Method and device for visual compensation

• US 9,104,233 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Alberth, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/533,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/008 using visual presentation of the information for the partially sighted

Abstract

A method 300 and device for visual compensation captures 330 an image using an imager, detects 360 whether eyeglasses are present in the image, and sets 363 an electronic visual display to a normal font size, if eyeglasses are detected as present in the image. If eyeglasses are not detected as present in the image, the electronic visual display is set 367 to a larger font size. The method and device can be triggered 320 (for example) by an incoming call or message, by a touch screen activation, a key press, or by a sensed motion of the device. The method can be repeated from time to time to detect whether a user has taken off eyeglasses (or put on eyeglasses) after the first image capture. The method and device compensates for users with presbyopia (and some other types of visual impairments) who intermittently wear glasses.

Claims

1. A method for visual compensation comprising:

capturing an image using an imager;

detecting whether eyeglasses are present in the image; and

setting an electronic visual display to a normal font size, if eyeglasses are detected as present in the image.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

setting the electronic visual display to a larger font size, if eyeglasses are not detected as present in the image.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

activating the imager in response to receiving a user interaction trigger, prior to the capturing.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

performing facial recognition on the image.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

capturing a replacement image using the imager, if no face is detected as present in the image.

6. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

setting the electronic visual display to the larger font size, if no face is detected as present in the image.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

capturing another image using the imager after a timer has elapsed.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising:

starting the timer after capturing the image.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

aligning the imager to face the same direction as the electronic visual display, prior to the capturing.

10. A device for visual compensation comprising:

an imager, for capturing an image;

a processor, coupled to the imager, for;

detecting if eyeglasses are in the image, and

setting a font size to “

normal”

if eyeglasses are detected in the image;

an electronic visual display, coupled to the processor, for displaying using the font size.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the processor is also for:

setting the font size to “

large”

if eyeglasses are not detected in the image.

12. A device according to claim 10 further comprising:

a receiver, coupled to the processor, for receiving an incoming call or message signal.

13. A device according to claim 10 further comprising:

an accelerometer, coupled to the processor, for detecting a movement of the 25 device.

14. A device according to claim 10 further comprising:

a memory, coupled to the processor, for storing the font size setting of “

normal”

.

15. A device according to claim 14 wherein the memory also stores the font size setting of “

large”

.

16. A device according to claim 10 further wherein the processor comprises:

a facial recognition engine for the detecting.

17. A device according to claim 10 further comprising:

a key.