Systems, methods, and software for providing wayfinding orientation and wayfinding data to blind travelers
First Claim
1. A blind traveler navigational data system having a server, the server comprising:
- a machine-readable data storage medium comprising machine-executable instructions for configuring the server to;
receive into a database configuration information, including a plurality of sets of starting point identifiers and corresponding destination point identifiers, and for each set, narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for navigating between the respective starting point identifier and destination point identifier;
wherein the narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions incorporate cues specific for blind travelers;
receive from a user information identifying a first landmark and a second landmark from a set of predefined landmarks within a predefined geographic region, wherein the first and second landmarks correspond to a set of starting point and destination point identifiers received into the database as configuration information;
responsive to the identified first and second landmarks, access and retrieve, from a database, precompiled narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for guiding a blind or visually impaired traveler from the first identified landmark to the second selected landmark; and
output the retrieved blind-ready wayfinding instructions to an access device for use by visually impaired user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To support the independence and mobility of blind pedestrians, the present inventors devised, among other things, free systems, methods, and software for providing narrative blind-ready wayfinding information. One exemplary system receives user input identifying a starting landmark and ending landmark in a particular selected geographic region, such as a city, university campus, government building, shopping mall, or airport. The system then searches a database for the corresponding narrative wayfinding instructions, and outputs them in the form of text or audio to guide a blind pedestrian from the starting landmark to the ending landmark. In the exemplary system, blind users select the geographic region as well as the starting and ending landmark from a voice-driven telephonic menu system and receive audible wayfinding instruction via mobile telephone. In some embodiments, the system also provides access to voice-driven restaurant menus.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A blind traveler navigational data system having a server, the server comprising:
a machine-readable data storage medium comprising machine-executable instructions for configuring the server to; receive into a database configuration information, including a plurality of sets of starting point identifiers and corresponding destination point identifiers, and for each set, narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for navigating between the respective starting point identifier and destination point identifier;
wherein the narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions incorporate cues specific for blind travelers;receive from a user information identifying a first landmark and a second landmark from a set of predefined landmarks within a predefined geographic region, wherein the first and second landmarks correspond to a set of starting point and destination point identifiers received into the database as configuration information; responsive to the identified first and second landmarks, access and retrieve, from a database, precompiled narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for guiding a blind or visually impaired traveler from the first identified landmark to the second selected landmark; and output the retrieved blind-ready wayfinding instructions to an access device for use by visually impaired user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
10. A method implemented using at least one processor and memory, the method comprising:
-
receiving configuration information into a memory, including a plurality of sets of starting point identifiers and corresponding destination point identifiers, and for each set, narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for navigating between the respective starting point identifier and destination point identifier;
wherein the narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions incorporate cues specific for blind travelers;receiving into the memory from a user information identifying first and second landmarks from a set of predefined landmarks within a predefined geographic region, wherein the first and second landmarks correspond to a set of starting point and destination point identifiers received into the database as configuration information; in response to the identified first and second landmarks, using the processor to access and retrieve from a database, precompiled narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for guiding a blind or visually impaired traveler from the first identified landmark to the second identified landmark; and outputting the retrieved blind-ready wayfinding instructions to a wireless device carried by a visually impaired user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for assisting vision-impaired pedestrians to navigate between physical locations, the method comprising:
-
storing configuration information into a database, including a plurality of sets of starting point identifiers and corresponding destination point identifiers, and for each set, narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions for navigating between the respective starting point identifier and destination point identifier;
wherein the narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions incorporate cues specific for blind travelers;receiving from an access device an identification of first and second landmarks from a set of predefined landmarks within a predefined geographic region; retrieving from the database, precompiled narrative blind-ready wayfinding instructions from the first identified landmark to the second identified landmark; and transmitting the retrieved blind-ready wayfinding instructions to an access device for use by a visually impaired user.
-
Specification