ES2574353A1 - Orientation system using bluetooth technology (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of orientation of blind people in urban areas and specifically to an "orientation system" based on a device responsible for sending information to the user's mobile phone. The mobile phone, through a mobile application will be the one that makes the request for information, once the device receives the request it will return the requested information and the mobile phone will communicate said information to the user through oral messages, melody code or code. Vibrations the communication will be made using bluetooth wireless technology and in a fully automatic way and in real time as the user moves through the urban environment. Information will be provided on the lighting status of pedestrian traffic lights, the existence of work fences, the existence of terraces or any other obstacle in public roads and any information that facilitates the mobility of the user. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Orientation system using Bluetooth technology.

Technology Sector

The field of the invention is intimately linked with wireless communications characterized by the total absence of any type of cable to transmit and / or communicate a series of data. Some examples of wireless technologies are those that use Zigbee or Wi-Fi technology.

State of the art

With regard to the use of the device in traffic lights, the need for providing traffic lights with acoustic capabilities to help blind people to cross the streets has been widely recognized for a long time. These traffic lights emit signals that indicate to these people that the traffic light is green and therefore can begin to cross the street. Several alternative solutions to this solution have been proposed.

First, there are many acoustic traffic lights that emit a sound with a specific tone to indicate that the traffic light is in a green state, indicating that the person can cross the street. In some cases, these traffic lights also emit a different specific tone indicating that the traffic light is red and therefore the street cannot be crossed, although! They help the blind person to locate the crossing situation. These systems have the disadvantage that they imply an important acoustic contamination that can generate discomfort and protests on the part of the rest of passers-by and the neighborhood of the zone, since they work in a constant way although it is not necessary. In addition, during certain hours (for example at night) these systems are completely deactivated, so that they do not offer any service to blind people who need it.

There are also tactile systems as an alternative to acoustic traffic lights. These systems comprise a device located on the traffic light pole that vibrates to indicate if the traffic light is green, so that the blind person knows that they can cross the street. Although this system solves the drawbacks outlined above, it also poses many other disadvantages. For example, the user must touch the device at each junction, with the hygienic and health risks that this entails. There may also be obstacles between the person and the device that prevent the blind person from getting there properly, such as other passersby. Finally, these traffic lights do not provide any information to the blind person about the position of the traffic lights and the direction in which they should cross.

There are also a series of systems on demand, in which the acoustic traffic light only emits its acoustic indications when a user requests it through a specific remote control. Although this system solves the problems outlined above, it has the disadvantage that the user must have a specific remote control and must activate it expressly every time he wishes to make a crossing.

Finally, there is a system in which, through wireless communication, the blind person can activate an acoustic indication device located in his mobile phone

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the traffic light that will emit a first tone indicative of the green state of the traffic light to indicate blind people who can cross the street. In addition, the system provides additional information on the architecture of the crossing such as the number of lanes, if there is a median, name of the street, nearby points of interest, etc ... This information must be expressly requested from the mobile phone. The system also has a second tone indicative of the red state of the traffic light other than the tone indicated by the green. Although this system solves the problems outlined above, it has the disadvantage of continuing to need the existence of acoustic warning lights in the traffic lights for the indication of the light state of the crossing. In addition, it does not provide information on the light state of the junction when the traffic light is flashing green or when the traffic light is broken.

Therefore, there is still a need in the art for a system that provides all the necessary information in real time required by blind people at traffic lights that are activated remotely and does not require the need for any acoustic warning system installed in the traffic light.

Regarding the use of the system to provide additional information to blind people with whom they can find their way in urban areas, the technique widely recognizes the need to provide the urban framework with a guidance system for blind people.

There are GPS devices that facilitate the mobility of this group through the cities, but they have the disadvantage of not providing information about occasional or temporary obstacles such as bar terraces or work fences.

Therefore, there is still a need in the art for a system that provides additional information in real time to blind people so that they can orient themselves and move safely in urban areas.

Brief description of the invention

The group of people with visual disabilities to which it is addressed, is faced with many difficulties when it comes to moving around urban environments in their daily lives, to name a few, they cannot see the existence of obstacles in the public highway as work fences or terraces, do not know the lighting state of traffic lights, do not have enough information at the crossings to cross them safely ... a cluster of events that hinder the lives of these people making them more vulnerable and dependent.

To increase the independence and security of this group of people, I propose to create a device that issues information about the urban environment to the user's mobile phone. This device will be located in places where it is most necessary to receive information from this group (traffic light crossings, work fences, near bar terraces ...). All information is received by the user through his mobile phone through oral messages, melodlas codes or vibration codes.

My device is aimed at people with visual problems of different nature:

- People with permanent visual impairment.

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- People with visual degeneration.

- People with transient visual impairment arising from short-term situations.

- Elderly people, where a high percentage have visibility problems, to which we must add hearing problems that hinder their orientation, for example in crossings with acoustic warnings.

As you can see the range of possibilities is very wide.

The product can therefore interest both public organizations and end users.

In the present invention wireless bluetooth technology of reasonable and safe reach is used, a highly expanded technology, especially in mobile phones. It has great advantages such as:

- Low energy consumption, even in the moments of maximum activity which increases the duration of the batteries.

- Good behavior with the environment, contamination 0.

- Technology without risk to the health of living beings.

- Ease of utilization, adapted to people with certain difficulties in their daily lives.

- Possibility of adapting and / or using it in numerous fields.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1, General scheme, characterized by having several devices for issuing information (2) in different locations in the urban environment and a mobile phone (1) that acts through an app at the same time as receiver of the information and issuer of said information to the Username.

Figure 2, Detail of a device located in a traffic light, characterized by having a power supply (3), a microcontroller (4), a bluetooth communication module (5), connections to collect information from the pedestrian traffic light (6) and a memory card to store the messages to be issued (7).

Figure 3, Detail of a device located on a work fence or terrace, characterized by having a power supply (3), a microcontroller (4), a bluetooth communication module (5) and a memory card to store messages to issue (7).

Detailed description of the invention

Orientation device using bluetooth technology, which is the name of the specification of a set of protocols of high level of wireless communication for use with digital broadcasting.

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It is based on the IEEE 802.15.1 standard of wireless personal area networks, with applications that require secure communications with a high data rate at a reduced distance, aspects that fit perfectly within the project objectives.

As mentioned above so that these communications can be carried out, apart from the bluetooth transmitters / receivers we need several devices to successfully carry out the project objective.

The invention is composed of information-emitting devices (2) located in various locations of urban environments and a mobile application (1) that allows the user to communicate the information received. Next we will explain the details of each module:

- Emitting devices (2):

Each of them will be powered in such a way that by using a voltage regulator the continuous voltage (3) necessary to power the microcontroller (4) and the bluetooth transmitter (5) is achieved.

This device, when it receives the request for information from the user's mobile phone (1), processes the necessary signals through the microcontroller (4) and sends the corresponding information stored on the memory card (7) through the bluetooth transmitter ( 5) to the user's mobile phone (1). In the event that the device is located in a pedestrian traffic light, a new message will be issued to the mobile phone that has requested information as to the light status of the pedestrian traffic light varies with which it is possible to have information in real time.

- Mobile phone (1):

Through a mobile application, the user can select the information they wish to receive from the device (2) (pedestrian traffic light status, additional information at crossings such as existence of median or length of the crossing, work fences, existence of terraces ... ) about the environment and the way you want to receive it (oral messages, code of melodlas or code of vibrations).

Examples of embodiment

Below are some examples of realization of the invention that is not limited to its scope:

If the user moves along the street and has activated in the mobile application the reception of information of the light status of the pedestrian traffic light, when approaching a crossing, the signal emitted by bluetooth technology by his mobile phone will be received by the module Bluetooth of the device located in the traffic light, then the device's microcontroller will process the signals of the pedestrian traffic light and send the corresponding message stored in the memory card back to the mobile phone, which will communicate the information to the user through the option selected in the application. As soon as the light status of the traffic light varies, a new message will be immediately sent to the user's mobile phone indicating that variation.

If the user has selected the option to receive information of works on the public road and approaches a work fence where the device is located, in the same way as in the previous example this will emit the corresponding message to the user's mobile phone warning of the risk situation. The only difference in this case is that the device's microcontroller does not need to process external signals as in the traffic light, simply send the corresponding message to the request received.

Claims (4)

1. Orientation system using Bluetooth technology characterized in that it includes information emitting devices (2) that can be accommodated in different elements of 5 street furniture and a mobile phone (1). 2. Orientation system using Bluetooth technology, according to claim 1 characterized in that the transmitters comprise a power supply (3), a microcontroller (4), a bluetooth communication module (5) and a memory card 10 where to store the messages to be broadcast (7). 3. Orientation system using Bluetooth technology, according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the transmitter is incorporated into a traffic light (6) and has connections to collect information on the light status of the pedestrian traffic light 15 (green, flashing green, red or broken traffic light). 4. Orientation system using Bluetooth technology, according to claim 1 characterized in that the mobile phone has a computer application.