JP7769357B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program.

It is becoming increasingly common to install display terminals in stalls in restroom facilities, and when a user approaches the toilet, a sensor detects the user and displays images such as advertisements and event information. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which a display terminal with communication capabilities is installed in a restroom stall, and advertising content is displayed to the user via the screen of the display terminal.

JP 2012-42813 A

In a system such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, the server may monitor the operation of the display terminal by causing the display terminal to transmit data to the server via a network at predetermined intervals.
However, even if the display terminal is operating normally, the server may be unable to receive data from the display terminal due to reasons outside the display terminal itself (reasons other than a malfunction of the display terminal). In this case, the server will recognize this as an error in the display terminal, even though the display terminal is operating normally. This results in management of the display terminals installed in each toilet stall that does not match the actual situation, and the administrator is unable to take appropriate measures to deal with the error.
In view of such circumstances, the present disclosure proposes a technique that makes it possible to identify whether a malfunction is due to an error in the display terminal or to another cause.

To solve the above problem, the present disclosure proposes an information processing device that is communicatively connected to each of the display devices installed in multiple toilet stalls in a toilet facility, and that includes a storage device that stores a program that monitors the status of each of the display devices and determines whether there is a malfunction, and a processor that reads and executes the program from the storage device. The processor performs the following operations: receiving data transmitted from each of the display devices at predetermined time intervals; a first determination process that determines whether communication with each of the display devices is not possible based on the most recent reception date and time of the data transmitted from each of the display devices; a second determination process that determines the status of the display device determined to be unable to communicate based on data transmitted from other display devices installed in other toilet stalls in the toilet facility to which the display device determined to be unable to communicate in the first determination process belongs; and outputting the determination result of the second determination process.

Further features related to the present disclosure will become apparent from the description and accompanying drawings of this specification. Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure are achieved and realized by the elements and combinations of various elements, as well as the aspects of the following detailed description and the appended claims. It should be understood that the description in this specification is merely exemplary and does not limit the scope or application of the claims of the present disclosure in any way.

This embodiment makes it possible to easily identify (estimate) whether a malfunction is occurring in the display terminal installed in each toilet stall, or whether the malfunction is due to another cause. Therefore, toilet stall managers can efficiently manage toilet stalls, including the display terminals.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vacancy management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the installation of toilet cubicles 20 in one toilet facility in this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the vacant room management server 10. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a display terminal 40. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a repeater 50. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a management terminal 60. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the software configuration of the vacant room management server 10. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the software configuration of the display terminal 40. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data configuration of a vacancy management DB. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of an advertisement management DB. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a display terminal management DB. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the display terminal monitoring process performed by the vacant room management server 10 according to this embodiment. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an error handling determination process by the vacancy management server 10 according to the first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an error handling determination process by the vacancy management server 10 according to the second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an error recheck process by the vacant room management server 10 according to the third embodiment.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(1) First Embodiment <System Configuration>
(Network configuration)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vacancy management system according to this embodiment. The vacancy management system 100 in FIG. 1 includes a vacancy management server 10, vacancy detection sensors 30 and display terminals (display devices) 40 installed in each toilet stall 20 of multiple toilet facilities managed by area, a repeater 50 that communicates with the vacancy detection sensors 30 and display terminals 40 in the same area and transmits information to the vacancy management server, and a management terminal 60. A toilet facility refers to a group of toilet stalls accessible from a common entrance/exit. An area refers to a group of stalls managed by the repeater 50. In this embodiment, a men's toilet facility (toilet facility A) and a women's toilet facility (toilet facility B) located adjacent to each other are managed as a single area.

The vacancy management server 10 may be configured to be connected to the management terminal 60 via the network 70, or may be configured to be connected directly to the management terminal. The vacancy management server 10 is also configured to be able to send data (distribute advertising data) to the display terminal 40 via the network 70 (without going through the repeater 50). The vacancy detection sensor 30 and the display terminal 40 are configured to send information (data) to the vacancy management server 10 via the repeater 50.

The repeater 50 communicates with the vacancy management server and management terminal 60 via a network 70. The repeater 50 also receives information from vacancy detection sensors 30 and display terminals 40 installed in each toilet cubicle 20 of multiple toilet facilities in the same area, and transmits the received information to the vacancy management server 10. The repeater 50 is installed, for example, under the sink or near the entrance to one toilet facility A in the area and connected to a power source to relay communication between the vacancy detection sensors 30 and display terminals 40 installed in each toilet cubicle 20 of toilet facilities in the same area and the vacancy management server 10.

The vacancy management server 10 is an information processing device that distributes display content (hereinafter referred to as advertising content) such as advertising images, advertising videos, and questionnaire images to display terminals 40. The distributed advertising content is displayed on the displays of the display terminals 40 installed in each toilet cubicle 20.

Display terminal 40 is installed in each toilet stall in multiple toilet facilities A and B, and is an information display device that displays advertising content such as advertisements while a user is using the toilet stall. For example, a tablet terminal can be used as display terminal 40. Furthermore, display terminal 40 transmits operation confirmation data indicating that the display terminal is running, along with the area ID, facility ID, and toilet stall ID (see Figure 5C; identification information may also be attached to the display terminal itself and used), to repeater 50 at predetermined intervals (e.g., 10 minutes). The operation confirmation data indicates that display terminal 40 is operating normally. If display terminal 40 is malfunctioning or not receiving power, this data will not be transmitted from display terminal 40. Repeater 50 transmits the operation confirmation data of display terminal 40, along with the area ID, facility ID, and toilet stall ID, to vacancy management server 10 via network 70.

The vacancy detection sensor 30 is installed in each toilet cubicle in each of toilet facilities A and B, and is a detection device (monitoring device) for detecting vacancy information (indicating vacancy status or usage status) of toilet cubicles 20 used by users. The vacancy detection sensor 30 is installed in each cubicle to be monitored. The vacancy detection sensor 30 detects whether the toilet cubicle 20 is being used by a user.

The vacancy detection sensor 30 can be, for example, a human presence sensor that detects the presence of a person (user) inside the toilet cubicle 20 or a magnetic sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door of the toilet cubicle 20. When a human presence sensor is used, it can be determined that the toilet cubicle 20 is being used by a user when it detects the presence of a person inside the toilet cubicle 20. Furthermore, if the toilet cubicle 20 is a normally open type, it can be determined that the toilet cubicle 20 is being used by a user when it detects that the door of the toilet cubicle 20 has been closed using a magnetic sensor. The vacancy detection sensor 30 detects the open/closed state of the door, for example, every 5 seconds. The vacancy detection sensor 30 transmits the detection result (user entering/exiting) to the repeater 50 when the open/closed state changes, and further detects whether the toilet cubicle 20 is being used by a user every certain period of time (for example, 10 seconds) and transmits the detection result to the repeater 50. Here, the vacancy detection sensor 30 outputs a detection signal 1 when the door is closed, and a detection signal 0 when the door is open, along with the toilet cubicle ID (see Figure 5C; identification information may be attached to the vacancy detection sensor itself and used). The repeater 50 transmits the detection results of the toilet cubicle 20 to the vacancy management server 10 via the network 70. In this embodiment, a magnetic sensor that detects whether the door is open or closed is used as the vacancy detection sensor 30.

The network 70 is a communication network that may be wired or wireless. Examples of the network 70 include the Internet, a public line network, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

(Installation example)
Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of installation of each toilet cubicle 20 in one toilet facility in this embodiment. A vacancy detection sensor 30 is installed in a predetermined location within each toilet cubicle 20 to monitor vacancy information (vacancy status) of the toilet cubicle 20. In the case of the toilet facility of Figure 2, a total of five cubicles are provided, so a total of five vacancy detection sensors 30 are installed for each toilet cubicle 20. The vacancy detection sensors 30 are communicably connected to a repeater 50 via a wireless or wired network (local network) within the toilet facility.

As described above, the vacancy detection sensor 30 may be, for example, a human presence sensor that detects the presence of a user inside the toilet cubicle 20, or a magnetic sensor that detects the opening and closing of the door to the toilet cubicle 20. If a human presence sensor is used as the vacancy detection sensor 30, the vacancy detection sensor 30 may be installed on the ceiling of the toilet cubicle 20, for example. Furthermore, if a magnetic sensor is used as the vacancy detection sensor 30, the vacancy detection sensor 30 may be installed on the door of the toilet cubicle 20.

The display terminal 40 is installed in a predetermined location within each toilet cubicle 20 so that it can be viewed by users entering the cubicle. In the case of the toilet facility shown in Figure 2, a total of five cubicles are provided, so a total of five display terminals 40 are installed per toilet cubicle 20. The display terminals 40 are communicatively connected to the repeater 50 via a wireless or wired network within the toilet facility.

(Hardware configuration)
Fig. 3A is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the vacant room management server 10. Fig. 3B is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the display terminal 40. Fig. 3C is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the repeater 50. Fig. 3D is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management terminal 60.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the vacancy management server 10 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 14, and a communication device 15.

The CPU 11 executes various programs and performs calculations. The ROM 12 stores programs required at startup. The RAM 13 is a work area that temporarily stores processing by the CPU 11 and stores data. The HDD 14 stores various data and programs. The communication device 15 communicates with other devices via the network 70.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the display terminal 40 has a CPU 41, ROM 42, RAM 43, a communication device 44, memory 45, and a display device 46.

The CPU 41 executes various programs and performs calculations. The ROM 42 stores programs required at startup, etc. The RAM 43 is a work area that temporarily stores processing by the CPU 41 and stores data. The communication device 44 communicates with the vacant room management server 10 via the network 70. The memory 45 stores and saves advertising content data. The display device 46 displays advertising content distributed from the vacant room management server 10.

As shown in Figure 3C, the repeater 50 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51, ROM (Read Only Memory) 52, RAM (Random Access Memory) 53, and a communication device 54. The CPU 51 loads an operating program from the ROM 52 and deploys it in internal memory (not shown) to achieve the required functions. In the repeater 50, when the communication device 54 receives a notification from the vacant room detection sensor 30 or the display terminal 40, the CPU 51 temporarily stores the notification in RAM 53 (for example, until the next notification is received for the same toilet stall ID) and controls the communication device 54 to transmit the received notification to the vacant room management server 10.

As shown in FIG. 3D, the management terminal 60 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 61, ROM (Read Only Memory) 62, RAM (Random Access Memory) 63, a communication device 64, memory 65, a display device 66, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 64. The CPU 61 loads an operating program from the ROM 62 and deploys it in internal memory (not shown) to achieve the required functions. In the management terminal 60, when the communication device 64 receives a notification from the vacancy management server 10 (that one of the display terminals 40 is not operating, that the repeater 50 is not operating, or that communication conditions are poor), the CPU 61 temporarily stores the notification in RAM 63 and controls the display device 66 to display the received notification.

Note that although an example of the hardware configuration of the vacant room detection sensor 30 is not illustrated, the vacant room detection sensor 30 is configured to include at least a sensor, a CPU, and a communication device.

(Software configuration)
Figure 4A is a diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the vacant room management server 10. Figure 4B is a diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the display terminal 40. Note that here, examples of the software configuration of the vacant room management server 10 and the display terminal 40 for solving the above-mentioned problems will be shown.

The vacancy management server 10 includes at least a usage status management function, an advertising control function, and a monitoring function. The regular usage management function manages the usage status of each toilet cubicle 20 based on detection information from the vacancy detection sensor 30. The advertising control function maintains an advertising management database (DB) and distributes it to each display terminal 40. The monitoring function monitors the communication status with each display terminal 40. To achieve these functions, as shown in FIG. 4A, the vacancy management server 10 has the following main functional units: a distribution unit 101, a management unit 102, a first determination unit 103, a second determination unit 104, a display control unit 105, and a memory unit 106. The memory unit 106 stores a vacancy management DB 106a, an advertising management DB 106b, and a display terminal management DB 106c.

The distribution unit 101 distributes advertising content (video files and display period information) to each display terminal 40 installed in multiple restroom cubicles 20, for example, outside of business hours of a facility where restroom facilities are installed (e.g., a shopping mall, commercial building, etc.).

The management unit 102 detects the presence or absence of a user using each of the multiple toilet cubicles 20. Specifically, the management unit 102 receives detection information from the vacancy detection sensors 30 installed in the toilet cubicles 20 via the repeater 50 periodically or when the detection information changes. The detection information includes a facility ID, a cubicle ID, and a detection signal. If the detection signal indicates 1, the management unit 102 detects that the toilet cubicle in the facility has a user as the detection result, and if the detection signal indicates 0, the management unit 102 detects that the toilet cubicle in the facility has no user as the detection result. The management unit 102 also updates the vacancy management DB 106a based on the detection information and the time the detection information was received. Furthermore, the management unit 102 notifies the management terminal 60 of the occurrence of an error and its type (whether a specific display terminal 40 is inactive or the repeater 50 is inactive) depending on the determination result of the second determination unit 104 (described below).

The first determination unit 103 monitors, in a pre-set order, whether a predetermined time (e.g., 20 minutes) or more has passed since the last data reception date and time at each display terminal 40. In this case, if communication of operation confirmation data between the display terminal 40 and the vacancy management server fails twice (the 20 minutes correspond to the interval between two receptions of operation confirmation data), the first determination unit 103 will recognize it as a possible error.

When the first determination unit 103 detects a display terminal 40 that is an error candidate, the second determination unit 104 determines the content of the error notification. In this embodiment, it determines whether to notify the management terminal 60 of the display terminal 40 in question as an error notification. Note that if the vacancy management server 10 does not receive operation confirmation data for a display terminal 40, the cause is not necessarily a malfunction of the display terminal 40. For example, the repeater 50 may not be operating due to a malfunction or other reason (for example, it may be temporarily in an inoperative state due to water splashing, or the power cord may have been disconnected during tampering or cleaning). When the repeater 50 is malfunctioning, operation confirmation data from other display terminals 40 in the same area that are accessing the repeater 50 will also not be sent to the vacancy management server 10. Therefore, when a display terminal 40 is detected as an error candidate, it is determined whether all other display terminals 40 installed in the same area as the display terminal 40 are in the same state as the error candidate, and the content of the notification is determined accordingly.

The memory unit 106 stores a vacancy management database (DB) 106a and an advertising management DB 106b. The vacancy management DB 106a is a database for managing vacancy information (vacancy status) of toilet cubicles 20 in the toilet facility in real time. The advertising management DB 106b is a database for managing advertising content to be displayed on the display terminal 40 provided in the toilet cubicle 20.

The above-mentioned advertising control function, usage status management function, and monitoring function may each be implemented on separate server devices. If implemented on a single server, all functions will stop working if that server stops working. Therefore, from the perspective of risk reduction and decentralization, it may be possible to implement only the monitoring function on a separate server.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the display terminal 40 has, as its main functional units, a communication unit 401, a memory unit 402, and a display control unit 403. The communication unit 401 receives advertising content distributed by the distribution unit 101 of the vacancy management server 10, as well as vacancy information indicating that the toilet stall is in use. In addition, as described above, the communication unit 401 periodically transmits operation confirmation data to the repeater 50.

The storage unit 402 stores the advertising content received by the communication unit 401 in the memory 45. The display control unit 403 displays or hides the advertising content in accordance with the control of the display control unit 105 of the vacancy management server 10. The display control unit 403 also requests the vacancy management server 10 to send the above-mentioned vacancy information along with its own terminal ID at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 8 seconds), acquires usage status information, and displays an advertisement when it detects a user entering the room. Furthermore, the display control unit 403 ends the advertisement display when it detects the user leaving the room.

Note that each functional unit is realized by a computer program executed on the hardware resources, such as the CPU, ROM, and RAM, of the computer that constitutes the vacancy management server 10 and the display terminal 40. These functional units may also be referred to as "means," "modules," "units," or "circuits."

(Vacancy management DB, advertising management DB, and display terminal management DB)
Fig. 5A is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of a vacancy management DB, Fig. 5B is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of an advertising management DB, and Fig. 5C is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of a display terminal management DB.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the vacancy management DB 106a includes data items such as "facility ID," "facility name," "number of private rooms," "number of vacant rooms," and "private room ID and vacancy information."

"Facility ID" indicates a unique identifier assigned to each restroom facility. "Facility Name" indicates the name of the restroom facility. "Number of Stalls" indicates the total number of toilet cubicles provided in the restroom facility. "Number of Vacant Rooms" indicates the number of vacant toilet cubicles out of the "Number of Stalls." "Number of Vacant Rooms" changes in real time depending on the availability of toilet cubicles.

"Stall ID and Vacancy Information" indicates the unique identifier assigned to each toilet stall and the vacancy information for that stall. In the case of Figure 5A, the "Stall ID" corresponds to 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and toilet stalls with an underlined number indicating the "Stall ID" are in use. On the other hand, toilet stalls with an underlined number indicating the "Stall ID" are not in use.

When the vacancy management server 10 receives detection information from the vacancy detection sensor 30 installed in a toilet cubicle 20 via the repeater 50, it identifies the facility ID and cubicle ID contained in the detection information, and if the detection signal contained in the detection information indicates 1, it updates the vacancy management DB 106a to indicate that the toilet cubicle is in use, or if the detection signal contained in the detection information indicates 0, it updates the vacancy management DB 106a to indicate that the toilet cubicle is not in use. Furthermore, when the vacancy management server 10 updates the vacancy information of a toilet cubicle 20, it also updates the number of vacancies in the corresponding toilet facility.

As shown in FIG. 5B, advertising management DB 106b has data items such as "advertising ID," "advertiser ID," and "advertising content data." "Advertising ID" indicates a unique identifier assigned to each advertisement. "Advertiser ID" indicates a unique identifier (identification information) assigned to each advertiser who has placed an advertisement. "Advertising content data" indicates the content data of the placed advertisement.

As shown in FIG. 5C, the display terminal management DB 106c has data items such as "Area ID," "Facility ID," "Facility Name," "Stall ID," and "Latest Operation Confirmation Data Reception Time." "Area ID" is a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the area in which the corresponding toilet facility is installed. "Facility ID" is a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the corresponding toilet facility. "Facility Name" indicates the name of the corresponding toilet facility. "Stall ID" is a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the toilet stall installed in the corresponding toilet facility. "Latest Operation Confirmation Data Reception Time" indicates the time when the latest operation confirmation data transmitted from the display terminal 40 installed in the corresponding toilet stall was received via the repeater 50.

When the vacancy management server 10 receives operation confirmation data transmitted periodically (e.g., every 10 minutes) by each display terminal 40 via the repeater 50, it compares the "area ID," "facility ID," and "private room ID" contained in the operation confirmation data with the "area ID," "facility ID," and "private room ID" in the display terminal management DB 106c, and enters the time (date and time) that the operation confirmation data was received into the corresponding "latest operation confirmation data reception time." The "latest operation confirmation data" itself may also be stored in the display terminal management DB 106c, linked to the "latest operation confirmation data reception time." If operation confirmation data is not received for some reason (the display terminal 40 is not operating, or the repeater 50 is not operating), the "latest operation confirmation data reception time" will not be updated.

<Monitoring process>
6 is a flowchart for explaining the display terminal monitoring process performed by the vacancy management server 10 according to this embodiment. The monitoring process is a process for determining the display terminal 40 that is a candidate for an error based on the time of reception of the latest operation confirmation data for each display terminal 40 stored in the display terminal management DB 106c. The CPU 11 can implement each step (hereinafter referred to as "S") by reading and executing a program that can implement the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

(i) S601
The first determination unit 103 selects from the display terminal management DB 106c a display terminal 40 to be processed and determine whether it is an error candidate. The display terminal management DB 106c does not include a display terminal ID, but since there is one display terminal per toilet stall, selecting the toilet stall (stall ID) to be processed is equivalent to selecting the display terminal 40 to be processed. Note that, to further facilitate management, the display terminal management DB 106c may include identification information for specifying the display terminal.

(ii) S602
The first determination unit 103 acquires the reception time (date and time) of the operation check data last received from the display terminal 40 to be processed from the display terminal management DB 106c (reception time (date and time) of the latest operation check data).

(iii) S603
The first determination unit 103 acquires information about the current time (date and time).

(iv) S604
The first determination unit 103 compares the reception time (date and time) of the latest operation check data acquired in S602 with the current time (date and time), and determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., 20 minutes) or more has passed since the last reception. If the predetermined time or more has passed since the last reception time (Yes in S604), the process proceeds to S605. If the predetermined time has not yet passed since the last reception time (No in S604), the process proceeds to S606.

(v) S605
The first determination unit 103 determines that the display terminal 40 being processed is in an error state where a malfunction may be occurring, and sets it as an error candidate. Then, the stall ID of the toilet stall in which the display terminal 40 that has been determined to be an error candidate is installed is temporarily stored in the RAM 13. Note that if the display terminal IDs are managed in the display terminal management DB 106c, the target display terminal ID may be stored in the RAM 13.

(vi) S606
The first determination unit 103 determines whether to complete the monitoring process. Specifically, the first determination unit 103 references the display terminal management DB 150c and checks whether there is a display terminal 40 that is a processing target for determining whether it is an error candidate among the display terminals 40 installed in each stall of the restroom facility in the same area. If it is determined that the monitoring process is complete, that is, if error candidate determination has been completed for all display terminals 40 installed in each restroom stall in the same area (Yes in S606), the monitoring process ends. If it is determined that the monitoring process is not complete, that is, if there is still a display terminal 40 that is to be determined as an error candidate among the display terminals 40 installed in each restroom stall in the same area (No in S606), the process proceeds to S601.

By performing the above monitoring process, it is possible to determine whether each display terminal installed in each toilet stall in toilet facilities in the same area is operating normally, and display terminals that are not operating normally can be identified as error candidates.

<Error handling determination process>
7 is a flowchart for explaining the error handling determination process by the vacancy management server 10 according to the first embodiment. The error handling determination process is a process for determining the type of error (whether it is a malfunction of the repeater 50 or a malfunction of the error candidate display terminal 40 itself) based on the number of display terminals 40 that have been identified as error candidates. The CPU 11 can implement each step (hereinafter referred to as "S") by loading and executing a program that can implement the flowchart shown in FIG. 7.

(i) S701
The second determination unit 104 selects the display terminal 40 that is the error candidate, and acquires the corresponding private room ID, facility ID, and area ID.

(ii) S702
The second determination unit 104 determines whether there is another display terminal 40 that has the same area ID as the display terminal 40 selected in S701. If there is another display terminal that has the same area ID (Yes in S702), the process proceeds to S703. If there is no other display terminal that has the same area ID (No in S702), the process proceeds to S710.

(iii) S703
The second determination unit 104 acquires the stall IDs of toilet stalls having the same area ID. If the display terminal management DB 106c has a display terminal ID as an item, the second determination unit 104 may acquire the display terminal IDs of toilet stalls having the same area ID.

(iv) S704
The second determination unit 104 acquires the latest time (date and time) when the operation confirmation data was received, which corresponds to the stall ID acquired in S703. Because the stall ID is linked to the display terminal 40 installed in the corresponding toilet stall 20, by acquiring the stall ID, it is possible to identify the time (date and time) when the operation confirmation data was received for the target display terminal 40.

(v) S705
The second determination unit 104 acquires the current time (date and time) and determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., 20 minutes) or more has passed since the time (date and time) of receiving the operation check data acquired in S704. If 20 minutes or more have passed since the time (date and time) of receiving the operation check data (Yes in S705), the process proceeds to S706. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not yet passed since the time (date and time) of receiving the operation check data (No in S705), the process proceeds to S707.

(vi) S706
The second determination unit 104 increments the number of display terminals in an error state (number of error terminals) by one (+1).

(vii) S707
The second determination unit 104 checks whether there is an undetermined display terminal 40 having the same area ID. In other words, the second determination unit 104 determines whether there is a display terminal 40 in the same area for which it has not yet determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the last time (date and time) operation confirmation data was received. If there is an undetermined display terminal 40 in the same area (Yes in S707), the process returns to S704. If determination has been completed for all display terminals 40 in the same area (No in S707), the process proceeds to S708.

(viii) S708
The second determination unit 104 determines whether all display terminals in the same area are in an error state. If all display terminals in the same area are in an error state (Yes in S708), the process proceeds to S709. If there is a display terminal in the same area that is operating normally (No in S708), the process proceeds to S710.

(ix) S709
The second determination unit 104 determines that there is a problem with the repeater 50 (including a malfunction or no power supply) based on the fact that all display terminals 40 in the same area are in an error state. The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a problem has occurred with the repeater 50. Then, a message such as "There may be a problem with the repeater with area ID XX" is displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60.

(x) S710
The second determination unit 104 determines that a display terminal 40 determined to be in an error state has a malfunction (including a breakdown or no power supply) based on the fact that several display terminals 40 in the same area are operating normally. The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a malfunction has occurred in the display terminal 40 determined to be in an error state. Then, a message such as "An error has occurred in display terminal △△ with toilet stall ID XX in area ID XX" is displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60.

<Effects of the First Embodiment>
When the vacancy management server 10 is unable to receive operation confirmation data from a certain display terminal 40, it does not mean that the operation of the display terminal 40 has stopped, but rather that the operation confirmation data could not be received simply because a malfunction of a repeater 50 installed in the same area has occurred, and it can distinguish between cases where there is a possibility that a malfunction (error) has occurred in the display terminal 40 itself, and notify the management terminal 60 of the error. This allows the manager to take the necessary measures quickly and appropriately for the device in question.

Furthermore, if a display terminal 40 is not displaying advertisements properly, the administrator will want to check the display terminal 40 as soon as possible. However, the operation confirmation data alone does not determine which of the above reasons is preventing the advertisement from being displayed properly, and it is not possible to determine whether or not it is necessary to go and check the toilet stall 20. Therefore, the second determination unit 104 also checks the operating status of display terminals 40 around the display terminal 40 that has been determined to be an error candidate, and determines whether or not the display terminal 40 that has been determined to be an error candidate needs to be repaired based on the operating status of the other display terminals 40.

(2) Second Embodiment Among the display terminals 40 installed in each toilet stall 20 of a toilet facility installed in a specific area, there may be other error states in addition to the error candidate, although not all of them may be. This is a phenomenon that is likely to occur when radio waves in the area are congested and communication conditions are poor. Therefore, in the second embodiment, an error notification is further described depending on whether there is a terminal in an error state in the same area. Note that in the second embodiment, the system configuration, the configuration of each device, the items in each DB, and the like are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, a description of these will be omitted here.

<Error handling determination process>
8 is a flowchart for explaining the error handling determination process by the vacancy management server 10 according to the second embodiment. The error handling determination process according to the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, is a process for determining the error type based on the number of display terminals 40 identified as error candidates, but in addition to the type of the first embodiment (whether a malfunction of the repeater 50 or a malfunction of the display terminal of the error candidate), it also determines the occurrence of a communication error. The CPU 11 can implement each step (hereinafter abbreviated as "S") by loading and executing a program capable of implementing the flowchart shown in FIG. 7.

(i) S801
The second determination unit 104 selects the display terminal 40 that is the error candidate, and acquires the corresponding private room ID, facility ID, and area ID.

(ii) S802
The second determination unit 104 determines whether there is another display terminal 40 that has the same area ID as the display terminal 40 selected in S701. If there is another display terminal that has the same area ID (Yes in S802), the process proceeds to S803. If there is no other display terminal that has the same area ID (No in S802), the process proceeds to S812.

(iii) S803
The second determination unit 104 acquires the stall IDs of toilet stalls having the same area ID. If the display terminal management DB 106c has a display terminal ID as an item, the second determination unit 104 may acquire the display terminal IDs of toilet stalls having the same area ID.

(iv) S804
The second determination unit 104 acquires the latest time (date and time) when the operation confirmation data was received, which corresponds to the stall ID acquired in S803. Because the stall ID is linked to the display terminal 40 installed in the corresponding toilet stall 20, by acquiring the stall ID, it is possible to identify the time (date and time) when the operation confirmation data was received for the target display terminal 40.

(v) S805
The second determination unit 104 acquires the current time (date and time) and determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., 20 minutes) or more has passed since the time (date and time) of receiving the operation check data acquired in S804. If 20 minutes or more have passed since the time (date and time) of receiving the operation check data (Yes in S805), the process proceeds to S806. On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not yet passed since the time (date and time) of receiving the operation check data (No in S805), the process proceeds to S807.

(vi) S806
The second determination unit 104 increments the number of display terminals in an error state (number of error terminals) by one (+1).

(vii) S807
The second determination unit 104 checks whether there is an undetermined display terminal 40 having the same area ID. In other words, the second determination unit 104 determines whether there is a display terminal 40 in the same area for which it has not yet determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the last time (date and time) operation confirmation data was received. If there is an undetermined display terminal 40 in the same area (Yes in S807), the process returns to S804. If determination has been completed for all display terminals 40 in the same area (No in S807), the process proceeds to S808.

(viii) S808
The second determination unit 104 determines whether all display terminals in the same area are in an error state. If all display terminals in the same area are in an error state (Yes in S808), the process proceeds to S809. If there is a display terminal in the same area that is operating normally (No in S808), the process proceeds to S810.

(ix) S809
The second determination unit 104 determines that there is a problem with the repeater 50 (including a malfunction or no power supply) based on the fact that all display terminals 40 in the same area are in an error state. The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a problem has occurred with the repeater 50. Then, a message such as "There may be a problem with the repeater with area ID XX" is displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60.

(x) S810
When a certain display terminal 40 is in an error state, the second determination unit 104 determines whether there are N or more other display terminals 40 in an error state in the same area as the display terminal 40 in the error state (for example, N can be set to 1). In other words, when N is set to 1, the second determination unit 104 determines whether there are multiple display terminals 40 in an error state in the same area. If it is determined that there are N or more other display terminals 40 in an error state (Yes in S810), the process proceeds to S811. On the other hand, if it is determined that there are fewer than N other display terminals 40 in an error state (No in S810: for example, N=1, when there is only one display terminal in an error state), the process proceeds to S812.

(xi)S811
The second determination unit 104 determines that a communication error has occurred (a malfunction has occurred due to communication congestion). The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a malfunction has occurred in the communication state. Then, a message such as "The communication state in area ID XX may be temporarily deteriorating" is displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60.

(xii) S812
The second determination unit 104 determines that the display terminal 40 determined to be in an error state has a malfunction (including a breakdown or no power supply). The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a malfunction has occurred in the display terminal 40 determined to be in an error state. Then, a message such as "An error may have occurred in display terminal △△ of toilet stall ID XX in area ID XX" is displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60.

<Effects of the Second Embodiment>
If there are other display terminals 40 in an error state, although not all of them are in the same area, it is highly likely that the communication state is poor, and it is unlikely that the display terminal 40 itself is malfunctioning. Therefore, if there are other display terminals 40 in an error state in the same area, the management terminal 60 is not notified of the malfunction (such as a malfunction) of the display terminal 40, but is notified of the possibility that the communication state may be temporarily deteriorating. This reduces the possibility of going to the area where the display terminal 40 is installed and making a pointless check (checking the display terminal) even though the display terminal 40 is operating.

The presence and type of equipment malfunction may also be determined by referring to the error status of display terminals 40 in other areas on the same floor. In buildings and facilities consisting of multiple floors (for example, commercial facilities such as office buildings and shopping malls), a single floor often has both men's and women's restroom facilities. Therefore, the operation confirmation data for the relevant repeater 50 and the display terminals 40 installed in restroom facilities in different areas is also referenced. In this case, information regarding the floor number is first registered in the vacancy management table 106a. For example, suppose there are five restroom stalls in the area of the toilet stall 20 where the error candidate display terminal 40 is installed, and there are five corresponding restroom stalls in other areas on the same floor. In this case, the error status of the four other display terminals in the same area is first determined to determine whether there is a malfunction (failure) in the repeater 50. Furthermore, if none of the other display terminals 40 in the same area are in an error state (if at least one display terminal 40 in the same area is operating normally), operation confirmation data can be obtained from the nine display terminals 40 installed in the nine toilet stalls on the same floor to determine whether an error state exists, and by determining whether N or more of the nine display terminals 40 are in an error state, it can be determined whether a temporary communication error is occurring or is likely to occur.

(3) Third Embodiment In the third embodiment, a method for rechecking the operational status of a display terminal 40 in which an error has been detected is described. Furthermore, depending on the building or facility, the entire facility may experience a power outage (planned power outage) on a specific day, such as once a year, or on days when the facility is closed (e.g., Sundays). Therefore, in this embodiment, an error notification is not sent to the management terminal 60 when the entire facility experiences a power outage. First, in this embodiment, once an error is notified to the management terminal 60 for a certain display terminal 40, the error handling determination process is not executed on the same day. This is to avoid multiple error notifications being sent even when a decision has already been made to handle the error, taking into account the fact that even if an operation check has already been performed, it may take time to resolve the error, or that the system may intentionally wait for the communication status to recover. Note that the system configuration, the configuration of each device, and the items in each database are the same in the third embodiment as in the first embodiment. Therefore, a description of these is omitted here.

<Error recheck process>
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the error recheck process by the vacant room management server 10 according to the third embodiment.

(i) S901
The second judgment unit 104 obtains from the display terminal management DB 106c the area ID, facility ID, private room ID, and the latest operation confirmation data reception time (date and time) corresponding to the display terminal 40 to be processed that notified the management terminal 60 that a malfunction (error) had occurred the previous day.

(ii) S902
The second determination unit 104 acquires the current date and time data.

(iii) S903
The second determination unit 104 determines whether the most recent operation check data was received more than 20 minutes ago. If more than 20 minutes have passed since the most recent operation check data was received (Yes in S903), the process proceeds to S904. If 20 minutes have not yet passed since the most recent operation check data was received (No in S903), the display terminal 40 is deleted from the error notification list (where error candidates are listed), and the error recheck process ends. Note that S903 is a process that takes into account the case where the display terminal 40 that was in error has recovered between the time the error notification was issued and the time this process is executed, for example, due to a countermeasure taken the previous day (such as going to the site and restarting it or turning it on properly) or due to natural resolution (such as improved communication conditions).

(iv) S904
The second determination unit 104 refers to the display terminal management DB 106c and determines whether there is another display terminal 40 that has the same facility ID as the display terminal 40 being processed. If such another display terminal 40 exists (Yes in S904), the process proceeds to S905. If such another display terminal 40 does not exist (No in S904), the process proceeds to S913.

(v) S905
The second determination unit 104 refers to the display terminal management DB 106c and obtains the private room ID (or the display terminal ID if the display terminal ID is registered in the display terminal management DB 106c) and area ID of other display terminals 40 that have the same facility ID as the display terminal 40 being processed.

(vi) S906
The second determination unit 104 refers to the display terminal management DB 106c and acquires the latest operation check data reception time (date and time) of the display terminal 40 corresponding to the private room ID (or display terminal ID) acquired in S905.

(vii) S907
The second determination unit 104 determines whether 20 minutes or more have passed since the latest operation check data was received, as acquired in S906. If 20 minutes or more have passed since the latest operation check data was received (Yes in S907), the process proceeds to S908. If 20 minutes have not yet passed since the latest operation check data was received (No in S907), the process proceeds to S909.

(viii) S908
The second determination unit 104 increments the number of display terminals in an error state (number of error terminals) by one (+1).

(ix) S909
The second determination unit 104 determines whether any of the display terminals 40 acquired in S905 have not been processed (i.e., whether the processing from S906 to S908 has not been performed). If any of the display terminals 40 have not been processed (Yes in S909), the processing returns to S906. If the processing from S906 to S908 has been completed for all of the display terminals 40 acquired in S905 (No in S909), the processing proceeds to S910.

(x) S910
The second determination unit 104 determines whether the display terminal 40 in S901 and all of the display terminals 40 acquired in S905 are in an error state. If all of the target display terminals 40 are in an error state (Yes in S910), the process proceeds to S911. If at least one of the target display terminals 40 is operating normally (No in S910), the process proceeds to S913.

(xi) S911
The second determination unit 104 checks whether the current period is within a preset power outage period. Information about the previous power outage period can be input by the operator from the management terminal 60, notified to the vacant room management server 10 in advance, and stored in the RAM 13 or HDD 14. If the current period is within a preset power outage period (Yes in S911), the error recheck process ends. If the current period is outside a preset power outage period (No in S911), the process proceeds to S912.

(xii) S912
The second determination unit 104 determines that a communication error may be occurring throughout the entire building or facility. The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a communication problem is occurring throughout the entire facility. A message such as "The entire building or facility may be experiencing an unexpected power outage" is then displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60. Because a problem throughout the entire building or facility is serious, notification may be sent to a specific email address (e.g., a disaster prevention email address) rather than to the management terminal 60, or may be sent to both the management terminal 60 and the specific email address.

(xiii) S913
The second determination unit 104 determines that the display terminal 40 determined to be in an error state has a malfunction (including a breakdown or no power supply). The management unit 102 then obtains the determination result from the second determination unit 104 and notifies the management terminal 60 that a malfunction has occurred in the display terminal 40 determined to be in an error state. Then, a message such as "An error may have occurred in display terminal △△ of toilet stall ID XX in area ID XX" is displayed on the display screen of the management terminal 60.

<Effects of the Third Embodiment>
According to the third embodiment, if an error occurs in one display terminal 40 or if a communication error occurs, the display terminal 40 may be monitored for a while without being replaced or repaired. However, if the error state is detected again the following day, some kind of action is likely to be necessary. Therefore, the latest operation check data for the display terminal 40 that was notified of the error is checked again to see if it has recovered. Furthermore, if a second error failure notification is issued, the content or notification method may be different from the previous notification, thereby informing the administrator that it is likely that a review of the action to be taken is necessary.

Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the possibility of a power outage in the building/facility itself is detected by referencing the error status of the entire building/facility. If an error status is detected in all display terminals 40 within the building/facility even though it was not anticipated in advance (there is no planned power outage), it is highly likely that an unexpected power outage has occurred in the facility, and the facility manager can be notified of this.

<Others>
In the above-described embodiment, one repeater 50 is installed for two restroom facilities (a men's restroom and a women's restroom located adjacent to each other) and they are managed as one area. Alternatively, one repeater 50 may be installed for each restroom facility, and each restroom facility may be managed as one area. In this case, when the vacancy management server 10 detects a display terminal 40 that is a candidate for an error, the server 10 may determine the content of the error notification based on the other display terminals 40 in the same restroom facility. Furthermore, the server 10 may store information about the location of the display terminal 40 and the IDs managing nearby restroom facilities in the vacancy management database, and, as in the above-described embodiment, determine the content of the error notification based on the error status of other display terminals 40 that are considered to be near the display terminal 40 that is a candidate for an error.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a system in which both the vacancy detection sensor 30 and the display terminal 40 communicate with the vacancy management server 10 via the repeater 50 has been described as an example. However, this is not limited to this. For example, a system in which only the vacancy detection sensor 30 initiates the repeater 50 and the display terminal 40 communicates directly with the vacancy management server 10 may be used, or a system that does not use the repeater 50. Even in such a case, if multiple display terminals 40 in an error state are detected within the restroom facility or within the same area, a communication error is likely occurring near the restroom facility. Therefore, for example, in S708, the second determination unit 104 determines whether there are a predetermined number or more display terminals 40 in an error state within the same area. If there are a predetermined number or more display terminals 40 in an error state, the process proceeds to S709, in which the management unit 102 notifies the management terminal 60 that communication conditions in the area may be poor. This allows the error notification to be issued while distinguishing between a malfunction specific to the display terminal 40 and a deterioration in communication conditions throughout the area.
The above-described embodiment can also be applied to a nursing room that includes multiple private rooms.

The technology of the present disclosure has been described above using specific examples in accordance with preferred embodiments. However, it is clear that various modifications and changes can be made to these examples without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the content defined in the claims. In other words, the technology of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited by the details of the examples and the accompanying drawings.

The technology disclosed herein can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or recording medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and run the program.

10 Vacancy management server 20 Toilet stall 30 Vacancy detection sensor 40 Display terminal 50 Repeater 60 Management terminal 70 Network 100 Vacancy management system

Claims (10)

An information processing device communicably connected to each of a plurality of display devices installed in a plurality of private rooms included in a facility,
a receiving means for receiving data transmitted from each of the display devices at predetermined intervals;
a first determination means for determining whether communication with each of the display devices is impossible based on data transmitted from each of the display devices;
a second determination means for determining the state of the target display device determined to be unable to communicate by determining the number of display devices determined to be in an error state in addition to the target display device determined to be unable to communicate by the first determination means, based on data transmitted from other display devices installed in other private rooms in the facility to which the target display device determined to be unable to communicate belongs;
and an output unit that outputs a determination result by the second determination unit. In claim 1,
The information processing device, wherein the first determination means determines that the target display device is in an error state if a predetermined time has passed since the latest reception date and time of the data. In claim 1 or 2,
When the second determination means determines that all of the other display devices are in an error state, it determines that communication is not possible due to a cause other than a malfunction of the target display device determined to be in the error state. In any one of claims 1 to 3,
the receiving means receives data transmitted from each of the display devices via a relay that relays communication between each of the display devices and the information processing device;
The information processing device, wherein the second determination means determines that the repeater is malfunctioning when it is determined that all of the other display devices are in an error state. In any one of claims 1, 2, and 4,
The information processing device, wherein the second determination means determines that a network malfunction has occurred when it determines that at least one of the other display devices is able to communicate normally, and if it determines that a predetermined number of display devices other than the target display device that has been determined to be unable to communicate are in an error state. In claim 1 or 2,
The information processing device, wherein the second determination means, when determining that at least one of the other display devices is able to communicate normally, determines that there is a malfunction in the target display device if it determines that there are less than a predetermined number of display devices in an error state other than the target display device determined to be in an error state. An information processing device communicably connected to each of a plurality of display devices installed in a plurality of private rooms included in a facility,
a receiving means for receiving data transmitted from each of the display devices at predetermined intervals;
a first determination means for determining whether communication with each of the display devices is impossible based on data transmitted from each of the display devices;
a second determination means for determining a state of the display device determined to be unable to communicate by the first determination means based on data transmitted from another display device installed in another private room in the facility to which the display device belongs;
and an output means for outputting the determination result by the second determination means, wherein when the second determination means determines that all of the other display devices are in an error state, it further checks whether there is a planned power outage, and if there is no planned power outage, determines that there is a possibility that the building or facility that houses the facility is experiencing an unexpected power outage. An information processing method for managing the status of each display device installed in each private room of a plurality of facilities installed in a building/facility, comprising:
Each of the display devices transmits data for the vacant room management server to confirm that the device is operating normally;
The vacant room management server receives the data at predetermined intervals;
The vacant room management server determines whether communication with each of the display devices is impossible based on the latest reception date and time of data transmitted from each of the display devices;
The vacancy management server determines the status of the display device determined to be unable to communicate by determining the number of display devices determined to be in an error state in addition to the display device determined to be unable to communicate based on data transmitted from other display devices installed in other private rooms in the facility to which the display device determined to be unable to communicate belongs;
An information processing method including the vacancy management server transmitting the determination result of the status of the display device to a management terminal device. An information processing method for managing the status of each display device installed in each private room of a plurality of facilities installed in a building/facility, comprising:
Each of the display devices transmits data for the vacant room management server to confirm that the device is operating normally;
The vacant room management server receives the data at predetermined intervals;
The vacant room management server determines whether communication with each of the display devices is impossible based on the latest reception date and time of data transmitted from each of the display devices;
When the vacancy management server determines that all of the other display devices are in an error state based on data transmitted from other display devices installed in other private rooms in the facility to which the display device determined to be unable to communicate belongs, it further checks whether there is a planned power outage, and if there is no planned power outage, determines that there is a possibility that the building or facility that houses the facility is experiencing an unexpected power outage. Determine the status of the display device determined to be unable to communicate;
An information processing method including the vacancy management server transmitting the determination result of the status of the display device to a management terminal device. A program for causing a computer to function as the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 .