Mobile terminal position detecting device
A reception strength detection unit is connected to reception antennas located in a vehicle compartment and detects a reception strength of a radio wave from a mobile terminal for each of the reception antennas. A reception determination unit is connected to an auxiliary antenna located at a predetermined position that is a blind spot of the reception antenna and determines whether the radio waves has been received by the auxiliary antenna. When the radio wave has not been received by the auxiliary antenna, an existence position calculation unit calculates an existence position of the mobile terminal based on the reception strength detected by the multiple reception antennas. When the radio wave is received by the auxiliary antenna, the existence position determination unit determines the predetermined position at which the auxiliary antenna receiving the radio wave is located as the existence position of the mobile terminal.
1. A mobile terminal position detecting device configured to detect a position of a mobile terminal in a vehicle compartment by detecting a radio wave from the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal position detecting device comprising:
a computer having a processor, the computer configured to
wiredly connect to a plurality of reception antennas located in the vehicle compartment and to detect a reception strength of the radio wave from the mobile terminal for each of the plurality of reception antennas;
wiredly connect to a plurality of auxiliary antennas located at predetermined positions in the vehicle compartment that are reception blind spots of the plurality of reception antennas, and to determine whether the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas;
calculate the position of the mobile terminal based on the reception strength detected by the plurality of reception antennas when the radio wave from the mobile terminal is not received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas; and
determine that the position of the mobile terminal is at the predetermined position of one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, when the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by the one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, wherein
the plurality of auxiliary antennas are linear members made of a conductive material in a planar shape and configured to form wired connections between the computer and the plurality of reception antennas, and to receive the radio wave from the mobile terminal, and wherein
the plurality of reception antennas are configured to connect to the computer by the linear members forming the plurality of auxiliary antennas, and wherein
the computer is further configured to determine that the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, when the reception strength is larger than a predetermined threshold intensity.
2. A mobile terminal position detecting device configured to detect a position of a mobile terminal in a vehicle compartment by detecting a radio wave from the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal position detecting device comprising:
a computer having a processor, the computer configured to
wiredly connect to a plurality of reception antennas located in the vehicle compartment and to detect a reception strength of the radio wave from the mobile terminal for each of the plurality of reception antennas;
wiredly connect to a plurality of auxiliary antennas located at predetermined positions in the vehicle compartment that are reception blind spots of the plurality of reception antennas, and to determine whether the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas;
calculate the position of the mobile terminal based on the reception strength detected by the plurality of reception antennas when the radio wave from the mobile terminal is not received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas; and
determine that the position of the mobile terminal is at the predetermined position of one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, when the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by the one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, wherein
the plurality of auxiliary antennas are plate-like or foil-like members made of a conductive material and configured to form wired connections between the computer and the plurality of reception antennas, and to receive the radio wave from the mobile terminal, and wherein
the plurality of reception antennas are configured to connect to the computer by the plate-like or foil-like members of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, and wherein
the computer is further configured to determine that the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas, when the reception strength is larger than a predetermined threshold intensity.
3. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
one or more of the plurality of auxiliary antennas are located on seating surfaces of seats installed in the vehicle compartment.
4. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
one or more of the plurality of auxiliary antennas are located on backrest surfaces of seats installed in the vehicle compartment.
5. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
one or more of the plurality of auxiliary antennas are located on a floor surface of the vehicle compartment.
6. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer is further configured to not calculate the position of the mobile terminal, when the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas.
7. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of auxiliary antennas corresponds and connects to one of the plurality of receptions antennas.
8. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , wherein
a radio wave reception range of each of the plurality of auxiliary antennas is smaller than a radio wave reception range of each of the plurality of reception antennas.
9. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the plurality of auxiliary antennas; and
the plurality of reception antennas.
10. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 2 , wherein
the computer is further configured to not calculate the position of the mobile terminal, when the radio wave from the mobile terminal is received by one of the plurality of auxiliary antennas.
11. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 2 , wherein
each of the plurality of auxiliary antennas corresponds and connects to one of the plurality of reception antennas, and wherein
a radio wave reception range of each of the plurality of auxiliary antennas is smaller than a radio wave reception range of each of the plurality of reception antennas.
12. The mobile terminal position detecting device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
the plurality of auxiliary antennas; and
the plurality of reception antennas.
13. A system for detecting a position of a mobile terminal in a vehicle compartment by detecting a radio wave from the mobile terminal, the system comprising:
a plurality of reception antennas disposed at a plurality of positions in the vehicle compartment, each of the reception antennas has a radio wave reception range and is configured to receive the radio wave from the mobile terminal;
a plurality of auxiliary antennas disposed at a plurality of positions in the vehicle compartment that are different than the positions of the reception antennas, the positions of the auxiliary antennas covering reception blind spots in the radio wave reception ranges of the reception antennas, each of the auxiliary antennas is formed of a conductive material, has a radio wave reception range smaller than the radio wave reception ranges of the reception antennas, and is configured to receive the radio wave from the mobile terminal; and
a position detecting device connected to each of the reception antennas by a corresponding signal line, the corresponding signal line for each of the reception antennas including one of the auxiliary antennas as a portion of the signal line, the signal line configured to transmit the radio wave from the mobile terminal to the position detecting device, the position detecting device is configured to
determine whether a reception strength of the radio wave from the mobile terminal exceeds a predetermined intensity,
in response to the reception strength of the radio wave from the mobile terminal exceeding the predetermined intensity, determine the position of the mobile terminal as the position of one of the auxiliary antennas, and
in response to the reception strength of the radio wave from the mobile terminal not exceeding the predetermined intensity, determine the position of the mobile terminal by calculating distances from each of the receptions antennas to the mobile terminal based on the reception strength of the radio wave received by each of the reception antennas.