Computer network including a computer system transmitting screen image information and corresponding speech information to another computer system

• US 20030208356A1
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schwerdtfeger, Richard Scott, Muta, Hidemasa, King, Charles J., Snow-Weaver, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/065 Aids for the handicapped in understanding

Abstract

A described computer network includes a first computer system and a second computer system. The first computer system transmits screen image information and corresponding speech information to the second computer system. The screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the first computer system. The speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image. When the screen image includes one or more objects (e.g., menus, dialog boxes, icons, and the like) having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the corresponding semantic information. The second computer system responds to the speech information by producing an output (e.g., human speech via an audio output device, a tactile output via a Braille output device, and the like). The semantic information conveyed by the output allows a visually-impaired user of the second computer system to know intended purposes of the objects. The second computer system may also receive user input, generate an input signal corresponding to the user input, and transmit the input signal to the first computer system. The first computer system may respond to the input signal by updating the screen image. The semantic information conveyed by the output enables the visually-impaired user to properly interact with the first computer system.

Claims

1. A computer network, comprising:

a first computer system configured to transmit screen image information and corresponding speech information to another computer system, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the first computer system, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image, and wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information; and

a second computer system in communication with the first computer system.

2. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the second computer system is configured to receive the speech information, and to respond to the received speech information by producing an output, and wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the output conveys to a user the semantic information corresponding to the object.

3. The computer network as recited in claim 2, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the output produced by the second computer system conveys to a visually-impaired user information concerning an intended purpose of the object.

4. The computer network as recited in claim 2, wherein the second computer system is configured to respond to the received speech information by producing human speech conveying the semantic information.

5. The computer network as recited in claim 2, wherein the second computer system is configured to respond to the received speech information by producing a tactile output conveying the semantic information.

6. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the second computer system is configured to receive user input from a user of the second computer system, to generate an input signal corresponding to the user input, and to transmit the input signal to the first computer system.

7. The computer network as recited in claim 6, wherein in the event a user of the second computer system is visually impaired, and in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information including the semantic information transmitted from the first computer system to the second computer system enables the visually-impaired user to properly interact with the first computer system.

8. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the second computer system comprises a display screen, and wherein the second computer system is configured to receive the screen image information, and to respond to the received screen image information by displaying the screen image on the display screen.

9. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the semantic information conveys an intended purpose of the object.

10. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein objects having corresponding semantic information include menus, dialog boxes, and icons.

11. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein the screen image information comprises a bit map of the screen image.

12. The computer network as recited in claim 1, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information and comprising text, the speech information includes the semantic information and the text.

13. A computer network, comprising:

a first computer system configured to;

transmit screen image information and corresponding speech information, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the first computer system, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image, and wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information;

receive an input signal, and respond to the input signal by updating the screen image;

a second computer system configured to;

receive user input from a user of the second computer system;

generate the input signal dependent upon the user input;

transmit the input signal to the first computer system; and

receive the speech information, and respond to the received speech information by producing an output, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the output conveys the semantic information.

14. The computer network as recited in claim 13, wherein in the event the user of the second computer system is visually impaired and the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the semantic information conveyed by the output enables the visually-impaired user to properly interact with the first computer system.

15. The computer network as recited in claim 13, wherein the second computer system is configured to respond to the received speech information by producing human speech conveying the semantic information.

16. The computer network as recited in claim 13, wherein the second computer system is configured to respond to the received speech information by producing a tactile output conveying the semantic information.

17. The computer network as recited in claim 13, wherein the second computer system comprises a display screen, and wherein the second computer system is configured to receive the screen image information, and to respond to the received screen image information by displaying the screen image on the display screen.

18. A computer system, comprising:

a distributed console access application configured to transmit screen image information to another computer system, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the computer system; and

a speech information transmitter configured to transmit speech information, corresponding to the screen image information, to the other computer system, wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image, and wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information.

19. The computer system as recited in claim 18, further comprising an application program, wherein the distributed console access application is coupled to receive an input signal from the other computer system, wherein the input signal is indicative of input to the other computer system by a user of the other computer system, and wherein the distributed console access application is configured to provide the input signal to the application program.

20. The computer system of claim 18, further comprising:

a screen reader configured to receive the screen image information, and to produce the speech information dependent upon the screen image information.

21. The computer system as recited in claim 18, wherein the speech information transmitter is further configured to transmit audio information in addition to the speech information.

22. A computer system, comprising:

a distributed console access application configured to receive screen image information from another computer system, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the other computer system;

a speech information receiver configured to receive speech information, corresponding to the screen image information, from the other computer system, wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image; and

an output device coupled to receive audio output signals and configured to produce an output, wherein the audio output signals are indicative of the speech information, and wherein the output conveys a description of the screen image.

23. The computer system as recited in claim 22, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information, and the output conveys the semantic information.

24. The computer system as recited in claim 22, further comprising a display system including a display screen, wherein the display system is configured to receive the screen image information from the distributed console access application, and to display the screen image on the display screen.

25. The computer system as recited in claim 22, wherein the computer system further comprises an input device configured to receive input from a user of the computer system, and to produce an input signal dependent upon the user input.

26. The computer system as recited in claim 25, wherein the distributed console access application is coupled to receive the input signal, and configured to transmit the input signal to the other computer system.

27. The computer system as recited in claim 25, wherein the output device comprises an audio output device producing human speech that conveys a verbal description of the screen image.

28. The computer system as recited in claim 25, wherein the output device comprises a Braille output device producing a tactile output that conveys the description of the screen image.

29. A computer system, comprising:

a distributed console access application configurable to either transmit screen image information to another computer system, or receive screen image information from the other computer system, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image;

a speech information transceiver configurable to either transmit speech information to the other computer system, or receive speech information from the other computer system, wherein the speech information corresponds to the screen image information, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image; and

an output device configurable to receive audio output signals and to produce an output, wherein the audio output signals are indicative of the speech information, and wherein the output conveys a description of a screen image received by the distributed console access application.

30. The computer system as recited in claim 29, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information, and the output conveys the semantic information.

31. The computer system as recited in claim 29, further comprising a display system including a display screen, wherein the display system is configurable to receive the screen image information from the distributed console access application, and to display the screen image on the display screen.

32. The computer system as recited in claim 29, wherein the computer system further comprises an input device configured to receive input from a user of the computer system, and to produce an input signal dependent upon the user input.

33. The computer system as recited in claim 32, wherein the distributed console access application is configurable to transmit the input signal to the other computer system.

34. A method for conveying speech information from a first computer system to a second computer system, comprising:

receiving speech information corresponding to screen image information, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the first computer system, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image; and

transmitting the speech information to the second computer system.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information.

36. A computer program product for conveying speech information from a first computer system to a second computer system, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving speech information corresponding to screen image information, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the first computer system, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image; and

computer program code for transmitting the speech information to the second computer system.

37. A method for producing an output within a first computer system, comprising:

receiving speech information corresponding to screen image information from a second computer system, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the second computer system, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image; and

providing the speech information to an output device of the first computer system.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein in the event the screen image includes an object having corresponding semantic information, the speech information includes the semantic information.

39. A computer program product for producing an output within a first computer system, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving speech information corresponding to screen image information from a second computer system, wherein the screen image information includes information corresponding to a screen image intended for display within the second computer system, and wherein the speech information conveys a verbal description of the screen image; and

computer program code for providing the speech information to an output device of the first computer system.