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US 5,508,699 AGranted
Identifier/locator device for visually impaired
OwnerHildy S. Silvermaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a locator device for the visually impaired including a transmitter and a dual sensing system having a receiver with earphones which are attached to opposite sides of a unit worn on the user's head. The sensing system is capable of determining a direction and distance of the signal, and capable of producing first and second audible notifiers in each of the earphones. The notifier produced in each earphone is different and is associated with the direction and distance of the transmitted signal. When the notifier produced in each earphone is the same, the user is directly in front of the desired object to be located.
Claims20
A device for guiding the visually impaired comprising:
- (a) a transmitting unit including means for transmitting an inaudible signal, said transmitting unit being mountable to a desired object, and
- (b) a receiving unit, said receiving unit being attached to a housing unit to be worn by a user, and including means for receiving said signal in connection with means for processing, said means for processing being further in connection with means for amplifying and broadcasting;
- wherein said means for processing comprises distance calculator means for determining a distance between said transmitting unit and said receiving unit, direction discriminator means for sensing a direction of the transmitted signal, and source decoder means for decoding a message;
- said means for processing further comprising an information discriminator and source generator in electrical connection with said distance calculator means, direction discriminator means and source decoder means;
- said information discriminator and source generator having means for generating a first and second audible notifier associated with said distance, said direction and said message;
- and
- said means for amplifying and broadcasting having means for sounding said first and second audible notifiers, said first and second audible notifiers being associated with an identification and a location of said transmitting unit on said desired object such that said first and second audible notifiers are different unless the receiving unit is faced directly in front of the transmitting unit.
4 more elements
A device for guiding the visually impaired comprising,
- (a) a transmitting unit including means for transmitting an inaudible signal, said transmitting unit being mountable to a desired object, and
- (b) a receiving unit, said receiving unit being attached to a housing unit to be worn on a head of a user, and including means for receiving said signal in connection with means for processing, said means for processing being further in connection with means for amplifying and broadcasting;
- wherein said means for processing comprises distance calculator means for determining a distance between said transmitting unit and said receiving unit, direction discriminator means for sensing a direction of the transmitted signal, and source decoder means for decoding a message;
- said means for processing further comprising an information discriminator and source generator in electrical connection with said distance calculator means, direction discriminator means and source decoder means;
- said information discriminator and source generator having means for generating a first and second audible notifier associated with said distance, said direction and said message;
- and
- said means for amplifying and broadcasting comprising a controller, amplifier and left and right earphones for sounding said first and second audible notifiers, said first and second audible notifiers being associated with an identification and a location of said transmitting unit on said desired object such that said first and second audible notifiers are different unless the receiving unit is faced directly in front of the transmitting unit.
4 more elements
A device for guiding the visually impaired comprising,
- (a) a transmitting unit including means for transmitting an inaudible signal, said transmitting unit being mountable to a desired object, and
- (b) a receiving unit, said receiving unit being attached to a housing unit to be worn on a head of a user, and including means for receiving said signal in connection with means for processing, said means for processing being further in connection with means for amplifying and broadcasting;
- wherein said means for processing comprises distance calculator means for determining a distance between said transmitting unit and said receiving unit, direction discriminator means for sensing a direction of the transmitted signal, and source decoder means for decoding a message;
- said means for processing further comprising an information discriminator and source generator in electrical connection with said distance calculator means, direction discriminator means and source decoder means;
- said information discriminator and source generator having programmed means for prioritizing predetermined information and means for generating a first and second audible notifier associated with said distance, said direction, said message and said predetermined information;
- and
- said means for amplifying and broadcasting comprising a controller, amplifier and left and right earphones for sounding said first and second audible notifiers, said first and second audible notifiers being associated with an identification and a location of said transmitting unit on said desired object such that said first and second audible notifiers are different unless the receiving unit is faced directly in front of the transmitting unit.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.