System and method for improving web site accessibility

• US 6,714,963 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fairweather, Peter G., Levine, James L., Spohrer, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/676,427
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 382/100, 382/114, 715/517, 715/523, 704/270, 704/271, 704/275
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A system and method of improving the accessibility of Web sites and pages through the use of accessibility descriptors that can be assigned to a Web site and/or each page of a Web site. The descriptors enable the page(s) of the site to be assessed and then displayed according to a particular user'"'"'s needs, or if appropriate may notify the user if a page cannot be used or rendered more accessible. The system can be set up to require a user fee for the service, thus encouraging Web creators to design Web pages that can be modified in accordance with the accessibility descriptors.

Claims

1. A system for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the system comprising:

means for rating the Web page for accessibility to the Internet user with the physical limitation, the rating means assigning an accessibility descriptor to the Web page;

means for accessing the Internet;

means for relaying the accessibility descriptor via the Internet to the accessing means in response to the Internet user accessing the Web page with the accessing means; and

means for modifying the Web page in response to the accessibility descriptor to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the relaying means is an Internet server that is accessed when the Internet user attempts to access the Web page with the accessing means, wherein the Internet server relays the accessibility descriptor to the Internet user when the Web page is accessed by the accessing means.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the accessing means comprises an Internet browser, the Internet browser having means for storing data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user, the Internet browser further having means for comparing the data to the accessibility descriptor, wherein the modifying means modifies the Web page in response to the comparison by the Internet browser of the data and the accessibility descriptor.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the Internet server comprises:

means for storing data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user;

means for comparing the data to the accessibility descriptor; and

the modifying means, such that the Internet server modifies the Web page in response to the comparison of the data and the accessibility descriptor and then delivers the modified Web page to the Internet browser.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying the Internet user if the Web page cannot be modified with the modifying means to compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying the Internet user as to how the Internet user can modify the Web page with the accessing means to compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying the Internet user of another Web page that is already formatted to compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the modifying means comprises means for increasing the font size, face and color of text on the Web page.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the modifying means comprises means for increasing spacing between items on the Web page.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the modifying means comprises means for automatically converting between text and audio signals and images provided by the Web page.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the modifying means comprises means for eliminating visual images on the Web page.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the rating means is configured to enable a provider of the Web page to assign the accessibility descriptor for the Web page.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the accessibility descriptor is embedded in the Web page.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein the rating means is configured to enable an entity other than the Internet user and a provider of the Web page to assign the accessibility descriptor for the Web page.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the physical limitation of the Internet user is at least one disability associated with visual acuity, hearing impairment, manual dexterity or cognitive capacity.

16. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for charging a user fee for the Internet user'"'"'s use of the system.

17. A method for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the method comprising the steps of:

rating the Web page for accessibility to the Internet user with the physical limitation by assigning an accessibility descriptor to the Web page;

accessing the Internet with an accessing means;

relaying the accessibility descriptor via the Internet to the accessing means in response to the Internet user accessing the Web page with the accessing means; and

modifying the Web page in response to the accessibility descriptor to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the relaying step is performed by an Internet server that is accessed during the accessing step, and the Internet server relays the accessibility descriptor to the Internet user when the Web page is accessed by the accessing means.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the accessing step is performed with an Internet browser with which data is stored regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user, the Internet browser further performing the step of comparing the data to the accessibility descriptor, wherein the modifying step is performed in response to the comparing step.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the accessing step is performed with an Internet server on which is stored data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user, the Internet server further performing the step of comparing the data to the accessibility descriptor and then performing the modifying step in response to the comparing step.

21. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of notifying the Internet user if the Web page cannot be modified to compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

22. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of notifying the Internet user as to how the Internet user can modify the Web page to compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

23. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of notifying the Internet user of another Web page that is already formatted to compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

24. A method according to claim 17, wherein the modifying step comprises increasing the font size, face and color of text on the Web page.

25. A method according to claim 17, wherein the modifying step comprises increasing spacing between items on the Web page.

26. A method according to claim 17, wherein the modifying step comprises automatically converting between text and audio signals and images provided by the Web page.

27. A method according to claim 17, wherein the modifying step comprises eliminating visual images on the Web page.

28. A method according to claim 17, wherein the rating step is performed by a provider of the Web page.

29. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of embedding the accessibility descriptor in the Web page.

30. A method according to claim 17, wherein the rating step is performed by an entity other than the Internet user and a provider of the Web page.

31. A method according to claim 17, wherein the physical limitation of the Internet user is at least one disability associated with visual acuity, hearing impairment, manual dexterity or cognitive capacity.

32. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of charging a user fee to the Internet user.

33. A system for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then modified prior to being displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the system comprising:

computer means with an Internet browser for accessing the Internet

means for storing data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user;

server means on which are stored accessibility descriptors, at least one of the accessibility descriptors pertaining to a characteristic of the Web page that makes access by the Internet user difficult as a result of the physical limitation of the Internet user;

means for comparing the data of the Internet browser to the accessibility descriptors of the server means; and

means for modifying and then transmitting the Web page to the Internet browser of the Internet user, the modifying and transmitting means being operable to modify the Web page in response to the comparing means to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.

34. A method for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then modified prior to being displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the method comprising the steps of:

providing computer means with an Internet browser for accessing the Internet;

assembling data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user;

providing server means on which are stored accessibility descriptors, at least one of the accessibility descriptors pertaining to a characteristic of the Web page that makes access by the Internet user difficult as a result of the physical limitation of the Internet user;

comparing the data to the accessibility descriptors of the server means; and

modifying and then transmitting the Web page to the Internet browser of the Internet user, by which the Web page is modified in response to comparing the data to the accessibility descriptors to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.