JPH09114365A - Information transmission device for blind - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To represent many braille patterns by providing a braille dot varying means, and then not fixing braille dots in one braille pattern, but projecting and sinking the braille dots. SOLUTION: On a movable unit 36, six braille dots 38 employing a 6-dot type braille method are arranged, and the respective braille dots 38 are not fixed, but enabled to project and sink by providing a microsolenoid 39 for projection and sinking driving and a spring 40 for initial position returning. The dots 38 normally receive the external energizing force of the spring 40 and stay at dot formation positions projecting from a finger contact panel on the external surface of the movable unit, but when the microsolenoid 39 is turned ON in the said projection state, the dots 38 sink from the surface of the finger contact panel against the energizing force of the spring 40 to form various braille dot patterns, thereby forming many braille dot characters. Consequently, the same information as image information displayed on a guide display unit 13 that a nonhandicapped person visually uses can be displayed on a braille display unit 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information transmission device for the blind, which is installed in a customer service panel of an automatic ticket vending machine, an automatic checkout machine, an automatic teller machine, or the like, and more particularly to a visually impaired person. The present invention relates to a blind information transmitting device capable of easily transmitting information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an automatic transaction machine that enables visually impaired persons such as blind people to use transactions, for example, an automatic ticket vending machine and an automatic settlement machine installed in station affairs, has an operation button on which a station name and an amount of money are displayed. By sticking a Braille sticker along it, the visually impaired person reads it and confirms ticket sales information and settlement information.

However, in this case, even if the position of the operation button is known from the Braille sticker, the variable information such as the amount of money to be inserted and the name of the station that can be purchased, which is displayed in detail on the display, is not transmitted.

Further, in the case of an automatic teller machine (ATM) installed in a bank or the like, when a cash card storing a visually impaired person code is inserted or when a push button of a display is used, Allows transactions by switching to the disability mode.

However, in this case, a braille display is required for each digit, and only the amount information (numerical information) for using the deposit / withdrawal transaction can be transmitted, and there is a problem that a wealth of information cannot be transmitted sufficiently. Was.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, according to the present invention, information for a blind person having a high expressive ability is capable of expressing a large number of braille patterns by making the braille dots appear and disappear without fixing the braille dots to one braille pattern. It is intended to provide a transmission device.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
An information transmission device for a blind person, which transmits information by Braille dots, characterized by including Braille dot changing means for changing the Braille dots by appearing and disappearing in a large number of Braille dot patterns.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the braille dot varying means is constituted by one braille unit for changing a small number of braille dots in common to a large number of braille dot patterns.

The invention according to claim 3 is the information transmission device for the blind, which is provided with an instruction means for instructing the construction of one braille dot pattern from a large number of braille dot patterns.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided detection means for detecting the start of use of Braille, and control means for variably controlling the Braille dot changing means when the detection means detects the start of use of Braille. The information transmission device for the blind is provided.

[0011]

According to the present invention, when the information is transmitted to the visually impaired person, the Braille dot varying means causes the Braille dots to appear and disappear so as to be switched, and the switched many Braille dot patterns are sequentially transmitted to the visually impaired person.

Similarly, when transmitting information to the visually impaired,
The Braille dot variable means constituted by one Braille unit changes a small number of Braille dots in common into a large number of Braille dot patterns and transmits them to a visually impaired person.

Further, when controlling the switching of the Braille dot patterns, the instructing means instructs the construction of one Braille dot pattern from a large number of Braille dot patterns, and repeats this to transmit a lot of information.

Further, when the detection means detects the start of use of Braille, the control means controls the Braille dot varying means to sequentially switch the Braille dot patterns, thereby transmitting a lot of information.

[0015]

As a result, since it is possible to make the Braille dots appear and disappear and switch to a large number of Braille dot patterns, it is possible to express a large number of Braille dot patterns with one Braille dot configuration, and this Braille dot pattern is continuous. It is possible to notify visually impaired people like a display screen that can be switched in real time, and visually impaired people can easily obtain a lot of information from one Braille dot configuration, which is suitable for visually impaired people. It can be widely applied to various automatic transaction machines as an information transmission device. In addition, since a wealth of information can be transmitted to the visually impaired by a single Braille unit, the Braille structure can be simplified and the installation space can be reduced.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an automatic ticket vending machine 11 with a visually impaired person's use function. This automatic ticket vending machine 11 with a visually impaired person's use function has an operation mode indicator 12, a guidance indicator 13, and an upper portion from a front upper side to a lower side. Purchase selection button 14 ...
And an automatic switching type Braille display 15 and a coin slot 16
A bill insertion slot 17, a card insertion slot 18, a ticket ejection slot 19, and a change ejection slot 20 are provided.

The above-mentioned operation mode display 12 indicates either the "normal mode" when using a normal person or the "visually impaired mode" when using a visually impaired person, and sells automatic tickets to subsequent customers. It has a display function to notify the usage status of the machine. For this reason, it is clear that in the "normal mode", subsequent customers can immediately purchase tickets, and in the "visually impaired mode," it is clear that the transaction time will be prolonged, so other vending machines can be used. Display guidance is provided so that appropriate measures such as use can be taken.

In addition, fixed Braille dots for confirming the operation position are provided on each part of the customer service surface operated by the visually impaired. For example, fixed braille dots corresponding to the contents are arranged above each purchase selection button 14 ... Fig. 3 shows an automatic switching type braille display 15 used by a visually impaired person. The container 15 is provided with a recess 3 in a fixed panel 31 arranged on the front of the vending machine 11.
2 is formed, and the microswitch 3 is formed inside the recess 32.
3 is fixedly installed, and a movable unit 35, which is allowed to move in the direction of the recess via a leaf spring 34, is disposed outside the recess 32. The micro switch 33 is configured to be turned on by pushing the movable unit 35 from the outside with a fingertip 36. When the micro switch 33 is turned on, it is determined that the visually impaired person purchases a ticket. There is. Normally, the respective locking projections 37, which are provided on the opposing surfaces of the inner surface of the concave portion 32 and the outer surface of the movable unit 35, which are opposed to each other, are positioned corresponding to the locking, and the movable unit 35 is set to the initial reference position where it can be pressed. The position is restricted.

Further, the movable unit 35 is provided with six braille dots 38 ... Adopting the six-point braille method, and each of these braille dots 38 ... Is not fixed, but is a micro solenoid for driving in and out. 39 and a spring 40 for returning to the initial position are provided so as to be retractable. Normally, the Braille dots 38 are located at the dot forming positions where they are projected from the finger contact panel 41 on the outer surface of the movable unit by receiving the outward biasing force of the spring 40. When the micro solenoid 39 is turned on from this projected state, the Braille dots 38 are formed. A large number of Braille dot characters are formed by immersing from the surface of the finger contact panel 41 against the urging force of the spring 40 and causing these six Braille dots 38 ... to appear and disappear to form various Braille dot patterns.

As described above, the automatic switching type Braille display device 1 is provided.
5 has a function of expressing a large number of braille dot patterns on one braille display device 15, so that the same information as the image information displayed on the guide display device 13 visually recognized and used by a healthy person is displayed on the braille display device 15. It can be displayed by and can convey a wealth of information to the visually impaired.

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of the six-point type braille dots 38 ... When the automatic switching type braille display device 15 is viewed from the front of the automatic ticket vending machine 11, and various braille dot patterns such as letters, numbers and symbols are shown. A set of six expressible Braille dots 38 is arranged in an array.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the automatic ticket vending machine 11 with a visually impaired person use function, and the CPU 51 is a ROM.
Each circuit device is controlled according to the program stored in 52, and the control data is stored in the RAM 53 in a readable manner.

The CPU 51 guides the operating mode display 12 so that the operating mode corresponding to the customer, that is, the normal mode and the visually impaired mode, can be switched, and the guidance display 13 displays the transaction usage guide and the transaction procedure when selling tickets. Is displayed. Further, when a visually impaired person pushes the movable unit 35 on the automatic switching type Braille display device 15 with the start of ticket purchase, the movable unit 35 moves downward to turn on the micro switch 33, and based on this ON signal. The CPU 51 detects the start of use by the visually impaired. When the use start of the visually impaired person is detected, the CPU 51 automatically switches the braille dot pattern of the braille display device 15 at regular intervals to continuously transmit a lot of information to the visually impaired person. Further, when each operation portion such as the purchase selection button 14 is operated at the time of purchasing a ticket, the CPU 5
1 controls the customer service operating section 54 to allow the customer to purchase a ticket.

In contrast to this data processing system, the ticket processing unit 55, which is provided in the medium processing system for directly operating the medium, issues the ticket designated for purchase, and when the visually impaired person purchases the ticket, discount information or the like is displayed. The disabled person information is written and ticket processing is performed. In addition, the banknote processing unit 56 receives the banknotes inserted at the time of purchasing the banknotes, performs a deposit process, and releases the fishing banknotes when there is a fishing banknote,
Further, the coin processing unit 57 accepts the coins inserted at the time of purchasing the ticket, deposits the coins, and releases the fishing coins if there are fishing coins.
Similarly, the card processing unit 58 reads the value data of the prepaid card inserted at the time of purchasing the ticket, reduces the amount of the ticket designated for purchase, and returns the prepaid card. At this time, when the visually impaired person uses the card, the visually impaired person mode is automatically written by writing the impaired person information in the prepaid card and reading the impaired person information from the next time.

The ticket vending processing operation of the automatic ticket vending machine 11 with a visually impaired person use function thus configured will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Now, when a ticket is purchased and used at the automatic ticket vending machine 11, an automatic switching type Braille display 15
If is not used, the CPU 51 determines that it is the normal ticket selling mode used by a healthy person, and executes the ticket selling process according to the operation procedure of the normal mode (steps n1 to n2).

On the other hand, the automatic switching type Braille display 1
If 5 is used, it is determined that the visually-impaired person has purchased a ticket, and the CPU 51 displays the visually-impaired person mode on the operation mode display 12 to let the succeeding customer visually recognize that the transaction time is required (step n3). ).

Subsequently, the Braille display 15 is guided to display that the purchase selection button 14 ... Is selected and designated, and the visually impaired person depresses the selection button 14 for purchase according to this display guidance (steps n4 to n5). ), The CPU 51 calculates the discounted fee for persons with disabilities, and the calculated fee is displayed on the Braille display 1
When the purchase fee is notified based on this, the purchase fee is notified (steps n6 to n8).
), The CPU 51 judges whether or not the input charge is appropriate, and if there is a shortage, the shortage is displayed and output on the Braille display 15 (steps n9 to n10).

If it is determined that an appropriate fee has been paid, C
The PU 51 records the disabled person information on the ticket designated by the visually impaired person to issue a ticket, releases the change if there is a change, and the one ticketing process by the visually impaired person ends. Further, at this time, if there is an erroneous operation in the ticket purchase operation of the visually impaired person, the content of the erroneous operation is clearly displayed and output on the Braille display device 15 to guide the re-input operation (steps n11 to n12).

By the way, in the automatic switching type Braille display device 15 described above, the Braille dots 38 are automatically projected and retracted while the fingertips 36 are lightly pressed and held on the 6-point type Braille dots 38. By switching, the Braille dot pattern of the setting information instructed by the CPU 51 is continuously read from the feel of the fingertip 36, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the Braille dot pattern can be manually switched according to the reading ability of the visually impaired person. It can also be configured to read.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show an example of the manual switching type Braille display device 71.
Reference numeral 1 is a 6-point type braille part 76 for manipulating the index finger, which is provided with a micro switch 72 and a spring 73 to allow the braille dots 74 ... It is composed of a push button 77 arranged in a part, and the push button 77 is attached to the thumb 78.
Each time you press with, the 6-point Braille part 76 corresponding to the index finger
The braille dot pattern is switched to read each character reliably. Further, in this case, every time the Braille dot pattern is switched, the fingertip of the forefinger can be slid leftward and rightward to clearly check the appearance of the Braille dots 74 ... In a groping state, so that more reliable reading is possible.

As described above, since it is possible to make the Braille dots appear and disappear and switch to a large number of Braille dot patterns,
A single Braille display device can express a large number of Braille dot patterns, and if this Braille dot pattern is continuously switched, it can notify the visually impaired as a display screen that can be switched in real time. Much information can be easily obtained from one braille display.
For example, it is possible to transmit detailed information in real time, such as operating procedures, the amount of money spent, the amount of shortage, the names of stations that can be purchased, and a wealth of guidance information that changes with each operation, making it an effective Braille display suitable for the visually impaired. Can be used. Also, since a wealth of information can be transmitted to the visually impaired by a single Braille display, the Braille structure can be simplified and the installation space can be reduced.

In this case, although the case where the Braille display is used for the automatic ticket vending machine is shown, the same operational effect can be obtained even when applied to various automatic transaction machines such as an automatic checkout machine and an automatic teller machine. To be

In correspondence with the present invention and the configuration of the above-described one embodiment, the information transmission device for the blind according to the present invention has an automatic switching type Braille display 15 and a manual switching type Braille display 71 of the embodiment. Similarly, the Braille dot variable means corresponds to the micro solenoids 39 and 72 and the springs 40 and 73, the Braille unit corresponds to the movable unit 35, and the instruction means and the control means correspond to the CPU 51.
The detection means corresponds to the micro switch 33, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an automatic ticket vending machine with a visually impaired person utilization function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an automatic ticket vending machine with a visually handicapped person use function of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the automatic switching type Braille display device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the essential parts of the automatic switching type Braille display device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit of an automatic ticket vending machine with a visually handicapped person use function of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a ticket sale processing operation of the automatic ticket vending machine with a visually handicapped person use function of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing the internal structure of the manual switching type Braille display device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a main portion showing a usage state of the manual switching type Braille display device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 ... Automatic ticket vending machine with a function for visually impaired people 15 ... Automatic switching type braille display 33 ... Micro switch 35 ... Movable unit 38,74 ... Braille dot 39,72 ... Micro solenoid 40,73 ... Spring 51 ... CPU 71 ... Braille display of manual switching type

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G09F 3/00 G09F 3/00 S

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information transmission device for the blind for transmitting information by means of Braille dots, the information transmission device for the blind provided with a Braille dot changing means for changing the Braille dots by appearing and disappearing in a large number of Braille dot patterns. 2. The information transmission device for the blind as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Braille dot varying means is composed of one Braille unit which changes a small number of Braille dots in common into a large number of Braille dot patterns. 3. The information transmission device for the blind as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an instruction means for instructing the configuration of the Braille dot pattern. 4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: a detection means for detecting the start of use of Braille, and a control means for variably controlling the Braille dot changing means when the detection means detects the start of use of Braille. The information transmission device for the blind as described in 2 or 3.