METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEGMENTING AN OBJECT REGION OF INTEREST FROM AN IMAGE

• US 20090154808A1
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gao, Feng, Zhou, Na, Liu, Wei, Yuan, Huai
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30248 Vehicle exterior or interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/08 Detecting or categorising vehicles

Abstract

A method for segmenting an object region of interest from an image includes detecting each corner in a captured image; acquiring edges of the object from the captured image based on the detected corners; clustering the detected corners based on corners on the acquired edges; and segmenting the image region in the captured image formed by the clustered corners as a region of interest that likely includes the object. With this method and apparatus for the method, an object region of interest may be segmented from an image without utilizing features such as an object shadow and edges.

Claims

1. A method for segmenting an object region of interest from an image, comprising:

detecting each corner in at least a portion of a captured image;

acquiring edges of the object from the captured image based on the detected corners;

clustering the detected corners based on corners on the acquired edges; and

segmenting an image region in the captured image formed by the clustered corners as a region of interest that likely includes the object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acquiring act further comprises:

extracting a column in the captured image that includes the greatest number of corners; and

determining a line segment with a density of corners larger than a predetermined value as an edge of the object from the extracted column.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the acquiring act further comprises:

extracting the column that includes the greatest number of corners from each column except for the columns covered by an image region that has been segmented as a region of interest previously from the captured image.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

computing a bounding box of the image region; and

segmenting the bounding box from the captured image as the region of interest.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

adjusting a height of the bounding box according to an aspect ratio of the object before segmenting the bounding box.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

moving at least one of a left border and a right border of the region of interest inward and/or outward by a predetermined width, respectively, so as to obtain an extended region;

determining a column that includes the greatest number of corners in the extended region; and

adjusting the corresponding border of the left border or the right border of the region of interest to the determined column.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

moving at least one of a top border and a bottom border of the region of interest inward and/or outward by a predetermined height, respectively, so as to obtain an extended region;

determining a row that includes the greatest number of corners in the extended region; and

adjusting the corresponding border of the top border or the bottom border of the region of interest to the determined row.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detected corners are detected in a portion below a vanishing line in the captured image.

9. An apparatus for segmenting an object region of interest from an image, comprising:

a detecting means for detecting each corner in at least a portion of a captured image;

an acquiring means for acquiring edges of the object from the captured image based on the detected corners;

a clustering means for clustering the detected corners based on corners on the acquired edges; and

a segmenting means for segmenting an image region in the captured image formed by the clustered corners as a region of interest that likely includes the object.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the acquiring means further comprises:

an extracting unit for extracting a column in the captured image that includes the greatest number of corners; and

a determining unit for determining a line segment with a density of corners larger than a predetermined value as an edge of the object from the extracted column.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the extracting unit extracts the column that includes the greatest number of corners from each column except for the columns covered by an image region that has been segmented as a region of interest previously from the captured image.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a computing means for computing a bounding box of the image region,

wherein the segmenting means is configured for segmenting the bounding box from the captured image as the region of interest.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a first adjusting means for adjusting a height of the bounding box according to an aspect ratio of the object before segmenting the bounding box.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first extending means for moving at least one of a left border and a right border of the region of interest inward and/or outward by a predetermined width, respectively, so as to obtain an extended region;

a first determining means for determining a column that includes the greatest number of corners in the extended region; and

a second adjusting means for adjusting the corresponding border of the left border or the right border of the region of interest to the determined column.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second extending means for moving at least one of a top border and a bottom border of the region of interest inward and/or outward by a predetermined height, respectively, so as to obtain an extended region;

a second determining means for determining a row that includes the greatest number of corners in the extended region; and

a third adjusting means for adjusting the corresponding border of the top border or bottom border of the region of interest to the determined row.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the detected corners are detected in a portion below a vanishing line in the captured image.