Abstract: A system and method for mechanically panning, tilting, and/or zooming a webcam to track a user's face. In one embodiment, such movement is controlled by kernel software in a host to which the webcam sends video data. In this way, a driver in the host kernel handles the face tracking, transparent to the application programs that would access the video. In an alternate embodiment, such movement is controlled by firmware in the webcam itself The video and control signals are sent over the same standard cable, such as a USB bus. In one embodiment, the video is supplied to an instant messaging application. The use of a standard bus (e.g., USB) and the offloading of the face tracking to the webcam and driver allows easy use by the instant messaging application.

Abstract: A system and method for mechanically panning, tilting, and/or zooming a webcam to track a user's face. In one embodiment, such movement is controlled by kernel software in a host to which the webcam sends video data. In this way, a driver in the host kernel handles the face tracking, transparent to the application programs that would access the video. In an alternate embodiment, such movement is controlled by firmware in the webcam itself. The video and control signals are sent over the same standard cable, such as a USB bus. In one embodiment, the video is supplied to an instant messaging application. The use of a standard bus (e.g., USB) and the offloading of the face tracking to the webcam and driver allows easy use by the instant messaging application.

Abstract: A system and method for mechanically panning, tilting, and/or zooming a webcam to track a user's face. In one embodiment, such movement is controlled by kernel software in a host to which the webcam sends video data. In this way, a driver in the host kernel handles the face tracking, transparent to the application programs that would access the video. In an alternate embodiment, such movement is controlled by firmware in the webcam itself. The video and control signals are sent over the same standard cable, such as a USB bus. In one embodiment, the video is supplied to an instant messaging application. The use of a standard bus (e.g., USB) and the offloading of the face tracking to the webcam and driver allows easy use by the instant messaging application.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus for tracking an image object within successive first and second image frames. The first frame has a first contour model which defines the image object within the first frame. The first contour model has a global motion parameter which defines global motion of the image object between the first frame and at least one frame preceding the first frame. A second contour model is defined in the second frame based upon the global motion parameter. Image blocks that are associated with points on the first contour model are matched with image blocks associated with points on the second frame to produce motion probabilities associated with each contour point. The motion probabilities are based upon the amount of displacement between respective matched image blocks of the first and second contour models. The shape of the second contour model is locally adjusted based upon the motion probabilities to produce a locally adjusted second contour model.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to automatically index the locations of specified events on a video tape. The events, for example, include touchdowns, fumbles and other football-related events. An index to the locations where these events occur are created by using both speech detection and video analysis algorithms. A speech detection algorithm locates specific words in the audio portion data of the video tape. Locations where the specific words are found are passed to the video analysis algorithm. A range around each of the locations is established. Each range is segmented into shots using a histogram technique. The video analysis algorithm analyzes each segmented range for certain video features using line extraction techniques to identify the event. The final product of the video analysis is a set of pointers (or indexes) to the locations of the events in the video tape.