Frame and app for smartphone for audio reading coded text

• US 9,521,225 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John R. Hattersley
• Original Assignee: John R. Hattersley
• Inventors: Hattersley, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US14/631,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20150242668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A small fold-down optical frame holds a smart phone that is provided with reading software that enables those with vision impairment to be able to hear the written word as audible speech. The frame has a tray and a base and legs connecting them. The tray holds the smart phone and positions it so that its camera is placed directly over a coded symbol containing the content of the printed page. One corner of the base is shaped such that a vision-impaired person can place the frame, by feel or touch, at the proper location for the smart phone to pick up the coded symbol.

Claims

1. A system for optically reading coded symbols printed at a predetermined position on a printed page, comprising:

a smartphone including a case, a camera, a processing capability, and a capability of producing audible output;

a frame for holding the smartphone, which includes a tray into which the smartphone fits, the tray having a camera window corresponding to the position of the camera of the smartphone;

a flat base for resting on the printed page, the base having an aperture therein to place on a coded symbol on the printed page; and

retractable legs for allowing the base to collapse against the tray and allowing the base to extend so that the base spaces the tray a predetermined distance above the printed page, the base having a geometrically shaped means for assisting the user to locate the base on said printed page by touch to align the tray and said camera with the coded symbol; and

a software application program loaded onto the smartphone configured to permit the smartphone to decode the symbol and convert information decoded from the symbol to audible speech.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said geometrically shaped means on said base includes a chamferred corner of said base.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said tray includes a diffuse window alongside said camera window.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said camera window includes a focusing lens to align with the camera of the phone and focus at the distance to the aperture on the base of the tray and thus to focus on the coded symbol.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said aperture on said base is substantially coextensive with the coded symbol.