Patent Publication Number: US-2013243388-A1

Title: System and Method for Controlling Video Player

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201210068812.0, filed on Mar. 15, 2012 with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People&#39;s Republic of China, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a field of video technology, specifically to a system and a method for controlling video players. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Security and privacy are important in a person&#39;s life. For example, when people are watching a private content or sensitive content on a video player, e.g., television, computer, portable multimedia player, they may not want such content to be watched by others. Therefore, there is a need for a way for privacy control for the video player. 
     Furthermore, when people go out, they worry about any stranger may invade their houses and steal their possessions. Security systems are commonly installed in houses for monitoring their status. However, a conventional security system usually requires multiple monitoring devices which are too expensive for ordinary families. Therefore, there is a need for an economic solution for monitoring house security. 
     SUMMARY 
     The embodiments described herein relate to methods and systems for controlling video players. 
     In an embodiment, a control system for a video player is disclosed. The control system includes an image acquisition module, a first storage module, a comparison module, and a control module. The image acquisition module is configured to scan a predetermined area in front of the video player to detect a first set of facial images when the video player is playing a tagged program. The first storage module is configured to store a second set of facial images of registered users. The comparison module is configured to compare a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images. The control module is configured to control the video player based on a comparison result from the comparison module. 
     In another embodiment, a method for controlling a video player is disclosed. The method includes detecting a first set of first facial images by an image acquisition module when the video player is playing a tagged program, storing a second set of facial images of registered users, comparing a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images by a comparison module, and controlling the video player by a control module based on a comparison result from the comparison module. 
     In yet another embodiment, a monitoring system of a video player is disclosed. The monitoring system includes an image acquisition module, a second storage module, a comparison module, and a processing module. The image acquisition module is configured to scan a predetermined area before the video player to detect a first set of facial images. The second storage module is configured to store a second set of facial images of registered users. The comparison module is configured to compare a detected facial image in the first set of facial images of with the second set of facial images to identify whether a user is a registered user. The processing module is configured to provide a warning if the comparison module identifies that the user is not a registered user. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method for house security monitoring by a video playing system is disclosed. The method includes detecting a first set of facial images by an image acquisition module, storing a second set of facial images of registered users, comparing a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images to identify whether a user is a registered user by a comparison module, and providing a warning by a processing module if the comparison module identifies that the user is not a registered user. 
     Additional advantages and novel features will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the disclosed embodiments. The advantages of the present embodiments may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the detailed description set forth below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features and advantages of embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, and upon reference to the drawings, wherein like numerals depict like parts. These exemplary embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, in which like reference numerals represent similar structures throughout the several views of the drawings. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a control system for a video player, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a comparison module in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a control module in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of a video playing system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a method for controlling a video player, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of a monitoring system of a video player, in accordance with another embodiment of the present teaching; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of a video playing system, in accordance with another embodiment of the present teaching; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a flowchart of a method for monitoring house security by a video playing system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present teaching. While the present teaching will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present teaching to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present teaching is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present teaching as defined by the appended claims. 
     Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present teaching, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present teaching. However, it will be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present teaching may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present teaching. 
     The present invention enables a video player to automatically determine the identity of users sitting in front of the video player and then play programs according to the priority level assigned to the user. The video player scans the facial images of the users and then compares the scanned facial images with stored facial images to identify whether the users have permission to watch the playing program.  FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of a control system  100  for a video player, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the control system  100  includes an image acquisition module  11 , a comparison module  12 , a control module  13 , a first storage module  14  and a tagging module  15 . 
     The first storage module  14  is configured to store information about registered users. The tagging module  15  is configured to tag programs on a program list in the video player. More specifically, the information of the registered users includes a second set of facial images and priority levels of users. Each registered user is assigned a priority level. The priority level is used to determine which user has the permission to watch tagged programs. Take a family with parents and children for example, parents may be assigned the highest priority level, e.g., a first priority level. Children may be assigned a lower priority level, e.g., a second priority level. Only users with the first priority level have the permission to watch the tagged programs. The tagged programs may be programs that contain private contents that the users with the highest priority level do not want to share with others. Tags can be made prior or during the time the programs are watched. Moreover, friends of the family may be assigned different priority levels depending on the relationship with the family member. A user is identified as a non-registered user if there is no information about the user stored in the first storage module  14 . 
     The image acquisition module  11  is configured to detect a first set of facial images of users sitting in front of the video player. When the video player is playing tagged programs, the image acquisition module  11  scans a predetermined area in front of the video player to detect the first set of facial images of users and transmits the first set of facial images to the comparison module  12 . The comparison module  12  is configured to compare a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images stored in the first storage module  14 . The comparison module  12  can compare one detected facial image with one facial image or multiple facial images in the first storage module  14  to identify the user and transmit a comparison result to the control module  13 . The control module  13  is configured to control the video player to play programs based on the comparison result. 
     Moreover, the image acquisition module  11  may include a motion sensor for detecting motions of users in front of the video player. If the motion sensor detects motions of a user, the image acquisition module  11  begins to detect the facial image of the user. Otherwise, if the motion sensor does not detect any motion of users, the image acquisition module stops scanning to save energy. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a comparison module  12  in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the comparison module  12  includes a similarity determining unit  121  and a priority acquisition unit  122 . 
     The similarity determining unit  121  is configured to compare the detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images in the first storage module  14  to determine a similarity level of the user. If the similarity level is lower than a predetermined threshold, the similarity determining unit  121  determines the user is a non-registered user and transmits the comparison result to the control module  13 . The control module  13  controls the video player based on the comparison result. If the similarity level of the user is higher than the predetermined threshold, the similarity determining unit  121  determines the user as a registered user and transmits the comparison result to the priority acquisition unit  122 , and the priority acquisition unit  122  acquires a priority level of the user from the first storage module  14  and transmits the priority level to the control module  13 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a control module  13  in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the control module  13  includes a switching unit  131  and a control unit  132 . 
     The switching unit  131  is configured to disable the playing of tagged programs if the user is a non-registered user or if the user is a registered user but the priority level of the user is lower than the first priority level. 
     The control unit  132  is configured to control the image acquisition module  11  to continue detecting facial images in the predetermined area in front of the video player if the user is a registered user and the priority level of the user is first priority level. More specifically, if the user is a registered user and the priority level of the user is first priority level, the control unit  132  enables the motion sensor in the image acquisition module  11  to detects motions of users in front of the video player for a new round identification. If the motion sensor detects motions of a user, the image acquisition module  11  begins to detect the facial image of the user. 
     More specifically, during the time the tagged programs are watched, if the control module  13  receives a comparison result indicating that the user is a non-registered user from the similarity determining unit  121  or a comparison result indicating that the priority level of the user is lower than the first priority level from the priority acquisition unit  122 , the switching unit  131  switches the contents displayed on the screen of the video player from the tagged program to an untagged program or replaces the display of the video player to a screen saver with a warning message, and the control module  13  controls the image acquisition module  11  to stop scanning. 
     If the control module  13  receives a comparison result indicating that the user is a registered user and the priority level of the user is at the first priority level, the switching unit does not switch the current playing program and the control unit  132  controls the image acquisition module  11  to continue scanning to check whether the users sitting in front of the video player have changed. If the users have changed either by adding a new user who is non-registered or by replacing an existed user, the control unit  132  controls the image acquisition module  11  to detect facial images of users. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of a video playing system  10 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching. The video playing system  10  includes the control system  100  described in  FIG. 1  and a video player  300 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart  500  of a method for controlling a video player, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching.  FIG. 5  is described in combination with  FIG. 1 . 
     A first storage module  14  stores information about the registered users, and a tagging module  15  tags programs in a program list of the video player, step S 11 . The information includes a second set of facial images and priority levels of users. The tagged programs can be programs that contain private contents. Tags can be made prior to or during the time the programs are watched by the users. The tags for each program can be changed by a user but only by the user who has the highest priority level. Alternatively, the tag for each program can be changed by a user who has the permission to watch that particular program, i.e., the user does not have the permission to change the tag of a tagged program that he has no permission to watch. For example, a user with a lower priority level can watch an untagged program and can make tags on an untagged program. After tagging the program, the program requires the highest priority level to watch. The user with the lower priority level will not be able to watch that program and can no longer change the tag for that program. 
     When the video player is playing a tagged program, an image acquisition module  11  scans a predetermined area in front of the video player to detect a first set of facial images and transmits the first set of facial images to a comparison module  12 , step S 12 . The comparison module  12  compares a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images and transmits a comparison result to a control module  13 , step S 13 . 
     More specifically, a similarity determining unit  121  in the comparison module  12  compares the detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images to determine a similarity level of a user. 
     If the similarity level of the user is higher than a predetermined threshold, the similarity determining unit  121  transmits the comparison result to a priority acquisition unit  122  in the comparison module  12 . The priority acquisition unit  122  acquires a priority level of the user if the similarity level of the user is higher than the predetermined threshold from the first storage module  14  and transmits the priority level to the control module  13 . If the similarity level of the user is lower than the predetermined threshold, the similarity determining unit  121  transmits the comparison result to the control module  13 . 
     The control module  13  controls the video player to play programs according to the comparison result, step S 14 . More specifically, a user is determined to be a registered user by the comparison module  12  if the similarity level of the user is higher than the predetermined threshold. Otherwise, a user is determined to be a non-registered user by the comparison module  12  if the similarity level of the user is lower than the predetermined threshold. If a user is a non-registered user or if a priority level of a registered user is lower than the first priority level, the switching unit  131  switches the contents displayed on the screen of the video player from the tagged program to a screen saver or to an untagged program if the video player is playing a tagged program. 
     If a user is a registered user and the priority level of the user is at the first priority level, the control module  13  controls the image acquisition module  11  to continue scanning without interrupting the current playing program. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a control system for a video player and a method for controlling a video player. The control system scans a predetermined area in front of the video player to detect facial images of the users. The control system compares the detected facial images with stored facial images to identify whether a user has the permission to watch tagged programs. Advantageously, the control system protects the privacy of users by switching the contents displayed on the screen of the video player from the tagged program to a screen saver or to an untagged program if a user without the permission to watch tagged programs is present in the predetermined area in front of the video player. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of a monitoring system  200  of a video player, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching. The monitoring system  200  includes an image acquisition module  21 , a comparison module  22 , a processing module  23  and a second storage module  24 . 
     The second storage module  24  is configured to store information of registered users. The information includes a second set of facial images and contact information (e.g., phone numbers) of registered users. 
     The image acquisition module  21  is configured to scan a predetermined area in front of the video player to detect a first set of facial images and transmit the first set of facial images to the comparison module  22 . The image acquisition module  21  scans in a predetermined time period or at a predetermined time interval. 
     The comparison module  22  is configured to compare a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images in the second storage module  24  to identify whether a user is a registered user and transmit a comparison result to the processing module  23 . The processing module  23  is configured to determine whether to give a warning based on the comparison result from the comparison module  22 . 
     More specifically, if the comparison module  22  identifies the user as a registered user, the processing module  23  controls the image acquisition module  21  to continue scanning to detect the first set of facial images. If the comparison module  22  identifies the user as a non-registered user, the processing module  23  controls the video player to display a warning signal. The warning signal includes the detected facial image of the non-registered user and a warning sound. Registered users may include family members and friends of the family. Moreover, the processing module  23  transmits the warning signal to an intelligent terminal of one family member if there is no family member in the predetermined area in front of the video player. Alternatively, the processing module  23  may also transmit the warning signal to a remote monitoring center who may notify a law enforcement agency about possible house break-in. The intelligent terminal includes, but not limit to, cell phone and Ipad™. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of a video playing system  20 , in accordance with another embodiment of the present teaching. The video playing system  20  includes a monitoring system  200  described in  FIG. 6  and a video player  300 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a flowchart  800  of a method for house security monitoring using a video playing system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present teaching.  FIG. 8  is described in combination with  FIG. 6 . 
     A second storage module  24  stores information of registered users, step S 21 . As an example, registered users can include family members and friends. The information includes a second set of facial images and contact information (e.g., phone numbers) of registered users. 
     An image acquisition module  21  scans a predetermined area in front of the video playing system to detect a first set of facial images and transmits the first set of facial images to a comparison module  22 , step S 22 . 
     The comparison module  22  compares a detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images in the second storage module  24  to identify whether a user is a registered user and transmits a comparison result to a processing module  23 , step S 23 . 
     More specifically, the comparison module  22  compares the detected facial image in the first set of facial images with the second set of facial images to determine a similarity level of the user. If the similarity level of the user is higher than a predetermined threshold, the user is determined by the comparison module  22  as a registered user. If the similarity level of the user is lower than the predetermined threshold, the user is determined by the comparison module  22  as a non-registered user, e.g., a stranger or a trespasser. 
     The processing module  23  determines whether to give a warning based on the comparison result from the comparison module  22 , step S 24 . More specifically, if the comparison module  22  identifies the user as a registered user, the processing module  23  controls the image acquisition module  21  to continue scanning. If the comparison module  22  identifies the user as a non-registered user, the processing module  23  controls the video player to display a warning signal immediately. The warning signal includes the detected facial image of the user and a warning sound. As an example, the registered users can include family members and friends of the family. Moreover, the processing module  23  transmits the warning signal to an intelligent terminal of one family member if there is no family member in the house. The intelligent terminal includes, but not is limited to, cell phone and Ipad™. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a monitoring system of a video player and method for house security monitoring. The monitoring system scans a predetermined area in the house to detect facial images of the users. Then the monitoring system compares the detected facial images with stored facial images to identify whether the user is a stranger. The monitoring system controls the video player to display warning signal immediately if a stranger is present in the predetermined area before the video player. Thus the monitoring system can monitor house status real-timely. Advantageously, the monitoring system of a video player is economical and convenient solution for house security monitoring without the need for installing multiple monitoring devices. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the present teaching are amenable to a variety of modifications and/or enhancements. For example, although the implementation of various components described above may be embodied in a hardware device, it can also be implemented as a software only solution—e.g., an installation on an existing server. In addition, the dynamic relation/event detector and its components as disclosed herein can be implemented as firmware, a firmware/software combination, a firmware/hardware combination, or a hardware/firmware/software combination. 
     While the foregoing description and drawings represent embodiments of the present teaching, it will be understood that various additions, modifications and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the principles of the present teaching as defined in the accompanying claims. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the teaching may be used with many modifications of form, structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, elements, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the teaching, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present teaching. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the teaching being indicated by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not limited to the foregoing description.