KR20140066477A - System and method for guiding walking for the blind - Google Patents

Abstract

The walking guide system for a blind person of the present invention comprises: a braille input unit which inputs destination; a GPS receiver which provides direction information of the destination by receiving locational information generated from the GPS satellite; a RFID reader which provides road information by receiving RFID tag information installed on road or at crosswalk; an ultrasonic wave sensor which provides walking information by detecting a person or an object approaching; and an output unit which provides the direction information, road information and walking information through sound or vibration. According to the present invention, provision of a safe walking guide service is enabled through an integrated management of various devices with different scopes of cognizance.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and system for guiding walking,

The present invention relates to a gait guidance system and method, and more particularly, to a gait guidance system and method for providing a comprehensive gait information by integrating a GPS receiver, an RFID reader, and an ultrasonic sensor with different recognition ranges.

Generally, visually impaired people are unable to find their destination by themselves. Therefore, it is boring the power of guide dog or others, and it is very uncomfortable both physically and mentally. Especially when you want to go out at any time, it is important to create an environment where you can go out freely without a partner.

IT electronics devices are used to help people with visual impairment to arrive safely to their destination without the help of a helper. These IT electronics detect the obstacles in front and detect accurate obstacles, It guides the walking path. Attaching an electronic device capable of performing such a function to a stick or the like makes it very convenient to move.

For example, it is most common for the visually impaired to walk using the braille block and the white cane. Recently, a walking aid device using ultrasonic sensors has been developed, but it is not easy to go to a desired destination without a companion by relying only on a walking aid device stick. That is, there is a critical limitation in detecting an obstacle by using an ultrasonic sensor but not informing a movement route.

In addition, the GPS system provides overall route information, but there is a decisive disadvantage that the resolution is not high enough to inform the accurate walking point in a narrow space like a sidewalk. Especially when the destination is reached, it is often not recognized.

In recent years, gait guide devices have been developed in which an RFID tag is installed in a braille block, and an RFID reader is used to read the information, confirm the position, and transmit information.

However, each device with different recognition range can not guide the movement path of the visually impaired person safely and accurately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a walking guidance system and method that serve as a guide dog robot that guides a blind person to a desired location.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a walking guidance system and method that actively utilizes the advantages of various IT electronic devices having different recognition ranges so as to arrive safely to a destination without assistance of a helper.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gait guidance system for a visually impaired person, comprising: a braille input unit for inputting a destination; a GPS receiver for receiving position information from a GPS satellite and guiding direction information of a destination; An RFID reader for receiving RFID tag information provided on a road or a crossing and guiding the road information; an ultrasonic sensor for detecting the approach of a person or object and guiding the walking information; and an ultrasonic sensor for detecting the direction information, And an output unit for informing the user by voice or vibration.

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the following effects can be expected.

First, by using the pedestrian electronic map, the blind person enters the destination from the current position, moves through communication with the RFID tag embedded in the pedestrian crossing of the blinded walker block and crossing pedestrian crossing of the sidewalk, and uses an ultrasonic sensor By detecting the obstacles in the front and using the information of the GPS receiver, it is possible to provide the user with the guidance information of the walking, so that the visually handicapped person can safely arrive to the destination without any assistance.

Secondly, it is possible to broaden the activity area of the visually impaired by receiving the traffic information on the pedestrian crossing encountered during the walk and by providing a means of freely moving along the correct walking path of the footpath.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually showing a configuration of a walking guidance system for a visually impaired person according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
Fig. 2 is an illustration of a walking stick which is one embodiment of a walking guidance system for the visually impaired according to the present invention; Fig.
3 is a flowchart showing a method of guiding a gait for the blind according to the present invention.
4 is a block diagram conceptually showing the configuration of a gait guide system for a visually impaired person according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings The advantages and features of the present invention, and how to achieve them, will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Is provided to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. The dimensions and relative sizes of layers and regions in the figures may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

Embodiments described herein will be described with reference to plan views and cross-sectional views, which are ideal schematics of the present invention. Thus, the shape of the illustrations may be modified by manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific forms shown, but also include changes in the shapes that are produced according to the manufacturing process. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures have schematic attributes, and the shapes of the regions illustrated in the figures are intended to illustrate specific types of regions of the elements and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a walking guidance system for a visually impaired person according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the gait guide system 100 of the present invention includes an integrated controller 110, a GPS receiver 120, an RFID reader 130, an ultrasonic sensor 140, a communication module 150, A database 160, an input unit 170, and an output unit 180.

The walking guidance system 100 serves road information and the like so that a visually impaired person can safely move to a destination. In addition to the road information, the walking guidance system 100 can also provide various information about the weather or the unexpected situation of the surrounding area to the visually impaired. For example, if construction is in progress in the surrounding area, or if there is a rally or demonstration, it may provide various information to encourage detouring from the area.

The integrated control unit 110 controls the overall operation of the walking guidance system 100. The integrated control unit 110 integrally manages the GPS receiver 120, the RFID reader 130, and the ultrasonic sensor 140. For example, the integrated control unit 110 temporarily stores the GPS information transmitted from the GPS receiver 120, and controls the movement of the visually impaired by analyzing the road or crossing situation. The visually impaired person can operate the walking guidance system 100 through the integrated control unit 110. [

The GPS receiver 120 receives GPS position information from the satellites. The GPS location information includes information about the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the terminal. The GPS receiver 120 receives the GPS signal and transmits it to the integrated controller 110. For example, the GPS receiver 120 may receive position information from the GPS satellites and transmit the received information to the integrated control unit 110. [ Thus, the walking guidance system 100 can provide the direction information of the destination on the basis of the GPS position information. The GPS receiver 120 may include Wi-Fi, WiBro, ZigBee, and the like. The recognition range of the GPS receiver 120 may be approximately 80 cm or more.

The RFID reader 130 communicates with an RFID tag (not shown) installed on a sidewalk or a crossing. The tag may be an electronic chip. The RFID reader 130 reads the tag information and transmits the tag information to the integrated controller 110. Therefore, the walking guidance system 100 can provide the road information through the tag information.

The range in which the RFID reader 130 can recognize the tag is approximately 100 cm or less and the resolution is superior to the GPS receiver 120. [ The recognition range of the GPS receiver 120 overlaps with the recognition range of the RFID reader 130 and the integrated controller 110 gives priority to the recognition range of the RFID reader 130 having the excellent resolution in the overlapping range. The GPS receiver 120 may optimize its function when used in conjunction with the RFID reader 130, especially since the GPS satellite may not operate at the target location.

The ultrasound sensor 140 notifies a person with visual impairment access to a person or object, or the like when a person or object accesses the visually impaired person. The most specific walking information can be provided because it tells the obstacle to avoid it. Since the ultrasonic sensor 140 detects a person or object within a range of several tens of centimeters, the ultrasonic sensor 140 has the highest resolution compared to the GPS receiver 120 and the RFID reader 130. Therefore, the recognition range of the RFID reader 130 and the recognition range of the ultrasonic sensor 140 are overlapped, and the integrated controller 110 gives priority to the recognition range of the ultrasonic sensor 140 having a superior resolution in the overlapping range.

The access information detected by the ultrasonic sensor device 140 is transmitted to the integrated system 110. When the ultrasonic sensor 140 detects the approach of a person or the like, the ultrasonic sensor 140 transmits the ultrasonic sensor 140 to the integrated controller 110. The integrated controller 110 controls the sound output unit 180 and the vibration output unit 182, . ≪ / RTI >

The communication module 150 (e.g., a CDMA module) enables data transmission / reception with the outside. The communication module 150 may include a radio frequency transceiver that converts and outputs the frequency to be wireless communication. The walking guidance system 100 can communicate with other systems through the communication module 150 as described above.

The database 160 may store road information. For example, the database 160 stores positional information of the walking guidance system 100, movement route information, and the like. In addition, the database 160 stores road information of the whole country. Thus, the database 160 may include an electronic map. In the case of a visually impaired person, the electronic map of the present invention can guide necessary area information through the audio output unit 180 or the like because the electronic map can not recognize the displayed electronic map. It is possible to receive a walking guidance by setting a destination or a moving route through an electronic map.

The input unit 170 may be made for braille considering the point used by the blind. The output unit 180 includes a sound output unit 180a and a vibration output unit 180b. Since the visual output unit 180a can not be visually recognized by the visually impaired person, he / she performs audible alarm or information guidance by auditory sense. The vibration output section 180b may include an electric signal for stimulating the tactile sense. Electrical signals are useful on complex roads.

Referring to FIG. 2, the gait guide system 100 of the present invention can be implemented in the form of a walking stick. The input unit 170 and the output unit 180 are provided on the handle H to facilitate the destination and route setting. In particular, the convenience of the vibration output unit 180b can be provided. The RFID reader 130 and the ultrasonic sensor 140 may be installed at the lower contact G positioned near the ground. The walking guidance system 100 can be manufactured in the form of a robot that is not shown in the figure but can be walked on. Robots can be made in the form of guide dogs.

Hereinafter, a method for guiding a visually impaired person according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, when a request for a walking guidance service is made via the braille input unit 170 from a blind person (S10), the GPS receiver 120 transmits GPS position information (S20). The RFID reader 130 receives the tag information (S22) by communicating with an RFID tag (not shown) installed on a road or a crossing, and the ultrasonic sensor 140 detects the presence of a person or object (S26). The communication module 150 receives the area information in which the walking guidance system 100 is located (S28), and receives the access information The integrated control unit 110 receives and manages the GPS information, the tag information, the access information, the road information, and the area information (S30). In this way, when the blind person makes a service application through the input unit 170 (S10), the integrated control unit 110 synthesizes the information and the like in earnest and transmits the information through the audio output unit 180a or the vibration output unit 180b Provide information to the disabled (S60).

At this time, if there is a case of overlapping or inconsistency between the pieces of information, the integrated control unit 110 integrally controls them. For example, if the GPS information and the tag information collide with each other (S40), the tag information is prioritized (S42). If the tag information conflicts with the access information (S50), the access information is prioritized (S52). If the recognition range of the GPS receiver 120 and the recognition range of the RFID reader 130 are overlapped, the tag information is given priority and the recognition range of the RFID reader 130 and the recognition range of the ultrasonic sensor 140 overlap. , The access information is given priority.

≪ Embodiment 2 >

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a gait guide system including a plurality of terminals according to the present invention and an integrated management server for integrally managing the terminals.

Referring to FIG. 4, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a visually impaired person is more likely to have an accident than an ordinary person, and has a central integrated management server (400) can guide the visually handicapped person safely to the destination via each visually impaired terminal (300), and can also provide the necessary walking information in real time. The server needs to continuously manage the location information of the terminal 300, not only when the user is walking, but also when the user is not walking. In the event of an emergency, the visually impaired person can request the structure of the integrated management server 400.

The gait guide system 200 for a visually impaired person according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an integrated management server 400 connected to a plurality of terminals 300 through a network and integrally managing the terminals 300 at a centralized location, .

The blind terminal 300 includes a terminal control unit 310, a GPS receiver 320, an RFID reader 330, an ultrasonic sensor 340, a terminal communication module 350, an input unit 360, a voice output unit 370 And a vibration output unit 372. [

The terminal 300 can receive information on the unexpected situation of the weather or the surrounding area in addition to the road information. For example, if rallies or demonstrations are held in the surrounding area, information may be provided to encourage detours around the area.

The terminal control unit 310 controls the overall operation of the blind terminal 300. The terminal control unit 310 integrally manages the GPS receiver 320, the RFID reader 330, and the ultrasonic sensor 340. In particular, the terminal control unit 310 communicates with the integrated management server 400 through a network, and receives an instruction from the integrated management server 400. The visually impaired person can operate the walking guidance manual through the terminal control unit 310.

The GPS receiver 320 receives GPS position information from the GPS satellites 210. The GPS location information includes latitude, longitude, and altitude information of the terminal. The GPS receiver 320 receives the GPS signal and transmits it to the terminal control unit 310. The GPS receiver 320 may receive location information from the GPS satellite 210 and transmit the received information to the terminal control unit 310 or to the integrated management server 400. At this time, the GPS receiver 320 may have a function of transmitting to the integrated management server 400 in addition to the function of receiving GPS information.

The RFID reader 330 communicates with the RFID tag 220 installed on a sidewalk or a crossing. The RFID reader 330 reads the tag information and transmits the tag information to the terminal control unit 310. Alternatively, the tag information may be transmitted to the server 40. The RFID reader 330 has a higher resolution than the GPS receiver 320. In particular, since the GPS satellite 210 does not operate at a target point, the GPS receiver 320 is associated with the RFID reader 330 and thus has a high utility value.

The ultrasonic sensor 340 notifies a person with visual impairment when approaching a person or object, or when a person or object approaches the visually impaired person. Since the ultrasonic sensor 340 detects a person or object within a range of several tens of centimeters, the ultrasonic sensor 340 has the highest resolution compared to the GPS receiver 320 and the RFID reader 330. The ultrasonic sensor 340 may transmit the access information to the terminal control unit 310 or to the integrated management server 400.

The terminal communication module 350 enables data transmission / reception with the server 400. The terminal communication module 350 includes a radio frequency transceiver for converting and outputting frequencies to be wireless communication. The server 400 communicates with the visually impaired terminal 300 through the communication module 350A.

The integrated management server 400 includes a central control unit 410, a database 420, and an integrated communication module 430.

The central control unit 400 stores the GPS position information transmitted from the blind terminal 300 and controls and manages the movement status when the blind is moving.

The database 420 stores the blind terminal 300 information and road information. For example, the database 420 stores location information and route information of the terminal 300. It also stores road information for the whole country. For example, an electronic map may be included.

The integrated communication module 430 can communicate with the terminal communication module 350 of the visually impaired terminal 300 to exchange necessary data.

As described above, it can be seen that the present invention realizes an optimal walking service by managing the GPS receiver, the RFID reader, and the ultrasonic sensor with different recognition ranges. Many other modifications will be possible to those skilled in the art, within the scope of the basic technical idea of the present invention.

100: Walking guidance system for the visually impaired
110: Integrated controller 120: GPS receiver
130: RFID reader 140: Ultrasonic sensor
150: communication module 160: database
170: input unit 180: output unit
200: Walking guidance system for the visually impaired
210: GPS satellite 220: RFID tag
180a: Audio output unit 180b: Vibration output unit
300: Visually impaired terminal 310:
320: GPS receiver 330: RFID reader
340: ultrasonic sensor 350: terminal communication module
360: input unit 370: audio output unit
372: Vibration output unit 400: Integrated management server
410: central control unit 420:
430: Integrated communication module

Claims (12)

A braille input unit for inputting a destination;
A GPS receiver for receiving position information from a GPS satellite and guiding the direction information of the destination;
An RFID reader for receiving the RFID tag information installed on a road or a crossing and guiding the road information;
An ultrasonic sensor for detecting the approach of a person or object and guiding walking information; And
And an output unit for informing the direction information, the road information, and the walking information by voice or vibration. A GPS receiver for providing direction information;
An RFID reader providing road information;
An ultrasonic sensor for providing walking information;
An integrated controller for integrally managing the GPS receiver, the RFID reader, and the ultrasonic sensor;
A braille input unit; And
And a voice and vibration output unit. 3. The method of claim 2,
The GPS receiver receives position information from a GPS satellite, the RFID reader receives the tag information from an RFID tag installed on a sidewalk or a crossing, the ultrasonic sensor detects access to objects or people, obtains access information, Wherein the integrated control unit receives the position information, the tag information, and the access information and services the direction information, the road information, and the walking information. 3. The method of claim 2,
And a communication module for transmitting and receiving data to / from the outside, and is provided with various information related to an unexpected phenomenon of real-time weather or surrounding area through the communication module. 3. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising a database, said database comprising an electronic map,
Wherein the electronic map provides road information for the whole country. An integrated controller for controlling the operation of the system as a whole;
A GPS receiver for receiving position information from a GPS satellite and transmitting the received position information to an integrated control unit;
An RFID reader communicating with an RFID tag installed on a sidewalk or a crossing and transmitting the tag information to the integrated controller;
An ultrasonic sensor for recognizing mutual approach between the object and the person and transmitting the access information to the integrated control unit; And
And a voice output unit for providing the information by voice. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the RFID reader has a smaller recognition range than the GPS receiver and the ultrasonic sensor has a smaller recognition range than the GPS receiver and the RFID reader. 8. The method of claim 7,
The recognition range of the RFID reader and the recognition range of the RFID reader are at least overlapped and the integrated controller gives priority to the recognition range of the RFID reader in the overlapped range and the recognition range of the RFID reader and the recognition And the integrated controller prioritizes the recognition range of the ultrasonic sensor in the overlapping range. An application step of entering walking information through braille input;
Receiving GPS position information via GPS satellites;
Receiving tag information by communicating with an RFID tag installed on a road or crossing;
Receiving access information by sensing the approach of a person or object by ultrasonic waves;
Downloading road information;
Receiving local information by data communication;
Receiving and managing the location information, the tag information, the access information, the road information, and the area information; And
And providing the information through voice or vibration. 10. The method of claim 9,
Prioritizing the tag information if there is an overlap or a collision between the position information and the tag information; And
Further comprising the step of giving priority to the access information when there is an overlap or a collision between the tag information and the access information. A plurality of blind persons; And
And an integrated management server connected to the blind terminal through the network to integrally manage the blind terminal,
The blind terminal
A GPS receiver for receiving GPS position information of the blind terminal from GPS satellites;
An RFID reader communicating with an RFID tag installed on a sidewalk or a crossing and receiving the tag information;
An ultrasonic sensor for sensing the approach of a person or object;
A terminal controller for integrally managing the GPS receiver, the RFID reader, and the ultrasonic sensor;
A terminal communication module for performing data communication with the integrated management server;
A braille input unit; And
And an audio output unit,
The integrated management server includes:
An integrated communication module for performing data communication with the blind terminal;
A central control unit for performing data communication with the visually impaired terminal through the integrated communication module; And
And a database for storing an electronic map. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the central control unit receives the GPS information, the tag information, and the sensing information in real time from the GPS receiver, the RFID reader, and the ultrasonic sensor through the integrated communication module, Walking guidance system.

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