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BACKGROUND

The subject application relates generally to systems and methods for displaying content on a display device, such as, but not limited to, the display device of an e-reader, a phone, a computer, or the like. In particular, the subject application relates to systems and methods for assisting visually impaired readers to take in and process content.

In addition to traditional paper reading matter such as books, magazines, etc., many readers use electronic devices such as e-readers, tablet computers, smart phones, personal computers, notebooks, and similar devices to consume content such as reading matter. Such devices typically provide the text of content on a display device in a form that makes it appear generally similar to the form that text of content would be provided on a page in a traditional book depending upon the settings of the device and/or application being executed by the device. For example, the words may be arranged in the same manner in which words are found on one page of a traditional book. In particular, there are a plurality of lines of text on the display of a page and those lines are laid out from the top of the page to the bottom of the page. Alternatively, for example, the text may be laid out in a manner that depicts two pages of the book, a right page and a left page, as would be seen by the reader of a physical book.

The community of people (“readers”) who read books on electronic devices is a large one. While many people are able to easily read the text of content as displayed on a book or on such a display device, certain people have difficulty reading content as it is typically laid out on a page of a traditional book. In some cases, readers suffer from visual dysfunction that distorts their response to information received from the central versus the peripheral parts of their visual field. Such readers may be characterized by a measurement of their periphery-to-center ratio (“PCR”.) For such readers, the reading experience can be improved by providing an interface that accentuates words in the center of a reader's visual field relative to words on the periphery of the reader's visual field.

Others who benefit from an interface that provides improved readability of content include those who suffer from other disabilities that detract from their ability to read efficiently. For example, some individuals suffer from difficulties that limit their ability to focus on text on a page (such as eye difficulties or tremors of the body) or that limits their ability to use their hands to turn pages or control an electronic device (such as paralysis). Those individuals benefit from an interface that provides automated text presentation and that eases the difficulties of focusing on text.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In accordance with a first embodiment, the subject application provides a computer readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a processor improve the readability of content on a display device. The instructions include organizing the content into a plurality of segments. The instructions further provide for selecting a first of the plurality of segments to be a first reading segment and selecting others of the plurality of segments to be first background segments. In accordance with the instructions, the processor displays a pane on the display device, the pane configured as a plurality of rows, each row configured to display characters, wherein a first row of the plurality of rows is a reading row and each other row is a background row. The instructions then provide for displaying the first reading segment according to a first readability parameter in the location of the reading row and displaying each first background segment according to a second readability parameter in the location of a respective background row. Upon receiving a transition prompt, the processor follows the instructions in selecting a second one of the plurality of segments to be a second reading segment and selecting others of the plurality of segments to be second background segments, displaying the second reading segment according to a first readability parameter in the location of the reading row, and displaying each second background segment according to a second readability parameter in the location of a respective background row.

In accordance with a second embodiment, the subject application provides an apparatus for improving the readability of a content, including an input device, a display device, a processor, and a program having executable instructions stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor. The program includes instructions for organizing the content into a plurality of segments, selecting a first of the plurality of segments to be a first reading segment and selecting others of the plurality of segments to be first background segments, and displaying a pane on the display device, the pane configured as a plurality of rows, each row configured to display characters, wherein a first row of the plurality of rows is a reading row and each other row is a background row. The instructions further provide for displaying the first reading segment according to a first readability parameter in the location of the reading row, displaying each first background segment according to a second readability parameter in the location of a respective background row, and upon receiving a transition prompt, selecting a second one of the plurality of segments to be a second reading segment and selecting others of the plurality of segments to be second background segments. The program further provides for displaying the second reading segment according to a first readability parameter in the location of the reading row; and displaying each second background segment according to a second readability parameter in the location of a respective background row.

In accordance with another embodiment, the disclosure provides for an electronic device for use by a visually impaired reader. The electronic device includes an input device, a display device, a processor; and a program having executable instructions stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor. The program includes executable instructions for organizing the content into a plurality of segments, selecting a first of the plurality of segments to be a first reading segment and selecting others of the plurality of segments to be first background segments; and displaying a pane on the display device, the pane configured as a plurality of rows, each row configured to display characters, wherein a first row of the plurality of rows is a reading row and each other row is a background row. The program further includes instructions for displaying the first reading segment according to a first readability parameter in the location of the reading row and displaying each first background segment as visual filler in the location of a respective background row. The program responds to a receipt of a transition prompt by selecting a second one of the plurality of segments to be a second reading segment and selecting others of the plurality of segments to be second background segments, displaying the second reading segment according to a first readability parameter in the location of the reading row; and displaying each second background segment according to a second readability parameter in the location of a respective background row.

