Automated Document Accessibility Conversion via Intermediate Parsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for making documents accessible to visually impaired individuals, particularly in formats like PDF, are time-consuming and lack automation for documents in various electronic formats, as they require manual tagging on a per-document basis and are not compatible with assistive technologies.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates accessible documents by parsing initial documents into an intermediate format, applying templates with computer-readable instructions to tag regions, and converting them into accessible documents compatible with accessibility standards, allowing for batch processing and reuse of templates across similar document types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual tagging is performed on a per-document basis to ensure accessibility compliance, then document accessibility quality is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming and tedious process
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary parsing of documents into an intermediate format that preserves structural information, preparing the document in advance for automated template application. This preliminary structuring enables subsequent automated tagging without sacrificing accessibility quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service through automated template application where pre-defined templates automatically extract and tag accessibility information from parsed document structures, eliminating the need for manual tagging while maintaining compliance quality
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual tagging is performed on each document individually to handle various formats, then adaptability to different document formats is improved, but device complexity worsens due to need for multiple processing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediate format as a mediator between various input document formats and the final accessible output. All documents are first parsed into this standardized intermediate representation, which then feeds into template-based processing, simplifying the overall system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves universality through reusable templates that can process multiple document types. A single template can handle various document formats (PDF, HTML, Word, etc.) by working with the standardized intermediate format, eliminating the need for separate processing mechanisms for each format
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for generating accessible documents. In one embodiment, an initial document in a print format is obtained. The print format of the initial document is identified as one of a plurality of print formats. A parser corresponding to the one of the plurality of print formats is applied such that the initial document is parsed according to the print format of the initial document. An intermediate document that conforms to an intermediate format is generated based upon results obtained from applying the parser. A template for converting the intermediate document into an accessible document is obtained. The template is then such that an accessible document corresponding to the initial document is generated.