Detecting oral temperature using thermal camera

A method, system, and computer product for detecting an oral temperature for a human include capturing a thermal image for a human using a camera, detecting a face region of the human from the thermal image, detecting a mouth region on the face region, comparing a temperature value on the mouth region to a reference temperature value on a first other face region, detecting an open mouth region on the mouth region based on a comparison result of the temperature value on the mouth region to the reference temperature value of the first other face region, determining whether a mouth of the human is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected, and computing the oral temperature based on temperature values on the mouth region and at least one other face region, responsive to the determination of the mouth being open enough for the oral temperature to be detected.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method for detecting an oral temperature for a patient, and more particularly to, a non-invasive method, system, and computer product for detecting an oral temperature for a patient using a thermal camera.

BACKGROUND

Recently, a home healthcare system has been receiving increasing attention. In such home healthcare system, measurement of a body temperature for a patient helps a medical professional (e.g., doctor) to check a patient's current health state. In such home healthcare system, a body temperature detection device is generally located at a patient's home, and thus may require a patient′ frequent manual operation on it. If a patient or a home user of the home body temperature detection device lacks of skill at the operation thereon, there may occur a temperature detection error which may lead the medical professional to making a wrong decision on the patient's health state. On the other hand, many techniques of detecting a body temperature through a face skin or forehead of a patient have been developed, but it is known that a face skin or forehead temperature is prone to be affected by an ambient temperature and an oral temperature provides a relatively accurate body temperature.

Thus, there is a need for an oral temperature detection technique that can be applied to a home healthcare application where a medical professional is remotely located from a patient.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for detecting an oral temperature for a human is provided. The method includes capturing a thermal image for a human using a camera having a thermal image sensor, detecting a face region of the human from the thermal image, detecting a mouth region on the face region, comparing a temperature value on the mouth region to a reference temperature value on a first other face region, detecting an open mouth region on the mouth region based on a comparison result of the temperature value on the mouth region to the reference temperature value of the first other face region, determining whether a mouth of the human is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected, and computing the oral temperature based on temperature values on the mouth region and at least one other face region, responsive to the determination of the mouth being open enough for the oral temperature to be detected.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a system for detecting an oral temperature for a human is provided. The system includes a memory device storing machine executable program instructions and at least one processing device coupled to the memory device. The at least one processing device is configured to run the machine executable program instructions to perform capturing a thermal image for a human using a camera having a thermal image sensor, detecting a face region of the human from the thermal image, detecting a mouth region on the face region, comparing a temperature value on the mouth region to a reference temperature value on a first other face region, detecting an open mouth region on the mouth region based on a comparison result of the temperature value on the mouth region to the reference temperature value of the first other face region, determining whether a mouth of the human is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected, and computing the oral temperature based on temperature values on the mouth region and at least one other face region, responsive to the determination of the mouth being open enough for the oral temperature to be detected.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product stored in a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program instructions is provided. The computer readable program instructions are read and carried out by a processing device of performing a method for detecting an oral temperature for a human. The method includes capturing a thermal image for a human using a camera having a thermal image sensor, detecting a face region of the human from the thermal image, detecting a mouth region on the face region, comparing a temperature value on the mouth region to a reference temperature value on a first other face region, detecting an open mouth region on the mouth region based on a comparison result of the temperature value on the mouth region to the reference temperature value of the first other face region, determining whether a mouth of the human is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected, and computing the oral temperature based on temperature values on the mouth region and at least one other face region, responsive to the determination of the mouth being open enough for the oral temperature to be detected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail on the basis of the drawings. However, the following embodiments do not restrict the invention claimed in the claims. Moreover, all combinations of features described in the embodiments are not necessarily mandatory for the architecture of the present invention. Like numbers are assigned to like elements throughout the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

A method, system, and computer product for detecting an oral temperature for an animate object are disclosed. A system for detecting the oral temperature for the animate object is referred to as an “oral temperature detection system”. In the present disclosure, an “animate object” may be understood to include, but is not limited to, a human, a patient, or other warm-blood animals (e.g., mammals) under diagnosis.

FIG. 1Ais a block diagram of an oral temperature detection system1aaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.FIGS. 1B and 1Cillustrate examples of images captured in the oral temperature detection system1aofFIG. 1A, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 1A, an oral temperature detection system1aaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a camera device10for capturing a thermal image111for an animate object (not shown), a face region detection module20for detecting a face region of the animate object from the thermal image111, an open mouth region detection module30for detecting an open mouth region from the detected face region, a mouth openness detection module40for detecting a mouth openness from the open mouth region, an oral temperature detection module50for detecting (or calculating) an oral temperature of the animate object, a display device60for displaying the detected oral temperature, and a controller70for controlling operations of the camera device10, the face region detection module20, the open mouth region detection module30, the mouth openness detection module40, the oral temperature detection module50, and the display device60.

The camera device10may include a thermal image sensing unit110for capturing the thermal image111for the animate object. In the context of the present disclosure, the thermal image111may be understood as an image including a plurality of thermal image pixels (e.g., pixels of temperature values), each of which represents a corresponding one of temperature values of the image. In one embodiment, the thermal image sensing unit110may be implemented based on an infrared (IR) temperature sensing technique. In some embodiments, the camera device10may further include an RGB image sensing unit120for capturing an RGB image121for the animate object. Thus, the camera device10may generate the thermal image111and/or the RGB image121. The RGB image121may represent an actual image of the animate object, which, as an example, is to be displayed together with a detected oral temperature value (of the animate object) and/or the thermal image111, to a medical processional (not shown). In one embodiment, the thermal and RGB images111and121have substantially the same number of pixels and the matrix size as each other.

As shown inFIG. 1A, the face region detection module20may receive the thermal image111from the camera device10and perform a face region detection from the thermal image111. Empirically, the thermal image111may have thermal distribution related to unique features for a human face. Examples of the features for a human face may include, but are limited: 1) a face region may be shown in a thermal image with a higher temperature and denser capillary than other non-facial region such as a background region; 2) an eye region where temperatures around eyes may be higher than other regions such as cheeks, a nose bridge, or the like; 3) a nose region where a temperature on the nose region is close to a background temperature (e.g., ambient temperature); and 4) an eye region has the highest temperature on the face region. These empirical information allow to derive empirical parameters such as each face feature′ location, size, thermal indices (e.g., temperature values), or the like, and such empirical parameters may be stored in memory80included in the system1aand incorporated into a face detection model which facilitates a faster and more accurate face region detection.

To avoid computational complexity and speed up a face region detection process, it is well known that a subset of relevant features (e.g., weak classifiers) for a subject image must be chosen rather than all possible features set are chosen. In one embodiment, functions of the face region detection module20may be implemented using face region detection techniques well known in the art based on, but are not limited to, an Adaptive Boosting (Adaboost) algorithm (disclosed in a reference entitled “Robust real-time face detection”, Paul Viola and Michael Jones, Feb. 20, 2009) and a deep learning algorithm (disclosed in a reference entitled “Convolutional face finder: a neural architecture for fast and robust face detection”, Christophe Garcia, IEEE transactions on pattern analysis and machine intelligence, November, 2004). In one example, the Adaboost algorithm is used to choose a subset of relevant features and train a series of strong classifiers. The strong classifiers may be used in a cascaded manner to discriminate non-face regions from the face region. The detailed algorithms and skills for implementation of the face region detection module20are well known to those skilled in the art, and are not the main parts of the present disclosure, and thus are not described herein. By way of example only, shown inFIG. 1Bis an example thermal image111and an example image112captured as a result of face region detection being made on the thermal image111. Within the image112ofFIG. 1B, a face region112ais shown. The face region detection module20may further be configured to locate face features on the face region112aand an example of the located face features is shown with a reference number112binFIG. 1B. Shown inFIG. 1Bare eye regions1121and1122, a nose region1123, cheek regions1124and1125, and a mouth region1126. Shown inFIG. 1Cis an example captured image113afor a mouth region.

Referring back toFIG. 1A, the open mouth region detection module30may detect an open mouth region on the mouth region113a(FIG. 1C) provided by the face region detection module20. To this end, the open mouth region detection module30may identify a plurality of thermal image pixels (not shown) on the mouth region113aand compare a respective temperature value of each thermal image pixel to a reference temperature value T_ref (see equation 1 below). If one or more image pixels on the mouth region113ahave higher temperature values than the reference temperature value T_ref, the open mouth region detection module30may determine a region defined by such one or more image pixels as an open mouth region113b, as exemplary shown inFIG. 1C. In one embodiment, the reference temperature value T_ref may be obtained based on a temperature value of other reference face region (e.g., non-mouth face region) than the mouth region113a. For example, the reference temperature value T_ref may be a value higher than a temperature value T_otr of the other reference face region (e.g., cheek region1124or1125ofFIG. 1B) by a constant value C, as shown in the following equation (1):
T_ref=T_otr+CEquation (1)

In one embodiment, when a cheek region is used as the other reference face region of which temperature value is compared to a corresponding one of the thermal image pixels within the mouth region113afor detecting an open mouth region113b, the constant value C may range from 1.5 to 5.0 degrees Celsius. Stated differently, a region on the mouth region113awith one or more thermal pixels having higher temperature values by a temperature value C may be determined as an open mouth region113b.

Referring still toFIG. 1A, the mouth openness detection module40may detect a mouth openness. Stated differently, the mouth openness detection module40may determine whether a mouth of an animate object is open enough such that an oral temperature for the animate object can be detected. For example, if a mouth of the animate object is open larger than a predetermined value, the mouth openness detection module40may determine that the mouth is open enough and an oral temperature is ready to be detected; otherwise, the mouth openness detection module40may determine that the mouth is not clearly open enough or the mouth is closed.

To determine the mouth openness, in some embodiments, the mouth openness detection module40may identify an open mouth region113b(FIG. 1C) on the mouth region113a(FIG. 1C), compare a size of the open mouth region113bto a size of the entire face region113c(FIG. 1C), and determine a ratio of the size of the open mouth region113bto the size of the entire face region113c. When the ratio of the size of the opened mouth region113bto the size of the entire face region113cis equal to or greater than a reference ratio that ranges, e.g., from 1/17 to 1/10, the mouth openness detection module40may determine that the mouth is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected; otherwise determine that the mouth is not clearly open or closed. In comparing the sizes between the open mouth region113band the entire face region113c, the number of thermal image pixels in each of the open mouth region113band the entire face region113cmay be used. For example, the number of thermal image pixels in the open mouth region113bmay be calculated as correspondingly to the size of the open mouth region113b, and the number of thermal image pixels in the face region113cmay be calculated as correspondingly to the size of the face region113c.

By way of example only, if 1/17 is selected as the reference ratio to be compared to the ratio of the size of the opened mouth region113bto the size of the entire face region113c, and the open mouth region113band the face region113care defined respectively in 10×10 (pixel-width×pixel-height) and 40×40 (pixel-width×pixel-height), the mouth openness detection module40may determine a size of the open mouth region113bas 100 pixel region and a size of the face region113cas 1600 pixel region. In this case, the ratio of the size (i.e., 100 pixel region) of the open mouth region113bto the size (i.e., 1600 pixel region) of the face region113cmay be 1/16 which is greater than 1/17, the reference ratio. Thus, the mouth openness detection module40may determine that a mouth is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected and generate a trigger signal41that indicates that a mouth is open.

Referring still toFIG. 1A, the oral temperature detection module50may calculate an oral temperature for an animate object responsive to receipt of the trigger signal41, based on the following equation.
T_oral=Tmax_m+α*(Tmax_e−Tmax_n)  Equation (2)

Here, Tmax_m, Tmax_e, and Tmax_n represent maximum temperatures (e.g., degrees Celsius) on respective mouth region, eye region, and nose region, and a is a scaling parameter (e.g., 0.5). “*” indicates a multiplication operation. Shown inFIG. 1Cis an example image114and an oral temperature value114a(e.g., 96 degrees Fahrenheit) captured when the oral temperature is detected (or calculated) for the animate object.

Referring still toFIG. 1A, the display device60may display the detected oral temperature value T_oral together with the thermal image111(see114ofFIG. 1C). In some embodiments, although not shown, the display device60may display the detected oral temperature value T_oral together with the thermal image111and the RGB image121of the animate object.

In some embodiments, at least one of the face region detection module20, the open mouth region detection30, the mouth openness detection module40, and the oral temperature detection module50may be implemented by a hardware processor (not shown) or based on a (field-programmable gate array) FPGA design (not shown), but in another embodiment, implemented based on program codes which are stored in memory (not shown) or in a hardware processor and executed by the hardware processor.

FIGS. 2A to 2Dare flow charts illustrating a method for detecting an oral temperature for an animate object according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 2A, the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include capturing a thermal image (111ofFIG. 1A) and/or an RGB image (e.g.,121ofFIG. 1A) for an animate object using a camera device (10ofFIG. 1A) in an operation of step S110. The camera device10may capture an image for the animate object.

In addition, as shown inFIG. 2A, in step S120, a face region may be detected from the thermal image captured through the step S110. In one embodiment, if the face region is not successfully detected, the capturing of an image for an animate object (S110) may be repeated (not shown). Next, in step S130, a mouth region may be detected on the face region detected through the step S120. As shown inFIG. 2B, the mouth region may be detected by locating face features on the face region (S131) and detecting the mouth region based on the face features (S132).

Next, referring back toFIG. 2A, a mouth openness may be detected (S140). Stated differently, it is determined whether a mouth is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected. If the mouth is determined to be open (S143), an oral temperature may be detected (or calculated) on the open mouth region (S150); otherwise (S144), the steps S110, S120, S130, and S140may be repeated until the mouth is determined to be open.

As shown inFIG. 2C, the determining of whether a mouth is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected (step S140) may further include determining an open mouth region on the mouth region (S141). To this end, as shown inFIG. 2D, a plurality of thermal image pixels corresponding to the mouth region may be identified (S1411) and a respective temperature value of each thermal image pixel may be compared to a reference temperature value (S1412). When one or more image pixels on the mouth region have higher temperature values than the reference temperature value (e.g., T_ref in Equation (1)), a region defined by such one or more image pixels may be detected as an open mouth region (S1413); otherwise, such region may be determined as a closed mouth region (S1414). Next, referring back toFIG. 2C, a size (or area) of the open mouth region may be compared to a size (or area) of the entire face region in step S142. When a mouth is open larger than a predetermined value (YES), it may be determined that the mouth is open enough and an oral temperature is ready to be detected (S143); otherwise (NO), it may be determined that the mouth is not clearly open or the mouth is closed (S144) and the steps S110, S120, S130, and S140may be repeated until the mouth is determined to be open. In some embodiments, a ratio of the size of the open mouth region to the size of the entire face region may be determined. When the ratio of the size of the open mouth region to the size of the entire face region is equal to or greater than a reference ratio that ranges, e.g., from 1/17 to 1/10, it may be determined that the mouth is open for an oral temperature to be detected; otherwise it may be determined that the mouth is not clearly open enough or closed. In comparing the sizes between the open mouth region and the entire face region, the number of thermal image pixels in each of the open mouth region and the entire face region may be used. For example, the number of thermal image pixels in the open mouth region may be calculated as correspondingly to the size of the open mouth region, and the number of thermal image pixels in the face region may be calculated as correspondingly to the size of the face region.

In the step S150, an oral temperature for an animate object may be calculated using the above-mentioned Equation (2). Next, in step S160, the calculated oral temperature may be displayed using a display device (e.g.,60ofFIG. 1A).

FIG. 3illustrates a schematic of an example home healthcare network system2where a face region detection module, an open mouth region detection module, a mouth openness detection module, and an oral temperature detection module are implemented in a communication device at a patient's site remote from a medical professional, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 3, a patient2000aand a medical professional (e.g., doctor)2000bmay be located at a distance and connected through a communication network250. For communication over the network250, each of the patient2000aand the medial professional2000buses at least one communication device. For illustrative purpose, as shown, a communication device200amay be located at the patient2000a's site and a communication device200bmay be located at the medical professional2000b's site. Stated differently, the communication device200amay be associated with the patient2000aand the communication device200bmay be associated with the medical professional2000bremotely located from the patient2000a.

As shown, the communication device200alocated at the patient2000a′ site may include a camera device10for capturing a thermal image111for the patient2000a, a face region detection module20for detecting a face region of the patient2000afrom the thermal image111, an open mouth region detection module30for detecting an open mouth region on the detected face region, a mouth openness detection module40for determining whether the patient2000a's mouth is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected, and an oral temperature detection module50for detecting (or calculating) an oral temperature for the patient2000aon the open mouth region. Detailed operations or configurations of the camera device10, the face region detection module20, the open mouth region detection module30, the mouth openness detection module40, and the oral temperature detection module50may be substantially the same as those ofFIG. 1A. Duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted for the sake of simplicity. The communication device200amay further include a network adaptor90afor sending/receiving data to/from the communication device200blocated at the medical professional2000b's site over the communication network250; in some embodiments, the communication device200amay be configured to send a data signal2001, which includes an oral temperature value detected by the oral temperature detection module50, to the communication device200busing the network adaptor90a. The communication device200amay further include a controller70afor controlling operations of the camera device10, the face region detection module20, the open mouth region detection module30, the mouth openness detection module40, and the oral temperature detection module50. Thus, the communication device200blocated at the medical professional2000b's may receive the data signal2001using a network adaptor90bincluded therein and display the oral temperature value of the patient2000ausing a display device60bincluded therein. In another embodiment, the camera device10of the communication device200amay further capture an RGB image121for the patient2000aand provide the RGB image121to the network adaptor90a, and thus, the data signal2001may further include the RGB image121as well as the thermal image111and the oral temperature value detected by the oral temperature detection module50. Thus, at least one of the RGB image121, the thermal image111, and the oral temperature for the patient2000aor any combination(s) thereof may be displayed using the display device60b. The communication device200bmay further include, but is not limited to, a controller70bfor controlling the operations of the network adaptor90band the display device60b.

Referring toFIG. 3, each of the communication devices200aand200bmay be implemented with a ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), a net-book, a personal digital assistance (PDA), a portable computer (PC), a web tablet, a wireless phone, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an e-book, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a portable game console, a navigation device, a black box, a digital camera, a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) player, a digital audio recorder, a digital audio player, a digital picture recorder, a digital picture player, a digital video recorder, a digital video player, or the like.

Further, although the camera device10is illustrated to be included in the communication device200a, it may be embodied in the communication device200aor a peripheral device thereto.

The network250may include wired communications based on Internet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or the like, or wireless communications based on code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile communication (GSM), wideband CDMA, CDMA-2000, time division multiple access (TDMA), long term evolution (LTE), wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or the like.

FIG. 4illustrates a schematic of an example home healthcare network system3where a face region detection module, an open mouth region detection module, a mouth openness detection module, and an oral temperature detection module are implemented in a communication device located at a medical professional site remote from a medical professional, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 4, a patient2000aand a medical professional2000bmay be located at a distance and connected through a communication network250. For communication over the network250, each of the patient2000aand the medial professional2000buses at least one communication device. For illustrative purpose, as shown, a communication device300amay be located at the patient2000a's site and a communication device300bmay be located at the medical professional2000b's site. Stated differently, the communication device300amay be associated with the patient2000aand the communication device300bmay be associated with the medical professional2000bremotely located from the patient2000a.

As shown, the communication device300alocated at the patient2000a′ site may include, but is not limited to, a camera device10, a network adaptor90a, and a controller71afor controlling operations of the camera device10and the network adaptor90a. The camera device10may capture a thermal image111for the patient2000aand send the captured thermal image111to a network adaptor90a. The network adaptor90amay be configured to send/receive data to/from the communication device300bat the medical professional2000b's site, over the communication network250; in some embodiments, the communication device300amay be configured to send a data signal3001, which includes the thermal image111for the patient2000a, to the communication device300busing the network adaptor90a. Thus, the communication device300blocated at the medical professional2000b's site may receive the thermal image111of the data signal3001using a network adaptor90bincluded therein. The communication device300bmay include a face region detection module20for detecting a face region of the patient2000afrom the thermal image111received from the communication device300a, an open mouth region detection module30for detecting an open mouth region on the detected face region, a mouth openness detection module40for determining whether the patient2000a's mouth is open enough for an oral temperature to be detected, and an oral temperature detection module50for detecting (or calculating) an oral temperature for the patient2000aon the open mouth region. Detailed operations or configurations of the face region detection module20, the open mouth region detection module30, the mouth openness detection module40, and the oral temperature detection module50may be substantially the same as those ofFIG. 1A. Duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted for the sake of simplicity. Next, the communication device300bmay display the oral temperature value detected by the oral temperature detection module50using the display device60bincluded therein. The communication device300bmay further include a controller71bfor controlling operations of the network adaptor90b, the face region detection module20, the open mouth region detection module30, the mouth openness detection module40, the oral temperature detection module50, and the display device60b. In another embodiment, the camera device10of the communication device300amay further capture an RGB image121for the patient2000aand provide the RGB image121to the network adaptor90a, and thus, the data signal3001to be transferred to the communication device300bmay further include the RGB image121as well as the thermal image111. Thus, the communication device300bmay receive the RGB image121and/or the thermal image111, detect (or calculate) an oral temperature based on the thermal image111, and display at least one of the RGB image121and/or the thermal image111, and the oral temperature or any combination(s) thereof using the display device60b.

Referring still toFIG. 4, each of the communication devices300aand300bmay be implemented with an UMPC, a net-book, a PDA, a PC, a web tablet, a wireless phone, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an e-book, a PMP, a portable game console, a navigation device, a black box, a digital camera, a DMB player, a digital audio recorder, a digital audio player, a digital picture recorder, a digital picture player, a digital video recorder, a digital video player, or the like.

Further, although the camera device10is illustrated to be included in the communication device300a, it may be embodied in the communication device300aor a peripheral device thereto.

The home healthcare network system2or3using an oral temperature detection system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure does not require a patient or home user to manipulate or operate the temperature detection system, other than to take the thermal and/or RGB images, which may cause a temperature detection error, instead facilitating a real-time oral temperature detection while a medical professional and a patient are being on a conversation (or in communication), it may minimize the temperature detection error due to the patient's or home user's immature operating skill on a device and thus allow a medical professional to monitor a patient's health state in real-time.

FIG. 5is a block diagram of a computing system5000according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 5, the computing system5000may be used as a platform for performing (or controlling) the functions or operations described hereinabove with respect to the systems1a,2, and3ofFIGS. 1A, 3, and 4and/or the method ofFIGS. 2A to 2D.

In addition, the computing system5000may be implemented with an UMPC, a net-book, a PDA, a portable computer (PC), a web tablet, a wireless phone, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an e-book, a PMP, a portable game console, a navigation device, a black box, a digital camera, a DMB player, a digital audio recorder, a digital audio player, a digital picture recorder, a digital picture player, a digital video recorder, a digital video player, or the like.

Referring toFIG. 5, the computing system5000may include a processor5010, I/O devices5020, a memory system5030, a display device5040, and a network adaptor5050.

The processor5010may drive the I/O devices5020, the memory system5030, the display device5040, and the network adaptor5050through a bus5060.

The computing system5000may include a program module (not shown) for performing (or controlling) the functions or operations described hereinabove with respect to the systems1a,2, and3ofFIGS. 1A, 3, and 4and/or the method ofFIGS. 2A to 2Daccording to exemplary embodiments. For example, the program module may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, or the like, for performing particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The processor (e.g.,5010) of the computing system5000may execute instructions written in the program module to perform (or control) the functions or operations described hereinabove with respect to the systems1a,2, and3ofFIGS. 1A, 3, and 4and/or the method ofFIGS. 2A to 2D. The program module may be programmed into the integrated circuits of the processor (e.g.,5010). In an exemplary embodiment, the program module may be stored in the memory system (e.g.,5030) or in a remote computer system storage media.

The computing system5000may include a variety of computing system readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by the computer system (e.g.,5000), and it may include both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

The memory system (e.g.,5030) can include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) and/or cache memory or others. The computer system (e.g.,5000) may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media.

The computer system (e.g.,5000) can communicate with one or more devices using the network adapter (e.g.,5050). The network adapter may support wired communications based on Internet, LAN, WAN, or the like, or wireless communications based on CDMA, GSM, wideband CDMA, CDMA-2000, TDMA, LTE, wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or the like.