Guiding device for visually handicapped person

• US 5,032,836 A
• Filed: 06/18/1990
• Issued: 07/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kenji, Ono, Yujiro, Kawamura, Junichi, Kumada, Yoshihide, Nakatome, Syuichi, Ota, Katunori, Tomiyama, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US07/541,180
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.71, 340/825.72, 340/825.36, 340/825.17, 340/571, 340/572, 340/539, 331/63, 331/64, 455/226, 455/343, 180/167, 180/168, 320/49, 342/24
• US Class Current: 340/4.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/068 Sticks for blind persons
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information

Abstract

A guide device for visually handicapped person which has a portable unit and a position indicator unit. The portable unit is carried by the visually handicapped person and includes a radio frequency signal oscillator. The position indicator unit is disposed to a desired place and includes a radio frequency signal receiver and a loud speaker.

Claims

1. A guide system for visually handicapped persons, comprising at least one portable unit including a battery voltage detector circuit, a radio frequency signal oscillator, means for transmitting radio frequency oscillations from said oscillator, and a transmitting time control circuit for controlling said transmitting means to transmit said signals for a first predetermined time duration, said portable unit being adapted to be carried by a visually handicapped person, and a position indicator unit including a battery voltage detector circuit, a radio frequency signal receiver for receiving radio frequency oscillations transmitted by said portable unit, a loudspeaker, a loudspeaker actuating circuit for actuating said loud speaker in response to the reception of signals from said portable unit, and a loudspeaker duration control circuit for controlling the duration of actuation of said loudspeaker by said actuating circuit, said position indicator unit being adapted to be located at a position to which the visually handicapped person is to be guided, and source batteries included in said portable unit and said position indicator unit, said transmitting time control circuit being responsive to detection of lowering of the battery voltage of the portable unit by the battery voltage detector therein, to change the actuating time of said transmitting means to a second predetermined time duration different from said first duration, said loudspeaker duration control circuit being responsive to reception by said position indicator unit of signals transmitted by said transmitting means for said first and second durations to control said actuating circuit to actuate said loudspeaker for third and fourth different durations, respectively, said loudspeaker duration control circuit being responsive to detection of lowering of the battery voltage of the position indicator unit by the battery voltage detector circuit in the position indicator unit to control said actuating circuit to actuate said loudspeaker for a fifth time duration different from said third and fourth duration, in response to reception of signals of said first duration.

2. The guide system of claim 1, wherein said, loudspeaker duration control circuit is responsive to the detection of lowering of the battery voltage of the position indicator unit by the battery voltage detector therein to control the loudspeaker actuating circuit to actuate the loudspeaker for a time duration different from said third and fourth durations.

3. A guide system comprising at least one portable unit including a battery voltage detector circuit, means for transmitting radio frequency signals, and a transmitting time control circuit for controlling said transmitting means to transmit said signals for a first predetermined time duration, and a position indicator unit including a battery voltage detector circuit, a radio frequency signal receiver for receiving radio frequency signals transmitted by said portable unit, a loudspeaker, means for energizing said loud speaker in response to the reception of said signals transmitted from said portable unit, said means for energizing said loudspeaker comprising a loudspeaker duration control means for controlling the duration of energization of said loudspeaker by said energizing means, and source batteries included in said portable unit and said position indicator unit, said transmitting time control circuit comprising means responsive to detection of lowering of the battery voltage of the portable unit by the battery voltage detector therein, to change the energizing time of said transmitting means to a second predetermined time duration different from said first duration, said loudspeaker duration control means comprising means responsive to reception by said position indicator unit of signals transmitted by said transmitting means for said first and second durations to control said energizing means to energize said loudspeaker for third and fourth different durations, respectively, said loudspeaker duration control means being responsive to detection of lowering of the battery voltage of the position indicator unit by the battery voltage detector circuit therein to control said energizing means to energize said loudspeaker for a fifth time duration different from said third and fourth duration, in response to reception of said signals from said transmitting means.