JP6480503B2 - Search system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a search system.

  Conventionally, a so-called “passing communication” service in which communication terminals automatically detect each other using wireless communication and automatically transmit and receive data is known.

  Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for searching for a person to be protected (a search target person) using the above service.

Patent No. 5891468

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the search related communication corresponding to the passing communication such as the communication result of the passing communication is routed to the searching server via the Internet, the communication speed related to the searching activity becomes slow. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a search system that can increase the communication speed related to search activities.

The search system according to the first aspect of the present invention is a search system for searching for a search target person using a wireless communication terminal, which communicates with a mobile communication terminal and routes communication from the mobile communication terminal A search server for managing search activity of a search target person, and the base station unit is configured to perform wireless communication between the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal among communication from the mobile communication terminal. The corresponding search-related communication is configured to be routed to the search server via a local area network that is not charged for the search-related communication .

  According to this aspect, the mobile communication terminal communicates with the search server via the local area network when performing search-related communication, so compared with the case of communicating with the search server via the Internet. Thus, the communication speed related to the search activity can be increased.

  According to the present invention, the communication speed related to the search activity can be increased.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a search system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the base station and the control server. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of search processing executed by the search system. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the forgotten object prevention process of the mobile communication terminal according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a search system according to a reference example. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the billing server shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components and steps are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible in each drawing, and redundant description is omitted.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a search system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the search system 1 includes a mobile communication terminal 10, a radio communication terminal 12, a base station BS, a control server 14, and a search server 16. The control server 14 may be provided in the base station BS. The base station BS and the control server 14 can be collectively referred to as “base station section”.

  The mobile communication terminal 10 includes service communication that communicates via the base station BS and the Internet IN, and out-of-service communication that communicates via the base station BS, the local area network LN, the control server 14, and the local area network LN. It is a device that can be configured. Also, the mobile communication terminal 10 can perform near field communication such as BLE (Bluetooth [registered trademark] Low Energy) communication and the passing communication using the wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal 12 within the communication range. It is configured. Examples of the mobile communication terminal 10 include a mobile phone and a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System). This mobile communication terminal 10 is owned by a searcher or search cooperator.

  Here, the passing communication means that the mobile communication terminal 10 succeeds in communication with the wireless communication terminal 12 owned by the search target person using a short-range wireless communication function, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like. This is automatically transmitted to the search server 16. That is, the searcher or search cooperator who owns the mobile communication terminal 10 cooperates in the search activity of the search target person simply by passing near the search target person. In the first embodiment, the searcher searches for a search target person using the mobile communication terminal 10. The search target person is a person who is missing and is a target of the search. A searcher is a person who searches for a search target person. The search cooperator does not perform the search itself, but cooperates in the search by providing the search server 16 with the communication result of the passing communication.

  Passing communication is communication outside service such as pre-service connection communication for connection with the base station BS to start service communication or maintenance communication for connection with the base station BS to maintain service communication. It is preferable to be performed in between.

  The wireless communication terminal 12 is a device capable of at least passing communication with the mobile communication terminal 10. Examples of the wireless communication terminal 12 include a short-range wireless communication terminal including a BLE terminal, a mobile phone, and a PHS. In the first embodiment, a case where the wireless communication terminal 12 is a BLE terminal will be described. The wireless communication terminal 12 is owned by a search target person.

  The base station BS communicates with the mobile communication terminal 10 and routes communication from the mobile communication terminal 10.

  The control server 14 is a device that controls the base station BS. The control server 14 may perform the routing instead of the base station BS.

  The search server 16 is a device that manages the search activity of the search target person. For example, the search server 16 manages the communication result of the passing communication transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 10 and notifies the plurality of mobile communication terminals 10 of the result, or the plurality of mobile communication terminals 10. A map showing the position of the mobile communication terminal 10 is displayed on the mobile communication terminal 10.

  In the search system 1 as described above, the local station BS performs a search related communication corresponding to the passing communication between the mobile communication terminal 10 and the wireless communication terminal 12 among the communication from the mobile communication terminal 10. It is configured to route to the search server 16 via the LN. Examples of the search-related communication include communication of communication results of passing communication and communication of position information of the mobile communication terminal 10.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the base station BS and the control server 14. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the base station BS and the control server 14 include a control device 30, a communication device 36, and a storage device 38. The control device 30 mainly includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 32 and a memory 34.

  In the control device 30, the CPU 32 functions as various function realization means by executing predetermined programs stored in the memory 34 or the storage device 38.

  The communication device 36 includes a communication interface for communicating with an external device.

  The storage device 38 is composed of a hard disk or the like. The storage device 38 stores various programs and various information necessary for execution of processing in the control device 30, and information on processing results.

  Note that FIG. 2 shows only a part of the main hardware configuration of the base station BS and the control server 14, and the base station BS and the control server 14 are generally included in servers and control devices. Can be provided. The search server 16 can also be realized by the same hardware configuration as the base station BS and the control server 14. The mobile communication terminal 10 and the radio communication terminal 12 can be realized by a hardware configuration known as a mobile communication terminal or a radio communication terminal.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of search processing executed by the search system 1 when the search server 16 receives a search request from the family of the search target person.

(Step SP10)
The search server 16 transmits a start instruction for passing communication to the control server 14 via the local area network LN when a search request is received from a search requester, police, or the like. This start instruction includes, for example, the identification information (terminal ID) of the wireless communication terminal 12 owned by the person to be searched for the search request and the address of the mobile communication terminal 10 that is the destination of the start instruction. And a process transfers to the process of step SP12.

(Step SP12)
The control server 14 receives the start instruction from the search server 16 and transfers it to the base station BS. And a process transfers to the process of step SP14.

(Step SP14)
The base station BS receives a start instruction from the control server 14. In response to this, the base station BS transfers the start instruction to the mobile communication terminal 10 corresponding to the address based on the address included in the start instruction. And a process transfers to the process of step SP16.

(Step SP16)
The mobile communication terminal 10 receives a start instruction from the base station BS. And a process transfers to the process of step SP18.

(Step SP18)
The mobile communication terminal 10 starts passing communication with the wireless communication terminal 12 corresponding to the ID included in the start instruction. And a process transfers to the process of step SP20.

(Step SP20)
When the mobile communication terminal 10 and the wireless communication terminal 12 pass each other (when they are close to each other), they communicate with each other, that is, automatically detect each other and automatically transmit and receive each other's terminal ID. And a process transfers to the process of step SP22.

(Step SP22)
The mobile communication terminal 10 determines whether or not the terminal ID of the wireless communication terminal 12 acquired by passing communication matches the ID included in the start instruction. If an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step SP24. If a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to, for example, step SP40. Note that the process of step SP22 may be executed by the base station BS, the control server 14, the search server 16, or the like.

(Step SP24)
The mobile communication terminal 10 acquires the current position information of the mobile communication terminal 10 using GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like. Then, the mobile communication terminal 10 transmits, to the base station BS, the fact that the terminal IDs match, the fact that the communication with the search target person has been performed, and the search information including the acquired position information. And a process transfers to the process of step SP26.

(Step SP26)
When the base station BS receives (communications) certain information from the mobile communication terminal 10, the base station BS determines whether the communication is a search related communication corresponding to the passing communication between the mobile communication terminal 10 and the wireless communication terminal 12. To do. If a positive determination is made, the process proceeds to step SP30. If a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step SP28. In FIG. 3, since the search information corresponding to the passing communication is received from the mobile communication terminal 10, an affirmative determination is made.

(Step SP28)
The base station BS routes communication from the mobile communication terminal 10 to another communication device via the Internet IN. And a process transfers to the process of step SP40.

(Step SP30)
The base station BS routes communication (search related communication) from the mobile communication terminal 10 to the search server 16 via the local area network LN. And a process transfers to the process of step SP32.

(Step SP32)
The control server 14 transfers the search related communication from the base station BS to the search server 16. And a process transfers to the process of step SP34.

(Step SP34)
The search server 16 receives search information by performing search-related communication with the mobile communication terminal 10 via the base station BS and the control server 14. In response to this, the search server 16 stores the search information in the storage unit and notifies (transfers) it to the mobile communication terminals of other searchers (including search cooperators). And a process transfers to the process of step SP40.

(Step SP40)
The search server 16 responds to the mobile communication terminal 10 when the search request is stopped from the search subject's family or when the search target is received after the search information is notified. A passing communication stop instruction is transmitted to the control server 14 via the local area network LN. And a process transfers to the process of step SP42.

(Step SP42)
The control server 14 receives a stop instruction from the search server 16. In response to this, the control server 14 transfers a stop instruction to the base station BS via the local area network LN. And a process transfers to the process of step SP44.

(Step SP44)
The base station BS receives a stop instruction from the control server 14. In response to this, the control server 14 transfers a stop instruction to the mobile communication terminal 10. And a process transfers to the process of step SP46.

(Step SP46)
The mobile communication terminal 10 receives a stop instruction from the search server 16 from the base station BS. In response to this, the mobile communication terminal 10 stops the passing communication.

  Here, in the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1, a search-related communication corresponding to the passing communication such as a passing communication result is purposely obtained and implemented for the use of the user, and the passing communication with an unspecified terminal. Because it is unavoidable to always communicate with malicious terminals that are not intended in some cases, it is easy to grasp the pattern of passing communication, and to record and grasp its lifestyle, which is a major security risk. Therefore, receiving passing communication support from a large number of terminal users can lead to a risky risk to a well-intentioned user without knowing it. Since the service application used by the user is routed to the search server 16 via the Internet, the user's application communication itself is charged. Therefore, it is inevitable that more collaborators can hardly participate in the monitoring support by passing communication, which reduces battery consumption and communication speed in other normal terminal use. It will be difficult to achieve the objective.

The first embodiment has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and has been implemented by specifying a region, time zone, and partner terminal that require close communication related to search activities, ensuring user privacy, and communication business. It is possible to provide a search support system using passing communication that avoids user disadvantages such as exclusion of the principle of communication charges due to the use of out-of-service communication as a user and a decrease in communication speed.
In particular, according to the first embodiment, the mobile communication terminal 10 communicates with the search server 16 via the local area network LN when performing search-related communication. Compared with the case of communicating with the search server 16, the communication speed related to the search activity is increased.

  Further, in the conventional technology, even when search related communication is performed, since communication is performed with the search server 16 via the Internet IN, a communication fee is charged. However, the owner of the mobile communication terminal 10 who thinks that the search activity may be cooperated will hesitate to cooperate in the search activity if a communication fee is charged for the search related communication. As a result, there may be a problem that the number of operating communication terminals capable of passing communication decreases, and the search target person cannot be searched efficiently.

  On the other hand, according to the first embodiment, search related communication is performed without going through the Internet IN. Therefore, the communication is not subject to charging in the first place, and therefore communication for search related communication is performed. There is no charge. Therefore, if no communication fee is incurred for the search related communication, the user of the mobile communication terminal 10 does not hesitate to cooperate with the search activity using the passing communication. As a result, the number of people who participate in the search activity and the number of people who cooperate with each other increase, and the number of communication terminals capable of passing communication increases, so that the search target can be searched efficiently by the searcher.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, since the mobile communication terminal 10 starts the passing communication when receiving the instruction to start the passing communication, the battery consumption of the mobile communication terminal 10 can be reduced. . Similarly, according to the first embodiment, the mobile communication terminal 10 stops the passing communication when receiving a passing communication stop instruction, so that the battery consumption of the mobile communication terminal 10 can be reduced. it can. In addition, since the search server 16 transmits the start instruction and the stop instruction to the mobile communication terminal 10 via the local area network LN, no communication fee is generated for this communication, and the passing communication is used. Cooperating with the search activity prevents the user of the mobile communication terminal 10 from hesitating.

Second Embodiment
Next, a search system according to the second embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the case where the search target person possesses the wireless communication terminal 12 has been described. However, in the second embodiment, a person who is likely to be a search target person such as an elderly person or a person with dementia (a prospective person). However, the case where not only the wireless communication terminal 12 but also a mobile communication terminal similar to the mobile communication terminal 10 is possessed and the forgotten object prevention process is added to the mobile communication terminal will be described.

  In the second embodiment, it is assumed that the prospective person carries the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal 12 together.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the forgotten object prevention process of the mobile communication terminal according to the second embodiment. Note that this forgotten object prevention processing is executed periodically or randomly.

(Step SP60)
The mobile communication terminal performs wireless communication with the wireless communication terminal 12. And a process transfers to the process of step SP62.

(Step SP62)
The mobile communication terminal has a distance between the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal 12 equal to or greater than a predetermined distance based on a communication result with the wireless communication terminal 12 (for example, an electric field strength value returned from the wireless communication terminal 12). It is determined whether or not. If an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step SP64. If a negative determination is made, the process ends. Here, the predetermined distance is a distance such as 5 to 10 meters such that the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal 12 can be forgotten at home and the prospective person can be recognized as being away from the house. preferable.

(Step SP64)
The mobile communication terminal notifies the prospective person of the fact that the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal 12 are separated (that one of the mobile phones is forgotten) by sound, vibration, image, or the like. In addition, the mobile communication terminal notifies a predetermined destination, such as a prospective family member, that the wireless communication terminal 12 has been separated by e-mail, automatic telephone call, or the like. And a process transfers to the process of step SP66.

(Step SP66)
The mobile communication terminal acquires the current position using GPS, and notifies the position by e-mail or the like to a predetermined destination such as a family. And a process transfers to the process of step SP68.

(Step SP68)
When the mobile communication terminal determines that the mobile communication terminal is not moving by monitoring the current position, the mobile communication terminal determines that only the radio communication terminal 12 is carried, and the radio communication terminal 12 In response to this, a search request including the name of the search target person and the terminal ID is transmitted to the search server 16. When receiving the search request, the search server 16 starts the process of step SP10 shown in FIG. 4 in response thereto.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the prospective person is notified when it is determined that the distance between the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance. Forgetting to carry the terminal and the wireless communication terminal 12 can be prevented. As a result, when the prospect is given a habit of carrying the wireless communication terminal 12 and actually becomes a search target person, it can reliably communicate with the wireless communication terminal 12 carried by the search target person.
In addition, it is preferable that the wireless communication terminal 12 is put in or attached to the thing (a wallet, a notebook, etc.) carried by the search subject every day from a viewpoint of a thing left behind.

  Further, when it is determined that the distance between the mobile communication terminal and the radio communication terminal 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the position of the mobile communication terminal is further notified to a predetermined destination. The family or the like of the addressed destination can know the position of the prospective person or the search target person.

<Reference example>
Next, a search system according to a reference example will be described. In the first embodiment, the case where the search related communication is performed via the local area network LN has been described, but in the reference example, the case where the search related communication is performed via the Internet IN will be described. In the reference example, even if the search is performed via the Internet IN, the search-related communication is not charged.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a search system according to a reference example. As shown in FIG. 5, the search system 1 </ b> A includes a mobile communication terminal 10, a wireless communication terminal 12, a search server 16, and a billing server 18. Among these, at least the mobile communication terminal 10, the search server 16, and the billing server 18 are connected to each other via the Internet IN (and the base station BS in the case of the mobile communication terminal 10). They can communicate with each other.

  The accounting server 18 is a device that executes accounting processing for communication via the Internet IN by the mobile communication terminal 10. This billing server 18 is managed by a communication company.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by the accounting server 18 shown in FIG. This process is executed, for example, periodically or randomly.

(Step SP80)
The billing server 18 of the billing server 18 collects communication histories output from an exchange (not shown) in units of nodes. And a process transfers to the process of step SP82.

(Step SP82)
The accounting server 18 stores the collected communication history in the storage unit of the accounting server 18. And a process transfers to the process of step SP84.

(Step SP84)
The accounting server 18 repeats the processing from step SP86 to step SP90 for each stored communication history.

(Step SP86)
The billing server 18 determines whether the communication indicated by the target communication history is communication related to passing communication, in other words, search related communication. Specifically, the billing server 18 performs communication before service connection in which communication indicated by the target communication history is connected to the base station BS to start service communication, or service communication based on the stored communication history. When it is determined whether or not it is performed while communicating with the base station BS in order to start and maintain service communication, such as maintenance communication that connects with the base station BS to maintain, and when an affirmative determination is made If the communication indicated by the target communication history is determined to be communication related to the passing communication and the determination is negative, the communication indicated by the target communication history is determined to be communication not related to the passing communication.
Note that the billing server 18 communicates with the search server 16 to determine whether or not the communication indicated by the target communication history is performed until the search server 16 instructs to start and stop the passing communication. When the determination is positive, the communication indicated by the target communication history is determined to be communication related to passing communication, and when the determination is negative, the communication indicated by the target communication history is determined to be communication not related to passing communication. May be.
In addition, when the address of the communication destination is included in the communication history, the billing server 18 determines whether or not the address is the address of the search server 16, and if the determination is affirmative, the target communication history indicates When communication is determined to be communication related to passing communication and a negative determination is made, communication indicated by the target communication history may be determined to be communication not related to passing communication.
And a process transfers to the process of step SP88.

(Step SP88)
The billing server 18 executes processing for billing the communication indicated by the target communication history. Specifically, the accounting server 18 adds the communication indicated by the target communication history to the communication history 120A, thereby setting the communication indicated by the target communication history as the charging target. And a process transfers to the process of step SP92.

(Step SP90)
The billing server 18 executes processing for prohibiting the communication indicated by the target communication history from being billed. Specifically, the charging server 18 prohibits the communication indicated by the target communication history from being set as the charging target by not adding the communication indicated by the target communication history to the communication history of the storage unit. The billing server 18 does not prohibit the communication indicated by the target communication history from being charged. That is, the billing server 18 adds the communication indicated by the target communication history to the communication history of the storage unit and indicates the target communication history. A flag that is excluded from charging for communication may be given. And a process transfers to the process of step SP92.

(Step SP92)
The process returns to the process of step SP84 when there is an unprocessed communication history, and exits the process of step SP92 when there is no unprocessed communication history.

  As described above, according to this reference example, when a searcher searches for a search target person using the mobile communication terminal 10 that wirelessly communicates with the wireless communication terminal 12 within the communication range, or when the mobile communication terminal 10 is used. When the search cooperator cooperates with the search, the communication related to these wireless communication is not charged. If the communication related to the wireless communication is not charged, the user of the mobile communication terminal 10 does not hesitate to participate in the search activity by the mobile communication terminal 10 performing the wireless communication. As a result, the number of people who participate in the search activity and the number of people who cooperate with each other increase, and the number of communication terminals capable of passing communication increases, so that the search target can be searched efficiently by the searcher.

<Modification>
In the above, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to specific examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific examples. In other words, those specific examples that have been appropriately modified by those skilled in the art are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the characteristics of the present invention. Each element included in each of the specific examples described above and their arrangement, conditions, shape, and the like are not limited to those illustrated, and can be changed as appropriate.

  For example, the control server 14 may perform the routing process in step SP30 of FIG. Moreover, the search server 16 and the control server 14 may be comprised with one information processing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Mobile communication terminal, BS ... Base station (base station part), 12 ... Wireless communication terminal, 14 ... Control server (base station part), 16 ... Search server (server)

Claims (5)

A search system for searching for a search target using a wireless communication terminal,
A base station unit that communicates with a mobile communication terminal and routes communication from the mobile communication terminal;
A search server for managing the search activity of the search target person;
With
The base station section
Of communication from the mobile communication terminal, search related communication corresponding to wireless communication between the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal is routed through a local area network that is not charged for the search related communication. Configured to route to the search server;
Search system. The search server transmits an instruction to start the wireless communication to the mobile communication terminal via the local area network and the base station unit.
The search system according to claim 1. The search server transmits an instruction to stop the wireless communication to the mobile communication terminal via the local area network and the base station unit.
The search system according to claim 1 or 2. The mobile communication terminal wirelessly communicates with the wireless communication terminal, determines whether the distance between the mobile communication terminal and the wireless communication terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance based on a communication result, and the distance is If it is determined that the distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, a notification is made.
The search system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. When the mobile communication terminal determines that the distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, the mobile communication terminal further notifies the predetermined destination of the position of the mobile communication terminal.
The search system according to claim 4.