Image processing apparatus, image apparatus, image processing method, and program

• US 20090322882A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Seo, Koichiro, Nagataki, Shingo
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/155
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20132 Image cropping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/215 Motion-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19606 Discriminating between target movement or movement in an area of interest and other non-signicative movements, e.g. target movements induced by camera shake or movements of pets, falling leaves, rotating fan
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus including: a detection section configured to detect a motion area in a screen based on images taken, and output detection information; an accumulation section configured to accumulate the detection information for the past as outputted from the detection section; an area division section configured to divide the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation section, and output area information; and an alarm management section configured to perform particular control based on the area information from the area division section and the detection information from the detection section.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a detection section configured to detect a motion area in a screen based on images taken, and output detection information;

an accumulation section configured to accumulate the detection information for the past as outputted from the detection section;

an area division section configured to divide the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation section, and output area information; and

an alarm management section configured to perform particular control based on the area information from the area division section and the detection information from the detection section.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the alarm management section masks the detection information in a final output, if a target area is determined to be in the area where motions regularly occur, and

the alarm management section retains the detection information in the final output, if the target area is determined not to be in the area where motions regularly occur.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an erasing section configured to erase a part or whole of the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation section, when a specified condition is met.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the specified condition is that a specified period of time has passed since last erasure.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the images include images taken from different photographing angles,

the erasing section outputs an erasure signal to the accumulation section, when a change in the photographing angle is detected based on angle information, and

upon receipt of the erasure signal, the accumulation section discards a part of the accumulated detection information for the past.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a switching section configured to perform a switching process in accordance with angle information, wherein

the images include images taken from different photographing angles,

the accumulation section includes N independent accumulation sections each corresponding to a separate one of N angles, where N is a natural number, and

the switching section accomplishes accumulation of the detection information and input of a detection information history to the area division section appropriately while switching between the N independent accumulation sections in accordance with the angle information.

7. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imaging section configured to take images based on control from an outside;

a detection section configured to detect a motion area in a screen based on the images taken by the imaging section, and output detection information;

an accumulation section configured to accumulate the detection information for the past as outputted from the detection section;

an area division section configured to divide the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation section, and output area information; and

an alarm management section configured to perform particular control based on the area information from the area division section and the detection information from the detection section.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the alarm management section masks the detection information in a final output, if a target area is determined to be in the area where motions regularly occur, and

the alarm management section retains the detection information in the final output, if the target area is determined not to be in the area where motions regularly occur.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising

an erasing section configured to erase a part or whole of the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation section, when a specified condition is met.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the specified condition is that a specified period of time has passed since last erasure.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the imaging section is capable of changing a photographing angle in taking the images, and outputs current angle information to the erasing section,

the erasing section outputs an erasure signal to the accumulation section, when a change in the photographing angle is detected based on the angle information, and

upon receipt of the erasure signal, the accumulation section discards a part of the accumulated detection information for the past.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising

a switching section configured to perform a switching process in accordance with angle information, wherein

the imaging section is capable of changing a photographing angle in taking the images, and outputs current angle information to the switching section,

the accumulation section includes N independent accumulation sections each corresponding to a separate one of N angles, where N is a natural number, and

the switching section accomplishes accumulation of the detection information and input of a detection information history to the area division section appropriately while switching between the N independent accumulation sections in accordance with the angle information.

13. An image processing method, comprising the steps of:

detecting a motion area in a screen based on images taken to obtain detection information;

accumulating the detection information for the past as obtained in the detecting;

dividing the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulating, to obtain area information; and

performing particular control based on the area information obtained in the dividing and the detection information obtained in the detecting.

14. A program for causing a computer to perform image processing comprising the processes of:

detecting a motion area in a screen based on images taken to obtain detection information;

accumulating the detection information for the past as obtained in the detecting;

dividing the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulating, to obtain area information; and

performing particular control based on the area information obtained in the dividing and the detection information obtained in the detecting.

15. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

detection means for detecting a motion area in a screen based on images taken, and output detection information;

accumulation means for accumulating the detection information for the past as outputted from the detection means;

area division means for dividing the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation means, and output area information; and

alarm management means for performing particular control based on the area information from the area division means and the detection information from the detection means.

16. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

imaging means for taking images based on control from an outside;

detection means for detecting a motion area in a screen based on the images taken by the imaging means, and output detection information;

accumulation means for accumulating the detection information for the past as outputted from the detection means;

area division means for dividing the screen into an area where motions regularly occur and a motion-free area, based on the detection information for the past as accumulated in the accumulation means, and output area information; and

alarm management means for performing particular control based on the area information from the area division means and the detection information from the detection means.