Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory recording medium for reading aloud content for visually impaired users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11979529-B2
Application number	US-202217936065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 19, 2021
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes: circuitry that detects information relating to a user of the information processing apparatus, determines whether the user is a visually impaired person based on the information relating to the user, and based on a determination indicating that the user is the visually impaired person, enable a voice reading operation function for the visually impaired person.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
circuitry configured to
construct an operation screen, the operation screen including an operation effective region and an operation ineffective region,
display the operation screen,
detect information relating to a user of the information processing apparatus, the information relating to the user comprising information regarding an operation of the user on the operation screen,
determine whether the user is a visually impaired person based on the information relating to the user, wherein the user is determined to be the visually impaired person when the information relating to the user indicates that the operation of the user occurs in the operation ineffective region, and
based on a determination indicating that the user is the visually impaired person, enable a voice reading operation function for the visually impaired person.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuity is configured to
analyze an image captured by a camera to detect information relating to the user and a white cane, and
when the white cane is present near a hand of the user, determine that the user is the visually impaired person.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuity is configured to
detect information included in a wireless tag held by the user, and
determine whether the user is the visually impaired person based on the information included in the wireless tag.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuity is configured to
detect information relating to a feature in an operation on the information processing apparatus by the user, and
determine whether the user is the visually impaired person based on the information relating to the feature in the operation.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to output a voice message to confirm whether the voice reading operation function is allowed to be enabled before the voice reading operation function is enabled.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the circuity is further configured to
display at least one button on the operation screen,
receive a user selection operation of the button, the user selection operation comprising touching a button and swiping from the button in a direction, and
in response to the user selection operation, output a voice message that reads aloud functions of the selected button.

7. An information processing method, comprising:
constructing an operation screen, the operation screen including an operation effective region and an operation ineffective region;
displaying the operation screen;
detecting information relating to a user of an information processing apparatus, the information relating to the user comprising information regarding an operation of the user on the operation screen;
determining whether the user is a visually impaired person based on the information relating to the user, wherein the user is determined to he the visually impaired person when the information relating to the user indicates that the operation of the user occurs in the operation ineffective region; and
based on a determination that the user is the visually impaired person, enabling a voice reading operation function for the visually impaired person.

8. A non-transitory recording medium which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to perform an information processing method, the method comprising:
constructing an operation screen, the operation screen including an operation effective region and an operation ineffective region;
displaying the operation screen;
detecting information relating to a user of an information processing apparatus, the information relating to the user comprising information regarding an operation of the user on the operation screen;
determining whether the user is a visually impaired person based on the information relating to the user, wherein the user is determined to be the visually impaired person when the information relating to the user indicates that the operation of the user occurs in the operation ineffective region; and
based on a determination that the user is the visually impaired person, enabling a voice reading operation function for the visually impaired person.

Assignees

• Monden Nobuya
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Monden Nobuya

Classifications

• H04N1/00514 Primary

  for individual users · CPC title

• G06V20/64

  Three-dimensional [3D] objects · CPC title

• H04N1/00251

  with an apparatus for taking photographic images, e.g. a camera · CPC title

• H04N1/00342

  with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver (storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138) · CPC title

• G06V40/10

  Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands · CPC title