Electronic magnification device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device system for reformatting an image of printed text for easier viewing, which system comprises:
- (a) a device for taking digital images;
which device takes a first digital image of a string of unidentified (unrecognized) characters;
(b) space-software that identifies locations of spaces between said unidentified (unrecognized) characters;
(c) splitting-software that splits said first image into essentially non-overlapping sub-images, each sub-image being cut out of said first image at one or more of said spaces between said unidentified (unrecognized) characters;
(d) reformat-software that combines said sub-images into a reformatted [second] image where said sub-images are inserted one under the other; and
(e) a device for displaying said reformatted image for viewing.
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Abstract
An electronic device is described that assists blind and/or low vision users in magnifying and reading printed text, fast book scanning and printing magnified images of said text. The device can also produce audio output that allows listening to the text being pronounced.
38 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A device system for reformatting an image of printed text for easier viewing, which system comprises:
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(a) a device for taking digital images;
which device takes a first digital image of a string of unidentified (unrecognized) characters;
(b) space-software that identifies locations of spaces between said unidentified (unrecognized) characters;
(c) splitting-software that splits said first image into essentially non-overlapping sub-images, each sub-image being cut out of said first image at one or more of said spaces between said unidentified (unrecognized) characters;
(d) reformat-software that combines said sub-images into a reformatted [second] image where said sub-images are inserted one under the other; and
(e) a device for displaying said reformatted image for viewing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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3. A device that comprises a motion detection device and enables scanning a set of pages, such as a book, by placing it in the FOV of said high resolution camera and leafing said pages, so that a page is held still after turning the previous page over, while using said motion detection device and an algorithm for determining that:
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a. enough motion has been detected to determine that a page has been turned over, and that subsequently b. motion has been below a preset threshold long enough to determine that a snapshot of the FOV should be taken.
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4. A method of differential display of characters recognized on a printed page by optical character recognition (OCR), in which method an estimate of OCR confidence of the correctness of the recognition is used for determining whether to display OCR processed characters, if the confidence is high enough, or original sub-images of such characters, if the confidence is not high enough.
- 7. A foldable support for a camera, which support, when unfolded, can be placed on a surface, on which surface it edges a right angle which angle essentially marks part of the border of the field of view of said camera, for facilitating of placing of printed matter within said angle.
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14. A method of scanning a set of pages, such as a book, by placing it in the FOV of a camera and leafing said pages, so that a page is held still after turning the previous page over, while using a motion detection device and algorithm for determining that:
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a. enough motion has been detected to determine that a page has been turned over, and that subsequently b. motion has been below a preset threshold long enough to determine that a snapshot of the FOV should be taken. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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15. A method of scanning a book in which odd and even pages are photographed in separate snapshot series to minimize sideways movement of the book or the camera;
- the images resulting from the two snapshot series being then processed to order them in the correct order, as they were in said book.
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17. Method of scanning two pages of the book in the same scan or snapshot and identifying and separating those two pages into two separate pages using a software algorithm.
Specification