Spatial guidance system for visually impaired individuals

Method, systems, and apparatus to facilitate navigation in a known environment. Communication and tracking between a receiver device and one or more beacons are provided to identify a current position of the receiver device. A direction to a next waypoint of a current path is determined based on the identified current position and a haptic feedback system is signaled to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient a user in the identified direction.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to the electrical, electronic and computer arts, and more specifically, to a spatial guidance system for individuals.

One of the biggest challenges for visually impaired persons is achieving independent mobility, typically using reference locations to navigate within a familiar environment. These reference points range from the location and position of furniture within a space to trees, park benches, and lampposts located outdoors. Typically, reaching each reference point conveys both that one is moving in the right direction and what to expect going forward, in terms of the next expected reference point. It often happens, however, that between leaving one reference point and reaching the next, a visually impaired person can miss the next reference point and become disoriented due to taking a wrong turn, making a slight deviation in direction, and the like. Guiding the visually impaired person back to her or his last reference point (or to the nearest reference point) is often required to enable him or her to recognize where she or he is and to reorient his or her intended direction.

SUMMARY

Principles of the invention provide techniques for providing spatial guidance to visually impaired individuals. In one aspect, an exemplary method to facilitate navigation in a known environment includes the operations of providing communication and tracking between a receiver device and one or more beacons to identify a current position of the receiver device; determining a direction to a next waypoint of a current path based on the identified current position; and signaling a haptic feedback system to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient a user in the identified direction.

In one aspect, a non-transitory computer readable medium comprises computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the method of: providing communication and tracking between a receiver device and one or more beacons to identify a current position of the receiver device; determining a direction to a next waypoint of a current path based on the identified current position; and signaling a haptic feedback system to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient a user in the identified direction.

In one aspect, an exemplary system includes a haptic feedback system configured to provide haptic feedback to a user; and a smart device in communication with the haptic feedback system. The smart device is configured to provide communication and tracking between a receiver device and one or more beacons to identify a current position of the receiver device; determine a direction to a next waypoint of a current path based on the identified current position; and signal the haptic feedback system to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient the user in the identified direction.

Techniques of the present invention can provide substantial beneficial technical effects. For example, one or more embodiments provide one or more of:

continuous haptic feedback for orienting and reorienting a visually impaired individual in a familiar environment;

user selection of reference points;

elimination of the need for audio cues from a navigation system and thereby the need for headphones or other listening devices;

the ability for the user to be oriented towards a selected reference point;

continuous haptic feedback that enables a user to move quickly and safely through a known space by eliminating the pauses normally required for user re-orientation; and

a continuous haptic feedback mechanism that orients the user accurately towards a selected reference point, a nearest reference point, a previously encountered reference point, and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Characteristics are as follows:

Service Models are as follows:

Deployment Models are as follows:

Generally, apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that facilitate orientation and navigation for visually impaired individuals in, for example, a large but familiar environment (such as at home, at work, and the like). Cloud, non-cloud, and mixed cloud/non-cloud implementations are possible. In one or more embodiments, the system guides an individual, such as a disoriented individual, to a familiar reference point (note that fixed known location, reference point, reference spot, reference marker, and waypoint are used interchangeably herein). In one or more embodiments, this includes enabling the visually impaired individual, with or without the assistance of a sighted person, to place waypoint beacons at reference points, and to have the system provide guidance to a reference point, such as the last encountered waypoint or the closest waypoint, by continuous haptic feedback to the individual. Thus, a visually impaired person can effortlessly navigate in her or his environment without prolonged periods of disorientation. In one example embodiment, the system learns the physical path(s) most commonly taken by the user and develops a spatio-temporal model of each path that the user travels between waypoints.

In addition, in one or more embodiments, the system has a disorientation detector so that the user is automatically guided to a reference point when the individual appears to be disoriented. (As used herein, the user is the visually impaired individual receiving assistance.) This allows the user to effortlessly recognize reference waypoints and to be properly oriented within the user's environment.

FIG.3Ais a block diagram of an example system300for establishing the location of locator beacons316-1,316-2,316-3(collectively referred to as locator beacons316herein) and providing haptic feedback to spatially orient a user, in accordance with an example embodiment. More or fewer beacons can be used in other embodiments. In one example embodiment, physical reference points familiar to the user are transformed into electronic waypoints that guide the user to one of the reference points. The reference point may be the closest reference point, the starting reference point of a journey, the last encountered reference point, a reference point specified by the user, a default reference point, and the like. One or more locator beacons316are placed at locations designated by the user or other individual as a reference marker that is perceived to be helpful by the user. For example, a locator beacon may be placed by a door located across from a staircase where the locator beacon can be used to orient the user towards the door as the user exits the staircase. The locator beacons316are, for example battery-powered, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons. These devices are often capable of running for a year or more on batteries. A receiver308, computing device304(also referred to as a smart device304herein), and haptic feedback system320provide guidance feedback to a user as the user traverses the environment.

Contextual indicators of commonly used reference spots not in the knowledge base are identified by the smart device304and a recommender system312may suggest possible waypoints to the user to be added to the knowledge base. These are virtual waypoints, that is, waypoints that do not have locator beacons316presently located by them, but their location is identified by triangulating signals from existing locator beacons316.

Recommending additional waypoints is done by identifying user triggered reorientation and self-oriented signals. For example, if a user frequently becomes disoriented at a particular spot, the recommender system312can suggest adding a virtual waypoint at that location to help guide the user along the user's path.

In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320is in the form of a wearable device, such as suspenders, that are worn over the user's shoulders.FIG.3Bis an illustration of an example suspender-based haptic feedback wearable device330, in accordance with an example embodiment.FIG.3Cis an illustration of an example chest-mounted haptic feedback wearable device360, in accordance with an example embodiment.FIG.3Dis an illustration of two side-views of a motorized shoulder apparatus390, in accordance with an example embodiment. As illustrated inFIG.3D, a servo motor370is connected to a corresponding strap374of the suspender-based wearable device330or the chest-mounted wearable device360. The example suspender-based wearable device330may be clipped to a belt or pants worn by the user, and can be worn underneath the user's shirt or top, making the suspender-based wearable device330unobtrusive to the user when not in use. The servo motor370can move forward or backward to adjust tension in the strap374, which provides the continuous haptic feedback to the user. The receiver308and smart device304interact with the user, as well as with motors (not shown) coupled to the suspenders that allow the left and right suspenders to be tensioned individually at the direction of the smart device304. The left and right tension in the suspenders act as the continuous haptic feedback to the user, accurately orienting the user in the correct direction. Each suspender can be tensioned at the back or the front, or both at the same time, providing intuitive feedback to the user. For example, tensioning both suspenders to the front means the reference point is directly in front of the user, tensioning both suspenders to the back means the reference point is directly behind the user, tensioning the left suspender in the back and the right suspender in the front means the reference point is towards the left, and the like.

The receiver308uses the signal strength from two or more directional antennae (not shown) to determine the orientation of the locator beacon316relative to the user. This is then used to drive the control of the haptic feedback motors attached to the suspenders. In a non-limiting example, the well-known angle of arrival (AoA) technique can be employed. When combined with the signal strength, this can provide enough information to triangulate the distance and direction of the beacon from the user. Bluetooth 5.1 implements this approach, for example. One or more embodiments can accordingly be implemented using Bluetooth 5.1 or newer transmitter and receiver modules using the AoA method. In noisy environments, an implementation of a Kalman Filter can be used to improve accuracy. Given the teachings herein, the skilled artisan will able to utilize known techniques such as AoA. Bluetooth 5.1 or higher, and/or Kalman filters to implement one or more embodiments.

User Disorientation and Reorientation

If the user becomes disoriented, the haptic feedback system320can guide the user to a waypoint. The haptic feedback system320can be engaged by the user pressing a button or otherwise indicating that the user is disoriented, and the device will use haptic feedback to guide the user to a waypoint. In one example embodiment, the button may be attached to the suspender-based haptic feedback wearable device330, a user's smartphone, a visually-impaired cane (seeFIG.6), a visually-impaired peripheral assistive device, and the like. In one example embodiment, the user may indicate disorientation to a smart assistant, a virtual assistant, a digital application or web-service via hand signals, voice commands or trigger sounds that are identified by a user's smart phone, a smart home speaker device, a hands-free device, facial features or body movements that are identified by a user's home camera system, a smart Wi-Fi gesture recognition system, a smartphone camera or radar gesture recognition system, and the like. In one example embodiment, once engaged, the haptic feedback system320continuously guides the user to the waypoint. In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320is continuously engaged and continuously guides the user to the waypoint, regardless of whether the user is disoriented.

Additionally, waypoints can be labelled and identified by means of short haptic feedback patterns. For example, waypoint number one can be identified by a single short burst of haptic feedback and waypoint number two by two short bursts. This identification can be provided before navigation starts and/or when the waypoint is encountered, giving the user the ability to know which waypoint the user is being oriented towards or are currently located by. If the user wants to be directed to a specific waypoint, a second button or other mechanism allows the user to cycle through waypoints to be directed to or to specifically identify a particular waypoint. In one example embodiment, trigger mechanisms similar to those used by a user to engage the haptic feedback system320are also used to specify a waypoint.

Automatic Disorientation Detection

During system use, data is collected and used to train a model to detect disorientation of the user; the detection will often occur before the user has even realized she or he is disoriented. This can be implemented as a Recurrent Neural Network, a Long short-term memory (LSTM) network, or similar machine learning model. The model learns the physical path(s) most commonly taken by the user by looking at the distance to each waypoint over a time series of samples of the location of the user in the environment and develops a spatio-temporal model of each path that the user travels between waypoints. This allows the paths between waypoints to be more complex than straight lines. In one example embodiment, data recorded from the time period shortly before the current time is used as input to the model so as to determine the direction of travel along a current path of the user.

In one example embodiment, disorientation detection becomes a binary classification problem with the traversal paths and timestamps as inputs. Initially, the model may be biased with a class imbalance against disorientation since the user has not manually labelled the data as a disorientation sample. As additional disorientation samples are collected and the model is retrained, the model may suggest a reorientation to the user. Where a false positive disorientation signal is presented to the user and dismissed or ignored, these signals are also used to retrain the model and correct the incorrectly detected sample label. A decreasing false positive rate of ignoring or dismissing a disorientation signal quantifies sufficient data collection. In one example embodiment, the model can use few-shot learning for inter-waypoint disorientation detection, using disorientation samples between two waypoints to identify disorientation signals between two secondary waypoints that have different spatio-temporal signatures. The skilled artisan will be familiar with few-shot learning, which refers to the practice of feeding a learning model with a very small amount of training data, contrary to the normal practice of using a large amount of data.

Once enough data has been collected and common paths between waypoints have been identified, the model is able to detect when the user deviates from a known path and to alert the user to the disorientation. The user can then either be automatically reoriented to a waypoint, or can dismiss the reorientation, either by deliberately ignoring the reorientation haptic feedback for a set period of time, by pressing a physical button on the device, and the like.

In one example embodiment, user motion and user behavior are used as input to the disorientation model. An example training label sequence for the disorientation model is: detecting rapid movement or unexpected drift of the user in between waypoints, followed by a sudden stationary motion, and then manually activating reorientation. Once sufficient training labels have been obtained, the system is able to activate reorientation without needing any intervention or prompting by the user.

Saving Non-Beacon Waypoints as Fixed Reference Points

In one example embodiment, virtual beacons are saved into a knowledge base (e.g. in memory28discussed below with respect toFIG.7) using the smart device304and gesture recognition, physical buttons, virtual buttons, audio instructions, virtual assistant interaction, and the like. The virtual beacons are established without the deployment of the physical locator beacons316and may be based on fixed reference spots (such as trees, building edges, furniture, and the like) that a visually impaired person may naturally use when navigating in a familiar environment. The orientation signals registered by the smart device304are stored in the knowledge base and a spatio-temporal machine learning model incorporates triangulation techniques between the physical locator beacons316to identify, signals that correspond to virtual beacons. In one example embodiment, the triangulation model can be stored and run on the smart device304and the virtual beacon can operate identically to a physical locator beacon316to all subsystems outside of the smart device304.

Establishing Beacons as Reference Points

FIG.4is an example workflow400for establishing the location of locator beacons, in accordance with an example embodiment. In one or more embodiments, the initial system setup includes the user independently placing locator beacons316(to be used as waypoints), which can be done with or without the help of a sighted guide. In an independent set up scenario, the user starts at a well-known location and places a locator beacon316there. The user navigates around the environment as she or he normally would (such as using a white cane) and places more locator beacons316at other locations known to the user; each locator beacon316is assigned a location identifier such that a user can correlate an identity of a reference location with an identifier for a particular locator beacon316. Once the locator beacons316are deployed, the haptic feedback system320orients the user to the appropriate beacon/waypoint. The haptic feedback cues may be continuously engaged, engaged only when the user is perceived to be disoriented, engaged only when the user indicates that the user is disoriented, and the like.

In one example embodiment, a user is guided through a new environment by a sighted individual (operation404). The user starts movement from a recently learned entry point (operation408) or from a location well known to the user (operation412). The user places a locator beacon316at the well-known location and/or entry point (operation416). The user navigates the environment with the assistance of a sighted individual, touch, a cane, and the like (operation420). At some point, the user perceives that a current location is a desirable reference point (operation424) and a determination is made of whether the user needs sighted assistance to place the beacon (operation428) (e.g. based on input from the user). In one example embodiment, the visually impaired user, based on the user's navigation experience, will choose the location for the beacon—a location the user wishes to be navigated to in the event of future disorientation. If the user does not need sighted assistance (NO branch of operation428), the user places a locator beacon316at the identified reference point (operation432) and the workflow400proceeds with operation420. If the user needs sighted assistance (YES branch of operation428), the user verifies the location/reference point with the assistance of a sighted guide (operation436) and places a locator beacon316at the identified reference point with the assistance of the sighted individual, if the reference location has been verified (operation440). The workflow400then proceeds with operation420. The process continues until a sufficient number of beacons have been placed. In one example embodiment, the number of locator beacons316is based on the ability of the user to independently navigate from an entry point to each next reference point without experiencing disorientation.

FIG.5Ais an example workflow500for guiding a visually impaired individual, in accordance with an example embodiment. In one example embodiment, a user moves within a known environment (operation504). At some point, the user becomes disoriented (operation512) while a continuously active passive disorientation detector attempts to determine the status of the user: properly oriented or disoriented (operation516). If the user is suspected of being disoriented (YES branch of operation516), the smart device304is activated to communicate reorientation signals to the continuous haptic feedback system320(operation524), the continuous haptic feedback system320is engaged (operation528), and the user navigates towards a known waypoint following the guidance provided by the haptic feedback system320(operation532).

A determination is made of whether the user has been reoriented (operation536). In one example embodiment, if the user starts moving toward the next waypoint, the user is assumed to be reoriented. If the user is not determined to be reoriented (NO branch of operation536), the method500proceeds with operation532and the haptic feedback system320continues to guide the user to a waypoint. If the user is determined to be reoriented (YES branch of operation536), the continuously active passive disorientation detector attempts to determine if the user is reoriented (operation540). If the user is determined to be reoriented (YES branch of operation540), the continuous haptic feedback system320disengages (operation544) and the method500proceeds with operation504. If the user is not determined to be reoriented (NO branch of operation540), a check is performed to determine if the user actively indicates reorientation to the system using the smart device304(operation548). If the user actively indicates reorientation to the system (YES branch of operation548), the passive disorientation detector retrains using status and interaction information of the smart device304and the locator beacons316prior to the dis-/re-orientation (operation552) and the continuous haptic feedback system320disengages (operation544). If the user does not actively indicate reorientation to the system (NO branch of operation548), the method500proceeds with operation532.

Returning to operation516, if the user is not suspected of being disoriented (NO branch of operation516), the user has become disoriented and the system has not automatically detected that the user is disoriented. In this case, the user manually indicates that the user is currently disoriented (operation520) and the method500proceeds with operation524to engage the reorientation process. Additionally, the sequence of events is used as a training exercise to train the system300to better detect orientation in the future. Thus, in one example embodiment, the method500proceeds with operation552and, as described above, the passive disorientation detector retrains using status and interaction information of the smart device304and the locator beacons316prior to the dis-/re-orientation. Once operation552has completed, the system300has retrained itself to better passively detect disorientation in the future.

FIG.5Bis a flowchart for an example method550for facilitating navigation in a known environment, in accordance with an example embodiment. In one example embodiment, communication and tracking is provided between a receiver device308and one or more beacons316to identify a current position of the receiver device308(operation554). A direction to a next waypoint of a current path is determined based on the identified current position (operation558); and a haptic feedback system320is signaled to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient a user in the identified direction (operation562). In one example embodiment, the operations of method550are performed by the smart device304in conjunction with the receiver device308. In one example embodiment, the receiver device308is a component of the smart device304. In one example embodiment, operations of the method550, such as the determination of the direction to a next waypoint of a current path, are performed in conjunction with a cloud environment.

Smart Cane Haptic Actuators

In one example embodiment, the continuous haptic feedback system is implemented with a plurality of motors embedded or attached to a cane (such as towards the front and/or back of the impaired persons hand), providing actuation in opposite directions to create a rotational pivot about a fixed axis and guide the user towards the direction of a waypoint.FIG.6is an illustration of a haptic feedback cane600, in accordance with an example embodiment. As illustrated inFIG.6, a servo motor604and horn608are attached to the cane600, which is wrapped with a rubber tube (not shown to avoid clutter). The user can feel the position of the horn608(which moves left or right) under the cane handle612with the user's index finger, so that the horn608acts as a pointer. In one example embodiment, a weight (not shown) is attached to the horn608so that the user can feel the unbalanced weight acting against the cane handle612. Actuation intensity and haptic patterns can vary as the user becomes realigned with the orientation and/or distance to the waypoint. Similar methods of haptic reorientation can be provided by a plurality of devices, such as smart phones, smart wearables (such as watches, bracelets, hairbands, smart wallets, and smart shoes), purpose-built devices, and the like.

Given the discussion thus far, it will be appreciated that, in general terms, an exemplary method, according to an aspect of the invention, an exemplary method to facilitate navigation in a known environment includes the operations of providing communication and tracking between a receiver device308and one or more beacons316to identify a current position of the receiver device308(operation508,554); determining a direction to a next waypoint of a current path based on the identified current position (operations524,528,532,558); and signaling a haptic feedback system to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient a user in the identified direction (operation532,562).

In one example embodiment, the current path is identified by analyzing a movement of the user in the known environment. In one example embodiment, the next waypoint is at least one of a closest reference point, a starting reference point of the current path, a last reference point encountered by the user, a default reference point, and a reference point specified by the user. In one example embodiment, the one or more beacons316are placed in one or more fixed locations in the known environment, each beacon316to be used as a static waypoint that transmits navigation signals to the receiver device308. In one example embodiment, a triangulation technique is used to detect a position of the user at a non-beacon waypoint and using the detected location to guide the user to the next waypoint. In one example embodiment, a disorientation model is trained based on location data for the user during one or more journeys and using the disorientation model to determine if the user appears disoriented.

In one example embodiment, the disorientation detection model automatically detects when passive haptic signals are ignored, the method further comprising disengaging a haptic feedback system in response to detecting that the passive haptic signals are being ignored (operation544). In one example embodiment, a disorientation of the user is detected by analyzing a movement of the user in relation to the current path (operations508,512,516). In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320is engaged in response to a user actively indicating disorientation (operations532,548). In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320is engaged in response to a passive detection of disorientation of the user (operations516,524,528). In one example embodiment, wherein the determining operation is at least partially performed in a cloud environment. In one example embodiment, tension is applied to a back side and/or a front side of each suspender330of a pair of suspenders330(operations528,532).

In one example embodiment, both suspenders330are tensioned to the front side to indicate that the next waypoint is in front of the user, both suspenders330are tensioned to only the back side to indicate that the next waypoint is behind the user, the left suspender330is tensioned in only the back side and the right suspender330is tensioned in only the front side to indicate that the next waypoint is towards a left side of the user, and the right suspender330is tensioned in only the back side and the left suspender330is tensioned in only the front side to indicate that the next waypoint is towards a right side of the user. In one example embodiment, one or more motors370are controlled to generate actuation in opposite directions to create a rotational pivot about a fixed axis of a cane600to orient the user towards a direction of the next waypoint. Generally, the wording of “both suspenders are tensioned toward the front side” implies that there is more tension on the front side than the rear side, and does not necessarily mean that all tension is directed to the front side; similarly, toward any other side/direction.

In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320identifies the next waypoint using short haptic feedback patterns (operation532). In one example embodiment, the user identifies the next waypoint. In one example embodiment, responsive to the signaling, the continuous haptic feedback is provided to orient the user in the identified direction.

In one aspect, a non-transitory computer readable medium comprises computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the method of: providing communication and tracking between a receiver device308and one or more beacons316to identify a current position of the receiver device308(operation508,554); determining a direction to a next waypoint of a current path based on the identified current position (operations524,528,532,558); and signaling a haptic feedback system to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient a user in the identified direction (operation532,562).

In one aspect, an exemplary system includes a haptic feedback system320configured to provide haptic feedback to a user; and a smart device304in communication with the haptic feedback system (in a non-limiting example, wirelessly). The smart device is configured to provide communication and tracking between a receiver device308and one or more beacons316-1,317-2,316-3to identify a current position of the receiver device; determine a direction to a next waypoint of a current path based on the identified current position; and signal the haptic feedback system to provide continuous haptic feedback to orient the user in the identified direction. As noted elsewhere, in some instances, the receiver device is part of the smart device. The smart device can be configured to carry out the indicated steps by, for example, programming a processor of the smart device. Refer generally to the discussion ofFIG.7below. In some instances, the system includes only the haptic feedback system and smart device and the beacons and receiver device are workpieces that interact with the system. In some instances, the system also includes the receiver device, as part of the smart device or separate. In some instances, the system further includes the beacons.

In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320comprises a pair of suspenders330and one or more motors370coupled to the suspenders330, the one or more motors370configured to tension each suspender330at one or more of a back side and a front side.

In one example embodiment, the haptic feedback system320comprises a cane600and one or more motors604coupled to the cane600, the one or more motors604providing actuation in opposite directions to create a rotational pivot about a fixed axis of the cane600to orient the user towards a direction of the next waypoint.

The disclosed system is directed to guiding visually persons, such as impaired persons, in a familiar environment. In one example embodiment, the system considers navigation in a familiar environment, implying that the user is already aware of both the direction and obstacles that exist along the path. The system addresses, for example, the particular problem where a visually impaired person gets disoriented when navigating a familiar environment, and needs to be guided back to a previously known reference point. The system focuses on short distances (between waypoints) as opposed to existing source to destination systems, and in making use of the natural way that visually impaired persons navigate, that is, using reference points to monitor errors in navigation. This is accomplished by providing waypoints to reorient navigation.

In one example embodiment, continuous haptic feedback is provided (similar to having a person's hands on your shoulders “nudging” you in the right direction). In one example embodiment, a learning system is provided for learning new waypoints. In one example embodiment, static waypoints are used that are familiar to a visually impaired person and are navigated to when the user is disoriented in a familiar environment.

One or more embodiments of the invention, or elements thereof, can be implemented in the form of an apparatus including a memory and at least one processor that is coupled to the memory and operative to perform exemplary method steps.FIG.7depicts a computer system that may be useful in implementing one or more aspects and/or elements of the invention, also representative of a cloud computing node according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now toFIG.7, cloud computing node10is only one example of a suitable cloud computing node and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the invention described herein. Regardless, cloud computing node10is capable of being implemented and/or performing any of the functionality set forth hereinabove.

Thus, one or more embodiments can make use of software running on a general purpose computer or workstation. With reference toFIG.7, such an implementation might employ, for example, a processor16, a memory28, and an input/output interface22to a display24and external device(s)14such as a keyboard, a pointing device, or the like. The term “processor” as used herein is intended to include any processing device, such as, for example, one that includes a CPU (central processing unit) and/or other forms of processing circuitry. Further, the term “processor” may refer to more than one individual processor. The term “memory” is intended to include memory associated with a processor or CPU, such as, for example, RAM (random access memory)30, ROM (read only memory), a fixed memory device (for example, hard drive34), a removable memory device (for example, diskette), a flash memory and the like. In addition, the phrase “input/output interface” as used herein, is intended to contemplate an interface to, for example, one or more mechanisms for inputting data to the processing unit (for example, mouse), and one or more mechanisms for providing results associated with the processing unit (for example, printer). The processor16, memory28, and input/output interface22can be interconnected, for example, via bus18as part of a data processing unit12. Suitable interconnections, for example via bus18, can also be provided to a network interface20, such as a network card, which can be provided to interface with a computer network, and to a media interface, such as a diskette or CD-ROM drive, which can be provided to interface with suitable media.

A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing program code will include at least one processor16coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements28through a system bus18. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual implementation of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories32which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during implementation.

Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, and the like) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers.

One or more embodiments can be at least partially implemented in the context of a cloud or virtual machine environment, although this is exemplary and non-limiting. Reference is made back toFIGS.1-2and accompanying text.

It should be noted that any of the methods described herein can include an additional step of providing a system comprising distinct software modules embodied on a computer readable storage medium; the modules can include, for example, any or all of the appropriate elements depicted in the block diagrams and/or described herein; by way of example and not limitation, any one, some or all of the modules/blocks and or sub-modules/sub-blocks described. The method steps can then be carried out using the distinct software modules and/or sub-modules of the system, as described above, executing on one or more hardware processors such as16. Further, a computer program product can include a computer-readable storage medium with code adapted to be implemented to carry out one or more method steps described herein, including the provision of the system with the distinct software modules.

One example of user interface that could be employed in some cases is hypertext markup language (HTML) code served out by a server or the like, to a browser of a computing device of a user. The HTML is parsed by the browser on the user's computing device to create a graphical user interface (GUI).

Exemplary System and Article of Manufacture Details