Active subject imaging with body identification

• US 20060104480A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Security & Detection Systems, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Safeview Incorporated
• Inventors: Fleisher, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• 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: G06V 2201/05 Recognition of patterns representing particular kinds of hidden objects, e.g. weapons, explosives, drugs
• 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.

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 at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body;

identifying from the image data at least a first portion of the body; and

determining from the image data at least a first feature of the image based at least partially on the identified portion of the body.

2. The method of claim 1, in which identifying at least a portion of the body includes determining the location of a first part of the body.

3. The method of claim 2, in which determining the location of a part of the body includes determining the location of the head.

4. The method of claim 2, in which determining the location of a part of the body includes determining the location of a boundary of the body.

5. The method of claim 2, in which determining the location of the first part of the body includes determining the location of the top of the head.

6. The method of claim 5, 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.

7. The method of claim 6 in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to the subject having picture elements generally having a feature with a first characteristic and image data corresponding to the background having picture elements generally having the feature with a second characteristic different than the first characteristic, and distinguishing image data includes identifying picture elements having the feature with the first characteristic.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the feature is one or more of color, topographical dimension, and intensity.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the first characteristic includes groups of adjacent picture elements having values of the feature in a common range of values.

10. The method of claim 6, in which generating image data includes generating image data having picture elements with one or more of different values of a feature, with image data including picture elements corresponding to the subject having generally the feature in a first range of values, and picture elements corresponding to the background adjacent to the subject having the feature in a second range of values different than the first range of values.

11. The method of claim 10, in which determining the location of the top of the head further includes identifying a region of picture elements having picture elements in the first range of values immediately above which the picture elements are in the second range of values.

12. The method of claim 5, in which determining the location of the top of the head further includes identifying the center of the top of the head.

13. The method of claim 12, 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.

14. The method of claim 1, in which identifying at least a first portion of the body includes selecting a portion of the image data and determining whether the selected portion of the image data has a second feature representative of the at least a first portion of the body.

15. The method of claim 14, in which generating image data includes generating picture elements having a third feature with different values, the second feature includes a group of adjacent picture elements having a common range of values of the third feature, and selecting a portion of the image data includes selecting a group of adjacent picture elements.

16. The method of claim 15, in which the third feature includes one or more of topographical representation, color, and intensity.

17. The method of claim 15, in which generating image data includes generating image data corresponding to the subject having picture elements generally having a first range of feature values and image data corresponding to the background having picture elements generally having a second range of feature values different than the first range, and distinguishing image data includes identifying picture elements having the first range.

18. The method of claim 15, in which selecting a group of adjacent picture elements includes selecting one or more groups of adjacent picture elements having a given range of numbers of picture elements having the common range of feature values.

19. The method of claim 14, in which generating image data includes generating image data having picture elements having a feature with different values, with image data including picture elements corresponding to the subject having generally a first range of values, and picture elements corresponding to the background adjacent to the subject having a second range of values different than the first range of values.

20. The method of claim 19, in which identifying at least a portion of the body includes determining the location of the top of the head, including identifying a group of adjacent picture elements having picture elements in the first range of levels immediately above which the picture elements are in the second range of levels.

21. The method of claim 1, in which generating image data includes generating a first image having picture elements having at least a second feature with different values, and the second feature of picture elements corresponding to the subject having generally a first range of values, and the second feature of picture elements corresponding to a background of the subject having generally a second range of values.

22. The method of claim 21, in which the second feature is one or more of intensity, topographic representation, and color.

23. The method of claim 21, in which generating image data further includes generating a second image from the first image, the second image having picture elements corresponding to picture elements in the first image, at least the second feature of each picture element of the second image being derived from values of at least the second feature of a group of adjacent picture elements of the first image including a picture element corresponding to the picture element of the second image.

24. The method of claim 1, in which determining at least a first feature of the image includes determining the orientation of the subject.

25. The method of claim 24, 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.

26. The method of claim 25, 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 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 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.

27. The method of claim 26, in which determining the relative distance includes determining the average relative distance of the given portion of the first and second images.

28. The method of claim 27, in which determining the average relative distance includes one or both of (a) identifying portions of the image corresponding to the subject, and (b) identifying portions of the image having reduced variation of relative distance.

29. The method of claim 28, in which determining average relative distance includes determining average relative distance for only the identified portions of the image.

30. The method of claim 24, in which determining at least a first feature of the image further includes determining the location of a second portion of the body based at least in part on the identified first portion of the body and the orientation of the body.

31. The method of claim 30, in which the first portion of the body is an extremity and the second portion of the body is a portion of the trunk.

32. The method of claim 31, in which the first portion of the body is the head and the second portion of the body is a lower portion of the trunk.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising replacing at least a portion of the image of the second portion of the body with a substitute image portion.

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

35. The method of claim 34, in which the first portion of the body is an extremity and the second portion of the body is a portion of the trunk.

36. The method of claim 35, in which the first portion of the body is the head and the second portion of the body is a lower portion of the trunk.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising replacing at least a portion of the image of the second portion of the body with a substitute image portion.

38. The method of claim 37, in which the first portion of the body is the center of the top of the head, the second portion of the body is a lower end of the trunk, and the substitute image portion is displaced from a vertical line passing through the center of the top of the head.

39. 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.

40. 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 image data representative of a first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body, to identify from the image data at least a first portion of the person'"'"'s body, and to determine from the image data at least a first feature of the image based at least partially on the identified portion of the person'"'"'s body.

41. The system of claim 40, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of a first part of the body.

42. The system of claim 41, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of a boundary of the body.

43. The system of claim 42, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of the top of the head.

44. The system of claim 43, 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.

45. The system of claim 40, in which the controller is further adapted to select a portion of the image data and to determine whether the selected portion of the image data has a second feature representative of the at least a first portion of the body.

46. The system of claim 45, in which the controller is further adapted to generate picture elements having a third feature with different values, with the second feature including a group of adjacent picture elements having a common range of values of the third feature, and to select a group of adjacent picture elements.

47. The system of claim 40, in which the controller is further adapted to generate a first image having picture elements having at least a second feature with different values, with the second feature of picture elements corresponding to the subject, having generally a first range of values, and the second feature of picture elements corresponding to a background of the subject, having generally a second range of values.

48. The system of claim 47, in which the second feature is one or more of intensity, topographic representation, and color.

49. The system of claim 47, 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.

50. The system of claim 40, in which the first feature includes the orientation of the person'"'"'s body.

51. The system of claim 50, in which the controller is 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.

52. The system of claim 50, in which the controller is adapted to determine the location of a second portion of the body based at least in part on the identified first portion of the body and the orientation of the body.

53. The system of claim 52, in which the first portion of the body is an extremity and the second portion of the body is a portion of the trunk.

54. The system of claim 40, in which the controller is adapted to produce image data corresponding to a three-dimensional holographic first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body.

55. 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 received image signal, image data representative of at least a first image of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body;

identify from the image data at least a first portion of the body; and

determine from the image data at least a first feature of the image based at least partially on the identified portion of the body.

56. The media of claim 55, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to determine the location of a first part of the body.

57. The media of claim 56, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to determine the location of the top of the head.

58. The media of claim 57, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to distinguish image data corresponding to the subject from image data corresponding to a background of the subject.

59. The media of claim 55, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to select a portion of the image data and to determine whether the selected portion of the image data has a second feature representative of the at least a first portion of the body.

60. The media of claim 55, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to generate a first image having picture elements with at least a second feature with different values, with the second feature of picture elements corresponding to the subject, having generally a first range of values, and the second feature of picture elements corresponding to a background of the subject having generally a second range of values.

61. The media of claim 60, in which the second feature is one or more of intensity, topographic representation, and color.

62. The media of claim 55, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to determine the orientation of the subject.

63. An imaging system comprising:

means for interrogating the subject 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 at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body;

means for identifying from the image data at least a first portion of the body; and

means for determining from the image data at least a first feature of the image based at least partially on the identified portion of the body.

64. 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 portion, with each image portion being of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body;

determining from the image data a given feature of at least the first image portion, the given feature being related to the orientation of the person'"'"'s body; and

determining the orientation of the person'"'"'s body based at least in part on the given feature of the first image portion.

65. The method of claim 64, in which generating image data includes generating image data representative of a first image portion of at least a first portion of the person'"'"'s body, and of a second image portion of at least a second portion of the person'"'"'s body, and determining the orientation includes determining the orientation based at least in part on the first image portion and the second image portion.

66. The method of claim 65, in which generating image data includes generating image data representative of a relative distance of the subject from a reference position, determining the given feature includes determining the relative distance from the reference position of the 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.

67. The method of claim 66, in which determining the relative distance includes determining the average relative distance of the given portion of the first and second images.

68. The method of claim 67, in which determining the average relative distance includes one or both of (a) identifying portions of the image corresponding to the subject, and (b) identifying portions of the image having reduced variation of relative distance.

69. The method of claim 68, in which determining average relative distance includes determining average relative distance for only the identified portions of the image.

70. The method of claim 64, in which interrogating the subject includes interrogating the subject while the subject is in each of at least first and second orientations relative to a reference, generating image data includes generating image data of a first image of the subject in the first orientation and a second image of the subject in the second orientation, the first image portion being included in the first image and a second image portion being included in the second image.

71. The method of claim 70, in which determining the orientation of the subject includes comparing at least the first image portion with the second image portion.

72. The method of claim 71, in which the first and second image portions are for corresponding portions of the respective first and second images.

73. The method of claim 72, in which determining the orientation of the subject includes identifying the location of a given part of the body, and selecting the corresponding portions based at least in part on the location of the given part of the body.

74. The method of claim 70, in which the person is facing different sides of the reference in the first and second orientations.

75. The method of claim 70, 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.

76. The method of claim 64, 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.

77. 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 image data representative of at least a first image portion, with each image portion being of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body, to determine from the image data a given feature of the first image portion, the given feature being related to the orientation of the person'"'"'s body, and to determine the orientation of the person'"'"'s body based at least in part on the given feature of the first image portion.

78. The system of claim 77, in which the controller is further adapted to generate image data representative of a first image portion of at least a first portion of the person'"'"'s body, and of a second image portion of at least a second portion of the person'"'"'s body, and to determine the orientation based at least in part on the first image portion and the second image portion.

79. The system of claim 78, in which the controller is further adapted to generate image data of the first image of the subject in a first orientation and the second image of the subject in a second orientation, the first image portion being included in the first image and the second image portion being included in the second image.

80. The system of claim 77, in which the controller is further adapted to determine the location of a given portion of the body based at least in part on the orientation of the body.

81. The system of claim 80, in which the controller is further adapted to replace at least a portion of the image of the given portion of the body with a substitute image portion.

82. The system of claim 77, 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.

83. 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 of at least a first image portion, with each image portion being of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body;

determine from the image data a given feature of at least the first image portion, the given feature being related to the orientation of the person'"'"'s body; and

determine the orientation of the person'"'"'s body based at least in part on the given feature of the first image portion.

84. The media of claim 83, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to generate image data representative of a first image portion of at least a first portion of the person'"'"'s body, and of a second image portion of at least a second portion of the person'"'"'s body, and to determine the orientation based at least in part on the first image portion and the second image portion.

85. The media of claim 84, in which the program is further adapted to be executed 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 the 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.

86. The media of claim 84, in which the program is further adapted to be executed 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, the first image portion being included in the first image and the second image portion being included in the second image.

87. The media of claim 86, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to compare at least the first image portion with the second image portion.

88. The media of claim 87, in which the first and second image portions are for corresponding portions of the respective first and second images.

89. The media of claim 88, in which the program is further adapted to be executed to identify the location of a given part of the body, and to select the corresponding portions based at least in part on the location of the given part of the body.

90. The media of claim 86, in which the person is facing different sides of the reference in the first and second orientations.

91. An imaging system comprising:

means for interrogating the subject 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 first and second image portions, with each image portion being of at least a portion of the person'"'"'s body;

means for determining from the image data a given feature of the first image portion and the given feature of the second image portion, the given feature being related to the orientation of the person'"'"'s body; and

means for determining the orientation of the person'"'"'s body based at least in part on the given feature of the first image portion.