Assistive Overlay for Dynamic Web Content Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current assistive technologies struggle to interpret and render dynamic events on websites, particularly for users with disabilities, due to inadequate coding and lack of accessibility features, leading to inaccessible web content and security concerns.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that dynamically overlays a modified version of a webpage in the user's browser, identifying key attributes and information to convey visual information to assistive technologies without altering the source code, using an assistive system server with security measures to prevent unauthorized access and ensure data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If assistive software is used to interpret website content, then accessibility for users with disabilities is improved, but the software cannot correctly interpret dynamic events and functions on modern websites
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that sits between the website content and the assistive software. This intermediary translates dynamic website events into formats that assistive software can interpret, resolving the contradiction by enabling both accessibility and accurate interpretation of dynamic content without requiring changes to the original website code or the assistive software itself
2Reliability
If websites are coded with additional accessibility information, then assistive technology can interpret pages correctly, but website complexity and coding requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the accessibility translation function from the website coding process itself and places it in a separate intermediary component. This allows websites to maintain their original coding simplicity while still providing accessible interpretations through the external translation layer, resolving the contradiction between accessibility compliance and coding complexity
3Ease of operation
If assistive software modifies webpage presentation dynamically, then accessibility is enhanced, but security concerns arise from potential unauthorized access to webpage code
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having assistive software directly access and modify webpage code (which creates security risks), the patent inverts the approach by having the intermediary translate the webpage content into an accessible format without requiring direct access to the original code. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining accessibility while eliminating security vulnerabilities
4Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic overlays are used to modify webpage presentation, then accessibility for dynamic content is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal intermediary system that handles multiple types of dynamic content (events, functions, updates) through a single translation mechanism. This multi-functional approach improves accessibility for all dynamic content types while avoiding the complexity of implementing separate solutions for each content type, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system and method for modifying the presentation of content and/or graphical elements and behavior of a digital presentation (e.g., a webpage) by identifying an information event and dynamically overlaying a fully functional complementary presentation of the digital presentation, without accessing the underlying source code of the digital presentation, employing a special software or equipment (e.g., a special web browser), or requiring that original or user submitted content associated with the digital presentation be transmitted to a remote or otherwise uncontrolled server.