GPS urban navigation system for the blind

• US 6,502,032 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Air Force Government of The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Newman, George H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/891,863
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 345/156, 345/158, 345/163, 345/702, 345/729, 340/949, 340/925, 340/944, 342/24, 342/357.14, 342/357.17
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/007 using both tactile and audible presentation of the information

Abstract

A global positioning system that actively guides blind pedestrians and military/police forces. This system uses DoD Global Positioning System (GPS) to provide user position and navigation to centimeter accuracy. Present position and navigation requests are digitally cellular telephoned to a central “base station” where data is correlated with a computerized map database which holds names and coordinates of specific locations, such as streets; intersections; traffic lights; hospitals; bathrooms; public telephones; and internal layouts of major buildings and facilities, in selected regions, cities, and neighborhoods. System operates by user entering desired destination into hand-held unit via voice recognition software or using Braille keyboard. Hand-held unit then transmits present position (PP) GPS satellite signals and desired destination to a base station which contains map database and surveyor quality GPS computer system.

Claims

1. A GPS navigation system for the visually impaired, which comprises:

a portable GPS receiver which receives GPS coordinates, wherein said portable GPS receiver further comprises a digital cellular telephone which provides a communication link;

a computer which determines a pedestrian'"'"'s location from the GPS coordinates of the GPS receiver, wherein said computer comprises a survey-grade GPS raw data processor to obtain centimeter accuracy;

a base server with detailed metropolitan navigation data which is accessible to the portable GPS receiver; and

an active Braille display which produces tactile outputs of the pedestrian'"'"'s position, wherein said active Braille display produces a topographic three-dimensional map that the user feels on the display.