The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 07, 1998
Peter Kam-Ho Wong, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Jeffrey B. Reifman, Seattle, WA (US);
Gregory C. Lowney, Redmond, WA (US);
Shawn J. Cokus, Syracuse, NY (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and system for enabling a visually impaired user to use a touch-sensitive device. The present invention provides an interface for the visually impaired (IVI) system which enables a visually impaired user to use a touch-sensitive screen. The IVI system provides an explore mode in which a visually impaired user may determine which objects are on the touch-sensitive screen by dragging a finger over the touch-sensitive screen. In particular, the IVI system announces objects as a user touches them. For example, the IVI system announces text as it is touched and announces controls, such as buttons, as they are touched. In addition, the IVI system enables a user to execute controls. A user may execute a control, such as a button, by dragging a finger onto the control, and then, without dragging the finger off of the control, lifting the finger off of the touch-sensitive screen. The IVI system further enables a user to scroll through lists on a touch-sensitive screen. In particular, the IVI system enables a user to use a scroll thumb to scroll through a list. When a user drags a finger over the scroll thumb, and then, without dragging the finger off of the scroll thumb, lifts the finger off of the touch-sensitive screen, the IVI system enters scroll mode. In the scroll mode, a user may drag a finger anywhere on the touch-sensitive screen to scroll the list. While in scroll mode if a user again lifts their finger off of the touch-sensitive screen, the IVI system returns to explore mode.