Directed reading mode for portable reading machine

• US 7,325,735 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Federation of the Blind
• Original Assignee: K-NFB Reading Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Gibson, Lucy, Albrecht, Paul, Kurzweil, Raymond C., Gashel, James
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/096,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/454, 382/114, 382/176, 382/298, 434/112, 434/116
• 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:

capturing an image of a physical scene being viewed by an image input device associated with the reading machine;

mapping the image of the physical scene to a reference to permit the user to navigate the physical scene;

receiving a user-initiated command in an image or a series of images processed by the reading machine to navigate the physical scene according to the mapping to the reference by;

capturing the image or the series of images to process the user command, at a different, lower resolution than a resolution used to capture the physical scene;

detecting the presence of a user gesture in the image or series of images at the lower resolution;

interpreting the user gesture as the command to the reading machine to determine a portion of the image to process; and

processing the image to recognize text that appears in the portion of the image and form an output of the text according to the user command.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-initiated command 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 a processed indication from a user-typed description of a geographic area.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein mapping 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.

7. The method of claim 6 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.

8. The method of claim 6 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.

9. The method of claim 6 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.

10. 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 of a physical scene being viewed by an image input device associated with the reading machine;

map the image of the physical scene to a reference to permit the user to navigate the physical scene;

receive an user-initiated command in an image or a series of images processed by the reading machine to navigate the physical scene according to the mapping to the reference by instructions to;

capture the image or the series of images to process the user command, at a different, lower resolution than a resolution used to capture the physical scene; and

detect the presence of a user gesture in the image or the series of images at the lower resolution;

interpret the user gesture as the command to the reading machine to determine a portion of the image to process; and

process the image to recognize text that appears in the portion of the image and form an output of the text according to the user command.

11. The reading machine of claim 10 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.

12. 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 of a physical scene being viewed by an image input device associated with the reading machine;

form a map of the image of the physical scene to permit the user to navigate the physical scene;

receive an user-initiated command in an image or a series of images processed by the reading machine to navigate the physical scene according to the mapping to the reference by instructions to;

capture the image or the series of images to process the user command, at a different, lower resolution than a resolution used to capture the physical scene; and

detect the presence of a user gesture in the image or series of images at the lower resolution;

interpret the user gesture as the command to the reading machine to determine a portion of the image to process; and

process the image to recognize text that appears in the portion of the image and form an output of the text according to the user command.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein instructions to receive the user-initiated command comprises instructions to:

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

14. The computer program product of claim 12 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.

15. The computer program product of claim 12 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.

16. The computer program product of claim 12 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.

17. The computer program product of claim 12 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.

18. The computer program product of claim 12 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.

19. The computer program product of claim 12 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.

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

receiving an image;

receiving a user-initiated command;

interpreting the command to determine a portion of the image to process; and

receiving a processed indication from a user indicating a template name and the name of a field in that template, with contents of the named field of the template indicated in the area of the image, being processed by the reading machine.

21. The method of claim 20 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.

22. The method of claim 20 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.

23. The method of claim 20 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.

24. 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;

interpret the command to determine the portion of the image to process; and

receive a processed indication from a user indicating a template name and the name of a field in that template with contents of the named field of the template indicated in the area of the image processed by the reading machine.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 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.

26. The computer program product of claim 24 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.

27. The computer program product of claim 24 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.

28. A reading machine comprises:

a processor;

a memory; and

a computer readable medium storing a computer program product for operating the reading machine, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to;

receive an image;

receive an user-initiated command;

interpret the command to determine the portion of the image to process; and

receive a processed indication from a user indicating a template name and the name of a field in that template with contents of the named field of the template indicated in the area of the image processed by the reading machine.

29. The reading machine of claim 28, wherein the computer program product 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 specifics a template name and field of the template.

30. The reading machine of claim 28, wherein the computer program product further 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 specifics a template name and field of the template to be processed by the reading machine.

31. The reading machine of claim 28, wherein the computer program product further 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.