System and method for passive face recognition

• US 20060120571A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Tu, Peter Henry, Krahnstoever, Nils Oliver, Rittscher, Jens, Kelliher, Timothy Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/003,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20060120571A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification

Abstract

A system and method of face recognition is provided. The method includes capturing an image including a face and registering features of the image to fit with a model face to generate a registered model face. The registered model face is then transformed to a desired orientation to generate a transformed model face. The transformed model face is then compared against a plurality of stored images to identify a number of likely candidates for the face. In addition, the face recognition process may be performed passively.

Claims

1. A method of face recognition, comprising:

capturing an image including a face;

registering features of the image to fit with a model face to generate a registered model face;

transforming the registered model face to a desired orientation to generate a transformed model face; and

comparing the transformed model face against a plurality of stored images to identify a number of likely candidates for the face.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

creating a new model face based on the number of likely candidates;

capturing a new image including the face;

registering features of the new image to fit with the new model face to generate a new registered model face;

transforming the new registered model face to the desired orientation to generate a new transformed model face; and

comparing the new transformed model face against a stored image of each of the number of likely candidates to identify a new number of likely candidates for the face.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

updating the number of likely candidates to be the new number of likely candidates; and

repeating said creating, capturing, registering, transforming, comparing, and updating until a single likely candidate is identified as having the face.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein repeating comprises cumulatively adding facial data to improve accuracy of the new transformed model face.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein creating the new model face comprises providing the new model face based on the transformed model face.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image comprises acquiring a three-dimensional image of the face at an orientation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein acquiring the three-dimensional image comprises passively acquiring a video stream.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein acquiring the three-dimensional image comprises passively acquiring a still image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image comprises passively tracking movement of an individual having the face.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein registering comprises fitting the features of the image with a plurality of three-dimensional points of the model face.

11. A face recognition system, comprising:

a face registration module operable to process a captured facial image having a facial orientation and to fit the captured facial image with a model face to generate a registered model face;

a face transformation module operable to transform the registered model face from the facial orientation to a desired orientation to generate a transformed model face; and

a face recognition module operable to compare the transformed model face with a plurality of stored images of individuals to identify at least one likely candidate for the captured facial image.

12. The face recognition system of claim 11, wherein the face registration module is operable to generate a plurality of fiducial points on the captured facial image.

13. The face recognition system of claim 12, wherein the captured image is acquired by one of a plurality of cameras disposed at a location, wherein each of the plurality of cameras is operable to passively acquire images of an individual moving about the location.

14. The face recognition system of claim 11, wherein the face registration module is operable to process a new captured facial image having a new facial orientation and to fit the new captured facial image with a new model face to generate a new registered model face, wherein the new model face is developed based on the at least one likely candidate.

15. The face recognition system of claim 14, wherein the face transformation module is operable to transform the new registered model face from the new facial orientation to the desired orientation to generate a new transformed model face.

16. A surveillance system configured to identify a person, comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices, wherein each of the plurality of imaging devices is operable to capture at least one image, including a face of the person to generate a captured image;

a face registration module operable to fit the captured image to a model face to generate a registered model face;

a face transformation module operable to transform the registered model face into a transformed model face having a desired orientation; and

a face recognition module operable to identify at least one likely candidate from a plurality of stored images based on the transformed model face.

17. The surveillance system of claim 16, wherein the model face is iteratively updated based on the at least one likely candidate and the transformed model face until the person is identified.

18. The surveillance system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of imaging devices is operable to capture the at least one image without active participation from the person.

19. The surveillance system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of imaging devices is wirelessly coupled to a monitoring station that stores the plurality of stored images.

20. A method of providing security, comprising

providing imaging devices in a plurality of areas through which individuals pass, wherein the imaging devices are operable to obtain facial images of each of the individuals;

providing a face recognition system operable to recognize an individual having the facial images by iteratively and cumulatively identifying candidates for each of the facial images.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the face recognition system comprises providing a face transformation system to transform orientations of the facial images into a desired orientation for facial recognition.