Positioning apparatus and positioning method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10634758-B2
Application number	US-201816019602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2017
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a positioning apparatus comprises a first interface and a processor. The first interface receives a positioning signal. The processor sets an interval for searching the positioning signal with a first interface to a first searching interval, sets the interval for searching the positioning signal to a second searching interval which is shorter than the first searching interval if it is determined that the positioning signal is received through searching in the first searching interval and uses the positioning signal received through searching in the second searching interval to specify a position of the positioning apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positioning apparatus comprising:
a first interface configured to receive a plurality of positioning signals having different identification information to each other; and
a processor configured to
set an interval for searching a positioning signal with a first interface to a first searching interval,
set the interval for searching the positioning signal to a second searching interval which is shorter than the first searching interval if any of the plurality of positioning signals having different identification information is received through searching in the first searching interval, and
use the plurality of positioning signals having different identification information received through searching in the second searching interval to specify a position of the positioning apparatus.

2. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second interface configured to receive and transmit a signal different from the positioning signal, wherein
the processor cuts off the second interface if the positioning signal is received.

3. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor searches the positioning signal at a first radio wave sensitivity and sets a second radio wave sensitivity higher than the first radio wave sensitivity if the positioning signal is received.

4. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor determines that the positioning signal is received when the positioning signal is received through the first interface at the first searching interval a predetermined number of times.

5. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor sets the interval for searching the positioning signal to the first searching interval when the positioning signal is not received in a predetermined period in which the second searching interval is set.

6. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor determines whether or not a positioning signal indicating that the positioning apparatus enters the positioning area through the searching at the first searching interval through the first interface is received, and sets the interval for searching the positioning signal to the second searching interval if the positioning signal is received.

7. The positioning apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the processor determines whether or not a positioning signal indicating the positioning apparatus moves out of the positioning area is received and sets the interval for searching the positioning signal to the first searching interval if the positioning signal is received.

8. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning signal comprises an ID of a beacon terminal.

9. The positioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the interface receives the positioning signal in a wireless manner.

10. A positioning method for specifying a position of a positioning apparatus, comprising:
setting an interval for searching a plurality of positioning signals having different identification information to each other with a first interface to a first searching interval,
setting the interval for searching a positioning signal to a second searching interval which is shorter than the first searching interval if any of the plurality of positioning signals having different identification information is received through searching in the first searching interval, and
using the plurality of positioning signals having different identification information received through searching in the second searching interval to specify a position of the positioning apparatus.

11. The positioning method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving and transmitting a signal different from the positioning signal with a second interface, and
cutting off the second interface if the positioning signal is received.

12. The positioning method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
searching the positioning signal at a first radio wave sensitivity and setting a second radio wave sensitivity higher than the first radio wave sensitivity if the positioning signal is received.

13. The positioning method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining that the positioning signal is received when the positioning signal is received through the first interface at the first searching interval a predetermined number of times.

14. The positioning method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
setting the interval for searching the positioning signal to the first searching interval when the positioning signal is not received in a predetermined period in which the second searching interval is set.

15. The positioning method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining whether or not a positioning signal indicating that the positioning apparatus enters the positioning area through the searching at the first searching interval through the first interface is received, and setting the interval for searching the positioning signal to the second searching interval if the positioning signal is received.

16. The positioning method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
determining whether or not a positioning signal indicating the positioning apparatus moves out of the positioning area is received and setting the interval for searching the positioning signal to the first searching interval if the positioning signal is received.

17. The positioning method according to claim 10 , wherein the positioning signal comprises an ID of a beacon terminal.

18. The positioning method according to claim 10 , wherein the interface receives the positioning signal wirelessly.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Uchida Shigeo
• Fujiwara Akihiko
• Hirama Mika
• Hirabayashi Kazunori
• Nagai Koji

Classifications

• H04W52/0287

  changing the clock frequency of a controller in the equipment · CPC title

• H04W52/0254

  detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device · CPC title

• H04W52/0229

  where the received signal is a wanted signal · CPC title

• G01S1/68 Primary

  Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information · CPC title

• G01S5/02 Primary

  using radio waves (using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00) · CPC title