Patent ID: 8825398

Claim:
A device configured to assist in indoor navigation of a person, said device being fitted to the person, the device comprising: a computer comprising at least one processor and a memory, the memory storing a mapping of a place in which a path of the person is planned between a departure point and an arrival point, the departure point being entered by an absolute location, and storing a location software; a human-machine interface linked to the computer; and a set of sensors comprising an inertial unit worn by the person and linked to the computer, the set of sensors configured to deliver information about movements of the person and the position of the person in said mapping in an indoor area, wherein the at least one processor executing the location software is configured to: process signals originating from the set of sensors and from the human-machine interface, fuse data provided by the mapping and the information processed from the set of sensors and from the human-machine interface, calculate, based on the fused data and the information, a relative location of the person without use of prior learned places, calculate an updated path to be traveled as a function of identified attained intermediate objectives of the path between the absolute location and the arrival point, the intermediate objectives being marked on said mapping such that once a particular intermediate objective has been reached, the device provides a new intermediate objective to be attained, determine that the set of sensors has a drift, perform a realignment of the location of the person in the indoor area with respect to the mapping to remove lateral positioning errors in response to the determined drift of the set of sensors, determining a signature of a signal originating from at least one of the set of sensors, determining a movement characteristic of the person based upon the determined signature, and identifying that the particular intermediate objective is reached based upon the determined movement characteristic of the person.