Control of data processing

1. Data processing apparatus arranged to process successive video images and an associated audio signal; the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting inter-image motion in the successive video images;

means for detecting whether the inter-image motion satisfies one or more predetermined motion criteria;

means for detecting an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal satisfying one or more predetermined audio criteria;

activation means for activating a control function of the data processing apparatus in response to a substantially simultaneous occurrence of:

(a) a detection of inter-image motion satisfying the one or more predetermined motion criteria; and

(b) a detection of an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal which satisfies the one or more predetermined audio criteria; and

means for detecting, for each of a series of successive images, one or more active image regions in each image where inter-image motion has been detected;

in which a predetermined motion criterion is satisfied if at least one of the one or more active image regions is subject to a predetermined displacement between successive images.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

means for detecting whether a displacement in location of at least one of the active image regions between successive images is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

in which a predetermined motion criterion is satisfied if the displacement in location of at least one active image region remains above the predetermined threshold for N successive images and subsequently falls below the predetermined threshold, N being a predetermined integer.

3. Data processing apparatus arranged to process successive video images and an associated audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting inter-image motion in the successive video images;

means for detecting whether the inter-image motion satisfies one or more predetermined motion criteria;

means for detecting an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal satisfying one or more predetermined audio criteria;

activation means for activating a control function of the data processing apparatus in response to a substantially simultaneous occurrence of:

(a) a detection of inter-image motion satisfying the one or more predetermined motion criteria; and

(b) a detection of an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal which satisfies the one or more predetermined audio criteria; and

means for detecting whether inter-image motion occurs between successive images at a predetermined proportion of a test area defined with respect to the video images; and

in which a predetermined motion criterion is satisfied if inter-image motion occurs between successive images at the predetermined proportion of the test area for N successive images and subsequently falls below the predetermined threshold, N being a predetermined integer.

4. Data processing apparatus arranged to process successive video images and an associated audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting inter-image motion in the successive video images;

means for detecting whether the inter-image motion satisfies one or more predetermined motion criteria;

means for detecting an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal satisfying one or more predetermined audio criteria;

activation means for activating a control function of the data processing apparatus in response to a substantially simultaneous occurrence of:

(a) a detection of inter-image motion satisfying the one or more predetermined motion criteria; and

(b) a detection of an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal which satisfies the one or more predetermined audio criteria; and

means for detecting, for each of a series of the video images, a plurality of active image regions where inter-image motion has been detected;

in which a predetermined motion criterion are satisfied if the displacement of at least two of the active image regions with respect to each other drops below a predetermined value.

5. Data processing apparatus arranged to process successive video images and an associated audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting inter-image motion in the successive video images;

means for detecting whether the inter-image motion satisfies one or more predetermined motion criteria;

means for detecting an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal satisfying one or more predetermined audio criteria; and

activation means for activating a control function of the data processing apparatus in response to a substantially simultaneous occurrence of:

(a) a detection of inter-image motion satisfying the one or more predetermined motion criteria; and

(b) a detection of an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal which satisfies the one or more predetermined audio criteria,

in which a grouping is satisfied if there is a time displacement of less than a threshold amount between time-correlated positions in the audio signal and the sequence of video images at which the audio signal pattern is detected and the motion criteria are met.

6. Data processing apparatus arranged to process successive video images and an associated audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting inter-image motion in the successive video images;

means for detecting whether the inter-image motion satisfies one or more predetermined motion criteria;

means for detecting an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal satisfying one or more predetermined audio criteria;

activation means for activating a control function of the data processing apparatus in response to a substantially simultaneous occurrence of:

(a) a detection of inter-image motion satisfying the one or more predetermined motion criteria; and

(b) a detection of an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal which satisfies the one or more predetermined audio criteria; and

means for detecting if the amplitude of the associated audio signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

in which a predetermined audio criterion is satisfied if the amplitude of the associated audio signal remains substantially above the predetermined threshold for at least a predetermined duration.

7. Data processing apparatus arranged to process successive video images and an associated audio signal, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting inter-image motion in the successive video images;

means for detecting whether the inter-image motion satisfies one or more predetermined motion criteria;

means for detecting an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal satisfying one or more predetermined audio criteria;

activation means for activating a control function of the data processing apparatus in response to a substantially simultaneous occurrence of:

(a) a detection of inter-image motion satisfying the one or more predetermined motion criteria; and

(b) a detection of an audio signal pattern in the associated audio signal which satisfies the one or more predetermined audio criteria; and

means for detecting the spectral signature of the associated audio signal;

in which a predetermined audio criterion is satisfied if the determined spectral signature substantially matches predetermined parameters.