User intuitive easy access computer system

• US 20040008222A1
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silverlynk Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silverlynk Corporation
• Inventors: King, Claire A., Hovatter, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US10/191,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008222A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

The invention has several aspects. One aspect of the invention is hardware for a easy access computer system. The hardware includes touch screens or touch screen adapters for ease of hardware use. Also, to allow handwriting instead of typing, a graphical tablet is provided. Other aspects of the invention relate to software and their graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The GUIs in one aspect of the invention are limited to a specified number of oversized buttons. The oversized buttons have visible and verbal clues to their use. Preferably, the GUIs do not use scroll bars. Textual information in various applications is turned to audible speech in various software applications. A magnifier button allows for magnification of images on various GUIs. Another aspect of the invention is a search engine which filters web sites based on their easy access.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating web sites, the method comprising:

providing web sites for evaluation;

determining for each web site sizes of text and graphics;

determining a score of each web site using the determined sizes, for web sites having larger sizes a better score is given; and

ranking each web site using the determined score.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the size of text is evaluated by taking a weighted average of font sizes in each web site.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing a score for a web site, if that web site has clues to navigating, the clues including text and auditory clues.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising decreasing a score for a web site, if the web site has clutter, clutter including banner ads, frames and pop-up windows.

5. An email application having a graphical user interface comprising:

a displayed image of information associated with an email, the displayed image having fields for accepting email information;

a handwriting button enabling input of handwriting from a user through a graphical tablet;

entering the inputted handwriting into the email information fields; and

sending an email with the inputted handwriting.

6. The email application of claim 5 wherein the inputted handwriting is inputted as graphic information.

7. The email application of claim 5 further comprising converting the inputted handwriting into computer text;

wherein the inputted handwriting is the converted computer text of the inputted handwriting.

8. The email application of claim 5 further comprising converting voice signals from a microphone into an audio file and attaching the audio file to an email.

9. A software application having a plurality of graphical user interfaces GUIs, the software application comprising:

each GUI comprising;

a plurality of buttons, a substantial number of the buttons being at least 60 by 60 pixels in size and having text and verbal clues, none of the buttons executing by double clicking; and

a substantial number of the GUIs not having scroll bars and a maximum number of sixteen buttons on those GUIs.

10. The software application of claim 9 wherein the GUIs obscuring the scroll bars of underlying applications.

11. The software application of claim 9 wherein the software application runs on a windows operating system and the GUIs obscuring a launch bar of the windows operating system.

12. The software application of claim 9 wherein the software application is used by older adults.

13. The software application of claim 9 wherein the software application is used by infirmed individuals.

14. A computer system for use in text applications, the computer system comprising:

a touch screen for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) of a text application, the GUI having three buttons;

a first button for displaying a touchable screen keyboard allowing a user to input text into the text application by touching keys of the touchable screen keyboard, a second button for displaying a handwriting input from a graphical tablet and a third button for converting the displayed handwriting into computer text for input into the text application; and

the graphical tablet for inputting handwriting by a computer system user.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the handwriting input is input into the text application as a graphical file.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the touch screen is a monitor and a touch screen adapter.

17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the touch screen is a display screen which receives input by touching the display screen.

18. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a microphone for accepting voice input to execute buttons of the GUI.

19. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a microphone for accepting a voice message input to be attached to an email.

20. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising speakers for producing voice signals of a text to speech application converting text of the GUI into speech.