JP2003091794A - Guide assisting system for visually impaired person - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To assist a visually impaired person to move by oneself by guiding the visually impaired person by a detail voice message including proper nouns. SOLUTION: The ID of an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag 1 which the visually impaired person holds is read by an RFID reader 13 assembled inside a block 10 for guiding the visually impaired person by voice having the same shape as a conventionally installed line-shaped block 10s or a dot- shaped block 10t, and a voice output unit 15 in the block 10 guides the visually impaired person by the detail voice message.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an RFID (Radio
The present invention relates to a guidance assistance system for visually impaired persons using a frequency IDentification tag.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for assisting visually impaired persons to pass, a visually impaired person guiding block such as a linear block 10s or a dot block 10t as shown in FIG.
An explanation on a Braille panel (not shown), an acoustic signal (not shown) with a song of birds such as "Cuckoo" and "Piyopiyo", and a melody such as "Toriyanse" and "Sora of Hometown" are common. .

Recently, the following techniques for guiding visually impaired persons by voice are also known. Patent 2876
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 305, an LC resonance circuit that is laid at an arbitrary place where a visually impaired person should be guided and that oscillates an echo wave by being sensitive to a radio wave of a specific frequency, and an arbitrary frequency for the LC resonance circuit. A transmitter for transmitting radio waves in the band, and the L
A receiver that receives an echo wave of a specific frequency oscillated by a C resonance circuit, and a guidance assistance system for the visually impaired that outputs guidance information as a sound corresponding to the echo wave of the specific frequency received by the receiver. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-62981, a field for energy is formed in a space from a cane for the visually impaired person, the energy field is laid at an arbitrary position to guide the visually impaired person, and the energy is received. A visually impaired guidance assisting system that oscillates and outputs a unique identification signal, and the identification signal is received by a cane for the visually impaired to be decoded and guidance information corresponding to the identification signal is output as voice.

[0004]

However, the linear block 10s only indicates the walking direction, and the dotted block 10t only indicates a warning or a position, which is the minimum guide for the visually impaired. Since the Braille panel is textual information, it can convey a certain amount of information to the visually impaired, but in the case of a blind person, the Braille panel itself cannot be recognized and is often useless. The sound signal only knows the direction that can be crossed depending on the kind of crying birds and the type of melody,
For example, information in the areas such as XX in the front, ΔΔ in the right direction, and XX in the left direction is not known, and this cannot be said to be sufficient for guiding visually impaired persons. Also, even if there is no visually impaired person at the intersection, there is a noise problem due to the sound of birds and melodies, which makes it difficult to install in a residential area, or even if it is installed, it stops operating at night. Many.

In both of the technologies disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2876305 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-62981, information unique to each of them is received by a visually impaired device and voice guidance information corresponding to the information is output. Since it is something that can be output, only general guide information such as "It is a climbing staircase" and "It is in front of the station." Can be output, and guide information including the proper noun most necessary to guide the visually impaired, for example, There is a problem that it is impossible to practically output the guidance information such as "It is the climbing stairs. It is XX on the 2nd floor" and "It is in front of XX station."

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and guides a visually impaired person with a detailed voice message including a proper noun. In addition, the direction of travel of the visually impaired person is detected, and guidance is provided by an appropriate voice message for each direction in which information about the direction is known. By providing a guidance assistance system for visually impaired persons, it is intended to assist visually impaired persons in moving by themselves.

[0007]

A guide assist system for the visually impaired according to the present invention is incorporated in either footwear, ankle straps attached to ankles, or a white cane, and is unique to each visually impaired person. Of the RFID tag held by the visually impaired person, a central processing unit for controlling each unit described below, and an I of the RFID tag.
An RFID reader (including an RFID antenna) that reads D and passes it to the central processing unit, a message memory in which a predetermined voice message to the visually impaired is written, a voice output unit that outputs this message, and light to power. A guidance assistance system for the visually impaired, which includes a solar cell for conversion, and a block for voice guidance for the visually impaired, which includes a power source / battery unit that supplies electric power to each unit and stores the electric power supplied from the solar cell. That is, the ID of the RFID tag held by the visually impaired person is read by the RFID reader in the visually impaired voice guidance block, and guidance is performed by a voice message from the audio output unit in the visually impaired voice guidance block. It has a feature. (Invention according to claim 1)

The RFID held by the visually impaired person
A tag, a central processing unit that controls each unit described below, an RFID reader (including an RFID antenna) that reads the ID of the RFID tag and passes it to the central processing unit, and writes a predetermined voice message to the visually impaired. Message memory, a voice output unit that emits this message, a solar cell that converts light into electric power,
A block for voice guidance for the visually impaired, which has a power source / battery unit as a component for supplying electric power to each unit and storing electric power supplied from a solar cell, and at least R
A guidance assistance system for a visually impaired person, comprising an antenna block for visually impaired person voice guidance having an FID antenna as a component, wherein the visually impaired person voice guidance antenna block is adjacent to the visually impaired person voice guidance block or RFI installed by one or more nearby to be held by the visually impaired
The ID of the D tag is the R in the voice guidance block for the visually impaired.
The FID antenna and the RFID antenna in the antenna block for voice guidance for the visually impaired are read by a plurality of RFID antennas, and the order in which they are read by the central processing unit is determined to detect the traveling direction of the visually impaired. The feature is that the voice output unit in the voice guidance block guides with an appropriate voice message for each traveling direction. (Invention of Claim 2)

In addition to the above-mentioned configuration or the above-mentioned configuration, a wireless unit carried by a visually handicapped person for wirelessly communicating a voice message and a predetermined command, a voice output unit for emitting a message received by the radio unit, A wireless device having a power supply / battery unit as a component for supplying power to the unit and a wireless unit for wirelessly communicating a voice message and a predetermined command with the wireless device in the visually impaired voice guidance block, The ID of the RFID tag held by the person who is visually impaired is read, transmitted from the wireless unit in the visually impaired person voice guidance block to the wireless unit of the wireless device carried by the visually impaired person, and guided by a voice message from the audio output unit in the wireless apparatus. It is characterized by doing. (Invention of Claim 3)

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram in the case of a single visual guidance person voice guidance block of the visually impaired person guidance assistance system of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a visually impaired person voice guidance block of the present invention visually impaired person guidance assistance system. And a functional block diagram when a visually impaired voice guidance antenna block is installed, FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of a visually assisted guidance assistance system according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a linear block that is conventionally installed. It is an external view of the dot block as viewed from above.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, 1 is an RFID tag in which a unique ID is written for each visually impaired person,
2 is footwear incorporating an RFID tag, 3 is an ankle strap attached to an ankle incorporating an RFID tag, 4
Is a white cane incorporating an RFID tag. 10 is a block for voice guidance for the visually impaired, incorporating the following various devices,
Reference numeral 10a is an antenna block for visually impaired voice guidance that incorporates only an RFID antenna, 11 is a central processing unit that controls each device of the visually impaired voice guidance block, 12
Is an RFID antenna that reads the ID of an RFID tag, 1
3 is an RFID that passes the read ID to the central processing unit
A reader, 14 is a message memory in which a voice message for guiding is written, 15 is a voice output unit for outputting voice, 16 is a solar cell for converting light into electric power, 17 is power for each device of a block for voice guidance for the visually impaired. Power supply / battery unit for supplying electric power or storing electric power supplied from a solar cell, 18 a wireless unit for communicating with a wireless device carried by a visually impaired person, 20 a wireless device carried by a visually impaired person, and 25 a voice An audio output unit for output, 25e is an earphone, 27 is a power supply / battery unit for supplying electric power to each device in the wireless device, and 28 is a wireless unit for communicating with a visually impaired voice guidance block.

A visually impaired person has a unique ID for each visually impaired person.
Either the footwear 2, the ankle strap 3, or the white cane 4 incorporating the RFID tag 1 in which is written is used or carried.

The visually impaired voice guidance block 10 and the visually impaired voice guidance antenna block 10a have the same shape on the ground surface as the linear block 10s or the dot block 10t which has been conventionally installed. These can be mixed and installed. The visually impaired voice guidance block 10 or the visually impaired voice guidance antenna block 10a is installed at an arbitrary position where it is necessary to guide the visually impaired by voice, and conversely, a place where it is not necessary to guide by voice is conventionally used. The installed linear block 10s or dot block 10t is installed. Visually impaired people rely on these blocks to walk as usual.

In the message memory 14 in the visually impaired voice guidance block 10, one or more arbitrary voice messages are previously stored in a predetermined format, for example, GSM format (Global).
System for Mobile Communications) is modulated and written. The message memory 14 is a replaceable medium (eg, a non-volatile memory card), and the voice message can be easily changed by replacing the message memory 14.

The power source can be operated for 24 hours by supplying the power from the solar cell 16 while it is bright and storing the surplus power in the battery of the power source / battery unit 17, and supplying the power from this battery when it becomes dark. If an external power source is available, an external power source may be used instead of the solar cell 16 and / or the power source / battery unit 17.

The invention of claim 1 is used in a place where it is only necessary to provide details of warning contents and position information. When the visually impaired reaches the visually impaired voice guidance block 10,
RFID of the RFID tag 1 held by the visually impaired
The antenna 12 reads and passes it to the RFID reader 13. The central processing unit 11 receives the read ID, reads the voice message from the message memory 14, demodulates it, and outputs the voice message from the voice output unit 15 to guide it. In this invention, for example, voice messages including proper nouns such as "Climbing stairs. 2nd floor is XX." And "XX station front." Can be used to convey details of warnings and location information. be able to.

The invention of claim 2 is used for a place where it is necessary to guide information in the direction and a place where it is necessary to guide detailed information on the surroundings where the traveling direction and direction are detected. As shown in FIG. 2, one or more visually impaired voice guidance antenna blocks 10a having only an RFID antenna as a constituent element are installed next to or near the visually impaired voice guidance block 10 described above. Each RFID antenna 12 is connected to an RFID reader 13, and the RFID reader 13 can process IDs read by a plurality of RFID antennas 12. RF in block 10 for visually impaired voice guidance
The ID antenna 12 and the RFID antenna 12 in the visually impaired voice guidance antenna block 10a read the ID of the RFID tag 1 held by the visually impaired person and RF.
Hand it over to the ID reader 13. The RFID reader 13 passes the ID of the delivered RFID tag 1 to the central processing unit 11 with the information indicating from which RFID antenna 12 it was read. In the central processing unit 11, until the ID of the same RFID tag 1 is read from the RFID antenna 12 at the second location, it is held in an internal memory (not shown), and no voice message is output at the first location (FIG. 3). of).
When the ID of the same RFID tag 1 is read from the second RFID antenna 12, the central processing unit 11 detects the traveling direction of the visually impaired by the order of the first and second RFID antennas 12, and a message is displayed. Memory 1
A predetermined voice message for each traveling direction is read from 4 and demodulated, and a voice message is emitted from the voice output unit 15 for guidance (FIG. 3). This invention is, for example, information to guide the direction such as "There is a XX direction in the front, there are XX and △△. There is a □□ direction in the right direction, there is a ◇◇." × There is a ticket vending machine at the station.
There is a Braille panel on the left side of the ticket machine. The left side is the ticket gate. Since detailed information on the surroundings such as “” can be guided by a voice message, the visually impaired person can easily move to the next necessary action.

The invention of claim 3 is used in a place where a lot of people are crowded, a place where the surrounding noise is large, or the like. Claim 1 above
In addition to the configuration of the invention of claim 2 or the invention of claim 2, a wireless unit 18 is added in the block 10 for visually impaired voice guidance,
The visually impaired person carries the wireless device 20. As a result, according to the invention of claim 1 or 2, the voice output unit 15 in the visually impaired voice guidance block 10 does not emit a voice message, and the wireless unit in the visually impaired voice guidance block 10 does not. Wirelessly from 18,
Wireless unit 28 of wireless device 20 carried by the visually impaired
And receive a voice message from the voice output unit 25 or the earphone 25e in the wireless device 20. According to the present invention, since the voice message can be heard from the voice output unit 25 or the earphone 25e in the wireless device 20, the message can be surely transmitted even in the case of congestion or noise. In addition, by enabling the volume adjustment (not shown) of the voice message, the message can be surely transmitted to the elderly who are hard of hearing.

In the invention of claim 3, the message is transmitted to the wireless device 20 when the ID of the RFID tag 1 is read.
It is performed only when communication with the wireless device 20 is possible. Therefore, if the visually impaired person does not carry the wireless device 20,
If the mobile device cannot communicate with the wireless device 20 due to the battery of the power supply / battery unit 27 running out even if it is carried, the wireless message transmission is not performed, and the voice output unit 15 in the voice guidance block 10 for the visually impaired outputs a voice. Speak a message and guide it. As a result, even if the wireless device 20 cannot be used for some reason, the visually impaired person can be guided.

Further, as a measure for the visually impaired person to miss the voice message, a retransmit button (not shown) is provided in the wireless device 20, and when the retransmit button is pressed, the wireless unit 28 of the wireless device 20 is operated. By transmitting a resend request command, the wireless unit 18 in the visually impaired voice guidance block 10 receives this, and passes it to the central processing unit 11, the voice message transmitted immediately before is retransmitted wirelessly. This allows the visually impaired to listen to the voice message any number of times.

On the contrary, when the visually impaired person remains in one place, the same RFID antenna 12 may read the ID of the RFID tag 1 of the same visually impaired person a plurality of times in succession. This is annoying when the same voice message is uttered many times. Therefore, by discarding this ID by the RFID reader 13 from the second time onward, the voice message is controlled to be uttered only once.

Further, the central processing unit 11 in the visually impaired voice guidance block 10 of the present invention is connected to a conventionally installed acoustic signal by, for example, a contact signal, and when the visually impaired person comes to an intersection, the central processing unit 11 is operated. If a contact signal is output from the processing unit 11 so that bird sounds and melody flow from the acoustic signal only at this time, the noise problem is significantly reduced, so the acoustic signal is installed in the residential area and operated at night. Will also be possible. In this case, generally, visually impaired people have a slower walking speed than healthy people, and if the pedestrian traffic light turns blue, it may not be possible to cross the road unless it starts immediately.
Even if the pedestrian signal in either direction is blue at the time of inputting this contact signal, the acoustic signal does not play the birds' singing or melody at this time, and the timing at which the pedestrian signal becomes blue next time It is desirable to let the birds squeal and melody play through so that the visually impaired can afford enough time to cross.

[0023]

As described above, according to the visually impaired person guidance assisting system of the present invention, the visually impaired person can be guided by a detailed voice message including a proper noun. In addition, it is possible to guide by a proper voice message for each traveling direction in which the traveling direction of the visually impaired person is detected and the information of the direction is known. There is an effect such as. In addition, visually impaired people usually move along the visually impaired person guidance block, so it is possible to guide with the above-mentioned voice message with a very high probability,
It is a powerful aid for visually impaired people to move by themselves.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a visually impaired person voice guidance block alone of a visually impaired person guidance assist system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram when a visually impaired voice guidance block and a visually impaired voice guidance antenna block of the visually impaired guidance assistance system of the present invention are installed.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the visually impaired person guidance assistance system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a linear block and a dot block that have been conventionally installed, viewed from above.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... RFID tag 2… Footwear 3 ... Ankle strap 4 ... White cane 10 ... Block for visually impaired voice guidance 10a ... Antenna block for visually impaired voice guidance 10s ... Linear block 10t ... dot block 11 ... Central processing unit 12 ... RFID antenna 13 ... RFID reader 14 ... Message memory 15… Voice output unit 16 ... Solar cell 17 ... Power supply / battery unit 18 ... Wireless unit 20 ... Wireless device 25 ... Voice output unit 25e ... Earphone 27 ... Power supply / battery unit 28 ... Wireless unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G10L 19/00 G10L 9/18 J H04B 7/26 5/02 J

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An RFID tag held by a visually impaired person, and a central processing unit for controlling each unit described below,
An RFID reader (including an RFID antenna) that reads the ID of the RFID tag and passes it to the central processing unit;
A message memory in which a predetermined voice message to the visually impaired is written, a voice output unit that emits this message, a solar cell that converts light into electric power, and power is supplied from and to each unit. A guidance assistance system for a visually impaired person, comprising a block for voice guidance of the visually impaired person, which includes a power source / battery unit for storing electric power, and the ID of an RFID tag held by the visually impaired person is used by the visually impaired person. Read with the RFID reader in the voice guidance block,
A guidance assistance system for a visually impaired person, characterized by guiding by a voice message from a voice output unit in a block for guiding the visually impaired person's voice. 2. An RFID tag held by a visually impaired person, and a central processing unit for controlling each unit described below,
An RFID reader (including an RFID antenna) that reads the ID of the RFID tag and passes it to the central processing unit;
A message memory in which a predetermined voice message to the visually impaired is written, a voice output unit that emits this message, a solar cell that converts light into electric power, and power is supplied from and to each unit. A guidance assistance system for the visually impaired, which includes a block for voice guidance for the visually impaired, which has a power supply / battery unit for storing power, and an antenna block for voice guidance for the visually impaired, which has at least an RFID antenna as a component. Then, one or more of the visually impaired voice guidance antenna block is installed next to or near the visually impaired voice guidance block, and the ID of the RFID tag held by the visually impaired person
Are read by a plurality of RFID antennas of the RFID antenna in the visually impaired voice guidance block and the RFID antenna in the visually impaired voice guidance antenna block, and the order of reading by the central processing unit is determined to visually impair A guidance assistance system for a visually impaired person, which detects a traveling direction of a person and guides the speech output unit in a block for guiding the visually impaired person with a predetermined voice message for each traveling direction. 3. A wireless unit carried by a visually impaired person for wirelessly communicating a voice message and a predetermined command,
A voice output unit that emits a message received by the wireless unit, a wireless device that includes a power supply / battery unit that supplies power to each unit, and the wireless device and the voice message in the visually impaired voice guidance block. And a wireless unit that wirelessly communicates a predetermined command is provided, and the ID of the RFID tag held by the visually impaired is read,
Transmitting from the wireless unit in the visually impaired voice guidance block to the wireless unit of the wireless device carried by the visually impaired,
The guidance assisting system for the visually impaired according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the guidance is performed by a voice message from a voice output unit in the wireless device.