Electronic device for providing information to user

• US 9,530,399 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Myoungwoon
• Primary Examiner(s): SINGH, SATWANT K
• Application Number:
  US14/264,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5046 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/06 Walking aids for blind persons replacing direct visual perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/007 using both tactile and audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method which may visually provide information to a user, and notify the user of the information through other senses (e.g., a tactile sense, a hearing sense, etc.). The method includes performing voice guidance of information displayed on the touch screen in a predetermined order, detecting a user'"'"'s input through the touch screen, and changing the order and performing the voice guidance in the changed order, when the detected user'"'"'s input is a direction change input.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of contents at different locations on the touch screen;

starting, in a predetermined order, voice guidance of a user'"'"'s input on the touch screen regarding information corresponding to the plurality of contents displayed on the touch screen;

detecting the user'"'"'s input through the touch screen; and

if the detected user'"'"'s input is an input for changing a start location of the voice guidance;

detecting a pointing area on the touch screen corresponding to the detected user'"'"'s input,

determining a content closest to the pointing area among the plurality of contents,

restarting the voice guidance at the determined content in the predetermined order, and

changing, if the detected user'"'"'s input is a direction change input, the order and restarting the voice guidance in the changed order.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pausing the voice guidance, when the detected user'"'"'s input is a pause input; and

changing the order and restarting the voice guidance in the changed order, when the direction change input is detected after the pausing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a tactile feedback according to information being guided through a voice.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the providing of the tactile feedback comprises providing the tactile feedback according to a location on the touch screen of the information being guided through a voice.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an area corresponding to the detected user'"'"'s input, among areas of the touch screen; and

performing the voice guidance in the predetermined order from information corresponding to content of the detected area.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the detected user'"'"'s input is a speed change input, changing a speed of the voice guidance according to the speed change input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the detected user'"'"'s input is an amount change input, changing an amount of the voice guidance according to the amount change input.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, when the voice guidance for the information corresponding to the plurality of contents displayed on the touch screen is completed, whether the voice guidance is needed to be restarted again; and

restarting, when it is determined that the voice guidance is needed to be performed again, the voice guidance for the information corresponding to the plurality of contents displayed on the touch screen again.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of whether the voice guidance is needed to be restarted again comprises restarting the determination with reference to at least one of the predetermined number of times, whether the information displayed on the touch screen is firstly-displayed information, types of the information displayed on the touch screen, and predetermined level information relating to an amount of the voice guidance.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen configured to display a plurality of contents at different locations on the touch screen;

a memory configured to store the plurality of contents information to be displayed on the touch screen and information corresponding to the plurality of contents;

an audio processor and a speaker configured to start voice guidance of information corresponding to the plurality of contents displayed on the touch screen;

a screen reader configured to;

start, in a predetermined order, the voice guidance of a user'"'"'s input on the touch screen regarding the information displayed on the touch screen,

detect the user'"'"'s input through the touch screen, if the detected user'"'"'s input is an input for changing a start location of the voice guidance, to detect a pointing area on the touch screen corresponding to the detected user'"'"'s input,

determine a content closest to the pointing area among the plurality of contents,

restart the voice guidance at the determined content in the predetermined order, and

if the detected user'"'"'s input is a direction change input, to change the order and restart the voice guidance in the changed order; and

at least one processor configured to execute the screen reader.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the screen reader is further configured to:

perform pausing the voice guidance, when the detected user'"'"'s input is a pause input, and

change the order and restart the voice guidance in the changed order, when the direction change input is detected after the pausing.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the screen reader is further configured to provide a tactile feedback according to information being guided through voice.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the providing of the tactile feedback comprises providing the tactile feedback according to a location on the touch screen of the information being guided through a voice.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of vibration motors in order to provide the tactile feedback.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the screen reader is further configured to:

determine an area corresponding to the detected user'"'"'s input, among areas of the touch screen, and

restart the voice guidance in the predetermined order from information of the detected area.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the screen reader is further configured to change a speed of the voice guidance according to a speed change input when the detected user'"'"'s input is the speed change input.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the screen reader is further configured to change an amount of the voice guidance according to an amount change input, when the detected user'"'"'s input is the amount change input.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the screen reader is further configured to:

determine, when the voice guidance for the information corresponding to the plurality of contents displayed on the touch screen is completed, whether the voice guidance is needed to be restarted, and

restart, when it is determined that the voice guidance is needed to be restarted again, the voice guidance for the information corresponding to the plurality of contents displayed on the touch screen again.