Information processing apparatus

• US 5,588,839 A
• Filed: 02/15/1996
• Issued: 12/31/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimoda, Isamu
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, JOE H
• Application Number:
  US08/601,819
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 434/112-116, 434/365, 340/825.19, 379/52, 381/51, 395/2.8
• US Class Current: 434/114
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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: G09B 21/04 Devices for conversing with the deaf-blind

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for physically-handicapped users includes a keyboard for inputting visual display information adapted be the visually perceived, a first display for displaying the visual information in a form so as to be visually perceived, a converter for converting the visual display information into sounds which can be understood by a visually-impaired user or into tactile display information adapted to be perceived by a hearing impaired user, and a second display for outputting the information converted by the converter as a sound or a vibration.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for physically-handicapped users, said apparatus comprising:

control means for generating information on the operating state of said information processing apparatus;

input means for inputting information to said control means;

a first display output unit for displaying a plurality of information on the operating state of said information processing apparatus as visual display information;

said control means generating a plurality of kinds of output signals corresponding to each of the plurality of information to be displayed visually on said first display output unit;

conversion means for converting output signals generated by said control means to one of auditory display information adapted to be auditorily perceived by a visually impaired user and tactile display information adapted to be perceived using tactile perception by a hearing impaired user; and

a second display output unit, for outputting the information converted by said conversion means as a sound, or vibration, comprising an electromechanically vibrated member.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the contents of the visual display information change, said conversion means converts only the changed visual display information into one of auditory display information and tactile display information.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the visual display information comprises lit information adapted to be visually perceived by whether a light is turned on or off, said conversion means converts the lit information into one of auditory display information and tactile display information.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising instruction means for instructing the start and end of the conversion processing of said conversion means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising instruction means for instructing the start and end of the conversion processing of said conversion means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the visual display information comprises lit information adapted to be visually perceived by whether a light is turned on or off, said conversion means converts the lit information into one of auditory display information and tactile display information.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising instruction means for instructing the start and end of the conversion processing of said conversion means.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising instruction means for instructing the start and end of the conversion processing of said conversion means.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the sound output from said second display output means comprises a voice message corresponding to the contents of the visual display information.

16. An apparatus for processing information, said apparatus comprising:

control means for generating a plurality of information relating to the functioning of the apparatus;

input means for inputting information to said control means;

display means, connected to said generating means, for displaying a plurality of information relating to the functioning of said apparatus generated by said generating means;

said control means generating a plurality of kinds of output signals corresponding to each of the plurality of information to be displayed by said display means;

conversion means for converting output signals generated by said control means to a sound or vibration; and

output means, connected to said control means, for outputting the information displayed by said display means with the sound or the vibration converted by said conversion means, comprising an electromechanically vibrated member.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said display means comprises mode display means for displaying information on the operating mode of said apparatus.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the information generated by said control means is supplied to said output means for generating vibrations.

19. An electronic apparatus for processing information, said apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying information relating to the functioning of said apparatus;

control means for generating output signals corresponding to the kinds of information to be displayed by said display means;

input means for inputting information to said control means;

conversion means for converting output signals generated by said control means to different sounds or vibrations, respectively, in accordance with the kinds of information to be displayed by said display means;

output means, comprising an electromechanically vibrated member, for outputting information displayed by said display means with the sound or the vibration converted by said conversion means; and

instruction means for instructing said output means to output the information displayed by said display means.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said display means comprises mode display means for displaying information on the operating mode of said apparatus.

21. An electronic apparatus for processing information, said apparatus comprising:

generating means for generating information relating to the functioning of said apparatus;

input means for inputting information to said generating means;

display means for displaying the information generated by said generating means;

conversion means for converting information to be displayed on said display means to an output signal of a ring counter;

control means for controlling the output signal of a frequency oscillator on the basis of information to be displayed on said display means and the output signal of said ring counter;

an amplifier for amplifying the output signal of the frequency oscillator controlled by said control means;

said conversion means converting the output signal amplified by said amplifier to a sound or vibration;

output means, comprising an electromechanically vibrated member, for outputting the information displayed by said display means with the sound or the vibration converted by said second conversion means; and

instruction means for instructing said output means to output the information displayed by said display means.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said display means comprises mode display means for displaying information on the operating mode of said apparatus.

23. An electronic apparatus for processing information, said apparatus comprising:

generating means for generating mode information relating to the functioning of said apparatus and output signals corresponding to the kinds of mode information;

input means for inputting information to said generating means;

display means for displaying the mode information generated by said generating means;

conversion means for converting the output signals generated by said generating means to a sound or vibration corresponding to the kinds of the mode information;

output means, comprising an electromechanically vibrated member, for outputting the output signals corresponding to the kind of mode information displayed by said display means with the sound or the vibration converted by conversion means; and

instruction means for instructing said output means to output the output signals corresponding to the kind of mode information displayed by said display means.