Communication apparatus and method

• US 20040075749A1
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sawao, Takashi, Ishibashi, Junichi, Kondo, Tetsujiro, Nagano, Takahiro, Wada, Seiji, Miyake, Toru, Fujiwara, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/215 Motion-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/127 Prioritisation of hardware or computational resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 the region being a picture, frame or field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/503 involving temporal prediction adaptive coding with adaptive selection between spatial and temporal predictive coding H04N19/107; adaptive coding with adaptive selection among a plurality of temporal predictive coding modes H04N19/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/51 Motion estimation or motion compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23473 by pre-encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45455 applied to a region of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 : directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 : for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 : Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 : Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to process at high speed the foreground component image and the background component image of picked up images on a network platform. A client computer 27 outputs information specifying image data desired to separate to a separation server 11. The separation server 11 obtains the specified image data from a storage server 18 and outputs it to a motion detecting server 12 to perform motion detection processing. Thereafter, the image data, motion vector and positional information are output to an area specifying server 13. The area specifying server 13 generates area information of the image data and outputs the area information to a mixture ratio calculating server 14 in addition to the image data, the motion vector and the positional information. The mixture ratio calculating server 14 calculates a mixture ratio on the basis of the image data, the motion vector, the positional information and the area information, and a foreground/background image separation server 15 separates foreground and background of the input image on the basis of such information. The present invention may be employed in a business model for image processing.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

separating means for separating predetermined image data that is obtained by an image pickup element having a predetermined number of pixels, each having a time integration effect, and that is comprised of pixel values determined every pixel in accordance with an amount of light forming an image integrated over time into a foreground component image having foreground object components constituting a foreground object and a background component image having background object components constituting a background object;

requested information input means for inputting requested information of a user; and

encoded data output means for outputting encoded data generated when said image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means, on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means.

2. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising charging means for performing charge processing in accordance with said requested information.

3. The communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in accordance with said requested information, said charging means generates charge information including an ID of said user, an ID of said communication system, and cost information corresponding to said requested information.

4. The communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said charging means performs the charge processing with respect to a financial account of said user on the basis of said charge information.

5. The communication system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said charging means performs the charge processing by deducting the number of points corresponding to said cost information and user used in the charge processing from the number of points of each.

6. The communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein after said charging means has finished the charge processing, said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data to a communication apparatus of said user after finishing the charge processing.

7. The communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said requested information input means inputs said predetermined image data in addition to said requested information of said user;

and

said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data as significant data generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means and said predetermined image data, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

8. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

an area information generating means for generating area information for discerning any of a foreground area having foreground object components constituting a foreground object of said predetermined image data, a background area having background object components constituting a background object of said predetermined image data and a mixed area in which said foreground area and said background area are mixed,

wherein said significant information includes said area information, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data as said area information generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means and said predetermined image data, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

9. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a mixture ratio generating means for generating a mixture ratio indicating the ratio at which said foreground area and said background area are mixed in said mixed area of said predetermined image data,

wherein said significant information includes said mixture ratio, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data as said mixture ratio generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means and the predetermined image data, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

10. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said separating means separates said predetermined image data that is obtained by the image pickup element having the predetermined number of pixels, each having a time integration effect, and that is comprised of the pixel values determined every pixel in accordance with the amount of light forming a predetermined image integrated over time into said foreground component image having the foreground object components constituting the foreground object and said background component image having the background object components constituting the background object on the basis of said area information and said mixture ratio, and

wherein said significant information includes said foreground component image and said background component image, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said requested information input by said requested information input means and said encoded data as said foreground component image and said background component image generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

11. The communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said requested information input means inputs an image data ID for discerning said predetermined image data in addition to said requested information of said user, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data as said significant information generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means and the predetermined image data corresponding to said image data ID, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

area information generating means for generating area information for discerning any of a foreground area having foreground object components constituting the foreground object of the predetermined image data corresponding to said image data ID, a background area having background object components constituting the background object of the predetermined image data corresponding to said image data ID, and a mixed area in which said foreground area and said background area are mixed,

wherein said significant information includes said area information, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data as said area information generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means and said predetermined image data, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

13. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

mixture ratio generating means for generating a mixture ratio of said mixed area in the predetermined image data corresponding to said image data ID,

wherein said significant information includes said mixture ratio, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said encoded data as said mixture ratio generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means on the basis of said requested information input by said requested information input means and the predetermined image data corresponding to said image data ID, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

14. The communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said separating means separates the predetermined image data that is obtained by the image pickup element having the predetermined number of pixels, each having a time integration effect, and that is comprised of pixel values determined every pixel in accordance with the amount of light forming a predetermined image integrated over time into said foreground component image having the foreground object components constituting the foreground object and said background component image having the background object components constituting the background object on the basis of said area information and said mixture ratio,

wherein said significant information includes said foreground component image and said background component image, and

wherein said encoded data output means outputs said requested information input by said requested information input means and said encoded data as said foreground component image and said background component image generated when said predetermined image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image by said separating means, in a way obtainable only to said user after the charge processing by said charging means has finished.

15. A communication method comprising:

a separating step of separating image data that is obtained by an image pickup element having a predetermined number of pixels, each having a time integration effect, and that is comprised of pixel values determined every pixel in accordance with an amount of light forming an image integrated over time into a foreground component image having foreground object components constituting a foreground object and a background component image having background object components constituting a background object;

a requested information inputting step of inputting requested information of a user; and

an encoded data outputting step of outputting encoded data generated when said image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image in said separating step on the basis of said requested information input in said requested information inputting step.

16. A recording medium having a computer-readable program, wherein the program comprises:

a separation controlling step of controlling the separation of image data that is obtained by an image pickup element having a predetermined number of pixels, each having a time integration effect, and that is comprised of pixel values determined every pixel in accordance with an amount of light forming an image integrated over time into a foreground component image having foreground object components constituting a foreground object and a background component image having background object components constituting a background object;

a requested information input controlling step of controlling the input of requested information of a user; and

an encoded data output controlling step of controlling the output of encoded data generated when said image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image in said separation controlling step on the basis of said requested information input in said requested information input controlling step.

17. A program for a computer comprises:

a separation controlling step of controlling the separation of image data that is obtained by an image pickup element having a predetermined number of pixels, each having a time integration effect, and that is comprised of pixel values determined every pixel in accordance with an amount of light forming an image integrated over time into a foreground component image having foreground object components constituting a foreground object and a background component image having background object components constituting a background object;

a requested information input controlling step of controlling the input of requested information of a user; and

an encoded data output controlling step of controlling the output of encoded data generated when said image is separated into said foreground component image and said background component image in said separation controlling step on the basis of said requested information input in said requested information input controlling step.