Intelligent TV room

• US 20030081834A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Trajkovic, Miroslav, Gutta, Srinivas, Philomin, Vasanth
• Application Number:
  US09/999,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20030081834A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/190
• 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: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/44218 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control system and method for automatically adjusting the viewing condition to enhance the experiences associated with watching a television program. The system includes a unit for deriving a classification of each video signal received therein, a unit for observing a viewer'"'"'s facial expression, and a unit for processing the output of the observed facial expression to determine whether the observed facial expression is associated with predefined facial expressions stored in a recognition module. Based on the classification and/or if there is a match between the observed facial expression with the at least one of the predefined facial expressions, the electrical power supplied to any one of electrical devices provided in the room is varied according to predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing the viewing experience, comprising:

means for observing the facial expression of a viewer in a predetermined area under surveillance;

means for processing the output of an observed facial expression from said observing means, said processing means including a pattern recognition means for recognizing whether said observed facial expression is associated with predefined facial expressions; and

,

means for adjusting electrical power selectively to any one of electrical devices electrically coupled to said processing means if said pattern recognition means recognizes at least one facial expression associated with said predefined facial expressions matches said observed facial expression.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said observing means includes cameras.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said predefined facial expressions recognized by said pattern recognition means include recognizing emotional states of a plurality of people when they are happy, sad, angry, afraid, disgusted, or surprised.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said pattern recognition means further comprises recognizing the continuous movement of a facial expression of said particular viewer for a predetermined amount of time.

5. A system for enhancing the viewing experience, comprising:

means for detecting moving objects and sound from a stream of video signals received therein;

means for processing each moving object and sound of said received video signals according to a classification method;

means for deriving a classification for each moving object and sound based on said classification method; and

,

means for adjusting electrical power to any one of electrical devices electrically coupled to said processing means based on said derived classification.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a means for displaying said video signals for viewing.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said detection means receive said stream of video signals from a plurality of sources, which include a cable service provider, digital high definition television (HDTV), digital standard definition television (SDTV) signals, a satellite dish, a conventional RF broadcast, an Internet connection, a VHS player, and a DVD player.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein said detection means comprises a means for converting said stream of video signals into digital signals.

9. A system for enhancing the viewing experience, comprising:

means for observing the facial expression of a viewer in a predetermined area under surveillance;

means for detecting moving objects and sound from a stream of video signals received therein;

means for processing the output of an observed facial expression from said observing means, said processing means including a pattern recognition means for recognizing whether said observed facial expression is associated with predefined facial expressions;

means for deriving a classification for each moving object and sound of said received video signals according to a classification method; and

,

means for adjusting electrical power to any one of electrical devices electrically coupled to said processing means in response to said derived classification.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said adjusting means adjust the electrical power selectively to any one of electrical devices electrically coupled to said processing means if said pattern recognition means recognizes at least one facial expression associated with said set of predefined facial expressions matches said observed facial expression.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said observing means includes cameras.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said predefined facial expressions recognized by said pattern recognition means include recognizing emotional states of a plurality of people when they are happy, sad, angry, afraid, disgusted, or surprised.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein said pattern recognition means further comprises recognizing the continuous movement of a facial expression of said particular viewer for a predetermined amount of time.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein said detection means receives said stream of video signals from a plurality of sources, which include a cable service provider, digital high definition television (HDTV), digital standard definition television (SDTV) signals, a satellite dish, a conventional RF broadcast, an Internet connection, a VHS player, and a DVD player.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein said detection means comprises a means for converting said stream of video signals into digital signals.

16. A method for enhancing the viewing experiences of an entertainment program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) observing the facial expression of a viewer in a predetermined area under surveillance;

(b) identifying whether the facial expression observed in step (a) is associated with at least one of a plurality of predetermined facial expressions by comparing the behavior observed with the plurality of said predetermined facial expressions in a pattern recognition module; and

,

(c) adjusting electrical power selectively to any one of electrical devices according to predefined criteria if said pattern recognition means recognizes at least one facial expression associated with said predetermined facial expressions.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the facial expression is observed in step (a) with cameras.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said predetermined facial expressions recognized by said pattern recognition means include recognizing the emotional states of a plurality of people when they are happy, sad, angry, afraid, disgusted, or surprised.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said pattern recognition means further comprises recognizing the continuous movement of a facial expression of said particular viewer for a predetermined amount of time.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a stream of video signals indicative of said entertainment program;

classifying each moving object and sound of said detected video signals according to a classification method; and

,

adjusting electrical power selectively to any one of electrical devices according to predetermined criteria based on said classification.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein said detected video signals are from a plurality of sources including a cable service provider, digital high definition television (HDTV), digital standard definition television (SDTV) signals, a satellite dish, a conventional RF broadcast, an Internet connection, a VHS player, and a DVD player.

22. A method for enhancing the viewing experience of an entertainment program, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a stream of video signals indicative of said entertainment program;

classifying each moving object and sound of said detected video signals according to a classification method;

simultaneously observing the facial expression of a viewer watching said entertainment program;

identifying whether said observed facial expression is associated with at least one of a plurality of predetermined facial expressions by comparing said observed facial expression with the plurality of said predetermined facial expressions in a pattern recognition module; and

,

adjusting electrical power selectively to any one of electrical devices according to predefined criteria if said pattern recognition means recognizes at least one facial expression associated with said predetermined facial expressions.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the facial expression is observed in step (a) with cameras.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein said predetermined facial expressions recognized by said pattern recognition means include recognizing emotional states of a plurality of people when they are happy, sad, angry, afraid, disgusted, or surprised.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein said pattern recognition means further comprises recognizing the continuous movement of a facial expression of said particular television viewer for a predetermined amount of time.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein said detected video signals are from a plurality of sources including a cable service provider, digital high definition television (HDTV), digital standard definition television (SDTV) signals, a satellite dish, a conventional RF broadcast, an Internet connection, a VHS player, and a DVD player.