WO1982002271A1

WO1982002271A1 - Route-indicating system

Info

Publication number: WO1982002271A1
Application number: PCT/NL1981/000029
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rudolph Jan Smedema
Original assignee: Rudolph Jan Smedema
Priority date: 1980-12-29
Filing date: 1981-12-23
Publication date: 1982-07-08
Also published as: NL8007077A; EP0067843A1

Abstract

System for guiding visitors of buildings and building complexes quick and without problems to the location of destination and therefrom to an eventual following destination or destinations and finally back to the exit by means of a portable way marker (personal guide) which one receives from door-porter or reception.

Description

Route indicating system.

The invention relates to a route indicating system provided with route indicating means. Such a system is generally known in which the route indicating means are constituted by traffic markers arranged fixedly in traffic crossing points or direction posts in big buildings. Usually, only a small number of destinations are indicated in traffic crossing points, as a too high number of destinations would create an inconvenient situation. Because only a small number of destinations is indicated, with a selected destination, on e should always know which of the destinations indicated in the crossing point relates to the selected destination. Frequently, very serious problems arise in particular in the traffic becoming increasingly busy, in which a quick action is required. A sudden stop for thinking over and/or for informing provides inevitably dangerous traffic situations.

In big buildings and in big building complexes, usually a high number of destinations is indicated involving the above mentioned disadvantage of inconvenient arrangement by which frequently, personnel in the building is asked for the way. Tnis is annoying especially in hospitals.

The invention has the object to provide a route indicating system in which the above mentioned problems are avoided.

According to the invention this object is achieved, because the route indicating means are constituted by a display device in a displacable apparatus provided with at least one destination stored in a memory and a switching device is provided converting the destination in a route indication signal controlling the display device for displaying a route indication associated with the destination. So, each user gets a displacable or portable apparatus on which in each crossing point of traffic roads or gangways only one indication of direction will appear so that the user is less occupied by searching the route. Further, the system is of great importance for illeterates in the third world. In an embodiment of the invention the switching device comprises a comparator comparing successively the destination signal corresponding to a destination with destination signals read from the memory, in which a route indication signal is generated associated to the read destination signal corresponding to the desired destination signal. In another embodiment of the invention the switching device consists of a transceiver in a displacable apparatus and at least one stationary transceiver is provided in which the transceiver in the displacable apparatus is provided with converging means converting a destination into the destination signal being transmitted and in which a stationary transceiver is provided also with converting means converting the destination signal received and corresponding to the destination into an associated route indication signal transmitted to the transceiver in the displacable apparatus and controlling the display device therein. In a further embodiment the switching device comprises a receiver circuit in the displacable apparatus and transmitter circuits are provided arranged in each crossing point of routes and each transmitting a number of destination signals being in force for each crossing point together with the associated route indication signals in a predetermined relation, in which by means of the destination stored in the memory the destination signal received and corresponding therewith is pointed out and based upon the relation the corresponding route indication signal.

Further designs of the latter embodiment are specified in the enclosed sub claims.

The invention will be explained by reference of the drawings, In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram ox an embodiment of the receive: according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the transmitter according to the invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a route;

Fig. 4 shows a block diagram in detail of an embodiment of a transmitter and receiver according to the invention; and Fig. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the portable apparatus according to the invention.

In principle the route indicating system comprises a dis placable apparatus provided with a display on which the direction to be taken is made visible for example by means of arrows. In the displacable apparatus a memory is provided in which a destination is stored. In this memory for each crossing point between origin and destination the associated direction, for exampie turning to the left, straight or turning to the right are stored. When a user of the apparatus approaches the first crossing point, by a transmitted reference signal identifying a corresponding crossing point a switching device is activated reading the route indication of the first crossing point from the memory, in which the route indication signal developed thereby is supplied to the display for displaying a route indication corresponding to the destination. In an embodiment the memory may contain all of the possible destinations being stored in the memory such, that for each crossing point destinations and corresponding routes are stored alloted to each other. A destination signal corresponding to the desired destination may be read from for example a read only memory (ROM). Further, the switching device comprises a comparator adapted to compare the destination signal corresponding to the desired destination with the possible destination signals read from the memory. When the user approaches the first crossing point the transmitted reference signal is received by which the destinations associated with the crossing point and corresponding route indications are pointed out. The comparator compares the destination signal corresponding to the desired destination with the destination signals being in force for the crossing point and upon resemblance thereof the route indication signal is generated corresponding to the read destination signal corresponding in its turn to the desired destination signal. Similar process is carried out for the crossing point between origin and destination.

According to another aspect of the invention the switching device comprises a transceiver arranged in the displacable apparatus. Further, at least one stationary transceiver is present. The transceiver in the displacable apparatus is provided with converting means converting the desired destination in a destination signal being transmitted. For example, the converting means may consist of a read only memory (ROM) in which the desired destination is stored. By reading the memory the destination signal corresponding to the desired destination is generated which signal is supplied to the transmitting portion of the transceiver of the displacable apparatus. When the user with his displacable or portable apparatus approaches the crossing point the receiver of the apparatus receives a transmitted reference signal identifying the crossing point. In response of this reference signal the above mentioned signal is transmitted together with the reference signal. The destination signal and reference signal are received by the stationary transceiver similarly provided with converting means. These converting means convert the received destination signal in a corresponding route indication signal transmitted together with the destination signal to the transceiver in the displacable apparatus and controlling the display therein. The destination signal is used for pointing out the apparatus or apparatuses having the corresponding desired destination. The route indication signals are stored in a memory. For example, the converting means may consist of a matrix having several crossing points. The code of the received destination signal controls the crossing point of the matrix so that with a certain destination signal predetermined crossing points are connected through. Thereby a path is defined to the memory location in which the corresponding route indication signal is stored. Now, a prefered embodiment of the invention will be explained. The displacable apparatus is provided with a receiver with alloted thereto a number of preprogrammable binary cedes assembled from a destination code and a route indication or instruction code. Said instruction codes make visible symbols such as direction arrows, floor numbers and eventually corresponding texts by means of a display.

In each crossing point a transmitter is arranged. So, the number of transmitters is dependent on the routes to be followed and end destinations. Each transmitter transmits a number of preprogrammed codes consisting of a destination code followed by an instruction code.

With this system it is contemplated to find a number of pre programmable end destinations only by means of a receiver provided with a display having direction indications.

The displacable or portable apparatus comprises a receiver 1 converting the received signal in a binary code consisting of a destination signal followed by an instruction signal. In the comparator 2 the received binary codes are compared with a destination signal stored in the memory 3 and corresponding to the desired destination. When the stored destination signal corresponds to one of the received binary codes the instruction signal following the corresponding binary code is led to the display and made visible thereon. For example, this may be an arrow to the left, an arrow to the right and a straight arrow, a circle for reached destination, floor and eventual texts. An example of the arrangement of the display is shown in fig. 5. It is clear that the comparator is suitable for comparing a number of different end destinations to be fixed.

As security against taking along the portable apparatus the comparator 2 is arranged such that upon the reception of a predetermined receiving signal being transmitted for example by a transmitting loop at the exit of the building a transmitting code is delivered transmitted through the convertor 4 after which an alarm may be operated.

The transmitter according to fig. 2 comprises a device ό passing binary codes to the converter 5 transmitting the transmitting signal subsequently. The device 6 is provided with a memory in which all of the destination codes and instruction cedes are stored being necessary for the corresponding destinations.

The transmitter can transmit a predetermined memory portion through several transmitting antennes.

In fig. 3 a n example of a route in a hospital is illustrated. Said route extends from the entry and exit A to the X-ray department 3 and reversely from the X-ray department B to the entry and exit A. A number of possible destination cedes and direction indications is summarizied in the following table, a = destination code X-ray department b = destination code exit c = destination code waiting room d = destination code of room of a doctor 1 = arrow to the left 2 = arrow straight

3 = arrow to the right

4 = arrow straight

5 = on the spot (a circle) A person having a hand-seized receiver in which the destination code a of the X-ray department A is stored walks from the entry and exit to the shown crossing point. When he arrives at the transmitter I the destination codes transmitted continuously together with corresponding instruction codes are received. The destination codes are compared with the destination cedes recorded in. the memory of the receiver in this case the destination code a of the X-ray department. In this case the transmitter 1 transmits the code a1 which means that first the destination cede a is transmitted and thereafter the instruction code 1 for the arrow to the left. It is clear that in addition to this code and the code b4 for the exit a high number of other destination codes with corresponding instruction codes are transmitted. When the received destination code represents the code of the Z-ray department only the corresponding instruction 1 is passed. This represents in this case the arrow to the left. For, the scheme of transmitted signals is pre-implemented such that the instruction arrow to the left follows the destination code of the X-ray department.

The transmitter 1 transmits also the destination and instruction code b4. This code is of importance for reaching the exit. When the destination code b is compared with the code a of the

X-ray department stored in the displacable apparatus, the instruction 4 following the destination code b is not executed because said destination codes are not equal.

When the person reaches the transmitter IV, again the destination and instruction codes transmitted thereby are received by the displacable apparatus. After comparison, this results in the instruction 4 representing the arrow straight. In the event that the person does not turn to the left in the direction of the transmitter IV, but walks straight or turns to the right, he receives the signals from the corresponding transmitters II and III and the resulting instructions 2 and 3 are rejected because none of the transmitted destination codes corresponds to the destination cede of the X-ray department. In this case an error instruction appears on the display of the displacable apparatus. The correct direction to the end destination is always indicated by an instruction code 4. When the person arrives at the end destination transmitter Y the code a5 is received by the displacable apparatus and after comparison the instruction code 5 is executed resulting for example in a circle 0 eventually together with the text "report here". When the person walks in the direction of the exit, at the transmitter IY the destination and instruction code b3 is received resulting in an arrow to the right on the display. At the transmitter I the destination and instruction code 04 is of importance making visible an arrow straight on the display. Hereafter a postcode application is explained.

To the displacable apparatus a pre-indicated binary code is alloted. Said binary code is obtained by keying the postcode of the end destination in a key board of the displacable apparatus after which said post code is converted in a binary code through a decoding device. So, the code consists of four ciphers of 0 up to and including 9 a nd two characters of the alphabet for identifying the subarea such as for example quarter, city and street of the area to be connected.

In the area to be connected in each crossing point a transmitter is arranged directed to the approaching road. By said transmitter the destination codes being in force at the crossing point are transmitted each with the direction instruction. The direction instructions are part of the complete code, thus consisting of a first part for the destination and a second part for the direction. The codes necessary at the certain location are transmitted after each other continuously. The received instructions can be made visible on a display and comprise: a: arrow to the left; b: arrow to the right; c: arrow straight; d: circle for end destination; and e: display portion for making visible alphanumeric information and for the check of the postcode. The receiver of the displacable apparatus will compare successively the first digit of the transmitted codes with that of the postcode keyed in previously and execute the corresponding instruction up to the first transmitter indicating after the digit code the instruction code for on the spot, after which it is switched over to the second digit.

If one comes in the area in question identified by the second digit it is switched over to the third digit and subsequently to the fourth digit. Finally, the street and the block are reached specified by the postcode keyed in.

One is always pointed out to the destination through the shortest way, however, one can set a certain route itself by keying firstly the postcode of the city (or cities) into the memory provided in the receiver and only thereafter the end destination. The receiver will always switch over to the subsequent destination automatically.

By using transmitters coupled to a central control unit one can divert the traffic without problems or warn against queus, fog and so on through the alphanumeric display portion. In this case the relations between destination signals and route indications or direction instructions are modified corresponding to the desired diversions.

The system can operate with different transmission signals. Preferably, infrared signals are used which is of particular importance when the system is not used with traffic roads but in hospitals in which already so many different frequencies are used.

In fig. 4 a detailed block diagram of a prefered embodiment is illustrated.

Transmitter code.

The transmitter (left hand top portion of fig. 4) transmits after each other all of the destination signals II and instruction signals III relating to the destinations in question. Three kinds of pulses are transmitted. 1e. The start pulse I having a duration of three time units (time unit t)

2e. Logical 1, having a duration of one time unit; and 5e. The logical 0 having a duration of one fourth time unit. An example of the transmitted signal is shown in fig. 4 at the lower left hand portion. Upon the start pulse I the destination code II follows. The destination code consists of 8 pulses having a time period t = 1 or 1/4 followed by a short pause. After the destination code the instruction code III is transmitted consisting of four pulses and immediately thereafter four pulses of the inverted instruction code III follow. Thereafter, the subsequent start pulse I for an other destination follows. The transmitter circuit.

Per transmitter output the destination codes together with the instruction codes are programmed in the memory 12 (for exampie RAM, ROM or PROM). The destination codes II are recorded on the even addresses and the instruction codes III on the odd addresses of the memory 12. The oscillator 7 produces pulses of nearly 30 kHz having a pulse length of 1/4 t and a pause of 1 3/4 t. Said pulses reach the transmitter 8 through an OH gate 9 and control the register 10 controlling in its turn the shift register 11. The start pulse I originates from the register 10 and is supplied to the transmitter 8 through the OR gate 9. When the start pulse I occurs its beginning coincides with the oscillator pulse of 1/4 and also with the following two pulses from the oscillator 7. In this case, at the input of the transmitter 8 the short pulses are not found back as these coincide completely with the longer start pulse.

The address counter 13 controlled by the register 10 and the oscillator 7 reads the memory through a reading circuit not shown and feeds successively the destination codes pointed cut and the associated instruction codes to the shift register 11. When the destination code and the instruction code are written in the shift register the contents of the shift register 11 (being first the memory contents) is read cut in series and supplied to the transmitter 8 through the OR-gate 9. When logical "0" "comes from the shift register 11 nothing has happened further and only the pulse of 1/4 t is transmitted. When a logical "1" comes from the shift register 11 the transmitter pulse becomes 1t. The pulse of 1/4 t cannot be found back anymore.

With a plurality of transmitter outputs the register 10, the address counter 13 and the oscillator 7 are provided only once as a common part.

The shift register 11, the memory 12 and the transmitter 8 are provided once per transmitter output. The memory 12 may be included also in the common part. The address counter 13, the register 10 and the oscillator 7 provide that the signals reach the correct transmitter output. At an end destination the memory may be substituted. by a data selector programmable with switches. At these transmitters also a stand by supply may be omitted. The receiver circuit.

The receiver circuit (right hand top portion of fig. 4) comprises a receiver 14 receiving the pulses from the transmitter 8. First the three types of pulses should be detected in the pulse detector 15 which pulses are transmitted by the transmitter. After reception of a start pulse 3t a shift register 16 having a series output and a parallel output is reset so that all of the outputs of the shift register 16 gain a logical value of "0". The pulses following the start pulse I have a duration of 1 t or 1 /4 t dependent on the destination. At the reception of a pulse having a duration of 1t the data input of the shift register 16 becomes a logical "1" and thereafter a clock pulse follows so that at the first output a logical "1" appears. Upon the pulse of 1/4 t only a clock pulse is delivered so that a logical "0" is shifted into the shift register 16. After reception of said 8 pulses of the destination code II, by means of the comparator 17 the binary values at the output of the shift register 16 are compared with the destination code stored in the memory 18 and corresponding to the desired destination. If the comparison is negative nothing is done further and the following start pulse is awaited. If the comparison is positive the instruction code following the destination code is shifted into the shift register 16 and passed through the instruction detector 19 to the display 20 and there the direction arrow corresponding to the instruction code lights up. In an other embodiment, after the comparison has taken place the instruction code is written in a shift register 16 so that the destination code is overwritten. When the received destination code corresponds to the destination code stored in the memory 18 through the conductor a the instruction detector 19 connected to the output of the shift register 16 is enabled by which the instruction code is switched further to the display 20 and there the direction arrow corresponding to the stored destination code respectively the corresponding instruction code lights up. When the received destination code does not correspond to the stored destination code the instruction detector 19 is inhibited through the conductor 1.

For the security of the transmission the instruction code is transmitted once again in inverted form. When the instruction code is received correctly the first four pulses or bits should be reversely equal to the final four bits. This is monitored by the instruction code comparator 21. At correct reception the relative instruction is made visible on the display 20 because the instruction detector 19 is enabled through the conductor b. The instruction detector 19 is only enabled when at both of the conductors a and b an enable signal occurs.

The memory 18 contains the destination code at the first address and the floor at the second address a.s.o. The memory contents is continuously read out by the decoding and multiplexing read, circuit 22 and is made visible on the seven segment display so that one can always read the destination number at the floor of said destination.

By operating the push-buttons 25 up to and including 28 and/ or A up to and including D one can select between the different destinations. In principle, the destinations 25 up to and including 23 are always similar, whereas A up to and including D are dependent on the departments to be visited and to be programmed at the entry. Through the address decoder 24 the keyed in destination is written in the memory 18.

As an example, in fig. 5 the operation panel 29 of the displacable or portable apparatus is shown, comprising a number of keys 50-37 and a display panel 33. On the display panel, dependent on the instruction code an arrow 39, 40 or 41 may be made visible, said arrows indicate the direction which should be taken by the user. Further, the circle 42 may be made visible when the instruction code indicates that the destination is reached. Eventually, a text may be made visible such as for example "report here". On the portion 43 of the display panel 38 the destination keyed in i3 made visible. By pushing down, the key 50 the digits 0 up to and including 9 appear successively on the first position of the portion 45 and upon releasing the push-button 30 the appeared digits remain. With the key 31 one can have a digit to appear at the second position of the portion 43. The same is in force for the keys 32, 33 and positions 3 and 4 respectively. So, one can key in a destination made visible on the portion 43.

One can also key in the digits and characters of the postcode successively by keying in the characters with the keys 34 and 35, in which the characters are made visible. After pushing down the keys 36 the destination is stored in the memory 18 and the apparatus starts its operation with the destination code or postcode pushed down first. With the key 37 the input information can be cleared again and one can key in again. Then, on the screen the code keyed in appears.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Route indicating system provided with route indicating means, characterized in that the route indicating means are constituted by a display device in a displacable apparatus provided with at least one destination stored in a memory and that a switching device is provided converting the destination into a route indication signal controlling the display device for displaying a route indication corresponding to the destination.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching device comprises a comparator circuit comparing successively the destination signal corresponding to the destination with further destination signals read out from the memory, in which a route indication signal is developed corresponding to the read out destination signal corresponding to the desired destination signal. 3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching device consists of a transceiver in the displacable apparatus and that at least one stationary transceiver is provided, that the transceiver in the displacable apparatus is provided with converting means converting the destination into a destination signal being transmitted and that the stationary transceiver is provided similarly with converting means converting the received destination signal corresponding to the destination into a relative route indication signal transmitted to the transceiver in the displacable apparatus and controlling there the display device. 4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching device comprises a receiver circuit in the displacable apparatus and that a transmitter circuits at each crossing point of routes are provided each transmitting a number of destination signals being in force for each crossing point together with corresponding route indication signals in a predetermined relation, in which by the destination stored in the memory the corresponding received destination signal is pointed out and based upon the relation the relative route indication signal.

5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that a comparator circuit is provided one input of which is connected to the memory, whereas to its other input the destination signals transmitted by a transmitter circuit are supplied, in which upon positive comparison result and based upon the relation only the route indication signal corresponding to the stored destination is passed to the display device. 6. System according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacable apparatus is provided with invut means for the destinations.

7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the input means comprise a keyboard. 3. System according to claim 5, characterized in that a shift register is provided having an input to which the received destination signals are supplied and an output connected to the input of the comparator circuit and to which the display device is connected through a route indication signal detector supplying the route indication signal corresponding to the relative received destination signal to the display device upon resemblance between one of the received destination signals and the stored destination.

9. System according to at least one of the claims 4 - 8, characterized in that the route indication signal i3 transmittedand received after the corresponding destination signal.

10. System according to at least one of the claims 4 - 9, characterized in that the route indication signal consists of two successive signal portions being the inversion of each other and that a monitoring device is provided comparing the signal portions and enabling the route indication signal detector when the signal portions are exactly the inversion of each other.

11. System according to at least one of the claims 5 - 10, characterized in that the display device having a portion for displaying the stored destination, which portion is connected to the memory through a decoder and multiplex circuit reading out the memory continuously.

12. System according to at least one of the claims 5 - 11, characterized in that a keyboard for the input of the destination is provided and that the contacts of the keys of the keyboard are connected to the memory through an encoder circuit.

13. System according to at least one of the claims 3 - 12, characterized in that a security circuit is provided delivering a transmitter code upon receiving a predetermined signal, which transmitter code is transmitted through a converter and switches on an alarm.

14. System according to at least one of the claims 4 - 13, characterized in that the transmitter circuit is provided with a memory for storing destinations and an address counter controlled by a clock pulse generator and with which the memory locations of the memory are read out successively, in which to the read out destination signals the corresponding route indication signals are allocated in a predetermined relation and in which the related signals are supplied to the transmitter.

15. System according to claim 14, characterized in that each route indication is stored at a memory location the address of which upon scanning follows the address of the memory location recording the destination.

16. System according to claim 15, characterized in that a route indication register is provided controlled by the clock pulse generator and controlling in its turn the reading operation of the memory and of a shift register having a parallel input and a series output and connected to the output of the memory and that the output of the route indication register at which a start pulse is generated, the series output of the shift register and the output of the clock pulse generator are connected with separate inputs of an OR-gate at the output of which the composite signal to be transmitted can be derived.

17. System according to at least one of the claims 4 - 14, characterized in that the transmitter circuits at the crossing points are coupled to a common control device arranged to modify the relations between destination signals and indications based upon temporary variations of situation.

13. System according to at least one of the claims 4 - 17, characterized in that the transmitter and receiver circuits are arranged for infrared signals.