6231results about "Indoor games" patented technology

A gesture recognition interface for use in controlling self-service machines and other devices is disclosed. A gesture is defined as motions and kinematic poses generated by humans, animals, or machines. Specific body features are tracked, and static and motion gestures are interpreted. Motion gestures are defined as a family of parametrically delimited oscillatory motions, modeled as a linear-in-parameters dynamic system with added geometric constraints to allow for real-time recognition using a small amount of memory and processing time. A linear least squares method is preferably used to determine the parameters which represent each gesture. Feature position measure is used in conjunction with a bank of predictor bins seeded with the gesture parameters, and the system determines which bin best fits the observed motion. Recognizing static pose gestures is preferably performed by localizing the body / object from the rest of the image, describing that object, and identifying that description. The disclosure details methods for gesture recognition, as well as the overall architecture for using gesture recognition to control of devices, including self-service machines.

An interactive video display system. A display screen is for displaying a visual image for presentation to a user. A camera is for detecting an object in an interactive area located in front of the display screen, the camera operable to capture three-dimensional information about the object. A computer system is for directing the display screen to change the visual image in response to the object.

A device allows easy and unencumbered interaction between a person and a computer display system using the person's (or another object's) movement and position as input to the computer. In some configurations, the display can be projected around the user so that that the person's actions are displayed around them. The video camera and projector operate on different wavelengths so that they do not interfere with each other. Uses for such a device include, but are not limited to, interactive lighting effects for people at clubs or events, interactive advertising displays, etc. Computer-generated characters and virtual objects can be made to react to the movements of passers-by, generate interactive ambient lighting for social spaces such as restaurants, lobbies and parks, video game systems and create interactive information spaces and art installations. Patterned illumination and brightness and gradient processing can be used to improve the ability to detect an object against a background of video images.

An application such as a web browser running on a portable display device is responsive to gestures to a touch-sensitive surface of the portable display device. The gestures are supplied by touching and then sliding on the touch-sensitive surface. Various operations of the application may be controlled based on the gestures.

A sports electronic training system with sport ball, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system comprises at least one monitor and an electronic processing device for receiving data from the at least one monitor and providing feedback to an individual based on the received data. The monitor can be a motion monitor that measures an individual's performance such as, for example, speed, pace and distance for a runner. Other monitors might include a heart rate monitor, a temperature monitor, an altimeter, et cetera. In an embodiment, a sport ball that includes a motion monitor for monitoring motion of the sport ball stores an identification value received when a shoe that includes a motion monitor contacts the sport ball. The stored identification value serves as a record of the contact.

A system and method tracks the movements of a driver or passenger in a vehicle (ground, water, air, or other) and controls devices in accordance with position, motion, and / or body or hand gestures or movements. According to one embodiment, an operator or passenger uses the invention to control comfort or entertainment features such the heater, air conditioner, lights, mirror positions or the radio / CD player using hand gestures. An alternative embodiment facilitates the automatic adjustment of car seating restraints based on head position. Yet another embodiment is used to determine when to fire an airbag (and at what velocity or orientation) based on the position of a person in a vehicle seat. The invention may also be used to control systems outside of the vehicle. The on-board sensor system would be used to track the driver or passenger, but when the algorithms produce a command for a desired response, that response (or just position and gesture information) could be transmitted via various methods (wireless, light, whatever) to other systems outside the vehicle to control devices located outside the vehicle. For example, this would allow a person to use gestures inside the car to interact with a kiosk located outside of the car.

A device allows easy and unencumbered interaction between a person and a computer display system using the person's (or another object's) movement and position as input to the computer. In some configurations, the display can be projected around the user so that that the person's actions are displayed around them. The video camera and projector operate on different wavelengths so that they do not interfere with each other. Uses for such a device include, but are not limited to, interactive lighting effects for people at clubs or events, interactive advertising displays, etc. Computer-generated characters and virtual objects can be made to react to the movements of passers-by, generate interactive ambient lighting for social spaces such as restaurants, lobbies and parks, video game systems and create interactive information spaces and art installations. Patterned illumination and brightness and gradient processing can be used to improve the ability to detect an object against a background of video images.

A proactive user interface, which could optionally be installed in (or otherwise control and / or be associated with) any type of computational device. The proactive user interface actively makes suggestions to the user, based upon prior experience with a particular user and / or various preprogrammed patterns from which the computational device could select, depending upon user behavior. These suggestions could optionally be made by altering the appearance of at least a portion of the display, for example by changing a menu or a portion thereof; providing different menus for display; and / or altering touch screen functionality. The suggestions could also optionally be made audibly.

A sensor is disposed in proximity to the gaming table. The sensor is adapted to sense an occurrence of an event on a surface of the gaming table and to output a change-of-state signal. The video camera or video cameras that are disposed in proximity to the gaming table are configured and positioned to be activated to collect the video information relating to activities on the gaming table, and circuitry is adapted to detect the change-of-state signal from the sensor. The circuitry further is adapted to activate the video camera or video cameras to automatically collect the video information upon the detection by the circuitry of the change-of-state signal from the sensor.

A text processing system for processing multi-lingual text for a speech synthesizer includes a first language dependent module for performing at least one of text and prosody analysis on a portion of input text comprising a first language. A second language dependent module performs at least one of text and prosody analysis on a second portion of input text comprising a second language. A third module is adapted to receive outputs from the first and second dependent module and performs prosodic and phonetic context abstraction over the outputs based on multi-lingual text.

A self-contained interactive video display system. A projector projects a visual image onto a screen for displaying the visual image, wherein the projector projects the visual image onto a back side of the screen for presentation to a user on a front side of the screen. An illuminator illuminates an object near the front side of the screen. A camera detects interaction of an illuminated object with the visual image, wherein the screen is at least partially transparent to light detectable to the camera, allowing the camera to detect the illuminated object through the screen. A computer system directs the projector to change the visual image in response to the interaction.

A frame of still picture data is captured at an instant specified by a user from video signals supplied from a given video source, such as a television receiver, a video camera, etc., and the image data is displayed. When the user specifies an area of image to be cut out from the displayed still picture, the image data in the specified area is cut out and recorded as a cutout image. Each cutout image recorded is displayed in the form of an icon. When any of the icons is selected by the user, the corresponding cutout image data is read and pasted in a part to be changed in the original image data. Thus an image can be easily created by user's choice.

The invention discloses an automatic mahjong machine. The automatic mahjong machine comprises a shuffling mechanism, a conveying mechanism, a tile stacking, lifting and pushing mechanism, a rail mechanism, a tile sending driving mechanism and a tile sending mechanism; the conveying mechanism, the tile stacking, lifting and pushing mechanism, the rail mechanism, the tile sending driving mechanism and the tile sending mechanism are arranged at the periphery of the mahjong machine; an input end of the conveying mechanism is arranged at the edge of the shuffling mechanism; an output end of the conveying mechanism is connected with an input end of the tile stacking, lifting and pushing mechanism; the rail mechanism is arranged above the stacking mahjong pushing mechanism; an input end of the rail mechanism is connected with an output end of the tile stacking, lifting and pushing mechanism; an output end of the rail mechanism is connected with an input end of the tile sending mechanism. The automatic mahjong machine has the advantages of being compact and skillful in structure, stable in operation, reasonable in cost control and long in service life.

A disclosed gaming machine may securely communicate with devices over a public network such as the Internet. The gaming machine utilizes a combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption that allows a single gaming machine to securely communicate with a remote server using a public network. The secure communication methods may be used to transfer gaming software and gaming information between two gaming devices, such as between a game server and a gaming machine. For regulatory and tracking purposes, the transfer of gaming software between the two gaming devices may be authorized and monitored by a software authorization agent.

A combination of sensors, including solid-state gyros and force-sensitive resistors, are mounted in an insole suitable for insertion into a shoe. Data from the sensors is recorded by an in situ Programmable Interface Controller (PIC), logged into on-board EEPROM / Flash memory and relayed to a base station computer via a miniature telemetry transmitter triggered by RFID tagging. Software then uses this data to compute the cadence and ankle power of the subject, as well as other parameters, in order to analyze and assess the gait and activity of the subject.

A capture system captures detectable attributes of a user. A differential system compares the detectable attributes with a normalized model of attributes, wherein the normalized model of attributes characterize normal representative attribute values across a sample of a plurality of users and generates differential attributes representing the differences between the detectable attributes and the normalized model of attributes. Multiple separate avatar creator systems receive the differential attributes and each apply the differential attributes to different base avatars to create custom avatars which reflect a selection of the detectable attributes of the user which are distinguishable from the normalized model of attributes.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an audio-conference bridging system and method are provided. The present invention discards the traditional notion of a single mixing function for a conference. Instead, the novel, flexible design of the present invention provides a separate mixing function for each participant in the conference. This new architecture is described generally herein as “EdgePoint mixing.” EdgePoint mixing overcomes limitations of traditional conferencing systems by providing each participant control over his / her conference experience. EdgePoint mixing also allows, when desired, the simulation of a “real-life” conference by permitting each participant to receive a distinctly mixed audio signal from the conference depending on the speaker's “position” within a virtual conference world. The present invention also preferably accommodates participants of different qualities of service. Each participant, thus, is able to enjoy the highest-level conferencing experience that his / her own connection and equipment will permit.

An apparatus and a method enabled by the apparatus perform a method of measuring wagering activity on a gaming table. The method comprises providing at least one grid of sensors positioned over an area defined by the surface of a gaming table to sense the presence or absence of gaming elements on the gaming table surface. The sensors sense gaming elements (e.g., playing cards, gaming chips, tokens, player cards, etc.) on the gaming table surface. Signals are sent from the sensors (preferably to a logic control device) indicating the presence or absence of the gaming elements. The logic control device sends signals to a processor in response to receiving the signals from the sensors, and the processor storing information from said signals from the logic control system indicating the presence or absence of gaming elements on the casino table surface.

A virtual input device or apparatus that replaces the typical mouse, keyboard or other finger manipulated inputs currently used as inputs for any type of computing system such as signals used to control computers, PDAs, Video Games, Multimedia Displays and other similar electronic systems whether of a desktop or mobile configuration.

A playmate toy or similar children's toy is provided having associated wireless, batteryless ID tag that can be read from and / or written to using a radio-frequency communication protocol. The tag is mounted internally within a cavity of the toy and thereby provides wireless communication of stored information without requiring removal and reinsertion of the tag. In this manner, a stuffed animal or other toy can be quickly and easily identified non-invasively, without damaging the toy. Additional information (e.g., unique personality traits, special powers, skill levels, etc.) can also be stored on the ID tag, thus providing further personality enhancement, input / output programming, simulated intelligence and / or interactive gaming possibilities.

The invention relates to a fully-automatic mahjong machine comprising a board sending system, a board loading system, a board lifting system and a large shuffling disc. The board sending system comprises four board sending mechanisms, each board sending mechanism comprises a transmission rack, and a board sending motor, a board absorbing wheel, a transmission belt, a transmission platform, a board inlet guiding piece and a board outlet guiding piece fixed on the transmission rack; a board sending channel is arranged at the upper end of the transmission platform, the board absorbing wheel is tightly attached at the lower end of a board inlet opening of the board sending channel, the board inlet guiding piece is positioned above the board absorbing wheel, the board outlet guiding piece is positioned at a board outlet opening of the board inlet channel, the board sending motor is used for driving a motor guiding wheel, the motor guiding wheel is positioned below the transmission platform, and the transmission belt loops the motor guiding wheel, the board absorbing wheel and the transmission platform. In the invention, for the mahjong boards with different widths, the board sending mechanism of the mahjong machine can run normally by only replacing the corresponding board inlet guiding piece and the board outlet guiding piece, and a transmission rack cover does not need to be changed, so that the operation is simple and convenient, and the board inlet guiding piece and the board outlet guiding piece has extremely low production cost relative to the transmission rack cover.

A light-emitting device which is manufactured by a simple manufacturing method and which efficiently extracts light emitted from an emissive layer outward to improve the light extraction efficiency. The light-emitting device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and an emissive layer disposed between them and extracts a part of light emitted from the emissive layer as radiated light. In this light-emitting device, the first electrode, the nano-structure layer for extracting the radiated light, and a gap having a refractive index lower than an average refractive index of the emissive layer and a nano-structure layer, are arranged in that order in a direction in which the radiated light is extracted.

A system and method for directing the improvisational behavior of a computer-controlled character which enables the character to reflect personality, mood, and other life-like qualities. The method includes the step of storing in the system a set of possible behaviors for the character and state data representative of a current state of the character. The possible behaviors include both physical and verbal behaviors. The current state includes the character's current mood, directional state, activity state, and location in a virtual world. The method also includes the step of identifying from the set of possible behaviors a subset of feasible behaviors for the character in the current state. Each of the feasible behaviors is evaluated to determine a respective desirability rating of the feasible behavior in the current state. The method further includes the step of selecting a behavior to be executed by the character from the subset of feasible behaviors. The behavior to be executed is selected in dependence upon its desirability rating.

A document categorization system, including a clusterer for generating clusters of related electronic documents based on features extracted from the documents, and a filter module for generating a filter on the basis of the clusters to categorize further documents received by the system. The system may include an editor for manually browsing and modifying the clusters. The categorization of the documents is based on n-grams, which are used to determine significant features of the documents. The system includes a trend analyzer for determining trends of changing document categories over time, and for identifying novel clusters. The system may be implemented as a plug-in module for a spreadsheet application for permitting one-off or ongoing analysis of text entries in a worksheet.

The present invention discloses a computer system within a computer network having multiple computers connected together using telecommunications mechanisms for graphically interacting within immersive online communities. A user selects a set of desired characteristics associated with a personality for creation of a first intelligent virtual object. The first intelligent virtual object interacts with other intelligent virtual objects within the immersive online community utilizing predetermined interface tools such that said other intelligent virtual objects receive real-time responses to stimuli initiated by said other intelligent virtual objects. The first intelligent virtual object interactively passes user generated content between said other intelligent virtual objects and said user under administrative controls.

A noise-free portable EEG system is provided. The system has hardware and software and can evaluate mental state quantitatively. The quantitative data of mental states and their levels can be applied to various areas of brain-machine interface including consumer products, video game, toys, military and aerospace as well as biofeedback or neurofeedback.