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Patent · US9355547B2 · B2 · US

Identifying a change in a home environment

(11) Publication number
US9355547B2
(21) Application number
14/284,581
(22) Filing date
2014-05-22
(30) Priority date
2014-05-22
(43) Publication date
2016-05-31
(45) Date of grant
2016-05-31
(51) IPC
G08B 21/02; G09B 21/00
(52) CPC
  • G08B Signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems; order telegraphs; alarm systems: 21/02
  • A61B Diagnosis; surgery; identification: 5/024, 5/0816, 5/4806
  • 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: 2003/063, 2201/501, 2201/5043, 2201/5046, 2201/5048, 2201/5058, 2201/5082, 2201/5092, 2201/5097, 3/06, 3/061
  • G01S Radio direction-finding; radio navigation; determining distance or velocity by use of radio waves; locating or presence-detecting by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio waves; analogous arrangements using other waves: 15/523, 15/89
  • G09B Educational or demonstration appliances; appliances for teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute; models; planetaria; globes; maps; diagrams: 21/00, 21/001, 21/006, 21/008, 29/004
(73) Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
(72) Inventors
Mark B. Stevens; John D. Wilson
(54) Title
Identifying a change in a home environment
(57) Abstract

A system and computer implemented method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user is disclosed. The method may include monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment. The method may also include detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment. The method may also include providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change.

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Claims (11)

  1. A computer implemented method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user, the method comprising: monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment; detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment; and providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change; wherein collecting the environment data includes capturing, by an image capturing system, a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment; wherein detecting the environmental change in the area of the home environment includes: capturing, in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system, a second set of images for the set of areas, and identifying an object of the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria; wherein providing the notification of the environmental change includes notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting a home arrival; wherein detecting the home arrival further comprises: recording, by a sound capture device, a set of dog barks; analyzing, in response to recording the set of dog barks, a bark frequency and a bark pitch of the set of dog barks; and determining, based on the bark frequency and the bark pitch, occurrence of the home arrival.
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of sensors includes one or more selected from the group consisting of motion sensors, audio sensors, or cameras.
  3. The method of claim 1, wherein the obstruction criteria includes an object displacement threshold based on an origin position and a subsequent position, and an object size threshold based on a first dimension, a second dimension, and a third dimension.
  4. The method of claim 1, wherein the home arrival is detected by a security system in response to a door unlock of a home.
  5. The method of claim 1, wherein: collecting the environment data includes capturing, by an image capturing system, a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment; detecting the environmental change in the area of the home environment includes: capturing, in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system, a second set of images for the set of areas, and identifying an object of the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria; and providing the notification of the environmental change includes notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting an area transition.
  6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the area transition further comprises: monitoring, using a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking system, the location of a cane of the user, wherein the cane is equipped with a RFID bit communicatively connected to the RFID tracking system; detecting that the location of the cane has been displaced by a distance value greater than a distance threshold.
  7. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the area transition further comprises: monitoring, using a thermal imaging system, a body heat signature; and detecting that the body heat signature has been displaced by a distance value greater than a distance threshold.
  8. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the notification of the environmental change includes announcing, through a dog collar communicatively connected to the image capturing system and equipped with a speaker, a voice message notifying the user of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria.
  9. A system for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user, the system comprising: a monitoring module configured to monitor the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment; a detecting module configured to detect an environmental change in an area of the home environment; and a providing module configured to provide, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change; wherein collecting the environment data includes capturing, by an image capturing system, a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment; wherein detecting the environmental change in the area of the home environment includes: a capturing module configured to capture, in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system, a second set of images for the set of areas, and an identifying module configured to identify an object of the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria; wherein providing the notification of the environmental change includes notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting a home arrival; and wherein detecting the home arrival further comprises: recording, by a sound capture device, a set of dog barks; an analyzing module configured to analyze, in response to recording the set of dog barks, a bark frequency and a bark pitch of the set of dog barks; and a determining module configured to determine, based on the bark frequency and the bark pitch, occurrence of the home arrival.
  10. The system of claim 9, wherein the obstruction criteria includes an object displacement threshold based on an origin position and a subsequent position, and an object size threshold based on a first dimension, a second dimension, and a third dimension.
  11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a first computing device, causes the first computing device to: monitor the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment; detect an environmental change in an area of the home environment; and provide, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change, wherein the environment data includes a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment captured by an image capturing system; wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the first computing device to detect the environmental change in the area of the home environment by identifying an object of a second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria, the second set of images captured in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system; wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the first computing device to provide the notification of the environmental change includes by notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting a home arrival; and wherein the computer readable program is configured to cause the first computing device to detect the home arrival by: analyzing a bark frequency and a bark pitch of a set of dog barks recorded by a sound capture device; and determining, based on the bark frequency and the bark pitch, occurrence of the home arrival.

Description

The present disclosure relates to computer-aided navigation, and more specifically, identifying a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user.

Various methods and systems can aid visually impaired individuals in unfamiliar surroundings. Devices and systems may guide the visually impaired by utilizing detection devices to warn the user of obstacles. Such devices may allow for the user to navigate a home environment.

Aspects of the present disclosure, in certain embodiments, are directed toward detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user. In certain embodiments, the method may include monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment. In certain embodiments, the method may include detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment. In certain embodiments, the method may include providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure.

The drawings included in the present application are incorporated into, and form part of, the specification. They illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, along with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings are only illustrative of certain embodiments and do not limit the disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user, according to embodiments;

Citations (16)

  • US7598976B2
  • US20060129308A1
  • US7408465B2
  • US20080143517A1
  • US20100263603A1
  • US20120127291A1
  • US8605141B2
  • US20140112537A1
  • CN102499862A
  • US20130216093A1
  • US20130253818A1
  • US20130250078A1
  • US20130332452A1
  • US20140040252A1
  • WO2013186574A2
  • US20150116082A1
Record as JSON 
{
  "publication_number": "US9355547B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Identifying a change in a home environment",
  "abstract": "A system and computer implemented method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user is disclosed. The method may include monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment. The method may also include detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment. The method may also include providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A computer implemented method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user, the method comprising: monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment; detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment; and providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change; wherein collecting the environment data includes capturing, by an image capturing system, a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment; wherein detecting the environmental change in the area of the home environment includes: capturing, in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system, a second set of images for the set of areas, and identifying an object of the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria; wherein providing the notification of the environmental change includes notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting a home arrival; wherein detecting the home arrival further comprises: recording, by a sound capture device, a set of dog barks; analyzing, in response to recording the set of dog barks, a bark frequency and a bark pitch of the set of dog barks; and determining, based on the bark frequency and the bark pitch, occurrence of the home arrival.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of sensors includes one or more selected from the group consisting of motion sensors, audio sensors, or cameras.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the obstruction criteria includes an object displacement threshold based on an origin position and a subsequent position, and an object size threshold based on a first dimension, a second dimension, and a third dimension.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the home arrival is detected by a security system in response to a door unlock of a home.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein: collecting the environment data includes capturing, by an image capturing system, a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment; detecting the environmental change in the area of the home environment includes: capturing, in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system, a second set of images for the set of areas, and identifying an object of the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria; and providing the notification of the environmental change includes notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting an area transition.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the area transition further comprises: monitoring, using a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking system, the location of a cane of the user, wherein the cane is equipped with a RFID bit communicatively connected to the RFID tracking system; detecting that the location of the cane has been displaced by a distance value greater than a distance threshold.",
    "7. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the area transition further comprises: monitoring, using a thermal imaging system, a body heat signature; and detecting that the body heat signature has been displaced by a distance value greater than a distance threshold.",
    "8. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the notification of the environmental change includes announcing, through a dog collar communicatively connected to the image capturing system and equipped with a speaker, a voice message notifying the user of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria.",
    "9. A system for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user, the system comprising: a monitoring module configured to monitor the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment; a detecting module configured to detect an environmental change in an area of the home environment; and a providing module configured to provide, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change; wherein collecting the environment data includes capturing, by an image capturing system, a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment; wherein detecting the environmental change in the area of the home environment includes: a capturing module configured to capture, in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system, a second set of images for the set of areas, and an identifying module configured to identify an object of the second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria; wherein providing the notification of the environmental change includes notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting a home arrival; and wherein detecting the home arrival further comprises: recording, by a sound capture device, a set of dog barks; an analyzing module configured to analyze, in response to recording the set of dog barks, a bark frequency and a bark pitch of the set of dog barks; and a determining module configured to determine, based on the bark frequency and the bark pitch, occurrence of the home arrival.",
    "10. The system of claim 9, wherein the obstruction criteria includes an object displacement threshold based on an origin position and a subsequent position, and an object size threshold based on a first dimension, a second dimension, and a third dimension.",
    "11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a first computing device, causes the first computing device to: monitor the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment; detect an environmental change in an area of the home environment; and provide, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change, wherein the environment data includes a first set of images for the set of areas of the home environment captured by an image capturing system; wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the first computing device to detect the environmental change in the area of the home environment by identifying an object of a second set of images meeting an obstruction criteria, the second set of images captured in response to receiving a motion alert from a motion detection system coupled to the image capturing system; wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the first computing device to provide the notification of the environmental change includes by notifying a user, using a mobile device communicatively connected to the image capturing system, of the identified object meeting the obstruction criteria in response to detecting a home arrival; and wherein the computer readable program is configured to cause the first computing device to detect the home arrival by: analyzing a bark frequency and a bark pitch of a set of dog barks recorded by a sound capture device; and determining, based on the bark frequency and the bark pitch, occurrence of the home arrival."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to computer-aided navigation, and more specifically, identifying a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user.\n\nVarious methods and systems can aid visually impaired individuals in unfamiliar surroundings. Devices and systems may guide the visually impaired by utilizing detection devices to warn the user of obstacles. Such devices may allow for the user to navigate a home environment.\n\nAspects of the present disclosure, in certain embodiments, are directed toward detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user. In certain embodiments, the method may include monitoring the home environment using a set of sensors configured to collect environment data for a set of areas of the home environment. In certain embodiments, the method may include detecting an environmental change in an area of the home environment. In certain embodiments, the method may include providing, in response to a triggering event, a notification of the environmental change.\n\nThe above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure.\n\nThe drawings included in the present application are incorporated into, and form part of, the specification. They illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, along with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings are only illustrative of certain embodiments and do not limit the disclosure.\n\nFIG. 1 illustrates a method for detecting a change in a home environment for a visually impaired user, according to embodiments;",
  "cpc": [
    "G08B 21/02",
    "A61B 5/024",
    "A61B 5/0816",
    "A61B 5/4806",
    "A61H 2003/063",
    "A61H 2201/501",
    "A61H 2201/5043",
    "A61H 2201/5046",
    "A61H 2201/5048",
    "A61H 2201/5058",
    "A61H 2201/5082",
    "A61H 2201/5092",
    "A61H 2201/5097",
    "A61H 3/06",
    "A61H 3/061",
    "G01S 15/523",
    "G01S 15/89",
    "G09B 21/00",
    "G09B 21/001",
    "G09B 21/006",
    "G09B 21/008",
    "G09B 29/004"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G08B 21/02",
    "G09B 21/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "International Business Machines Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Mark B. Stevens",
    "John D. Wilson"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-05-22",
  "publication_date": "2016-05-31",
  "grant_date": "2016-05-31",
  "priority_date": "2014-05-22",
  "application_number": "US-201414284581-A",
  "family_id": "54556453",
  "cited_by_count": 29,
  "citations": [
    "US7598976B2",
    "US20060129308A1",
    "US7408465B2",
    "US20080143517A1",
    "US20100263603A1",
    "US20120127291A1",
    "US8605141B2",
    "US20140112537A1",
    "CN102499862A",
    "US20130216093A1",
    "US20130253818A1",
    "US20130250078A1",
    "US20130332452A1",
    "US20140040252A1",
    "WO2013186574A2",
    "US20150116082A1"
  ]
}

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