Directed reading mode for portable reading machine

• US 20060006235A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Federation For The Blind, 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 7,325,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/96 Management of image or video recognition tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information

Abstract

A method of operating a reading machine includes receiving an image and receiving an user-initiated command. The reading machine interprets the command to determine the portion of the image to process.

Claims

1. A method of operating a reading machine, the method comprising:

receiving an image; and

receiving an user-initiated command; and

interpreting the command to determine the portion of the image to process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated command comprises:

a command that is generated in response to a user pressing a portion of a touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated command comprises:

receiving an indication from the reading machine in response to a user gesture, with receiving the command further comprising;

capturing an image or series of images;

detecting the presence of a user gesture in the image and series of images that is recognized by the reading machine as the command.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated command comprises:

receiving a processed indication from a user-typed description of a geographic area.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated indication comprises:

receiving a processed indication from a user pressing a key on the reading machine.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the user-initiated indication comprises:

receiving auditory input from a user;

processing the auditory input to produce the user-initiated indication corresponding to a command that specifies an area of the image to be read by the reading machine.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated indication comprises:

receiving a processed indication from a user indicating a template name and the name of a field in that template, and the contents of the named field of the template indicate an area of the image.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving auditory input from a user;

processing the auditory input to produce the user-initiated indication corresponding to a command that specifies a template name and field of the template.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a text string input from a user;

processing the text string input to produce the user-initiated indication corresponding to a user command that specifies a template name and field of the template to be processed by the reading machine.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a processed indication from a user pressing a key on the reading machine that is pre-defined to mean a template name and/or the name of a field of the named template.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a processed indication in response to a user gesture, with receiving the indication further comprising;

capturing an image or series of images;

detecting the presence of a user gesture in the image or series of images.

12. A reading machine comprising:

a processing device;

a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for controlling operation of the reading machine, comprising instructions for causing the machine to;

receive an image; and

receive an user-initiated command; and

interpret the command to determine the portion of the image to process.

13. The reading machine of claim 12 wherein the reading machine further comprises a touch screen, and user-initiated command comprises:

a command that is generated in response to a user pressing a portion of the touch screen.

14. The reading machine of claim 12 wherein the computer program product comprises instructions to:

receive an indication from the reading machine in response to a user gesture, with receiving the command further comprising instructions to;

capture an image or series of images;

detect the presence of the user gesture in the image and series of images;

process the recognized gesture by the reading machine as the command.

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

receive an image;

receive an user-initiated command; and

interpret the command to determine the portion of the image to process.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive an indication from the reading machine in response to a user gesture, with receiving the command further comprising;

capture an image or series of images;

detect the presence of a user gesture in the image and series of images that is recognized by the reading machine as the command.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive a processed indication from a user-typed description of a geographic area.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive a processed indication from a user pressing a key on the reading machine.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive auditory input from a user;

process the auditory input to produce the user-initiated indication corresponding to a command that specifies an area of the image to be read by the reading machine.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive a processed indication from a user indicating a template name and the name of a field in that template, and the contents of the named field of the template indicate an area of the image.

21. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprises instructions to:

receive auditory input from a user;

process the auditory input to produce the user-initiated indication corresponding to a command that specifies a template name and field of the template.

22. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive a text string input from a user;

process the text string input to produce the user-initiated indication corresponding to a user command that specifies a template name and field of the template to be processed by the reading machine.

23. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

receive a processed indication from a user pressing a key on the reading machine that is pre-defined to mean a template name and/or the name of a field of the named template.