Active subject privacy imaging

• US 20050232487A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Security & Detection Systems, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Safeview Incorporated
• Inventors: Fleisher, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/887 for detection of concealed objects, e.g. contraband or weapons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/005 operating with millimetre waves, e.g. measuring the black losey radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition

Abstract

A method of surveilling a subject including a person'"'"'s body may include or an imaging system may provide interrogating the subject with electromagnetic radiation, and generating, from the interrogating, image data representative of at least a first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body. In some examples, a first portion of the body may be identified, and a first feature of the image may be determined based at least partially on the identified portion of the body. In some examples, the orientation of the person'"'"'s body may be determined from one or more features of one or more image portions. In some examples, a portion of the image of the person'"'"'s body may be replaced with a substitute image portion that may be a modified portion of the first image.

Claims

1. A method of surveilling a subject including a person'"'"'s body comprising:

interrogating the subject with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;

generating, from the interrogating, image data representative of at least a first image of the person'"'"'s body;

determining from the image data the location in the image of a first portion of the person'"'"'s body; and

replacing the first portion of the person'"'"'s body with a substitute image portion.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the first portion of the body is the lower end of the trunk.

3. The method of claim 1, in which replacing the given portion includes replacing the given portion with a substitute image portion having a variable size.

4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising determining a size of the substitute image portion based at least in part on a dimension of the person'"'"'s body.

5. The method of claim 1, in which determining the location of a first portion includes determining the location of a second portion of the body, and determining the location of the first portion based at least in part on the identified second portion of the body.

6. The method of claim 5, in which determining the location of a second portion of the body includes determining the location of the head.

7. The method of claim 5, in which determining the location of a second portion of the body includes determining the location of a boundary of the body.

8. The method of claim 7, in which determining the location of a second portion of the body includes determining the location of the top of the head.

9. The method of claim 8, in which determining the location of the top of the head includes distinguishing image data corresponding to the subject from image data corresponding to a background of the subject.

10. The method of claim 9, in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to the subject having picture elements generally having a first feature and image data corresponding to the background having picture elements generally having a second feature different than the first feature, and distinguishing image data includes identifying picture elements having the first feature.

11. The method of claim 5, in which determining the location of a first portion includes determining the orientation of the person'"'"'s body.

12. The method of claim 11, in which generating image data includes generating image data of a first image of the subject in a first orientation and a second image of the subject in a second orientation, and determining the orientation of the subject includes comparing a given portion of the first image with the given portion of the second image.

13. The method of claim 12, in which generating image data includes generating image data representative of a relative distance of the subject from a reference position, and determining the orientation of the subject includes determining the relative distance from the reference position of at least a first portion of the subject represented by the first portion of the first image compared to one or both of (a) a first portion of the subject represented by the first portion of the second image, and (b) a second portion of the subject represented by a second portion of the first image.

14. The method of claim 11, in which generating image data includes generating image data of a first image of the subject representative of a relative distance of the subject from a reference position, and determining the orientation of the person'"'"'s body includes determining the relative distance from the reference position of at least a first portion of the person'"'"'s body represented by the first portion of the first image compared to a second portion of the person'"'"'s body represented by a second portion of the first image.

15. The method of claim 11, in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

16. The method of claim 1, in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

17. An imaging system comprising:

an antenna assembly including at least a first antenna apparatus, each antenna apparatus configured to transmit toward and receive from a subject, including a person and any discernable objects with the person, in a subject position, electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz, from positions spaced from the subject position, the antenna assembly producing an image signal representative of the received radiation; and

a controller adapted to produce from at least a portion of the image signal image data representative of at least a first image of the person'"'"'s body, to determine from the image data the location in the image of a first portion of the person'"'"'s body, and to replace the first portion of the person'"'"'s body with a substitute image portion.

18. The system of claim 17, in which the first portion of the body is the lower end of the trunk.

19. The system of claim 17, in which the controller is further adapted to replace the first portion with a substitute image portion having a variable size.

20. The system of claim 19 in which the controller is further adapted to determine a size of the substitute image portion based at least in part on a dimension of the person'"'"'s body.

21. The system of claim 17, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of a second portion of the body, and to determine the location of the first portion based at least in part on the identified second portion.

22. The system of claim 21, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of the head as the second portion.

23. The system of claim 21, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of a boundary of the body.

24. The system of claim 23, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of the top of the head.

25. The system of claim 24, in which the controller is further adapted to distinguish image data corresponding to the subject from image data corresponding to a background of the subject.

26. The system of claim 25, in which the controller is further adapted to generate image data corresponding to the subject having picture elements generally having a first feature and image data corresponding to the background having picture elements generally having a second feature different than the first feature, and distinguishing image data includes identifying picture elements having the first feature.

27. The system of claim 21, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the orientation of the person'"'"'s body.

28. The system of claim 27, in which the controller is further adapted to generate image data of a first image of the subject in a first orientation and a second image of the subject in a second orientation, and to compare a given portion of the first image with the given portion of the second image.

29. The system of claim 28, in which the controller is further adapted to generate image data representative of a relative distance of the subject from a reference position, and to determine the relative distance from the reference position of at least a first portion of the subject represented by the first portion of the first image compared to one or both of (a) a first portion of the subject represented by the first portion of the second image, and (b) a second portion of the subject represented by a second portion of the first image.

30. The system of claim 27, in which the controller is further adapted to generate image data of a first image of the subject representative of a relative distance of the subject from a reference position, and to determine the relative distance from the reference position of at least a first portion of the person'"'"'s body represented by the first portion of the first image compared to a second portion of the person'"'"'s body represented by a second portion of the first image.

31. The system of claim 27, in which the controller is further adapted to produce image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

32. The system of claim 17, in which the controller is further adapted to produce image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

33. One or more storage media having embodied therein a program of commands adapted to be executed by a computer processor to:

receive an image signal generated in response to an interrogation of a subject, including a person and any objects carried by the person, with electromagnetic radiation in a range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;

generate, from the interrogating, image data representative at least a first image of the person'"'"'s body;

determine from the image data the location in the image of a first portion of the person'"'"'s body; and

replace the first portion of the person'"'"'s body with a substitute image portion.

34. The media of claim 33, in which the first portion of the body is the lower end of the trunk.

35. The media of claim 33, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to replace the given portion with a substitute image portion having a variable size.

36. The media of claim 33, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to determine the location of a second portion of the body, and determining the location of the first portion based at least in part on the identified second portion of the body.

37. The media of claim 36, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to determine the location of the top of the head.

38. The media of claim 36, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to determine the orientation of the person'"'"'s body.

39. An imaging system comprising:

means for interrogating a subject, including a person'"'"'s body, with electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;

means for generating, from the interrogating, image data representative of at least a first image of the person'"'"'s body;

means for determining from the image data the location in the image of a first portion of the person'"'"'s body; and

means for replacing the first portion of the person'"'"'s body with a substitute image portion.

40. A method comprising:

interrogating a subject, including a person'"'"'s body, with electromagnetic radiation in a range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;

generating, from the interrogating, image data representative of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body sufficient to produce a first image, the first image including picture elements with at least a given feature with different first values;

selecting a group of picture elements in the first image; and

modifying at least a portion of the first image data by replacing the first value of the given feature of each of at least a portion of the picture elements with a second value determined from the first values of the given feature of picture elements in the group of picture elements.

41. The method of claim 40, in which the given feature is one or more of intensity, topographic representation, and color.

42. The method of claim 40, in which modifying at least a portion of the first image data includes selecting the value of the given feature of one of the picture elements in the group of picture elements.

43. The method of claim 42, in which selecting the value of the given feature includes determining one of (a) the lowest value and (b) the highest value of the given feature in the group of picture elements.

44. The method of claim 43, in which selecting a group includes selecting an m×

n array of picture elements.

45. The method of claim 44, in which selecting an m×

n array of picture elements includes selecting an m×

n array of picture elements in which m is not equal to n.

46. The method of claim 40, in which selecting a group includes selecting an m×

n array of picture elements including the picture element for which the value of the feature is modified.

47. The method of claim 46, in which selecting an m×

n array of picture elements includes selecting an m×

n array of picture elements in which m is not equal to n.

48. The method of claim 47, in which selecting an m×

n array includes selecting an m×

n array including the picture element for which the value of the feature is modified.

49. The method of claim 46, in which selecting the value of the given feature includes determining the lowest value of the feature in the array.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising modifying the modified first image data by replacing the second value of the given feature of each of at least the portion of the picture elements with the highest value of the given feature in the array of picture elements.

51. The method of claim 46, in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

52. The method of claim 40, in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

53. An imaging system comprising:

an antenna assembly including at least a first antenna apparatus, each antenna apparatus configured to transmit toward and receive from a subject, including a person and any discernable objects with the person, in a subject position, electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz, from positions spaced from the subject position, the antenna assembly producing an image signal representative of the received radiation; and

a controller adapted to produce from at least a first portion of the image signal first image data corresponding to a first image of at least a portion of the subject, the first image including picture elements with at least a given feature with different first values, to select a group of picture elements in the first image, and to modify at least a portion of the first image data by replacing the first value of the given feature of each of at least a portion of the picture elements with a second value determined from the first values of the given feature of picture elements in the group of picture elements.

54. The system of claim 53, in which the given feature is one or more of intensity, topographic representation, and color.

55. The system of claim 53, in which the controller is further adapted to select the value of the given feature of one of the picture elements in the group of picture elements.

56. The system of claim 55, in which the controller is further adapted to determine one of (a) the lowest value and (b) the highest value of the given feature in the group of picture elements.

57. The system of claim 56, in which the controller is further adapted to select an m×

n array of picture elements.

58. The system of claim 57, in which the controller is further adapted to select an m×

n array of picture elements in which m is not equal to n.

59. The system of claim 53, in which the controller is further adapted to select an m×

n array of picture elements including the picture element for which the value of the feature is modified.

60. The system of claim 59, in which the controller is further adapted to select an m×

n array of picture elements in which m is not equal to n.

61. The system of claim 60, in which the controller is further adapted to select an m×

n array including the picture element for which the value of the feature is modified.

62. The system of claim 59, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the lowest value of the feature in the array.

63. The system of claim 62, the controller is further adapted to modify the modified first image data by replacing the second value of the given feature of each of at least the portion of the picture elements with the highest value of the given feature in the array of picture elements.

64. The system of claim 59, in which the controller is further adapted to produce image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

65. The system of claim 53, in which the controller is further adapted to produce image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

66. An imaging system comprising:

means for interrogating a subject, including a person'"'"'s body, with electromagnetic radiation in a range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;

means for generating, from the interrogating, image data representative of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body sufficient to produce a first image, the first image including picture elements with at least a given feature with different first values;

means for selecting a group of picture elements in the first image; and

means for modifying at least a portion of the first image data by replacing the first value of the given feature of each of at least a portion of the picture elements with a second value determined from the first values of the given feature of picture elements in the group of picture elements.

67. The system of claim 66, in which the means for modifying at least a portion of the first image data is further for selecting the value of the given feature of one of the picture elements in the group of picture elements.

68. The system of claim 66, in which the means for selecting a group is further for selecting an m×

n array of picture elements including the picture element for which the value of the feature is modified.

69. One or more storage media having embodied therein a program of commands adapted to be executed by a computer processor to:

interrogate a subject, including a person'"'"'s body, with electromagnetic radiation in a range of about 100 MHz to about 2 THz;

generate, from the interrogating, image data representative of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body sufficient to produce a first image, the first image including picture elements with at least a given feature with different first values;

select a group of picture elements in the first image; and

modify at least a portion of the first image data by replacing the first value of the given feature of each of at least a portion of the picture elements with a second value determined from the first values of the given feature of picture elements in the group of picture elements.