Systems and methods for computing and presenting results of visual attention modeling

• US 10,176,396 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Smyth, William K., Moore, Richard J., Zimmer, Benjamin D., Stankiewicz, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Yon
• Application Number:
  US14/896,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/25 Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]

Abstract

At least some embodiments of the present disclosure feature systems and methods for assessing the impact of visual features within a region of a scene. With the input of a visual representation of a scene and at least one selected region within the scene, the system applies a visual attention model to the visual representation to determine visual conspicuity of the at least one selected region. The system computes feature-related data associated with a plurality of features of the at least one selected region. Based on the visual conspicuity and the feature-related data, the system assesses an impact that at least one of the features within the at least one selected region have on the visual conspicuity.

Claims

1. A method for assessing the impact of visual features within a region of a scene with a computer having a processor and memory, comprising:

receiving a visual representation of a scene;

receiving region selection data indicative of at least one selected region within the scene;

applying, using the processor, a visual attention model to the visual representation to determine visual conspicuity of the at least one selected region;

computing, using the processor, feature-related data associated with a plurality of visual features associated with the at least one selected region, wherein a feature comprises at least one of color, edges, luminance, faces, intensity, font, orientation, motion, contrast, text, spatial frequency, shape and size;

based on the visual conspicuity and the feature-related data, determining a feature impact score that at least one of the visual features within the at least one selected region have on the visual conspicuity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering, by the processor, a visual indicia indicative of the feature impact score.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visual indicia comprises at least one of a color, a number, and a letter.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

creating, by the processor, a report containing the visual indicia.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contrast is red-green contrast or blue-yellow contrast.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the region selection data is based upon a user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the region selection data is based upon an algorithmic selection by the computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation comprises an image, a video, metadata of an image, or metadata of a video.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature impact score is represented by a numeric value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature impact score is represented by a percentage.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual conspicuity is represented by a numeric value, an image, a percentage, or a combination thereof.

12. A system for presenting visual attention model (VAM) results comprising:

an input module configured to receive a visual representation of a scene and region selection data indicative of a selected region within the scene,

a VAM module configured to apply a visual attention model on the visual representation to determine visual conspicuity of the selected region, the VAM module further configured to compute feature-related data associated with a visual feature of the selected region, wherein a feature comprises at least one of color, edges, luminance, faces, intensity, font, orientation, motion, contrast, text, spatial frequency, shape and size; and

an output module configured to determine a contribution of the visual feature to the visual conspicuity of the selected region based on the visual conspicuity and the feature-related data.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a presentation module configured to generate a visual indicia indicative the contribution of the visual feature.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the visual indicia comprises at least one of a color, a number, and a letter.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

creating, by a processing unit, a report containing the visual indicia.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the contrast is red-green contrast or blue-yellow contrast.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the region selection data is based upon a user input.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the region selection data is based upon an algorithmic selection by a computing device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the visual representation comprises an image, a video, metadata of an image, or metadata of a video.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the contribution of the visual feature is represented by a numeric value.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the contribution of the visual feature is represented by a percentage.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the visual conspicuity is represented by a numeric value, an image, a percentage, or a combination thereof.