Monitoring system, monitored terminal, control method, and program

Abstract

The present invention provides a monitoring system, a monitored terminal, a control method, and a program that handle messages on the monitored terminal according to message priority in message communication between a guardian and the person being monitored. [Solution] A monitoring system in which a guardian terminal 100, a monitored terminal 200, and a server 300 are connected to each other via a network 10 so that they can send and receive data from one another. The monitored terminal notifies the guardian terminal of its location information via the server, the guardian terminal adds priority information indicating its importance to the message and sends it to the monitored terminal, and the monitored terminal is equipped with a control unit that controls the presentation order, such as the display order of messages and the playback order of audio, based on the received priority information. This ensures that important information is displayed at the top of the list, for example, encouraging the monitored person to check important information preferentially and preventing them from missing information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring system, a monitored terminal, a control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, monitoring terminals for children equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) function have become widely popular. These terminals have a function of displaying the current position of the child on a map on the protector's smartphone (hereinafter referred to as the protector terminal), and the protector can always check where the child is. As a result, it is possible to remotely grasp whether the child has deviated from the school route or entered a dangerous place, which greatly contributes to the peace of mind of the protector.

[0003] Among such monitoring terminals, there are also those equipped with a two-way message transmission / reception function in order to enable communication between the protector and the child, in addition to a simple position information tracking function (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As a result, the protector can send a confirmation such as "Where are you now?" or a simple message such as "Come home carefully" to the child, and the child can also send a fixed phrase such as "I'm coming home now" or their own voice recorded and sent to the protector by a simple button operation.

[0004] However, in conventional monitoring terminals with a message function, the handling of the messages to be transmitted and received is often uniform regardless of their content or urgency. For example, received messages are basically listed and reproduced in the order of reception time series. Therefore, a very important and urgent message such as "The pick-up time is 30 minutes late", a daily cheering message such as "Do your best today", or a meaningless greeting from grandparents are all treated equally.

[0005] As a result, for children whose information management and importance judgment skills are not yet fully developed, truly important messages that require attention can get buried among a large number of everyday messages and be overlooked. Furthermore, because all messages are notified and displayed in the same way, it is difficult for children to intuitively understand the urgency of a message, potentially leading to delayed responses to important communications. From the parents' perspective, there is also the problem of uncertainty, as there is no way to be certain whether their child has actually acknowledged an important message they sent. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-2121 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a monitoring system, a monitored terminal, a control method, and a program that can handle messages on the monitored terminal according to message priority in message communication between a guardian and a monitored person. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a monitoring system is provided comprising a guardian terminal, a monitored terminal, and a server that communicates with the guardian terminal and the monitored terminal. The monitored terminal further comprises a location information acquisition unit that acquires its own location information and transmits the location information to the server according to predetermined rules, and the server transmits the location information received from the monitored terminal to the guardian terminal. The guardian terminal generates a message and priority information associated with the message and transmits it to the monitored terminal via the server, and the monitored terminal further comprises a control unit that determines the order in which the messages are presented based on the received priority information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, in message communication between a guardian and a person being monitored, messages on the monitored terminal can be handled according to the priority of the messages. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram schematically shows the overall configuration of a monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the parental device. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the monitored terminal. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the parental control device. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring device. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the data structure for message data and priority information in this embodiment. [Figure 8]It is a diagram showing an example of a setting table that defines the relationship between priority levels, corresponding presentation orders, notification modes, and saving rules. [Figure 9] It is a front view showing an example of a message creation and priority setting screen on the guardian terminal. [Figure 10] It is a front view showing an example of a screen where AI proposes a priority on the guardian terminal. [Figure 11] It is a front view showing an example of a message list screen on the watched terminal where the received messages are sorted and displayed based on priority. [Figure 12] It is a front view showing another example of a message list screen on the watched terminal where the message with the highest priority is fixedly displayed. [Figure 13] It is a sequence diagram showing the flow of basic message transmission and reception processing in this embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart showing the flow of presentation order determination processing when the watched terminal receives a message. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing the flow of notification mode control processing on the watched terminal. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart showing the flow of saving rule application processing on the watched terminal. [Figure 17] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the "non - deletion rule". [Figure 18] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the "auto - deletion rule after playback". [Figure 19] It is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the "overwriting rule". [Figure 20] It is a conceptual diagram for explaining the operation of the "time - limited deletion rule". [Figure 21] It is a conceptual diagram for explaining the operation of the "geofence - linked rule". [Figure 22] It is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a monitoring system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23]It is a conceptual diagram for explaining an alternative position information acquisition method in a monitored terminal. [Figure 24] It is a configuration diagram of a monitoring system according to another embodiment in which there are a plurality of guardian terminals. [Figure 25] It is a front view showing an example of a schedule setting screen for automatically changing priority rules according to time zones in a guardian terminal. [Figure 26] It is a flowchart showing a more detailed processing flow of an AI proposal section.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings used in the following description schematically show characteristic parts for the sake of easy understanding of the features of the present invention, and the dimensions, ratios, numbers, etc. of each component may not necessarily match the drawings. Also, in the following description, elements having the same function or configuration may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0012] [1. Overall Configuration of Monitoring System] 3]First, referring to FIG. 1, the overall configuration of a monitoring system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the monitoring system 1 of the present embodiment.

[0013] The monitoring system 1 mainly includes a guardian terminal 100 used by a guardian, a monitored terminal 200 possessed by a monitored person such as a child, and a server 300 that relays and manages communication between these two terminals. These guardian terminal 100, monitored terminal 200, and server 300 are connected to be able to transmit and receive data to and from each other via a network 10 combined with one or more of a mobile phone network, Wi-Fi, the Internet, etc.

[0014] The monitored terminal 200 has the function of receiving GPS signals transmitted from GPS satellites 20 and acquiring location information indicating its current location. In this invention, "location information" is not limited to latitude and longitude information, but may also include altitude information and supplementary information such as positioning time, movement speed, and movement direction. The acquired location information is transmitted to the server 300 according to predetermined rules. These "predetermined rules" can take various forms, such as periodic transmission "every 3 minutes", an on-demand method that transmits when requested by the guardian terminal 100, or an event-driven method that is triggered when a specific input unit 206, such as an SOS button provided on the monitored terminal 200, is operated.

[0015] Server 300 stores location information received from the monitored terminal 200 in a database, associating it with user information. Then, in response to a request from the guardian terminal 100, or when a predetermined event occurs (for example, when the monitored person enters or leaves a specific area that has been set in advance), it transmits the location information to the guardian terminal 100. This allows the guardian to check the monitored person's current location and movement history on a map on the screen of the guardian terminal 100.

[0016] In addition, the monitoring system 1 of this embodiment provides a function to send messages from the guardian terminal 100 to the monitored terminal 200. Notably, the guardian terminal 100 associates priority information indicating its importance and urgency with the message it sends. The monitored terminal 200 then comprehensively controls multiple behaviors related to message handling, such as the message presentation order (display order and playback order), notification method, and message saving rules, based on this received priority information. Details of this characteristic function of the present invention will be described in detail later.

[0017] [2. Hardware configuration of each device] Next, with reference to Figures 2 to 4, the hardware configuration of each device constituting the monitoring system 1 will be described.

[0018] (2-1. Hardware configuration of the parent device) Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the parental device 100. The parental device 100 can be implemented as, for example, a smartphone, a tablet device, or a personal computer.

[0019] The parent terminal 100 is equipped with a control unit 101 that comprehensively controls the entire device. The control unit 101 may be implemented as a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) based on the ARM architecture, and may include a multi-core CPU, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) specializing in graphics processing, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for accelerating AI processing. The control unit 101 also uses RAM, which is volatile memory, as its main memory and starts up by reading a boot loader stored in ROM, which is non-volatile memory.

[0020] The storage unit 102 consists of an SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, or a hard disk drive, and stores the operating system (OS), application programs for realizing the functions of this embodiment, and various data.

[0021] The communication unit 103 may be configured to include multiple communication means, such as a 5G / LTE module for long-distance mobile communication, a Wi-Fi module for short-range communication, a Bluetooth® module, and an NFC (Near Field Communication) reader / writer. Bluetooth can be used for initial setup (pairing) with the monitored terminal described later and for short-range data exchange, while NFC can be used to provide a simpler setup method that completes pairing simply by holding the terminals close together.

[0022] The display unit 105 consists of a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and displays map information, messages, various setting screens, etc. The input unit 106 consists of a touch panel and physical buttons located on the surface of the display unit 105, and accepts user input. The audio output unit 107 is a speaker, and the audio input unit 108 is a microphone.

[0023] (2-2. Hardware configuration of the monitored device) Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the monitored terminal 200. The monitored terminal 200 is a dedicated device designed to be small and lightweight so that children can easily carry it.

[0024] The monitored terminal 200 also includes a control unit 201 and a memory unit 202. Similar to the guardian terminal 100, these are composed of a processor and memory, and the characteristic control according to the present invention is performed by the control unit 201 executing a program stored in the memory unit 202.

[0025] The communication unit 203 is preferably composed of a communication module compatible with LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) communication standards, such as LTE-M or NB-IoT, which can cover a wide area while suppressing battery consumption, given the nature of this terminal which requires long operating times. The location information acquisition unit 204 primarily uses a GPS receiver as the positioning means, but it is extremely effective to use other positioning technologies in combination to supplement positioning accuracy in indoor or underground areas where GPS signals are difficult to receive.

[0026] Figure 23 is a conceptual diagram illustrating alternative location information acquisition methods for the monitored terminal. In addition to signals from GPS satellites 20 (GPS positioning), the location information acquisition unit 204 may also be equipped with auxiliary functions such as Wi-Fi positioning, which scans information such as the SSID and MAC address of nearby Wi-Fi access points 211 and determines the location based on that information, and cellular base station positioning, which determines the approximate location from the radio wave strength and ID information of nearby cellular base stations 212. The control unit 201 automatically switches between these positioning methods or integrates multiple positioning results to calculate the most likely location depending on the GPS positioning status. This enables uninterrupted monitoring as much as possible in any environment.

[0027] The display unit 205 consists of a small liquid crystal display or the like, and displays message lists, status icons, etc. The input unit 206 should ideally consist of a minimum number of physical buttons (for example, a message playback button, an SOS button for emergency notifications, etc.) so that even children can easily operate it. The audio output unit 207 is a speaker, and the audio input unit 208 is a microphone.

[0028] Furthermore, the monitored terminal 200 is equipped with a notification unit 209 to inform the user of messages and other notifications. The notification unit 209 includes, for example, an LED lamp 209a capable of emitting light in different colors and a vibrator 209b that generates vibrations. By changing the patterns of these lights and vibrations according to priority, in conjunction with notification sounds from the audio output unit 207, more intuitive notifications become possible.

[0029] (2-3. Server Hardware Configuration) Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of Server 300. Server 300 is implemented using a typical server computer.

[0030] The server 300 comprises a control unit 301, a storage unit 302, and a communication unit 303. These have functions similar to the corresponding components of the parent terminal 100.

[0031] In particular, server 300 is equipped with a database (DB) 304 consisting of a large-capacity storage device. DB 304 stores various information necessary for the operation of this service. The database (DB) 304 may be a single physical storage device, or it may be constructed as a distributed database system distributed across multiple servers to ensure load balancing and redundancy. Furthermore, each DB may combine an in-memory database capable of high-speed reading and writing with a disk-based database to ensure persistence.

[0032] DB304 includes, for example, user information DB304a which manages account information of guardians and those being monitored, and the relationship between the two; location information DB304b which stores location information collected chronologically from the monitored terminal 200; and message DB304c which stores the body of messages sent and received between the guardian terminal 100 and the monitored terminal 200, timestamps, assigned priority information, etc.

[0033] In particular, the message DB304c records not only the message body but also its associated priority information, send time, open time, and even the status of any applied retention rules (e.g., whether the "non-delete rule" is applied). This provides parents with the foundational data to track the message lifecycle and analyze overall service usage statistics (e.g., which priority levels are used most frequently).

[0034] [3. Functional configuration of each device] Next, with reference to Figures 5 and 6, we will describe the functional configurations that are primarily realized by the software of each device.

[0035] (3-1. Functional configuration of parental devices) Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the parent terminal 100. These functional blocks are realized when the control unit 101 of the parent terminal 100 executes the application program stored in the storage unit 102.

[0036] The application control unit 120 controls the operation of the entire application running on the parent terminal 100. The communication control unit 125 manages the communication session with the server 300 and sends and receives data in response to requests from each functional block described later.

[0037] The location information display unit 126 may not only display the latest location on the map, but may also have functions such as obtaining past movement history from the location information DB 304b of the server 300 and drawing the movement trajectory for a specified period as a line on the map, or setting a specific area (for example, a school or cram school) as a geofence and displaying a list of times when the monitored terminal 200 entered or left that area.

[0038] The message generation unit 122 generates message data (text, audio, etc.) to be sent based on user input via the input unit 106. The priority setting unit 123 is one of the features characteristic of the present invention, and associates the message generated by the message generation unit 122 with a priority level selected by the user. In this case, in addition to simple selections as shown in Figure 9, the system may also be configured to dynamically change the default priority level depending on the recipient (for example, whether the recipient is the "eldest son" or the "second son") or the current time (for example, whether it is late at night or daytime).

[0039] The AI ​​suggestion unit 124 is a function provided in more advanced embodiments. It can perform more complex processing internally. Figure 26 is a flowchart showing a more detailed processing flow of the AI ​​suggestion unit. When a message is input (step S801), keyword detection processing is performed first (S802). Here, it is compared with a pre-registered list of emergency words ("urgent," "help," "accident," etc.) and a list of words related to time ("late," "hurry," etc.). Next, contextual analysis processing is performed (S803), analyzing the structure of the entire sentence, such as whether it is in a negative form ("not late"), or whether it is an interrogative or declarative sentence. Furthermore, the transmission history analysis unit refers to the history of which priority the user ultimately selected in similar past messages (S804). These multiple analysis results are comprehensively evaluated and a final recommended priority score is calculated (S805). Only if the score exceeds a predetermined threshold is a suggestion made to the user (S806); otherwise, the process ends without making a suggestion. This multifaceted analysis enables more accurate suggestions.

[0040] (3-2. Functional configuration of the monitored terminal) Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitored terminal 200. This is the part that realizes the core control of the present invention.

[0041] The communication control unit 221 controls communication with the server 300. The location information acquisition unit 222 periodically controls the hardware location information acquisition unit 204 or in response to specific events to obtain positioning data and transmit it to the server 300 via the communication control unit 221.

[0042] The integrated control unit 230 is the core control unit of this embodiment and is activated when the communication control unit 221 receives a message and its associated priority information from the server 300. Due to the importance of its role, it is desirable that the integrated control unit 230 be given a higher execution priority than other general processes in the operating system of the monitored terminal 200. This ensures that it can respond to important events such as message reception without delay, even if other processes are running. The integrated control unit 230 also reads and uses a configuration table as shown in Figure 8 from the storage unit 202, but this table does not need to be fixed. For example, it is possible to configure the system so that the rules corresponding to each priority level (such as the type of notification sound and the storage period) can be dynamically customized by remote control from the guardian terminal 100 or by distribution from the server 300.

[0043] The integrated control unit 230 automatically and in conjunction controls multiple different aspects of message handling (presentation, notification, and storage) based on a single input, priority information. To achieve this integrated control, the integrated control unit 230 has three sub-function blocks internally: a presentation order determination unit 231, a notification mode control unit 232, and a storage rule application unit 233.

[0044] The presentation order determination unit 231 determines the order in which a message should be presented in the message list based on the priority information it receives. It is possible to determine the presentation order not only by looking at the priority level, but also by combining it with other factors. For example, if there are multiple messages with the same priority level, a secondary sorting rule can be applied, such as displaying the one with the most recent reception time at the top. Alternatively, it may have a more advanced ordering logic, such as displaying unread messages that the user has not yet viewed at a higher level than read messages with the same priority level.

[0045] The notification mode control unit 232 determines the notification mode to inform the user of the message's arrival based on the same priority information. There are a wide variety of notification modes. For example, with regard to notification sounds, not only can the tone be changed, but the volume itself may also be changed according to the priority. For the highest priority message, even if the monitored terminal 200 is set to silent mode, special control such as forcibly disabling silent mode and sounding the notification tone at maximum volume is extremely effective in conveying urgency. Furthermore, regarding the light emission pattern of the LED lamp 209a, by changing the blinking speed or blinking interval according to the priority, or by using multiple LEDs and changing the light emission color itself (e.g., red for high priority, yellow for medium, green for low priority), it is possible to visually convey the urgency without relying on hearing.

[0046] The storage rule application unit 233 also determines the lifecycle of the received message, that is, how long to store it and under what conditions to delete it, based on the same priority information. The rules to be applied are not limited to the basic ones shown in Figure 8. For example, it is possible to combine multiple storage rules for a specific message. As one example, it is possible to define a hybrid rule that combines an "automatic deletion after playback rule" and a "timed deletion rule," such as "do not delete immediately after playback, but delete 24 hours later." This can accommodate specific needs, such as wanting to keep a record for one day just in case, even though the task has been completed.

[0047] The display and playback control unit 224 displays the message list on the display unit 205 and plays the audio of the messages from the audio output unit 207, according to the order determined by the presentation order determination unit 231. When presenting messages, it is preferable to visually display their priority level. By using methods such as icons like "★★★" shown in Figure 11, or changing the background color of the messages according to their priority, the person being monitored can instantly and relatively compare the importance of each message simply by looking at the list.

[0048] The message management unit 225 stores the received message in the storage unit 202 and, according to the associated storage rules, performs operations such as deleting the message using the storage rule application unit 233.

[0049] [4. Usage patterns by multiple guardians] The explanations so far have assumed a basic relationship of one guardian and one person being monitored, but the present invention can flexibly accommodate more complex family structures. Figure 24 is a diagram of the monitoring system according to another embodiment, in which there are multiple guardian terminals.

[0050] In this embodiment, two guardian terminals, guardian terminal A (100a) (e.g., father) and guardian terminal B (100b) (e.g., mother), are associated with one monitored terminal 200. Both guardian terminals share the location information of the monitored terminal 200 via the server 300 and can also send messages to each other.

[0051] In this configuration, the integrated control unit 230 of the monitored terminal 200 can change its control content by considering not only the priority information attached to the message, but also the sender information, such as who sent the message. For example, it is possible to set the notification sound to be slightly different for a "high" priority message sent from parent terminal A (father) and a "high" priority message sent from parent terminal B (mother). This allows the monitored person to determine that "this is an important message from Dad" simply by hearing the sound.

[0052] Furthermore, the system can reflect the division of roles among guardians. For example, the system can be configured to register guardian terminal A (father) as the "primary guardian" and guardian terminal B (mother) as the "secondary guardian." Then, the monitored terminal 200 can be configured with an internal weighting rule, such as giving a higher priority to messages sent from the primary guardian. This makes it possible to streamline communication congestion in emergencies and clarify the chain of command.

[0053] [5. Dynamic rule changes based on time of day and circumstances] The present invention not only operates with the same rules at all times, but also includes more advanced embodiments that dynamically change the rules corresponding to priority according to the time of day and the situation of the person being monitored. Figure 25 shows an example of a schedule setting screen on a parent's terminal that automatically changes priority rules according to the time of day.

[0054] Parents can use this settings screen to schedule special rules that apply to specific times of day or days of the week. In the example in Figure 25, the schedule is set to "Weekdays 9:00-15:00 (School)". During this time, the rules "treat all 'medium' priority messages as 'low' priority" and "turn off all notification sounds (vibration only)" are automatically applied.

[0055] This setting is sent from the parent terminal 100 to the server 300, and the server 300 instructs the monitored terminal 200 to change the rules when the specified time period arrives. Alternatively, the monitored terminal 200 itself may retain this schedule information and autonomously switch the rules based on its built-in clock function.

[0056] Such features can prevent situations such as non-urgent message notifications sounding during school lessons. Furthermore, it's possible to set it so that no notifications are sent except for the highest priority messages during nighttime sleeping hours, enabling flexible and practical operation that respects the monitored person's sleep schedule while ensuring a means of communication in truly urgent situations. The trigger for these rule changes is not limited to time; linking it with geofencing, as explained in Figure 21, is also highly effective. For example, it's possible to automatically apply the "school mode" rule set while within the "school" area.

[0057] [6. Example of a data structure] Next, with further reference to Figures 7 and 8, an example of a data structure used in this embodiment will be described.

[0058] Figure 7 shows an example of the structure of message data sent from the parent terminal 100 to the monitored terminal 200 via the server 300. This data includes fields such as Message_ID to uniquely identify the message, Timestamp indicating the date and time of transmission, Sender_ID and Recipient_ID to identify the sender and recipient, Content_Type indicating the type of message (text, voice, etc.), and Content_Body which is the message body. Most importantly, in this embodiment, this data structure includes a Priority_Level field. This field stores the priority level set by the parent (for example, an integer value such as High: 3, Medium: 2, Low: 1), and is sent to the monitored terminal 200 along with the message body.

[0059] Figure 8 shows an example of the data structure of a setting table referenced by the integrated control unit 230 of the monitored terminal 200. This table embodies the concept of integrated control of the present invention, associating the input Priority_Level value with a plurality of corresponding outputs (control rules).

[0060] In the example in Figure 8, when Priority_Level is "3" (high), the display order rule is "fixed display at the top," the notification type rule is "special sound + continuous vibration," and the save rule is "non-delete rule." Similarly, for level "2" (medium), "priority sort," "normal sound," and "automatic deletion after playback rule" are uniquely determined, and for level "1" (low), "normal sort," "no notification (LED only)," and "overwrite rule" are uniquely determined. In this way, by using a single priority information as a key to retrieve multiple control rules with different properties from the table all at once, integrated and coordinated control is efficiently realized. This table may be pre-stored in the memory unit 202 of the monitored terminal 200, or it may be distributed from the server 300 and updated as needed.

[0061] [7. Specific Examples of GUI (Graphical User Interface)] Next, with reference to Figures 9 through 12, specific examples of the GUI (screen display) of the guardian terminal 100 and the monitored terminal 200 in this embodiment will be described.

[0062] (7-1. Example of a parent's device screen) Figure 9 is a front view showing an example of the message creation and priority setting screen on the parent terminal 100. When the user (parent) selects the message sending function, the display unit 105 displays a screen as shown in Figure 9. The screen includes a message recipient field, a text input area, and a priority setting area, which is a feature of the present invention.

[0063] The user enters the message they want to send (e.g., "I'll be about 30 minutes late picking up my child today!") in the text input area. Next, they select a priority level from the priority setting area according to the importance of the message. In the example in Figure 9, there are three options: "High (Does not disappear)", "Medium (Disappears after being viewed)", and "Low (Scrolls away)", and the user selects one of them by tapping or other operation. The priority level selected here is associated with the message data as the Priority_Level mentioned above. The explanations shown in parentheses (e.g., "Does not disappear") are supplementary displays to help the user intuitively understand what saving rules each priority corresponds to on the monitored device, thereby improving user convenience.

[0064] Figure 10 shows an example screen of the AI ​​suggestion unit 124 suggesting a priority. When a user enters a message containing urgent words, such as "Urgent! I think I've lost my house keys! Call me immediately!", the AI ​​suggestion unit 124 detects this. Then, before or while the user presses the send button, it displays a pop-up window like the one shown in Figure 10. Based on the analysis of the message content, this window recommends the optimal priority (in this case, "High") and asks the user whether they want to send the message with that setting. The user can simply select "Yes" and send the message with the appropriate priority without having to manually set it.

[0065] (7-2. Example of a screen on a monitored device) Figure 11 shows an example of a message list screen on the monitored terminal 200, where received messages are sorted and displayed according to priority. When the monitored terminal 200 has received multiple messages, the display and playback control unit 224 displays the message list on the display unit 205 according to the presentation order determined by the presentation order determination unit 231.

[0066] In the example in Figure 11, regardless of the date and time of receipt, the message from "Dad," which is set to "High" priority (★★★), is displayed at the top of the list. Below that, the message from "Mom," which is set to "Medium" priority (★★☆), is displayed, and further down, the message from "Grandpa," which is set to "Low" priority (★☆☆), is displayed. In this way, by automatically controlling the display order based on priority, the person being monitored can intuitively understand at a glance which message should be checked with the highest priority.

[0067] Figure 12 shows another example of a message list screen, illustrating a more emphasized method for displaying the highest priority messages. In this example, a clearly separated special area labeled "!Important Messages!" is placed at the top of the screen (e.g., by changing the background color or surrounding it with a dotted line). Messages with "high" priority are always displayed in this special area with a pin icon (sticky display). Other messages are displayed in the normal list area below. By adopting this display method, it is possible to more reliably prevent extremely important messages from being buried among other messages.

[0068] [8. Specific examples of the processing flow] Next, we will refer again to Figures 13 to 16 and explain the flow of various processes in this embodiment.

[0069] (8-1. Basic message sending and receiving processes) Figure 13 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of basic message sending and receiving processes between the parent terminal 100, the server 300, and the monitored terminal 200.

[0070] First, when the parent terminal 100 sets the message and priority and performs a send operation, the parent terminal 100 sends a send request containing the message body and priority information to the server 300 (step S101). The server 300 saves the received message and priority information to the message DB 304c (S102).

[0071] Next, the server 300 sends a push notification to the monitored terminal 200 to inform it that there is a new message (S103). Upon receiving the push notification, the monitored terminal 200 triggers a message retrieval request to the server 300 (S104). The server 300 reads the message corresponding to the requesting terminal from DB304c and returns a response containing the message body and priority information to the monitored terminal 200 (S105).

[0072] Upon receiving the message and priority information, the integrated control unit 230 of the monitored terminal 200 executes the integrated control processing, which is the core of the present invention (S106). Specifically, it determines the presentation order, controls the notification manner, and applies storage rules based on the received priority information. Details of this will be described later. When the message is opened (presented) on the monitored terminal 200, an opening notification is sent to the server 300 (S107), and the server 300 forwards it to the guardian terminal 100 (S108). This allows the guardian to confirm that the message has been read.

[0073] (8-2. Internal processing in the monitored terminal) Next, referring to the flowcharts in Figures 14 to 16, the internal processing of the monitored terminal 200 in step S106 will be explained in more detail.

[0074] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the presentation order determination unit 231. Upon receiving a message and priority information (step S201), the priority level is first determined (S202). If the priority is "high," the presentation order is set to "highest priority" (e.g., fixed to the top) (S203); if it is "medium," it is set to "medium priority" (e.g., sorted by priority) (S204); and if it is "low," it is set to "low priority" (e.g., at the end of the list) (S205). Then, the determined presentation order is instructed to the display / playback control unit 224 (S206), and the process ends.

[0075] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the notification mode control unit 232. When priority information is received (step S301), the priority level is determined (S302). If the level is "high", a predetermined notification pattern A (e.g., a special warning sound and continuous vibration) is executed (S303), if it is "medium", pattern B (e.g., a normal chime sound) is executed (S304), and if it is "low", pattern C (e.g., no sound, only LED lighting) is executed (S305). This allows the person being monitored to intuitively sense the urgency of the message through sound and vibration.

[0076] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the storage rule application unit 233. Upon receiving a message and priority information (step S401), the message is first temporarily stored in the storage unit 202 (S402). Next, the priority level is determined (S403). If it is "high," a "non-deletion rule" is associated with the message (S404); if it is "medium," an "automatic deletion after playback rule" is associated (S405); and if it is "low," an "overwrite rule" is associated (S406). Based on the rules associated here, the message management unit 225 will delete the message or perform other actions at an appropriate time later.

[0077] [9. Detailed operation and technical significance of various preservation rules] Next, referring again to Figures 17 to 21, we will describe in detail the operation of the characteristic storage rules in this embodiment, their technical implementation methods, and the unique effects not found in prior art. These rules do not merely define the storage period of messages, but also function as proactive information lifecycle management means to manage the cognitive load on the monitored person and maximize the value of the information.

[0078] (9-1. Non-deletion rule: Guaranteeing the persistence of information) Figure 17 illustrates the operation of the "non-deletion rule." This rule is intended to be applied to highly persistent information that the person being cared for should be able to refer to at any time, such as "evacuation locations in case of disaster," "emergency contact lists," and "important allergy-related notes."

[0079] Technically, the message management unit 225 implements this by setting a "non-deletable flag" on the data record of the message to which this rule applies. When a deletion request is received from the user (the person being monitored), the message management unit 225 first checks for the presence of this flag, and if the flag is set, it interrupts processing without issuing a delete command to the storage unit 202. This is a concept similar to assigning a read-only attribute in the file system of an operating system, but the unique aspect of this invention is that the sender (guardian) can dynamically control this attribute via the network.

[0080] This rule is distinctly different from "pinning" or "starring messages" in conventional messaging apps. Pinning and similar features are merely display organization techniques for the recipient, and can be unpinned or deleted at any time by the recipient themselves. In contrast, the "non-deletion rule" of this invention guarantees the permanence of information by the sender, providing a stronger information retention mechanism that cannot be overturned by the recipient's intentions or accidental actions. This gives parents a high level of reassurance that truly important information will not be lost from their children's possession.

[0081] (9-2. Automatic deletion rule after playback: Maintaining the freshness of information) Figure 18 illustrates the operation of the "automatic deletion after playback rule." This rule is applied to highly timely information that serves its purpose once it has been conveyed, such as "We're having hamburgers for dinner tonight."

[0082] In implementing this rule, "playback completion" can be detected in several ways. In the case of text messages, the display / playback control unit 224 measures the time the entire message is displayed on the screen and can consider it "playback complete" if it exceeds the average reading time. In the case of voice messages, it detects when the playback of the voice file has finished successfully to the end. In a more advanced embodiment, the monitored terminal 200 may be equipped with an eye-tracking sensor or proximity sensor to confirm that the user is actually looking at the screen or holding the terminal to their ear, thereby enabling more reliable detection of "playback completion."

[0083] This feature is in stark contrast to traditional messaging apps, where all history remains indefinitely in a list. In the traditional system, children had to manage which messages they had already checked and which they hadn't, which was a cognitive burden. According to the rules of this invention, information that has been completed is automatically deleted, so the message list is always kept clean, with only "things that need to be checked now" remaining. This has extremely beneficial effects from the perspective of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction), as it keeps information entropy low and minimizes the decision-making cost for the person being monitored.

[0084] (9-3. Overwriting Rules: Dynamic Replacement of Information Value) Figure 19 illustrates the operation of the "overwrite rule." This rule is one of the particularly unique features of this invention, embodying the idea of ​​actively replacing old information with new information based on the "value" of the information. For example, a low-priority everyday message such as "I don't need to bring anything today" should be automatically deleted if a high-priority message such as "Urgent! It's raining, bring an umbrella!" arrives later, as its value will be judged to be relatively low.

[0085] Technically, messages to which this rule applies are marked as "overwritable area" within the storage unit 202. When the monitored terminal 200 receives a new message, the integrated control unit 230 first evaluates the priority level of the new message. If there is an old message in the storage unit 202 with a lower priority level than the new message and located in the "overwritable area," the message management unit 225 deletes that old message before saving the new message.

[0086] This mechanism appears at first glance to be similar to message replacement techniques used in military tactical data links and other applications to maximize the "timeliness" of information. However, while conventional techniques aimed to update older versions with the latest version of the same type of information (e.g., location information), the overwrite rule of this invention has a crucial difference and inventiveness in that it replaces completely different types of information (e.g., "greetings" and "urgent contact") based solely on the abstract value measure of "priority." This is based on a completely new idea to solve the human-centered problem of the limitations of children's information processing abilities.

[0087] (9-4. Timed Deletion Rules and Geofence Linkage Rules: Context-Aware Information Management) Figures 20 and 21 illustrate more advanced storage rules that manage information according to "context," such as time and place.

[0088] The "timed deletion rule" is implemented when the message management unit 225 saves a message to the storage unit 202 and writes a timestamp called "scheduled deletion time" to the data record of that message. The message management unit 225 then periodically, or when the terminal wakes from sleep, scans all messages in the storage unit and executes a background process to delete all messages that have passed the "scheduled deletion time" in a batch.

[0089] The "geofence linkage rule" is an extremely important embodiment that organically combines the two major features of the present invention: the "location information function" and the "message control function." Messages to which this rule is applied have a triggering "geofence ID" and an event type indicating whether it is an "intrusion or exit" associated with their data record. Meanwhile, each time the location information acquisition unit 222 determines the current location, it determines whether the coordinates are included within one of the pre-stored geofence areas. When it detects a change in state, such as intrusion into or exit from an area, it notifies the integrated control unit 230 of the event. The integrated control unit 230 uses this event notification as a trigger to search for the associated message and instructs the message management unit 225 to delete it.

[0090] These context-aware rules not only present messages but also automatically control the information lifecycle, going so far as to determine "when and where" that information is needed. This provides users with a level of intelligence and convenience that conventional monitoring devices could not achieve.

[0091] [10. Other Embodiments] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, alterations, and combinations are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0092] (10-1. Details of Serverless (P2P) Configuration) Figure 22 shows a peer-to-peer (P2P) monitoring system without a server 300, according to another embodiment of the present invention. This configuration is effective, for example, when you want to provide a service without maintaining a large-scale server infrastructure, or when you want to maximize the privacy of communications.

[0093] In this case, the guardian terminal 100 and the monitored terminal 200 communicate directly using technologies such as Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth PAN (Personal Area Network), or they establish a communication session directly using a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) server or hole punching technology on the network 10.

[0094] The functions previously handled by server 300 are now distributed and implemented on both terminals. For example, the configuration table shown in Figure 8 is pre-stored in the storage unit 202 of the monitored terminal 200. The guardian terminal 100 assumes the existence of this table and assigns the corresponding priority level (e.g., 3, 2, 1) to messages before sending them. In addition, the location information history and message logs are directly stored in the storage unit 102 of the guardian terminal 100. The guardian terminal 100 periodically requests the monitored terminal 200 to send location information and records the responses. In this way, the core concept of the present invention, "the recipient controls the message presentation order and other behaviors based on priority information assigned by the sender," can be realized regardless of the system topology.

[0095] (10-2. Various methods for setting priority levels) In the above embodiment, we mainly described an example in which the priority level is set in three discrete stages: "high," "medium," and "low." However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0096] For example, one possible configuration is to set the priority level as a continuous numerical value (scalar value) from 0 to 100. The GUI of the parent terminal 100 displays a slider bar, allowing the parent to intuitively and precisely set the importance of the message by moving the slider. On the other hand, the monitored terminal 200 determines which rule to apply depending on which range of a predetermined threshold the received value falls into. For example, if it is "80 or higher," a high-priority rule is applied, and if it is "40 or higher but less than 80," a medium-priority rule is applied, and so on. This allows for more flexible and expressive priority setting.

[0097] Furthermore, priority information can be defined not as a single numerical value, but as a vector (complex information) with multiple attributes. For example, priority information may be a combination of fields where multiple parameters such as "urgency (3 levels)," "notification strength (5 levels)," and "storage period (days)" can be set independently. In this case, the guardian can freely combine these parameters according to the nature of the message and send it. The monitored terminal 200 then synthesizes the optimal behavior according to the combination of parameters received. This configuration is positioned as a further development of the "integrated control" concept of the present invention.

[0098] (10-3. Expansion of the scope of application) The monitoring system of the present invention is not limited to monitoring between parents and children; its core idea is applicable to any communication scenario where asymmetry in the importance of information and consideration of the recipient's cognitive abilities are necessary between the sender and receiver of information.

[0099] One possible application is in monitoring systems for the elderly. In this case, the guardian's device would be the "child's device," and the monitored device would be the "parent's device." Since the elderly often find it difficult to manage a large number of messages, the "automatic delete after playback rule" and "overwrite rule" are particularly effective in preventing information overload. Furthermore, by setting the highest priority for extremely important messages such as "medication reminders" and applying the "non-delete rule," it is expected that this could be used to prevent users from forgetting to take their medication.

[0100] Another promising application is in business communication systems. For example, consider a scenario where a factory manager (sender) sends instructions to numerous field workers (receivers). Emergency instructions such as "Stop the line, evacuate immediately" are assigned the highest priority, "Notice of regular meeting" is assigned the medium priority, and "Today's safety slogan" is assigned the low priority. The workers' terminals automatically control the notification method (for example, emergency instructions are broadcast at high volume from speakers built into their helmets) and the display order according to this priority. This ensures that the most important instructions are reliably communicated, even in a noisy factory environment.

[0101] Thus, the present invention is not limited in any way by the names of its components (guardian terminal, monitored terminal) or by the assumed usage scenarios, and any system having the technical features described in the claims is included within the scope of the rights of the present invention.

[0102] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be determined based on the description in the appended claims.

[0103] The purpose of this disclosure is to ensure that messages from guardians are reliably conveyed to those being cared for. The purpose of this disclosure is to handle messages on the monitored device according to their priority in message communication between the guardian and the monitored person. The purpose of this disclosure is to dynamically change how messages are handled on the monitored device in message communication between the guardian and the monitored person, depending on the importance and urgency of the message. This disclosure aims to prevent important information from being buried among other information, reduce the likelihood of the monitored person overlooking or misinterpreting information, and enable smooth and reliable communication between parents and children by assigning priority information to messages sent by parents and controlling the message presentation order (display order and playback order) on the monitored device based on that priority information.

[0104] [Note] (Note 1) A monitoring system comprising a guardian terminal, a monitored terminal, and a server that communicates with the guardian terminal and the monitored terminal, wherein the monitored terminal further comprises a location information acquisition unit that acquires its own location information and transmits the location information to the server according to predetermined rules, the server transmits the location information received from the monitored terminal to the guardian terminal, the guardian terminal generates a message and priority information associated with the message and transmits it to the monitored terminal via the server, and the monitored terminal further comprises a control unit that determines the order in which the messages are presented based on the received priority information. [assignment] Conventional child monitoring devices display important messages from parents and everyday messages chronologically without distinction, which means that children being monitored may miss important information. [effect] By controlling the order in which messages are displayed on the monitored device based on the priority set by the guardian, important communications can be highlighted without being buried among other messages, effectively reducing the likelihood of the monitored person missing important information.

[0105] (Note 2) The monitoring system described in Appendix 1 is characterized in that the control unit further selects one notification mode from a predetermined set of multiple notification modes based on the same priority information. [assignment] Simply changing the order in which messages are presented makes it difficult for those being monitored to intuitively understand the urgency of the new message, even if they notice it. [effect] By varying the notification method (sound, light, vibration, etc.) according to priority, the person being monitored can intuitively grasp the urgency of the message before even reading its content, prompting a quicker response.

[0106] (Note 3) The monitoring system described in Appendix 2 is characterized in that the notification method includes at least one of sound, light, and vibration. [assignment] If the notification method is limited to a single means (e.g., sound only), there is a possibility that the notification itself may not reach the person being monitored in noisy places or situations where sound cannot be made. [effect] By combining multiple physical notification methods such as sound, light, and vibration according to priority, it becomes possible to more reliably convey the receipt and urgency of a message in a variety of environments.

[0107] (Note 4) A monitoring system as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 3, wherein the control unit further selects one storage rule to apply to the message from among a predetermined number of storage rules based on the same priority information. [assignment] Having a uniform retention period regardless of message importance presented challenges such as important information being accidentally deleted, or conversely, unnecessary information cluttering the list and increasing the management burden on those being monitored. [effect] By dynamically changing message saving rules according to priority, it is possible to prevent the unintentional deletion of important information while simultaneously enabling the automatic organization of unnecessary information, thereby optimizing the information lifecycle according to its value.

[0108] (Note 5) The monitoring system described in Appendix 4 is characterized in that the saving rule includes a non-deletion rule that prohibits the deletion of the message until a deletion instruction is given from the guardian terminal. [assignment] There was a risk that extremely important information, such as evacuation locations and emergency contact information during disasters, which should always be accessible, could be deleted due to accidental actions by the person being monitored. [effect] By making it impossible to delete messages without parental instruction, important information can be protected from user error and ensured that it can be accessed at any time, significantly improving security.

[0109] (Note 6) The monitoring system described in Appendix 4 or 5 is characterized in that the saving rule includes an automatic deletion rule that automatically deletes the message after the message has been presented. [assignment] A problem arose when temporary messages that only needed to be checked once accumulated in the message list, causing the list to become excessively long and making it difficult to find truly important information. [effect] By automatically deleting messages that the person being monitored has already viewed, the message list remains organized, reducing cognitive burden and making it easier to draw attention to new information.

[0110] (Note 7) A monitoring system as described in any one of the appendices 4 to 6, wherein the storage rule includes an overwrite rule that deletes the message when a new message with a higher priority than the message is received. [assignment] Given the limited storage capacity and display area of ​​the device, older, less important information could potentially hinder the display and storage of newer, more important information. [effect] By automatically deleting (overwriting) existing low-priority messages triggered by the arrival of higher-priority messages, the system optimizes storage and display space based on the value of the information, ensuring that the most valuable information is always available.

[0111] (Note 8) A monitoring system as described in any one of the appendices 4 to 7, characterized in that the storage rule includes a time-deletion rule that automatically deletes the message after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. [assignment] One problem was that messages with short expiration dates, such as "goodnight" greetings, would remain on the list even after that time had passed, becoming irrelevant information. [effect] By setting an expiration date for messages and automatically deleting them after that time, it's possible to maintain the freshness of information and achieve intelligent information management that is relevant to the temporal context.

[0112] (Note 9) A monitoring system as described in any one of the appendices 4 to 8, wherein the storage rule includes a geofence-linked rule that automatically deletes the message when the monitored terminal enters or leaves a pre-set specific geographic area. [assignment] One problem was that information that only had meaning in a specific place, such as "things to bring to school," would persist even after leaving that place, becoming noise. [effect] By automatically deleting messages in conjunction with the location information (geofencing) of the person being monitored, it becomes possible to manage information according to the spatial context, dramatically improving convenience.

[0113] (Note 10) A monitoring system according to any one of the appendices 1 to 9, characterized in that the presentation order includes the display order on the display of the monitored terminal. [assignment] In situations where visual confirmation is not possible, such as when messages are only read aloud, the concept of presentation order could become ambiguous. [effect] By clearly defining the presentation order as including the visual order of the list on the display, the scope of the rights is concretized, and the invention is made easier to understand.

[0114] (Note 11) A monitoring system according to any one of the appendices 1 to 10, characterized in that the presentation order includes the playback order of the audio output from the speaker of the monitored terminal. [assignment] On devices with small screens or no screens at all, such as children's devices, it was difficult to convey message priority solely through the displayed order. [effect] By clearly defining the presentation order as including the order in which audio messages are played, the priority of information can be conveyed through auditory means that do not rely on visual information, making the present invention applicable regardless of the device form.

[0115] (Note 12) A monitoring system according to any one of the appendices 1 to 11, wherein the guardian terminal further comprises a suggestion unit that automatically suggests the priority information based on the content of the message. [assignment] Manually setting the priority each time a parent sends a message is cumbersome, and there was a possibility of human error, such as forgetting to set the appropriate priority in an emergency. [effect] By analyzing message content and automatically suggesting appropriate priorities, the system reduces the burden on parents, minimizes human error, and supports more reliable and efficient priority setting.

[0116] (Note 13) A monitored terminal comprising: a communication unit that receives messages and priority information associated with the messages from a guardian terminal; a location information acquisition unit that acquires its own location information; the communication unit that transmits the location information to a server; and a control unit that causes the messages to be presented in a presentation order determined in correspondence with the priority information. [assignment] It was necessary to protect the invention as a standalone "object"—the monitored device—rather than as the entire monitoring system. [effect] This allows for the enforcement of rights against acts such as the manufacturing, sale, and import of the monitoring device itself, enabling more effective patent protection.

[0117] (Note 14) The monitored terminal described in Appendix 13 is characterized in that the control unit further selects one notification mode from a plurality of predetermined notification modes and one storage rule from a plurality of predetermined storage rules based on the same priority information. [assignment] In the invention of the monitored terminal, it was necessary to protect embodiments that included not only control of the presentation order but also more distinctive functions such as notification and storage. [effect] The scope of rights for the monitored terminal itself can be gradually expanded to include specific functions such as notification control and data storage control, thereby providing more robust protection of rights.

[0118] (Note 15) A control method for a monitoring system, wherein the monitoring system comprises a guardian terminal, a monitored terminal, and a server that communicates with the guardian terminal and the monitored terminal, and the method is characterized by comprising the steps of: the monitored terminal acquiring its own location information and transmitting the location information to the server according to predetermined rules; the server transmitting the location information received from the monitored terminal to the guardian terminal; the guardian terminal generating a message and priority information associated with the message and transmitting it to the monitored terminal via the server; and the monitored terminal determining the order in which the messages are presented based on the received priority information. [assignment] It was necessary to protect not only the invention of the "object," but also the operational process of the invention, that is, the "method" aspect. [effect] Even if devices with different hardware configurations emerge in the future, the rights will extend as long as the same procedure (method) as the present invention is performed, thus protecting aspects of the invention that include a temporal element.

[0119] (Note 16) The control method described in Appendix 15 is characterized in that it further includes the step of the monitored terminal selecting one notification mode from a predetermined number of notification modes based on the same priority information. [assignment] In the invention of a control method, it was necessary to protect an embodiment in which a step of selecting a notification mode was added to the step of determining the presentation order. [effect] The scope of the rights for a method invention can be extended to more specific embodiments, including the step of notification control, thereby creating a layered protection of rights.

[0120] (Note 17) The control method described in Appendix 15 or 16, further comprising the step of the monitored terminal selecting one storage rule from a predetermined set of storage rules based on the same priority information. [assignment] In the invention of the control method, it was necessary to protect a more specific embodiment in which a step of selecting a storage rule was added. [effect] The scope of the invention rights for the method can be expanded to include embodiments that involve a distinctive storage control step called information lifecycle management, thereby strengthening the rights.

[0121] (Note 18) A program for causing a computer to function as a guardian terminal, characterized in that the computer is made to perform the following steps: receive location information of a monitored terminal from a server and display it; create a message; select one priority level from a plurality of priority levels that define the presentation order on the monitored terminal for the message; and transmit the message and information indicating the selected priority level to the monitored terminal via the server. [assignment] It was necessary to protect not only the physical device, but also the "program" itself—the application software running on the parent's device. [effect] This allows for direct enforcement of rights against acts of program duplication and distribution, such as the distribution of imitation applications on the App Store, thereby providing complete protection for software inventions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 1…Monitoring system 10…Network 20...GPS satellite 100, 100a, 100b… Parental control devices 101, 201, 301… Control Units 102, 202, 302...Storage section 103, 203, 303… Communications Department 104...GPS receiver 105, 205...Display section 106, 206… Input section 107, 207… Audio output section 108, 208… Voice input section 120…Application Control Unit 122...Message generation unit 123…Priority setting section 124…AI proposal department 125...Communication Control Unit 126...Position information display section 200... Monitoring device 204...Location information acquisition unit 209…Notification Department 211…Wi-Fi access point 212…Cell phone base station 221...Communication Control Unit 222...Location information acquisition unit (functional unit) 224…Display / Playback Control Unit 225...Message Management Department 230...Integrated Control Unit 231...Presentation order determining unit 232...Notification Mode Control Unit 233... Section where preservation rules apply 300... Server 304...Database (DB)

Claims

1. Parental device and The monitoring device and A server that communicates with the guardian terminal and the monitored terminal, A monitoring system equipped with, The monitored terminal further comprises a location information acquisition unit that acquires its own location information, and transmits the location information to the server according to predetermined rules. The server transmits the location information received from the monitored terminal to the guardian terminal. The guardian terminal generates a message and priority information associated with the message, and transmits it to the monitored terminal via the server. The monitored terminal further includes a control unit that determines the order in which the messages are presented based on the priority information received. A monitoring system characterized by the following features.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the control unit selects one notification mode from a predetermined number of notification modes based on the same priority information.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that the notification method includes at least one of sound, light, and vibration.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the control unit selects one storage rule to apply to the message from among a plurality of predetermined storage rules based on the same priority information.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the saving rule includes a non-deletion rule that prohibits the deletion of the message until a deletion instruction is received from the parent terminal.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the saving rule includes an automatic deletion rule that automatically deletes the message after the message has been presented.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the saving rule includes an overwrite rule that deletes the message when a new message with a higher priority than the message is received.

8. The monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the saving rule includes a timed deletion rule that automatically deletes the message after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. The monitoring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the saving rule includes a geofence-linked rule that automatically deletes the message when the monitored terminal enters or leaves a pre-set specific geographic area.

10. The monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that the presentation order includes the display sequence on the display of the monitored terminal.

11. The monitoring system according to claim 1 or 10, characterized in that the presentation order includes the playback order of the audio output from the speaker of the monitored terminal.

12. The monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that the guardian terminal further comprises a suggestion unit that automatically suggests the priority information based on the content of the message.

13. A communication unit that receives messages and priority information associated with those messages from the parent's device, A location information acquisition unit that acquires its own location information, The communication unit transmits the aforementioned location information to the server, A control unit that causes the messages to be presented in a presentation order determined in correspondence with the priority information, A monitoring terminal characterized by being equipped with the following features.

14. The monitored terminal according to claim 13, further characterized in that the control unit selects one notification mode from a plurality of predetermined notification modes and one storage rule from a plurality of predetermined storage rules based on the same priority information.

15. A control method in a monitoring system including a parent terminal, a monitored terminal, and a server, The steps include: the monitored terminal acquires its own location information and transmits the location information to the server according to predetermined rules; The server transmits the location information received from the monitored terminal to the guardian terminal. The steps include: the parent terminal generating a message and priority information associated with the message, and transmitting it to the monitored terminal via the server; The steps include: the monitored terminal presenting the message in a presentation order determined in correspondence with the priority information; A control method characterized by including

16. The control method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of the monitored terminal selecting one notification mode from a predetermined number of notification modes based on the same priority information.

17. The control method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of the monitored terminal selecting one storage rule from a predetermined number of storage rules based on the same priority information.

18. On a computer that functions as a parental control device, The steps include receiving and displaying the location information of the monitored device from the server, Steps to create a message, The steps include selecting one priority level from among a plurality of priority levels that define the presentation order on the monitored terminal for the aforementioned message, The steps include sending the aforementioned message and information indicating the selected priority level to the monitored terminal via the server, A program characterized by causing the execution of a specific action.

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