Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Antonio J Colmenarez

Srinivas Gutta

Miroslav Trajkovic

Daniel Pelletier

Karen Irene Trovato

George Marmaropoulos

Eric Cohen-Solal

Mi-Suen Lee

Vasanth Philomin

Andreas Kellner

Ian McClelland

System and method for automatically programming a universal remote. In the system, the remote acquires identification data from a particular device at which it is pointed. The data is processed to determine command protocols associated with the particular device. Control commands for the particular device input to the remote by a user are formatted according to the command protocols associated with the particular device.

Universal remote control unit with automatic appliance identification and programming

An automatic speech recognizer only responsive to acoustic speech utterances is activated only in response to acoustic energy having a spectrum associated with the speech utterances and at least one facial characteristic associated with the speech utterances. In one embodiment, a speaker must be looking directly into a video camera and the voices and facial characteristics of plural speakers must be matched to enable activation of the automatic speech recognizer.

Speech activity detection using acoustic and facial characteristics in an automatic speech recognition system

A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating and maintaining enhanced background models for use in background-foreground segmentation. Background models are modified to contain an indication of objects that are typically stationary. Thereafter, if an object moves and has been previously identified as an object that is typically stationary, the object will not unnecessarily be identified as part of the foreground during background-foreground segmentation. In an exemplary implementation, moving objects are classified into two sets. A first set includes objects that typically move independently and a second set includes objects that are typically stationary. Generally, once an object is assigned to the second (stationary object) set, the object will remain in the background, even if the object is moved (normally, movement of the object would cause the object to become part of the foreground).

Enhanced background model employing object classification for improved background-foreground segmentation

An acoustic based pointing device and a system and method for using the pointing device to move a cursor on a display screen of a display device. The pointing device comprises an acoustic source that generates and propagates an acoustic signal that is detected by four microphones M, M, M, and Mand is then converted into corresponding periodic electrical signals S, S, S, and S. The position vectorof the acoustic source is calculated by solving triangulation equations that depend on phase-shift time delays between Sand Sfor j=1, 2, and 3. A position vectoris calculated fromusing a scale vector that relates a change in position of the cursor to a change in position of the acoustic source. Then the cursor is moved to a position Passociated with the position vector.

Acoustic based pointing device

Aspects of the present invention can be configured to demultiplex an asynchronously multiplexed video signal, which comprises images from a number of different cameras. Image matching techniques are used to assign input images with states. After a period, the number of states will generally equal the number of input cameras. The states may be modeled through any number of techniques, such as histogram analysis, clustering, and hidden Markov model analysis. Input images are assigned to states, and the input images are output as being associated with the states. Zone surveillance may be performed on a series of images from one or more of the states. Any events that occur can be distinguished and reported.

Video monitoring and surveillance systems capable of handling asynchronously multiplexed video

An automatically switched camera system includes sensors for providing data of an image scene having subjects who are behaving in a manner which make them potential targets of the camera system, a pre-take indicator for providing an advanced notification to the subjects of the image scene that one of them is about to become a target of the camera system, a multimodal image analysis module communicating with the sensors and the pre-take indicator, for analyzing the data of the image scene provided by the sensors to select one of the subjects as a target of the camera system and outputting an indicator function command that causes the pre-take indicator to provide the advanced notification to the selected subject.

Automatically switched camera system with indicator for notifying the next subject of the camera system

An image processing system is disclosed that provides automatic face or skin blurring for images. All faces or skin can be blurred, or specific faces can be blurred. In one aspect of the invention, a particular face is blurred on an image or on a series of images in a video. Faces are determined in an image, and face matching is performed to match a particular face to faces in the image. If a match is found, the face or a portion of the face is blurred in the image. The blurring is performed on a portion of the image containing the particular face. Blurring may be performed through a variety of techniques. In another aspect of the invention, voice processing is used as an adjunct to or in place of face analysis to determine if a face in an image or series of images should be blurred. In another aspect of the invention, all faces or human skin in an image or series of images is blurred.

Method and apparatus for automatic face blurring

A lighting controller is disclosed that automatically adjusts a lighting device based on user activity. The disclosed lighting controller processes at least one of audio and video information to identify predefined user events that suggest that a lighting device should be activated or adjusted. In one implementation, a number of behavior rules define various user activities or events that suggest that the user would like to activate or adjust a lighting device. Each rule contains one or more conditions, and, optionally, a corresponding action-item that should be performed when the rule is satisfied to activate or adjust the lighting device. Upon detection of a predefined event, the corresponding action, if any, is performed by the lighting controller.

Method and apparatus for controlling lighting based on user behavior

A system and method for alerting a driver of an automobile to a traffic condition. The system comprises at least one camera having a field of view and facing in the forward direction of the automobile. The camera captures images of the field of view in front of the automobile. A control unit receives images of the field of view from the camera and identifies objects therein of a predetermined type. The control unit analyzes the object images of at least one predetermined type to determine whether one or more of the identified objects present a condition that requires the driver's response. A display receives control signals from the control unit regarding the one or more of the objects that present a condition that requires the driver's response. The display displays an image of the object to the driver that is positioned and scaled so that it overlays the actual object as seen by the driver, the displayed image of the object enhancing a feature of the actual object to alert the driver.

Driver's aid using image processing

A computer-based assisted parking system and method for parking a vehicle into a parking space includes at least one sensor arranged to sense a position of the vehicle to be parked in a predetermined area adjacent the vehicle; a sensing system for at least two-dimensional reconstruction of feedback received from the one sensor; a path planning system for determining whether positions of other vehicles adjacent the parking space provide sufficient clearance for the vehicle to be parked and providing a planned path indicating how the vehicle to be parked will be maneuvered; a control system for controlling maneuvering of the vehicle to be parked based on the planned path determined by the path planning system, and the control system controls vehicle steering, direction, speed, and application of brakes, so that the vehicle to be parked is maneuvered into the parking space. Alternatively, directions may be given as the vehicle is parked under the control of the driver.

Growing community of inventors

Maracaibo, Venezuela

Antonio J Colmenarez