Stream reproducing device

• US 7,730,505 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwasa, Katsuhiro, Fukumiya, Eiji, Imagawa, Kazuyuki, Ishii, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESFAYE, AKLIL M
• Application Number:
  US11/597,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20080022295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 725/10, 725/12, 386/86
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

A stream reproducing device performing automatic viewing of a non-viewed period of a stream. The stream reproducing device comprises a camera a person detecting unit detecting the viewer based on the output of the camera, a viewing information generating unit generating viewing information based on the person detecting unit, and a reproduction control unit receiving supply of a stream, to control reproduction of the stream. The person detecting unit detects each of the viewers by classifying based on the output of the camera. The viewing information generating unit generates the viewing information for each of the viewers based on the detection result of each of the viewers. The viewing information generated by the viewing information generating unit is related to a time stamp of the stream to identify a non-viewed period, for which each viewer does not view the reproduced result of the stream.

Claims

1. A stream reproducing device comprising:

a detection unit that is arranged towards a plurality of viewers and that is operable to detect a presence of any of the plurality of viewers and operable to output a result of the detection;

a person detecting unit operable to detect and distinguish each individual viewer of the plurality of viewers from any other viewer of the plurality of viewers based on the output of said detection unit;

a viewing information generating unit operable to generate viewing information with respect to each individual viewer of the plurality of viewers based on a result of the detecting and distinguishing of said person detecting unit; and

a reproduction control unit operable to be supplied with a stream and operable to control a reproduction of the stream in order to output the reproduction of the stream,

wherein the generated viewing information, with respect to each individual viewer of the plurality of viewers, is related to a time stamp of the stream, such that the generated viewing information, with respect to each respective individual viewer of the plurality of viewers, indicates a non-viewed period during which each respective individual viewer of the plurality of viewers has not viewed the reproduction of the stream, and

wherein, when viewers are detected to be present in front of the stream reproducing device, the non-viewed period is determined, collectively for the viewers detected to be present, according to a logical product and/or a logical sum of each non-viewed period of the viewers detected to be present.

2. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising an operation entering unit operable to accept an input from a viewer of the plurality of viewers,

wherein, when the input accepted by said operation entering unit is a direction to reproduce the non-viewed period of the stream indicated by the generated viewing information related to the viewer from which the input has been accepted, said reproduction control unit identifies the non-viewed period of the stream based on the generated viewing information related to the viewer from which the input has been accepted and reproduces the non-viewed period of the stream.

3. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising an operation entering unit operable to accept an input from a viewer of the plurality of viewers,

wherein, when the input accepted by said operation entering unit is a direction to reproduce the non-viewed period of the stream indicated by the generated viewing information related to the viewer from which the input has been accepted, said reproduction control unit requires said person detecting unit to identify the viewer from which the input has been accepted, and

wherein said reproduction control unit identifies the non-viewed period of the stream based on the generated viewing information related to the viewer identified by said person detecting unit and reproduces the non-viewed period of the stream.

4. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the generated viewing information, with respect to each individual viewer of the plurality of viewers, includes information related to (i) a time stamp marked when each respective individual viewer of the plurality of viewers starts viewing the reproduction of the stream and (ii) a time stamp marked when each respective individual viewer of the plurality of viewers ends viewing the reproduction of the stream.

5. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the generated viewing information is stored inside the stream.

6. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the generated viewing information is stored outside the stream.

7. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said detection unit includes one of a camera and a sensor.

8. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1,

wherein said detection unit comprises a camera operable to obtain a portrait image,

wherein said stream reproducing device further comprises:

a person template;

a person database operable to store, in a corresponding manner, identification information of each respective viewer of the plurality of viewers and a portrait image of each respective viewer of the plurality of viewers obtained by said camera, and

a correlation calculating unit operable to perform a correlation calculation between a portrait image obtained by said camera and the person template, and operable to perform a correlation calculation between a portrait image obtained by said camera and the portrait image stored in said person database,

each respective viewer of the plurality of viewers is viewing the reproduction of the stream, based on the result of the correlation calculation between each portrait image obtained by said camera and the person template, and

wherein when said person detecting unit judges that a viewer of the plurality of viewers is viewing the reproduction of the stream, said person detecting unit identifies the viewer that is viewing the reproduction of the current steam, based on the result of the correlation calculation between the portrait image obtained by said camera and each portrait image stored in said person database.

9. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 8, wherein when said person detecting unit judges that the viewer is viewing the reproduction of the stream, and when it is determined the portrait image of the viewer obtained by said camera does not match any one of stored portrait images, based on the result of the correlation calculation between the portrait image of the viewer obtained by said camera and each of the stored portrait images, said person detecting unit adds to the person database, in a corresponding manner, new identification information of the viewer and the portrait image of the viewer obtained by said camera.

10. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a stream feed unit including recording media operable to record the stream and operable to supply said reproduction control unit with the stream.

11. The stream reproducing device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a monitor operable to reproduce content of the stream based on the reproduced stream outputted by said reproduction control unit.