DETECTING AND CLASSIFYING PEOPLE OBSERVING A PERSON

• US 20170053190A1
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cheatham, Jesse R. III, Cherkis, Joel, Dietz, Paul H., Driscoll, Tom, Duncan, William David, Gates, William, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Jordan, Neil, Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Neill, Patrick, Pan, Tony S., Petroski, Robert C., Smith, David R., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Tan, Desney S., Tegreene, Clarence T., Tennenhouse, David Lawrence, Urzhumov, Yaroslav A., Wachowicz, Gary, Wood, Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Application Number:
  US14/830,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20170053190A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects

Abstract

Described embodiments include a system, article of manufacture, a system implemented in a machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, and computer-implemented method. A computer-implemented method includes electronically receiving a digital image of person observing a subject person. The method includes determining from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the imaged person. The method includes electronically outputting the determined interest-level. In an embodiment, the method includes storing at least one digital image of the monitored person in a non-transitory computer readable storage media.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

circuitry for receiving a digital image of person observing a subject person;

circuitry for determining from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the imaged person; and

circuitry for outputting the determined interest-level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital image is acquired by a camera configured to automatically capture images of people present within an area where the subject person is present.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining includes circuitry for determining from the digital image an interest-level rating in the subject person by the imaged person.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining includes circuitry for determining from the digital image a threat-level rating to the subject person by the imaged person.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining includes circuitry for determining from the digital image an interest-level to the subject person by the imaged person on a scale that includes a high interest-level and a low interest-level.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

circuitry for designating the imaged person evidencing a high interest-level as a monitored person.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

circuitry for electronically receiving a subsequently captured digital image of the monitored person;

circuitry for determining from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the monitored person; and

circuitry for electronically outputting the determined interest-level of the monitored person.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for identifying the imaged person.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the circuitry for outputting includes circuitry for outputting the determined interest-level and an identity of the imaged person.

5-7. -7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

12-13. -13. (canceled)

16-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A system implemented in a machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter comprising:

a receiver module configured to electronically receive a digital image of person observing a subject person;

an evaluation module configured to determine from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the imaged person; and

an output module configured to electronically output the determined interest-level.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

electronically receiving a digital image of person observing a subject person;

determining from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the imaged person; and

electronically outputting the determined interest-level.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the digital image was acquired by a camera configured to automatically capture images of people present within an area where the subject person is present.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the camera is carried by the subject person.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the camera is mounted on a building or other structure.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the camera includes at least two cameras configured to automatically capture images of people present within an area where the subject person is present.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining from the digital image an interest-level rating in the subject person by the imaged person.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining from the digital image an attention-level in the subject person by the imaged person.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining from the digital image a threat-level rating evidenced by the imaged person to the subject person.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining from the digital image a threat-level classification evidenced by the imaged person to the subject person.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining an interest-level in the subject person by the imaged person in response to a tracked change in eye movement, gaze direction, head position, body position, or gait of the imaged person.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the electronically outputting includes electronically outputting the determined interest-level and the threat level classification.

35. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining is responsive to the imaged person'"'"'s spatial relationship to the subject person.

41. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining an interest-level in responsive to a selected class of observing persons of interest.

42. The method of claim 19, wherein the electronically outputting includes electronically outputting the determined interest-level in real time.

46. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying the imaged person.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the electronically outputting includes electronically outputting the determined interest-level and an identity of the imaged person.

48. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining includes determining from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the imaged person on a scale that includes a high interest-level and a low interest-level.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the electronically outputting includes electronically outputting an identifier of an imaged person evidencing a high interest-level.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

designating an imaged person evidencing the high interest-level as a monitored person;

electronically receiving a subsequently captured digital image of the monitored person;

determining from the digital image an interest-level in the subject person by the monitored person; and

electronically outputting the determined interest-level of the monitored person.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the designated person to be monitored includes designating the person to be monitored by re-imaging over a period of time.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the designated person to be monitored includes designating the person to be monitored by re-imaging until the person no longer evidences a high interest-level.

55. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

storing at least one digital image of the monitored person in a non-transitory computer storage media.

56. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

searching previously acquired digital images of persons observing the subject person for a digital image of the monitored person observing the subject person.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the electronically outputting includes electronically outputting the determined interest-level of the monitored person based upon current and previously acquired digital images of the monitored person.

58. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving in a mobile electronic device the electronically outputted determined interest-level; and

broadcasting by the mobile electronic device a notification of the determined interest-level.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the notification includes a human perceivable notification.

62. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving in an electronic device the electronically outputted determined interest-level; and

broadcasting a notification perceivable by the imaged person and responsive to the determined interest-level.

21. (canceled)

25-28. -28. (canceled)

36-40. -40. (canceled)

43-45. -45. (canceled)

51. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

60-61. -61. (canceled)

63-64. -64. (canceled)