Patent Publication Number: US-9905007-B2

Title: Digital set top box (STB) having a multiple identification system for transmitting physiological information applied to heterogeneous networks

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a thermal video-image physiological information detection system and method thereof for estimating pulse rates. Particularly, the present invention relates to a digital set top box (STB) having a multiple identification system for transmitting physiological information applied to heterogeneous networks. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     US Patent Application Publication No. 20150250391, entitled “Cardiac Pulse Rate Estimation from Source Video Data,” discloses a system and method for estimating a cardiac pulse rate from a video of a subject being monitored for cardiac function. In one embodiment, batches of overlapping image frames are continuously received and processed by isolating regions of exposed skin. Pixels of the isolated regions are processed to obtain a time-series signal per region, and a physiological signal is extracted from each region&#39;s time-series signals. The physiological signal is processed to obtain a cardiac pulse rate for each region. The cardiac pulse rate for each region is compared to a last good cardiac pulse rate from a previous batch to obtain a difference. If the difference exceeds a threshold, the cardiac pulse rate is discarded. Otherwise, it is retained. Once all the regions have been processed, the retained cardiac pulse rate with a minimum difference becomes the good cardiac pulse rate for comparison on a next iteration. 
     Another U.S. Pat. No. 9,036,877, entitled “Continuous Cardiac Pulse Rate Estimation from Multi-channel Source Video Data with Mid-point Stitching,” discloses a system and method for extracting PPG signals on a continuous basis from signals generated from video images captured of a subject being monitored for cardiac function in a non-contact remote sensing environment. In one embodiment, a time-series signal is received. The time-series signal is generated from video images captured of a region of exposed skin where a PPG signal of a subject of interest can be registered. The time-series signal is then divided into batches for processing, with successive batches having at least a 95% overlap with a previous batch. Each of the batches of time-series signals is processed to obtain a PPG signal from each batch. A mid-point of each of these PPG-signals is stitched together to obtain a continuous PPG signal for the subject. The continuous PPG signal for the subject can then viewed on a display device. 
     Another U.S. Pat. No. 8,855,384, entitled “Continuous Cardiac Pulse Rate Estimation from Multi-channel Source Video Data,” discloses a computationally efficient system and method for estimating a subject&#39;s cardiac pulse rate from multi-channel source video data. In one embodiment, a time-series signal is continuously processed by repeatedly: (1) conditioning the estimated source signal obtained on a previous iteration to produce a next reference signal; and (2) using this reference signal to perform a constrained source separation on this next segment to obtain an estimated source signal. A frequency at which this next estimated source signal converged is the subject&#39;s estimated cardiac pulse rate for this signal segment. The reference signal is repeatedly updated. Upon convergence, the sliding window is shifted to define a next segment of the time-series signal. The method repeats for each time-series signal segment on a continuous basis or until a termination criteria is met. In such a manner, the subject&#39;s cardiac pulse rate is estimated from video data on a continuous basis. 
     However, there is a need of improving the conventional video-image physiological information detection method for estimating pulse rates. The above-mentioned patent and patent application publications are incorporated herein by reference for purposes including, but not limited to, indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the situation of the art. 
     As is described in greater detail below, the present invention provides a thermal video-image physiological information detection system and method thereof for estimating pulse rates. In a detecting operation, a series of video images of head portions are captured and processed to obtain variations of temperature data and to further convert into pulse rate data in such a way as to improve the estimated pulse rates of the conventional physiological information detection method. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of this invention is to provide a thermal video-image physiological information detection system and method thereof for estimating pulse rates. In a detecting operation, a series of video images of head portions are captured and processed to obtain variations of temperature data and to further convert into pulse rate data, thereby retrieving personal features of physiological information. Advantageously, the thermal video-image physiological information detection system and method of the present invention is successful in retrieving a biological feature and enhancing the accuracy of estimated pulse rates. 
     The thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: 
     an image-capturing unit provided to capture a series of images of head portions; 
     an image-processing unit connected with the image-capturing unit to receive the captured images, with operating the image-processing unit to process the captured images and to seek or trace at least one first head portion area and at least one first neck portion area thereof in the processed images, with further operating the image-processing unit to process the captured images to retrieve first temperature data from the selected first head portion area and the selected first neck portion area of the processed images, with further operating the image-processing unit to convert variations of the first temperature data into estimated first pulse data; and 
     a data-transmitting unit connected with the image-processing unit to transmit the estimated first pulse data to a predetermined device. 
     In a separate aspect of the present invention, the image-capturing unit is a digital camera or an infrared camera. 
     In a further separate aspect of the present invention, the image-processing unit is further operated to trace at least one first arterial portion area in the selected first neck portion area. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the image-processing unit further includes a facial recognition module. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the facial recognition module is operated to process a procedure of a live detection step, a wavelet frame representation step and a facial candidate selection step with the captured images. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the predetermined device is a wearable device, a mobile device, a STB device, a display device or a computer device. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the predetermined device further includes a multiple recognition system. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the multiple recognition system includes a RFID reader module and a 2D bar code reader module. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the data-transmitting unit connects with a heterogeneous network via the predetermined device. 
     The thermal video-image physiological information detection method in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: 
     providing an image-capturing unit to capture a series of images of head portions; 
     providing an image-processing unit to connect with the image-capturing unit to receive the captured images, with operating the image-processing unit to process the captured images and to seek or trace at least one first head portion area and at least one first neck portion area thereof in the processed captured images, with further operating the image-processing unit to process the captured images to retrieve first temperature data from the selected first head portion area and the selected first neck portion area of the processed images, with further operating the image-processing unit to convert variations of the first temperature data into estimated first pulse data; and 
     providing a data-transmitting unit to connect with the image-processing unit to transmit the estimated first pulse data to a predetermined device. 
     In a separate aspect of the present invention, the image-processing unit is further operated to trace at least one first arterial portion area in the selected first neck portion area. 
     In a further separate aspect of the present invention, the image-processing unit is further operated to trace a second head portion area and a second neck portion area thereof in the processed captured images. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the image-processing unit is further operated to trace a second arterial portion area in the second neck portion area. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the image-processing unit further includes a facial recognition module to recognize at least one first facial portion area in the first head portion area. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the facial recognition module is operated to process a procedure of a live detection step, a wavelet frame representation step and a facial candidate selection step for facial recognition. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the predetermined device is a wearable device, a mobile device, a STB device, a display device or a computer device. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the predetermined device further includes a multiple recognition system to execute a recognition procedure for identifying personnel to allow operating the predetermined device. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the multiple recognition system includes a RFID reader module and a 2D bar code reader module for executing the recognition procedure. 
     In yet a further separate aspect of the present invention, the first head portion area is a round-shaped head portion area, an oval-shaped head portion area or an elliptic head portion area. 
     Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a video on demand (VOD) system applied to a thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a multimedia on demand (MOD) system applied to the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a series of images (a)-(d) generated from a captured image preprocessed by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a processed image generated from the erosion image and the dilation image calculated by a connected component labeling algorithm applied in the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is another processed image generated from the bounded image to seek or trace a head portion area by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a chart diagram illustrating grayscale values in relation to temperatures applied in the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  are image views (a)-(c) of the head portion area from three different angles and three chart diagrams of temperatures versus time thereof processed by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  are image views (a)-(c) of the head portion area from three different angles, three images of corresponding selected neck portion area and three chart diagrams of temperatures versus time and estimated pulse rate thereof processed by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a video on demand (VOD) system applied to a thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a digital STB  3 , a multiple recognition system  30  and a physiological information detection system  3   a . The multiple recognition system  30  and the physiological information detection system  3   a  connect and communicate with the digital STB  3 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the digital STB  3  connects with a heterogeneous network  2  via a video on demand (VOD) system  1  for receiving digital video/audio data. The digital STB  3  connects with a computer system or a smart TV system for storing the digital video/audio data. In a preferred embodiment, the heterogeneous network  2  includes a Wireless LAN system and a 3G/WiMAX system or other equivalent system. The digital STB  3  further connects with a plurality of display devices  4  for displaying the digital video/audio data. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the digital STB  3  is suitable for processing TV signals, cable signals, satellite signals or broadcast and IP/DSL signals. In a preferred embodiment, the digital STB  3  has a function of bidirectional digital communication or digital multiple-media network communication. The digital STB  3  is also suitable for an ATSC system, a DVB system, an ISDB system, a DMT-T system or an ADTB-T system. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the digital STB  3  connects between the heterogeneous network  2  and the display devices  4  and other peripherals. Users can operate the digital STB  3  for internet accessing (e.g. e-mailing), website surfing or online shopping via the heterogeneous network  2 . In a preferred embodiment, the display device  4  can be a monitor device, a TV device or other peripheral. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the multiple recognition system  30  connects between the heterogeneous network  2  and the display devices  4  and other peripherals for executing a recognition procedure for identifying personnel to allow operating the digital STB  3  or the display device  4 . In a preferred embodiment, the multiple recognition system  30  includes at least two recognition units with various recognition technologies for accomplishing multiple recognition steps. 
       FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of a multimedia on demand (MOD) system applied to the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention corresponding to that shown in  FIG. 1 . Referring now to  FIG. 2 , in comparison with the first preferred embodiment, the thermal video-image physiological information detection system of the second preferred embodiment includes a digital STB  3  and a multiple recognition system  30  incorporated therein. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the multiple recognition system  30  includes a RFID reader module  301  and a 2D bar code reader module  302  or other equivalent reader module (e.g., magnetic card reader or password input). Accordingly, users can be authorized to access one of the VOD systems  1 , MOD systems  1   a , e-learning systems, medical management systems, bank account systems and online-game systems via the heterogeneous network  2  by operating the multiple recognition system  30 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in comparison with the first preferred embodiment, the physiological information detection system  3   a  of the third preferred embodiment includes an image-capturing unit, an image-processing unit and a data-transmitting unit. In a preferred embodiment, the physiological information detection system  3   a  further connects or online connects with a monitoring system  3   b  for receiving other images therefrom. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , the image-capturing unit is a camera device or a plurality of camera devices and is provided to capture a series of images of human head portions and peripheral portions thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the images of human head portions are live images while the image-capturing unit is provided in a public place or the like. The image-capturing unit is a digital camera, an infrared camera or other equivalent device (e.g., CCD component installed in a video camera). 
       FIGS. 4( a )-4( d )  show a series of images generated from a captured image preprocessed by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ( a ), the image-processing unit connects with the image-capturing unit to receive at least one of the captured images. In operation, the image-processing unit is operated to preprocess the captured images to obtain a series of four processed images, as best shown in  FIG. 4( a )-4( d ) . By way of example,  FIG. 4( a )  shows a gray scale image generated from an original color image;  FIG. 4( b )  shows a binary image binary-converted from the gray scale image;  FIG. 4( c )  shows an erosion image generated from the binary image by a morphological operation; and  FIG. 4( d )  shows a dilation image generated from the binary image by the morphological operation. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , in operation, the image-processing unit is further operated to seek or trace at least one first head portion area and at least one first neck portion area thereof in the processed images. By way of example,  FIG. 5  shows a processed image generated from the erosion image and the dilation image, as best shown in  FIGS. 4( c ) and 4( d ) , calculated by a connected component labeling (CCL) algorithm applied in the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 3, 4 ( d ) and  5 , pixels of the dilation image are initially scanned from up to down and from left to right to obtain a plurality of blocks. Finally, the blocks are further processed by a CCL algorithm to obtain a bounding box in the bounded image, as best shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 6  shows another processed image generated from the bounded image, as shown in  FIG. 5 , to seek or trace a head portion area by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. By way of example, the head portion area is a round-shaped head portion area, an oval-shaped head portion area or an elliptic head portion area. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the thermal video-image physiological information detection method includes the step: tracing the elliptic head portion area in the processed images. The elliptic head portion area is s=(xc, yc, b), where (xc, yc) is a center point position and b is a length of minor axis of ellipse. A summation of normalized gradient of an elliptic periphery can be calculated by 
     
       
         
           
             
               
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     where φ g (S i ) is a mean value of gradient of the elliptic periphery, N b  is a total number of pixels at the elliptic periphery, g s(i)  is a gradient of pixel i at the elliptic periphery and *s is a maximum weight in the peripheral space. 
     Furthermore, a tracing position s can be calculated by
 
 S={s: |x−x   c   |≦x   r   , |y−y   c   |≦y   r   , |b−b   c   |≦b   r }
 
where x r  and y r  are coordinates of a range for tracing a center point position (x c , y c ) and b r  is a maximum length of the minor axis of the ellipse.
 
     Accordingly, the physiological information detection system  3   a  is successful in tracing pixels of the head portion area (or neck portion area), thereby determining the elliptic head portion area, as best shown in  FIG. 6 . In a preferred embodiment, at least one arterial portion area is further traced in the neck portion area. In the next step, the image-processing unit is further operated to convert variations of the temperature data into estimated pulse data. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , the image-processing unit is further operated to process the captured images to retrieve temperature data from the head portion area and the neck portion area of the processed images. By way of example,  FIG. 7  shows a chart illustrating grayscale values in relation to temperatures applied in the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the physiological information detection system  3   a  is operated to calculate temperatures of pixels of the elliptic head portion area by the equation:
 
Temperature=(260-grayscale pixels)×calibration constant+ T   b  
 
     where the calibration constant is 0.02326, and T b  is a systematical lowest temperature. 
       FIGS. 8( a )-8( c )  show (live) image views of the head portion area from three different angles (i.e., front view, right view and left front view of three people) and three chart diagrams of temperatures versus time thereof processed by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As best shown in left portions of  FIGS. 8( a )-8( c ) , the head portion area and the neck portion area have a preferred bounding box with a ratio of 7:3 for calculating temperatures of the head portion and the neck portion. As best shown in right portions of  FIGS. 8( a )-8( c ) , three chart diagrams of temperatures versus time are calculated from the head portion area and the neck portion area. 
       FIGS. 9( a )-9( c )  show (live) image views of the head portion area from three different angles (i.e., front view, right view and left view of three people), three images of the corresponding selected neck portion area and three chart diagrams of temperatures versus time and estimated pulse rate thereof processed by the thermal video-image physiological information detection system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As best shown in left portions of  FIGS. 9( a )-9( c ) , the head portion areas and the neck portion areas are successfully traced in the processed images. As best shown in middle portions of  FIGS. 9( a )-9( c ) , the arterial portion areas are further successfully traced in the neck portion areas, as indicated at an ellipse region in  FIGS. 9( a )-9( c ) . As best shown in upper right waveforms of  FIGS. 9( a )-9( c ) , three chart diagrams of temperatures versus time are calculated from the head portion area and the neck portion area. As best shown in lower right waveforms of  FIGS. 9( a )-9( c ) , three chart diagrams of estimated pulse rate are automatically converted from the temperatures of head portion area and the neck portion area by a Fourier transform method or other equivalent transform method. 
     In another embodiment, the image-processing unit is further operated to trace another head portion area and another neck portion area thereof in the processed images synchronously, as best shown in  FIGS. 8( a )-8( c ) and 9( a )-9( c ) . Moreover, the image-processing unit is further operated to trace another arterial portion area in another neck portion area. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , the data-transmitting unit is a short-range communication device or other equivalent device. In a preferred embodiment, the short-range communication device is a Zigbee module, a Bluetooth module, a near field communication (NFC) or a high-frequency RFID module or other equivalent module. The data-transmitting unit connects with the image-processing unit to transmit the estimated pulse (or pulse rate) data to a predetermined device. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 3 , the image-processing unit further connects with a facial recognition module  3   c  to recognize a facial portion area in the head portion area. In a preferred embodiment, image-processing unit is operated to trace a middle portion or a T portion in the facial portion area. In the recognition operation, the facial recognition module  3   c  is operated to process a procedure of a live detection step, a wavelet frame representation step and a facial candidate selection step for facial recognition. 
     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferred embodiments, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.