Touch language

• US 20050106536A1
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Trust
• Original Assignee: Alexander Trust
• Inventors: Liebermann, Raanan
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/112
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/04 Devices for conversing with the deaf-blind

Abstract

A touch language to be used by handicapped persons, such as deaf people, blind people, and deafblind people, is provided by the present invention. A method for communicating visual images, such as those of a television program, to a handicapped person comprises the steps of providing at least one device for physically transmitting information about the visual images to the handicapped person and delivering a key word describing a portion of the visual images to the handicapped person using the at least one device.

Claims

1. A method for communicating visual images to a handicapped person, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one device for physically transmitting information to said handicapped person; and

delivering a key word describing a portion of a visual image to said handicapped person using said at least one device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said delivering step comprises delivering said key word in Morse code form to said handicapped person via a body part.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said delivering step comprises delivering said key word in Braille form to a body part of said handicapped person.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting at least one physical input describing a dynamic element to a palm of said handicapped person.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting a plurality of successive elements describing a motion to said palm of said handicapped person.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising transmitting a continuance signal to said palm of said handicapped person to indicate continuance of said motion.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said continuance signal transmitting step comprises transmitting said signal in the form of at least one vibration or impact on a body part.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising delivering information about a musical background to said handicapped person.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said musical background delivering information comprises transmitting at least one of long and short physical impacts to a body part of said handicapped person.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about a start of and an end of a commercial to said handicapped person.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about a start of and an end of a test to said handicapped person.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising storing information from a written indicia scrolling across a screen containing said visual images for play at another time.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing said handicapped person with information about a state of reception of a system on which said visual images are displayed.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about said visual images to the back of at least one finger of said handicapped person.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting information about the character of a person displayed in said visual images through at least one impact to said back of said at least one finger.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising dividing said fingers of a hand of said handicapped person into a first group consisting of a pointer finger and a middle finger and into a second group consisting of a ring finger and a pinky and said transmitting step comprises transmitting information about a bad character to one of said fingers of said first group and transmitting-information about a good character to one of said fingers of said second group.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising designating one finger of each of said groups for receiving information about a male character and designating one finger of each of said groups for receiving information about a female character.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting information about an age of a character and a personality of said character to said back of said at least one finger.

19. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about said visual images to a front portion of at least one finger.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said information transmitting step comprises transmitting information about a particular group.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting information about a profession of said character to said front portion of said at least one finger.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said information transmitting step comprises transmitting information about lighting to said front portion of said at least one finger.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein said information transmitting step comprises transmitting information about scenery to said front portion of said at least one finger.

24. A method according to claim 19, wherein said information transmitting step comprises transmitting information about a place to said front portion of said at least one finger.

25. A method according to claim 19, wherein said information transmitting step comprises transmitting information about an activity to said front portion of said at least one finger.

26. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about a dialogue being spoken to said handicapped person.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said dialogue transmitting step comprises transmitting said dialogue in Braille form to the fingertips of at least one hand of said handicapped person or by impacts describing topics. 03-125

28. A method according to claim 1, further comprising using a thumb of said handicapped person to perform control functions.

29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising using said thumb to perform at least one of call for help, call for person, and ask questions.

30. A method according to claim 28, further comprising using said thumb to receive information about at least one of safety alerts, general alerts, and general information.

31. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about at least one of female representation and cross relationships to a front portion of a pinky of said handicapped person.

32. A method according to claim 31, further comprising using said pinky to select a particular channel.

33. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about grammatical tense to at least one finger of at least one hand.

34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising said transmitting step comprises transmitting grammatical tense information to a back of a pinky of said at least one hand.

35. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about an aggression group, a neutral group, and a pleasant group to at least one finger of at least one hand of said handicapped person.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein said aggression group information is transmitted to a finger of a hand.

37. A method according to claim 35, wherein said neutral group information is transmitted to a finger of a hand.

38. A method according to claim 35, wherein said pleasant group information is transmitted to a finger of a hand.

39. A method according to claim 1, wherein said visual image is part of a television program containing sound and said handicapped person is a deafblind person and wherein said method further comprises transmitting information about dialogue being spoken by characters on said television program to said deafblind person.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein said information about said dialogue is transmitted by a keypad contacting fingertips of said deafblind person and said key word is delivered to said deafblind person through a plurality of impacts on a palm of a hand of said deafblind person.

41. A method according to claim 40, further comprising transmitting information about motion of said visual images to said deafblind person through a plurality of impacts on said palm.

42. A system for communicating visual images to a handicapped person, said system comprising:

at least one device for physically transmitting information to said handicapped person; and

said at least one device including means for delivering a key word to said handicapped person.

43. A system according to claim 42, wherein said delivering means comprises means for creating at least one impact on a palm of said handicapped person.

44. A system according to claim 42, wherein said delivering means comprises means for delivering said key word to a body part in Morse code form.

45. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device further comprises means for delivering at least one physical input describing a dynamic element to a palm of said handicapped person.

46. A system according to claim 43, wherein said at least one device includes means for transmitting a continuance signal to said palm to indicate continuance of a motion.

47. A system according to claim 46, wherein said transmitting means comprises means for transmitting said continuance signal by imparting at least one of vibrations and impacts to said palm.

48. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device comprises means for delivering information about a musical background to said handicapped person.

49. A system according to claim 48, wherein said means for transmitting information about said musical background comprises means for transmitting at least one of long and short physical impacts to a body part of said handicapped person.

51. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device includes means for transmitting information about a start of and an end of a commercial to said handicapped person.

52. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device includes means for transmitting information about a start of an end of an emergency broadcast system test to said handicapped person.

53. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device includes means for transmitting information about a state of reception of a device on which said visual images are being displayed.

54. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device comprises means for transmitting information about said visual images to the back of at least one finger of said handicapped person.

55. A system according to claim 54, wherein said at least one device comprises means for transmitting information about a character of a person displayed in said visual images via at least one impact applied to said back of said at least one finger.

56. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device comprises means for transmitting information about said visual images to a front portion of at least one finger.

57. A system according to claim 56, wherein said at least one device comprises means for transmitting different pieces of information about said visual images to a front portion of each finger of at least one hand of said handicapped person.

58. A system according to claim 42, further comprising said at least one device including means for transmitting information about a dialogue being spoken to said handicapped person.

59. A system according to claim 58, wherein said dialogue transmitting means comprises means for transmitting said dialogue in Braille form or by impacts to the fingertips of at least one hand of said handicapped person.

60. A system according to claim 42, further comprising a means for allowing said handicapped person to use a thumb to perform control functions.

61. A system according to claim 60, wherein said allowing means comprises a thumb cradle.

62. A system according to claim 60, wherein said allowing means comprises a thumb sleeve.

63. A system according to claim 42, further comprising means for transmitting information about at least one of a female representation and cross relationships to a front portion of a pinky of said handicapped person.

64. A system according to claim 63, wherein said information transmitting means comprises a pinky cradle.

65. A system according to claim 63, wherein said information transmitting means also comprises means for allowing a handicapped person to select a particular channel using said pinky.

66. A system according to claim 42, further comprising means for transmitting information about grammatical tense to at least one finger of at least one hand.

67. A system according to claim 66, wherein said grammatical tense transmitting means comprises means for transmitting information about said grammatical tense to a back of a pinky of said at least one hand.

68. A system according to claim 42, wherein said at least one device further comprises means for transmitting information about an aggression group, a neutral group, and a pleasant group to at least one finger of at least one hand of said handicapped person.

69. A system according to claim 68, wherein said information about said aggression group is transmitted to a first finger of a hand.

70. A system according to claim 68, wherein said information about said neutral group is transmitted to a middle finger of a hand.

71. A system according to claim 68, wherein said information about said pleasant group is transmitted to a fourth finger of a hand.