Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sharing a physical location with online users by requiring the online users to be in physical proximity of a specific physical location before the users can experience media content associated with the physical location. A user can mark a physical location when that user is at the location by associating a virtual anchor with that location. The virtual anchor creates a data structure that contains the location's geographic coordinates as well as other details regarding the anchor. The user can also associate media content with the virtual anchor. The virtual anchor can be shared with other users and these other users are notified of the presence of the virtual anchor when they are within a physical proximity from the physical location. Only when the other users are at the location can these users access the media content associated with the virtual anchor.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sharing a physical location with online users by requiring the online users to be in physical proximity of a specific physical location before the users can experience media content associated with the physical location. A user can mark a physical location when that user is at the location by associating a virtual anchor with that location. The virtual anchor creates a data structure that contains the location's geographic coordinates as well as other details regarding the anchor. The user can also associate media content with the virtual anchor. The virtual anchor can be shared with other users and these other users are notified of the presence of the virtual anchor when they are within a physical proximity from the physical location. Only when the other users are at the location can these users access the media content associated with the virtual anchor.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sharing a physical location with online users by requiring the online users to be in physical proximity of a specific physical location before the users can experience media content associated with the physical location. A user can mark a physical location when that user is at the location by associating a virtual anchor with that location. The virtual anchor creates a data structure that contains the location's geographic coordinates as well as other details regarding the anchor. The user can also associate media content with the virtual anchor. The virtual anchor can be shared with other users and these other users are notified of the presence of the virtual anchor when they are within a physical proximity from the physical location. Only when the other users are at the location can these users access the media content associated with the virtual anchor.

Abstract: System and methods for tracking transaction flow through a customer service area. The present invention provides automated, non-intrusive tracking of individuals, based on a series of still image frames obtained from one or more colour sensors. Images of individuals are extracted from each frame and the datasets resulting from the cropped images are compared across multiple frames. The datasets are grouped together into groups called “tracklets”, which can be further merged into “customer sets”. Various pieces of metadata related to individuals' movement (such as customer location and the duration of each transaction state) can be derived from the customer sets. Additionally, individual images may be anonymized into mathematical representations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring service times at a retail establishment. One or more video cameras are coupled to data processors. The video frames from the video cameras are analyzed to detect a customer at the service counter and, at the detection of a specific event, a timer is started. The customer detected at the service counter is then tracked through various video frames until the customer has left or is about to leave. The timer is then stopped and the elapsed time is stored. The retail establishment may be a quick service restaurant and various video and image processing methods may be used to detect, track, and recognize the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods relating to gathering data which may be used to produce metrics to analyze customer quality of service. Color-plus-depth sensors are placed facing a service area where customers are located. Images and depth maps of the service area are gathered by the sensors. These data sets are then processed by an on-site processor to isolate each customer and/or each item of interest in each data set. Each detected customer is identified using customer descriptors and the location of each item of interest and of each detected customer is determined relative to a reference point. The extracted data from each data set is uploaded to an off-site server for further processing. The off-site server analyzes the uploaded data to determine customer behavior, customer demographics, customer biometrics, and emotional state. The server can also analyze the uploaded data to determine quality of service (including service time).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sharing a physical location with online users by requiring the online users to be in physical proximity of a specific physical location before the users can experience media content associated with the physical location. A user can mark a physical location when that user is at the location by associating a virtual anchor with that location. The virtual anchor creates a data structure that contains the location's geographic coordinates as well as other details regarding the anchor. The user can also associate media content with the virtual anchor. The virtual anchor can be shared with other users and these other users are notified of the presence of the virtual anchor when they are within a physical proximity from the physical location. Only when the other users are at the location can these users access the media content associated with the virtual anchor.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sharing a physical location with online users by requiring the online users to be in physical proximity of a specific physical location before the users can experience media content associated with the physical location. A user can mark a physical location when that user is at the location by associating a virtual anchor with that location. The virtual anchor creates a data structure that contains the location's geographic coordinates as well as other details regarding the anchor. The user can also associate media content with the virtual anchor. The virtual anchor can be shared with other users and these other users are notified of the presence of the virtual anchor when they are within a physical proximity from the physical location. Only when the other users are at the location can these users access the media content associated with the virtual anchor.

Abstract: A method for performing video analytics includes receiving at a source end video data including first video data relating to an event of interest. Using video analytics, other than a data compression process, pre-processing of the video data is performed at the source end to reduce the bandwidth requirement for transmitting the video data to below a bandwidth limit of a Wide Area Network (WAN) over which the video data is to be transmitted. The pre-processed video data is transmitted to a central server via the WAN, where other video analytics processing of the pre-processed video data is performed. Based on a result of the other video analytics processing, a signal is generated for performing a predetermined action, in response to an occurrence of the event of interest at the source end.

Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating distances to objects or features are described. The distance estimation tracks features across images captured from a single camera mounted to an automobile and determines features that are off-ground. Features are tracked based on a ground motion estimate and respective motion of the features tracked across two or more successive images. For each off-ground feature a distance to the camera is calculated based on motion of the feature in the images captured by the camera projected to a ground-plane and the ground motion estimate.

Abstract: A method for performing video analytics includes receiving at a source end video data including first video data relating to an event of interest. Using video analytics, other than a data compression process, pre-processing of the video data is performed at the source end to reduce the bandwidth requirement for transmitting the video data to below a bandwidth limit of a Wide Area Network (WAN) over which the video data is to be transmitted. The pre-processed video data is transmitted to a central server via the WAN, where other video analytics processing of the pre-processed video data is performed. Based on a result of the other video analytics processing, a signal is generated for performing a predetermined action, in response to an occurrence of the event of interest at the source end.

Abstract: A method for performing video analytics includes receiving at a source end video data including first video data relating to an event of interest. Using video analytics, other than a data compression process, pre-processing of the video data is performed at the source end to reduce the bandwidth requirement for transmitting the video data to below a bandwidth limit of a Wide Area Network (WAN) over which the video data is to be transmitted. The pre-processed video data is transmitted to a central server via the WAN, where other video analytics processing of the pre-processed video data is performed. Based on a result of the other video analytics processing, a signal is generated for performing a predetermined action, in response to an occurrence of the event of interest at the source end.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a peer node, statistical data based on video data and relating to the video data, but other than a video content and an image content of the video data. In particular, the peer node is other than within a trusted group of nodes trusted for accessing the video data. At the peer node, the statistical data is analyzed to identify predetermined patterns therein. Upon identifying a predetermined pattern, a signal is provided to a trusted processor relating to the identified pattern.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices relating to automatic facial detection and age and/or gender determination. An image source provides a sequence of images of an audience. Each image is analyzed to detect each face in the image. Specific features of each face are then extracted and, from these features, the gender and/or age of the face is determined by referring to previous determination results. Once the age and/or gender of the audience has been determined, a server can then select which advertisement spots can be presented to the audience. This may be done by having the server request access to a database of available advertising spots, submits specific parameters as the basis for the selection of the advertisement. Image source, image processing subsystems, advertisement displays and advertisements databases can be collocated or distributed over various network resources.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving first video data at a source end, the first video data including video data relating to an event of interest captured using a video camera disposed at the source end. The first video data is retrievably stored in a memory storage device. Video analytics is performed on the first video data to identify a first portion of the first video data that is representative of the event of interest. Subsequently, portions of the first video data other than the first portion are deleted from the memory storage device.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a peer node, statistical data based on video data and relating to the video data, but other than a video content and an image content of the video data. In particular, the peer node is other than within a trusted group of nodes trusted for accessing the video data. At the peer node, the statistical data is analyzed to identify predetermined patterns therein. Upon identifying a predetermined pattern, a signal is provided to a trusted processor relating to the identified pattern.

Abstract: A method for providing streamed video data from a plurality of sources within a known geographic area includes receiving at a server, via a communication network, first video stream data captured within the known geographic area using a first user device and second video stream data captured within the known geographic area using a second user device. The first video stream data is provided from the server to a display device associated with a user for being viewed by the user. An indication that the second video stream data is available to be viewed in addition to the first video stream data is also provided, from the server to the display device, via the communication network.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sharing a physical location with online users by requiring the online users to be in physical proximity of a specific physical location before the users can experience media content associated with the physical location. A user can mark a physical location when that user is at the location by associating a virtual anchor with that location. The virtual anchor creates a data structure that contains the location's geographic coordinates as well as other details regarding the anchor. The user can also associate media content with the virtual anchor. The virtual anchor can be shared with other users and these other users are notified of the presence of the virtual anchor when they are within a physical proximity from the physical location. Only when the other users are at the location can these users access the media content associated with the virtual anchor.

Abstract: A method for providing streamed video data from a plurality of sources within a known geographic area includes receiving at a server, via a communication network, first video stream data captured within the known geographic area using a first user device and second video stream data captured within the known geographic area using a second user device. The first video stream data is provided from the server to a display device associated with a user for being viewed by the user. An indication that the second video stream data is available to be viewed in addition to the first video stream data is also provided, from the server to the display device, via the communication network.

Abstract: A method for performing video analytics comprises capturing video data using a video source disposed at an acquisition end. The captured video data is stored at the acquisition end, and non-adjacent single frames of the captured video data are transmitted from the acquisition end to a server via an IP network. The non-adjacent single frames of captured video data are transmitted one at a time at known time intervals, or a burst of a plurality of non-adjacent single frames is transmitted at another known time interval. At the server, video analytics is performed on a current one of the non-adjacent single frames for detecting an actionable event relative to a previous one of the non-adjacent single frames. In response to detecting an actionable event, a signal for requesting previously stored video data captured between the current one of the non-adjacent single frames and the previous one of the non-adjacent single frames is transmitted to the acquisition end via the IP network.