Step based guidance system

• US 10,024,680 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Christopher P., Cruz, Carlo, Thackston, Allison
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, JESS G
• Application Number:
  US15/067,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20170261334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1656 with passive imaging devices, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59

Abstract

A device for providing spatial information to a user. The device includes a camera configured to detect image data. The device also includes an accelerometer configured to determine step data. The device also includes a processor connected to the camera and the accelerometer and configured to determine a distance travelled per step of the user based on the image data and the step data. The processor is also configured to determine a distance to a reference point based on the image data. The processor is also configured to determine a number of steps corresponding to the distance to the reference point based on the distance travelled per step of the user. The device also includes an output unit connected to the processor and configured to output the spatial information indicating the number of steps corresponding to the distance to the reference point.

Claims

1. A system for providing, to a user, a navigation route to a reference point, the system comprising:

a camera configured to detect image data;

an accelerometer configured to determine step data;

a processor connected to the camera and the accelerometer, the processor configured to;

determine a distance travelled per step of the user based on the image data and the step data,

determine a distance to the reference point based on initial image data,

determine an initial number of steps corresponding to the distance to the reference point based on the distance travelled per step of the user,

detect a change in travelling speed of the user,

determine whether the change in travelling speed exceeds a threshold,

determine an updated distance travelled per step of the user and an updated distance to the reference point when the change in travelling speed of the user exceeds the threshold, and

determine an updated number of steps corresponding to the updated distance to the reference point based on the updated distance travelled per step of the user; and

an output unit connected to the processor and configured to output spatial information indicating the initial number of steps corresponding to the distance to the reference point and the updated number of steps corresponding to the updated distance to the reference point.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store step distance data for establishing a baseline distance travelled per step.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the step distance data is based on historical step distance data associated with the user.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the step distance data is based on historical step distance data associated with a location of the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to update the number of steps corresponding to the distance to the reference point based on detecting a step distance adjustment trigger.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to periodically determine, along the navigation route, an updated distance to the reference point based on updated image data.

7. A device for providing spatial information to a user, comprising:

a camera configured to detect image data;

an accelerometer configured to determine step data;

a memory configured to store step distance data for establishing a baseline distance travelled per step;

a processor connected to the camera and the accelerometer, the processor configured to;

determine an initial distance to a reference point based on only the image data;

determine an initial number of steps corresponding to the initial distance to the reference point based on the baseline distance travelled per step;

determine a current distance travelled per step of the user based on the image data and the step data;

determine an updated distance to the reference point; and

determine an updated number of steps corresponding to the updated distance to the reference point based on the current distance travelled per step of the user; and

an output unit connected to the processor and configured to output the spatial information indicating the initial number of steps corresponding to the initial distance to the reference point and the updated number of steps corresponding to the updated distance to the reference point.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to update the stored step distance data based on the determined current distance travelled per step of the user.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the current distance travelled per step of the user based on the image data and the step data is determined when a threshold amount of image data is detected and a threshold amount of step data is determined.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the baseline distance travelled per step is an average of step distance data associated with a location of the user and an environment of the user.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the step distance data is based on historical step distance data associated with the user.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the step distance data is based on historical step distance data associated with a location of the user.

13. A method for providing spatial information to a user, comprising:

detecting, by a camera, image data;

determining, by an accelerometer, step data;

determining, by a processor, an initial distance travelled per step of the user based on the image data and the step data;

determining, by the processor, an initial distance to a reference point based on the image data;

determining, by the processor, an initial number of steps corresponding to the initial distance to the reference point based on the initial distance travelled per step of the user;

outputting, by an output unit, the number of steps corresponding to the initial distance to the reference point;

detecting, by the accelerometer, an acceleration or deceleration of the user exceeding a threshold;

determining, by the processor, an updated distance travelled per step of the user and an updated distance to the reference point;

determining, by the processor, an updated number of steps corresponding to the updated distance to the reference point based on the updated distance travelled per step of the user; and

outputting, by the output unit, the updated number of steps corresponding to the updated distance to the reference point.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating the number of steps corresponding to the distance to the reference point periodically.