Method for assisting visually impaired users of a scanning device

• US 7,400,748 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Campbell, Sarah E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allison; Andrae
• Application Number:
  US10/737,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20050129284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 382/114, 704/270.01, 704/270, 434/112, 348/825.19, 348/62, 340/825.19
• US Class Current: 382/114
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 using audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A method for assisting a visually impaired person with a document job. The method includes scanning a document that includes at least one sheet, detecting at least one characteristic of the scanned document, and providing a signal identifying the at least one characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a visually impaired person with a document job, comprising:

scanning a document that includes at least one sheet;

detecting at least one characteristic of the scanned document;

providing a signal to the visually impaired person identifying the at least one characteristic;

receiving instructions from the visually impaired person in response to the signal provided; and

completing the document job in accordance with the instructions received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is an audible signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the audible signal is computer generated speech.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting whether at least one side of the at least one sheet is blank.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting whether the at least one sheet includes text.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting whether the at least one sheet includes color.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting the contrast present in an image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting includes detecting the orientation of the document.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein completing the document job includes printing the document.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein completing the document job includes faxing the document.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein completing the document job includes emailing the document.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein completing the document job includes canceling the document job.

12. A method for assisting a visually impaired person in using a multifunction device, comprising:

providing a document including at least one sheet to be scanned by the multifunction device;

receiving information regarding at least one characteristic of the at least one sheet from the multifunction device;

wherein the visually impaired person instructs the multifunction device to complete a document job based upon the information received, wherein a single entity performs the steps of providing and receiving.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information is received as an audible signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the audible signal is computer generated speech.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the information regarding at least one characteristic includes whether at least one side of the at least one sheet is blank.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the information regarding the at least one characteristic includes whether the at least one sheet includes text.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the information regarding at least one characteristic includes whether the at least one sheet includes color.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the information regarding the at least one characteristic includes the contrast present in the image.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the information regarding at least one characteristic includes the orientation of the document.