Radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired

• US 6,977,579 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gilfix, Michael, Malcolm, Jerry Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/703,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/825.19, 340/825.49, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/573.1, 340/328, 342/24, 342/118, 342/147, 367/118, 701/200
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/065 in the form of braille
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5005 for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal
• 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: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/007 using both tactile and audible presentation of the information

Abstract

Radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, including receiving in an electronic travel aid (“ETA”) for the visually impaired, from a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag associated with an object, information that describes the object and displaying a description of the object through an interface for a visually impaired person. Information that describes the object may include at least one of a predefined set of attributes that describe the object. Many embodiments include retrieving, in dependence upon a unique identification code, further information describing the object—either locally from an ETA or through a network from a remote store of information.

Claims

1. A method for radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, the method comprising:

receiving in an electronic travel aid (“

ETA”

) for the visually impaired, from a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) tag associated with an object, information that describes the object, the information comprising a unique identification code;

retrieving, in dependence upon the unique identification code, further information describing the object; and

displaying a description of the object through an interface for a visually impaired person.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information that describes the object comprises at least one of a predefined set of attributes that describe the object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving further information describing the object comprises retrieving the further information from a store of information in the ETA.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving further information describing the object comprises retrieving the further information through a network from a remote store of information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the ETA comprises a directional antenna and the method further comprises inferring an approximate direction to the object in dependence upon an orientation of the ETA when the description of the object is displayed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ETA comprises a directional antenna and the method further comprises inferring an approximate distance to the object in dependence upon a signal strength of an RFID signal from the RFID tag associated with the object.

7. A system for radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, the system comprising:

means for receiving in an electronic travel aid (“

ETA”

) for the visually impaired, from a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) tag associated with an object, information that describes the object, the information comprising a unique identification code;

means for retrieving, in dependence upon the unique identification code, further information describing the object; and

means for displaying a description of the object through an interface for a visually impaired person.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the information that describes the object comprises at least one of a predefined set of attributes that describe the object.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein means for retrieving further information describing the object comprises means for retrieving the further information from a store of information in the ETA.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein means for retrieving further information describing the object comprises means for retrieving the further information through a network from a remote store of information.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the ETA comprises a directional antenna and the system further comprises means for inferring an approximate direction to the object in dependence upon an orientation of the ETA when the description of the object is displayed.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the ETA comprises a directional antenna and the system further comprises means for inferring an approximate distance to the object in dependence upon a signal strength of an RFID signal from the RFID tag associated with the object.

13. A computer program product for radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for receiving in an electronic travel aid (“

ETA”

) for the visually impaired, from a radio frequency identification (“

RFID”

) tag associated with an object, information that describes the object, the information comprising a unique identification code;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving, in dependence upon the unique identification code, further information describing the object; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for displaying a description of the object through an interface for a visually impaired person.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the information that describes the object comprises at least one of a predefined set of attributes that describe the object.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein means for retrieving further information describing the object comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving the further information from a store of information in the ETA.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein means for retrieving further information describing the object comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving the further information through a network from a remote store of information.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the ETA comprises a directional antenna and the computer program product further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for inferring an approximate direction to the object in dependence upon an orientation of the ETA when the description of the object is displayed.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the ETA comprises a directional antenna and the computer program product further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for inferring an approximate distance to the object in dependence upon a signal strength of an RFID signal from the RFID tag associated with the object.