System and method for control based on face or hand gesture detection

Abstract

System and method for control using face detection or hand gesture detection algorithms in a captured image. Based on the existence of a detected human face or a hand gesture in an image captured by a digital camera (still or video), a control signal is generated and provided to a device. The control may provide power or disconnect power supply to the device (or part of the device circuits). Further, the location of the detected face in the image may be used to rotate a display screen horizontally, vertically or both, to achieve a better line of sight with a viewing person. If two or more faces are detected, the average location is calculated and used for line of sight correction. A linear feedback control loop is implemented wherein detected face deviation from the optimum is the error to be corrected by rotating the display to the required angular position. A hand gesture detection can be used as a replacement to a remote control wherein the various hand gestures control the various function of the controlled unit, such as a television set.

1 . A device for use with a cable simultaneously carrying DC power and bi-directional serial digital data over the same wires, the device comprising:
 a flat screen for visually displaying information;   a digital video camera for capturing digital video data, the digital video camera having a center line of sight and being mechanically fixed so that the digital video camera is maintained in a fixed position relative to the flat screen;   a power/data splitter having first, second, and third ports for passing the bi-directional serial digital data between the first and second ports and for passing the DC power between the first and third ports;   a connector coupled to the first port for connecting to the cable;   a transceiver coupled between the second port and the digital video camera for transmitting the digital video data to the cable;   software and a processor to execute the software coupled to control the flat screen, the transceiver, and the digital video camera; and   a single enclosure housing the flat screen, the digital video camera, the processor, the connector, the power/data splitter, and the transceiver.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , further for receiving and displaying television channels, wherein the flat screen is configured for displaying the television channels. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising, or consisting of, a television set. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , further operative to at least in part be powered from the DC power. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the third port is coupled to the flat screen for powering the flat screen from the DC power. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is coupled to the flat screen for receiving information from the cable and for displaying the information on the flat screen. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an image processor coupled to receive the digital video data from the digital video camera for applying an element detection algorithm to detect the element in the digital video data, and wherein the device responds to the element detection. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital video camera is positioned to capture a scene substantially in front of the flat screen. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital video camera comprises:
 an optical lens for focusing received light;   a photosensitive image sensor array disposed approximately at an image focal point plane of the optical lens for capturing an image and producing electronic image information representing the image; and   an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter coupled to the image sensor for generating a digital data representation of the image.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the image sensor array is based on, or uses, Charge-Coupled Devices (CCD) or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) elements. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable comprises a Local Area Network (LAN) cable, the connector comprises a LAN connector, and the transceiver comprises a LAN transceiver. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the LAN is an Ethernet based LAN that is according to, compatible with, or based on, IEEE 802.3-2008 standard. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the LAN cable is based on, or uses, twisted-pair copper wires, the LAN transceiver is according to, compatible with, or based on, 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, or 1000Base-T, and the LAN connector is RJ-45 type connector. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the DC power and the serial digital data are carried according to, compatible with, or based on, IEEE 802.3af-2003 or IEEE 802.3at-2009 standard. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 , further for use with a power source that supply at least part of the DC power, wherein the third port is coupled to the power source for supplying the DC power to the cable. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the DC power and the serial digital data are carried using Frequency Division/Domain Multiplexing (FDM), where the serial digital data is carried in a frequency band above, and distinct from, the DC power. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the power/data splitter comprises a high pass filter between the first and second ports and a low pass filter between the first and third ports. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the power/data splitter comprises a transformer having windings and a capacitor connected between the transformer windings. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a video compressor coupled between the digital video camera and the transceiver for compressing the captured digital video data according to a compression scheme. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the compression scheme is lossy or lossless type. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the compression scheme is according to, compatible with, or based on, JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standard. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 1 , further for initiating and receiving telephone calls over a telephone network. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 22 , wherein the telephone network is a cellular telephone network. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a cellular antenna for over-the-air radio-frequency communication; and   a cellular modem coupled to the cellular antenna for transmitting serial digital data to, or receiving serial digital data from, the cellular telephone network.   
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 24 , further comprising, or consisting of, a cellular telephone device. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the communication over the cellular network is according to, compatible with, or is based on, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), 3GSM, DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), Digital AMPS, or iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network). 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the cellular modem is coupled to the flat screen for receiving information from the cellular network and displaying the received information on the flat screen. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat screen is silicon-based. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , wherein the flat screen is LED (Light Emitting Diode), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), or TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) based. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 1 , further operative for displaying High Definition (HD), the device further comprising an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) for receiving and displaying HD video on the flat screen. 
     
     
         31 . A device for use with a Local Area Network (LAN) cable simultaneously carrying DC power and bi-directional serial digital data over the same wires, the device comprising:
 a flat screen for visually displaying information;   a digital video camera for capturing digital video data, the digital video camera having a center line of sight and being mechanically fixed so that the digital video camera is maintained in a fixed position relative to the flat screen;   a LAN connector for connecting to the LAN cable;   a transceiver coupled between the LAN connector and the digital video camera for transmitting the digital video data to the LAN cable;   software and a processor to execute the software coupled to control the flat screen, the transceiver, and the digital video camera; and   a single enclosure housing the flat screen, the digital video camera, the processor, the LAN connector, and the transceiver.   
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 31 , further operative to at least in part be powered from the DC power. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 31 , further comprising a power/data splitter having first, second, and third ports for passing the bi-directional serial digital data between the first and second ports and for passing the DC power between the first and third ports, the first port coupled to the LAN connector, and the second port coupled to the transceiver. 
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the third port is coupled to the flat screen for powering the flat screen from the DC power. 
     
     
         35 . The device according to  claim 33 , further for use with a power source that supply at least part of the DC power, wherein the third port is coupled to the power source for supplying the DC power to the LAN cable. 
     
     
         36 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the DC power and the serial digital data are carried using Frequency Division/Domain Multiplexing (FDM), where the serial digital data is carried in a frequency band above, and distinct from, the DC power. 
     
     
         37 . The device according to  claim 36 , wherein the power/data splitter comprises a high pass filter between the first and second ports and a low pass filter between the first and third ports. 
     
     
         38 . The device according to  claim 36 , wherein the power/data splitter comprises a transformer having windings and a capacitor connected between the transformer windings. 
     
     
         39 . The device according to  claim 31 , further operative for receiving and displaying television channels, wherein the flat screen is configured for displaying the television channels. 
     
     
         40 . The device according to  claim 39 , further comprising, or consisting of, a television set. 
     
     
         41 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the transceiver is coupled to the flat screen for receiving information from the LAN cable and for displaying the information on the flat screen. 
     
     
         42 . The device according to  claim 31 , further comprising an image processor coupled to receive the digital video data from the digital video camera for applying an element detection algorithm to detect the element in the digital video data, and wherein the device responds to the element detection. 
     
     
         43 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the digital video camera is positioned to capture a scene substantially in front of the flat screen. 
     
     
         44 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the digital video camera comprises:
 an optical lens for focusing received light;   a photosensitive image sensor array disposed approximately at an image focal point plane of the optical lens for capturing an image and producing electronic image information representing the image; and   an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter coupled to the image sensor for generating a digital data representation of the image.   
     
     
         45 . The device according to  claim 44 , wherein the image sensor array is based on, or uses, Charge-Coupled Devices (CCD) or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) elements. 
     
     
         46 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the transceiver comprises a LAN transceiver. 
     
     
         47 . The device according to  claim 46 , wherein the LAN cable is based on, or uses, twisted-pair copper wires, the LAN transceiver is according to, compatible with, or based on, 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, or 1000Base-T, and the LAN connector is RJ-45 type connector. 
     
     
         48 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the LAN is an Ethernet-based LAN that is according to, compatible with, or based on, IEEE 802.3-2008 standard. 
     
     
         49 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the DC power and the serial digital data are carried according to, compatible with, or based on, IEEE 802.3af-2003 or IEEE 802.3at-2009 standard. 
     
     
         50 . The device according to  claim 31 , further comprising a video compressor coupled between the digital video camera and the transceiver for compressing the captured digital video data according to a compression scheme. 
     
     
         51 . The device according to  claim 50 , wherein the compression scheme is lossy or lossless type. 
     
     
         52 . The device according to  claim 50 , wherein the compression scheme is according to, compatible with, or based on, JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standard. 
     
     
         53 . The device according to  claim 31 , further for initiating and receiving telephone calls over a telephone network. 
     
     
         54 . The device according to  claim 53 , wherein the telephone network is a cellular telephone network. 
     
     
         55 . The device according to  claim 54 , further for initiating and receiving telephone calls over a cellular network, the device further comprising:
 a cellular antenna for over-the-air radio-frequency communication; and   a cellular modem coupled to the cellular antenna for transmitting serial digital data to, or receiving serial digital data from, the cellular telephone network.   
     
     
         56 . The device according to  claim 55 , further comprising, or consisting of, a cellular telephone device. 
     
     
         57 . The device according to  claim 55 , wherein the communication over the cellular network is according to, compatible with, or is based on, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), 3GSM, DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), Digital AMPS, or iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network). 
     
     
         58 . The device according to  claim 55 , wherein the cellular modem is coupled to the flat screen for receiving information from the cellular network and displaying the received information on the flat screen. 
     
     
         59 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the flat screen is silicon-based. 
     
     
         60 . The device according to  claim 59 , wherein the flat screen is LED (Light Emitting Diode), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), or TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) based. 
     
     
         61 . The device according to  claim 31 , further operative for displaying High Definition (HD), the device further comprising an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) for receiving and displaying HD video on the flat screen.