Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for allowing interaction between consumer appliance devices and security systems are provided herein. An exemplary method may include allowing various interactions of a user with a consumer appliance device to generate a signal, such as a panic signal, causing various forms of security systems to escalate the signal to obtain help.

Abstract: Systems and methods for provisioning appliance devices using validated service addresses are provided herein. An exemplary method includes receiving a service address from a user associated with an appliance device; validating the received service address; storing the validated service address; receiving a panic signal from the user using the appliance device after the validated service address is stored; providing the validated service address to an emergency telephone number service provider for provisioning; and transmitting the validated service address to a national PSAP, the transmitting in response to the provisioning being unsuccessful.

Abstract: A video conference call control system is provided with an audio mixer to receive an audio speech signal at one or more network devices connected to the video conference call; to generate first and second talker identification values from the audio speech signal; to compare the first and second talker identification values during a timing comparison window to determine if the first and second talker identification values are identical and received simultaneously or substantially contemporaneously; and to selectively mute one or more audio devices at the network device(s) if the first and second talker identification values are identical and received simultaneously or substantially contemporaneously so that microphone input signals to the audio mixer are muted to prevent “playback” echo effects and so that microphone input and audio loudspeaker output signals to the audio mixer are muted to prevent “double join” echo effects.

Abstract: A multi-camera video conference call system is provided with a plurality of cameras connected together over a communication network to generate a corresponding plurality of input frame images taken from different perspectives of a video conference room, where the multi-camera video conference call system detects one or more human heads for any meeting participants captured in the input frame images, generates a head bounding box which surrounds each detected human head, extracts a body bounding box which surrounds the detected human head and at least an upper body portion of a meeting participant belonging to the detected human head, generates a participant identification feature embedding from each body bounding box, and performs person re-identification processing on all generated participant identification feature embeddings to determine a count of the meeting participants in the video conference room.

Abstract: A video conference call control system is provided with an audio mixer to receive an audio speech signal at one or more network devices connected to the video conference call; to generate first and second talker identification values from the audio speech signal; to compare the first and second talker identification values during a timing comparison window to determine if the first and second talker identification values are identical and received simultaneously or substantially contemporaneously; and to selectively mute one or more audio devices at the network device(s) if the first and second talker identification values are identical and received simultaneously or substantially contemporaneously so that microphone input signals to the audio mixer are muted to prevent “playback” echo effects and so that microphone input and audio loudspeaker output signals to the audio mixer are muted to prevent “double join” echo effects.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for monitoring and controlling a security system for a structure are provided herein. An exemplary method may include receiving sensor data from at least one first peripheral, the sensor data associated with at least one of activity inside and activity outside of a structure; determining a critical event based in part on the sensor data; creating an alert based in part on the critical event; getting user preferences associated with at least one of a user and a base unit; determining a response based in part on the alert and user preferences; and activating at least one of a second peripheral and a service based in part on the response.

Abstract: Providing a facilities supervisor notice after a conference room or other common area has been used and is in a messy condition. An image of the conference room obtained after use is evaluated to determine if the conference room is neat. A neatness score is obtained for the conference room. If the score indicates a neatness value above a settable level, the conference room is considered clean and ready for use. If the neatness score indicates a neatness value less than the settable level, the conference room is not ready for use, and a notice is provided to the facilities supervisor to allow a cleaning person to be dispatched. The need to perform the cleanliness or neatness review is triggered by referencing scheduled meetings in a calendaring system, by monitoring the conference room for the presence of individuals having an unscheduled meeting and periodically or randomly.

Abstract: A method for end point data communications anonymization for a local communications hub is provided. The method commences with receiving a first request addressed to a server from a computing device. The method further includes selecting a first remote communications hub from a plurality of remote communications hubs. The method continues with modifying the first request to generate a first modified request and sending the first modified request to the first remote communications hub. The first remote communications hub modifies the first modified request to produce a second modified request and forwards the second modified request to the server. The method further includes receiving a first response to the second modified request from the server, modifying the received first response to produce a first modified response, modifying the first modified response to produce a second modified response, and providing the second modified response to the computing device.

Abstract: Multiple cameras in a conference room, each pointed in a different direction and including a microphone array to perform sound source localization (SSL). The SSL is used in combination with the video image to identify the speaker from among multiple individuals that appear in the video image. Neural network or machine learning processing is performed on the identified speaker to determine the quality of the front or facial view of the speaker. The best view of the speaker's face from the various cameras is selected to be provided to the far end. If no view is satisfactory, a default view is selected and that is provided to the far end. The use of the SSL allows selection of the proper individual from a group of individuals in the conference room, so that only the speaker's head is analyzed for the best facial view and then framed for transmission.

Abstract: The attention level of participants is measured and then the resulting value is provided on a display of the participants. The participants are presented in a gallery view layout. The frame of each participant is colored to indicate the attention level. The entire window is tinted in colors representing the attention level. The blurriness of the participant indicates attention level. The saturation the participant indicates attention level. The window sizes vary based on attention level. Color bars are added to provide indications of percentages of attention level over differing time periods. Neural networks are used to find the faces of the participants and then develop facial keypoint values which are used to determine gaze direction, which in turn is used to develop an attention score. The attention score is then used to determine the settings of the layout.

Abstract: Multiple cameras in a conference room, each pointed in a different direction and including a microphone array to perform sound source localization (SSL). The SSL is used in combination with the video image to identify the speaker from among multiple individuals that appear in the video image. Neural network or machine learning processing is performed on the identified speaker to determine the quality of the front or facial view of the speaker. The best view of the speaker's face from the various cameras is selected to be provided to the far end. If no view is satisfactory, a default view is selected and that is provided to the far end. The use of the SSL allows selection of the proper individual from a group of individuals in the conference room, so that only the speaker's head is analyzed for the best facial view and then framed for transmission.

Abstract: A teleconferencing system, comprising: a camera, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image data stream comprising one or more image data frames in accordance with one or more image-capture parameters; and a processor coupled to the camera, wherein the processor is configured to: receive the image data stream from the camera; determine a region of interest within an image data frame of the image data stream; identify a sub-portion of the image data frame corresponding to the region of interest; evaluate a quality of image data corresponding to the sub-portion; determine that the quality of the image data corresponding to the sub-portion is below one or more predetermined quality thresholds; update one or more of the image-capture parameters of the camera, responsive to determining that the quality of the image data corresponding to the sub-portion is below the one or more predetermined quality thresholds.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for monitoring and controlling a security system for a structure are provided herein. An exemplary method may include receiving sensor data from at least one first peripheral, the sensor data associated with at least one of activity inside and activity outside of a structure; determining a critical event based in part on the sensor data; creating an alert based in part on the critical event; getting user preferences associated with at least one of a user and a base unit; determining a response based in part on the alert and user preferences; and activating at least one of a second peripheral and a service based in part on the response.

Abstract: A method of view selection in a teleconferencing environment includes receiving a frame of image data from an optical sensor such as a camera, detecting one or more conference participants within the frame of image data, and identifying an interest region for each of the conference participants. Identifying the interest region comprises estimating head poses of participants to determine where a majority of the participants are looking and determining if there is an object in that area. If a suitable object is in the area at which the participants are looking, such as a whiteboard or another person, the image data corresponding to the object will be displayed on a display device or sent to a remote teleconference endpoint.

Abstract: A teleconferencing system, comprising: a camera, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image data stream comprising one or more image data frames in accordance with one or more image-capture parameters; and a processor coupled to the camera, wherein the processor is configured to: receive the image data stream from the camera; determine a region of interest within an image data frame of the image data stream; identify a sub-portion of the image data frame corresponding to the region of interest; evaluate a quality of image data corresponding to the sub-portion; determine that the quality of the image data corresponding to the sub-portion is below one or more predetermined quality thresholds; update one or more of the image-capture parameters of the camera, responsive to determining that the quality of the image data corresponding to the sub-portion is below the one or more predetermined quality thresholds.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint determines if there is a whiteboard and if a presenter is near the whiteboard. If there is no whiteboard in view or the presenter is not near the whiteboard, any content from a camera focused on the whiteboard is continued and any presenter framing is done normally. If the presenter is in front of the whiteboard, any whiteboard content is ended, and appropriate portions of the whiteboard are included in the main video stream framed with the presenter. If the whiteboard is empty, framing is done without reference to the whiteboard. If the whiteboard is full or has writing away from the presenter, the entire whiteboard and the presenter are framed together. If the whiteboard only has writing near the presenter, only the relevant portion of the whiteboard is framed with the presenter.

Abstract: Resources of an embedded system, such as RAM utilization and available processor cycles or bandwidth are monitored. Neural network models of varying size and computational load for given neural networks are utilized in conjunction with this resource monitoring. The neural network model used for a particular neural network is dynamically varied based on the resource monitoring. In one example, neural network models of varying precision are stored and the best model for the available RAM and processor cycles is loaded. In one example, neural network model weight values are quantized before being loaded for use, the level of quantization being based on the available RAM and processor cycles. This dynamic adaption of the neural network models allows other processes in the embedded system to operate normally and yet allows the neural network to operate at the maximum capability allowed for a given period.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for provisioning consumer appliance devices and security systems are provided herein. An exemplary method may include provisioning a consumer application device associated with various interactions of a user with the appliance device to generate an signal, such as a panic signal, causing various forms of security systems to escalate the signal to obtain help. Another exemplary method involves allowing the device, when placing the panic signal, to involve back end systems related to the security system to provision access to an emergency service provider (i.e., 911 provider) “just in time,” eliminating the need for costly pre-provisioning.

Abstract: Systems and methods for augmenting an appliance device with an intelligent personal assistant. Exemplary methods include: receiving, by the appliance device, an identifier for a called party; initiating a voice call using the received identifier; monitoring audio of the voice call; determining the monitored audio includes a predetermined wake word; beginning communications with the intelligent personal assistant, the communications including at least a portion of the monitored audio, the portion of the monitored audio comprising a request for the intelligent personal assistant; receiving a result from the intelligent personal assistant, the result being responsive to the request; receiving indicia that the voice call is over from at least one of the called party and a calling party; and terminating the voice call using the indicia.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for allowing interaction between consumer appliance devices and security systems are provided herein. An exemplary method may include allowing various interactions of a user with a consumer appliance device to generate n signal, such as a panic signal, causing various forms of security systems to escalate the signal to obtain help. Another exemplary method involves allowing the device, when placing the panic signal, to involve back end systems related to the security system to provision access to an emergency service provider (i.e., 911 provider) “just in time,” eliminating the need for costly pre-provisioning. Another exemplary method involves various sensors of the security system to communicate with consumer appliance devices to improve the performance, usability, or efficiency of the consumer appliance device or related systems.