Imaging method and system for health monitoring and personal security

• US 20040101178A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Fedorovskaya, Elena A., Parulski, Kenneth A., Telek, Michael J., Endrikhovski, Serguei, Marino, Frank, Zacks, Carolyn A., Harel, Dan, Taxier, Karen M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32 Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device H04N1/38, H04N1/387 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

An image capture method is provided. In accordance with the method, an image of the scene is captured and affective information is collected a capture. The scene image and affective information are transmitted to an image receiver. An imaging system is also provided having an image capture system adapted to capture an image of a scene and a memory which stores the captured image. A set of sensors is adapted to collect affective signals from the user at capture. A processor is adapted to determine affective information based upon the affective signals and to associate affective information with the captured image. A transmitter sends the scene image and the affective information to a receiver.

Claims

1. An image capture method comprising the steps of:

capturing an image of scene;

collecting affective information at capture; and

transmitting the scene image and affective information to an image receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image receiver is selected based upon the affective information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image receiver is selected on the basis of the intensity of the emotional reaction and class of the emotion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of collecting scene information at capture and analyzing the scene information wherein the image receiver is selected based at least in part on the analysis of the scene information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of obtaining non-affective information at capture wherein the image receiver is selected based at least in part upon analysis of the non-affective information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a reaction from the image receiver.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the reaction is calculated to elicit a therapeutic response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the affective information incorporates data that is based upon physiological characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the affective information incorporates data that is based upon analysis of facial characteristics.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the affective information is determined based upon a combination of physiological characteristics and facial characteristics.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the affective information is associated with the scene image.

12. An image capture method comprising the steps of:

capturing an image of a scene;

collecting affective information at capture;

analyzing the captured image and the collected affective information to determine whether a transmission criterion is met; and

transmitting the scene image and affective information to an image receiver when the transmission criterion is met.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmission criterion includes a measure of the intensity of an emotional response to the scene.

14. The method of claim 12, where the transmission criterion includes a scene subject identification.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the affective information is associated with the scene image.

16. A reactive imaging method for obtaining remote feedback, the method comprising the steps of:

capturing an image of a scene confronting a user;

obtaining user identification information;

collecting affective information at capture;

associating the affective information and the user information with the image,

transmitting the captured image, affective information and user identification to a recipient;

receiving a reaction from the recipient containing guidance; and

presenting the reaction to the user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of analyzing the captured image and the affective information collected at capture

18. An imaging system comprising:

an image capture system adapted to capture an image selected by a user;

a memory which stores the captured image;

a set of sensors adapted to collect affective signals from the user at capture;

a processor adapted to determine affective information based upon the affective signals and the associate affective information with the captured image; and

a transmitter for sending affective information to a selected receiver.

19. The imaging system of claim 18 wherein the processor is further adapted to select the receiver based upon the affective information.

20. The imaging system of claim 18 wherein the processor is further adapted to analyze the image and the affective information and to select the receiver based upon the analysis of the image and the analysis of the affective information.

21. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein the set of sensors comprises a user camera capturing images of a user'"'"'s facial characteristics and the processor is further adapted to determine affective information based at least in part on the facial characteristics.

22. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein the set of sensors comprises sensors adapted to detect physiological characteristics of the user and the processor is adapted to determine affective information based at least in part on the physiological information.

23. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein the set of sensors comprises a user camera adapted to capture images of a user'"'"'s facial characteristics and sensors adapted to detect physiological characteristics of the user.

24. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein the imaging system further comprises a receiver adapted to receive feedback from the recipient and a presentation system to present the feedback to the user.

25. The imaging system of claim 22 wherein the feedback comprises therapeutic feedback.

26. The imaging system of claim 22 wherein the feedback comprises therapeutic feedback, intended to elicit a specific emotional response.

27. The imaging system of claim 18 wherein the set of sensors is further adapted to collect user identification data at capture and to transmit the user identification data with the collected affective information and the captured image.

28. The imaging system of claim 18, wherein the set of sensors is further adapted to provide a signal indicating the geographical location of the imaging system at capture.

34. The imaging system of claim 25 wherein the imaging system is wearable.

29. An imaging system comprising

an image capture means for capturing an image of the scene;

affective sensor means for collecting affective information from a user at capture; and

a transmitting means for transmitting the scene image and affective information to a selected image receiver.

30. The imaging means of claim 29 wherein said affective sensor means detects facial characteristics of the user.

31. The imaging system of claim 29 wherein said affective sensor means detects physiological characteristics of the user.

32. The imaging system of claim 29 further comprising a receiving means for receiving feedback from the receiver and a presentation means for presenting the feedback to the user.

33. The imaging system of claim 29 further comprising a determining means for selecting the image receiver based upon analysis of the affective information.

35. The imaging system of claim 29 wherein the imaging system is incorporated in frame for glasses.

36. An reactive imaging system comprising:

a least two imaging devices each having;

an image capture system adapted to capture an image of a scene confronting a user;

a memory which stores the captured image;

a set of sensors adapted to capture affective signals from the user at capture;

a processor adapted to determine affective information based upon the signals from the set of senses to associate the affective information with the scene image;

a transmitter for sending the scene image and associated affective information to a receiving node; and

a receiving node to receive the transmitted images and associated affective information, with the receiving node having a processor to analyze the transmitted images and affective information and to determine a reaction based upon the transmitted images and affective information.

37. The reactive imaging system of claim 36 wherein the affective sensor means comprises a sensor that is adapted to collect affective information from signals carried by a nerve of the user.

38. The reactive imaging system of claim 36, wherein the receiving node further comprises a transmission system sending reaction signals and the imaging devices further comprise reaction signal receivers to receive the reaction signals.

39. The reactive imaging system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the imaging devices has an output adapted to present the received reaction signals to the user.

40. The reactive imaging system of claim 36 wherein said receiver integrates received information using a location signal.