System and method for improving web site accessibility
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJames L. Levine, Peter G. Fairweather, Jim Spohrer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of improving the accessibility of Web sites and pages through the use of accessibility descriptors that can be assigned to a Web site and/or each page of a Web site. The descriptors enable the page(s) of the site to be assessed and then displayed according to a particular user's needs, or if appropriate may notify the user if a page cannot be used or rendered more accessible. The system can be set up to require a user fee for the service, thus encouraging Web creators to design Web pages that can be modified in accordance with the accessibility descriptors.
Claims34
A system for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the system comprising:
- means for rating the Web page for accessibility to the Internet user with the physical limitation, the rating means assigning an accessibility descriptor to the Web page;
- means for accessing the Internet;
- means for relaying the accessibility descriptor via the Internet to the accessing means in response to the Internet user accessing the Web page with the accessing means;
- and
- means for modifying the Web page in response to the accessibility descriptor to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.
A method for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the method comprising the steps of:
- rating the Web page for accessibility to the Internet user with the physical limitation by assigning an accessibility descriptor to the Web page;
- accessing the Internet with an accessing means;
- relaying the accessibility descriptor via the Internet to the accessing means in response to the Internet user accessing the Web page with the accessing means;
- and
- modifying the Web page in response to the accessibility descriptor to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.
A system for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then modified prior to being displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the system comprising:
- computer means with an Internet browser for accessing the Internet
- means for storing data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user;
- server means on which are stored accessibility descriptors, at least one of the accessibility descriptors pertaining to a characteristic of the Web page that makes access by the Internet user difficult as a result of the physical limitation of the Internet user;
- means for comparing the data of the Internet browser to the accessibility descriptors of the server means;
- and
- means for modifying and then transmitting the Web page to the Internet browser of the Internet user, the modifying and transmitting means being operable to modify the Web page in response to the comparing means to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.
A method for increasing the accessibility of a Web page of a Web site to an Internet user by enabling the Web page to be assessed and then modified prior to being displayed to compensate for a physical limitation of the Internet user, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing computer means with an Internet browser for accessing the Internet;
- assembling data regarding the physical limitation of the Internet user;
- providing server means on which are stored accessibility descriptors, at least one of the accessibility descriptors pertaining to a characteristic of the Web page that makes access by the Internet user difficult as a result of the physical limitation of the Internet user;
- comparing the data to the accessibility descriptors of the server means;
- and
- modifying and then transmitting the Web page to the Internet browser of the Internet user, by which the Web page is modified in response to comparing the data to the accessibility descriptors to at least partially compensate for the physical limitation of the Internet user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.