System and method for providing directional information
First Claim
1. A system for providing directional information to a user about a target of interest comprisingan angle sensor configured to sense information about the orientation of a part of the body of the user and to output a pointing angle;
- a location sensor configured to obtain information about the location of the user and/or changes in the location of the user and to output a user location signal;
a target storage module coupled to the angle sensor and to the location sensor and configured to receive a target distance signal from the user, the pointing angle from the angle sensor, and the user location signal from the location sensor, to store a target data element, the target data element comprising information about the pointing angle, the location signal, and the target distance signal for later recall, and to output the target data element;
a target-angle module coupled to the angle sensor, the target storage module, and the location sensor, and configured to receive the pointing angle from the angle sensor, the target data element from the target storage module, and the user location signal from the location sensor, to compute a relative position of the user based on the user location signal and the target data element, to compute a target angle based on the target data element and the relative position of the user, and to output an error signal corresponding to the difference between the pointing angle and the target angle;
and a signal-output module coupled to the target-angle module and configured to receive the error signal from the target-angle module and, based on the error signal, to output a feedback signal that is detectable by the user;
wherein the angle sensor is configured to output an additional pointing angle, wherein the target-angle module is configured to output an additional error signal, and wherein the signal-output module is configured to output an additional feedback signal in response to a reorientation of the part of the body of the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system provides feedback to a user to guide the user to point a part of the body at a target of interest. An angle sensor senses the angle in which the part of the user'"'"'s body is pointing, such as the head or the hand. The system computes the angle to a target and compares to the angle in which the part of the user'"'"'s body is pointing and the feedback indicates to the user how to point more closely to the direction of the target. Additional sensors allow the system to update the angle to the target as the position of the user changes. A walking sensor is disclosed to accurately measure the position of the user.
93 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A system for providing directional information to a user about a target of interest comprising
an angle sensor configured to sense information about the orientation of a part of the body of the user and to output a pointing angle; -
a location sensor configured to obtain information about the location of the user and/or changes in the location of the user and to output a user location signal; a target storage module coupled to the angle sensor and to the location sensor and configured to receive a target distance signal from the user, the pointing angle from the angle sensor, and the user location signal from the location sensor, to store a target data element, the target data element comprising information about the pointing angle, the location signal, and the target distance signal for later recall, and to output the target data element; a target-angle module coupled to the angle sensor, the target storage module, and the location sensor, and configured to receive the pointing angle from the angle sensor, the target data element from the target storage module, and the user location signal from the location sensor, to compute a relative position of the user based on the user location signal and the target data element, to compute a target angle based on the target data element and the relative position of the user, and to output an error signal corresponding to the difference between the pointing angle and the target angle; and a signal-output module coupled to the target-angle module and configured to receive the error signal from the target-angle module and, based on the error signal, to output a feedback signal that is detectable by the user; wherein the angle sensor is configured to output an additional pointing angle, wherein the target-angle module is configured to output an additional error signal, and wherein the signal-output module is configured to output an additional feedback signal in response to a reorientation of the part of the body of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing directional information about a target of interest to a user comprising
measuring the orientation of a part of the body of the user and based on the measured orientation, producing a pointing angle; -
receiving information about the location of the user and based on the information about the location of the user, producing a user-location signal; receiving a target distance from the user and storing a target data element into a memory element, the target data element comprising information about the pointing angle, the user-location signal, and the target distance; receiving the user-location signal, retrieving the target data element from the memory element, and producing a target angle based on the user-location signal and the retrieved target data element; producing an error signal corresponding to the difference between the pointing angle and the target angle; outputting a feedback signal configured to be detectable by the user and corresponding to the error signal; producing an additional pointing angle based on measuring an additional orientation of the part of the body of the user; producing an additional target angle to the target of interest corresponding to the additional pointing angle; producing an additional error signal corresponding to the additional target angle; and outputting an additional feedback signal corresponding to the additional error signal; whereby the user can continue to orient the part of the body of the user toward the target of interest. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification