System and method for revealing occluded objects in an image dataset
First Claim
1. A method for transforming an image dataset, the image dataset comprising data representing a first object and a second object, the first object at least partially occluding the second object from at least one point of view, the method comprising:
- reading the image dataset from a first computer-readable medium;
determining relative positions of the first and second objects;
based, at least in part, on the relative positions of the first and second objects, transforming the image dataset to reveal the second object; and
storing the transformed image dataset on a second computer-readable medium.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are a system and method for identifying objects in an image dataset that occlude other objects and for transforming the image dataset to reveal the occluded objects. In some cases, occluding objects are identified by processing the image dataset to determine the relative positions of visual objects. Occluded objects are then revealed by removing the occluding objects from the image dataset or by otherwise de-emphasizing the occluding objects so that the occluded objects are seen behind it. A visual object may be removed simply because it occludes another object, because of privacy concerns, or because it is transient. When an object is removed or de-emphasized, the objects that were behind it may need to be “cleaned up” so that they show up well. To do this, information from multiple images can be processed using interpolation techniques. The image dataset can be further transformed by adding objects to the images.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for transforming an image dataset, the image dataset comprising data representing a first object and a second object, the first object at least partially occluding the second object from at least one point of view, the method comprising:
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reading the image dataset from a first computer-readable medium; determining relative positions of the first and second objects; based, at least in part, on the relative positions of the first and second objects, transforming the image dataset to reveal the second object; and storing the transformed image dataset on a second computer-readable medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for a method for transforming an image dataset, the image dataset comprising data representing a first object and a second object, the first object at least partially occluding the second object from at least one point of view, the method comprising:
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reading the image dataset from a first computer-readable medium; determining relative positions of the first and second objects; based, at least in part, on the relative positions of the first and second objects, transforming the image dataset to reveal the second object; and storing the transformed image dataset on a second computer-readable medium.
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18. A system for transforming an image dataset, the system comprising:
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a camera system for gathering multiple images representing a real-world locality, the images taken from multiple points of view, at least some of which images overlap; a first computer-readable medium for containing an image dataset, the image dataset comprising images gathered by the camera system; a program for determining relative positions of objects represented by data in the image dataset; a program for determining whether a first object in the image dataset at least partially occludes a second object from at least one point of view; a program for transforming the image dataset to reveal the at least partially occluded object; and a second computer-readable medium for containing the transformed image dataset. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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- 23. A computer-readable medium containing a transformed image dataset, the transformed image dataset derived, at least in part, from an initial image dataset, wherein deriving comprises transforming the image dataset to reveal an object that is at least partially occluded by an occluding object.
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27. A method for accessing a transformed image dataset, the transformed image dataset derived, at least in part, from an initial image dataset, wherein deriving comprises transforming the image dataset to reveal an object that is at least partially occluded by another object, the method comprising:
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reading from a computer-readable medium data representing images in the transformed image dataset; receiving navigation information; based, at least in part, on the received navigation information, determining a point of view; and presenting images from the transformed image dataset based on the point of view. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method for accessing a transformed image dataset, the transformed image dataset derived, at least in part, from an initial image dataset, wherein deriving comprises transforming the image dataset to reveal an object that is at least partially occluded by another object, the method comprising:
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reading from a computer-readable medium data representing images in the transformed image dataset; receiving navigation information; based, at least in part, on the received navigation information, determining a point of view; and presenting images from the transformed image dataset based on the point of view.
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Specification