Method and system for the visually impaired to navigate a route through a facility

• US 6,574,549 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sluchak, Thomas John, Cato, Robert Thomas, Ortega, Kerry A
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/802,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/208, 701/211, 340/825.49, 340/825.52, 340/825.37, 340/825.44, 705/1, 705/21, 705/26, 705/27, 705/28
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method of the type for aiding a user in navigating a route through a facility so as too efficiently locate specific items within a facility is provided. The system includes a facility processor having a database and software stored thereon for mapping an interactive route from selected location to selected location within a facility, a label located proximate individual items, the label electronically communicating information specific to the item it is associated with, and a digital device having the interactive route electronically stored thereon, the digital device electronically communicating with the facility processor and the labels for tracking movement of the digital device along the route via communication with the labels and communicating a direction to move to follow the route.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a route, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a list of items with at least one item located within a facility;

loading said list of items into a facility processor;

creating an interactive route to locate each said listed item within a facility;

downloading said route into a digital device to be transported with a user;

initiating said route by said user;

electronically transmitting information from a label located adjacent to an item to said digital device;

processing said label information with said interactive route to locate said digital device within said facility; and

communicating from said digital device to said user a direction to travel to follow said route to said listed item and arrival at said selected listed item,

wherein said digital device polls said label for identification of said associated item.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

selecting a particular said listed item to obtain by the user;

calculating a new route to said selected listed item by said interactive program; and

communicating the new directions to newly selected listed item to said user.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of requesting from said facility processor by said digital device a location within said facility of an item identified by said label for locating said digital device within the facility.

4. A method for navigating a route, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a list of items located within a facility;

loading said list of items into a facility processor;

creating an interactive route program to locate each item within said list;

downloading said route program into a digital device to be transported with a user;

initiating said route program by said user;

selecting an item from said list for location;

polling labels located adjacent to said items, by said digital device, for identification of the item associated with one of said labels;

processing said label information transmitted with said interactive route to locate said digital device within said facility;

polling said facility processor for additional location information if not provided by said labels; and

communicating from said digital device to said user a direction to travel to follow said route to said listed item.

5. A method for navigating a route, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a list of items located within a facility;

loading said list of items into a facility processor;

creating an interactive route program to locate each item within said list;

downloading said route program into a digital device to be transported with a user;

initiating said route program by requesting a first said listed item by said user;

communicating said selected item to said user;

polling labels located adjacent to said items, by said digital device, for identification of said item associated with one of said labels;

polling said facility processor for the location of said responding label if the location of said label was not transmitted to said digital device by said label;

determining if said item identification matches said selected listed item;

comparing said current location of said label with the location of a prior said label location if said item identification does not match said selected item;

calculating the correct direction if said item identification does not match said selected item;

communicating from said digital device to said user a direction to travel to said selected listed item;

continuing to poll, calculate, and communicate said route until said selected listed item is located;

identifying said item identification matching said selected listed item;

communicating from said digital device that said selected item is found;

requesting said user to acknowledge said selected item found;

polling said label again if said user does not respond to said found item inquiry;

continuing to poll said labels, calculate, and communicate said route to said selected item if said label identification does not match said selected list item;

requesting from said user to acknowledge said selected item found if said label

identification matches said selected item;

continuing to request acknowledgment of said selected item found a set number of times before requesting selection of a new said listed item;

selecting a new said listed item upon acknowledging said selected item found;

communicating from said digital device said new selected item;

continuing to poll said labels and calculate and communicate said route until said new selected item is located;

ending said interactive route; and

communicating to said user a route to a payment station or exit.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the steps of:

requesting if said user desires a price total after acknowledging said selected item found;

polling for said item price if said user selects a price total;

requesting number of said items obtained by said user; and

maintaining a running price total by said digital device.