Apparatus and method for remote control using a visual information stream
First Claim
1. An apparatus for enabling an operator to receive an incoming video signal and to imbed command information in an outgoing video signal in order to control a device, comprising:
- means for generating the command information in the form of a visually iconic gesture overlaid onto the incoming video signal to define the outgoing video signal, the visually iconic gesture being interpretable by the operator and conveying the command information in accordance with its location within the outgoing video signal;
processing means for receiving the outgoing video signal having the visually iconic gesture and decoding the iconic gesture into the command information conveyed by the iconic gesture, the processing means outputting the command information; and
device control means for receiving the command information output by the processing means and transforming the command information into control commands for operating the device in accordance with the command information conveyed in the visually iconic gesture.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for controlling devices remotely by embedding command information within video signals. The command information includes gestures or icons which are imbedded into the video signal and enable the user to interpret the command information by viewing the icon or gesture on a monitor or display device. By viewing the monitor or display device, the user can determine what command information is conveyed within the video signal. Further, imbedding the visually interpretable icon or gesture within the video signal facilitates transmitting the video signal having the command information imbedded therein using analog to digital conversions and reconversions and transmission through any of a various number of switching networks. The remote devices may by any of a number of electronically controlled electrical or mechanical devices. A device controller at the remote end receives, the decoded command information and generates the appropriate commands to operate the controlled device.
320 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An apparatus for enabling an operator to receive an incoming video signal and to imbed command information in an outgoing video signal in order to control a device, comprising:
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means for generating the command information in the form of a visually iconic gesture overlaid onto the incoming video signal to define the outgoing video signal, the visually iconic gesture being interpretable by the operator and conveying the command information in accordance with its location within the outgoing video signal; processing means for receiving the outgoing video signal having the visually iconic gesture and decoding the iconic gesture into the command information conveyed by the iconic gesture, the processing means outputting the command information; and device control means for receiving the command information output by the processing means and transforming the command information into control commands for operating the device in accordance with the command information conveyed in the visually iconic gesture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A remote control video apparatus in which an operator at a local site which receives an incoming video signal from a remote site can generate commands to operate a device located at the remote cite, comprising:
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a visual signaller for receiving the incoming video signal from the remote site, the visual signaller operable to overlay visual command information onto the incoming video signal to define an outgoing video signal, the visual signaler being operable to output the outgoing video signal for transmission to the remote site, the visual command information being visually interpretable by a user at the local or remote site; a visual interpreter for decoding the overlaid video signal in order to determine the visual command information overlaid onto the incoming video signal and for outputting the decoded visual command information; and a device controller for receiving visual command information decoded by the visual interpreter, the device controller generating a command for operating the device in accordance with the visual command information overlaid onto the overlaid video signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A visual controller for receiving a video signal and generating visually interpretable control commands related to the received video signal and inserted into an outgoing video signal for controlling a remote device, comprising:
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a selector for inserting into the outgoing video signal at least one visually interpretable gesture, the gesture being decodable into a partial control command for controlling the remote device; and a gesture positioner for positioning the at least one selected gesture onto the outgoing video signal where the position of the at least one selected gesture supplements the control command in accordance with the position of the at least one selected gesture. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A visual interpreter for detecting the presence of at least one gesture in an incoming video signal and generating device control commands in accordance with the control commands in the incoming video signal, comprising:
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means for extracting the at least one gesture from the incoming video signal, the gesture being visually interpretable when displayed on a display means; and means for interpreting the extracted gesture and providing device control commands to a device controller, the device controller operating the controlled device in accordance with the device control commands. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for enabling an operator to remotely control a device, comprising:
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a received video signal input to the apparatus, the video signal having an object located therein; means for generating command information in the form of a visually iconic gesture overlaid onto the received video signal to define an output video signal, where the visually iconic gesture has a meaning which varies in accordance with the position of the visually iconic gesture relative to the object, and where the visually iconic gesture is interpretable by the operator; processing means for receiving outgoing video signal and decoding the outgoing video signal into the command information conveyed by the visually iconic gesture and the position of the visually iconic gesture relative to the object in the incoming video signal, the processing means outputting decoded command information to control the object on which the visually iconic gesture is located; and device control means for receiving the decoded command information output by the processing means and transforming the command information into control commands for operating the object in accordance with the command information conveyed in the visually iconic gesture. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method for controlling a remotely located device, comprising the steps of:
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generating command information in the form of a visually iconic gesture overlaid onto an outgoing video signal, the visually iconic gesture being interpretable by the operator and conveying command information in accordance with its location within the outgoing video signal; processing the outgoing video signal having the visually iconic gesture to decode the iconic gesture into the command information conveyed by the iconic gesture, the processing means outputting the command information; and transforming the command information into control commands for operating the device in accordance with the command information conveyed in the visually iconic gesture.
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Specification