Patent Application
20100070863
The present disclosure generally relates to the field of computer science, and more particularly to a method for reading a screen.
Visually impaired computer operators/users may rely on screen readers to operate computer software. Screen readers may be configured to sequentially read out the text on a screen. A user may, for example, try to obtain an idea of the overall content of the screen, or to verify the information the user inputted/provided to the screen. In such situations, multiple sequential read outs by the screen reader may be necessary.
The present disclosure is directed to a method for reading a computer screen having a set of information and a button for submitting the set of information. The method may comprise collecting the set of information; determining a set of representative information, wherein the set of representative information is a subset of the set of information; concatenating the set of representative information to form a summarized context; associating the summarized context with the button; and producing audible sound reciting the summarized context when the button receives focus from a computer mouse.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure. Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
The numerous advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Screen readers configured to sequentially read the text on a screen may have some shortcomings. For example, when filling out a form on the screen, a user may choose to verify and/or remember information the user filled out in certain or all fields of the form before submitting the form by clicking on a submit button. If the screen reader utilized reads the screen sequentially, the user may need to force the reader to re-read the screen in order to verify.
The present disclosure is directed to a method for enabling the screen reader to recite the information to be submitted when the submit button receives focus from the computer mouse. In an exemplary embodiment, instead of hearing the screen reader describing such a button as “push button to submit”, the user may hear a more complete description summarizing the context of the information about to be submitted.
It is understood that the set of information 102 may comprise different fields than it is illustrated in
Step 206 concatenates the set of representative information to form a summarized context of the set of representative information. For example, if the set of representative information includes input fields for first name, last name, title, company, email and phone, the summarized context may be a concatenated string indicating “first name, last name, title, company, email and phone”. The summarized context is associated with the button in step 208, and when the button receives focus from a computer mouse, step 210 produces audible sound reciting the summarized context. It is contemplated that the summarized context may comprise additional information such as the action about to be performed if the button is clicked, and/or a confirmation message.
It is contemplated that the method 200 may be utilized to read specific portions of a screen. For example, the method may read a form and/or a menu item defined in a web page. A FORM HTML element may be parsed to obtain the set of information provided in the form. Similarly, an OPTGROUPS element may be parsed to obtain information representing menu lists defined in OPTION elements. It is understood that both types of elements may be utilized by the reader to present the summarized context to the user before the information is actually submitted.
It is understood that when reading pages where form and/or menu elements are not present, other elements such as titles and/or labels of fields may be utilized to provide contextual content to the user. Alternatively, the reader may store/record information from different elements on the screen to generate the summarized context.
In the present disclosure, the methods disclosed may be implemented as sets of instructions or software readable by a device. Further, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed are examples of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearranged while remaining within the disclosed subject matter. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.
It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
