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Providing a location and item identification data to visually impaired shoppers in a site having barcode labels

  • US 6,497,367 B2
  • Filed: 04/26/2001
  • Issued: 12/24/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A system for providing information within a site, wherein said system comprises:

  • a plurality of barcode labels placed at a plurality of locations within said site, wherein each barcode label within said plurality of barcode labels includes a pattern of parallel markings representing a coded value, and a portable device including;

    a barcode reader producing electrical signals in response to patterns of said parallel markings;

    an audio amplifier;

    an audio speaker driven by said audio amplifier;

    data storage including a barcode location data structure having a first field containing data representing a plurality of coded values, a second field containing data representing a plurality of values of a first location coordinate, a third field containing data representing a plurality of values of a second location coordinate, wherein each coded value in said plurality of coded values is represented by a pattern of parallel markings on a barcode label within said plurality of barcode labels, wherein each first location coordinate within said second field and each corresponding second location coordinate within said third field form a set of location coordinates representing a location of a label having a corresponding coded value in said first field; and

    a processor programmed to generate a most recently read coded value represented by a pattern of parallel markings read by said barcode reader in response to said electrical signals produced by said barcode reader, to find a set of location coordinates within said second and third fields of said first data structure corresponding to said coded value, to generate a pattern of synthetic speech describing a location represented by said set of location coordinates, and to cause said audio amplifier to drive said speaker in response to a generated pattern of synthetic speech.

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