Systems, methods, programs, and GPS devices

Abstract

To improve the usability of camera functions in monitoring devices, optimize battery consumption, and enable the acquisition of necessary information in emergencies. [Solution] A system in which a GPS terminal carried by the person being monitored, a server, and a guardian terminal cooperate, wherein the GPS terminal comprises a message transmission unit equipped with a message transmission function and a camera shooting control unit that performs camera shooting, the guardian terminal comprises a shooting instruction transmission unit that transmits shooting instructions to the GPS terminal, and the camera shooting control unit starts shooting based on one of the triggers, either when a message is transmitted by the message transmission unit or when a shooting instruction is received from the shooting instruction transmission unit and the shooting instruction is confirmed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a monitoring system.

Background Art

[0002] The camera function in a monitoring device is extremely useful for grasping the situation of a child. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that triggers camera recording by motion detection and transmits a video in case of danger.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, there was room for improvement in terms of functionality.

[0005] One object of this disclosure is to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, an information processing program, and an information processing device that enable more appropriately grasping the situation of a monitored person.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A system in which a GPS terminal carried by a monitored person, a server, and a guardian terminal cooperate, the GPS terminal includes a message transmission unit having a message transmission function and a camera shooting control unit for performing camera shooting, the guardian terminal includes a shooting instruction transmission unit for transmitting a shooting instruction to the GPS terminal, and the camera shooting control unit starts camera shooting based on any trigger when a message is transmitted by the message transmission unit or when a shooting instruction from the shooting instruction transmission unit is received and the shooting instruction is confirmed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a battery, risk level, and acceleration sensor-linked camera control and monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram showing the internal configuration of a GPS terminal 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing the internal configuration of a server 200 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a functional block diagram showing the internal configuration of a parental control terminal 300 according to one embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the main processing steps for camera control in a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure shows the hardware configuration of a GPS terminal 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a data structure managed by a server 200 according to one embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of an application screen for a parental terminal 300 according to one embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the display of the safety display of a GPS terminal 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] This disclosure relates to a system that dynamically optimizes the control of a camera function installed in a device carried by a person being monitored (e.g., a child) (hereinafter referred to as a "GPS terminal") based on the device's battery level and a real-time risk level estimated from multimodal sensors including GPS and an accelerometer. The term "GPS terminal" here is not necessarily limited to a single device that incorporates both GPS and camera functions, but can refer to an entire system in which multiple devices carried by the person being monitored work together to realize GPS and camera functions. For example, this includes a configuration in which a wearable sensor device without GPS functionality and a general-purpose device such as a smartphone equipped with GPS and camera functions work together via wireless communication, and the smartphone's camera is controlled based on a trigger from the wearable sensor device.

[0009] In this embodiment, the GPS terminal 100 may be equipped with multiple location information acquisition means, not only a GPS sensor 150 (Figures 2 and 6), but also a Wi-Fi module (as part of the communication module in Figure 6) for positioning based on radio wave strength from a Wi-Fi access point, a Bluetooth module for distance estimation from a Bluetooth beacon, or a cellular base station for positioning based on signal strength. These multiple means may be configured to be switched on a priority basis depending on the indoor environment where GPS signals are difficult to receive or the situation where battery consumption needs to be reduced. This makes it possible to acquire the location information of the person being monitored with high accuracy and continuously under any environment and use it as input to the risk estimation unit 140. A device equipped with such diverse positioning means also functions as a "GPS terminal" in this application.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, this system comprises a GPS terminal 100, a server 200, and a guardian terminal 300 as its main components. Each of these components communicates with each other via a wireless communication network (e.g., a mobile phone network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) to perform information processing aimed at ensuring the safety of the person being monitored.

[0011] The GPS terminal 100 is a device carried by the person being monitored (child), and it is equipped with multiple functional blocks. Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the GPS terminal 100, which specifically includes a message transmission unit 110, a camera shooting control unit 120, a battery level monitoring unit 130, a risk estimation unit 140, a multimodal sensor 150, a safety display control unit 160, and an image processing unit 170. As shown in Figure 6, the hardware configuration of the GPS terminal 100 includes a processor (CPU), memory (RAM, ROM), a communication module, various sensors (GPS sensor, accelerometer, body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, microphone for ambient sound analysis), a camera, a display, a battery, etc., to realize these functions. In this embodiment, the device referred to as "GPS terminal 100" is a small wearable device that the person being monitored always wears, and includes a configuration comprising a multimodal sensor including a GPS sensor and / or an accelerometer, and a communication module for coordinating with the camera function of another device (for example, a smartphone carried by the person being monitored). In this case, the camera shooting control unit 120 not only directly controls the camera mounted on the GPS terminal 100 itself, but also includes the function of remotely controlling the camera function of an external device (such as a smartphone) that cooperates via wireless communication.

[0012] The GPS terminal 100 may be configured such that a small wearable device (equipped with a GPS sensor, a multimodal sensor such as an accelerometer, and a communication module) worn by the person being monitored at all times, and a smartphone (equipped with a camera function and a communication module) carried by the person being monitored, are linked via wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy). In this case, the wearable device transmits location information and risk level (such as anomaly detection by the accelerometer) acquired by the wearable device to the smartphone, and the camera shooting control unit of the smartphone starts shooting based on trigger information from the wearable device. This entire linked system is referred to as the "GPS terminal." This clarifies that even if the GPS function and camera function are distributed across different devices, as long as the person being monitored "carries" them and they work together to realize the functions of this disclosure, they are included within the scope of the rights.

[0013] The message sending unit 110 is responsible for the function of allowing the person being monitored (child) to send a message to their guardian. This could be triggered, for example, by the physical pressing of an SOS button located on the device, or by the child selecting and sending a pre-set message. This message transmission serves as an important source of information for the guardian to understand the child's situation.

[0014] The camera shooting control unit 120 controls the shooting operation of the camera mounted on the GPS terminal 100. In this embodiment, the camera shooting control unit 120 starts shooting based on several specific triggers. The main triggers include when the message transmission unit 110 sends a message, or when the GPS terminal receives a shooting instruction sent from the parent terminal 300 and confirms that instruction. This "confirmation" includes, for example, when a message requesting permission to shoot is displayed on the GPS terminal's display and the child approves it, or when an explicit or implicit expression of intent from the person being monitored is detected through a non-contact interface such as voice recognition, gesture recognition, or biosignal detection. Furthermore, message transmission by the message transmission unit 110 may include not only physical button operation but also non-contact message transmission via voice commands or specific gestures. Furthermore, the trigger also includes automatic activation when the risk estimation unit 140 mounted on the GPS terminal 100 autonomously detects a predetermined risk level (e.g., a fall, prolonged stillness, abnormal shaking, entry into a dangerous area, or ambient sounds indicating an emergency) by comprehensively analyzing data from the multimodal sensor 150. This autonomous automatic activation aims to quickly acquire visual information in highly urgent situations without explicit instructions from a guardian or messages from the person being monitored. In addition, the camera shooting control unit 120 may also have a function that, in cooperation with the image processing unit 170, determines that a situation is highly urgent and automatically starts shooting when it recognizes a specific face (e.g., a pre-registered guardian's face, a trusted person's face, or a stranger's face) or a specific object (e.g., a lost-item prevention tag, an emergency vehicle, or a specific dangerous object) from the video data acquired by the camera. This automatic shooting system, which uses face and object recognition, eliminates the need for confirmation by the person being monitored or instructions from a guardian to take a picture, thereby increasing the speed of information gathering in emergencies.

[0015] As a trigger for message transmission by the message transmission unit 110, the system may be configured to determine the intention of the person being monitored to send a message and start camera shooting based not only on physical button operation, but also on the recognition of voice commands (e.g., detection of a specific keyword such as "SOS"), or on the detection of specific gestures (e.g., waving the arm multiple times, shaking the device in a specific pattern) by sensors installed in the GPS terminal 100 (e.g., motion sensor, gyroscope sensor). In this case, the camera shooting control unit 120 determines that the message transmission unit 110 is "ready to send a message" when the input from these non-contact interfaces meets predetermined conditions and starts shooting. This increases the possibility of quickly conveying intentions and acquiring visual information even when the person being monitored has difficulty performing physical operations.

[0016] In the process described above, "when the shooting instruction is confirmed," the camera shooting control unit 120 of the GPS terminal 100 may generate an event log indicating the confirmation method (e.g., button press, voice command detection, gesture detection, biosignal detection type and timestamp) and whether or not camera shooting can be started after confirmation (including the result of the judgment based on battery level and risk level), and record this in the memory unit of the GPS terminal 100 (memory in Figure 6). This log data is transmitted periodically or when an event occurs to the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200 and stored in the server 200's database (Figure 7). The feedback display unit 320 of the parent terminal 300 receives this log data from the server 200 and provides the parent with detailed information such as "Shooting instruction approved (Time: XX:XX, Method: Button press)" and "Battery level: YY%, so shooting started for XX seconds at low quality." This makes the "confirmation" process inside the GPS terminal observable from the outside.

[0017] When the camera shooting control unit 120 receives a shooting instruction from the caregiver and the GPS terminal 100's risk level estimation unit 140 autonomously determines a high risk level (e.g., detection of environmental sounds indicating a fall or an emergency) even when there is no confirmation by the person under watch, it may be configured to automatically start camera shooting without waiting for confirmation by the person under watch. This automatic activation is prioritized in a situation where it is more urgent than an instruction from the caregiver and the indication of intention (confirmation) of the person under watch.

[0018] When the camera shooting is started (at the start of recording a still image or a moving image), the camera shooting control unit 120 may be configured to generate information such as the start date and time, the type of shooting trigger (e.g., message transmission, caregiver instruction, automatic detection of risk level), the estimated risk level, and the remaining battery level as an event log, record this in the storage unit of the GPS terminal 100, and then transmit it to the server 200. This log is managed by the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200 and is displayed on the feedback display unit 320 of the caregiver terminal 300 as "Camera shooting has started (time: XX:XX, trigger: SOS button)". This provides objective and time-axis-related evidence for the event of "start of camera shooting" which is difficult to directly observe from the outside.

[0019] As a particularly important function, the camera shooting control unit 120 performs battery - risk - linked dynamic control. Specifically, even when the battery remaining amount of the GPS terminal 100 monitored by the battery remaining amount monitoring unit 130 is below a predetermined threshold (for example, 15% or less of the remaining amount), if the risk level determined by the risk estimation unit 140 is above a predetermined risk threshold (for example, when the risk level is determined to be "high", or in a situation where the urgency is determined to be high), the time limit for camera shooting is abolished, and unlimited or long - time video shooting is permitted. In normal times (when the risk is low), in order to suppress battery consumption, the shooting time is limited to about 20 seconds, and the image quality can also be set to the standard setting. However, when the risk is high even in a low - battery state, in order to prioritize maximizing the shootable time, the shooting image quality (resolution, frame rate, color depth) is dynamically optimized according to the battery remaining amount (gradually decreasing: for example, 1080p → 720p → 480p → monochrome conversion → ultra - low frame rate). Thereby, even in a situation where the battery remaining amount is small, when the child is in a dangerous state, it is possible to provide visual information (video) for as long as possible to the guardian, and the crisis management ability of the guardian can be improved dramatically.

[0020] The function of "starting camera shooting" shall include not only single - shot still - image shooting but also continuous still - image shooting (including time - lapse shooting) and video shooting over a predetermined period. In particular, when the risk is high even with a low battery remaining amount, the camera shooting control unit 120 may be configured to shift to a mode (for example, low - frame - rate video recording in the background, still - image recording at several - second intervals, etc.) that continuously acquires visual information as much as possible without interruption while dynamically optimizing the image quality.

[0021] The risk level determination by the risk estimation unit 140 and the battery level monitoring results by the battery level monitoring unit 130 are not necessarily performed by comparison with a single threshold. For example, multiple risk thresholds (e.g., low, medium, high) may be set, and the shooting time and image quality may be controlled in multiple stages by combining each with the corresponding battery level threshold. For example, a more complex control logic may be introduced, such as "unlimited shooting if the battery level is low (threshold A or less) and the risk level is high (threshold X or more), and 20-second standard quality shooting if the battery level is high (greater than threshold A) and the risk level is low (less than threshold Y)." Even a system equipped with such multiple threshold determinations and prioritized control logic shall satisfy the requirement of "when it is below / above a predetermined threshold" in this disclosure.

[0022] The dynamic optimization performed by the camera shooting control unit 120 may be configured to take into account other resource conditions, such as the communication status of the GPS terminal 100 (e.g., congestion of the communication band, signal strength), remaining storage space, or device temperature, in addition to the battery level and risk level. For example, if the communication bandwidth is extremely low, the image quality may be further reduced regardless of the battery level to prioritize communication and ensure the transmission of video data. However, optimization based on these other factors merely complements the primary control based on the battery level and risk level, and does not deviate from the core technical concept of "dynamically optimizing image quality according to the battery level" that is central to this disclosure.

[0023] The battery level monitoring unit 130 continuously monitors the remaining battery level of the GPS terminal 100 in real time. The monitored battery level information is transmitted to the server 200 periodically or in response to changes in the remaining battery level. This allows the server 200 to constantly monitor the operating status of the GPS terminal 100 and use this information for appropriate camera control and notifications to guardians.

[0024] The risk estimation unit 140 comprehensively analyzes various sensor data obtained from the multimodal sensor 150 mounted on the GPS terminal 100 to estimate the real-time risk level of the person being monitored. The data used for analysis includes GPS location information, time, and risk area information and schedule information received from the server 200. In addition, shaking and impact data obtained from the acceleration sensor included in the multimodal sensor 150 are given particular importance. For example, if abnormal shaking (e.g., falling, collision, violent shaking) is detected, it is prioritized and judged as the highest level or a similarly high risk level, regardless of other circumstances. This "abnormal shaking" is an intermediate concept referring to sudden changes in G or vibrations with a specific pattern that do not occur during normal movement or activity. For example, lower-level concepts include cases where G exceeding a set threshold occurs continuously within a certain period of time (falling) or when an extremely large G occurs in a short period of time (collision). Furthermore, data obtained from the body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, and ambient sound analysis microphone (such as rapid changes in body temperature, abnormal fluctuations in heart rate, screams, and collision sounds) are also analyzed in an integrated manner to improve the accuracy of the risk assessment. The risk assessment using data obtained from the ambient sound analysis microphone can include the detection of specific keywords (e.g., screams, cries for help, or voice commands indicating an emergency). The detection of these voice commands does not necessarily directly trigger the message transmission unit, but can complement the automatic start of camera shooting as one element of risk assessment. The risk assessment unit 140 of the GPS terminal 100 may be configured to analyze these sensor data in an integrated manner and autonomously determine the risk level on the terminal side without going through the server 200. In this case, the camera shooting control unit 120 can be equipped with a function to automatically start camera shooting when the risk level determined on the terminal side exceeds a predetermined threshold.Furthermore, the risk estimation unit 140 can apply image analysis processing such as face recognition, object recognition, or scene recognition to image data acquired from the camera via the image processing unit 170, and determine the level of risk based on the detection of specific faces (e.g., faces of guardians, faces of strangers) or specific objects (e.g., weapons, dangerous vehicles, objects indicating abnormal situations), or the identification of abnormal scenes (e.g., fire, flooding, riot), which can then be used as a trigger for camera shooting. This makes it possible to quickly capture early signs of danger caused by physical abnormalities or changes in the surrounding environment, which tend to be missed with GPS location information alone.

[0025] The risk estimation unit 140 may also be configured to record, as an event log, in the memory unit (Figure 6) of the GPS terminal 100, information that, in addition to the raw data from the acceleration sensor, is determined to be one of the following: "abnormal shaking," "impact," or "fall." This log data is then transmitted to the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200 and displayed on the application screen (Figure 8) of the parent terminal 300 as a specific detection situation, such as "Fall detected (Detection time: XX:XX, G value: YYG, Stillness time: ZZ seconds)." This allows for an objective understanding of the complex internal risk determination logic from the outside, and provides clear evidence necessary to prove an infringement.

[0026] For example, while the accelerometer normally takes priority, data from other multimodal sensors 150 (e.g., body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, ambient sound analysis microphone) that, while not considered high-risk on their own, can be combined with "abnormal shaking" detected by the accelerometer to further increase the severity of the risk, thereby strengthening the decision to prioritize camera shooting or remove time limits. For instance, if slight shaking (not considered "abnormal" on its own) and "screaming" detected by the ambient sound analysis microphone are detected simultaneously, the system may determine the risk to be similar to, or even exceeding, the high-risk determination made by the accelerometer alone, and begin long-duration shooting. Even in this case, the accelerometer data functions as an important element in the risk determination, while the other sensor data plays a role in reinforcing or modifying that determination.

[0027] The risk estimation unit 140 may be configured to record the data acquired from the body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, and ambient sound analysis microphone mentioned above, along with the results of the risk assessment obtained by integrating these data (e.g., raw data from each sensor, thresholds and patterns used for the assessment, risk assessment for each sensor, and the final risk level obtained by integrating them), as an event log in the memory unit of the GPS terminal 100 (memory in Figure 6). This log data is transmitted periodically or when a risk event occurs to the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200, allowing the parent to confirm the specific detection situation and the basis for the judgment on the application screen (Figure 8) of the parent terminal 300, such as "The child's body temperature has risen sharply (38.5°C) and abnormal fluctuations in heart rate (120 bpm) have been detected, so it has been determined to be a high-risk situation."

[0028] The risk estimation unit 140 may be configured to integrally evaluate data from the body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, and ambient sound analysis microphone of claim 7, in addition to the data from the acceleration sensor of claim 3, by assigning different weights to each, and to determine the final risk level. For example, a weighting rule may be set such that fall detection by the acceleration sensor is given the highest weight, and if a rapid rise in body temperature and abnormal fluctuations in heart rate occur simultaneously, the risk level is set to moderate. Furthermore, a complex judgment logic may be provided that raises the risk level to the highest level only when specific data from multiple sensors simultaneously indicate abnormalities. Such multi-layered judgment logic combining multiple sensors, and configurations that reinforce and modify the judgment results, are also included in the technical concept of "determining the risk level" in this disclosure.

[0029] The multimodal sensor 150 is a collective term for multiple types of sensors mounted on the GPS terminal 100. Specifically, it includes a GPS sensor (location information acquisition), an accelerometer (motion, impact, and posture change detection), a body temperature sensor (body temperature measurement), a heart rate sensor (heart rate measurement), and a microphone for ambient sound analysis (collection and analysis of ambient sounds). These sensors work together to provide diverse input data to the risk estimation unit 140.

[0030] The safety display control unit 160 (sometimes simply referred to as the "display control unit") controls the content displayed on the display mounted on the GPS terminal 100. This control is intended to clearly notify the person being monitored (child) of the current device status and the operating status of the camera function, especially when the battery level is low or in situations of high danger. For example, if the battery level monitored by the battery level monitoring unit 130 is below a predetermined threshold, or if the danger level determined by the danger level estimation unit 140 is above a predetermined danger level threshold, the display will show information indicating the situation (e.g., "Battery is low," "Danger detected") and that camera shooting has started, or that camera shooting is being controlled according to the battery level and danger level (e.g., "Shooting for a long time due to low battery").

[0031] The safety display control unit 160 may be configured to record information such as messages, icons, or display patterns displayed on the display as an event log in the memory of the GPS terminal 100 (Figure 6), associating it with the date and time of display, battery level, and danger level. This log data is transmitted to the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200, and can be viewed on the application screen (Figure 8) of the parent terminal 300, allowing the parent to see a message such as, "At XX:XX, the child's GPS terminal displayed 'Long-term recording due to low battery'."

[0032] The safety display control unit 160 may be configured to include, in addition to or in conjunction with, visual information display, information transmission functions using other modalities such as voice guidance (e.g., "Battery is low, recording will be extended in emergencies") or vibration patterns (e.g., repeating a specific vibration pattern when the level of danger is high). This makes it possible to appropriately notify the person being monitored of the device status and camera recording control status even when the person being monitored cannot see the display (e.g., when the device is in a pocket, or when the person being monitored has a visual impairment).

[0033] The image processing unit 170 performs various processes on the image data or video data captured by the camera shooting control unit 120 before transmission. These processes include data compression, resolution adjustment, frame rate adjustment, and / or monochrome conversion. By performing these processes, the amount of data transmitted for the image or video is reduced, enabling efficient transmission of data to the parent terminal 300 even in low-bandwidth communication environments. This reduces the communication load, conserves battery power, and ensures reliable information transmission in emergencies.

[0034] The image processing unit 170 may be configured to generate a processing log indicating what kind of image processing (data compression algorithm and compression ratio, applied resolution, frame rate, color depth change, whether or not it was converted to monochrome, etc.) was performed after the camera took a picture, and to send this log along with the processed image and video data to the server 200. The integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200 manages this log information and allows the parent to check the specific processing details and the reason (battery level and risk level) on the application screen (Figure 8) of the parent terminal 300, such as "The captured video was sent with the resolution reduced to 480p and the frame rate adjusted to 10fps due to low battery."

[0035] Image processing by the image processing unit 170 is not necessarily limited to being completed solely within the dedicated hardware or software of the GPS terminal 100. For example, the raw data or partially processed data captured by the GPS terminal 100 is temporarily transferred via wireless communication to another general-purpose device (e.g., a smartphone) carried by the person being monitored. The processing capabilities of this general-purpose device are then used to perform processing such as data compression and resolution adjustment as described in claim 8, and the data is subsequently transmitted from the general-purpose device to the server 200. In this case, the processing performed by the general-purpose device can be considered as part of the function of the image processing unit 170 of the GPS terminal 100.

[0036] Server 200 is a cloud system that handles the central management functions of the entire monitoring system. As shown in Figure 3, it comprises an integrated information management unit 210, a parent notification and guidance provision unit 220, and a control parameter setting unit 230. Server 200 may consist of multiple servers geographically distributed, or it may be virtually constructed on a cloud computing platform. In addition, Server 200 may have a function to analyze various types of information managed by the integrated information management unit 210 (sensor data from GPS terminals, past event logs, schedule information, external open data, etc.) using AI, etc., to predict the degree of danger to the person being monitored, or to determine the possibility of imminent danger. Based on this prediction result, it may have a function to automatically trigger camera shooting from the GPS terminal 100 from the server side without explicit shooting instructions from the parent terminal.

[0037] The integrated information management unit 210 receives various information transmitted in real time from the GPS terminal 100 (such as battery level, GPS location information, and risk level estimated from multimodal sensors including an accelerometer) and manages it centrally. This information is recorded in a database (see Figure 7) and can be used for comparative analysis with past data and to improve the accuracy of risk assessment.

[0038] The Parent Notification and Guidance Provision Unit 220 provides necessary notifications and guidance on recommended actions to the parent terminal 300's smartphone application based on information managed by the Integrated Information Management Unit 210. For example, it notifies the child of the child's battery level, real-time danger level (e.g., "Danger Level: High"), and the corresponding camera availability (e.g., "Battery is low, but recording can be done for a long time due to the high danger level"). In particular, if the server 200 predicts an imminent danger based on AI analysis and automatically triggers the GPS terminal's camera to take a picture, it notifies the parent of this fact (e.g., "AI has predicted danger and started automatic recording") and encourages them to access the recorded video. Furthermore, after understanding the child's situation, it supports the parent's decision-making and encourages a quick and accurate response by presenting specific recommended actions such as "Go and pick up your child," "Call to check on the situation," and "Contact the police."

[0039] The parent notification and guidance provision unit 220 may be configured to record log data in the database (Figure 7) of the server 200's integrated information management unit 210, indicating what recommended actions it generated and sent to the parent terminal 300 based on the situation of the person being monitored. This log data includes the specific content of the suggested actions, the date and time of presentation, the battery level and danger level of the GPS terminal 100 at the time those actions were presented, and (if any) a link to a thumbnail of the camera-captured video. The parent terminal 300 may also have a mechanism to record which of the suggested actions were selected or performed (e.g., tapped the notification and made a phone call, launched a map app, etc.) and provide feedback to the server 200. This allows for objective tracking of the fact that the system "presented a recommended action" and how that presentation influenced the actual action.

[0040] The parent notification and guidance provision unit 220 may be configured to include an AI (artificial intelligence) or machine learning model internally, and to dynamically generate and present the most appropriate and personalized recommended actions according to the real-time risk level and situation by learning from data of similar past cases, the behavioral patterns of the person being monitored, and the past response history of the parent. For example, if there is a high possibility that the person being monitored is lost, it may simultaneously present "contact the police" and unique options such as "contact a friend of the person being monitored" based on a nearby meeting place that the parent has frequently used in the past or past experience. As mentioned above, there is a description that the server 200 has a function to predict the risk level based on AI analysis, and it is possible to link with this.

[0041] The control parameter setting unit 230 allows the system operator to remotely set and update various parameters related to system operation, such as battery level threshold, danger threshold, camera shooting time limit, and image quality optimization rules. This makes it possible to flexibly and dynamically optimize system settings according to the age and characteristics of the person being monitored, changes in the operating environment, or the needs of the guardian. For example, it is possible to lower the danger threshold for young children or loosen the image quality optimization criteria for devices with large battery capacities.

[0042] The control parameter setting unit 230 (Figure 3) may be configured to record various parameters such as battery level threshold, danger level threshold, camera shooting time limit, and image quality optimization rules set by the operator or guardian in the database (Figure 7) of the server 200's integrated information management unit 210, associating them with a timestamp and the setter ID. The GPS terminal 100 receives these threshold settings and performs camera shooting control based on them. The camera shooting control unit 120 of the GPS terminal 100 generates log data indicating which threshold was actually applied and what shooting time and image quality resulted from that, when a shooting event occurs, and sends it to the server 200.

[0043] The control parameter setting unit 230 may be configured to generate a setting history log, including the type and value of the set parameter, the date and time of setting, and the identification information (ID) of the operator or guardian who made the setting, when a setting or update is performed remotely, and record it in the database (Figure 7) of the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200. The GPS terminal 100 generates a log indicating that it has applied the latest parameter setting received from the server 200 and the date and time of application, and feeds this back to the server 200. This makes it possible to track and verify, based on objective data, how the "remote setting or update possible" function is actually used and reflected in the GPS terminal.

[0044] Even if the parameters that the control parameter setting unit 230 can remotely set are only some of the battery level threshold, risk level threshold, camera shooting time limit, and image quality optimization rule, this is still covered within the scope of protection of this disclosure. In particular, even if there is interdependence between these parameters (e.g., if changing the battery level threshold automatically affects the image quality optimization rule), this is also covered within the technical concept of this disclosure. For example, even if three of the above four parameters are fixed locally and only one can be set remotely, as long as that one parameter falls within the scope of the rights of this application, it may still be covered within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, as a future technological trend, even if the GPS terminal itself is equipped with AI and autonomously adjusts the optimal parameter values ​​through self-learning, if the initial values ​​and learning models that serve as the basis for that adjustment are updated remotely, it may still be included as a "remotely configurable or updateable" system under this disclosure.

[0045] The parent terminal 300 is envisioned to be a smartphone or tablet device carried by the parent of the person being monitored (child). As shown in Figure 4, it is equipped with a shooting instruction transmission unit 310 and a feedback display unit 320, and has a dedicated application (app) installed.

[0046] The shooting instruction transmission unit 310 provides an interface for a parent to send a camera shooting instruction to the GPS terminal 100 of the person being monitored. For example, by tapping the "Shoot Now" button displayed on the app, a shooting instruction is sent to the GPS terminal 100.

[0047] The feedback display unit 320 displays information to the parent indicating the predicted shooting time and image quality based on the current status of the GPS terminal 100 (battery level, danger level, communication status, etc.) before the parent gives a shooting command. For example, specific information such as "Based on the current battery level and communication status, approximately 30 seconds of standard quality shooting is possible" is displayed. This allows the parent to understand in advance how effective the command will be before giving a camera shooting command, enabling them to accurately understand their child's situation and take the optimal action without unnecessary worry.

[0048] The feedback display unit 320 may be configured to generate a prediction logic application result log showing how the "predicted shooting time" and "predicted image quality" were calculated based on information such as battery level, risk level, and communication status received from the GPS terminal 100, and record this log in the storage unit of the parent terminal 300. This log is transmitted from the parent terminal 300 to the server 200 and managed by the integrated information management unit 210. This makes it possible to objectively understand the calculation process and results of the "prediction" performed internally, and to facilitate the proof of infringement. Furthermore, it becomes possible to verify the operation of this function by comparing whether the shooting time and image quality of the actually shot video match the information presented as a "prediction" in advance.

[0049] The feedback display unit 320 may be configured to present not only a single prediction but also multiple options, such as "Low-resolution, long-duration shooting possible" or "Medium-resolution, short-duration shooting possible," allowing the parent to select one of the options. In this case, the camera shooting control unit 120 of the GPS terminal 100 will perform the actual shooting according to the shooting conditions selected by the parent. Furthermore, if the prediction result is extremely unfavorable (e.g., the battery level and communication conditions are very poor, making it almost impossible to take pictures), the system may be configured to present guidance prompting alternative actions, such as "Shooting is difficult. Shall we check the situation in another way? (e.g., make a phone call)."

[0050] System Operation Example (Processing Flow) The flowchart shown in Figure 5 illustrates the main processing steps for camera control in this system.

[0051] In step S101, the battery level monitoring unit 130 of the GPS terminal 100 continuously monitors the device's battery level in real time and transmits this information to the server 200. This information is received and managed by the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200.

[0052] In step S102, the risk estimation unit 140 of the GPS terminal 100 estimates the real-time risk level of the person being monitored based on data from the multimodal sensors 150 (particularly the acceleration sensor). For example, if the acceleration sensor detects an abnormal tremor (a change in G equivalent to a fall or collision), it prioritizes determining the risk level as the highest level or a similarly high risk level, regardless of the risk level based on other sensor data.

[0053] In step S103, the camera shooting control unit 120 determines whether a trigger for camera activation has occurred. Triggers include sending a message from the GPS terminal 100 (e.g., pressing the SOS button), receiving and confirming a shooting instruction from the parent terminal 300, or automatic detection of abnormal movement by the GPS terminal 100 (e.g., falling, prolonged stillness, abnormal shaking).

[0054] In step S104, the camera shooting control unit 120 determines a specific control policy for camera shooting, taking into account the remaining battery level monitored in step S101 and the risk level estimated in step S102.

[0055] In step S105, based on the determined control policy, the camera shooting control unit 120 starts shooting. Under normal circumstances (when the risk level is low and the battery level is sufficient), the shooting time is limited to about 20 seconds to conserve battery power, and the image quality is set to the standard setting.

[0056] In step S106, however, if the battery level is low (for example, the battery level is below a predetermined threshold of 1), but the situation is high-risk (above a predetermined risk threshold, or a situation judged to be highly urgent), the camera shooting control unit 120 removes the shooting time limit and allows unlimited or long-duration video shooting (S107). At this time, the shooting image quality (resolution, frame rate, color depth) is dynamically optimized according to the battery level (gradually reduced: e.g., 1080p → 720p → 480p → monochrome → ultra-low frame rate), prioritizing the maximization of shooting time as much as possible. This dynamic image quality optimization makes it possible to secure the maximum amount of visual information within limited battery resources.

[0057] (Variation: Specific logging of dynamic optimization) In the camera shooting control of step S107, the camera shooting control unit 120 may be configured to record specific shooting settings (e.g., whether or not a set shooting time limit is set, the maximum permitted shooting time, the applied resolution, frame rate, and color depth values) determined based on the battery level and risk level as a log associated with the shooting event. This log is transmitted to the server 200 along with the image data and managed by the integrated information management unit 210. The feedback display unit 320 of the parent terminal 300 can present this log information to the parent, indicating specific control details such as, "The battery is low, but the risk level is high, so we are shooting for an extended period with reduced image quality." This makes it possible to objectively verify the fact of "dynamic optimization," which is difficult to see from the outside, based on data.

[0058] In step S108, the captured image and video data are subjected to simple image processing (data compression, resolution adjustment, etc.) by the image processing unit 170 of the GPS terminal 100 to reduce the amount of data transmitted, and then sent to the server 200.

[0059] In step S109, the integrated information management unit 210 of the server 200 receives information from the GPS terminal 100 in real time, including battery level, risk level, and captured image and video data, and manages it in an integrated manner.

[0060] In step S110, the parent notification and guidance unit 220 of the server 200 notifies the parent terminal 300 of the child's battery level, real-time risk level, and corresponding camera availability based on managed information, and presents recommended actions. This allows the parent to quickly and accurately understand the child's situation and take appropriate action.

[0061] The elements of each embodiment may be combined as appropriate. For example, a configuration in which the risk level estimated by the GPS terminal's risk estimation unit is further analyzed and corrected on the server side, or a configuration that adds a function to directly adjust the control parameters of the GPS terminal from the parent terminal, can be considered.

[0062] This disclosure contributes to improving computer functionality and user interfaces in the following respects:

[0063] (1) Reduce processing load and reduce communication volume The image processing unit 170 of the GPS terminal 100 performs processing such as data compression and resolution adjustment on the captured image and video data, significantly reducing the amount of data transmitted to the server 200. This reduces the processing load on the device's processor and communication module, enabling efficient use of communication bandwidth. In particular, it ensures reliable transmission of important visual information even in low battery conditions or unstable communication environments, improving the overall reliability and efficiency of the system.

[0064] (2) Improved real-time performance The risk estimation unit 140 comprehensively analyzes diverse data from multimodal sensors such as GPS, accelerometer, body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, and ambient sound analysis microphone to estimate the risk level in real time. This enables the rapid detection of early signs of physical danger such as falls and collisions, leading to notifications to parents and camera capture, contributing to a dramatic improvement in crisis management capabilities. Furthermore, by dynamically optimizing image quality when the battery is low, it enables maximum real-time information transmission within limited resources, ensuring that information reaches parents without delay.

[0065] (3) Optimization of data structure The data managed by the integrated information management unit 210 of server 200 (for example, the table structure shown in Figure 7) is designed to efficiently store a wide variety of sensor data and event information from GPS terminals, enabling high-speed searching and analysis. This allows for rapid real-time notifications to parents, history display, and statistical analysis.

[0066] (4) Improved usability and increased sense of security The feedback display unit 320 of the parent terminal 300 displays to the parent the predicted shooting time and image quality based on the GPS terminal's battery level, danger level, and communication status before executing a shooting command. This allows the availability, quality, and shooting time of the camera function to be automatically adjusted and feedbacked, enabling the parent to accurately understand the child's situation and take optimal action without unnecessary worry. In addition, the safety display control unit 160 of the GPS terminal 100 displays to the child that the camera will be activated when the battery level is low or in danger, enhancing the means by which the child can communicate danger non-verbally, improving usability for both parties and increasing the parent's sense of security.

[0067] [General tasks] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide an information processing system, information processing method, information processing program, and information processing device that enable a more appropriate understanding of the situation of the person being monitored and expedite emergency responses.

[0068] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 1] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to improve the usability of camera functions in monitoring devices, optimize battery consumption, and enable the acquisition of necessary information in emergencies.

[0069] [Note 1] A system in which a GPS terminal carried by the person being monitored, a server, and a guardian terminal work together, wherein the GPS terminal comprises a message transmission unit with a message sending function and a camera shooting control unit that performs camera shooting, the guardian terminal comprises a shooting instruction transmission unit that transmits shooting instructions to the GPS terminal, and the camera shooting control unit starts shooting based on one of the following triggers: when a message is transmitted by the message transmission unit, or when a shooting instruction is received from the shooting instruction transmission unit and the shooting instruction is confirmed. According to the system described above, the camera function, which is useful for monitoring the situation of the person being monitored, is activated only when necessary, suppressing unnecessary battery consumption. This reduces the risk of battery depletion in emergencies and increases the usability of the function. More specifically, this enables a more accurate understanding of the monitored person's situation and allows for a faster response in emergencies. In particular, while the camera function in monitoring devices is extremely useful for understanding a child's situation, it consumes a lot of battery power, posing a risk of the function becoming unusable due to battery depletion in emergencies. This system addresses this issue by starting camera recording only when necessary, such as when a message is sent or when a parent requests it, thereby utilizing the camera function only when needed, suppressing unnecessary battery consumption, and ensuring the possibility of obtaining information even in emergencies. This reduces the burden of frequent charging for parents and improves the reliability of the device. Furthermore, optimizing battery consumption extends the device's lifespan. Even when the battery level is low, based on a multifaceted risk assessment including physical abnormality detection by an accelerometer, if a child is in a dangerous situation, unlimited or long-duration visual information (video) can be provided to the parent, significantly improving the parent's crisis management capabilities. In conventional technology, battery limitations could become a bottleneck in obtaining information in emergencies, but this disclosure solves that problem and enables a quick and accurate response. Based on a combination of battery level and real-time risk assessment information, the camera function's availability, quality, and recording time are automatically adjusted and feedback is provided, allowing parents to accurately understand their child's situation and take optimal action without unnecessary worry. By incorporating the detection of abnormal shaking using an accelerometer into the risk assessment, it becomes possible to quickly capture early signs of physical danger such as falls and collisions, leading to notifications to parents and camera recording. This allows for responses to situations that might be missed with GPS location information alone.

[0070] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 2] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to dramatically improve the risk management capabilities of guardians by prioritizing the acquisition of visual information to the greatest extent possible, depending on the level of danger to the person being monitored, even when the battery level is low.

[0071] [Note 2] The system described in the above appendix, wherein the GPS terminal further comprises a battery level monitoring unit that monitors the remaining battery level of the GPS terminal, and a risk level estimation unit that determines the risk level estimated from a multimodal sensor, and the camera shooting control unit removes the time limit on camera shooting or permits long-duration video shooting and / or dynamically optimizes the image quality of the camera shooting according to the remaining battery level when the remaining battery level monitored by the battery level monitoring unit is below a predetermined threshold and the risk level determined by the risk level estimation unit is above a predetermined risk threshold. This allows for unlimited or extended-duration visual information (video) to be provided to guardians if the person being monitored is in a dangerous situation, even when the battery level is low, significantly improving guardians' crisis management capabilities.

[0072] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 3] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to quickly and reliably detect physical abnormalities in the person being monitored, thereby improving the accuracy and timeliness of risk assessment.

[0073] [Note 3] The system described in the appendix above, wherein the risk estimation unit, based on data obtained from the acceleration sensor included in the multimodal sensor, detects an abnormal shaking, impact, or fall occurring in the body of the person being monitored, and, regardless of the risk level based on other sensor data, preferentially determines the risk level to be the highest level or a similarly high risk level. This allows for the detection of abnormal shaking using an accelerometer to be incorporated into the risk assessment process, enabling the rapid detection of early signs of physical danger such as falls and collisions, leading to notifications to parents and camera recording.

[0074] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 4] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to help parents accurately understand their child's situation and quickly decide on the best course of action.

[0075] [Note 4] The system described in the above-mentioned appendix, wherein the server further comprises a parent notification and guidance provision unit that provides notifications and guidance on recommended actions to the parent terminal, and the parent notification and guidance provision unit presents the parent with the availability of the camera function and / or recommended actions according to the situation of the person being monitored, based on information from at least one of the battery level and danger level from the GPS terminal. This allows parents to accurately understand their child's situation and take optimal action without unnecessary worry, as camera availability, quality, and recording time are automatically adjusted and provided feedback based on a combination of information including battery level and real-time risk assessment.

[0076] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 5] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide children who are being monitored with a sense of security by clearly notifying them of the device status and the control status of the camera function.

[0077] [Note 5] The system described in the above appendix, wherein the GPS terminal further comprises a display control unit that controls the display, and the display control unit displays on the display the situation and information indicating that camera shooting has started or that camera shooting is controlled according to the battery level and the risk level when the battery level monitored by the battery level monitoring unit is below a predetermined threshold, or when the risk level determined by the risk level estimation unit is above a predetermined risk level threshold. This improves usability for both children and adults, as they can understand that the camera activates in dangerous situations and recognize that the camera is intentionally controlled when the battery level is low.

[0078] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 6] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to enable system operators to flexibly adjust camera control parameters according to various situations and needs.

[0079] [Note 6] The system described in the above appendix, wherein the server further comprises a control parameter setting unit, the control parameter setting unit enabling remote setting or updating of the battery level threshold, the risk threshold, the camera shooting time limit, or the camera shooting image quality optimization rules. This allows system operators to efficiently optimize system settings in accordance with changes in the situation and environment of the monitored individuals, or new operational policies.

[0080] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 7] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to further improve the diversity and accuracy of risk assessment by utilizing information from multimodal sensors other than acceleration sensors.

[0081] [Note 7] The system described in the appendix above, wherein the risk estimation unit determines the risk level based on data obtained from a body temperature sensor, a heart rate sensor, and / or an ambient sound analysis microphone included in the multimodal sensor. This allows for the incorporation of more comprehensive information, such as physical abnormalities (body temperature, heart rate) and surrounding conditions (ambient sounds), into the risk assessment. This enables the system to address situations that might be overlooked with GPS location information and accelerometer sensors alone, thereby enhancing the accuracy of monitoring.

[0082] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 8] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to improve the transmission efficiency of captured image and video data, reduce the communication load, and ensure the reliability of information provision to parents.

[0083] [Note 8] The system described in the above appendix, wherein the GPS terminal further comprises an image processing unit that performs at least one of the following processes on image or video data captured by the camera shooting control unit: data compression, resolution adjustment, frame rate adjustment, and / or monochrome conversion, and transmits the processed image or video data to the server. This reduces data traffic, enables efficient data transmission even in low-bandwidth communication environments, contributes to reduced battery consumption, and ensures reliable transmission of critical visual information in emergencies.

[0084] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 9] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide feedback that takes into account the current state of the device when parents instruct their children to take photos with the camera, thereby supporting more effective operation.

[0085] [Note 9] The system described in the above-mentioned appendix, wherein the parent terminal further comprises a feedback display unit that displays information to the parent indicating the predicted shooting time or image quality based on at least one of the battery level, danger level, and / or communication status of the GPS terminal, before the execution of a shooting instruction by the shooting instruction transmission unit. This allows parents to understand the effects of camera operation instructions in advance, enabling them to avoid unnecessary actions and choose the most appropriate method of obtaining information for the situation, thereby contributing to supporting parental decision-making and increasing their sense of security.

[0086] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 10] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to optimize battery consumption by activating the camera function only when necessary on the device carried by the person being monitored.

[0087] [Note 10] A GPS terminal carried by a person being monitored, comprising a message transmission unit equipped with a message transmission function and a camera shooting control unit that performs camera shooting, wherein the camera shooting control unit starts camera shooting based on one of the following triggers: when a message is transmitted by the message transmission unit, or when a shooting instruction is received from the shooting instruction transmission unit and the shooting instruction is confirmed. This allows the device to control the activation of the camera function on its own, suppressing unnecessary battery consumption and contributing to a longer device lifespan.

[0088] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 11] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to optimize battery consumption by controlling the camera of a GPS terminal carried by the person being monitored, by performing camera shooting only when necessary.

[0089] [Note 11] A camera control method for a GPS terminal carried by a person being monitored, comprising the steps of sending a message and taking a picture with the camera, wherein the step of taking a picture with the camera starts taking a picture based on either the sending of a message or the receiving of a shooting instruction. This allows for improved usability of the camera function in monitoring devices and optimized battery consumption, from a methodological standpoint.

[0090] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 12] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide a program that optimizes battery consumption by allowing the device carried by the person being monitored to take pictures only when necessary.

[0091] [Note 12] A program for controlling a camera on a GPS terminal carried by a person being monitored, which causes the terminal to send a message, take a picture with the camera, and receive an imaging instruction, wherein the camera takes a picture based on either the message being sent or the imaging instruction being received. This allows the program to improve the usability of the camera function on the monitoring device and optimize battery consumption.

[0092] [Note 13] The system described in the above appendix is ​​further characterized in that the camera shooting control unit has a function to automatically start camera shooting when it detects a specific voice command contained in the voice data acquired by the microphone mounted on the GPS terminal. The detection of this specific voice command can be used as an indication of the monitored person's intention to send a message, or as one element in determining the degree of danger in the monitored person's situation.

[0093] [Note 14] The system described in the above appendix, wherein the camera shooting control unit has a function that automatically starts camera shooting as a trigger other than when a message is sent by the message transmission unit or when a shooting instruction is confirmed by the shooting instruction transmission unit, when the risk level estimation unit mounted on the GPS terminal autonomously determines the risk level based on data from the multimodal sensor and the risk level is above a predetermined threshold.

[0094] [Note 15] The system described in the appendix above, wherein the GPS terminal further comprises an image processing unit that performs image analysis processing (face recognition, object recognition, or scene recognition) on image data captured by the camera shooting control unit, and the camera shooting control unit has a function that automatically starts camera shooting as a trigger other than when a message is sent by the message transmission unit or when a shooting instruction is confirmed from the shooting instruction transmission unit, when a specific face or specific object is recognized based on the results of the image analysis processing.

[0095] [Note 16] The system described in the above appendix, wherein the GPS terminal comprises a first device (wearable sensor device, etc.) carried by the person being monitored and a second device (smartphone, etc.) carried by the person being monitored, the first device is equipped with the multimodal sensor, the second device is equipped with the camera, and the camera shooting control unit remotely controls the camera of the second device based on a trigger detected by the first device.

[0096] [Note 17] The system described in the above-mentioned appendix, wherein the server has a function to analyze data and / or external information received from the GPS terminal using AI to predict the possibility of imminent danger to the person being monitored, and a function to remotely and automatically start camera shooting of the GPS terminal as a trigger other than when a message is sent by the message transmission unit or when a shooting instruction is confirmed from the shooting instruction transmission unit, based on the prediction result.

[0097] [Note 18] In the system described in the appendix above, "when a message is sent by the message sending unit" means the moment when the person being monitored performs a predetermined operation on the message sending unit, such as a physical operation (e.g., pressing the SOS button, inputting a specific gesture) or inputting a voice command, in order to express their intention to send a message. When such an operation is detected, it functions as a trigger to start camera shooting, regardless of whether the actual message data is being sent or has been completed. This allows for the immediate capture of urgent expressions of intent from the person being monitored, the rapid commencement of acquisition of visual information (camera shooting), and the increased immediacy of information provision to guardians.

[0098] [Note 19] In the system described in the appendix above, "when the shooting instruction is confirmed" means the moment when the person being monitored recognizes the shooting instruction from the guardian's terminal on the GPS terminal 100 and explicitly or implicitly consents to the start of camera shooting by one of the following methods. (i) When a physical button operation, touch operation, or predetermined gesture input is performed in response to the UI requesting permission to start shooting displayed on the GPS terminal 100's display. (ii) When the microphone installed in the GPS terminal 100 detects a specific voice command (e.g., a positive response such as "Allow shooting" or "Yes") from the person being monitored. (iii) When a biosensor installed in the GPS terminal 100 (e.g., heart rate sensor, electroencephalogram sensor, skin potential sensor, etc.) detects a biosignal of the person being monitored, and the biosignal shows a predetermined pattern (e.g., a sudden increase in heart rate, a specific electroencephalogram pattern), and it is determined that this is associated with urgency or consent. In this case, the detection of biosignals may be used in combination with voice recognition or gesture recognition. The camera recording control unit 120 starts recording when any of the above verification methods are detected. This respects the privacy of the person being monitored, enables smooth information acquisition even in emergencies, and clarifies the criteria for determining "verification" in proving infringement.

[0099] [Note 20] The “GPS terminal carried by the person being monitored” as described in the above note refers to a device worn or carried at all times by the person being monitored that has the function of acquiring and transmitting information about the location, behavior, or situation of the person being monitored to an external party, or a general term for a group of multiple connected devices having such function. The term “GPS terminal” here does not limit itself to a device with GPS functionality as an essential component, but rather means a device that has the primary means of providing the location and / or behavior information of the person being monitored to the monitoring system. Therefore, in addition to GPS functionality, or instead of GPS functionality, devices that have Wi-Fi positioning, Bluetooth positioning, base station positioning, self-position estimation using inertial sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes), or position estimation functionality by reading specific markers (QR code®, RFID tags, etc.) are also included in the definition of “GPS terminal” in this application.

[0100] [Note 21] The phrase "start camera shooting" as described in the above note means the point at which the camera module mounted on the GPS terminal 100 is activated based on the trigger and actually begins generating and recording still or video image data. Here, "recording" refers to a state in which image data is temporarily or permanently stored in the memory (Figure 6) of the GPS terminal 100, and "start camera shooting" is defined as the point at which such recording begins. Whether or not the image data has been transmitted to the server 200 is irrelevant. This clarifies that the acquisition of useful visual information has actually begun, rather than merely powering on the camera module or displaying a preview, making it easier to prove infringement.

[0101] [Note 22] The “predetermined threshold” and “predetermined risk threshold” mentioned in the above note refer to any numerical value, range, or criterion that is pre-set or dynamically set by the system operator or guardian based on the situation of the person being monitored, the characteristics of the device, the usage environment, or a specific operational policy. These thresholds are not necessarily limited to a single fixed value, but are included in the technical concept of this disclosure as long as they function as criteria that the system uses to decide whether to remove time limits on camera shooting, permit long-duration shooting, or optimize image quality, in accordance with a predetermined control policy. This includes multiple stepped thresholds, dynamic thresholds that change depending on the time of day or the state of the person being monitored (e.g., active, sleeping), or variable thresholds calculated by a machine learning model.

[0102] [Note 23] The phrase "removing the time limit for camera shooting or allowing long-duration video recording" as stated in the appendix above means that the camera shooting control unit 120 will remove the predetermined shooting time limit (e.g., approximately 20 seconds) that is normally set (low risk level) and allow unlimited video recording as long as the battery level of the GPS terminal 100 allows, or enable video recording for a significantly longer time than the predetermined shooting time limit (e.g., 1 minute or more, or 3 times or more the normal shooting time). This control is implemented with the highest priority being to ensure that visual information is provided without interruption in low battery and high risk situations.

[0103] [Note 24] The phrase "dynamically optimize camera image quality according to battery level" as stated in the appendix above means adaptive control in which the camera shooting control unit 120 automatically adjusts at least one of the resolution, frame rate, or color depth of the captured image or video data in steps or continuously, according to the remaining battery level monitored by the battery level monitoring unit 130. This optimization aims to maximize shooting time, even at the expense of image quality, in order to continue shooting for as long as possible, especially when the battery level is low. Specifically, this includes control that gradually reduces image quality from high quality (e.g., 1080p) to medium quality (e.g., 720p), low quality (e.g., 480p), and further to monochrome or ultra-low frame rate as the battery level decreases.

[0104] [Note 25] The "abnormal shaking, impact, or fall" mentioned in the above note refers to any of the following events that deviate from the range of normal movements (e.g., walking, running, sitting, standing) that the person being monitored experiences on a daily basis, based on data obtained from the accelerometer installed in the GPS terminal 100, and that suggest physical danger. (i) Abnormal shaking: A pattern in which changes in acceleration exceeding a predetermined G threshold (e.g., 2G) are detected consecutively a predetermined number of times (e.g., 3 times) or more within a certain period of time (e.g., 1 second), or in which extremely large G values ​​(e.g., 5G or more) are detected once or multiple times in a short period of time (e.g., 0.5 seconds). This includes violent shaking, pushing, etc. (ii) Impact: A pattern in which a very high instantaneous G-value (e.g., 10G or more) is detected over a short period of time (e.g., less than 0.1 seconds). This includes collisions with the ground during falls, collisions with objects, etc. (iii) Falling over: A pattern in which the orientation of the GPS terminal 100 changes abruptly from the vertical direction (Z axis) to the horizontal direction (XY plane) (e.g., the G value of the Z axis falls below a predetermined threshold, and the G value of the X or Y axis rises above a predetermined threshold), and the orientation does not change (remains stationary) for a certain period of time (e.g., 5 seconds) or longer thereafter. The specific thresholds, time, frequency, and patterns used to determine these events include variable criteria that are dynamically set via the control parameter setting unit 230 based on the age, physical ability, and activity level of the person being monitored.

[0105] [Note 26] The phrase "presenting recommended actions" as stated in the above-mentioned addendum means that the Parent Notification / Guidance Provision Unit 220 comprehensively analyzes information such as the battery level and risk level from the GPS terminal 100, as well as, if necessary, the location information of the person being monitored, their activity history, visual information captured by the camera, or the results of environmental sound analysis. Based on the results of this analysis, it presents multiple specific and practical action options that the parent should take in the current situation through means such as display, voice output, or vibration notification via the interface of the Parent Terminal 300. The presentation here refers to providing information that assists in action selection, with the aim of supporting the parent's decision-making and expediting emergency response, rather than merely issuing warnings or explaining the situation.

[0106] [Note 27] The phrase "display on the aforementioned display" as described in the above note means presenting information visually indicating the situation to the person being monitored in one of the following formats, through the display mounted on the GPS terminal 100, or through the display of another device that communicates with the GPS terminal 100 via wireless communication (e.g., a smartphone carried by the person being monitored). (i) Display of specific information via text message, or a combination of text message and icon (e.g., "Battery low," "Danger detected," "Recording for an extended period due to low battery"). (ii) Intuitive information display using icons or emojis. (iii) An indication of a change in status by the color, brightness, or flashing pattern of the display's backlight. The display here should not be merely an indicator of the device's operation (e.g., the power LED being lit), but should contain enough information and visual clarity to allow the person being monitored to easily understand the device's current status (battery level, risk level, camera operation status).

[0107] [Note 28] The phrase "remotely configurable or updateable" as stated in the above note means that the system operator or guardian can change or update the battery level threshold, risk threshold, camera shooting time limit, or camera shooting image quality optimization rules to the latest state via a wired or wireless communication network (e.g., the internet, mobile phone network, Wi-Fi, LPWA, Bluetooth, etc.) provided by the control parameter setting unit 230 through a dedicated interface (e.g., web management screen, API, dedicated application) without physically touching the GPS terminal 100 directly. Such settings or updates are reflected in the GPS terminal 100 in real time or at predetermined intervals. This function refers not only to changing settings built into the device, but also to the ability to flexibly and dynamically adjust the device's behavior in response to changes in the system's operating status and the person being monitored.

[0108] [Note 29] The statement above, "determining the level of risk based on data obtained from the body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, and / or ambient sound analysis microphone," means that the risk estimation unit 140 performs a predetermined analysis on any or more of the following sensor data to evaluate the situation of the person being monitored and determine the risk level. (i) Based on data from the body temperature sensor: If the body temperature of the person being monitored changes rapidly and exceeds a predetermined standard value (e.g., ±1.5°C of normal body temperature, or 38°C in absolute value), or if the high temperature condition persists for a certain period of time (e.g., 10 minutes) or longer, the risk of heatstroke or other health problems will be assessed. (ii) Based on data from the heart rate sensor: If the heart rate of the person being monitored deviates from the resting heart rate by more than a predetermined percentage (e.g., ±20%), or if an irregular heartbeat pattern, abnormally high heart rate, or low heart rate persists for a certain period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) or longer, a physical abnormality or risk such as stress will be determined. (iii) Based on data from microphones for ambient sound analysis: Danger is determined when sounds indicating an emergency, such as screams, cries for help, collisions, or the sound of breaking glass, are identified from the ambient sounds that have specific acoustic characteristics (e.g., abnormal peaks in the high-frequency band, specific volume levels, specific durations). Speech recognition technology or acoustic pattern recognition technology is used for this ambient sound analysis. These decision-making logics should include criteria that are dynamically adjusted based on individual differences in the person being monitored (age, basic physical fitness, etc.), time of day, and surrounding environment (e.g., indoors / outdoors).

[0109] [Note 30] The phrase "applying at least one of the following processes: data compression, resolution adjustment, frame rate adjustment, and / or monochrome conversion" as stated in the appendix above means that the image processing unit 170 installed in the GPS terminal 100 automatically applies one or more of the following processes to reduce the amount of data required for transmission or to improve communication efficiency of the image or video data captured by the camera shooting control unit 120. (i) Data compression: The process of reducing the file size of images or videos using standard or custom compression algorithms such as JPEG, MPEG, and H.264. (ii) Resolution adjustment: A process that reduces the number of pixels in the original data, thereby lowering the vertical and horizontal resolution of an image or video. (iii) Frame rate adjustment: A process that reduces the number of frames per second in a video, thereby reducing the amount of data in the video. (iv) Monochrome conversion: A process that reduces the amount of data associated with color information by converting a color image to a grayscale or black and white image. (v) Quantization: A process that reduces the amount of data by reducing the color depth (number of bits) of each pixel. (vi) Cropping: A process that reduces the amount of data by cutting out unnecessary peripheral parts of an image or video. These processes are dynamically selected or applied in conjunction with the control of the camera shooting control unit 120 (see claim 2) with the aim of prioritizing the reliable transmission of important visual information to the parent terminal 300, especially when the battery level is low or in a low-bandwidth communication environment.

[0110] [Note 31] The phrase "display to the guardian information indicating the predicted shooting time or image quality" as stated in the appendix above means that the feedback display unit 320 of the guardian terminal 300 dynamically calculates one or more of the following pieces of information based on real-time battery level, risk level, and / or communication status information obtained from the GPS terminal 100 via the server 200, before the guardian executes a shooting command, and visually presents them on the display of the guardian terminal 300 (see Figure 8). (i) Predicted shooting time: The time that can be used for shooting, expressed in specific time units (e.g., seconds, minutes). (ii) Predicted image quality: Image quality at the time of shooting, expressed at specific resolution (e.g., 1080p, 720p), frame rate (e.g., 30fps, 15fps), or color depth (e.g., color, monochrome). (iii) In addition to this information, the main factors that led to the prediction result (e.g., "because the battery level is XX%" or "because the communication status is unstable") are presented as supplementary information. This presentation aims to help parents understand the effects of camera-taking instructions in advance and select the most appropriate method of obtaining information for the situation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 100 GPS devices 110 Message Sending Unit 120 Camera shooting control unit 130 Battery level monitoring unit 140 Risk Estimation Section 150 Multimodal Sensors 160 Safety Display Control Unit 170 Image Processing Unit 200 servers 210 Integrated Information Management Department 220 Parent Notification and Guidance Department 230 Control parameter setting unit 300 Parental Devices 310 Shooting instruction transmission unit 320 Feedback display unit

Claims

1. This system involves a GPS device carried by the person being monitored, a server, and a parent's device working together. The aforementioned GPS terminal is A message sending unit equipped with a message sending function, It comprises a camera shooting control unit that performs camera shooting, The aforementioned parental device is It includes a shooting instruction transmission unit that transmits a shooting instruction to the GPS terminal, The camera shooting control unit, A system that initiates camera shooting based on either a trigger, such as when a message is sent by the message transmission unit, or when a shooting instruction is received from the shooting instruction transmission unit and the shooting instruction is confirmed.

2. The system according to claim 1, The aforementioned GPS terminal is Furthermore, the system includes a battery level monitoring unit that monitors the remaining battery level of the GPS terminal, A risk estimation unit that determines the risk level estimated from multimodal sensors, Equipped with, The camera shooting control unit, A system that, when the battery level monitored by the battery level monitoring unit is below a predetermined threshold, and the risk level determined by the risk level estimation unit is above a predetermined risk level threshold, removes the time limit on camera shooting or allows long-duration video shooting, and / or dynamically optimizes the image quality of the camera shooting according to the battery level.

3. The system according to claim 2, The aforementioned risk estimation unit, A system that, based on data obtained from an acceleration sensor included in the multimodal sensor, detects abnormal shaking, impact, or falls in the body of a person being monitored, and prioritizes determining the risk level as the highest level or a similarly high risk level, regardless of the risk level based on other sensor data.

4. The system according to claim 2, The server further includes a parent notification and guidance unit that provides notifications and guidance on recommended actions to the parent terminal. The aforementioned Parent Notification and Guidance Provision Department, A system that, based on information from the GPS terminal regarding the battery level and the risk level, presents the guardian with the availability of the camera function and / or recommended actions appropriate to the situation of the person being monitored.

5. The system according to claim 1, The GPS terminal further includes a display control unit that controls the display, The display control unit, A system that, when the battery level monitored by the battery level monitoring unit is below a predetermined threshold, or when the risk level determined by the risk level estimation unit is above a predetermined risk threshold, displays on the display the situation and information indicating that camera shooting has started, or that camera shooting is controlled according to the battery level and risk level.

6. The system according to claim 1, The server further includes a control parameter setting unit, The control parameter setting unit is, The battery level threshold, the risk threshold, the camera shooting time limit, or the camera shooting image quality optimization rules can be set or updated remotely. system.

7. The system according to claim 2, The aforementioned risk estimation unit, Based on data obtained from the body temperature sensor, heart rate sensor, and / or microphone for ambient sound analysis included in the multimodal sensor, the degree of risk is determined. system.

8. The system according to claim 2, The aforementioned GPS terminal is The image processing unit further comprises performing at least one of the following processes on the image or video data captured by the camera shooting control unit: data compression, resolution adjustment, frame rate adjustment, and / or monochrome conversion. The image or video data after processing is sent to the server. system.

9. The system according to claim 1, The aforementioned parental device is The system further includes a feedback display unit that, before the shooting instruction transmission unit executes a shooting instruction, displays information to the guardian indicating the predicted shooting time or image quality based on at least one of the GPS terminal's battery level, risk level, and / or communication status. system.

10. A GPS device carried by the person being monitored, A message sending unit equipped with a message sending function, It comprises a camera shooting control unit that performs camera shooting, The camera shooting control unit, A GPS terminal that starts taking pictures with its camera based on one of the following triggers: when a message is sent by the message transmission unit, or when a shooting instruction is received from the shooting instruction transmission unit and the shooting instruction is confirmed.

11. A method for controlling the camera on a GPS terminal carried by a person being monitored, The steps to send a message, It includes a step for taking a picture with a camera, The step of taking the aforementioned camera photograph is: The camera starts shooting based on either a trigger, such as when a message is sent or when a shooting instruction is received. Camera control method.

12. A program that allows a GPS device carried by the person being monitored to perform camera control, Send a message, Start taking a picture with the camera. Receive imaging instructions, The aforementioned camera photography is A program that performs camera shooting based on either the sending of the aforementioned message or the receiving of the aforementioned shooting instruction.

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