System for automatically generating database of objects of interest by analysis of images recorded by moving vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of recognizing and determining the location of at least one of a variety of road signs from at least two image frames depicting at least one road sign wherein available known values regarding the location, orientation, and focal length of an image capture device which originally recorded the at least two image frames, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least two image frames that each depict at least a single common road sign and which correspond to an identifier tag including at least a one of the following items;
camera number, frame number, camera location coordinates, or camera orientation;
applying a fuzzy logic color filter to said at least two image frames;
filtering out and saving image frame portions containing each region that contain at least one preselected color-set from a set of at least one approved road sign color; and
saving to a memory location said image frame portions of the at least a single common road sign depicted in one of said at least two image frames which is linked to at least a one of the following items;
a camera number, an image frame number, a set of camera location coordinates, or a camera orientation direction used for recording.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for rapidly analyzing frame(s) of digitized video data which may include objects of interest randomly distributed throughout the video data and wherein said objects are susceptible to detection, classification, and ultimately identification by filtering said video data for certain differentiable characteristics of said objects. The present invention may be practiced on pre-existing sequences of image data or may be integrated into an imaging device for real time, dynamic, object identification, classification, logging/counting, cataloging, retention (with links to stored bitmaps of said object), retrieval, and the like. The present invention readily lends itself to the problem of automatic and semi-automatic cataloging of vast numbers of objects such as traffic control signs and utility poles disposed in myriad settings. When used in conjunction with navigational or positional inputs, such as GPS, an output from the inventive system indicates the identity of each object, calculates object location, classifies each object by type, extracts legible text appearing on a surface of the object (if any), and stores a visual representation of the object in a form dictated by the end user/operator of the system. The output lends itself to examination and extraction of scene detail which cannot practically be successfully accomplished with just human viewers operating video equipment, although human intervention can still be used to help judge and confirm a variety of classifications of certain instances and for types of identified objects.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of recognizing and determining the location of at least one of a variety of road signs from at least two image frames depicting at least one road sign wherein available known values regarding the location, orientation, and focal length of an image capture device which originally recorded the at least two image frames, comprising the steps of:
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receiving at least two image frames that each depict at least a single common road sign and which correspond to an identifier tag including at least a one of the following items;
camera number, frame number, camera location coordinates, or camera orientation;
applying a fuzzy logic color filter to said at least two image frames;
filtering out and saving image frame portions containing each region that contain at least one preselected color-set from a set of at least one approved road sign color; and
saving to a memory location said image frame portions of the at least a single common road sign depicted in one of said at least two image frames which is linked to at least a one of the following items;
a camera number, an image frame number, a set of camera location coordinates, or a camera orientation direction used for recording. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 14, 15)
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4. A method of rapidly recognizing road signs depicted in at least one frame of a digital videosignal, comprising the steps of:
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applying at least two equally weighted filters to at least one frame of a digital depiction of a road side scene so that for each of the at least two equally weighted filters a discrete output value is obtained;
comparing the discrete output value for each respective said at least two equally weighted filters and if a discrete output of at least one of said at least two equally weighted filters does not exceed a reference value then discarding the at least one frame of digital videosignal, but if one said discrete output exceeds a reference value; and
thensetting a road sign “
image present”
flag for said at least one frame of a digital videosignal. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10. A method of recognizing a single road sign depicted in a least two different frames of a digital videosignal, comprising the steps of:
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searching by pairs, each location metric for each of a plurality of previously identified images of road signs having a common type, so that when at least two images appear to depict a single road sign, all of said at least two images are removed from the search space, until no more pairs are available for continued searching, and then proceeding to the first step for a next type of road sign until no further types of road signs are available for searching - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification