Audio navigation system for the visually impaired
First Claim
1. A navigation system featuring audio prompts comprising:
- a database including a plurality of beacon identifiers, wherein each beacon identifier corresponds to a physical beacon, wherein each beacon identifier is associated a location, wherein each beacon is a member of a quadrant, wherein the database defines adjacent quadrants for every quadrant, wherein each quadrant includes one or more beacons, wherein the database includes navigation instructions from each beacon in a quadrant to every other beacon in that quadrant, wherein the database includes navigation instructions from each beacon in a quadrant to every adjacent quadrant;
a user interface;
a speaker;
a communication module that detects and communicates with nearby beacons;
a controller in communication with the user interface, the communication module, and the speaker;
a memory in communication with the controller, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to;
provide a first beacon and a destination beacon,determine a route from the first beacon to the destination beacon in a destination quadrant, wherein the route is determined by finding a path from the first beacon to the destination beacon, wherein the route is an ordered list of navigation points to be encountered as the user moves from the first beacon to the destination beacon, wherein navigation points include beacons and quadrants,announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the first beacon to a first quadrant of the route,for each quadrant along the route;
in response to user movement along the route, receive, via the communication module, a newly encountered beacon identifier; and
announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the newly encountered beacon to the next quadrant in the ordered list, andupon receiving a beacon identifier of a detected beacon in the destination quadrant, announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the detected beacon to the destination beacon.
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Abstract
A navigation system featuring audio prompts including: a database including a plurality of beacon identifiers corresponding to physical beacons that are members of quadrants including one or more beacons, the database including navigation instructions between beacons in a quadrant and between beacons and adjacent quadrants; a controller adapted to: provide a first beacon and a destination beacon, determine a route from the first beacon to the destination beacon in a destination quadrant, announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions from the first beacon to a first quadrant of the route, for each quadrant along the route: receive, a newly encountered beacon identifier; and announce navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the newly encountered beacon to the next quadrant in the ordered list, and upon receiving a beacon identifier of a detected beacon in the destination quadrant, announce navigation instructions to navigate from the detected beacon to the destination beacon.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A navigation system featuring audio prompts comprising:
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a database including a plurality of beacon identifiers, wherein each beacon identifier corresponds to a physical beacon, wherein each beacon identifier is associated a location, wherein each beacon is a member of a quadrant, wherein the database defines adjacent quadrants for every quadrant, wherein each quadrant includes one or more beacons, wherein the database includes navigation instructions from each beacon in a quadrant to every other beacon in that quadrant, wherein the database includes navigation instructions from each beacon in a quadrant to every adjacent quadrant; a user interface; a speaker; a communication module that detects and communicates with nearby beacons; a controller in communication with the user interface, the communication module, and the speaker; a memory in communication with the controller, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to; provide a first beacon and a destination beacon, determine a route from the first beacon to the destination beacon in a destination quadrant, wherein the route is determined by finding a path from the first beacon to the destination beacon, wherein the route is an ordered list of navigation points to be encountered as the user moves from the first beacon to the destination beacon, wherein navigation points include beacons and quadrants, announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the first beacon to a first quadrant of the route, for each quadrant along the route; in response to user movement along the route, receive, via the communication module, a newly encountered beacon identifier; and announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the newly encountered beacon to the next quadrant in the ordered list, and upon receiving a beacon identifier of a detected beacon in the destination quadrant, announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate from the detected beacon to the destination beacon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A navigation system featuring audio prompts comprising:
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a database including a plurality of beacon identifiers, wherein each beacon identifier corresponds to a physical beacon, wherein each beacon identifier is associated a location, wherein the database links a pair of beacon identifiers when a person is able to walk between the locations of the corresponding pair of beacons without passing the location of any other beacon; a user interface; a speaker; a communication module that detects and communicates with nearby beacons; a controller in communication with the user interface, the communication module, and the speaker; a memory in communication with the controller, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to; receive, via the communication module, a first beacon identifier from a first beacon, receive a selection of a location from a user through the user interface, identify a beacon corresponding to the selected location as a destination beacon, determine a route from the first beacon to the destination beacon, wherein the route is determined by finding a path from the first beacon to the destination beacon, wherein the route is an ordered list of beacons to be encountered as the user moves from the first beacon to the destination beacon, for each beacon along the route; announce, via the speaker, navigation instructions for the user to navigate to a next beacon in the ordered list; in response to user movement along the route, receive, via the communication module, a newly encountered beacon identifier; when the newly encountered beacon identifier matches a beacon identifier of the next beacon in the ordered list, announce, via the speaker, arrival at the next beacon; and update the next beacon to the following beacon in the ordered list, and upon receiving a beacon identifier of the selected location, announce, via the speaker, arrival at the selected location. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification