# US 9,872,811 B2 · Obstacle avoidance using mobile devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,811 B2 - Document ID: US9872811B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/254,049 - Filed: 2016-09-01 - Published: 2017-02-02 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-06 - Assignees: AT&T Mobility II LLC - Applicants: AT&T Mobility II LLC - Inventors: Loc Yu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872811B2 ## CPC - A61H 3/061: {with electronic detecting or guiding means} - A45B 1/02: Walking sticks with rollers for carrying parcels or the like - A45B 3/00: Sticks combined with other objects - A45B 9/00: Details - A45B 9/04: Ferrules or tips {(for crutches A61H3/0288)} - A61H 3/068: {Sticks for blind persons} - G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons - G09B 21/001: {Teaching or communicating with blind persons (G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence)} - G09B 21/003: {using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays} - A45B 2009/002: {Accessories} - A61F 9/08: Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception - 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) - A45B: WALKING STICKS (walking aids, e.g. sticks, for blind persons A61H3/06); UMBRELLAS; LADIES' OR LIKE FANS (cane or umbrella stands or holders A47G25/12) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract Methods, systems, and products estimate distances to aid a visually impaired user of a mobile device. As the user carries the mobile device, a camera in the mobile device captures images of a walking cane. The images of the walking cane are analyzed to infer a distance between a tip of the walking cane and the mobile device. The distance may then be used by navigational tools to aid the visually impaired user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: pairing a visually impaired walking cane to a mobile device; receiving, by the mobile device, an orientation angle sent from the visually impaired walking cane; querying, by the mobile device, an electronic database for an identifier associated with the visually impaired walking cane, the electronic database electronically associating the cane identifier to parameters associated with the visually impaired walking cane; retrieving, by the mobile device, a length associated with the visually impaired walking cane in the electronic database that is electronically associated to the cane identifier; and inferring, by the mobile device, a distance to an obstacle based on the orientation angle of the visually impaired walking cane and the length identified in the electronic database; wherein the distance to the obstacle aids a visually impaired user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location associated with a tip of the visually impaired walking cane based on the orientation angle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a warning of the obstacle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the cane identifier during the pairing, the cane identifier uniquely identifying the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a location associated with the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving global positioning system information associated with the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a location associated with the mobile device. ### Claim 8 A system, comprising: a processor; and a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving an identifier sent from a visually impaired walking cane to a mobile device; querying an electronic database for the identifier, the electronic database electronically associating the identifier to lengths of the visually impaired walking cane; retrieving a length of the lengths of the visually impaired walking cane in the electronic database that is electronically associated to the cane identifier; receiving an orientation angle associated with the visually impaired walking cane; and determining a distance to the obstacle based on the orientation angle and on the length of the visually impaired walking cane; wherein the distance aids a user of the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise determining a location associated with the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise generating a warning of the obstacle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise pairing the mobile device to the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving global positioning system information associated with the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise determining a location associated with the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a location associated with the mobile device. ### Claim 15 A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising: receiving global positioning system information sent from a mobile device; receiving an identifier associated with a visually impaired walking cane; querying a parameter database for the identifier associated with the visually impaired walking cane, the parameter database electronically associating the identifier to a length of the visually impaired walking cane; querying a locational database for the global positioning system information, the locational database electronically associating locations associated with obstacles and the global positioning system information; retrieving a location of the locations in the electronic database that is electronically associated with the global positioning system information, the location associated with an obstacle of the obstacles specified by the global positioning system information; receiving an orientation angle associated with the visually impaired walking cane; and determining a distance from the visually impaired walking cane to the obstacle based on the orientation angle and on the length of the visually impaired walking cane; wherein the distance aids a user of the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise determining the location associated with a tip of the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise generating a warning of the obstacle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise determining the identifier during a pairing with the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise identifying an arm length associated with the user of the visually impaired walking cane. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise inferring the distance from a tip of the visually impaired walking cane to the obstacle.