SYSTEM FOR INDOOR GUIDANCE WITH MOBILITY ASSISTANCE

• US 20130253818A1
• Filed: 03/20/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sanders, Aaron D., Hopper, Kasey C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,539,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/419
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac

Abstract

An indoor guidance system for a blind or visually impaired person. The system uses a mobile device (Smartphone, tablet, etc.) to provide maps and visual and voice guidance to assist individuals in navigating through indoor locations. Special maps are transmitted to the mobile device upon entering the facility, or downloaded in advance. The software and maps provide assistance to the user, to guide them through the facility. The system uses a combination of GPS and other technologies (Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi, RFID, etc.) to provide extremely detailed and accurate location information to the user.

Claims

1. A system for aiding a user to navigate within a facility comprising:

a handheld device carried by said user that, upon activation by said user, downloads an electronic map of said facility and produces direction signals, said electronic map comprising a layout of said facility, including key areas;

at least one dedicated wireless transceiver disposed in each key area of said facility that interacts only with said handheld device; and

a processor operatively coupled to said handheld device

said processor establishing a current physical location of said user with respect to said electronic map;

said processor receiving from said user a destination location within said facility;

said processor providing to said user output signals and directions to said destination location within said facility;

as said user moves through said facility, said processor receiving, from said at least one dedicated wireless transceiver, a plurality of signals to determine said user'"'"'s current physical location within said facility, and

said processor processing each individual current physical location reading to refine said current physical location of said user'"'"'s location in said facility with respect to said electronic map.

2. The system according to claim 1, said at least one dedicated wireless transceiver comprising a sensor that receives a wireless signal from said handheld device and provides a location signal to said processor.

3. The system according to claim 1, said processor establishing a physical position of said user with respect to said electronic map using at least one of:

a global positioning system (GPS);

a land-based receiver;

a cell phone based triangulation receiver; and

a WiFi receiver.

4. The system according to claim 3, said land-based receiver using at least one of:

infrared signals; and

radio-frequency identification (RFID).

5. The system according to claim 1, said processor performing statistical operations to refine said current physical position of said user.

6. A handheld system for aiding a visually impaired user to navigate within a building, comprising:

a housing;

a position detector connected to said housing that provides data of a user'"'"'s location within a building, said position detector receiving signals from at least one dedicated wireless transceiver that interacts only with said position detector within said building;

a direction detector that provides data of said user'"'"'s direction of motion;

an input receiver that receives a destination within said building as determined by said user;

a processor coupled to said position detector and said direction detector that correlates said position and direction data with information of features of said building as stored as an electronic map in a memory in said housing, said processor establishing a physical location of said user in said building; and

an output device that provides directions to said user.

7. The handheld system according to claim 6, said at least one dedicated wireless transceiver comprising a sensor that receives a wireless signal from said position detector and provides a location signal to said processor.

8. The handheld system according to claim 6, said processor establishing a physical position of said user in said building using at least one of:

a global positioning system (GPS);

a land-based receiver;

a cell phone based triangulation receiver; and

a WiFi receiver.

9. The handheld system according to claim 8, said land-based receiver using at least one of:

infrared signals; and

radio-frequency identification (RFID).

10. The handheld system according to claim 6, said features of said building comprising:

walkways;

doors;

rooms;

stairways; and

elevators.

11. The handheld system according to claim 6, said processor providing a list of destinations or features within said building to said user, and

said input receiver enabling selection of said destinations or features within said building by said user.

12. The handheld system according to claim 6, said input receiver receiving at least one of voice commands and tactile input.

13. The handheld system according to claim 6, said output device providing directions by at least one of audio through a speaker connected to said housing and visual display on a screen connected to said housing.

14. A method of providing assistance to users in navigating indoor locations comprising:

using a handheld device having a wireless positioning system to establish a current physical location of a user with respect to a map of an indoor location stored within said handheld device;

receiving, by said handheld device, a destination location within said indoor location selected by said user;

providing to said user output signals and directions to said destination location within said indoor location;

as said user moves through said indoor location, said wireless positioning system receiving signals from at least one dedicated wireless transceiver that interacts only with said handheld device within said indoor location to determine said user'"'"'s current physical location within said indoor location, and

processing each individual current physical location reading to refine said current physical location of said user'"'"'s location in said indoor location with respect to said electronic map.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising downloading an electronic version of said map of said indoor location.

16. The method according to claim 14, said current physical position location being established wirelessly by said handheld device using at least one of:

a global positioning system (GPS);

a land-based receiver;

a cell phone based triangulation receiver; and

a WiFi receiver.

17. The method according to claim 14, said processing each individual current physical location reading comprising correlating position data and direction data with information of features of said indoor location associated with said electronic map in a memory in said handheld device, said processor establishing a physical location of said user in said indoor location.

18. The method according to claim 17, said features of said indoor location comprising:

walkways;

doors;

rooms;

stairways; and

elevators.

19. The method according to claim 14, said receiving, by said handheld device, a destination location within said indoor location selected by said user comprising:

receiving at least one of voice commands and tactile input.

20. The method according to claim 14, said providing to said user output signals and directions to said destination location within said indoor location comprising:

providing directions by at least one of audio through a speaker connected to said handheld device and visual display on a screen connected to said handheld device.