Virtual graphics display capable of presenting icons and windows to the blind computer user and method

• US 5,186,629 A
• Filed: 08/22/1991
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rohen, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US07/748,996
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 434/112, 434/113, 434/114, 434/116, 340/707, 340/709, 340/710, 340/825.19, 364/419
• US Class Current: 434/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/007 using both tactile and audible presentation of the information

Abstract

The disclosure teaches a computer mouse having tactile feedback to be used with audio computer output to provide a virtual graphic display to blind computer users. The mouse and audio feedback allow blind computer users to visualize computer graphic images and multiple screen windows in much the same way as these forms of computer output are visualized by persons with sight.

Claims

1. A virtual graphics display system for the blind computer user comprising:

a computer having a buffer for storing information to be presented to a user;

a mouse connected to said computer for providing buffer addressing input signals to said computer, and for receiving tactile feedback signals from said computer and presenting said tactile feedback signals to said user;

an audio output device for presenting audio information to said user;

first programmed means operating in said computer, said first programmed means responsive to a setpoint input signal for addressing a set point in said buffer;

second programmed means operating in said computer, said second programmed means responsive to said buffer addressing input signals from said mouse to retrieve presentation data representing virtual picture elements on a virtual display;

third programmed means operating in said computer, said third programmed means responsive to said picture elements for generating a first tactile feedback signal to said mouse when said picture elements represent a nonbackground information;

fourth programmed means operating in said computer said fourth programmed means responsive to said picture elements for generating a first audio feedback signal to said audio output device when said picture elements represent nonbackground information that is also a window edge.

2. The method of presenting graphical information in the form of screen windows in the virtual display of a computer to a blind computer user comprising the steps of:

logically addressing presentation information in a memory by a hand held tactile feedback input device;

retrieving graphical information related to a point of said presentation information in the virtual display of the computer;

vibrating a transducer on said hand held tactile feedback input device if said graphical information indicates that a non background color is being presented at said point; and

changing the logical address into said presentation information by means of said hand held tactile feedback input device before repeating the above steps.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the frequency of vibration of said transducer is related to the color of said non background color.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of changing the logical address into said presentation information to a predetermined set-point.