Radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired with sound skins

A system for radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, the system comprising:

• means for storing a recording of a sound representing at least one attribute of an object, having associated with the object a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag;
• means for storing a type code of a sound skin for the recording;
• means for activating the RFID tag with an electronic travel aid (“ETA”) for the visually impaired to read the RFID tag identifier;
• means for retrieving the recording from storage in dependence the RFID tag identifier and upon the type code of the sound skin for the recording;
• and
• means for playing the recording through an audio interface of the ETA.

A computer program product for radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, the computer program product comprising:

• a recording medium:
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing a recording of a sound representing at least one attribute of an object, having associated with the object a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing a type code of a sound skin for the recording;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for activating the RFID tag with an electronic travel aid (“ETA”) for the visually impaired to read the RFID tag identifier;
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving the recording from storage in dependence the RFID tag identifier and upon the type code of the sound skin for the recording;
• and
• means, recorded on the recording medium, for playing the recording through an audio interface of the ETA.

A method for radio frequency identification aiding the visually impaired, the method comprising:

• storing in a remote location a recording of a sound representing at least one attribute of an object, having associated with the object a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag;
• storing in an electronic travel aid (“ETA”) having a directional antenna a type code of a sound skin for the recording;
• storing on the RFID tag a classification code for the object;
• activating the RFID tag with an electronic travel aid (“ETA”) for the visually impaired including receiving from the RFID tag in the ETA the classification code for the object;
• retrieving the recording from storage in a remote location in dependence upon the classification code for the object and the type code of the sound skin for the recording;
• and
• playing the recording through an audio interface of the ETA.