Stream Reproducing Device

• US 20080022295A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Imagawa, Kazuyuki, Iwasa, Katsuhiro, Fukumiya, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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

Abstract

A stream reproducing device operable to easily perform the automatic viewing of the non-viewed period of a stream is provided. The stream reproducing device comprises a camera (1) that is arranged toward viewers, a person detecting unit (10) operable to detect the viewer based on the output of the camera, a viewing information generating unit (11) operable to generate viewing information based on the detection result of the person detecting unit, and a reproduction control unit (6) operable to receive supply of a stream, to control reproduction of the stream, and to output a reproduced signal. The person detecting unit detects each of the viewers by classifying based on the output of the camera. The viewing information generating unit generates the viewing information for each of the viewers based on the detection result of each of the viewers by the person detecting unit. The viewing information generated by the viewing information generating unit is related to a time stamp of the stream in order to clarify a non-viewed period for which each of the viewers does not view the reproduced result of the stream.

Claims

1. A stream reproducing device comprising:

a detection unit arranged towards viewers;

a person detecting unit operable to detect the viewers based on the output of said detection unit;

a viewing information generating unit operable to generate viewing information based on the detection result of said person detecting unit; and

a reproduction control unit operable to be supplied with a stream and to control reproduction of the stream, thereby outputting a reproduced signal,

wherein the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit is related to a time stamp of the stream so that the viewing information is able to indicate a non-viewed period during which the viewers have not viewed the reproduced result of the stream.

2. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an operation entering unit operable to accept input by the viewers,

wherein when reproduction directions for the non-viewed period are entered from said operation entering unit, said reproduction control unit determines the non-viewed period based on the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit, thereby reproducing the stream for the non-viewed period.

3. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1,

wherein said person detecting unit detects each of the viewers in a distinguishable manner based on the output of said detection unit,

wherein said viewing information generating unit generates viewing information for each of the viewers, based on the detection result for each of the viewers made by said person detecting unit, and

wherein the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit is related to the time stamp of the stream so that the viewing information is able to indicate a non-viewed period during which each of the viewers has not viewed the reproduced result of the stream.

4. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

an operation entering unit operable to accept input by the viewers,

wherein when reproduction directions for the non-viewed period are entered from said operation entering unit, said reproduction control unit makes said person detecting unit identify a viewer who has entered the reproduction directions from said operation entering unit, and

wherein said reproduction control unit determines the non-viewed period based on the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit for the viewer who has been identified by said person detecting unit, thereby reproducing the stream for the non-viewed period.

5. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit includes information related to time stamps marked when the viewers start viewing and time stamps marked when the viewers end viewing.

6. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit is stored inside the stream.

7. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the viewing information generated by said viewing information generating unit is stored outside the stream.

8. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said detection unit possesses at least one of a camera and a sensor

9. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 3,

wherein said detection unit comprises:

a camera,

wherein said stream reproducing device further comprises;

a person template;

a person database operable to store, in a corresponding manner, identification information of each of the viewers and a portrait image of each of the viewers shot by said camera, and

a correlation calculating unit operable to perform correlation calculation between an image shot by said camera and the person template, and correlation calculation between an image shot by said camera and the portrait image stored in said person database,

wherein said person detecting unit judges whether or not a viewer is viewing the reproduced result of the stream, based on the result of the correlation calculation that has been performed by said correlation calculating unit between the image shot by said camera and the person template, and

wherein when said person detecting unit judges that the viewer is viewing the reproduction result of the stream, said person detecting unit identifies the viewer who is viewing the reproduction result of the current steam, base on the result of the correlation calculation performed by said correlation calculating unit between the image shot by said camera and the portrait image.

10. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 9, wherein when said person detecting unit judges that the viewer is viewing the reproduction result of the stream, and when the image shot by said camera does not match any one of the portrait images, as the result of the correlation calculation performed by said correlation calculating unit between the image shot by the camera and each of the portrait images, said person detecting unit adds to the person database, in a corresponding manner, new identification information of the viewer and the portrait image of the viewer shot by said camera.

11. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a stream feed unit possessing recording media to record the stream and operable to supply said reproduction control unit with the stream.

12. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor operable to reproduce the content of the stream based on the reproduced signal outputted by said reproduction control unit.