Pedestrian navigation and spatial relation device

Abstract

A pedestrian navigation and spatial relation device including a position finder, a spatial relationship sensor, an input mechanism, and an output mechanism. The position finder can be configured to determine a geographic position of the device based upon received wireless signals. The spatial relationship sensor can provide data used to detect a position of at least one obstacle relative to the device. The input mechanism can specify a destination location. The output mechanism can present device output to a user. The device output can include sensory indicators for at least one of guiding a pedestrian to the destination location and warning a pedestrian about the detected obstacles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of both U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 486,018, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jul. 10, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 490,717 filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jul. 29, 2003, the entirety of both applications is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to the field of portable computing devices and, more particularly, to a portable computing device for pedestrian navigation and for spatial relationship determinations between the device and obstacles proximate to the device. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Technological advances in areas of small-scale computing devices have resulted in the simplification of many previously challenging aspects of life. For example, the proliferation of mobile telephone and mobile e-mail devices have simplified ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method, system, and apparatus for guiding pedestrians from their current location to a user-selectable destination. The invention includes a pedestrian spatial relation / navigation device (PSD) that uses spatial awareness to aid pedestrians traveling indoors and outdoors. The PSD contains obstacle sensing components to detect obstacles in the environment and can use this information to avoid them. The PSD can also determine multiple potential pathways for reaching the destination and can select the preferred pathway based on user preferences, temporal constraints, and obstacles. The PSD can provide auditory and / or tactile cues to the visually impaired and can also include training capabilities to improve guidance. The invention can also include a mobile computing device that can be used to program misrecognized obstacles, store points of interest, and provide other suitable feedback. The mobile computing device can be designed to assist visually impaired pedestrians and can be communicatively linked to the Internet for accessing navigation information.

Problems solved by technology

At present, however, the abilities of personal navigation devices are largely limited to present location detection and rudimentary navigational features.

Further, no known conventional pedestrian navigation device possesses spatial awareness capabilities for detecting static and / or dynamic obstacles and for plotting pedestrian travel routes to avoid these obstacles.

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