Reading device usability

• US 10,331,398 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abou Mahmoud, Alaa, Bastide, Paul R., Lu, Fang
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinich, Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US14/711,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20160335044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 704 1- 10, 704235, 704270, 704260, 704275, 704E15043, 4554122
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

As disclosed herein a method, executed by a computer, for enabling enhanced reading device usability includes detecting, on an electronic device, a read operation that audibly reads visually presented information. The method further includes retrieving from a user profile a first threshold value and a second threshold value. The method further includes analyzing potential distractions to determine an estimated distraction level. The method further includes pausing the read operation if the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold value. The method further includes resuming the read operation if the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold value. A computer system, and a computer program product corresponding to the method are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, on an electronic device, a read operation that audibly reads visually presented information;

retrieving from a user profile a first threshold value and a second threshold value;

analyzing potential distractions to provide preliminary distraction measurements associated with each distraction, wherein each preliminary distraction measurement corresponds to a measured value;

calculating a numerical weight corresponding to each potential distraction by altering the preliminary distraction measurements according to a corresponding weight preference indicated by a profile, wherein the weight preference indicates how to alter the measured value corresponding to the potential distraction to provide the numerical weight;

determining the estimated distraction level based on an accumulation of the numerical weights associated with each distraction;

determining if the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold level;

pausing the read operation responsive to determining that the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold value;

determining if the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold level; and

resuming the read operation responsive to determining that the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile comprises one or more potential local distractions, the one or more potential local distractions each comprising a numerical weight.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile comprises a selectable mobile profile extension, the mobile profile extension providing one or more potential mobile distractions each comprising a numerical weight.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the potential distractions comprises detecting any of one or more potential local distractions and one or more potential mobile distractions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein pausing the read operation comprises halting the read operation, and identifying a location in the visually presented information where the read operation was halted.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein resuming the read operation comprises starting the read operation beginning at the location in the visually presented information where the read operation was halted.

8. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising instructions to;

detect a read operation on an electronic device that audibly reads visually presented information;

retrieve from a user profile a first threshold value and a second threshold value;

analyze potential distractions to provide preliminary distraction measurements associated with each distraction, wherein each preliminary distraction measurement corresponds to a measured value;

calculate a numerical weight corresponding to each potential distraction by altering the preliminary distraction measurements according to a corresponding weight preference indicated by a profile, wherein the weight preference indicates how to alter the measured value corresponding to the potential distraction to provide the numerical weight;

determine the estimated distraction level based on an accumulation of the numerical weights associated with each distraction;

determine if the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold level;

pause the read operation responsive to determining that the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold value;

determine if the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold level; and

resume the read operation responsive to determining that the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold value.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the user profile comprises one or more potential local distractions, the one or more potential local distractions each comprising a numerical weight.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the user profile comprises a selectable mobile profile extension, the mobile profile extension providing one or more potential mobile distractions each comprising a numerical weight.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions to analyze potential distractions comprise instructions to detect any of one or more potential local distractions and one or more potential mobile distractions.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the instructions to pause the read operation comprise instructions to halt the read operation, and identify a location in the visually presented information where the read operation was halted.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions to resume the read operation comprise instructions to start the read operation beginning at the location in the visually presented information where the read operation was halted.

15. A computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the computer processors, the program instructions comprising instructions to;

detect a read operation on an electronic device that audibly reads visually presented information;

retrieve from a user profile a first threshold value and a second threshold value;

analyze potential distractions to provide preliminary distraction measurements associated with each distraction, wherein each preliminary distraction measurement corresponds to a measured value;

calculate a numerical weight corresponding to each potential distraction by altering the preliminary distraction measurements according to a corresponding weight preference indicated by a profile, wherein the weight preference indicates how to alter the measured value corresponding to the potential distraction to provide the numerical weight;

determine the estimated distraction level based on an accumulation of the numerical weights associated with each distraction;

determine if the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold level;

pause the read operation responsive to determining that the estimated distraction level is greater than or equal to the first threshold value;

determine if the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold level; and

resume the read operation responsive to determining that the estimated distraction level is less than or equal to the second threshold value.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the user profile comprises one or more potential local distractions, the one or more potential local distractions each comprising a numerical weight.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to analyze potential distractions comprise instructions to detect any of one or more potential local distractions and one or more potential mobile distractions.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to pause the read operation comprise instructions to halt the read operation, and identify a location in the visually presented information where the read operation was halted.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the instructions to resume the read operation comprise instructions to start the read operation beginning at the location in the visually presented information where the read operation was halted.