APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USER INTERACTION

• US 20160086020A1
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bigos, Andrew James, Boulter, Joseph Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/859,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20160086020A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 20/693 Acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/695 Preprocessing, e.g. image segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/698 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/03 Recognition of patterns in medical or anatomical images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/168 Feature extraction; Face representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/178 estimating age from face image; using age information for improving recognition

Abstract

A device for interaction with a user is provided. The device includes an image input controller operable to receive a video image comprising an image of at least the user'"'"'s face. The device also includes an analysis processor such as a CPU, which is adapted to analyze the video image, and to classify the user as belonging to a respective demographic group in dependence upon analysis of the image of at least the user'"'"'s face. The device also includes an interface processor, which may also be the CPU, and which is adapted to generate a user interface for output to the user. The interface processor is operable to modify one or more elements of the user interface in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging.

Claims

1. A device for interaction with a user, the device comprising:

an image input controller configured to receive a video image comprising an image of at least the user'"'"'s face;

an analysis processor configured to analyse the video image and to classify the user as belonging to a respective demographic group in dependence upon analysis of the image of at least the user'"'"'s face; and

an interface processor configured to generate a user interface for output to the user;

and in which;

the interface processor is configured to modify one or more elements of at least one of an input or output scheme of the user interface in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the analysis processor is configured to classify the user as belonging to the respective demographic group responsive to one or more selected from a list consisting of:

i. an estimated gender;

ii. an estimated age; and

iii. detection of a cultural marker adorning the user.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which:

in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging, the interface processor is operable to modify a term of address used to address the user.

4. A device according to claim 1, in which:

in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging, the interface processor is operable to select a length of time during which an input from the user is awaited.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which:

in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging, the interface processor is operable to select one or more from a list consisting of;

i. a font size of a displayed message; and

ii. a volume of a spoken message,

as applicable.

6. A device according to claim 1, in which:

in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging, the interface processor is operable to select an arrangement of an option sequence in the user interface to promote access to an option more frequently selected by that respective demographic group.

7. A device according to claim 1, in which:

in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging, the interface processor is operable to reduce a number of options presented at a decision point in an option sequence of the user interface.

8. A device according to claim 1, in which:

in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging, the interface processor is operable to include an option within an option sequence in the user interface that is specific to that respective demographic group.

9. A device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a network interface operable to transmit to a remote server over a network the user'"'"'s detected demographic group and data indicating one or more options the user selected during the user'"'"'s interaction with the user interface.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein the analysis processor and the interface processor are comprised of one processing device.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the one processing device is a central processing unit.

10. A system, comprising

a device for interaction with a user, the device comprising:

an image input controller configured to receive a video image comprising an image of at least the user'"'"'s face,

an analysis processor configured to analyse the video image and to classify the user as belonging to a respective demographic group in dependence upon analysis of the image of at least the user'"'"'s face, and

an interface processor configured to generate a user interface for output to the user,

and in which the interface processor is configured to modify one or more elements of at least one of an input or output scheme of the user interface in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging; and

a server, comprising;

a network interface configured to receive over a network, from one or more remote devices, data indicating a detected demographic group of a respective user based on at least one of gender or age, and data indicating one or more options that the user selected during the user'"'"'s interaction with a given one of the one or more remote devices;

analysis means for detecting a relative frequency at which options are selected by respective demographic groups; and

in which

the network interface is configured to transmit, to each respective one of the one or more remote devices, an instruction message to reconfigure the user interface of the respective remote device in response to the relative frequency of selection of options for a respective demographic group.

11. A method of user interaction, comprising the steps of:

receiving a video image comprising an image of at least a user'"'"'s face;

analyzing, by one or more processing devices, the video image to classify the user as belonging to a respective demographic group in dependence upon analysis of the image of at least the user'"'"'s face; and

generating, by the one or more processing devices, a user interface for output to the user;

and in which;

the step of generating the user interface comprises modifying one or more elements of at least one of an input or output scheme of the user interface in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging.

12. A method according to claim 11, in which:

the step of analysing the video image to classify the user comprises selecting the respective demographic group responsive to one or more selected from a list consisting of;

i. an estimated gender;

ii. an estimated age; and

iii. detection of a cultural marker adorning the user.

13. A method according to claim 11 or claim 12, in which

the modification comprises selecting a term of address used to address the user.

14. A method of user interaction for a system comprising a remote device and a server, the method comprising:

receiving a video image comprising an image of at least a user'"'"'s face;

analyzing, by one or more processing devices, the video image to classify the user as belonging to a respective demographic group in dependence upon analysis of the image of at least the user'"'"'s face;

generating, by the one or more processing devices, a user interface for output to the user;

and in which the step of generating the user interface comprises modifying one or more elements of at least one of an input or output scheme of the user interface in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging;

receiving from one or more remote devices data indicating a detected demographic group of a respective user based on at least one of gender or age, and data indicating one or more options that the user selected during the user'"'"'s interaction with a given one of the one or more remote devices;

detecting a relative frequency at which options are selected by respective demographic groups; and

transmitting, to each respective one of the one or more remote devices, an instruction message to reconfigure the user interface of the respective remote device in response to the relative frequency of selection of options for a respective demographic group.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a method of user interaction, the method comprising:

receiving a video image comprising an image of at least a user'"'"'s face;

analyzing, by one or more processing devices, the video image to classify the user as belonging to a respective demographic group in dependence upon analysis of the image of at least the user'"'"'s face; and

generating, by the one or more processing devices, a user interface for output to the user;

in which generating the user interface comprises modifying one or more elements of at least one of an input or output scheme of the user interface in response to the respective demographic group to which the user is classified as belonging.