Method for assisting visually impaired users of a scanning device

• US 20050129284A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Campbell, Sarah E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/114
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A method for assisting a visually impaired person with a document job. The method includes scanning a document that includes at least one sheet, detecting at least one characteristic of the scanned document, and providing a signal identifying the at least one characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a visually impaired person with a document job, comprising:

scanning a document that includes at least one sheet;

detecting at least one characteristic of the scanned document;

providing a signal identifying the at least one characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is an audible signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the audible signal is computer generated speech.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting whether at least one side of the at least one sheet is blank.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting whether the at least one sheet includes text.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting whether the at least one sheet includes color.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting the contrast present in the image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting the orientation of the document.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving instructions in response to the signal provided;

completing the document job.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein completing the document job includes printing the document.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein completing the document job includes faxing the document.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein completing the document job includes emailing the document.

13. A method for using a multifunction machine, comprising:

providing a document including at least one sheet to be scanned by a multifunction device;

receiving information regarding at least one characteristic of the at least one sheet from the multifunction device;

instructing the device to complete the job based upon the information received.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the information is received as an audible signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the audible signal is computer generated speech.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the information regarding at least one characteristic includes whether at least one side of the at least one sheet is blank.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the information regarding the at least one characteristic includes whether the at least one sheet includes text.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the information regarding at least one characteristic includes whether the at least one sheet includes color.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the information regarding the at least one characteristic includes the contrast present in the image.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the information regarding at least one characteristic includes the orientation of the document.