RU167804U1 - NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR BLIND PEOPLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The technical solution relates to the field of rehabilitation devices for the visually impaired to ensure their orientation in space. The technical result is to equip the regulated intersections with an inexpensive navigation system that improves the safety and convenience of using pedestrian crossings with visually impaired and blind people, as well as provide them with assistance in navigating on the ground, in particular, among city streets. This result is achieved due to the fact that at least one transceiver is installed at the pedestrian crossroads regulated by traffic lights, and, next to the transceiver and at least two sides of it, there are shielding panels made of such a material and such a structure that radiation from the transceiver has the ability to spread mainly over a given sector, limited by these shielding panels, and the transceiver itself is connected to a traffic light controller, and is connected wirelessly and communication with a person at the blind user transceiver capable of receiving interest blind or partially sighted user information. 7 c.p. f-ly, 1 silt

Description

Technical field

The claimed technical solution relates to the field of rehabilitation devices for the visually impaired to ensure their orientation in space

State of the art

From the existing level of technology it is known "Device for pedestrian sound tracking - intelligent sound signaling device ISS". The intelligent sound signaling device IZS is designed to work at road intersections. The product provides sound accompaniment to the permitted pedestrian direction, orienting blind pedestrians when crossing an adjustable intersection. The signaling device is mounted on the traffic light support. The product operates according to the signals of the road controller. When the road controller turns on the “green” pedestrian signal, the product turns on the sound signal of a certain frequency. The signaling device provides: adjustment of the minimum and maximum volume levels depending on the width of the road and time of day, taking into account the time change to summer and winter periods, the choice of a sound melody, automatic training when changing the duration of the pedestrian traffic light enable signal using the time to increase the signal frequency until the main signal turns off "Green" traffic light. The disadvantage of this technical solution is the low information content of the device: in particular, the lack of the ability to notify a visually impaired or blind pedestrian about such an important and convenient information parameter for him as his location, as well as the lack of help in choosing the direction for further movement. A disadvantage of such a device is that a blind pedestrian, upon hearing an audible warning that a “green” traffic light has come on, can not always understand which street it can safely cross through. Especially this situation can be difficult if such a pedestrian is distracted or his attention is lost, and it can also cause problems for those who are new to the area. In addition, sound alarms for the blind, installed at traffic lights, create additional urban noise.

The well-known "Navigation system for a blind person and a portable terminal" (document KR 20070089263, IPC: H04W 4/02; H04W 88/02). The system is designed to search for the required area of space using the navigation function of the portable terminal according to the GPS standard, and notify the blind person with embossed letters or voice, so that the blind person can safely move without the help of others. The disadvantage of this device in relation to the tasks of a blind person at the intersection is the lack of information for him about the current state of traffic lights, and, as a result, the inability to safely cross the roadway at a pedestrian crossing.

Also known from the existing level of technology is the “Orientation, navigation and information system specially adapted for the blind or people with visual impairments” (RF document No. 2490694, IPC: G06F 3/16; A61F 9/08). The technical result consists in enabling blind or visually impaired people to access information from outside or inside private or public premises or locations using a system consisting of a mobile phone or wireless communicator, computers interconnected by a local network provided with a dialogue system, WI-FI access points, as well as providing the possibility of simultaneous orientation and navigation of the user / system by to them with the help of sound sources and also with the help of a cellular system or a radio communication network associated with the places of interest to the user. It provides the ability for the user to find out his exact location (using the GPS system), and can direct his route. This versatile multi-component system can be applied in many places of public and private use. The main and significant drawback of such a system, first of all, is the high complexity of the system itself and, as a consequence, the high cost of its implementation and maintenance. The use of such a system, for example, at a railway station or metro station may be economically feasible, given the crowdedness of such places, but equipping it with each regulated pedestrian crossing throughout the whole city will be very expensive. To ensure that a blind person safely crosses the carriageway at pedestrian crossings and helps him orient himself near such crossings and intersections, it will be wise to use a simpler (and therefore inexpensive) device that focuses on a specific, narrow range of tasks such as: “Where am I am I? ”,“ How to cross the road safely ”,“ Where will I get if I go straight (right, left) ”.

Utility Model Disclosure

The task to which the claimed technical solution is directed is to equip a regulated pedestrian crossing with an inexpensive system that informs a visually impaired or blind pedestrian about the traffic situation at a pedestrian crossing at a current time and reports other information useful to him.

This problem is solved due to the fact that at the crossroads there is a navigation system for the blind and people with visual impairments, characterized in that at least one transceiver is installed at a pedestrian crossing regulated by traffic lights, moreover, next to the transceiver, and at least at least two sides of it, there are shielding panels made of such a material and such a structure that the radiation from the transceiver is able to propagate mainly over a given sector, limited by these shielding panels, and the transceiver itself is connected to a traffic light controller, and connected wirelessly to a transceiver located at a blind user, capable of receiving information of a blind or visually impaired user. The transceivers can be located on the supports of traffic lights and interconnected into a local, for this intersection, information system and controlled by a processor associated with the traffic light controller. Communication between transceivers fixed at the intersection and a transceiver located near a blind pedestrian can be performed according to the Bluetooth standard. Voice messages may contain information about the green light of a traffic light allowing passage through the street, the name of which can also be communicated by voice. The system can be activated when a blind pedestrian approaches a crossroads automatically, by recognizing by the system a radio signal from a device located at the pedestrian. The function "Search for Bluetooth devices", embedded in this method of communication, provides such an opportunity. The transceiver located at the blind pedestrian can be made in the form of a portable earphone and / or is made on the basis of a wireless Bluetooth headset device for mobile phones.

The result, which is provided by the given set of signs, is to equip regulated intersections with an inexpensive navigation system that improves the safety and convenience of using pedestrian crossings with visually impaired and blind people, as well as provide them with assistance in navigating on the ground, in particular, among city streets.

Utility Model Implementation

In FIG. 1 shows an intersection equipped with a navigation system for blind pedestrians. The figure explains the essence of the described technical solution.

A radio frequency transceiver (1) is mounted on a support (2) with traffic lights (3) at the intersection of streets (4) and (5). On both sides of the transceiver, parallel to the borders of the carriageway, there are shielding panels (6) that prevent radiation from the transceiver devices (1) from entering the intersection quadrants that are inappropriate for this support. Thus, the direction of the radiation axis of the transceiver approximately coincides with the bisector of the angle, which is the quadrant formed by the boundaries between the sidewalks and the carriageways of intersecting roads. Transceivers (1) are connected to the traffic light controller and emit signals containing information useful for a blind pedestrian. Transceivers operating, for example, in the Bluetooth standard, in the simplest embodiment, continuously transmit information on a radio frequency that gives a blind pedestrian equipped with a miniature Bluetooth device (7) about which quadrant of the intersection of which streets it is in, as well as which he can safely cross the street at the moment, maybe with a sound indication of the remaining time.

In a more complex embodiment, Bluetooth-based transceivers are combined into a single information node with a processor (8) equipped with a memory unit. Such an information and navigation device, in addition to providing information on which quadrant of the intersection of which streets the blind pedestrian is located, and which street he can safely cross at the moment, also tells the blind pedestrian who has crossed the carriageway - in which direction which objects (intersection with another street, a shopping center, a stadium and other significant landmarks) are located.

An example implementation of a simple embodiment.

A blind pedestrian approaches the intersection of (4) -Pushkin and (5) -Gogol Streets (for clarity, in this and the following examples, the names of the Russian writers are given to the streets). At the distance of the radiation of the Bluetooth transceiver (1), it falls into its field of action, and in its miniature headset - headphone (7) a message is heard, for example, such: “You are at the intersection of Pushkin and Gogol Streets. The left wing of the quadrant is Pushkin Street, the right wing of the quadrant is Gogol Street. An intermittent low sound signal means that the passage through Pushkin Street is currently permitted, an intermittent high sound signal means that the passage through Gogol Street is currently permitted. ” At the same time, an increase in the frequency of sound signals, as is already accepted, means the end of the action of the “green” traffic signal. Intermittent sound signals are synchronized with traffic signals and sound against the background of voice messages. Sound signals can be different: it can be, for example, imitation of birds twitter. The blind pedestrian selects the direction of the upcoming movement, waits for the start of the desired sound signal and makes a safe passage through the carriageway in his chosen direction.

An example implementation of a more complex embodiment.

When a blind pedestrian approaches the intersection, the Bluetooth device automatically registers his headset, after which he hears in the headset the same voice messages and signals that were given above, in a simple version. After the pedestrian has crossed the roadway, he falls into the coverage area of the transceiver of another quadrant and is also registered by him. Thus, the processor (8) connected to all transceivers (1) at this intersection will determine the movement of the blind pedestrian through the intersection and will issue the corresponding voice messages and signals recorded in the processor memory unit (8) through the transceiver of this quadrant. An example of such a message: “You crossed Gogol Street. If you decide to cross Pushkin Street, follow the roadway with a low sound signal, if you decide to go back and cross Gogol Street - follow the roadway with a high sound signal. If you go along the sidewalk to the left, you will find yourself at the intersection of Pushkin Street with Lermontov Street. If you go straight along the sidewalk, you will get to the intersection of Gogol Street with Nekrasov Street and to the Theater of the Young Spectator. ”

Claims (1)

A navigation system for blind people, including a transceiver connected to a traffic light controller and connected wirelessly to a transceiver located at a blind user, capable of receiving information of interest to a blind or visually impaired user, characterized in that an additional transceiver is introduced with the possibility of emitting signals to one traffic area parts of the intersection, including one pedestrian crossing area through the carriageway.

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