Portable reading device with mode processing

• US 20050286743A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Federation of the Blind
• Original Assignee: K-NFB Reading Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Gibson, Lucy, Albrecht, Paul, Kurzweil, Raymond C., Gashel, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,659,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0331 Finger worn pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A reading device includes a computing device and an image input device coupled to the computing device for capturing low resolution images and high resolution images. The reading machine also includes a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium. The medium is in communication with the computing device and includes instructions to operate in a plurality of modes to optimize performance for specific uses of the reading device and process low and high resolution images during operation of at least one of the plurality of modes.

Claims

1. A reading device comprising:

a computing device;

an image input device coupled to the computing device for capturing low resolution images and high resolution images; and

a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, the medium in communication with the computing device and, comprising instructions for causing the computing device to;

operate in a plurality of modes to optimize performance for specific uses of the reading device; and

process low and high resolution images during operation of at least one of the plurality of modes.

2. The reading device of claim 1 wherein the image input device comprises:

a first camera coupled to the computing device for capturing the low resolution images; and

a second camera coupled to the computing device for capturing the high resolution images.

3. The reading device of claim 2 wherein the first camera supports lower resolution scanning for capturing gestures or directed reading modes and the second camera produces higher resolution images on which relevant text is recognized by applying optical character recognition.

4. The reading device of claim 1 where the image input device is a single camera that provides the low and high resolutions when operating in two different image capture modes.

5. The reading device of claim 4 wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for causing the reading device to:

process low resolution images for detecting gesture or user defined commands in gesture or directed reading modes; and

process, using optical character recognition, on the high resolution image for recognition of text on the high resolution image.

6. The reading device of claim 1 where the reading device generates a multi-channel auditory signal and the perceived directionality of the signal conveys information about what is being read to the user.

7. The reading device of claim 1 further comprising:

a member configured to fit about a portion of a user'"'"'s head, with the image input device supported by the member and with the image input device having a communications link to feed data from the image input device to the computing device.

8. The reading device of claim 7 wherein the link is wireless or cable.

9. The reading device of claim 7 wherein the member further supports an integrated speaker or earphone to allow the user to hear speech that is produced from the reading device and uploaded to the integrated speaker or earphone through the link.

10. The reading device of claim 1 wherein the computing device is part of a tablet PC and wherein the image input device is integrated with the tablet PC.

11. The reading device of claim 10 wherein the tablet PC includes a screen and a stylus and the combination of the screen and stylus is used as the image device to capture gesturing by the user, with the image being mapped to the screen and the user causes the reading device to process different parts of the image by gesturing.

12. The reading device of claim 1 further comprising:

an audio output transducer to convey information to the user.

13. A method of operation for a reading device, the method comprising:

capturing low resolution images and high resolution images;

operating the reading device in a plurality of modes to optimize performance for specific uses of the reading device; and

processing the captured low and high resolution images during operation of at least one of the plurality of modes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein processing further comprises:

processing low resolution images for detecting gesture or user defined commands in gesture or directed reading modes; and

processing, using optical character recognition, on the high resolution image for recognition of text on the high resolution image.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising

generating an auditory signal and perceived directionality of the signal to convey information about what is being read to the user.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

positioning a member about a portion of a user'"'"'s head, with the member supporting an image input device that supplies the low resolution and high resolution images, allowing a user to direct the reading device to process a portion of a scene based on positioning of the user'"'"'s head.

17. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium, for operating a reading device, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computing device to:

capture low resolution images and high resolution images;

operate the reading device in a plurality of modes to optimize performance for specific uses of the reading device; and

process the captured low and high resolution images during operation of at least one of the plurality of modes.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein instructions to process further comprise instructions to:

process low resolution images for detecting gesture or user defined commands in gesture or directed reading modes; and

process, using optical character recognition, on the high resolution image for recognition of text on the high resolution image.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprise instructions to:

generate an auditory signal and perceived directionality of the signal to convey information about what is being read to the user.