JP2002163759A - Information-providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save the trouble in installation construction by facilitating supplying of electric power to a transmission device for information that a pavement block is provided with. SOLUTION: An information-providing system has a high-frequency power source 116, a high-frequency power transmission line 114 which is connected to the high-frequency power source and embedded along a pedestrian road, and a pavement block 108 equipped with an information transmission device 106. The information transmission device 106 receives induced electromotive force from the high-frequency power transmission line 114 and is driven and to transmit information is transmitted to a person on the pedestrian path.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information providing system for transmitting information to visually impaired persons and other persons on a pedestrian road.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a demand for social infrastructure for appropriately guiding visually impaired persons to destinations and providing information on the current location in public places such as urban areas and station yards.
As a conventional information providing system, a pavement block such as a braille block installed at an intersection is provided with an information transmitting device, and a pedestrian approaches the intersection by an arbitrary detecting means (for example, a magnetic sensor or a pressure sensor). In some cases, a predetermined guidance is output as a voice when such a situation is detected. This allows a pedestrian such as a visually impaired to know the current location and the direction in which he or she should go.

[0003]

However, such an information providing system has the following problems. (1) The information transmitting device provided in the Braille block needs to be connected to a commercial power supply to supply the power, and the wiring from the commercial power supply to each transmitting device and the connection work require considerable trouble. . (2) In a conventional information transmitting apparatus, only information stored in a memory of the conventional information transmitting apparatus can be reproduced only, and information to be reproduced cannot be changed depending on a change in a situation or a condition. Therefore, conventionally, when it is desired to change the reproduction information, it is necessary to replace the memory storing the information or the entire device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information providing system which facilitates power supply to an information transmitting device provided on a pavement block including a Braille block, and can reduce the number of installation work.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an information providing system capable of easily changing information provided from each information transmitting device without exchanging devices. It is in.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an information providing system according to the present invention comprises a high-frequency power source, a high-frequency power transmission line connected to the high-frequency power source and buried along a pedestrian road. An information transmitting device for transmitting information to a person on the pedestrian road, the pavement block being buried in the pedestrian road, driven by receiving an induced electromotive force from the high-frequency transmission line. It is configured to have:

In this case, the information transmission device provided on the pavement block includes a secondary coil disposed near the high-frequency transmission line as a primary side and receiving an induced electromotive force from the high-frequency transmission line. An AC-DC converter for converting the induced electromotive force into direct current, storage means for storing the information to be transmitted to a person on the pedestrian road, and storing the information stored in the storage means in the pedestrian road. And information output means for outputting to an upper person.

In the present invention, the information transmission device provided on the pavement block includes a transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting the information instead of the information output unit, and the information providing system is carried by a person. Information terminal provided with receiving means for receiving information from the information transmitting device, and information output means for outputting the information received by the receiving means. .

[0009] In these cases, it is preferable that the information output means provided in the information transmitting device or the information terminal is a sound output means for reproducing the information by sound. Further, in the present invention, the information providing system further includes an information transmission device for transmitting a modulated wave in which a signal wave of predetermined information is superimposed on a carrier wave, on the high-frequency transmission line, and is provided in the pavement block. The information transmitting apparatus may further include information restoring means for detecting the signal wave from the modulated wave transmitted on the high-frequency transmission line and restoring original information.

Further, the present invention relates to a pavement block buried in a pedestrian road. The pavement block according to the present invention,
An information transmission device is provided which is driven by receiving an induced electromotive force from a high-frequency transmission line buried along the pedestrian road and transmits information to a person on the pedestrian road.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a pedestrian road provided with an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information providing system according to the present embodiment provides route guidance information to a visually impaired person walking on a Braille block at a main point such as an intersection or a bus stop.

In the figure, a Braille block 102 is laid on a pedestrian road 100 so that a visually impaired person can walk along it. At the intersection 104 of the Braille block, a Braille block 108 including an information transmitting device 201 constituting the information providing system according to the present invention is laid. The information transmitting apparatus 201 reproduces predetermined information by a speaker 110 installed in a Braille block, using an output of an arbitrary sensor for detecting approach of a visually impaired person as a trigger. For this detection, a pressure sensor can be installed on the adjacent Braille block to detect the pressure when a visually impaired steps on it. It is possible to detect a change in the magnetic field caused by a magnetic body attached to the tip of the cane of a disabled person crossing the wand.

[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention,
The information transmitting device 201 includes an FM transmitter, and transmits the information to the information terminal 112 carried by a visually impaired person. The predetermined information sent to the information terminal 112 is reproduced by voice and transmitted to the visually impaired through earphones.

An information providing system according to the present invention includes a high-frequency transmission line 114 buried along the Braille block 102.
And a high-frequency power source 116 connected thereto. As will be described later, the high-frequency transmission line 114 passes in the vicinity of the information transmission device 201 installed in the Braille block 108 and gives an induced electromotive force to it by electromagnetic induction in a non-contact manner. Braille block 1 with information transmission device 201
08 can be installed at any position as long as the high-frequency power transmission line 114 is laid, and it is not necessary to consider wiring from a commercial power supply.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information providing system 200 according to the present embodiment includes an information transmitting device 201, a high-frequency power transmission line 114 for supplying power to the information transmitting device 201, and a high-frequency power source 116. Note that a load adjusting capacitor 118 is provided on the high-frequency transmission line 114.

In this embodiment, the information transmitting device 201
Includes a control unit 202 including a CPU, a memory 204 for storing voice data, a voice synthesis unit 206, and a speaker 208, and a secondary coil as a power supply unit for supplying power to these circuits. 210 and AC-DC
A converter 212 is provided.

The memory 204 is preferably composed of a non-volatile memory such as a ROM or a flash memory, and previously stores voice data given to a visually impaired person. The voice data is, for example, "It is a pedestrian crossing.""It is a XX bus stop."
Store the information according to the installation position of the information transmission device. Alternatively, a plurality of channels may be set in the memory 204 and different audio data may be prepared for a plurality of types of people. In such a case, the control unit 202 reads the audio data of the target channel according to the identification signal transmitted from the pedestrian.

The voice synthesizer 206 enables the voice data stored in the memory 204 to be reproduced. Voice synthesis unit 2
06 is D / which converts the digitized audio signal into an analog signal.
A function as an A converter is provided, and the speaker 20
8 enables the audio stored in the memory 204 to be output. The voice reproduction by the voice synthesis unit 206 is performed by the control unit 202.
Is started based on a sensor output given to the pedestrian, that is, a pedestrian detection.

The secondary coil 210 is disposed in the vicinity of a high-frequency power transmission line 114 buried in the ground, and is brought into contact with the high-frequency power transmission line 114 in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic induction action with the high-frequency power transmission line 114. As the induced electromotive force. The arrangement of the secondary coil 210 with respect to the high-frequency transmission line 114 will be described later. AC-DC converter 212
Converts the AC electromotive force obtained by the secondary coil 210 into DC, and provides the DC to each component of the information transmission device 201, that is, the control unit 202, the memory 204, and the voice synthesis unit 206.

As described above, the information transmission device 201 can be supplied with power only by installing it at a predetermined position on the high-frequency transmission line 114 buried underground. Therefore, when installing the information transmission device 201, it is not necessary to route wiring from a commercial power supply, and the installation workability is extremely good.

In the information providing system configured as described above, when a pedestrian such as a visually impaired approaches the Braille block 108 on which the information transmitting device is installed as shown in FIG.
A predetermined sensor detects this, and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 202 of the information transmission device 201. In response to the detection signal, the control unit 202 reads out the audio data stored in the memory 204 and passes it to the audio synthesis unit 206. In the voice synthesizing unit 206, a voice signal converted into analog from the voice data is generated, output to the speaker 208, and given to the pedestrian.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an information providing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The information providing system 300 according to the present embodiment includes an information transmitting device 302,
In addition to the high-frequency power transmission line 114 and the high-frequency power source 116 for supplying power thereto, an information transmission device 304 for transmitting predetermined information on the high-frequency power transmission line 114 and a pedestrian such as a visually impaired person are carried. It is configured to include the information terminal 306. Information providing system 300 according to the present embodiment
, The high-frequency transmission line 11 from the information transmission device 304
4 is transmitted through the information transmission device 302.
Is obtained by The information obtained by the information transmitting device 302 is transmitted to the information terminal 306 carried by the pedestrian by FM transmission, where it is voice-synthesized, and given to the pedestrian via a speaker or an earphone.

The information transmission device 304 is for transmitting a modulated wave in which a signal wave of predetermined information is superimposed on a carrier wave on the high-frequency transmission line 114. That is, the information transmission device 304 superimposes a signal wave carrying predetermined information on a carrier generated by the high-frequency power source 116. The information transmission device 304 can supply a plurality of different pieces of information as signal waves for a plurality of information transmission devices 302 arranged on the high-frequency transmission line 114. In this case, a header for identifying each piece of information is provided. The information is transmitted with the information.
As will be described later, each information transmission device 302 can appropriately distribute information to a plurality of information transmission devices on a high-frequency transmission line by acquiring only information having header information targeted by itself. As a method of superimposing a signal wave on a carrier, any one of a frequency modulation method, an amplitude modulation method, and a pulse modulation method can be adopted.

In the present embodiment, the information transmitting device 302
Are a control unit 308 including a CPU, a memory 310 for storing a modulated wave from a high-frequency transmission line, a detection unit 3
12, an audio information modulator 314, a determination unit 316, and an FM transmitter 318, and a secondary coil 320 and an AC-DC converter 322 as a power supply unit for supplying power to these circuits as in the above-described embodiment. .

On the other hand, the information terminal 306 carried by the pedestrian
Is an F that receives voice data from the information transmitting device 302
An M receiver 324, a memory 326 for storing received audio data, an audio synthesis unit 328 for reproducing audio data, and a control unit 330 are provided.

In the information transmitting device 302, the detection unit 312 transmits the signal via the high-frequency transmission line 114
A signal wave including predetermined information is extracted from the modulated wave temporarily stored in 0. The audio information modulator 314 reproduces the original information bits based on the signal wave extracted by the detector 312.

The determining unit 316 converts the information bits reproduced by the audio information modulator 314 into the information terminal 306 based on the header information of the acquired information and other conditions.
It is determined whether to transmit to the side. For example, only when the reproduced information has header information including an ID that matches the identification ID previously held by the determination unit 316 of each information transmission device 302, this information is transmitted to the information terminal 306. I can do it. This makes it possible to reproduce information suitable for the installation location of the information transmission device (for example, an intersection, a bus stop, a station, a public facility, etc.). Also, if the header information is
When the ID matches the ID for identifying the pedestrian transmitted from the pedestrian, the information can be transmitted. This makes it possible to reproduce different information depending on the type of pedestrian. Reproduced by the audio information modulator 314,
The information bits targeted by the determination unit 316 are stored in the memory 31
0, and is put on standby for transmission from the FM transmitter 318 based on a control signal from the control unit 308.

In the information providing system 300 having the above-described configuration, the modulated wave transmitted through the high-frequency transmission line 114 is converted into a direct current by the secondary coil 320 and the AC-DC converter 322, and provided to each circuit of the information transmitting device. Thus, the information transmission device 302 is always driven. Further, the modulated wave is input to a detection unit 312, from which a signal wave is obtained, and a sound information modulator 314 is obtained.
To reproduce the original information bits. Then, it is determined whether or not the information should be transmitted from the information transmitting device to the pedestrian according to a predetermined criterion set in the determining unit 316, and stored in a predetermined channel of the memory 310.

As shown in FIG. 1, when a pedestrian such as a visually impaired approaches the Braille block 108 on which the information transmitting device is installed, a predetermined sensor detects the approach and the information transmitting device 3
02, and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 308. Control unit 30
8 receives the detection signal, reads out the audio data stored in the memory 310, and wirelessly transmits the audio data via the FM transmitter 318.

The signal from the FM transmitter 318 is
FM receiver 324 of information terminal 306 carried by pedestrian
And stored in the memory 326. Memory 326
Are immediately processed by the voice synthesizer 328,
The content is heard by a pedestrian through a speaker or earphone 332.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a mode of mounting the information transmitting apparatus on a Braille block. In the mode shown in FIG. 5A, the Braille block 400 has a concave portion 400a at the center of the lower surface thereof, which can accommodate the information transmitting device 402. The housing of the information transmitting device 402 is
And is fixed in the concave portion 400a by any fixing means (for example, screwing, locking claws).
The information transmitting device 402 has a secondary coil (not shown) exposed on the lower surface side thereof, and a braille block 400.
Is laid on a pedestrian road in which the high-frequency power transmission line 114 is buried, the secondary coil is arranged above and close to the high-frequency power transmission line 114.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the housing of the information transmitting device 406 is formed to have the same outer dimensions as the Braille block 404 to which the information transmitting device 406 is mounted. The information transmitting device 40 can be fixed by any fixing means such as bonding, screwing, and locking.
6 is fixed to the Braille block 404 and integrated therewith. Also in this embodiment, the secondary coil (not shown) is exposed from the lower surface side of the information transmitting device 406, and the high-frequency transmission line 11
4 so as to be able to supply electric power from them.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the secondary coil in the information transmission device. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7A, the secondary coils 500, 500 are respectively wound around a pair of H-shaped cores 502 in a direction along the axial direction of the high-frequency transmission line 114. Core 502
Is made of a soft magnetic material such as ferrite, permalloy, or amorphous, and is fixed to an information transmitting device (not shown). The high-frequency power transmission line 114 as the primary side and the secondary side coil 500 are brought close to each other within the concave portion 502a surrounded by the H-shaped core 502, so that the secondary side coil 500 has a relatively small leakage current. An induced electromotive force can be generated on the 500 side.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, a pair of U-shaped cores 506, 5
08 is used. A secondary coil 504 is wound around the upper U-shaped core 506, and the lower U-shaped core 50
8 is arranged under the high-frequency transmission line 114. The upper and lower U-shaped cores may be formed integrally. As described above, the region where the high-frequency transmission line 114 and the secondary coil 504 face each other is electromagnetically closed by the two U-shaped cores 506 and 508, the leakage current is reduced, and the generation efficiency of the electromotive force is improved.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the matters described in the above embodiments, and improvements, changes, and the like can be made based on the claims. Although the embodiments of the present invention are directed to pedestrians, it will be apparent that the present system can be applied to a case where information is provided to a disabled person using a wheelchair equipped with an information terminal. Further, the present system may provide information to a healthy person, and in this case, the information transmitting device may be provided on a pavement block other than the braille block.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the power supply to the information transmitting device provided in the pavement block can be performed very easily.

Further, according to the present invention, the information provided from the information transmitting device can be easily changed by transmitting the predetermined information to the information transmitting device via the high-frequency transmission line. Accordingly, appropriate information can be dynamically given according to the installation conditions, changes in environmental conditions, types of pedestrians who provide information, and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a pedestrian road on which an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an information providing system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an implementation mode for a Braille block of the information transmission device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a secondary coil in the information transmission device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Pedestrian road 102 Braille block 104 Intersection 106 Information transmission device 108 Braille block 110 Speaker 112 Information terminal 114 High frequency transmission line 116 High frequency power source 118 Capacitor 200 Information providing system 201 Information transmission device 202 Control unit 204 Memory 206 Voice synthesis unit 208 Speaker 210 Secondary coil 212 AC-DC converter 300 Information providing system 302 Information transmitting device 304 Information transmitting device 306 Information terminal 308 Control unit 310 Memory 312 Detection unit 314 Audio information modulator 316 Judgment unit 318 FM transmitter 320 Secondary coil 322 AC-DC converter 324 FM receiver 326 Memory 328 Voice synthesis unit 330 Control unit 332 Speaker or earphone 400 Braille block 400a recess 402 information transmission apparatus 404 raised block 406 the information transmission apparatus 500 secondary coil 502 core 502a recess 504 secondary coil 506, 508 U-shaped core

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Fumio Tai 1-6-5, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan Road Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Seiji Kosugi 6-71-3, Minamiga, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Techno Support F term in a limited company (reference) 2D051 AB03 AB06 AC01 DA01 5H180 AA23 BB04 BB08 CC17 CC21

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A high-frequency power source, a high-frequency power transmission line connected to the high-frequency power source and buried along a pedestrian road, and a pavement block buried in the pedestrian road,
Driven by receiving an induced electromotive force from the high-frequency transmission line,
An information transmission device for transmitting information to a person on the pedestrian road. 2. The information transmitting device provided in the pavement block, wherein the high-frequency transmission line is disposed near the primary side with the high-frequency transmission line as a primary side,
A secondary coil that receives an induced electromotive force from the high-frequency transmission line; an AC-DC converter that converts the induced electromotive force into direct current; and a storage unit that stores the information to be transmitted to a person on the pedestrian road. The information providing system according to claim 1, further comprising: an information output unit that outputs the information stored in the storage unit to a person on the pedestrian road. 3. An information terminal carried by a person, wherein the information transmission device provided on the pavement block includes a transmission unit for wirelessly transmitting the information instead of the information output unit. The information providing system according to claim 2, further comprising: a receiving unit that receives information from the information transmitting device; and an information output unit that outputs information received by the receiving unit. 4. The information providing system according to claim 2, wherein the information output unit provided in the information transmission device or the information terminal is a voice output unit that reproduces the information by voice. 5. The information providing system further includes an information transmission device for transmitting a modulated wave in which a signal wave of predetermined information is superimposed on a carrier wave, on the high-frequency transmission line, and is provided in the pavement block. The information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the information transmitting device includes an information restoring unit that detects the signal wave from a modulated wave transmitted on the high-frequency transmission line and restores original information. 6. An information transmission device driven by receiving an induced electromotive force from a high-frequency transmission line buried along a pedestrian road and transmitting information to a person on the pedestrian road. A pavement block buried in the pedestrian road.