Terminal management apparatus and terminal management system

A terminal management apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor configured to execute:
• a radio wave intensity information obtaining unit that obtains radio wave intensity information indicating intensity of radio waves transmitted from a terminal device being managed;
• a radio wave intensity detection unit that detects a change in intensity of radio waves transmitted from the terminal device, using the radio wave intensity information obtained by the radio wave intensity information obtaining unit;
• and
• an arrangement information obtaining unit that obtains arrangement information of an item installed indoors, the arrangement information comprising an image;
• and
• a memory that holds information about the terminal device,
• wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute a disturbance determination unit that determines presence and type of radio disturbance, using a pattern of the change in intensity of radio waves detected by the radio wave intensity detection unit, the arrangement information obtained by the arrangement information obtaining unit, and the information about the terminal device held by the memory,
• wherein the disturbance determination unit determines that no radio disturbance has occurred if the intensity of radio waves of a specific terminal device, detected by the radio wave intensity detection unit, gradually weakens over a predetermined period, and determines that radio disturbance has occurred if the intensity suddenly changes at a certain time point, and
• wherein, if the disturbance determination unit determines that radio disturbance has occurred on a plurality of terminal devices that use radio waves with a same frequency for communication, then the disturbance determination unit outputs information indicating a possibility that radio waves transmitted from the plurality of terminal devices may interfere with each other.

A terminal management system comprising:

• a sensor terminal configured to obtain data using a sensor;
• and
• a terminal management apparatus configured to receive data from the sensor terminal by performing wireless communication, and to manage the sensor terminal,
• wherein the terminal management apparatus is configured to:
• obtain radio wave intensity information indicating intensity of radio waves transmitted from the sensor terminal being managed;
• obtain arrangement information of an item installed in an area where the sensor terminal is installed, the arrangement information comprising an image;
• determine that there is radio disturbance if there is an abrupt change in intensity of radio waves identified using the radio wave intensity information;
• and
• determine type of the radio disturbance using a change of arrangement of the installed item, detected using the arrangement information, and information about radio waves used by the sensor terminal for communication.

A terminal management system comprising:

• a sensor terminal configured to obtain data using a sensor;
• and
• a terminal management apparatus configured to receive data from the sensor terminal by performing wireless communication, and to manage the sensor terminal,
• wherein the terminal management apparatus is configured to:
• obtain radio wave intensity information indicating intensity of radio waves transmitted from the sensor terminal being managed;
• obtain arrangement information of an item installed in an area where the sensor terminal is installed, the arrangement information comprising an image;
• determine that there is radio disturbance if there is an abrupt change in intensity of radio waves identified using the radio wave intensity information;
• and
• determine type of the radio disturbance using a change of arrangement of the installed item, detected using the arrangement information, and information about radio waves used by the sensor terminal for communication;
• wherein the terminal management system further comprises a mobile terminal device configured to receive radio waves transmitted from the sensor terminal, and
• wherein the terminal management apparatus is configured to obtain data of the sensor terminal, received by the mobile terminal device, if the terminal management apparatus is unable to obtain data normally from radio waves transmitted from the sensor terminal.