Resource management for video streaming with inattentive user

• US 10,200,753 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hao, Shuai, Han, Bo, Ra, Moo-Ryong
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/830,631
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including detecting attention by a user to a presentation displayed at an audiovisual presentation device. A real-time image of the user is obtained and stored local to the audiovisual presentation device. The image is analyzed to determine a presence in the image of a facial feature of the user; the device determines, based on the presence of the facial feature, whether the user is attentive to the presentation. When the user is not attentive to the presentation, a procedure is initiated at the audiovisual presentation device to reduce resource consumption by the device; the procedure can include continuing the presentation at a video quality level lower than at the beginning of the presentation, reducing a brightness of the display, continuing the presentation with only the audio portion, and discontinuing the presentation. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a processing system including a processor of an audiovisual presentation device, attention by a user to a presentation of content at a display of the audiovisual presentation device, the content delivered to the audiovisual presentation device over a network, the content including an audio portion and a video portion, the presentation being initiated at a first video quality level,

wherein the detecting comprises;

obtaining a real-time image of the user,

performing an analysis of the image,

determining, based on the analysis, a presence in the image of a predefined facial feature of the user, and

determining, based on the presence of the predefined facial feature, whether the user is attentive to the presentation,

wherein the detecting is performed at predetermined time intervals during the presentation, wherein the time intervals are varied during presentation of a portion of the content in accordance with a level of network resources required to deliver that portion; and

responsive to the user not being attentive to the presentation, initiating, by the processing system, a first procedure at the audiovisual presentation device to reduce resource consumption by the audiovisual presentation device,

wherein the first procedure comprises one or more of;

continuing the presentation at a second video quality level lower than the first video quality level,

reducing a brightness of the display,

continuing the presentation with only the audio portion, and

discontinuing the presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises storing the image in a data storage local to the audiovisual presentation device, and further comprising deleting, by the processing system, the image from the data storage after the analysis is performed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the time intervals are decreased in accordance with an increase in the level of network resources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time intervals are specified in metadata accompanying the content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is determined to not be attentive to the presentation responsive to the predefined facial feature not being present in the image over a specified number of consecutive time intervals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to the first procedure and responsive to the user being attentive to the presentation, initiating, by the processing system, a second procedure at the audiovisual presentation device to restore resource consumption by the audiovisual presentation device,

wherein the second procedure comprises one or more of;

continuing the presentation at the first video quality level, and

increasing a brightness of the display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting is performed at predetermined time intervals during the presentation, and wherein the second procedure is initiated responsive to the predefined facial feature being present in the image over a specified number of consecutive time intervals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis of the image comprises an eye detection procedure.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, by the processing system prior to the presentation of the content, a menu of resource reduction options to the user; and

receiving, by the processing system, a selection from the menu,

wherein the first procedure is performed in accordance with the selection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the resource reduction options comprise a selectable sequence of resource reductions.

11. A device, comprising

a processing system including a processor;

and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising;

detecting attention by a user to a presentation of content at a display of an audiovisual presentation device, the content delivered to the audiovisual presentation device over a network, the content including an audio portion and a video portion, the presentation being initiated at a first video quality level,

wherein the detecting comprises;

obtaining a real-time image of the user,

performing an analysis of the image, the analysis comprising an eye detection procedure,

determining, based on the analysis, a presence in the image of a predefined facial feature of the user,

determining, based on the presence of the predefined facial feature, whether the user is attentive to the presentation,

wherein the detecting is performed at predetermined time intervals during the presentation, wherein the time intervals are varied during presentation of a portion of the content in accordance with a level of network resources required to deliver that portion; and

responsive to the user not being attentive to the presentation, initiating a first procedure at the audiovisual presentation device to reduce resource consumption by the audiovisual presentation device,

wherein the detecting is performed at predetermined time intervals during the presentation, and

wherein the first procedure comprises one or more of;

continuing the presentation at a second video quality level lower than the first video quality level,

reducing a brightness of the display,

continuing the presentation with only the audio portion, and

discontinuing the presentation.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the detecting comprises storing the image in a data storage local to the audiovisual presentation device, and wherein the operations further comprise deleting the image from the data storage after the analysis is performed.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the user is determined to not be attentive to the presentation responsive to the predefined facial feature not being present in the image over a specified number of consecutive time intervals.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

subsequent to the first procedure and responsive to the user being attentive to the presentation, initiating a second procedure at the audiovisual presentation device to restore resource consumption by the audiovisual presentation device,

wherein the second procedure comprises one or more of;

continuing the presentation at the first video quality level, and

increasing a brightness of the display.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting, prior to the presentation of the content, a menu of resource reduction options to the user; and

receiving a selection from the menu,

wherein the first procedure is performed in accordance with the selection.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

detecting attention by a user to a presentation of content at a display of an audiovisual presentation device, the content delivered to the audiovisual presentation device over a network, the content including an audio portion and a video portion, the presentation being initiated at a first video quality level,

wherein the detecting comprises;

obtaining a real-time image of the user,

performing an analysis of the image,

determining, based on the analysis, a presence in the image of a predefined facial feature of the user,

determining, based on the presence of the predefined facial feature, whether the user is attentive to the presentation, wherein the user is determined to not be attentive to the presentation responsive to the predefined facial feature not being present in the image over a plurality of time intervals,

wherein the detecting is performed at predetermined time intervals during the presentation, wherein the time intervals are varied during presentation of a portion of the content in accordance with a level of network resources required to deliver that portion; and

responsive to the user not being attentive to the presentation, initiating a first procedure at the audiovisual presentation device to reduce resource consumption by the audiovisual presentation device,

wherein the first procedure comprises one or more of;

continuing the presentation at a second video quality level lower than the first video quality level,

reducing a brightness of the display,

continuing the presentation with only the audio portion, and

discontinuing the presentation.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the detecting comprises storing the image in a data storage local to the audiovisual presentation device, and wherein the operations further comprise deleting the image from the data storage after the analysis is performed.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the user is determined to not be attentive to the presentation responsive to the predefined facial feature not being present in the image over a specified number of consecutive time intervals.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

subsequent to the first procedure and responsive to the user being attentive to the presentation, initiating a second procedure at the audiovisual presentation device to restore resource consumption by the audiovisual presentation device,

wherein the second procedure comprises one or more of;

continuing the presentation at the first video quality level, and

increasing a brightness of the display.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the analysis of the image comprises an eye detection procedure.