Audible presentation and verbal interaction of HTML-like form constructs

• US 9,928,228 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Callaghan, Patrick J., Feustel, Stephen V., Howland, Michael J., Pritko, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bloomquist, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/986,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and workstation for completing an audiovisual form. In response to a user speaking a command for the web browser to accept keyboard entry of text, the web browser accepts entry of text and displays the form with the text entered into a blank area in a field of the form. In response to all fields in the form having been processed, the web browser generates a pause for a specified period of time. In response to the specified period of time of the pause having expired, the web browser loops back to a top of the form.

Claims

1. A method for completing an audiovisual form, said method comprising:

a web browser in a client workstation displaying the form with respective headings and respective blank areas in fields within the form to be updated with text, audibly reading one of the headings and waiting for a user to audibly respond with corresponding text for the blank area associated with the one heading, wherein in response to the web browser progressing to the one heading, while the web browser audibly reads the one heading, said web browser automatically displaying a plurality of valid alternatives for the blank area associated with the one heading, one of the valid alternatives being the corresponding text;

in response to the user speaking a command for the web browser to accept keyboard entry of the corresponding text, said web browser accepting subsequent entry of the corresponding text for the blank area associated with the one heading and displaying an updated state of the form with the one heading and with the corresponding text entered in the blank area associated with the one heading;

in response to all fields in the form having been processed, said web browser generating a pause for a specified period of time; and

in response to the specified period of time of the pause having expired, said web browser looping back to a top of the form.

2. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

said web browser updating a written markup language for the form to include the corresponding text for the blank area associated with the one heading; and

said web browser sending the updated written markup language to a server via a network.

3. The method of claim 2, said method further comprising:

after said updating the written markup language for the form and displaying an updated state of the form with the one heading and with the corresponding text typed in the blank area associated with the one heading, said web browser ceases to display the plurality of valid alternatives for the blank area, and subsequently, said web browser audibly reading another of the headings and waiting for a user to speak another text for the blank area associated with the other heading, and in response to the user speaking the other text, said web browser updating the written markup language for the form to include the other text for the blank area associated with the other heading and displaying an updated state of the form with the other heading and with the other text typed in the blank area associated with the other heading.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the web browser progressing to the one heading, while the web browser audibly reads the one heading, said method further comprising:

said web browser automatically graphically indicating that the blank area associated with the one heading, and not any other blank area associated with any other heading, is currently waiting for the corresponding text from the user, and will include the corresponding text after spoken by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

after said displaying, said web browser proceeding from a first field with the one heading and the blank area associated with the one heading to a second field with a second heading and a second blank area associated with the second heading;

after said proceeding to the second field and in response to the user speaking a skip command to skip from the second field to a third field with a third heading and a third blank area associated with the third heading, said web browser skipping from the second field to the third field.

6. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

in response to the user speaking a review command, said web browser reviewing the form to determine whether all fields in the form contain information.

7. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

in response to the user speaking a submit command, said web browser submitting the form to an application program to process the form.

8. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

in response to the user speaking a cancel command, said web browser erasing information currently within a field in the form.

9. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

after said displaying and in response to the user speaking a reset command, said web browser clearing information previously entered in the form and reprocessing the form, wherein the reprocessing comprises rereading the form to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

after said displaying, said web browser proceeding from a first field with the one heading and the blank area associated with the one heading to a second field with a second heading and a second blank area associated with the second heading;

in response to said proceeding to the second field, said web browser enabling a plurality of commands specific to the second field;

after the second field has been processed, said web browser proceeding from the second field to a third field with a third heading and a third blank area associated with the third heading; and

after the second field has been processed and before said proceeding to the third field, said web browser disabling the plurality of commands specific to the second field.

11. A workstation, comprising a non-transitory storage medium containing a web browser stored therein, said web browser executable for implementing a method for completing an audiovisual form, said method comprising:

said web browser in the client workstation displaying the form with respective headings and respective blank areas in fields within the form to be updated with text, audibly reading one of the headings and waiting for a user to audibly respond with corresponding text for the blank area associated with the one heading, wherein in response to the web browser progressing to the one heading, while the web browser audibly reads the one heading, said web browser automatically displaying a plurality of valid alternatives for the blank area associated with the one heading, one of the valid alternatives being the corresponding text;

in response to the user speaking a command for the web browser to accept keyboard entry of the corresponding text, said web browser accepting subsequent entry of the corresponding text for the blank area associated with the one heading and displaying an updated state of the form with the one heading and with the corresponding text entered in the blank area associated with the one heading;

in response to all fields in the form having been processed, said web browser generating a pause for a specified period of time; and

in response to the specified period of time of the pause having expired, said web browser looping back to a top of the form.

12. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

said web browser updating a written markup language for the form to include the corresponding text for the blank area associated with the one heading; and

said web browser sending the updated written markup language to a server via a network.

13. The workstation of claim 12, said method further comprising:

after said updating the written markup language for the form and displaying an updated state of the form with the one heading and with the corresponding text typed in the blank area associated with the one heading, said web browser ceases to display the plurality of valid alternatives for the blank area, and subsequently, said web browser audibly reading another of the headings and waiting for a user to speak another text for the blank area associated with the other heading, and in response to the user speaking the other text, said web browser updating the written markup language for the form to include the other text for the blank area associated with the other heading and displaying an updated state of the form with the other heading and with the other text typed in the blank area associated with the other heading.

14. The workstation of claim 11, wherein in response to the web browser progressing to the one heading, while the web browser audibly reads the one heading, said method further comprising:

said web browser automatically graphically indicating that the blank area associated with the one heading, and not any other blank area associated with any other heading, is currently waiting for the corresponding text from the user, and will include the corresponding text after spoken by the user.

15. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

after said displaying, said web browser proceeding from a first field with the one heading and the blank area associated with the one heading to a second field with a second heading and a second blank area associated with the second heading;

after said proceeding to the second field and in response to the user speaking a skip command to skip from the second field to a third field with a third heading and a third blank area associated with the third heading, said web browser skipping from the second field to the third field.

16. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

in response to the user speaking a review command, said web browser reviewing the form to determine whether all fields in the form contain information.

17. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

in response to the user speaking a submit command, said web browser submitting the form to an application program to process the form.

18. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

in response to the user speaking a cancel command, said web browser erasing information currently within a field in the form.

19. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

after said displaying and in response to the user speaking a reset command, said web browser clearing information previously entered in the form and reprocessing the form, wherein the reprocessing comprises rereading the form to the user.

20. The workstation of claim 11, said method further comprising:

after said displaying, said web browser proceeding from a first field with the one heading and the blank area associated with the one heading to a second field with a second heading and a second blank area associated with the second heading;

in response to said proceeding to the second field, said web browser enabling a plurality of commands specific to the second field;

after the second field has been processed, said web browser proceeding from the second field to a third field with a third heading and a third blank area associated with the third heading; and

after the second field has been processed and before said proceeding to the third field, said web browser disabling the plurality of commands specific to the second field.