Location Information System

Abstract

To provide a location information system capable of displaying information on all portable terminals in an emergency while protecting privacy in normal times.SOLUTION: In a location information system including a server having a function of grasping a location of a mobile terminal or portable transmitter that performs short-range communication with a transmitter and / or a receiver, the server includes: area setting means for setting a privacy protection area; area determining means for determining whether or not the mobile terminal or portable transmitter is located within the privacy protection area by grasping the location of the mobile terminal or the portable transmitter; and information transmitting means for transmitting location information of the mobile terminal or portable transmitter, map information of an area including the current location, and the determination result information by the area determination means. Personal information cannot be viewed if it is determined that the mobile terminal or portable transmitter is within the privacy protection area in normal times, whereas the personal information can be viewed if it is determined that the mobile terminal or portable transmitter is within the privacy protection area in an emergency.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a location information system capable of reporting the location of a mobile terminal or the like that is a managed object within a facility such as a building that is a monitored area, and in particular to a location information system that displays the location of a mobile terminal or the like in different ways during normal times and during emergencies such as fires. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are location search systems and location information systems that install transmitters such as beacons that wirelessly transmit wireless communication repeaters or device-specific identification information as location detection information within a facility such as a building, determine the location of a mobile terminal that receives the signal, and display the location on a map (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Also, an invention has been proposed that combines a fire detection system that detects the occurrence of a fire based on signals from fire detectors installed in various locations within the facility with the location information system, and displays information such as the location of a fire on a map that indicates the location of a mobile terminal based on fire detection information (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-357216 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-206016 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-201699 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes that when a user (owner of a mobile terminal) is in a private area such as a toilet, the display process on the display is stopped to protect the user's privacy. However, in the event of a fire, it is necessary to evacuate all personnel inside the facility to the outdoors in order to prioritize human life. However, if location information systems are prohibited from displaying information on screen to protect privacy, it is not possible to accurately grasp the evacuation situation, which could result in delays in evacuation guidance and rescue.

[0005] Furthermore, in location information systems that determine terminal locations based on wireless signals (radio waves) from wireless communication relay devices and beacons installed within facilities, it is known that fluctuations in the radio wave strength received by each terminal occur due to the influence of the operating environment, causing deviations in the terminal's location due to these fluctuations. As a result, there is a risk that after a terminal moves into a private area and its location is no longer displayed, it may be determined to be outside the private area due to fluctuations in radio wave strength, and may be displayed on the display even though the actual location of the terminal has not changed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a location information system that can protect privacy under normal circumstances while displaying information about all mobile terminal owners or people in the event of an emergency such as a fire. 。 [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides: Located in a managed area A location information system including a server having a function of grasping the location of a mobile terminal or a mobile transmitter, The server The aforementioned an area setting means for setting a privacy protection area in an arbitrary area of ​​a predetermined area within the management area; Before I understood The mobile device or The aforementioned Position of the portable transmitter Place an area determination means for determining whether or not the area is within the privacy protection area; The identified mobile device or The aforementionedIncludes the location of the portable transmitter and the location The predetermined an information transmitting means for transmitting map information of the area and information on the determination result by the area determining means; Equipped with Normally, the mobile terminal or The aforementioned When the location of the portable transmitter is determined to be within the privacy protection area, the personal information of the owner of the portable terminal or portable transmitter is made inaccessible, In an emergency, if the location of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter is determined to be within the privacy protection area, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter can be viewed.

[0008] According to the location information system having the above configuration, when the location of a mobile terminal or a mobile transmitter is determined to be within a privacy protection area under normal circumstances, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or the owner of the mobile transmitter is made inaccessible, and when the location of a mobile terminal or a mobile transmitter is determined to be within a privacy protection area under emergency circumstances, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter is made accessible, so that information of all owners of mobile terminals and mobile transmitters can be displayed in an emergency while protecting privacy. This allows, for example, building managers and disaster prevention personnel to accurately grasp the evacuation situation within the monitored area and avoid delays in evacuation guidance and rescue.

[0009] Here, preferably, An icon representing the mobile terminal and / or the mobile transmitter or the owner is generated, and the icon is transmitted to the mobile terminal and / or a predetermined computer together with the map information and the determination result information; The mobile terminal and / or the computer Based on the received map information and the determination result information, a map of a predetermined area showing the icon is displayed on a display unit, regardless of whether the location is within the privacy protection area or not. Configure it as follows. According to this configuration, The location of mobile terminals, mobile transmitters, or their owners within the management area It can be grasped.

[0010] Also, preferably, The mobile terminal or the predetermined computer Personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter is stored in a storage unit, Normally, when any of the icons displayed in an area other than the privacy area on the map is designated, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter corresponding to that icon becomes viewable, and when any of the icons displayed in the privacy area is designated, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter corresponding to that icon becomes inaccessible; In an emergency, when any of the icons displayed on the map is designated, personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter corresponding to the icon can be viewed. Configure it as follows: 。 According to this configuration, Protecting privacy by preventing people from being identified It is possible. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the location information system of the present invention, privacy is protected during normal times, while information on all mobile terminals or mobile transmitter holders or persons can be displayed in the event of an emergency such as a fire. And This has the effect of: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a location information system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a communication sequence between a location information server and a mobile terminal, and between each server, which constitute the location information system of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] This shows an example of a floor plan displayed on the display unit of a terminal, where (A) is the floor plan displayed under normal circumstances, and (B) is the floor plan displayed under emergency circumstances. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure in a mobile terminal and a fire information server that constitute the location information system of the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure in a location information server included in the location information system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A is a diagram showing a floor layout diagram displayed on a display unit of a terminal in a position information system of a modified example, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of a display of a virtual floor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A position information system according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the position information system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the location information system of this embodiment is composed of beacons (transmitters) 10 that are distributed at multiple locations within a specified area inside a building, card-shaped beacons (hereinafter referred to as card beacons) 11 carried by users of the facility who enter the specified area, a gateway (sometimes referred to as a beacon repeater or receiver) 12 that can receive signals (radio waves) from the card beacons 11, a mobile terminal 20 that can receive signals (radio waves) from the beacons 10 and signals (radio waves) from the card beacons 11, a location information server 40 that communicates data with the mobile terminal 20 via a mobile phone base station 30 and a communication network N such as the Internet, a fire receiver 60 that can receive fire detection signals from fire detectors 50 that are distributed at multiple locations within the specified area inside the building, a fire information server 80 that communicates data with the fire receiver 60 via a gateway (general repeater) 70 and the communication network N, and a push notification system 90 that can send messages directly to the mobile terminal 20 via the communication network N. The communication network N may be a network using secure lines, or a network using partially independent lines.

[0020] The push notification system 90 can be configured with a server (push notification support server) 91 equipped with an API (application programming interface) function, a function for sending push notifications, and a management function for managing messages to be sent and transmission times, and a storage device 92 that stores programs, etc. An existing system can be used for the push notification system 90. In this case, the push notification system 90 can notify information such as earthquake alerts in response to requests from other systems, in addition to notifying of fires, which will be described later, even when the mobile device is not running an app. The location information server 40 and the push notification support server 91 may be configured as a single support server. Similarly, the fire information server 80 may be configured as a shared support server with the location information server 40 and the push notification support server 91.

[0021] The communication method of the beacons 10, 11 that transmit wireless signals (unique information such as device ID and facility information) to the mobile terminal 20 can be any known communication method, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication, wireless LAN such as WiFi conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard, infrared communication, visible light communication, etc. The intervals at which the beacons 10 are placed are not particularly limited, but in the following description, it is assumed that the beacons 10 are placed so that the communication range of each adjacent beacon 10 covers the entire space within the building.

[0022] Specifically, since fire detectors 50 and sprinkler heads are installed at predetermined intervals within a building, it is possible to use a beacon 10 that is installed in or attached to these devices, or that is installed near these devices. The beacon 10 has a transmitter that periodically transmits information about the power source (internal battery information or external power source information) and its own identification information to the surrounding area via a wireless signal. The signal (beacon signal) that the beacon 10 transmits wirelessly only needs to include at least the identification information of the beacon 10 (device ID of the transmitter), and may further include information about the area where it is installed. Therefore, it is not necessary for the signal to include information about the power source.

[0023] On the other hand, the card beacon 11 is a card with a built-in battery and IC, and has the function of wirelessly transmitting a beacon signal including an identification code, just like the beacon 10. Although there are not as many beacons 10 as there are beacons 10, one or more beacon gateways 12 are installed at locations separated from one another within the area, and when they receive a beacon signal from a card beacon 11, they have the function of transmitting beacon information and a device ID by wireless communication to a location information server 40 via a mobile phone base station 30 or another wireless base station and a communication network N. By storing the installation location information of the gateways 12 installed within the area in a database 41 in advance, the location information server 40 can grasp the location of a user who is moving around carrying a card beacon 11 based on the beacon information from the gateway 12 and the gateway's device ID, based on the reception of the beacon signal by the gateway 12.

[0024] The mobile terminal 20 is a device such as a smartphone that has a receiving function for receiving signals from the beacon 10, a wireless communication function, a display unit, etc. If the card beacon 11 is configured to transmit signals of the same communication standard as the beacon 10, the mobile terminal 20 can also receive signals from the card beacon 11 even if it is a general-purpose communication device such as a smartphone. Therefore, when the mobile terminal 20 receives signals from the beacon 10 and the card beacon 11 and transmits the beacon information to the location information server 40, the location information server 40 can register the location of the mobile terminal 20 at a location corresponding to the beacon 10, or can also register the location of the holder of the card beacon 11 who is in the vicinity of the mobile terminal 20 at the registered location of the mobile terminal 20 whose location it knows.

[0025] The internal memory of the mobile terminal 20 stores an application program (location information display application) that executes the following processes: periodically receiving beacon signals wirelessly transmitted from the beacons 10 and 11, extracting identification information (device ID) and the like contained in the beacon signals, detecting the received radio wave strength of the beacon signals, and transmitting beacon information including the identification information and the received radio wave strength, as well as identification information unique to the mobile terminal (terminal ID), as a set to the location information server 40; and displaying a floor plan (map) based on the floor plan information transmitted from the location information server 40 on the screen of the display unit. When the mobile terminal 20 receives beacon signals transmitted from multiple beacons 10 (beacons 10 whose communication ranges partially overlap each other) and card beacons 11, it transmits the respective beacon information to the location information server 40.

[0026] When the fire detector 50 detects the occurrence of an abnormal phenomenon such as heat, smoke, flame, or harmful gas, it transmits a fire detection signal to the fire receiver 60 via the detector line 51. The fire detector 50 may be a type that adds its own installation address to the fire detection signal, or may be a type that does not add its own installation address to the fire detection signal.

[0027] When the fire receiver 60 receives a fire detection signal from the fire detector 50, it displays a fire detection message on the display unit and controls the ringing of a district bell and the interlocking of smoke control and exhaust. Furthermore, the fire receiver 60 transmits fire information, including information on the location and time of the fire, to the fire information server 80 via the gateway 70 and the communication network N. The fire information server 80 has a database 81 that stores information on building facilities and equipment related to fires, such as fire transmitters and fire hydrants, and can transmit this information and fire location information to the location information server 40.

[0028] If the installation address of the fire detector 50 is added to the fire detection signal, the fire receiver 60 identifies the location of the fire based on the installation address. On the other hand, if the installation address of the fire detector 50 is not added to the fire detection signal, the fire receiver 60 identifies the location of the fire based on the sensor line 51 (warning area) that transmitted the fire detection signal. Also, a system is possible in which the gateway 70 is omitted and fire information including the fire location is sent directly from the fire receiver 60 to the fire information server 80. Fire information may also be sent from a device other than the fire receiver 60.

[0029] The location information server 40 includes a database 41 that stores map information (floor plan) of each floor of a building managed by the location information server 40, information about pre-set privacy protection areas on each floor, identification information (terminal ID) unique to a mobile terminal, and information about attributes such as the authority and qualifications of system users (users) (here, mobile terminal owners) (system user attribute information) or a display range designation table linked to the system user attribute information. The map information (floor plan information) of each floor may also include device IDs and installation location information of the beacons 10 installed on each floor.

[0030] Here, a privacy protection area is an area where, even if location information server 40 knows that mobile terminal 20 that has received information is present, it is normally prohibited to view the presence of that mobile terminal or information identifying that mobile terminal in the map information, and includes areas such as restrooms and conference rooms where closed meetings (secret meetings) are held. However, when location information server 40 receives fire information from fire information server 80, it transmits information indicating that mobile terminal 20 is present in the privacy protection area (floor plan information plotting the current location). Note that privacy protection areas are configured so that they can be added or deleted by the administrator of location information server 40. The timing for reflecting the fact that the mobile terminal 20 is located in a privacy protection area in the map information sent to each terminal can be set arbitrarily in accordance with the system's operational policy, such as "when fire information is received," "when a fire is confirmed," or "when evacuation occurs."

[0031] When the location information server 40 receives the device ID and terminal ID of the beacon 10 and card beacon 11 from the mobile terminal 20, it calculates the current location of the mobile terminal 20 based on the device ID of the received beacon and the information stored in the database 41. Then, it reads map information of the floor on which the mobile terminal 20 is located and setting information related to the privacy protection area from the database 41, and if it determines that the mobile terminal 20 is not located in a privacy protection area, it generates floor display information by adding a mark (icon) M indicating the current location of the user who owns the mobile terminal 20 to the read floor plan. Then, it executes a process of transmitting the generated floor display information to the mobile terminal 20 that transmitted the terminal ID. Furthermore, it can also be transmitted to a PC 43 connected to the location information server 40 via a LAN (local area network) or a communication network N and displayed on the PC 43.

[0032] As a result, a floor plan image with an icon indicating the current location of the user who owns the mobile terminal 20 is displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal 20 or the PC 43. Furthermore, when an icon on the displayed screen is touched or the cursor is placed over it, information about the owner of the mobile terminal 20 is displayed in a speech bubble or the like. Note that information about the owner of the mobile terminal 20 is stored in advance in the storage device of the terminal that displays the information, and is configured not to acquire personal information by querying the location information server 40. On the other hand, when the location information server 40 determines that the mobile terminal 20 is located in a privacy protection area, it normally creates and transmits a floor plan image without an icon indicating the current location of the user who owns the mobile terminal 20, and in the event of an emergency such as a fire, it creates and transmits a floor plan image with icons indicating the current locations of all users who own mobile terminals, including the mobile terminal 20 located in the privacy protection area.

[0033] In addition, even under normal circumstances, a floor plan image showing icons indicating the current locations of all mobile terminals 20, including those located in privacy protection areas, may be created, transmitted, and displayed on the display unit of a terminal (such as a mobile terminal 20 or PC 43) owned by a specific user such as a system administrator or administrator. Also, even under normal circumstances, a floor plan image is created and transmitted that displays icons indicating all current locations, including mobile terminals 20 located in the privacy protection area, but even if an icon is touched or the cursor is placed over it, information about the owner of the mobile terminal 20, etc. is not displayed. However, in an emergency, when any icon, including an icon located in the privacy protection area, is touched or the cursor is placed over it, information about the owner of the mobile terminal 20, etc. corresponding to that icon is displayed.

[0034] Next, an outline of the communication sequence between the location information server 40 and the mobile terminal 20 and between each server 40, 80 and the push notification system 90 in the location information system of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In normal situations where there is no fire, when the mobile terminal 20 starts a general-purpose map application within a specified area, the mobile terminal 20 receives device IDs from nearby beacons 10 and card beacons 11 (#0), and transmits the received device IDs and its own terminal ID to the location information server 40 (#1). When the gateway 12 also receives a beacon signal from the card beacon 11, it transmits the card beacon and its own ID to the location information server 40 (#0').

[0035] The location information server 40 determines the locations of the mobile terminal 20 and card beacon 11 that transmitted the ID from the received beacon device ID, reads map information from the database 41, creates map data in which an icon or the like is added to the location of the terminal on the map, and transmits the map data to the mobile terminal 20 (#2). The mobile terminal 20 periodically (e.g., every minute) transmits the beacon device ID to the location information server 40, and the location information server 40 periodically transmits the map data in response. If there are multiple mobile terminals 20 that have launched a general-purpose map app within a specified area, the location information server 40 transmits the map data to all mobile terminals 20 within the area. Note that the location information server 40 may be configured to periodically (e.g., every minute) transmit map information to mobile terminals within a specified area without receiving IDs from the mobile terminals 20.

[0036] When a fire breaks out and fire receiver 60 detects it, it transmits fire information including the occurrence and location of the fire to fire information server 80 (#3). Then, fire information server 80 transmits information about the occurrence and location of the fire to location information server 40 (#4). Then, based on the terminal IDs of the mobile terminals 20 within the area that the location information server 40 has already identified, it refers to a table in the database 41 to determine the attributes or type of the mobile terminal owner, selects the mobile terminals to be notified of the fire outbreak, and requests the push notification system 90 to send a push notification of the fire outbreak to the selected mobile terminals (#5).

[0037] Upon receiving the request, the push notification system 90 immediately (for example, within one second) sends a push notification to the selected mobile device informing it of the occurrence of a fire (#6). In response, the mobile device 20 that received the push notification activates its speaker and displays a message on its display informing it of the occurrence of a fire. This allows the mobile device owner to quickly learn of the occurrence of a fire. Thereafter, the mobile terminal 20 continues to periodically receive device IDs from nearby beacons 10 (#7), as it normally does, and to transmit the received device IDs and its own terminal ID to the location information server 40 (#8). When the gateway 12 also receives a beacon signal from the card beacon 11, it also transmits the card beacon and its own ID to the location information server 40 (#7'). Furthermore, when the regular transmission timing arrives, the location information server 40 creates map data with an icon indicating the current location of the mobile terminal 20, an icon indicating the current location of the card beacon 11, and an icon indicating a fire at the location where the fire has occurred, and transmits this data to the mobile terminal 20 (#9). This allows the mobile terminal owner to know the location of the mobile terminal owner, the location of the card beacon owner, and the location where the fire has occurred.

[0038] In addition, when the location information server 40 creates map data with an icon indicating a fire or the like at the location where a fire has occurred, it may refer to the display range designation table in the database 41 based on the device ID and terminal ID of the transmitter sent from the mobile terminal 20, read information on the equipment to be displayed according to the attributes or type of the mobile terminal owner, and generate and transmit display data for the mobile terminal.

[0039] Furthermore, when the location information server 40 of this embodiment receives fire information (including information about the location of the fire) from the fire information server 80, it generates floor plan display information that reflects this information and the location information of all mobile terminals and card beacons present on the entire target floor, including the privacy protection area, and is configured to execute processing to transmit this information via the communication network N and the mobile phone base station 30 to the mobile terminal 20 or a predetermined computer (PC) 43 installed in a monitoring room or the like and connected via the communication network N or LAN. As a result, a floor plan showing the location F of the fire, together with marks (icons) M indicating the current locations of the mobile terminals and card beacons, is displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminal 20 or the predetermined computer. Therefore, according to the location information system of this embodiment, icons of mobile terminal holders or card beacon holders that are not displayed during normal times (ordinary times) because they are in the privacy protection area PA as shown in Figure 3(A) can be displayed on the display unit as shown in Figure 3(B) in the event of an emergency (emergency), making it possible to identify all mobile terminal holders and card beacon holders on the floor.

[0040] Next, the processing procedures performed by the mobile terminal 20, the fire information server 80, and the location information server 40 that constitute the location information system of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. When the location information display application is started, the mobile terminal 20 first determines whether or not it has received a beacon signal transmitted from the beacons 10 and 11 (step S11), as shown in Fig. 4(a), for example. If it has received a beacon signal (step S11; Yes), it transmits beacon information including the identification information (device ID) of the beacons 10 and 11 contained in the beacon signal and the received radio wave intensity of the beacon signal to the location information server 40 via the mobile phone base station 30 and the communication network N (step S12).

[0041] Next, it is determined whether floor plan information transmitted from the location information server 40 has been received (step S13). If floor plan information has been received (step S13; Yes), a floor plan image based on the floor plan information is displayed on the screen (step S14). As a result, in the first step S14 after the location information display app is launched, the latest floor plan image is displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 20, and in the second and subsequent step S14s after the location information display app is launched, the floor plan image being displayed on the screen is updated to the latest floor plan image.

[0042] 4(b), the fire information server 80 first determines whether it has received fire information (information including information on the location and time of occurrence of the fire, etc.) transmitted from the fire receiver 60 (step S21). If it has received fire information (step S21; Yes), it transmits the fire information to the location information server 40 via the communication network N (step S22).

[0043] Next, the building in which the fire has occurred is identified based on the fire information, facility and equipment information of the identified building is obtained from database 81, information on items that must be displayed in the event of a fire is generated based on the obtained facility and equipment information, and the generated information on items that must be displayed in the event of a fire is transmitted to location information server 40 via communication network N (step S23). Next, information on items that do not need to be displayed in the event of a fire is generated based on the obtained facility and equipment information, and the generated information on items that do not need to be displayed in the event of a fire is transmitted to location information server 40 via communication network N (step S24). If the building where the fire has occurred does not have any items that must be displayed in the event of a fire on the same floor or any items that must be displayed in the event of a fire on another floor, the process of step S23 is omitted. Also, if the building where the fire has occurred does not have any items that do not need to be displayed in the event of a fire on the same floor or any items that do not need to be displayed in the event of a fire on another floor, the process of step S24 is omitted.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows an example of a procedure for processing by the location information server 40. 5, the location information server 40 first determines whether beacon information transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 or the gateway 12 has been received (step S31). If it determines that beacon information has been received (Yes), it calculates the current location of the mobile terminal 20 or the card beacon 11 based on the received beacon information, the terminal ID, and the information stored in the database 41 (step S32), and determines whether the location of the mobile terminal 20 or the card beacon 11 is in a privacy protection area (PA) (step S33). If it determines that the location is not in a privacy protection area (PA) (No), the process proceeds to step S35.

[0045] If it is determined in step S33 that the mobile terminal is in a privacy protection area (PA) (Yes), the process proceeds to step S34, where the database 41 is referenced using the mobile terminal ID to determine the attributes of the system user who owns the mobile terminal. If the attribute of the system user to whom the floor plan is to be sent is "general," the process proceeds to step S36, and if the attribute of the system user to whom the floor plan is to be sent is "administrator," the process proceeds to step S35. In step S35, floor plan data of the building in which the mobile terminal 20 is located is read from the database 41, and a floor plan is created that displays marks (icons) indicating the locations of all terminals. On the other hand, in step S36, a floor plan is created that displays marks (icons) indicating the locations of terminals other than those located in the privacy protection area (PA).

[0046] Next, the location information server 40 determines whether fire information notifying the occurrence of a fire has been received from the fire information server 80 (step S37). If it determines that fire information has been received (Yes), it plots an icon indicating the occurrence of a fire as an item required for display in the event of a fire at the location of the fire on the floor plan (step S38), and selects mobile terminals to be notified of the occurrence of a fire by referring to a table in the database 41 (step S39). Next, the push notification system 90 is requested to execute a push notification of the occurrence of a fire to the mobile terminal selected in step S39 (step S40), and the process proceeds to step S41. Also, if it is determined in step S37 that the fire information has not been received (No), the process skips steps S38 to S40 and proceeds to step S41.

[0047] In step S41, the floor plan information generated in step S35, S36, or S38 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 20 via the communication network N and the mobile phone base station 30 (step S41). As a result, a floor plan image such as that shown in Figure 3(A) or (B) is displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 20. As described above, according to the location information system of this embodiment, depending on whether the mobile terminal holder is in a pre-set privacy protection area or not and the attributes of the system user, for example, if the system user's attributes are general, the display unit of that terminal (mobile terminal 20 or PC 43) will not display the location of the mobile terminal in the privacy protection area in peacetime (normal times), but in the event of a fire (emergency), the location of the fire and the locations of all mobile terminals and card beacons, including mobile terminals and card beacons in the privacy protection area, are displayed, so privacy is protected while the locations of all mobile terminal holders and card beacon holders on the floor can be known in the event of an emergency.

[0048] Furthermore, according to the location information system of this embodiment, even when map information is periodically sent from the location information server 40 to the mobile terminal 20 at predetermined time intervals, if a fire occurs, the push notification system 90 immediately sends a push notification to the mobile terminal informing the mobile terminal of the occurrence of the fire, so that the mobile terminal owner can be notified of the occurrence of the fire promptly. Furthermore, existing push notification systems can be used as a system for sending push notifications to mobile devices to notify them of a fire outbreak, and by simply adding information about the fire outbreak to map information, the occurrence of a fire can be quickly displayed on the display of the mobile device without having to make major modifications to the programs of the servers that make up the location information system or add new systems.

[0049] 1, fluctuations in the radio wave strength received by each mobile terminal from the beacon 10 due to the influence of the operating environment may cause a discrepancy in the determined position of the mobile terminal. As a result, if a mobile terminal moves into a privacy protection area and detects a beacon installed outside the privacy protection area, and its position is no longer displayed, it may be determined that it has moved outside the privacy protection area and displayed as such due to fluctuations in radio wave strength, even though the position of the mobile terminal remains the same.

[0050] Therefore, in the judgment process of step S33 in the flowchart of Figure 5, it is desirable to perform so-called hysteresis judgment processing, which tightens the location judgment conditions when a beacon installed outside the privacy protection area is detected after detecting that a mobile terminal has entered the privacy protection area and prohibiting display, or when making the opposite judgment. This makes it possible to avoid the phenomenon that a mobile terminal is once determined to be in a privacy protection area due to fluctuations in the received radio wave intensity of a beacon signal, the display disappears, and then the mobile terminal is mistakenly displayed as being in a surrounding area, or the display of a mobile terminal in the vicinity of a privacy protection area disappears temporarily.

[0051] Next, as an example, we will explain how to change the criteria when using the detection duration of the transmitter with the strongest radio wave strength of the beacon signal as the criteria for determining which transmitter (beacon)'s registered location should be used as the location of the mobile terminal. Note that the assumptions are that the beacon transmits a beacon signal at intervals of several tens of milliseconds, the mobile terminal notifies the location information server 40 of the reception status every 10 seconds, and the location information server 40 determines the location every minute, generates map information for distribution, and distributes it.

[0052] Under these conditions, a case will be considered in which the mobile terminal moves in the following order: normal area 1, which is not a privacy protection area, normal area 2, privacy protection area 3, and normal area 4. In this case, initially, the position determination criterion for movement within normal areas 1 and 2 is the default, every minute. Next, when moving from normal area 2 to privacy protection area 3, the position determination criterion is set to two minutes, twice the default value, and it is determined whether the detection result has been determined to be movement twice in a row. After that, when moving from privacy protection area 3 to normal area 4, the position determination criterion is set to two minutes, twice the default value, and it is determined whether the detection result has been determined to be movement twice in a row. By changing the above determination criterion, hysteresis determination processing becomes possible.

[0053] In addition, if the owner of the mobile device is displayed as an icon even though the user is in a privacy protection area, the user may be allowed to manually change the icon to indicate that the user is in the privacy protection area. Furthermore, if this change is made frequently, the location determination criteria may be made stricter. Specifically, the determination time is extended from the default of 1 minute to 2 minutes, then 3 minutes, then 4 minutes, etc.

[0054] Next, a modification of the above embodiment will be described. In the first modified example, icons of mobile devices in privacy protection areas are not displayed on the floor plan, but as shown in Fig. 6(A), for example, if the actual monitoring area includes floors 1F to 5F, a virtual floor VF is provided in addition to those floors 1F to 5F, and when that floor is selected, icons indicating the holders of mobile devices or card beacons in all privacy protection areas PA provided on each of floors 1F to 5F are displayed together on a separate screen, as shown in Fig. 6(B). In this case, the length of stay for each icon may also be displayed.

[0055] The above display is for normal times, and the information of individuals present on the virtual floor VF is displayed so that they can be viewed. Also, instead of providing a virtual floor VF for display, an image may be displayed in a window as shown in Figure 6(B). In addition, the function of generating a virtual floor VF or an image equivalent thereto and generating an image displaying icons indicating mobile devices or their owners located in the privacy protection area PA may be provided on the terminal that displays the image, rather than on the location information server 40.

[0056] Furthermore, in normal times, when searching for a specific individual, if the individual being searched for is in a privacy protection area PA, the search results may display the individual's information in a form that does not identify the location, such as "Location: Privacy Protection Area" or "Location: Inside Building," without specifying the floor; and in times of emergency, searches may display information about the individual's actual location and information about the individual. By displaying the above information, it is possible to grasp the number of people in a privacy protection area while protecting the privacy of individuals. Furthermore, when a person is searched, it is possible to make the person aware that they are in a monitored area of ​​a building or the like while protecting their privacy.

[0057] In the second modification, a privacy protection area PA is temporarily added in cooperation with a non-public attribute in another system. An example of cooperation with another system is cooperation with a facility reservation system that reserves conference rooms. If the attributes of the conference being reserved are set to private, the conference room is temporarily set as a privacy-protected area only during the reserved time period. This hides the icons representing the mobile devices owned by users participating in the conference room used for the private conference, thereby protecting privacy. In this case, as shown in Figure 6(B), the icons of the mobile devices or owners in the conference room, which is a privacy-protected area, can be displayed together with the mobile devices in other privacy-protected areas on a separate screen, making it difficult to identify participants and ensuring confidentiality.

[0058] In the third variant, the measured location information is displayed as is, as shown in Figure 3(B), but for mobile devices or card beacons displayed within the privacy protection area (PA), personal information is not displayed even if the cursor is moved over or touched on a mark (icon) on the screen. This makes it impossible to identify a person, and privacy is protected. In addition, it is desirable that the location information resulting from a personal search be displayed as a "private area" or "inside a building," so that the location cannot be identified, but that it is clear that the person is within a monitored (managed) area.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the location of the identified mobile terminal or card beacon is displayed in real time, but the location information of the identified mobile terminal or card beacon may also be recorded in a storage device together with information about the privacy protection area and used for verifying behavior within the monitored area, etc. In this case, based on the attributes of the system user using the system, if the attribute is a general user, only information excluding information about the privacy protection area is available or viewable, and if the attribute is an administrator, all information including information about the privacy protection area is available or viewable, making it possible to respect privacy even with respect to recorded data.

[0060] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, it has been described that a signal from a beacon is received by a mobile terminal and the received information is transmitted to a location information server via wireless communication. However, if the area to be monitored is a space such as an office, a device capable of receiving signals from a beacon may be connected to a personal computer installed on a desk in the office, and the information received by the device may be transmitted to the location information server via a LAN (local area network). It should be noted that while the personal information described above preferably includes information such as name, affiliation, and contact details, it is sufficient that it includes at least information that can identify an individual.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the beacon 10 was described as only having the function of transmitting information, but it may also have the function of receiving wireless signals from mobile terminals or other transmitters (wireless tags, terminals, etc.) and the function of transmitting the received information to a server. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a system using beacon-based positioning has been exemplified as the location information system, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the location information system may be a system using other methods of positioning, such as IMES (Indoor Messaging System). That is, the transmitter is not limited to a beacon, and may be an IMES transmitter or the like. Alternatively, a system may be used in which multiple video cameras are installed in a monitoring area, and a person in the monitoring area is detected by image processing using an AI function provided in the location information server 40 based on the captured images, and the person in the image is identified by AI using the person's characteristics and information in a database.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the location specification process of the location information system is performed by the server, but part of the process may be performed on the mobile terminal side. Furthermore, the position identification process of the position information system may be single-point positioning of a beacon or multi-point positioning (processing for identifying a position using signals from multiple beacons). In the above embodiment, the case where a fire is detected by a fire monitoring device is described as an example of an emergency, but the present invention may also be applied to other emergencies such as earthquakes and floods. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to a location information system within a facility, but may also be configured as an outdoor location information system. In that case, GPS information acquired by a mobile terminal may be used as location information. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10 Beacons (stationary transmitters) 11 Card beacon (portable transmitter) 12 Card beacon gateway (beacon repeater) 20 Mobile devices 40 Location Information Server (Server) 41 databases 50 Fire detector 60 Fire Receiver (Receiver) 80 Fire information server (fire monitoring device) 81 databases 90 Push Notification System 91 Push notification support server

Claims

1. A location information system having a server with a function to grasp the location of a mobile terminal or a mobile transmitter present within a management area, The server an area setting means for setting a privacy protection area in an arbitrary area of ​​a predetermined area within the management area; an area determination means for determining whether the determined position of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter is within the privacy protection area; an information transmitting means for transmitting the determined position of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter, map information of the predetermined area including the determined position, and information on the determination result by the area determining means; Equipped with When the location of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter is determined to be within the privacy protection area under normal circumstances, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter is made inaccessible, A location information system characterized by making personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter viewable if the location of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter is determined to be within the privacy protection area in an emergency.

2. An icon representing the mobile terminal and / or the mobile transmitter or the owner is generated, and the icon can be transmitted to the mobile terminal and / or a predetermined computer together with the map information and the determination result information; The mobile terminal and / or the computer The location information system according to claim 1, characterized in that, based on the received map information and the determination result information, a map of the specified area showing the icon is displayed on a display unit regardless of whether the location is within the privacy protection area or not.

3. The mobile terminal or the specified computer is Personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or the mobile transmitter is stored in a storage unit, Normally, when any of the icons displayed in an area other than the privacy protection area on the map is designated, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter corresponding to that icon becomes viewable, and when any of the icons displayed in the privacy protection area is designated, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter corresponding to that icon becomes inaccessible; The location information system according to claim 2, characterized in that in an emergency, regardless of which icon displayed on the map is specified, the personal information of the owner of the mobile terminal or mobile transmitter corresponding to that icon can be viewed.

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