Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2001-08-21
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C342S357490, C434S112000, C340S995190, C340S988000, C340S990000, C701S202000, C701S209000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278944
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a navigation system for the visually impaired.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although the visually impaired normally become very adept at moving around known environments, including outdoors, difficulties arise when the person is in an unfamiliar environment. The reason for this is that there is much environmental information which can only be discerned visually and which gives little or no information via other senses such as hearing or smell. Although this information can to a certain extent be learned for a familiar environment, it is of no assistance in an unfamiliar environment.
A system being developed to provide navigation for the visually impaired includes a satellite Global Positioning System (GPS) and a digital map specially adapted for visually impaired users. The system includes a first receiver for receiving a signal for the known GPS satellites, a second receiver for receiving a differential GPS (DGPS) correction signal from a fixed base station; a computer for calculating the user's position, for correlating this position with the digital map and for determining environmental obstacles and directions for the user; and a user interface, typically a voice synthesizer.
The GPS satellite system only provides a Standard Positioning resolution of around 100 meters. The differential correction signal is thus provided to increase resolution to around 1 to 5 meters.
With this system, the user must carry all the above components, which can be onerous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an improved navigation system.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation system including a GPS receiver for receiving positional information from a satellite system; a differential correction unit for determining a differential correction related to the received positional information; a digital map for providing navigational information, a user interface for indicating the positional and/or directional information to the user; and a portable two-way communication system; wherein at least one of the differential correction unit, the digital map and the user interface are locatable remote from the user and in communication with the user by means of the two-way communication system.
The use of a two-way communication system enables some of the equipment otherwise carried by the user to be located elsewhere, such as at a stationary base, thereby reducing the amount of equipment to be carried by the user.
Preferably, each of the differential correction unit, the digital map and the user interface are locatable remote from the user. These normally constitute physically large and expensive components.
It is also envisaged that the components not carried by the user will be located at a remote station which acts as a multi-user base station for a plurality of users. In this way, cost savings and more sophisticated systems can be provided for each user. For example, by locating the digital map in a multi-user base station, a plurality of users can use the same digital map, thereby sharing the expense of such a map. In this manner, a large number of digital maps can be provided, each accessible by the users.
The part of the system which must be carried by each user can be reduced, in the preferred embodiment, to a hand-held or pocket sized unit.
Preferably, the two-way communication system includes a mobile telephone. This is preferably a digital telephone to provide a communication link for the digital information which would typically pass from the user to the remote location. It will be apparent that with the use of a portable telephone it would only be necessary to provide a GPS receiver, which can be sufficiently small to fit within the casing of a portable telephone.
In the preferred embodiment, all data including correction data is transferred by means of a cellular telephone network or other cellular network. The differential correction unit may be located at a cellular network base station.
The portable telephone provides another important advantage, namely a voice-based communication system for the user interface. The preferred embodiment provides for a human-to-human interface, that is for guidance for the visually handicapped user to be by a human, possibly at the multi-user base station. Alternatively, the interface could be by synthesized voice or a combination of synthesized and human communication.
The portable communication system will typically provide for coded activation of the facility by the visually handicapped user. This may be by way of a personal identification number or password or the like.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of navigating a person including the steps of receiving positional information of the person from a satellite system; determining a differential correction related to the received positional information; providing positional and directional information; providing a user interface; and indicating the positional and/or directional information to the person; wherein at least one of the steps of determining a differential correction, providing positional and directional information and providing a user interface are carried out remote from the person.
Preferably, the step of determining a differential correction is carried out before the step of receiving positional information.
The step of providing a user interface preferably includes the step of providing a human-to-human interface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5406491 (1995-04-01), Lima
patent: 5470233 (1995-11-01), Fruchterman et al.
patent: 5638078 (1997-06-01), Wichtel
patent: 5903228 (1999-05-01), Ohgaki et al.
patent: 6064336 (2000-05-01), Krasner
patent: PCT/GB95/02065 (1996-03-01), None
Balachandran Wamadeva
Lui Langtao
Brunel University
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C.
Fieschko, Esq. Craig A.
To Tuan C
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