System and method for encoding and retrieving visual signals
First Claim
1. A system that encodes signs in a given sign language that uses at least a first hand, said system comprising:
- means for defining a handshape of said first hand;
means for defining a palm orientation of said first hand;
means for defining a location of said first hand;
means for defining a movement of said first hand;
coding means, coupled to each of said means for defining, for assigning each handshape, palm orientation, location, and movement a corresponding code value;
combining means, coupled to said coding means, for combining said code values of said handshape, palm orientation, location, and movement; and
selecting means, coupled to said combining means, for selecting one or more correspondingsigns using said combined code values, said selecting means operating to matchsaid combined code value against a database of code values and to return from said database of code values a quantity of combined code values of one or more signs falling within a given range of code values.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for encoding signs in a given sign language. The sign typically uses a dominant hand for some signs and a second hand is used for other signs the dominant hand remaining dominant of the two hands. In order to encode the signs into a useful form, each hand has various articles defined. The first article is that of handshape for both hands. The next article is that of palm orientation, with location and movement being the next two articles. A parametric value is associated with each of these particular articles. A combination of the articles, such as an article'"'"'s concatenation in a parametric value string, allows for the transcription of a particular sign. Using this parametric value or even parts of the parametric value for the combined sign, a desired sign or a group of signs may be identified that closely resembles the particular sign being encoded. From this group of signs, the user can identify the exact sign that is of interest or that matches the sign desired by the user. A unique total parametric value is defined for each sign within the given sign language for matching against any of the articles identified by the user.
204 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A system that encodes signs in a given sign language that uses at least a first hand, said system comprising:
-
means for defining a handshape of said first hand; means for defining a palm orientation of said first hand; means for defining a location of said first hand; means for defining a movement of said first hand; coding means, coupled to each of said means for defining, for assigning each handshape, palm orientation, location, and movement a corresponding code value; combining means, coupled to said coding means, for combining said code values of said handshape, palm orientation, location, and movement; and
selecting means, coupled to said combining means, for selecting one or more correspondingsigns using said combined code values, said selecting means operating to match said combined code value against a database of code values and to return from said database of code values a quantity of combined code values of one or more signs falling within a given range of code values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for encoding, storing and retrieving sign language having a plurality of individual signs, each of said plurality of individual signs having at least one article supplied by a first hand, said system comprising:
-
computer means operable for receiving, storing, searching and retrieving information about a plurality of individual signs of a sign language and for generating image signals including image sign signals reflective of one or more individual signs, each of said plurality of individual signs having one or more articles supplied by a first hand, and said computer means being operable for generating image article signals reflective of one or more articles of signs of said sign language; input means connected to said computer means for communicating instructions to said computer from a user, said instructions including instructions to receive, store, search and retrieve information about said plurality of individual signs of said sign language including information about one or more articles of one or more individual signs; display means connected to said computer means to receive said image sign signals therefrom and operable to convert said image sign signals to images of one or more individual signs perceivable by the user and to receive said image article signals therefrom and operable to convert said image article signals to images of one or more articles of signs of said sign language; and a computer program for use in said computer means, said computer program being operable to; determine stored codes for each of said one or more articles of each of said plurality of individual signs stored in said computer, said one or more articles including one or more of the handshape, palm orientation, location and movement of said first hand of each individual sign of said plurality of individual signs, assemble said stored codes for each article of said plurality of individual signs of said sign language into a stored parametric value and to store said stored codes and said stored parametric value, cause image article signals to be generated and supplied to said display means for displaying images of one or more articles of the plurality of signs upon selection by the user by operation of said input means, enable said input means to be operated by the user for selecting one or more selected articles of a desired sign, determine a selected desired code for each selected one or more articles of a desired sign, cause a search to be made of the stored codes to identify those identified signs of the plurality of individual signs that include the selected code, and cause image sign signals to be generated and supplied to said display means of each of said identified signs. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification