Automatic search system and automatic search method

Abstract

This automated search system automates the process of determining the relative positions of each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by wearable devices, before the start of location searching for wearable devices, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location. [Solution] An automatic search system for locating the wearable device comprises N (N≧4) or more detection devices, each equipped with Wi-Fi signal transmission / reception means, ultrasonic signal transmission / reception means, and Bluetooth® signal transmission / reception means, and each device having individual identification information; a wearable device; and a server connected to each detection device via a network.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated search system and an automated search method for searching for the location of a target based on the reception strength of a Bluetooth (registered trademark, hereinafter the term "registered trademark" is omitted) signal emitted by a wearable device attached to the target being searched. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, monitoring services have been developed in which a detection device acquires and manages health information from a wristwatch-type wearable device worn by the target of investigation (see, for example, Patent Document 1), and monitoring support methods have been developed in which a monitoring support device receives radio waves emitted by a user terminal carried by the target of investigation and determines whether or not the user terminal is outside the communication range based on the received signal strength (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-186402 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6893837

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for monitoring a user's life using biometric information acquired by a wearable device (biometric information measurement device) and behavioral information detected by various sensors installed in the user's residence. However, it does not incorporate a function to locate the user's location, and it is only stated that the user's location can be determined if the user is separately carrying a mobile phone with GPS functionality (see Document 1

[0013] ).

[0005] In contrast, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that measures the reception strength (RSSI) of a Bluetooth beacon signal emitted by a user terminal carried by the user, and if the user terminal is outside the communication range (i.e., radio waves emitted by the terminal cannot be received), determines that there may be an abnormality in the user's behavior and sends a message to a monitoring terminal prompting confirmation of the user's safety (see Document 2

[0013] ). [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, even if the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 can detect whether the search target is located within or outside the communication range, it can only detect the user's location in a concentric circle, starting from the monitoring support device. It cannot specifically search for the user's location (XY coordinates), nor can it search for the location of the search target. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not have a function to search for the user's location, and in order to determine the location, the search target must be carrying a mobile phone with GPS functionality.

[0007] In the conventional monitoring system described above, if one were to attempt to pinpoint the location of a target by using multiple detection devices capable of detecting the strength of Bluetooth signals, without using GPS, it would be necessary to accurately measure the installation location of each detection device, determine its absolute coordinates, and pre-load these coordinates into the system. This presented a problem as it involved cumbersome surveying and preparation.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide an automated search system and automated search method that automates the process of determining the relative positions of each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, before the start of location searching for the wearable device, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the location of the target.

[0009] Furthermore, since the automatic search system according to the present invention can be applied not only to the search for the location (whereabouts) of people but also to animals and other objects, in this specification, these people, animals, and objects that this system targets for location search will be collectively referred to as "targets." [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A first aspect of the present invention is a detection device comprising four or more detection devices having individual identification information, A Bluetooth signal transmitting unit that transmits Bluetooth® signals at predetermined intervals, and one or more wearable devices having individual identification information, A cloud server having a memory unit and connected to each of the detection devices via an LTE line, An automatic search system having a wearable device, which searches for the location of the wearable device, (A) The server provides setup instruction means that causes each of the detection devices to transmit a Wi-Fi signal and then transmit an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time has elapsed, The server has a detection device that receives the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal, respectively, and has the detection device transmit its own identification information and the reception time information for the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to the server, and the detection device has an installation information receiving means that receives the information. The server includes an installation position calculation means that calculates the distance between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device based on the respective reception time information and determines their relative positional relationship. It has an installation location identification means for identifying the location of the detection device, (B) Correction information acquisition instruction means that causes the server to transmit a Bluetooth signal to each of the detection devices whose relative positional relationship has been identified, The server causes each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal to transmit its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal to the server, and the correction information receiving means receives the correction information. It has a means for deriving a correction coefficient that performs correction processing, (C) The server has location information receiving means that receives reception strength information of the Bluetooth signal from the wearable device received by each of the detection devices, and location search means that identifies the location of the wearable device, Equipped with, The aforementioned detection device Each unit has individual identification information and can be freely placed in any location, A Wi-Fi transmitting and receiving means that transmits a Wi-Fi signal and receives a Wi-Fi signal transmitted by another detection device, An ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means that transmits an ultrasonic signal and receives an ultrasonic signal transmitted by another detection device, Bluetooth transmitting and receiving means that transmits a Bluetooth signal to other detection devices and receives Bluetooth signals transmitted by other detection devices and the wearable device, A communication means that receives instructions from the server and transmits to the server the reception time information and the reception strength information of the Bluetooth signal, which includes the identification information of the Bluetooth signal sender. The present invention provides an automated search system characterized by having the following features.

[0011] According to this configuration, since the distance between detection devices in close proximity can be measured by ultrasound, the process of determining the relative positions of each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal emitted by the wearable device, which is performed before the start of the wearable device location search, can be automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location.

[0012] Preferably, the correction coefficient derivation means further includes a correction coefficient calculation means in which the server calculates a correction coefficient for the relationship between reception strength and distance based on the reception strength information. The measurement values ​​between a wearable device and a detection device using Bluetooth signals can be corrected by the measurement values ​​of the distance between the same detection devices measured using ultrasonic signals, relative to the measurement values ​​of the distance between the detection devices measured using Bluetooth signals. Therefore, when calculating the location of a wearable device from the reception strength of a Bluetooth signal, instead of performing distance calculations using only the reception strength information, a correction coefficient can be calculated using the results of distance calculations performed using more reliable ultrasonic signals, and the distance between the detection device and the wearable device can be calculated using this correction coefficient, thereby improving the accuracy of searching for the wearable device.

[0013] Furthermore, the correction coefficient calculation means calculates the following relationship between the detection devices: the distance (Du) calculated by the installation position calculation means, the received Bluetooth signal strength (RSSI(1)), and the received Bluetooth signal strength (TxPower) received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m. f=(TxPower-RSSI(1)) / (10×(log10Du))...(Formula 1) The average value of the correction coefficient elements (f) calculated by the above method is used as the correction coefficient (F). And, The location search means further determines, for each detection device, the distance to the wearable device (Dw) from the reception strength of the Bluetooth signal received from the wearable device (RSSI(2)) and the reception strength of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device (TxPower) when the distance between them is 1m, using the following relational expression. Dw=10^((TxPower-RSSI(2)) / (10×F))...(Formula 2) It is preferable to have a location calculation means that calculates the location using the distance Du between detection devices. A correction coefficient element that is suitable for the conditions of the search area can be calculated using the distance Du between detection devices. Furthermore, a single environmental coefficient can be used for the facility, allowing for accurate location determination according to the facility's environment while simplifying the process. In addition, when calculating the location of a wearable device from the reception strength of the Bluetooth signal, the distance Dw between the detection device and the wearable device can be calculated using a correction coefficient that is suitable for the conditions of the search area, thereby improving the accuracy of searching for wearable devices.

[0014] Furthermore, the detection device, It has a temperature sensor and / or a humidity sensor, The communication means of the detection device transmits the measurement results from the temperature sensor and / or humidity sensor to the server. And, The aforementioned wearable device It comprises a communication unit capable of communicating with the aforementioned detection device, and a detection unit that detects biological information of the attached living organism, It is preferable that the communication means of the wearable device transmits the biometric information detected by the detection unit to the server. When calculating distance from the ultrasonic signal, the effects of temperature and humidity can be taken into account and corrected. Furthermore, it is possible to construct a monitoring support system that combines the target's location information and biometric information.

[0015] The location searching means includes: Preferably, the server has a location narrowing means that determines that the wearable device is located within an area where circular figures, each generated with the position where the detection device is located as the center and the distance (Dw) as the radius, overlap. This allows the location of the target to be searched with a certain degree of accuracy.

[0016] Furthermore, the server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to it via a network, The storage unit stores plan view information of the search target area where the detection device is installed. The installation location identification means includes a detection device identification means that plots the position of the detection device on the plan view information based on the relative positional relationship identified by the installation location calculation means, The location searching means includes: The server has location identification means that plots the location of the wearable device on the plan view information from the area identified by the location narrowing means. Preferably, the server has a location display means that transmits and displays plan view information plotting the location of the wearable device to the administrator terminal. This allows the search results to be grasped visually.

[0017] A second aspect of the present invention is a detection device comprising four or more detection devices having individual identification information, A Bluetooth signal transmitting unit that transmits Bluetooth signals at predetermined intervals, and one or more wearable devices having individual identification information, A cloud server having a memory unit and connected to each of the detection devices via an LTE line, An automated search method for determining the location of the wearable device using the following: The installation location identification step includes, and the installation location identification step is The setup instruction step (installation location identification step 1) involves the server instructing one of the detection devices to transmit a Wi-Fi signal, and the server instructing to transmit an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time (x seconds) has elapsed since the transmission. The server causes each detection device that receives the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to transmit its own identification information and the reception time information for the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal, and receives this installation information reception step (installation location identification step 2), which is repeated for all detection devices, and further, The server performs an installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3) in which it calculates the distance (Du) between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device based on the respective reception time information and identifies their relative positional relationship. The present invention provides an automated search method characterized by including [a specific feature].

[0018] According to this configuration, since the distance between detection devices in close proximity can be measured by ultrasound, the process of determining the relative positions of each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal emitted by the wearable device, which is performed before the start of the wearable device location search, can be automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location.

[0019] moreover, The server performs a correction information acquisition instruction step (correction coefficient derivation step 1) in which it causes one of the detection devices whose relative positional relationship has been identified to transmit a Bluetooth signal, Each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal transmits its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal to the server, and receives the correction information (correction coefficient derivation step 2). For each detection device, the following relationship is formed from the distance (Du) calculated in the installation position identification step, the received Bluetooth signal strength (RSSI), and the received Bluetooth signal strength (TxPower) received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m: f(1)=(TxPower(1)-RSSI(1)) / (10×(log10Du)...(Formula 1) The first step of calculating the correction coefficient (correction coefficient derivation step 3) is to calculate the correction coefficient element f(1) by, The correction coefficient derivation steps 1 to 3 are repeated until all correction coefficient elements (f(1)) between the detection devices are identified, including the above. Next, the second step of calculating the correction coefficient (correction coefficient derivation step 4) is to calculate the average value of the correction coefficient elements (f(1)) as the correction coefficient (F), It is preferable to include the following. The measurement values ​​between a wearable device and a detection device measured using Bluetooth signals can be corrected by the measurement values ​​of the distance between the same detection devices measured using ultrasonic signals, relative to the measurement values ​​of the distance between the detection devices measured using Bluetooth signals. Using the distance Du between the detection devices, a correction coefficient element that is suitable for the conditions of the area to be searched can be calculated. By correcting the measurement distance using Bluetooth signals based on the measurement distance using ultrasonic signals, which do not penetrate walls but are suitable for short-range measurements, room-level accuracy can be achieved. Furthermore, when calculating the location of a wearable device from the received strength of a Bluetooth signal, instead of performing distance calculations using only the received strength information, a correction coefficient can be calculated using the results of distance calculations calculated using more reliable ultrasonic signals, and the distance between the detection device and the wearable device can be calculated using this correction coefficient, thereby improving the accuracy of searching for wearable devices.

[0020] moreover, The server causes each detection device that receives a Bluetooth signal transmitted from the wearable device to transmit to the server its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal, which includes the identification information of the wearable device that transmitted the signal, in a location information reception step (location search step 1), The server, for each detection device, calculates the distance to the wearable device (Dw) using the following relationship: the received strength of the Bluetooth signal received from the wearable device (RSSI(2)) and the received strength of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device (TxPower(2)) when the distance between them is 1m. Dw=10^((TxPower(2)-RSSI(2)) / (10×F))...(Formula 2) The location calculation step (location search step 2) is calculated by the following, The server performs a location narrowing step (location search step 3) in which it determines that the wearable device is located within an estimated area where circular figures, each generated with the position where the detection device is located as the center and the distance (Dw) as the radius, overlap. It is preferable to include this. By specifying overlapping areas, the probability of being able to pinpoint the location can be increased.

[0021] In the aforementioned installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The aforementioned server, The following relationship Du = c × (Ju - Jw - x) ... (Equation 3) Du: Distance (m) between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device. c: Speed ​​of sound (m / s) Jw: Wi-Fi signal reception time (seconds) Ju: Time of reception of ultrasonic signal (seconds) x: Interval between transmission of Wi-Fi and ultrasonic signals (seconds) It is preferable to calculate the distance Du using this method. This allows us to determine the distance between detection devices and pinpoint the location of the wearable device.

[0022] In the aforementioned installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The aforementioned server, The distance Du(ab) calculated from Equation 3 is obtained from the reception time Jw(ab) of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted from one of the detection devices (a) and received by the other detection device (b), and the reception time Ju(ab) of the ultrasonic signal. It is preferable to calculate the distance Du(ba) calculated from Equation 3 using the reception time Jw(ba) of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted from detection device (b) and received by detection device (a), and the reception time Ju(ba) of the ultrasonic signal, as the average of these values, and use this as the distance Du(abba) between detection device (a) and detection device (b). This allows for a more accurate determination of the distance between detection devices, improving the accuracy and reliability of positioning the wearable device.

[0023] The detection device has a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, In the aforementioned installation information receiving step (installation location identification step 2), Preferably, the server causes each detection device that receives the ultrasonic signal to transmit and receive temperature information and humidity information to the server. This allows for correction when calculating distance from the ultrasonic signal, taking into account the effects of temperature and humidity.

[0024] In the aforementioned installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The aforementioned server has the following relational expression c=331.5+0.0124×H+0.606×T...(Formula 4) (c: speed of sound (m / s), T: temperature (℃), H: humidity (%)) It is preferable to calculate the speed of sound c using the method described above. When calculating the distance Du between detection devices using the reception time information of the ultrasonic signal, it is possible to consider temperature and humidity, which affect the transmission and reception speed of the ultrasonic signal, and to calculate a more accurate distance Du. If neither temperature nor humidity is reflected, the calculation is performed using T=25℃ and H=50%. This allows for a simpler calculation and reduces costs.

[0025] The storage unit stores plan view information of the search target area where the detection device is installed. After the installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The server includes a detection device display step (installation location identification step 4) in which it plots the position of the detection device on the plan view information based on the relative positional relationship identified in the installation location calculation step, After the location narrowing step (location search step 3), Preferably, the process includes a location display step (location search step 4) in which the location of the wearable device is plotted on the plan view information from the estimated area. The result of calculating the distance between detection devices from the Bluetooth signal and the position of the wearable device corrected based on this result can be reflected in the plan view information.

[0026] One of the wearable devices has a switch that emits a hazard registration signal for registering hazardous locations, and includes a hazardous location registration step, The aforementioned hazardous location registration step, The wearable device receives the ON / OFF status of the switch, and when the switch is turned ON, it transmits a Bluetooth signal including the danger registration signal in a danger signal transmission step (dangerous location registration step 1), Preferably, the server includes a hazard location storage step (hazard location registration step 2) in which, when the Bluetooth signal includes the hazard registration signal, the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and the area within a predetermined distance from the estimated area are stored in the storage unit as hazard locations. Since hazard locations can be registered in relation to the detection device, updates can be made each time the hazard location moves, thereby increasing the effectiveness of monitoring for hazard avoidance.

[0027] The server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to it via a network, and the storage unit records location information of dangerous places. The server performs a risk determination step (monitoring step 1) which determines whether the distance between the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and the hazardous location is less than or equal to a predetermined distance, Preferably, the system includes a hazard information transmission step (monitoring step 2) in which the server transmits hazard information to the administrator terminal if it determines in the hazard determination step (monitoring step 1) that the distance is below a predetermined level. This allows the administrator to understand the target's status in real time, determine whether the target is approaching a hazardous area based on the location of the wearable device, and, if it is determined that the distance is below a predetermined level, send a warning message to the administrator, or to the target through the administrator, thereby prompting a warning.

[0028] In the aforementioned location narrowing step (location search step 3), If the server determines that there is no area where all the circular figures drawn for each detection device overlap, it is preferable to expand the radius of the circular figure of the detection device with the highest RSSI for the Nth device by (N-1) × 10%. Even if accurate estimation is not possible using the measurement distance by Bluetooth signals, estimation can be performed without errors by gradually reducing the accuracy of the measurement values ​​from detection devices that are farther away. In other words, even if it is determined that there is no area where all the circular figures overlap, the estimated area of ​​the wearable device can be derived without outputting an error by redrawing the circular figures based on the idea that those with lower reception strengths are less reliable and the expansion rate is increased.

[0029] The memory unit stores plan view information of the area to be searched. Furthermore, the server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to it via a network, In the aforementioned location display step (location search step 4), After the relative positional relationship between the detection devices is determined, the server then displays the plan view information It is preferable to plot each of the detection devices on the map and transmit the resulting plan view information, which plots the positions of the wearable devices, to the administrator terminal for display. This allows the administrator to grasp the target's location status at a glance.

[0030] The server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to via the network, Regarding the four detection devices that are placed in predetermined locations among the aforementioned detection devices, after the installation location identification step, The fixed area generation step includes recording the area identified by the installation location identification step as a fixed area in the storage unit, Furthermore, after the location search step, a neglect warning step is included, The aforementioned abandonment warning step is, The server performs an abandoned area determination step (abandonment warning step 1) to determine whether part or all of the estimated area is within the fixed area, Preferably, the server includes an abandoned child information transmission step (abandonment warning step 2) in which, if it determines in the abandoned child determination step that the child is within the fixed area, it transmits warning information to the administrator terminal. This allows for detection when a child or other person has been left behind in a predetermined area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0031] According to the present invention, for each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, the task of determining the relative positions of the devices before starting the location search for the wearable device is automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] This figure shows the overall configuration of Embodiment 1 of the automatic search system of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic external perspective view showing the detection device of the automatic search system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the functions of the detection device of the automatic search system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a swimlane diagram (1) showing an example of the procedure for performing the installation location identification step in the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is the swimlane diagram (2), a continuation of Figure 4. [Figure 6] This swimlane diagram shows an example of the procedure for performing the correction coefficient derivation step in the automated search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a swimlane diagram (first unit) showing an example of the procedure for performing the location search step in the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 8]This is a swimlane diagram (second unit) showing an example of the procedure for performing the location search step in the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a system flow diagram of the automatic search method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a search image in the location narrowing step (location search step 3). [Figure 11] This is an illustrative diagram illustrating the automatic search method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is an illustrative diagram of the method for combining a plan view with an automated search method in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a diagram illustrating the management screen in the automated search system of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a flowchart illustrating the automated search method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a diagram illustrating the installation location of the detection device in the automated search system of Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 16] This figure shows a schematic diagram of the automated search system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a system flow diagram of the automated search method according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is an image of the management screen of the automatic search system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. [Figure 19] This diagram illustrates the outline of the automated search method of Embodiment 4 of the present invention, and in particular, it is a flowchart illustrating the hazardous location registration step. [Figure 20] This swimlane diagram shows an example of the procedure for implementing the hazardous location registration step in the automated search method of Embodiment 4 of the present invention. [Figure 21] This is a system flow diagram of the automatic search method according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. [Figure 22] This is a diagram illustrating the management screen in the automated search system of Embodiment 4 of the present invention. [Figure 23] This is a diagram illustrating the automatic search system according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. [Figure 24]This is a system flow diagram of the automated search method according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] The following describes the automatic search system according to the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings, but the embodiments and examples of the present invention are not limited to these.

[0034] As shown in Examples 1-4 below, this technology can be applied to a variety of uses. For example, it can be used not only inside buildings such as nursing homes and kindergartens, but also outdoors such as farms and construction sites, to easily and with a certain degree of accuracy locate the location of the object being observed, thus offering potential applications in a wide range of fields.

[0035] Next, each embodiment will be described. Common elements will be denoted by the same reference numeral, and only the differences will be explained, while the explanation of common content may be omitted or simplified. On the other hand, if elements are the same but require special distinction, they may be denoted by a different reference numeral and explained accordingly. In each embodiment described later, the detection device will be described as four detection devices 1 to 4, but the number can be more than four. Similarly, the wearable device will be described as wearable devices w1 and w2, but there is no limit to the number; it can be one or many. The server will be described as server 10 on the cloud, but it is not limited to this.

[0036] [Example 1] As Example 1, an example of the automatic search system and automatic search method of the present invention will be described with a specific example. This embodiment is suitable for automatic searching within a building, such as a nursing home. This embodiment combines Wi-Fi, ultrasound, and Bluetooth to search for the location of a search target based on its relative position to a detection device installed at any location within the facility.

[0037] <Overall Structure> Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of Embodiment 1 of the automatic search system of the present invention. This embodiment is an example in which the automatic search system of the present invention described above is applied in an elderly care facility. Server 10 and detection devices 1-4, server 10 and administrator terminal 20, and server 10 and wearable devices w1 and w2 are connected by an LTE line. Uploading and downloading between administrator terminal 20 and server 10 is performed by FTP file transfer, but is not limited to this.

[0038] The automated search system of Example 1 is an automated search system for locating the position of a wearable device. As shown in Figure 1, the automated search system of Example 1 comprises (1) detection devices 1 to 4 having individual identification information, (2) wearable devices w1 and w2 having individual identification information and equipped with a Bluetooth signal transmitting unit that transmits Bluetooth signals at predetermined intervals, and (3) a cloud server 10 having a storage unit and connected to each detection device via an LTE line. Each configuration will be described in detail below.

[0039] <Wearable devices> Each target is assigned one wearable device. In this embodiment, two devices (wearable devices w1 and w2) are used for explanation, but multiple devices (w1, w2, w3, ... wn) may also be used. The devices attached to the target include, for example, smartwatches.

[0040] Each wearable device can be distinguished by an identification number, so they can be used without prior pairing (authentication between devices) with each detection device.

[0041] Wearable devices w1 and w2 are equipped with a communication unit capable of communicating with detection devices 1 to 4. Wearable devices w1 and w2 may also have a detection unit that detects the biological information of the organism wearing them. In that case, wearable devices w1 and w2 may also transmit biological information when transmitting Bluetooth signals.

[0042] As each target moves irregularly, the wearable devices w1 and w2 also move irregularly. Each wearable device w1 and w2 is assigned individual identification information wp1 and wp2, and transmits a Bluetooth signal containing this identification information at predetermined intervals.

[0043] <Cloud Server> The information processing unit 11 of the server 10 performs various calculations based on the received signals (information). In this embodiment, as the installation location identification mode, it executes a program including an installation location identification step and a correction coefficient derivation step, and as the wearable device search mode, it executes a program including a location search step.

[0044] The installation location identification mode is performed as a preliminary step for searching for the location of the search target, and the position coordinates of each detection device are automatically identified by the processing method described later. The wearable device location search mode detects the location of the search target (for example, a person receiving care, an infant, a field worker, or an animal such as livestock) located within the search area enclosed by each detection device. In this embodiment, an example using a person receiving care as the search target will be explained.

[0045] Server 10 has a configuration that performs the functions of a normal cloud server, including a processing unit such as a CPU and a storage device such as RAM, and transmits and receives data with the detection device, administrator terminal and wearable device, and causes the detection device to perform predetermined processing.

[0046] Server 10 includes an information processing unit 11, a communication unit 12, a program to be executed by the detection device, and a plan view of the area to be searched. informationThe system includes a storage unit 13 on which such information is recorded. In this embodiment, the system also includes an input unit that receives data from detection devices, and an output unit that outputs instruction signals to the detection devices and outputs the processing results from the information processing unit to the management screen of the administrator terminal. The transmission of instruction signals from the server 10 to each of the detection devices 1 to 4, and the reception of various information from each of the detection devices 1 to 4 and wearable devices w1 and w2 are performed via the communication unit 12. The storage unit 13 can also store and manage the location of each target. When acquiring biometric information from a wearable device, the storage unit 13 can store the biometric information transmitted from the wearable device.

[0047] The program for the automatic search method of this embodiment, which is implemented by the automatic search system of this embodiment, is read into RAM or the like upon receiving a predetermined operation signal, or automatically at regular intervals, and its function (means) is executed by the arithmetic processing unit, thereby performing predetermined processing. The information used for such processing is stored in a storage device such as RAM in various file storage formats such as databases and data files, and is read out as appropriate during processing to perform predetermined processing. The results of the processing are also written to a storage device such as RAM and stored as appropriate. Each of the means in this invention is only logically distinguished by its function, and may physically or in practice constitute the same area.

[0048] The program relating to the automatic search method of this embodiment is intended to make a computer function as a system that realizes the automatic search method of this embodiment.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1, the server 10 on the cloud can communicate with each of the detection devices 1, 2, 3, and 4 via an LTE line, and can receive the reception time and reception strength of various signals detected by the detection devices 1, 2, 3, and 4, along with the identification information assigned to each detection device, via the communication unit 12.

[0050] Server 10 is a cloud server and includes (A) installation location identification means for identifying the locations of detection devices 1 to 4, (B) correction coefficient derivation means for performing correction processing, and (C) location search means for identifying the locations of wearable devices w1 and w2.

[0051] The installation location identification means includes (A-1) a setup instruction means in which the server 10 instructs each of the detection devices 1 to 4 to transmit a Wi-Fi signal and then transmit an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time has elapsed; (A-2) an installation information receiving means in which the server 10 instructs each of the detection devices that have received the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to transmit their own identification information and the reception time information for the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to the server 10, and receives this information; and (A-3) an installation location calculation means in which the server 10 calculates the distance between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device based on the reception time information and identifies their relative positional relationship.

[0052] The correction coefficient derivation means includes (B-1) a correction information acquisition instruction means that causes the server 10 to transmit Bluetooth signals to each of the detection devices 1 to 4 whose relative positional relationship has been identified, and (B-2) a correction information receiving means that causes the server 10 to receive its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal from each of the detection devices that have received the Bluetooth signal.

[0053] The correction coefficient derivation means further includes a correction coefficient calculation means in which the server 10 calculates a correction coefficient for the relationship between received signal strength and distance based on received signal strength information.

[0054] The correction coefficient calculation means calculates the distance (Du) calculated by the installation position calculation means and the reception strength of the Bluetooth signal (RSSI) for each detection device, as determined by the server 10. (1) ) and the received strength of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m (TxPower (1) ) and the correction coefficient element (f) calculated by the following relational equation (Equation 1) (1)Calculate the average value of

[0055] f (1) =(TxPower (1) -RSSI (1) ) / (10×(log 10 Du))···(Equation 1)

[0056] The location search means is such that the server 10 has a location information receiving means for receiving, from each of the detection devices 1 to 4, the reception intensity information of the Bluetooth signals from the wearable devices w1, w2 received by each of the detection devices 1 to 4.

[0057] Bluetooth is a wireless communication method for transmitting data at a distance of several meters to several tens of meters. Ultrasonic wave is a wireless communication method for transmitting data at a distance of several centimeters to several meters.

[0058] Also, the location search means further includes a location calculation means for the server 10 to calculate, for each detection device, the distance (Dw) to each wearable device from the reception intensity (RSSI (2) ) of the Bluetooth signal received from the wearable device and the reception intensity (TxPower (2) ) of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the mutual distance is 1 m, according to the following relational expression (Equation 2).

[0059] Dw = 10^((TxPower <00000'10>-RSSI (2) ) / (10×F))···(Equation 2)

[0060] The location search means has a location narrowing means for the server 10 to determine that the wearable device is located within the area where the circular diagrams generated with the position where each detection device is arranged as the center of the circle and the distance (Dw) as the radius overlap each other for each detection device.

[0061] In this embodiment, the server 10 automatically executes the program stored in the storage unit 13 and stores the set position information of each detection device, the location information of each wearable device, and various measurement results for a certain period of time. It automatically logs the data.

[0062] <Detection device> At least four detection devices are installed, and at least one can be freely placed anywhere. The detection devices are of the same type, have the same structure and function, and each has individual identification information. In this embodiment, it is an automatic search system that identifies wearable devices by their relative position to the detection devices, and all detection devices can be placed anywhere, for example, they can be placed in different locations from day to day. In this embodiment, the detection devices are described as detection devices 1 to 4, but there may be many more. Preferably, the detection devices are installed in the corners of the search target area so as to surround the expected movement area of ​​the target, depending on the shape of the search target area, but are not limited to this. The more detection devices installed, the higher the accuracy of searching for wearable devices can be.

[0063] The detection device 1 includes (J) Wi-Fi transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving Wi-Fi signals transmitted by other detection devices, (K) ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals transmitted by other detection devices, (L) Bluetooth transmitting and receiving means for transmitting Bluetooth signals to other detection devices and receiving Bluetooth signals transmitted by other detection devices and wearable devices, and (M) communication means for receiving instructions from a server and transmitting each reception time information and reception strength information of the Bluetooth signal, including identification information of the Bluetooth signal transmitting side, to the server 10.

[0064] Figure 2 is a schematic external perspective view showing the detection device of the automatic search system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the detection device 1 has an ultrasonic transmitter (transmitting speaker), an ultrasonic receiving microphone, and a receiving antenna for Wi-Fi signals and Bluetooth signals.

[0065] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functions of the detection device of the automatic search system in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, it also includes a Wi-Fi signal output unit, a Bluetooth signal transmission unit, and a communication module. In this embodiment, it is equipped with a temperature and humidity sensor. It also has a built-in LTE communication unit and can communicate with the server 10 via an LTE line. Therefore, detection devices 1 to 4 can receive instructions from the server 10 on the cloud and transmit various information and data received by detection devices 1 to 4 to the server 10.

[0066] The individual identification information for detection devices 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be referred to here as dp1, dp2, dp3, and dp4.

[0067] In this embodiment, the communication means provided in the detection device more specifically includes: (1) when Wi-Fi is received, transmitting the identification information of the receiving detection device and the reception time information of the Wi-Fi to the cloud server 10; (2) when an ultrasonic signal is received, transmitting the identification information of the receiving detection device and the reception time information of the ultrasonic signal to the cloud server 10; and (3) when a Bluetooth signal transmitted by another detection device is received, transmitting the identification information dp1, dp2, dp3, dp4 of the receiving detection device and the received strength information (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal linked to the identification information of the transmitting detection device. 12 RSSI 13 RSSI 14 RSSI 21 RSSI 23 RSSI 24 RSSI 31 RSSI 32 RSSI 34 RSSI 41 RSSI 42 RSSI 43(4) When a Bluetooth signal containing identification information wp1 and wp2 transmitted by wearable devices w1 and w2 is received, the received strength information (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal linked to the identification information wp1 and wp2, the receiving detection device's identification information (dp1, dp2, dp3, dp4), and the identification information of the wearable device that transmitted the signal are sent to the cloud server 10. w1d1 RSSI w1d2 RSSI w1d3 RSSI w1d4 RSSI w2d1 RSSI w2d2 RSSI w2d3 RSSI w2d4 This is a means of sending the above to the server 10. Note that the wearable devices will be described using wearable device w1 and wearable device w2, but there may be multiple devices.

[0068] When the search area is perceived as a rectangular area in plan view, it is preferable that each detection device be placed at one of the four corners of that area. In other words, the search area is set to be the area enclosed by the line segments connecting each detection device, but even outside the search area, the location of wearable devices can be identified to a certain extent, and for wearable devices that are further away, their direction of location can be determined to a certain extent. In this embodiment, the case with four detection devices is described as an example, but the number of detection devices is not limited to this, and five or more detection devices may be installed depending on the shape of the search area. The number of devices to be installed is selected according to the shape of the search area and the search accuracy. This system is basically intended to search for the location of wearable devices that move irregularly within this search area (the rectangular area enclosed by dashed lines in Figure 1), but it is not limited to this, and as will be described later, even if the wearable device moves outside the area, it can be searched, albeit with lower accuracy. While detection devices 1-4 are not generally intended to be moved multiple times a day, they may be made mobile by installing some or all of them on a moving vehicle or other mobile device, or by equipping the detection devices themselves with a mobility mechanism. This would allow the search area to be variable in accordance with the movement of the wearable device.

[0069] When detection device 1 receives Wi-Fi signals and ultrasonic signals transmitted by other detection devices 2 to 4, it transmits the identification information of the receiving detection device 1 and the time of reception of the signal to the cloud server 5 via the LTE line. When it receives a Bluetooth signal, it transmits the identification information of the receiving detection device and the reception strength (RSSI) of the signal to the cloud server 6 via the LTE line. The reception strength (RSSI) is a value that representatively shows the reception strength within a fixed period of time. Here, as an example, it is the average value of a fixed number of reception strengths from the most recent period, but it is not limited to this.

[0070] In this embodiment, the detection device 1 has a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, but in the case of a simpler device, the humidity sensor or temperature sensor may be omitted.

[0071] In this embodiment, the communication means of the detection device 1 transmits the measurement results from the temperature sensor and humidity sensor to the server 5. The detection device 1 and the server 5 transmit and receive data via an LTE connection.

[0072] Since detection devices 2, 3, and 4 are of the same type as detection device 1 and have the same structure and function, their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0073] <Administrator terminal> The administrator terminal 20 is a terminal equipped with an operation unit, a display unit, an output unit, and an OS, and is, for example, a PC terminal or a smartphone terminal, but is not limited to these. In this embodiment, the administrator terminal is not necessarily required.

[0074] According to this embodiment, when attempting to specifically determine the location of a wearable device attached to a target in relation to the detection devices, based on the received strength of the Bluetooth signal emitted by the device, using multiple detection devices capable of detecting the received strength of the Bluetooth signal without using GPS, it is not necessary to accurately measure the installation position of each detection device and understand its position coordinates as absolute values ​​as a preliminary step, nor is it necessary to pre-load these position coordinates into the system. Therefore, the burden of setup work can be reduced. Furthermore, even if the detection devices are moved to any location, the wearable device can be automatically searched by identifying the installation position of the detection devices. The location of the detection devices can be any location, making it highly convenient. The location of the target to which the wearable device is attached can be monitored periodically or irregularly.

[0075] <flow> The automated search method of this embodiment includes (a) a step of identifying the installation location, (b) a step of deriving a correction coefficient, and (c) a step of searching for the location.

[0076] In this system, during the preparation phase, the installation location of each detection device, which is placed one at any number of arbitrary locations, is determined by executing the (a) installation location determination step of the setting location determination mode, and then the correction coefficient is derived by executing the (b) correction coefficient derivation step of the correction coefficient derivation mode. Then, during the target search phase, the locations of any number of targets, each fitted with a wearable device, are searched by executing the (c) location search step of the wearable device search mode.

[0077] In this embodiment, the installation location identification step and the correction coefficient derivation step are automatically started from the server at regular intervals, such as once a day. Alternatively, they may be executed by inputting a command to start the installation location identification step from the administrator terminal to the server when the detection device is first placed or moved. The location search step can be performed multiple times a day, for example, every 5 minutes in this embodiment, but is not limited to this.

[0078] (Installation location identification step) In this embodiment, the automatic search method includes (a) the installation location identification step, which is repeated for all detection devices: (a-1) a setup instruction step (installation location identification step 1) in which the server 10 causes one of the detection devices 1 to 4 to transmit a Wi-Fi signal, and the server 10 causes an ultrasonic signal to transmit after a predetermined time (x seconds) has elapsed since the transmission; and (a-2) an installation information reception step (installation location identification step 2) in which the server 10 causes each detection device that has received the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to transmit its own identification information and the reception time information for the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal, respectively. In other words, the detection device that transmits the Wi-Fi signal followed by the ultrasonic signal is changed in order, and the detection device that has received both signals sends information to the server.

[0079] In this embodiment, the detection device has a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, and in the installation information receiving step (installation location identification step 2), the server 10 causes each detection device that has received the ultrasonic signal to transmit temperature information and humidity information to the server 10, and the server 10 receives them.

[0080] Detection device 1 receives instructions from the server, transmits Wi-Fi, and transmits an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time (for example, x seconds) has elapsed since the transmission.

[0081] The (a) installation location identification step of the automatic search method of this embodiment further includes (a-3) an installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3) in which the server 10 calculates the distance (Du) between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device based on the Wi-Fi signal reception time information and the ultrasonic signal reception time information for all detection devices, and identifies their relative positional relationship.

[0082] Figure 4 is a swimlane diagram (1) showing an example of the procedure for implementing the installation location identification step in the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In Figure 4, the flow is explained by first referring to the detection device that receives a command to transmit a Wi-Fi signal from the server 10 as detection device 1, and then referring to the detection device that receives a command to transmit a Wi-Fi signal from the server 10 as detection device 2. Note that subscripts are shown as regular characters in the figure because the characters would be smaller in that format.

[0083] When detection device 1 is the transmitting detection device, server 10 sends a command signal to detection device 1 instructing it to transmit Wi-Fi and then transmit an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time has elapsed since the transmission. In this case, detection devices 2, 3, and 4 function as receiving detection devices.

[0084] Figure 5 is a swimlane diagram (2) that continues from Figure 4. In Figure 5, the flow is explained using detection device 3 as the third detection device to receive a command to transmit a Wi-Fi signal from server 10, and detection device 4 as the next detection device to receive a command to transmit a Wi-Fi signal from server 10. After receiving information from all detection devices, the installation position calculation step (a-4) is performed.

[0085] In the installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), the server 10 calculates the distance Du using the following relational expression (Equation 3).

[0086] Du = c × (Ju - Jw - x) ... (Equation 3)

[0087] In Equation 3, the symbols are as follows: Du: Distance (m) between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device. c: Speed ​​of sound (m / s) Jw: Wi-Fi signal reception time (seconds) Ju: Time of reception of ultrasonic signal (seconds) x: Interval between transmission of Wi-Fi and ultrasonic signals (seconds)

[0088] In the installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), in detail, server 10, Du (ab) (The reception time of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted from one of the detection devices (a) and received by the other detection device (b) Jw (ab) and the time of reception of the ultrasonic signal Ju (ab) The distance Du calculated from Equation 3 is (ab) ) and Du (ba) (The reception time Jw of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted from detection device (b) and received by detection device (a) (ba) and the time of reception of the ultrasonic signal Ju (ba) The distance Du calculated from Equation 3 is (ba) The average of ) and the distance Du between detection device (a) and detection device (b) (abba) It is calculated as follows: (Du (ab) +Du (ba) )÷2=Du (abba)The calculation is performed using the formula below (where a and b are the detection device numbers).

[0089] In this embodiment, since a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor are included, in the installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), the server 10 calculates the sound velocity c using the following relational equation (Equation 4).

[0090] c=331.5+0.0124×H+0.606×T...(Formula 4) (c: speed of sound (m / s), T: temperature (℃), H: humidity (%))

[0091] By calculating the speed of sound using this formula, it becomes possible to perform calculations that are appropriate to the facility's environment when calculating the distance Du using Equation 3. On the other hand, if there is no humidity sensor or if changes in humidity are ignored for the sake of simplicity in the calculation, humidity H may be set to 50%. Figures 4 and 5 show the case where only temperature is measured. If there is no temperature sensor or if changes in temperature are ignored for the sake of simplicity in the calculation, temperature T may be set to 25°C.

[0092] The number of detection devices is not limited to four. When there are n detection devices, in the installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), in the example where temperature is the measured value and humidity is fixed at a constant value, (1) the reception time (Jw) of the Wi-Fi signal from the first detection device 1 (identification information dp1) transmitted from the first detection device 1 and received by the 2nd to nth detection devices 2, 3, ..., n (identification information dp2 to dpn) 12 Jw 13 , , , Jw 1n ) and the reception time (Ju 12 Ju 13 , , , Ju 1n ) and the time difference and each temperature at the time of reception (T 12 , T 13 , , , T 1n Based on this, the distance between the first detection device 1 and the second to nth detection devices 2, 3, ..., n (Du12 Du 13 , , , Du 1n (2) The reception time of the Wi-Fi signal from the second detection device 2 that is transmitted from the second detection device 2 and received by the first and third to nth detection devices 3, 4, ..., n (Jw 21 Jw 23 , , , Jw 2n ) and the reception time (Ju 21 Ju 23 , , , Ju 2n ) and the time difference and each temperature at the time of reception (T 21 , T 23 , , , T 2n Based on this, the distance between the second detection device 2 and the first and third to nth detection devices 1, 3, ..., n (Du 21 Du 23 , , , Du 2n (3) The reception time of the Wi-Fi signal from the third detection device 3 that is transmitted from the third detection device w3 and received by the first, second, fourth to nth detection devices 1, 2, 4, ..., n (Jw 31 Jw 32 , , , Jw 3n ) and the reception time (Ju 31 Ju 32 , , , Ju 3n ) and the time difference and each temperature at the time of reception (T 31 , T 32 , , , T 3n Based on this, the distance between the third detection device 3 and the first, second, fourth to nth detection devices 1, 2, 4, ..., n (Du 31 Du 32 , , , Du 3n Calculate ).

[0093] Wi-Fi transmission and reception are performed as a so-called preamble. Wi-Fi radio waves are faster than ultrasonic waves, and for the Wi-Fi radio waves transmitted from one detection device, the reception times at each of the other detection devices are approximately equal.

[0094] For example, when the humidity is 50%, Du 12 (m) = (331.5 (m / s) + 0.0124 × 50% + 0.606 × T 12 (℃)) × (Ju 12 - Jw 12 - x) is calculated as follows. When the server 10 receives and reflects the measured value of humidity, for example, in the calculation of Du 12 , instead of 50%, the value of H 12 is substituted.

[0095] T 12 = 25℃, and when the value of (Ju 12 - Jw 12 - x), that is, the time difference, is 0.029 seconds, Du 12 = 10m is calculated.

[0096] The distance Du 1221 between the detection device 1 and the detection device 2 is calculated as the average value of Du 12 and Du 21 . Similarly, the distances (Du 1331 , Du 1441 , Du 2332 , Du 2442 , Du 3443 ) between each of the other detection devices are calculated.

[0097] Ultrasonic waves are suitable for measurements in a short distance (about several cm to several tens of m) compared to radio waves and are suitable for grasping the positional relationship in a narrow range. Also, since ultrasonic waves (speed of sound) are slower than radio waves (speed of light: about 300,000 km / s), the detection of the time difference is relatively easy.

[0098] The server 10 stores the identification information of each detection device, the information such as each time, temperature, etc., received from each detection device, and the calculated results in the storage unit 13.

[0099] Since ultrasound can measure the distance between detection devices in close proximity, the process of determining the relative positions of each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal emitted by the wearable device, which is performed before the wearable device's location search begins, can be automated, reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location.

[0100] This system allows for determining the distance between detection devices and locating wearable devices. Furthermore, it improves the accuracy and reliability of wearable device location. Additionally, it allows for correction of temperature and humidity influences when calculating distance from ultrasonic signals.

[0101] The aforementioned installation location identification step eliminates the need for GPS, and the relative positions of the detection devices can be determined. Therefore, the process of determining the relative positions of the wearable devices to be located can be automated before starting the location search, reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location.

[0102] Furthermore, this effect is amplified by combining it with the correction coefficient derivation step described later.

[0103] (Correction coefficient derivation step) The automatic search method of this embodiment includes (a) the correction coefficient derivation step, which consists of (a-1) a correction information acquisition instruction step (correction coefficient derivation step 1) in which the server 10 instructs one of the detection devices 1 to 4 whose relative positional relationship has been identified to transmit a Bluetooth signal, (a-2) a correction information reception step (correction coefficient derivation step 2) in which each detection device that has received a Bluetooth signal transmits its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal to the server 10, and (a-3) for each detection device, the distance (Du) calculated in the installation position identification step and the received strength (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal. (1) The following relationship can be formed from the received strength (TxPower) of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m: f=(TxPower-RSSI (1) ) / (10×(log 10 Du))···(Equation 1) This includes a first step of calculating the correction coefficient (third step of deriving the correction coefficient) which calculates the correction coefficient element f by the following: Here, the received strength of the Bluetooth signal between detection devices is set to RSSI (1) This was done because the received strength of the Bluetooth signal from the wearable device, as described later, is measured using RSSI. (2) This is to distinguish it from the other.

[0104] Steps 1 to 3 of the correction coefficient derivation process, i.e., (i-1) to (i-3), are repeated until all correction coefficient elements (f) between detection devices are identified.

[0105] (i) The correction coefficient derivation step includes, after all the correction coefficient elements (f) between the detection devices have been identified, a second correction coefficient calculation step (correction coefficient derivation step 4) in which the average value of the correction coefficient elements (f) is calculated as the correction coefficient (F).

[0106] Figure 6 is a swimlane diagram showing an example of the procedure for performing the correction coefficient derivation step in the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The correction coefficient derivation step shown in Figure 6 is a continuation of the installation location identification step shown in Figure 5.

[0107] For example, Du, which was shown as a specific example in the setting position identification step 1221 Using this method, the correction coefficient F for the case where detection devices 1, 2, 3, and 4 are provided as shown in Figure 1 can be calculated as follows.

[0108] Correction coefficient element f between detection device 1 and detection device 2 1221 This can be determined by the following relation (Equation 5).

[0109] f 1221 =(TxPower-((RSSI 12 +RSSI 21 ) / 2)) / (log 10 Du 1221 )...(Formula 5)

[0110] Similarly, the correction coefficient element f between detection device 1 and detection device 3 is obtained. 1331 Correction coefficient element f between detection device 1 and detection device 4 1441 Correction coefficient element f between detection device 2 and detection device 3 2332 Correction coefficient element f between detection device 2 and detection device 4 2442 Correction coefficient element f between detection device 3 and detection device 4 3443 After determining these values, the average of these values ​​is used as the correction coefficient F for the area enclosed by detection devices 1, 2, 3, and 4. That is, it is calculated using the following relational equation (Equation 6).

[0111] F=(f 1221 +f 1331 +f 1441 +f 2332 +f 3443 ) / 6...(Formula 6)

[0112] According to this embodiment, the probability of being able to pinpoint a location can be increased by identifying it in overlapping areas.

[0113] The correction coefficient derivation step described above allows for the calculation of a corrected distance from Bluetooth measurements within the same space by relating the distance calculated from ultrasonic measurement results with the Bluetooth measurement results. Therefore, the relative positional relationship of each detection device to a wearable device to be measured later can be determined more accurately in accordance with the situation. Consequently, the process of determining the relative positions of wearable devices to be located, which is performed before starting the location search, can be automated, reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the target's location.

[0114] Compared to radio waves, ultrasound allows for easier adjustment of its frequency according to the environment of the installation location (e.g., shape and material of obstacles, distance, ambient noise level, etc.), enabling optimal distance measurement. Furthermore, because radio waves travel faster than ultrasound, distance measurement using radio waves requires precise equipment, whereas ultrasound travels more slowly, making distance measurement easier.

[0115] Furthermore, by combining this with the location search step described later, the probability of determining the location of a wearable device without using GPS can be increased.

[0116] If the location search step is performed without performing the correction coefficient derivation step, the correction coefficient (F) may be set to any value between 2.0 and 4.0 depending on the conditions of the area enclosed by the detection device. However, it is practically difficult to set this value on the server side each time according to the conditions, so it must be a fixed value, which may result in errors in the location calculated in the location search step.

[0117] (Location search step) (c) The location search step of the automatic search method of this embodiment includes (c-1) a location information reception step (location search step 1) in which the server 10 causes each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals transmitted from wearable devices w1 and w2 to transmit to the server 10 its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal, which includes the identification information of the wearable device that transmitted the signal, and receives the location information; and (c-2) the server 10 determines the distance to the wearable device (Dw) for each detection device by the received strength (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal received from the wearable device. (2) ) and the received strength of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m (TxPower (2) ) and the following relationship Dw = 10^((TxPower (2) -RSSI (2) ) / (10×F)) (Formula 2) The process includes a location calculation step (location search step 2) calculated by (U-3) and a location narrowing step (location search step 3) in which the server 10 determines that the wearable device is located within an estimated area where circular figures, each generated with the location where the detection device is placed as the center and the distance (Dw) as the radius, overlap. Therefore, the estimated area is the area where the circular figures for each detection device overlap each other.

[0118] Figure 7 is a swimlane diagram (first unit) showing an example of the procedure for performing the location search step in the automated search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0119] (1) The reception strength (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal transmitted from the first wearable device w1 (identification information wp1) and received by the first to nth detection devices 1, 2, ..., n (identification information dp1 to dpn). w1d1 RSSI w1d2 , , , RSSI w1dn Based on this, the distance (Dw) between the first wearable device w1 and the first to nth detection devices 1, 2, 3, ..., n is calculated. w11 Dw w13 , , , Dw w1n ) is calculated. Similarly, for the 2nd to gth wearable devices w2, w3, ..., wg (identification information wp2 to wpg), the received strength (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal received by the 1st to nth detection devices 1, 2, ..., n (identification information dp1 to dpn) is calculated. w2d1 RSSI w2d1 , , , RSSI wndg Based on this, the distance (Dw) between the 2nd to gth wearable device w1 and the 1st to nth detection devices 1, 2, 3, ..., n is calculated. w21 Dw w23 , , , Dw wgn Calculate ).

[0120] For example, based on the Bluetooth signal received by the detection device 4 from the wearable device w1, the wearable device w1 is detected at a radius r from the detection device 4. w14 =Dw w14 It is determined that it is located on or around the circumference of a circle at a distance of Dw w14 For example, with a frequency of 2.4GHz, a TxPower of 20dBm, and a measured Bluetooth signal reception strength (RSSI) w1d4 If the value is -1.6 dBm and F is 2.0 (the same as the theoretical value), then Dw w14 = 10^((20-(-1.6)) / (10×2.0)) = 12m is calculated.

[0121] Figure 8 is a swimlane diagram (second device) showing an example of the procedure for implementing the location search step in the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the wearable device may transmit an SOS signal along with the Bluetooth signal. The location search step in the wearable device search mode is a mode in which the location of each wearable device is searched using the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal transmitted by each wearable device, and is executed independently for each wearable device. The number of wearable devices is not limited to this, and the number may increase or decrease during the execution of this mode.

[0122] Figure 9 is a system flow diagram of the automatic search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The server 10 periodically (for example, once a day) performs the set location identification step and the correction coefficient derivation step, and then repeats the location search step at regular time intervals (for example, every 5 minutes), storing the time information and the location information of each wearable device in the storage unit 13 each time. Note that the location search step may be performed irregularly, and biometric information or the like may be received in addition to location information.

[0123] Figure 10 shows an example of a search image in the location narrowing step (location search step 3). Figure 10 illustrates the image of the calculation process within server 10, and does not necessarily require a floor plan or actual drawing, but it may be displayed on the screen of administrator terminal 20 by overlaying it with a floor plan.

[0124] Figure 10 schematically illustrates the process of locating the wearable device w1 based on measurement results from each detection device.

[0125] Server 10 uses the position where detection devices 1, 2, 3, and 4 are installed as the center of the circle, and the distance Dw 1d1 Dw 1d2 Dw 1d3 Dw 1d4This process generates circular figures (C1, C2, C3, C4 in Figure 10) with radius [specified value].

[0126] Server 10 determines that the wearable device w1, which is the target of the search, is located within the estimated area Ew1 where the circular shapes C1, C2, C3, and C4 overlap each other. Generally, the estimated area Ew1 becomes smaller as the detection accuracy increases.

[0127] Similarly, for the other wearable devices w2, w3, ..., wg, a circular shape is generated for each wearable device, and it is determined that the wearable devices w2, w3, ..., wg are located within the estimated areas E2, E3, ..., Eg where the circular shapes overlap each other.

[0128] Therefore, by identifying overlapping areas, the probability of being able to pinpoint the location can be increased.

[0129] In this embodiment, if server 10 determines that there is no area in which all of the circular figures of a wearable device overlap, in the location narrowing step (location search step 3), if there is no area in which all of the circular figures drawn for each detection device overlap, server 10 expands the radius of the circular figure of the detection device with the highest RSSI (Nth) by (N-1) × 10%. It then determines that the wearable device is located within the area in which each of the expanded circular figures overlaps.

[0130] For example, if the server 10 receives the signal strength from the wearable device w1 via the communication means, and the signal strength is highest in the order of detection devices 4, 1, 3, and 2, then the radius of the circle shape of detection device 4, which has the highest signal strength, will not expand Dw 1d4 Therefore, the radius of the circular figure of the detection device 1 with the second highest received signal strength is expanded by 10% (Dw 1d1 +Dw 1d1 (Dw) 1d3 +Dw 1d3(Dw) 1d2 +Dw 1d2 ×(4-1)×10%). Then, it is determined that each of the expanded circular shapes has a wearable device located within the area where they overlap each other.

[0131] This decision-making process is based on the idea that signals with lower reception strength are considered less reliable, and therefore the expansion rate is increased accordingly.

[0132] Even if accurate estimation is not possible using Bluetooth signal measurement distance, estimation can be performed without errors by gradually reducing the accuracy of measurements from detection devices at greater distances. In other words, even if it is determined that there is no area where all the circles overlap, the estimated area of ​​the wearable device can be derived without outputting an error. This is achieved by redrawing the circles based on the idea that signals with lower reception strength are less reliable and the expansion rate is increased.

[0133] According to the automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention, for each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, the task of determining the relative positions of each other, which is performed before the start of the location search for the wearable device, is automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to the search for the location of the target.

[0134] [Example 2] The automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention are, like Embodiment 1, suitable for, for example, nursing care facilities, and the basic configuration and each step are the same as those of Embodiment 1 described above. Therefore, the points common to Embodiment 1 will be omitted or simplified in the explanation.

[0135] Figure 11 is an illustrative diagram illustrating the automatic search method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This embodiment is an example in which the automatic search system of the present invention described above is applied to an elderly care facility. Furthermore, three detection devices are placed in fixed locations, and one or more other detection devices are movable. The location of the wearable device is identified by overlaying it with a floor plan of the facility stored in the memory unit. In addition, as shown in Figure 13 later, if the location can be identified using a mesh, some flexibility is allowed in the detection devices placed in fixed locations, depending on the coarseness of the mesh.

[0136] In this embodiment, the automated search system determines the location of wearable devices within a facility, that is, it identifies them by their absolute location. Three detection devices are placed in predetermined positions, but the other detection devices can be placed in any location.

[0137] In this embodiment, the server 10 has an administrator terminal 20 that can be connected to it via a network. The storage unit 13 of the server 10 stores plan view information of the search target area where the detection devices 1 to 4 are installed. The plan view information may include information indicating the location of hazardous areas, as shown in Figure 11. The registration of hazardous areas will be explained in Embodiment 4, so the explanation will be omitted here.

[0138] In this embodiment, the administrator terminal 20 is a terminal equipped with an operation unit, a display unit, an output unit, and an OS, and is, for example, a PC terminal or a smartphone terminal, and the display unit includes a screen unit that receives and displays various information transmitted from the server 10. The administrator can confirm the location of each target to which the wearable devices w1 and w2 are attached through the administrator terminal 20 and give necessary instructions to the server 10. In addition, various information stored in the storage unit 13 of the server 10 can be uploaded to the server 10 by the administrator terminal 20.

[0139] In this embodiment, the installation location identification means includes a detection device identification means in which the server 10 plots the positions of detection devices 1 to 4 on the plan view information stored in the storage unit 13 based on the relative positional relationship identified by the installation location calculation means. The server 10 overwrites the plan view information stored in the storage unit 13 with the plan view information on which the positions of detection devices 1 to 4 have been plotted and stores it, and retains the position information of the detection devices until new position information is transmitted from the detection devices.

[0140] In this embodiment, the location search means includes a location identification means in which the server 10 plots the location of the wearable device on the plan view information from the area identified by the location narrowing means. The server includes a location display means that transmits and displays plan view information plotting the location of the wearable device to the administrator terminal.

[0141] In this embodiment, wearable devices w1 and w2 are equipped with a communication unit capable of communicating with detection devices 1 to 4, and also have a detection unit that detects biological information of the organism wearing the device. The communication unit transmits this biological information along with the Bluetooth signal.

[0142] In the location display means, the estimated area may be displayed on the plan view information obtained by plotting each detection device 1 to 4 using the aforementioned detection device display means. However, as shown in the embodiment described later, the estimated area may also be displayed on the plan view information obtained by omitting the plotting of each detection device.

[0143] <flow> The automated search method of this embodiment includes the steps described in Embodiment 1: (a) installation location identification step, (b) correction coefficient derivation step, and (c) location search step.

[0144] In this embodiment, (a) after the (a-3) installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3) in the installation location identification step, (a-4) the server 10 includes a detection device display step (installation location identification step 4) in which the server 10 plots the position of each detection device on the plan view information based on the relative positional relationship identified in the installation location calculation step.

[0145] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after (c) the location search step (c-3) location narrowing step (location search step 3), the (c-4) location display step (location search step 4) is included, in which the location of each wearable device is plotted on the plan view information from the estimated area.

[0146] Furthermore, in this embodiment, (U-4) In the location display step (location search step 4), the server 10 displays a plan view information The plan view information, which plots the positions of each detection device and the wearable devices, is sent to the administrator terminal 20 for display.

[0147] Figure 12 is an illustrative diagram of the method for combining a plan view with the automatic search method in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Server 10 determines the location of wearable devices w1 and w2 (estimated area E). w1 , E w2 After generating a plan view (represented by an illustration of a wristwatch in Figure 12), the plan view information, with the location plotted on the plan view information read from the storage unit 13, is sent to the administrator terminal 20 (represented by an illustration of a PC monitor in Figure 12). The screen of the administrator terminal 20 can display this plan view information, allowing the location of the target to be confirmed, on which the wearable devices w1 and w2 are attached.

[0148] Figure 13 is an image of the management screen in the automated search system of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. For example, in addition to displaying the exact location, it may also show which block, divided by a mesh, the wearable device is located in. Dangerous areas may be displayed as blocks divided by a mesh.

[0149] Figure 14 is a flowchart illustrating the automatic search method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 14 shows an image of the process from identifying the relative positions of the four devices in the installation location identification step to indicating the location of the wearable device by overlaying it with a plan view in the location display step of the location search step.

[0150] According to the automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention, for each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, the task of determining the relative positions of each other, which is performed before the start of the location search for the wearable device, is automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the location of the target.

[0151] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects described in Example 1, the distance between detection devices calculated from the Bluetooth signal and the position of the wearable device corrected based on this can be reflected in the plan view information. Also, the administrator can grasp the target's location status at a glance.

[0152] [Example 3] The automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 3 of the present invention are suitable for, for example, kindergartens with shuttle buses, and the basic configuration and each step are the same as those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 described above. Therefore, the points that are common to these will be omitted or simplified in the explanation.

[0153] In this embodiment, areas where a wearable device worn by an infant should not be detected are stored as fixed areas. When a school bus carrying children returns to a bus parking area, the present invention can be used as a monitoring system to check whether children have been left behind on the bus after parking. Specifically, it is carried out as follows.

[0154] In this embodiment, before the installation location determination step, four of the detection devices, for example, detection devices 1 to 4 shown in Figure 15, are placed in predetermined locations, for example, at the four corners of the bus parking area.

[0155] The server 10 then performs the setting location identification steps 1 to 3 and includes a fixed area generation step in which it records the area identified by the installation location identification step as a fixed area in the storage unit 13 for the four predetermined detection devices described above. The fixed area is a rectangular area enclosed by line segments connecting detection devices 1 to 4, and is set up so as to encompass the bus parking space. The area remains fixed unless any of the detection devices 1, 2, 3, or 4 move. In Embodiment 2, the parking lot plan information is not required, and therefore the detection device display step (installation location identification step 4) and location display step (location search step 4), which plot the detection devices on the plan information described in Embodiment 2, do not need to be performed. The server 10 stores the generated fixed area in the storage unit.

[0156] In the automatic search of a fixed area, (c) the location search step ends with (c-3) the location narrowing step (location search step 3), followed by (d) the abandoned warning step. The (d) abandoned warning step includes (d-1) an abandoned determination step (abandoned warning step 1) in which the server 10 determines whether part or all of the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) is within the fixed area, and (d-2) an abandoned information transmission step (abandoned warning step 2) in which the server 10 transmits warning information to the administrator terminal 20 if it determines in the abandoned determination step that the area is within the fixed area.

[0157] In this embodiment, the administrator terminal 20 has the configuration described in Embodiment 2. The output unit includes a speaker unit that sounds an alarm when it receives warning information, etc. Furthermore, the administrator terminal 20 and the server 10 have email sending and receiving functions, and in the abandoned information transmission step (abandonment warning step 2), the server 10 may notify the administrator terminal of warning information, etc., by email. Alternatively, in the abandoned information transmission step (abandonment warning step 2), the administrator terminal 20 may display a warning screen or sound a notification.

[0158] In this embodiment, the information processing unit 11 of the server 10 executes a program that includes a location search step in addition to an abandoned device warning step as a wearable device search mode.

[0159] Figure 15 is an illustrative diagram of the installation locations of the detection devices in the automated search system of Embodiment 3 of the present invention. This embodiment is an example in which the automated search system of the present invention described above is applied in a kindergarten. Detection devices are installed at the four corners of the designated parking area, which is a fixed area, and the system searches for whether any children have been left behind in buses that have entered the fixed area.

[0160] Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of the automatic search system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Except for the detection devices placed at the four corners of the bus parking area, the detection devices are movable and installed within the kindergarten facility. Automatic searching outside of the fixed area is the same as in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. Except for the bus abandonment warning, the system periodically searches for the location of children within the building, similar to Embodiment 2. The management screen displayed on the administrator terminal may also display additional information such as temperature and humidity. Furthermore, it may display warning information about abandonment. It may also display information about intrusion into dangerous locations that have been permanently registered, as shown in Embodiment 4 described later.

[0161] Figure 17 is a system flow diagram of the automatic search method of Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Server 10 executes location search steps 1 to 4 unless it receives a signal to end the wearable device search mode, and generates an estimated area for each target wearing a wearable device. Next, Server 10 determines whether the estimated area is located within a fixed area. If part or all of the estimated area is included within the fixed area, it determines that there is a possibility that the target is located within the fixed area, and Cloud Server 10 sends alert information to the administrator terminal. Subsequently, location search steps 1 to 4 are repeatedly executed, and alert information is repeatedly sent as long as it is determined that the estimated area (target) is located within the fixed area.

[0162] If the system determines that the estimated area is not located within the fixed area, it will conclude that there are no children left behind within the fixed area, meaning there are no children in the bus parking area, including the school bus, and the automated search within the fixed area will end. The automated search within the kindergarten facilities will continue, without including the child abandonment warning step.

[0163] In this embodiment, three detection devices are placed in fixed locations, and one or more other detection devices are movable. The location of the wearable device is determined by overlaying the detection device with a floor plan of the facility stored in the memory unit. However, when determining the relative location of the wearable device with respect to the detection devices, all detection devices may be freely movable. However, in the area where the abandoned device warning step is performed, it is preferable to fix and place four of the detection devices in predetermined locations.

[0164] Furthermore, drivers may be required to wear wearable devices, and if a device is detected within the designated area and then not detected within the designated area within a predetermined time (the time required for transportation plus a little extra), additional alert information may be sent to the administrator terminal. This allows the administrator to be aware if the bus is not parked within the designated area upon return, and to prompt the bus to move into the designated area, thereby preventing signals from wearable devices of children left behind on the bus from going undetected within the designated area.

[0165] According to the automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 3 of the present invention, for each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, the task of determining the relative positions of each other, which is performed before the start of the location search for the wearable device, is automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the location of the target.

[0166] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects described in Example 1 or Example 2, it is possible to detect if a child or other person has been left unattended in a designated area. Even if human error occurs, this system can recover.

[0167] [Example 4] The automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 4 of the present invention are suitable for, for example, construction sites, and the basic configuration and each step are the same as those of Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2, or Embodiment 3 described above. Therefore, the points that are common to these will be omitted or simplified in the explanation.

[0168] In this embodiment, a warning message is sent to a management terminal when a worker at a construction site approaches a dangerous area, such as a hole. Since dangerous areas may shift depending on the progress of the construction, the fixed areas shown in Embodiment 3 are insufficient. In this embodiment, the site supervisor can register and update dangerous areas and their vicinity as dangerous areas using a wearable device they wear.

[0169] One of the wearable devices (for example, a terminal worn by a site supervisor; here referred to as the supervisor's wearable device) has a switch that emits a hazard registration signal for registering hazardous locations. The supervisor's wearable device is a terminal that can receive instructions for registering hazardous locations from the management terminal 20 via email, telephone, or other means of communication.

[0170] In this embodiment, the information processing unit 11 of the server 10 executes a program including a hazardous location registration step in hazardous location registration mode, and executes a program including a monitoring step in monitoring mode.

[0171] In this embodiment, (o) a hazardous location registration step is included. The hazardous location registration step includes: (o-1) a hazard signal transmission step (hazardous location registration step 1) in which the supervisor wearable device receives a hazardous location registration instruction, and the supervisor wearable device receives an ON / OFF status of a switch that transmits a hazard registration signal, and when the switch is turned ON by operation of the supervisor wearable device by the site supervisor, the supervisor transmits a Bluetooth signal including a hazard registration signal one or more times; and (o-2) a hazardous location storage step (hazardous location registration step 2) in which the server 10, when the signal received from the detection device is a Bluetooth signal including a hazard registration signal, stores in the storage unit 13 an estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and within a predetermined distance from the estimated area as a hazardous location. The switch may be a physical button or an operation acceptance display on an LCD screen.

[0172] Server 10 stores the estimated area of ​​the supervisory wearable device and a range within a certain distance (r) from the center of the estimated area as hazardous locations in its memory. If Server 10 receives multiple Bluetooth signals containing hazard registration signals from the same supervisory wearable device within a certain period of time, it also stores the area enclosed by the estimated area obtained from those signals as a hazardous location in its memory. This allows for accurate registration of even large hazardous locations by circling them while transmitting Bluetooth signals containing hazard registration signals from the supervisory wearable device.

[0173] It is preferable that the server 10 has pre-registered the identification information of the supervisory wearable device in its storage unit. In this case, the switch that emits the danger registration signal may be a button on a normal wearable device, such as an SOS button. The combination of the identification information of the supervisory wearable device and the signal from the SOS button can be treated as a danger registration signal. In this case, it is not necessary to receive instructions to register a dangerous location from the administrator terminal.

[0174] Furthermore, when the administrator terminal 20 sends a notification to the site supervisor's wearable device to register a hazardous location, it is preferable to also notify the server 10 of the hazardous location registration mode. In this case, the server 10 does not need to have the identification information of the supervisor's wearable device pre-registered in its storage unit.

[0175] In this embodiment, the storage unit also records location information of the hazardous location, and (k) the monitoring step is included. (k) The monitoring step includes (k-1) a hazard determination step (monitoring step 1) in which the server 10 determines whether the distance between the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and the hazardous location is less than or equal to a predetermined distance, and (k-2) a hazard information transmission step (monitoring step 2) in which the server 10 transmits hazard information to the administrator terminal 20 if it determines in the hazard determination step (monitoring step 1) that the distance is less than or equal to the predetermined distance.

[0176] In the danger information transmission step (monitoring step 2), the administrator terminal 20 may display a screen with danger information or sound a notification.

[0177] The hazardous location registration step in the hazardous location registration mode, the monitoring step (k) in the monitoring mode, and the location search step (c) in the wearable device search mode can all be performed in parallel while the device is in operation. When the target approaches a hazardous location during the location search step, hazard information is sent to the administrator terminal to notify it of the approach to the hazardous location.

[0178] In this embodiment, the administrator terminal 20 has the configuration described in Embodiment 3.

[0179] FIG. 18 is an image diagram of the management screen of the automatic search system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. This embodiment is an embodiment in which the automatic search system of the present invention described above is applied at a construction site. Except for the registration / updating of dangerous locations, the location of the worker is periodically searched in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The plan view information including the location of the wearable device is displayed on the administrator terminal in real time, and when the wearable device has entered a dangerous location, a warning notice is sent to the management terminal. In this embodiment, the dangerous location is registered by the wearable device, but in addition to this or instead of this, the monitoring step may be performed by setting a fixed area as one of the dangerous locations as in Embodiment 3.

[0180] In this embodiment, further, the wearable devices w1 and w2 have a detection unit for detecting the biological information of the worn living body, but are not limited thereto. Also, in this embodiment, the communication means of the wearable devices w1 and w2 transmits the biological information detected by the detection unit to the server, but is not limited thereto.

[0181] As shown in FIG. 18, in addition to each information described in Embodiment 3, biological information obtained from the wearable device, such as the body temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen concentration of each worker, may be displayed on the administrator terminal 20.

[0182] FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the automatic search method according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, and particularly, is a flow explanatory diagram of the dangerous location registration step.

[0183] In this embodiment, in the (ii) dangerous location storage step (dangerous location registration step 2) of the (i) dangerous location registration step, the server 10 sets, as a dangerous location, the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and the range within a predetermined distance (r in FIG. 19) from the estimated area based on the signal from the supervisory wearable device, and stores it in the storage unit 13.

[0184] FIG. 20 is a swimlane diagram showing an example of the implementation procedure of the dangerous location registration step in the automatic search method according to Example 4 of the present invention. Identify and memorize the dangerous locations specified by the supervisory wearable device (supervisory wearable device w0 in FIG. 20).

[0185] FIG. 21 is a system flowchart of the automatic search method according to Example 4 of the present invention. Regarding the monitoring step, when the location searched as the location of the wearable device is "within a predetermined distance" from the area registered as a dangerous location, the server 10 notifies the administrator terminal 20, and determines whether it is a dangerous state based on the result of the biometric information received from the wearable device. If it is dangerous (for example, high fever, high heart rate, etc.), it notifies the administrator terminal that it is in a dangerous state. When receiving such a notification, since the worker wearing the wearable device may not be able to take appropriate danger avoidance actions on their own, the administrator can request assistance from other workers to provide assistance to the worker.

[0186] FIG. 22 is an image diagram of the management screen in the automatic search system according to Example 4 of the present invention. The biometric information and the presence or absence of SOS signals obtained from the wearable devices of the workers can be displayed on the management screen in a list.

[0187] In this embodiment, only the administrator terminal 20 is notified of the danger information. However, when the server has a function of sending emails to each wearable device and the email addresses of each wearable device are stored in the storage unit 13, in addition, the wearable device may be notified of the danger information. When the wearable device is equipped with a speaker unit, the wearable device that has received the attention-calling information may sound an alarm to prompt the target wearing the wearable device to pay attention.

[0188] According to the automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 4 of the present invention, for each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, the task of determining the relative positions of each other, which is performed before the start of the location search for the wearable device, is automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to searching for the location of the target.

[0189] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects described in Examples 1 to 3, if a hazardous location moves due to the progress of construction, the hazardous location stored in the server 10 is updated again after a certain period of time has elapsed, through a hazardous location registration step from the supervisor's wearable device. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if a hazardous location changes, it can be updated on-site, thus ensuring the safety of workers and enhancing the effectiveness of monitoring for hazard avoidance.

[0190] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the administrator can monitor the target's status in real time, determine whether the target is approaching a dangerous area based on the location of the wearable device, and send a warning message if it is determined that the target is below a predetermined distance, thereby prompting the administrator, or the target through the administrator, to be alerted.

[0191] Furthermore, in this embodiment, three detection devices are placed in fixed locations, while one or more other detection devices are movable. The location of the wearable device is identified by overlaying it with a site plan of the construction site stored in the memory unit. However, when identifying the relative location of the wearable device in relation to the detection devices, all detection devices may be made freely movable. Hazardous locations can also be identified in relation to the detection devices, eliminating the need to place all three devices in fixed locations, and enabling the registration and monitoring of hazardous locations.

[0192] [Example 5] The automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 5 of the present invention are suitable for, for example, a ranch, and the basic configuration and each step are the same as those of Embodiment 2 described above. Therefore, the points common to Embodiment 2 will be omitted or simplified in the explanation.

[0193] In this embodiment, the system automatically searches for the location of animals within the pasture, such as sheep and cows, and also calculates their activity levels, how many times they have eaten, and provides health management, such as checking if they are unable to move due to illness.

[0194] In this embodiment, the administrator terminal 20 has the configuration described in Embodiment 3.

[0195] Figure 23 is an image diagram of the automated search system according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. This embodiment is an example in which the automated search system of the present invention described above is applied in a pasture. In this embodiment, all detection devices are movable, and additional functions such as calculating the amount of exercise, memorizing the number of meals, and detecting prolonged periods of inactivity can be added, while other basic automated search methods can be the same as in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. In this embodiment, based on the distance between detection devices 1 to 4 obtained by executing the set position identification mode, detection devices 1 to 4 are plotted on a plan view of a pasture where multiple animals (e.g., sheep) are raised, and the present invention can be used as a system to monitor the health status of animals by monitoring the amount of movement and number of meals of animals wearing wearable devices.

[0196] Figure 24 is a system flow diagram of the automatic search method of Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The feeding area can be specified in advance, similar to the fixed area in Embodiment 3, or it can be specified within a range of a certain distance, similar to the dangerous area in Embodiment 4.

[0197] In this embodiment, the server 10 records the estimated area in the storage unit 13 each time an estimated area is generated. This allows the server to track the movement trajectory of each target. If the amount of movement is less than or equal to a predetermined value (for example, if it is determined that the amount of movement is small by comparing it with the estimated areas of past records), the server checks whether the target is located in the feeding area.

[0198] If it is determined that the animal is in a feeding area (i.e., the distance between the feeding area and the estimated area is very short), it will be counted as a contact.

[0199] Furthermore, if the amount of movement is below a predetermined value but the animal is determined not to be at the feeding area, it is determined that there may be some abnormality in the animal, and a warning message is sent from server 10 to the administrator terminal.

[0200] In this way, by searching for the location of animals within the pasture and recording the search results, it is possible to monitor the animals' activity levels (movement) and the number of times they are at feeding grounds as feeding frequency, thereby allowing us to observe their behavior.

[0201] In this embodiment, three detection devices are placed in fixed locations, while one or more other detection devices are movable. The location of the wearable device is determined by overlaying the detection device with a floor plan of the ranch stored in the memory unit. However, when determining the relative location of the wearable device with respect to the detection devices, all detection devices may be made freely movable.

[0202] According to the automated search system and automated search method of Embodiment 5 of the present invention, for each detection device that receives Bluetooth signals emitted by a wearable device, the task of determining the relative positions of each other, which is performed before the start of the location search for the wearable device, is automated, thereby reducing the burden of setup work performed prior to the search for the location of the target.

[0203] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0204] According to the automatic search system and automatic search method of the present invention, the location of a target can be easily and with a certain degree of accuracy not only inside buildings such as nursing homes and kindergartens, but also outdoors such as farms and construction sites, and is therefore expected to be applied to a variety of uses.

[0205] Also, by determining that the user is located within an area where circular figures drawn centered on the positions where each detection device is arranged overlap, the user's location can be searched with a certain degree of accuracy.

[0206] The automatic search system of the present invention can be applied to a system that searches for the location of a user with a certain degree of accuracy using Bluetooth signals, such as confirming the safety of an observed person.

[0207] Also, by combining with the acquisition of health information measured by a wearable device, various other applications can be considered.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0208] 1 Detection device (the first one) 2 Detection device (the second one) 3 Detection device (the third one) 4 Detection device (the fourth one) w1 Wearable device (the first one) w2 Wearable device (the second one) 10 Server 11 Information processing unit 12 Communication unit 13 Storage unit 20 Administrator terminal

Claims

1. Four or more detection devices, each possessing individual identification information, A Bluetooth signal transmitting unit that transmits a Bluetooth® signal at predetermined intervals, and one or more wearable devices having individual identification information, A cloud server having a memory unit and connected to each of the detection devices via an LTE line, An automatic search system having a wearable device, which searches for the location of the wearable device, (A) The server provides setup instruction means to each of the detection devices to transmit a Wi-Fi signal and then transmit an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time has elapsed, The server has a detection device that receives the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal, respectively, and transmits its own identification information and the reception time information for the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to the server, and the server receives the installation information receiving means. The server includes an installation position calculation means that calculates the distance between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device based on the respective reception time information and determines their relative positional relationship. It has an installation location identification means for identifying the location of the detection device, (B) Correction information acquisition instruction means that causes the server to transmit a Bluetooth signal to each of the detection devices whose relative positional relationship has been identified, The server causes each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal to transmit its own identification information and the received signal strength information of the Bluetooth signal to the server, and the correction information receiving means receives the correction information. It has a means for deriving a correction coefficient that performs correction processing, (C) The server has location information receiving means that receives reception strength information of the Bluetooth signal from the wearable device received by each of the detection devices, and location search means that identifies the location of the wearable device, Equipped with, The aforementioned detection device Each unit has individual identification information, and at least one unit can be freely placed in any location. A Wi-Fi transmitting and receiving means that transmits a Wi-Fi signal and receives a Wi-Fi signal transmitted by another detection device, An ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means that transmits an ultrasonic signal and receives an ultrasonic signal transmitted by another detection device, Bluetooth transmitting and receiving means that transmits a Bluetooth signal to other detection devices and receives Bluetooth signals transmitted by other detection devices and the wearable device, A communication means that receives instructions from the server and transmits to the server the reception time information and the reception strength information of the Bluetooth signal, which includes the identification information of the Bluetooth signal sender. An automated search system characterized by having the following features.

2. The automatic search system according to claim 1, further comprising a correction coefficient derivation means, wherein the server calculates a correction coefficient for the relationship between received strength and distance based on the received strength information.

3. The correction coefficient calculation means calculates the distance (Du) calculated by the installation position calculation means and the received strength of the Bluetooth signal (RSSI) for each detection device by the server. （１） The following relationship can be formed from the following: ) and the received strength (TxPower) of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m. f = (TxPower - RSSI （１） ) / (10 × (log １０ Du))...(Equation 1) The average value of the correction coefficient elements (f) calculated by the above method is used as the correction coefficient (F). And, The location search means further includes the server determining the distance (Dw) to the wearable device for each detection device based on the received strength (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal received from the wearable device. （２） The following relationship can be formed from the following: ) and the received strength (TxPower) of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m. Dw=10^((TxPower-RSSI （２） ) / (10×F)・・・(Equation 2) The automatic search system according to claim 2, characterized by having a location calculation means that calculates by

4. The aforementioned detection device It has a temperature sensor and / or a humidity sensor, The communication means of the detection device transmits the measurement results from the temperature sensor and / or humidity sensor to the server. And, The aforementioned wearable device It comprises a communication unit capable of communicating with the aforementioned detection device, and a detection unit that detects biological information of the attached living organism, The automatic search system according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication means of the wearable device transmits the biometric information detected by the detection unit to the server.

5. The location searching means includes: The automatic search system according to claim 3, characterized in that the server has a location narrowing means that determines that the wearable device is located within an area where circular figures, each generated with the position where the detection device is located as the center and the distance (Dw) as the radius, overlap.

6. Furthermore, the server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to it via a network, The storage unit stores plan view information of the search target area where the detection device is installed. The installation location identification means includes a detection device identification means that plots the position of the detection device on the plan view information based on the relative positional relationship identified by the installation location calculation means, The location searching means includes: The server has location identification means that plots the location of the wearable device on the plan view information from the area identified by the location narrowing means. The automatic search system according to claim 5, characterized in that the server has a location display means that transmits and displays plan view information plotting the location of the wearable device to the administrator terminal.

7. Four or more detection devices, each possessing individual identification information, A Bluetooth signal transmitting unit that transmits a Bluetooth signal at predetermined intervals, and one or more wearable devices having individual identification information, A cloud server having a memory unit and connected to each of the detection devices via an LTE line, An automated search method for determining the location of the wearable device using the following: The installation location identification step includes, and the installation location identification step is The server instructs one of the detection devices to transmit a Wi-Fi signal, and the server instructs the detection device to transmit an ultrasonic signal after a predetermined time (x seconds) has elapsed since the transmission, in a setup instruction step (installation location identification step 1), The server causes each detection device that receives the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal to transmit its own identification information and the reception time information for the Wi-Fi signal and the ultrasonic signal, and repeats this installation information reception step (installation location identification step 2) for all detection devices, and further, The server performs an installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3) in which it calculates the distance (Du) between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device based on the respective reception time information and identifies their relative positional relationship. An automated search method characterized by including the following.

8. moreover, The server performs a correction information acquisition instruction step (correction coefficient derivation step 1) in which it causes one of the detection devices whose relative positional relationship has been identified to transmit a Bluetooth signal, Each detection device that receives the Bluetooth signal transmits its own identification information and the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal to the server, and receives the correction information (correction coefficient derivation step 2). For each detection device, the following relationship is formed from the distance (Du) calculated in the installation position identification step, the received strength of the Bluetooth signal (RSSI), and the received strength of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1 m (TxPower). f （１） =(Txrower) （１） -RSSI （１） ) / (10×(log １０ )・・・(Form 1) Correction coefficient element f （１） The first step in calculating the correction coefficient (the third step in deriving the correction coefficient) is to calculate the following: Includes a correction coefficient element (f) between the detection devices. （１） Repeat steps 1 to 3 of the correction coefficient derivation until all of the specified values ​​are identified. Next, the correction coefficient element (f （１） The second step of calculating the correction coefficient (correction coefficient derivation step 4) is to calculate the average value of ) as the correction coefficient (F), The automatic search method according to claim 7, characterized by including the following:

9. moreover, The server causes each detection device that receives a Bluetooth signal transmitted from the wearable device to transmit to the server the received strength information of the Bluetooth signal, which includes its own identification information and the identification information of the wearable device that transmitted the signal, and receives the location information (location search step 1), The server determines the distance (Dw) to the wearable device for each detection device by measuring the received strength (RSSI) of the Bluetooth signal received from the wearable device. （２） ) and the received strength of the Bluetooth signal received by the receiving detection device when the distance between them is 1m (TxPower （２） ) From this, the following relationship Dw=10^((TxPower （２） -RSSI （２） ) / (10×F)・・・(Equation 2) The location calculation step (location search step 2) is calculated by the following, The server performs a location narrowing step (location search step 3) in which it determines that the wearable device is located within an estimated area where circular figures, generated with the position where the detection device is located as the center and the distance (Dw) as the radius, overlap. The automated search method according to claim 8, characterized by including the following:

10. In the above installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The aforementioned server, The following relationship Du=c×(Ju-Jw-x)...(Formula 3) Du: The distance (in meters) between the transmitting detection device and the receiving detection device. c: Speed ​​of sound (m / s) Jw: Time of Wi-Fi signal reception (seconds) Ju: Time of reception of ultrasonic signal (seconds) x: Interval between transmission of Wi-Fi signal and ultrasonic signal (seconds) The distance Du is calculated by this method. The automated search method according to claim 7, characterized in that it is a feature of the present invention.

11. In the above installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The aforementioned server, The reception time Jw of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted from one of the detection devices (a) and received by the other detection device (b) （ａｂ） and the time of reception of the ultrasonic signal Ju （ａｂ） The distance Du calculated from the above formula 3 is （ａｂ） and, The reception time Jw of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted from detection device (b) and received by detection device (a). （ｂａ） and the time of reception of the ultrasonic signal Ju （ｂａ） The distance Du calculated from the above formula 3 is （ｂａ） The average value of and the distance Du between detection device (a) and detection device (b) （ａｂｂａ） The automatic search method according to claim 10, characterized in that it is calculated as follows.

12. The detection device has a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, In the installation information receiving step (installation location identification step 2), The automatic search method according to claim 7, characterized in that the server causes each detection device that receives the ultrasonic signal to transmit temperature information and humidity information to the server and receive it.

13. In the above installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The aforementioned server has the following relational expression c=331.5+0.0124×H+0.606×T...(Formula 4) (c: speed of sound (m / s), T: temperature (°C), H: humidity (%)) The automatic search method according to claim 12, characterized in that the speed of sound c is calculated by this method.

14. The storage unit stores plan view information of the search target area where the detection device is installed. After the installation location calculation step (installation location identification step 3), The server includes a detection device display step (installation location identification step 4) in which it plots the position of the detection device on the plan view information based on the relative positional relationship identified in the installation location calculation step, After the location narrowing step (location search step 3), The automatic search method according to claim 9, characterized in that it includes a location display step (location search step 4) of plotting the location of the wearable device on the plan view information from the estimated area.

15. One of the wearable devices has a switch that emits a hazard registration signal for registering hazardous locations, and includes a hazardous location registration step, The aforementioned hazardous location registration step, The wearable device receives the ON / OFF status of the switch, and when the switch is turned ON, it transmits a Bluetooth signal including the danger registration signal in a danger signal transmission step (dangerous location registration step 1), The automatic search method according to claim 9, characterized in that when the server is a Bluetooth signal including the danger registration signal, it includes a danger location storage step (danger location registration step 2) which stores in the storage unit the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and the area within a predetermined distance from the estimated area as danger locations.

16. The server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to it via a network, and the storage unit records location information of dangerous places. The server performs a risk determination step (monitoring step 1) which determines whether the distance between the estimated area generated by the location narrowing step (location search step 3) and the hazardous location is less than or equal to a predetermined distance, The automatic search method according to claim 9, further comprising a danger information transmission step (monitoring step 2) in which the server transmits danger information to the administrator terminal when it determines in the danger determination step (monitoring step 1) that the distance is less than or equal to a predetermined distance.

17. In the aforementioned location narrowing step (location search step 3), The automatic search method according to claim 9, characterized in that, if there is no area in which all of the circular figures drawn for each detection device overlap, the server expands the radius of the circular figure of the detection device with the highest RSSI for the Nth device by (N-1) × 10% each time.

18. The memory unit stores plan view information of the area to be searched. Furthermore, the server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to it via a network, In the aforementioned location display step (location search step 4), The automatic search method according to claim 14, characterized in that, after the relative positional relationship between the detection devices is determined, the server plots each of the detection devices on the plan view information and transmits the plan view information, which plots the positions of the wearable devices, to the administrator terminal for display.

19. The server has an administrator terminal that can be connected to via the network, Regarding the four detection devices that are placed in predetermined locations among the aforementioned detection devices, after the installation location identification step, The fixed area generation step includes recording the area identified by the installation location identification step as a fixed area in the storage unit, Furthermore, after the location search step, a neglect warning step is included, The aforementioned abandonment warning step is, The server performs an abandoned area determination step (abandonment warning step 1) to determine whether part or all of the estimated area is within the fixed area, The automatic search method according to claim 9, characterized in that it includes an abandoned information transmission step (abandonment warning step 2) in which the server transmits warning information to the administrator terminal when it determines in the abandoned determination step that the abandoned item is within the fixed area.

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