Method, apparatus and computer program for determining the location of a user in an area

• US 8,401,781 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pazos, Fernando Pedrazzoli, Van Belle, Jacques C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M.
• Application Number:
  US11/545,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,352 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/04 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/046 Displays or indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10504 Data fields affixed to objects or articles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10396 the interrogation device being wearable, e.g. as a glove, bracelet, or ring wearable aerials in general H01Q1/27
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information

Abstract

Apparatus for orientating a user in a space wherein the space comprises a plurality of zones of which only certain zones constitute functional zones wherein each functional zone includes a first type device containing information relating to the position of the zone in the space and wherein the first type device is reactive to the presence of a second type device associated with the user to provide the user with the information to determine the orientation of the user in the space. A method of orientating the user within the space and guiding the user toward one or more features in the space is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining an orientation of a user in a space comprised of a plurality of functional zones, said apparatus comprising:

a multitude of first type devices, wherein each of the first type devices is located in one of said zones and contains information relating to the position of said one of the zones in the space;

a plurality of second type devices attached to the user in defined positions relative to the user, and wherein when the user is in said space, each of two of the first type devices reacts concurrently to the presence of a respective one of the second type devices-to provide two concurrent readings at a given moment identifying a current location of each of said respective one of the second type devices in the space;

a computing system for processing said two concurrent readings to determine the direction being faced by the user in the space at the given moment from said two concurrent readings taken at said given moment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each functional zone is a surface mounted zone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least two functional zones are adjacent one to the other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first type device comprises a tag RFID.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the second type device comprises an RFID reader.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the second type device is located in a shoe of the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second type device comprises an RFID reader in the heel of the shoe of the user and another RFID reader in the toe of the shoe of the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each functional zone comprises the first type device securely covered by a rugged material.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a communication system in order to provide the information to the user.

10. A method of determining an orientation of a user within a space and guiding the user towards one or more features therein, wherein the space comprises a plurality of functional zones, and wherein each functional zone includes one first type device containing information relating to the position of said each functional zone in the space, and a plurality of second type devices are attached to the user in defined positions relative to the user, wherein the first and second type devices can react to one another to transfer data, the method comprising:

identifying the presence of the user close to a functional zone;

determining the orientation of the user within the space, including each of two of the first type devices reacting concurrently to the presence of a respective one of the second type devices to provide two concurrent readings at a given moment identifying a current location of each of said respective one of the second type devices in the space, and processing said two concurrent readings to determine the of direction being faced by the user in the space at the given moment from said two concurrent readings taken at said given moment; and

providing the user with information relating to the user orientation and to at least one feature in the space.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the identifying step includes identifying the presence of the user in the functional zone.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the providing step further includes the step of guiding the user toward the one feature.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein:

said plurality of second type devices are in fixed positions relative to each other;

when the user is in said space, each of said plurality of second type devices is in a different one of said zones; and

the direction being faced by the user is determined from the locations of the two second type devices.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the user is wearing a pair of shoes, and the determining the orientation of the user includes processing said two concurrent readings to determine the orientation of said shoes in the space at the given moment.

13. A computer program comprising instructions, executable by a computer system, for carrying out a method for determining an orientation of a user within a space and guiding the user towards one or more features therein, wherein the space comprises a plurality of functional zones, and wherein each functional zone includes one first type device containing information relating to the position of said each functional zone in the space, and a plurality of second type devices are attached to the user in defined positions relative to the user, wherein the first and second type devices can react to one another to transfer data, and wherein when the computer program is executed on the computer system, the computer program causes the computer system to perform the steps of:

identifying the presence of the user close to a functional zone;

determining the orientation of the user within the space, including each of two of the first type devices reacting concurrently to the presence of a respective one of the second type devices to provide two concurrent readings at a given moment identifying a current location of each of said respective one of the second type devices in the space, and processing said two concurrent readings to determine the direction being faced by the user in the space at the given moment from said two concurrent readings taken at said given moment; and

providing the user with information relating to the user orientation and to at least one feature in the space.

14. The computer program of claim 13 wherein the identifying step includes identifying the presence of the user in the functional zone.

15. The computer program of claim 13 wherein the providing step further includes the step of guiding the user toward the one feature.