APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PULSE-CODE INVARIANT OBJECT RECOGNITION

• US 20120308136A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Original Assignee: Brain Corporation
• Inventors: Izhikevich, Eugene M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,405,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/049 Temporal neural networks, e.g. delay elements, oscillating neurons or pulsed inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/40 Extraction of image or video features
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/42 Global feature extraction by analysis of the whole pattern, e.g. using frequency domain transformations or autocorrelation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/46 Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames

Abstract

Object recognition apparatus and methods useful for extracting information from sensory input. In one embodiment, the input signal is representative of an element of an image, and the extracted information is encoded in a pulsed output signal. The information is encoded in one variant as a pattern of pulse latencies relative to an occurrence of a temporal event; e.g., the appearance of a new visual frame or movement of the image. The pattern of pulses advantageously is substantially insensitive to such image parameters as size, position, and orientation, so the image identity can be readily decoded. The size, position, and rotation affect the timing of occurrence of the pattern relative to the event; hence, changing the image size or position will not change the pattern of relative pulse latencies but will shift it in time, e.g., will advance or delay its occurrence.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured for object recognition, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first visual signal representative of an object;

an encoder configured to encode the first visual signal into a plurality of pulses; and

a one or more detectors coupled by a plurality of transmission channels to the encoder;

wherein;

information related to identity of the object is encoded into a pattern of latencies of the plurality of pulses relative to one another;

a parameter associated with the object is encoded into a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses;

each of the plurality of transmission channels is associated with a delay configured to effect a coincident arrival of at least two of the plurality of pulses to at least one of the one or more detectors;

the coincident arrival is substantially invariant to a change in a value of the parameter; and

at least a portion of the plurality of transmission channels is configurable to be adjusted based at least in part on a second input signal, the second input signal temporally preceding the first visual signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pulses is generated responsive at least in part to an event selected from the group consisting of (i) a temporal change in the first visual signal;

(ii) a spatial change in the first visual signal;

(iii) a trigger; and

(iv) a timer alarm related to a second event, the second event preceding the event.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to generate an indication responsive to the coincident arrival.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to generate an indicator responsive to the coincident arrival.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

an encoder configured to receive and encode a first input representative of a feature into a plurality of pulses, wherein;

information related to identity of the feature is encoded into a pattern of latencies of the plurality of pulses relative to one another; and

a parameter associated with the feature is encoded into a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the parameter comprises one or more of position, size, and orientation of the feature.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the group delay is configured based at least in part on an event.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the encoder comprises a preferred parameter range and the group delay is selected responsive to a deviation of the parameter from the preferred parameter range.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a control interface, the interface configured to provide an interface signal based at least in part on detection of a predetermined parameter in the first input.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interface signal is adapted for delivery to a second apparatus selected from the group consisting of (i) robotic apparatus;

and (ii) prosthetic apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pulses is generated responsive to an event.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the event is selected from the group consisting of (i) a temporal change in the first input;

(ii) a spatial change in the first input;

(iii) a trigger; and

(iv) a timer alarm related to a second event, the second event preceding the event.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising at least one detector coupled to the encoder via a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels forming a plurality of connections;

wherein;

the plurality of pulses is configured for transmission through at least a subset of the plurality of connections;

each of the plurality of connections is associated with a transmission delay configured to effect a coincident arrival of at least two of the plurality of pulses at the at least one detector; and

the coincident arrival is invariant to a change in a value of the parameter.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein information related to two substantially different parameters of the feature is transmitted via two different subsets of the plurality of connections.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

a first plurality of transmission delays corresponds to a first subset of the two different subsets;

a second plurality of transmission delays corresponds to a second subset of the two different subsets; and

the first plurality of transmission delays is not identical to the second plurality of transmission delays.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one detector is configured to generate a detection signal based at least in part on the coincident arrival.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a processing apparatus coupled to the at least one detector and configured to receive the detection signal and to generate a response;

wherein;

the detection signal having a detection signal latency configured based at least in part on the group delay; and

the response is configured invariant to the parameter.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein information related to two different parameters of the feature is transmitted via two respective different subsets of the plurality of connections.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of connections is configurable to be adjusted based at least in part on a second input, the second input temporally preceding the first input.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of channels comprises one or more virtual channels carried in a physical transmission medium.

21. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of nodes coupled to the encoder via a plurality of transmission lines and forming a plurality of connections, each of the plurality of connections associated with a connection delay forming a plurality of delays;

and

wherein the plurality of delays is configured to effect a coincident arrival of at least two of the plurality of pulses to at least one of the plurality of nodes, the coincident arrival invariant to a change in the parameter.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to generate a detection signal based at least in part on the coincident arrival.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of connections is modified based at least in part on a second input, the second input temporally preceding the first input.

24. A method of encoding information related to an object, the information for use in a digital processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a first input comprising a representation of the object;

generating a plurality of pulses responsive to detecting at least a portion of the object in the first input;

encoding information related to an identity of at least the portion of the object into a pattern of latencies of the plurality of pulses, relative one pulse to another pulse; and

encoding a parameter associated with at least the portion of the object into a group delay that is common to all pulses within the plurality of pulses.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the parameter comprises one or more of a position, size, and/or orientation of at least the portion of the object.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the group delay is selected responsive to a deviation of the parameter from a preferred parameter range.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting the plurality of pulses through a plurality of channels to at least one node, wherein each of the plurality of channels is associated with a channel delay configured to cause a coincident arrival of at least two of the plurality of pulses at the node, the coincident arrival is invariant to a change in a value of the parameter.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein information related to two different parameters of the object is transmitted via respective ones of two different subsets of the plurality of channels.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the least one node is configured to generate a detection signal responsive to coincident arrival of the least two of the plurality of pulses at the node.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising generating a response substantially invariant to the parameter, the response comprising a detection latency configured based at least in part on the group delay.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of channels is configurable to be adjusted based at least in part based at least in part on a second input, the second input temporally preceding the first input.

32. A method of encoding sensory information, comprising:

encoding an input comprising a representation of a feature into a pulse group;

wherein;

information related to an identity of the feature is encoded into a pattern of pulse latencies, relative one pulse to another within the group; and

encoding a parameter associated with the feature into a group delay that is common to all pulses within the group.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the parameter comprises one or more of a position, size, and/or orientation of the feature.