Scene change detection by segmentation analysis
First Claim
1. A method for detecting large-scale visual discontinuities in a temporal sequence of images, the method comprising:
- dividing each image of the sequence into non-overlapping segments;
compiling statistical information about the segments for each image in the sequence;
comparing the statistical information for consecutive images in the temporal sequence using a statistical measurement; and
identifying points in the temporal sequence at which abrupt changes in the statistical measurement comprise scene changes.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process and apparatus for identifying abrupt cuts or scene changes in any ordered sequence of images. In one specific embodiment, two or more consecutive images from a sequence are introduced to a segmenter as digital frames. The segmenter independently divides each of these frames into pixel regions or segments according to some common characteristic so that every pixel belongs to exactly one segment. A segment analysis unit then performs some statistical analysis on the segment data for each of the frames and generates composite statistics for each frame. A frame comparison unit then examines these composite statistics to determine whether these frames belong to a consistent scene of images. If the composite statistics for these frames differ sufficiently, the comparison unit declares the latter frame in the sequence to belong to a new scene. This information may then be transmitted back to the data source for the purpose of marking the scene change or for any other purpose.
29 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting large-scale visual discontinuities in a temporal sequence of images, the method comprising:
-
dividing each image of the sequence into non-overlapping segments;
compiling statistical information about the segments for each image in the sequence;
comparing the statistical information for consecutive images in the temporal sequence using a statistical measurement; and
identifying points in the temporal sequence at which abrupt changes in the statistical measurement comprise scene changes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An apparatus for detecting scene changes in a sequence of video frames, the apparatus comprising:
-
a segmenter for dividing the video frames into non-overlapping segments;
a segmentation analysis unit for compiling statistical information about the segments in the video frames; and
a frame comparison unit for comparing the statistical information for temporally consecutive video frames using a statistical measurement and for identifying frames at which an abrupt change in the statistical measurement is indicative of a scene change. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus for detecting scene changes in a sequence of video frames, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for dividing the video frames into non-overlapping segments;
means for compiling statistical information about the segments in the video frames;
means for comparing the statistical information for temporally consecutive video frames using a statistical measurement; and
means for identifying frames at which an abrupt change in the statistical measurement is indicative of a scene change. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification