VISION-CONTROLLED SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20080075356A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wipro Limited
• Original Assignee: Wipro Limited
• Inventors: MAJEED ATHAR, Mohammed Shakir
• Granted Patent: US 8,064,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/153
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/00 Scenes; Scene-specific elements control of digital cameras H04N23/60

Abstract

A vision-controlled system and method thereof for detecting changes in a monitoring environment are disclosed. The system includes an image-capturing device for capturing an image; an image analyzer for receiving the captured image and analyzing the same to provide a control signal; and a controller coupled to the image analyzer for receiving the control signal and processing the same.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an image-capturing device for capturing an image;

an image analyzer for receiving the captured image and analyzing the same to provide a control signal; and

a controller coupled to the image analyzer for receiving the control signal and processing the same.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image-capturing device is a web-cam.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the image-capturing device comprises a digitizer for providing a binary image based on the captured image.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the image analyzer analyses the binary image by comparing the same with a reference binary image stored in a memory and generating the control signal based on the outcome of the comparison.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the image-capturing device comprises a motion mechanism responsive to a movement signal provided by the controller for controlling the movement of the image-capturing device.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of actuators coupled to the controller, the controller comprising a switching circuit for simultaneously controlling the plurality of actuators.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an actuator coupled to the controller.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the actuator comprises a robot.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the actuator comprises a final control element.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the actuator being coupled to the controller using a wired connection.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the actuator being coupled to the controller using a wireless connection.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface having an image window for displaying the image.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface further comprising controls for establishing reference portions of the image for use by the image analyzer.

14. A method comprising:

receiving an image;

comparing the image with a reference image; and

generating a control signal based on the outcome of the comparison;

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the image comprises receiving a binary image, the binary image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a pixel value.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pixel value being a ONE or ZERO.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein comparing the image comprises:

selecting a portion of the image based on a reference portion of the reference image; and

determining a portion value of the selected portion and comparing the same with a reference portion value of the reference portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting the portion comprises selecting a pixel of the image;

and the portion value being the pixel value.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting the portion comprises selecting a plurality of pixels;

and the portion value being an average of the pixel value of the plurality of pixels.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein generating the control signal comprises providing an active signal upon finding the portion value and the reference portion value being substantially different.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein generating the control signal comprises providing an active signal upon finding the portion value substantially different from the reference portion value and providing a non-active signal upon finding the portion value substantially the same as the reference portion value.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising activating a plurality of actuators simultaneously based on the control signal.

23. The method of claim 14 further comprising activating an actuator using the control signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein activating the actuator comprises sending the control signal to the actuator using a wired connection.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein activating the actuator comprises sending the control signal to the actuator using a wireless connection.

26. The method of claim 14 further comprising providing a user interface, the user interface comprising an image window for displaying the image;

and controls for establishing reference portions of the image.

27. A computer readable medium encoded with data representing a computer program that can be used to direct a programmable device for performing a method comprising:

receiving an image;

comparing the image with a reference image;

generating a control signal based on the outcome of the comparison; and

activating at least an actuator using the control signal.