Sign recognition apparatus and method and sign translation system using same
First Claim
1. A sign language recognition apparatus for recognizing a continuously expressed sign language, comprising:
- input means for inputting the continuously expressed sign language as a time sequential pattern;
means for generating a reference sign language pattern by averaging sample time sequential patterns;
means for storing said reference sign language pattern;
means for deriving characteristic points of said sign language time sequential pattern and said reference sign language pattern;
means for compressing said sign language time sequential pattern and said reference sign language pattern in accordance with said derived characteristic points; and
means for matching said compressed time sequential pattern with said compressed reference sign language pattern to recognize said continuously expressed sign language.
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Abstract
In continuous sign language recognition, reference sign language patterns of good quality are generated. Continuous sign language patterns and reference sign language patterns are efficiently compressed. The compressed continuous sign language patterns are sequentially and directly matched with the compressed reference sign language patterns to recognize the sign language at high speed and with high precision. A reference sign pattern generating unit generates a reference sign language pattern by normalizing sample patterns while taking into consideration of their nonlinear compression/expansion and by calculating an average of the sample patterns. A continuous sign language recognition unit recognizes a continuous sign language at high speed by sequentially matching the continuous sign language of time sequential patterns with reference sign language patterns while allowing nonlinear expansion and compression in the time domain. A sign language translation system is provided in which a sign language as well as the facial expression or emotion of a sign language user is recognized and converted into a spoken language with emotion, and transferred in the form of texts, voices, sign languages of another type to a particular partner among a plurality of unknown system users.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A sign language recognition apparatus for recognizing a continuously expressed sign language, comprising:
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input means for inputting the continuously expressed sign language as a time sequential pattern; means for generating a reference sign language pattern by averaging sample time sequential patterns; means for storing said reference sign language pattern; means for deriving characteristic points of said sign language time sequential pattern and said reference sign language pattern; means for compressing said sign language time sequential pattern and said reference sign language pattern in accordance with said derived characteristic points; and means for matching said compressed time sequential pattern with said compressed reference sign language pattern to recognize said continuously expressed sign language. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A recognition apparatus for recognizing a continuous pattern, comprising:
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input means for inputting a continuous pattern as a time sequential pattern; means for generating a reference continuous pattern by averaging sample time sequential patterns; means for storing said reference continuous pattern; means for deriving characteristic points of said input time sequential pattern and said reference continuous pattern; means for compressing said input time sequential pattern and said reference continuous pattern in accordance with said derived characteristic points; and means for matching said compressed input time sequential pattern with said compressed reference continuous pattern to recognize said continuous pattern.
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7. A sign language recognition method of recognizing a continuously expressed sign language, comprising the steps of:
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inputting sample sign language patterns for generating a reference sign language pattern as a first time sequential pattern, and generating said reference sign language pattern by averaging said first time sequential patterns; inputting a sign language to be recognized as a second time sequential pattern; deriving characteristic points of said reference sign language pattern and said second time sequential pattern and; compressing said reference sign language pattern and said second time sequential pattern in accordance with said derived characteristic points; and matching said compressed reference sign language pattern with said compressed second time sequential pattern to recognize said sign language.
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8. A sign language recognition method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:
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deriving first characteristic points from said reference sign language pattern, and in accordance with said first characteristic points, compressing said reference sign language pattern; deriving second characteristic points from said second time sequential pattern, and in accordance with said second characteristic points, compressing said second time sequential pattern; and matching said compressed reference sign language pattern with said compressed second time sequential pattern to recognize said sign language.
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9. A sign language translation system comprising:
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(a) a first input means for inputting a continuously expressed sign language as time sequential data, (b) means for recognizing a sign language inputted as said time sequential data, and including (b-1) a sign language word dictionary for storing sign language time sequential data of each sign language word; (b-2) means for calibrating second sign language time sequential data inputted from said first input means; and (b-3) means for matching said time sequential data calibrated by said calibration means with said sign language time sequential data stored in said sign language word dictionary, and recognizing the sign language word corresponding to said time sequential data; (c) means for translating said recognized sign language into a spoken language; (d) a second input means for inputting a portrait of a sign user; and (e) look recognition means for recognizing the look of the portrait to obtain the emotion type and the emotion degree; wherein said translating means translates said recognized sign language into a spoken language according to the emotion type and the emotion degree in said look recognition means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A sign language translation system, comprising:
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(a) a first input means for inputting a continuously expressed sign language as time sequential data, (b) means for recognizing a sign language inputted as said time sequential data, and including (b-1) a sign language word dictionary for storing sign language time sequential data of each sign language word; (b-2) means for calibrating second sign language time sequential data inputted from said first input means; and (b-3) means for matching said time sequential data calibrated by said calibration means with said sign language time sequential data stored in said sign language word dictionary, and recognizing the sign language word corresponding to said time sequential data; (c) means for translating said recognized sign language into a spoken language; and (d) means for generating sign language words and displaying the generated sign language words on a display; wherein said translating means translates said recognized sign language into a spoken language and said sign language generating means generates sign language for display on said display unit from said spoken language.
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21. A plurality of sign language translation systems interconnected by a local area network (LAN) through respective LAN interfaces, each of said systems comprising:
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(a) a first input means for inputting a continuously expressed sign language as time sequential data, (b) means for recognizing a sign language inputted as said time sequential data, and including (b-1) a sign language word dictionary for storing sign language time sequential data of each sign language word; (b-2) means for calibrating second sign language time sequential data inputted from said first input means; and (b-3) means for matching said sign language time sequential data calibrated by said calibration means with said time sequential data stored in said sign language word dictionary, and recognizing the sign language word corresponding to said time sequential data; (c) means for translating said recognized sign language into a spoken language; (d) a second input means for inputting a portrait of a sign user; (e) look recognition means for recognizing the look of the portrait to obtain the emotion type and the emotion degree; wherein said translating means translates said recognized sign language into a spoken language according to the emotion type and the emotion degree in said look recognition means.
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22. A sign language recognition method of recognizing a continuously expressed sign language, comprising the steps of:
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inputting a sign language to be recognized as a time sequential pattern; deriving characteristic points of said input time sequential pattern; compressing said input time sequential pattern in accordance with said derived characteristic points; and matching said compressed input time sequential pattern with a compressed reference sign language pattern to recognize said sign language; wherein said compressed reference sign language is compressed in accordance with characteristic points of a reference time sequential pattern. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of recognizing a continuous pattern, comprising the steps of:
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inputting a continuous pattern to be recognized as a time sequential pattern; deriving characteristic points of said input time sequential pattern; compressing said input time sequential pattern in accordance with said derived characteristic points; and matching said compressed input time sequential pattern with a compressed reference continuous pattern to recognize said continuous pattern; wherein said compressed reference continuous pattern is compressed in accordance with characteristic points of a reference time sequential pattern.
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28. A sign language translation method, comprising the steps of:
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inputting a continuously expressed sign language as time sequential data; calibrating said input time sequential data for absorption of personal difference between sign language users; recognizing said input sign language by matching said calibrated time sequential data with a sign language time sequential data stored in a sign language word dictionary; translating said recognized sign language into a spoken language; and outputting said translated spoken language. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification