Freedom Scientific, Inc.

Joseph K Stephen

Glen Gordon

Eric Damery

Ralph Ernest Ocampo

Roxana Fischer

Christian D Hofstader

David Baker

James T Datray

A screen reader application traverses each node in a document object model (DOM) for the text stylization. Properties for foreground color, background color, font type, font size and font stylization are algorithmically reduced to an identifier. Each node in the DOM with the same identifier has the same text stylization. Unique and infrequent text stylizations by a webpage author signal a point of interest. The screen reader application locates and navigates to that node in the DOM on behalf or in response to the end user. Points of interest are further identified by a number of additional factors. A first includes percentage of text of having the text stylization versus total text in the DOM. A second includes excluding candidate point of interest nodes having more than 250 characters. Others include imposing minimum font sizes and text contrast ratios to qualify as a point of interest.

Resolving points of interest by text stylization

A method of automatically partitioning a refreshable braille display based on presence of pertinent ancillary alphanumeric content. In an unpartitioned configuration, every braille cell of the refreshable braille display is used to output the primary alphanumeric content. When the refreshable braille display outputs a segment of the primary alphanumeric content having associated ancillary alphanumeric content, such as a footnote or a comment, the braille display is automatically partitioned into a first partition and a second partition. The braille cells of the first partition are allocated for outputting the primary alphanumeric content, while the braille cells of the second partition are allocated for outputting the ancillary alphanumeric content.

Dynamic partitioning of a refreshable braille display based on presence of ancillary alphanumeric content

Detecting points of interest by atypical stylization

A method of dynamically establishing an auto-advance interval of a refreshable braille display. The method involves the step of establishing a default auto-advance value, during which a full line of braille characters remains displayed on the braille display prior to being replaced by the next line. The method further involves determining whether a current line of braille characters ends with a blank cell or a used cell and calculating the current auto-advance interval based on the number of used cells in the current line. The next line of braille characters is output after the current auto-advance interval has lapsed.

Dynamic auto-advance feature for refreshable braille displays

A screen reader software product for low-vision users, the software having a reader module collecting textual and non-textual display information generated by a web browser or word processor. Font styling, interface layout information and the like are communicated to the end user by sounds broadcast simultaneously rather than serially with the synthesized speech to improve the speed and efficiency in which information may be digested by the end user.

Screen reader having concurrent communication of non-textual information

Disclosed is a system and method for synchronizing virtual and physical documents. The system can be used in conjunction with screen reading software for synchronizing the screen reader's virtual representation of a component to components that are visually displayed to a sighted user.

Synchronizing a visible document and a virtual document so that selection of text in the virtual document results in highlighting of equivalent content in the visible document

Growing community of inventors

Eden Hills, Australia

Joseph K Stephen