Voice commands for the visually impaired to move a camera relative to a document
AssigneeUnited Services Automobile Association (USAA)
InventorHarmony Jane Clauer Salyers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for providing aural guidance in imaging a document is disclosed. Visually impaired people may have difficulty when imaging a document with a mobile computing device. The system and method may analyze the image of the document in the imaging device, and output one or more aural directions in order for the user to move the document and/or camera for proper imaging of the document. In that regard, those with visual impairments may be assisted in imaging documents using a mobile computing device.
Claims13
A method for outputting aural guidance to a visually impaired user, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a mobile computing device, a user input indicative of requesting to image a document;
- in response to receipt of the user input, a processor of the mobile computing device automatically searching for the document in part or all of a field of view of a camera associated with the mobile computing device;
- determining an offset of the document relative to the camera, the offset comprising a direction to move one or both of the document or the camera so that the document is entirely within the field of view or so that the document is at least a certain percentage of the field of view;
- generating a first aural command, the first aural command containing one or more instructions to the user regarding a direction to move one or both of the camera or the document based on the direction;
- transmitting the first aural command from a sound generating interface associated with the mobile computing device;
- after transmitting the first aural command, determining whether the document is entirely within the field of view or is at least the certain percentage of the field of view;
- and
- responsive to the determining that the document is entirely within the field of view or is at least the certain percentage of the field of view, transmitting a second aural command from the sound generating interface, the second aural command containing one or more instructions to the user to hold the camera steady.
A mobile apparatus to output aural guidance to a visually impaired user, the apparatus comprising:
- an image capture device;
- an input device configured to receive a user input indicative of requesting to image a document;
- an aural output device configured to output aural commands;
- and
- a controller in communication with the image capture device, the input device, and the aural output device, the controller configured to:
- in response to receipt of the user input, automatically search for the document in part or all of a field of view of image capture device;
- determine an offset of the document relative to the image capture device, the offset comprising a direction to move one or both of the document or the image capture device so that the document is entirely within the field of view or so that the document is at least a certain percentage of the field of view;
- generate a first aural command, the first aural command containing one or more instructions to a user regarding the direction to move one or both of the image capture device or the document;
- transmit the aural command to the aural output device for output of the aural command;
- after transmitting the first aural command, determine whether the document is entirely within the field of view or is at least the certain percentage of the field of view;
- and
- responsive to the determining that the document is entirely within the field of view or is at least the certain percentage of the field of view, transmit a second aural command from the aural output device, the second aural command containing one or more instructions to the user to hold the image capture device steady.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.