System for processing video and audio information

• US 20060152593A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gregory A. Bone, Jonathan M. Walton
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Bone, Jonathan M. Walton
• Inventors: Walton, Jonathan M., Bone, Gregory A.
• Application Number:
  US11/347,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20060152593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A software development kit prioritizes certain aspects of an acquired image and introduces the prioritized aspects to a main processor. Alternatively, a coprocessor, or the coprocessor and the development kit, manipulate(s) the acquired image and introduce(s) the manipulated image to the processor. The reprogramming of either one of the development kit and the coprocessor may be initiated by either one of them or by the processor and the programming may be provided by the main processor. A central station and a gate array may also be individually reprogrammable by the main processor which sets up, programs and controls an intelligent imaging platform in accordance with the individual reprogramming. A reprogramming of an audio acquisition stage may also be initiated by that stage and any of the other stages and the processor and may be provided by the processor. The audio information may be related to the acquired image.

Claims

1-73. -73. (canceled)

74. In a combination for processing an image to provide a desired result,

a preprocessor for concentrating upon particular characteristics of an event,

an analyzer for analyzing the particular characteristics of the event to identify individual characteristics of the event,

an event generator for making decisions involving the individual characteristics upon the identification of the individual characteristics of the event,

an event responder for providing action with respect to the individual characteristics of the event in accordance with the decisions made by the event generator, and

main processor for providing a controlled operation of a camera in processing the image in accordance with the responses provided by the event responder.

75. In a combination as set forth in claim 74,

the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator and the event responder being reprogrammable to adjust the individual characteristics of the image provided by the camera.

76. In a combination as set forth in claim 74 wherein

the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator and the event responder are communicative with any other one of the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator, the event responder and the main processor to provide for an adjustment in the operation of any one of the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator and the event responder with which the main processor is communicating.

77. In a combination as set forth in claim 74,

a post-processor for modifying the signals representing the image based upon the operation of the analyzer, the event generator and the event responder and for introducing the modified signals to the main processor to facilitate the processing of the acquired image by the main processor.

78. In a combination as set forth in claim 77,

a camera responsive to the operation of teh main processor for providing the desired signals.

79. In a combination as set forth in claim 79,

each of the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator, the event responder and post-processor being reprogrammable and the reprogramming of each of the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator, the event responder and the post-processor being initiated by any one of the preprocessor, the analyzer, the event generator, the event responder and the post-processor and the main processor.

80. In a combination for processing an image,

an image acquirer fro acquiring the image and for converting the acquired image to signals representing the image,

an event generator responsive to the signals from the image acquirer for prioritizing individual ones of the signals in accordance with the results desired to be obtained in the processed image,

an event responder responsive to the prioritized signals for making decisions based upon the prioritized signals from the event generator and upon the desired results and for providing signals representing these decisions, and

a hardware processor for processing the signals representing the decisions from the event responder to obtain the desired results.

81. In a combination set forth in claim 80,

each of the event generator and the event responder being reprogrammable by the hardware processor in accordance with the results desired to be obtained in the acquired image.

82. In a combination as set forth in claim 81,

a video manipulator responsive to the signals from the image acquirer for modifying the signals representing the acquired image to clarify the image represented by the signals and for introducing the modified signals to the event generator,

the video manipulator being reprogrammable by the hardware processor in accordance with the results desired to be obtained in the acquired image.

83. In a combination as set forth in claim 80,

an audio acquirer for acquiring audio information related to the image and for converting the audio information to signals representing the audio information, and

an audio manipulator responsive to the audio signals for modifying the audio signals to clarify the audio information represented by the signals,

The audio manipulator being reprogrammable by the hardware processor in:

accordance with the results desired to be obtained in the acquired image.

84. In a combination as set forth in claim 81,

a camera,

the image acquirer, the event generator, the event responder, the hardware processor and the video manipulator being disposed in the camera.

85. In a combination as set forth in claim 83,

camera

the image acquirer, the event generator, the event responder, the hardware processor, the audio acquirer and the audio manipulator being disposed in the camera.

112. In a combination as set forth in claim 83,

a camera

the image acquirer, the event generator, the event responder, the hardware processor the audio acquirer and the audio manipulator being disposed in the camera.

114. In a combination as set forth in claim 112 wherein

the first stage, the event responder, the intelligent imaging platform and the post processor are reprogrammable.

116. In the combination set forth in claim 114,

a database for providing a desired image,

an event generator for providing a match between the individual characteristics of the event and the desired image in the database, and

the event responder providing a response depending upon the matching or lack of matching of the individual characteristics of the event from the first stage and the desired image in the database.

118. In the combination recited in claim 116 wherein

video manipulator and the event generator are in the intelligent imaging platform.

119. In the combination recited in claim 116, including

a database for indicating the desired image, and

the event generator being operative to match the image in the video manipulator with the desired image in the database, and

an event responder for providing a response depending upon the matching or lack of matching of the image in the video manipulator with the desired image in the database.

121. In a combination as set forth in claim 119 wherein

the first stage, the event responder and the intelligent imaging platform are reprogrammable.

123. In a combination as set forth in claim 119 wherein

the image provided by the first stage is matched against images in a database and the event responder provides a response depending upon the matching or lack of matching of these images and wherein

a platform user interface processes the response from the event responder for introduction to a user.

125. In a combination as set forth in claim 123 wherein

each of the first stage, the event responder, the intelligent imaging platform and the platform user interface is reprogrammable by anyone of the first stage, the event responder, the intelligent imaging platform and the platform user interface.

127. In a combination as set forth in claim 125 wherein

each of the preprocessor, the event generator, the event responder and the platform user interface is self reprogrammable and is programmable by the other ones of the preprocessor, the event generator, the event responder and the platform user interface.

128. In a combination as set forth in claim 125, including,

an intelligent imaging platform for displaying the image, and

a software development kit responsive to the output of the event generator for customizing the output of the intelligent imaging platform.

86-111. -111. (canceled)

113. In a combination for processing an image to provide a desired result, a first stage for identifying individual characteristics of an event,

an intelligent imaging platform for indicating the individual characteristics of the event,

an event responder for changing the individual characteristics of the event,

a post processor for providing changes in the image in the intelligent imaging platform in accordance with the changes indicated in the event responder.

115. In a combination as set forth in claim 113 wherein

each of the first stage, the event responder, the intelligent imaging platform and the post processor is reprogrammable by any of the others or by itself.

117. In combination for processing an image to produce a desired result,

a video manipulator for enhancing particular characteristics of the image,

an event generator for concentrating on at least an individual one of the particular characteristics of the image.

an intelligent imaging platform for indicating the image with the concentration on at least the individual one of the particular characteristics in the image, and

a main processor including the event generator, the intelligent imaging platform for providing an image concentrated on the at least individual one of the particular characteristics in the image.

120. In combination for processing an event to provide a desired result,

a first stage for identifying individual characteristics of the event,

an event responder for processing the individual characteristics of the event, and

an intelligent imaging platform for indicating the event as processed by the event responder.

122. In a combination as set forth in claim 120 wherein

the first stage, the event responder and the intelligent imaging platform are self reprogrammable.

124. In a combination as set forth in claim 120 wherein

the image provided by the first stage is matched against images in a database and the event responder provides a response depending upon the matching on lack of matching of these images and wherein

a platform user interface processes the response from the event responder for introduction to a user.

126. In combination for processing an image to provide a desired result to a user, including,

a preprocessor for manipulating the image to clarify the image,

an event generator for matching the manipulated image against images in a database,

an event responder for processing the output from the event generator, and

platform user interface for processing the information from the event generator and presenting the processed information to the user.