Interface for constructing trajectory in an environment and environment assembly and trajectory constuction interface

• US 10,507,157 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yannick Vaillant
• Original Assignee: Yannick Vaillant
• Inventors: Vaillant, Yannick
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Dionne
• Application Number:
  US15/517,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20180235833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2015/0021 multiple on the same axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1619 Thorax
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1635 Hand or arm, e.g. handle hand-held, A61H2201/0153; fore-arm support, A61H2003/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1645 contoured to fit the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5079 Velocity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0431 in 90°/90°-position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/021 Scalp
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0218 with alternating magnetic fields producing a translating or oscillating movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 : Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 : Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 : Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 : Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 : not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 : using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

An environment assembly and interface for constructing trajectory (1) in the environment, the trajectory construction interface (1) including a mapping (2a) of the environment, the environment including at least one object, wherein the trajectory construction interface (1) includes: a memory (2) in which is stored the mapping (2a); a system for real-time calculation (6); a system for determining position of a user (3); a system for determining real azimuth of the user (4); a system for indication by haptic stimulation of the position of the at least one object (7), said system for indication of the position of the at least one object (7) being controlled by the system for real-time calculation (6); and a system for indication by haptic stimulation of the actual azimuth of the at least one object (8), said system for indication of the actual azimuth being controlled by the means of real-time calculation (6).

Claims

1. An interface for constructing a trajectory in an environment for a user, the user having, at a given time, a position and direction on the trajectory, wherein the interface comprises:

first haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

at least one camera connected to an image recognizing computer program for recognizing the environment;

means for real-time calculation and a memory connected to the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user, and connected to the at least one camera for receiving information therefrom and transmitting instructions thereto;

the at least one camera allowing to indicate in real time, to the user, information about a direction of a future passage gate on the trajectory via the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

second haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

means for calculating a distance;

the means for calculating a distance being connected to the means for real-time calculation and memory and allowing to indicate in real time, to the user, distance information to the future passage gate on the trajectory via the second haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

the trajectory construction interface further comprising an environment, the trajectory construction interface comprising a mapping of the environment, the environment comprising at least one object, wherein;

the means for real time calculation and memory store the mapping;

the trajectory construction interface further comprises means for determining the position of a user and means for determining the actual azimuth of the user;

the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user indicate the direction of the at least one object, the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user being controlled by the means for real-time calculation according to the mapping stored in the memory, to user position information from the means for determining position and/or to user actual azimuth information from the means for determining actual azimuth; and

the second haptic means for transmitting information to the user indicate the distance of the at least one object, the second haptic means being controlled by the means for real-time calculation according to the mapping stored in the memory, to user position information from the means for determining position and/or to user actual azimuth information from the means for determining actual azimuth.

2. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, further comprising third haptic means for transmitting information to the user, the at least one camera allowing to indicate in real time, to the user, left limit and right limit information of the future passage gate via the third haptic means.

3. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 2, further comprising fourth haptic means for transmitting information to the user for indicating, to the user, the passage direction of the future passage gate.

4. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 3, further comprising at least one of fifth haptic means for transmitting information to the user for indicating, to the user, the position of thea reference user, sixth haptic means for transmitting information to the user for indicating, to the user, the speed of the reference user, and seventh haptic means for transmitting information to the for indicating, to the user, the acceleration of the reference user.

5. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining a distance between the user and another reference user situated downstream on the same trajectory.

6. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, further comprising an environment relational database, containing the set of components constituting the environment and their respective position and distance relations, and means for localizing the user in the environment.

7. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 6, wherein the relational database is a mapping of the environment, the means for localizing the user in his/her environment being constituted by at least one of a GPS, a Galileo or a Glonass system.

8. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein:

the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user is one of a haptic tool positioned on a body part of the user and a sound tool; and

,

the second haptic means for transmitting information to the user is one of a haptic tool positioned on a body part of the user and a sound tool.

9. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 8, wherein each haptic tool is one of:

one or more pointers in contact with a body part of the user;

contact wheels, sliding on a slide;

vibrating cells in contact with a body part of the user;

mini-cylinders operated by one of air, liquid or electromagnetic means in order to contact a body part of the user;

pressing points operated by inflating pockets;

compressed air nozzles;

a system of mechanical fingers controlled by a pneumatic network.

10. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 8, wherein each sound tool is at least one of a headset and at least one speaker.

11. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 8, wherein each haptic tool is adapted to be positioned on the head, neck, chest, arms and/or legs of the user.

12. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein the at least one camera is one of an infrared camera, a TV camera, a photographic sensor connected to an image recognizing computer program.

13. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein the means for calculating a distance comprise at least one of a radar, a radio wave transmitter-receiver pair, an ultrasound wave transmitter-receiver pair.

14. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein the means for calculating a distance calculate a distance of the at least one object with respect to the user, the means for calculating a distance of the at least one object being controlled by the means for real-time calculation according to the mapping stored in the memory, to user position information from the means for determining position and/or to user actual azimuth information from the means for determining actual azimuth.

15. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining position is one of a GPS, a Galileo system, a Glonass system and at least one camera, the at least one camera being adapted to localize objects of the environment such that the means for real-time calculation can determine the position of the user using the mapping.

16. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining actual azimuth are one of an electronic compass and an inertial navigator positioned on the user'"'"'s head.

17. The trajectory construction interface according to claim 1, wherein the trajectory construction interface is able to be wirelessly connected to environment specific applications such as a guiding system application, the trajectory construction interface receiving in real time information about the environment, such as changes of the environment, from the environment specific applications.

18. An interface for constructing a trajectory in an environment for a user, the user having, at a given time, a position and direction on the trajectory, wherein the interface comprises:

first haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

at least one camera connected to an image recognizing computer program for recognizing the environment;

means for real-time calculation and a memory connected to the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user, and connected to the at least one camera for receiving information therefrom and transmitting instructions thereto;

the at least one camera allowing to indicate in real time, to the user, information about a direction of a future passage gate on the trajectory via the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

means for determining a distance between the user and another reference user situated downstream on the same trajectory;

wherein the means for determining a distance between the user and another reference user situated downstream on the same trajectory comprises a camera system worn by the user, connected to an image recognizing program and a marker adapted to be recognized on the reference user, such that the image processing software, after capturing the image of the marker on the reference user, is able to determine, from the image of the marker, the distance between the user and the reference user.

19. The trajectory construction interface in an environment according to claim 18, further comprising:

second haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

means for calculating a distance;

the means for calculating a distance being connected to the means for real-time calculation and memory and allowing to indicate in real time, to the user, distance information to the future passage gate on the trajectory via the second haptic means for transmitting information to the user.

20. An interface for constructing a trajectory in an environment for a user, the user having, at a given time, a position and direction on the trajectory, wherein the interface comprises:

first haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

second haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

at least one camera connected to an image recognizing computer program for recognizing the environment;

means for real-time calculation and a memory connected to the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user, and connected to the at least one camera for receiving information therefrom and transmitting instructions thereto;

the at least one camera allowing to indicate in real time, to the user, information about a direction of a future passage gate on the trajectory via the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user;

said interface further comprising an environment, the trajectory construction interface comprising a mapping of the environment, the environment comprising at least one object, wherein;

the means for real time calculation and memory store the mapping;

the trajectory construction interface further comprises means for determining the position of a user and means for determining the actual azimuth of the user;

the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user indicate the direction of the at least one object, the first haptic means for transmitting information to the user being controlled by the means for real-time calculation according to the mapping stored in the memory, to user position information from the means for determining position and/or to user actual azimuth information from the means for determining actual azimuth; and

the second haptic means for transmitting information to the user indicate the distance of the at least one object, the second haptic means being controlled by the means for real-time calculation according to the mapping stored in the memory, to user position information from the means for determining position and/or to user actual azimuth information from the means for determining actual azimuth.