Method and apparatus for implementing digital video modeling to generate an expected behavior model

• US 7,908,233 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kraemer, James R., Angell, Robert Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): STARKS, WILBERT L
• Application Number:
  US11/771,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 706/21, 706/45
• US Class Current: 706/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/004 Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for generating an expected behavior model. The process parses event data derived from video data to identify behavioral patterns, wherein the event data comprises metadata describing events occurring in a selected environment. The process analyzes the behavioral patterns to identify a set of expected behavioral patterns occurring in the environment, and generates the expected behavioral model using the expected behavioral patterns.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating an expected behavior model, the computer implemented method comprising:

parsing event data derived from video data associated with customers in a selected physical retail store location to identify behavioral patterns exhibited by the customers in the selected physical retail store location, wherein the event data comprises metadata describing events occurring in the selected physical retail store location that affect behavior of the customers in the selected retail store location;

analyzing the behavioral patterns exhibited by the customers in the selected physical retail store location to determine that occurrences of the behavioral patterns are greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold to identify a set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location; and

generating the expected behavioral model using the set of expected behavioral patterns.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

formulating a behavior control strategy that responds to a pattern of expected customer behavior in the selected physical retail store location using the expected behavioral model.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the behavior control strategy defines a course of action based on the set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the course of action is the behavior control strategy instructing an odor dispersal system to release a particular type of odor-producing chemical at a particular location in the selected physical retail store location.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the expected behavioral model associates a cause with the set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the cause associated with the set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location is a biological variable.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the video data from a set of sensors associated with the selected physical retail store location; and

analyzing the video data to identify event data, wherein analyzing the video data comprises generating the metadata describing the events occurring in the physical retail store location that affect behavior of the customers in the selected retail store location.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the set of sensors associated with the selected physical retail store location includes a set of non-stationary digital video cameras capable of moving about an axis of rotation to track customers in motion within the selected retail store location.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the set of sensors associated with the selected physical retail store location includes an odor detecting device.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein parsing the event data further comprises:

processing the event data using at least one of a statistical method, a data mining method, a causal model, a mathematical model, a marketing model, a behavioral model, a psychological model, a sociological model, or a simulation model.

11. A computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for generating an expected behavior model, the computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for parsing event data derived from video data associated with customers in a selected physical retail store location to identify behavioral patterns exhibited by the customers in the selected physical retail store location, wherein the event data comprises metadata describing events occurring in the selected physical retail store location that affect behavior of the customers in the selected retail store location;

computer usable program code for analyzing the behavioral patterns exhibited by the customers in the selected physical retail store location to determine that occurrences of the behavioral patterns are greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold to identify a set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location; and

computer usable program code for generating the expected behavioral model using the set of expected behavioral patterns.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for formulating a behavior control strategy that responds to a pattern of expected customer behavior in the selected physical retail store location using the expected behavioral model.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the behavior control strategy defines a course of action based on the set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the expected behavioral model associates a cause with the set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the cause associated with the set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location is a biological variable.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving the video data from a set of sensors associated with the selected physical retail store location; and

computer usable program code for analyzing the video data to identify event data, wherein analyzing the video data comprises generating the metadata describing the events occurring in the physical retail store location that affect behavior of the customers in the selected retail store location.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the set of sensors associated with the selected physical retail store location includes a set of non-stationary digital video cameras capable of moving about an axis of rotation to track customers in motion within the selected retail store location.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for parsing the event data further comprises:

computer program code for processing the event data using at least one of a statistical method, a data mining method, a causal model, a mathematical model, a marketing model, a behavioral model, a psychological model, a sociological model, or a simulation model.

19. A system for generating an expected behavior model, the system comprising:

a database, wherein the database stores event data collected by a set of sensors; and

an analysis server, wherein the analysis server parses the event data derived from video data associated with customers in a selected physical retail store location to identify behavioral patterns exhibited by the customers in the selected physical retail store location, wherein the event data comprises metadata describing events occurring in the selected physical retail store location that affect behavior of the customers in the selected retail store location;

analyzes the behavioral patterns exhibited by the customers in the selected physical retail store location to determine that occurrences of the behavioral patterns are greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold to identify a set of expected behavioral patterns of the customers occurring in the selected physical retail store location; and

generates the expected behavioral model using the set of expected behavioral patterns.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the set of sensors associated with the selected physical retail store location includes a set of non-stationary digital video cameras capable of moving about an axis of rotation to track customers in motion within the selected retail store location.