Use of level detection while capturing and presenting text with optical character recognition

• US 7,792,363 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Loquitur Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Loquitur Incorporated
• Inventors: Foss, Benjamin Perkins
• Primary Examiner(s): Bali; Vikkram
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rice; Elisa M
• Application Number:
  US11/729,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20070230748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/187
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A system for presenting text found on an object. The system comprises an object manipulation subsystem configured to position the substantially planar object for imaging; an imaging module configured to capture an image of the substantially planar object; a text capture module configured to capture text from the image of the substantially planar object; an Optical Character Recognition (“OCR”) component configured to convert the text to a digital text; a material context component configured to associate a media type with the text found on the substantially planar object; and an output module configured to convert the digital text to an output format, wherein the system is configured to organize the digital text according to the media type before converting the digital text to an output format.

Claims

1. A handheld apparatus for capturing text found on an object, he handheld apparatus comprising:

an image capture subsystem including a video camera configured to capture a plurality of images to form a video stream, and configured to generate a master image from the video stream, wherein the video camera has one or more Bragg lenses;

a level detector configured to determine whether the handheld apparatus is level to a surface of object;

an indicator configured to signal when the handheld apparatus appropriate angle to the surface of the object; and

an OCR component configured to create a digital text from the master image.

2. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data module configured to manage the digital text for subsequent access.

3. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image capture subsystem further includes at least one automatically adjustable lens that tilts within the apparatus so the automatically adjustable lens is level with the surface of the object.

4. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein the video camera includes at least one Macro lens.

5. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a page lighting component configured to define a zone of light and a zone of shadow on the object to guide relative object placement.

6. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a text reader system configured to convert the digital text into at least one of a plurality of output formats.

7. The handheld apparatus of claim 6, wherein the text reader system is further configured to translate the digital text.

8. The handheld apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of output formats is a language different than the text found on the object.

9. The handheld apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of output formats is selected from the group consisting of speech, Braille, and displaying in large print text.

10. The handheld apparatus of claim 6, wherein the text reader system is further configured to display a first output format and emit a second output format as speech.

11. The handheld apparatus of claim 10, wherein the text reader system is further configured to synchronize the first output format with the second output format.

12. The handheld apparatus of claim 11, wherein the text reader system is further configured to emphasize text of the first output format as corresponding text in the second output format is spoken.

13. The handheld apparatus of claim 6, wherein the text reader system conforms with the DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) standard.

14. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handheld apparatus includes a touchscreen.

15. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data port for data transfer.

16. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory.

17. The handheld apparatus of claim 16, wherein the memory is configured to store at least one of the group consisting of a dictionary, a thesaurus, a spellchecker program, and a vocabulary list.

18. The handheld apparatus of claim 16, wherein the memory is configured to store a plurality of tagged information from the digital text.

19. The handheld apparatus of claim 18, wherein the memory is configured to permit searches of the plurality of tagged information.

20. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, wherein handheld apparatus is configured to be mounted to and removed from a standalone system including a docking mechanism configured to receive the handheld apparatus.

21. The handheld apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a material context component configured to associate a media type with the text found on the object.

22. The handheld apparatus of claim 21, wherein the material context component is further configured to associate a layout format with the media type.

23. The handheld apparatus of claim 22, wherein the material context component is further configured to evaluate the media type and layout format to determine the layout of text found on the object.

24. A method for capturing text found on an object comprising:

determining the relative angle between the surface of the object and an imaging system;

signaling if the relative angle between the surface of the object and the imaging system is inappropriate;

capturing a plurality of images of the object with a video camera including one or Bragg lenses;

forming a video stream from the plurality of images;

generating a master image from the video stream; and

processing the master image to form a digital text.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising tilting at least one automatically adjustable lens to keep the automatically adjustable lens level with the surface of the object.

26. A method for capturing text found on an object comprising:

determining the relative angle between the surface of the object and an imaging system;

after determining the relative angle, signaling if the relative angle between the surface of the object and the imaging system is inappropriate;

tilting at least one automatically adjustable lens to keep the automatically adjustable lens level with the surface of the object;

after signaling if the relative angle is inappropriate, capturing a plurality of images of the object with a video camera that includes one or more Bragg lenses;

forming a video stream from the plurality of images;

generating a master image from the video stream; and

processing the master image to form a digital text.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising laying down a light and shadow image on the object to guide placement of the object relative to the imaging system.