Method for space orientation, navigation and information in individuals suffering visual dysfunctions and system for implementation thereof

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to products facilitating the life activity of sight-impaired peoples, specifically aims at obtaining the information and assisting the space orientation of blind individuals. A method for the space orientation, navigation and information in the individuals suffering visual dysfunction consists in the fact that a radio beacon placed in one orientation point is used to transmit radio-frequency signals, while a radio informer in the possession of the individual is used to receive these radio signals and to transmit them to a body exposure device making signals of the orientation point being in a close proximity. At first, the radio informer transmit the radio signals, while the radio beacon transmit the radio signals after the radio signals from the radio informer have been received by it to inform on the individual being within the detection zone. Once the radio informer receives the radio signal, an intensity of the radio signal is measured to provide a basis to vary a human exposure parameter and to determine the radio beacon approach direction. The system comprises the radio beacon for placing in the orientation point, and the radio informer in the possession of the individual. The radio beacon comprises a source and a radio signal receiver, and a control unit. The radio informer comprises the source and the radio signal receiver which is connected to the human exposure device.

EFFECT: using the invention enables more precise orientation and chokes the air with the unwanted information.

9 cl, 6 dwg

Group of inventions relates to means for the viability of the visually impaired, namely, is used to obtain information and facilitate orientation of blind people in the space and maximum adaptation to their life in society. With these inventions blind man can without assistance to get the information it needs at the moment about a particular object and focus on it.

A device for the orientation of people with impaired visual functions in RF patent No. 2184518, publ. 27.08.2002, This device is a folding cane. The cane is made with the possibility of changing the length to determine the distance to a remote object. This cane is limited to its length.

A known system for orientation in space of people with impaired visual functions in RF patent No. 2299052 published 08.06.2007. This system for the orientation of people with impaired visual function contains at least one source and the signal receiver is connected through a switch to the information-processing device, connected through the modulator, the device effects on humans. Also through the switch to the data processing unit is additionally connected magnetometer, a pedometer, a GPS system.

Drawback is is a very high complexity, the bulkiness of the complex, work insecurity is very high information content, complexity management, which complicates its use by people with impaired visual function and can lead to the complication of moving outdoors and indoors due to constant work with wearable in the hands of the remote control.

The known method of orientation, navigation and information in space people with impaired visual functions in patent JP 8280733 published 29.10.1996 that is that is placed in the seat orientation, at least one source of radio signals transmits a radio signal, and in person the receiver receives these signals and sends them to the device for human exposure, indicating the location of the designated orientation. The known device for implementing this method contains at least one source signal, made in the form of one long antenna placed under the surface of footpaths and receiver located at the end of the stick and connected with the device effects on humans.

A disadvantage of the known method and device is the high energy consumption associated with the need to use a power generator for one long antenna. Another disadvantage is the small radius of action of the device when it is this device allows you to follow only one, a predetermined route.

The closest to the invention is a method of orientation, navigation and information in space people with impaired visual functions in RF patent No. 97918 U1, published 27.09.2010, which is that using a radio transmitter included in the first information block that is installed on the object ("beacon"), carried out continuously transmit radio signals. When man gets in a zone of distribution of these signals carry them through the radio as part of the second information block included in the second information block ("radiopharmacy")worn by the person. Then the received signal is transmitted to the device tactile effects on humans, indicating the location of the object. With the help of radiopharmacy or transmit a radio signal to the radio beacon to terminate or continue the transmission of signals, or transmit signal for conversion to an audio signal received by the person as a signal orientation. System for the implementation of the known method comprises at least one first information unit ("beacon"), mounted on the object, and at least one second information unit ("radioinformation")worn by the person. The beacon includes a storage device is ustwo, encoder, transmitter, timer, control circuit, receiver, decoder, volume control, amplifier and electro-acoustic transducer. Radioinformation includes a manual control, an encoder, a transmitter, a control circuit, device, tactile, receiver, memory, volume control and electro-acoustic transducer.

The known method provides for the transmission of the beacon signal intervals of time, ether encumbered with superfluous information, and overloaded with unnecessary information for blind people. The known device does not provide the exact orientation of the blind person who is in the coverage, but only informs about the object.

The technical result achieved by the group of inventions is an exception broadcasts extra radio, as well as ensuring the correct orientation of the blind man.

The technical result is achieved in that in the method of spatial orientation, navigation, and informing people with impaired visual function, namely, that by using at least one beacon placed at least in one location, orientation, transmit radio signals, and with the help of which a person, at least one of radioinfo the matora take these signals and transmit them to the device effects on humans, signaling is close to finding orientation, according to the invention initially using at least one of radiopharmacy transmit radio signals, and the transmission of radio signals using at least one beacon is carried out after the reception of radio signals from radiopharmacy informing about finding a person in the detection zone, and when the reception signal by radiopharmacies measure the intensity of a received radio signal and in dependence on him, change the value of human exposure, and change the value (intensity) parameter effects determine the direction of approach to the beacon.

In contrast to the closest beacon begins to transmit radio signals only after he accepts the signals from radiopharmacy blind man caught in the detection zone. This allows you not to download ether and the blind man with superfluous information. The intensity parameter of human exposure (e.g., pitch and duration of a sound signal) when it is moving, depending on the intensity of the received signal allows more accurate to Orient the individual relative to the location designated orientation.

For more accurate orientation when approaching man to the beacon with the aid of the completion of the last transfer signal for accurate orientation, after stopping the person immediately before the beacon using the last pass, and with the help of radiopharmacy take and pass the device of human exposure information about the direction in which there is at least one object that may be of interest for a person.

In the particular case of space for orientation for placing the beacon may be a place near the front door public transport means, when the appearance of the man with radiopharmacies in the detection zone using beacon transmit to humans the radio message about the vehicle and through a light or audible indication is passed to the driver of the vehicle a signal that the vehicle is within range of one of radiopharmacies person with impaired visual function, after stopping the person immediately before the beacon is in front of the door of the vehicle using a radio beacon is passed to the driver via a light or audible indication signal that people with impaired visual functions started searching the front door and moved toward her.

It is desirable to place for orientation for placing the beacon was also a public transport stop, and the transmission signal using the RA is yamaka, placed near the front door public transport, carried out only in case of receiving the signal from the beacon, placed on a public transport stop.

The technical result is also achieved by the fact that in the system for spatial orientation, navigation, and informing people with impaired visual functions containing at least one beacon for placement at the orientation and at least one radioinformation in person, with at least one beacon includes the source and receiver and connected with them the control unit, which is connected to the source of sound signals, and radioinformation includes the source and receiver and connected with them the control unit, which is connected to the device effects on humans, according to the invention the control unit of the radio beacon is made with the power of the source signal after receiving a signal from radiopharmacy the receiver of the beacon, and the control unit of radiopharmacy performed with the function of measuring the intensity of the received radio signal and changes in the unit of human exposure setting exposure based on the measured intensity.

For more precise orientation control unit Radiola whom and through the amplifier-shaper pulses can be connected with the framework coil, and the control unit of radiopharmacy through the amplifier-shaper pulse - framework resonant antenna.

In a preferred embodiment, the beacon includes the unit of measurement of sound level that contains the microphone through the microphone amplifier is connected to the control unit of the radio beacon.

In addition, the device of human exposure is preferably in the form of sources of sound and/or vibration signals and connected to the control unit of radiopharmacy through the low-frequency amplifier.

In addition, the control unit of radiopharmacy can be connected to the flash memory unit for storing the audio information.

The essence of the proposed group of inventions is illustrated with the help of illustrative materials.

Figure 1 shows a principle block diagram of the proposed system figure 2 - the complete block diagram of the proposed system, figure 3 shows the zone "and" discovery beacon, figure 4 shows the area "b" exact orientation relative to the beacon, figure 5 shows an example of the beacon 1 above the doorway into the room, figure 6 shows an example of the beacon 1 on public transport.

System for orientation, navigation and information in space people with impaired visual function contains at least one placed in the place of the orientation of the beacon 1 is in person radioinformation ("radio") 2, when the radio beacon 1 is configured to receive radio signals from radiopharmacy 2 and transmission of the response signal informing about finding a person in the detection zone, and radio 2 has a capability of receiving these response signals and transmit them to the device effects on humans.

Beacon 1 (figure 1) includes a power supply (not shown), the control unit is a microcontroller 4, which is connected to the source and receiver - transceiver 3 and the audio source 5.

Radioinformation 2 also includes a power supply (not shown) and the control unit is a microcontroller 6, which is connected to the source and receiver - transceiver 7, with effects on humans, consisting of a source 8 of the audio signals and the source 9 of the vibration signals and the keyboard 10 of the control.

Beacon 1 can include the unit of measurement of sound level containing the microphone 11, which through the microphone amplifier 12 is connected to the microcontroller 4 beacon (figure 2). The microcontroller 4 beacon 1 through the amplifier-shaper 13 pulses connected with the framework coil 14 narrow focus, and the microcontroller 6 radio 2 via the amplifier-shaper 15 pulses connected with the framework resonant antenna 16 narrow focus. The power supply of the radio beacon 1 and radio is Informator contains a battery 17, the charger 18 and the voltage regulator 19. The microcontroller 6 radiopharmacy 2 may be connected to the flash memory unit 20 for storing audio information. Device for human exposure is connected to the controller 6 through the amplifier 21 to the low frequency.

Implementation of the proposed method is illustrated on the example of the proposed system.

Radio 1 can be installed in any places in order to inform the blind person about any obstacles on the road and diversions, for example, over doorways in public places (theaters, museums, supermarkets, pharmacies and so on) (see figure 5), above the doors in public transport (see Fig.6).

Managing the microcontroller 4 beacon 1 every 5 seconds includes transceiver 3 to the reception on time 1 sec. If within 1 sec. there have been no signals from radiopharmacy 2, the microcontroller 4 disables the transceiver 3, and so on cyclically. If adopted, the signal from radiopharmacy 2, the microcontroller 4 outputs through channel 5 audio signals audio signal, radioinformation 2 repeats this signal. Beacon 1 maintains radio communication with radiopharmacies 2, while it is in the area of sensitivity. In radiopharmacies 2 microcontroller 6 with an interval of five seconds includes transceiver 7 and vyd is no bundle of very short radio requests to search for beacon 1. If the radio beacon 1 is detected, the microcontroller 6 supports radio communication with the radio beacon 1 and every five seconds will sound and vibration signals from the sources 8 and 9 to alert the user that it is next to beacon 1. Beacon 1 plays a notification sound and a brief information about the beacon 1 and enters the standby command from the user. If radioinformation 2 is in the range of several radio 1 will produce information about all the beacons in a circle with a certain interval. Briefly pressing the buttons of the keyboard 10 radiopharmacy 2, the user will cause the radio beacon 1 to repeat the audio signals from the source 5 and, relying on the hearing, to Orient properly in space.

Measured average signal strength from the radio beacon 1 and depending on the sources 8 and 9 sound and/or vibration signals are reproduced signals similar to the sonar signal. The closer radioinformation 2 to beacon 1, the higher the pitch of the signal and less than the duration, rather than further, the lower tone and more duration.

Another way to search for beacon 1 is moving to the sound source 5 beeps 5. To do this, the user must briefly press the button on the keyboard 10, the radio beacon 1 to bodyslave short beeps. When the user goes to a distance of 1.5-2 metres to beacon 1, he will get in melee range detection. While the sound of the sounder will stop and will start playing simple tones of 600 Hz. In this mode, the radio beacon 1 starts to transmit pulses with a frequency of 125 kHz, the amplifier-shaper 13 pulses 125 kHz and the framework of the coil 14. Radioinformation 2 will measure the field strength using the framework of the resonance of the antenna 16, the amplifier-shaper 15 pulses of 125 kHz. Thus, the closer radioinformation 1 to beacon 2, the higher the field strength and the louder the sound in the device 8. Antennas 14 and 16 zone neighbor discovery are of a very high directivity, so any deviation from the label will decrease the volume. This is necessary for the user to find exactly face to beacon 1. After the user will close in the radio beacon 1 0.5-1 m, the latter will beep and automatically begins playback full information about the beacon. Also being in melee range detection, you can use the keyboard 10 to manually start the reproduction of the information.

In the particular case of the invention (see figure 2) the volume of the sound signal is changed depending on the noise level around the beacon 1. To measure the noise level of IP is alzueta the microphone 11 and the microphone amplifier 12. The higher the noise, the louder the sound signal source 5, and Vice versa.

Location of the beacon 1 can be, for example, above the entrance door public transport vehicles (TC) (6). When the appearance of the man with radiopharmacies 2 in the detection zone beacon 1 person passes the signal with a message about the vehicle and through a light or audible display provides the driver of the vehicle, the signal indicating that the vehicle is within range of radiopharmacy 2 people with impaired visual function. After clicking on radiopharmacies 2 (if vehicle is in need, for the blind man, the direction) of the display driver sees or hears information about what the blind man begins to focus on the door and waits until it is directly in front of the radio beacon 1 - in front of the door of the vehicle. Beacon 1 transmits to the driver via a light or audible indication signal that people with impaired visual functions started searching the front door and moved to her. At the same time when you click on radiopharmacies 2 people with impaired visual function receives audio information from the radio beacon 1 and is guided by the way it sounds using their ears.

In order for the radio beacon 1 passing vehicle did not respond to radioinfo is motor 2 people, walking along the sidewalk and did not send him the signal to its proximity, which can disorientate blind man in space in dangerous proximity to the roadway, optionally set the beacon on the public transport. Beacon 1 mounted on the vehicle, be silent until then, until you get in range of the beacon 1, is installed on the public transport. Only after that the radio beacon 1 on the vehicle is activated and in the presence of several radiopharmacy 2 broadcasts radiopharmacy. Thus, the increased safety of movement of the blind man in the street.

The system works in alianzarena range ISM 868 MHz (ISM-Industrial, Scientific and Medical (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) and has a circular pattern.

The proposed method and system of energy-efficient in operation, simple and have a high accuracy of the orientation.

1. The method of spatial orientation, navigation, and informing people with impaired visual function, namely, that by using at least one beacon placed at least in one location, orientation, transmit radio signals, and with the help of which a person, at least one of radiopharmacy take these signals and transmit them to the device for human exposure, the signal is lysira about close to finding orientation, characterized in that initially, at least one of radiopharmacy transmit radio signals, and the transmission of radio signals using at least one beacon is carried out after the reception of radio signals from radiopharmacy informing about finding a person in the detection zone, and when the reception signal by radiopharmacies measure the intensity of a received radio signal and in dependence on him, change the value of human exposure, and changing exposure to determine the direction of approach to the beacon.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at the approach of a person to the beacon using the latest transmit a signal for accurate orientation, after stopping the person immediately before the beacon using the last pass, and with the help of radiopharmacy take and pass the device of human exposure information about the direction in which there is at least one object that may be of interest for a person.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that place for orientation for placing the beacon is a place near the front door public transport means, when the appearance of the man with radiopharmacies in the detection zone using beacon transmit man the radio message about the vehicle and through a light or audible indication is passed to the driver of the vehicle signal that the vehicle is within range of one of radiopharmacies person with impaired visual function, after stopping the person immediately before the beacon is in front of the door of the vehicle using a radio beacon is passed to the driver via a light or audible indication signal that people with impaired visual functions started searching the front door and moved toward her.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that place for orientation for placement of the beacon are also excellent public transport, and the transmission signal by using a radio beacon, placed near the front door public transport, carried out in the case of receiving a signal from the beacon, placed on a public transport stop.

5. System for spatial orientation, navigation, and informing people with impaired visual functions containing at least one beacon for placement at the orientation and at least one radioinformation in person, with at least one beacon includes the source and receiver and connected with them the control unit, which is connected to the source of sound signals, and radioinformation includes the source and receiver and connected with them the control unit is, which is connected with a human exposure, characterized in that the control unit of the radio beacon is made with the power of the source signal after receiving a signal from radiopharmacy the receiver of the beacon, and the control unit of radiopharmacy performed with the function of measuring the intensity of the received radio signal and changes in the unit of human exposure setting exposure based on the measured intensity.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the control unit beacon through the amplifier-shaper pulses connected with the framework coil, and the control unit of radiopharmacy through the amplifier-shaper pulses connected with the framework resonant antenna.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the beacon includes the unit of measurement of sound level that contains the microphone through the microphone amplifier is connected to the control unit of the radio beacon.

8. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the device for human exposure is made in the form of sources of sound and/or vibration signals and connected to the control unit of radiopharmacy through the low-frequency amplifier.

9. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the control unit of radiopharmacy connected to the flash memory unit.