Abstract: A camera system comprising a camera, a monitor, an image detector, a touch screen, and a remote control. The monitor displays a field of view of a lens of the camera. The image detector provides a viewer image to the remote control whereby the remote control can determine a desired image within the field of view that the viewer is gazing upon. The touch screen enables a viewer of the monitor to point to the desired image of the field of view and provides signal(s) indicative of the pointing. The remote control is operable to activate various drives to pan and/or tilt the camera, or to zoom and/or focus the lens to the desired image and to follow any movement of the image within the field of view.

Abstract: A dynamic method and system for processing video source frames (e.g., a television movie) with a video processing system (VPS) that includes a processor, a memory structure, input devices, and an output display. The video source frames, which are received by the VPS from a video source, are executed by the processor. While the video source frames are being executed, a subset of the frames, called key frames, are extracted from the video source frames and stored in the memory structure. The extracting of the key frames is implemented in accordance with a frame extraction algorithm. The extracting is terminated prior to completion of execution of the video source frames. Following termination of extracting, the key frames are reviewed by a user with the output display to determine whether to watch the remainder of the video source frames. The key frames are erased after being reviewed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for predicting events using acoustic and visual cues. The present invention processes audio and video information to identify one or more (i) acoustic cues, such as intonation patterns, pitch and loudness, (ii) visual cues, such as gaze, facial pose, body postures, hand gestures and facial expressions, or (iii) a combination of the foregoing, that are typically associated with an event, such as behavior exhibited by a video conference participant before he or she speaks. In this manner, the present invention allows the video processing system to predict events, such as the identity of the next speaker. The predictive speaker identifier operates in a learning mode to learn the characteristic profile of each participant in terms of the concept that the participant “will speak” or “will not speak” under the presence or absence of one or more predefined visual or acoustic cues.

Abstract: A blind spot vision system for a vehicle includes a camera having a field of view. The camera is positioned on the vehicle such that the field of view corresponds with at least a portion of an area proximate the vehicle which is not visible to a driver while the driver looks in mirrors that are positioned on the vehicle. The system also includes an object identifier electrically coupled to the camera, a relative speed identifier which determines the relative speed of an object which is in the field of view of the camera, and a display electrically coupled to the camera which displays an image generated by the camera and provides an indication of the type of object identified by the object identifier which is in the field of view of the camera and displayed on the display.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system to aid a driver of a vehicle to determine whether it is safe to change lanes includes a camera having a field of view such that the field of view corresponds to at least a portion of an area proximate the vehicle. The system also includes an object identifier electrically coupled to the camera, a distance determiner which determines a distance of the object which is in the field of the camera, and a display electrically coupled to the camera which displays an image generated by the camera and provides an indication of the type of object which is in the field of view of the camera and the distance of the object from the vehicle.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including: an alarm system having detectors for detection of an alarm in a structure; at least one camera for capturing image data inside and/or outside the structure; a processor for selecting a subset of the image data upon the occurrence of the alarm based on a predetermined criteria; and a modem for transmitting the subset of image data to a remote location. Preferably, the processor ranks each video frame from the image data according to how well each video frame meets the predetermined criteria and the modem transmits a predetermined number of video frames having the best rank to the remote location.

Abstract: A security system including: a camera mounted to a door for capturing image data of an individual approaching the door; and a processor for further processing the image data. Preferably, the system includes: a database for storing the image data; and a recognition system for analyzing the stored image data. The stored image data in the database are preferably face images and the recognition system is preferably a face recognition system. The database can contain image data for each authorized individual of the structure where the recognition system compares images of the individual from the camera with the stored image data to determine if the individual is one of the authorized individuals. The system includes a sensor, operatively connected to the door knob of the door, for detecting the arrival of the individual approaching the door and signaling the camera to capture the image data of the individual upon operation of the door knob.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including; an exit and entrance camera located at the exit and entrance of a structure; a detector for detecting the exit or entry of an individual; an image recording system for storing images from the exit and entrance cameras; and a computer vision system for analyzing the stored images using a predetermined criteria to determine if the exiting and entering individuals are the same. Preferably, the cameras are video cameras and the detector is either a door contact sensor or an infra-red. The system preferably transmits an alarm signal and/or at least a portion of the stored images to a remote site if the exiting and entering individual is determined not to be the same.

Abstract: A security monitoring system including: an alarm system having detectors for detection of an alarm in a structure; at least one camera for capturing image data inside and/or outside the structure; a processor for selecting a subset of the image data upon the occurrence of the alarm based on a predetermined criteria; and a modem for transmitting the subset of image data to a remote location. Preferably, the at least one camera is a video camera, the image data is video image data, and the subset of the image data is at least one video frame of the video image data. Preferably, the processor ranks each video frame from the image data according to how well each video frame meets the predetermined criteria and the modem transmits a predetermined number of video frames having the best rank to the remote location.