Methods and systems for enhancement of device accessibility by language-translated voice output of user-interface items

• US 8,452,603 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Xin, Liu, Mindy, Zhu, Kaihua, Wang, Ning, Zhu, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US13/615,750
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 704/2, 704/3, 704/258, 704/260, 704/271, 704/277, 715/264, 715/265, 715/703, 715/727
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/02 Methods for producing synthetic speech; Speech synthesisers

Abstract

Methods and systems for enhancement of device accessibility are described. In an example, an operating system configured to be executed on a device, may be configured to support a plurality of software applications and to support a plurality of modes of operation of the device. A given software application may include a user-interface comprising a user-interface item having a text in a first language. The operating system may be configured to receive a selection of the user-interface item of the given software application. Based on the operating system being in an accessibility mode common to the plurality of software applications, the operating system may be configured to determine a translation of the text into a second language; and a voice output corresponding to a spoken utterance of the translation of the text. The operating system further may be configured to provide, by the device, the voice output.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device having an operating system and a plurality of software applications, the method comprising:

switching, from a normal mode of the operating system, into an accessibility mode of the operating system, wherein the accessibility mode is common to the plurality of software applications;

receiving a selection of a user-interface item of a user-interface of a given software application, wherein the user-interface item has a text in a first language;

based on the operating system being in the accessibility mode, obtaining, by the operating system in response to the selection, a translation of the text into a second language and a description of a functionality of the user-interface item in the second language;

obtaining, by the computing device, a voice output corresponding to a spoken utterance of the translation of the text and to the description of the functionality of the user-interface item; and

providing, by the computing device, the voice output.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the second language based on history of use of the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-interface item is a user-selectable icon or a menu item and the text is indicative of functionality, in the given software application, associated with the user-selectable icon or menu item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the translation of the text comprises:

providing the text to a translation module in communication with the operating system; and

receiving, from the translation module, the translation of the text into the second language.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the voice output comprises utilizing a speech synthesizer to convert the translation of the text into a synthesized voice in the second language.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second language is user-selectable.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising visually presenting the translation of the text on a display coupled to the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the voice output comprises:

providing the text to a speech synthesizer in communication with the operating system and a translation module, wherein the speech synthesizer is configured to determine, a synthesized voice in the first language corresponding to the text, and wherein the translation module is configured to convert the synthesized voice into a respective synthesized voice in the second language; and

receiving, from the translation module, the respective synthesized voice in the second language.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the operating system, that the selection is indicative of a request for obtaining the voice output as opposed to a respective selection indicative of a respective request to execute a function associated with the user-interface item.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device having an operating system and a plurality of software applications, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

switching, from a normal mode of the operating system, into an accessibility mode of the operating system, wherein the accessibility mode is common to the plurality of software applications;

receiving a selection of a user-interface item of a user-interface of a given software application, wherein the user-interface item has a text in a first language;

based on the operating system being in the accessibility mode, obtaining, by the operating system in response to the selection, a translation of the text into a second language and a description of a functionality of the user-interface item in the second language;

obtaining a voice output corresponding to a spoken utterance of the translation of the text and to the description of the functionality of the user-interface item; and

providing the voice output.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the functions further comprise visually presenting the translation of the text on a display coupled to the computing device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the user-interface item is a user-selectable icon or a menu item and the text is indicative of functionality, in the software application, associated with the user-selectable icon or menu item.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the functions further comprise determining the second language based on a history of use of the device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the function of obtaining the voice output comprises utilizing a speech synthesizer to convert the translation of the text into a synthesized voice in the second language.

15. A device having an operating system and a plurality of software applications, the device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to perform functions comprising;

switching, from a normal mode of the operating system, into an accessibility mode of the operating system, wherein the accessibility mode is common to the plurality of software applications;

receiving a selection of a user-interface item of a user-interface of a given software application, wherein the user-interface item has a text in a first language;

based on the operating system being in the accessibility mode, obtaining, by the operating system in response to the selection, a translation of the text into a second language and a description of a functionality of the user-interface item in the second language;

obtaining a voice output corresponding to a spoken utterance of the translation of the text and to the description of the functionality of the user-interface item; and

providing the voice output.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise determining the second language based on a history of use of the device.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising a display, wherein the functions further comprise visually presenting the translation of the text on the display.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the functions further comprise:

causing the text to be translated from the first language to the second language; and

causing a speech synthesizer in communication with the device to synthesize the voice output corresponding to a spoken utterance of the translation of the text.