Method and apparatus for processing commands directed to a media center

• US 10,743,058 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2019
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2012
• 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: Dimitriadis, Dimitrios, Schroeter, Horst Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Zaihan
• Application Number:
  US16/239,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20190141385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 349169, 348169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/440236 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that identifies first and second gestures of first and second viewers in a proximity of a media center and associates the first and second gestures with first and second command A conflict is determined between the first and second commands and in response a notification is provided via the media center. The notification requests a resolution to the conflict. A cue is detected from a viewer responsive to the presenting of the notification. The cue identifies a selected one of the first viewer or the second viewer and control of the media center is assigned to one of the first viewer or the second viewer responsive to the cue. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a processing system comprising a processor, a first gesture of a first viewer of a plurality of viewers in a proximity of a media center and a second gesture of a second viewer of the plurality of viewers;

associating, by the processing system, the first gesture of the first viewer with a first command and the second gesture of the second viewer with a second command;

identifying, by the processing system, a conflict between the first command and the second command;

presenting, by the processing system, a notification of the conflict via the media center responsive to the identifying of the conflict, wherein the notification of the conflict requests a resolution to the conflict;

detecting, by the processing system, a cue from the first viewer or the second viewer of the plurality of viewers responsive to the presenting of the notification of the conflict, wherein the cue resolves the conflict by identifying a selected one of the first viewer or the second viewer; and

assigning, by the processing system, control of the media center to one of the first viewer or the second viewer responsive to the cue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating of the first gesture of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers with the first command further comprises retrieving, by the processing system, a first cue model associated with the first viewer of the plurality of viewers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first cue model is tailored to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers resulting in a tailored cue model.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the tailored cue model is based on a common gesture of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the tailored cue model is based on a distinguishable physical feature of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cue comprises an audio cue.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning of the control of the media center to one of the first viewer or the second viewer is based on a conflict resolution strategy.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the conflict resolution strategy is based on predetermined priorities among the plurality of viewers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the conflict resolution strategy is based on an order of occurrence of the first gesture of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers and the second gesture of the second viewer of the plurality of viewers.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the conflict resolution strategy further comprises assigning a first priority to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers and assigning a second priority to the second viewer of the plurality of viewers, and

wherein the assigning of the control of the media center to one of the first viewer or the second viewer is responsive to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers having a higher priority than another one of the first viewer or the second viewer is responsive to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, responsive to the control of the media center being assigned to the second viewer of the plurality of viewers, the method further comprising executing, by the processing system, the second command to control the media center.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the first gesture of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers is based on a characteristic of the first gesture comprising a speed of the first gesture.

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

identifying a first gesture of a first viewer of a plurality of viewers in a proximity of a media center and a second gesture of a second viewer of the plurality of viewers;

associating the first gesture of the first viewer with a first command and the second gesture of the second viewer with a second command;

determining a conflict between the first command and the second command;

providing a notification of the conflict via the media center responsive to the identifying of the conflict, wherein the notification of the conflict requests a resolution to the conflict;

detecting a cue from the first viewer or the second viewer of the plurality of viewers responsive to the providing of the notification of the conflict, wherein the cue resolves the conflict by identifying a selected one of the first viewer or the second viewer; and

assigning control of the media center to one of the first viewer or the second viewer responsive to the cue.

14. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the assigning of the control of the media center to one of the first viewer or the second viewer is based on a conflict resolution strategy.

15. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the conflict resolution strategy is based on an order of occurrence of the first gesture of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers and the second gesture of the second viewer of the plurality of viewers.

16. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the conflict resolution strategy further comprises assigning a first priority to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers and assigning a second priority to the second viewer of the plurality of viewers, and

wherein the assigning of the control of the media center to one of the first viewer or the second viewer is responsive to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers having a higher priority than another one of the first viewer or the second viewer is responsive to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers.

17. A system, 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, the operations comprising;

identifying a first gesture of a first viewer of a plurality of viewers in a proximity of a media processing device and a second gesture of a second viewer of the plurality of viewers;

associating the first gesture of the first viewer with a first command and the second gesture of the second viewer with a second command;

determining a conflict between the first command and the second command;

presenting a notification of the conflict via the media processing device responsive to the identifying of the conflict, wherein the notification of the conflict requests a resolution to the conflict;

detecting a cue from the first viewer or the second viewer of the plurality of viewers responsive to the presenting of the notification of the conflict, wherein the cue resolves the conflict by identifying a selected one of the first viewer or the second viewer; and

assigning control of the media processing device to one of the first viewer or the second viewer responsive to the cue.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the assigning of the control of the media processing device to one of the first viewer or the second viewer is based on a conflict resolution strategy.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the conflict resolution strategy is based on an order of occurrence of the first gesture of the first viewer of the plurality of viewers and the second gesture of the second viewer of the plurality of viewers.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the conflict resolution strategy further comprises assigning a first priority to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers and assigning a second priority to the second viewer of the plurality of viewers, and

wherein the assigning of the control of the media processing device to one of the first viewer or the second viewer is responsive to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers having a higher priority than another one of the first viewer or the second viewer is responsive to the first viewer of the plurality of viewers.