PORTABLE BLIND AID DEVICE

• US 20110092249A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Evanitsky, Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A blind aid device including enabling a blind person to activate the blind aid device; capturing one or more images related to a blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment; detecting moving objects from the one or more images captured; identifying a finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects; analyzing the one or more images within the blind aid device to classify the finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects corresponding to predefined moving object data; converting select spatial relationship information related to the one or more analyzed images into audible information; relaying select audible information to the blind person; and notifying the blind person of one or more occurrences predetermined by the blind person as actionable occurrences.

Claims

1. A blind aid device, comprising:

an image capturing module, said image capturing module capturing one or more images related to a blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment;

an image analysis module in operable communication with the image capturing module, the image analysis module configured to (i) detect moving objects from the one or more images captured, (ii) identify a finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects, and (iii) classify the finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects with predefined moving object data to obtain select spatial relationship information;

a conversion module for converting the select spatial relationship information into audible information; and

a communication module for relaying the audible information to the blind person to notify the blind person of one or more occurrences predesignated by the blind person as being actionable.

2. The blind aid device according to claim 1, wherein the blind aid device comprises a cell phone.

3. The blind aid device according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing module comprises a camera.

4. The blind aid device according to claim 1, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) for relaying a location of the blind person to one or more external sources.

5. The blind aid device according to claim 1, wherein the audible information is derived by interpreting one or more of the following:

height, distance, and color measurements, approaching and receding objects, depth perceptions, bar code data, vehicle and people identification, and identification of conditions.

6. The blind aid device according to claim 1, wherein the image analysis module further identifies one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment by comparing current visual images to previously stored visual images.

7. The blind device according to claim 1, wherein the image analysis module further identifies one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment by comparing current voice patterns with previously stored voice patterns.

8. The blind aid device according to claim 7, wherein the image analysis module further identifies one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment by comparing current visual images to previously stored visual images.

9. The blind aid device according to claim 1, wherein the spatial relationship information related to the one or more analyzed images and the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment are transmitted to one or more external sources, the one or more external sources used for contacting and sending aid to the blind person.

10. A method for operating a blind aid device, the method comprising:

capturing one or more images related to a blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment;

detecting moving objects from the one or more images captured;

identifying a finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects;

analyzing the one or more images within the blind aid device to classify the finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects corresponding to predefined moving object data;

converting select spatial relationship information related to the one or more analyzed images into audible information; and

relaying select audible information to the blind person to notify the blind person of one or more occurrences predetermined by the blind person as actionable occurrences.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the blind aid device comprises a cell phone.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the image capturing module comprises a camera.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) for relaying a location of the blind person to one or more external sources.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising deriving audible information by interpreting one or more of the following:

height, distance, and color measurements, approaching and receding objects, depth perceptions, bar code data, vehicle and people identification, and identification of conditions.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising identifying one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment by analyzing and comparing current visual images and current voice patterns to stored visual images and voice patterns stored on a data storage unit located within the blind aid device.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising transmitting the spatial relationship information related to the one or more analyzed images and the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment to one or more external sources, the one or more external sources used for contacting and sending aid to the blind person.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the image analysis module further identifies one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment by comparing current voice patterns with previously stored voice patterns.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the image analysis module further identifies one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment by comparing current visual images to previously stored visual images.

19. A blind aid system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions for;

capturing one or more images related to a blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment;

detecting moving objects from the one or more images captured;

identifying a finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects;

analyzing the one or more images within the blind aid device to classify the finite number of spatial relationships related to the moving objects corresponding to predefined moving object data;

converting select spatial relationship information related to the one or more analyzed images into audible information;

relaying select audible information to the blind person; and

notifying the blind person of one or more occurrences predetermined by the blind person as actionable occurrences.

20. The blind aid system according to claim 19,

wherein the blind aid device comprises a cell phone and the image capturing module comprises a camera;

wherein the audible information is derived by interpreting one or more of the following;

height, distance, and color measurements, approaching and receding objects, depth perceptions, bar code data, vehicle and people identification, and identification of conditions; and

wherein one or more persons in the blind person'"'"'s surrounding environment are identified by analyzing and comparing current visual images and current voice patterns to stored visual images and voice patterns stored on a data storage unit located within the blind aid device.