IT201800007103A1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AUDIO INFORMATION TO A PROOF OR BLIND PERSON USING WIRELESS ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSMISSION DEVICES - Google Patents

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AUDIO INFORMATION TO A PROOF OR BLIND PERSON USING WIRELESS ELECTRONIC DATA TRANSMISSION DEVICES

DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to a system and a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person using wireless electronic data transmission devices. Particularly, but not limitingly, the invention relates to a method and system for guiding the walking direction of a visually impaired or visually impaired person along a path within an environment on the basis of audio information provided by a portable device of the person able to wirelessly interrogate electronic data transmission devices set up along the route.

Known art

Tactile signaling systems have been known for a long time to provide information to visually impaired or blind people about areas or environments and which help these people to orient themselves and move by identifying specific paths in such environments.

Recently, interest has grown in guidance and mobility assistance systems for visually impaired and blind people who use the latest technologies in the electronic / IT field. In particular, there have been attempts to make available electronic systems, for example including devices operating in radiofrequency, configured to inform a visually impaired or blind user about the position, the direction of walking and the surrounding environment.

In particular, electronic devices are known which are suitable for providing predetermined audio messages. However, such known devices have limitations as they are often heavy and bulky, have limited autonomy and are often impractical and difficult to activate by a visually impaired or blind person.

Furthermore, other known devices, such as for example smartphones that include tactile user interfaces, are made with different purposes and are inadequate for use by a visually impaired / blind person although they are capable of memorizing and running software applications. for different uses.

In other words, such known devices and related systems have often proved inadequate for improving the orientation and mobility of partially sighted and blind people in a given environment.

Summary

The purpose of the present invention is to devise and make available a system and a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person using wireless electronic data transmission devices, which allows to overcome, at least partially, the limits and drawbacks of known systems.

In particular, the system of the invention, which uses wireless data transmission devices, including RFID tags and Bluetooth low energy transducers (Bluetooth Low Energy or BLE), and a portable electronic device that receives such data, is configured to increase the autonomy of movement of the visually impaired or blind person and to facilitate access to the audio services provided.

Furthermore, the portable device of the system has the advantage of being light, portable, self-powered and easily activated by the visually impaired or blind person. The system of the invention therefore allows a partially sighted or blind person to obtain information about their position simply by reaching the portable device and activating it to receive a predetermined audio message from the system. In a standard operating mode, the audio message, in particular for the detection of objects present in an environment, is transmitted to the visually impaired / blind person who can listen to it directly.

Another purpose of the system of the invention is to make information available in real time on a specific area or zone of an environment that allows to avoid the disorientation of visually impaired people, especially people who have become partially sighted in old age.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for making audio information available to a partially sighted or blind person in which the portable receiving device is adapted to be gripped by the partially sighted / blind person and includes an audio headset to enable the '' private and inconspicuous listening to an information message associated with the fixed wireless transmission unit.

In a different operating mode of streaming audio transmission (streaming), audio messages can be transmitted to wirelessly connected speaker devices (for example, Bluetooth). In this case, a specific RFID tag includes a specific identifier or tag associated with an audio-streaming channel and the RFID tag tag includes information associated with an address of an Internet resource or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a Cloud system.

These and other purposes are achieved by means of a system for providing audio information to a partially sighted or blind person using wireless electronic data transmission devices in accordance with claim 1, as well as with a relative method in accordance with claim 11.

Alternative embodiments of the aforesaid system and method are defined in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the system and a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person using wireless electronic data transmission devices of the invention will result from the following description of a preferred example of embodiment, given as an indication and not as a limitation. , with reference to the attached figures, in which: - figure 1 schematically shows an example of the system for providing audio information to a partially sighted or blind person using wireless electronic data transmission devices according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an example of a portable electronic device of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of a first example of embodiment of a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of a second example of embodiment of a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of a third example of embodiment of a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of a fourth example of embodiment of a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system of Figure 1;

Figure 7 shows a flow diagram of a fifth example of embodiment of a method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system of Figure 1;

Figures 8A-8B show flowcharts representative of a step of the methods for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person of Figures 3 and 4, respectively.

In the aforesaid figures identical or similar elements are indicated by the same numerical references.

Detailed description

With reference to figures 1-2, a system for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person using electronic devices for wireless data transmission is indicated as a whole with the numerical reference 100.

In the following description, the system 100 for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person using electronic devices for wireless data transmission will be indicated for the sake of brevity as a system for providing audio information or more simply a system.

The system 100 comprises a plurality of fixed wireless electronic devices I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, A-SOG-1, P1-SOG-1, O-SOG-11 accommodated in an environment 50.

In the following, the generic term room 50 will mean both a domestic environment, such as a room in a house depicted in figure 1, and a hall or room of a public office, a library, a museum, a restaurant. or any other environment other than the home environment.

In particular, the fixed electronic devices mentioned above comprising:

- one or more information devices I-SOG-2 (I-SOG-1, I-SOG-4, I-SOG-5, I-SOG-6, I-SOG-8, I- are also information devices SOG-10, I-SOG-13, I-SOG-15) each capable of transmitting a generic information or guide data in a path within the environment 50; - one or more proximity devices P-SOG-7, P1-SOG-1 (or also P-SOG-3, P-SOG-12), each capable of transmitting a proximity or guide data in a path to the interior of the environment 50;

- at least one area device A-SOG-1 capable of transmitting a data representative of the environment 50; - one or more O-SOG-11 object devices (or even O-SOG-9, O-SOG-14, O-SOG-16), each capable of transmitting a descriptive data of an object present in the environment 50.

Furthermore, the system 100 comprises a portable electronic device 10 or portable device, associated with the visually impaired or blind person PE and configured to receive the data transmitted by the aforementioned fixed wireless electronic devices to enable the generation of audio information to the visually impaired / blind person PE .

In greater detail, the portable electronic device 10 comprises a communication unit 1 configured for the reception and detection of data transmitted wirelessly by information devices, proximity devices, area devices and object devices and for data transmission to the outside of the portable device 10.

In one example, this communication unit 1 includes an antenna 11 adapted to operate in accordance with a wireless communication standard, for example RFID, BLE or WiFi. The aforesaid antenna is connected to an electronic block for detecting radio frequency signals 12 and optionally to an electronic block 13 for the analog / digital conversion of these signals.

The portable receiving device 10 also includes an electronic processing unit 2 or CPU, (Central Processing Unit), for example a microprocessor or microcontroller, configured to process the data received from the communication unit 1.

In an exemplary embodiment, this microprocessor can include the aforementioned electronic block 13 for analog / digital conversion of the signals.

It should be noted that the micro-processor 2 is configured to extract audio information from a memory unit 3 operatively associated with the electronic processing unit 2.

In a preferred example of embodiment of the invention, such audio information are audio messages that can be reproduced by the same portable device 10, or by a remote device connected wirelessly with this portable device 10, for example a speaker connected in Bluetooth to the device portable 10 in the case of audio streaming.

In a different example of embodiment, such audio information is an identification of an audio message stored in a remote device connected wirelessly (for example, Bluetooth) with the portable device 10 and reproduced by said remote device.

In particular, such audio information includes: - a first generic audio information or generic audio message following the receipt, by the portable device 10, of a generic information data or following the lack of a previously acquired information data,

- a second audio information following the receipt of a guide data in a path within the environment,

- a third audio information following the receipt of a representative data of the environment,

- a fourth audio information following the reception of a representative data of an object in the environment, - a fifth audio information following the reception of a representative data of a catalog associated with the reproduction of a thematic audio streaming.

In particular, the aforementioned first, second, third, fourth and fifth audio information are made available to the visually impaired / blind person PE.

The aforementioned memory unit 3 of the portable electronic device 10 comprises a service memory (RAM) 31 and a system or mass memory (ROM) 32. The portable electronic device 10 comprises a further mass memory SD in addition to the memory system 32 which takes the form of a solid state memory card, for example an SD (Secure Digital) card which can be removably fixed to the portable electronic device 10 to store the aforementioned audio information. This SD memory card can also store some system-related configuration and path files.

In addition, the portable receiving device 10 comprises a loudspeaker unit 4 controlled by the electronic processing unit 2.

In an embodiment example, this loudspeaker unit 4 is configured to convert the aforementioned first, second, third and fourth audio information into a respective first, second, third and fourth voice message to be emitted towards the outside of the portable device 10.

In a different example of embodiment, the electronic processing unit 2 of the portable electronic device 10 is configured to transmit the fifth audio information to the outside of the device through the communication unit 1.

It should be noted that all the electronic units included in the portable electronic device 10 are powered by a specific battery (not shown in the figures and for example removable and of the rechargeable type) housed in a compartment provided in this device.

In a first example of embodiment of the invention, the fixed wireless electronic devices I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 of the system 100 are passive RFID tags. In particular:

- each I-SOG-2 electronic RFID information tag is capable of transmitting information or guidance data representative of at least three audio files;

- each P-SOG-7 proximity RFID electronic tag is capable of transmitting a proximity or guide data representative of at least one audio file having a first time duration;

- each object RFID electronic tag O-SOG-11 is able to transmit a descriptive datum of an object representative of at least one audio file having a second temporal duration.

For example, this first time duration is about 3-5 seconds. Moreover, for example, this second time duration is about 3-10 seconds.

For example, the aforementioned information or guide data, proximity or guide data and descriptive data of an object take the form of a unique ID identifier or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) associated with each RFID electronic tag.

It should be noted that a configuration software program, stored in the portable electronic device 10, is able to associate the unique ID or the URL of each RFID electronic tag with a specific audio file stored in the portable device 10.

In greater detail, the information transmitted by the I-SOG-2 electronic RFID information tag is configured to make available:

- an indication of a first audio file to be reproduced in a restart operating condition of the portable electronic device 10;

- an indication of a second audio file to be played in a first operating condition indicating access to a different environment or the presence of objects;

- an indication of a third audio file to be played in a second operating condition indicating access to a different environment or the presence of objects.

In a second example of embodiment of the invention, the fixed wireless electronic devices P1-SOG-1, A-SOG-1 are active Bluetooth low energy (Bluetooth Low Energy) transmitters. In particular:

- each Bluetooth low-energy proximity transmitter P1-SOG-1 is able to transmit a proximity data representative of at least three audio files;

- each A-SOG-1 area low-energy Bluetooth transmitter is capable of transmitting a descriptive data of the environment representative of at least one audio file having a respective time duration.

For example, this respective time duration is about 3-15 seconds.

For example, the aforementioned proximity data and descriptive data of the environment take the form of a unique ID or a URL associated with each Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) transmitter.

It should be noted that a configuration software program, stored in the portable electronic device 10, is able to associate the unique ID or a URL of each Bluetooth low energy (BLE) transmitter with a type of audio file.

More specifically, the proximity data transmitted by the P1-SOG-1 low-energy Bluetooth transmitter is configured to make available:

- an indication of a first audio file to be reproduced in a restart operating condition of the portable electronic device 10;

- an indication of a second audio file to be reproduced in a first operating condition indicative of access to a different environment;

- an indication of a third audio file to be played in a second operating condition indicating access to a different environment.

It should be noted that the Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) transmitters of the invention are configured to receive the fifth audio information transmitted by the portable electronic device 10 and to make available the catalog associated with the reproduction of a thematic audio stream to the visually impaired / blind person PE through a respective loudspeaker.

Still with reference to Figure 2, the portable electronic device 10 comprises a user interface unit 5 connected to the electronic processing unit 2. Said user interface unit comprises at least one key 5 for selectively enabling by the hypovendent / non seeing PE the reception by a communication unit 1 of the data transmitted by electronic tags (RFID) or by Bluetooth low energy (BLE) transmitters.

In addition, the user interface also includes an additional 5 'key to enable the selection between a standard operating mode, a navigation operating mode or an audio streaming operating mode, as will be clarified below.

In an example of advantageous embodiment, the portable receiving device 10 can include, in addition or instead of the loudspeaker unit 4, an audio earphone to allow the visually impaired / blind person to listen privately and inconspicuously to a message. information associated with electronic tags (RFID) or Bluetooth low energy (BLE) transmitters.

A first example of embodiment of an algorithm or method 300 for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system 100 is described below in greater detail with particular reference to the flow diagram of Figure 3.

In particular, this algorithm refers to the interaction, in a standard operating mode, of the portable electronic device 10 with the electronic tags (RFID) of the passive type I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 of the system 100 accepted in the environment 50.

With reference to Figure 3, the method 300 includes a symbolic phase of the start of STR, for example following the switching on of the portable device 10, and a symbolic phase of the end of ED, for example following the switching off of the device itself.

After switching on the device 10, the method comprises a step 301 for checking, by the processing unit 2, the contents of the memory unit 3, in particular the SD memory card, and checking the configuration files .

In particular, with this phase the algorithm checks if the SD memory card is correctly inserted in the portable device 10, if the SD card includes the configuration files and if the audio information is present, i.e. the audio messages to be played.

In the event that at least one of the aforementioned checks gives a negative result, the portable device 10 returns an appropriate signal, for example sound.

In the event of a positive outcome of the aforementioned checks, the method 300 comprises a step of sending a welcome message 302 for the visually impaired / blind person PE, for example through the loudspeaker 4 of the portable device 10.

Subsequently, the method comprises a step of resetting 303 of the counters and / or of the last positions detected by the portable device 10 present in the memory unit 3.

At this point, the method comprises a step 304 for detecting the electronic tags (RFID) of the passive type I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 and reproduction of the related audio files.

In particular, with reference to Figure 8A, this step 304 comprises the steps of:

- reception 3041, by the communication unit 1 of the portable electronic device 10, of the data transmitted wirelessly by the information, proximity and object labels (RFID);

- processing 3042, by the electronic processing unit 2, of the data received by the communication unit 1 to extract, from the memory unit 3: the first audio information following the reception of a generic information data or the lack of previously acquired data,

the second audio information following the receipt of a guide data in a path within room 50,

the fourth audio information following the receipt of a representative data of an object in the environment 50,

the fifth audio information following the reception of a representative datum of a catalog associated with the reproduction of a thematic audio streaming.

The method also includes the step of making 3043 the first, second, fourth and fifth audio information available to the visually impaired / blind person PE.

A second example of embodiment of an algorithm or method 400 for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person PE executable by means of the system 100 is described below in greater detail with particular reference to the flow diagram of Figure 4.

In particular, this algorithm refers to the interaction, in a standard operating mode, of the portable electronic device 10 both with the passive electronic tags (RFID) I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 and with the active Bluetooth low energy (BLE) transmitters A-SOG-1 and P1-SOG-1 of the system 100 welcomed in room 50.

With reference to Figure 4, the method 300 includes a symbolic phase of the start of STR, for example following the switching on of the portable device 10, and symbolic phases of the end of ED, for example following the switching off of the device itself.

After switching on the device 10, the method includes a selection step 401, by the visually impaired / blind person PE of the operating mode of interaction of the device with the electronic tags (RFID) or with the transmitters (BLE). In particular, this occurs by acting on the part of the visually impaired / blind person on the selection key 5 provided on the portable device 10.

For example, the method provides for a verification step 402 according to which when the selector key 5 is in a first position (YES), the method 400 enables the first operating mode of interaction of the device 10 with the electronic tags (RFID). Conversely, with the selector key 5 in a second position (NO), the method 400 enables a second operating mode of interaction of the device 10 with the transmitters (BLE).

In the first operating mode of interaction (SI), the method 400 includes the same steps 301, 302, 303 and 304 described above with reference to the algorithm 300 in Figure 3.

In the second operating mode (NO), of interaction with the transmitters (BLE), the method 400 comprises a step 403 for checking, by the processing unit 2, of the contents of the memory unit 3, in particular of the control board. SD memory, and control of configuration files.

In particular, the algorithm 400 checks if the SD memory card is correctly inserted in the portable device 10, if the SD card includes the configuration files and if the audio information is present, ie the audio messages to be played.

In the event that at least one of the aforementioned checks gives a negative result, the portable device 10 returns an appropriate signal, for example sound.

In the event of a positive outcome of the aforementioned checks, the method 400 comprises a step 404 of sending a welcome message for the visually impaired / blind person, for example through the loudspeaker 4 of the portable device 10.

Subsequently, the method comprises a step of resetting 405 of the counters and / or of the last positions detected by the portable device 10 present in the memory unit 3.

At this point the method comprises a step 406 for detecting the active transmitters (BLE) A-SOG-1, P1-SOG-1 and reproduction of the related audio files.

In particular, with reference to Figure 8B, this step 406 comprises the steps of:

- reception 4061, by the communication unit 1 of the portable electronic device 10, of the data transmitted wirelessly by the proximity transmitters (BLE) P1-SOG-1 and area A-SOG-1;

- processing 4062, by the electronic processing unit 2, of the data received by the communication unit 1 to extract, from the memory unit 3: the second audio information following the reception of a guide data in a path to 'interior of the environment,

the third audio information following the receipt of a representative data of the environment.

The method 400 further comprises the step of making the second and third audio information available 4063 to the visually impaired / blind person.

A third example of embodiment of an algorithm or method 500 for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person PE executable by means of the system 100 is described below in greater detail with reference to the flow diagram of Figure 5.

In particular, this algorithm refers to the interaction of the portable electronic device 10 with the electronic tags (RFID) of the passive type I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 of the system 100 received in the room 50. In addition, the algorithm 500 provides the possibility for the visually impaired or blind person to select between the standard operating mode, described with reference to the algorithm of Figure 3, and an operating mode for navigation within the environment 50.

With reference to Figure 5, the method 500 includes a symbolic phase of the start of STR, for example following the switching on of the portable device 10, and symbolic phases of the end of ED, for example following the switching off of the device itself.

After switching on the device 10, the method includes step 501 of checking, by the processing unit 2, of the contents of the memory unit 3, in particular of the SD memory card, and checking the configuration files. This control step 501 is similar to step 301 described with reference to the algorithm of Figure 3.

Furthermore, the method 500 comprises a step of sending a welcome message 502 to the visually impaired / blind person, for example through the loudspeaker 4 of the portable device 10. This step 502 is similar to the step 302 described above.

Thereafter, the method comprises a selection step 503 between the standard operating mode or the navigation operating mode. This happens, for example, by acting on the additional selection key 5 'provided in the portable device 10.

If the standard operating mode is selected, the method 500 comprises the step of resetting the counters and / or of the last positions detected by the portable device 10 present in the memory unit 3 and the step 304 of the electronic labels ( RFID) of passive type I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 and reproduction of the related audio files, as already examined in detail with reference to the algorithm of figure 3.

If the navigation operating mode is selected, the method 500 comprises the step of resetting the counters and / or of the last positions detected by the portable device 10 present in the memory unit 3. This step 504 is analogous to step 303 mentioned above.

Subsequently, the method 500 comprises a step of sending a message 505 for the visually impaired / blind person, for example through the loudspeaker 4 of the portable device 10, to invite the visually impaired / blind person to move in the environment 50 to be able to recalculate its position.

Furthermore, the method 500 comprises a step 506 for detecting the electronic tags (RFID) of the passive type I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 and reproduction of the related audio files. This step 506 is similar to step 304 described above with reference to the algorithm of Figure 3.

Subsequently, the method 500 includes a navigation phase 507 and a phase 508 for the execution of other operations within the environment 50.

By way of example, in relation to the scheme of the system 100 of figure 1, i.e. assuming to perform a navigation procedure within a domestic environment, the algorithm 500 comprises the following steps: - the portable electronic device 10 reads the unique identifier ID the I-SOG-2 RFID tag; - processing unit 2 verifies that this ID identifier is present in the preloaded configuration file "Disp-RFID.txt" and from the name of the I-SOG-2 label it associates that it is located in a "living room" of the home environment;

- processing unit 2, after opening a configuration file representative of the rooms in room 50, Stanze.txt, associates the name of the audio message assigned to the "living room" room (for example, SOG.mp3) to the detected ID );

- the portable device 10 therefore plays the generic audio SOG.mp3 which includes the message "you are in the living room";

- then, the device 10 plays a navigation choice message "Mnav.mp3" which provides the visually impaired / blind person with a request as to where they want to go in the navigation in the environment 50;

- in particular, the algorithm opens a "path.txt" file identifying all the paths marked by the initials SOG, that is, the pre-set paths within the living room;

- for each of these paths, the algorithm 500 plays a corresponding audio message and waits for the user to confirm the selection of the destination;

- following the selection of the destination (for example from living room to other room), the algorithm 500 stores the corresponding path by reproducing an audio confirming the path from the living room to the room, which we assume terms in correspondence with the RFID I-SOG-6 tag ;

- setting this I-SOG-6 plate as its goal, the algorithm opens the SOG.txt configuration file, calculates the distance between I-SOG-2 and I-SOG-6 according to the logic of circular arrays, calculating the shortest distance between these two RFIDs, and storing in a respective array the ID identifiers of the RFID devices encountered along the path;

- following each movement and reading of the ID of a label along the chosen path, the portable device 10 plays the audio corresponding to that label and provides a confirmation message by counting the IDs backwards to the destination: when approaching to the I-SOG-6 label the label optionally reproduces a corresponding “approaching.mp3” confirmation audio;

- in the event that the visually impaired / blind person moves in the opposite direction, the portable device 10 reproduces an error message ("errata.mp3") and in the event that the person continues along an incorrect path for more than three tags RFID consecutive, the 500 algorithm asks the visually impaired / blind person PE to choose whether to recalculate the route again or return to the previous menu.

A fourth example of embodiment of an algorithm or method 600 for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system 100 is described below in greater detail with particular reference to the flow chart of Figure 6.

In particular, this algorithm 600 refers to the interaction of the portable electronic device 10 both with the electronic tags (RFID) of the passive type I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11 and with the transmitters (BLE) Active A-SOG-1 and P1-SOG-1 received in the environment 50. In the following, reference will be made to the same steps of the algorithms 400 and 500 described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, respectively.

In particular, the method 600 includes a symbolic phase of the start of STR, for example following the switching on of the portable device 10, and symbolic phases of the end of ED, for example following the switching off of the device itself.

After switching on the device 10, the method includes the selection phase 401, by the visually impaired / blind person, of the operating mode of interaction of the device with the labels (RFID) or with the transmitters (BLE). In particular, this occurs by acting on the part of the visually impaired / blind person on the selection key 5 of the portable device 10.

Similarly to the algorithm 400 of Figure 4, the method 600 provides for the verification step 402 according to which when the selector key 5 is in a first position (SI), the method 600 enables the first operating mode of interaction of the device 10 with the labels (RFID). Conversely, with the selector key 5 in a second position (NO), the method 400 enables the second operating mode of interaction of the device 10 with the transmitters (BLE).

In particular, with the selector key 5 in the second position (NO), the method 600 comprises the steps 403, 404, 405 and 406 described with reference to the interaction with the transmitters (BLE) and described with reference to Figure 4.

With the selector key 5 in the first position (YES), the method 600 includes operating steps relating to the interaction of the device 10 with the labels (RFID), in particular, the steps of the algorithm 500 described with reference to Figure 5 are reproduced.

In other words, the algorithm 600 includes the steps described above 501, 502, 503, 303, 304, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, i.e. it allows the visually impaired or blind person PE to select between the operating mode standard and the operating mode of navigation within the environment 50.

A further example of embodiment of an algorithm or method 700 for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person executable by means of the system 100 is described with particular reference to the flow chart of Figure 7.

This algorithm 700 refers to the interaction of the portable electronic device 10 both with the passive electronic tags (RFID) and with the active transmitters (BLE) received in the environment 50. In particular, this algorithm 700 implements an additional functionality with respect to those described with reference to the algorithm 600 of Figure 6, therefore reference will be made in the following to some of the steps described for this algorithm.

In particular, method 700 includes a symbolic phase of the start of STR, for example following the switching on of the portable device 10, and symbolic phases of the end of ED, for example following the switching off of the device itself.

After switching on the device 10, and possibly issuing welcome messages to the visually impaired / non-selling person, method 700 comprises a selection step 503 between the standard operating mode, the navigation operating mode (described with reference to algorithm 600) or an audio streaming operating mode. This happens, for example, by acting on the additional selection key 5 'provided in the portable device 10.

If the standard or navigation operating modes are selected, the method 700 implements the same operations already described with block of phases 601 of Figure 6.

In the case of selecting the audio streaming operating mode, the method 700 comprises a step 701 for sending a welcome message in the audio streaming mode in which an audio catalog associated with a subscription is made available.

Note that this audio catalog has pages each with an RFID tag. Each page is a themed page: for example, page 2 of the audio catalog includes audio news, page 3 audio novels, page 4 audio sports, etc.

If you plan to subscribe to a web audio streaming channel in Cloud mode, the first page of the audio catalog includes an RFID identifying the subscription configured to allow access to the other pages.

In detail, the method 700 comprises a verification step 702 of the subscription of the aforementioned subscription by the partially sighted / blind person. If the answer is affirmative, the method returns 703 a personalized welcome message with the name and surname of the user and with the indication of the themes (audio-news, audio-commedy, audio-sport) of the catalog to which you have access with the possibility to select the desired theme.

As demonstrated above, the system 100 and the method for providing audio information to a visually impaired or blind person using wireless electronic data transmission devices of the invention has numerous advantages.

In particular, through the interaction of the portable device 10 with RFID or BLE wireless devices, this system 100 increases the autonomy of movement of the visually impaired or blind person PE by facilitating access to audio services provided in an environment.

The proposed system 100 therefore allows a partially sighted or blind person to obtain information on their position in the environment 50 simply by reaching the portable device 100 and activating it to receive a predetermined audio message from the system.

Furthermore, the system of the invention makes available information in real time on a specific area or zone of an environment 50. This, in addition to avoiding the disorientation of visually impaired people, allows to signal the presence of objects in the environment, for example by using RFID tags which can signal different clothes inside a wardrobe.

To the embodiments of a system and method described above, a person skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent needs, may make changes, adaptations and replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of the following claims. Each of the features described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be realized independently of the other described embodiments.

Claims (14)

CLAIMS 1. A system (100) for providing audio information to a visually impaired / blind person (PE) using electronic devices for wireless data transmission, the system comprising: - a plurality of fixed wireless electronic devices (I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, A-SOG-1, P1-SOG-1, O-SOG-11) housed in an environment (50), called electronic devices fixed including: - one or more information devices (I-SOG-2), each capable of transmitting a generic information or guide data in a path within the environment (50), - one or more proximity devices (P-SOG -7; P1-SOG-1), each capable of transmitting a proximity or guide data in a path within the environment (50), - at least one area device (A-SOG-1) capable of transmitting a data representative of the environment (50), - one or more object devices (O-SOG-11), each capable of transmitting a descriptive data of an object in the environment (50); - a portable electronic device (10), associated with the visually impaired / blind person (PE), configured to receive the data transmitted by said fixed wireless electronic devices to enable the generation of audio information to the visually impaired / blind person, the portable device ( 10) which includes: - a communication unit (1) configured for the reception and detection of data transmitted wirelessly by information devices, proximity devices, area devices and object devices and for the transmission of data to the outside the portable device; - an electronic processing unit (2) configured to process the data received from the communication unit (1) and to extract, from a memory unit (3) of audio information operatively associated with said electronic processing unit (2): - an initial audio information following the receipt of generic information or the lack of previously acquired data, - a second audio information following the receipt of a guide data in a path within the environment, - a third audio information following the receipt of a representative data of the environment, - a fourth audio information following the reception of a representative data of an object in the environment, - a fifth audio information following the reception of a representative data of a catalog associated with the reproduction of a thematic audio streaming; said first, second, third, fourth and fifth audio information being made available to the visually impaired / blind person (PE). System (100) for providing audio information according to claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device (10) comprises a loudspeaker unit (4), controlled by the electronic processing unit (2), for converting said first, second , third and fourth audio information in a respective first, second, third and fourth voice message to be emitted towards the outside of the portable device (10). System (100) for providing audio information according to claim 1, wherein said electronic processing unit (2) of the portable electronic device (10) is configured to transmit said fifth audio information to the outside of the device through the unit communication (1). System (100) for providing audio information according to one of claims 1-3, wherein said fixed wireless electronic devices (I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, O-SOG-11) are passive type RFID tags , in which: - each electronic RFID information tag (I-SOG-2) is capable of transmitting information or guidance data representative of at least three audio files; - each proximity RFID electronic tag (P-SOG-7) is capable of transmitting a proximity or guide data representative of at least one audio file having a first duration; - each RFID electronic object tag (O-SOG-11) is capable of transmitting a descriptive datum of an object representative of at least one audio file having a second duration. 5. System (100) for providing audio information according to claim 4, in which the information or guide data transmitted by the electronic RFID information tag (I-SOG-2) is configured to make available: - an indication of a first audio file to be reproduced in an operating condition of restarting the portable electronic device (10); - an indication of a second audio file to be played in a first operating condition indicating access to a different environment or the presence of objects; - an indication of a third audio file to be played in a second operating condition indicating access to a different environment or the presence of objects. System (100) for providing audio information according to one of claims 1-3, wherein said fixed wireless electronic devices are Bluetooth low energy transmitters of the active type, wherein: - each Bluetooth low-energy proximity transmitter (P1-SOG-1) is able to transmit a proximity data representative of at least three audio files; - each Bluetooth low energy area transmitter (A-SOG-1) is able to transmit a descriptive data of the environment representative of at least one audio file having a respective duration. System (100) for providing audio information according to claim 6, wherein the proximity data transmitted by the Bluetooth Low Energy transmitter (P1-SOG-1) is configured to make available: - an indication of a first audio file to be reproduced in an operating condition of restarting the portable electronic device (10); - an indication of a second audio file to be reproduced in a first operating condition indicative of access to a different environment; - an indication of a third audio file to be played in a second operating condition indicating access to a different environment. System (100) for providing audio information according to claim 6 when dependent on 3, wherein said low-energy Bluetooth transmitters are configured to receive said fifth audio information transmitted by the portable electronic device (10) and to make the associated catalog available to the reproduction of a thematic audio streaming to the visually impaired / blind person (PE) through a respective loudspeaker. System (100) for providing audio information according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the portable electronic device (10) comprises a user interface unit (5, 5 ') connected to the electronic processing unit (2), said user interface unit comprising at least one key (5) to selectively enable the visually impaired / blind person to receive the data transmitted by the RFID electronic tags or by the Bluetooth transmitters by the communication unit (1) low energy. System (100) for providing audio information according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said portable electronic device (10) comprises a mass memory (SD) removably fixable to the portable electronic device for storing the audio information. 11. Method (300; 400; 500; 600; 700) for providing audio information to a visually impaired / blind person (PE) using electronic devices for wireless data transmission of a system (100) which includes: - a plurality of fixed wireless electronic devices (I-SOG-2, P-SOG-7, A-SOG-1, P1-SOG-1, O-SOG-11) received in an environment (50), in which said fixed devices including: one or more information devices (I-SOG-2), one or more proximity devices (P-SOG-7; P1-SOG-1), at least one area device (A-SOG-1), one or more object devices (O-SOG-11), the method comprising the transmission step: - of a generic information or guide data in a path within the environment by said one or more information devices (I-SOG-2), - of a proximity or guide data in a path within the environment (50) by said one or more proximity devices (P-SOG-7; P1-SOG-1), - of a data representative of the environment by said at least one area device (A-SOG-1), - of a descriptive data of an object in the environment by said one or more object devices (O-SOG-11); - provide a portable electronic device (10), associated with the hypovendent / blind person; - receive (3041; 4061), from a communication unit (1) of the portable electronic device (10), the data transmitted wirelessly by information devices, proximity devices, area devices and devices object and transmit data to the outside of the portable device; - processing (3042; 4062), by an electronic processing unit (2), the data received from the communication unit (1) to extract, from a memory unit (3) of audio information operatively associated with said unit processing electronics (2): a first audio information following the receipt of generic information or the lack of previously acquired data, a second audio information following the receipt of a guide data in a path within the environment, a third audio information following the reception of a representative data of the environment, a fourth audio information following the reception of a representative data of an object in the environment a fifth audio information following the reception of a data representative of a catalog associated with the reproduction of a thematic audio streaming; - make available (3043; 4063) the first, second, third, fourth and fifth audio information to the visually impaired / blind person. Method (300; 400; 500; 600; 700) for providing audio information to a visually impaired / blind person according to claim 11, further comprising a step of converting, by the portable electronic device (10), mentioned above, second, third and fourth audio information in a respective first, second, third and fourth voice message to be emitted towards the outside of the portable device. 13. Method (300; 400; 500; 600; 700) for providing audio information to a visually impaired / blind person (PE) according to claim 11, further comprising a step of transmitting said fifth audio information to the outside of the electronic device handset (10) via the communication unit (1). Method (700) for providing audio information to a visually impaired / blind person (PE) according to claim 11, comprising a selection step (503) between a standard operating mode, a navigation operating mode and a streaming operating mode audio, in said audio streaming operating mode, the method comprises the steps of: - send (701) a welcome message in audio streaming mode in which an audio catalog associated with a subscription is made available; - verify (702) the subscription of the aforementioned subscription by the partially sighted / blind person; - if the answer is affirmative, return (703) a personalized welcome message with the name and surname of the visually impaired / blind person and with an indication of the themes of the catalog to which you have access with the ability to select the desired theme.