Alarm system

Abstract

To obtain an alarm system that can strengthen the user's motivation to wake up. [Solution] The alarm system is an alarm system that assists in waking up users sleeping inside a building, and comprises a control unit that transmits a signal to cancel the alarm setting, and an alarm device located outside the building that, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving the signal to cancel the alarm setting.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an alarm system for assisting a user who sleeps indoors to wake up.

Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, for example, an alarm clock has been proposed that includes an alarm clock body operated by a battery, an alarm sound stop receiver that stops the alarm sound provided in the alarm clock body upon receiving a stop signal, and a stop signal transmitter that transmits a stop signal to the alarm sound stop receiver (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to the technique described in Patent Document 1, by installing a stop signal transmitter in a room different from the room where the alarm clock body is installed, it is said that the user moves to a room different from the room where the alarm clock body is installed and the user can surely wake up. However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, if the motivation for the user to wake up is weak, there is a problem that it is impossible to prevent the user from falling asleep again in the different room.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an alarm system capable of strengthening the motivation for the user to wake up is obtained.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The alarm system according to the present invention is an alarm system that assists in waking up a user sleeping inside a building, comprising: a control unit that transmits a signal to cancel the alarm setting; and an alarm device located outside the building, which, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving the signal to cancel the alarm setting. A location information acquisition unit that acquires information about the user's current location, Equipped with The alarm device has information identifying the user clearly indicated on its casing, and the control unit accepts input operations for the sleeping position, which is the position where the user sleeps, and a distance greater than the distance from the sleeping position to the outside of the building. If the distance between the user's current position and the sleeping position exceeds the distance, the control unit transmits a signal to cancel the alarm setting. It is. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In this invention, the alarm device is located outside the building. When the control unit sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, the alarm device cancels the setting of the alarm's activation time. Therefore, the user has a strong motivation to cancel the alarm setting before the activation time so that the alarm's operation is not noticed by people in the vicinity of the alarm device. Thus, the user's motivation to wake up can be strengthened. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a control block diagram of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic layout diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] A flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This is an example of a setting screen displayed on the display unit 12 of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] This is a schematic layout diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] This is a control block diagram of the alarm system 100b according to a modified example 1 of Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] It is a control block diagram of the alarm system 100c according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 10] It is a schematic layout diagram showing the layout of the alarm system 100c according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100c according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 12] It is a schematic configuration diagram of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 13] It is a control block diagram of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 14] It is a schematic layout diagram showing the layout of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 17] It is a control block diagram of the alarm system 200b according to Embodiment 6. [Figure 18] It is a schematic layout diagram showing the layout of the alarm system 200b according to Embodiment 6. [Figure 19] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 200b according to Embodiment 6.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the alarm system according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In addition, regarding the configurations shown in each figure, the shape, size, arrangement, etc. can be appropriately changed within the scope of the present invention.

[0010] Embodiment 1. [System Configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. In FIG. 1, the alarm system 100 is a system that supports waking up a user who is sleeping indoors. The alarm system 100 includes an information terminal 1 and an alarm device 2. The information terminal 1 is communicably connected to the alarm device 2 via a network N such as the Internet. The information terminal 1 is an information processing terminal carried by a user, such as a mobile phone including a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a watch-type information terminal, a notebook PC, etc.

[0011] The alarm device 2 is arranged outside the building where the user sleeps. When the alarm device 2 receives a signal of the alarm activation time from the information terminal 1, it sets the alarm activation time and generates an alarm at the set activation time. Also, after the alarm activation time is set, when the alarm device 2 receives a signal for canceling the alarm setting from the information terminal 1, it cancels the setting of the alarm activation time. Details will be described later.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the information terminal 1 has a control unit 10, an input unit 11, a display unit 12, a communication unit 13, and a position information acquisition unit 14. The control unit 10 is a functional unit realized by a CPU executing a program. The input unit 11 is an input device that accepts an input operation to be described later. The display unit 12 is an output device that displays various types of information. The input unit 11 and the display unit 12 are configured by, for example, a touch panel. The communication unit 13 communicates with the alarm device 2 via the network N. The communication unit 13 connects to the network N using mobile data communication, wireless LAN, satellite communication, or Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.

[0013] The location information acquisition unit 14 acquires information about the current location of the user carrying the information terminal 1. The location information acquisition unit 14 is composed of, for example, GPS sensors. The location information acquisition unit 14 calculates the location information of the information terminal 1 based on radio wave signals received from multiple GPS satellites. The measurement results from each sensor of the location information acquisition unit 14 are output to the control unit 10 as information about the user's current location. The positioning method used by the location information acquisition unit 14 is not limited to GPS; any positioning method may be used. For example, positioning methods such as base station positioning, which uses information from a mobile phone base station with which the information terminal 1 is communicating to determine the location, or WiFi positioning, which uses information from WiFi radio waves received by the information terminal 1 to determine the location, may be used. In the following explanation, "the user's current location" is synonymous with the location of the information terminal 1 carried by the user.

[0014] The alarm device 2 comprises a communication unit 21, an alarm drive unit 22, a notification unit 23, and a clock unit 24. The communication unit 21 connects to the network N using mobile data communication, wireless LAN, wired LAN, satellite communication, or Bluetooth. The notification unit 23 is a device that generates an alarm sound, such as a speaker or buzzer. The notification unit 23 is not limited to an alarm sound; it may also be a device such as a display or lamp that provides attention by displaying notification messages or information. In other words, the notification unit 23 is a device that provides auditory or visual notification to people in the vicinity of the alarm device 2. The clock unit 24 measures the current time. The alarm drive unit 22 has a set alarm activation time, and when the current time becomes the activation time, it activates the notification unit 23. The alarm drive unit 22 and the clock unit 24 are functional units realized by a CPU executing a program. The alarm drive unit 22 and the clock unit 24 can also be realized by hardware such as circuit devices that realize these functions.

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic layout diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 3, the alarm device 2 is located outside the building H where the user P sleeps. That is, the distance La from the sleeping position S where the user P sleeps to the alarm device 2 is longer than the distance Lmin from the sleeping position S to the outside of building H.

[0016] Here, we will explain the technical significance of placing the alarm device 2 outside of building H. The alarm device 2 is installed in a location where people may be present, for example, in a facility such as a company or school that user P visits regularly. Therefore, the alarm device 2 is placed in a position where people other than user P can perceive the alarm's activation. When someone other than user P perceives the alarm's activation, they may be startled and feel anxious that some kind of danger, such as a fire or earthquake, may have occurred. Therefore, user P has a strong motivation to deactivate the alarm before the time it is set to activate, so as not to cause anxiety to others. In other words, the alarm system 100 utilizes this "public-mindedness to avoid bothering others" to strengthen user P's motivation to get up, thereby supporting user P's waking up.

[0017] Furthermore, the casing of the alarm device 2 may be clearly marked with information identifying user P. This will make it clear to those around that user P is the one who activated the alarm of the alarm device 2. Thus, user P's sense of civic responsibility to avoid bothering others will be strengthened, further reinforcing their motivation to get up.

[0018] [Operation] Next, the operation of the alarm system 100 of this embodiment 1 will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. Before going to bed, user P operates the input unit 11 of the information terminal 1 to input the alarm activation time, sleeping position S, and separation distance Lr. The control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 receives these input operations (S101).

[0019] Here, the alarm activation time is the time at which the alarm device 2 starts operating. The alarm activation time is set to the time when user P wakes up, plus a grace period. This grace period is the time it takes for user P to move from their sleeping position S to a distance Lr after waking up. For example, if it is assumed that it takes 1 hour for user P to get ready, leave building H, and move to a distance Lr after waking up, the grace period is 1 hour. For example, if user P wants to wake up at 8:00 and the grace period is 1 hour, user P will input "9:00", which is 1 hour after their wake-up time, as the alarm activation time. Note that the activation time input operation is not limited to inputting a specific time; the elapsed time from the current time may also be entered.

[0020] The sleeping location S is information about the location where user P sleeps inside the building H. Furthermore, the sleeping location S is information in a format corresponding to the positioning method used by the location information acquisition unit 14. For example, if the location information acquisition unit 14 is a GPS sensor, it is the XY coordinates of the sleeping location S.

[0021] The separation distance Lr (see Figure 3) is any distance longer than the distance Lmin from the sleeping position S to the outside of building H. For example, the separation distance Lr is 100m to 200m or more. It is desirable to set the separation distance Lr to be longer than the maximum distance of positioning error by the position information acquisition unit 14. This allows for accurate determination that the user P's current location is outside of building H, even if a positioning error occurs by the position information acquisition unit 14.

[0022] Figure 5 is an example of a setting screen displayed on the display unit 12 of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 5, the display unit 12 of the information terminal 1 displays an activation time display 121 that shows the input value of the alarm activation time, a sleeping position display 122 that shows the input value of the sleeping position S, and a separation distance display 123 that shows the input value of the separation distance Lr.

[0023] Furthermore, the sleeping location display 122 may, for example, be linked with the map application of the information terminal 1 to display a map pin 122a indicating the sleeping location S on a map, and a range display 122b indicating the range of distance Lr from the sleeping location S. With such a map pin 122a and range display 122b, the user P can easily visually grasp the range from the sleeping location S to the distance Lr.

[0024] Refer to Figure 4 again. After step S101, the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 transmits a signal for the alarm activation time to the alarm device 2 via the communication unit 13 (S102). When the alarm device 2 receives the signal for the alarm activation time from the information terminal 1, it sets the alarm activation time (S201).

[0025] After step S102, the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 displays "Alarm setting complete" on the display unit 12 (S103). This allows user P to confirm that the alarm activation time has been set on the alarm device 2, and then go to sleep in their sleeping position S. Alternatively, an alarm device such as a separate alarm clock or smartphone may be placed near the sleeping position S to emit an alarm sound at the wake-up time.

[0026] Next, the location information acquisition unit 14 of the information terminal 1 acquires information about the current location (S104). The control unit 10 determines whether the distance Ld between the current location and the sleeping location S exceeds the separation distance Lr (S105). If the distance Ld does not exceed the separation distance Lr (S105: NO), the process returns to step S104.

[0027] The alarm drive unit 22 of the alarm device 2 determines whether the current time is the alarm activation time (S202). If the current time is not the alarm activation time (S202: NO), the alarm drive unit 22 determines whether it has received an alarm cancellation signal from the information terminal 1 (S203). If it has not received an alarm cancellation signal from the information terminal 1 (S203: NO), it returns to step S202.

[0028] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. When user P wakes up at the wake-up time, they get ready during the grace period, take the information terminal 1 with them, and go outside the building H. Then, as shown in Figure 6, user P, carrying the information terminal 1, moves to a distance Ld that exceeds the distance Lr from the sleeping position S.

[0029] Refer to Figure 4 again. In step S105, if the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 determines that the distance Ld exceeds the separation distance Lr (S105: YES), it sends an alarm setting cancellation signal to the alarm device 2 via the communication unit 13 (S106). When the alarm device 2 receives the alarm setting cancellation signal from the information terminal 1 (S203: YES), it cancels the alarm activation time setting (S204).

[0030] Furthermore, after step S106, the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 displays "Alarm setting canceled" on the display unit 12 (S107). This allows user P to confirm that the alarm setting of the alarm device 2 has been canceled.

[0031] Thus, if user P, carrying information terminal 1, moves to a distance Ld that exceeds the separation distance Lr before the current time becomes the alarm activation time, the alarm setting of alarm device 2 is canceled, and the alarm will not activate.

[0032] On the other hand, if user P, who is carrying information terminal 1, does not move to a distance Ld that exceeds the separation distance Lr from the sleeping position S, and the current time is the alarm activation time (S203: NO, S202: YES), the alarm drive unit 22 of the alarm device 2 activates the notification unit 23 (S205), and an alarm is generated from the notification unit 23.

[0033] Thus, if user P, who is carrying the information terminal 1, does not move to a distance Ld that exceeds the separation distance Lr before the current time becomes the alarm activation time, the notification unit 23 will activate, and the activation of the alarm will be recognized by people in the vicinity of the alarm device 2.

[0034] Furthermore, after step S105, the control unit 10 may display on the display unit 12 that the alarm setting can be canceled, and if the user P inputs an operation to cancel the alarm setting, it may send an alarm setting cancellation signal to the alarm device 2.

[0035] Furthermore, the activation time set in the alarm drive unit 22 is not limited to a 24-hour time; it may also be set to the elapsed time from the current time. With this configuration, for example, if you work remotely for one day before returning to the office, you can set the alarm to "48 hours later" when you leave work the day before working remotely, ensuring that the alarm device 2 is reliably activated when you return to work early the next morning. The same applies when there is a weekend in between.

[0036] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment 1, the alarm device 2 is located outside the building H. When the information terminal 1 sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, the alarm device 2 cancels the setting of the alarm's activation time. Therefore, user P has a strong motivation to cancel the alarm setting before the activation time when the alarm is activated, so that the alarm's operation is not noticed by people in the vicinity of the alarm device 2. Thus, user P's motivation to wake up can be strengthened.

[0037] Furthermore, by strengthening user P's motivation to wake up, it is possible to improve daily habits such as regular early morning commutes or early morning school attendance, which are part of user P's autonomous behavior. In addition, by improving user P's daily habits, it is possible to promote user P's social independence or mitigate their tendency to withdraw from society. Therefore, the alarm device 2 in this embodiment 1 is also compatible with the global trend of reviewing telework systems after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is useful as a technology to support the recovery of face-to-face activities.

[0038] Furthermore, the information terminal 1 is equipped with a location information acquisition unit 14 that acquires information about the user P's current location. The control unit 10 accepts input operations for the sleeping position S, which is the place where user P sleeps, and a separation distance Lr that is longer than the distance Lmin from the sleeping position S to the outside of building H. When the distance between user P's current location and the sleeping position S exceeds the separation distance Lr, the control unit 10 sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting. This allows user P to be prompted to move outside building H after waking up, preventing them from falling back asleep inside building H. Also, since user P prepares themselves before leaving building H, their drowsiness will dissipate while they are moving to the separation distance Lr after waking up, preventing them from falling back asleep. Furthermore, once user P is drowsy, they can move smoothly to their destination after waking up.

[0039] For example, if the alarm device 2 is installed at the destination that user P will visit after waking up, as shown in Figure 6, it is reasonable that the path user P takes when moving from the sleeping position S to a distance Ld is usually the same as the path taken when moving from the sleeping position S to the destination. Therefore, the alarm setting is canceled while user P is on the way to the destination that they will visit after waking up. Consequently, after user P moves to a distance Lr and cancels the alarm setting, they do not return to building H on the way to the destination, thus preventing them from falling back asleep inside building H.

[0040] Furthermore, the control unit 10 uses the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 14 and the input information to determine whether user P has moved outside of building H. This makes it possible to flexibly change the conditions for canceling the alarm activation time setting through input operations. Also, even if user P changes the building H where they sleep to a different building, they can easily set a suitable sleeping position S and distance Lmin for that different building through input operations.

[0041] [Example 1] Figure 7 is a control block diagram of an alarm system 100b according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 7, the alarm system 100b according to Modification 1 includes a location information tag 1b having a communication unit 13 and a location information acquisition unit 14, instead of the information terminal 1 described above. The alarm device 2b includes a control unit 10, an input unit 11 and a display unit 12 in addition to the configuration of the alarm device 2 described above. The location information tag 1b can be any configuration, such as a GPS tag that transmits positioning information from a GPS sensor, or a smart tag that transmits location information by relaying it to another smartphone via short-range communication such as Bluetooth.

[0042] The location information tag 1b is carried by user P and transmits information about user P's current location to the alarm device 2b. The control unit 10 obtains information about user P's current location via the communication unit 21 of the alarm device 2b. The other configurations and operations are the same as those of the information terminal 1 and alarm device 2 described above. Even with this configuration, the alarm system 100b can achieve the same effects as the alarm system 100 described above.

[0043] [Differentiation 2] The alarm volume of the notification unit 23, or the brightness of the display or lamps, may be configured to be appropriately adjusted according to the surrounding environmental conditions. For example, the alarm device 2 is equipped with a human presence sensor that detects the density of people in the surrounding area. Then, in step S205 described above, when the alarm drive unit 22 activates the notification unit 23, it adjusts the volume of the alarm volume, or the brightness of the display or lamps, according to the density of people detected by the human presence sensor.

[0044] For example, if there are few people around the alarm device 2 and the urgency for people around to notice the alarm is low, the alarm volume or the brightness of the display or lamp can be set higher to increase the sense of urgency. On the other hand, if there are many people around and the urgency for people around to notice the alarm is already high, it is sufficient to set the alarm volume or the brightness of the display or lamp to a medium or low level. With this configuration, it is possible to achieve appropriate alarm operation according to the environment, reducing the psychological burden on the user while ensuring the effect of promoting waking up.

[0045] Embodiment 2. The alarm system 100 according to this second embodiment cancels the alarm setting when the user P moves from their sleeping position S to the location where the alarm device 2 is installed, taking into account the time it takes to move. The operation of the alarm system 100 according to this second embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. The system configuration of the alarm system 100 according to this second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. Components identical to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0046] [Operation] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 2. In Figure 8, the same steps as in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0047] After step S101, user P operates the input unit 11 of the information terminal 1 to input the first time. The control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 accepts this input operation for the first time (S121). This first time is set according to the travel time from the sleeping position S to the location where the alarm device 2 is placed. For example, the longer the travel time for user P from the sleeping position S to the location where the alarm device 2 is placed, the longer the first time is set.

[0048] The operations in steps S102 and S103 are the same as in Embodiment 1. After step S103, the control unit 10 determines whether the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time (S122). If the current time is not one hour before the alarm activation time (S122: NO), the control unit 10 displays on the display unit 12 that the alarm cannot be canceled (S123). As a result, user P confirms that the alarm setting of the alarm device 2 cannot be canceled because the current time is not one hour before the alarm activation time.

[0049] On the other hand, if the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time (S122: YES), the process proceeds to step S104. The operations in steps S104 and S105 are the same as in Embodiment 1. In step S105, if the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 determines that the distance Ld does not exceed the separation distance Lr (S105: NO), the process returns to step S122.

[0050] In step S105, if the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1 determines that the distance Ld exceeds the separation distance Lr (S105: YES), it sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting to the alarm device 2 via the communication unit 13 (S106). That is, if the distance Ld between the user P's current position and the sleeping position S exceeds the separation distance Lr, and the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time, the control unit 10 sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting. The operation of steps S107 and S201 to S205 is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0051] For example, user P installs an alarm device 2 at a destination such as a company or school that user P will visit after waking up. If user P is scheduled to arrive at the destination at "9:00" and the time required to travel from the sleeping position S to the location where the alarm device 2 is placed is "2 hours", the alarm activation time is set to "9:00" and the first hour is set to "2 hours". With this setting, if user P leaves the building H and moves to a distance Lr before "7:00", which is two hours before 9:00, the alarm activation time setting will be canceled.

[0052] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment 2, the control unit 10 sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting if the distance Ld between the user P's current position and the sleeping position S exceeds the separation distance Lr, and the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time. This first hour is set according to the travel time from the sleeping position S to the location where the alarm device 2 is placed. Therefore, in order for the user P to arrive at their destination in time, the user P can be prompted to wake up at the wake-up time, leave the building H, and move to the separation distance Lr.

[0053] Embodiment 3. The alarm system 100c according to this third embodiment accepts input operations from the information terminal 1 carried by the user P when the distance between the information terminal 1 and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance. The operation of the alarm system 100c according to this third embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from embodiments 1 and 2. Components identical to those in embodiments 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0054] Figure 9 is a control block diagram of the alarm system 100c according to Embodiment 3. As shown in Figure 9, the information terminal 1c includes a distance acquisition unit 15 in addition to the configuration of Embodiment 1 described above. The alarm device 2c also includes an alarm location information acquisition unit 25 in addition to the configuration of Embodiment 1 described above.

[0055] The alarm location information acquisition unit 25 is configured, for example, by a GPS sensor and acquires information about the current location of the alarm device 2c. The alarm location information acquisition unit 25 then transmits the information about the current location of the alarm device 2c to the information terminal 1c via the communication unit 21. The distance acquisition unit 15 acquires information about the current location of the alarm device 2c via the communication unit 13. The distance acquisition unit 15 then acquires the distance between the current location of user P and the alarm device 2c based on the information about the current location of user P acquired by the location information acquisition unit 14 and the information about the current location of the alarm device 2c.

[0056] Furthermore, the distance acquisition unit 15 and the alarm position information acquisition unit 25 are not limited to distance measurement methods using GPS sensors, but may use any distance measurement method. For example, the communication unit 21 of the alarm device 2c transmits a beacon signal at a predetermined level, and the communication unit 13 of the information terminal 1c measures the radio wave strength of the received beacon signal. The distance acquisition unit 15 then acquires the distance between the user P's current position and the alarm device 2c based on the radio wave strength measured by the communication unit 13. Alternatively, the distance acquisition unit 15 may use distance measurement methods such as infrared or ultrasonic waves.

[0057] [Operation] Next, the operation of the alarm system 100c of this embodiment 3 will be described. Figure 10 is a schematic layout diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 100c according to Embodiment 3. As shown in Figure 10, when user P performs an input operation using the input unit 11 of the information terminal 1c, user P moves to a position where the distance Ln between user P and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb.

[0058] Here, the proximity distance Lb is a distance shorter than the distance La between the sleeping position S and the alarm device 2c minus the separation distance Lr. For example, the proximity distance Lb is a distance between 0m (contact state) and 10m. Alternatively, for example, the proximity distance Lb is a distance less than or equal to the maximum width of the room in which the alarm device 2c is installed.

[0059] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100c according to Embodiment 3. In Figure 11, the same step numbers are used for operations that are the same as in Embodiment 1, and their explanations are omitted. The control unit 10 of the information terminal 1c determines whether the distance Ln between the user P's current position and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb (S131). If the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb (S131: NO), the control unit 10 displays on the display unit 12 that input operation is not possible (S132).

[0060] On the other hand, if the distance Ln between the user P's current position and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb (S132: YES), the control unit 10 proceeds to step S101 and accepts an input operation from the input unit 11.

[0061] The operation of steps S101 to S107 of the information terminal 1c is the same as in Embodiment 1, and the operation of steps S201 to S205 of the alarm device 2c is the same as in Embodiment 1. In addition, the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1c keeps the determination process of step S131 running during the operation of steps S101 to S107, and does not accept input operations if the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb. That is, if the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb, the control unit 10 does not accept input operations to change the alarm activation time, sleeping position S, and the distance Lr.

[0062] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment 3, the control unit 10 accepts an input operation from the input unit 11 when the distance Ln between the user P's current position and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb. Therefore, if the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb, for example, when the user P is in the sleeping position S, it is possible to prevent the user P from changing the settings for the alarm activation time, sleeping position S, and separation distance Lr. Thus, it is possible to prevent fraudulent activity such as the user P changing the settings immediately after waking up in the sleeping position S and canceling the alarm activation time setting.

[0063] [Example 1] In addition to the above operations, the control unit 10 of the information terminal 1c may, after transmitting the alarm activation time in step S102, not accept any operation to change the alarm activation time until that activation time has elapsed. This ensures that user P cannot deactivate the alarm unless they leave building H and move to a distance Ld that exceeds the separation distance Lr, thereby further strengthening user P's motivation to get up. Consequently, user P can be encouraged to move outside building H after getting up, preventing them from falling back asleep inside building H.

[0064] [Differentiation 2] The alarm device 2c may not be provided with means for receiving an operation to change the alarm's activation time or an operation to stop the alarm. This prevents anyone in the vicinity of the alarm device 2c from stopping the alarm. Therefore, user P recognizes that no one but themselves can stop the alarm, further strengthening user P's motivation to get up.

[0065] [Difference 3] The distance information acquired by the distance acquisition unit 15 regarding the distance between the user P's current location and the alarm device 2c is not limited to specific length information, but may also be binary information indicating whether or not the distance is below a certain level. For example, the communication unit 21 of the alarm device 2c periodically transmits identification information of the alarm device 2c using a short-range communication method such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or NFC (Near Field Communication). When the communication unit 13 of the information terminal 1c receives the identification information of the alarm device 2c, the distance acquisition unit 15 determines that the distance Ln between the user P's current location and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to the maximum distance that can be communicated using the short-range communication method. In this way, the determination of whether or not the identification information of the alarm device 2c has been received can be simplified, thus simplifying the configuration and operation of the alarm system 100c.

[0066] [Differentiation Example 4] In addition to the configuration and operation of Embodiment 1 described above, the operation of Embodiment 3 may also be applied. That is, the control unit 10 may accept the input operation of step S101 in Embodiment 1 if the distance Ln between the user P's current position and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb. Furthermore, in addition to the configuration and operation of Embodiment 2 described above, the operation of Embodiment 3 may also be applied. That is, the control unit 10 may accept the input operations of steps S101 and S121 in Embodiment 2 if the distance Ln between the user P's current position and the alarm device 2c is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb.

[0067] Embodiment 4. The alarm system 200 according to this fourth embodiment includes a control device 3 that communicates with the alarm device 2 using an LPWA communication method. The configuration and operation of the alarm system 200 according to this fourth embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from embodiments 1 to 3. Components identical to those in embodiments 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0068] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. In Figure 12, the alarm system 200 comprises a control device 3 and an alarm device 2. The control device 3 communicates wirelessly with the alarm device 2. The communication method between the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 is a communication method based on the LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) communication standard. LPWA has the characteristics of having a slow transmission speed, but being able to transmit over a wide range of several tens of kilometers and consuming very little power.

[0069] Examples of LPWA communication standards include LoRa and NB-IoT. LoRa (Long Range) is a communication standard that enables communication even with weak signals by using chirp spread spectrum modulation, allowing for long-distance communication with low power consumption. LoRa uses the 920MHz frequency band. The transmission distance of LoRa is several tens of kilometers. NB-IoT (Narrow Band Internet of Things) is a communication technology that enables network connectivity of many IoT (Internet of Things) terminals with low power consumption. NB-IoT supports data speeds of up to 250kbps with a bandwidth of 200kHz or less. The transmission distance of NB-IoT is long-distance, up to approximately 40km.

[0070] The control device 3 is located outside the building H where user P sleeps, separated from the alarm device 2. When the control device 3 receives an input operation from user P to cancel the alarm setting, it sends an alarm cancellation signal to the alarm device 2. The alarm device 2 is located outside the building H where user P sleeps. When the alarm device 2 receives a signal for the alarm activation time from the control device 3, it sets the alarm activation time and generates an alarm at that activation time. After the alarm activation time has been set, if the alarm device 2 receives an alarm cancellation signal from the control device 3, it cancels the setting of the alarm activation time. Further details will be described later.

[0071] Figure 13 is a control block diagram of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. As shown in Figure 13, the control device 3 has a control unit 30, an input unit 31, a display unit 32, and a communication unit 33. The control unit 30 is a functional unit realized by the CPU executing a program. The control unit 30 can also be realized by hardware such as a circuit device that realizes this function. The input unit 31 is an input device that accepts input operations, which will be described later. The input unit 31 is composed of, for example, a plurality of push-button switches. The display unit 32 is an output device that displays various information. The display unit 32 is composed of, for example, an LCD panel. The communication unit 33 communicates with the alarm device 2 using the LPWA communication standard.

[0072] The housing of the control device 3 is, for example, about 3 cm in diameter. Furthermore, the housing of the control device 3 is waterproofed to prevent rainwater and other elements from entering the housing when installed outdoors. For example, the components constituting the housing of the control device 3 are joined together by adhesive bonding.

[0073] The alarm device 2 comprises a communication unit 21b, an alarm drive unit 22, a notification unit 23, and a clock unit 24. The communication unit 21b receives signals transmitted from the control device 3 according to the LPWA communication standard. The alarm drive unit 22, notification unit 23, and clock unit 24 are the same as in the embodiment 1 described above.

[0074] Figure 14 is a schematic layout diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. As shown in Figure 14, the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 are located outside the building H where the user P sleeps. The control device 3 is also located at a distance from the alarm device 2. Furthermore, the distance La from the sleeping position S where the user P sleeps to the alarm device 2 is longer than the distance Lu from the sleeping position S to the control device 3.

[0075] The control device 3 is positioned, for example, at a distance of 100m to 200m or more from the sleeping position S. The alarm device 2 is positioned at a distance of up to 40km from the control device 3. The alarm device 2 is also installed in a location where people may be present, for example, in a company or school that the user P visits regularly.

[0076] [Operation] Next, the operation of the alarm system 200 of this embodiment 4 will be described. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 200 according to Embodiment 4. The operation of the alarm device 2 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, except that it receives signals transmitted from the control device 3 instead of the information terminal 1. The same steps are used for the same operations, and explanations are omitted as appropriate.

[0077] First, user P moves to the location where the control device 3 is placed and operates the input unit 31 of the control device 3 to input the alarm activation time. The control unit 30 of the control device 3 accepts the input operation for the alarm activation time (S301).

[0078] Here, the alarm activation time is the time at which the alarm device 2 starts operating. The alarm activation time is set to the time when user P wakes up, plus a grace period. This grace period is the time it takes for user P to move from their sleeping position S to the location of the control device 3 at distance Lu after waking up. For example, if it is assumed that it takes 1 hour for user P to get ready, leave building H, and move to distance Lu after waking up, the grace period is 1 hour. For example, if user P wants to wake up at 8:00 and the grace period is 1 hour, user P will input "9:00", which is 1 hour after their wake-up time, as the alarm activation time. Note that the activation time input operation is not limited to inputting a specific time; the elapsed time from the current time may also be entered.

[0079] After step S301, the control unit 30 of the control device 3 transmits a signal indicating the alarm activation time to the alarm device 2 via the communication unit 33 (S302). Next, the control unit 30 displays "Alarm setting complete" on the display unit 32 (S303). As a result, user P confirms that the alarm activation time has been set on the alarm device 2, moves into the room of building H, and goes to sleep at the sleeping position S. Alternatively, an alarm device such as an alarm clock or smartphone, separate from the alarm system 200, may be placed near the sleeping position S to emit an alarm sound at the wake-up time.

[0080] When user P wakes up at the designated wake-up time, they get ready during the grace period and leave building H. User P then moves to the location of the control device 3, which is at distance Lu, and operates the input unit 31 of the control device 3 to perform an input operation to cancel the alarm setting. When the control unit 30 of the control device 3 receives the input operation to cancel the alarm setting (S304), it transmits an alarm setting cancellation signal to the alarm device 2 via the communication unit 13 (S305).

[0081] If the alarm device 2 receives a signal from the control device 3 to cancel the alarm setting before the alarm activation time (step S202: NO) (S203: YES), it cancels the setting of the alarm activation time (S204).

[0082] After step S305, the control unit 30 displays "Alarm setting canceled" on the display unit 32 (S306). This allows user P to confirm that the alarm setting of the alarm device 2 has been canceled.

[0083] Thus, if user P moves to the location of control device 3 and performs the input operation to cancel the alarm setting before the current time becomes the alarm activation time, the alarm setting of alarm device 2 will be canceled, and the alarm will not be activated.

[0084] On the other hand, if user P does not move to the location where the control device 3 is installed and does not perform an input operation to cancel the alarm setting, and the current time becomes the alarm activation time (S203: NO, S202: YES), the alarm drive unit 22 of the alarm device 2 activates the notification unit 23, and an alarm is generated from the notification unit 23 (S205).

[0085] Thus, if user P does not move to the location of the control device 3 before the current time becomes the alarm activation time, the notification unit 23 will activate, and people in the vicinity of the alarm device 2 will be notified that the alarm has been activated.

[0086] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment 4, the alarm device 2 is located outside the building H. When the control device 3 sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, the alarm device 2 cancels the setting of the alarm activation time. Therefore, user P has a strong motivation to cancel the alarm setting before the activation time when the alarm is activated, so that the alarm operation will not be noticed by people in the vicinity of the alarm device 2. Thus, user P's motivation to wake up can be strengthened.

[0087] Furthermore, the control device 3 is positioned outside of building H, separated from the alarm device 2. When the control unit 30 receives an input operation to cancel the alarm setting, it sends an alarm setting cancellation signal to the alarm device 2. This allows the user P to be prompted to move outside building H after waking up, preventing them from falling back asleep inside building H. Also, since the user P prepares themselves before leaving building H, their drowsiness will dissipate while they are moving to the control device 3's location after waking up, thus preventing them from falling back asleep.

[0088] For example, if the alarm device 2 is installed at the destination that user P will visit after waking up, it is reasonable to install the control device 3 on the path from the sleeping position S to the destination, as shown in Figure 14. Therefore, user P can cancel the alarm setting while on the path to the destination after waking up. Consequently, user P does not have to return to building H on the way to the destination after moving to the control device 3's location and canceling the alarm setting, thus preventing them from falling back asleep inside building H.

[0089] Furthermore, the communication method between the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 is based on the LPWA communication standard. Therefore, the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 can communicate over long distances without connecting to a network infrastructure such as the internet. Thus, communication is possible even if a network infrastructure failure occurs, improving fault tolerance by eliminating reliance on the network infrastructure. Additionally, since the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 communicate directly without connecting to a network infrastructure, security can be improved. Moreover, because the power consumption required for communication is extremely low, long-term operation is possible when the control device 3 and alarm device 2 are powered by batteries.

[0090] [Differentiation] In the alarm system 200 described above, the alarm device 2 was configured to include a clock unit 24, but the clock unit 24 may also be included in the control device 3. In such a configuration, the control unit 30 of the control device 3 transmits an alarm activation signal via the communication unit 33 when the alarm activation time is set and the current time measured by the clock unit 24 becomes the activation time. The alarm drive unit 22 of the alarm device 2 activates the notification unit 23 when it receives the alarm activation signal via the communication unit 21b. This configuration and operation can also achieve the same effects as the alarm system 200 described above. Furthermore, by configuring the alarm device 2 without including a clock unit 24, the configuration of the alarm device 2 can be simplified.

[0091] Furthermore, dedicated ports may be provided for installing each user P's control device 3. For example, a dedicated port could be installed within a railway station, and multiple users P who use the station could install their respective control devices 3 at this dedicated port. Then, the multiple users P could move from their respective buildings H to the station and perform the input operation to deactivate the alarm setting on their respective control devices 3. After that, the multiple users P could each board a train and head to their respective destinations where the alarm devices 2 are installed.

[0092] Embodiment 5. The alarm system 200 according to this 5th embodiment performs an alarm setting cancellation operation when the user P moves from the control device 3 to the location of the alarm device 2 after moving to the location of the control device 3 and canceling the alarm setting, taking into account the time taken for the user to move. The operation of the alarm system 200 according to this 5th embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from this 4th embodiment. The system configuration of the alarm system 200 according to this 5th embodiment is the same as that of this 4th embodiment. In addition, components identical to those in this 4th embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0093] [Operation] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 5. In Figure 16, the same steps as in Embodiment 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0094] After step S301, user P operates the input unit 31 of the control device 3 to perform an input operation for the first time. The control unit 30 of the control device 3 accepts this input operation for the first time (S311). This first time is set according to the travel time from the control device 3 to the location of the alarm device 2. For example, the longer the travel time for user P from the control device 3 to the location of the alarm device 2, the longer the first time is set.

[0095] The operation of steps S302 to S304 is the same as in Embodiment 4. In step S312, the control unit 30 determines whether the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time (S312). If the current time is not one hour before the alarm activation time (S312: NO), the control unit 30 disables the input operation to cancel the alarm setting (S313). The control unit 30 then displays on the display unit 32 that the alarm setting cancellation is invalid (S314). As a result, user P confirms that the input operation to cancel the alarm setting of the alarm device 2 is invalid.

[0096] On the other hand, if the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time (S312: YES), a signal to cancel the alarm setting is sent to the alarm device 2 via the communication unit 13 (S305). The operation of steps S306 and S201 to S205 is the same as in Embodiment 4.

[0097] For example, user P installs an alarm device 2 at a destination such as a company or school that user P will visit after waking up. If user P is scheduled to arrive at the destination at "9:00" and the time required to travel from the control device 3 to the location of the alarm device 2 is "2 hours", the alarm activation time is set to "9:00" and the first hour is set to "2 hours". With this setting, if user P moves to the location of the control device 3 and performs the input operation to cancel the alarm setting before "7:00", which is two hours before 9:00, the alarm activation time setting will be canceled.

[0098] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment 5, the control unit 30 transmits a signal to cancel the alarm setting if the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time. This first hour is set according to the travel time from the control device 3 to the location where the alarm device 2 is installed. Therefore, it is possible to prompt user P to wake up at the wake-up time, leave building H, and move to the control device 3 so that user P arrives at their destination at the scheduled time.

[0099] Embodiment 6. The alarm system 200b according to this embodiment 6 accepts an input operation from the control device 3 when the user P moves with the control device 3 to a location near the alarm device 2 and the distance between the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance. The operation of the alarm system 200b according to embodiment 6 will be described below, focusing on the differences from embodiments 4 and 5. Components identical to those in embodiments 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0100] Figure 17 is a control block diagram of the alarm system 200b according to Embodiment 6. As shown in Figure 17, the control device 3b includes a distance acquisition unit 34 in addition to the configuration of Embodiment 4 described above. The distance acquisition unit 34 acquires the distance between the control device 3b and the alarm device 2. For example, the communication unit 21 of the alarm device 2 transmits a beacon signal of a predetermined level, and the communication unit 33 of the control device 3b measures the radio wave intensity of the received beacon signal. The distance acquisition unit 34 then acquires the distance between the control device 3b and the alarm device 2 based on the radio wave intensity measured by the communication unit 33. The distance acquisition unit 34 may use any distance measurement method to acquire the distance. For example, the distance acquisition unit 34 may use a distance measurement method using a GPS sensor, infrared, or ultrasonic.

[0101] [Operation] Next, the operation of the alarm system 200b of this embodiment 6 will be described. Figure 18 is a schematic layout diagram showing the arrangement of the alarm system 200b according to Embodiment 6. As shown in Figure 18, when user P performs an input operation using the input unit 31 of the control device 3, the user P moves the control device 3 to a position where the distance Ln between the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb.

[0102] Here, distance Lu is the distance between the position where user P places the control device 3 before going to sleep and the sleeping position S. Proximity distance Lb is a distance shorter than the distance La between the sleeping position S and the alarm device 2 minus distance Lu. For example, proximity distance Lb is a distance between 0m (contact state) and 10m. Alternatively, proximity distance Lb is a distance less than or equal to the maximum width of the room in which the alarm device 2 is installed.

[0103] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm system 200b according to Embodiment 6. In Figure 19, the same step reference numerals are used for operations that are the same as those in Embodiment 4, and their explanations are omitted. The control unit 30 of the control device 3b determines whether the distance Ln between the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb (S321). If the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb (S321: NO), the control unit 30 displays on the display unit 32 that input operation is not possible (S322).

[0104] On the other hand, if the distance Ln between the control device 3 and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb (S321: YES), the control unit 30 proceeds to step S301 and accepts an input operation from the input unit 31.

[0105] The operation of steps S301 to S306 of the control device 3b is the same as in Embodiment 4, and the operation of steps S201 to S205 of the alarm device 2 is the same as in Embodiment 4. In addition, the control unit 30 of the control device 3b keeps the determination process of step S321 running during the operation of steps S301 to S306, and does not accept input operations if the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb. That is, the control unit 30 does not accept input operations to change the setting of the alarm activation time if the distance Ln is not less than or equal to the proximity distance Lb.

[0106] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment 6, the control unit 30 accepts an input operation from the input unit 31 when the distance Ln between the control device 3b and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb. For this reason, for example, by installing the alarm device 2 at a destination such as a company or school that user P will visit after waking up, it is possible to prevent user P from changing the alarm activation time setting unless user P moves to the destination with the control device 3. Thus, it is possible to encourage user P to move to the location where the alarm device 2 is placed. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent user P from returning to building H and going back to sleep after waking up and moving to the location where the control device 3 is placed and canceling the alarm activation time setting.

[0107] [Example 1] In addition to the above operations, the control unit 30 of the control device 3b may, after transmitting the alarm activation time in step S302, not accept any operation to change the alarm activation time until that activation time has elapsed. This ensures that user P cannot deactivate the alarm until they leave building H and move to the location of the control device 3 at distance Lu, thereby further strengthening user P's motivation to get up. Consequently, user P can be encouraged to move outside building H after getting up, preventing them from falling back asleep inside building H.

[0108] [Differentiation 2] The alarm device 2 may be provided without means for receiving an operation to change the alarm's activation time or an operation to stop the alarm. This prevents anyone in the vicinity of the alarm device 2 from stopping the alarm. Therefore, user P recognizes that no one but themselves can stop the alarm, further strengthening user P's motivation to get up.

[0109] [Difference 3] The distance information acquired by the distance acquisition unit 34 regarding the distance between the user P's current location and the alarm device 2 is not limited to specific length information, but may also be binary information indicating whether or not the distance is below a certain level. For example, the communication unit 21 of the alarm device 2 periodically transmits identification information of the alarm device 2 using a short-range communication method such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or NFC. When the communication unit 13 of the control device 3b receives the identification information of the alarm device 2, the distance acquisition unit 34 determines that the distance Ln between the user P's current location and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to the maximum distance that can be communicated using the short-range communication method. In this way, the determination of whether or not the identification information of the alarm device 2 has been received can be simplified, thus simplifying the configuration and operation of the alarm system 200b.

[0110] [Differentiation Example 4] In addition to the configuration and operation of Embodiment 4 described above, the operation of Embodiment 6 may also be applied. That is, the control unit 30 may accept the input operation of step S301 in Embodiment 4 when the distance Ln between the control device 3b and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb. Furthermore, in addition to the configuration and operation of Embodiment 5 described above, the operation of Embodiment 6 may also be applied. That is, the control unit 30 may accept the input operations of steps S301 and S311 in Embodiment 5 when the distance Ln between the control device 3b and the alarm device 2 is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance Lb.

[0111] Furthermore, while the alarm system according to the present invention can be applied, for example, to alarm control in a home where the user is an individual, the applications of the present invention are not limited to home use. The alarm system according to the present invention can also be applied to corporate applications (management, education, medical care, security, etc.) using a group of virtual devices on the cloud. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 1 Information terminal, 1b Location information tag, 1c Information terminal, 2 Alarm device, 2b Alarm device, 2c Alarm device, 3 Control device, 3b Control device, 10 Control unit, 11 Input unit, 12 Display unit, 13 Communication unit, 14 Location information acquisition unit, 15 Distance acquisition unit, 21 Communication unit, 21b Communication unit, 22 Alarm drive unit, 23 Notification unit, 24 Clock unit, 25 Alarm location information acquisition unit, 30 Control unit, 31 Input unit, 32 Display unit, 33 Communication unit, 34 Distance acquisition unit, 100 Alarm system, 100b Alarm system, 100c Alarm system, 121 Activation time display, 122 Sleeping position display, 122a Map pin, 122b Range display, 123 Separation distance display, 200 Alarm system, 200b Alarm system.

Claims

1. An alarm system that assists in waking up users sleeping inside a building, A control unit that sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, An alarm device located outside the building, which, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving a signal to cancel the alarm setting, The system includes a location information acquisition unit that acquires information about the user's current location, The alarm device has information identifying the user clearly inscribed on its casing. The control unit receives input operations for the sleeping position, which is the position where the user sleeps, and a distance greater than the distance from the sleeping position to the outside of the building. If the distance between the user's current location and the sleeping location exceeds the aforementioned separation distance, a signal to cancel the alarm setting will be transmitted. Alarm system.

2. An alarm system that assists in waking up users sleeping inside a building, A control unit that sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, An alarm device located outside the building, which, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving a signal to cancel the alarm setting, The system includes a location information acquisition unit that acquires information about the user's current location, The control unit receives input operations for the sleeping position, which is the position where the user sleeps, and a distance greater than the distance from the sleeping position to the outside of the building. If the distance between the user's current location and the sleeping location exceeds the aforementioned separation distance, a signal to cancel the alarm setting will be transmitted. The alarm device is An alarm sound is generated by the notification unit, An alarm drive unit that activates the notification unit, The alarm device is equipped with a human presence sensor that detects the density of people around it, Based on the detection result of the human presence sensor, the alarm drive unit generates the alarm sound at a louder volume when there are few people around the alarm device than when there are many people around it. Alarm system.

3. An alarm system that assists in waking up a user sleeping inside a building, A control unit that sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, An alarm device located outside the building, which, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving a signal to cancel the alarm setting, The system includes a location information acquisition unit that acquires information about the user's current location, The control unit receives input operations for the sleeping position, which is the position where the user sleeps, and a distance greater than the distance from the sleeping position to the outside of the building. If the distance between the user's current location and their sleeping location exceeds the separation distance, and the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time, a signal to cancel the alarm setting will be transmitted. The first time is set according to the travel time from the sleeping position to the location where the alarm device is placed. Alarm system.

4. The system includes a distance acquisition unit that acquires the distance between the user's current location and the alarm device. The control unit accepts the input operation if the distance between the user's current position and the alarm device is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance. The alarm system according to claim 3.

5. An alarm system that assists in waking up a user sleeping inside a building, A control unit that sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, An alarm device located outside the building, which, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving a signal to cancel the alarm setting, A location information acquisition unit that acquires information about the user's current location, It includes a distance acquisition unit that acquires the distance between the user's current location and the alarm device, The control unit receives input operations for the sleeping position, which is the position where the user sleeps, and a distance greater than the distance from the sleeping position to the outside of the building. If the distance between the user's current location and the sleeping location exceeds the aforementioned separation distance, a signal to cancel the alarm setting will be transmitted. If the distance between the user's current location and the alarm device is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance, the input operation is accepted. Alarm system.

6. An alarm system that assists in waking up a user sleeping inside a building, A control unit that sends a signal to cancel the alarm setting, The alarm device is located outside the building and, after the alarm activation time has been set, cancels the setting of the alarm activation time upon receiving a signal to cancel the alarm setting. The control unit is located outside the building, separated from the alarm device. When the system receives an input operation to cancel the alarm setting, it transmits a signal to cancel the alarm setting to the alarm device. The communication method between the control unit and the alarm device is a communication method based on the LPWA communication standard. Alarm system.

7. The control unit transmits a signal to cancel the alarm setting if the current time is one hour before the alarm activation time. The first time is set according to the travel time from the location of the control unit to the location of the alarm device. The alarm system according to claim 6.

8. The system includes a distance acquisition unit that acquires the distance between the control unit and the alarm device, The control unit accepts the input operation when the distance between the control unit and the alarm device is less than or equal to a predetermined proximity distance. The alarm system according to claim 6 or 7.

9. When the control unit receives an input operation for the alarm activation time, it transmits a signal for the alarm activation time to the alarm device. After the alarm's activation time has been set, the system will not accept any operation to change the alarm's activation time until that time has elapsed. The alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images