Location, orientation, product and color identifiaction system for the blind or visually impaired

• US 20060108426A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Billy D. Hopkins
• Original Assignee: Billy D. Hopkins
• Inventors: Hopkins, Billy D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,267,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.450
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/066 Installations on the floor, e.g. special surfaces, to guide blind persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/068 Sticks for blind persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/911 Cane for the blind

Abstract

Barcode scanning and digitizing technology incorporated in the tip of a white cane for the blind, which houses barcode reader, sonar, color sensory and audio production mechanisms. Apparatus detects and announces via audio or vibratory output, obstacles, drop-offs, colors or suitable informational barcode sites placed with a plurality of locations or environments for assisting blind or visually impaired users to navigate. In one embodiment, the apparatus combines the white cane with a barcode scanner and decoder with laser depth finding capacity in the cane tip, an sonar technology within the cane housing; and a separate hand-held unit having color and standard UPC barcode scanners, both the cane and the hand-held unit being connected to the audio output device by a hard-wire or wireless connection. The audio production unit can be pocket or purse carried and emits verbal information via respective barcodes suitable for either component or announces color when the respective scanner is used; hand-held color/barcode scanner or cane can be used separately or simultaneously.

Claims

1. A location orienting system for a blind or visually impaired user comprising:

a plurality of barcode sites placed at a plurality of locations within a geographic area, each said barcode site containing a unique barcode that represents information about its specific geographical location in barcode format;

a cane carried by the user, said cane having a tubular body with a handle at one end and a tip at its opposite end, said cane containing a barcode scanner within said tubular body adjacent the tip end of said cane, said barcode scanner adapted to generate and pass a scanner beam through a window in said tubular body to scan the barcode at one or more of the plurality of barcode sites at which the user is positioned and to generate a binary code signal in response to such scan;

means for transmitting said binary code signal to a microprocessor;

a microprocessor coupled with a speech synthesizer to translate said binary code signal into an audible spoken-language signal;

and means for transmitting said spoken-language signal to an earphone worn by the user whereby the user is apprised of his or her geographical location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting said binary code signal is electrical wiring.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting said binary code signal to the microprocessor is a transmitter which transmits the binary code signal to a receiver that is in electrical communication with said microprocessor.

4. A method for location orienting a blind or visually impaired user comprising:

placing a plurality of sites at a plurality of locations within a geographic area, each said barcode site containing a barcode that contains information about its geographical location in barcode format;

providing the user with a cane, said cane having a tubular body with a handle at one end and a tip at its opposite end, said cane containing a barcode scanner within said tubular body adjacent the tip end of said cane, said barcode scanner adapted to generate a scanner beam which is passed through a window in said tubular body;

scanning the barcode at the barcode site at which the user is positioned to generate a binary code signal in response to said scanning;

translating the binary code signal into an audible spoken-language signal; and

transmitting the audible spoken language signal to an earphone worn by the user whereby the user is apprised of his or her geographical location.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein said translating is performed by a microprocessor coupled with a speech synthesizer.

6. (canceled)

7. An apparatus for providing a blind or visually impaired user with his or her geographic location comprising:

a cane carried by said user, said cane having a tubular body with a handle at one end and a tip at its opposite end, said cane containing a barcode scanner within said tubular body adjacent the tip end of said cane, said barcode scanner adapted to generate a scanner beam which is passed through a window in said tubular body to scan a barcode at a barcode site at which the user is positioned and to generate a binary code signal in response to the scan;

means for transmitting said binary code signal to a speech synthesizer, said speech synthesizer being configured to translate said binary code signal into an audible spoken-language signal; and

means for transmitting said spoken-language signal to an earphone worn by the user whereby the user is apprised of his or her geographic location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for transmitting said binary code signal is electrical wiring.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for transmitting said binary code signal to said speech synthesizer is a microprocessor coupled with a transmitter which transmits the binary code signal to a receiver that is in electrical communication with said speech synthesizer.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 which further comprises:

a sonar dispersal and reception mechanism within the body of the cane, the mechanism configured to detect sonar bounce from a proximate object and to produce a vibration in the handle of the cane to warn the user away from an obstacle.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 which further comprises:

an elevation detection mechanism within the body of the cane, the mechanism configured to detect a proximate elevation difference from a proximate step or drop-off and to produce a warning signal to the user to warn the user away from the step or drop-off.