Sensor means for television receiver

Abstract

An electric and electronic sensor for selecting high resolution multi-medial operative programs and functions, connected to an interface device ( 2 ) for an appliance for processing a plurality of high resolution multi-medial operative programs and functions, integrated with a television receiver screen ( 7 ), for setting, performing such multi-medial operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers, and displaying them on the video screen ( 7 ). The sensor includes a set of sensors ( 12 - 18 ) connected to a microprocessor ( 1 ) of the interface device ( 2 ) and adapted to select the operative programs and function by the spaced away movements and gestures of the user, without the user directly manipulating the various sensor circuits and/or utilizing remote control apparatus, and also by not pressing, touching or skimming any device interacting with these sensor circuits.

Therefore, at least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . Interface device for an appliance for processing a plurality of high resolution operative programs and functions of different types of media, integrated with a television receiver screen ( 7 ), for setting and performing said operative programs and functions and displaying them on said television receiver screen ( 7 ), said appliance comprising a first main master microprocessor ( 5 ) for controlling and managing informatics analog and digital data in general, and also comprising an electronic block ( 8 )for reproducing the sounds of said operative programs and functions connected to said master-microprocessor ( 5 ) and to said television receiver screen ( 7 ), said interface device ( 2 ) comprising a plurality of electric and electronic sensor means for selecting high resolution operative functions and programs of different types of media, a second main microprocessor ( 1 ) suitable to be connected to said first microprocessor ( 5 ) and to said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means adapted to select the operative programs and functions of said appliance, said appliance and said interface device ( 2 ) being suitable to be connected to a system for processing in a real time the human voice for processing and controlling said plurality of operative programs and functions of different types of media, comprising a third microprocessor ( 11 ) adapted to be activated and de-activated by the human voice and connected to said first ( 5 ) and second ( 1 ) main microprocessors, for effecting an exchange of informatics data coded in a digital mode, wherein the operative programs and functions selected by said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means which are controlled and managed by said first main microprocessor ( 5 ), comprise also data of operative programs and functions for personal computers and television receivers of various kind, said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means first sensor means ( 14 ) comprising stereoscopic video sensors, and passive infrared sensors, the operative programs of said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) being also set in advance for effecting an exchange of coded digital data between said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) and each one of said sensors, so as to set each sensor to operate from time to time with a determinate configuration, depending on the different parameters to be detected, and for checking the operative state of each sensor as well as the exchange of the coded digital data among said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) and the different sensor means during the carrying out of the different operative programs and functions, and for effecting also an exchange of coded digital data between either one or both said first ( 5 ) and second ( 1 ) main microprocessors and also for setting each one or both said first ( 5 ) and second ( 1 ) main microprocessors to operate from time to time with a determinate configuration, depending on the different parameters to be processed, as well as for recognizing all the codes of the controls of the operative programs and functions which have been selected, and for checking also the operative state of each one of said first ( 5 ) and second ( 1 ) main microprocessors and the exchange of the coded digital data among them during the carrying out of the different operative programs and functions, said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) being further set with operative programs adapted to transmit the information received from said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means to other external processors for a possible pre-processing thereof, wherein said external processors may be constituted by said first main microprocessor ( 5 ) or, through them, by other processing systems provided in the network, in a manner that the so processed data are then returned to said first main microprocessor ( 5 ) for the final processing and the recognizing of the given controls. 
     
     
         2 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means further comprises monoscopic video sensors. 
     
     
         3 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means further comprises monoscopic video sensors with dichroic systems for stereoscopy. 
     
     
         4 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means further comprises multi-channels audio sensors. 
     
     
         5 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electric and electronic sensor means further comprises ambient brightness sensors. 
     
     
         6 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said monoscopic video sensors of said first sensor means ( 12 ) comprise at least a color television camera, adapted to shoot moving color images of a space in front of the sensor, which color images have a middle and a high resolution, said monoscopic video sensors being color television cameras with CMOS sensors with 2MPixel and over, interfacing said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) via a USB line, a line Ethernet with IP protocol or via composite video signals. 
     
     
         7 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said monoscopic video sensors with dichroic systems for stereoscopy of said second sensor means ( 13 ) comprise at least a monoscopic color television camera, integrated with a dichroic system for stereoscopy, adapted to shoot moving stereoscopic color images in a space in front of the sensor, which color images have a middle and a high resolution, said monoscopic video sensors with dichroic systems for stereoscopy being monoscopic color television cameras with CMOS sensors with 2MPixel and over, integrated with a dichroic system for stereoscopy, interfacing said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) via a USB line, a line Ethernet with IP protocol, or via composite video signals. 
     
     
         8 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said stereoscopic video sensors of said third sensor means ( 14 ) comprise a stereoscopic color television camera, composed of an assembly of two monoscopic color television cameras, mechanically linked and synchronized to each other, adapted to shoot moving stereoscopic images of a space in front of the sensor, which color images have a middle and a high resolution, said stereoscopic video sensors being stereoscopic television cameras with CMOS sensors with 2MPixel and over, interfacing said second main microprocessor ( 1 ) via a USB line, a line Ethernet with IP Protocol, or via composite video signals. 
     
     
         9 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said movement sensors of said fourth sensor means ( 15 ) comprise sensors adapted to detect the presence of moving objects within their operative range, which include sensors with microwave or ultrasound based active technology, integrated with passive infrared sensors, adapted to detect moving objects within a space of  1 - 5  meters, said movement sensors being sensors normally used in household alarm systems. 
     
     
         10 . Interface device according to  claim 1 , wherein said multichannel audio sensors of said fifth sensor means ( 16 ) comprise sensors adapted to receive sounds, adequately spaced and oriented, for receiving sounds coming from different areas of a space in front of the sensors, said multichannel audio sensors being directional microphones, mounted in such a position as to cover distinct and partially overlapped areas of the space in front of the sensors.