EP0632419A1

EP0632419A1 - Guide apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP0632419A1
Application number: EP94107718A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fumio C/O Nec Environment Eng. Ltd. Yamauchi; Hideakira C/O Nippon Road Company Limited Nagai; Akio C/O Nippon Road Company Limited Ito
Original assignee: Nippon Road Co Ltd; NEC Ameniplantex Ltd
Current assignee: Nippon Road Co Ltd; NEC Ameniplantex Ltd
Priority date: 1993-05-18
Filing date: 1994-05-18
Publication date: 1995-01-04

Abstract

A guide apparatus having a first apparatus for supplying information to a walker by detecting change in a magnetic field generated by the first apparatus and a second apparatus for exerting an influence upon the magnetic field. The first apparatus is a road side apparatus (1) comprising: a first alternating current generating section (2) for generating a first alternating current; at least one first coil (3) for generating the magnetic field by the first alternating current; at least one first driving section (7) for detecting change in impedance of the first coil and outputting a first drive signal on the basis of the detected change in the first coil impedance; and a speech generating section (9, 11) for generating speech information in response to the outputted first drive signal. The second apparatus is a walker side apparatus (20, 40, 60) comprising a soft magnetic substance (5) for changing the first coil impedance when carried by a walker.

Description

The present invention relates to a guide apparatus, and more specifically to a guide apparatus such that various information can be given to a person carrying a soft magnetic substance when he enters a predetermined area.
Conventionally, wire broadcasting or radio broadcasting has been well known as means for supplying various information to a foot passenger or a walker. In the case of the wire broadcasting, a plurality of speakers connected to a ground station through wires are arranged at predetermined intervals along a road, and speech information is given from the ground station to walkers via the speakers. Further, in the case of the radio broadcasting, a radio transmitter is installed in a ground station and a radio receiver is carried by a walker so that various information can be given from the station to the walker through the receiver where necessary.
In the case of the wire broadcasting, although information can be supplied simultaneously to a great number of unspecified persons over a wide range, this method is not suitable for the case where information must be supplied to only a specific person, as when a visually handicapped person is guided to a place or across a crossing. In addition, since the information is inevitably given to all the persons; that is, since the information cannot be selected, the given information is a mere noise for the persons who do not want the information. Therefore, in this method, the information must be limited to only the public information, so that there exists such a problem in that information cannot be supplied to only a specific person who wants the information.
In the case of the radio broadcasting, on the other hand, since a relatively expensive receiver must be carried by a walker independently, there exist some shortcomings from the standpoints of the cost and the portability.
With these problems in mind, therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a guide apparatus which can supply information to only a person who really wants the information at a low cost.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a guide apparatus having a first apparatus for supplying information to a walker by detecting change in a magnetic field generated thereby and a second apparatus for exerting an influence upon the magnetic field of the first apparatus, characterized in that: the first apparatus is a road side apparatus (1) comprising: a first alternating current generating section (2) for generating a first alternating current; at least one first coil (3) for generating the magnetic field by the first alternating current; at least one first driving section (7) for detecting change in impedance of said first coil and outputting a first drive signal on the basis of the detected change in the first coil impedance; and a speech generating section (9, 11) for generating speech information in response to the outputted first drive signal, and the second apparatus is a walker side apparatus (20, 40, 60) comprising a soft magnetic substance (5) for changing the first coil impedance when carried by a walker.
In the guide apparatus according to the present invention, whenever a walker who carries a soft magnetic substance passes through the magnetic field, since the speech generating section generates speech information on the basis of the first drive signal outputted by the first driving section, the walker can obtain necessary speech information. In this case, since the information can be obtained by simply carrying the soft magnetic substance, the cost is low.
Further, the present invention provides a guide apparatus for supplying information to a walker characterized by: a road side apparatus (1) Comprising: a first alternating current generating section (2) for generating a first alternating current; at least two first coils (3a, 3b) for generating at least two magnetic fields (S1) by the first alternating current; at least two first driving sections (7a, 7b) for detecting change in impedance of each of said first coils and outputting each of first drive signals on the basis of the detected change in the first coil impedances; a control section (29) for discriminating whether the two first drive signals are generated in a predetermined sequence and outputting a control signal only when the two first drive signals are generated in a predetermined sequence; and a speech generating section (9, 11) for generating speech information in response to the outputted control signal, and a walker side apparatus (20, 40, 60) comprising a soft magnetic substance (5) for changing the first coil impedances, in sequence when carried by a walker.
In the guide apparatus according to the invention, since two first coils are arranged along a road, it is possible to give information to the walker only when he walks in one (going) direction without giving information when he walks in the other (returning) direction.
In order that the invention may be well understood, some embodiments thereof, which are given by way of example, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a road side apparatus of the guide apparatus according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an illustration for assistance in explaining the overall guide apparatus according to the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a cross road at which first and second coils of the road side apparatus shown in Fig. 1 are laid;
Fig. 4 is a timing chart for assistance in explaining the operation of the guide apparatus according to the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a partially sectional view showing the walker side apparatus of the guide apparatus thereof, in which a soft magnetic substance is fitted into a stick;
Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the walker side apparatus, by which speech information can be generated by the stick itself;
Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing another modification of the second embodiment of the walker side apparatus, by which vibration information can be generated by the stick itself;
Fig. 8 is an illustration for assistance in explaining the overall guide apparatus of the second embodiment according to the present invention when the sticks as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 are used as the walker side apparatus;
Fig. 9 is an illustration for assistance in explaining the overall guide apparatus of a third embodiment according to the present invention, in which a guide line formed of soft magnetic substance is laid along the road shown in Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a plane view showing the positional relationship between the coils and the guide lines both laid along a road and a crossing; and
Fig. 11 is an illustration showing a person walking in and along a range denoted by E in Fig. 10.

The embodiments of the guide apparatus according to the present invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the attached drawings. This guide apparatus is suitable particularly for when a specific person (e.g., a visually handicapped person) is guided at a crossing or a pedestrian crossing, for instance.
The guide apparatus of the present invention is roughly composed of a road side apparatus and a walker side apparatus.
Fig. 1 shows the road side apparatus 1, which is composed of an alternating current generating section 2 for generating an alternating current; two coils 3 (3a and 3b) each for generating a magnetic field within a predetermined range on the basis of the generated alternating current; two driving sections 7a and 7b each for outputting a drive signal whenever the magnetic field generated by the coil 3a or 3b is affected by a soft magnetic substance 5 (shown in Fig. 2) of the walker side apparatus carried by a person comes into the magnetic field; a control section 29 for discriminating whether the drive signal is first outputted from the driving section 7a or the driving section 7b, a speech information section 9 for generating speech information on the basis of the drive signal generated by the driving section 7; and a speech generating section 11 for outputting a speech supplied by the speech information section 9. As shown in Fig. 1, the driving section 7a is connected in series to the first coil 3a, and the driving section 7b is connected to the second coil 3b.
The alternating current generating section 2 is composed of an oscillating section 13, a waveform shaping section 15, and an amplifying section 17. Further, the driving section 7a or 7b is composed of an impedance converting section 19a or 19b, an amplifying section 21a or 21b, a rectifying section 23a or 23b, a smoothing section 25a or 25b, and a comparing section 27a or 27b.
In the alternating current generating section 2, a square signal generated by an oscillating section 13 is waveform-shaped into a sine wave signal through a waveform shaping section 15, and further amplified through the amplifying section 17 to obtain a constant alternating current.
The coils 3 are composed of first coils 3a and second coils 3b, as shown in Fig. 1. Further, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, at each crossing, two first coils 3a and one second coil 3b are buried under the ground surface at each corner of a crossing across which the visually handicapped person is guided. To the crossing, the visually handicapped person is guided along blocks formed with raised points (referred to Braille point blocks).
Three coils 3 (3a and 3b) are arranged at each corner of each crossing into an L-shaped pattern in such a way that the walker can pass through over the coils 3 in the sequence of the first coil 3a and the second coil 3b when he walks in one (going) direction but in the opposite sequence of the second coil 3b and the first coil 3a when he walks in the other (returning) direction. Further, when the alternating current is passed through these coils 3, a magnetic field S1 can be generated by each coil 3 in a predetermined range near the ground surface, as shown in Fig. 2.
When a soft magnetic substance (e.g. , ferrite) 5 enters the magnetic field S1, the driving section 7 outputs a drive signal by detecting a change of impedance of the coil 3. This soft magnetic substance 5 is not magnetized but functions so as to change the impedance of the coil 3 when placed within the magnetic field S1. Further, as shown in Fig. 5, this soft magnetic substance 5 is fitted into an accommodating space formed at the lower end portion of a stick carried by the visually handicapped person, for instance. The accommodating space can be formed by separating the stick into two parts and then the two parts are engaged with each other through threads, for instance.
The operation of the guide apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 will be described hereinbelow with reference to the timing chart as shown in Fig. 4.
Whenever the soft magnetic substance 5 is passed through the magnetic filed S1 of the first coil 3a or the second coil 3b, the change of impedance of each coil is detected by the impedance converting section 19a or 19b; the detected impedance change is amplified by the amplifying section 21a or 21b; the amplified impedance change is rectified by the rectifying section 23a or 23b to obtained a rectified signal having a large pulsating range 8-1 or b-1; the rectified signal is smoothed by the smoothing section 25a or 25b; and the smoothed signal is converted into a digital pulse signal of "1" or "0" through the comparing section 27a or 27b, respectively. The digital pulse thus obtained is inputted to a control section 29.
The control section 29 outputs a trigger pulse (as shown on the lowermost side in Fig. 4) only when the signals of the coils 3 are inputted in the sequence of the first coil 3a and the second coil 3b as shown in Fig. 4 to activate the speech information section 9. In contrast with this, the control section 29 does not output the trigger pulse when the signals of the coils 3 are inputted in the sequence of the second coil 3b and the first coil 3a to deactivate the speech information section 9.
In other words, in Fig. 3, when the walker passes from the area block D1 to the area Block D2 across a crossing, the information can be obtained only at the area block D1, but no information can be obtained again at the area block D2.
The speech information section 9 is provided with a tape recorder for recording the necessary information (e.g., WALK or DO NOT WALK) on a tape, for instance. Therefore, in response to the control signal supplied by the control section 29, the speech information section 9 is activated.
The speech information signals generated by the speech information section 9 are amplified by a power amplifying section 31, and then outputted through a speech generating section (e.g., speaker) 11. The above-mentioned sections as shown in Fig. 1 are all installed for each place (at each corner of a crossing or a pedestrian crossing) at which the information is required.
In the guide apparatus constructed as described above, whenever a visually handicapped person approaches a crossing or a pedestrian crossing and comes into the magnetic range S1, since the magnetic field generated by the road side apparatus changes due to the soft magnetic substance 5 fitted into the stick 20, the control section 29 outputs a control signal on the basis of the change of the magnetic field. In response to the control signal supplied by the control section 29, the speech information section 9 is activated to generate the information. The generated information is outputted through the speech generating section 11 as a speech, with the result that the walker can obtain the necessary information.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the soft magnetic substance 5 is relatively low in cost and further can be simply accommodated in the stick 20. Further, without being limited to only the soft magnetic substance 5, it is also possible to use an iron instead of the soft magnetic substance. Further, the above-mentioned guide apparatus can be applied to the ordinary persons, without being limited to the visually handicapped persons. In this case, it is desirable that the soft magnetic substance 5 of portable type is carried by walkers, instead of a stick.
A second embodiment of the guide apparatus according to the present invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to Figs. 6. In this second embodiment, the road side apparatus is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the walker side apparatus (the stick) is different from that of the first embodiment. In more detail, within the stick 40, there are arranged another alternating current generating section 42, another coil 43 for generating another magnetic field, another driving section 47 for outputting another drive signal when a change in impedance of the coil 43 is detected, and another speech generating section 51 for generating speech information on the basis of the other drive signal. Further, the coil 5 is wound around a soft magnetic substance 43. The above-mentioned elements are provided with the functions basically same as those of the road side apparatus shown in Fig. 1. That is, when the drive section 47 detect a change in coil impedance, necessary information is given to the walker through the speech generating section 51 as a predetermined speech. Further, the above-mentioned elements arranged in the stick 40 must be small in the power consumption, the supply voltage, the capacitance, etc. in comparison with those used in the road side apparatus 1. For instance, a speech synthesizing IC chip may be used instead of the tape recorder.
Fig. 7 shows a modification of the second embodiment, in which a vibration generating section 62 is assembled within a stick 60, instead of the speech generating section 51 of the stick 40. That is, in this modification, the information (e.g., a danger message) is given to the walker by vibration generated by the stick 60. In the case of vibration, although a given information is limited as compared with speech, there exists such another advantage that the information can be given to the walker more securely even when the road environment is noisy. This is because the ambient noise (e.g., the noise of running vehicles, the sound of footsteps of other persons, etc.) is an extremely important information for a visually handicapped person when he judges his own position and the environmental situation. Accordingly, it is important that the ambient noise must be well heard by the visually handicapped person. In this point of view, this modification for transmitting information by the vibration generating means is very effective, because the sense of hearing of a visually handicapped person will not be disturbed.
Fig. 8 shows the case where the above-mentioned stick 40 or 60 is used in cooperation with the road side apparatus (which is the same as that shown in Fig. 2). In this second embodiment, since the stick 40 or 60 is provided with the soft magnetic substance 5, when the stick 40 or 60 enters the magnetic field S1, a speech is generated by the speech generating section 11 of the road side apparatus and another similar speech information or a vibration is simultaneously generated by the speech generating section 51 or the vibration generating section 62 of the walker side apparatus, so that necessary information can be supplied to the walker in overlapped conditions. If the coil 43 of the stick is excited by the current of the same frequency as the magnetic field S1 excited by coil 3, the alternating magnetic field S1 of the coil is changed and the speech generating section 11 generates speech in the same way as the response to the soft magnetic substance. In this way, whether the switch of the stick 40, 60 is ON or OFF, the speech information is provided.
Fig. 9 shows a third embodiment of the guide apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a guide line 71 formed of a soft magnetic substance is laid along a road, as shown in Fig. 10.
When the walker is walking in and along a road range E away from the coils 3a and 3b, a magnetic field S2 is generated by the coil 43 of the stick 40 or 60. Under these conditions, when the soft magnetic substance of the guide line 71 laid along the road enters this magnetic field S2 of the stick, the magnetic field S2 changes. As a result, the driving section 47 of the stick 40 or 60 generates a drive signal. On the basis of this drive signal, the speech generating section 51 or the vibration generating section 62 generates speech or vibration. Therefore, as far as the walker is walking along the guide line 71, since a speech or a vibration is generated, the walker can Judge whether he is now correctly walking along the guide line 71 or not. Further, when the walker is walking away from the guide line 71, no speech or no vibration is generated by the stick 40 or 60.
On the other hand, when the walker who carries the stick 40 or 60 comes to a crossing as shown by D1 or D2 in Fig. 10, since the magnetic field S1 generated by the coil 3 of the road side apparatus is influenced by both the soft magnetic substance 5 and the magnetic field S2 generated by the coil 43 of the stick 40 or 60, the magnetic field S1 of the road side apparatus changes, so that it is possible to give appropriate information to the walker who carries the stick 40 or 60 whenever he comes to a crossing or a pedestrian.
As described above, in the guide apparatus according to the present invention, as far as a walker (e.g., a visually handicapped person) carries a soft magnetic substance, it is possible to supply various information to the walker easily whenever he enters a predetermined magnetic field. Further, without being limited to only the visually handicapped persons, as far as any persons (who want to obtain some information) carry a non-expensive soft magnetic substance respectively, they can obtain various information easily at any places (e.g., an exhibit hall).

Claims

A guide apparatus having a first apparatus for supplying information to a walker by detecting change in a magnetic field generated thereby and a second apparatus for exerting an influence upon the magnetic field of the first apparatus, characterized in that:
the first apparatus is a road side apparatus (1) comprising:
a first alternating current generating section (2) for generating a first alternating current;
at least one first coil (3) for generating the magnetic field by the first alternating current;
at least one first driving section (7) for detecting change in impedance of said first coil and outputting a first drive signal on the basis of the detected change in the first coil impedance; and
a speech generating section (9, 11) for generating speech information in response to the outputted first drive signal, and
the second apparatus is a walker side apparatus (20, 40, 60) comprising a soft magnetic substance (5) for changing the first coil impedance when carried by a walker.
The guide apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the walker side apparatus (40, 60) further comprises:
a second alternating current generating section (42) for generating a second alternating current;
a second coil (43) wound around said soft magnetic substance (5), for generating another magnetic field by the second alternating current;
a second driving section (47) for detecting change in impedance of said second coil and outputting a second drive signal on the basis of the detected change in the second coil impedance; and
a sensible information generating section (51, 62) for generating sensible information in response to the outputted second drive signal.
The guide apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that said sensible information generating section (51) generates other speech information.
The guide apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that said sensible information generating section (62) generates a vibration.
The guide apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that the road side apparatus further comprises at least one guide line (71) formed of soft magnetic substance and laid on and along a road surface.
A guide apparatus for supplying information to a walker characterized by:
a road side apparatus (1) comprising:
a first alternating current generating section (2) for generating a first alternating current;
at least two first coils (3a, 3b) for generating at least two magnetic fields (S1) by the first alternating current;
at least two first driving sections (7a, 7b) for detecting change in impedance of each of said first coils and outputting each of first drive signals on the basis of the detected change in the first coil impedances;
a control section (29) for discriminating whether the two first drive signals are generated in a predetermined sequence and outputting a control signal only when the two first drive signals are generated in a predetermined sequence; and
a speech generating section (9, 11) for generating speech information in response to the outputted control signal, and
a walker side apparatus (20, 40, 60) comprising a soft magnetic substance (5) for changing the first coil impedances, in sequence when carried by a walker.
The guide apparatus of claim 6, characterized in that the walker side apparatus (40, 60) further comprises:
a second alternating current generating section (42) for generating a second alternating current;
a second coil (43) wound around said soft magnetic substance (5), for generating another magnetic field by the second alternating current;
a second driving section (47) for detecting change in impedance of said second coil and outputting a second drive signal on the basis of the detected change in the second coil impedance; and
a sensible information generating section (51, 62) for generating sensible information in response to the outputted second drive signal.
The guide apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that said sensible information generating section (51) generates other speech information.
The guide apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that said sensible information generating section (62) generates a vibration.
The guide apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that the road side apparatus further comprises at least one guide line (71) formed of soft magnetic substance and laid on and along a road surface.