# US 10,869,805 B2 · System and method for providing navigation information

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,869,805 B2
- Document ID: US10869805B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/126,771
- Filed: 2015-03-09
- Published: 2017-06-15
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-21
- Assignees: Fruit Innovations Limited
- Applicants: Fruit Innovations Limited
- Inventors: Kin Siu Ng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869805B2

## CPC

- A61H 3/061: {with electronic detecting or guiding means}
- A61H 3/066: {Installations on the floor, e.g. special surfaces, to guide blind persons}
- G01C 21/3641: {Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes}
- G01S 5/0284: {Relative positioning}
- A61H 2003/063: {with tactile perception}
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A system and method for providing navigation information including the steps of detecting a proximate object to a referenced location, transmitting the referenced location to the proximate object, wherein the referenced location is arranged to be processed to derive a location of the proximate object, and where guidance information is available for the referenced location, transmitting the guidance information to the proximate object.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for providing navigation information comprising:
a plurality of tactile tiles arranged to provide tactile information to persons with visual impairment;
a plurality of tags each arranged to emit a signal indicating a reference location of the respective tag, wherein the tags are embedded inside the plurality of tactile tiles and the tags form an array or matrix inside the tactile tile, the tactile tile being provided on a floor surface;
a guiding post including a reader and a handle attached thereon, wherein the reader is arranged to read the signal emitted from one of the plurality of tags that is proximate to the reader, the handle includes a controller that is operably connected with the reader and is arranged to process the signal to derive a current location of a user holding the guiding post; and a server including a database storing records associated with referenced location, wherein the controller is arranged to derive the current location of the user by locating a record associated with referenced location in the database stored in the server;
where guidance information is available for the current location of the user, the controller is arranged to transmit the guidance information in a form of an acoustic signal and at least one of a tactile signal, a physical spike or an electrical pulse to a user;
the system for providing navigation information further comprises:
an input module arranged to receive an input location;
wherein the controller is further arranged to process the input location; where direction information is available for the input location, the controller is arranged to transmit the guidance information including the direction information to the user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least four tags form the array or the matrix inside each of the tactile tiles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the tactile tiles are provided on the surface in a way that each of the tactile tiles are successively connected with each other.

### Claim 4

The system of 1, wherein the handle further includes a battery pack integrated in the handle for powering the reader.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the battery pack includes replaceable or rechargeable battery.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is integrated with the handle of the guiding post.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the database stored in the server is accessible to the user via a mobile device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the database is loaded in the mobile device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is a smartphone or a tablet computing device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of to claim 1, wherein the signal is emitted through at least one wireless communication protocol.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the tactile tiles are paved onto a floor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the tags emit the signal through at least one wireless communication protocol.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the reader includes a wireless signal receiver or a wireless communication module.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the tags are at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferrite core coil, a coreless coil, a magnet media, a magnetic tape, or an array of magnets.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is at least one of a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic sensor or a microelectromechanical magnetic sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the tags are at least one of a barcode, a 2D barcode, a QR code tag, an infra-red signal transmitter or an LED signal transmitter.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is at least one of optical code reader, a camera, an infra-red receiver or an optical receiver.

### Claim 18

A tactile tile arranged to provide tactile information to persons with visual impairment, characterized in that, the tactile tile further comprises:
a plurality of tags each arranged to emit a signal indicating a reference location of the respective tag, wherein the tags are embedded inside the tactile tile and the tags form an array or a matrix inside the tactile tile, the tactile tile being provided on a floor surface,
wherein the signal is readable by a reader attached on a guiding post when the reader is proximate to at least one of the tags, and the signal is then processed by a controller integrated in a handle being attached on the guiding post, and the controller is operably connecting with the reader to derive a current location of a user holding the guiding post;
wherein the controller is arranged to derive the current location of the user by locating a record associated with referenced location in a database stored in a server;
where guidance information is available for the current location of the user, the controller is arranged to transmit the guidance information in a form of an acoustic signal and at least one of a tactile signal, a physical spike and an electrical pulse to a user;
wherein the controller is further arranged to process an input location received by an input module, such that when direction information is available for the input location, the controller is arranged to transmit the guidance information including the direction information to the user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The tactile tile of claim 18, wherein at least four tags form the array or the matrix inside each tactile tile.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The tactile tile of claim 18, wherein the tactile tile is paved onto a floor.

### Claim 21

The tactile tile of 18, wherein the tags emit the signal through at least one wireless communication protocol.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The tactile tile of claim 18, wherein the tags are at least one of a permanent magnet, a ferrite core coil, a coreless coil, a magnet media, a magnetic tape, or an array of magnets.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The tactile tile of claim 18, wherein the tags are at least one of a barcode, a 2D barcode, a QR code tag, an infra-red signal transmitter or an LED signal transmitter.