Transmitter and position information management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9955259-B2
Application number	US-201615228076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2016
Priority date	Aug 10, 2015
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A transmitter is provided that is capable of communicating with a management apparatus via a network and is configured to output a plurality of sound waves in a plurality of different directions. The transmitter includes a memory storing a program, and a processor configured to execute the program to implement processes of outputting a first sound wave including first unique information in a first output direction of the plurality of different directions, outputting a second sound wave including second unique information that differs from the first unique information in a second output direction that differs from the first output direction, and individually controlling the first sound wave output by the first sound wave output unit and the second sound wave output by the second sound wave output unit based on a request from the management apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A position information management system comprising:
a transmitter configured to output a plurality of sound waves in a plurality of different directions; and
a management apparatus that is capable of communicating with the transmitter via a network;
wherein the transmitter includes
a first memory storing a first program; and
a first processor configured to execute the first program to implement processes of
outputting a first sound wave including first unique information in a first output direction of the plurality of different directions;
outputting a second sound wave including second unique information that differs from the first unique information in a second output direction that differs from the first output direction; and
individually controlling the first sound wave output by a first sound wave output unit and the second sound wave output by a second sound wave output unit based on a request from the management apparatus; and

wherein the management apparatus includes
a second memory storing a second program; and
a second processor configured to execute the second program to implement a process of managing information relating to an installation position of the transmitter, and information relating to the first output direction of the first sound wave output by the first sound wave output unit and the second output direction of the second sound wave output by the second sound wave output unit.

2. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first unique information is identification information for identifying the first sound wave output unit; and
the second unique information is identification information for identifying the second sound wave output unit.

3. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor further implements a process of changing at least one of output of the first sound wave output by the first sound wave output unit and output of the second sound wave output by the second sound wave output unit based on a request from the management apparatus.

4. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor further implements a process of measuring an ambient sound wave around the transmitter.

5. The position information management system according to claim 4 , wherein
the first processor further implements processes of measuring a noise level around the transmitter, and notifying the management apparatus of the measured noise level.

6. The position information management system according to claim 4 , wherein
the first processor further implements processes of measuring a volume of a sound wave including unique information based on the unique information included in the sound wave, and notifying the management apparatus of the measured volume of the sound wave.

7. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
a first center frequency of the first sound wave including the first unique information differs from a second center frequency of the second sound wave including the second unique information.

8. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor further implements a process of outputting a radio wave within a predetermined range, the radio wave including third unique information that is different from the first unique information and the second unique information.

9. The position information management system according to claim 8 , wherein
the first processor further implements a process of transmitting the third unique information using a short-range radio wave for short-range wireless communication.

10. The position information management system according to claim 9 , wherein
the short-range wireless communication corresponds to Bluetooth Low Energy.

11. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of a first angle formed between the transmitter and the first output direction of the first sound wave output by the first sound wave output unit and a second angle formed between the transmitter and the second output direction of the second sound wave output by the second sound wave output unit is configured to be changeable.

12. The position information management system according to claim 11 , wherein
the first processor further implements a process of changing at least one of the first angle and the second angle based on the request from the management apparatus.

13. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor further implements processes of acquiring information relating to a direction in which the transmitter is arranged, and notifying the management apparatus of the acquired information.

14. The position information management system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor further implements a process of changing at least one of the first unique information and the second unique information based on a request from the management apparatus.

15. The position information management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a third program to be executed by an information terminal that is capable of communicating with the management apparatus via the network, the third program, when executed, causing the information terminal to implement processes of
extracting identification information included in a sound wave output by the transmitter; and
transmitting the extracted identification information and own identification information of the information terminal to the management apparatus;

wherein the second processor of the management apparatus further implements a process of providing position information relating to the information terminal to the information terminal based on the extracted identification information and the own identification information received from the information terminal, the position information including information relating to a position of the transmitter and information relating to a direction with respect to the position of the transmitter.

16. A position information management method to be implemented by a position management system including a transmitter configured to output a plurality of sound waves in a plurality of different directions, and a management apparatus that is capable of communicating with the transmitter via a network, the position information management method comprising steps of:
the transmitter outputting a first sound wave including first unique information in a first output direction of the plurality of different directions;
the transmitter outputting a second sound wave including second unique information that differs from the first unique information in a second output direction that differs from the first output direction;
the transmitter individually controlling the first sound wave output by a first sound wave output unit and the second sound wave output by a second sound wave output unit based on a request from the management apparatus; and
the management apparatus managing information relating to an installation position of the transmitter, and information relating to the first output direction of the first sound wave output by the first sound wave output unit and the second output direction of the second sound wave output by the second sound wave output unit.

Assignees

• Shinotsuka Michiaki
• Kawase Tsutomu
• Ochiai Takaya
• Saito Takashi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shinotsuka Michiaki
• Kawase Tsutomu
• Ochiai Takaya
• Saito Takashi

Classifications

• G01S1/78

  using amplitude comparison of signals transmitted from transducers or transducer systems having differently-oriented characteristics · CPC title

• G01S1/725

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

• G01S1/68

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

• G01S1/75 Primary

  Transmitters · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title