WALKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130216093A1
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scienbizip Consulting (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, HOU-HSIEN, LEE, CHANG-JUNG, LO, CHIH-PING
• Application Number:
  US13/454,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20130216093A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means

Abstract

An example walking assistance method includes obtaining an image captured by a camera. The image includes distance information indicating distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera. Next, the method determines whether one or more objects appear in the captured image. If yes, the method then creates a 3D scene model according to the captured image and the distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera. Next, the method determines whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model, and further determines one or more obstacles appear when no specific object appears in the captured image. The method then creates an obstacle audio file based on the determined one or more obstacles, and further outputs the created obstacle audio file through an audio output device, to prompt one or more obstacles appear ahead.

Claims

1. A walking assistance device comprising:

a storage system;

a processor;

one or more programs stored in the storage system, executable by the processor, the one or more programs comprising;

an image obtaining module operable to obtain an image captured by a camera, the image comprising a distance information indicating distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera;

an image analysis module operable to determine whether one or more objects appear in the captured image;

a model creating module operable to create a 3D scene model according to the captured image and the distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera when one or more objects appear in the captured image;

a detecting module operable to determine whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model, and further determine that one or more obstacles appear when no specific object appears in the captured image; and

an executing module operable to create an obstacle audio file based on the determined one or more obstacles, and further output the created obstacle audio file through an audio output device, to prompt one or more obstacles appear ahead.

2. The walking assistance device as described in claim 1, wherein the image analysis module is operable to determine whether there are pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value;

when there are pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value, the image analysis module is operable to determine that one or more objects appear in the captured image;

when there are not pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value, the image analysis module is operable to determine that no object appears in the captured image.

3. The walking assistance device as described in claim 1, wherein the detecting module is further operable to determine the names of the one or more specific objects when one or more specific objects appear in the captured image, the executing module is operable to create a specific object audio file according to the names of the one or more specific objects, and further output the specific object audio file through the audio output device, to prompt that one or more specific objects appear ahead.

4. The walking assistance device as described in claim 3, wherein the detecting module is further operable to extract object data corresponding to the shape of the one or more objects in the created 3D scene model from the created 3D scene model, and compare the object data with characteristic feature of each of the 3D specific object models, to determine whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model;

if the extracted object data does not match the characteristic feature of any of the 3D specific object model, the detecting module is operable to determine that no specific object appears in the captured image;

if the object data matches the characteristic feature of one or more of the 3D specific object models, the detecting module is operable to determine that one or more specific objects appear in the captured image.

5. The walking assistance device as described in claim 1, wherein the executing module is further operable to obtain a stored first audio file, a stored second audio file corresponding to the one or more obstacles, and third audio files corresponding to the distances between the one or more obstacles and the camera, and further synthesize the obtained first audio file, the obtained second audio file, and the obtained third audio files to create the obstacle audio file.

6. The walking assistance device as described in claim 3, wherein the executing module is further operable to obtain a stored first audio file, stored second audio files corresponding to the determined names of the one or more specific objects, and third audio files corresponding to the distances between the one or more specific objects and the camera, and further synthesize the obtained first audio file, the obtained second audio files, and the obtained third audio files to create the specific object audio file.

7. A walking assistance method comprising:

obtaining an image captured by a camera, the image comprising a distance information indicating distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera;

determining whether one or more objects appear in the captured image;

creating a 3D scene model according to the captured image and the distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera when one or more objects appear in the captured image;

determining whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model, and further determining that one or more obstacles appear when no specific object appears in the captured image; and

creating an obstacle audio file based on the determined one or more obstacles, and further outputting the created obstacle audio file through an audio output device, to prompt one or more obstacles appear ahead.

8. The walking assistance method as described in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether there are pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value;

determining that one or more objects appear in the captured image when there are pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value; and

determining that no object appears in the captured image when there are not pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value.

9. The walking assistance method as described in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the names of the one or more specific objects when one or more specific objects appear in the captured image; and

creating a specific object audio file according to the names of the one or more specific objects, and further outputting the specific object audio file through the audio output device, to prompt that one or more specific objects appear ahead.

10. The walking assistance method as described in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

extracting object data corresponding to the shape of the one or more objects in the created 3D scene model from the created 3D scene model, and comparing the object data with characteristic feature of each of the 3D specific object models, to determine whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model;

determining that no specific object appears in the captured image if the extracted object data does not match the characteristic feature of any of the 3D specific object model;

determining that one or more specific objects appear in the captured image if the object data matches the characteristic feature of one or more of the 3D specific object models.

11. The walking assistance method as described in claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a stored first audio file, a stored second audio file corresponding to the one or more obstacles, and third audio files corresponding to the distances between the one or more obstacles and the camera, and further synthesizing the obtained first audio file, the obtained second audio file, and the obtained third audio files to create the obstacle audio file.

12. The walking assistance method as described in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a stored first audio file, stored second audio files corresponding to the determined names of the one or more specific objects, and third audio files corresponding to the distances between the one or more specific objects and the camera, and further synthesizing the obtained first audio file, the obtained second audio files, and the obtained third audio files to create the specific object audio file.

13. A storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor of a walkingassistance device, cause the walking assistance device to perform a walking assistance method, the method comprising:

obtaining an image captured by a camera, the image comprising a distance information indicating distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera;

determining whether one or more objects appear in the captured image;

creating a 3D scene model according to the captured image and the distances between the camera and objects captured by the camera when one or more objects appear in the captured image;

determining whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model, and further determining that one or more obstacles appear when no specific object appears in the captured image; and

creating an obstacle audio file based on the determined one or more obstacles, and further outputting the created obstacle audio file through an audio output device, to prompt one or more obstacles appear ahead.

14. The storage medium as described in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether there are pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value;

determining that one or more objects appear in the captured image when there are pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value; and

determining that no object appears in the captured image when there are not pixels of the captured image whose distance information indicates a distance less than a preset value.

15. The storage medium as described in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

determining the names of the one or more specific objects when one or more specific objects appear in the captured image; and

creating a specific object audio file according to the names of the one or more specific objects, and further outputting the specific object audio file through the audio output device, to prompt that one or more specific objects appear ahead.

16. The storage medium as described in claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

extracting object data corresponding to the shape of the one or more objects in the created 3D scene model from the created 3D scene model, and comparing the object data with characteristic feature of each of the 3D specific object models, to determine whether one or more specific objects appear in the created 3D scene model;

determining that no specific object appears in the captured image if the extracted object data does not match the characteristic feature of any of the 3D specific object model;

determining that one or more specific objects appear in the captured image if the object data matches the characteristic feature of one or more of the 3D specific object models.

17. The storage medium as described in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a stored first audio file, a stored second audio file corresponding to the one or more obstacles, and third audio files corresponding to the distances between the one or more obstacles and the camera, and further synthesizing the obtained first audio file, the obtained second audio file, and the obtained third audio files to create the obstacle audio file.

18. The storage medium as described in claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a stored first audio file, stored second audio files corresponding to the determined names of the one or more specific objects, and third audio files corresponding to the distances between the one or more specific objects and the camera, and further synthesizing the obtained first audio file, the obtained second audio files, and the obtained third audio files to create the specific object audio file.