CAMERA AND IMAGE PROCESSOR

• US 20090128632A1
• Filed: 11/18/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Maruyama, Takashi, Kikuchi, Makoto, Goto, Takeyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/273,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19686 Interfaces masking personal details for privacy, e.g. blurring faces, vehicle license plates

Abstract

A video signal produced through a shooting operation of a camera is sent to a motion detecting unit which detects a motion included in the video signal to set an area of the motion as a space motion area and inputs information of the area to a distance determination circuit which calculates distance between the motion area and the camera by use of a parallax signal produced from stereo cameras disposed in the camera to send information of the space motion area and the distance to a mask determination circuit. The mask determination circuit conducts a comparison between the space motion area information and the space mask area information and between the distance information of the motion area and that of the space mask area, and resultantly compares three-dimensional positions between the detected motion and the mask to determine a position relationship therebetween.

Claims

1. An image processor for executing mask processing for an image, comprising:

an input unit for inputting an image signal produced from a camera;

a setting unit for setting a mask protection target as a target of the mask processing;

an input unit for inputting first distance information indicating distance from the camera to the mask protection target;

a detecting unit for detecting a monitor object included in the image signal;

a calculating unit for calculating second distance information indicating distance from the camera to the monitor object; and

an area determining unit for determining an area for which the mask processing is to be executed, on the basis of a position relationship between the mask protection target and the monitor object on an image photographed by the camera and a result of comparison between the first distance information and the second distance information.

2. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein:

the detecting unit is a motion detecting unit for detecting a moving object which moves in an imaging space; and

the monitor object is the moving object.

3. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein:

the detecting unit is a person detecting unit for detecting a person in an imaging space; and

the monitor object is the person.

4. An image processor according to claim 1, comprising a face detecting unit for detecting a face of a person, wherein

the monitor object is the person whose face is detected by the face detecting unit.

5. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein the image processor executes, if the mask protection target overlaps with the monitor object on the photographed image and the second distance information indicates a value larger than a value indicated by the first distance information, the mask processing by excluding an overlapped portion between the mask protection target and the monitor object on the photographed image.

6. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein the image processor executes, if the mask protection target overlaps with the monitor object in the photographed image and the second distance information indicates a value smaller than a value indicated by the first distance information, the mask processing by excluding an overlapped portion between the mask protection target and the monitor object in the photographed image.

7. An image processor according to claim 1, wherein if the mask protection target overlaps with the monitor object in the photographed image and the second distance information indicates a value larger than a value indicated by the first distance information, the image processor produces and transmits an indication signal indicating that an alarm notifying device issues an alarm or a notification.

8. An imaging device comprising an image processor according to claim 1.

9. An image processor for executing mask processing for an image, comprising:

an input unit for inputting an image signal produced from a camera;

a determining unit for determining a mask protection target for which the mask processing is to be executed in an imaging space;

a detecting unit for detecting a monitor object included in the image signal;

a position relationship measuring unit for measuring a position relationship between the mask protection target and the monitor object in the imaging space; and

a mask determining unit for determining whether or not the mask processing is to be executed for the monitor object, on the basis of a three-dimensional position relationship between the mask protection target and the monitor object in the image signal.

10. An image processor for executing mask processing for an image, comprising:

an input unit for inputting an image signal produced from a camera;

a space mask area setting unit for setting a space mask area indicating a partial area of a space as an object of imaging operation of the camera;

an input unit for inputting first distance information indicating distance from the camera to a position indicated in the space mask area;

a detecting unit for detecting a monitor object included in the image signal;

a calculating unit for calculating second distance information indicating distance from the camera to the monitor object; and

an area determining unit for determining an area for which the mask processing is to be executed, on the basis of a position relationship between the space mask area and the monitor object on an image photographed by the camera and a result of comparison between the first distance information and the second distance information.