 of the server 300 obtains distance information from the GPS, as well as whether a BLE connection has been established between the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200, from the terminal status management unit 330.

[0053] If a BLE connection is established, it can be estimated that both terminals are physically very close to each other (usually within a few meters to tens of meters). The proximity determination unit 344 places importance on this BLE connection status and determines with high accuracy that the terminals are "together" if BLE is connected, even if the distance measured by GPS is somewhat far apart (e.g., 30 meters) or conversely, very close (e.g., 5 meters) (see status "Proximity (BLE)" 802 in Figure 8). Conversely, if BLE is not connected, it is determined that there is a high probability that the terminals are "not together" even if they are close on GPS (see status "Doubtful Proximity (GPS only)" 803 or "Apart" 804 in Figure 8).

[0054] Based on this determination, the communication frequency control unit 343 significantly reduces the frequency of location information updates for the GPS terminal 200 while connected via BLE (e.g., once every 5 minutes), and the display control unit 341 reflects this in the display of the monitoring terminal 100 (e.g., displaying a "Connecting via BLE" icon, or a status display like that shown in Figure 6A).

[0055] Example 3: Preventing misjudgments in multi-story buildings This embodiment addresses the problem that "GPS accuracy deteriorates, leading to misjudgments of whether or not people are together" in multi-story buildings such as commercial facilities and train stations.

[0056] Assume that the storage unit 350 of server 300 stores location information (latitude and longitude range) and facility information related to the hierarchical structure of major multi-story buildings. If the location information acquisition unit 320 determines that the location of the GPS terminal 200 or monitoring terminal 100 is within the range of these multi-story buildings, the proximity determination unit 344 performs special processing.

[0057] Specifically, even if the horizontal GPS coordinates of the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 are close together (e.g., within 15 meters), they may be on different floors, so it is not simply determined that they are "together." Instead, the display control unit 341 displays the location information of both terminals on a map, and if possible, also displays floor information (e.g., "On the 3rd floor," "On the 5th floor," see Figure 6C). This allows the user to understand the actual situation more accurately.

[0058] Example 4: Monitoring frequency control based on home / away status This embodiment addresses the issues that "even when parents and children are in the same place (such as home), location information acquisition and communication processing continue, resulting in the consumption of unnecessary power and communication resources" and "when children are at home and parents are out, monitoring is necessary, but constant high-frequency communication is excessive."

[0059] The user registers the SSID of their home Wi-Fi access point with the server 300 in advance via the monitoring terminal 100. The home / away detection unit 345 periodically checks whether the monitoring terminal 100 and the GPS terminal 200 are connected to this registered Wi-Fi access point.

[0060] If both devices are connected to the home Wi-Fi network (both are at home), the communication frequency control unit 343 sets the frequency of location information acquisition for the GPS device 200 to the minimum (e.g., once per hour, or manual update only).

[0061] If GPS terminal 200 is connected to the home Wi-Fi (child is at home) and monitoring terminal 100 is not connected (parent is out), set the communication frequency to moderate (e.g., once every 15 minutes).

[0062] If GPS terminal 200 is not connected to home Wi-Fi (child is out) and monitoring terminal 100 is connected (parent is at home), or if neither is connected (both are out), set the communication frequency to high frequency (e.g., once every minute).

[0063] Example 5: Enhanced detection of children leaving the house and immediate monitoring. This embodiment addresses the problem that "with conventional monitoring services, even if a child leaves the house while the parent's smartphone is at home, immediate detection is not possible, resulting in delayed monitoring." This is because the monitoring frequency is significantly reduced when the child is in the same location. As in Example 4, assume that the home Wi-Fi is registered. When the monitoring terminal 100 is connected to the home Wi-Fi (parent at home) and the GPS terminal 200 is also connected to the home Wi-Fi (child at home), if the terminal status management unit 330 detects that the Wi-Fi connection of the GPS terminal 200 has been disconnected, the home / away determination unit 345 determines that the GPS terminal 200 has "left the house".

[0064] Triggered by this detection of the child leaving the house, the communication frequency control unit 343 immediately increases the frequency of location information acquisition for the GPS terminal 200 to the highest level (see sequence S707-S709 in Figure 7), and the notification control unit 342 sends a notification to the monitoring terminal 100 such as "Your child has left the house" (see sequence S710 in Figure 7). This allows parents to quickly become aware of their child's departure and automatically initiates high-frequency monitoring.

[0065] Variation 1: Recording of monitoring process execution log In this modified example, the monitoring processing execution unit 340 of the server 300 may be configured to record log data in the storage unit 350, associated with a timestamp and related terminal IDs (monitoring terminal ID, GPS terminal ID), indicating the main information referenced when executing the monitoring process, the type of judgment logic applied, and the processing result (see Figure 9). For example, a specific log such as "Detected that GPS terminal (ID:XXX) has deviated from geofence A (step S408). Referenced location information: (latitude, longitude), judgment time: YYYY / MM / DD hh:mm:ss. Sent notification (type B) to monitoring terminal (ID:YYY)." may be recorded. This log data can be used for verifying the operation of the system, detecting misuse, generating statistical information, and, if necessary, as indirect evidence that the server actually performed the information processing described in the claims.

[0066] Example 6: Status display of processing basis When the display control unit 341 of the monitoring terminal 100 displays the location of the GPS terminal based on information received from the server 300, under certain conditions, it may display status information on a part of the screen that shows an overview of the main decision logic on the server side that formed the basis of the display or notification (see Figure 6A). For example, as shown in Figure 6A, on the screen 600A of the monitoring terminal 100, status 620A such as "Processing mode: Only GPS terminal location is being used" may be displayed near the display information 610A of GPS terminal A, or status 620B such as "Proximity determination: Confirmed by BLE connection" may be displayed near the display information 610B of GPS terminal B. In addition, supplementary information such as "Notification reason: Deviation from area A (server determination)" may be included in the notification message (not shown). Such displays may be set to off during normal use, but they can function as confirmation that the system is operating as intended, or as one of the pieces of circumstantial evidence in the event of a problem.

[0067] Example 7: Risk score and behavioral pattern deviation display Figure 6B shows yet another example of the display screen of the monitoring terminal in this embodiment (risk score display). The screen 600B of the monitoring terminal 100 displays the location of each GPS terminal along with the risk score calculated by the server 300 as part of the monitoring process. For example, the icon 610C for GPS terminal C is assigned a color coding or numerical value indicating the risk level (high, medium, low, etc.). In addition, a warning message 630B such as "GPS terminal C: Deviation from normal behavior pattern (attention level: medium)" is displayed at the bottom of the screen. This risk score and the degree of deviation from the behavior pattern are calculated by, for example, the server 300 analyzing the history of GPS terminal location information and comprehensively evaluating the distance from the normal behavior area, abnormal movement speed, frequency of approaching specific dangerous areas, etc.

[0068] (Note) [General tasks] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to optimize child monitoring processes in various situations, thereby improving efficiency, accuracy, and convenience.

[0069] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 1] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to enable efficient monitoring based on location information from monitoring terminals and GPS terminals. [Note 1] A monitoring system comprising a monitoring terminal, a GPS terminal, and a server, wherein the server acquires location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, and performs monitoring processing based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal. (Effects of Appendix 1) By performing monitoring processes based on location information from monitoring terminals and GPS terminals, child monitoring processes are optimized according to various situations, improving the efficiency, accuracy, and convenience of monitoring terminals.

[0070] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 2] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to reduce the complexity of map displays on monitoring terminals when monitoring multiple GPS terminals, and to make important information easier to see. [Note 2] The monitoring system as described in Appendix 1, wherein, when multiple GPS terminals are associated with the monitoring terminal, the server does not display the location information of a first GPS terminal located within a certain distance from the monitoring terminal on the map, but displays the location information of a second GPS terminal located beyond a certain distance from the monitoring terminal on the map. (Effects due to Appendix 2) This allows the monitoring terminal's map display to suppress the display of nearby GPS terminals and prioritize the viewing of information from distant GPS terminals, thereby eliminating clutter in the display and improving usability.

[0071] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 3] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to prevent the display from switching frequently simply because it is temporarily in close proximity, and to provide a more stable display. [Note 3] The monitoring system described in Appendix 2, wherein the location information of the first GPS terminal that remains within a certain distance for a predetermined period of time or longer is not displayed on the map. (Effects of Appendix 3) This improves display stability and prevents user confusion by not hiding the display when the monitoring terminal and GPS terminal are only temporarily close together, but only when they remain in close proximity.

[0072] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 4] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to reduce battery consumption and wasted communication resources of GPS terminals when monitoring terminals and GPS terminals are in close proximity. [Note 4] The monitoring system as described in Appendix 1, wherein the monitoring process includes a process to reduce the frequency of location information updates of GPS terminals located in close proximity to the monitoring terminal. (Effects of Appendix 3) This allows the GPS terminal's battery consumption and data usage to be reduced by decreasing the frequency of location updates from the GPS terminal when the monitoring terminal and GPS terminal are determined to be close together.

[0073] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 5] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to perform monitoring processing based on more accurate proximity conditions using short-range wireless communication, even in environments where GPS positioning accuracy is low. [Note 5] The monitoring system described in Appendix 1, which modifies the monitoring process depending on whether the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal are performing short-range wireless communication or not. (Effects of Appendix 5) This allows for more reliable monitoring, especially in locations where GPS positioning accuracy tends to decrease, such as indoors, by changing the content of the monitoring process (for example, controlling the frequency of location information updates or improving the accuracy of proximity detection) according to the connection status of short-range wireless communication such as BLE.

[0074] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 6] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to display necessary information while preventing the monitoring terminal and GPS terminal from being mistakenly identified as being in close proximity even when they are on different floors within a multi-story building. [Note 6] The monitoring system described in Appendix 2, which, based on facility information, determines that the person is in a multi-story building, and then displays the location information of a first GPS terminal located within a certain distance of the monitoring terminal on a map. (Effects of Appendix 6) This means that in multi-story buildings, even if people are geographically close, they may actually be on different floors. Therefore, instead of uniformly hiding their location, displaying the GPS device's location information as needed helps users understand their situation.

[0075] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 7] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to dynamically optimize the frequency of monitoring according to the home / away status of the monitoring terminal and GPS terminal, suppressing unnecessary communication and processing while providing sufficient monitoring when necessary. [Note 7] The monitoring system as described in Appendix 1, wherein if the monitoring terminal is determined to be at home and the GPS terminal is determined to be out, monitoring processing is performed on the GPS terminal at a high frequency, and if both the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal are determined to be at home, the frequency of monitoring is reduced. (Effects of Appendix 7) This allows for efficient monitoring tailored to the situation, such as increasing the frequency of monitoring when the child is out and the parent is at home, and decreasing the frequency when both parent and child are at home, while also appropriately managing the device's battery consumption and communication load.

[0076] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 8] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to quickly detect when a GPS device leaves the home Wi-Fi area and immediately enhance the level of monitoring. [Note 8] The monitoring system described in Appendix 1, which increases the frequency of monitoring the GPS terminal when it detects that the GPS terminal has disconnected from the home Wi-Fi access point. (Effects of Appendix 8) This allows for early detection of situations where a child is likely to have left home (such as a disconnection from Wi-Fi), and by automatically increasing the monitoring frequency, it enables a quick response and enhances safety.

[0077] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 9] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to enable the monitoring function to continue or be supplemented by the server's intervention, even in situations where direct communication between terminals is difficult. [Note 9] The monitoring system as described in Appendix 1, wherein the server relays at least one of the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, or performs a part of the monitoring process by the monitoring terminal or the GPS terminal, when a direct communication path cannot be established between the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal. (Effects of Appendix 9) This allows the server to relay information and perform some processing, even in situations such as poor radio wave conditions or unstable P2P communication between terminals, thereby improving the reliability and continuity of the monitoring service.

[0078] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 10] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to analyze the past behavioral history of GPS devices and provide users with not only their current location but also an assessment of potential risks and unusual circumstances. [Note 10] The monitoring system as described in Appendix 1, wherein the monitoring process includes analyzing the history of location information obtained from the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, and generating evaluation information or risk information regarding the status of the GPS terminal and providing it to the monitoring terminal based on the results of the analysis. (Effects of Appendix 10) This allows for the evaluation of risk factors such as the degree of deviation from normal behavior and approach to dangerous areas based on the GPS terminal's behavioral patterns and location history, and by notifying the monitoring terminal, more detailed and insightful monitoring information can be provided.

[0079] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 11] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide a monitoring service that utilizes location information while respecting privacy. [Note 11] The monitoring system according to Appendix 1, characterized in that at least one of the location information of the monitoring terminal and the location information of the GPS terminal acquired by the server includes data that has been subjected to anonymization, generalization, or statistical processing of the original location information. (Effects of Appendix 11) This allows for monitoring using not only raw location information but also location information that has been processed for privacy protection (for example, location rounding information or statistical information), thereby mitigating user privacy concerns while enabling the provision of services.

[0080] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 12] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to support a variety of monitoring devices, such as smart speakers, and to flexibly implement GPS-centric monitoring processing. [Note 12] The monitoring system according to Appendix 1, wherein the monitoring terminal is equipped with a voice interface for inputting and outputting information with the user via voice, and / or the monitoring process is performed using the location information of the GPS terminal as the primary information, and the location information of the monitoring terminal is used supplementarily or not used at all. (Effects of Appendix 12) This makes the monitoring system usable not only with smartphones but also with voice-controlled monitoring devices (e.g., smart speakers). Furthermore, by performing monitoring processing primarily based on the location information of GPS devices, it enables flexible monitoring that adapts to the type and status of the monitoring device.

[0081] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 13] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to clarify the technical scope of the "monitoring process" performed by the server, to ensure the stability of the scope of rights while encompassing a variety of specific examples. [Note 13] When the server "performs monitoring processing," it means that, based on at least one of the location information of the monitoring terminal and the location information of the GPS terminal acquired by the server, it performs information processing including one or more of the processes exemplified in (a) to (e) below, and the result of that processing may affect the operating state or information output of at least one of the monitoring terminal, the GPS terminal, or the server itself. However, these are examples, and "monitoring processing" is not limited to these examples. (a) A process for generating, processing, or selecting information to be displayed or notified to the monitoring terminal based on the location information, status information, or history thereof of the GPS terminal (e.g., displaying location on a map (see Figure 6), displaying movement trajectory, notifying entry into or exit from a specific area, speeding warning, low battery warning, notification of communication status with the GPS terminal, proximity status notification, calculation and presentation of risk score and safety score (see Figure 6B)). (b) A process for generating or transmitting information to control the frequency of transmission of location information or other information from the GPS terminal, positioning accuracy, or operating mode, based on the relative position, status, or user settings of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal (see Figure 7). (c) A process that detects a predetermined condition (e.g., entering or leaving a geofence, stopping movement for a certain period of time or longer, receiving an SOS signal) based on the location information or status information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, and performs a predetermined notification process or control process based on the detection result. (d) A process that records information (including location information) received from the monitoring terminal or GPS terminal in a storage unit in association with the purpose of monitoring (see Figure 9), or generates statistical information or behavioral pattern information based on the recorded information. (e) A process that assists in establishing communication between the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, or a process that relays information related to monitoring (including at least location information) when direct communication between the two terminals is difficult, wherein the relay process is performed in cooperation with other monitoring processes (for example, any of (a) to (d)) that are performed based on the location information (such as some functions in the lightweight server configuration of Figure 3A). (Effects of Appendix 13) By illustrating specific forms of "monitoring processing" as described above, while also adding a note that it is not limited to these forms, the clarity of interpretation is enhanced, resistance to easy circumvention designs is strengthened, and the stability of rights is contributed to.

[0082] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 14] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to clarify the scope of location information that the server references when performing monitoring processes, and to show that system configurations that do not use the location information of monitoring terminals, or use it only to a limited extent, may also be included within the scope of the rights. [Note 14] In this specification, "the server performs monitoring processing based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal" may include performing monitoring processing using location information in any of the following manners (a) to (b). (a) When the monitoring process is performed by using a combination of the location information of the monitoring terminal and the location information of the GPS terminal. (b) Even if the monitoring process is performed primarily using the location information of the GPS terminal, and the location information of the monitoring terminal is used supplementarily (for example, only under specific conditions, in specific processes, or as fixed installation location information), or not used at all, the monitoring process contributes to the realization of a monitoring function for the entire system including the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal. In particular, even if the monitoring terminal does not provide real-time location information due to its characteristics (e.g., a fixed-installation device such as a smart speaker) or user settings, or provides it only to a limited extent, as long as the server acquires the location information of the GPS terminal and performs monitoring processing based on it (for example, monitoring in a processing mode such as status 620A in Figure 6A), the configuration of the present invention that performs monitoring processing "based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal" may still apply.

[0083] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 15] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to demonstrate the flexibility of the "server" role and to clarify that a server may play a central role in monitoring processes even without direct control. [Note 15] The statement that the server "performs monitoring processing" is not necessarily limited to cases where the server itself directly performs all decisions and controls. For example, in a lightweight server configuration as shown in Figure 3A, even if the server (300A) dynamically generates or selects processing rules for monitoring (e.g., timing of changes in communication frequency (see Figure 7), notification conditions, selection criteria for display targets, etc.) based on location information acquired from the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, distributes these rules to the monitoring terminal or GPS terminal via the rule management unit 340A'', and the monitoring terminal or GPS terminal performs specific monitoring actions (e.g., display changes, notification execution, communication frequency changes) in accordance with these rules, the server can still be interpreted as "performing monitoring processing." In this case, the server can be evaluated as playing a part in the core role of monitoring processing, which is to determine the system's operating policy based on location information. Similarly, in the cooperative processing configuration shown in Figure 3B, the server 300B functioning as a primary alert generation unit 340B' is also one form of "performing monitoring processing." [Explanation of Symbols]

[0084] 1. Monitoring System 100 monitoring terminals 200, 200a, 200b GPS terminals 300, 300A, 300B Servers 301 CPU 302 RAM 303 HDD / SSD 304 Communication Interface 305 Bus 310, 310B Communication Department 320, 320B Location information acquisition unit 330, 330B Terminal Status Management Unit 340, 340A', 340A'', 340B' Monitoring processing execution unit (or related processing unit) 341 Display Control Unit 342 Notification Control Unit 343 Communication frequency control unit 344 Proximity detection unit 345 Home / Outing Determination Unit 350 Storage section 500 Terminal Information Table 501 Terminal ID 502 Terminal Type 503 User ID 504 Current location 505 Last updated time 506 Home Wi-Fi connection 507 BLE connection destination 508 Update frequency mode 600A, 600B monitoring terminal screen 610A, 610B, 610C GPS terminal display information / icons 620A, 620B Status Display 630B Warning Message 801-804 Status (Melee detection) 900 log data 901-907 Log data fields NW Network AP Wi-Fi Access Point Steps in the flowchart S401-S409 S701~S710 Each step in the sequence diagram

Claims

1. It is equipped with a monitoring terminal, a GPS terminal, and a server. The aforementioned server, The location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal is acquired. Based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, a monitoring process is performed. A monitoring system.

2. When multiple GPS devices are associated with the aforementioned monitoring terminal, The aforementioned server, The location information of the first GPS terminal located within a certain distance from the aforementioned monitoring terminal will not be displayed on the map. The location information of a second GPS terminal located beyond a certain distance from the aforementioned monitoring terminal is displayed on a map. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

3. The location information of the first GPS terminal that remains within a certain distance for a predetermined period of time or longer will not be displayed on the map. The monitoring system according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned monitoring process includes a process to reduce the frequency of location information updates for GPS terminals located in close proximity to the monitoring terminal. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

5. The monitoring process is changed depending on whether the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal are communicating via short-range wireless communication or not. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

6. If it is determined that the user is in a multi-story building based on facility information, the location information of the first GPS terminal located within a certain distance of the monitoring terminal will be displayed on the map. The monitoring system according to claim 2.

7. If the monitoring terminal is determined to be at home and the GPS terminal is determined to be out, the GPS terminal will be subjected to monitoring processing at a high frequency. If the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal determine that the person is at home, the frequency of monitoring will be reduced. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

8. When the GPS terminal detects that it has disconnected from the home Wi-Fi access point, To increase the monitoring frequency for the GPS terminal, The child monitoring system according to claim 1.

9. The server, when a direct communication path cannot be established between the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, relays at least one of the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, or performs a part of the monitoring process by the monitoring terminal or the GPS terminal. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

10. The monitoring process includes analyzing the history of location information acquired from the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, and generating evaluation information or risk information regarding the status of the GPS terminal based on the analysis results, and providing it to the monitoring terminal. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

11. The location information of the monitoring terminal and the location information of the GPS terminal acquired by the server are characterized in that at least one of them includes data that has been subjected to anonymization, generalization, or statistical processing of the original location information. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

12. The monitoring terminal is equipped with a voice interface for inputting and outputting information to and from the user via voice, and / or the monitoring process is performed using the location information of the GPS terminal as the primary information, and the location information of the monitoring terminal is used only as supplementary information or not used at all. The monitoring system according to claim 1.

13. It comprises a monitoring terminal, a GPS terminal, and an information processing device. At least one of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal acquires the location information of the other terminal. Based on the acquired location information and, if necessary, the information provided by the information processing device, a monitoring process is performed. The information processing device performs at least one of the following: assisting in the establishment of communication between the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, distributing rules related to monitoring processing, or acting as a substitute for a part of the monitoring processing performed by the monitoring terminal or the GPS terminal. A monitoring system.

14. The processor acquires location information from the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal. The processor performs monitoring processing based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal. Methods of monitoring.

15. In the processor, The monitoring terminal and GPS terminal will acquire location information. Based on the location information of the monitoring terminal and the GPS terminal, the monitoring process is executed. A program that executes a process.

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