Reading device with hierarchal navigation

Abstract

In some embodiments, disclosed is reading device that comprises a camera, at least one processor, and a user interface. The camera scans at least a portion of a document having text to generate a raster file. The processor processes the raster file to identify text blocks. The user interface allows a user to hierarchically navigate the text blocks when they are read to the user.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an acquisition device configured to acquire a digitization of at least a portion of a document, the document having a plurality of pages that each have a plurality of blocks of text; and   at least one processor configured to characterize each of the plurality of blocks of text from each page of the document as a main text block or as an ancillary text block at least by identifying, on each of the plurality of pages, one or more blocks of text that corresponds to a figure descriptor or footnote and to present to a user multiple main text blocks sequentially without presenting any ancillary text block, the multiple main text blocks being from multiple pages of the plurality of pages.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor discerns different hierarchal levels among the plurality of blocks of text of the plurality of pages based on the size of the text characters within the plurality of blocks of text. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the processor discerns different hierarchal levels based on the position of the text blocks relative to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , in which the processor discerns different hierarchal levels based on text content within the text blocks. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising memory having an OCR module to generate the text blocks when executed by the at least one processor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , comprising memory having a characterization module to characterize the text blocks when executed by at least one processor. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an auditory device to provide to the user the read text in auditory form. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which the processor is to change a scanning resolution for an area associated with one of the text blocks based on a type of content expected in the one of the text blocks. 
     
     
         10 - 23 . (canceled)