Environmental control system for the handicapped

• US 5,345,226 A
• Filed: 06/20/1990
• Issued: 09/06/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rice-Kelly Research and Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rice-Kelly Research and Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Rice, Richard F. Jr., Kelly, David M., Smith, Daryl L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIUST, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US07/540,780
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.19, 340/706, 340/709, 379/52, 379/101, 379/421, 381/56, 341/21, 358/85, 455/74, 455/345
• US Class Current: 340/4.11
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2474 Telephone terminals specially adapted for disabled people user interfaces for cordless or mobile telephones specially adapted for disabled users H04M1/72475; network based special services or facilities for hearing-impaired persons H04M3/42391; devices for conversing with the deaf-blind G09B21/04

Abstract

An environmental control system for the handicapped provides a user interface which is totally integrated and programmable. An audible nested control option selection structure organizes logically related tasks and subtasks together so the user can access the tasks and subtasks in a natural fashion--providing an easy to learn user interface that is user friendly, minimizes frustration in accomplishing desired tasks, and also minimizes the time required to perform even complex control operations. Enhanced user interface features, including time encoding of control switch functions and synthesized speech prompting, further increases ease of operation and functionality. Interaction between different control channels allows the user to perform different tasks simultaneously. Enhanced telephone line manipulation is provided, including off-line assembly of telephone numbers for dialing which can be stored and easily accessed by the user through the unified audible sub-menu structure. Sharing of common hardware for multiple functions minimizes system cost, increases reliability and makes the system easier to use.

Claims

1. An environmental control system of the type adapted for connection to plural devices to control said devices, said system including:

a user-operable control interface generating at least one control signal in response to user operation thereof;

an audio source which generates at least audio prompts in response to control signals provided thereto; and

a digital processor operatively coupled to said user-operable control and coupled to provide said control signals to said audio source, said digital processor being preprogrammed to perform the following functions;

initially present a first sequence of control options R₁ -R_N to said user by controlling said audio source to provide, in a sequence, audio prompts corresponding to said first sequence of options,

selecting one of said options R_J within said first sequence of options in response to generation of said control signal by said user-operable control interface in substantial synchronism with the time the audio prompt corresponding to said one option R_J is presented to said user,

selectively controlling at least one of said plural devices corresponding to said selected option R_J in response to generation of a further control signal by said user-operable control interface, and

subsequently presenting at least some of said first sequence of plural options R₁ -R_N to said user by controlling said audio source to provide, in time sequence, audio prompts corresponding to said options R₁ -R_N, including the steps of;

waiting a time delay before presenting a first of said plural options, said delay having a sufficient duration to permit said person to operate said user-operable control interface during said delay, and selecting said first option in response to receipt of said user interface control signal during said delay.

2. An environmental control system of the type adapted for connection to plural appliances for allowing a disabled person to control said appliances, said system including:

a user-operable control alternately generating first and second switch control signals in response to user manipulation;

an audio source which generates sound signals in response to audio control signals provided thereto; and

a digital processor operatively coupled to said user-operable control and coupled to provide said audio control signals to said audio source, said digital processor being operable to perform the following functions;

controlling said audio source to provide, to a user in a sequence, audio prompts corresponding to a first sequence of options,

selecting one of said options within said first sequence of options in response to receipt of said first switch control signal in substantial synchronism with the time said one option is provided to said user,

thereafter selectively controlling a said appliance corresponding to said selected option in response to receipt of said second switch control signal, and

subsequently presenting at least a subset of said first sequence of options to said user, including the steps of;

waiting a time delay before presenting a first of said subset of options, said delay having a sufficient duration to permit said person to operate said user-operable control interface during said delay, and

selecting said first of said subset of options in response to receipt of said user interface control signal during said delay.

3. In an environmental control system of the type adapted for connection to plural devices, a method of allowing a physically impaired person to control said devices, said method including the following steps:

(a) generating switch control signals in response to manipulation of a user-operable control by said physically impaired person;

(b) initially presenting a first sequence of plural options R₁ -R_N to said person by providing a sequence of audio prompts corresponding to said first sequence of options,

(c) selecting one of said options R_J within said first sequence of options in response to receipt of a switch control signal in substantial synchronism with the time said option R_J is presented to said user,

(d) selectively controlling at least one of said plural devices in a manner corresponding to said selected option R_J in response to receipt of a further switch control signal, and

(e) subsequently presenting said first sequence of plural options R₁ -R_N to said user by providing, in time sequence, audio prompts corresponding to said options R₁ -R_N, wherein;

said subsequently presenting step (e) includes the step of waiting a time delay before presenting said option R₁, said delay having a sufficient duration to permit said person to operate said control during said delay; and

said method further includes the step of selecting said option R₁ in response to receipt of said switch control signal during said delay.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein:

said method further includes the step of alternatively manipulating said user control to a first active position to provide a first control signal and manipulating said user control to a second active position to provide a second control signal;

said selecting step (d) is performed in response to receipt of said first control signal; and

said subsequently presenting step (e) is performed in response to receipt of said second control signal.

5. A method as in claim 3 wherein:

said subsequently presenting step (e) includes the step of waiting a further delay after again presenting said option R_J and before presenting a further option R_J+1 within said sequence of options R_J -R_N, said further delay having a duration which is sufficient to permit said person to operate said control during said delay; and

said method further includes the step of again selecting said option R_J in response to receipt of said switch control signal during said further delay.