System and method for using image analysis of user interface signals for program control

Abstract

Advantage is taken of the fact that as a player becomes uncomfortable, visually observable aspects of the player's physiological state, such as the frequency of eye blinks, may change. By analyzing such changes and/or other image changes, as obtained from signals generated by an input device, the system is able to determine changes in a player's comfort level and change the game accordingly.

1 . A method of controlling a program running on a processor comprising:
 using visual imaging analysis on a signal from a user interface;   determining a user's response level; and   adjusting said program in response to a determined user response.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said using comprises:
 matching a received image against a previously received image.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said determined response is based on a change in received images. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the determining is based on a rapid change in received images. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said program is a game program and said adjusting results in a change of a skill level presented to said user. 
   
   
       6 . A system comprising:
 a user interface to a program running on a processor;   means for performing visual image processing on a signal from said user interface during execution of a program on said processor; and   means for adjusting at least one operational aspect of said program in response to performed visual imaging analysis.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said program is a game and said input interface is a camera. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said operational aspect is selected from the list of:
 difficulty level;   instructional level; and   amount of information displayed.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said signal is a series of visual images. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said visual images are selected from the list of: eye blinks, face touches, leg movement, arm movement and head movement. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said image processing means comprises means for measuring the present video images from said user interface against at least one previous video image from said user interface. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said visual image processing means comprises:
 circuitry for amplifying and filtering analog signals.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said analog signals are from a camera. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said visual image performing means comprises:
 an algorithm for processing input signals form a digital camera.   
   
   
       15 . A method of using a program comprising:
 setting a program level;   determining changes in a user response level during program use by monitoring visual images of said user as obtained from a user interface signal; and   adjusting said program level based on determined changes in said user's video images over time.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said determining comprises using differences between visual images as received from said user interface signal. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said user interface signal represents user image changes while said user is operating a program input device of a game controller component. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said program level is a difficulty level of said game program. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said difficulty level is decreased when said visual image monitoring indicates an increase in the rate of visual image change between interface signals. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said difficulty level is increased when said visual image monitoring indicates substantially no changes between user interface signals.