System, method and apparatus for providing navigational assistance

• US 7,620,493 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 40 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Stankiewicz, Brian J., Cassandra, Anthony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/449,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/217, 701/209, 701/207, 340/539.13, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus to assist a user navigate from a current location to a second location within an environment by determining a distance traveled by the user or from the user to one or more objects. The current location is then identified using the distance and an environment data. Thereafter, a route to the second location is determined based on the current location and the environment data, and a directional cue is provided to the user based on the route. Note that the present invention can be implemented as a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium wherein the steps are performed by one or more code segments.

Claims

1. A system to assist a user with low-vision to navigate from a current location to a second location within an indoor environment, the system comprising:

a distance determination device suitable for use within the indoor environment;

a memory containing an environment data of the indoor environment;

a user interface suitable for use by the user with low-vision; and

a processing unit communicably coupled to the distance determination device, the memory, and the user interface, wherein the processing unit is configured to

determine, via the distance determination device, a distance traveled by the user in the indoor environment or from the user to one or more objects in the indoor environment;

identify a current location in the indoor environment using the distance and the environment data;

determine a route in the indoor environment to the second location based on the current location and the environment data; and

provide via the user interface, a directional cue to the user with low-vision based on the route;

wherein the distance determination device determines the distance, at least in part, by transmitting and receiving a signal to be reflected from the one or more objects and then returned to the distance determination device, and wherein the signal received is a substantially same signal as the signal transmitted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance determination device is configured to use a laser, a sound wave, an electromagnetic wave, an accelerometer, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance determination device comprises one or more range finders, a pedometer, or a combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance determination device, the memory, the user interface, and the processor are integrated into a single device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance determination device is configured to determine the distance and provides the distance to the processor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein information to identify the second location is received via the user interface.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine whether the distance is erroneous.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the distance is initiated by the user via the user interface, performed continuously, or performed periodically.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to use a POMDP algorithm to identify the current location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the current location by:

evaluating the distance and the environment data;

generating one or more possible current locations in the indoor environment; and

providing a directional cue to the user, determining a distance traveled by the user in the indoor environment or from the user to one or more objects in the indoor environment, and repeating the evaluating and generating steps whenever more than one possible current location is generated.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more objects in the indoor environment comprise:

a first object located forward of the user;

a second object located left of the user; and

a third object located right of the user.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more objects in the indoor environment comprise an obstruction, a curtain, a wall, a door, or a window within the environment.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the directional cue comprises an audio cue, a visual cue, a tactile cue, or a combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the second location is either an intermediate destination or a final destination within the indoor environment.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment data comprises a digital map of the indoor environment and other information about the indoor environment.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the other information comprises historical information, delivery information, emergency information, assistance information or information about bathrooms, building leasing, building maintenance, building management, computer access, conferences, dining, elevators, escalators, events, exits, hallways, handicap access, Internet access, meetings, parking, public transportation, rooms, route, rooms, security, stairs, telephones, or a combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a guidance server communicably coupled to the processing unit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of the route to the second location is determined by the guidance server.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the determination of the route and the environment data are distributed between the processing unit and the guidance server.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen, a knob, a pad, a stick, a speaker, a screen, a display, a card, a receiver, or a combination thereof.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver communicably coupled to the processing unit.

22. A method of assisting a user with low-vision to navigate from a current location to a second location within an indoor environment, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a distance traveled by the user with low-vision in the indoor environment or from the user to one or more objects in the indoor environment, wherein the distance is determined, at least in part, by transmitting and receiving a signal that is reflected from the one or more objects, and wherein the signal received is a substantially same signal as the signal transmitted;

identifying a current location in the indoor environment using the distance and an environment data of the indoor environment;

determining a route in the indoor environment to the second location based on the current location and the environment data; and

providing a directional cue to the user with low-vision based on the route.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving information to identify the second location.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining whether the distance is erroneous.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein determining the distance is initiated by the user, performed continuously, or performed periodically.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the current location is identified using a POMDP algorithm.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein identifying the current location in the indoor environment comprises:

evaluating the distance and the environment data;

generating one or more possible current locations in the indoor environment; and

providing a directional cue to the user, determining a distance traveled by the user in the indoor environment or from the user to one or more objects in the indoor environment, and repeating the evaluating and generating steps whenever more than one possible current location is generated.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more objects in the indoor environment comprise:

a first object located forward of the user;

a second object located left of the user; and

a third object located right of the user.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more objects in the indoor environment comprise an obstruction, a curtain, a wall, a door, or a window within the environment.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising notifying the user when traversing to a different floor is required.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the directional cue comprises an audio cue, a visual cue, a tactile cue, or a combination thereof.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein the second location is either an intermediate destination or a final destination within the indoor environment.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving the environment data.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising updating the environment data.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein the environment data comprises a digital map of the indoor environment and other information about the indoor environment.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the other information comprises historical information, delivery information, emergency information, assistance information or information about bathrooms, building leasing, building maintenance, building management, computer access, conferences, dining, elevators, escalators, events, exits, hallways, handicap access, Internet access, meetings, parking, public transportation, rooms, route, rooms, security, stairs, telephones, or a combination thereof.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein the environment data is stored in a user device, a system within the environment, a guidance server, a portable memory device, or a combination thereof.

38. The method of claim 22, further comprising establishing a communication link with a guidance server.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein identifying and determining a route occur on the guidance server.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein at least a portion of the route information to reach a location is determined by the guidance server.

41. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium;

a computer program embodied on the computer-readable storage medium, configured to assist a user with low-vision to navigate from a current location to a second location within an indoor environment, the computer program comprising;

a code segment for determining a distance traveled by the user with low-vision in the indoor environment or from the user to one or more objects in the indoor environment, wherein the distance is determined, at least in part, by transmitting and receiving a signal that is reflected from the one or more objects, and wherein the signal received is a substantially same signal as the signal transmitted;

a code segment for identifying the current location in the indoor environment using the distance and an environment data of the indoor environment;

a code segment for determining a route in the indoor environment to the second location based on the current location and the environment data; and

a code segment for providing a directional cue to the user with low-vision based on the route.

42. The article of claim 41, further comprising a code segment for receiving information to identify the second location.

43. The article of claim 41, further comprising a code segment for determining whether the distance is erroneous.

44. The article of claim 41, wherein the code segment for determining the distance is initiated by the user, performed continuously, or performed periodically.

45. The article of claim 41, wherein the current location is identified using a POMDP algorithm.

46. The article of claim 41, wherein the code segment for identifying the current location in the indoor environment comprises:

a code segment for evaluating the distance and the environment data;

a code segment for generating one or more possible current locations in the indoor environment; and

a code segment for providing a directional cue to the user, determining a distance traveled by the user in the indoor environment or from the user to one or more objects in the indoor environment, and repeating the evaluating and generating steps whenever more than one possible current location is generated.

47. The article of claim 41, wherein the one or more objects in the indoor environment comprise:

a first object located forward of the user;

a second object located left of the user; and

a third object located right of the user.

48. The article of claim 41, wherein the one or more objects in the indoor environment comprise an obstruction, a curtain, a wall, a door, or a window within the environment.

49. The article of claim 41, further comprising a code segment for notifying the user when traversing to a different floor is required.

50. The article of claim 41, wherein the directional cue comprises an audio cue, a visual cue, a tactile cue, or a combination thereof.

51. The article of claim 41, wherein the second location is either an intermediate destination or a final destination within the indoor environment.

52. The article of claim 41, further comprising a code segment for receiving the environment data.

53. The article of claim 41, further comprising a code segment for updating the environment data.

54. The article of claim 41, wherein the environment data comprises a digital map of the indoor environment and other information about the indoor environment.

55. The article of claim 54, wherein the other information comprises historical information, delivery information, emergency information, assistance information or information about bathrooms, building leasing, building maintenance, building management, computer access, conferences, dining, elevators, escalators, events, exits, hallways, handicap access, Internet access, meetings, parking, public transportation, rooms, route, rooms, security, stairs, telephones, or a combination thereof.

56. The article of claim 41, wherein the environment data is stored in a user device, a system within the environment, a guidance sewer, a portable memory device, or a combination thereof.

57. The article of claim 41, further comprising a code segment for establishing a communication link with a guidance server.

58. The article of claim 57, wherein the code segments are executed on the guidance server.

59. The article of claim 57, wherein at least a portion of the route information to reach a location is determined by the guidance server.