Abstract: Commercials (200) such as television commercials are augmented by obtaining additional information (300) regarding an advertised product or service from a remote server (182, 184, 192, 194, 195) via a computer network (180) such as the Internet. Commercials are identified and descriptive information is extracted (170). The descriptive information may indicate, e.g., the type of commercial. A user provides preferences (400, 500) regarding commercials via an interface. The preferences may indicate a desired level of detail (500) for the additional information. For commercials whose descriptive information corresponds with the user preference, the computer network is searched to located additional information, e.g., in the form of a web page or link (300). The additional information may relate to promotions, availability, and specifications of an advertised product or service.

Abstract: A method for inserting replacement commercials (7-10) into a data stream (100) is provided where the data stream has program (A, B, C) and commercial (1, 2) portions. The method including: detecting one or more of the commercial portions of the data stream; and replacing the detected one or more commercial portions with either more or less of the replacement commercial portions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating and maintaining enhanced background models for use in background-foreground segmentation. Background models are modified to contain an indication of objects that are typically stationary. Thereafter, if an object moves and has been previously identified as an object that is typically stationary, the object will not unnecessarily be identified as part of the foreground during background-foreground segmentation. In an exemplary implementation, moving objects are classified into two sets. A first set includes objects that typically move independently and a second set includes objects that are typically stationary. Generally, once an object is assigned to the second (stationary object) set, the object will remain in the background, even if the object is moved (normally, movement of the object would cause the object to become part of the foreground).

Abstract: A method for generating a recommendation for a user is provided. The method includes: identifying a first group of other users, the first group having a plurality of first individuals associated with user preferences and/or user profiles that are considered positive influences in generating a recommendation; and generating the recommendation for the user based on the user preferences and/or user profiles of the first individuals. The method can further include: identifying a second group of other users, the second group having a plurality of second individuals associated with user preferences and/or user profiles that are considered negative influences in generating a recommendation; where the generating of the recommendation is further based on the user preferences and/or user profiles of the second individuals.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an emergency/law enforcement vehicle from a secondary vehicle. The apparatus includes: at least one camera mounted on the secondary vehicle; a display surface mounted inside an interior of the secondary vehicle for displaying video image data from the at least one camera; at least one of a pan, tilt, and zoom motor operatively connected to the at least one camera for providing an enhanced view of an emergency/law enforcement vehicle displayed on the display surface; and a controller for controlling the at least one pan, tilt, and zoom motors to provide the enhanced view. The apparatus alternatively also has the capability to detect, track and/or classify an emergency/law enforcement vehicle in the video image data.

Abstract: An image processing system processes a sequence of images to generate a statistical model for each of a number of different persons to be tagged so as to be identifiable in subsequent images. The statistical model for a given tagged person incorporates at least one appearance feature, such as color, texture, etc., and at least one geometric feature, such as shape or position of a designated region of similar appearance within one or more images. The models are applied to subsequent images in order to perform a person detection, person location and/or person tracking operation. An action of the image processing system is controlled based on a result of the operation.

Abstract: A recommending system which performs compression on recommended shows based on recommender scores. If a show is highly recommended, the show will not be compressed. If, however, a show is not recommended as highly it will be compressed before storing the show. This provides more storage capacity. The compression rate can be varied depending on the recommender score.

Abstract: A method for recommending a video content to a viewer. The method including the steps of: determining a user profile of the viewer, the user profile indicating the viewing preferences of the viewer, providing a plurality of user profiles; comparing the user profile of the viewer to each of the plurality of user profiles to determine if each of the plurality of user profiles contains at least one common characteristic with the user profile of the viewer; and determining a recommendation for the video content based on the plurality of user profiles, wherein user profiles having the at least one common characteristic are assigned a greater recommendation weight than user profiles not having the at least one common characteristic.

Abstract: A method for generating recommendations. The method including: entering a newly created preference category (211a) as feedback for generating a recommendation; generating preference information corresponding to the newly created preference category (211a); and generating the recommendation based at least in part on the generated preference information.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for adaptively setting biometric measurement thresholds in a biometric measurement system. A biometric measurement system comprises a biometric sensor, an analysis unit, and an output unit. The invention comprises an environmental sensor that measures a value of an environmental parameter of the ambient environment of the biometric measurement system. The invention also comprises an adaptive threshold setting unit that adaptively sets an adjustable biometric measurement threshold in the analysis unit using a value of the environmental parameter measured by the environmental sensor. The analysis unit analyzes biometric measurements received from the biometric sensor and uses the adjusted biometric measurement threshold to take into account the influence of environmental changes.

Abstract: An acoustic based pointing device and a system and method for using the pointing device to move a cursor on a display screen of a display device. The pointing device comprises an acoustic source that generates and propagates an acoustic signal that is detected by four microphones M1, M2, M3, and M4 and is then converted into corresponding periodic electrical signals S1, S2, S3, and S4. The position vector P0 of the acoustic source is calculated by solving triangulation equations that depend on phase-shift time delays between S1 and Sj for j=1, 2, and 3. A position vector PC is calculated from P0 using a scale vector that relates a change in position of the cursor to a change in position of the acoustic source. Then the cursor is moved to a position PC associated with the position vector PC.

Abstract: A system and method wherein the parameters used for face recognition are determined via an evolutionary algorithm, such as a genetic algorithm. Candidate sets of parameters are evaluated for face recognition performance in a given environment. The most effective sets of parameters are used to generate offspring sets of parameters, and these offspring sets are subsequently evaluated for face recognition performance. This process is repeated, with each generation of offspring sets inheriting attributes of the most successful sets, until the system converges on a set of parameters that exhibits superior performance for the given environment. In like manner, other sets of parameters are determined for other environments. When the face recognition system is deployed, the appropriate set of parameters is used, dependent upon the environment in which the target images originate. In this manner, the system exhibits superior performance in each of the environments in which it is deployed.

Abstract: A telephone user who is at a first telephone station and is placed on hold at a second station is prevented from listening to an objectionable audio signal while a call is in process between the user and the second telephone station. The objectionable audio signal is detected while the call is in process and the user is prevented from hearing the objectionable audio signal while the objectionable audio signal is being detected. In response to detection of the end of the objectionable audio signal, the user is coupled to the second telephone station.

Abstract: An authenticating card 10 for use in a transaction includes a memory 15 and a processor 20. Biometric data of an authorized user of the card 10 are stored in the memory 15 when the card is used for the first time. The processor 20 receives acquired biometric information 25 of the user and allows the transaction when there is a match between the acquired biometric information 25 and the stored biometric data. The biometric information 25 of the user desiring to perform the transaction may be acquired by an input device or reader 30, such as a scanner, recorder or a digital tablet. The biometric information 25 and data may be the user's signature, voice print, palm print, finger print, length of finger(s), or eye scan.

Abstract: Using known methods of face recognition, appliances can be automatically initiated and/or adjusted as a user enters an environment, such as a home or a room. The environment is networked such that there is a communication link between a camera monitoring the entrance to the environment, a face recognition system, and the appliances. The method of automatically controlling a networked environment includes capturing a face image of an individual, storing the face image (i.e., in a memory), and associating at least one appliance setup to the face image. The method also includes comparing the face image to stored face images, retrieving the at least one appliance setup for a matched face image, and initiating the at least one appliance setup. An appliance setup controls turning on or off an appliance, such as an illumination source, a television, or a stereo.

Abstract: A method for generating recommendations, the method including: prompting a user for feedback on at least one preference for generating a recommendation, the at least one preference having two or more categories associated therewith; displaying at least one visual cue corresponding to each of the two or more categories; selecting one of the two or more categories based at least in part on the corresponding at least one visual cue; and generating a recommendation based at least in part on the selecting. Preferably, the generating generates a recommendation for video content, such as a television program and the at least one preference is the genre of the television program, such as action, drama, comedy-action, suspense-action, comedy, documentary, or romance.

Abstract: A method for generating recommendations, the method including: entering non-categorical information as feedback for generating a recommendation; generating preference information corresponding to the non-categorical information; and generating the recommendation based at least in part on the generated preference information. Preferably, the method further includes prompting the user for feedback on at least one preference for generating the recommendation prior to the entering.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for automatically learning and identifying events in image data using hierarchical HMMs to define and detect one or more events. The hierarchical HMMs include multiple paths that encompass variations of the same event. Hierarchical HMMs provide a framework for defining events that may be exhibited in various ways. Each event is modeled in the hierarchical HMM with a set of sequential states that describe the paths in a high-dimensional feature space. These models can then be used to analyze video sequences to segment and recognize each individual event to be recognized. The hierarchical HMM is generated during a training phase, by processing a number of images of the event of interest in various ways, typically observed from multiple viewpoints.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for classifying objects using a hierarchical object classification scheme. The hierarchical object classification scheme provides candidate classes with an increasing degree of specificity as the hierarchy is traversed from the root node to the leaf nodes. Each node in the hierarchy has an associated classifier, such as a Radial Basis Function classifier, that determines a probability that an object is a member of the class associated with the node. The nodes of the hierarchical tree are individually trained by any learning technique, such as the exemplary Radial Basis Function Network, that uses appearance-based information of the objects under consideration to classify objects. A disclosed recognition scheme uses a decision criterion based upon recognition error to classify objects.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for populating a user profile based on existing user profiles is provided. Specifically, under the present invention, base characteristics are designated for a new user profile. Based on the designated characteristics, the new user profile is associated with a particular Vornoi cluster region of existing user profiles. Once associated, the new user profile is populated with defined characteristics from the existing user profiles within the particular cluster region. After population, viewing recommendations can be made.