Web Page Accessibility Navigation via Directional Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing accessibility software for visually impaired users faces challenges in navigating web pages due to limited geographical orientation and conflicts with other applications, leading to non-functional states and inability to access all features of GUIs, especially on complex web pages with dynamic structures.

Innovation Solution

A method that receives commands to move in specified directions on a web page, automatically determines the presence of elements in those directions through sampling, and presents a user interface tool for detected elements, providing intuitive navigation and accessibility features integrated with the operating system for seamless keyboard navigation and audio feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If existing accessibility software uses tag-based navigation or coordinate systems to navigate web pages, then users can access web page elements, but users lack geographical orientation and struggle with complex web pages containing many elements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweb page navigationVSAvoidgeographical orientation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The web page is divided into multiple regions (e.g., top, bottom, left, right quadrants) to provide structured geographical orientation. This segmentation helps visually impaired users understand the spatial layout without being overwhelmed by individual elements, resolving the contradiction between navigation ease and geographical awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a spatial dimension to web page navigation by mapping elements to regional locations rather than using linear tag-based or coordinate-based approaches. This dimensional transformation provides intuitive geographical context while maintaining ease of navigation through region-based commands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If accessibility applications implement full keyboard navigation (FKN) for all GUI features, then users can access more functions, but key mappings conflict with other applications causing non-functional states

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveGUI feature accessibilityVSAvoidapplication functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer that detects and manages keyboard focus states across applications. This mediator prevents direct key mapping conflicts by routing accessibility commands through a controlled interface, allowing full GUI feature access while maintaining system-wide functionality and preventing non-functional states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The accessibility application dynamically adjusts its keyboard navigation behavior based on the current application context and focus state. This dynamic adaptation allows full versatility in accessing GUI features while avoiding conflicts with other applications by modifying navigation patterns in real-time based on system state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of information

If accessibility software reads all text elements on a web page using text-to-speech, then users can access content, but users cannot efficiently locate specific elements or understand page structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent accessibilityVSAvoidelement location time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The web page content is segmented into regional sections, and the text-to-speech system provides selective reading based on user navigation to specific regions. This segmentation allows users to access content systematically while quickly locating specific elements by navigating to their regional positions rather than listening to all content linearly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of reading all text elements uniformly, the system provides partial action by reading only the elements within the currently focused region or the user-specified direction. This partial reading approach maintains content accessibility while dramatically reducing the time required to locate and access specific elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Ease of operation

If accessibility applications are started after system boot, then they can provide navigation tools, but users cannot access accessibility utilities during system start up

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility utility accessVSAvoidstartup access time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The accessibility application is configured to start automatically with the system boot process, performing preliminary initialization of navigation tools before the user needs them. This preliminary action ensures that accessibility utilities are immediately available during system startup and throughout the user session, eliminating delays in accessing accessibility features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9489131B2Method of presenting a web page for accessibility browsing

Publication Date: 2016.11.08 APPLE INC

AI summary

A method of presenting a web page is described which incorporates navigation techniques and tools to allow impaired users to navigate throughout a web page in a convenient and geographically intuitive manner. Elements are sampled for in a region located in a user-specified direction, and a UI tool is presented for a detected element. Elements that are “hit” during sampling may be tested for materiality, and the material element with precedence will become the detected element.