USER WEARABLE VISUAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

• US 20120212593A1
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Original Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Inventors: Na'aman, Erez, Shashua, Amnon, Wexler, Yonatan
• Application Number:
  US13/397,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information

Abstract

A visual assistance device wearable by a person. The device includes a camera and a processor. The processor captures multiple image frames from the camera. A candidate image of an object is searched in the image frames. The candidate image may be classified as an image of a particular object or in a particular class of objects and is thereby recognized. The person is notified of an attribute related to the object.

Claims

1. A method for visually assisting a person using a device wearable by the person, the device including a camera and a processor wherein the processor is adapted to capture a plurality of image frames from the camera, the method comprising:

searching for a candidate image in the image frames;

classifying thereby recognizing said candidate image as an image of an object; and

notifying the person of an attribute related to the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said candidate image includes a specific hand gesture, wherein said classifying includes recognizing the specific hand gesture.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

audibly confirming to the person that the specific hand gesture is recognized.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said candidate image includes the object in the environment of the person other than a hand gesture, the method further comprising:

controlling the device responsive to the object in the environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking by the person by maintaining said candidate image in the image frames to provide a tracked candidate image; and

selecting said tracked candidate image for said classifying.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group of classes consisting of:

buses, traffic signals and bank notes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of buses.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

buses and a traffic signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

buses and bank notes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

traffic signals and bank notes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a bus and the attribute is selected from the group consisting of:

the number of the bus line, the destination of the bus, and the route of the bus.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a traffic signal and the attribute includes the state of the traffic signal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a bank note and the attribute includes the denomination of said bank note.

14. A device wearable by the person for visually assisting a person using the device, the device including a camera and a processor wherein the processor is adapted to capture a plurality of image frames from the camera, the operable to:

search for a candidate image in the image frames;

classify thereby recognize said candidate image as an image of an object; and

notify the person of an attribute related to the object.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said candidate image includes a specific hand gesture, wherein the device is operable to classify the specific hand gesture.

16. The device of claim 15, further operable to:

audibly confirm to the person that the specific hand gesture is recognized.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the object is selected from the group of classes consisting of:

buses, traffic signals and bank notes.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of buses.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

buses and traffic signals.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

buses and bank notes.