Terminal for persons under surveillance, information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

This invention provides an information processing system, information processing method, and program that improve the usability of monitoring using small, easy-to-operate monitoring terminals. [Solution] In the information processing system, the terminal for the person being monitored comprises a display unit, a switch unit that detects physical pressing operations on the display unit, and a control unit that executes predetermined functions in response to detection by the switch unit. The control unit dynamically switches the display content of the display unit and the function assigned to the pressing operation based on the internal state of the terminal (battery level, message reception status, sensor detection results, etc.).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a terminal for a person under care, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] By providing a small dedicated mobile terminal (hereinafter, "monitoring terminal") to the person under care, a so-called "monitoring GPS service" has become widely popular, enabling the caregiver to check the current location of the person under care in real time on a map application on their own terminal such as a smartphone.

[0003] With the progress of the technological maturity of these monitoring terminals, they have evolved from a simple function of simply transmitting location information to the server periodically to more advanced and interactive functions. For example, by pressing a physical button provided on the terminal, an SOS (Save Our Souls) function that notifies a pre-registered contact (the caregiver's terminal) of an emergency, and a limited but important communication function that enables the transmission and reception of simple fixed-form messages and short voice messages of about several tens of seconds between the caregiver and the person under care are increasing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a terminal for a person under care, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program that can improve the usability of monitoring.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a terminal for a person being monitored according to one representative embodiment of the present disclosure is a display control device comprising: a positioning unit for determining location information; a transmission unit for transmitting the location information to a server; a display unit for displaying information; a switch unit for detecting a physical press operation on the display unit; and a control unit for executing one function selected from a predetermined set of functions in response to the detection of the press operation by the switch unit, wherein the control unit monitors the internal state of the terminal, including multiple parameters such as the battery level of the terminal being monitored, the radio wave strength of the communication module, the status of receiving messages from external sources, and the detection results of built-in sensors, and dynamically and cooperatively switches the display content to be displayed on the display unit and the predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of the press operation based on the change in the internal state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the usability of the monitoring system can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the monitoring terminal according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This block diagram shows the hardware configuration of the server according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the parent's device according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring terminal according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the application on the parent's device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8]It is a flowchart showing an example of the basic operation mode switching process of the monitored person's terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing an example of the process of the fall detection and emergency notification mode of the monitored person's terminal in this embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing an example of the text and voice conversion process of the server in this embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing an example of the learning and entry / exit detection process of the notification spot in this embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing an example of the learning and deviation detection process of the activity range in this embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a sequence diagram showing an example of the plan switching process in this embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the display screen of the monitored person's terminal (when receiving a message). [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the display screen of the monitored person's terminal (when the battery is low). [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the display screen of the monitored person's terminal (when fall is detected). [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing an example of the context integrated timeline screen of the protector's terminal. [Figure 18] It is a diagram showing an example of the map linkage screen of the protector's terminal. [Figure 19] It is a diagram showing an example of the positioning mode setting screen of the protector's terminal. [Figure 20] It is a diagram explaining the concept of the automatic learning of the notification spot. [Figure 21] It is a diagram explaining the concept of the learning and deviation detection of the activity range. [Figure 22] It is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the monitored person's terminal. [Figure 23] It is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the physical click-type display part of the monitored person's terminal. [Figure 24] It is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the battery expansion detection mechanism of the monitored person's terminal. [Figure 25] It is a diagram showing an example of a detailed communication sequence in two-way communication. [Figure 26] It is a diagram explaining the concept of a hybrid positioning system. [Figure 27] It is a graph showing an example of an acceleration data pattern used in a fall detection algorithm. [Figure 28] It is a diagram showing an example of a billing model according to plan switching. [Figure 29] It is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the display screen of the terminal for the person under care in the present embodiment (when entering a specific area). [Figure 30] It is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the operation interface of the terminal for the person under care in the present embodiment. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments and their modified examples for embodying the technical idea of the present disclosure will be described in great detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description in this specification is intended to enable those skilled in the art to easily and clearly understand the content of the present disclosure, correctly grasp its technical scope, and further be able to implement it by themselves. In each figure, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

[0010] [First Embodiment: Overall Configuration of Information Processing System and Configuration of Each Device] This first embodiment relates to the architecture of the entire information processing system 1 to which the present disclosure is applied, the physical hardware configuration of each device constituting it, and the functional configuration realized by software.

[0011] (1. Overall Configuration of Information Processing System: Figure 1) Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram that comprehensively shows the overall configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment, along with the logical connection relationships between its components. This information processing system 1 is constructed as an advanced remote monitoring system that integrates so-called IoT (Internet of Things) technology, cloud computing technology, and mobile computing technology. System 1 consists primarily of three main components. Firstly, a small, lightweight terminal 10 for the person being monitored, such as a child or the elderly, which is carried or attached to the person being monitored on a daily basis. Secondly, a general-purpose communication terminal 20 for the guardian, such as a parent or caregiver, used by the guardian to check on the person being monitored and to communicate with them. And thirdly, a server 30 that mediates communication between these multiple terminals and functions as the core for data collection, analysis, and service provision.

[0012] The monitored person's terminal 10 and the guardian's terminal 20 each have built-in wireless communication capabilities and are connected to a global wide-area communication network 40 (typically the internet) via public mobile communication networks such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication System), or Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) access points. The server 30 is also constantly connected to the network 40 via a high-speed line. This configuration allows the monitored terminal 10 and the guardian's terminal 20 to send and receive data to and from each other via the network 40 and server 30, regardless of their geographical distance. Based on this client-server architecture, the system provides a foundation for stable monitoring services, ensuring high scalability to accommodate a large number of terminals (clients) simultaneously, and high reliability and availability through data backup, load balancing, and redundant configurations on the server side.

[0013] (2. Hardware configuration of the terminal for the person being monitored: Figures 2, 22, and 23) Figure 22 is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of the monitored person terminal 10 in this embodiment. The monitored person terminal 10 is designed to be carried at all times by the monitored person, especially an active child, and is constructed with a small and lightweight casing that fits, for example, in the palm of the hand. The casing is provided with a strap hole and the like, making it easy to attach to a bag or clothing. The casing is made of a material such as polycarbonate (PC) or ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resin, which has excellent impact resistance, and is designed to protect the internal electronic components from impacts that may occur in daily life, such as when a child drops it on the ground or bumps it against something. The corners of the casing are also rounded to ensure that the user can handle it safely. A single circular display unit 11, which serves as both an information display and an operation input, is located on the main surface of the casing and is one of the main features of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing in detail the internal hardware configuration of the monitored terminal 10. To achieve its purpose, the monitored terminal 10 densely implements multiple functional electronic components to work together within a limited enclosure space. The control unit (CPU) 13 functions as the brain of terminal 10. The control unit 13 consists of a microprocessor unit (MPU) containing one or more processor cores, or a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) that integrates circuits specialized for specific functions, and controls the operation of the entire terminal in a highly sophisticated and comprehensive manner. In particular, since battery life is extremely important for this terminal, it is desirable that the control unit 13 adopt an architecture (for example, the ARM architecture) that achieves both high processing power and extremely low power consumption.

[0015] Memory 14 is a storage device for temporarily or permanently storing programs executed by the control unit 13 and data necessary for processing. Typically, memory 14 consists of a non-volatile ROM (Read Only Memory) or flash memory that stores the system's startup program (boot loader) and basic settings, and whose contents are not erased even when the power is turned off, and a volatile RAM (Random Access Memory) that allows high-speed access and is used as a temporary data storage area and workspace during program execution.

[0016] As user interface components for exchanging information with the user, the terminal 10 includes a display unit 11, a switch unit 12, a speaker 18, and a microphone 19. The display unit 11 is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a more power-saving and high-contrast organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, and presents visual information such as the time, icons, and message sender information to the user. The switch unit 12, as described later, is integrated with the display unit 11 and is an input device that detects physical press operations from the user. The speaker 18 is used to play voice messages and warning sounds, and the microphone 19 is used to record the user's voice.

[0017] To detect the environment in which the terminal is placed, the terminal 10 is equipped with a GPS receiver 16 that functions as a positioning unit for determining location information, and an accelerometer 17. The accelerometer 17 is a 3-axis accelerometer typically manufactured using MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) technology, and it detects the static tilt of the terminal (detection of gravitational acceleration) and dynamic movement and impact with high sensitivity. The output of this sensor plays an important role in many of the intelligent functions of this terminal, such as fall detection, positioning augmentation by motion AI, and power saving control, which will be described later. The GPS receiver 16 receives signals from multiple satellite positioning systems (GNSS), including GPS satellites, such as Japan's "Michibiki (QZSS)", Russia's "GLONASS", and Europe's "Galileo", and calculates the terminal's precise geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) based on the principle of triangulation. In addition, the communication interface 15 functions as a transmission unit that transmits the location information determined by the positioning unit (GPS receiver 16) to the server 30.

[0018] As interfaces for connecting to the outside world, the terminal 10 is equipped with a communication interface (I / F) 15 and an external interface (I / F) 21. The communication interface 15 is a communication module for wireless connection with the network 40. For IoT devices like this terminal, adopting a communication module that supports low-power wide-area wireless communication (LPWA) standards, such as LTE-M or NB-IoT (NarrowBand-IoT), which minimize power consumption while achieving wide coverage, is extremely effective in realizing long-term continuous operation with the built-in battery. The external interface 21 consists of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) Type-C connector, etc., and is used for charging the built-in battery and for data communication during manufacturing and maintenance.

[0019] The various hardware components described above (11-21) are electrically connected to the control unit 13 via an internal bus 22, which includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus. The control unit 13 comprehensively controls each component through this internal bus 22 and reads and writes data, thereby realizing integrated terminal functionality.

[0020] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section corresponding to line AA of the terminal shown in Figure 22, illustrating the characteristic structure of the physical click-type display unit. The display unit 11 consists of a display panel such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, and is supported by an elastic material such as a gasket, allowing it to move slightly into (displace) relative to the housing. When a user presses the surface of the display unit 11 with a predetermined pressure or more, the physical displacement causes a switch unit 12 (for example, a long-life tact switch, dome switch, or pressure-sensitive conductive rubber) located on the back of the display unit 11 to mechanically operate, which is detected as a click operation. This structure with a physical click sensation can provide the user with clearer operational feedback compared to a capacitive touchscreen. Furthermore, it has the practical advantage of enabling reliable operation even when wearing gloves or when fingertips are wet.

[0021] (3. Hardware configuration of the server and parent's device: Figures 3 and 4) Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 30, which forms the core of this information processing system 1. The server 30 is physically composed of one or more high-performance physical servers installed in a data center or the like. Alternatively, it may be virtually constructed using a cloud computing environment such as AWS (Amazon Web Services) or GCP (Google Cloud Platform). In that case, an auto-scaling function that automatically increases or decreases computing resources according to the load, and redundancy and fault tolerance are improved by distributing the system across multiple geographical regions are implemented. To realize these functions, the server 30 is equipped with a high-performance central processing unit (CPU) 31, a large-capacity main memory (memory) 32 that serves as a workspace for program execution, an auxiliary storage device 33 such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) array for persistently storing various data and trained models, and a communication interface 34 for high-speed data communication with the network 40.

[0022] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a guardian's terminal 20 used by a caregiver. The guardian's terminal 20 is typically a commercially available smartphone or tablet. Therefore, it has a general-purpose computer architecture and is equipped with a CPU 41 responsible for executing applications, memory 42 as a workspace, storage device 43 (typically flash memory) for saving apps and data, a communication interface 44 compatible with Wi-Fi and LTE / 5G, and as a user interface, a display device 45 that simultaneously provides high-definition graphic display and touch input, and a microphone 46 and speaker 47 for audio input and output.

[0023] (4. Functional configuration of each device: Figures 5, 6, and 7) Next, we will describe the functional configuration (functional blocks) of each device, which is virtually constructed by the execution of specific software programs on the physical hardware described above. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram showing the main functional configuration of the monitored terminal 10. The control unit 13 of the monitored terminal 10 operates cooperatively as the state management unit 131, display control unit 132, function switching unit 133, function execution unit 134, and learning unit 135 by executing the main program and related modules stored in the memory 14. The detailed coordinated operation of these functional units will be described in detail in subsequent embodiments.

[0024] Figure 6 is a functional block diagram showing the main functional configuration of the server 30. The server 30 operates as a communication unit 301, a data management unit 302, a voice-to-text conversion unit 303, a location information processing unit 304, and a plan management unit 305, with its CPU 31 executing a predetermined server program.

[0025] Figure 7 is a functional block diagram showing the main functional configuration of a dedicated application (hereinafter referred to as "the app") that runs on the parent's device 20. The CPU 41 executes program code to enable the app to function as a communication unit 201 that exchanges data with the server 30, a data display unit 202 that displays received data on the screen, an input reception unit 203 that accepts user operations, and a notification reception unit 204 that receives notifications in the background.

[0026] [Second Embodiment: State-Linked User Interface] This second embodiment describes in great detail the specific operating principle and implementation means of the user interface of the monitored terminal 10, which is the most central and innovative feature of the present invention, in which the display and functions are dynamically and coordinately switched in conjunction with the internal state of the terminal. This advanced user interface is realized by the close cooperation of the functional configuration shown in Figure 5 above, namely the state management unit 131, the display control unit 132, the function switching unit 133, and the function execution unit 134, as if they were a single organic system.

[0027] (1. Principles of state management and priority control) The state management unit 131, which forms the core of this terminal's intelligent operation, is the highest-level control unit that centrally monitors and determines the current context (situation / state) of the terminal and governs the logic of its state transitions. This "internal state" is defined not by a single parameter, but as a result of comprehensively judging information from multiple different sources. The state management unit 131 constantly listens to a wide range of events, such as the following: a) Communication event: Notification of new message received from server 30 via communication interface 15. b) Power event: Voltage drop notification from the battery management IC indicating that the battery voltage has fallen below a predetermined threshold. c) Sensor event: A hardware interrupt issued by the internal processor of the accelerometer 17 when it detects a pre-configured characteristic acceleration pattern (for example, a fall pattern described later). d) User input event: Notification from the function execution unit 134 that the user has performed a specific operation (e.g., starting recording by long-pressing). e) Internal timer event: A timeout interrupt indicating that a timer set in a specific mode (e.g., waiting for response after fall detection) has expired.

[0028] Upon receiving these events, the state management unit 131 uniquely determines the next state the terminal should transition to, based on a strictly defined priority rule that embodies the safety concept of the present invention. This priority rule is designed to give the highest priority to the safety of the user's life and body, and ensuring the continuity of the service, and is ranked as follows, for example: 1st: fall detection state, 2nd: low battery state, 3rd: message received state, 4th: standby state. Therefore, for example, if a "message reception event" and a "voltage drop event" occur almost simultaneously in the "standby state," the state management unit 131 selects the latter, which has higher priority, and forcibly transitions the terminal's state to the "low battery state." Once this new state transition is confirmed, it broadcasts this state information to the display control unit 132 and the function switching unit 133 as an internal command to prompt the next action. This strict priority control is what guarantees the value of this terminal as a highly reliable safety device that goes beyond simple function switching.

[0029] (2. Dynamic coordinated switching of display and function) The display control unit 132 and the function switching unit 133 receive state transition commands from the state management unit 131 and synchronously and cooperatively change the interface (appearance and operability) perceived by the user. For example, if the status is "fall detection state," the display control unit 132 selects a template with extremely high visibility and warning effect, such as one with a flashing red exclamation mark, and immediately updates the screen of the display unit 11. At the same time, the function switching unit 133 activates the function mapping corresponding to "fall detection state" and assigns the "safety response function (a subroutine that cancels the emergency notification and sends a message to the server indicating that the user is safe)" to the click operation of the switch unit 12. In this way, the display and function are dynamically switched as an inseparable pair, so that the "display" the user sees and the result of the "operation" the user performs always perfectly match the current "state" of the device. Through this consistent coordinated operation, the user can intuitively and reflexively understand the relationship that "on this screen, pressing this button will result in this," without the need for thought or analogy. This is the core principle of the high usability provided by the present invention.

[0030] (3. Specific examples of transitions in basic operating modes: Figures 8 and 14) The flowchart in Figure 8 and the screen transition diagram in Figure 14 illustrate a concrete example of operation based on the above principle, using the message reception status as an example. As mentioned earlier, this flow assumes that the system is not in a higher-priority emergency or warning mode. In processing flow S101, if the state management unit 131 determines that there are unplayed voice messages based on push notifications from the server, etc. (Yes in S101), it transitions the state to "message received state". Upon receiving this command, the display control unit 132 generates the message received screen 520 shown in Figure 14 (S102). This screen displays the sender's face image 521, which has been registered in advance from the app on the parent's terminal 20, and text 522 such as "5 minutes ago" indicating the time elapsed since reception. Displaying the face image 521 is extremely effective in allowing young children who are not yet able to read or write to instantly identify who the message is from and provide a sense of security. Displaying the elapsed time 522 provides temporal context, such as whether it is "just now" or "a few hours ago," helping to determine the urgency of the message. At the same time, the function switching unit 133 assigns the "message playback function" to the click operation (S103). When the user views this screen 520 and clicks the display unit 11, the function execution unit 134 plays the audio data received from the server and stored in the memory 14 through the speaker 18. Once playback is complete, the function execution unit 134 notifies the state management unit 131 of the playback completion event, the state returns to "standby state", and the display also returns to the standby screen 510.

[0031] On the other hand, if S101 determines that there are no unplayed messages (No in S101), the terminal enters a "standby state". In this state, the display control unit 132 displays the most useful information during normal operation, such as the current time, as the standby screen 510 in Figure 14 (S104). The function switching unit 133 then assigns the "message recording function" to, for example, a "long press operation" (S105). When the user wants to tell their guardian something, they simply press and hold the display unit 11, which activates the microphone 19 and starts recording. When they release their finger, the recording ends, and the recorded audio data is automatically sent to the guardian's terminal 20 via the server 30. Thus, this device automatically and autonomously provides the most appropriate display and functions in response to changes in the device's own state, without requiring the user to consciously switch modes.

[0032] [Third Embodiment: Battery Management Function and Safety Assurance Function] This third embodiment relates to multiple hierarchical and specific functions for ensuring the continued use of the terminal and the physical safety of the user.

[0033] (1. Ensuring service continuity through low battery warning mode: Figure 15) For a device used by a person being monitored, a dead battery is a critical failure that causes all functions to cease, and for the caregiver, it is a serious situation as communication with the person being monitored is lost. Since children often lack the habit of being aware of battery levels and planning their charging accordingly, this device has a function that proactively warns of low battery levels and encourages charging. Specifically, the state management unit 131 within the control unit 13 periodically acquires battery voltage information from the battery management IC, and when this value falls below a preset first threshold (for example, a voltage corresponding to 20% remaining charge), it transitions the state to "low battery state" with the highest priority (but lower priority than tip-over detection). Using this state transition as a trigger, the display control unit 132 forcibly switches the display from the standby screen 510 to a low battery warning display 530, which visually conveys a strong sense of urgency, with a large, flashing red battery icon, as shown in Figure 15, taking priority over any other display. At the same time, the function switching unit 133 switches the function for click operations to the "pre-set warning voice playback function". When the user clicks the display unit 11 in this state, the function execution unit 134 plays a voice guidance from the speaker 18 that appeals to a child's sensibilities and encourages the act of charging metaphorically and positively, such as "I'm hungry. When we get home, please give me some food (charge)!" Furthermore, simultaneously with this state transition, the control unit 13 sends a push notification to the guardian's terminal 20 via the server 30, stating, "(The eldest son's) terminal battery level is 20%. Please charge it." This creates a dual fail-safe mechanism, providing both a warning to the user and a notification to the caregiver, minimizing the risk of battery depletion.

[0034] (2. Ensuring life safety through fall detection and emergency notification mode: Figures 9, 16, and 27) This device utilizes a built-in accelerometer 17 to automatically detect serious events that could endanger a user's life, such as a fall, and has an emergency notification function to facilitate prompt rescue operations. The heart of this function is the fall detection algorithm based on a characteristic acceleration data pattern, as shown in the graph in Figure 27. The control unit 13 frequently samples the three-axis acceleration data output from the acceleration sensor 17 and continuously calculates the magnitude of its composite vector. Only when this time-series data satisfies the following three characteristic phases (T1, T2, T3) in this order and within a predetermined time frame is a fall definitively detected. • Free fall phase (T1): The moment a person stumbles or loses their footing, their body falls for a very short time, pulled by gravity. At this time, the acceleration experienced by the device drops sharply to a value close to that of weightlessness (e.g., less than 0.5G). This characteristic "decrease in G" is detected. • Impact Phase (T2): Immediately after free fall, the body collides with the ground or an obstacle. At this time, an extremely large negative acceleration (impact) occurs. The device detects this impact pulse, which is rare in everyday life and exceeds a high threshold (e.g., 4G or higher). • Stationary phase (T3): In the case of a serious fall, the user may lose consciousness or become immobile after the impact. The device detects that after the impact pulse, the acceleration value remains almost unchanged (i.e., the device is stationary) for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds or more). This sophisticated three-stage pattern matching effectively eliminates events that are prone to false positives, such as simply throwing the device (where the stationary phase is not detected) or jumping onto a bed (where the free-fall phase is unclear), thereby increasing the reliability of the detection.

[0035] Figure 9 shows the flow of autonomous escalation processing after detecting this fall pattern. When the fall detection process is started (S201) and acceleration data is constantly monitored (S202), if the above fall pattern is detected (Yes in S203), the state management unit 131 transitions the terminal to the "fall detection state" in priority to all other states. In response, as shown in Figure 16, the display control unit 132 switches the screen to a warning display 540 indicating an emergency (for example, a display with a white exclamation mark "!" flashing rapidly on a red background). At the same time, the control unit 13 starts a timer (for example, 15 seconds) to give the user time to respond (S204). During this time, the function switching unit 133 assigns the "safety confirmation function" to the click operation. If the user clicks before the timer expires (Yes in S205), the system determines that the user is responsive, and the function execution unit 134 sends "safety confirmation information (e.g., A fall was detected, but the user responded. This is their current location)" to the guardian's terminal 20 via the server 30, and returns the system to normal mode (S206). However, if the timer expires within the allotted time but no click operation is performed (No in S205), the system determines that there is a very high probability that the user is in a serious condition and unable to respond. In this case, the function execution unit 134 automatically sends an "emergency notification" with the maximum level of alarm sound, along with precise location information, to the parent's terminal 20 via the server 30 (S207). This allows the parent to immediately recognize the seriousness of the situation and initiate rapid rescue activities, such as calling 119 or rushing to the scene. The terminal then enters a mode that continues to transmit location information until a rescuer operates it or the battery runs out, and the process ends (S208).

[0036] [Fourth Embodiment: Two-Way Communication System] This fourth embodiment relates to an entire advanced AI-powered two-way communication system realized through the cooperation of a monitored person's terminal 10, a guardian's terminal 20, and a server 30. This system aims to deepen the quality, reliability, and emotional connection of parent-child communication by dynamically providing the optimal information transmission format according to the user's situation and constraints, rather than merely transmitting voice.

[0037] (1. Message sending flow from parent to child: text-to-speech) Figure 25 shows an example of a detailed communication sequence in this system. It assumes a situation where it is difficult for a parent to record a message by voice, such as during a meeting or while traveling on public transport. In this case, the parent launches a dedicated application on their terminal 20, enters a message as text, and sends it (Figure 25, Step 1). Upon receiving this operation, the parent's terminal 20 generates a data packet containing the entered text data, sender and receiver identification information, timestamp, and other metadata, and sends it to the server 30 via the communication interface 44. The communication unit 301 of the server 30 receives this data packet. As shown in the flowchart of Figure 10, the server first receives text from the guardian terminal (S301), and the voice-to-text conversion unit 303 synthesizes the received text data into natural, high-quality speech waveform data using a pre-configured or learned speech model that resembles the speaker's voice (S302, and Figure 25, step 2). At this time, advanced emotional speech synthesis (Emotional Text-to-Speech) may be performed to interpret emojis and exclamation marks ("!") that indicate emotions contained in the text data and reflect them in the tone of voice (e.g., cheerful, worried, etc.) and intonation. The generated speech data is assigned a unique message ID and stored in the storage device 33 by the data management unit 302, and is also sent to the monitored person's terminal 10 along with a push notification (S303, and Figure 25, step 3).

[0038] (2. Feedback loop for playback completion notification (read receipt)) A key function of this system is the playback completion notification (read receipt function). When the function execution unit 134 of the monitored terminal 10 completes the playback of an audio message, it generates a "playback completion event" including the message ID and sends it to the server 30 (Figure 25, step 4). When the data management unit 302 of the server 30 receives this event, it updates the status of the corresponding message in the database to "read". Then, it immediately pushes a "message read notification" to the guardian's terminal 20 (Figure 25, step 5). Upon receiving this notification, the app on the guardian's terminal 20 displays the read status 750 next to the corresponding message on the timeline screen shown in Figure 17. This reliable feedback loop allows guardians to confirm that the message they sent was indeed delivered to and heard by their child, eliminating the anxiety of "not knowing whether it was received" that is common in asynchronous communication.

[0039] (3. Message sending flow from child to parent: speech-to-text) As an example of the reverse flow, let's explain the case where a child sends a message. When a child long-presses the display unit 11 on the monitored terminal 10, which is in standby mode, the message recording function is activated. The control unit 13 activates the microphone 19 and starts recording voice data. When the child finishes speaking and releases their finger from the display unit 11, the recording ends. The recorded voice data, along with the terminal's identification information and timestamp, is sent to the server 30 (Figure 25, step 6). The communication unit 301 of the server 30 receives this audio data (Figure 10, S304), and the voice-to-text conversion unit 303 converts it into text data (transcription) using a high-precision speech recognition engine (S305, and Figure 25, step 7). At this time, it is desirable to use a language model that has been fine-tuned specifically for children's voices in order to handle the unique vocabulary and pronunciation of children (for example, unclear pronunciation or grammatically incomplete sentences). The server 30 sends the generated text data and the original audio data as a set to the parent's terminal 20 (S306, and Figure 25, step 8). As a result, even when the parent is unable to hear the audio, they can read the message from their child in text, as shown in the transcribed text 720 in Figure 17, and immediately understand its content.

[0040] [Fifth Embodiment: Automatic Learning of Behavioral Patterns and Anomaly Detection by AI] This fifth embodiment relates to an advanced monitoring function that goes beyond passive monitoring that simply tracks the current location, and uses AI technology, particularly machine learning, to autonomously learn the user's "usual behavior" and actively detect and notify of "unusual behavior." This function is mainly realized by utilizing the powerful computing resources and large-capacity storage device 33 of the server 30, with its location information processing unit 304 playing a central role. However, it is also possible to configure the system so that some simple processing is handled by the learning unit 135 of the monitored terminal 10. The AI ​​function of this embodiment has a clear two-stage architecture, consisting of an offline "learning phase" in which a behavioral model unique to each individual user is built over time from a vast amount of past data, and an online "real-time detection phase" in which the built model is used to instantly evaluate data streamed in real time and detect and notify of anomalies.

[0041] (1. Automatic learning of notification spots and high-precision entry / exit detection: Figures 11 and 20) Conventional monitoring services have a problem with their geofencing function: it requires the monitor to manually register areas using circles and polygons on a map application, making the setup process cumbersome. Furthermore, to keep up with changes in a child's behavior as they grow (e.g., changes in the location of cram school or extracurricular activities, moving, etc.), manual reconfiguration is required each time, which is time-consuming and carries the risk of overlooking settings. This function fundamentally solves these problems. Figure 11 shows the flow of learning for this notification spot and the subsequent entry / exit detection process. First, in the learning phase, the location information processing unit 304 of the server 30 obtains time-stamped location information history (time-series data of latitude and longitude) accumulated over a long period of time (for example, at least several weeks to several months in order to extract statistically significant patterns) from the location information DB of the data management unit 302 as the target of analysis (S401). The data management unit 302 of the server 30 is configured to store location information history received from each terminal in the storage device 33 for a predetermined period (for example, the past week). The parent's terminal 20 can request and display any movement history within this stored period from the server 30.

[0042] Next, the location information processing unit 304 applies a spatial clustering (spatial data mining) algorithm to this vast collection of individual location information points 610, which are virtually plotted on the map, as shown in the conceptual diagram of Figure 20 (S402). Various algorithms can be considered for use here, but DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) is particularly suitable. DBSCAN forms clusters based on the density of points such that the number of other points within a certain radius of a given point is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. The advantages of this method are that it does not limit the shape of the clusters to circles or polygons, but can extract dense regions of any shape, and it can clearly distinguish low-density points that do not belong to any cluster, i.e., noise (in the context of the present invention, mere passing points during movement or places that are rarely visited). This allows the system to objectively and automatically extract meaningful areas where users tend to stay for extended periods on a daily basis (for example, high-density point clusters corresponding to "home" or "school"), without human intervention. Then, one or more spatial clusters extracted in this way are each registered as "notification spots" 620, along with data defining their area (for example, a set of points constituting the cluster, or the vertex coordinates of a polygon approximating the area), in the database of the data management unit 302, linked to the user account (S403). This learning process is executed periodically, for example, as a nightly batch process (e.g., once a week), and automatically tracks changes in the user's lifestyle patterns.

[0043] Once notification spots are defined during the learning phase, the system moves to the real-time detection phase. The real-time anomaly detection engine in the location information processing unit 304 of the server 30 compares and determines the region information of the learned and registered notification spots 620 with the coordinates of the current location transmitted in real time from the terminal, each time data arrives. If the server detects that the terminal's current location is inside the region of a notification spot, even though it was outside the region at the previous location ("arrival" event), or vice versa ("departure" event) (Yes in S404), the server 30 generates a specific arrival / departure notification message, such as "(eldest son) has arrived at (school)," and immediately sends it to the parent's terminal 20 by means of push notification or other means (S405). The process then returns (i.e., waits for the arrival of the next location information data) and continues monitoring.

[0044] (2. Preventive safety measures through learning the normal range of activity and detecting deviations: Figures 12 and 21) This system learns not only notification spots as "points," but also the user's normal range of movement as a "surface," including their daily travel routes, and detects deviations from this range to achieve a higher level of safety. Figure 12 shows the processing flow for learning the range of activity and detecting deviations. In the learning phase, the behavior pattern learning engine of the location information processing unit 304 acquires the accumulated location information history (S501), similar to notification spot learning, and defines a geographical area that encompasses the entire group of these points or represents their main distribution as the user's "normal range of activity" (S502).

[0045] As shown in the conceptual diagram in Figure 21, multiple or stepwise methods can be used to define this range of activity. For example, as a first step, the simplest method is to calculate the convex hull, which is the smallest convex polygon encompassing all location information points, and roughly define this as a simple range of activity of 630. This has the advantage of low computational cost, but on the other hand, it has an accuracy problem in that, for example, even if a user only travels back and forth along a specific road between their "home" in the lower left of the map and their "school" in the upper right every day, the range will include a vast area in between that they do not actually pass through at all. Therefore, as a second step, using a more precise method is extremely effective. One example of this is the alpha shape algorithm. The alpha shape algorithm is a geometric concept, and by appropriately setting the parameter (alpha value), it is possible to extract more realistic regions with concave boundaries that are more closely aligned with the shape of the point group. In the example in Figure 21, this makes it possible to precisely define detailed activity ranges 640, which have elongated or complex shapes, such as a specific school route or the path from home to the park, as normal activity ranges. This alpha value may be optimized for each user according to the variability of the user's behavior.

[0046] In the real-time detection phase, the server 30's real-time anomaly detection engine compares the learned range of activity (e.g., a more accurate and detailed range of activity 640) with the terminal's real-time current location to determine whether the current location has deviated from that range (S503). If a deviation is detected (Yes in S503), the system determines that the child may be lost or heading to a dangerous place they don't normally go, and immediately sends a clear deviation notification, such as "Warning: (eldest son) has deviated from his usual range of activity," along with map information of the current location of the deviation, to the parent's terminal 20 (S504). This allows the parent to take early action, such as calling or going to the scene, before the situation escalates into a serious problem.

[0047] [Sixth Embodiment: Advanced User Experience Based on User-Centered Design] This sixth embodiment relates to advanced communication functions provided to both the monitored and the monitor through the coordinated operation of the entire system, and the resulting superior user experience (UX) that sets it apart from conventional technologies.

[0048] (1. Context-integrated timeline UI that eliminates information fragmentation: Figures 17 and 18) This system dramatically reduces the cognitive burden on caregivers in understanding the situation by providing the application on the caregiver's terminal 20 with the highly unique user interface (UI) of the present invention. Figure 17 shows an example of the context-integrated timeline screen, which is the core of this system. The most distinctive feature of this timeline screen is that multiple information streams of completely different natures, which previously had to be viewed on separate screens or apps, are integrated and displayed on a single screen in chronological order of occurrence while maintaining their respective contexts. Specifically, messages, which are active communications from the person being monitored (child icon 710, transcribed text 720, play button 730, sent time 740, read status 750), and objective event notifications, which are automatically and passively detected by the system's AI (school icon 770, text indicating event content 760), are seamlessly mixed and displayed as if they were a single continuous story. This UI allows parents to instantly and intuitively grasp the deep context between their child's specific actions and the intentions behind their communication at that time, without having to switch screens. For example, "At 4:35 PM, immediately after the child left school at 4:30 PM (system notification), they contacted the parents saying, 'I'll be home soon' (message)."

[0049] Furthermore, this contextual integration extends not only to the time axis but also to the spatial axis. As shown in Figure 18, when a guardian taps any event item on the timeline in Figure 17 (for example, a departure notification 760 or a message 720), the application screen immediately transitions to a map integration screen. On this map screen 810, the movement history 820, which is the trajectory of the person being monitored that day, is displayed, for example, as a dashed line. The specific geographical location where the tapped event occurred is then clearly highlighted on the map as the event location 830. This highly interactive UI, which completely integrates three information dimensions—time (timeline), location (map), and what was happening / said (event / message content)—frees parents from the difficult task of inferring situations from fragmented pieces of information, enabling them to understand the behavior of those they are caring for in a concrete, multifaceted, and deep way, at an unprecedented level.

[0050] [Seventh Embodiment: Hybrid Positioning System and Intelligent Power Management] This seventh embodiment relates to a technology for achieving a high level of compatibility between two conflicting requirements: positioning accuracy and battery life, which are fundamental performance characteristics of a terminal.

[0051] (1. High-precision and high-reliability positioning using a hybrid positioning system: Figure 26) The monitored terminal 10 does not rely on a single positioning method, but has a hybrid positioning system that dynamically and complementaryly combines multiple positioning methods according to the surrounding radio wave environment and conditions at any given time. As shown in the conceptual diagram in Figure 26, in open outdoor environments, the terminal uses multiple GNSS (satellite positioning) systems, including GPS satellites, to perform highly accurate positioning within a few meters. On the other hand, in indoor areas, underground shopping malls, and high-rise building districts where GNSS radio waves are difficult to reach or attenuated, it complementarily utilizes Wi-Fi positioning using radio wave information from nearby Wi-Fi access points and base station positioning using mobile phone base station information. In addition, this terminal also incorporates motion AI (inertial navigation / autonomous navigation) that estimates the position during short periods when GNSS etc. are temporarily unavailable (for example, while passing through a tunnel or immediately after entering a building) from the most likely position immediately before, by accumulating the direction and magnitude of movement detected by the accelerometer 17, the number of steps, etc., and smoothly interpolates the trajectory on the map. The control unit 13 dynamically selects these multiple positioning methods according to the situation, or fuses the positioning results by weighting them according to the reliability of the respective errors (sensor fusion using a Kalman filter, etc.), thereby achieving optimal positioning that is resilient in all environments and is the most power-efficient at any given time.

[0052] (2. Remote configuration enabling user-driven optimization: Figure 19) This system incorporates a user-centered design philosophy, entrusting the ultimate optimization decision to the user, i.e., the caregiver. Figure 19 shows an example of the positioning mode setting screen 910 displayed in the app on the caregiver's device 20. On this screen, the caregiver can, for example, select "Frequency Priority Mode" 920, which enables near real-time location tracking by setting the positioning interval to the shortest possible (e.g., 1.5-minute intervals) in situations such as, "Today my child is on a field trip and I want to know their location in real time." On the other hand, in situations such as, "Today I know my child will be at home all day," they can select "Battery Priority Mode" 930, which maximizes the battery life of the device by setting the positioning interval to a longer period (e.g., 3-minute intervals). This setting is immediately reflected in the caregiver's device 10 via the server 30, allowing the caregiver to flexibly and dynamically optimize the device's operation according to their own judgment, based on their daily lifestyle and monitoring needs.

[0053] [Eighth Embodiment: Remote Function Control System for Realizing Flexible Business Models] This eighth embodiment relates to a flexible service delivery system that, while being a single hardware device, works in conjunction with a subscription-based business model and dynamically enables (unlocks) or disables (locks) the provided functions remotely via instructions from a server, according to the contract plan selected by the parent.

[0054] (Plan switching process: Figures 13 and 28) Figure 13 shows an example of the plan switching process as a communication sequence between three components (guardian's terminal 20, server 30, and monitored person's terminal 10). First, suppose a parent selects to upgrade from their current contract plan (e.g., the "GPS Plan" which only includes GPS functionality) to a higher-tier "GPS & Talk Plan" which also includes voice messaging functionality, using the app on the parent's device 20 (S601). Upon receiving this user action, the app sends a "Plan Change Request" containing the user identifier and the identifier of the new plan to which the user wishes to change to, to the plan management unit 305 of the server 30 (S602). Upon receiving this request, the plan management unit 305 first verifies the user's legitimacy, then instructs the contract management module in the data management unit 302 to update the user account information in the database. Simultaneously, it activates the billing and payment module to apply the new monthly fee corresponding to the new plan. Then, as the core of this embodiment, the function control module identifies specific configuration parameters or partial firmware (software patch) that define the functions to be enabled in the new plan (in this example, the use of the microphone 19 and speaker 18 necessary for sending and receiving voice messages), or to unlock their drivers (S603). Next, the server 30 sends these configuration parameters to the target monitored terminal 10 via a secure route such as push notification (S604). When terminal 10 receives these special configuration parameters (S605), a special function update subroutine in the control unit 13, which is not normally used, is activated. This subroutine permanently updates the function enablement flags in memory 14 based on the received configuration parameters. When the control unit 13 detects these updated settings, it dynamically loads and enables the hardware drivers for the microphone 19 and speaker 18, which had previously been disabled at the OS level, and switches the hardware to a usable state (S606). This system allows businesses to flexibly deploy multiple service plans with different features and price ranges using a single hardware device that optimizes manufacturing and inventory management costs. Furthermore, users can start with a basic plan with a low initial investment and seamlessly upgrade features later as their children grow and their needs change, significantly improving convenience and economic efficiency for both parties. Figure 28 shows an example of a fair and easy-to-understand billing model associated with this plan change. For example, in the case of an upgrade to a more expensive plan, the user can immediately benefit, so the higher rate of the new plan is applied from the month of the change on a pro-rata basis. On the other hand, in the case of a downgrade to a cheaper plan, the plan management unit 305 automatically implements a flexible billing system such as applying the lower rate of the new plan from the billing of the month following the change, so as not to disadvantage the user.

[0055] The control unit 13 may perform control at the OS level to stop loading drivers or cut off power to hardware that is not permitted to be used according to the contract plan (for example, the microphone 19 and speaker 18 in the lower-tier 'GPS plan'). This does not merely disable the function, but actively reduces power consumption, including standby power. As a result, users with lower-tier plans have the advantage of longer battery life compared to users with higher-tier plans.

[0056] [Ninth Embodiment: Various Modifications] The configurations and processes described in each of the above embodiments are not intended to limit the technical concept of this disclosure, and various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit thereof. This ninth embodiment describes some of these useful modifications.

[0057] (1. Modified example of physical structure: Figure 24) Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified physical structure to further enhance the safety of the monitored terminal 10. Lithium-ion batteries, widely used in mobile devices, can generate gas internally due to aging, internal short circuits, overcharging, and other abnormalities, causing the battery pack itself to physically swell like a balloon. This phenomenon is often a precursor to serious accidents such as fire or explosion. In this modified version, to address this issue, an expansion detection switch, consisting of a microswitch that detects minute physical displacements, is provided on the wall surface of the space inside the enclosure where the battery should be located, particularly in a position where pressure is likely to be applied when the battery expands. In this configuration, if the battery swells to a dangerous level, the swelling detection switch is mechanically activated by the expansion pressure. When the control unit 13 detects the signal from this switch, it determines that a critical malfunction has occurred in the battery and immediately shuts off the terminal's charging circuit. Furthermore, it can send a specific warning notification to the parent's terminal 20 via the server 30, such as "Battery swelling risk detected. Stop using the device immediately and contact the retailer." This makes it possible to detect and prevent serious accidents that could lead to property damage or personal injury at an early stage.

[0058] (2. Variations related to communication functions) The communication function described in the fourth embodiment includes the following modifications in order to provide richer expression and convenience. Modification 2-1 (Image / Video Linking): The app on the parent's device 20 may have a function to attach not only text and voice messages, but also photos taken with the device's camera and short videos of a few seconds when sending messages. For example, the parent sends a message saying, "I bought this toy for you," along with a photo of the toy. The server 30 associates the message and image data and sends them to the monitored device 10. On the message receiving screen 520, the monitored device 10 displays not only the sender's face image 521 but also the attached image as a small thumbnail. When the child plays the message, the attached image is displayed in full screen on the display unit 11 along with the audio. This makes it possible to convey richer and more specific information that is difficult to convey with words alone. Modification 2-2 (Personalizing Standard Messages): The app on the parent's device 20 has a function that allows users to select and send frequently used standard messages, such as "Good morning," "Good night," and "Take care," with a single tap. Furthermore, parents can pre-record these standard messages in their own voice to personalize them. For example, a warm voice recording of the mother saying, "Good morning, [child's name]! Have a great day!" can be linked to the standard phrase "Good morning." This allows children to receive warm messages in the parent's own voice with a simple one-tap operation, even during busy mornings, effectively supporting the emotional bond between parent and child.

[0059] (3. Variations related to safety assurance functions) The safety features described in the third embodiment include the following modifications to further enhance reliability and convenience. Modification 3-1 (Escalation via Automated Voice Call): In fall detection mode, the emergency notification performed in step S207 of Figure 9 can be combined with more powerful notification methods than just a simple data notification. For example, after the server 30 sends an emergency notification as a push notification to the parent's terminal 20, if confirmation of opening the notification is not received via the app within a predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute), the server 30 determines that the situation is extremely urgent and, as the next action, makes an automated voice call (auto-call) to the parent's pre-registered phone number. In this call, the TTS engine of the voice-to-text conversion unit 303 is used to repeatedly transmit specific information in a machine voice, such as, "Emergency alert. A possible fall has been detected on your child's terminal, and there is no response. Please check their current location on Google Maps." This minimizes delays in response by communicating the emergency through a more forceful means, such as a phone call, even if the parent does not notice the push notification on their smartphone (for example, if it is in silent mode or they are concentrating on other tasks). Modification 3-2 (Voice-based safety confirmation): After a fall is detected, the monitored person's terminal 10 may be configured to actively ask the user via voice from the speaker 18, "Are you okay? If you are okay, please press the button or say 'I'm okay'," along with the warning display 540 in Figure 16. At this time, the microphone 19 is activated, and the control unit 13 starts voice recognition processing. If the user utters the keyword "I'm okay," this is treated as equivalent to clicking a button (Yes in S205), canceling the emergency notification and sending safety confirmation information. This provides a means for the child to communicate their safety using only their own voice, even in situations such as when both hands are occupied due to a fall or when they are unable to move due to minor injuries, thus preventing unnecessary emergency notifications. Modification 3-3 (Activity Monitoring): The acceleration sensor 17 can be used not only for emergency detection but also for monitoring daily health status. The control unit 13 constantly calculates the number of steps from the acceleration data and sends this value periodically (e.g., every hour) to the server 30. The app on the parent's terminal 20 displays the cumulative number of steps for the day in a graph and notifies the parent with positive feedback such as, "You achieved your goal of 8,000 steps today!" This allows the parent to quantitatively understand the child's health status and activity level. Furthermore, the server 30 can compare the step count data for the same day of the week over the past few weeks and, if it detects a statistical anomaly such as, "Today's activity level is significantly lower than usual," it can send a notification to the parent warning them, such as, "Today's activity level appears to be lower than usual. Has there been any change in your physical condition?"

[0060] (4. Variations related to notification functions) Modification 4-1 (Remote setting of message notification pattern): It is undesirable for a loud notification sound to be emitted from the device while the child is at school or cram school. On the other hand, there is a need to ensure that urgent messages are noticed. This modification provides a function that allows parents to individually set the notification pattern on the monitored device 10 when sending a message, in order to realize detailed notifications that suit these situations. When sending a message from the app on the parent's device 20, options for setting the notification pattern are displayed near the send button. Parents can select the most suitable notification pattern according to the importance of the message and the child's situation from options such as "Play sound," "Vibrate only," "Flash notification LED only," and "(In emergency) Play at maximum volume." This setting instruction is sent to the monitored device 10 via the server 30 along with the message data. When the control unit 13 of the monitored device 10 receives this notification pattern setting instruction along with the message, it follows the instruction when notifying that a message has been received.

[0061] (5. Variations related to geofencing functionality) Modification 5-1 (Manual Geofence Setting Function): In addition to the AI-based automatic learning function for notification spots described in the fifth embodiment, this modification provides a function that allows the guardian to manually set any area as a "geofence" on the map. The app on the guardian's terminal 20 displays a map and provides a user interface that allows the guardian to set any area as a geofence through intuitive operations such as tracing on the map with their finger or tapping multiple points to draw a polygon. The information of the set geofence (e.g., center coordinates and radius, or a list of polygon vertex coordinates) is sent to the server 30 and registered in association with the user account. The location information processing unit 304 of the server 30 constantly monitors the entry and exit of the monitored person's terminal 10 to and from this manually set geofence, and sends a notification to the guardian's terminal 20 when it detects entry into or exit from the area. This makes it possible to set detailed entry and exit notifications even for places that the AI ​​has not yet learned, such as places visited only temporarily (e.g., field trip destinations, relatives' houses), achieving flexible monitoring that combines the advantages of automatic and manual methods.

[0062] (6. Variations of location-based UI) This disclosure includes a modified version that automatically switches the user interface in response to location-based states, such as entering or leaving a specific geographic area (geofence). This is achieved by combining the learning function of the "notification spot" described in the fifth embodiment with the "state-dependent user interface" described in the second embodiment.

[0063] Specifically, first, the learning unit 135 of the server 30 or the monitored terminal 10 automatically learns "notification spots" based on the user's movement history, such as "schools," "cram schools," and "libraries," where quietness is required or where terminal use may be restricted.

[0064] Then, the control unit 13 (particularly the state management unit 131) of the monitored person's terminal 10 detects that the current location determined by the GPS receiver 16 has entered the area of ​​these specific "notification spots," and determines this to be a new "internal state" (for example, "school mode state"). Triggered by this state transition, the display control unit 132 switches from the normal standby screen (for example, the standby screen 510 in Figure 14) to a minimal display (hereinafter referred to as the "school mode screen 550"), such as displaying only the time, as shown in Figure 29. Simultaneously, the function switching unit 133 temporarily disables or limits the press operation on the switch unit 12 to only the emergency notification function. Note that the school mode screen 550 is just an example, and the display unit 11 may be turned off, or the control unit 13 may control the speaker 18 so that notification sounds associated with normal message reception are not played, except for highly urgent notifications (for example, fall detection and low battery warning as described in the third embodiment).

[0065] Subsequently, when the control unit 13 detects that the user has left the area of ​​the notification spot (e.g., has left school), it automatically returns the state to the normal "standby state" and restores the display and functions to their normal mode.

[0066] According to this modified version, the device automatically operates like a silent mode based on the situation, without the child having to be aware of school rules or regulations. This prevents the device from disrupting lessons or being used unnecessarily. At the same time, background monitoring functions such as location information transmission and fall detection are maintained, resulting in a significant effect of providing monitoring in a way that conforms to social norms without compromising parents' peace of mind. This is unique in that it operates autonomously according to the user's location, unlike functions that parents remotely configure.

[0067] The server manages the software version of each monitored device. When a new version of the software becomes available, the server sends a notification to the target device prompting it to update, or automatically performs the update during a time when the device is estimated to be inactive (e.g., late at night, charging, etc.). The device receives the new software via a wireless communication interface and updates its program. This allows users to continue to benefit from bug fixes and new features without any effort on their part, preventing product obsolescence.

[0068] Although several embodiments and variations of this disclosure have been described in detail above, these are merely examples illustrating the technical idea of ​​this disclosure, and the technical scope of this disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to these specific descriptions. In other words, this disclosure can be implemented with various modifications or alterations that would be easily conceived by those skilled in the art, such as substitution, addition, omission, or changes in processing order, without departing from the gist of the invention as described in its claims or the equivalent scope thereof. For example, the components and processing steps described in each embodiment can be freely combined, partially omitted, or replaced with other elements or steps, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

[0069] (7. Variations of the operating interface) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the switch unit 12 is a mechanical switch with physical displacement, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The mechanism for detecting operation input to the display unit 11 may be of other types.

[0070] For example, as shown in Figure 30, the switch unit may be configured by combining a capacitive touch sensor (12a) located on or near the surface of the display unit 11 and a haptic feedback device (12b) (e.g., a linear vibration motor) located inside the housing. In this case, the control unit 13 drives the haptic feedback device (12b) in synchronization with the touch sensor (12a) when it detects a predetermined pressure (pressure-sensitive touch) or contact for a predetermined time (long press). This eliminates mechanical moving parts and improves durability and water resistance, while providing the user with a clear click sensation as if pressing a physical button, thereby achieving the same operability as in the above embodiment.

[0071] Even with this configuration, the core technical concept of this disclosure, in which the control unit 13 dynamically switches the display content and the function assigned to touch operation according to the internal state of the terminal, still applies.

[0072] <Summary> [General tasks] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to improve the convenience of monitoring. One of the purposes of this disclosure is to enhance the safety of those being monitored, as well as to improve the convenience and sense of security of those providing care.

[0073] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 1] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide a monitoring device that maintains a compact and simple operating system, intuitively notifies the user of the device's status, and achieves extremely high usability while minimizing the cognitive load, especially for users with cognitive limitations. [Note 1] A positioning unit that determines location information, A transmission unit that transmits the aforementioned location information to a server, Display unit and A switch unit that detects a physical press operation on the display unit, A control unit that performs a predetermined function in response to detection of a press operation by the switch unit, A display control device comprising, The control unit is characterized by switching between the content to be displayed on the display unit and the predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of the press operation, based on the internal state of the terminal, for use as a monitoring terminal for a person being monitored. According to the above information processing device, users can intuitively understand the status of the device and perform the next operation without hesitation, thereby reducing the cognitive load of operation and improving usability.

[0074] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 2] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to effectively warn users when their device battery is low, thereby reducing the risk of unintended interruptions to the monitoring service. [Note 2] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 1, The aforementioned internal state includes the remaining battery level. The control unit is characterized by switching between displaying a warning message and playing a pre-set warning when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined threshold, making it a terminal for a person being monitored. This allows the operating interface mode to be specialized for warning notifications depending on the internal state, such as the battery level, preventing users from overlooking the battery status and ensuring the continuous operation of the device.

[0075] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 3] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to ensure that users, especially those who cannot read, are aware that they have received a message from a parent or guardian, thereby facilitating smooth communication. [Note 3] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 1, The aforementioned internal state includes the state of receiving voice messages, The control unit is characterized in that, when there are unplayed voice messages, it switches between displaying content indicating the sender of the voice message and a function to play the voice message. This allows the operating interface mode to be specialized for message playback depending on the internal state of message reception, enabling users to visually and intuitively recognize message reception and check its contents with simple operations.

[0076] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 4] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to clarify the next action a user should take (e.g., recording the message) during normal times when a message has not been received, and to prevent confusion in operations. [Note 4] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 1, The control unit is characterized by switching between displaying the time and recording a voice message in response to a press operation (e.g., a long press operation) when there are no unplayed voice messages, making it a terminal for a person being monitored. This clearly distinguishes the functions and displays provided to the user between the normal state and the message reception state, making mode transitions intuitively understandable, thus preventing operational confusion and improving usability.

[0077] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 5] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide a means of more intuitively communicating sender information of received messages to the user. [Note 5] The terminal for the person being monitored as described in Appendix 3, The terminal for the person being monitored is characterized in that the display content indicating the sender includes a pre-registered facial image of the sender. This allows for instant identification of the sender without the need to decipher text information, improving the efficiency and accessibility of information transmission, especially for young users who cannot read.

[0078] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 6] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to reveal a suitable hardware configuration for realizing the invention described herein. [Note 6] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 1, A terminal for monitoring a person, further comprising a processor, memory, a communication interface for connecting to a mobile communication network, an accelerometer, the display unit, a speaker, a microphone, and an interface to which a cable for charging or data communication is connected. This provides a specific and comprehensive physical foundation for realizing the diverse functions described in each embodiment of this disclosure.

[0079] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 7] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide advanced safety features that enable the device to proactively detect potential danger events that may require immediate attention, such as a user falling, and to promptly notify parents. [Note 7] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 6, The aforementioned internal state includes the possibility of tipping over, which is determined based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor. The control unit is characterized by switching between a warning display and a function to send safety confirmation information or an emergency notification when it determines that there is a high probability of falling. This allows the device to automatically switch its internal state to "fall detection mode" based on data patterns from the acceleration sensor, and the operating interface to a dedicated mode for safety confirmation and emergency notifications, thereby improving the reliability of ensuring user safety.

[0080] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 8] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to ensure that in asynchronous communication, the sender (parent) can reliably confirm whether or not their message has been received by the recipient (child). [Note 8] The terminal for the person being monitored as described in Appendix 3, The control unit is characterized in that, when playback of the voice message is completed, it sends a playback completion notification to the guardian's terminal that has been registered in advance. This allows for increased reliability in confirming information delivery in asynchronous communication (providing a so-called "read receipt" function) by triggering feedback communication to the sender upon completion of message playback.

[0081] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 9] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide a flexible means of communication that allows parents to send voice messages to their children even when they are in situations where they cannot speak, such as during a meeting. [Note 9] The terminal for the person being monitored as described in Appendix 3, The aforementioned voice message is characterized in that the data is synthesized from text data entered on the guardian's device. This allows the server-side text-to-speech conversion process to work in conjunction with the terminal, enabling the output of data generated from different modalities (text input) as speech, thereby improving communication flexibility.

[0082] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 10] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to enable parents to understand the content of messages from their children even when they are in situations where they cannot hear the audio, such as on a train. [Note 10] The terminal for the person being monitored as described in Appendix 4, The control unit is characterized by transmitting the recorded voice message data to a pre-registered server in order to convert it into text data. This allows audio data acquired on the terminal to be linked with speech-to-text conversion processing on the server side, enabling information transmission using different modalities (text output).

[0083] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 11] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide users with the temporal context of when a message was received, thereby preventing misunderstandings of the information. [Note 11] The terminal for the person being monitored as described in Appendix 3, The terminal for monitoring a person, characterized in that the displayed content further includes the elapsed time since the voice message was received. This improves the accuracy of user information recognition by adding metadata such as the message reception time as visual information to the displayed content.

[0084] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 12] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to address situations where the display or sound of a device is deemed inappropriate, such as during school hours or in class, and to ensure compliance with privacy and regulations. [Note 12] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 1, The control unit is characterized in that, based on remote instructions from the guardian's terminal, it stops displaying information on the display unit while maintaining functions other than the display. This allows the display function to be selectively disabled in response to external control signals, while other functions such as background location information acquisition are maintained, thereby expanding the range of device usage scenarios.

[0085] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 13] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to allow the system to automatically learn the child's main places of interest, reducing the burden of manual settings on parents, while ensuring that they are notified of their arrival at and departure from those locations. [Note 13] The monitoring terminal described in Appendix 6, The processor, by executing the program, also functions as a learning unit that learns specific locations that meet predetermined criteria as notification spots based on the user's movement history. The control unit is characterized in that when the current location acquired by the GPS function enters or leaves the area of ​​the learned notification spot, it sends an arrival notification or departure notification to the guardian's terminal indicating that fact. This automatically generates meaningful locations (notification spots) through spatiotemporal clustering of location history, and detects and notifies users when they enter or leave these areas, thereby achieving advanced geofencing functionality while eliminating the need for manual configuration.

[0086] Issues corresponding to [Appendix 14] One of the purposes of this disclosure is to quickly detect when a child goes to an unexpected place they don't normally go, alert parents, and reduce serious risks such as getting lost or being abducted. [Note 14] The terminal for the person being monitored as described in Appendix 13, The learning unit further learns the user's usual range of activity based on the user's movement history. The control unit is characterized by sending a deviation notification to the guardian's terminal when the current location deviates from the learned normal range of movement. This allows for the statistical generation of a normal range of movement model from past movement history points, and enables early detection of potentially abnormal behavior by detecting and notifying when real-time location information deviates from that model.

[0087] [Note 15] An information processing system comprising a terminal for the person being monitored, which has a physically pressable display unit, a terminal for the guardian, and a server, The aforementioned terminal for the person being monitored is The server receives the voice message sent from the parent's device. The display unit displays content indicating the sender of the voice message, In response to the press operation on the display unit, the voice message is played. The aforementioned server, Based on the text data sent from the guardian's device, the voice message is synthesized into speech and sent to the device for the person being monitored. An information processing system characterized by the following:

[0088] [Note 16] An information processing method performed by a terminal for a person being monitored, which is equipped with a physically pressable display unit, A step of switching between the display content to be displayed on the display unit and a predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of a press operation on the display unit, based on the internal state of the terminal. When the aforementioned pressing operation is detected, the steps include: executing the switched predetermined function, An information processing method characterized by including

[0089] [Note 17] A program for causing a computer equipped with a physically pressable display unit to function as the control unit described in Appendix 1, To the aforementioned computer, A step of switching between the display content to be displayed on the display unit and a predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of a press operation on the display unit, based on the internal state of the terminal. When the aforementioned pressing operation is detected, the steps include: executing the switched predetermined function, A program characterized by causing the execution of a specific action.

[0090] [Note 18] An information processing method performed by a server that relays communication between a guardian's device and a device used by a person being monitored, The steps include receiving text data from the aforementioned guardian's device, The steps include: synthesizing a voice message based on the received text data, The steps include sending the synthesized voice message to the terminal for the person being monitored, An information processing method characterized by including

[0091] [Note 19] A program to be executed on the computer of a guardian's device that communicates with the monitored device via a server, To the aforementioned computer, The steps include sending text data entered by the user to the server, The steps include receiving a notification from the server regarding the monitored person's terminal, The steps include: displaying the received notification on the display unit; A program characterized by causing the execution of a specific action.

[0092] [Note 20] An information processing system that enables data communication between a first terminal held by the caregiver and a second terminal held by the person being cared for, and allows the selection of a plan according to the usage of the second terminal, The first terminal is equipped with a reception unit that accepts the selection of the plan, The aforementioned second terminal is, Multiple hardware components, A receiving unit that receives software or configuration parameters from a server according to the aforementioned plan, A storage unit that stores the received software or setting parameters, A control unit that controls at least one of the plurality of hardware based on the software or setting parameters stored in the storage unit, Equipped with, The control unit is characterized by enabling or disabling at least one function of the plurality of hardware components according to the software or setting parameters stored in the storage unit.

[0093] [Note 21] The information processing system described in Appendix 20, The aforementioned multiple pieces of hardware are, A location information acquisition unit that outputs location information of the second terminal, A microphone and speaker for communicating with the first terminal, An information processing system characterized by comprising at least the following.

[0094] [Note 22] An information processing system as described in Appendix 20 or 21, The information processing system is characterized in that, when the server receives an emergency alert, it transmits software or configuration parameters to the second terminal that enable the second terminal to use the functions of the multiple hardware components, regardless of the plan. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1… Information processing system 10… Terminal for the person being monitored 11...Display section 12…Switch section 12a...Touch sensor 12b...Haptic feedback device 13…Control Unit 14…Memory 15…Communication interface (also serves as the transmitter) 16…GPS receiver (also functions as a positioning unit) 17…Accelerometer 18...Speaker 19... Mike 20…Parent's device 21…External Interface 22... Bus 30… Server 31…CPU (Server) 32…Memory (Server) 33…Storage device (server) 34…Communication interface (server) 40…Network 41…CPU (Parent's device) 42...Memory (Parent's device) 43…Storage device (parent's device) 44…Communication interface (parent's device) 45…Display device (parent's device) 46… Microphone (Parent's device) 47…Speaker (Parent's device) 131...Status Management Department 132...Display Control Unit 133...Function switching section 134...Function Execution Unit 135…Learning Department 201... Communications Department (Parent's device app) 202...Data display section (parent's device app) 203... Input reception section (parent's device app) 204...Notification receiving section (parent's device app) 301... Communications Department (Server) 302...Data Management Department (Server) 303...Speech-to-text conversion unit (server) 304...Location information processing unit (server) 305... Plan Management Department (Server) 510…Standby screen 520...Message Inbox Screen 521... Face image 522... elapsed time 530...Low battery warning display 540... Fall detection warning display 550...School Mode Screen 610…Location information point 620…Notification Spot 630... Simple range of movement 640…Detailed range of activity 710...Child icon 720...Transcript text 730... Play button 740... transmission time 750... Read status 760... System Event 770... School icon 810...Map screen 820... Movement history 830...Event occurrence location 910... Settings screen 920... Frequency priority mode 930...Battery priority mode

Claims

1. A positioning unit that determines location information, A transmission unit that transmits the aforementioned location information to a server, Display unit and A switch unit that detects a physical press operation on the display unit, The system includes a control unit that performs a predetermined function in response to detection of a press operation by the switch unit, The control unit, A monitoring terminal characterized by switching between the display content to be displayed on the display unit and the predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of the press operation, based on the internal state of the terminal.

2. A monitoring terminal according to claim 1, The aforementioned internal state includes the remaining battery level. The control unit is characterized by switching between displaying a warning message and playing a pre-set warning when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined threshold, making it a terminal for a person being monitored.

3. A monitoring terminal according to claim 1, The aforementioned internal state includes the state of receiving voice messages, The control unit is characterized in that, when there are unplayed voice messages, it switches between displaying content indicating the sender of the voice message and a function to play the voice message.

4. A monitoring terminal according to claim 1, The control unit is characterized by switching between displaying the time and recording a voice message in response to the press operation when there are no unplayed voice messages, making it a terminal for a person being monitored.

5. A monitoring terminal according to claim 3, The terminal for the person being monitored is characterized in that the display content indicating the sender includes a pre-registered facial image of the sender.

6. A monitoring terminal according to claim 1, Processor and Memory and A communication interface for connecting to a mobile communication network, Accelerometer and Speakers and, Mike and, An interface to which a cable for charging or data communication is connected, A monitoring terminal for persons, further characterized by having the following features.

7. A monitoring terminal according to claim 6, The aforementioned internal state includes the possibility of tipping over, which is determined based on the detection results of the acceleration sensor. The control unit is characterized by switching between a warning display and a function to send safety confirmation information or an emergency notification when it determines that there is a high probability of falling.

8. A monitoring terminal according to claim 3, The control unit is characterized in that, when playback of the voice message is completed, it sends a playback completion notification to the guardian's terminal that has been registered in advance.

9. A monitoring terminal according to claim 3, The aforementioned voice message is characterized in that the data is synthesized from text data entered on the guardian's device.

10. A monitoring terminal according to claim 4, The control unit is characterized by transmitting the recorded voice message data to a pre-registered server in order to convert it into text data.

11. A monitoring terminal according to claim 3, The terminal for monitoring a person, characterized in that the displayed content further includes the elapsed time since the voice message was received.

12. A monitoring terminal according to claim 1, The control unit is characterized in that, based on remote instructions from the guardian's terminal, it stops displaying information on the display unit while maintaining functions other than the display.

13. A monitoring terminal according to claim 6, The processor, by executing the program, also functions as a learning unit that learns specific locations that meet predetermined criteria as notification spots based on the user's movement history. The control unit is characterized in that when the current location acquired by the GPS function enters or leaves the area of ​​the learned notification spot, it sends an arrival notification or departure notification to the guardian's terminal indicating that fact.

14. A monitoring terminal according to claim 13, The learning unit further learns the user's usual range of activity based on the user's movement history. The control unit is characterized by sending a deviation notification to the guardian's terminal when the current location deviates from the learned normal range of movement.

15. An information processing system comprising a terminal for the person being monitored, which has a physically pressable display unit, a terminal for the guardian, and a server, The aforementioned terminal for the person being monitored is The server receives the voice message sent from the parent's device. The display unit displays content indicating the sender of the voice message, In response to the press operation on the display unit, the voice message is played. The aforementioned server, An information processing system characterized by synthesizing the voice message based on text data transmitted from the guardian's terminal and transmitting it to the monitored person's terminal.

16. An information processing method performed by a terminal for a person being monitored, which is equipped with a physically pressable display unit, A step of switching between the display content to be displayed on the display unit and a predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of a press operation on the display unit, based on the internal state of the terminal. When the aforementioned pressing operation is detected, the step of executing the switched predetermined function, An information processing method characterized by including

17. A computer equipped with a physically pressable display unit, A step of switching between the display content to be displayed on the display unit and a predetermined function to be executed in response to the detection of a press operation on the display unit, based on the internal state of the terminal. When the aforementioned pressing operation is detected, the step of executing the switched predetermined function, A program characterized by causing the execution of a specific action.

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