Devices, management systems, and management methods

Abstract

To provide a device, a management system and a management method capable of reducing the burden of installation work or the like.SOLUTION: A device Dv is provided with an imaging unit 56, a storage unit 53 that stores image information obtained by imaging with the imaging unit 56, a control unit 52, a tag receiving unit 57, and a wireless communication unit 54. The control unit 52 starts recording control using the imaging unit 56 and the storage unit 53 in response to reception of a beacon signal including tag information from a wireless tag Wt carried by the user by the tag receiving unit 57, and transmits the tag information and the image information to a server Sv using the wireless communication unit 54.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device, a management system, and a management method.

Background Art

[0002] Various management systems for analyzing the movement lines of visitors in stores and the like have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional management system. The management system disclosed in this document includes a plurality of IC tag readers. Each of the plurality of IC tag readers receives a signal from an IC tag provided on a shopping cart. The plurality of IC tag readers are installed on the sales floor of a store.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to provide a plurality of IC tag readers on the sales floor of a store, construction work such as embedding the plurality of IC tag readers in the floor is required. In addition, LAN construction work or the like for wireless communication by the plurality of IC tag readers is required.

[0005] The present invention has been conceived under the circumstances described above, and an object thereof is to provide a device, a management system, and a management method that can reduce the burden of installation work and the like.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A device provided by a first aspect of the present invention comprises an imaging unit, a storage unit for storing imaging information obtained by imaging by the imaging unit, a control unit, a tag receiving unit, and a wireless communication unit, wherein the control unit initiates recording control using the imaging unit and the storage unit in response to the tag receiving unit receiving a beacon signal containing tag information from a wireless tag carried by the user, and transmits the tag information and the imaging information to a server using the wireless communication unit.

[0007] A management system provided by a second aspect of the present invention comprises a device provided by a first aspect of the present invention located within a store, a plurality of relay units located within the store, and a server having an analysis unit, wherein each relay unit has a wireless communication unit and a tag receiving unit that receives beacon signals from the wireless tag, and transmits the tag information and the time information for which the tag information was acquired from the wireless communication unit to the server, and the analysis unit of the server analyzes the user's attributes based on the tag information and imaging information transmitted from the device, and analyzes the user's movement within the store based on the tag information and time information transmitted from the relay unit and the location information of the relay unit.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises a clock unit, a control unit, and a first communication network comprising the plurality of relay units, which performs first communication, wherein the server, the control unit, and the device are wirelessly able to communicate with each other via a second communication network, and the device, the server, the control unit, and the plurality of relay units synchronize their time based on reference time information from the clock unit.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device is positioned near a cash register in a store, and the device has an imaging mode in which the imaging unit continues to capture images and does not store the imaging information in the storage unit, and a storage mode in which the imaging unit continues to capture images and stores the imaging information in the storage unit, and the device switches from the imaging mode to the storage mode when it determines that the wireless tag carried by the user has approached, and switches from the storage mode to the imaging mode when it determines that the wireless tag carried by the user has moved away.

[0010] A management method provided by a third aspect of the present invention is a management method using a device provided by a first aspect of the present invention, which is located in a store, and comprises: a first step in which a plurality of relay units located in the store receive a beacon signal from the wireless tag and transfer the tag information and the time information at which the tag information was acquired to a server; a second step in which the tag receiving unit of the device receives a beacon signal from the wireless tag; a third step in which, after the second step, the imaging information of the imaging unit is stored in the storage unit and the tag information and the imaging information is transmitted to the server; and a fourth step in which the analysis unit of the server analyzes the user's attributes based on the tag information and imaging information transmitted from the device and analyzes the user's movement within the store based on the tag information and time information transmitted from the relay unit and the location information of the relay unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a device, a management system, and a management method that can reduce the burden of installation work and other related tasks.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1]It is a system configuration diagram showing a management system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing a lighting device of the management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing a wireless tag of the management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing a control device of the management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing a device of the management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a sequence diagram of the management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a diagram for explaining storage of imaging information of a device in the management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a system configuration diagram showing a management system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram showing a mobile terminal of the management system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a sequence diagram of the management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing an operation of the mobile terminal of the management system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] The terms "first", "second", "third" and the like in the present disclosure are used merely for identification purposes, and are not intended to impose an order on the corresponding objects.

[0016] FIGS. 1 to 7 show a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the management system A1 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of lighting devices L, a control device Ct, a device Dv, a server Sv, and a wireless tag Wt. In addition, the management system A1 includes a POS server Ps and a clock unit Ut in addition to these components. Note that the management system A1 may be configured not to include all or any one of the POS server Ps and the clock unit Ut. The management system A1 uses the wireless tag Wt to, for example, perform flow line analysis of store visitors.

[0017] [Lighting device L (relay unit)] The lighting device L is a specific example of the relay unit in the present invention. The specific example of the relay unit is not limited to the lighting device L. For example, a relay unit with a dedicated configuration obtained by removing the light source unit 11 from the lighting device L described hereinafter may be used.

[0018] The plurality of lighting devices L are used, for example, for indoor lighting in a store, and are installed at various locations such as ceilings, wall surfaces, and floor surfaces. Further, the lighting device L may be configured to be used for outdoor lighting. The specific form of the lighting device L is not limited in any way, and various forms such as straight tube lighting, high ceiling lighting, ceiling lights, downlights, base lights, and spotlights can be appropriately adopted. In the following description, when describing the general configuration of the lighting device, it is referred to as lighting device L, and when distinguishing between a plurality of lighting devices L, reference numerals such as lighting device L1, ..., lighting device Ln may be appropriately used as appropriate. The plurality of lighting devices L1 to Ln in FIG. 1 may have the same configuration respectively, may partially share configurations with each other, or may have different configurations and different forms from each other. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the case where the plurality of lighting devices L1 to Ln have the same configuration will be described as an example.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the lighting device L. The lighting device L includes a light source unit 11, a control unit 12, a storage unit 13, a wireless communication module 14, and a power supply unit 15.

[0020] The light source unit 11 is the part of the lighting device L that performs the light-emitting function. The specific configuration of the light source unit 11 is not limited in any way, and for example, it consists of a substrate and a plurality of LEDs mounted in a row on the substrate. The lighting device L also has a transparent or translucent cover (not shown) that allows light from the light source unit 11 to pass through.

[0021] The control unit 12 controls various parts of the lighting device L based on, for example, control signals from the control device Ct. The specific configuration of the control unit 12 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 13 stores information necessary for controlling the control unit 12 and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example. The storage unit 13 is not limited to being built into the housing of the lighting device L (not shown), but may be detachably provided on the outside of the housing of the lighting device L.

[0022] The wireless communication module 14 is a communication unit for wireless communication between the control device Ct and other lighting devices L that constitute the communication network, and the wireless tag Wt, and is a module that transmits and receives wireless signals. The wireless communication module 14 is connected to the control unit 12 by, for example, UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication, but is not limited to this. The wireless communication module 14 in this embodiment has a first wireless communication unit 141 and a second wireless communication unit 142.

[0023] To illustrate the functions of the wireless communication module 14, it receives data from the control device Ct and transmits a signal (for example, a specified signal) contained in the received data to the control unit 12. It also transmits an acknowledgment signal to the control device Ct indicating that data has been received. Furthermore, it may transmit a status information signal indicating the operating status of the lighting device L to the control device Ct.

[0024] In this embodiment, identification information such as a unique lighting device ID for each of the multiple lighting devices L is stored in the wireless communication module 14. Specific examples of the identification information are not limited and may include, for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address or location information. In the following description, location information is used as the identification information for the lighting device L. On the other hand, in the management method described later, if the server Sv has correspondence information between the MAC address and location information of the lighting device L, the MAC address may be used as the identification information. The lighting device ID may be stored in either the first wireless communication unit 141 or the second wireless communication unit 142, or in other components of the wireless communication module 14, or, for example, in the storage unit 13. When the wireless communication module 14 recognizes a received signal as a signal corresponding to its own lighting device ID (identification information), it transmits the signal to the control unit 12.

[0025] The first wireless communication unit 141 uses a first radio wave to communicate wirelessly with the control device Ct and other lighting devices L. The first wireless communication unit 141 also uses either the first radio wave or a third radio wave (different from the first radio wave) to communicate wirelessly with the wireless tag Wt. The following explanation will use the case where the first wireless communication unit 141 communicates wirelessly with the wireless tag Wt using the third radio wave as an example, but is not limited to this.

[0026] The wireless communication using the first radio wave is not limited in any way, and in this embodiment, it will be described as wireless communication using the first protocol. The communication frequency of wireless communication using the first protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, the specific example of the first protocol is not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, or proprietary protocols.

[0027] In this embodiment, a plurality of lighting devices L, each having a first wireless communication unit 141, and a control device Ct construct a first communication network Cn1, which is a mesh network as shown in Figure 1, using a proprietary protocol that, for example, uses a first wireless radio wave in the 2.4GHz band. First wireless communication is performed in the first communication network Cn1. As the first protocol is used for transferring various types of data between the plurality of lighting devices L as described later, a protocol is selected that can construct a mesh network while ensuring the transfer speed and reliability necessary for such data transfer.

[0028] In this embodiment, the control device Ct is the root node of the first communication network Cn1. Any of the multiple lighting devices L may function as a GM (gate module). The gate module is the root node of the cluster and connects to the control device Ct. In this case, the gate module, together with other gate modules, forms a mesh network and communicates with the control device Ct. The gate module constantly evaluates the communication quality with other gate modules and the control device Ct, and automatically connects to the one with the best communication quality. Similarly, the lighting device L constantly evaluates the communication quality with other lighting devices L or gate modules, and automatically connects to the one with the best communication quality. The hardware configuration is the same for both a normal lighting device L and a lighting device L that functions as a gate module. The software installed on the lighting device L may be different, or it may be possible to switch between operating as a normal lighting device L and operating as a gate module by switching modes.

[0029] The second wireless communication unit 142 is for transmitting and receiving a second radio wave, or at least one of the latter. The second radio wave is a different radio wave from the first radio wave, and its frequency band and protocol are different from each other. Alternatively, the same frequency band and transmission protocol may be used for both the first and second radio waves, but the power may be set to be different. Even by using first and second radio waves with different powers, a relay unit such as a lighting device L can be said to constitute a first communication network Cn1 using the first radio wave and output a second radio wave separately from the first radio wave. The second wireless communication using the second radio wave is not limited in any way, and in this embodiment, it will be described as wireless communication using a second protocol. The communication frequency of wireless communication using the second protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, specific examples of the second protocol are not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, or proprietary protocols. As a second protocol, for example, Bluetooth® might be selected if the intention is to communicate wirelessly with a nearby wireless tag Wt.

[0030] The second wireless communication unit 142 performs at least one of transmitting and receiving beacon signals. In this embodiment, the second wireless communication unit 142 receives beacon signals from wireless tag Wt and is an example of a tag receiving unit in the relay unit of the present invention. The beacon signals are transmitted, for example, at predetermined intervals. The transmission interval for beacon signals is, for example, 100 to 500 ms. Power consumption can be reduced by increasing the output interval.

[0031] The power supply unit 15 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the light source unit 11, the control unit 12, and the wireless communication module 14, etc. The power supply unit 15 has functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, and a voltage transformation function.

[0032] [Wireless Tag Wt] The wireless tag Wt is a device used in the management method of management system A1 of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the wireless tag Wt. The wireless tag Wt in this embodiment comprises a control unit 42, a storage unit 43, a wireless communication unit 44, and a power supply unit 45. The specific configuration of the wireless tag Wt is not limited in any way, and it may be configured as a dedicated chip-shaped tag device. Alternatively, it may be supported by a resin sheet or the like with an adhesive layer. The wireless tag Wt of this embodiment can be carried by customers of a store or attached to carts or baskets used by customers.

[0033] The control unit 42 is for controlling each part of the wireless tag Wt. The specific configuration of the control unit 42 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 43 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 42 and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example. The storage unit 43 corresponds to the wireless tag side storage unit in this invention. In this embodiment, the storage unit 43 stores unique tag information such as a tag ID for each wireless tag Wt.

[0034] The wireless communication unit 44 is for wireless communication with the lighting device L using the second radio wave (second protocol) described above.

[0035] The power supply unit 45 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the control unit 42 and the wireless communication unit 44, etc. The power supply unit 45 is composed of, for example, a battery or a self-generating unit. If the power supply unit 45 is equipped with a self-generating unit, the self-generating unit performs a self-generation function that converts energy obtained from an external source into electricity. The method of self-generation of the self-generating unit is not limited in any way. For example, when the self-generating unit receives a second radio wave by the antenna unit, it generates electricity using the induced current generated by the reception. The power of the radio wave for generating the induced current is preferably 5 dBm or more, and by receiving a radio wave of 10 dBm or more, a sufficient induced current can be generated to control each part of the wireless tag Wt. The power generated by the power supply unit 45 is supplied to the control unit 42 and the wireless communication unit 44, etc.

[0036] [Control device Ct] The control device Ct manages a management method using multiple relay units (lighting devices L) and wireless tags Wt, and controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln. In this embodiment, the control device Ct may be installed on the same floor as the store where the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) are installed, or it may be installed on a different floor or room of the store, or it may be installed in a different building. If the control device Ct and the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) are located some distance apart, the control device Ct and the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) may communicate with each other using not only wireless communication, but also wired communication and wireless communication. Note that the management system A1 only needs to have at least one control device Ct, and may have multiple control devices Ct in other configurations.

[0037] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the control device Ct. In this embodiment, the control device Ct includes a display unit 21, a control unit 22, a storage unit 23, a wireless communication unit 24, and a power supply unit 25.

[0038] The display unit 21 is not strictly necessary for the management method of the management system A1 described later, but it is used for initial setup and maintenance of the control device Ct. The display unit 21 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and may also have a touch panel function. Alternatively, instead of the display unit 21 functioning as a touch panel, the control device Ct may be equipped with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or mouse.

[0039] The control unit 22 is a key component that manages multiple relay units (lighting devices L) and wireless tags Wt, and controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln, and controls each part of the control device Ct. For example, the control unit 22 transmits control signals to the wireless communication unit 24 so that control data is sent to the target relay unit (lighting device L). The specific configuration of the control unit 22 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 23 stores information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 22, and may consist of a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive, for example.

[0040] The wireless communication unit 24 is for wireless communication with the first wireless communication unit 141 of the wireless communication module 14 of the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln). The frequency band and wireless communication standard that the wireless communication unit 24 conforms to is wireless communication using the first protocol described above. In the example shown in Figure 1, the control device Ct forms a first communication network Cn1 together with the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln). The wireless communication unit 24 transmits control data from the control unit 22 to the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) via the first communication network Cn1. In addition to the wireless communication unit 24, the control device Ct has a communication circuit that performs wireless communication via a second communication network Cn2 such as an in-store LAN or wired communication.

[0041] The power supply unit 25 is for supplying the power necessary for the operation of the display unit 21, the control unit 22, and the wireless communication unit 24, etc. The power supply unit 25 has functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, and a voltage transformation function.

[0042] The control device Ct holds identification information such as lighting device IDs for multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) and tag information for multiple wireless tags Wt, which are stored, for example, in the storage unit 23. The identification information held by the control device Ct may be, for example, the MAC address as the lighting device ID held by the lighting device L, or the tag ID or identification address held by the wireless tag Wt.

[0043] [Device Dv] Device Dv receives a beacon signal from a wireless tag Wt when a customer or other person carrying a wireless tag Wt comes into close proximity, and takes an image of the customer or other person.

[0044] Figure 5 is a block diagram of device Dv. In this embodiment, device Dv comprises a control unit 52, a storage unit 53, a wireless communication unit 54, a power supply unit 55, an imaging unit 56, and a tag receiving unit 57.

[0045] The control unit 52 is for controlling the various parts of device Dv. The specific configuration of the control unit 52 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example.

[0046] The imaging unit 56 is for capturing images of customers, etc. The imaging unit 56 appropriately includes an image sensor such as a CCD element or a CMOS element, and lenses for forming an image on these image sensors.

[0047] The tag receiving unit 57 receives a beacon signal from the wireless tag Wt. The tag receiving unit 57 has an antenna that receives, for example, a second radio wave as a beacon signal.

[0048] The memory unit 53 stores information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 52, and is made of, for example, a semiconductor memory. The memory unit 53 also stores tag information contained in the beacon signal received by the tag receiving unit 57. The memory unit 53 also stores imaging information captured by the imaging unit 56. The imaging information stored in the memory unit 53 may be video data or still image data.

[0049] The wireless communication unit 54 is for performing wireless communication using a predetermined protocol for communication via the second communication network Cn2. The communication frequency for wireless communication using the predetermined protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920MHz band, 2.4GHz band, 5GHz band, etc. Furthermore, specific examples of the predetermined protocol are not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), ZigBee®, Wi-Fi®, etc. The protocol used by the wireless communication unit 54 when performing wireless communication with multiple relay units and control devices Ct may be the same as the protocol used in the first communication network Cn1, or it may be a different protocol.

[0050] The power supply unit 55 is for supplying the power necessary for the operation of the control unit 52, wireless communication unit 54, imaging unit 56, tag receiving unit 57, etc. The power supply unit 55 may have functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, or a voltage transformation function, or it may be a rechargeable battery. The battery may be charged using either a contact-type charger or a non-contact-type charger.

[0051] In device Dv, the control unit 52 stores, for example, the tag information contained in the beacon signal from the wireless tag Wt received by the wireless communication unit 54 in the storage unit 53. Furthermore, in response to the wireless communication unit 54 receiving the beacon signal from the wireless tag Wt, it starts recording control using the imaging unit 56 and the storage unit 53. This recording control is the process of storing the imaging information from the imaging unit 56 in the storage unit 53 as video data or still image data, etc. The control unit 52 also transmits the imaging information stored in the storage unit 53 and the tag information stored in the storage unit 53 from the wireless communication unit 54 to the server Sv via the second communication network Cn2. In addition, the control unit 52 may appropriately transmit time information and its own location information to the server Sv.

[0052] The specific structure of device Dv is not limited in any way. For example, device Dv may have a structure in which the control unit 52, storage unit 53, wireless communication unit 54, power supply unit 55, imaging unit 56, and tag receiving unit 57 are supported by a support such as a tripod (not shown). Using a tripod as a support has the advantage of making it easier to adjust the imaging posture by the imaging unit 56. In addition, all or any of the control unit 52, storage unit 53, wireless communication unit 54, power supply unit 55, imaging unit 56, and tag receiving unit 57 may be housed in a housing (not shown).

[0053] [Server Sv] Server Sv performs customer movement analysis and other operations in management system A1. Server Sv may be a server device installed within the store, a server device installed in a building outside the store, or a configuration built using a commercial cloud service. In this embodiment, Server Sv is installed in the store, for example, and as shown in Figure 1, it has an analysis unit 61, a storage unit 62, and a communication unit 63.

[0054] The analysis unit 61 analyzes the user's attributes based on the tag information and imaging information transmitted from device Dv. The analysis unit 61 also analyzes the movement of customers (users) within the store based on the tag information, time information, and location information of the lighting devices L transmitted via the first communication network Cn1 and the second communication network Cn2, which include multiple lighting devices L. The analysis unit 61 uses, for example, a CPU.

[0055] The memory unit 62 stores various information in the management system A1, and uses semiconductor memory, hard disks, etc. The communication unit 63 communicates with the control device Ct via the second communication network Cn2 or a public communication network such as the Internet, and can use either wired communication or wireless communication, or both. In this embodiment, the communication unit 63 communicates with the control device Ct via the second communication network Cn2.

[0056] [Clock Unit Ut] The clock unit Ut has the function of acquiring time information, for example by receiving FM radio waves, and the function of transmitting time information to the control device Ct, for example by Wi-Fi (registered trademark). In the management system A1, the device Dv, server Sv, control device Ct, and multiple lighting devices L synchronize their times based on the reference time information from the clock unit Ut.

[0057] [POS Server Ps] The POS server Ps collects sales information for products in stores and performs various sales analyses. Management system A1 is not necessarily limited to a configuration that includes a POS server Ps. By including a POS server Ps in management system A1, it becomes possible to more efficiently plan product inventory and consider store layouts in conjunction with the customer flow analysis obtained from the management methods described later.

[0058] Next, I will explain the management method for management system A1.

[0059] The components of management system A1 are arranged within the store as shown in Figure 1. The store has a store entrance Et, multiple sales areas Ar1, Ar2, ..., Arn, and a cash register Cr. Lighting device L1 is installed on the ceiling, etc., inside or near sales area Ar1. Lighting device L2 is installed on the ceiling, etc., inside or near sales area Ar2. Lighting device Ln is installed on the ceiling, etc., inside or near sales area Arn. Device Dv is located near cash register Cr. Device Dv being located near cash register Cr means that it is in a position where customers visiting cash register Cr can be appropriately imaged by the imaging unit 56. That is, device Dv is located adjacent to cash register Cr or appropriately fixed to the table on which cash register Cr is located.

[0060] Figure 6 shows an example of the management method by management system A1. In executing this management method, for example, device Dv, server Sv, control device Ct, and multiple lighting devices L have their times synchronized in advance based on reference time information from clock unit Ut.

[0061] Customers enter the store through the entrance Et and carry a wireless tag Wt. This can be achieved, for example, by attaching the wireless tag Wt to ​​the shopping cart used by the customer. Alternatively, the wireless tag Wt may be embedded in a wristband or ID card distributed to the customer.

[0062] The wireless tag Wt carried by the customer transmits a beacon signal continuously or periodically (step S1). The beacon signal contains the tag information of the wireless tag Wt.

[0063] The second wireless communication unit 142 of the wireless communication module 14 of the lighting device L1 receives a beacon signal from the wireless tag Wt. A customer moves within the store and approaches the sales area Ar1. The closer the customer gets to the sales area Ar1, the stronger the beacon signal becomes. For example, using a predetermined threshold as a reference, when the beacon signal strength exceeds the threshold, the lighting device L1 recognizes that the wireless tag Wt is approaching. The control unit 12 of the lighting device L1 then stores the tag information contained in the beacon signal in, for example, the storage unit 13. Next, the control unit 12 generates transfer data including the tag information, the location information of the device itself, and time information, and transmits this transfer data from the first wireless communication unit 141 to the control device Ct via the first communication network Cn1 (step S2). In the first communication network Cn1, the transfer data is transmitted to the control device Ct via multiple lighting devices L as appropriate. The time information may indicate a single time or multiple times. For example, the time information may include both the time when the beacon signal strength exceeded the threshold and the time when it fell below the threshold. In this case, the time the customer stayed at sales area Ar1 can be obtained by the analysis described later.

[0064] Similarly, as a customer moves, when the customer approaches any of the lighting devices L2, ..., or Ln, the control unit 12 in each lighting device L generates transfer data including tag information, location information of the device itself, and time information, and transmits this transfer data from the first wireless communication unit 141 to the control device Ct via the first communication network Cn1. In the first communication network Cn1, the transfer data is transmitted to the control device Ct via the multiple lighting devices L as appropriate. These steps S1 and S2 constitute the first step in the management method of the present invention.

[0065] The control device Ct receives the aforementioned transfer data transmitted via the first communication network Cn1. It then transmits this transfer data to the server Sv via the second communication network Cn2 (step S3). The server Sv receives the transfer data (step S4). For example, the analysis unit 61 of the server Sv stores this transfer data in the storage unit 62.

[0066] Furthermore, once a customer has finished placing the desired items in their cart, for example, they approach the cashier Cr to purchase these items (step S5). When the wireless tag Wt carried by the customer comes into contact with device Dv, device Dv performs the predetermined processing described below.

[0067] Figure 7 shows a predetermined process of device Dv. For example, a customer who enters the store from the entrance Et at time t0 moves through sales areas Ar1 to Arn, etc., and then approaches the cash register Cr. The closer the customer gets to device Dv, the stronger the beacon signal strength received by the tag receiver 57 of device Dv becomes.

[0068] In this embodiment, device Dv has an imaging mode and a storage mode. The imaging mode is a mode in which the imaging unit 56 continues imaging but does not store the imaging information in the storage unit 53. The storage mode is a mode in which the imaging unit 56 continues imaging and stores the imaging information in the storage unit 53. For example, when the power of device Dv is turned ON, the imaging mode is automatically executed.

[0069] For example, the control unit 52 of device Dv has a predetermined threshold. When the beacon signal strength exceeds this threshold (time t1), the control unit 52 switches from imaging mode to storage mode and starts recording control using the imaging unit 56 and the storage unit 53. This corresponds to step S6 in Figure 6. Specifically, for example, the storage of imaging information by the imaging unit 56 into the storage unit 53 begins at time t1. The control unit 52 also stores the tag information included in the beacon signal in the storage unit 53. Receiving the beacon signal by device Dv is the second step in the management method of the present invention.

[0070] Next, when the customer leaves device Dv, the beacon signal strength decreases. When the beacon signal strength falls below a threshold (time t2), the control unit 52 determines that the customer has left device Dv, switches from memory mode to imaging mode, and stops storing the imaging information. As a result, the storage unit 53 stores imaging information of the customer. This imaging information may be video data or one or more still image data.

[0071] Furthermore, the control unit 52 transmits the imaging information and tag information stored in the storage unit 53 to the server Sv via the second communication network Cn2 (step S7 in Figure 6). The control unit 52 may also transmit the time information of the image acquisition and the location information of the device to the server Sv. For example, if the server Sv uses the time the imaging information was received for analysis described later, the device Dv may transmit only the imaging information.

[0072] The transmission of imaging information may start, for example, from time t1 in Figure 7, or when the storage of imaging information stops at time t2, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since the storage of imaging information stopped. In Figure 7, for ease of understanding, a solid line indicating the transmission of imaging information is shown from time t1 to time t2. The transmission of imaging information and tag information by this device Dv is the third step in the management method of the present invention.

[0073] Device Dv switches between imaging mode and memory mode each time a customer carrying a wireless tag Wt approaches, and performs recording control and transmits imaging information. In the example shown in Figure 7, recording control is restarted at time t3 and stopped at time t4. In response to this recording control, imaging information and time information are transmitted to server Sv.

[0074] Furthermore, if multiple devices Dv are installed within the same store, identification information for each device Dv may be transmitted to the server Sv along with the imaging information and time information.

[0075] Next, as shown in Figure 6, the server Sv receives imaging information and time information from device Dv (step S8). The server Sv analyzes the attributes of the customer (user) based on the tag information and imaging information transmitted from device Dv. These customer (user) attributes include age, gender, whether they are with family, or alone. The imaging information includes video data and still image data. By applying conventionally known image processing techniques to this imaging information, the aforementioned attributes can be analyzed.

[0076] Furthermore, the analysis unit 61 analyzes the movement of customers (users) within the store based on the tag information and time information included in the transferred data and the location information of the lighting device L. Specifically, the tag information of the wireless tag Wt identifies when a customer (user) carrying the wireless tag Wt visited each sales area Ar where each lighting device L is located. By performing this identification for all lighting devices L (sales area Ar), the location of each customer (user) within the store at each time is obtained as a series of data. This makes it possible to analyze the movement of customers (users). The analysis of these attributes and the analysis of movement constitute the fourth step in the management method of the present invention.

[0077] Next, we will explain the operation of device Dv and management system A1.

[0078] According to this embodiment, there is no need to perform construction work to embed a dedicated reader or the like in the store floor to receive beacon signals from the wireless tag Wt. Furthermore, device Dv is equipped with a wireless communication unit 54 and can transmit image information, etc., without performing additional communication installation work. Therefore, the burden of installation work required when installing the management system A1, including device Dv, can be reduced.

[0079] Device Dv is equipped with an imaging unit 56, and when it receives a beacon signal from a wireless tag Wt via the tag receiving unit 57, it starts recording control. This allows the server Sv to analyze user attributes linked to certain tag information using the imaging information, and at the same time, it can perform movement analysis linked to that tag information. This makes it possible to appropriately obtain information on what kind of user attributes followed what kind of movement. For example, it is possible to quantitatively grasp the number of visitors who came to the store on a given day. In addition, by obtaining the time spent at each sales area Ar (lighting device L), it is possible to quantitatively grasp the rate at which visitors stopped by each sales area Ar (dwell time rate). Furthermore, by comparing the number of visitors actually imaged by device Dv with the number of visitors who visited the store, it is possible to grasp the percentage of visitors who actually made a purchase (purchase rate). In addition, by using movement analysis, it is possible to consider sales area Ar layouts that make it easy for visitors to move around, and sales area Ar layouts that can effectively appeal to visitors with products. By combining these analyses and analyses with sales information stored in the POS server (Ps), a more organic analysis and examination become possible.

[0080] The management system A1, equipped with a clock unit Ut, can easily and accurately synchronize time information from multiple lighting devices L, control devices Ct, and devices Dv. This reliably improves the accuracy of movement analysis and other related tasks.

[0081] As shown in Figure 7, device Dv switches between imaging mode and storage mode depending on the approach and distance of the wireless tag Wt. That is, while device Dv is operating, imaging processing is constantly performed by the imaging unit 56, and recording control is performed in response to the approach of the wireless tag Wt. This makes it possible to avoid, for example, missed images by the imaging unit 56 even if a customer carrying the wireless tag Wt approaches device Dv at a rapid speed. On the other hand, by performing recording control only when the wireless tag Wt is close, it is possible to prevent, for example, a huge amount of video data from being recorded in the storage unit 53, which would lead to insufficient storage capacity.

[0082] Figures 9 to 11 show other embodiments of the present invention. In these figures, elements identical or similar to those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the configurations of each part in each modification and each embodiment can be appropriately combined with each other to the extent that no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0083] Figures 8 to 11 show a management system and management method as other use cases of the device of the present invention. Management system A2 of this embodiment includes a mobile terminal Md, as shown in Figure 8. The mobile terminal Md functions as the wireless tag of the present invention in management system A2 through the configuration and operation control described later.

[0084] Furthermore, the server Sv in this embodiment is built using, for example, a commercial cloud service. The server Sv is connected to the second communication network Cn2, for example, via a public communication network (the Internet).

[0085] In this embodiment, multiple lighting devices L transmit beacon signals from the second wireless communication unit 142. These beacon signals include identification information for each lighting device L, or, in addition to the identification information, location information for each lighting device L. Time information may also be included in these beacon signals.

[0086] [Mobile device Md] Figure 9 is a block diagram of a mobile terminal Md. In the management system A2, the mobile terminal Md is, for example, the property of a customer, and is a typical smartphone or tablet device. In this embodiment, the mobile terminal Md comprises a display unit 71, a control unit 72, a storage unit 73, a wireless communication unit 74, a power supply unit 75, and a short-range wireless communication unit 76.

[0087] The display unit 71 is for displaying information and images necessary for operating the mobile terminal Md. The display unit 71 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and in this embodiment, it has a touch panel function. Alternatively, instead of the display unit 71 functioning as a touch panel, the mobile terminal Md may be equipped with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or mouse.

[0088] The control unit 72 is for controlling the various parts of the mobile terminal Md. The specific configuration of the control unit 72 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 73 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 72 and may consist of a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive, for example.

[0089] The wireless communication unit 74 performs wireless communication via a mobile phone network. The frequency band and wireless communication standards that the wireless communication unit 74 conforms to various mobile phone communication standards, such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). The wireless communication unit 74 may be a wireless communication module built into a tablet or the like as a mobile terminal Md, or it may be an external wireless communication module connected to a USB terminal or the like.

[0090] The power supply unit 75 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the display unit 71, the control unit 72, the wireless communication unit 74, and the short-range wireless communication unit 76, etc. The power supply unit 75 is, for example, a rechargeable battery.

[0091] The short-range wireless communication unit 76 is for receiving beacon signals from the lighting device L. The short-range wireless communication unit 76 also transmits beacon signals to device Dv. The beacon signals transmitted by the short-range wireless communication unit 76 include tag information of the mobile terminal Md, which is used as a wireless tag.

[0092] Figure 10 shows an example of a management method using management system A2. When a customer (user) visits each sales area Ar, the process of receiving a beacon signal transmitted from the lighting device L by the mobile terminal Md begins (step S21). Figure 11 shows the processing of the mobile terminal Md in receiving the beacon signal. The beacon signal is received in step S21 of Figure 10 (step S11: Yes). This reception may be determined, for example, by comparing the beacon signal strength of the received beacon signal with a predetermined threshold, and if the beacon signal strength is equal to or greater than the threshold, it may be determined that the beacon signal has been received.

[0093] The control unit 72 of the mobile terminal Md determines whether to launch a specific program based on the identification information contained in the beacon signal (step S12). For example, if the identification information matches identification information pre-stored in the memory unit 73, the control unit 72 determines that the user has arrived at the location where the specific program should be launched (a designated location in a store, a sales area, etc.) (step S12: Yes). The control unit 72 then launches the specific program stored in the memory unit 73 (step S13). This launch (step S13) corresponds to step S22 in Figure 10.

[0094] Next, the control unit 72 of the mobile terminal Md transmits the location information (identification information of the lighting device L) contained in the beacon signal from the lighting device L, its own tag information, and time information to the server Sv via the wireless communication unit 74 (step S23). This information transmitted from the wireless communication unit 74 is sent to the server Sv via the mobile phone communication network and the internet. Steps S21 to S23 are performed each time the mobile terminal Md approaches each of the multiple lighting devices L.

[0095] Also, when the mobile terminal Md approaches device Dv in step S24, refer to Figure 6. Steps S25 and S26 are performed in the same manner as steps S6 and S7 when the wireless tag Wt described above is in close proximity to device Dv (step S5), and imaging information and the like are transmitted to server Sv.

[0096] Server Sv executes step S27, similar to step S8 in Figure 6, based on the information from the mobile terminal Md transmitted in steps S21 to S24 each time it approaches one of the multiple lighting devices L, and the imaging information transmitted in step S26. This enables attribute analysis and movement analysis of the customer (user) carrying the mobile terminal Md.

[0097] This embodiment also reduces the burden of installation work, etc. Furthermore, as can be understood from this embodiment, the device Dv of the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which a dedicated wireless tag Wt is used, and a mobile terminal Md may be used instead of the wireless tag Wt. Also, the specific configuration of the server Sv is not limited in any way, and may be built using a commercial cloud service, as in this embodiment. When the mobile terminal Md functions as a wireless tag, there is an advantage that tag information, etc. can be directly transmitted from the mobile terminal Md to the server Sv built using a commercial cloud service.

[0098] The device, management system, and management method according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. The specific configuration of the device, management system, and management method according to the present invention can be modified in various ways. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] A1, A2: Management System 11: Light source part 12: Control Unit 13: Storage section 14: Wireless communication module 15: Power supply section 21:Display section 22: Control Unit 23: Storage section 24: Wireless Communication Department 25: Power supply section 42: Control Unit 43: Storage section 44: Wireless Communication Department 45: Power supply section 52: Control Unit 53: Storage section 54: Wireless Communication Department 55: Power supply section 56: Imaging Department 57: Tag receiving unit 61:Analysis Department 62: Storage section 63: Communications Department 71:Display section 72: Control Unit 73: Storage section 74: Wireless Communication Department 75: Power supply section 76: Short-range wireless communication department 141: First Radio Communication Unit 142: 2nd Radio Communication Section Ar, Ar1, Ar2, Arn: Sales area Cn1: First Communications Network Cn2: Second Communication Network Cr: Register Ct: Control device Dv: Device Et: Store entrance L,L1,L2,Ln:Lighting device Md: Mobile device Ps: POS server Sv: Server Ut: Clock unit Wt: Wireless tag

Claims

1. A device installed in a store, comprising: an imaging unit; a storage unit for storing imaging information obtained by imaging by the imaging unit; a control unit; a tag receiving unit; and a wireless communication unit. Multiple lighting fixtures placed inside the store, A server having an analysis unit, The system comprises a first communication network which is composed of the aforementioned plurality of lighting devices and performs first wireless communication, The device is located near the cash register in the store and has an imaging mode in which the imaging unit continues to capture images and the imaging information is not stored in the storage unit, and a storage mode in which the imaging unit continues to capture images and the imaging information is stored in the storage unit. The control unit switches from the imaging mode to the storage mode when the strength of the beacon signal, including tag information from the wireless tag carried by the user, exceeds a predetermined threshold, and switches from the storage mode to the imaging mode when the strength of the beacon signal falls below the predetermined threshold, and transmits the tag information and the imaging information to the server using the wireless communication unit. The aforementioned lighting device has unique positional information, The lighting device comprises a wireless communication unit and a tag receiving unit that receives a beacon signal from the wireless tag, and transmits transfer data from the wireless communication unit to the server, which includes the tag information, the location information of the device, and time information consisting of the time when the intensity of the beacon signal that acquired the tag information exceeded a predetermined threshold and the time when it fell below the predetermined threshold. The analysis unit of the server analyzes the user's attributes based on the tag information and imaging information transmitted from the device, and analyzes the user's movement within the store and the time spent in the sales area based on the tag information and time information transmitted from the lighting device and the location information of the lighting device, in a management system.

2. The management system according to claim 1, further comprising a control device that constitutes the first communication network together with the plurality of lighting devices and the device, and performs a management method using the plurality of lighting devices and the device, and controls the lighting of the plurality of lighting devices.

3. The first communication network further comprises a clock unit, The server, the control device, and the device are able to communicate wirelessly with each other via a second communication network. The management system according to claim 2, wherein the device, the server, the control device, and the plurality of lighting devices synchronize their times based on reference time information from the clock unit.

4. A management method using multiple lighting devices and equipment placed within a store, The device is located near the cash register in the store and comprises an imaging unit, a storage unit for storing imaging information obtained by imaging by the imaging unit, a control unit, a tag receiving unit, and a wireless communication unit, and has an imaging mode in which the imaging unit continues imaging and does not store the imaging information in the storage unit, and a storage mode in which the imaging unit continues imaging and stores the imaging information in the storage unit. The control unit switches from the imaging mode to the storage mode when the strength of the beacon signal, including tag information from the wireless tag carried by the user, exceeds a predetermined threshold, and switches from the storage mode to the imaging mode when the strength of the beacon signal falls below the predetermined threshold, and transmits the tag information and the imaging information to the server using the wireless communication unit. The plurality of lighting devices constitute a first communication network that performs first wireless communication. The aforementioned lighting device has unique positional information, The first step involves the plurality of lighting devices receiving a beacon signal from the wireless tag and transferring data to the server, which includes the tag information, the location information of the device itself, and time information consisting of the time when the intensity of the beacon signal from which the tag information was obtained exceeded a predetermined threshold and the time when it fell below the predetermined threshold. The tag receiving unit of the device performs a second step of receiving a beacon signal from the wireless tag, A third step is to store the imaging information of the imaging unit in the storage unit after the second step, and to transmit the tag information and the imaging information to the server, A management method comprising: a fourth step in which the analysis unit of the server analyzes the user's attributes based on the tag information and imaging information transmitted from the device, and analyzes the user's movement within the store and the time spent in the sales area based on the tag information and time information transmitted from the lighting device and the location information of the lighting device.

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