KR102527733B1 - Pedestrian Aids Capable Of Obstacle Recognition - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle, including a cane unit including a sensor capable of recognizing an obstacle and an audio output unit receiving alarm information generated from the sensor unit and outputting the alarm information in an audio format, , The cane unit has a body portion provided to hold a predetermined length, a handle portion formed at an upper end of the body portion and provided to be gripped, a foothold portion formed at a lower portion of the body portion and provided to support the ground, and an obstacle The sensor unit for generating an obstacle recognition signal, which is a signal for recognizing the obstacle, the control unit provided to receive the obstacle recognition signal and generate alarm information, which is information related to the presence or absence of the obstacle, and the wand unit and the sound output It is characterized in that the unit includes a communication unit provided to enable communication.

Description

Pedestrian Aids Capable Of Obstacle Recognition}

The present invention relates to a walking assistance device capable of recognizing obstacles, and more particularly, to a cane, which is a walking assistance means for the visually impaired, to provide an alarm signal for an obstacle such as a rock or a street lamp that may be located on a user's walking path. The present invention relates to a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle capable of preparing for an unexpected situation as well as suppressing an accident that may occur due to an obstacle by increasing a user's recognition rate of a dangerous situation.

In general, in the case of the visually impaired, because they cannot recognize surrounding information through their eyes, when the visually impaired move, they use a cane exclusively for the visually impaired to obtain information about obstacles in the walking path.

In addition, visual inconvenience is eliminated with the help of guide blocks installed on crosswalks or walking paths, braille boards attached to stairs or walls of entrances, or guide dogs.

Among them, a cane has been widely used as an auxiliary device due to its convenience in carrying and managing.

However, in a situation where an object cannot be identified, it is difficult to accurately identify an obstacle using only a cane, and it is difficult to accurately identify a moving path, and it is difficult to accurately judge a situation, which can expose a person to many risks.

In addition, even if an induction block is installed or a braille board is attached, it takes a considerable amount of time to find the actual induction block and braille board.

In addition, in Korea, there are not many induction blocks, and there are many cases in which a pillar for preventing vehicles is erected in the middle of the induction blocks.

As technology develops, such a cane for the visually impaired is developing into a form in which a function of detecting an obstacle and notifying it through a sound output device and vibration is added beyond simply providing a function of assisting walking.

In particular, since technology for detecting obstacles is directly related to the safety of the visually impaired, canes for the visually impaired to which various obstacle detection techniques are applied are being released.

However, conventional canes for the visually impaired have a problem in recognizing an obstacle and outputting alarm information as a sound signal.

Moreover, as the visually impaired person grips the cane with one hand, the mobility of the gripping hand is limited, so if the voice signal about the obstacle is interrupted by ambient noise, the obstacle cannot be detected, leading to a greater accident this still exists

In addition, the conventional wireless sound output device and recognition sensor require charging, so there is a possibility that the pedestrian may be discharged while walking.

In conclusion, a cane, which is the most common walking aid for the visually impaired, helps a lot in walking, but only in terms of movement, and there are still difficulties in providing information about obstacles.

Korean Patent Laid-open Publication '20-2019-0001478' 'Multi-functional cane with replaceable handle' (2017.12.11)

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and in order to solve the situation in which the voice signal received from the obstacle recognition signal is interrupted, the user's walking path for obstacles such as rocks and streetlights. After generating the recognition signal, the recognition signal is directly output to the user's ear as a sound signal through the sound output device, so the user can increase the recognition rate of dangerous situations and obstacle recognition that can suppress accidents that may occur due to obstacles Its purpose is to provide a walking assistance device capable of this.

The present invention is a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle, including a cane unit including a sensor capable of recognizing an obstacle and an audio output unit receiving alarm information generated from the sensor unit and outputting the alarm information in an audio format, , The cane unit has a body portion provided to hold a predetermined length, a handle portion formed at an upper end of the body portion and provided to be gripped, a foothold portion formed at a lower portion of the body portion and provided to support the ground, and an obstacle The sensor unit for generating an obstacle recognition signal, which is a signal for recognizing the obstacle, the control unit provided to receive the obstacle recognition signal and generate alarm information, which is information related to the presence or absence of the obstacle, and the wand unit and the sound output It is characterized in that the unit includes a communication unit provided to enable communication.

More specifically, the scaffolding portion is formed on the bottom surface of the scaffolding portion so as to generate power necessary for driving the cane unit and the sound output unit, and transmits an external force applied while the scaffolding portion contacts the ground It is characterized in that it comprises a power generation unit capable of receiving and generating power.

More specifically, the sensor unit may include an obstacle recognition sensor formed in front of the handle unit when the body unit is vertically disposed on the ground.

More specifically, the sound output unit is characterized in that it is formed to be detachable from the handle part.

In addition, the handle portion may further include a predetermined accommodating space formed to accommodate the sound output unit.

According to the present invention, the sound output unit may directly output alarm information about obstacles such as stairs and streetlights to the user's ears when the user walks through the walking assistance device.

Through this, it is possible to provide a safe walking effect by reducing the risk of an accident due to an obstacle while walking even in a situation where the acoustic signal cannot be clearly recognized due to ambient noise.

In addition, as the cane unit and the sound output unit are wirelessly connected, when the user grips the cane unit and walks while wearing the sound output unit on the ear, compared to the prior art sound output simply by wired connection. A phenomenon in which the movable range of the hand is reduced by the communication line can be prevented.

In addition, as the footrest unit includes a power generation unit, it is possible to generate power necessary for driving the obstacle recognition sensor and the sound output unit while walking.

As a result, it is possible to prevent a situation in which all of the charged power is exhausted and discharged while the user is using the walking assistance device, thereby providing an effect of further improving convenience of use.

Next, the sensor unit according to the present invention further includes an obstacle recognition sensor, so that the obstacle recognition sensor can be installed toward the front of the user's walking path.

As a result, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs by enabling obstacle recognition with the minimum number of sensors required for the obstacle recognition.

In addition, since the handle part according to the present invention includes an accommodating space, the sound output unit may be stored in the accommodating space.

For this reason, as the accommodation space is included, the portability of the sound output unit can be further improved.

And, it is characterized in that it is provided to enable charging of the sound output unit seated in the accommodating space through the power generated by the power generator.

As a result, when the sound output unit is seated in the filled accommodation space, the sound output unit is immediately charged, so that the sound output unit does not need to be charged separately, so that the sound output unit can be charged at all times, thereby improving convenience of use.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a state diagram illustrating a state in which a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle is used according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a perspective view illustrating a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram illustrating an operational configuration of a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is an enlarged view illustrating a handle portion of a walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an additional embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the detailed description of the following embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and can be implemented in various different forms, only these embodiments are intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and are common in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the knowledgeable person of the scope of the invention, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

Also, terms used in this specification are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise in a phrase. As used herein, "comprises" and/or "comprising" does not exclude the presence or addition of other components than the recited components.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used in a meaning commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the wand unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 will be described in more detail.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a state of using the walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a diagram showing the state of use.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing obstacles according to the present invention may include a cane unit 100 and a sound output unit 200 .

First, the walking assistance device 1000 is provided so that the user can smoothly perform the walking process by applying a load during the walking process.

More preferably, the user may be an elderly person or a rehabilitation patient with poor physical movement.

In addition, the wand unit 100 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 to be described later.

Next, the sound output unit 200 is capable of communicating with the wand unit 100 through a wired or wireless communication network, and is provided so that the user can wear it on a part of the body.

More preferably, as shown in FIG. 2 , the sound output unit 200 is worn on the user's ear and is provided to communicate with the wand unit 100 through a wireless communication network.

Here, the sound output unit 200 is characterized in that it can output the presence or absence of obstacles located in front of the cane unit 100 in a sound format.

The sound output unit 200 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 to be described later.

As described above, as the cane unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 are provided, the movable range of the hand is expanded compared to the case where the sound output unit 200 is provided by wire, thereby improving portability. can

More specifically, as the sound output unit 200 is provided through a wireless communication connection, when the user grips the cane unit 100 and walks while wearing the sound output unit 200 on the ear, as in the prior art. It is possible to suppress a situation in which the movable range of the hand is reduced by the communication line compared to when the sound output is simply provided by wired connection.

As a result, the movable range of the hand during use of the walking assistance device 1000 during walking is expanded, and convenience of use may be further improved.

The cane unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 to be described later.

Next, referring to FIG. 3 , the wand unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 will be described in more detail.

3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cane unit 100 according to the present invention includes a body part 110, a handle part 120, a footrest part 130, a power generating part 131, and a sensor part 140. It is characterized by including.

Here, the body portion 110 is characterized in that provided to hold a predetermined length.

In addition, it is characterized in that it includes a first body 111 having a bar shape, a second body 112 having a bar shape, and a length adjusting unit 113.

Here, the first body 111 and the second body 112 are formed to have a mutually inserted structure.

More specifically, the diameter of the first body 111 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the second body 112, so that the second body 112 is designed to be inserted into the first body 111, or The diameter of the second body 112 is formed to be larger than the diameter of the first body 111 so that the first body 111 can be inserted into the second body 112.

Due to this, the first body 111 and the second body 112 are inserted into each other and when the length is adjusted, the role of fixing the mutual position of the first body 111 and the second body 112 do

At this time, the length adjustment unit 113 is characterized in that provided between the first body (111) and the second body (112).

Here, the length adjusting part 113 serves to fix the first body 111 and the second body 112 when the first body 111 and the second body 112 are inserted into each other and adjusted in length. It is characterized by doing.

Due to this, it is characterized in that the length of the body portion 110 can be adjusted according to the length of the user's body, circumstances and convenience.

And, the handle portion 120 is formed on the upper end of the body portion 110, characterized in that provided to be able to grip.

Here, the handle part 120 will be described later in more detail with reference to FIG. 5 to be described later.

Next, the scaffolding portion 130 is formed at the bottom of the body portion 110, characterized in that provided to support the ground.

More preferably, the scaffolding portion 130 may be made of a material having a predetermined elastic force, such as a spring or sponge material capable of absorbing the impact of the ground, but is not limited thereto, and if the material can mitigate the impact Applicable.

Here, the power generation unit 131 is characterized in that formed on the lower surface of the scaffolding unit 130.

In addition, the power generation unit 131 will be described in more detail later with reference to FIG. 4 to be described later.

Next, the sensor unit 140 is characterized in that it generates an obstacle recognition signal, which is a signal for proceeding with obstacle recognition.

Here, the sensor unit 140 is characterized in that it includes at least one or more sensors 141.

Here, the sensor 141 is characterized in that it recognizes an obstacle, and the sensor 141 is formed in front of the handle part 120 when the body part 110 is placed vertically with respect to the ground Characterized in that to be

As a result, since the sensor 141 is formed in front of the user's path, obstacle recognition is possible with the minimum number of sensors 141 required for obstacle recognition, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. effect can be provided.

And, the sensor unit 140 will be described later in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 to be described later.

Next, the audio output unit 200 receives the alarm information received from the sensor unit 140 and outputs the alarm information in an audio format.

Through this, it is possible to more accurately deliver alarm information to a user even in a situation in which the alarm information cannot be clearly recognized due to ambient noise.

More specifically, when a pedestrian walks while holding the cane unit 100 and wearing the sound output unit 200 on the ear as the user wears the audio output device on a part of the body, alarm information about the obstacle It is characterized in that is output directly to the user's ear.

As a result, the risk of accidents due to obstacles such as stairs and streetlights while using the walking assistance device 1000 while walking may be reduced.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4 , detailed configurations of the wand unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 will be described in more detail.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an operational configuration of a walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing obstacles according to the present invention includes a cane unit 100 and a sound output unit 200, and the cane unit 100 and the sound output unit (200) is capable of wired and wireless communication.

First, the wand unit 100 may include a power generator 131, a sensor unit 140, a control unit 150, and a communication unit 160.

Here, the power generating unit 131 is provided on the lower surface of the scaffolding unit 130 .

Also, the power generating unit 131 is characterized in that it generates power necessary for driving the cane unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 .

More specifically, it is characterized in that the scaffold portion 130 can generate power by receiving an external force applied in the process of contacting the ground.

More preferably, a generator, a condenser, and a storage battery may be installed inside the power generating unit 131 .

Furthermore, the power generation unit 131 may include the power generation unit 131 in any configuration that generates constant power by converting the external force applied in the process of contacting the ground into power energy, in addition to the device installed therein. can

As a result, the charged power of the sensor unit 140 of the cane unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 are all consumed and discharged while the user is walking using the walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing the obstacle. Since the situation can be prevented in advance, the convenience of use can be further improved.

Next, the sensor unit 140 may include at least one sensor 141 capable of identifying an obstacle located in front of the handle unit 120 in the user's walking direction.

More preferably, of course, the sensor unit 140 may be provided as an infrared sensor.

Furthermore, the sensor unit 140 may be provided with any sensor capable of identifying the obstacle, such as an optical sensor, in addition to the infrared sensor.

Next, the controller 150 receives an obstacle recognition signal from the sensor unit 140 and generates alarm information.

At this time, the alarm information is generated by the control unit 150 based on obstacle recognition information, which is information obtained by detecting whether or not there is an obstacle occurring in the walking direction of the pedestrian.

The control unit 150 may process signals and data input through the components described above to provide or process appropriate information or functions to the user.

In addition, the control unit 150 may operate by combining at least two or more of the components included in the wand unit 100 with each other.

Next, the communication unit 160 may include one or more components to enable wireless communication between the wand unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 .

For example, the communication unit 160 may include a mobile communication module, a short-distance communication module, and a location information module.

The mobile communication module transmits and receives radio signals with at least one selected from a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network.

Here, the wireless signal may include a voice signal, a video call signal, or various types of data according to text/multimedia message transmission and reception.

The short-distance communication module refers to a module for short-distance communication.

Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like may be used as short-distance communication technologies.

The location information module is a module for obtaining the current location of the wand unit 100, and a representative example thereof is a Global Positioning System (GPS) module or a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) module.

The GPS module receives location information from a plurality of satellites.

Here, the location information may include coordinate information indicated by latitude and longitude.

For example, the GPS module can accurately calculate the current position by measuring the exact time and distance from three or more satellites and using three different distances according to a triangulation method.

A method of obtaining distance and time information from three satellites and correcting an error with one satellite may be used.

In particular, the GPS module can obtain accurate time along with three-dimensional speed information as well as latitude, longitude, and altitude positions from location information received from satellites.

As another example, when the wand unit 100 utilizes a Wi-Fi module, the wand unit 100 is based on information of a wireless access point (AP) that transmits or receives a wireless signal with the Wi-Fi module. position can be obtained.

If necessary, the location information module may perform any function among other modules of the wireless communication unit in order to obtain data on the location of the wand unit 100 in substitution or addition.

That is, the location information module is a module used to obtain the location (or current location) of the wand unit 100, and is not limited to a module that directly calculates or acquires the location of the mobile terminal.

Next, the sound output unit 200 is characterized in that it includes an alarm information output unit 210 and a communication unit 220.

Here, the alarm information output unit 210 is characterized in that it outputs an obstacle recognition signal as a sound signal.

More specifically, the recognition signal received from the sensor unit 140 receives alarm information related to the existence of an obstacle generated through the control unit 150 to the communication unit 220, and the alarm information output unit 210 It is characterized in that output as a sound signal from.

Next, the communication unit 220 may include one or more components that allow the wand unit 100 and the sound output unit 200 to communicate wirelessly.

For example, the communication unit may include a mobile communication module, a short-distance communication module, and a location information module.

The mobile communication module transmits and receives a radio signal with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network.

Here, the wireless signal may include a voice signal, a video call signal, or various types of data according to text/multimedia message transmission and reception.

The short-distance communication module refers to a module for short-distance communication.

Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like may be used as short-distance communication technologies.

The location information module is a module for acquiring the current location of the audio output unit 200, and representative examples thereof include a Global Positioning System (GPS) module or a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) module.

The GPS module receives location information from a plurality of satellites.

Here, the location information may include coordinate information indicated by latitude and longitude.

For example, the GPS module can accurately calculate the current position by measuring the exact time and distance from three or more satellites and using three different distances according to a triangulation method.

A method of obtaining distance and time information from three satellites and correcting an error with one satellite may be used.

In particular, the GPS module can obtain accurate time along with three-dimensional speed information as well as latitude, longitude, and altitude positions from location information received from satellites.

As another example, when the sound output unit 200 utilizes a Wi-Fi module, the sound output unit ( 200) can be obtained.

If necessary, the location information module may perform any function among other modules of the wireless communication unit in order to obtain data on the location of the sound output unit 200 in substitution or addition.

That is, the location information module is a module used to obtain the location (or current location) of the sound output unit 200, and is not limited to a module that directly calculates or acquires the location of the mobile terminal.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5 , detailed configurations of the handle part 120 of the walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing obstacles will be described in more detail.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the handle part 120 of the walking assistance device 1000 capable of recognizing an obstacle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the sound output unit 200 according to the present invention is configured to be detachable from the handle part 120 .

Here, the handle part 120 is characterized in that it includes a predetermined accommodation space (121).

Here, the accommodation space 121 is characterized in that it is formed to accommodate the sound output unit 200 .

In addition, as the handle part 120 includes the accommodating space 121, the sound output unit 200 can be stored in the accommodating space 121.

Accordingly, portability of the audio output unit 200 may be further improved to provide convenience in use.

In addition, when the sound output unit 200 is seated in the accommodation space 121, the sound output unit 200 is charged through the filled accommodation space 121.

More specifically, the accommodating space is coupled to each other so that the audio output unit 200 and the accommodating space 121 are not separated by magnetic force.

More specifically, it is characterized in that it is provided to enable charging of the sound output unit 200 seated in the accommodating space 121 using the power generated by the power generator 131 described above.

Due to this, when the sound output unit 200 is seated in the filled accommodation space 121, the sound output unit 200 is immediately charged, so that the sound output unit 200 does not need to be charged separately, so that constant charging is possible. This makes it possible to further improve usability.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but this is only for explaining the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs may make various modifications or equivalents from the detailed description of the present invention. It will be appreciated that one embodiment is possible.

Therefore, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the claims.

1000: walking aid capable of recognizing obstacles
100: wand unit
110: body part
111: first body
112: second body
113: length control unit
120: handle part
121: accommodation space
130: scaffolding
131: power generation unit
140: sensor unit
141: sensor
150: control unit
160: communication department
200: sound output unit
210: signal output unit
220: Communication Department

Claims (4)

A cane unit 100 including a sensor unit 140 capable of recognizing obstacles; and
An audio output unit 200 that receives alarm information generated by the sensor unit 140 and outputs the alarm information in an audio format,
The wand unit 100,
Body portion 110 provided to hold a predetermined length;
a handle part 120 formed at an upper end of the body part 110, provided to be grippable, and including an accommodating space 121 of a predetermined area accommodating the sound output unit 200 while the upper end is open;
It is formed at the bottom of the body portion 110, scaffolding portion 130 provided to support the ground;
The sensor unit 140 for generating an obstacle recognition signal, which is a signal for proceeding with recognition of an obstacle;
a control unit 150 configured to receive the obstacle recognition signal and generate alarm information related to the presence or absence of the obstacle; and
A communication unit 160 provided to enable communication between the wand unit 100 and the sound output unit 200; includes,
The scaffolding portion 130,
Formed on the lower surface of the scaffolding portion 130 so as to generate power necessary for driving the cane unit 100 and the sound output unit 200, in the process of contacting the scaffolding portion 130 with the ground Including; power generation unit 131 capable of generating power by receiving an applied external force;
The sound output unit 200,
The walking assistance device capable of recognizing an obstacle, characterized in that it is inserted into the accommodation space from the upper end of the handle part to the lower end and formed to be detachable from the handle part by a magnetic force. delete According to claim 1,
The sensor unit 140,
An obstacle recognition sensor 141 formed on the front side of the handle part 120 when the body part 110 is placed vertically with respect to the ground; walking assistance device capable of recognizing obstacles, characterized in that it further comprises. delete

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