Method and apparatus for presenting 3-dimensional objects to visually impaired users

• US 6,961,458 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Schwerdtfeger, Richard Scott, Janakiraman, Janani
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Chavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAWAN, SHEELA C
• Application Number:
  US09/844,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20020159629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 382/114, 382/154, 382/278, 382/303, 382/304, 382/106, 382/107, 382/305, 382/174, 382/169, 382/170, 382/237, 382/232, 701/6, 701/213, 701/208, 345/156, 345/836, 345/158, 345/856, 345/702, 345/978, 345/163, 345/728, 345/168, 345/779, 345/754, 345/976, 345/418, 345/327, 345/347, 345/334, 340/825.19, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 704/7, 704/270.1, 704/271
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for examining a three dimensional image in a data processing system. An object is presented, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object. In response to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, a depth map is transcoded for the view into a non-visual output. In response to other user inputs to present other views from the set of views, depth maps from those views are transcoded into non-visual outputs. In this manner, a visually impaired user is able to perceive a 3-dimensional object.

Claims

1. A method in a browser for examining a three dimensional image, the method comprising:

receiving, from a web site, a page that includes an object, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object;

presenting said object to the user;

responsive to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, transcoding a depth map for the view into a non-visual output; and

sending the non-visual output to an assistive technology device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving the depth map from a server.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the depth map from the view.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of views is described using an equation and further comprising:

generating the depth map using the equation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transcoding step comprises:

transcoding a set of adjacent lines within the depth map.

8. A method in a browser for presenting a three dimensional object, the method comprising:

receiving, from a web site, a page that includes a three-dimensional object, wherein the three-dimensional object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the three-dimensional object;

presenting options to present different views of the three dimensional object; and

responsive to user inputs, transcoding depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object;

sending means for sending the non-visual output to an assistive technology device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth maps are received from a server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth maps are generated at the browser using a set of images for the three dimensional object.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth maps are generated from an equation describing the three dimensional object.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

14. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive, from a web site, a page that includes an object present said object, wherein the object includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object;

transcode a depth map for the view into a non-visual output in response to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views; and

send the non-visual output to an assistive technology device.

15. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to receive, from a web site, a page that includes an object having different views, presents options regarding different views of the three dimensional object; and

transcodes depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object in response to user inputs, and send the non-visual output to an assistive technology device.

16. A browser for examining a three dimensional image on a web page, the browser comprising:

receiving means for receiving, from a web site, a web page that includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object;

presenting means for presenting said object;

transcoding means, responsive to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, for trascoding a depth map for the view into a non-visual output; and

sending means for sending the non-visual output to an assistive technology device.

17. The browser of claim 16 further comprising:

retrieving means for retrieving the depth map from a server.

18. The browser of claim 16 further comprising:

generating means for generating the depth map from the view.

19. The browser of claim 16, wherein the set of views is described using an equation and further comprising:

generating the depth map using the equation.

20. The browser of claim 16, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

21. The browser of claim 16, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

22. The browser of claim 16, wherein the transcoding means comprises:

means for transcoding a set of adjacent lines within the depth map.

23. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for examining a three dimensional image, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving, from a website, an object that includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object;

second instructions for presenting said object;

third instructions, responsive to a user input to traverse a view from the set of views, for transcoding a depth map for the view into a non-visual output; and

fourth instructions for sending to non-visual output to an assitive technology device.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

fifth instructions for retrieving the depth map from a server.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

fifth instructions for generating the depth map from the view.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the set of views is described using an equation and further comprising:

fifth instructions for generating the depth map using the equation.

27. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the second instructions comprises:

sub-instructions for transcoding a set of adjacent lines within the depth map.

30. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for presenting a three dimensional object, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving, from a website, an object that includes a set of views for different angles of view for the object;

second instructions for presenting options to present different views of the three dimensional object;

third instructions, responsive to user inputs, for transcoding depth maps for the different views of the three dimensional object into non-visual outputs to present the different views of the three dimensional object; and

fourth instructions for sending the non-visual output to an assistive technology device.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the depth maps are received from a server.

32. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the depth maps are generated at the data processing system using a set of images for the three dimensional object.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the depth maps are generated from an equation describing the three dimensional object.

34. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the non-visual output is an audio output.

35. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the non-visual output is a tactile output.