# US 11,432,989 B2 · Information processor

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- Number: US 11,432,989 B2
- Document ID: US11432989B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/238,723
- Filed: 2021-04-23
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Granted: 2022-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Mashio Taniguchi; Mariko Higuchi; Masatoshi Kakutani; Yukiko Ohnishi; Hiroaki Kawamura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432989B2

## CPC

- A61H 3/061: {with electronic detecting or guiding means}
- A61H 2003/063: {with tactile perception}
- A61H 2201/5058: Sensors or detectors
- A61H 2201/5064: Position sensors
- A61H 2201/5084: Acceleration sensors
- A61H 2201/5092: Optical sensor
- A61H 2201/5097: wireless
- 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)

## Abstract

A controller of a white stick system determines a walking direction of a person who acts without using eyesight based on sensor data acquired from built-in sensors, such as a camera, and generates a first notification to notify the determined walking direction. A wireless communication unit receives information regarding movement of a mobile object present around the person from a data communication module and a mobile terminal. The controller generates a second notification to notify a collision between the person who moves without using eyesight and the mobile object when the collision is predicted based on the information regarding movement of the mobile object.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A white stick device configured to:
receive images captured by a camera of the white stick device;
search for pedestrian crossings and signaling devices in the images;
store route information including positions of pedestrian crossings and signaling devices;
determine whether a pedestrian crossing or a signaling device is within a predetermined distance from the white stick device;
upon determination that a pedestrian crossing or a signaling device is within the predetermined distance, notify a user of approach of the pedestrian crossing or the signaling device;
calculate a direction of the pedestrian crossing and the signaling device with respect to the white stick device;
calculate a matching degree of a direction of the white stick device with respect to the direction of the pedestrian crossing and the signaling device; and
when the matching degree is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, notify the user that the white stick device faces the direction of the pedestrian crossing and the signaling device.