United States Patent (19)
`Gesink et al.
`
`USOO58O3740A
`Patent Number:
`11
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`5,803,740
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`54) LEARNING AND ASSESSMENTAID FOR A
`SEVERELY VISUALLY IMPARED
`INDIVIDUAL
`
`75 Inventors: John Gesink, Kalamazoo; David Guth,
`Portage; Bernard Fehr, Okemos, all of
`Mich.
`
`73 Assignee: Board of Trustees of Western
`Michigan University, Kalamzoo, Mich.
`
`56)
`
`21 Appl. No.: 837,660
`22 Filed:
`Apr. 22, 1997
`(51) Int. Cl. ............................................... G08B 1300
`52 U.S. Cl. ............................ 434/112; 434/116; 704/271
`58 Field of Search ..................................... 434/112, 116;
`135/72; 704/271, 270; 367/116, 107
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4.212,116 7/1980 Hajduch.
`4,870,687 9/1989 DeLeon. 367,116
`4,906,193 3/1990 McMullen et al..
`5,032,083
`7/1991 Friedman.
`5,032,836
`7/1991. Ono et al..
`5,097.856 3/1992 Sheng ........................................ 135/72
`5.120,228 6/1992 Stahl et al.
`5,144.294 9/1992 Alonzi et al..
`5,409,380 4/1995 Balbuena et al..
`5,470.233 11/1995 Fructerman et al..
`5,487,669
`1/1996 Kelk ........................................ 434/112
`5,508,699 4/1996 Silverman.
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Goldish, A Hand Held Inertial Navigation Aid For The
`Blind Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Apr.
`1965.
`LaDuke, The Veering Tendency of Blind Pedestrians. An
`Analysis of the Problem and Literature Review, Sep-Oct,
`1994, pp. 391-400.
`Cratty, Movement And Spatial Awareness In Blind Children
`and Youth, 1971, pp. 65-80.
`
`Primary Examiner Richard J. Apley
`ASSistant Examiner-Glenn Richman
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Flynn, Thiel, Boutell & Tanis,
`
`ABSTRACT
`57
`A learning and assessment aid (10) for helping visually
`impaired individuals develop desirable ambulatory motion
`habits. The learning aid includes a housing (14) designed to
`be attached to an article of clothing worn by the individual.
`Internal to the housing is an inertial transducer (16) that
`monitors the rotation of the housing and the individual. The
`individual enters commands to the learning aid through a
`keypad (20) in response to audible instructions generated
`over a speaker (22). To foster desirable turning motions, the
`learning aid informs of the extent to which the individual
`turns. To foster Straight-line Walking, the learning aid gen
`erates a message over the Speaker whenever the individual
`rotates more than a pre-Set individual-entered maximum
`WCC.
`
`25 Claims, 13 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 1 of 13
`Sheet 1 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`5,803,740
`
`
`
`
`
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 2 of 13
`Sheet 2 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`5,803,740
`
`F G
`
`b
`
`
`
`FIG.2
`
`2
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 3 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`
`
`2: : : * DZ), , ,
`
`CNDNINTANTI_INTANTNONINE
`
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 4 of 13
`Sheet 4 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`5,803,740
`
`
`
`FIG.4
`
`
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 5 of 13
`Sheet 5 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`5,803,740
`
`F. G.5
`FIG.5
`
`F. G. 5A
`FIG. 5A
`
`F. G. 5B
`FIG. 5B
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 6 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`
`
`
`
`-- SVDC c
`
`
`
`VOLTAGE LBO
`REGULATOR son
`
`VEER
`PLD
`
`00
`
`KEYPAD
`KEYPAD HENCE
`
`98
`
`20
`
`8
`
`SERAL
`INTRFC
`
`
`
`T X D
`C
`2
`(/) ()
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 7 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`O -- 5VDC
`
`
`
`PLDy
`CNTRL
`
`PLD
`CNTRL
`
`ON
`ENCODER
`CNTR
`RST
`PSEN
`
`10%
`
`SPEECH
`
`sister
`
`04
`
`to
`
`'C
`
`22
`
`DRVER
`
`08
`
`28
`
`F G. 5B
`
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 8 of 13
`Sheet 8 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`5,803,740
`
`
`
`F G. 6
`FIG. 6
`
`FIG.6A
`
`FIG.6C
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 9 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`ACTIVATE
`AD
`
`30
`
`GENERATE
`WELCOME MSG
`
`32
`
`34
`
`36
`BATTERYNLOW GENERATE LOW
`CHECK
`BATTERY MSG
`
`38
`
`DEBUG (GS STRT
`
`10 TTRN
`
`2.
`4
`
`TURN TST MSG
`
`43
`
`N 1 TURN
`TEST
`CONFIRM
`
`(A)
`
`
`
`
`
`GENERATE
`NSTRUCTIONS
`44
`
`(F)
`
`REO UEST 8
`RECEIVE
`MAX VEER
`
`
`
`IME OR
`DISTANCE
`TEST
`
`TME
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`J40
`
`l62
`DIST
`
`(D)
`
`REOUEST &
`RECEIVE
`TEST DUR
`
`| 44
`
`ENTER
`RDY CMND
`
`166
`
`
`
`ENTER
`RDY CMND
`
`
`
`
`
`44
`
`F G.6A
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 10 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`
`
`
`
`GEN STRT SGNL
`CLR RGSTRS
`GYRO ON
`
`
`
`GEN STRT SGNL
`CLR RGSTRS
`GYRO ON
`
`48
`
`50
`
`52.
`
`
`
`REPEAT
`RESULTS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`GENERATE
`CONGULATORY
`MSG
`
`
`
`GENERATE
`WEER DATA
`
`79
`
`80
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 11 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`ENTER RATE
`
`84
`
`ENTER DSTNC
`
`8,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ENTER
`RDY CMND
`
`GEN STRT SGNL
`CLR RGSTRS
`GYRO ON
`
`MONITOR
`VEER & TILT
`
`
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 12 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`
`GENERATE
`INSTRUCTIONS
`
`ENTER
`RDY CMND
`
`2O
`
`2
`
`GEN STRT SGNL
`CLR REGSTRS
`GYRO ON
`
`
`
`
`
`MONITOR
`VEER & TILT
`
`22
`
`24
`
`
`
`
`
`STORE &
`DISPLAY DATA
`GYRO OFF
`
`26
`
`GENERATE
`STOP CMND
`F G. 7
`
`28
`
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`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 8, 1998
`Sep. 8, 1998
`
`Sheet 13 of 13
`Sheet 13 of 13
`
`5,803,740
`5,803,740
`
`9
`
`|
`
`
`
`QO
`
`c
`oD
`
`0Y
`
`O
`=O
`oc
`
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`

`1
`LEARNING AND ASSESSMENTAID FOR A
`SEVERELY VISUALLY IMPARED
`INDIVIDUAL
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates to a learning and assessment aid for
`an individual with a Severe visual impairment and, more
`particularly, to a learning and assessment aid designed to
`provide information regarding the locomotion of the indi
`vidual that can be used as a guide to foster desirable walking
`habits.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`An individual who is blind must use his/her senses to
`accomplish many of the activities of living that Sighted
`perSons take for granted. Two Such activities related to
`pedestrian travel are those of walking in a desired direction
`and turning in a desired direction. Sighted individuals easily
`and accurately accomplish these activities on the basis of
`Visual guidance. However, many individuals who are blind
`find these tasks difficult to accomplish accurately on the
`basis of nonvisual information. Therefore, a component of
`the instruction of a severely visually impaired or blind
`individual can include attempts to teach the individual to
`maintain a Straight-line trajectory while walking and to
`make accurate turns, Such as right angle turns one may wish
`to make at a Street corner.
`This instruction requires both a means of assessing an
`individual's ability to engage in Such locomotion and a
`means for improving these abilities. One Such learning
`System has the individual attempt to walk in a Straight path
`and then requires the bending of a wire into the approximate
`shape of the path that the individual actually traversed. The
`individual then feels the wire to develop an impression of the
`extent his/her locomotion Strayed from the Straight line path.
`One disadvantage is that it requires a sighted individual to
`accurately judge the walked path and to then bend the wire
`accordingly. This method further requires that the Visually
`impaired individual be able to relate the small bent wire to
`his/her earlier walking trajectory.
`There have also been efforts to teach visually impaired
`individuals how to walk in a Straight line by Setting up in a
`lane in an open area that is bordered by optical beams.
`Sensors monitor the state of these beams. In the event the
`individual while walking moves to one side or the other of
`the center of the lane, veering from Straight line motion, the
`individual’s legs break one of the optical beams. The broken
`beam is detected by the complementary Sensor which in turn
`generates a Signal that causes the assertion of an audio
`alarm. Initially, the beams defining the lane may be spaced
`relatively wide apart. Over time, as the individual's veer is
`reduced, the distance between the beam is reduced in order
`to further provide guidance for reducing an individual’s
`Veer. A disadvantage of this System is that each time the
`lanes are set up, they need to be set up for the particular
`individual with whom they are to be used. Consequently,
`orientation and mobility instructors working with the blind
`individual must spend Significant amounts of time aligning
`the beams So that they can be used for a particular individual.
`Still another disadvantage of these training Systems is that,
`while they are useful for teaching a person to walk in a
`Straight line, they are not well Suited for providing guidance
`for helping a perSon learn how to turn.
`In the past, it has been proposed that perSons could learn
`how to minimize their veer with the aid of an inertial motion
`Sensor Such a gyroscope. One Such gyroscope proposed was
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`5,803,740
`
`2
`designed to be held by an individual as he/she tries to walk
`along a Straight line path-of-travel. If the individual veers
`right or left from the Straight line, a Solenoid is energized So
`as to cause the extension of a Small plunger; the tactile
`Sensation of feeling the plunger extend Serves as the indi
`cation to the individual that he/she has veered from the
`desired Straight line path-of-travel.
`While the previously proposed inertial motion sensor
`training device has shown promise as an aid for training the
`blind, its utility is likewise limited. An individual using this
`device is required to walk with one of his/her arms in a bent
`position in order to be Sure that the device is properly
`oriented and the individual can monitor the extended/
`retracted State of the plungers. Thus, in order to use this
`device the individual is require to walk in a manner different
`from which he/she would normally walk. Consequently, an
`individual using this device has to concentrate on more than
`just the skills required to walk in a Straight line; the
`individual also has to devote Some concentration to the
`muscle control required to properly hold the training device.
`Moreover, it would be difficult to use this device as an aid
`to walking in a Straight line with a cane Since the individual
`would have to perform two different, uncoordinated move
`ments with his/her arms. Also, the previously proposed
`gyroscopic training device only provides an indication of
`Veer once an individual's movement exceeds a given angle.
`Still other limitations of the known inertial sensor learning
`aid is that it does not provide an indication of the distance
`the individual has traveled and is not particularly useful for
`helping an individual learn how to execute turns.
`Moreover, as discussed above, a prerequisite to teaching
`an individual to develop desirable locomotion habits is the
`collection of baseline data about his/her initial locomotion
`habits. This information is used by the instructor to evaluate
`the locomotion habits of the individual So that a training
`regime can be developed as well to Serve as baseline data So
`that progress of the individual can be monitored. While the
`prior art learning aids are useful for helping an individual
`develop desirable locomotion habits, only with great diffi
`culty can they be used to facilitate the collection of data
`about the individual requiring Such training.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates generally to a new and useful
`learning and assessment aid useful for helping an individual
`with a Severe Visual impairment develop appropriate loco
`motion habits. The learning and assessment aid is useful for
`collecting data regarding locomotion habits. The learning
`and assessment aid also provides a visually impaired indi
`vidual with indications regarding his/her ability to both walk
`in a Straight line and to execute turns. More particularly, this
`invention relates generally to a learning and assessment aid
`that includes one or more inertial movement Sensors that, at
`a minimum, provide an indication of the extent to which a
`perSon rotates his/her orientation from an initial heading. In
`one preferred version of this invention, a two-gimbal gyro
`Scope is employed as the inertial movement Sensor.
`The learning and assessment aid of this invention is
`further designed So that the gyroscope or other Sensor is
`contained in a Small housing. The housing is provided with
`a pivoting clasp that allows the housing to be affixed to an
`article of clothing worn by an individual So as to ensure the
`proper orientation of the Sensor. The output signals produced
`by the Sensor are applied to a digital Signal processing unit.
`Based on the movement of the gyroscope, the digital Signal
`processing unit determines the extent to which the housing
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`5,803,740
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`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`3
`has changed position. This measurement is used as the basis
`for providing an indication of the extent the individual
`wearing the learning and assessment aid has rotated from
`his/her initial position. The learning and assessment aid also
`has an alphanumeric display and a speech generator. The
`digital Signal processing unit causes audio announcements to
`be generated that both instruct the individual how to set the
`device and that provide an indication of whether or not the
`individual has completed his/her intended movement.
`The learning and assessment aid of this invention is
`further configured to provide an indication of the total
`distance traversed by the individual. In some versions of this
`invention, this measurement is a time based-measurement
`that relates the time of use of the aid and the individual’s rate
`of travel to the distance traveled.
`When there is a need to collect data about the locomotion
`habits of an individual, the aid is placed in the data collection
`mode. The aid generates a set of audible instructions direct
`ing the individual to walk in a certain pattern, i.e., Straight
`line or turn. The aid then collects data regarding the move
`ment for a Select period of time. Once the aid stops
`collecting data, the aid generates an audible command
`instructing the individual to Stop moving. The data collected
`is then available to the instructor working with the indi
`vidual.
`When the learning and assessment aid of this invention is
`used as a tool to foster Straight-line movement, the indi
`vidual can indicate the Specific degree of Veer that is allowed
`before a warning tone is generated. The individual can also
`input an indication of the distance of travel over which the
`Veer should be measured. The learning and assessment aid of
`this invention can also be used as a tool to foster turning
`movement. Specifically, the individual can provide an indi
`cation that he/she wants to practice turning. Then, once the
`individual completes a turn, the learning and assessment aid
`will generate a message that provides an indication of the
`extent of the turn.
`Since this learning and assessment aid is worn on the
`body, once the instructions regarding the individual’s
`intended movement are entered, the individual can essen
`tially ignore the presence of the aid. This allows the indi
`vidual to focus his/her attention on the more important task
`at hand, executing the intended ambulatory movement.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`This invention is pointed out with particularity in the
`claims. The above and further advantages of this invention
`may be better understood by referring to the following
`description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
`drawings in which:
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the inertial
`movement Sensor learning and assessment aid of this inven
`tion and illustrating how the aid is worn by an individual;
`FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the learning and assess
`ment aid;
`FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of the leveling clasp
`of the learning and assessment aid;
`FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the arrangement of the
`components inside the learning and assessment aid;
`FIG. 5 is an assembly drawing illustrating how FIGS. 5A
`and 5B are assembled to form a schematic drawing of the
`electrical circuit integral with the learning and assessment
`aid;
`FIG. 6 is an assembly drawing illustrating how FIGS. 6A,
`6B and 6C are assembled to form a flow chart of the process
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`StepS eXecuted by the learning and assessment aid when it is
`used to foster desirable locomotion habits;
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the process steps executed by the
`learning and assessment aid of this invention when it is used
`to collect data about the locomotion habits, and
`FIG. 8 is a Schematic drawing illustrating an alternative
`transducer arrangement for the learning and assessment aid.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a learning and assessment aid 10 of
`this invention and how the aid is worn by a visually impaired
`individual 12. The learning and assessment aid 10 includes
`a housing 14 in which the internal components of the
`learning and assessment aid are enclosed. Inside the housing
`14 are a gyroscope 16 and a microprocessor 18. The gyro
`Scope 16 functions as an inertial movement Sensor that
`produces signals representative of the shifting of the learn
`ing and assessment aid 10, as well as the individual wearing
`the learning and assessment aid, from an initial position. The
`microprocessor 18 receives signals based on those produced
`by the gyroscope 16 and, in response, generates output
`Signals that provide an indication of the individual's move
`ment.
`AS seen best in FIG. 2, Secured to the outside of the
`housing 14 is keypad 20 through which the individual enters
`commands indicating the type of ambulatory movement
`he/she would like the aid to be monitoring. The learning and
`assessment aid 10 has a speaker 22 through which both
`audible instructions to the individual as well as information
`regarding how well he/she performed a Specific ambulatory
`task are generated. Also on the outside of the housing 14 is
`a start button 24 which, as will be discussed hereinafter, is
`depressed as part of the initial actuation of the learning and
`assessment aid. A volume control 26 is provided for allow
`ing the individual to control the audio level of the instruc
`tions and messages generated by the Speaker 22. Volume
`control 26 also controls the open-closed State of a main
`on/off Switch. A display 28 is secured to the top of the
`housing 14. The display 28 is driven by the microprocessor
`18 to generate Visual indications of the instructions required
`to operate the learning and assessment aid 10 as well as
`Visual messages regarding how well the individual per
`formed the tasks. A RS-232 data Socket 29 is mounted to the
`side of the housing. The socket 29 provides a port that allows
`an external digital data processing device, Such as a perSon
`nel computer to exchange Signals with the microprocessor
`18.
`The depicted learning and assessment aid 10 is also
`provided with a Socket 30 for receiving a jack integral with
`an earphone. A Socket 31 is also provided for shorting out a
`Set of conductors connected to the microprocessor 18,
`(conductors not illustrated). When reprogramming of the
`microprocessor 18 is desired, a pin is inserted in Socket 31
`to establish a connection between the conductors. The
`Shorting out of the conductorS is recognized by micropro
`ceSSor 18 that it has been placed in a State for reprogram
`ming.
`The learning and assessment aid 10 is typically coupled to
`a belt 32 worn by the individual 12 using the aid, as seen by
`reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. This belt 32 can be either a belt
`Specifically provided for the learning and assessment aid or
`a belt that the individual 12 would normally otherwise be
`wearing as an article of clothing. The learning and assess
`ment aid 10 is attached to the belt by a leveling clasp 34 that
`is secured to the back side of the housing 14. The leveling
`clasp 34 includes a back plate 36 that is the portion of the
`
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`S
`clasp 34 that is actually secured to the back side of the
`housing 14 with the aid of appropriate fasteners 38. A rigid
`outer clasp plate 40 is flexibly secured at the top end thereof
`to the back plate 36 by a strip of flexible material 41 such as
`a reinforced fabric or a flexible plastic Strip. A rigid inner
`clasp plate 42 is attached to the top of the inner clasp plate
`40 So as to be approximately in parallel alignment with the
`outer clasp plate 40 and So as to project a Small distance
`below the bottom edge of the inner clasp plate. The inner
`clasp plate 42 is Secured to the outer clasp plate 40 by a Set
`of fasteners 43 and washers 44 so that the clasp plates 40 and
`42 are Spaced a slight distance apart from each other. When
`the learning and assessment aid 10 is worn by the individual
`12, the clasp plates 40 and 42 are fitted around the belt 32.
`To facilitate a Snug fit, a leaf Spring 45 is attached to the
`surface of the outer clasp plate 40 that faces the belt 32. A
`15
`layer of foam 47 is sandwiched between outer clasp plate 40
`and leaf Spring 45 to provide resiliency to the leaf Spring. A
`small rigid pin formed by a disk of metal 46 and a set of
`fasteners 48 is provided along the bottom edge of the inner
`clasp plate 42. This pin is directed outwardly from the inner
`clasp plate 42. The pin is provided to minimize the possi
`bility the leveling clasp 34 will inadvertently slip off the
`complementary belt 32 over which the clasp is fitted.
`The leveling clasp 34 further includes a leveling plate 52
`that is hingedly Secured to the bottom edge of the inner clasp
`plate 40. In the depicted version of the invention, the strip of
`material forming flexible material 41 extends the length of
`outer clasp plate 40 and connects leveling plate 52 to the
`inner clasp plate. The leveling plate 52 is Secured to the
`bottom Surface of the housing 14 So as to hold the housing
`in a particular, Substantially level, orientation. In the
`depicted version of the invention, the leveling plate 52 and
`the bottom Surface of the housing are provided with comple
`mentary Strips of fastening tape, 54 and 55, respectively, So
`as to facilitate the proper orientation of the housing. Fas
`tening tape 54 and 55 allow leveling plate 52 to be selec
`tively positioned relative to the bottom of housing 14. One
`Such type of fastening tape that can be used to accomplish
`this task is sold under the trademark VELCRO.
`Housing 14 is provided with a cord 15 that can be fitted
`around the neck of the individual 12 using the aid. Cord 15
`prevents the learning and assessment aid 10 from inadvert
`ently being dropped.
`The housing 14, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 includes a main
`body 56 with sufficient depth to hold the gyroscope 16, the
`microprocessor 18 as well as most of the other components
`of the learning and assessment aid. The main body 56 has an
`open back end that is enclosed by a cover 57. The cover 57
`is the portion of the housing 14 to which the leveling clasp
`34 is attached. The cover 57 is formed with a compartment
`53 in which the battery 72 (FIG. 5A) that powers the
`learning and assessment aid 10 is housed. Threaded
`fasteners, not illustrated, secure the cover 57 to the main
`body 56 of the housing 14. The threaded fasteners extend
`through holes 58 in the cover 57 and are coupled into
`threaded bores 59 formed in posts 60 integral with the main
`body of the housing 14.
`Gyroscope 16, now discussed with reference to FIG. 4, is
`a two axis gyroscopic. One particular gyroscope from which
`this invention can be constructed is the Model GE9300C
`gyroscope manufactured by Gyration, Inc. of Saratoga,
`Calif. This gyroscope has an Outer gimbal and complemen
`tary encoders that are used for measuring heading over a
`360 range. The inner gimbal is pendulous, that is, it
`Stabilizes So as to be gravity aligned. Thus, any Small
`deviations in tilting movement of the learning and assess
`ment aid are compensated for by the inner gimbal.
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`As can be seen in FIG. 4, the gyroscope 16 is itself housed
`in a foam shell 61. More particularly, the foam shell 61
`includes a box-like main body 62 that is shaped to have a
`center void 64 in which the gyroscope 16 is nested. A
`Separate rectangularly shaped piece of foam is fitted under
`the main body 62 so as to serve as the base 65 of the shell.
`In practice it has been found desirable to dimension the
`overall height of the foam shell 61 so that it is longer in
`height than the Space inside the housing 14 in which it is
`Seated. Thus, when the gyroscope 16 and shell 61 are Seated
`in the housing, the Subassembly is compression Secured
`inside the housing.
`Two circuit boards 66 are mounted in the housing 14 So
`as to be located to one side of the gyroscope 16. The circuit
`boards 66, which in the depicted version of the invention are
`Vertically oriented, Support the microprocessor 18 as well as
`many of the other electrical components integral to the
`learning and assessment aid 10. In the depicted version of
`the invention, the electric components are mounted on the
`circuit boards 66 So that the components face each other. A
`foam layer 68 is compression fitted between the electrical
`components So as to Secure Socketed components in the
`circuit board.
`The electrical components not Secured to the circuit
`boards 66 are attached to the main body 56 of the housing
`14. The display 28, is, for example, mounted in an opening,
`not identified, in the top of the main body 56. The display
`driver 108, the component that actuates the individual pixels
`of the display 28, is integrally manufactured with the display
`and as such, is suspended from the inside of main body 56.
`Speaker 22 is likewise secured to the inside of the top wall
`of the main body 56 of the housing 14.
`FIGS. 5A and 5B, when assembled, form a schematic
`diagram of the primary circuit components integral to the
`learning and assessment aid 10 of this invention. AS Seen in
`these Figures, battery 72 provides the energy needed to
`operate the other components integral with the learning and
`assessment aid 10. The positive terminal of battery 72 is tied
`to one end of a SPST Switch 76 that functions as the main
`power on Switch for the learning and assessment aid. Switch
`76 is the main on/off Switch integral with the volume control
`26. A ys Amp fuse 78 is attached to the opposed end of
`Switch 76 to prevent excessively high currents from being
`applied to the other components of the learning and assess
`ment aid 10.
`The energy provided by the battery 72 is applied through
`fuse 78 to a voltage regulator 80. The voltage regulator 80
`converts the battery voltage to a +5 VDC level suitable for
`energizing the other components of the learning and assess
`ment aid 10. One such suitable voltage regulator is the
`Maxim 639. In the depicted version of the invention, the
`battery voltage is applied from fuse 78 to Voltage regulator
`80 through an SCR 82. A bridge circuit consisting of
`normally open start button 24, a resistor 84 and a resistor 86
`are tied from the anode of the SCR 82 to its cathode. The
`gate of the SCR 82 is tied to the junction of resistors 84 and
`86. When Switch 76 is closed to enable activation of the
`learning and assessment aid 10, SCR 82 is not in the on state.
`Therefore, there is no current flow through the SCR 82. In
`order to turn on the SCR 82 it is necessary to press,
`momentarily close, Start button 24. This action causes a
`Voltage to appear at the gate of the SCR 82 SO as to turn on
`the SCR. Current will then flow through the SCR 82 to the
`voltage regulator 80 until the current demand of the voltage
`regulator ceases, as will be discussed hereinafter.
`The output voltage produced by the voltage regulator 80
`is made available to the other components of the learning
`
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`and assessment aid through an inductor 84. A Shottky diode
`86 is connected between the output terminal of the voltage
`regulator 80 and ground as is required for proper operation
`of the voltage regulator. A capacitor 88 is tied between the
`end of the inductor 84 distal from the voltage regulator 80
`and ground. Collectively, inductor 84 and capacitor 88 filter
`the output energization signal produced by Voltage regulator
`80 to minimize voltage variations in the supplied power. To
`minimize the complexity of FIGS. 5A and 5B, only the +5
`VDC power terminals of the gyroscope 16 and micropro
`cessor 18 are illustrated. The power connections to the other
`components to which the energization Voltage produced by
`the Voltage regulator 80 is applied are not illustrated.
`In the illustrated version of the invention, Series con
`nected resistors 90 and 92 are provided to form a voltage
`divider between the cathode of SCR 82 and ground. The
`voltage present at the junction of resistors 90 and 92 is
`applied to an input terminal of Voltage regulator 80 as a
`LOW BATTERY INPUT (LBI) signal. In the event the
`LOW BATTERY INPUT signal falls below a specific level,
`voltage regulator 80 asserts a LOW BATTERY OUTPUT
`(LBO) signal to microprocessor 18. When microprocessor
`18 receives the LOW BATTERY OUTPUT signal, it gen
`erates appropriate audible warnings over Speaker 22 and on
`display 28 to inform the individual using the device of the
`state of the battery 72.
`Voltage regulator 80 receives from microprocessor 18 a
`SHUTDOWN (SHDN) signal. As long as the SHUTDOWN
`Signal, which is asserted low, is not received, Voltage regu
`lator 80 continues to produce an energization Voltage for the
`other electrical components. Normally microprocessor 18
`does not assert the SHUTDOWN signal. If, however, one of
`the buttons on the learning and assessment aid keypad 20 is
`not depressed after a given period of time, microprocessor
`18 asserts the SHUTDOWN signal. Voltage regulator 80,
`upon receipt of the SHUTDOWN signal, ceases to produce
`the energization Voltage and Stops drawing current through
`SCR 82. The cessation of current flow through the SCR 82
`turns off the SCR so as to stop current flow from the battery
`72. Thus, the assertion of the SHUTDOWN signal turns off
`the learning and assessment aid to prevent needless current
`drain of the battery 72. If the learning and assessment aid 10
`is to again be used, all that is necessary to reactive it is to
`depress start button 24 so as to again turn on the SCR 82.
`Keypad 20 is a conventional 12-button telephone (“0”,
`“1”, ... “9”, “*” and “if”) keypad. The open/closed states of
`the buttons of keypad 20 are monitored by a keypad encoder
`98 such as a 74C922. Depending on which of the buttons are
`depressed, keypad encoder 98 Selectively asserts a parallel,
`4-bit signal to microprocessor 18.
`Gyroscope 16 produces two Sets of pulsed quadrature
`output signals. A first Set of Signals are representative of the
`Veer of the learning and assessment aid 10, the extent to
`which the learning and assessment aid is rotated to either the
`left or the right in a horizontal plane. The Second Set of
`Signals are representative of the tilt of the learning and
`assessment aid 10, the extent to which the learning and
`assessment aid pitches or rolls outside of a horizontal axis.
`Each Set of quadrature output signals is applied to a separate
`programmable logic device (PLD) that initially processes
`the Signals. The Veer quadrature Signals are applied to PLD
`100. The tilt quadrature signals are applied to PLD 102.
`Altera EP600 programmable logic chips can be employed as
`PLDS 100 and 102.
`Each PLD 100 and 102 processes the quadrature signals
`received thereby to produce an output Signal representative
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`of the incremental rotation of the learning and assessment
`aid 10. In an initial processing step, each PLD 100 or 102
`removes the jitter from the received quadrature Signals. This
`jitter occurs because the rotating disk internal to the gyro
`Scope produces minute vibrati