Location, orientation, product and color identification apparatus, system and method for the blind or visually impaired
First Claim
1. A radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled assistive device for a blind or vision-impaired person comprising:
- a structural housing configured to enable a blind or vision-impaired person to navigate within a physical environment;
an RFID scanner coupled at least partially within the housing and configured for at least one of emitting a first carrier wave comprising an RFID interrogation signal and receiving a second carrier wave comprising a RFID response signal;
an RFID decoder operatively coupled with the RFID scanner and configured to receive an electrical signal from the RFID scanner wherein the electrical signal includes data derived from the RFID response signal, and further configured to convert at least a portion of the electrical signal to an audio signal; and
an audio output device operatively coupled with the RFID decoder and configured to receive the audio signal from the RFID decoder and to produce a user-audible output including an audible representation of data included in the RFID response signal.
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Abstract
A radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled assistive device, system and method for blind or visually impaired (B & VI) persons. A device typically includes at least partially within a hand-operated housing structure a RFID scanner capable of interrogating a surrounding environment of the presence of one or more RFID tags, a RFID decoder capable of converting a received RFID signal to an audio signal, and an audio output device configured to produce a user-audible output including information derived from a received RFID signal. Additionally and/or alternatively, a vehicle can be configured with an RFID scanner, decoder, and audio and/or visual output device to warn an operator of the vehicle of the proximity to a B & VI person possessing an RFID tag. Additionally, a handheld scanning device enabling B & VI persons to obtain information encoded at a barcode label and information related to the color of a scanned item, for example at the shelves of a store or other commercial or other environment. Such scanning device typically includes at least a barcode scanner, a color scanner, a microprocessor, and an audio output device.
51 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled assistive device for a blind or vision-impaired person comprising:
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a structural housing configured to enable a blind or vision-impaired person to navigate within a physical environment; an RFID scanner coupled at least partially within the housing and configured for at least one of emitting a first carrier wave comprising an RFID interrogation signal and receiving a second carrier wave comprising a RFID response signal; an RFID decoder operatively coupled with the RFID scanner and configured to receive an electrical signal from the RFID scanner wherein the electrical signal includes data derived from the RFID response signal, and further configured to convert at least a portion of the electrical signal to an audio signal; and an audio output device operatively coupled with the RFID decoder and configured to receive the audio signal from the RFID decoder and to produce a user-audible output including an audible representation of data included in the RFID response signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A radio frequency identification-based location and orientation system for blind or visually impaired persons, comprising:
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one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags located within a physical environment accessible to a blind or visually impaired person; a structural housing configured to be at least partially hand-operated by the person and configured to assist the person to navigate within the physical environment; an RFID scanner coupled at least partially within the housing and configured for at least one of emitting a first carrier wave comprising an RFID interrogation signal and receiving a second carrier wave comprising a RFID response signal; an RFID decoder operatively coupled with the RFID scanner and configured to receive an electrical signal from the RFID scanner wherein the electrical signal includes data derived from the RFID response signal, and further configured to convert at least a portion of the electrical signal to an audio signal; and an audio output device operatively coupled with the RFID decoder and configured to receive the audio signal from the RFID decoder and to produce a user-audible output including an audible representation of data included in the RFID response signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A radio frequency identification-based system for locating blind or visually impaired persons, comprising:
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one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags operatively coupled with an assist device possessed by a blind or visually impaired person; a vehicle configured to be operated by an operator; an RFID scanner operatively coupled with the vehicle and configured for at least one of emitting a first carrier wave comprising a RFID interrogation signal and receiving a second carrier wave from the RFID tag, the second carrier wave comprising a RFID response signal; an RFID decoder operatively coupled with the RFID scanner and configured to receive an electrical signal from the RFID scanner wherein the electrical signal includes data derived from the RFID response signal, and further configured to convert at least a portion of the electrical signal to an audio signal; and an audio output device operatively coupled with the RFID decoder and configured to receive the audio signal from the RFID decoder and to produce an operator-audible output indicating detection of the RFID response signal.
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22. A method of enabling a blind or visually impaired person to obtain information relevant to a physical environment within, through, or proximate to which the person can navigate, comprising:
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providing a structural housing configured to enable a blind or vision-impaired person to navigate within a physical environment; providing an RFID scanner coupled at least partially within the housing and configured for at least one of emitting a first carrier wave comprising a RFID interrogation signal and receiving a second carrier wave comprising a RFID response signal; providing an RFID decoder operatively coupled with the RFID scanner and configured to receive an electrical signal from the RFID scanner wherein the electrical signal includes data derived from the RFID response signal, and further configured to convert at least a portion of the electrical signal to an audio signal; and providing an audio output device operatively coupled with the RFID decoder and configured to receive the audio signal from the RFID decoder and to produce a user-audible output including an audible representation of data included in the RFID response signal.
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23. A product information delivery apparatus for blind or visually impaired persons, comprising:
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a hand-portable housing including a window wherein the window is transparent at one or more operative wavelengths; a barcode scanner located at least partially within the housing and configured to directionally emit a barcode scanning beam through the window, the barcode scanning beam including energy at an operative wavelength; a color scanner located at least partially within the housing and configured to directionally emit a color scanning beam through the window, the color scanning beam including energy at an operative wavelength; a power source operatively coupled with one or both of the barcode scanner and the color scanner; and an audio output device operatively coupled with one or both of the barcode scanner and the color scanner and configured to produce a user-audible output including information relevant to a scanned item. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A product information delivery system for blind or visually impaired persons, comprising:
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one or more barcode labels located at a store shelf, the one or more barcode labels including information encoded in barcode format; and a hand-portable device comprising; a housing; a window coupled with the housing and configured to divide an interior portion of the housing from an exterior portion of the housing, and wherein the window is transparent at one or more operative wavelengths; a barcode scanner located at least partially within the housing and configured to directionally emit a barcode scanning beam through the window, the barcode scanning beam including energy at an operative wavelength; an actuation switch operatively coupled with the barcode scanner and configured when actuated to cause the barcode reader to scan the one or more barcode labels with the emitted barcode scanning beam; a color scanner located at least partially within the housing and configured to directionally emit a color scanning beam through the window, the color scanning beam including energy at an operative wavelength; an actuation switch operatively coupled with the color scanner and configured when actuated to cause the color reader to emit the color scanning beam; a power source operatively coupled with one or both of the barcode scanner and the color scanner; and an audio output device operatively coupled with one or both of the barcode scanner and the color scanner and configured to produce a user-audible output including information relevant to a scanned item.
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Specification