US 5,736,978 AGranted

Tactile graphics display

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

InventorsChristopher J. Hasser, Marvin R. Roark

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Abstract

A method for communicating graphic data such as plotted two-dimensional curves to a user such as a sight impaired person is disclosed. The disclosed arrangement uses haptic or tactile stimulation of a user's extremity such as is relied--upon in the Braille code fingertip communication already known to many sight impaired persons. Computerized control over a Braille character-like display and use of the computer mouse as a data selection input device; are included in the invention. The invention also includes provision of data enhancement and data interpretation aids including axis names, multiple curve identifications, grid line identifications and the addition of audio information such as tick sounds and spoken utterances to supplement the tactile communication. A computer-based embodiment of the invention is disclosed, this in the form of hardware block diagrams, software flow diagrams and computer code listing, the latter being primarily in microfiche appendix form.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer lookthrough and virtual surface inclusive tactile method for communicating multi-dimensional graphic data to a sight impaired and hearing impaired human operator, said method comprising the steps of:

combining a computer data input function of a planar absolute position sensor assembly physically with a computer data output function of an operator finger-engageable, electrically energizable, unitary character, multiple pinned tactile display array to form a portable, bi-directional communication, data transducer device having operator-provided mobility over an absolute position-determining-digitizer pad surface;
storing a bit map representation of said multi-dimensional graphic data in a computer memory having a memory location relating to each pixel point of said absolute position-determining digitizer pad surface according to a selected virtual surface-defining relationship;
accessing said computer bit map data representation in said computer memory data in response to operator induced absolute position changes of said portable, bi-directional communication, data transducer device across said absolute position-determining digitizer pad surface and said virtual surface;
and
energizing accessed memory data-determined pixel elements of said multiple pinned tactile character display array, in graphic data-detailed tactile communication with said human operator, and in synchronism with movement and absolute positioning of said portable, bi-directional communication, data transducer device to absolute position-determining digitizer pad surface and virtual surface locations of graphic data presence in said memory.

2 more elements

An unconstrained in time method of data display for combined sight and hearing-impaired user haptic realization of graphic data representations, said method comprising the steps of:

representing said graphic data as surface perturbations received on a computer memory data-defined virtual surface area, said surface perturbations corresponding with altered data states in said computer memory and being represented in absolute position registration over said virtual surface;
enabling prolonged, piecemeal, repeated and absolute position-sensed, multiple pinned display-array-communicated haptic exploration of said virtual surface and said data surface perturbations by said user, said prolonged, piecemeal, repeated and absolute position-sensed, multiple pinned display-array-communicated haptic exploration including multiple data point haptic array continuing readout accessing of portions of said computer memory in response to physical manipulation of a memory access control across an absolute position-registered virtual surface by said user person;
communicating results of said continuing readout accessing of said computer memory, including virtual surface data perturbation presence and absence-related memory data, to said user person as finger-received multiple data point small area haptic data samples of said memory contents at attained absolute positions on said virtual surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/451,593Filed 26 May 1995
Granted: 7 Apr 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06F 3/016
Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer: input arrangements with force or tactile…
G06F 3/03543
With detection of two-dimensional [2D] relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D…
G09B 21/001
Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute: teaching or communicating with blind persons
G09B 21/003
Teaching or communicating with blind persons: using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays