Method and apparatus for presenting 3-dimensional objects to visually impaired users

• US 20020159629A1
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Schwerdtfeger, Richard Scott, Janakiraman, Janani
• Granted Patent: US 6,961,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for examining a three dimensional image in a data processing system. An object is presented, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object. In response to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, a depth map is transcoded for the view into a non-visual output. In response to other user inputs to present other views from the set of views, depth maps from those views are transcoded into non-visual outputs. In this manner, a visually impaired user is able to perceive a 3-dimensional object.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for examining a three dimensional image, the method comprising:

presenting an object, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object; and

responsive to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, transcoding a depth map for the view into a non-visual output.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving the depth map from a server.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the depth map from the view.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of views is described using an equation and further comprising:

generating the depth map using the equation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transcoding step comprises:

transcoding a set of adjacent lines within the depth map.

8. A method in a data processing system for presenting a three dimensional object, the method comprising:

presenting options to present different views of the three dimensional object; and

responsive to user inputs, transcoding depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth maps are received from a server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth maps are generated at the data processing system using a set of images for the three dimensional object.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth maps are generated from an equation describing the three dimensional object.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

17. The data processing system of claim 16 further comprising:

retrieving means for retrieving the depth map from a server.

18. The data processing system of claim 16 further comprising:

generating means for generating the depth map from the view.

19. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the set of views is described using an equation and further comprising:

generating the depth map using the equation.

20. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

21. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

22. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the transcoding means comprises:

means for transcoding a set of adjacent lines within the depth map.

24. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the depth maps are received from a server.

25. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the depth maps are generated at the data processing system using a set of images for the three dimensional object.

26. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the depth maps are generated from an equation describing the three dimensional object.

27. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

28. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 further comprising:

third instructions for retrieving the depth map from a server.

31. The computer program product of claim 29 further comprising:

third instructions for generating the depth map from the view.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the set of views is described using an equation and further comprising:

third instructions for generating the depth map using the equation.

33. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

34. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

35. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the second instructions comprises:

sub-instructions for transcoding a set of adjacent lines within the depth map.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the depth maps are received from a server.

38. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the depth maps are generated at the data processing system using a set of images for the three dimensional object.

39. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the depth maps are generated from an equation describing the three dimensional object.

40. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

41. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

14. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to present an object, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object; and

transcode a depth map for the view into a non-visual output in response to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views.

15. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to present options to present different views of the three dimensional object; and

transcode depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object in response to user inputs.

16. A data processing system for examining a three dimensional image, the data processing system comprising:

presenting means for presenting an object, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object; and

transcoding means, responsive to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, for transcoding a depth map for the view into a non-visual output.

23. A data processing system for presenting a three dimensional object, the data processing system comprising:

presenting means for presenting options to present different views of the three dimensional object; and

transcoding means, responsive to user inputs, for transcoding depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object.

29. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for examining a three dimensional image, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for presenting an object, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object; and

second instructions, responsive to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, for transcoding a depth map for the view into a non-visual output.

36. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for presenting a three dimensional object, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for presenting options to present different views of the three dimensional object; and

second instructions, responsive to user inputs, for transcoding depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object.