Accessibility to web images through multiple image resolutions

• US 20020154146A1
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Spinac, Clifford Jay, Smith, Newton James Jr., Rodriquez, Herman
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A method, program and apparatus for providing access to alternate images in an electronic document are provided. The present invention comprises identifying an initial image to be displayed in an electronic document (typically a web page) and then determining if alternate versions of the image are available for display. If alternate versions of the image are available, they are provided within the same electronic document. The alternate images differ from the initial image in size and resolution, allowing users with visual impairments to access larger, higher resolution images. The user accesses the alternate images by means of a selector displayed within the electronic document. When selected, the alternate image replaces the initial image in the electronic document, and the document is reformatted.

Claims

1. A method for providing alternate images in an electronic document, comprising:

identifying an initial image to be displayed in an electronic document;

providing alternate images within the same electronic document, wherein the alternate images differ from the initial image in size and resolution;

displaying the initial image;

providing a selector for accessing the alternate images; and

responsive to receiving user selection input, replacing the initial image with an alternate image and reformatting the electronic document.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alternate images are cached in memory.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alternate images are stored on a server.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising redefining a HTML/XML image tag to have an alternate image attribute, wherein the alternate image attribute specifies alternate image files.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising reflowing text around the alternate image in the electronic document to accommodate changes in image size.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the size of the initial image is preset by the user.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein image resolution adjusts automatically with changes in image size.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selector comprises indicators displayed on the image.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein clicking on the image itself provides access to alternate images.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic document may be used within browser, word processing, and desktop publishing applications.

11. A method for accessing alternate images in an electronic document, comprising:

receiving a display of an initial image in an electronic document;

selecting an alternate image from a plurality of alternate images by means of a selector, wherein the alternate images are provided within the same electronic document; and

receiving a display of the alternate image in place of the initial image in the electronic document, wherein the alternate image differs from the initial image in size and resolution.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising presetting the size of the initial image.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of selecting alternate images further comprises clicking on indicators displayed on a corner of the image.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of selecting alternate images further comprises cycling through alternate images by clicking on the images.

15. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system, for providing alternate images in an electronic document, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for identifying an initial image to be displayed in an electronic document;

instructions for providing alternate images within the same electronic document, wherein the alternate images differ from the initial image in size and resolution;

instructions for displaying the initial image;

instructions for providing a selector for accessing the alternate images; and

responsive to receiving user selection input, instructions for replacing the initial image with an alternate image and reformatting the electronic document.

16. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in a data processing system, for accessing alternate images in an electronic document, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving a display of an initial image in an electronic document;

instructions for selecting an alternate image from a plurality of images by means of a selector, wherein the alternate images are provided within the same electronic document;

instructions for receiving a display of the alternate image in place of the initial image in the electronic document, wherein the alternate image differs from the initial image in size and resolution.

17. A system for providing alternate images in an electronic document, comprising:

an identification component which identifies an initial image to be displayed in an electronic document;

a storage component which provides alternate images within the same electronic document, wherein the alternate images differ from the initial image in size and resolution;

a display device which displays the initial image;

a selector which selects the alternate images; and

an image changer which, responsive to receiving user selection input, replaces the initial image with an alternate image and reformats the electronic document.

18. A system for accessing alternate images in an electronic document, comprising:

a display device which receives and displays an initial image in an electronic document;

a selector which selects an alternate image from a plurality of images, wherein the alternate images are provided within the same electronic document; and

a receiving component which receives and displays an alternate image in place of the initial image in the electronic document, wherein the alternate image differs from the initial image in size and resolution.