Abstract: A method for measuring customer satisfaction with at least one of a service, product, and content is provided. The method including: acquiring at least one of image and speech data for the customer; analyzing the acquired at least one of image and speech data for at least one of the following: (a) detection of a gaze of the customer; (b) detection of a facial expression of the customer; (c) detection of an emotion of the customer; (d) detection of a speech of the customer; and (e) detection of an interaction of the customer with at least one of the service, product, and content; and determining customer satisfaction based on at least one of (a)-(e).

Abstract: A method for automatically switching a protected window displayed on a monitor where the monitor is connected to a processor that receives external input. The method includes the steps of: detecting a time period of inactivity of the external input; and inactivating the protected window if the time period of inactivity detected is above a predetermined threshold. The inactivating of the protected window preferably includes either minimizing the protected window, closing the protected window, or changing the protected window to a default window.

Abstract: In customizing a user profile employed by a recommendation system, users are prompted for feedback regarding content that is the subject of the recommendation system. Only feedback that does not degrade performance of the recommendation system, as measured by the error rate, is accepted and utilized to modify the user profile. Feedback that would degrade performance is discarded without being employed to alter the user profile. In this manner, error is continually driven toward a minimum by system changes based on feedback.

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.

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: Possible initial cluster sets for a clustering process deriving stereotypes from a sample population of viewing histories are compared by computing, for each candidate initial cluster set, a metric relating to the distance of each cluster within the candidate initial cluster set to every other cluster within the candidate initial cluster set. The metric, which is preferably a normalized average aggregate of the distances between clusters within a candidate initial cluster set, is then utilized to discard inferior candidates having clusters that are too close to each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for recommending items of interest to a user, such as television program recommendations. According to the principals of the invention, initial recommendations, which may be generated before a viewing history or purchase history of the user is available, are adapted or transformed to better capture a users viewing behavior using a feedback process. In particular, stereotypes are generated, which are used to build a stereotypical profiles. Stereotypical profiles are then generated that reflect the typical patterns of items selected by representative viewers. Recommendations are computed against a ground truth data using the stereotypical profiles, wherein distances are computed between each show in a so called ground truth data with the centroid of each stereotype in the stereotypical profile.

Abstract: A fee-based commercial television broadcast system is provided, wherein non-theatrical data is removed from transmission signals containing theatrical data and non-theatrical data. An input video signal is received by a video processing system. The input video signal includes information relating to non-theatrical images', such as commercials, beginning and end points, as well as the total length of such non-theatrical images in a particular program. A broadcast television service provider offers this information for a fee. This information is then used by the video processing system to enable real-time recording and delayed playback such that a user may view the program in one continuous block without non-theatrical data interruption.

Abstract: Left and right half-face images are processed as independent components in a face-recognition algorithm. To provide compatibility with full-face image recognition systems, mirror-images of the half-face images are used to create full-face images corresponding to each of the left and right half-face images. Each of the created full-face images is compared to a reference full-face image, using conventional face-recognition algorithms. By comparing each of the left-based image and right-based image, the system overcomes the recognition problems that are caused by directional or non-uniform illumination. Alternatively, a composite full-face image can be created based on a blending of the characteristics of each of the left and right half-face images, thereby filtering the illumination variations.

Abstract: Cameras and image processing techniques are applied to the control of HVAC systems. Occupancy is detected using head-counting or motion detection. Activities are recognized in images and image sequences by machine-recognition techniques. The nature of activities, the intensity of activities, the number of occupants and their activities, etc. are all inferred from images and image sequences and used to predict current loads and/or required control signals for regulating an HVAC system.

Abstract: A vision system that is capable of computing the crowd densities, shopper movement speed and direction, and queue lengths at different locations in a shopping center makes recommendations for least-cost path through a set of destinations. Well-known person-counting techniques may be employed. One type of output display is a map display with an overlay an optimal route through a shopping venue.

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 for cordless communication between a modem of a computer and a communication line includes a base station and at least a remote unit. A booster station can be optionally included to increase reception to the remote unit. The base station will be adapted for connection with the communication line, and will transmit via RF to the remote unit. The base station may test the communications over a plurality of available channels and select the channel with the strongest reception. The booster station may also communicate via RF with the remote unit, and may optionally plug into an electrical outlet, and communicate with the base station over common wiring when the base station is similarly attached to another outlet of the common wiring. The system may compare reception between the base station and the remote unit with the booster station and the remote unit, and may communicate with the booster station only over the electrical wires to reduce RF transmissions.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for taking the results of a search (i.e., electronic documents), using the TFIDF of terms contained in those search result documents to quantify how related the search result documents are to one another, and organizing the search results based on those quantified relations. Using such a system and method, the search result documents can be displayed in such a manner that the relationships between the search result documents is evident to the viewer.

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. 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: Disclosed is a method and system for detecting a particular content in a stream of video data signals preferred by a user. Accordingly, the present invention obtains a user's profile or monitors a user's viewing history of various programs to determine the type of program content that is not watched or not liked by the user. Thereafter, incoming television programs are compared with the user's profile or the user's past viewing information to determine whether some portion of the incoming television programs are liked by the user. The portion of the program content liked by the user is collectively stored in a storage medium, then the user can subsequently view only the segments of the programs preferred by the user.

Abstract: Briefly, an alarm system monitors conditions of an independent person, yet one requiring some supervision, such as an elderly person living alone at home. The system monitors a variety of independent signals and combines them to recognize subtle cues that may indicate there will be a need for intervention by a supervisor.

Abstract: Background-foreground segmentation is performed as a maximum likelihood classification. During a training procedure, a system estimates the parameters of likelihood probability models, which are the probability of observing images assuming that the images come from the background scene. During normal operation, the likelihood probability of captured images is estimated using the background models. The background-foreground segmentation is carried out by comparing the likelihood probabilities of the test images with fixed thresholds. The probability of observing foreground objects is assumed constant, as foreground images are generally not modeled. This value, the probability threshold, preferably represents a tunable parameter of the system. Pixels with low likelihood probability of belonging to the background scene are classified as foreground, while the rest are labeled as background.

Abstract: A media player controller is disclosed that monitors non-user event and automatically controls a media player in response to predefined events. The media player controller includes an information capture device that obtains input information from the non-user. The input information is processed by the media player controller to identify one or more predefined non-user events. A number of rules can be utilized to define various non-user events, such as when the non-user is in the vicinity of the media player. Each rule contains a condition and a corresponding action-item that should be performed when the condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A method and system for recommending future events or appointments are disclosed. The inventive system stores a repeat rate provided by users in the system, then recommends future events or appointments based on what the user has rated and the past frequency of those events or appointments which the user has attended. This invention is based on the fact that people have a tendency to attend or observe similar events as in the past and will show such tendency in the future.