Target Tracking System

Abstract

To provide a novel technique for tracking a moving target using a drone.SOLUTION: A target tracking system 10 for tracking a target comprises: a drone 200 for tracking the target; and a management server 50 with which a communication terminal 90 used for the target can communicate via the drone 200. The drone 200 includes: a relay base station 206 for establishing communication between the communication terminal 90 and the management server 50; and a controller 202 that controls a navigation of the drone 200. The controller 202 causes the drone 200 to autonomously navigate toward the target under the condition that a connection between the communication terminal 90 and the management server 50 is not established. Under the condition that a connection between the communication terminal 90 and the management server 50 is established, the management server 50 remotely controls the drone 200 based on position information received from the communication terminal 90 via the relay base station 206.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for tracking moving targets, such as pedestrians, using a drone. [Background technology]

[0002] Techniques have already been proposed to guide pedestrians while walking.

[0003] As an example of this type of technology, Patent Document 1 describes a mountain climbing information relay system. In this system, multiple short-range wireless communication devices (transmitters + receivers) are arranged along a mountain climbing route. A mountain climbing server receives route information from a user terminal, and based on that, each short-range wireless communication device transmits necessary update information to the user terminal. The mountain climbing server transmits the update information over a long distance to each short-range wireless communication device via the user terminal. Each short-range wireless communication device receives the update information from the user terminal, and based on that, updates the information to be transmitted to the user terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-22454 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, mountain climbing has been gaining attention as a leisure and sport, and the number of people climbing has been increasing. Among climbers, there are both experienced and inexperienced climbers. Furthermore, when climbing an unfamiliar mountain, not only inexperienced climbers, but even experienced climbers may experience a psychological phenomenon called normalcy bias in a situation where some kind of damage is expected, which may lead to an unexpected accident such as getting lost (for example, a pedestrian deviating from the normal route).

[0006] However, with the conventional technology described above, the climber, who may be in a psychologically panicked state, is forced to make the decisions of whether he or she is lost, whether there is a risk of getting lost, what actions to take to avoid getting lost, and whether or not he or she is actually lost.

[0007] As a result, this conventional technology cannot assist a climber in calmly determining whether or not he or she has gotten lost before getting into an accident, cannot assist a climber in calmly determining whether or not there is a risk of getting into an accident, and cannot assist a climber in appropriately choosing actions to avoid getting into an accident if there is a risk of getting into an accident.

[0008] The problem of route deviation, where pedestrians deviate from the normal route, can occur in activities other than mountain climbing, for example, in environments where pedestrians are likely to lose their sense of direction, such as natural environments such as forests and grasslands, when walking along unfamiliar tour paths in a factory, or when children, elderly people, or other pedestrians who are inexperienced and walk along school routes or walking paths.

[0009] In light of the above circumstances, the present invention has been made with the objective of providing a new technology for tracking moving targets, such as pedestrians, using a drone. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve this problem, one According to an aspect, there is provided a target tracking system for tracking a target, comprising: a transmitter attached to the target, the transmitter transmitting a unique signal; a drone for tracking the target; A management server with which the communication terminal used for the target can communicate via the drone; Including, The above The drone is Between the communication terminal and the management server Connection a relay base station for establishing a A controller that controls the navigation of the drone; The signal from the transmitter Using short-distance wireless communication A receiver capable of receiving Including, The management server includes: a receiving unit that, in a state where a connection with the communication terminal is established, sequentially receives, in a time-discrete manner, from the communication terminal, a positioning result by a positioning unit of the communication terminal as location information in association with an ID of the communication terminal and a current time; a storage unit configured to store each of the received position information in a memory as a time history of the target's position, the time history being used to track the target; An instruction unit that transmits information representing a flight target point to the controller and thereby instructs the drone to deploy via the controller; Including, The controller: After the drone was deployed, In a state where a connection is not established between the communication terminal and the management server, the receiver detects the drone based on a change in the intensity of the radio wave received from the transmitter. The communication terminal is placed within the coverage area of ​​the relay base station. Autonomous navigation The autonomous navigation control unit , The management server includes: As a result of the autonomous navigation, A connection is established between the communication terminal and the management server. When it comes to and remotely controlling the drone based on location information received from the communication terminal via the relay base station. Includes a remote control unit A target tracking system is provided.

[0019] The present invention provides the following embodiments. Each embodiment is divided into clauses, each clause is numbered, and other clause numbers are cited as necessary. This is to facilitate understanding of some of the technical features that the present invention may employ and their combinations, and should not be construed as limiting the technical features and combinations that the present invention may employ to the following embodiments. In other words, it should be construed that technical features that are not described in the following embodiments but are described in this specification may be appropriately extracted and employed as technical features of the present invention.

[0020] Furthermore, describing each section in a form that refers to the number of other sections does not necessarily mean that the technical features described in each section are prevented from being separated and made independent from the technical features described in other sections, and it should be interpreted that the technical features described in each section can be made independent as appropriate depending on their nature.

[0021] (1) A pedestrian guidance system that guides pedestrians while walking, comprising: A plurality of transmitters are installed discretely and in series along a walking route, each transmitter transmitting an identification signal representing a unique transmitter ID; A communication terminal for each pedestrian that can receive an identification signal from each transmitter using a short-range wireless communication method. Including, Each pedestrian's communication device a reference transmitter determination unit that, when receiving an identification signal from any one of the transmitters, determines the one of the transmitters as a reference transmitter from which the passage of a pedestrian has been confirmed; a target transmitter determination unit that, after determining the reference transmitter, determines, as a target transmitter, one of the plurality of transmitters that is located next to the reference transmitter in the walking route by referring to mapping data that indicates the order in which the plurality of transmitters are arranged along a walking route that has been previously assigned to the walking route; a walking condition determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in the walking condition of the pedestrian when no identification signal is received from the target transmitter even after a predetermined time limit has elapsed since the time when the identification signal was received from the reference transmitter; a warning unit that conveys the result of the judgment to pedestrians and warns them; Including, A pedestrian guidance system in which the reference transmitter determination unit and the target transmitter determination unit are each executed iteratively.

[0022] (2) A pedestrian guidance system that guides pedestrians while walking, comprising: A plurality of transmitters are installed discretely and in series along a walking route, each transmitter transmitting an identification signal representing a unique transmitter ID; A communication terminal for each pedestrian that can receive an identification signal from each transmitter using a short-range wireless communication method. A management server capable of communicating with the communication terminals of each pedestrian; Including, The management server is a reference transmitter determination unit that, when a communication terminal of each pedestrian receives an identification signal from any one of the transmitters, determines the one of the transmitters as a reference transmitter from which the passage of the pedestrian has been confirmed; a target transmitter determination unit that, after determining the reference transmitter, determines, as a target transmitter, one of the plurality of transmitters that is located next to the reference transmitter in the walking route by referring to mapping data that indicates the order in which the plurality of transmitters are arranged along a walking route that has been previously assigned to the walking route; a walking state determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality in the walking state of each pedestrian if the communication terminal of each pedestrian does not receive an identification signal from the target transmitter even after a predetermined time limit has elapsed since the communication terminal of each pedestrian received an identification signal from the reference transmitter; a transmitting unit that transmits the determination result to a communication terminal of the pedestrian; Including, A pedestrian guidance system in which the reference transmitter determination unit and the target transmitter determination unit are each executed iteratively.

[0023] (3) A pedestrian guidance system as described in (1) or (2), wherein the predetermined time limit has a variable length depending on at least one of the distance between the reference transmitter and the target transmitter on the walking route, the altitude difference, the gradient, and the type of road surface (paved road, gravel road, muddy road, cliff road, wide road, narrow road, etc.).

[0024] (4) A pedestrian guidance system according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the result of the determination that the walking condition is abnormal is conveyed to the pedestrian visually, audibly and / or tactilely.

[0025] (5) A pedestrian guidance system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the abnormality in the walking condition includes at least one of the possibility that the pedestrian has become lost and the possibility that the pedestrian has deviated from the walking route.

[0026] (6) The communication terminal further comprises: A pedestrian guidance system as described in any one of (1) to (5) including a display unit that, when an identification signal is received from any one of the transmitters, displays a map, the current location, and the installation location of any one of the transmitters in an overlaid state on the screen of the communication terminal.

[0027] (7) A pedestrian guidance system as described in any one of (1) to (6), wherein the walking route includes at least one of mountain paths, forest roads, sightseeing paths within a facility, school routes, walking trails, and cycling courses, each of which has a set walking route.

[0028] (8) A program for causing a computer to function as a communication terminal according to any one of (1) to (7).

[0029] Throughout this specification, the term "program" may be interpreted to mean, for example, but not limited to, a combination of instructions that are executed by a computer to perform a function, and may also include not only such a combination of instructions, but also the files and data that are processed in accordance with each instruction.

[0030] Furthermore, this program may be executed by a computer alone to achieve the intended purpose, or may be executed by a computer together with other programs to achieve the intended purpose, but is not limited thereto. In the latter case, the program according to this section may be, but is not limited to, one that mainly consists of data.

[0031] (9) A program for causing a computer to function as the management server according to any one of (1) to (7).

[0032] (10) A recording medium having the program described in (8) or (9) recorded thereon in a computer-readable manner.

[0033] Throughout this specification, the term "recording medium" may be interpreted to mean various types of recording medium, including, but not limited to, magnetic recording media such as floppy disks, optical recording media such as CDs and CD-ROMs, magneto-optical recording media such as MOs, and non-removable storage media such as ROMs.

[0034] (11) A pedestrian guidance method for guiding a pedestrian while walking, comprising: The method comprises: A plurality of transmitters are installed discretely and in series along a walking route, each transmitter transmitting an identification signal representing a unique transmitter ID; A communication terminal for each pedestrian that can receive an identification signal from each transmitter using a short-range wireless communication method. This is carried out using The pedestrian guidance method includes: a reference transmitter determination step of determining, when each pedestrian's communication terminal receives an identification signal from any one of the transmitters, the one of the transmitters as a reference transmitter; a target transmitter determination step of determining, after the reference transmitter has been determined, a transmitter that is located next to the reference transmitter in the walking route among the plurality of transmitters as a target transmitter by referring to mapping data that indicates the order in which the plurality of transmitters are arranged along the walking route that has been pre-assigned to the walking route; a lost state determination step of determining that the pedestrian may be lost if the communication terminal of each pedestrian does not receive an identification signal from the target transmitter even after a predetermined time limit has elapsed since the communication terminal of each pedestrian received an identification signal from the reference transmitter; a warning process for informing pedestrians of the result of the judgment and warning them; Including, A pedestrian guidance method in which the reference transmitter determination step and the target transmitter determination step are each executed iteratively. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0035] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a system diagram conceptually showing the hardware configuration of a mountain trail guidance system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a layout when multiple guide transmitters in the hiking trail guidance system shown in FIG. 1 are installed on a hiking trail in a mountain area, showing multiple guide transmitters installed in a row along the hiking trail.

[0037] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing two adjacent guide transmitters out of the multiple guide transmitters shown in FIG.

[0038] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing the guide transmitter and the climber transmitter shown in FIG. 2, both of which have a common configuration.

[0039] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing the portable terminal of the mountain climber shown in FIG.

[0040] [Figure 6] FIG. 6(a) is a graph showing an example of a normal walking state scenario in which a mobile terminal receives a signal from an adjacent transmitter B before the time limit has elapsed from the time the mobile terminal received a signal from transmitter A in the mountain trail guidance system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6(b) is a graph showing an example of an abnormal walking state scenario in which the same mobile terminal does not receive a signal from an adjacent transmitter B even after the time limit has elapsed from the time the mobile terminal received a signal from transmitter A in the mountain trail guidance system.

[0041] [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a table conceptually showing mapping data that correlates the predetermined relationship between the transmitter ID of each guide transmitter and the position of each guide transmitter on the map, the order in which multiple guide transmitters are lined up along the walking route of a mountain trail, and the time limit.

[0042] [Figure 8]FIG. 8(a) is a graph showing an example of a gradual change in altitude between two adjacent points on the hiking trail shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 8(b) is a graph showing an example of a sudden change in altitude between the two points, FIG. 8(c) is a graph showing, as an example, how the length of the reference time S increases according to the distance d between the two points in a scenario in which the time limit is represented by the product of a reference time S and a correction coefficient k, and FIG. 8(d) is a graph showing, as an example, how the correction coefficient k increases according to the difference in altitude Δh between the two points.

[0043] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram illustrating the management server shown in FIG.

[0044] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart conceptually showing a number of programs for explaining the software configuration of the mountain trail guidance system shown in FIG.

[0045] [Figure 11] FIG. 11(a) is a plan view illustrating an example of a first page displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 1 for assisting the user in entering data to distinguish whether to climb or descend the mountain, FIG. 11(b) is a plan view illustrating an example of a second page displayed on the screen for warning the user if he or she may have become lost, and FIG. 11(c) is a plan view illustrating an example of a third page displayed on the screen for explaining to the user the processing being executed by the management server after the warning has been given to the user. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Hereinafter, one of more specific and exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hardware configuration of a mountain trail guidance system (hereinafter simply referred to as the "system") 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] <System Overview>

[0049] Briefly explained, as shown in FIG. 2, this system 10 has a mountain climber (an example of a "walker") user, and determines whether the climbing user's walking condition is abnormal (whether the climbing user may have gotten lost, deviated from the mountain climbing trail 14, etc.) on a mountain trail 14 (an example of a "walking route", an example of a mountain path, an example of a mountain route, etc.) in a mountainous area 12, communicates the result to the climbing user as a warning, and ultimately assists in guiding the climbing user along the correct walking route (the correct direction, along the correct course), thereby providing a climbing trail guidance function that prevents the climbing user from getting lost.

[0050] <Mountain trail guidance function>

[0051] In this system 10, in order to realize a mountain trail guidance function, multiple guide transmitters 30 are installed so as to be lined up discretely and in series along the mountain trail 14. The guide transmitters 30 are arranged in series at equal intervals (e.g., intervals of 10 m, 50 m, 100 m, 500 m, or 1 km), for example. Alternatively, the multiple guide transmitters 30 may be arranged in series at variable intervals that decrease as the trail approaches the end of the mountain trail 14.

[0052] Each guide transmitter 30 may be attached to an artificial object installed on the mountain trail 14, such as a post or a sign, or may be attached to a natural object growing on the mountain trail 14, such as a natural tree or shrub.

[0053] As the climber walks, the signals from the multiple guide transmitters 30 are received by the climber's mobile terminal 90 (an example of a "communication terminal") in sequence via short-range wireless communication. The mobile terminal 90 can wirelessly communicate with a management server 50 that is operated and managed by a management center 40 installed in a location remote from the mountainous region 12.

[0054] To realize the mountain trail guidance function, the mobile terminal 90, either alone or in cooperation with the management server 50, warns the climber (such as by informing the climber that he or she may be lost, to get the climber's attention) and provides route guidance so that the climber's walking route (where to walk) and walking sequence (which direction to walk) do not deviate from the correct ones while ascending or descending the mountain.

[0055] Here, the "warning" may be, for example, a notice that the climber may have gotten lost in the mountainous area 12, a warning to the climber, a message to encourage corrective action, or a message that if the climber continues walking, he or she will enter an outside communication range where radio waves from the mobile terminal 90 cannot reach other mobile terminals 90. Examples of an outside communication range include an area where there is no nearby terrestrial base station 300 (see FIG. 2) that can receive radio waves, or an area where tall trees or neighboring mountains exist around the climber and therefore the radio waves from the climber's mobile terminal 90 are blocked.

[0056] In addition, "route guidance (route guidance, course guidance, route guidance, etc.)" may, for example, provide a climber with position and orientation information to correct his or her actual walking route and course to a correct walking route and course, or may inform the user visually, audibly, or tactilely of a message to the effect that "you are lost, so it would be advisable to retrace your current route."

[0057] In this example, when the mobile terminal 90 of the lost climber detects that he / she is lost using the guide transmitter 30, it may output the message in text, image or sound to alert the climber and to encourage the climber to decide to turn back from the current route, or may confirm that the climber has confirmed the message by operating a "confirmation button." In this case, the mobile terminal 90 of the current climber may continue to display the same button until the "confirmation button" is tapped by the user.

[0058] Nevertheless, if the "Confirmation Button" is not tapped by the user even after the continuous display time of the "Confirmation Button" exceeds a specified time limit, the current climber's mobile terminal 90 determines that the user climber may be in an emergency situation (e.g., lost), and transmits this information to the management server 50, and further simultaneously transmits this information to the mobile terminals 90 of the other climbers (companying climbers) who belong to the same party.

[0059] Furthermore, each climber's mobile terminal 90 acquires location information using its positioning function (e.g., a positioning function using GPS, a positioning function using a terrestrial base station 300) at discrete times during the climb, either at all times or from the time the warning is issued to the climber, and sequentially transmits the location information to the management server 50 to facilitate search operations in the event of a disaster.

[0060] Upon receiving the location information, the management server 50 sequentially associates the location information with the user ID / device ID of each climber's mobile terminal 90 and chronologically stores it in memory 162 (see FIG. 9). When the climber gets into trouble, the mobile terminal 90 of the climber accesses the management server 50, which then extracts the behavior history of the climber from memory 162 and transmits it to the mobile terminals 90 of the other accompanying climbers. Thus, the management server 50 and the other accompanying climbers can track the location of the climber from at least the time when the warning was issued to the climber.

[0061] The behavior history of the victim, i.e., the tracking result, is used, for example, by other accompanying persons or rescuers in the search for the victim. In addition, the behavior history of the victim is used by the management server 50 when determining the flight target point of the drone 200 described later.

[0062] In this system 10, in order to realize the mountain trail guidance function, when the climber's portable terminal 90 receives an identification signal from any of the guide transmitters 30, it determines that any of the guide transmitters 30 is a reference transmitter (start transmitter, departure point transmitter, etc.) through which the climber's passage has been confirmed.

[0063] After determining the reference transmitter, the mobile terminal 90 refers to the mapping data (see FIG. 7) downloaded from the management server 50, described below, to determine the one of the multiple guide transmitters 30 that is located next to the reference transmitter on the walking route (see FIG. 2) as the target transmitter (ahead transmitter, adjacent transmitter, destination transmitter, etc.).

[0064] Furthermore, if the portable terminal 90 receives an identification signal from the target transmitter before a predetermined time limit f has elapsed from the time when the identification signal was received from the reference transmitter, it determines that the climber's walking condition is normal (the climber is not lost), but if it does not receive an identification signal from the target transmitter even after the predetermined time limit f has elapsed, it determines that there is something abnormal about the climber's walking condition (the climber may be lost).

[0065] Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing two adjacent guide transmitters 30 from the multiple guide transmitters 30 in Fig. 2. The two guide transmitters 30 are installed at two adjacent points A and B. In the example shown in Fig. 3, point A is located at the entrance point (start point, beginning point) of the mountain trail 14, and point Z is located at the summit point (turnaround point, end point, finishing point) of the mountain trail 14.

[0066] During mountain climbing (when climbing the mountain trail 14) (in terms of the walking route, uphill direction, and climbing direction while climbing), point B is ahead of point A in the direction of travel, so if the guide transmitter 30 at point A is the reference transmitter, the guide transmitter 30 at point B is the target transmitter.

[0067] In contrast, during descent (when descending the mountain trail 14) (in terms of the walking route, downward direction, and descent direction during descent), point A is ahead of point B in the direction of travel, so if the guide transmitter 30 at point B is the reference transmitter, the guide transmitter 30 at point A becomes the target transmitter.

[0068] 3, there is a distance d between the guide transmitter 30 at point A and the guide transmitter 30 at point B. To be precise, it is not the shortest distance but the length measured along the mountain trail 14. There is also an altitude difference Δh between the guide transmitter 30 at point A and the guide transmitter 30 at point B.

[0069] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the reception ranges of the guide transmitter 30 at point A and the reception ranges of the guide transmitter 30 at point B are set so that they do not overlap with each other, so that one mobile terminal 90 will not effectively receive identification signals from two guide transmitters 30 at the same time at any given moment.

[0070] FIG. 6(a) shows an exemplary graph of a normal walking state scenario in which, in this system 10, a mobile terminal 90 receives a signal from a guide transmitter 30 at an adjacent point B before a predetermined time limit f has elapsed from the time when the same mobile terminal 90 receives a signal from a guide transmitter 30 at a nearby point A.

[0071] In contrast, Figure 6(b) shows an exemplary graph of an abnormal walking state scenario in which a mobile terminal 90 in this system 10 does not receive a signal from the guide transmitter 30 at the neighboring point B even after a predetermined time limit f has elapsed since the time the mobile terminal 90 received a signal from the guide transmitter 30 at point A.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 6(b), in this system 10, if the mobile terminal 90 does not receive a signal from the guide transmitter 30 at the neighboring point B even after a specified time limit f has elapsed, the mobile terminal 90 determines that the climber's walking condition (such as the direction of travel) is abnormal (for example, the climber is lost) and issues a warning to the climber.

[0073] If the climber does not notice the warning, the climber's mobile device 90 or the management server 50 will simultaneously transmit a message to the mobile devices 90 of the other accompanying climbers informing them that the climber may be in danger of being lost. Furthermore, in order to realize the aforementioned victim search function, the management server 50 executes a victim search mode.

[0074] FIG. 7 conceptually shows, in a table, mapping data that correlates the predetermined relationship between the transmitter ID of each guide transmitter 30 and the installation position of each guide transmitter 30 on the map, the order in which multiple guide transmitters 30 are lined up along the correct walking route of the mountain trail 14, and the length of the aforementioned time limit f.

[0075] The mapping data is originally stored in memory 162 of the management server 50, and when accessed by any mobile terminal 90, the management server 50 transmits the mapping data to that mobile terminal 90, whereupon the mobile terminal 90 downloads the mapping data from the management server 50 and stores it in its own memory 132 (see Figure 5).

[0076] <About setting the time limit>

[0077] In this system 10, the time limit f is set for each pair of two adjacent points, as shown in Fig. 7. The time limit f is set in advance assuming a climber with normal physical ability, taking into account the actual distance d and altitude difference Δh between the two adjacent points, so that it is not shorter than the minimum time required for the average climber to traverse between the two points.

[0078] 8(a) is a graph showing an example of a gradual change in altitude between two adjacent points A and B on a mountain trail 14. FIG. 8(b) is a graph showing an example of a sudden change in altitude between points A and B.

[0079] In this system 10, the time limit f is calculated as the product of a reference time S and a correction coefficient k. Fig. 8(c) shows an example of a graph in which the length of the reference time S increases according to the distance d between two points A and B. Fig. 8(d) shows an example of a graph in which the correction coefficient k increases according to the altitude difference Δh between two points A and B.

[0080] <Mutual contact function for accompanying persons>

[0081] In addition to the above-mentioned mountain trail guidance function, this system 10 has a companion mutual communication function that supports mutual assistance between multiple climbers belonging to the same party (team, group, etc.) by communicating with each other using their respective mobile terminals 90. This companion mutual communication function also functions to confirm the safety of a person who has been lost.

[0082] In this system 10, when multiple people are climbing as a single party, the mutual communication function for companions (mutual aid function) allows for sharing of information regarding an emergency with the other companions, who can then communicate with each other via mobile terminals 90 to prevent accidents from occurring, immediately dispatch rescue personnel, and immediately search for the person in case of accident.

[0083] Specifically, for example, when multiple people are climbing a mountain as a party and it is discovered that one of the climbers has encountered an emergency (for example, the climber's mobile terminal 90 or the management server 50 infers the existence of the emergency), the climber's mobile terminal 90 or the management server 50 will automatically wirelessly transmit information regarding the emergency to each of the mobile terminals 90 of the other climbers in the party at the same time.

[0084] In one example, the mobile terminals 90 of multiple climbers belonging to the same party automatically attempt to establish mutual connections (e.g., without the user's knowledge) regardless of whether they are lost or not, or as necessary, and if there are other mobile terminals 90 with which a connection has not been established despite this, the management server 50 reports this to the management server 50. The management server 50 determines that the climber who is the user of the other mobile terminal 90 with which a connection has not been established may be in an emergency, and simultaneously transmits this information to the mobile terminals 90 of the other climbers with which a connection has been established.

[0085] In another example, the management server 50 periodically attempts to establish a connection with each mobile terminal 90, and if a connection cannot be established with any of the mobile terminals 90, it determines that the climber who should own that mobile terminal 90 may be in an emergency, and simultaneously transmits this information to each of the mobile terminals 90 of the other climbers.

[0086] Here, an "emergency situation" may be, for example, a case where the walking route is not corrected even after the warning is issued, or a case where a connection cannot be established with a certain mobile terminal 90. In the latter case, for example, a certain climber may be out of communication range, or the battery of a certain climber's mobile terminal 90 may be low. In either case, if a climber gets lost, it may become impossible to search for the climber by relying on the mobile terminal 90, and the search may become difficult.

[0087] <Distress search function>

[0088] In addition to the above-mentioned mountain trail guidance function and companion mutual communication function, this system 10 also has a victim search function for searching for a climber who should happen to get lost in the mountainous area 12. This victim search function also serves as a function for confirming the safety of the climber.

[0089] In this system 10, in order to realize the function of searching for lost climbers, a climber wears a climber transmitter 32 before climbing. The climber transmitter 32 moves together with the climber who wears it, and the position of the climber transmitter 32 coincides with the position of the climber.

[0090] Furthermore, the system 10 includes an unmanned small aircraft, or drone 200, for searching for victims from the air. The drone 200 can be remotely operated using its own controller 202 and in accordance with instructions from the management server 50, or it can be autonomously navigated using the controller 202.

[0091] When the management server 50 determines that a climber may be in distress, it transmits representative spatial coordinate values ​​of the mountainous region 12 the climber is climbing (e.g., the latitude, longitude and altitude of a specific representative point such as the summit or the entrance to the hiking trail 14) to the communication device 204 of the drone 200 as information representing the flight target point, and instructs the drone 200 to deploy (be) deployed via the controller 202.

[0092] The drone 200 includes a controller 202 and a communication device 204 connected thereto. The communication device 204 is capable of wireless communication with the management server 50. The communication device 204 may function as a normal mobile phone (mobile telephone) using a terrestrial base station 300, or may function as a satellite telephone using an artificial satellite.

[0093] In addition to the communication device 204, the drone 200 is equipped with an airborne mobile (movable) air base station (hereinafter referred to as a "relay base station") 206 that replaces the fixed terrestrial base station 300 for the mobile terminal 90. The relay base station 206 receives location information from the mobile terminal 90 within its communication range, and transmits the location information to the terrestrial base station 300 within the communication range of the relay base station 206.

[0094] The drone 200 further has a receiver 210 capable of receiving a signal from the climber transmitter 32 of the stranded person. The controller 202 constantly measures the strength of the radio waves received by the receiver 210 from the climber transmitter 32. The controller 202 navigates the drone 200 in a direction in which the current value of the radio wave strength measurement is greater than the previous value.

[0095] In this system 10, there are two modes for searching for a lost climber: a portable terminal usage mode in which the search is conducted for the lost climber himself using his portable terminal 90, and a transmitter usage mode in which the search is conducted for the lost climber himself using his climber transmitter 32.

[0096] First, to give an outline of the mode, the mobile terminal use mode is executed to search for a victim by utilizing the positioning function and communication function of the mobile terminal 90, on the condition that a connection is established between the mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50. In this search scenario, the mobile terminal 90, which is one of the victim's equipment, is directly used for searching for the victim.

[0097] In contrast, the transmitter usage mode is executed to search for the missing person by utilizing the location authentication function and transmission function of the climber transmitter 32 when a connection has not been established between the victim's mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50, for example, when the battery of the mobile terminal 90 is low or the mobile terminal 90 is outside the communication range.

[0098] Specifically, in this transmitter use mode, the drone 200 is dispatched, the receiver 210 mounted on the drone 200 sequentially measures the strength of radio waves received from the climber transmitter 32 of the stranded person, and the flight route of the drone 200 is determined so that the measured value increases over time. As a result, a search scenario is realized in which the stranded person is searched for, or a search scenario in which, on the condition that the stranded person's mobile terminal 90 is operating normally (for example, the battery is not low, the mobile terminal 90 is not broken), the mobile terminal 90 is connected to the management server 50 via the relay base station 206 mounted on the drone 200 and further via the nearest terrestrial base station 300.

[0099] In the former search scenario, the climber transmitter 32, which is one of the equipment of the stranded person, is directly used for searching for the stranded person by the drone 200. In contrast, in the latter search scenario, the transmitter use mode is executed to enable the above-mentioned mobile terminal use mode to be executed.

[0100] Specifically, in the latter search scenario, the drone 200 is dispatched and soon approaches the victim, and when the victim's mobile terminal 90 enters the communication range of the relay base station 206, a connection is established between the victim's mobile terminal 90 and the ground base station 300 by the relay function of the relay base station 206, and further, a connection is established between the victim's mobile terminal 90 and the management server 50. In this case, the mobile terminal usage mode is executed, and the victim can communicate with the management server 50. In this case, for example, the victim can talk to a telephone operator at the management center 40 and send data (messaging) via his or her own mobile terminal 90.

[0101] The drone 200 further includes a camera 220 that captures still or moving images of the ground from the sky. The camera 220 generates imaging data representing an image of the ground, and the imaging data is transmitted to the management server 50 via the communication device 204. An operator at the management center 40 can remotely monitor the state of the ground surface of the mountainous region 12 via the camera 220. This allows the operator at the management center 40 to visually and remotely search for a person in distress. The operating state (on / off, etc.), shooting conditions (zoom ratio, exposure, etc.), and attitude (angle, etc.) of the camera 40 are remotely controlled by the management server 50 via the controller 202.

[0102] The drone 200 further includes a speaker 230 that outputs sound from the sky. The speaker 230 is remotely controlled by the management server 50 via the controller 202. For example, the controller 202 drives the speaker 230 based on sound data received from the management server 50, thereby generating and outputting sound. As a result, the operator of the management center 40 can output sound from the sky toward the mountainous region 12 via the speaker 230.

[0103] Thanks to this voice output, before the missing person is found, the operator at the management center 40 can inform the missing person by voice that a search is currently underway, and of the presence and current location of the drone 200. After the missing person is found, the operator can confirm the safety of the missing person, instruct the person on what actions they should take to be rescued, and provide information on the current status of rescue efforts.

[0104] The drone 200 further includes a shooter 240 that drops or drops necessary items, equipped with a parachute as necessary, from the sky toward a target location on the ground. The shooter 240 is remotely controlled by the management server 50 via the controller 202. Examples of items that can be dropped include relief supplies (e.g., a spare charged battery pack that can be used for the mobile terminal 90 of the victim, water, food, etc.) and lighting equipment for locally illuminating the vicinity of the victim to facilitate rescue operations.

[0105] When dropping an item from the chute 240, in order to attract the victim's attention, it is possible to explain the details of the rescue operation by voice using the speaker 230 or to drop a light at the same time. Thanks to the light, the victim can accurately determine the landing point of the dropped item and can reliably catch the item.

[0106] <About guide transmitters and climber transmitters>

[0107] Figure 4 shows a functional block diagram of the guide transmitter 30 and the climber transmitter 32, both of which are shown in Figure 2 and have a common configuration. Because the guide transmitter 30 and the climber transmitter 32 have a common configuration, the following description will be given representatively of the common configuration of only the guide transmitter 30.

[0108] 4, each guide transmitter 30 transmits a unique signal, and the unique signal represents a unique transmitter ID. Since it is known where each guide transmitter 30 is installed on the mountain trail 14, the installation position, i.e., spatial coordinate values ​​(x, y, z), is assigned to the transmitter ID in advance.

[0109] First, to explain conceptually, the guide transmitter 30 is a non-contact or contact (proximity) communication device that locally transmits an identification signal that can identify a unique transmitter ID.

[0110] Next, the operation method will be described. The guide transmitter 30 actively transmits a unique identification signal locally without requiring an external trigger signal, and continuously as long as there is no shortage of power supply.

[0111] The guide transmitter 30 is generally known as a beacon device, a radio beacon, etc., that transmits a beacon signal as an identification signal. In one example, the guide transmitter 30 generates an identification signal representing a corresponding transmitter ID by modulating an original signal, and transmits the generated identification signal locally as an IR signal, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, an NFC (near field communication) signal, etc.

[0112] Next, the hardware configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The guide transmitter 30 is mainly composed of a computer 104 having a processor 100 and a memory 102 for storing a plurality of applications executed by the processor 100.

[0113] The guide transmitter 30 further has a replaceable disposable battery 106 as a power source. Instead of the battery 106, a rechargeable battery can be used, or a commercial power source or a solar cell can be used as an external power source.

[0114] When a solar cell is used as the external power source, surplus electrical energy generated by the solar cell during the day can be stored in a battery, and at night, battery energy can be extracted from the battery to operate the guide transmitter 30.

[0115] The guide transmitter 30 further includes a transmitter 108 that generates and transmits an identification signal. The transmitter 108 is powered by a battery 106 and controlled by a controller 110. The controller 110 is controlled by the computer 100.

[0116] To explain the software configuration of the guide transmitter 30, the processor 100 outputs a signal for modulating an original signal (e.g., a carrier signal) to the controller 110 so that the transmitter ID is reflected. The controller 110 controls the transmitter 108, and as a result, the transmitter 108 generates an identification signal to be transmitted this time. After that, the generated identification signal is transmitted from the transmitter 108.

[0117] <About mobile devices>

[0118] The mobile terminal 90 of a mountain climber (user) is a device carried by the user and has a wireless communication function, such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a PDA, etc. The mobile terminal 90 is an example of a user's communication terminal.

[0119] Next, referring to FIG. 5, the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 90 will be explained. The mobile terminal 90 is mainly composed of a computer 134 having a processor 130 and a memory 132 that stores a plurality of programs (also called "applications") executed by the processor 130.

[0120] The mobile terminal 90 further has a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display) 136 that displays information, a receiving unit 138 that receives signals from the guide transmitter 30 and the management server 50, and a transmitting unit 140 that generates signals and transmits the signals to the management server 50. Here, the receiving unit 138 is also a part that senses the identification signal from the guide transmitter 30.

[0121] The mobile terminal 90 further includes an input unit 150 for inputting data and commands from the user. The input unit 150 includes, for example, an operation unit operable by the user to input desired information (e.g., commands, data, etc.) to the mobile terminal 90. The operation unit may be, but is not limited to, a touch screen that displays icons (e.g., virtual buttons) operable by the user, a physical operation unit (e.g., a keyboard, keypad, buttons, etc.) operable by the user, a microphone that detects voice, etc.

[0122] The mobile terminal 90 further includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 152. As is well known, the GPS receiver 152 receives a plurality of GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, and measures the position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the GPS receiver 152 on the earth by triangulation based on the GPS signals.

[0123] This mobile terminal 90 further includes an acceleration sensor 154 that detects its own acceleration. Since the acceleration sensor 154 is mounted on the mobile terminal 90, it vibrates integrally with the mobile terminal 90, and as a result, it detects the acceleration acting on the acceleration sensor 154 itself as being equivalent to the acceleration acting on the mobile terminal 90 and the user carrying it.

[0124] Here, to explain one function of the user's mobile terminal 90 in relation to the guide transmitter 30, when the mobile terminal 90 receives an identification signal from the guide transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 starts (logs in) a certain program preinstalled in the computer of the mobile terminal 90, i.e., a dedicated application for guide transmitter processing (hereinafter referred to as the "transmitter application"), and demodulates the received identification signal, thereby decrypting the transmitter ID.

[0125] Furthermore, when the mobile terminal 90 starts the transmitter application while receiving an identification signal from the guide transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 also measures the distance between the position of the guide transmitter 30 when it transmitted the identification signal and the position of the mobile terminal 90 when it received the identification signal, based on the received identification signal (e.g., the strength of the identification signal).

[0126] That is, based on the identification signal received from the guide transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 acquires both the transmitter ID unique to that guide transmitter 30 and the distance to the guide transmitter 30 at that time.

[0127] <Transmitter reception range>

[0128] Two types of reception areas are seemingly assigned to the guide transmitter 30. They are a receivable area and an effective reception area (hereinafter also referred to as a "reception range" or "reception zone").

[0129] All of these areas are generally defined by a sphere centered on the location of the guide transmitter 30. Some examples of coverage areas are shown in FIG.

[0130] The receivable area of ​​the guide transmitter 30 has a maximum reception radius (e.g., about 50 m), whereas the effective reception area has an effective reception radius (e.g., any value within the range from 0 m to about 50 m). While the maximum reception radius is a fixed value, the effective reception radius is a variable value that can be set at any time by the mobile terminal 90, as described later.

[0131] The receivable area means an area in which the identification signal from the guide transmitter 30 can reach when the power supply of the guide transmitter 30 is normal, that is, an area in which the mobile terminal 90 can receive the identification signal as long as it is within that area.

[0132] In contrast, the effective reception area has an effective reception radius smaller than the maximum reception radius of the coverage area. The maximum reception radius cannot be set arbitrarily, whereas the effective reception radius can be set arbitrarily by software in the mobile terminal 90.

[0133] That is, it is possible to say that the maximum reception radius refers to the reception limits determined by the hardware, whereas the effective reception radius refers to the reception limits determined by the software.

[0134] As described above, the mobile terminal 90 measures the distance to the guide transmitter 30 based on the strength of the identification signal it receives. The measured distance value may or may not exceed the effective reception radius. When the measured distance value does not exceed the effective reception radius, the mobile terminal 90 is in the effective reception area, whereas when the measured distance value exceeds the effective reception radius, the mobile terminal 90 is in the receivable area but not in the effective reception area.

[0135] In this embodiment, the reception range of the guide transmitter 30 is set to be a spherical region with a radius of, for example, about 0 m to 5 m. In other words, the effective reception radius used in the mobile terminal 90 is set to a fixed value within about 0 m to 5 m. The effective reception radius may be set, for example, so that the reception range of each guide transmitter 30 covers the entire width of the portion of the mountain trail 14 where each guide transmitter 30 is installed.

[0136] <About the management server>

[0137] 9 is a functional block diagram of the management server 50. The management server 50 is mainly composed of a computer 164 having a processor 160 and a memory 162 that stores a plurality of applications executed by the processor 160.

[0138] This management server 50 further has a display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display) 166 that displays information, a receiving unit 168 that receives signals from the mobile terminal 90, a transmitting unit 170 that generates signals and transmits the signals to the mobile terminal 90, and a clock 172. This management server 50 does not directly receive information from the transmitter 30, but in effect receives information via the mobile terminal 90.

[0139] <Software configuration of mountain trail guidance system>

[0140] 10 conceptually shows a flowchart of a number of programs for explaining the software configuration of this system 10. These programs include a mountain trail guidance application (steps S101-S122) executed on each climber's mobile terminal 90, and a program (steps S151-S158) executed on the management server 50.

[0141] When the mountain trail guidance application is started on each climber's mobile terminal 90 prior to climbing the mountain trail 14, first, in step S101, a login request to the management server 50 and personal information of the user who is the current climber are input into the mobile terminal 90 by the user's operation. Examples of personal information of the current climber include the climber's user ID, the user's name and address, and the telephone numbers or email addresses of the mobile terminals 90 of the other accompanying persons. The login request and personal information are transmitted to the management server 50, and are then received by the management server 50 in step S151.

[0142] Next, in step S102, the user operates the mobile terminal 90 to input hiking trail identification information for identifying the current hiking trail 14 (e.g., the name or ID of the hiking trail 14, and the name or ID of the mountain region 12 in which the hiking trail 14 is located), and the hiking trail identification information is transmitted to the management server 50, which then receives it in step S151.

[0143] Next, in step S152, the management server 50 registers the received personal information and hiking trail identification information in memory 162. After that, in step S153, the management server 50 reads from memory 162 the mapping data (see FIG. 7) that corresponds to the hiking trail 14 represented by the hiking trail identification information currently received from the mobile device 90, and transmits it to the mobile device 90.

[0144] In response to this, in step S103, the portable terminal 90 downloads mapping data corresponding to the mountain trail 14 from the management server 50. The downloaded mapping data is stored in the memory 132 in association with the mountain trail 14 and the date.

[0145] Next, in step S104, the mobile terminal 90 displays a page such as that shown in FIG. 11(a) on the screen, and the user inputs data on the screen to distinguish whether the action to be taken on this mountain trail 14 is to ascend or descend.

[0146] In one typical example, first (for example, at starting point A of the mountain trail 14), as shown in FIG. 11(a), the user operates the button representing “mountain climbing”, and in response, the aforementioned mountain trail guidance mode is activated on the mobile terminal 90, on the condition that the user is climbing and not descending.

[0147] After that, when the user safely arrives at the end point Z of the mountain trail 14 and is about to start descending, the user operates the button representing "reset" and then the button representing "descent" as shown in Fig. 11(a) in advance. In response to this, the aforementioned mountain trail guidance mode is activated in the mobile terminal 90 from the first step, this time on the condition that the user is descending and not ascending.

[0148] Next, in step S105, the mobile terminal 90 attempts to receive an identification signal from any of the guide transmitters 30. After that, in step S106, the mobile terminal 90 judges whether or not the identification signal has been validly received from any of the guide transmitters 30. If the identification signal has not been validly received (valid reception has failed), the judgment becomes NO, and the process returns to step S105. On the other hand, if the identification signal has been validly received (valid reception has succeeded), the judgment in step S106 becomes YES.

[0149] If the mobile terminal 90 has effectively received (successfully received) an identification signal from any of the guide transmitters 30 (the one among the multiple guide transmitters 30 that is closest to the user's current location), then in step S107, the mobile terminal 90 displays on the screen a map showing the mountain trail 14 that covers the current location, the installation location of any of the received guide transmitters 30, and the current location measured using the built-in GPS described above, in an overlaid state.

[0150] If the portable terminal 90 is also equipped with a direction sensor, the user holds the portable terminal 90 horizontally and adjusts the orientation of the portable terminal 90 so that the direction of the map displayed on the screen and the direction of the portable terminal 90 match each other, thereby making it possible to visually guide the climber in the direction he or she should go using the screen.

[0151] After that, in step S108, the portable terminal 90 determines the currently received guide transmitter 30 as the above-mentioned reference transmitter.

[0152] Next, in step S109, the mobile terminal 90 judges whether or not the user is descending this time. If the user is ascending the mountain and not descending, the judgment becomes NO, and in step S110, the mobile terminal 90 determines, as the aforementioned target transmitter, another guide transmitter 30 that is located immediately next to the guide transmitter 30 that was received this time when viewed in the ascending direction of the mountain trail 14, among the multiple guide transmitters 30.

[0153] Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 2, if the reference transmitter is the guide transmitter 30 located at point E (the fifth one counting from the starting point A), the guide transmitter 30 located at point F (the sixth one counting from the starting point A) is determined as the target transmitter.

[0154] In contrast to this, if the user is not climbing but descending the mountain this time, the determination in step S109 will be YES, and in step S111, of the multiple guide transmitters 30, another guide transmitter 30 that is located immediately next to the guide transmitter 30 that was received this time when viewed in the downward direction of the mountain trail 14 is determined to be the target transmitter mentioned above.

[0155] Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 2, if the reference transmitter is the guide transmitter 30 located at point E (the fifth one counting from the starting point A), the guide transmitter 30 located at point D (the fourth one counting from the starting point A) is determined as the target transmitter.

[0156] In either case, the mobile terminal 90 then attempts to receive an identification signal from the current target transmitter in step S112. The mobile terminal 90 then determines whether or not the identification signal has been validly received from the current target transmitter in step S113. If the identification signal has not been validly received (valid reception has failed), the determination becomes NO, and the process proceeds to step S115.

[0157] In step S115, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the time elapsed from the initial execution start time of step S112 exceeds the time limit f. If not, the determination becomes YES, and the process returns to step S112.

[0158] On the other hand, if the portable terminal 90 has validly received the identification signal from the current target transmitter (succeeded in valid reception), the determination in step S113 becomes YES.

[0159] Next, in step S114, the mobile terminal 90 displays on the screen a map of the vicinity of the current position, the installation position of the received target transmitter, and the measured current position in an overlaid state, in the same manner as in step S107 described above. After that, the process returns to step S108, and the current target transmitter is determined as the next reference transmitter.

[0160] On the other hand, if the mobile terminal 90 does not validly receive an identification signal from the target transmitter even when the elapsed time from the execution start time of step S112 exceeds the time limit f, the determination of step S115 is NO.

[0161] Thereafter, in step S116, the portable terminal 90 determines that the walking state of the current climber is abnormal. This abnormality determination means, for example, that the current climber is unable to arrive at the current target transmitter in the section between the current reference transmitter and the current target transmitter, and may be lost.

[0162] Next, in step S117, the mobile terminal 90 issues a visual warning to the current climber, as shown in Fig. 11(b) for example. In one example, the mobile terminal 90 displays on the screen a message saying "You may be lost. We recommend that you retrace your steps" and a confirmation button that is operated to confirm that the current climber has read the message, in association with each other.

[0163] Thereafter, in step S118, the mobile terminal 90 measures its current location by using the built-in GPS described above. Then, in step S119, the mobile terminal 90 transmits location information representing the positioning result to the management server 50 in association with the user ID and the current time.

[0164] In response to this, in step S154, the management server 50 receives the current location information from the mobile terminal 90 in association with the user ID and the current time, and then in step S155 stores the location information in association with the user ID and the current time in memory 162. As a result, the behavior history of the current climber is stored in chronological order in memory 162 in association with the time, and this information is useful when tracking the climber.

[0165] Thereafter, in step S120, the mobile terminal 90 judges whether or not the user has operated the confirmation button, as exemplified in Fig. 11(b). If the confirmation button has not been operated, the judgment becomes NO, and the mobile terminal 90 judges in step S121 whether or not the elapsed time from the initial execution start time of step S120 has exceeded a predetermined time limit g. If it has not exceeded the time limit, the judgment becomes YES, and the process returns to step S117. When the elapsed time eventually exceeds the time limit g, the judgment in step S121 becomes NO.

[0166] Thereafter, in step S122, the mobile terminal 90 determines that the current climber is a missing person, and transmits a request for the aforementioned missing person search mode for searching for the missing person to the management server 50. Next, in step S123, the mobile terminal 90 displays on the screen a message to the effect that "contacting the accompanying person" and a message to the effect that "requesting rescue" as exemplified in Fig. 11(c).

[0167] In response, in step S156, the management server 50 receives a request for missing person search mode from the current mobile terminal 90, and then, in step S157, simultaneously transmits a message to each of the mobile terminals 90 of the other climbers accompanying the current climber and registered in memory 162, informing them that the current climber may be in distress.

[0168] After that, in step S158, the management server 50 dispatches the drone 200 with the current mountain trail 14 as the destination point. As described above, the drone 200 searches for the position of the climber by relying on the radio waves received from the climber transmitter 32 worn by the current climber. This realizes the above-mentioned victim search function.

[0169] As is clear from the above description, according to this embodiment, it is not necessary for the climber, who may be in a psychologically panicked state, to judge whether he or she has gotten lost, whether there is a risk of getting into an accident, select an action to avoid getting into an accident, and judge whether he or she has really gotten into an accident. As a result, according to this embodiment, the climber can accurately know whether he or she has gotten lost before getting into an accident, accurately know whether there is a risk of getting into an accident, and, if there is a risk of getting into an accident, accurately know what action to take to avoid getting into an accident.

[0170] In this embodiment, the portion of the computer 134 of the portable terminal 90 that executes steps S105, S106, and S108 in FIG. 10 can be considered to constitute an example of the reference transmitter determination unit, the portion of the computer 134 of the portable terminal 90 that executes steps S109-S111 in the same figure can be considered to constitute an example of the target transmitter determination unit, the portion of the computer 134 of the portable terminal 90 that executes steps S115 and S116 in the same figure can be considered to constitute an example of the walking state judgment unit, and the portion of the computer 134 of the portable terminal 90 that executes step S117 in the same figure can be considered to constitute an example of the warning unit.

[0171] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first feature unit functioning as the reference transmitter determination unit, the second feature unit functioning as the target transmitter determination unit, and the third feature unit functioning as the walking state judgment unit are all implemented in the computer 134 of the same mobile terminal 90. Alternatively, the present invention may be implemented in a manner in which all three feature units are implemented in the computer 164 of the management server 50, or the present invention may be implemented in a manner in which some of the three feature units are implemented in the computer 164 of the management server 50.

[0172] Additionally, in this embodiment, assuming that the climber does not slip off the mountain trail 14 (that is, the climber does not deviate laterally from the mountain trail 14), if the mobile terminal 90 does not receive a signal from the target transmitter within the time limit f, it is determined that the climber may be lost.

[0173] In contrast, the present invention may be implemented in such a way that, when the portable terminal 90 cannot receive a signal from the target transmitter within the time limit f, the acceleration of the portable terminal 90, i.e., the acceleration of the climber, is measured using the acceleration sensor 154 of the portable terminal 90, and when the absolute value of the measured value exceeds a predetermined value, it is determined that the climber has deviated from the mountain trail 14 near the reference transmitter and may have slipped off. Here, the "possibility that the climber has slipped off the mountain trail 14" is an example of the aforementioned "abnormal walking condition."

[0174] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the purpose of guiding climbers along the mountain trail 14, but it can be applied to other purposes.

[0175] For example, the present invention may be applied to applications such as guiding pedestrians on other types of mountain trails, guiding pedestrians on forest roads, guiding the route of visitors or monitoring their behavior (such as whether or not they enter restricted or dangerous areas) within a facility (e.g., a factory, an art gallery, a museum, a public facility, etc.), guiding customers through a store where multiple products are displayed, monitoring the behavior of students on their way to school (such as whether or not they deviate from the regular school route), guiding pedestrians on walking paths, and guiding bicycles on cycling courses.

[0176] Additionally, in this embodiment, all or part of the processing executed in the mobile terminal 90 may be executed in the management server 50 instead, and conversely, all or part of the processing executed in the management server 50 may be executed in the mobile terminal 90 instead. This is because which device executes the processing to be executed is usually determined by the circumstances at the time, such as the amount and type of data to be handled, the processing speed and storage capacity of each device, etc.

[0177] Although some exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in other forms that include various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the forms described in the [Summary of the Invention] section above.

Claims

1. A target tracking system for tracking a target, comprising: a transmitter attached to the target, the transmitter transmitting a unique signal; a drone for tracking the target; A management server with which the communication terminal used for the target can communicate via the drone; Including, The drone is a relay base station for establishing a connection between the communication terminal and the management server; A controller that controls the navigation of the drone; a receiver capable of receiving a signal from the transmitter via a short-range wireless communication method; Including, The management server includes: a receiving unit that, in a state where a connection with the communication terminal is established, sequentially receives, in a time-discrete manner, from the communication terminal, a positioning result by a positioning unit of the communication terminal as location information in association with an ID of the communication terminal and a current time; a storage unit configured to store each of the received position information in a memory as a time history of the target's position, the time history being used to track the target; An instruction unit that transmits information representing a flight target point to the controller and thereby instructs the drone to deploy via the controller; Including, the controller includes an autonomous navigation control unit that autonomously navigates the drone so that the communication terminal enters the reception range of the relay base station based on a change in the intensity of the radio wave received by the receiver from the transmitter in a state in which a connection between the communication terminal and the management server is not established after the drone is dispatched, The management server is a target tracking system that includes a remote control unit that remotely controls the drone based on location information received from the communication terminal via the relay base station when a connection is established between the communication terminal and the management server as a result of the autonomous navigation.

2. The target tracking system of claim 1, wherein the management server further includes a flight target point determination unit that determines the flight target point based on the time history.

3. A program for causing a computer to function as the communication terminal according to claim 1 or 2.

4. 3. A program for causing a computer to function as the management server according to claim 1.

5. A program for causing a computer to function as the controller according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 3 is recorded so as to be readable by a computer.

7. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 4 is recorded so as to be readable by a computer.

8. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 5 is recorded so as to be readable by a computer.

Images