Judgment device, terminal, server, judgment method, and program

Abstract

The present invention provides a determination device, terminal, server, determination method, and program for appropriately determining the location of a terminal. [Solution] In a support system comprising multiple vehicles, multiple terminals, a server, and a map server, the determination device in the processing unit of the server 60 includes an index value acquisition unit that acquires an index value of positioning accuracy based on satellite signals detected by the terminal, a movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information of the terminal, a storage unit that stores map information, a determination unit that determines whether or not the terminal is indoors based on a comparison between the index value and a threshold, and a setting unit that sets a threshold based on the movement information and the map information. The determination method involves acquiring an index value of positioning accuracy based on satellite signals detected by the terminal and acquiring movement information of the terminal to store map information, setting a threshold based on the movement information and map information, and determining whether or not the terminal is indoors based on a comparison between the index value and the threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a determination device, a terminal, a server, a determination method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Documents 1-2 describe that when it is detected that the GPS signal has become lower than a predetermined value, it is determined that the mobile phone has entered the inside of a building. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents] Patent Document 1 JP-A-2005-291933 Patent Document 2 JP-A-2009-109500

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] By the way, in preventive safety technology, it is an issue to appropriately determine the position of a terminal. The present application aims to provide a technology for appropriately determining whether a terminal is indoors in order to solve the above issue. And it contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In a first aspect of the present invention, a determination device is provided. The determination device includes an index value acquisition unit that acquires an index value of positioning accuracy based on a satellite signal detected by a terminal. The determination device includes a movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information of the terminal. The determination device includes a storage unit that stores map information. The determination device includes a determination unit that determines whether the terminal is indoors based on a comparison between the index value and a threshold value. The determination device includes a setting unit that sets the threshold value based on the movement information and the map information.

[0005] In the determination device described above, the map information may include building information indicating the location of a building. The setting unit may set the threshold to a value higher than a predetermined value when it determines, based on the building information and the movement information, that the terminal is moving in a direction toward the building.

[0006] In any of the above determination devices, the map information may include building information indicating the location of a building. The setting unit may set the threshold to a value lower than a predetermined value when it determines, based on the building information and the movement information, that the terminal is moving away from the building.

[0007] In any of the above determination devices, the map information may include building information indicating the location of a building. The setting unit may set the threshold to a higher value when it determines, based on the building information and the movement information, that the terminal is moving towards the building than when it determines that the terminal is moving away from the building.

[0008] In any of the above determination devices, the map information may include obstacle information indicating the location of obstacles around the building. The setting unit may set the threshold based on the obstacle information.

[0009] In any of the determination devices described above, the index value may indicate at least one of the following: the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal, the number of positioning satellites used, and the elevation angle of the satellite signal.

[0010] In a second embodiment of the present invention, a terminal is provided. The terminal comprises any of the determination devices described above. The terminal comprises a satellite signal receiving unit that receives the satellite signal.

[0011] The above-mentioned terminal may include a communication control unit that controls the content of communication between the terminal and an external server based on the determination result of the determination unit.

[0012] Any of the above terminals may include a communication unit that transmits the terminal's location information to a server that distributes information indicating traffic risk at the location where the terminal is located. The terminal may also include a communication control unit that restricts the transmission of the location information to the server by the communication unit based on the determination result of the determination unit.

[0013] Any of the above terminals may include a communication unit that receives information indicating traffic risks at the location where the terminal is located from a server that distributes information indicating traffic risks. The terminal may also include a notification control unit that controls the sending of notifications based on the traffic risk information received by the communication unit. The notification control unit may restrict the sending of notifications if the determination unit determines that the terminal is indoors.

[0014] In a third embodiment of the present invention, a server is provided. The server comprises any of the determination devices described above.

[0015] The server described above may include a communication control unit that controls the content of communication between the server and the terminal based on the determination result of the determination unit.

[0016] Any of the above servers may include a communication control unit that controls the transmission of information indicating traffic risks at the location where the terminal is located. The communication control unit may restrict the transmission of information indicating traffic risks at the location where the terminal is located more than when the determination unit determines that the terminal is located indoors.

[0017] A fourth embodiment of the present invention provides a determination method. The determination method comprises the step of obtaining an index value of positioning accuracy based on satellite signals detected by a terminal. The determination method comprises the step of obtaining movement information of the terminal. The determination method comprises the step of storing map information. The determination method comprises the step of setting a threshold based on the movement information and the map information. The determination method comprises the step of determining whether the terminal is indoors or not based on a comparison between the index value and the threshold.

[0018] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a program is provided. When the program is executed by a computer, the computer functions as any of the above determination devices. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0019] The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] Schematically shows the usage scenarios of the support system 10. [Figure 2] Shows the functional configuration of the terminal 82. [Figure 3] Shows the functional configuration of the server 60. [Figure 4] Schematically shows the time change of the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82 entering the building 92. [Figure 5] Schematically shows the time change of the satellite signal in the terminal 82 leaving the building 92. [Figure 6] Shows a flowchart regarding the determination method executed in the terminal 82 and the server 60. [Figure 7] Shows an example of the execution sequence of the processes performed in the terminal 82, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 of the vehicle 20, and the server 60. [Figure 8] Shows another example of the execution sequence of the processes performed in the terminal 82, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 of the vehicle 20, and the server 60. [Figure 9] Shows another example of the execution sequence of the processes performed in the terminal 82, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 of the vehicle 20, and the server 60. [Figure 10] Shows an example of a computer 2000 in which multiple embodiments of the present invention can be wholly or partially embodied.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 schematically shows a usage scenario of the support system 10. The support system 10 comprises vehicles 20a and 20b, terminals 82a, 82b, 82c, and 82d, a server 60, and a map server 54.

[0023] Vehicle 20a is equipped with an in-vehicle information processing device 40a, and vehicle 20b is equipped with an in-vehicle information processing device 40b. Terminal 82a is a terminal owned by person 80a, terminal 82b is a terminal owned by person 80b, terminal 82c is a terminal owned by person 80c, terminal 82d is a terminal owned by person 80d, and terminal 82e is a terminal owned by person 80e.

[0024] In this embodiment, vehicles 20a and 20b may be collectively referred to as "vehicle 20". Onboard information processing devices 40a and 40b may be collectively referred to as "onboard information processing device 40". Terminals 82a and 82b may be collectively referred to as "terminal 82", and terminals 82c, 82d, and 82e may be collectively referred to as "terminal 82". Persons 80a, 80b, 80c, 80d, and 80e may be collectively referred to as "person 80". Person 80 is, for example, a pedestrian.

[0025] Vehicle 20 is a vehicle that travels on road 90. Vehicle 20 is an example of a mobile object. Vehicle 20 is composed of various sensors, including a position sensor including a receiver that receives satellite signals from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellite, a vehicle speed sensor, an imaging device, and a radar. The onboard information processing device 40 has the function of processing information acquired by the various sensors installed in vehicle 20. The onboard information processing device 40 also has the function of communicating with other onboard information processing devices 40 of other vehicles 20, a server 60, and a map server 54. The onboard information processing device 40 provides the advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) functions installed in vehicle 20.

[0026] Terminal 82 is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. Terminal 82 is an example of a mobile terminal. Terminal 82 receives satellite signals from satellites such as GNSS satellites and measures its current position based on the received satellite signals. Terminal 82 periodically transmits position information indicating its measured current position to the server 60.

[0027] Server 60 receives information transmitted from the in-vehicle information processing device 40 and terminal 82 via mobile communication. Server 60 may also receive information transmitted from the in-vehicle information processing device 40 and terminal 82 via mobile communication, the Internet, and other communication lines such as dedicated lines.

[0028] The server 60 provides traffic assistance to the vehicle 20 based on the location information of the vehicle 20 and the person 80 received from the in-vehicle information processing device 40 and the user terminal 82. For example, the server 60 determines, based on the location information of the vehicle 20 and the person 80, whether the person 80 and the vehicle 20 will approach each other within a predetermined time, and if it determines that the person 80 and the vehicle 20 will approach each other within a predetermined time, it provides traffic assistance to the vehicle 20 and / or the person 80. For example, the server 60 provides traffic assistance by transmitting warning information, which instructs the in-vehicle information processing device 40 and the user terminal 82 to output a warning, as information indicating traffic risk.

[0029] In this embodiment, terminal 82 determines whether or not it is inside a building. If terminal 82 determines that it is not inside a building, it transmits its location information. On the other hand, if terminal 82 determines that it is inside a building, it suppresses the transmission of its location information. For example, terminal 82d, which is outside building 92, transmits its location information, but terminal 82e, which is inside building 92, does not transmit its location information.

[0030] Terminal 82 acquires map information from map server 54. Terminal 82 acquires map information from map server 54 in advance and / or in real time. Terminal 82 stores the acquired map information permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily. The map information includes building information, including the location information of building 92. Terminal 82 calculates an index value indicating the positioning accuracy of Terminal 82, which is calculated based on the received satellite signals. Examples of the "index value indicating the positioning accuracy of Terminal 82" include the reception sensitivity of satellite signals by Terminal 82, the number of satellites from which satellite signals were received by Terminal 82, and the elevation angle of the satellite signals.

[0031] Terminal 82 acquires its own movement information. Terminal 82 acquires its own movement information, for example, based on its location history. The movement information includes, for example, information indicating the current location and direction of movement of Terminal 82. Terminal 82 determines whether or not it is indoors based on a comparison of an index value and a threshold. For example, Terminal 82 determines that it is indoors if the index value is less than or equal to the threshold. Terminal 82 determines that it is not indoors if the index value exceeds the threshold. For example, Terminal 82 determines that it is outdoors if the index value exceeds the threshold.

[0032] In this embodiment, terminal 82 sets a threshold based on movement information and map information. For example, if terminal 82 determines, based on building information and movement information, that terminal 82 is moving towards building 92, it sets a threshold higher than a predetermined value, and if terminal 82 determines, that terminal 82 is moving away from building 92, it sets a threshold lower than a predetermined value. As a result, for example, terminal 82a, which is moving toward building 92, will have a higher threshold than terminal 82c, which is moving away from building 92. Therefore, terminal 82a is more likely to be determined to be inside building 92. Since terminal 82a is moving toward building 92, there is little need to provide traffic assistance to the person 80a who possesses terminal 82a. According to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the transmission of location information in terminal 82a, where there is little need for traffic assistance. As a result, the power consumption required for transmitting location information in terminal 82a can be reduced. Furthermore, the amount of computation required for processing by server 60 for traffic assistance can be reduced.

[0033] A terminal 82c moving away from building 92 has a lower threshold set than a terminal 82a moving towards building 92. Therefore, terminal 82c is more likely to be determined to be outside building 92. Because terminal 82c is moving away from building 92, there is a high need to provide traffic assistance to the person 80c carrying terminal 82c. According to this embodiment, it is possible to encourage terminals that have a high need for traffic assistance, such as terminal 82c, to transmit location information. This can improve traffic safety.

[0034] Terminal 82b is located inside building 92, near an entrance / exit of building 92. Terminal 82b is moving in the same direction as terminal 82c. In other words, terminal 82b is moving away from building 92. Similar to terminal 82c, terminal 82b is given a lower threshold than terminal 82a, for example, which is moving towards building 92. Therefore, terminal 82b, located near an entrance / exit inside building 92, is more likely to be judged as being outside building 92. Because terminal 82b is moving towards leaving building 92, there is a relatively high need to provide transportation assistance to the person 80b who possesses terminal 82b. According to this embodiment, terminals like terminal 82b, which have a relatively high need for transportation assistance, can be encouraged to start transmitting location information earlier.

[0035] Compared to when terminal 82 is outside building 92, when terminal 82 is near the entrance / exit of building 92, as in the case of terminals 82b and 82c, the reception sensitivity of satellite signals received by terminal 82 is lower. Therefore, it may be difficult to determine whether terminal 82 is inside or outside building 92 using indicator values ​​such as reception sensitivity. In addition, for example, there is a time lag between when terminal 82 starts detecting location information and when it starts transmitting location information. Therefore, there may be a certain amount of time between when terminal 82 leaves building 92 and when terminal 82b starts transmitting location information. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the possibility of a state in which location information is not transmitted even though terminal 82 has left building 92 can be reduced. This can improve traffic safety.

[0036] In this embodiment, the server 60, like the terminal 82, has a function to determine whether or not the terminal 82 is indoors. For example, the server 60 receives location information of the terminal 82 and information indicating an index value that shows the positioning accuracy of the terminal 82 from the terminal 82. The server 60 sets a threshold based on map information and movement information, and determines whether or not the terminal 82 is indoors based on a comparison between the location of the terminal 82 indicated by the location information received from the terminal 82 and the threshold. The server 60 provides traffic assistance considering the determination result of whether or not the terminal 82 is indoors. Because the server 60 has a function to determine whether or not the terminal 82 is indoors, even if there are terminals 82 that do not have a function to determine whether or not they are indoors, the server 60 can provide traffic assistance considering the determination result of whether or not the terminal 82 is indoors.

[0037] Figure 2 shows the functional configuration of terminal 82. Terminal 82 comprises a processing unit 300, a satellite signal receiving unit 304, a communication unit 390, and a storage unit 380.

[0038] The communication unit 390 is responsible for communication with the server 60 based on the control of the processing unit 300. The processing unit 300 is implemented by a circuit including, for example, a processing unit including a processor. The processing unit 300 may be implemented by a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and bus. The storage unit 380 is implemented by a non-volatile storage medium. The processing unit 300 performs processing using the information stored in the storage unit 380. The storage unit 380 may store map information acquired from the map server. The map information stored in the storage unit 380 may be used by the processing unit 300.

[0039] The processing unit 300 comprises a determination device 302, a notification control unit 360, and a communication control unit 370. The determination device 302 comprises an index value acquisition unit 310, a determination unit 340, a movement information acquisition unit 320, and a setting unit 330. A configuration in which the terminal 82 does not possess some of the functions of the functional configuration shown in Figure 2 may be adopted.

[0040] The satellite signal receiving unit 304 receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning satellites such as GNSS satellites and outputs the position of terminal 82 based on the received signals. The satellite signal receiving unit 304 further outputs an index value indicating the positioning accuracy based on the satellite signals. The index value includes at least one of the following: satellite signal reception sensitivity, number of positioning satellites, and satellite signal elevation angle. Reception sensitivity may be the received signal strength. Reception sensitivity may be, for example, information indicating the signal strength of the satellite signal received by terminal 82. Reception sensitivity may be the signal-to-noise ratio, carrier noise power density ratio, etc. The number of positioning satellites may be the number of satellites that can be used for positioning or the number of satellites used for positioning. The index value for the satellite signal elevation angle may be the average value of the elevation angles of the received satellite signals, or the average value of the elevation angles of satellite signals that have an elevation angle greater than a predetermined value. The index value may be various DOP values, etc. The satellite signal receiving unit 304 may output various other types of index values ​​indicating positioning accuracy.

[0041] The index value acquisition unit 310 acquires an index value of positioning accuracy based on the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82. The index value acquisition unit 310 acquires the index value output by the satellite signal receiving unit 304.

[0042] The movement information acquisition unit 320 acquires movement information of terminal 82. For example, the movement information acquisition unit 320 acquires movement information of terminal 82 based on the position of terminal 82 detected by the satellite signal receiving unit 304. The movement information of terminal 82 may be information indicating the current position of terminal 82 and the direction of movement of terminal 82. The movement information of terminal 82 may be information indicating the current position of terminal 82 and the direction of movement of terminal 82. The direction of movement may be acquired based on the position history of terminal 82. The direction of movement may be acquired based on information output from various sensors that detect information related to the direction of movement of terminal 82. Examples of sensors include acceleration sensors and compass sensors.

[0043] The storage unit 380 stores map information. The storage unit 380 may store map information received from the map server 54. The storage unit 380 may temporarily store map information received from the map server 54.

[0044] The determination unit 340 determines whether the terminal 82 is indoors or not based on a comparison between the index value and the threshold. The determination unit 340 may determine that the terminal 82 is indoors if the index value is less than or equal to the threshold. The determination unit 340 may determine that the terminal 82 is not indoors if the index value exceeds the threshold.

[0045] The setting unit 330 sets a threshold based on movement information and map information. The map information may include building information indicating the location of a building, and the setting unit 330 may set the threshold to a value higher than a predetermined value if it determines, based on the building information and movement information, that the terminal 82 is moving in a direction approaching the building 92. This makes it easier for the setting unit 330 to determine that the terminal 82 is inside the building 92 by raising the threshold, for example, if it determines that the direction of movement of the terminal 82 is consistent with the direction of entering the building 92. This makes it possible to omit the processing required when the terminal 82 is outdoors.

[0046] The map information may include building information indicating the location of the building, and the setting unit 330 may set a threshold value lower than a predetermined value when it determines, based on the building information and movement information, that the terminal 82 is moving away from the building 92. This makes it easier for the setting unit 330 to determine that the terminal 82 is outside the building 92 by lowering the threshold when it determines, for example, that the direction of movement of the terminal 82 is consistent with the direction of exiting the building 92. This allows the processing required when the terminal 82 is outdoors to start earlier.

[0047] The map information includes building information indicating the location of the building. Based on the building information and movement information, the setting unit 330 may set a higher threshold value when it determines that the terminal 82 is moving towards the building 92 than when it determines that the terminal 82 is moving away from the building 92. By setting a threshold value based on the movement information and map information in this way, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the terminal 82 is indoors or not when it is near the entrance or exit of the building 92.

[0048] Map information may include obstacle information indicating the presence of obstacles around a building. Obstacles may be objects or features that obstruct the movement of vehicle 20. Obstacles may be objects or features that obstruct the movement of vehicle 20 and substantially enclose a predetermined area. Examples of obstacles include walls and moats. Obstacle information may indicate the extent of wall existence, or the extent of moat existence. Obstacles may be objects or features that obstruct the movement of vehicle 20. Obstacle information may indicate the extent of wall existence determined from aerial or satellite photographs, or the extent of moat existence determined from aerial or satellite photographs.

[0049] The setting unit 330 may set a threshold value based on obstacle information and movement information. The setting unit 330 may set a threshold value higher than a predetermined value if it determines, based on movement information and obstacle information, that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle. The setting unit 330 may set a threshold value lower than a predetermined value if it determines, based on obstacle information and movement information, that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle. The setting unit 330 may set a threshold value higher than when it determines that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle than when it determines that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle.

[0050] The communication control unit 370 controls the content of communication between the terminal 82 and the external server 60 based on the determination result of the determination unit 340. For example, the communication unit 390 transmits the location information of terminal 82 to the server 60, which distributes information indicating traffic risk at the location where terminal 82 is located, and the communication control unit 370 restricts the transmission of location information to the server by the communication unit 390 based on the determination result of the determination unit 340.

[0051] The communication unit 390 receives information indicating traffic risks at the location of terminal 82 from the server 60, which distributes information indicating traffic risks. The notification control unit 360 controls the notification based on the traffic risk information received by the communication unit 390. The notification control unit 360 restricts notifications if the determination unit 340 determines that terminal 82 is indoors. This makes it possible to suppress the notification of traffic risk information when terminal 82 is determined to be indoors.

[0052] The communication unit 390 may transmit the index values ​​acquired by the index value acquisition unit 310 to the server 60. This enables the server 60 to appropriately determine whether or not the terminal 82 is indoors. The communication unit 390 may also transmit the determination result of the determination unit 340 to a server that distributes information indicating traffic risk at the location where the terminal 82 is located.

[0053] Figure 3 shows the functional configuration of server 60. Server 60 comprises a processing unit 200, a communication unit 290, and a storage unit 280.

[0054] The communication unit 290 is responsible for communication between the in-vehicle information processing unit 40, the terminal 82, and the server 60, based on the control of the processing unit 200. The processing unit 200 is implemented by a circuit including, for example, a processing unit including a processor. The processing unit 200 may be implemented by a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and bus. The storage unit 280 is implemented by a non-volatile storage medium. The processing unit 200 performs processing using the information stored in the storage unit 280. The storage unit 280 may store map information acquired from a map server. The map information stored in the storage unit 280 may be used by the processing unit 200.

[0055] The communication unit 290 receives location information transmitted from terminal 82. The communication unit 290 also receives an index value of positioning accuracy based on satellite signals detected by terminal 82, which is transmitted from terminal 82.

[0056] The processing unit 200 comprises a determination device 202, a support control unit 260, and a communication control unit 270. The determination device 202 comprises an index value acquisition unit 210, a determination unit 240, a movement information acquisition unit 220, and a setting unit 230. A configuration in which the server 60 does not possess some of the functions of the functional configuration shown in Figure 3 may be adopted.

[0057] The index value acquisition unit 210 acquires an index value of positioning accuracy based on the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82. For example, the index value acquisition unit 210 acquires an index value transmitted from the terminal 82.

[0058] The movement information acquisition unit 220 acquires the movement information of terminal 82. For example, the movement information acquisition unit 220 acquires the movement information of terminal 82 based on the location information of terminal 82 transmitted from terminal 82.

[0059] The storage unit 280 stores map information. The storage unit 280 may store map information received from the map server 54. The storage unit 280 may temporarily store map information received from the map server 54.

[0060] The determination unit 240 determines whether the terminal 82 is indoors or not based on a comparison between the index value and the threshold. The determination unit 240 may determine that the terminal 82 is indoors if the index value is less than or equal to the threshold. The determination unit 240 may determine that the terminal 82 is not indoors if the index value exceeds the threshold.

[0061] The setting unit 230 sets a threshold based on movement information and map information. The map information may include building information indicating the location of building 92, and the setting unit 230 may set the threshold to a value higher than a predetermined value if it determines, based on the building information and movement information, that terminal 82 is moving in a direction toward building 92.

[0062] The map information may include building information indicating the location of building 92, and the setting unit 230 may set a threshold value lower than a predetermined value when it determines, based on the building information and movement information, that terminal 82 is moving away from building 92.

[0063] The map information includes building information indicating the location of building 92. Based on the building information and movement information, the setting unit 230 may set a higher threshold value when it determines that terminal 82 is moving towards building 92 than when it determines that terminal 82 is moving away from building 92.

[0064] The map information may include obstacle information indicating the presence of obstacles around building 92. Since the obstacle information has been described above, its explanation will be omitted here.

[0065] The setting unit 230 may set a threshold value based on obstacle information and movement information. The setting unit 230 may set a threshold value higher than a predetermined value if it determines, based on movement information and obstacle information, that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle. The setting unit 230 may set a threshold value lower than a predetermined value if it determines, based on obstacle information and movement information, that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle. The setting unit 230 may set a threshold value higher than when it determines that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle than when it determines that the terminal 82 is moving toward an obstacle.

[0066] The communication control unit 270 controls the transmission of information indicating traffic risks at the location where terminal 82 is located. When the determination unit 240 determines that terminal 82 is indoors, the communication control unit 270 restricts the transmission of information indicating traffic risks at the location where terminal 82 is located more than when the determination unit 240 determines that terminal 82 is not indoors. In addition, based on the determination result of the determination unit 240, the communication control unit 270 restricts the content of communication between the server 60 and terminal 82 when terminal 82 is indoors. In this way, the communication control unit 270 controls the content of communication between the server 60 and terminal 82 based on the determination result of the determination unit 240.

[0067] The support control unit 260 performs control related to providing support to traffic participants. The support control unit 260 distributes information regarding traffic risks to the terminal 82 and the in-vehicle information processing device 40. For example, based on the location information of the vehicle 20 and the terminal 82, the support control unit 260 predicts the future positions of the vehicle 20 and the terminal 82 and predicts whether the vehicle 20 and the terminal 82 will approach each other within a predetermined distance within a predetermined time. If it is predicted that the vehicle 20 and the terminal 82 will approach each other within a predetermined distance within a predetermined time, the support control unit 260 transmits alarm information to the terminal 82 and the vehicle 20 instructing them to output an alarm.

[0068] Figure 4 schematically shows the time variation of the satellite signal detected by terminal 82 as it enters building 92. In the graph in Figure 4, the vertical axis represents the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal received by terminal 82, and the horizontal axis represents time. The reference value 430 shown in Figure 4 is a threshold reference value (a predetermined value) used to determine whether terminal 82 is indoors or not. For example, in terminal 82d, the reference value 430 is set as the threshold.

[0069] In Figure 4, the symbol 400 indicates the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82 as it enters the building 92. As shown in Figure 4, the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82 as it enters the building 92 may decrease over time. Based on the movement information and map information, the setting unit 330 determines that the terminal 82 is moving in a direction that approaches the building 92, and changes the threshold to the first threshold 410.

[0070] The first threshold 410 is higher than the reference value 430. As a result, when terminal 82 is moving towards building 92, the determination unit 340 can determine relatively early that terminal 82 is indoors. This allows the communication unit 390 to stop transmitting location information relatively early. Therefore, the power consumption of terminal 82 can be reduced. Since the traffic risk is relatively low when terminal 82 is moving towards building 92, even if terminal 82 stops transmitting location information while moving towards building 92, the server 60 can appropriately assess the traffic risk.

[0071] Figure 5 schematically shows the time variation of the satellite signal at terminal 82 as it leaves building 92. In the graph of Figure 5, the vertical axis represents the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal received by terminal 82, and the horizontal axis represents time. Similar to Figure 4, the reference value 430 shown in Figure 5 is a reference threshold value used to determine whether terminal 82 is indoors or not.

[0072] In Figure 5, the symbol 500 indicates the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82 as it leaves the building 92. As shown in Figure 5, the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal detected by the terminal 82 as it leaves the building 92 can increase over time. Based on the movement information and map information, the setting unit 330 determines that the terminal 82 is moving in the direction of leaving the building 92, and changes the threshold to the second threshold 510.

[0073] The second threshold 510 is lower than the reference value 430. The second threshold 510 is lower than the first threshold 410. As a result, when terminal 82 is moving in the direction of leaving building 92, the determination unit 340 can determine relatively early that terminal 82 is not indoors (for example, in this embodiment, that it is outdoors). As a result, the communication unit 390 can start transmitting location information relatively early. Therefore, the server 60 can start processing to determine the traffic risk at terminal 82 without delay.

[0074] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the process by which the setting unit 330 of terminal 82 sets the threshold has been explained. The process by which the setting unit 230 of server 60 sets the threshold can be the same as the process by which the setting unit 330 of terminal 82 sets the threshold, so its explanation will be omitted.

[0075] Figure 6 shows a flowchart of the determination method executed in terminal 82 and server 60. Figure 6 describes a determination method in which terminal 82 itself determines whether or not it is indoors. The process in this flowchart is executed periodically in terminal 82. For example, the process in this flowchart is started when terminal 82 performs positioning.

[0076] In S602, the index value acquisition unit 310 acquires an index value indicating the positioning accuracy of the terminal 82. Specifically, the index value acquisition unit 310 acquires an index value output from the satellite signal receiving unit 304.

[0077] In S604, the movement information acquisition unit 320 acquires movement information of terminal 82. The movement information acquisition unit 320 may acquire movement information based on the location history of terminal 82 determined by the satellite signal receiving unit 304. The movement information may be information indicating the current location of terminal 82 and the direction of movement of terminal 82.

[0078] In S606, the setting unit 330 sets a threshold used to determine whether the terminal 82 is indoors or not. As explained in relation to Figures 4 and 5, the setting unit 330 determines, based on movement information and map information, whether the terminal 82 is moving towards the building 92 or away from the building 92, and sets a threshold based on the result of this determination. The setting unit 330 may set the threshold based on movement information and building information and / or obstacle information included in the map information.

[0079] The setting unit 330 may determine that terminal 82 is moving towards building 92 if building 92 exists in the direction of terminal 82's movement, based on the map information, the current location of terminal 82, and the direction of terminal 82's movement. The setting unit 330 determines that terminal 82 is moving towards building 92 if, based on the map information, the current location of terminal 82, and the direction of terminal 82's movement, it determines that the current location of terminal 82 is outside building 92, that building 92 exists in the direction of terminal 82's movement, and that the distance between the current location of terminal 82 and the location of building 92 is shorter than a predetermined distance.

[0080] The setting unit 330 may determine that terminal 82 is moving away from building 92 if, based on the map information, the current location of terminal 82, and the direction of movement of terminal 82, the distance between terminal 82 and the location of building 92 is shorter than a predetermined distance, and the degree of agreement between the direction of movement of terminal 82 and the direction away from building 92 is higher than a predetermined value. The setting unit 330 may determine that terminal 82 is moving away from building 92 regardless of whether the current location of terminal 82 is determined to be inside building 92 or not.

[0081] In S608, the determination unit 340 determines whether the index value obtained in S602 exceeds the threshold set in S608. In S608, if the determination unit 340 determines that the index value exceeds the threshold, it determines that the terminal 82 is not indoors. Specifically, the determination unit 340 determines that the terminal 82 is outdoors.

[0082] In S608, the determination unit 340 determines that the terminal 82 is indoors if it determines that the index value does not exceed the threshold.

[0083] In the example in Figure 6, the process for when terminal 82 itself determines whether or not it is indoors is explained. When server 60 determines whether or not terminal 82 is indoors, server 60 periodically receives location information and index values ​​from terminal 82 and determines whether or not terminal 82 is indoors based on the received information. Specifically, in server 60, the index value acquisition unit 210, determination unit 240, movement information acquisition unit 220, and setting unit 230 perform processing corresponding to terminal 82's index value acquisition unit 310, determination unit 340, movement information acquisition unit 320, and setting unit 330, respectively. More specifically, in S602, the index value acquisition unit 210 acquires the index value transmitted from terminal 82, and in S604, the movement information acquisition unit 220 may acquire terminal 82's movement information based on terminal 82's location information history. In S606, S608, S610, and S612, the processing of the setting unit 330 and the determination unit 340 is the same as the processing of the setting unit 230 and the determination unit 240, respectively.

[0084] Figure 7 shows an example of the execution sequence of processes performed in terminal 82, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 of vehicle 20, and the server 60. In particular, Figure 7 shows the execution sequence when terminal 82 determines whether or not it is indoors, and when terminal 82 determines whether or not to transmit location information.

[0085] In S710, the satellite signal receiving unit 304 of terminal 82 performs positioning based on satellite signals received from GNSS satellites and outputs the current position of terminal 82. At this time, the satellite signal receiving unit 304 further outputs an index value indicating the positioning accuracy. The index value may be information such as the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal, the number of received satellites, the accuracy value, or the elevation angle of the satellite signal. The index value acquisition unit 310 of terminal 82 acquires the index value output by the satellite signal receiving unit 304.

[0086] In S711, terminal 82 determines whether or not it is indoors. Specifically, the setting unit 330 determines whether or not terminal 82 is moving toward building 92 based on the movement information of terminal 82 acquired by the movement information acquisition unit 320 and the map information stored in the storage unit 380, and sets a threshold based on the determination result. The determination unit 340 determines whether or not terminal 82 is indoors by comparing the index value with the threshold.

[0087] In S712, the communication control unit 370 of terminal 82 determines whether or not to transmit location information. If the determination unit 340 determines that terminal 82 is not indoors, the communication control unit 370 decides to transmit location information. On the other hand, if the determination unit 340 determines that terminal 82 is indoors, the communication control unit 370 decides not to transmit location information. This execution sequence describes the case where the communication control unit 370 decides to transmit location information.

[0088] In S713, the communication control unit 370 transmits location information indicating the current location of terminal 82, as measured by the satellite signal receiving unit 304, to the server 60. The processes from S710 to S713 are performed periodically on terminal 82.

[0089] In the S700, the in-vehicle information processing unit 40 transmits the location information of the vehicle 20 to the server 60. The transmission of location information from the in-vehicle information processing unit 40 to the server 60 is performed periodically.

[0090] In S714, the support control unit 260 of the server 60 determines whether or not to provide traffic assistance to the vehicle 20 and terminal 82 based on the location information of terminal 82 obtained from terminal 82 and the location information of vehicle 20 obtained from in-vehicle information processing device 40.

[0091] For example, the support control unit 260 predicts the future location of terminal 82 based on the location information history of terminal 82, and predicts the future location of vehicle 20 based on the location information history of vehicle 20. Based on the predicted future locations of terminal 82 and vehicle 20, the support control unit 260 decides to provide traffic assistance if it is predicted that the future location of vehicle 20 will approach the future location of terminal 82 within a predetermined time.

[0092] If it is determined that traffic assistance should be provided, in S716, the assistance control unit 260 controls the communication unit 290 through the communication control unit 270 to transmit assistance information to the in-vehicle information processing device 40 instructing it to output an alarm. Furthermore, in S718, the assistance control unit 260 controls the communication unit 290 through the communication control unit 270 to transmit assistance information to the terminal 82 instructing it to output an alarm. In this way, the communication control unit 270 performs control to transmit information indicating the traffic risk at the location where the terminal 82 is located, based on the control of the assistance control unit 260.

[0093] When the in-vehicle information processing device 40 receives support information from the server 60, in S706, it notifies the occupants of the vehicle 20 using the HMI (Human Machine Interface) function of the in-vehicle information processing device 40 in accordance with the support information. For example, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 notifies the occupants to be careful of pedestrians suddenly appearing on the road 90. The in-vehicle information processing device 40 may notify the occupants of the vehicle 20 to be careful of pedestrians suddenly appearing on the road 90 by voice and by display on a display device provided in the vehicle 20.

[0094] When terminal 82 receives support information from server 60, S720 uses the HMI function of terminal 82 to notify person 80 that a vehicle 20 is approaching person 80. Terminal 82 may also notify person 80 of the approaching vehicle by voice and / or vibration.

[0095] According to the execution sequence in Figure 7, the transmission of location information can be suppressed while terminal 82 is determined to be indoors. Therefore, the power consumption of terminal 82 can be reduced. In addition, since the server 60 can be prevented from processing the location information of terminal 82 while it is indoors, the amount of computation required for the server 60 to perform can be reduced. Furthermore, when terminal 82 is determined to be indoors, the output of alarm information can be suppressed. Therefore, the output of alarms from terminal 82 while it is indoors can be prevented. This reduces the inconvenience caused by unnecessary alarms being output from terminal 82.

[0096] Figure 8 shows another example of the execution sequence of processing performed in terminal 82, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 of vehicle 20, and the server 60. In particular, Figure 8 shows the execution sequence when terminal 82 itself determines whether or not it is indoors, and then, based on the result of that determination, decides whether or not terminal 82 will output an alarm.

[0097] In Figures 7 and 8, processes S700, S706, S710, S711, S713, S714, S716, and S718 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and therefore their descriptions are omitted.

[0098] In S718, the support control unit 260 controls the transmission of support information to terminal 82 instructing it to output an alarm. Upon receiving the support information from server 60, terminal 82 determines in S719 whether or not to output an alarm. Specifically, the notification control unit 360 of terminal 82 determines, based on the most recent indoor / outdoor determination by the determination unit 340, that terminal 82 is indoors, and decides to output an alarm. The notification control unit 360 determines, based on the most recent indoor / outdoor determination by the determination unit 340, that terminal 82 is not indoors, and decides not to output an alarm. This execution sequence describes the case where the notification control unit 360 decides to output an alarm.

[0099] If the notification control unit 360 decides to output an alarm in S719, then in S720, the HMI function of the terminal 82 notifies the person 80 that a vehicle 20 is approaching the person 80. The process in S720 in Figure 8 is the same as the process in S720 in Figure 7, so the explanation of that process is omitted.

[0100] According to the execution sequence in Figure 8, if terminal 82 is determined to be indoors, the output of alarm information can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the output of alarms from terminal 82 that is indoors. This reduces the inconvenience caused by unnecessary alarms being output from terminal 82.

[0101] Figure 9 shows another example of the execution sequence of processing performed in terminal 82, the in-vehicle information processing device 40 of vehicle 20, and server 60. In particular, Figure 9 shows the execution sequence when server 60 determines whether terminal 82 is indoors or not.

[0102] Regarding the processes S700, S706, S710, S716, S718, and S720 in Figures 9 and 7, processes with the same reference numeral represent the same process, so their explanations are omitted.

[0103] In S913, the communication control unit 370 transmits to the server 60 the position information indicating the current location of terminal 82 as measured by the satellite signal receiving unit 304, and the index value indicating the positioning accuracy output from the satellite signal receiving unit 304 in S710. The processes in S710 and S913 are performed periodically on terminal 82.

[0104] In S911, the server 60 determines whether the terminal 82 is indoors or not. Specifically, the movement information acquisition unit 220 acquires movement information of the terminal 82 based on the location information transmitted from the terminal 82. The setting unit 230 determines whether the terminal 82 is moving toward the building 92 based on the movement information of the terminal 82 acquired by the movement information acquisition unit 220 and the map information stored in the storage unit 280, and sets a threshold based on the determination result. The determination unit 240 determines whether the terminal 82 is indoors or not by comparing the index value with the threshold.

[0105] In S914, the support control unit 260 of the server 60 determines whether or not to provide traffic assistance to the vehicle 20 and terminal 82 based on the location information of terminal 82 obtained from terminal 82 and the location information of the vehicle 20 obtained from the in-vehicle information processing device 40. At this time, the support control unit 260 excludes terminal 82 that the determination unit 240 has determined to be indoors, and determines whether or not to provide traffic assistance to the vehicle 20 and terminal 82 for terminal 82 that the determination unit 240 has determined not to be indoors. Except for this point, the processing of the support control unit 260 in S914 is the same as the processing described in relation to S714 in Figure 7.

[0106] According to the execution sequence in Figure 9, it is possible to suppress the support decision of S914 for terminal 82 located indoors, thereby reducing the amount of computation required for processing performed by server 60. In addition, since it is possible to suppress the output of alarm information from terminal 82 determined to be located indoors, the inconvenience caused by unnecessary alarms being output from terminal 82 can be reduced.

[0107] Figure 10 shows an example of a computer 2000 in which multiple embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. A program installed on the computer 2000 can cause the computer 2000 to function as a device or part of such device, such as a terminal 82 and a server 60 according to the embodiment, to perform operations associated with such device or part of such device, and / or to perform a process or a stage of such process according to the embodiment. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 2012 to cause the computer 2000 to perform specific operations associated with some or all of the processing procedures and blocks of the block diagram described herein.

[0108] The computer 2000 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 2012 and RAM 2014, which are interconnected by a host controller 2010. The computer 2000 also includes a ROM 2026, flash memory 2024, communication interface 2022, and input / output chip 2040. The ROM 2026, flash memory 2024, communication interface 2022, and input / output chip 2040 are connected to the host controller 2010 via an input / output controller 2020.

[0109] CPU2012 operates according to the programs stored in ROM2026 and RAM2014, thereby controlling each unit.

[0110] The communication interface 2022 communicates with other electronic devices over a network. The flash memory 2024 stores programs and data used by the CPU 2012 in the computer 2000. The ROM 2026 stores boot programs and / or programs that depend on the computer 2000's hardware, such as programs executed by the computer 2000 when activated. The input / output chip 2040 may also connect various input / output units such as keyboards, mice, and monitors to the input / output controller 2020 via input / output ports such as serial ports, parallel ports, keyboard ports, mouse ports, monitor ports, USB ports, and HDMI® ports.

[0111] The program is provided via a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or memory card, or via a network. RAM2014, ROM2026, or flash memory 2024 are examples of computer-readable storage media. The program is installed in flash memory 2024, RAM2014, or ROM2026 and executed by CPU2012. The information processing described within these programs is read by computer 2000, resulting in coordination between the program and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured to realize the operation or processing of information in accordance with the use of computer 2000.

[0112] For example, when communication is performed between computer 2000 and an external device, CPU 2012 may execute a communication program loaded into RAM 2014 and, based on the processing described in the communication program, instruct the communication interface 2022 to perform communication processing. Under the control of CPU 2012, the communication interface 2022 reads the transmission data stored in the transmit buffer processing area provided in the recording medium such as RAM 2014 and flash memory 2024, sends the read transmission data to the network, and writes the received data received from the network to the receive buffer processing area provided on the recording medium.

[0113] Furthermore, CPU2012 may read all or necessary parts of a file or database stored on a recording medium such as flash memory 2024 into RAM2014, and perform various types of processing on the data in RAM2014. CPU2012 then writes the processed data back to the recording medium.

[0114] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored on the recording medium and subjected to information processing. The CPU2012 may perform various types of processing on the data read from RAM2014, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgments, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information retrieval / replacement, etc., as described herein and specified by the program's instruction sequence, and write the results back to RAM2014. The CPU2012 may also retrieve information in files, databases, etc., within the recording medium. For example, if multiple entries are stored in the recording medium, each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute, the CPU2012 may search among the multiple entries for an entry that matches the condition where the attribute value of the first attribute is specified, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in that entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies the predetermined condition.

[0115] The programs or software modules described above may be stored on or near computer-readable storage media on computer 2000. Recording media such as hard disks or RAM provided within a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as computer-readable storage media. Programs stored on computer-readable storage media may be provided to computer 2000 via the network.

[0116] A program installed on computer 2000 that causes computer 2000 to function as terminal 82 may interact with CPU 2012, etc., to cause computer 2000 to function as various parts of terminal 82 (for example, judgment device 302, etc.). The information processing described in these programs is read by computer 2000 and functions as various parts of terminal 82, which are concrete means of cooperation between software and the various hardware resources described above. Then, by realizing the calculation or processing of information according to the purpose of use of computer 2000 in this embodiment, a terminal 82 specific to the purpose of use is constructed.

[0117] A program installed on computer 2000, which causes computer 2000 to function as server 60, may interact with CPU 2012, etc., to cause computer 2000 to function as various parts of server 60 (for example, judgment device 202, etc.). The information processing described in these programs is read by computer 2000 and functions as various parts of server 60, which are concrete means of cooperation between software and the various hardware resources described above. Then, by realizing the calculation or processing of information according to the purpose of use of computer 2000 in this embodiment, a server 60 specific to the purpose of use is constructed.

[0118] Various embodiments have been described with reference to block diagrams, etc. In a block diagram, each block may represent (1) a stage in a process in which an operation is performed, or (2) a part of a device that has the role of performing an operation. A particular stage and part may be implemented by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or a processor supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The dedicated circuit may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. The programmable circuit may include reconfigurable hardware circuits, including logic AND, logic OR, logic XOR, logic NAND, logic NOR, and other logic operations, flip-flops, registers, memory elements such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), etc.

[0119] A computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions that are executed by a suitable device, and as a result, a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein constitutes at least part of a product containing instructions that can be executed to provide a means for performing an operation specified in a processing procedure or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, etc. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital multipurpose disc (DVD), Blu-ray (RTM) disc, memory stick, integrated circuit card, etc.

[0120] Computer-readable instructions may include assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk®, Java®, C++, and traditional procedural programming languages ​​such as the C programming language or similar languages.

[0121] Computer-readable instructions may be provided locally or via a wide area network (WAN), such as a local area network (LAN) or the internet, to a processor or programmable circuit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, and may be executed to provide a means for performing the described processing procedure or the operation specified in the block diagram. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, and the like.

[0122] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It will be clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0123] It should be noted that the execution order of operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not explicitly stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and can be implemented in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operation flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using phrases such as "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the operations in that order. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0124] 10. Support Systems 20 vehicles 40 In-vehicle information processing system 54 Map Server 60 servers 82 terminals 92 buildings 80 people 90 road 200 Processing Units 202 Judgment device 210 Indicator Value Acquisition Unit 220 Movement information acquisition unit 230 Setting section 240 Judgment section 260 Support Control Unit 270 Communication Control Unit 280 Storage section 290 Communications Department 300 Processing Unit 302 Judgment device 304 Satellite signal receiving unit 310 Indicator Value Acquisition Unit 320 Movement information acquisition unit 330 Setting section 340 Judgment section 360 Notification Control Unit 370 Communication Control Unit 380 Storage section 390 Communications Department 410 First threshold 510 Second threshold 2000 Computer 2010 Host Controller 2012 CPU 2014 RAM 2020 Input / Output Controller 2022 Communication Interface 2024 Flash Memory 2026 ROM 2040 Input / Output Chip

Claims

1. An index value acquisition unit that acquires an index value of positioning accuracy based on satellite signals detected by the terminal, A movement information acquisition unit that acquires movement information of the aforementioned terminal, A memory unit that stores map information, A determination unit that determines whether the terminal is indoors or not based on a comparison of the aforementioned index value and a threshold, A setting unit sets the threshold based on the aforementioned movement information and the aforementioned map information. A determination device equipped with the following features.

2. The aforementioned map information includes building information indicating the location of the building, The setting unit, based on the building information and the movement information, determines that the terminal is moving in a direction toward the building, and sets the threshold to a value higher than a predetermined value. The determination device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned map information includes building information indicating the location of the building, The setting unit, based on the building information and the movement information, determines that the terminal is moving away from the building and sets the threshold to a value lower than a predetermined value. The determination device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The aforementioned map information includes building information indicating the location of the building, Based on the building information and the movement information, the setting unit determines that the terminal is moving towards the building, and sets the threshold to a higher value when it determines that the terminal is moving away from the building. The determination device according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned map information includes obstacle information indicating the location of obstacles around the building, The setting unit sets the threshold based on the obstacle information. The determination device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The aforementioned index value indicates at least one of the following: the reception sensitivity of the satellite signal, the number of positioning satellites used, and the elevation angle of the satellite signal. The determination device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. A determination device according to claim 1 or 2, A satellite signal receiving unit that receives the aforementioned satellite signal and A terminal equipped with the following features.

8. Based on the determination result of the determination unit, the communication control unit controls the content of communication between the terminal and the external server. The terminal according to claim 7, further comprising:

9. A communication unit that transmits the location information of the terminal to a server that distributes information indicating traffic risks at the location where the terminal is located, Based on the determination result of the determination unit, a communication control unit restricts the transmission of the location information to the server by the communication unit. The terminal according to claim 7, further comprising:

10. A communication unit that receives information indicating traffic risks at the location where the terminal is located from a server that distributes information indicating traffic risks, A notification control unit that performs control to issue a notification based on the traffic risk information received by the communication unit. Equipped with, The notification control unit restricts the notification when the determination unit determines that the terminal is indoors. The terminal according to claim 7.

11. Determination device according to claim 1 or 2 A server equipped with the following features.

12. Based on the determination result of the determination unit, the communication control unit controls the content of communication between the server and the terminal. The server according to claim 11, further comprising:

13. A communication control unit that performs control to transmit information indicating traffic risk at the location where the terminal is located. Furthermore, The communication control unit restricts the transmission of information indicating traffic risks at the location where the terminal is located to a greater extent than when the determination unit determines that the terminal is located indoors, if the determination unit determines that the terminal is not located indoors. The server according to claim 11.

14. The process involves obtaining an index value for positioning accuracy based on satellite signals detected by the terminal, and The steps include acquiring the movement information of the aforementioned terminal, The stage of memorizing map information, A step of setting a threshold based on the aforementioned movement information and the aforementioned map information, A step of determining whether the terminal is indoors based on a comparison of the index value and the threshold. A determination method comprising the following:

15. A program, when executed by a computer, that causes the computer to function as the determination device described in claim 1 or 2.

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