Device and Method for Receiving and Transmitting Information Using Braille

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device in form of a tablet for transmitting and receiving information by Braille and to a method for transmitting and receiving information by Braille using said device by people with impaired vision. The device consists of cells, which in the mode of receiving information form raised-dot symbols of Braille font, and, in the mode of transmitting information, the cells of the device form Braille characters in the form of a keyboard layout, and the transmitted information is entered by pressing the corresponding cells of the device.

Claims

1. A cell of a device for transmitting and receiving information by Braille, comprising: cell cases with cavities in form of rectangular parallelepipeds, pins made in form of rectangular parallelepipeds and placed within the cavities of the cell cases, where each of these fingers has a bulge that forms a relief defined as one dot in Braille, and a slot having an internal thread, rods with external thread, which fits into the slots of the pins, placed in the cavities under the pins, actuators, on which the rods are fixed, to bring the rods into rotational motion, plate located above the cell and containing openings for the bulges of the pins.

2. The cell according to claim 1, wherein the cell comprises six or eight cavities in form of rectangular parallelepipeds.

3. The cell according to claim 1, wherein a protective elastic film is placed between the plate and the cell.

4. A device in form of a tablet for transmitting and receiving information by Braille, comprising: a housing, plurality of cells according to any of claims 1 to 3, plurality of buttons located on the housing of the device under each cell, an actuator control unit functionally connected with the actuators, a means for communication with a computer, a smartphone or an Internet access point, functionally connected with the actuator control unit and with the buttons.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the cells of the device of the present invention are arranged in one line or several lines.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the means of communication of the device according to the present invention is a wireless means transmitting data via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth protocol.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein the means of communication of the device according to the present invention is a wired means transmitting data via a cable.

8. The device according to claim 4, further comprising an integrated power supply or the device uses an external power supply.

9. A method for transmitting and receiving information by Braille using the device according to any of claims 4 to 8, where: in the mode of receiving information, said information is converted into Braille raised-dot symbols, transmitted to the actuator control unit, and an embossed text is formed using the cells of the device, in the mode of transmitting information, cells of the device form Braille characters in the form of a keyboard layout, the transmitted information is entered by pressing the corresponding cells of the device, and transmitted information is transmitted via the communication means to a computer, a smartphone or an Internet access point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 depicts a scheme of portion of the cell in a vertical section, in which the following elements are defined: elastic film (1), plate (9) with openings, cell cases (6) containing a cavity in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped containing pin (3) having bulge (2) which forms a relief defined as a dot in Braille, where the pin (3) is made in form of a rectangular parallelepiped with a slot having internal thread (4), cylindrical rod (5) with an external thread that fits into the slot of pin (3) and is fixed on actuator (7).

[0037] FIG. 2 depicts a scheme of portion of the cell in a vertical section, in which the following elements are defined: elastic film (1), plate (9) with openings, cell cases (6) containing a cavity in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped containing pin (3) having bulge (2) which forms a relief defined as a dot in Braille, where the pin (3) is made in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped with a slot having internal thread (4), cylindrical rod (5) with an external thread that fits into the slot of pin (3) and is fixed on actuator (7), button (12) located on the housing of the device under the cell.

[0038] FIG. 3 depicts a top view of the cell without plate (9) and elastic film (1), in which the following elements are defined: bulge (2) of pin (3), which forms a relief defined as a dot in Braille, pin (3) made in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped and locked within cavity (8) made in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped in cell cases (6).

[0039] FIG. 4 depicts a top view of the cell with elastic film (1) and plate (9) with openings and the film (1) located above the cell.

[0040] FIG. 5 depicts a view of plate (9) with opening (11).

[0041] FIG. 6 depicts a view of pin (3) having bulge (2).

[0042] FIG. 7 depicts a view of pin (3) having bulge (2) and slot (5) having an internal thread.

[0043] FIG. 8 depicts a view of cell case (6) with cavities (8) in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0044] FIG. 9 depicts a view of cell case (6), elastic film (1), and plate (9) with openings

[0045] FIG. 10 depicts a view of tablet (14) with cells (13) as an assembly.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0046] A device of the present invention for transmitting and receiving information by Braille can be made in the form of a single-line display, or in the form of a tablet (see, FIG. 10).

[0047] This electromechanical device forms the raised-dot elements of Braille font on a flat horizontal surface in one or several lines that can be read by tactile receptors of the user fingertips.

[0048] The device consists of cells (13), which form Braille characters arranged horizontally in one or several lines. Such arrangement is possible due to the compact cell size defined by the invented internal mechanism of cell (13) of the tablet used to form the raised-dots of Braille.

[0049] The cell of the tablet (see FIG. 8) consists of the cell case (6) having six or eight, depending on the type of the used Braille alphabet, cavities (8) in the form of rectangular parallelepipeds. Rotational actuators (7) are placed in cavities (8) (see, FIG. 1). Stepper motors can be used as the rotational actuators (7). Cavities (8) also contain rods (4) with external thread fixed on the actuators, and pins (3) containing a bulge (2) forming a relief defined as a raised-dot in Braille (see, FIG. 6), and a slot (5) having an internal thread which fits rods (4), (see, FIG. 7). A plate (9) with opening (11) is located on the top of this cell.

[0050] An elastic film that protects the device from falling into the internal mechanisms of destructive fat, dust and liquids can be placed between the plate and the cell.

[0051] The pin is screwed onto the rod (4) by the thread. The rod (4) is fixed on the actuator (7), which causes the rod to rotate. Rotational movements of the rod (4) are converted into translational movements of the pin (3), since the pin (3) is made in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped and located in the limited space of the cavity in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped (8) of the cell case (6). The forward movement is straightforward and takes place up and down. During rotational movement of the rod (4) in one direction, the pin (3) rises up along the rod (4), and the bulge (2) of the pin protrudes above the plate (9), forming the raised-dot shape of a symbol of the Braille alphabet, while rotational movement of the rod (4) in the opposite direction the finger (3) lowers down the rod (4), and the bulge (2) of the pin (3) does not protrude beyond the level of the plate (9).

[0052] The device according to the present invention for transmitting and receiving information by Braille comprises: [0053] a housing, [0054] plurality of cells disclosed above, [0055] plurality of buttons located on the housing of the device under each cell, [0056] a actuator control unit functionally connected with the actuators, [0057] a means for communication with a computer, a smartphone or an Internet access point, functionally connected with the actuator control unit and with the buttons.

[0058] The device according to the present invention can be made in form of a tablet (14) (see, FIG. 10), and cells (13) which form symbols of Braille font are arranged in one line or several lines.

[0059] The device according to the present invention can function in the mode of receiving information, and in the mode of transmitting information.

[0060] The device according to the present invention may comprise a switch (not shown) that switches the device between these modes. Alternatively, switching between the specified modes can be done by pressing a specific single cell or combination of cells.

[0061] In the mode of receiving information, cells of the device of the present invention form an embossed text which can be written by a user.

[0062] To do this, the received information is converted into points of Braille, then it is transmitted to the drive control unit and form the embossed text using cells of the device.

[0063] Conversion of received information into Braille points can be carried out using software installed on a computer or a smartphone to which the device according to the present invention is connected, or using software installed in the device according to the present invention, for example, in a communication tool.

[0064] In the mode of transmitting information, cells of the device form Braille characters in the form of a keyboard layout. Any keyboard layout can be used depending on the tasks to be solved, and the layout may change depending on the method of use. For example, the keyboard layout can be adapted to enter text, to control any device, etc. It is possible to increase the number of actions performed from such keyboard, for example, by using combinations of pressed cells.

[0065] A mechanism (12) for closing the electrical circuit in form of a button is located under each cells. The button can be selected from membrane, mechanical, optical or electronic buttons. In one embodiment, it may be a button of the scissor mechanism of the keyboard.

[0066] The transmitted information is entered by pressing the corresponding cells of the device with formed Braille characters in the form of a keyboard layout and transmitted through a communication means to a computer, a smartphone or an Internet access point.

[0067] The entered information is transmitted to a computer or a smartphone to which the device according to the present invention is connected, and is subsequently processed using a software installed on the computer or the smartphone.

[0068] Alternatively, in the case of transmitting information, the entered information can be processed using a software installed on the device according to the present invention, for example, directly to an Internet access point.

[0069] Said communication means may be a wireless means transmitting data via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth protocol. Also, the communication means can be a wired means for transmitting data via a cable. In this case, an appropriate connector may be provided in the device according to the present invention.

[0070] The device according to the present invention may further comprise an integrated power supply. Alternatively, the device according to the present invention may use an external power supply.

[0071] While the present inventions are described in detail above, one skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and equivalent substitutions can be made, and such modifications and substitutions are within the scope of the present inventions defined by the appended claims.