System of Guidance of the Road

• US 20080224894A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyun Duk Uhm
• Original Assignee: Hyun Duk Uhm
• Inventors: Uhm, Hyun Duk
• Application Number:
  US11/910,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20080224894A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/944
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a road guidance system, which performs RF communication between a road guidance paving block and a wireless sensing stick. The road guidance system includes a road guidance paving block (200) and a wireless sensing stick (100). The coil antenna (210) of the road guidance paving block receives externally applied radio waves, generates an induced electromotive force, and uses the induced electromotive force as its required power. The road guidance paving block (200) reads location-related information previously stored in memory depending on each operation, and transmits the location-related information to the outside through the coil antenna. The wireless sensing stick (100) provides predetermined radio waves to the road guidance paving block to activate the road guidance paving block, receives location information from the road guidance paving block, processes the location information, and outputs road guidance voice information through voice output means.

Claims

1. A road guidance system for visually impaired persons, comprising:

a road guidance paving block for receiving externally applied radio waves through a coil antenna and generating an induced electromotive force, the road guidance paving block reading location-related information, which has been previously stored in memory depending on each operation, and transmitting the location-related information to an outside of the road guidance paving block through the coil antenna; and

a wireless sensing stick for providing predetermined radio waves to the road guidance paving block to induce the road guidance paving block to be activated, receiving the location-related information from the road guidance paving block, processing the location-related information through a predetermined process with text to speech chipset or a voice synthesis unit and then outputting load guidance voice information through voice output means.

2. The road guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the road guidance paving block comprises:

a memory unit operated in response to the induced electromotive force generated through the coil antenna and adapted to store location information that can be output;

the coil antenna installed in the road guidance paving block to receive predetermined radio waves from the wireless sensing stick, generate an induced electromotive force and operate in response to the induced electromotive force; and

a control unit for reading the location information stored in the memory unit, and controlling transmission of the location information to the wireless sensing stick through the coil antenna.

3. The road guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the road guidance paving block comprises:

an antenna unit for transmitting a predetermined radio frequency to the coil antenna of the road guidance paving block to transmit the induced electromotive force, and receiving the location information;

a microcomputer for controlling a decoder, which converts the location information received from the antenna unit into a digital signal and performs comparison, analysis and decoding on the digital signal using a predefined encryption algorithm, and an entire system, and outputting a corresponding control signal if necessary;

a text to speech chipset or a voice synthesis unit for converting the location-related information into a road guidance voice signal and synthesizing the control signal and the road guidance voice signal in response to the control signal from the microcomputer, and outputting the synthesized road guidance voice signal;

voice output means for outputting the road guidance voice signal received from the voice synthesis unit to an external sound output device; and

power supply means for supplying predetermined operating power to the microcomputer.

4. The road guidance system according to claim 3, further comprising an externally controllable power switch placed on a handle or an end portion of the wireless sensing stick and operated so that power supplied to all of the components of the wireless sensing stick can be supplied when the wireless sensing stick comes into contact with the road guidance paving block.

5. The road guidance system according to claim 3, further comprising vibration generation means provided in a predetermined internal location of the wireless sensing stick and operated to generate vibration in response to a control signal output from the microcomputer if a frequency generated by the antenna of the road guidance paving block is sensed.

6. The road guidance system according to claim 2, wherein the antenna unit of the wireless sensing stick and the coil antenna of the road guidance paving block are constructed so that they have a transmission or reception distance of 10 to 20 cm therebetween, thus preventing communication interference with other adjacent road guidance paving blocks.

7. The road guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the memory unit is contactless Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) or flash memory in which storage, revision or change of location information, direction information and guidance information are facilitated even if power is not supplied to the memory unit.

8. The road guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the road guidance paving block has a surface made of a functional material resistant to predetermined temperatures, pollution, water, bending or impacts.

9. The road guidance system according to claim 3, wherein the antenna unit of the wireless sensing stick and the coil antenna of the road guidance paving block are constructed so that they have a transmission or reception distance of 10 to 20 cm therebetween, thus preventing communication interference with other adjacent road guidance paving blocks.

10. The road guidance system according to claim 2, wherein the road guidance paving block comprises:

an antenna unit for transmitting a predetermined radio frequency to the coil antenna of the road guidance paving block to transmit the induced electromotive force, and receiving the location information;

a microcomputer for controlling a decoder, which converts the location information received from the antenna unit into a digital signal and performs comparison, analysis and decoding on the digital signal using a predefined encryption algorithm, and an entire system, and outputting a corresponding control signal if necessary;

a text to speech chipset or a voice synthesis unit for converting the location-related information into a road guidance voice signal and synthesizing the control signal and the road guidance voice signal in response to the control signal from the microcomputer, and outputting the synthesized road guidance voice signal;

voice output means for outputting the road guidance voice signal received from the voice synthesis unit to an external sound output device; and

power supply means for supplying predetermined operating power to the microcomputer.

11. The road guidance system according to claim 10, further comprising an externally controllable power switch placed on a handle or an end portion of the wireless sensing stick and operated so that power supplied to all of the components of the wireless sensing stick can be supplied when the wireless sensing stick comes into contact with the road guidance paving block.

12. The road guidance system according to claim 10, further comprising vibration generation means provided in a predetermined internal location of the wireless sensing stick and operated to generate vibration in response to a control signal output from the microcomputer if a frequency generated by the antenna of the road guidance paving block is sensed.

13. The road guidance system according to claim 10, wherein the antenna unit of the wireless sensing stick and the coil antenna of the road guidance paving block are constructed so that they have a transmission or reception distance of 10 to 20 cm therebetween, thus preventing communication interference with other adjacent road guidance paving blocks.