Accessibility detection of content properties through tactile interactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11023655-B2
Application number	US-201414302230-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2014
Priority date	Jun 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

One or more tactile effects may be mapped to application user interface elements, formatting properties, and document structure and applied to a display comprising tactile capabilities (e.g., deformable screens, vibrations, static charges, heat, etc.). Formatting, structure, and user interface elements may be mapped to different screen variations that may be felt by a visually impaired user. A visually impaired user may be able to utilize his/her sense of touch to more easily comprehend formatting and structure of a document, as well as to have greater confidence to author professional and consistently formatted and structured documents. A tactile effect may be applied to a location of a displayed user interface element, formatting property, or document structure, or may be applied to a designated area of the display.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method for providing tactile effects to a display of a computing device, the method comprising:
receiving, through a user interface, a first request to provide a first tactile effect for a first formatting property of an electronic document;
as a result of receiving the first request, mapping the first tactile effect to the first formatting property, wherein the first formatting property is associated with at least a first element of a plurality of elements of the electronic document;
receiving, through the user interface, a second request to provide a second tactile effect for a second formatting property of the electronic document, wherein the second tactile effect and the first tactile effect are distinct;
as a result of receiving the second request, mapping the second tactile effect to the second formatting property, wherein the second formatting property is associated with at least a second element of the plurality of elements of the electronic document; and
causing display of the electronic document on the display of the computing device, wherein displaying the electronic document comprises applying the first tactile effect to the display of the computing device for the first formatting property associated with the first element and applying the second tactile effect to the display of the computing device for the second formatting property associated with the second element, wherein the first tactile effect and the second tactile effect are distinct, and wherein applying the first tactile effect and the second tactile effect to the display comprises producing a change to at least a part of a surface of the display of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the first tactile effect to the display further comprises applying the first tactile effect at a location proximate to one or more elements comprising the first formatting property.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the first tactile effect to the display further comprises applying the first tactile effect in a tactile information area.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein prior to applying the first tactile effect in the tactile information area, receiving a touch of one of one or more elements comprising the first formatting property.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a third element comprises a plurality of formatting properties;
mapping a third tactile effect to each of the plurality of formatting properties; and
applying the third tactile effect to the display at a location proximate to the third element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein mapping the first tactile effect to the first formatting property comprises mapping an increased degree of the first tactile effect to a graduated level of first formatting.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to mapping the first tactile effect to the first formatting property, reading the first formatting property using one or more of:
file formats;
tags; or
specifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the first request to provide the first tactile effect for the first formatting property comprises:
receiving a selection of the first element in the electronic document; and
providing the first tactile effect for other elements in the electronic document comprising the first formatting property.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reading formatting properties of the plurality of elements in the electronic document.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a third request to provide a third tactile effect for a third formatting property;
continuing to apply the first tactile effect;
mapping the third tactile effect to the third formatting property; and
applying the third tactile effect to the display, wherein applying the third tactile effect to the display comprises producing a second change to the display that is detectable by touching the surface.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third tactile effect is an increased degree of a same type of tactile effect as the first tactile effect.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third tactile effect is a different type of tactile effect than the first tactile effect.

13. A system for providing tactile effects to a display of a computing device, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more processors operable to:
receive, through a user interface, a first request to provide a first tactile effect for a first formatting property of an electronic document;
as a result of receiving the first request, map the first tactile effect to the first formatting property, wherein the first formatting property is associated with at least a first element of a plurality of elements of the electronic document;
receive, through the user interface, a second request to provide a second tactile effect for a second formatting property of the electronic document, wherein the second tactile effect and the first tactile effect are distinct;
as a result of receiving the second request, map the second tactile effect to the second formatting property, wherein the second formatting property is associated with at least a second element of the plurality of elements of the electronic document; and
cause display of the electronic document on the display of the computing device, wherein displaying the electronic document comprises applying the first tactile effect to the display of the computing device for the first formatting property associated with the first element and applying the second tactile effect to the display of the computing device for the second formatting property associated with the second element, wherein the first tactile effect and the second tactile effect are distinct, and wherein applying the first tactile effect and the second tactile effect to the display comprises producing a change to at least a part of a surface of the display of the computing device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:
determine that the second element comprises a plurality of formatting properties;
map the second tactile effect to each of the plurality of formatting properties; and
apply different tactile effects to the display proximate to the second element.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein in receiving the first request to provide the first tactile effect for the first formatting property, the one or more processors are further operable to:
receive a selection of the first element in the electronic document; and
provide the first tactile effect for one or more other elements in the electronic document comprising the first formatting property.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:
receive a third request to provide a next tactile effect for one or more of formatting properties;
continue to apply the first tactile effect;
map the next tactile effect to the one or more formatting properties; and
apply the next tactile effect to the display, wherein applying the next tactile effect to the display comprises producing a second change to the display that is detectable by touch and the next tactile effect is an increased degree of a same type of tactile effect as the first tactile effect.

17. A computer readable storage device storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform operations of:
receiving, through a user interface, a first request to provide a first tactile effect for a first

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Campbell John

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06F40/106 Primary

  Display of layout of documents; Previewing · CPC title

• G06F3/0412

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title

• G09B21/003

  using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays · CPC title