Location estimation system and location estimation method

1. A location estimation system for estimating a location of a mobile device, the location estimation system comprising:

three or more non-directional stationary devices each having a non-directional antenna configured to receive a radio signal transmitted by the mobile device; and

a directional stationary device having a directional antenna configured to receive the radio signal transmitted by the mobile device,

wherein the three or more non-directional stationary devices are each configured to receive the radio signal by non-directional antennas and to output location estimation information indicating non-directional signal strengths of the radio signal received by non-directional antennas, and

wherein the directional stationary device is configured to receive the radio signal in a direction by the directional antenna and to output complementary information including a directional signal strength indicator of the radio signal received by the directional antenna,

wherein the location of the mobile device is estimated based on the location estimation information output by each of the three or more non-directional stationary devices and the complementary information output by the directional stationary device,

wherein the location estimation system comprises a plurality of the directional stationary devices,

wherein each of the plurality of directional stationary devices is disposed in proximity to a corresponding one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices.

2. The location estimation system according to claim 1 , wherein the directional stationary device is disposed in proximity to one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices.

3. The location estimation system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the three or more non-directional stationary devices are disposed outside a region in which the mobile device moves, and

wherein the directional stationary device is disposed so that a direction in which a gain of the directional antenna reaches a maximum value points towards the region.

4. The location estimation system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the three or more non-directional stationary devices constitute a wireless mesh network, and

wherein the directional stationary device is configured to communicate wirelessly with at least one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices.

5. The location estimation system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a location estimation device configured to receive the location estimation information from each of the three or more non-directional stationary devices, to receive the complementary information from the directional stationary device, and to estimate the location of the mobile device based on the received location estimation information and the received complementary information.

6. The location estimation system according to claim 5 , wherein the location estimation device is configured to identify, in accordance with the location estimation information and the complementary information, one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices, and to estimate the location of the mobile device based on the location estimation information received from the identified non-directional stationary device.

7. The location estimation system according to claim 6 , wherein the location estimation device is configured to identify one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices disposed in proximity to the directional stationary device, the complementary information output by the directional stationary device indicating a received signal strength indicator higher than a predetermined value.

8. The location estimation system according to claim 7 , wherein the location estimation device is configured to identify, by giving priority to one of the three or more non-directional stationary device that output location estimation information indicating a higher received signal strength indicator, candidates for a non-directional stationary device, and to identify a non-directional stationary device by excluding from the identified candidates for the non-directional stationary device a non-directional stationary device disposed in proximity to the directional stationary device that output complementary information indicating a received signal strength indicator less than or equal to the predetermined value.

9. A location estimation method for estimating a location of a mobile device transmitting a radio signal, the location estimation method comprising:

receiving, from three or more non-directional stationary devices each having a non-directional antenna configured to receive a radio signal received by non-directional antennas, location estimation information indicating a signal strength the radio signal received by non-directional antennas;

receiving, from a plurality of directional stationary devices each having a directional antenna configured to receive a radio signal transmitted by the mobile device, complementary information indicating a directional signal strength of the radio signal received by the directional antenna;

identifying, in accordance with the received location estimation information and the received complementary information, one of the non-directional stationary devices; and

estimating the location of the mobile device based on the location estimation information received from the identified non-directional stationary device,

wherein each of the plurality of directional stationary devices is disposed in proximity to a corresponding one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices.

10. The location estimation method according to claim 9 , wherein the directional stationary device is disposed in proximity to one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices.

11. The location estimation method according to claim 9 ,

wherein the three or more non-directional stationary devices are disposed outside a region in which the mobile device moves, and

wherein the directional stationary device is disposed so that a direction in which a gain of the directional antenna reaches a maximum value points towards the region.

12. The location estimation method according to claim 9 ,

wherein the three or more non-directional stationary devices constitute a wireless mesh network, and

wherein the directional stationary device communicates wirelessly with at least one of the three or more non-directional stationary devices.