Macro-enabled, verbally accessible graphical data visualizations for visually impaired users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9785336-B2
Application number	US-201213588101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2012
Priority date	Aug 17, 2012
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided, at an accessible electronic device having a visual display with a touch-sensitive surface, for displaying on the visual display a graphic visualization having a plurality of graphic elements, and in response to detecting a navigation gesture by a finger on the touch-sensitive surface, selecting one of the plurality of graphic elements and outputting accessibility information associated with the selected graphic element. Systems and methods are also provided for generating computer code for converting a data set into graphic visualization annotated with accessibility information.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining a data set for a graphic visualization, wherein the data set is determined at an electronic device having a visual display with a touch-sensitive surface, and wherein the data set includes a data point;
annotating, by one or more computer processors, the data point within the graphic visualization,
wherein the data point is annotated with verbal accessibility information,
wherein the verbal accessibility information includes a value corresponding to the data point, and
wherein annotating the data point with verbal accessibility information includes using a macro to automatically populate a template with one or more values from the data set and using the template to convert data from the data set into an annotated graphic visualization;
displaying the graphic visualization including the annotated data point;
receiving input corresponding to a selection of the data point; and
outputting verbal accessibility information that describes data displayed in the graphic visualization that a visually impaired user cannot otherwise obtain from viewing the graphic visualization, wherein the outputted verbal accessibility information includes the value of the data point, and wherein the verbal accessibility information includes descriptive information corresponding to
the graphic visualization, or
one or more data points displayed in the graphic visualization.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein graphic visualizations include pie charts, bar charts, scatter plots, or line graphs.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verbal accessibility information further includes a name of the annotated data point, and wherein outputting verbal accessibility information further includes outputting the name of the annotated data point.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein annotating the data point with verbal accessibility information includes determining an area surrounding the data point and associating the area surrounding the data point with structure document code.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphic visualization includes one or more variables, the method further comprising:
annotating the graphic visualization with verbal accessibility information associated with a variable;
receiving additional input corresponding to a selection of the variable in the graphic visualization; and
outputting verbal accessibility information associated with the variable.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data point is annotated with verbal accessibility information by generating structured document code.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
generating additional structured document code that associates accessibility information with one or more graphic elements representing one or more variables in the graphic visualization.

8. A computer-implemented system, comprising:
one or more data processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media containing instructions configured to cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including:
determining a data set for a graphic visualization, wherein the data set is determined at an electronic device having a visual display with a touch-sensitive surface, and wherein the data set includes a data point;
annotating, by the one or more data processors, the data point within the graphic visualization,
wherein the data point is annotated with verbal accessibility information,
wherein the verbal accessibility information includes a value corresponding to the data point, and
wherein annotating the data point with verbal accessibility information includes using a macro to automatically populate a template with one or more values from the data set and using the template to convert data from the data set into an annotated graphic visualization;
displaying the graphic visualization including the annotated data point;
receiving input corresponding to a selection of the data point; and
outputting verbal accessibility information that describes data displayed in the graphic visualization that a visually impaired user cannot otherwise obtain from viewing the graphic visualization, wherein the outputted verbal accessibility information includes the value of the data point, and wherein the verbal accessibility information includes descriptive information corresponding to
the graphic visualization, or
one or more data points displayed in the graphic visualization.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein graphic visualizations include pie charts, bar charts, scatter plots, or line graphs.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the verbal accessibility information further includes a name of the annotated data point, and wherein outputting verbal accessibility information further includes outputting the name of the annotated data point.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein annotating the data point with verbal accessibility information includes determining an area surrounding the data point and associating the area surrounding the data point with structure document code.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the graphic visualization includes one or more variables, the operations further comprising:
annotating the graphic visualization with verbal accessibility information associated with a variable;
receiving additional input corresponding to a selection of the variable in the graphic visualization; and
outputting verbal accessibility information associated with the variable.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the data point is annotated with verbal accessibility information by generating structured document code.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating additional structured document code that associates accessibility information with one or more graphic elements representing one or more variables in the graphic visualization.

15. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:
determine a data set for a graphic visualization, wherein the data set is determined at an electronic device having a visual display with a touch-sensitive surface, and wherein the data set includes a data point;
annotate the data point within the graphic visualization,
wherein the data point is annotated with verbal accessibility information,
wherein the verbal accessibility information includes a value corresponding to the data point, and
wherein annotating the data point with verbal accessibility information includes using a macro to automatically populate a template with one or more values from the data set and using the template to convert data from the data set into an annotated graphic visualization;
display the graphic visualization including the annotated data point;
receive input corresponding to a selection of the data point; and
output verbal accessibility information that describes data displayed in the graphic visualization that a visually impaired user cannot otherwise obtain from viewing the graphic visualization, wherein the outputted verbal accessibility information includes the value of the data point, and wherein the verbal accessibility information includes descriptive information corresponding to
the graphic visualization, or
one or more data points displayed in the graphic visualization.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15 , wherein graphic visualizations include pie charts, bar charts, scatter plots, or line graphs.

17. The computer-program product of

Assignees

• Summers Ii Claude Edward
• Allison Jr Robert E
• Langston Julianna Elizabeth
• Cowley Jennifer Antonia
• Sas Inst Inc

Inventors

• Summers Ii Claude Edward
• Allison Jr Robert E
• Langston Julianna Elizabeth
• Cowley Jennifer Antonia

Classifications

• G09B5/02

  with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip · CPC title

• G10L13/08

  Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination · CPC title

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title