GB2554117A

GB2554117A - An alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian

Info

Publication number: GB2554117A
Application number: GB1709924.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pawan Shyam Kaura Lakshya
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-07-05
Filing date: 2017-06-21
Publication date: 2018-03-28
Also published as: WO2018007944A1; AU2017100295A4; GB201709924D0; DE202017101800U1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of alerting systems for a blind or visually challenged pedestrian. The alerting system 100 of the present disclosure is configured to alert the visually challenged pedestrian about approaching objects, generate alerts with minimum errors, provide maximum response time to the visually challenged pedestrian, and generates different type of alerts. The system comprises a first wearable device 110 and a second wearable device 150. The first wearable device 110 includes a plurality of cameras 114 that are configured to sense and provide live feed of an approaching object, a computing device 116 which is configured to receive the live feed from the cameras 114, and is further configured to generate an alert signal in an event of detection of any object, and a buzzer 118 which is configured to receive the generated alert signal from the computing device and correspondingly generate an alert. The second wearable device 150 receives alert signals form the computing device and generates vibrations.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Lakshya Pawan Shyam Kaura House No. 686, Sector No 17, Faridabad, Haryana 121002, India (51) INT CL:

A61F9/08 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:

WO 2013/018090 A1 RO 000130467 A US 20120062357 A1 (58) Field of Search:

INT CLA61F, G06K, H04N Other: EPODOC, WPI

H04N 5/225 (2006.01)

FR 003036614 A US 20150227778 A1 US 20070016425 A1 (72) Inventor(s):

Lakshya Pawan Shyam Kaura (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

HGF Limited

Document Handling - HGF - (Leeds), 1 City Walk, LEEDS, LS11 9DX, United Kingdom (54) Title of the Invention: An alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian Abstract Title: An Alerting System for a Visually Challenged Pedestrian (57) The present disclosure relates to the field of alerting systems for a blind or visually challenged pedestrian. The alerting system 100 of the present disclosure is configured to alert the visually challenged pedestrian about approaching objects, generate alerts with minimum errors, provide maximum response time to the visually challenged pedestrian, and generates different type of alerts. The system comprises a first wearable device 110 and a second wearable device 150. The first wearable device 110 includes a plurality of cameras 114 that are configured to sense and provide live feed of an approaching object, a computing device 116 which is configured to receive the live feed from the cameras 114, and is further configured to generate an alert signal in an event of detection of any object, and a buzzer 118 which is configured to receive the generated alert signal from the computing device and correspondingly generate an alert. The second wearable device 150 receives alert signals form the computing device and generates vibrations.

100

Figure 1

150

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	116		118

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Figure 1

02/03 χ-150

Figure 2

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Figure 4

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No. GB1709924.3

RTM

Date :14 December 2017

The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document:

Bluetooth (page 3,5,7,8,13,),

Raspberrypi2 (page 8),

Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk/ipo

TITLE

An alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of mechanical engineering. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to the field of alerting systems for a visually challenged pedestrian.

BACKGROUND

Many people who are visually challenged or are living with complete blindness do not leave their homes without a sighted person. Even those with the skill and courage to use existing technologies to avoid areas with many street obstacles such as poles, planters, and benches or to avoid collision with an object, find it difficult to travel or walk in an area which is not familiar. As a result these people can be isolated and have strict limitations on when and where they can travel in their daily lives. Conventionally, devices and systems have been developed to provide awareness of surrounding objects to the visually challenged people. However, such devices have not proven effective in cases when an object is approaching the visually challenged pedestrian.

Every year, a number of visually challenged pedestrians are injured or killed in traffic collisions. The visually challenged pedestrians face difficulty, particularly during crossing the roads where number of objects, typically vehicles move in different directions at variable speed. Due to physical inability, it is difficult for the visually challenged pedestrian to understand the direction and speed of approaching objects, especially vehicles.

Hence, there is felt a need of an alerting system that alerts the visually challenged pedestrian in an event of possible collision with any object.

OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian that alerts the visually challenged pedestrian about approaching objects.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian that generates alerts with minimum errors.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian that provides maximum response time to the visually challenged pedestrian.

Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian that generates different alerts.

Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure envisages an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian. The system comprises two wearable devices namely a first wearable device and a second wearable device. The first wearable device comprises: (i) a plurality of cameras that are configured to sense and provide live feed of an approaching object towards the visually challenged person, (ii) a computing device which is communicatively coupled with the plurality of cameras and is configured to receive the live feed from the cameras, and is s further configured to generate an alert signal in an event of detection of any object, and (iii) a buzzer which is configured to receive the generated alert signal from the computing device and correspondingly generate an alert.

The second wearable device is communicatively coupled with the first wearable device and comprises a motor circuit board which is configured to receive the generated alert signals from the computing device and correspondingly generate vibrations that are sensed by the visually challenged pedestrian.

In an embodiment, the first wearable device is a cap, typically a visor cap, on which the plurality of cameras, the computing device, and the buzzer are mounted. In another embodiment, the second wearable device is a belt on which the motor circuit board is attached.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first and the second wearable devices are communicatively coupled with each other via first and second Bluetooth modules, in a way that the first Bluetooth module is coupled with the computing device and the second Bluetooth module is coupled with the motor circuit board. In another embodiment, the computing device is connected with the motor circuit board by means of wire.

In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes three web cameras that have a field vision of 180 degrees each, thereby providing 360 degrees live feed of the approaching object, i.e. typically a vehicle.

In still another embodiment of the present disclosure, the detecting of object by the computing device is done by image recognition and processing algorithm. In another embodiment, the alert generated by the buzzer is in the form of a loud sound.

In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the motor circuit board includes a driver circuit board which receives the generated alert signals regarding the approaching object, vibratory motors which generates vibrations in the direction of the approaching object, and batteries configured to supply power to the vibratory motors.

In an embodiment, the batteries are lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries which are used to supply power to the vibratory motors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

An alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian, of the present disclosure, will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an alerting system, in accordance with an 5 embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 2 illustrates a photographic view of a second wearable device of the alerting system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3 illustrates a photographic view of a motor circuit board mounted on the second wearable device of the alerting system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Figure 4 illustrates a zoom-in photographic view of the motor circuit board of the figure 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

Reference numeral	References associated with reference numeral
100	Alarm system
110	First wearable device
114	Plurality of cameras
116	Computing device
118	Buzzer

120	First Bluetooth module
150	Second wearable device
152	Second Bluetooth module
160	Motor circuit board
162	Driver circuit board
164	Vibratory motors
166	Batteries

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure envisages an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian that alleviates the abovementioned drawbacks. The alerting system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the embodiments, which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description of the alerting system is provided purely by way of example and illustration. The alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian is now described with reference to figure 1 through figure 4.

Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an alerting system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 illustrates a photographic view of a second wearable device 150 of the alerting system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 illustrates a photographic view of a motor circuit board 160 mounted on the second wearable device 150 of the alerting system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 illustrates a zoom-in photographic view of the motor circuit board 160 of the alerting system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The alerting system 100 is configured to be used by a visually challenged pedestrian. The alerting system 100 includes a first wearable device 110, and the second wearable device 150. The first wearable device 110 includes a plurality of cameras 114, a computing device 116, and a buzzer 118. The second wearable device 150 includes the motor circuit board 160.

In an embodiment, the motor circuit board 160 is mounted on the first wearable device 110.

In another embodiment, the first wearable device 110 is a cap, preferably a visor cap. The plurality of cameras 114, the computing device 116, and the buzzer 118 are mounted on the visor cap that can be worn by the visually challenged pedestrian.

In another embodiment, the second wearable device is a belt. The motor circuit board 160 may be attached to the belt that is to be worn by the visually challenged pedestrian.

In a preferred embodiment, the first wearable device 110 and the second wearable device 150 include a first Bluetooth module 120 and a second Bluetooth module

152 respectively. The first and second Bluetooth modules 120, 152 are configured to communicate with each other. The first Bluetooth module 120 is communicatively coupled with the computing device 116. The second Bluetooth module 152 is communicatively coupled with the motor circuit board 160.

In another embodiment, connection between the computing device 116 and the motor circuit board 160 is wired connection.

The plurality of cameras 114 is configured to provide live feed of the approaching object. The approaching object may be a vehicle approaching the visually challenged pedestrian which may be a potential threat to him.

In an embodiment, the alerting system 100 includes three web cameras 114 having a field of vision of 180 degrees each, thereby providing 360 degrees live feed of approaching objects, i.e., a vehicle.

Further, the computing device 116 is communicatively coupled with the plurality of cameras 114. The computing device 116 is configured to receive the live feed from the plurality of cameras 114. The computing device 116 is configured to detect any object approaching the pedestrian. In an event of detection of the approaching object, the computing device 116 generates an alert signal that is fed to the buzzer 118 and the motor circuit board 160.

In an embodiment, the computing device 116 is Raspberrypi2. In another embodiment, the computing device 116 is configured to detect the object approaching the pedestrian by image recognition and processing algorithms.

The buzzer is configured to receive the generated alert signal from the computing device 116, and generate an alert. In an embodiment, the alert generated by the buzzer 118 is in the form of a loud sound that warns the visually challenged pedestrian about the approaching object.

The motor circuit board 160 is configured to receive the generated alert signal from the computing device 116 via the first and second Bluetooth modules 120,

152 respectively. The generated alert signal by the computing device includes information regarding the approaching object and the direction of the approaching object. The motor circuit board includes a driver circuit board 162, vibratory motors 164, and battenes 166. The driver circuit board 162 receives the generated alert signal regarding the approaching object from the computing device 116. The dfver circuit board 162 then activates the vibratory motors 164. The vibratory motors 164 vibrate in the direction of approaching object. The batteries 166 are used to supply power to the vibratory motors.

In an embodiment, rechargeable battefes 166 are used to supply power to the vibratory motors 164. In a prefened embodiment, lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries are used to supply power to the vibratory motors 164.

The second wearable device 150 is particularly useful for the visually challenged pedestrians. The visually challenged pedestrians need to wear the first wearable device 110 and the second wearable device 150. The vibrations generated by the vibratory motors 164 of the motor circuit board 160 mounted on the second wearable device can be sensed by the visually challenged pedestrians.

The alerting system 100 is configured to generate different types of alerts. In an embodiment, the alerting system 100 generates an alarm in the form of loud warning sound. In another embodiment, the alerting system 100 is configured to mute the sound of headphones of the pedestrian, and generate an alarm in the form of loud warning sound. In yet another embodiment, the alerting system 100 generates an alert in form of vibrations in the direction of approaching object by using the motor circuit board 160 and the second wearable device 150 worn by the visually challenged pedestrian.

The alerting system 100, of the present disclosure, generates alerts with minimum errors. Further, the alerting system 100 generates alerts well before the object strikes the visually challenged pedestrian to give the pedestrian maximum response time. In an exemplary embodiment, the alerting system 100 gives at least seven seconds response time to the visually challenged pedestrian.

The alerting system 100, of the present disclosure is easily wearable, easy to use, and an affordable control system that requires minimum parts to assemble.

TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS

The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages 15 including, but not limited to, the realization of an alerting system for a visually challenged pedestrian:

• alerts the visually challenged pedestrian about approaching objects;

• generates alerts with minimum errors;

• provides maximum response time to the visually challenged pedestrian;

and • generates different alerts.

The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully revealed the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

Claims

I claim:

1. An alerting system (100) for a visually challenged pedestrian, said system (100) comprising:

• a first wearable device (110) which includes:

o a plurality of cameras (114) configured to sense and provide live feed of an approaching object towards the visually challenged person;

o a computing device (116) communicatively coupled with said plurality of cameras (114) and configured to receive the live feed from said cameras (114), said computing device (116) is further configured to generate an alert signal in an event of detection of any object; and o a buzzer (118) configured to receive said generated alert signal from said computing device (116) and generate an alert;

• a second wearable device (150) is communicatively coupled with said first wearable device (110), said second wearable device (150) includes:

o a motor circuit board (160) configured to receive said generated alert signals from said computing device (116) and correspondingly generate vibrations that are sensed by the visually challenged pedestrian.
2. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first wearable device (110) is a cap, typically a visor cap, on which said plurality of cameras (114), said computing device (116), and said buzzer (118) are mounted.
3. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second wearable device (150) is a belt such that said motor circuit board (160) is attached to said belt.
4. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and said
5 second wearable devices (110,150) are communicatively coupled with each other via a first and second Bluetooth modules (120,152), in a way that said first Bluetooth module (120) is coupled with said computing device (116) and said second Bluetooth module (152) is coupled with said motor circuit board (160).

10 5. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computing device (116) is connected with said motor circuit board (160) by means of wire.
6. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system includes three web cameras (114) having a field vision of 180 degrees

15 each, thereby providing 360 degrees live feed of said approaching object,

i.e. typically a vehicle.
7. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting of object by said computing device (116) is done by image recognition and processing algorithm.

20
8. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alert generated by said buzzer (118) is in the form of a loud sound.
9. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said moto circuit board (160) includes a driver circuit board (162) which receives the generated alert signals regarding the approaching object, vibratory motors

25 (164) which generates vibrations in the direction of the approaching object, and batteries (166) configured to supply power to said vibratory motors (164).
10. The alerting system (100) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said batteries are lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries which are used to supply power to said vibratory motors (164).

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: Claims searched:

GB1709924.3

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