Patent Publication Number: US-2022225206-A1

Title: Data Analysis System and Data Analysis Method

Description:
This patent application is a national phase filing under section 371 of PCT/JP2019/021068, filed on May 28, 2019, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a data analysis system and a data analysis method, and particularly, to a technique for analyzing information on a wireless terminal that moves between relay apparatuses. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Hitherto, handover has been known as communication control for wireless terminals that move between relay apparatuses such as base station apparatuses. In addition, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a communication control technique for enabling seamless communication in which handover is unnecessary between communication areas of a plurality of relay apparatuses. Specifically, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique in which key information for permitting communication is issued to a wireless terminal in a region including communication areas of a plurality of relay apparatuses, and the wireless terminal receiving the key information transmits data to the plurality of relay apparatuses in the region by performing broadcast communication. 
     Patent Literature 1 further discloses that, among the plurality of relay apparatuses that can receive the data transmitted from the wireless terminal in the region, a relay apparatus having the highest received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value transmits the data to a higher-level data processing apparatus. In this case, the data is not transmitted to the higher-level data processing apparatus from the relay apparatuses other than the relay apparatus having the highest RSSI value. 
     According to communication control in the related art, in a case where information on a wireless terminal is transmitted from only one relay apparatus to a higher-level data processing apparatus in one region, information on the wireless terminal in relation to the other relay apparatuses is not transmitted to the higher-level data processing apparatus. For example, in a case where data is analyzed using a wearable terminal or IoT technology, multilateral analysis is performed using a variety of data, and it may be important to multilaterally perform analysis even in a case where information on a wireless terminal moving between relay apparatuses is analyzed. 
     For example, biological information such as a heart rate and an amount of activity measured by a sensor such as a wearable terminal has been utilized in the fields of sports, medicine, and rehabilitation. In addition, there have been proposed various rehabilitation support techniques for grasping the state of a user who needs rehabilitation, such as a patient wearing a wearable terminal, and presenting information (see, for example, Non Patent Literature 1). In this manner, to ascertain that a user is in a specific state, it may also be important to check that the user is not in the specific state. 
     However, for example, in the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1, although it is possible to acquire information indicating that a wireless terminal worn or carried by a user is present in a certain communication area, it is not possible to acquire information indicating that the user is not present in other communication areas. Thus, it is not possible to more accurately grasp information on the movement of the user in consideration of the fact that the user is not present in the certain communication area. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         Patent Literature 1: JP 2019-004273 A 
       
    
     Non Patent Literature 
     
         
         Non Patent Literature 1: Kiyomi YOSHIOKA “Clinical Research of VR Device Program for Lower Limbs Rehabilitation,” Japan Society for Design Studies BULLETIN OF JSSD 2017, pp. 196-197 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     Technical Problem 
     Embodiments of the present invention have been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to more accurately grasp information on a wireless terminal that moves between relay apparatuses. 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     In order to solve the above-described problem, a data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention includes a plurality of relay apparatuses, each of the plurality of relay apparatuses being configured to communicate with a wireless terminal in a communication area, and a data analysis apparatus configured to analyze data regarding the wireless terminal, wherein each of the plurality of relay apparatuses includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the wireless terminal is present in the communication area, a time imparting unit configured to impart a time at which the determination is performed to a determination result obtained by the determination unit, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the determination result to the data analysis apparatus together with the imparted time, and the data analysis apparatus includes a second reception unit configured to receive the determination result together with the imparted time, and an analysis unit configured to analyze information on the wireless terminal at each time. 
     Further, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of relay apparatuses may be disposed in a predetermined region, each of the plurality of relay apparatuses communicating with the wireless terminal in the communication area of the relay apparatus, the data analysis apparatus may be connected to the plurality of relay apparatuses through a communication network and analyze data regarding the wireless terminal which is received from the plurality of relay apparatuses, each of the plurality of relay apparatuses may be configured such that the determination unit determines whether or not the wireless terminal is present in the communication area at fixed time intervals, and the data analysis apparatus may be configured such that the analysis unit analyzes information on the wireless terminal at each time, based on the time and the determination result. 
     Further, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, each of the plurality of relay apparatuses may further include a first reception unit configured to receive information for identifying the wireless terminal from the wireless terminal in the communication area, and a first storage unit configured to store the information for identifying the wireless terminal, and the determination unit may determine that the wireless terminal is present in the communication area in a case where the received information for identifying the wireless terminal matches the information for identifying the wireless terminal stored in the first storage unit, and may determine that the wireless terminal is not present in the communication area in a case where the information for identifying the wireless terminal is not received. 
     Further, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, the data analysis apparatus may be configured such that the second reception unit receives identification information specific to each of the plurality of relay apparatuses together with the time and the determination result, and the data analysis apparatus may further include a second storage unit configured to store a position of each of the plurality of relay apparatuses in the region, the position of each of the plurality of relay apparatuses being associated with the identification information of each of the plurality of relay apparatuses, and a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position in the region where the wireless terminal is present at the time, based on the time, the determination result, and the identification information of one of the plurality of relay apparatuses which is a transmission source of the determination result. 
     Further, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, the data analysis apparatus may further include a third storage unit configured to store information on a distance between relay apparatuses having communication areas adjacent to each other among the plurality of relay apparatuses, and a distance calculating unit configured to calculate a moving distance of the wireless terminal at each time, using the information on the distance stored in the third storage unit, based on the position of the wireless terminal at each time which is estimated by the position estimation unit. 
     Further, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, the data analysis apparatus may calculate a moving path of the wireless terminal at each time based on the position of the wireless terminal at each time which is estimated by the position estimation unit. 
     Further, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, the data analysis apparatus may further include a display unit configured to display an analysis result obtained by the analysis unit, and the display unit may include a display device configured to display information on the position of the wireless terminal in the region at each time which is analyzed by the analysis unit. 
     Furthermore, in the data analysis system according to embodiments of the present invention, the time imparted to the determination result by the time imparting unit may be a time that is synchronized between the plurality of relay apparatuses. 
     In order to solve the problems described above, a data analysis method according to embodiments of the present invention is a data analysis method including a plurality of relay apparatuses and a data analysis apparatus, the plurality of relay apparatuses being disposed in a predetermined region, each of the plurality of relay apparatuses being configured to communicate with a wireless terminal in a communication area of the relay apparatus, the data analysis apparatus being connected to the plurality of relay apparatuses through a communication network and being configured to analyze data regarding the wireless terminal which is received from the plurality of relay apparatuses, the method including a first step of determining, by each of the plurality of relay apparatuses, whether or not the wireless terminal is present in the communication area at fixed time intervals, a second step of imparting, by each of the plurality of relay apparatuses, a time at which the determination is performed to the determination result in the first step, and a third step of transmitting, by each of the plurality of relay apparatuses, the determination result to the data analysis apparatus together with the imparted time, a fourth step of receiving, by the data analysis apparatus, the determination result together with the imparted time, a fifth step of analyzing, by the data analysis apparatus, information on the wireless terminal at each time based on the time and the determination result, and a sixth step of displaying, by the data analysis apparatus, an analysis result in the fifth step on a display device. 
     Effects of Embodiments of the Invention 
     According to embodiments of the present invention, each of a plurality of relay apparatuses that communicate with a wireless terminal in a communication area determines whether or not the wireless terminal is present in the communication area at fixed time intervals, imparts a time at which the determination is performed to a determination result and transmits the determination result to a data analysis apparatus. Thus, it is possible to more accurately grasp information on a wireless terminal moving between the relay apparatuses. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a data analysis system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a relay apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer configuration for achieving the relay apparatus. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer configuration for achieving the data analysis apparatus. 
         FIG. 6  is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis system according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis system according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 8A  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 8B  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 12A  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 12B  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 12C  is a diagram illustrating an operation of the data analysis apparatus according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 13A  is a diagram illustrating an example of data displayed on a display unit according to the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 13B  is a diagram illustrating an example of data displayed on the display unit according to the present embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 13B . 
     Outline of Data Analysis System 
     First, an outline of a configuration of a data analysis system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 . In the data analysis system, a plurality of relay apparatuses  1  and a data analysis apparatus  2  are connected to each other through a communication network NW. The plurality of relay apparatuses  1  are disposed in a predetermined region. 
     Each of the relay apparatuses  1  has its own communication area, and a predetermined region is covered by a plurality of the communication areas. A wireless terminal  3  can move between the relay apparatuses  1  and communicate with the relay apparatuses  1  in the respective communication areas. Each of the plurality of relay apparatuses  1  determines whether or not the wireless terminal  3  is present in its own communication area at fixed time intervals, imparts a time at which the determination is performed to a determination result, and transmits the determination result to the data analysis apparatus  2  through the communication network NW. 
     The data analysis apparatus  2  analyzes information on the wireless terminal  3  based on the received determination result and the time at which the determination is performed, and displays an analysis result on a display device  208  to be described later. 
     Rehabilitation Support System 
     Hereinafter, as a specific example of the data analysis system described above, a rehabilitation support system will be described that analyzes positional information, a moving distance, and a moving path of a user who performs rehabilitation for restoring a motor function or the like (hereinafter simply referred to as “rehabilitation”) and presents an analysis result to an administrator. Examples of the user include a hospital patient. An administrator such as a doctor needs to grasp information such as the user&#39;s daily moving amount and activity amount indoors in a hospital or the like. 
     In the rehabilitation support system, the user wears or carries the wireless terminal  3  and moves inside a facility on foot or the like as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The wireless terminal  3  includes a wireless communication interface  30  and transmits specific identification information to the corresponding relay apparatus  1 . Regarding the identification information, a MAC address, identification information associated with user information in advance, or the like can be used. In addition, a wearable terminal such as a wristband type or a clothes-attachable type, a smartphone, or the like can be used as the wireless terminal  3 . 
     Each relay apparatus  1  has its own communication area and is disposed at a predetermined location in the facility (within the region) such as a hospital. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the plurality of relay apparatuses  1  are disposed in the facility. Each relay apparatus  1  and the wireless terminal  3  perform wireless communication through a network such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth (trade name), and the like. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the user wearing the wireless terminal  3  moves on foot from a communication area A of the relay apparatus  1 A to a communication area B. Then, a relay apparatus  1 B determines that the wireless terminal  3  is present in the communication area B. On the other hand, at the same time, the relay apparatus  1 A determines that the wireless terminal  3  is not present in the communication area A. Each of the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B transmits a determination result and the time at which the determination is performed to the data analysis apparatus  2  through the communication network NW. Note that the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B execute determination processing at fixed time intervals based on the time synchronized between the relay apparatuses  1 . 
     In the present embodiment, a position at which the relay apparatus  1  having detected the wireless terminal  3  is disposed in the region or a position of the communication area in the region is used as information indicating a position of the user in the region. In addition, a distance between the relay apparatuses  1  is used as a moving distance of the user. 
     In addition, for ease of description, it is assumed that a preset relay apparatus  1  preferentially communicates with the wireless terminal  3  in an overlapping communication area of the plurality of relay apparatuses  1 . 
     As described above, each relay apparatus  1  determines whether or not the wireless terminal  3  previously registered in a database is present in its own communication area at fixed time intervals, and imparts a time at which the determination is performed to a determination result. The relay apparatus  1  transmits the imparted time and the determination result to the data analysis apparatus  2  through the communication network NW. 
     The data analysis apparatus  2  determines a position, a moving distance, and a moving path of the wireless terminal  3  at each time in the region based on the time and the determination result received from each relay apparatus  1 , and displays the position, the moving distance, and the moving path on the display device  208  as analysis results. For example, analysis results for each user are presented to an administrator who manages the user&#39;s rehabilitation, such as a doctor or a caregiver. 
     Functional Blocks of Relay Apparatus 
     Next, an example of functional blocks of each relay apparatus  1  will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The relay apparatus  1  includes a transmission and reception unit (first reception unit)  10 , a determination unit  11 , a time acquisition unit  12 , a time imparting unit  13 , and a storage unit (first storage unit)  14 . 
     The transmission and reception unit  10  functions as a communication interface and receives the specific identification information from the wireless terminal  3  in the communication area through wireless communication. For example, the transmission and reception unit  10  establishes a communication link by performing initial setting and communication negotiation in wireless communication with the wireless terminal  3  that has entered the communication area of the own relay apparatus. When the communication link is established, the transmission and reception unit  10  can receive data including the identification information received from the wireless terminal  3 . 
     Furthermore, the transmission and reception unit  10  transmits, to the data analysis apparatus  2  through the communication network NW, a determination result obtained by the determination unit  11  to be described later and a time imparted to the determination result by the time imparting unit  13 . Note that a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, or the like in the facility is used as the communication network NW. The transmission and reception unit  10  includes a communication control circuit complying with a communication standard adopted in the communication network NW and a wireless communication standard for communicating with the wireless terminal  3 . 
     The determination unit  11  determines whether or not the wireless terminal  3 , the identification information of which is registered in the storage unit  14  to be described later, is present in the communication area of the own relay apparatus at fixed time intervals. For example, in a case where the identification information received from the wireless terminal  3  matches the identification information stored in the storage unit  14 , the determination unit  11  determines that the wireless terminal  3  is present in the communication area of the own relay apparatus. On the other hand, in a case where the identification information is not received from the wireless terminal  3  at timings when the determination unit  11  performs the determination at fixed time intervals, it is determined that the wireless terminal  3  is not present in the communication area. 
     For example, in a case where the plurality of wireless terminals  3  move between the relay apparatuses  1 , the determination unit  11  determines whether or not every wireless terminal  3  is present in the communication area of the own relay apparatus at fixed time intervals. In a case where identification information is received from a certain wireless terminal  3  at a certain time, it is determined that the wireless terminal  3  is present in the communication area, and the other wireless terminals  3  are not present in the communication area. 
     Note that the determination unit  11  may perform the determination, for example, at intervals of one second as the fixed time intervals. The fixed time intervals can be set to sufficiently short time intervals so that it is detected that the user wearing or carrying the wireless terminal  3  is present in any one communication area at least once when the user moves between the plurality of relay apparatuses  1 . 
     The time acquisition unit  12  acquires the time synchronized between the relay apparatuses  1 . For example, the time acquisition unit  12  can acquire the time through the communication network NW from a time server not illustrated in the drawing. 
     The time imparting unit  13  imparts the time acquired by the time acquisition unit  12  to the determination result obtained by the determination unit  11 . Specifically, the time imparting unit  13  imparts, to the determination result, the time corresponding to the preset fixed time intervals at which the determination unit  11  executes the determination processing. 
     The determination result to which the time is imparted by the time imparting unit  13  is transmitted from the transmission and reception unit  10  to the data analysis apparatus  2  through the communication network NW. For example, a timing at which the determination result is transmitted may correspond to the fixed time intervals at which the determination unit  11  performs the determination processing. 
     The storage unit  14  stores identification information specific to the wireless terminal  3 . For example, the storage unit  14  stores identification information of the plurality of wireless terminals  3  as a database. A user is identified by the identification information of the wireless terminal  3 . Furthermore, the storage unit  14  stores identification information specific to the communication area to which the own relay apparatus belongs. 
     Functional Blocks of Data Analysis Apparatus 
     Next, an example of functional blocks of the data analysis apparatus  2  will be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
     The data analysis apparatus  2  includes a transmission and reception unit (second reception unit)  20 , a data acquisition unit  21 , a position estimation unit  22 , a distance calculating unit  23 , a path calculating unit  24 , a storage unit (second storage unit, third storage unit)  25 , a display processing unit  26 , and a display unit  27 . The position estimation unit  22 , the distance calculating unit  23 , and the path calculating unit  24  constitute an analysis unit that analyzes information on the wireless terminal  3 . 
     The transmission and reception unit  20  functions as a communication interface and receives a determination result and a time imparted to the determination result, which are transmitted by the relay apparatus  1  through the communication network NW. Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the transmission and reception unit  20  can receive the determination result at fixed time intervals from each of the plurality of relay apparatuses  1 . 
     The data acquisition unit  21  acquires identification information of the wireless terminal  3 , time information, and identification information of the relay apparatus  1  which is a transmission source based on the determination result and the time imparted to the determination result which are received by the transmission and reception unit  20 . 
     The position estimation unit  22  estimates a position at which the wireless terminal  3  is present in the facility at each time of fixed time intervals, based on the time, the determination result, and the identification information of the relay apparatus  1  which is a transmission source of the determination result. In more detail, the position estimation unit  22  can estimate the current position of the wireless terminal  3  having specific identification information in the facility from the identification information indicating the communication area of the relay apparatus  1  updated at fixed time intervals Δt=t x −t x-1  (x=1, 2, . . . , n). 
     Even in a case where there are a plurality of wireless terminals  3 , the position estimation unit  22  similarly estimates the position of each wireless terminal  3  in the facility at each time. 
     The distance calculating unit  23  calculates a moving distance of the wireless terminal  3  based on the position of the wireless terminal  3  at each time estimated by the position estimation unit  22 , with reference to information indicating a distance between the relay apparatuses  1  stored in the storage unit  25  to be described later. For example, the distance calculating unit  23  adds, to a moving distance at a time t x-1 , a distance between the relay apparatuses  1  identified by the identification information indicating the communication area of the relay apparatus  1  at a time t x  and the identification information indicating the communication area of the relay apparatus  1  at a time t x , with an initial value as zero, so that the distance calculating unit  23  may calculate a moving distance at time t x . 
     The path calculating unit  24  calculates a moving path of the wireless terminal  3  at each time, based on the position of the wireless terminal  3  at each time which is estimated by the position estimation unit  22 . For example, the path calculating unit  24  may calculate the path of the wireless terminal  3  having specific identification information at the time t x  by accumulating changes in the identification information of the relay apparatus  1  updated at fixed time intervals (t x , t x-1 , . . . ). 
     Furthermore, the path calculating unit  24  may calculate a cumulative number of relay apparatuses  1  through which the wireless terminal  3  has passed at each time. In more detail, when the relay apparatus  1  having a communication area corresponding to the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t x  is different from the relay apparatus  1  having a communication area corresponding to the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t x-1 , the path calculating unit  24  adds one to the cumulative number of relay apparatuses  1  through which the wireless terminal has passed at the time t x-1 . The path calculating unit adds zero in a case where the relay apparatuses are the same. 
     The storage unit  25  stores information in which identification information of each relay apparatus  1  is associated with the communication area or the position where each relay apparatus is disposed in the facility. Furthermore, the storage unit  25  stores information indicating a distance between the relay apparatuses  1  having communication areas adjacent to each other. In addition, the storage unit  25  stores calculation results obtained from the position estimation unit  22 , the distance calculating unit  23 , and the path calculating unit  24 . 
     The display processing unit  26  edits the calculation results obtained from the position estimation unit  22 , the distance calculating unit  23 , and the path calculating unit  24 , and processes the results using a style sheet or the like to generate a table, a graph, or the like. For example, the display processing unit  26  generates display data such as a table or a graph obtained by collecting, for each wireless terminal  3 , identification information of the relay apparatus  1 , a moving distance, a moving path of the wireless terminal  3 , and the number of relay apparatuses  1  through which the wireless terminal  3  has passed at each time. The display processing unit  26  can also generate display data indicating an average of these pieces of information of the plurality of wireless terminals  3 , and the like. 
     The display unit  27  displays a table or a graph on a display screen, based on the display data for each wireless terminal  3  which is generated by the display processing unit  26 . Specifically, a temporal change in identification information of the relay apparatus  1  representative of the current position of the wireless terminal  3  and a graph for a moving distance of the wireless terminal  3  or a cumulative number of relay apparatuses  1  through which the wireless terminal  3  has passed can be displayed for each wireless terminal  3 . In addition, the display unit  27  can perform mapping display by superimposing a moving path of the wireless terminal  3  on a layout map in which the positions of the plurality of relay apparatuses  1  disposed in the facility are illustrated. Note that the layout map in which the positions of the disposed relay apparatuses are illustrated is stored in the storage unit  25 . 
     Computer Configuration of Relay Apparatus 
     Next, an example of a configuration of a computer for achieving each relay apparatus  1  having the above-described functions will be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the relay apparatus  1  may be achieved by, for example, a computer including a processor  102 , a main storage device  103 , a communication interface  104 , an auxiliary storage device  105 , a timepiece  106 , and an input/output (I/O) device  107  connected to each other through a bus  101 , and a program for controlling these hardware resources. 
     A program used by the processor  102  to perform various types of control and arithmetic operations is stored in advance in the main storage device  103 . The functions of the relay apparatus  1  including the determination unit  11  illustrated in  FIG. 2  are implemented by the processor  102  and the main storage device  103 . 
     The communication interface  104  is an interface circuit for communicating with various types of external electronic equipment through the communication network NW. 
     Examples of the communication interface  104  include an arithmetic interface and an antenna that comply with wireless data communication standards such as LTE, 3G, a wireless LAN, and Bluetooth (trade name). The transmission and reception unit  10  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is achieved by the communication interface  104 . 
     The auxiliary storage device  105  includes a readable/writable storage medium, and a drive device for reading and writing various types of information such as a program and data from and in the storage medium. A semiconductor memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory serving as a storage medium can be used as the auxiliary storage device  105 . 
     The auxiliary storage device  105  includes a storage region for storing a database in which identification information of the plurality of wireless terminals  3  is registered, and a program storage region for storing a program for causing the relay apparatus  1  to perform the determination processing. The storage unit  14  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is achieved by the auxiliary storage device  105 . Further, the auxiliary storage device  105  may include, for example, a backup area and the like for backing up the above-described data, programs, and the like. 
     The timepiece  106  includes a built-in timepiece or the like of the computer and clocks a time. Alternatively, the timepiece  106  may acquire time information from a time server not illustrated in the drawing. The time acquisition unit  12  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is achieved by the timepiece  106 . 
     The I/O device  107  includes an I/O terminal that inputs a signal received from external equipment and outputs a signal to the external equipment. 
     Computer Configuration of Data Analysis Apparatus 
     Next, an example of a configuration of a computer for achieving the data analysis apparatus  2  having the above-described functions will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . The data analysis apparatus  2  can be achieved by a computer similar to the relay apparatus  1  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the data analysis apparatus  2  can be achieved by, for example, a computer including a processor  202 , a main storage device  203 , a communication interface  204 , an auxiliary storage device  205 , a timepiece  206 , an input/output (I/O) device  207 , and a display device  208  connected to each other through a bus  201 , and a program for controlling these hardware resources. 
     A program used by the processor  202  to perform various types of control and arithmetic operations is stored in advance in the main storage device  203 . The functions of the data analysis apparatus  2  including the position estimation unit  22 , the distance calculating unit  23 , and the path calculating unit  24  illustrated in  FIG. 3  are implemented by the processor  202  and the main storage device  203 . 
     The auxiliary storage device  205  includes a storage region for storing identification information of the plurality of relay apparatuses  1  and identification information indicating a communication area, and a program storage region for storing a program for performing position estimation of the wireless terminal  3  and calculation processing of a moving distance and a moving path. The storage unit  25  illustrated in  FIG. 3  is achieved by the auxiliary storage device  205 . Further, the auxiliary storage device  205  may include, for example, a backup area for backing up the above-described data, programs, and the like. 
     The timepiece  206  includes a built-in timepiece or the like of the computer and clocks time. Alternatively, the timepiece  206  may acquire time information from a time server not illustrated in the drawing. Note that the time of the timepiece  206  and the time of the timepiece  106  of each relay apparatus  1  are synchronized with each other. 
     The display device  208  is achieved by a liquid crystal display or the like. The display unit  27  illustrated in  FIG. 3  is achieved by the display device  208 . 
     Operating Sequence of Rehabilitation Support System 
     Next, an operation of the rehabilitation support system having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 . As a premise, identification information of the wireless terminal  3  is stored in advance in the storage units  14  of the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B. In addition, the storage unit  25  of the data analysis apparatus  2  stores, in advance, identification information of the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B, each of which is disposed at a predetermined indoor location such as a hospital and has its own communication area, and identification information of the communication areas. In addition, the relay apparatus  1  performs determination processing at fixed time intervals t 1  and t 2 . 
     First, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a user wearing the wireless terminal  3  moves into the communication area A from outside the communication area A. When the wireless terminal  3  enters the communication area A, the wireless terminal  3  establishes a link for wireless communication with the relay apparatus  1 A. The wireless terminal  3  transmits identification information specific to the wireless terminal  3  to the relay apparatus  1 A (step S 100 ). The relay apparatus  1 A determines that the wireless terminal  3  is present in the communication area A from the received identification information at a time t 1  (step S 101 ). 
     Next, in the relay apparatus  1 A, the time imparting unit  13  imparts, to a determination result, the time t 1  synchronized with the time of the system which is acquired by the time acquisition unit  12  (step S 102 ). Next, the relay apparatus  1 A transmits the imparted time t 1  and the determination result to the data analysis apparatus  2  from the transmission and reception unit  20  (step S 103 ). 
     On the other hand, the relay apparatus  1 B determines that the wireless terminal  3  is not present in the communication area B at the time t 1  (step S 104 ). The time t 1  is imparted to a determination result (step S 105 ), and the determination result is transmitted to the data analysis apparatus  2  (step S 106 ). 
     Next, the data analysis apparatus  2  estimates the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t 1 , based on the determination result to which the time t 1  is imparted, which is transmitted from the relay apparatus  1 A, and the determination result to which the time t 1  is imparted, which is from the relay apparatus  1 B (step S 107 ). Specifically, the position estimation unit  22  estimates that the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t 1  is in the communication area A. An estimation result is stored in the storage unit  25  together with time t 1 . 
     Thereafter, the user wearing the wireless terminal  3  moves away from the communication area A and moves into the adjacent communication area B. When the wireless terminal  3  enters the communication area B, the wireless terminal  3  establishes a link for wireless communication with the relay apparatus  1 B and transmits the identification information of the wireless terminal  3  to the relay apparatus  1 B (step S 108 ). Thereafter, the determination unit  11  of the relay apparatus  1 B determines that the wireless terminal  3  is present in the communication area B at a time t 2 , based on the received identification information of the wireless terminal  3  (step S 109 ). 
     Next, the time imparting unit  13  imparts the time t 2  to a determination result (step S 110 ). Thereafter, the relay apparatus  1 B transmits the determination result, the time t 2 , and the identification information of the relay apparatus  1 B to the data analysis apparatus  2  from the transmission and reception unit  10  (step S 111 ). 
     On the other hand, the relay apparatus  1 A also performs determination processing at the time t 2 , and determines that the wireless terminal  3  is not present in the communication area A (step S 112 ). Next, the time t 2  is imparted to a determination result (step S 113 ), and the determination result is transmitted to the data analysis apparatus  2  (step S 114 ). 
     Thereafter, the position estimation unit  22  of the data analysis apparatus  2  estimates the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t 2 , based on the determination result to which the time t 2  is imparted, which is transmitted from the relay apparatus  1 B, and the determination result to which the time t 2  is imparted, which is transmitted from the relay apparatus  1 A (step S 115 ). Specifically, the position estimation unit  22  estimates that the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t 2  is in the communication area B. 
     Next, the distance calculating unit  23  calculates a moving distance of the wireless terminal  3 , based on the positions of the wireless terminal  3  at the times t 1  and t 2  which are estimated by the position estimation unit  22  (step S 116 ). Specifically, the distance calculating unit  23  calculates a moving distance L AB  of the wireless terminal  3  from the communication area A and the communication area B which are the positions of the wireless terminals  3  at the times t 1  and t 2 . The moving distance L AB  indicates a distance between the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B. 
     Thereafter, the path calculating unit  24  calculates a moving path of the wireless terminal  3  from the time t 1  to the time t 2  (step S 117 ). Specifically, the path calculating unit  24  calculates a moving path “AB” from identification information A of the relay apparatus  1 A corresponding to the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t 1  and identification information B of the relay apparatus  1 B corresponding to the position of the wireless terminal  3  at the time t 2 . In other words, the path calculating unit  24  calculates the moving path by accumulating changes in the identification information of the relay apparatus  1  corresponding to the estimated position of the wireless terminal  3  which is updated at fixed time intervals. 
     Next, the display processing unit  26  edits information on the position and movement of the wireless terminal  3  over time which are estimated and calculated by the position estimation unit  22 , the distance calculating unit  23 , and the path calculating unit  24 , and generates a table and a graph according to a preset display format (step S 118 ). Thereafter, the display unit  27  displays display data generated by the display processing unit  26  on the display screen (step S 119 ). 
     A more specific operation of the rehabilitation support system will now be described with reference to  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 12C . Hereinafter, a case will be described where a plurality of wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  are worn on respective users, and the users move indoors in a hospital or the like which is indicated by the communication areas A and B. In addition, identification information of the plurality of wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  is registered in the storage unit  14  of the relay apparatus  1  in advance. 
       FIG. 7  schematically illustrates changes in the positions of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  in the communication areas A and B adjacent to each other at times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4 . At the time t 1 , the wireless terminals  3   a  and  3   b  are present in the communication area A, and the wireless terminal  3   c  is present in the communication area B. 
     At the time t 2 , the wireless terminal  3   b  moves from the communication area A to the communication area B. Thereafter, the wireless terminal  3   c  moves from the communication area B to the communication area A at the time t 3 . Then, at the time t 4 , the wireless terminal  3   a  moves from the communication area A to the communication area B, and the wireless terminal  3   b  moves from the communication area B to the communication area A. 
       FIG. 8A  illustrates determination results at the times t 1  to t 4  in the relay apparatus  1 A according to the movements of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  at the respective times illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8A , the determination unit  11  of the relay apparatus  1 A makes a determination “ 3   a:  1,  3   b:  1,  3   c:  0” because the wireless terminals  3   a  and  3   b  are present in the communication area A and the wireless terminal  3   c  is not present in the communication area A at the time t 1 . These determination results are transmitted to the data analysis apparatus  2  together with the time t 1 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8B , the determination unit of the relay apparatus  1 B makes a determination “ 3   a:  0,  3   b:  0,  3   c:  1” because the wireless terminal  3   c  is present in the communication area B and the wireless terminals  3   a  and  3   b  are not present in the communication area B at the time t 1 . These determination results are transmitted to the data analysis apparatus  2  together with the time t 1 . 
     Next,  FIG. 9  illustrates the positions of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  estimated in the data analysis apparatus  2  from the above-described determination results obtained by the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B. The position estimation unit  22  estimates that the positions of the wireless terminal  3   a  at the times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4  are “A, A, A, B”, and that the positions of the wireless terminal  3   b  at the times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4  are “A, B, B, A” and that the positions of the wireless terminal  3   c  at the times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4  are “B, B, A, A”. Note that “A” means the communication area A, and “B” means the communication area B. 
     Based on the positions at each time of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  which are estimated by the position estimation unit  22 , the path calculating unit  24  calculates the moving paths of the respective terminals from the time t 1  to the time t 4  as “AAAB,” “ABBA,” and “BBAA”. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates moving distances of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  at the times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4  which are calculated by the distance calculating unit  23 . The wireless terminal  3   a  is in the communication area A and a moving distance is “0” from the time t 1  to the time t 3  and moves to the communication area B at the time t 4 , and thus the moving distance is calculated as L AB . 
     Regarding the wireless terminal  3   b , a moving distance at the time t 2  is calculated as L AB  and does not change at the time t 3 . The wireless terminal  3   b  moves to the communication area A again at the time t 4 , and thus the moving distance is calculated as L AB +L BA . Note that L AB  is equal to L BA . 
     The wireless terminal  3   c  moves from the communication area B into the communication area A at the time t 3 , and thus a moving distance is calculated as L BA . The wireless terminal  3   c  does not move from the communication area B at the time t 4 , and thus the moving distance remains to be L BA . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a distance between the relay apparatuses  1  which is stored in the storage unit  25  of the data analysis apparatus  2  in advance. In the example of  FIG. 11 , in addition to distances between the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B adjacent to each other, distances (L CA , L AC , L CB , L BC ) from the relay apparatus  1 C adjacent to the relay apparatuses  1 A and  1 B are also stored in the storage unit  25  in advance. The distance calculating unit  23  calculates moving distances of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  based on the distances between the relay apparatuses  1  illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
       FIGS. 12A to 12C  illustrate the positions (relay apparatus IDs) of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c , moving distances of the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c , and the number of relay apparatuses through which the wireless terminals  3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  have passed at the times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4 , which are edited and generated by the display processing unit  26 . 
       FIGS. 13A and 13B  illustrate examples of graphs and drawings displayed on the display screen by the display unit  27 .  FIGS. 13A and 13B  illustrate examples of displayed analysis results on the first day and the second day of the user wearing the wireless terminal  3   a.    
     In  FIGS. 13A and 13B , in a display region  27   a , a “passage gate No.” is displayed as identification information of the relay apparatus  1  at each time, and changes in the number of relay apparatuses through which wireless terminal  3   a  has passed (“the number of passage gates”) and a moving distance are displayed. 
     A graph shown in a display region  27   c  is formed by graphing data of the display region  27   a . The horizontal axis indicates the time, the left vertical axis indicates the “passage gate no.”, and the right vertical axis indicates “the number of passage gates”. In the present embodiment, a case is described where distances between the adjacent relay apparatuses  1  are approximately equal to each other. In this case, the number of passage gates is equivalent to a change in a moving distance. 
     In a display region  27   b , indoor paths and the positions of the relay apparatuses  1  are displayed on a layout map, and a moving path of the wireless terminal  3   a  worn on the user is displayed in an overlapping manner. By performing such mapping display, the range of activity of the user wearing the wireless terminal  3   a  can be grasped at a glance. For example, a doctor managing a user who is a rehabilitation patient may check the user&#39;s range of activity illustrated in the display example of  FIG. 13A  on the display screen, and may notice that the user is moving in a limited range between the relay apparatuses  1 ,  2 , and  9  and give advice for encouraging the user to walk more actively. 
     Thus, it is possible to confirm a result indicating that a moving range of the user (the wireless terminal  3   a ) on the second day illustrated in  FIG. 13B  expands and that a moving distance indicated by the number of passage gates is also improved. 
     As described above, according to the rehabilitation support system of the present embodiment, each of the plurality of relay apparatuses  1  determines whether or not the wireless terminal  3  is present in the own communication area at fixed time intervals, imparts a time at which the determination is performed to a determination result, and transmits the determination result to the data analysis apparatus  2 . For this reason, it is possible to more accurately grasp information on the position of the wireless terminal  3 , and consequently, perform more effective rehabilitation support for a user. 
     Although an exemplary embodiment of the analysis system and the data analysis method of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and various types of modification that can be conceived by a person skilled in the art can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1 ,  1 A,  1 B,  1 C Relay apparatus 
           2  Data analysis apparatus 
           3 ,  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  Wireless terminal 
           10 ,  20  Transmission and reception unit 
           11  Determination unit 
           12  Time acquisition unit 
           13  Time imparting unit 
           14 ,  25  Storage unit 
           21  Data acquisition unit 
           22  Position estimation unit 
           23  Distance calculating unit 
           24  Path calculating unit 
           26  Display processing unit 
           27  Display unit 
           101 ,  201  Bus 
           102 ,  202  Processor 
           103 ,  203  Main storage device 
           3   o  Wireless communication interface 
           104 ,  204  Communication interface 
           105 ,  205  Auxiliary storage device 
           106 ,  206  Timepiece 
           107 ,  207  Input/output (I/O) 
           208  Display device