Auto Individualization process based on a facial biometric anonymous ID Assignment

• US 20070183634A1
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Dussich, Mcken Hang Mak
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Dussich, Mcken Hang Mak
• Inventors: Dussich, Jeffrey, Hang Mak, Mcken
• Application Number:
  US11/698,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20070183634A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/173 face re-identification, e.g. recognising unknown faces across different face tracks

Abstract

This invention is a method by which facial images are automatically grouped into unique individual collections based on the results of the existing facial recognition algorithm. The invention is used for the active grouping of facial images gathered from a sequence of image frames over a specified period of time. This organizational method allows for analytical processes not normally possible from the current facial recognition process.

Claims

1. A method for recognizing facial images, comprising:

capturing a facial image;

executing a facial recognition process on the captured facial image;

classifying the captured facial image into one of unique individual collections based on the results of the facial recognition process;

wherein each of the unique individual collections comprises a plurality of facial images; and

wherein each of the plurality of facial images in the respective unique individual collection are related to same object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the facial image is captured from a video stream source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the facial image is captured in multiple sequential frames, the multiple frames being related to the same object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of facial images related to the same object are classified in the same unique individual collection.

5. The method of claim 1, compiling the unique individual collections into an active individuals list.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique individual collection comprises 25 biometrically unique individuals.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the biometrically unique individuals have similar attributes, including timestamps, face quality scores, distance between the eyes and templates.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured facial image is extracted from a full image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured facial image is transferred to a facial acquisition process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to executing the facial recognition process, face qualities are computed, based on the computation filtering facial images that do not meet quality thresholds.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the facial image is tagged with a temporary identification.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the temporary identification is a number related to the facial image, a biometric template, and unique attributes of the same object.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing each collection of facial images on an active individuals list while additional images are being received.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the active individuals list contains a series of unique individual collections.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an identification process is initiated once an individual is removed from the active individual list.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein an individual is removed from the active individual list when an unique individual collection ceases to receive new images for a specified period of time.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising matching a probing face with the active individual list.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein if the probing face is matched with the active individual list, the probing face is inserted into the respective unique individual collection.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising updating the unique individual collection and resetting an expiration timer.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein if the probing face is not matched with the active individual list, a new unique individual collection is added and the probing face is added thereto.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising updating the unique individual collection and resetting an expiration timer.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing an active individual expiration process, wherein said process periodically queries the active individual list for unique individual collections that have not received new images for a specified period of time.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing an active individual expiration process, wherein said process periodically queries the active individual list for unique individual collections that have received more facial images than the threshold limit.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the expiring unique individual collection is transferred to the individual collection database for external processing.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising an expiration process for unique individual collections on the active individual list,

wherein unique individual collections that do not receive new images for a specified period of time are identified as inactive, and

wherein said inactive collections are removed from the active individual list.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the inactive collection removed is transferred to a predefined external application for further processing.

27. A system for recognizing facial images comprising:

a capturing module which captures an image;

a process for executing a facial recognition algorithm on the captured image;

a classification module that classifies the captured image into one of unique individual collections based on the results of the facial recognition algorithm;

wherein each of the unique individual collections comprises a plurality of facial images; and

wherein each of the plurality of facial images are related to a same object.

28. A computer comprising a CPU processor, a display, memory, and input/output, wherein the computer is connected to a database storage unit and receives information from a camera, wherein the computer is configured to:

capture a facial image;

execute a facial recognition process on the captured facial image;

classify the captured facial image into one of unique individual collections based on the results of the facial recognition process;

wherein each of the unique individual collections comprises a plurality of facial images; and

wherein each of the plurality of facial images in the respective unique individual collection are related to same object.

29. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

directing a computer to capture an image;

directing a computer to execute a facial recognition algorithm on a captured image;

directing a computer to classify the captured image into one of unique individual collections based on the results of the facial recognition algorithm, wherein each of the unique individual collections comprises a plurality of facial images, and wherein each of the plurality of facial images are related to same object.