JP3404360B2 - User selection recognition system and human guidance system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention includes a user selection recognition system having a stationary control device and a portable terminal used by a user, and a user selection recognition system for allowing the control device to recognize a predetermined selection made by the user. Regarding the human guidance system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in public places such as urban areas and train stations, social infrastructure has been required to properly guide visually impaired persons to their destinations. As a device that meets such a demand, there is a "person guidance system" disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-241184.

In this person guidance system, a visually handicapped person carries a portable terminal, and a communication terminal for communicating with the portable terminal is installed at a predetermined branch point (for example, each corner of the branch point) such as an intersection. At the same time, the host computer that controls the communication terminal stores in advance the route from the starting point to the destination and the traveling direction at each of the branch points on the route. When the visually impaired person comes to any of the branch points, communication is performed between the communication terminal installed at that point and the portable terminal carried by the visually impaired person, and the host computer uses this communication. Recognizes at which branch point which point the visually impaired person is at, and notifies the visually impaired person of the traveling direction corresponding to the point via the communication terminal.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-described person guidance system, a plurality of destination candidates are prepared as options, and the destination desired by the visually impaired person is selected from the destination candidates. There is a need to. However, a complicated operation may be required when selecting a destination, and it cannot be said that a visually impaired person can always easily select a destination. For this reason,
There is a demand for a system that enables visually impaired persons to easily make various selections.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a user selection recognition system which allows a user to easily make various selections.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a user selection recognition system of the present invention has a stationary control device and a mobile terminal used by a user, and a predetermined selection made by the user is described above. A user selection recognition system for recognizing on a control device side, wherein the control device receives a transmission signal from the mobile terminal, and an option for reproducing a predetermined option for the user to reproduce by voice. A predetermined operation of moving the portable terminal over the inside and outside of the communication area with the control device for the reproduction means and the user to select from among the options is detected by a signal reception state by the reception means. a user operation detection means, based on the operation detected by the user operation detecting means, a choice setting means for setting the selection of the user, prior to It is set by the choice setting means
A selection means for transmitting the selected options to the mobile terminal,
The mobile terminal transmits a predetermined transmission signal at a short distance.
Receiving means and receiving means for receiving the transmitted option
And stores the options received by said receiving means
And a storage means.

[0007]

Further, the option setting means, when the user operation detecting means detects the user's operation within a predetermined time after the option reproducing means reproduces one of the options, the option setting means It is preferable to set one of them as a user's selection.

In addition, in the person guidance system including the user selection recognition system, it is preferable that the option reproduced by the option reproducing means is a destination option for guiding the user. In this case, it is preferable that the control device is installed at each branch point through which the user is guided to the destination. Further, the control device notifies the user of the direction determined by the direction determining means and the direction determined by the direction determining means based on the destination set by the option setting means. It is preferable to further include direction notifying means.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will now be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the human navigation system of the present invention. This person guidance system 100 notifies the traveling direction by voice at a branch point such as an intersection in an urban area so as to appropriately guide a visually impaired person to a destination. In addition, the human guidance system 100
Means that a visually impaired person can select a destination on the street, and in order for the visually impaired person to select a destination,
It is possible to detect the movement of raising and lowering the tip of the cane and set the destination according to the movement.

The human guiding system 100 shown in FIG. 1 has a predetermined point at each branch point (for example, each corner of the branch point).
It is composed of a stationary control device 10 installed in each facility that can be a destination and a mobile terminal 30 embedded in the tip of a cane used by the visually impaired.

The control device 10 comprises an antenna plate 11, a transmission / reception section 12, a CPU 13, a memory 19, and a speaker 20. As shown in FIG.
Can be installed at the installation position of the Braille block 21 at each intersection. In this case, the loop-shaped antenna plate 11 can be embedded under the intersection of the Braille blocks 40, and the speaker 20 can be provided in one of the Braille blocks 21.

On the other hand, the portable terminal 30 has an antenna 31, a transmitting / receiving section 32, a power supply section 33, a CPU 34, and a memory 35.
This can be embedded in the tip of the cane 22 carried by a visually impaired person.

A data string (hereinafter referred to as "tag data") having various kinds of information is stored in the memory 35 of the portable terminal 30. The tag data has a bit length of, for example, 256 bits, and includes user data for identifying a visually impaired person, destination data for identifying a destination, point data for identifying a point just passed, a melody and a current location. It can include sound selection data for selecting any of the voices to be notified, and is stored in the memory 35 of the mobile terminal 30.

The transmission / reception section 12 of the control device 10 alternately switches between the transmission mode and the reception mode at a predetermined timing, and in the transmission mode, always transmits a signal of a predetermined frequency through the antenna plate 11. When the mobile terminal 30 is located within a substantially hemispherical communicable area centered on the antenna plate 11 (hereinafter referred to as “communication area”), the signal of the predetermined frequency is the antenna of the mobile terminal 30. 31.

The signal of the predetermined frequency received by the antenna 31 of the portable terminal 30 is sent to the power supply unit 33 via the transmission / reception unit 32. The power supply unit 33 supplies power to each unit of the mobile terminal 30 based on the signal.

When power is supplied, the transmission / reception unit 32 alternately switches between a transmission mode and a reception mode at a predetermined timing, and in the transmission mode, a response signal to the signal from the control device 10 is always sent to the antenna. Send via 31. When the mobile terminal 30 is located in the communication area described above, the response signal is received by the transmission / reception unit 12 via the antenna plate 11.

The transmission / reception unit 12 of the control device 10 and the transmission / reception unit 32 of the portable terminal 30 are synchronized in the transmission mode and the reception mode. When the transmission / reception unit 12 of the control device 10 is in the transmission mode, the portable terminal is in the transmission mode. The transmission / reception unit 32 of 30 is in the reception mode, and when the transmission / reception unit 12 of the control device 10 is in the reception mode, the transmission / reception unit 32 of the mobile terminal 30 is in the transmission mode. Therefore, the control device 10 and the mobile terminal 30 can communicate with each other.

The CPU 13 of the control unit 10 is changed by the operation of the visually impaired person to raise and lower the tip of the cane 22.
The motion of the visually impaired person is detected according to the reception state of the response signal by the transmission / reception unit 12, and the destination or the like is set according to the motion. In addition, the CPU 13 determines the direction in which the visually impaired person should proceed and guides the direction in order to guide the visually impaired person to the set destination.

As shown in FIG. 1, for these purposes, the CPU 13 includes a destination guidance function 14, a motion detection function 15, a destination setting function 16, a direction determination function 17, and a direction notification function 18. . When the destination is selected by the visually impaired person, the destination guidance function 14 sequentially guides the options for the visually impaired person to select one destination. Specifically, the destination guidance function 14 reads the voice data for calling the destination name from the memory 19,
A voice calling the name of the destination is reproduced from the speaker 20.

The motion detecting function 15 detects the motion of the visually impaired person according to the reception state of the response signal by the transmitting / receiving unit 12. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing the correspondence between the reception state of the response signal and the motion of the visually impaired person. Figure 3
As shown in, when the visually impaired person is lowering the tip of the cane 22, the mobile terminal 30 embedded in the tip portion thereof is located in the communication area described above. Therefore, the transmitter / receiver 12
Can receive a response signal from the mobile terminal 30. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the visually impaired person is lifting the tip of the cane 22, the mobile terminal 30 embedded in the tip of the cane 22 is removed from the communication area described above. Therefore, the transmission / reception unit 12 cannot receive the response signal from the mobile terminal 30. Therefore, it is possible to detect the motion of the visually impaired person raising and lowering the cane 22 based on the reception state of the response signal by the transmission / reception unit 12.

That is, after the guidance of the destination, by moving the cane 22 up and down within a predetermined period, it is agreed in advance to select the destination, and the visually impaired person moves the cane 22 up and down according to the arrangement. Is detected by the signal reception state.

When the destination guidance function 14 provides voice guidance of the destination, the motion detection function 15 detects the motion of the visually impaired person each time one destination is guided. Figure 5
3 is a time chart showing the correspondence between the voice guidance of the destination by the destination guidance function 14 and the motion detection by the motion detection function 15. As shown in the figure, destination guidance function 1
Each time 4 is guided to 1 destination, the motion detection function 15 detects the motion of the visually impaired person within a predetermined time (the detection time shown in FIG. 5, for example, 3 seconds) after the guidance is completed. Detect. If the visually impaired person performs an operation of lifting the tip of the cane 22 that has been lowered and lowering it again within the detection time, the response signal sent from the mobile terminal 30 will be temporarily interrupted (Fig. The motion detection function 15 can detect the motion.

The destination setting function 16 is a motion detection function 15
When it is detected that the visually impaired person has lifted the tip of the cane 22 and lowered it again, it is determined that the visually impaired person has selected the destination which was guided immediately before,
The selected destination is set as the guidance destination.

The direction determining function 17 searches for a route to the set destination and determines the direction in which the visually impaired person should go so as to guide the visually impaired person along the route. The direction notification function 18 reads out audio data indicating a direction in which a visually impaired person should go from the memory 19 and reproduces the audio from the speaker 20.

The human guiding system 100 of the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, and its operation will be described below. Figure 6
4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the human guidance system 100, mainly showing the operation of the CPU 13 of the control device 10.

The CPU 13 of the control device 10 is the mobile terminal 3
When the response signal from 0 is received, that is, the mobile terminal 3
If 0 is present in the communication area, the mobile terminal 30 is requested for tag data, and it is determined whether the tag data has been received (step 301).

When the tag data is requested from the control device 10, the CPU 34 of the portable terminal 30 causes the memory 35 to operate.
The tag data is read from and is transmitted to the control device 10.

When tag data is received (step 3)
01), the CPU of the control device 10
13 reads the tag data (step 30)
2). Next, the CPU 13 analyzes the sound selection data in the read tag data and determines whether or not the notification of the current location is selected (step 303). If the notification of the current location is not selected, it means that the visually impaired person does not need the notification of the current location.
The process 3 reproduces a predetermined melody from the speaker 20 for a predetermined time (step 304). As a result, a series of operations is completed, and the operation after the determination of whether the tag data is received again (step 301) is repeated.

When the notification of the current location is selected (when the affirmative judgment is made in step 303), the CPU 1
3 performs a process of reproducing a voice such as "current location is XX" from the speaker 20 (step 305).

After the notification of the current location, the CPU 13 analyzes the destination data in the tag data and determines whether or not the destination is set (step 306). If the destination has been set, the CPU 13 then moves to the memory 19
The current location data stored in the tag data is compared with the current location data stored in to determine whether or not the current location is the destination (step 307). If the current location is the destination, the CPU 13 performs a process of reproducing a voice such as "Arrived at the destination" from the speaker 20 (step 30).
8).

After notifying the arrival of the destination, the CPU 13 deletes the destination data in the tag data (step 30).
9). The tag data from which the destination data has been deleted is transmitted to the mobile terminal 30 and stored in the memory 35 of the mobile terminal 30. As a result, a series of operations is completed, and the operation after the determination of whether the tag data is received again (step 301) is repeated.

If the present location is not the destination (NO at step 307), then the CPU 13
Determines whether or not the number of times the corresponding visually impaired person has been guided to the destination is n times or less (for example, 50 times or less) in the past (step 310). Specifically, the memory 19 stores the number of times of past guidance for each destination for each visually impaired person, and the CPU 13 determines the corresponding visually impaired person from the memory 19 as the destination in the tag data. The number of times the vehicle is guided to the destination specified by the data is read, and it is determined whether the number of times is n times or less.

If the number of inductions is n or less, the CPU 1
The direction determining function 17 of 3 searches for a route to the destination,
In order to guide the visually impaired person along the route, the direction in which the visually impaired person should go is determined (step 311). Specifically, the memory 19 stores the position information of the point where each control device is installed and the position information of each facility that can be selected as the destination.
A route to the destination is searched based on these position information. Then, the direction determination function 17 identifies the point that the visually impaired person has passed immediately before from the point data in the tag data, so that from which direction the visually impaired person came, in other words, In order to recognize the direction and to guide the visually impaired person along the searched route, the direction in which the visually impaired person should be directed is determined.

When the direction in which a visually impaired person should go is determined,
Next, the direction notification function 18 of the CPU 13 causes the speaker 20
Is performed to reproduce a voice such as "Please move to the right" (step 312).

Next, the CPU 13 rewrites the point data in the tag data with the point data of the point where the control device 10 is installed (step 313). The tag data in which the point data is rewritten is the mobile terminal 3
0, and is stored in the memory 35 of the mobile terminal 30. As a result, a series of operations is completed, and the operation after the determination of whether the tag data is received again (step 301) is repeated.

On the other hand, if the number of inductions is greater than n (when a negative determination is made in step 310), the visually impaired person
Since it is considered that the route to the destination has already been recognized, the CPU 13 performs the process of reproducing the melody from the speaker 20 for a predetermined time without instructing the traveling direction (step 304). This completes a series of operations,
Determining whether tag data has been received again (step 3
The operations after 01) are repeated.

If the destination is not set (NO at step 306), the CPU 13
Performs the processing to play the voice from the speaker 20 "Do you want to enter the destination? If you want to enter it, leave the cane as it is, or if you do not enter it, point the tip of the cane up and then lower it" (Step 314).

Next, the operation detection function 15 of the CPU 13
It is determined whether or not a visually impaired person has requested input of a destination (step 315). If the input of the destination is not requested, the CPU 13 performs a process of reproducing a voice such as "current location is XX" from the speaker (step 316). As a result, a series of operations is completed, and the operation after the determination of whether the tag data is received again (step 301) is repeated.

On the other hand, when the input of the destination is requested (when the affirmative judgment is made in step 315), the destination guidance function 14 of the CPU 13 causes the speaker 20 to "guide the destination which can be used on this route. If there is a desired destination, raise the cane tip within 3 seconds and then lower it again "(step 317).

Next, the destination setting function 16 of the CPU 13
Judges whether or not the notified destination is selected by the visually impaired person based on the motion detected by the motion detection function 15 (step 318).

When the notified destination is not selected by the visually impaired person, the operation of notifying the names of other destinations is repeated until the selection is made. As described above, when the notified destination is selected by the visually impaired person by moving the tip of the cane 22 up and down, the CP
U13 sets the destination data of the destination to the tag data, and sets "○○" from the speaker 20. If you like at this destination, please walk along the taxiway as it is. Within 3 seconds, raise the cane tip and then lower it again. Select the destination again. "(Step 319).

Next, the CPU 13 determines whether or not the reselection of the destination has been requested (step 320).
When it is requested to redo the destination selection, the operations after the notification of the names of other destinations (step 317) are repeated.

When the reselection of the destination is not required, the direction determining function 17 of the CPU 13 searches for the route to the selected destination and guides the visually impaired person along the route. Therefore, the direction in which the visually impaired person should proceed is determined (step 311). The direction notification function 18 of the CPU 13 performs a process of reproducing from the speaker 20 a voice instructing the direction from which the speaker 20 should proceed (step 3).
12).

Next, the CPU 13 rewrites the point data in the tag data with the point data of the point where the control device 10 is installed (step 313). The tag data in which the point data is rewritten is the mobile terminal 3
0, and is stored in the memory 35 of the mobile terminal 30. As a result, a series of operations is completed, and the operation after the determination of whether the tag data is received again (step 301) is repeated.

Thus, in the human guidance system 100,
A visually impaired person can select an option such as a destination simply by raising or lowering the tip of the cane 22 in which the portable terminal 30 is embedded at the tip thereof.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings. However, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the matters shown in the above-mentioned embodiment, and changes and improvements thereof can be made based on the description of the claims. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the CPU 13 of the control device 10
When the response signal from the mobile terminal 30 is received, the tag data is requested from the mobile terminal 30, but the pressure sensor is embedded, and the tag data is transmitted when the pressure sensor detects the weight. May be requested. The person guidance system of the present invention can also be applied to the case of guiding a person other than a visually impaired person.

The user selection recognition system according to the present invention can also be used to allow the user to select another option other than the destination. For example, in an automatic ticket vending machine, it is possible to move the mobile terminal over the inside or outside of the communication area in response to the voice reproduction of the menu and thereby select one of the menus.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can make various selections by performing a simple operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a human guidance system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an installation mode of a control device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a reception state of a response signal and a motion of a visually impaired person, which is an example in which the visually impaired person lowers a cane.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a reception state of a response signal and a motion of a visually impaired person, which is an example in which the visually impaired person raises a cane.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the correspondence between voice guidance of a destination by the destination guidance function and motion detection by the motion detection function.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the human guidance system.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Control device 11 antenna plate 12 Transmitter / receiver 13 CPU 14 Destination guidance function 15 Motion detection function 16 Destination setting function 17 Direction determination function 18-way notification function 19 memory 20 speakers 21 Braille block 22 cane 30 mobile terminals 31 antenna 32 Transmitter / receiver 33 Power supply unit 34 CPU 35 memory

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Hitoshi Hidaka 5-2-20 Nishihara-cho, Tanashi City, Tokyo Inside Kokuhoku Electronics Co., Ltd. (56) References Kaihei 10-255193 (JP, A) JP11-98255 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04B ^7/ 24-7/26 102 H04Q 7/00 -7/38

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A user selection recognition system having a stationary control device and a mobile terminal used by a user, and allowing the control device to recognize a predetermined selection made by the user, wherein the control device comprises: Receiving means capable of receiving a transmission signal from a mobile terminal, option reproducing means for reproducing a predetermined option to be selected by the user by voice, and the mobile device for the user to select from the options. Based on the operation detected by the user operation detection means for detecting a predetermined operation for moving the terminal inside and outside the communication area with the control device by the reception state of the signal by the reception means, the operation detected by the user operation detection means, The option setting means for setting the selection of the user, and the option set by the option setting means,
A transmitting means for transmitting to the portable terminal, the portable terminal includes a transmitting means for transmitting a predetermined outgoing signal at close range, and receiving means for receiving an option the transmitted, a choice that has been received by said receiving means Memory to store
User selection recognition system, characterized in that it comprises a means. 2. The option setting means, the user motion detection means, the option reproduction means 1 of the option
2. The user selection recognition system according to claim 1, wherein one of the options is set as the user's selection when the user's motion is detected within a predetermined time after the one is reproduced. 3. A human guidance system equipped with a user-selected recognition system according to claim 1 or 2 that the choice to be reproduced by the choice reproducing means is a destination of choice to induce the user Human guidance system characterized by. 4. The person guiding system according to claim 3 , wherein the control device is installed at each branch point through which the user is guided to the destination. 5. The control device, based on the destination set by the option setting means, a direction determining means for determining a direction in which the user should travel, and a direction determined by the direction determining means for the user. 6. The person guiding system according to claim 3 , further comprising: