Method and System for Image Processing to Classify an Object in an Image

• US 20100177969A1
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Huang, Yu, Tian, Jun, Yu, Hong Heather, Li, Hongbing
• Granted Patent: US 9,269,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30221 Sports video; Sports image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/194 involving foreground-background segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/50 by performing operations within image blocks; by using histograms, e.g. histogram of oriented gradients [HoG]; by summing image-intensity values; Projection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications

Abstract

In an image processing method, an object is located within an image. An area around the object is determined and divided into at least first and second portions based upon image information within the area. The object can then be classified based upon both image information in the first portion of the area and image information in the second portion of the area.

Claims

1. An image processing method comprising:

receiving an image;

locating an object within the image;

determining an area around the object within the image;

dividing, using a processor, the area into at least first and second portions based upon image information within the area; and

classifying the object within the image based upon both image information in the first portion of the area and also image information in the second portion of the area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the image comprises receiving a video image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the image comprises receiving an internet protocol television (IPTV) image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the area into at least first and second portions comprises locating a line at a color boundary within the area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the area comprises a rectangle and the line comprises a line such that the area is divided into only first and second portions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion is represented by a first color histogram and the second portion is represented by a second color histogram and wherein the area is divided into the first and second portions based upon the first and second color histograms.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein dividing the area into at least first and second portions comprises locating a line at a color boundary utilizing a Bhattacharyya distance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein locating the line comprises utilizing a weighted Bhattacharyya distance.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the area comprises a plurality of rows and wherein dividing the area into at least first and second portions comprises calculating a plurality of row color histograms for rows in the area and comparing each row color histograms with first and/or second color histograms to determine a location of a boundary between the first portion and the second portion.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the area comprises a rectangle and wherein calculating a plurality of row color histograms comprises calculating row color histograms for only a small number of rows, the small number of rows comprising less than ten percent of the total number of rows in the rectangle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the image information comprises color information and wherein classifying the object comprises classifying the object based upon color information in the first portion of the area and also upon color information in the second portion of the area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the object comprises a sports player having a jersey and shorts and wherein classifying the object comprises classifying the object based upon a color of the jersey and a color of the shorts.

13. A method for classifying individuals in a video, the method being performed on a processor and comprising:

receiving a video image;

locating an individual within the video image;

determining an area around the individual;

dividing the area into an upper portion and a lower portion;

determining color information for the upper portion and color information for the lower portion;

comparing the color information for the upper portion with known top color information and comparing the color information for the lower portion with known bottom color information; and

identifying a characteristic of the individual based upon a result of the comparing steps.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the video image is a sports video, wherein the individual is a player/referee, wherein the known top color information comprises jersey color information and wherein the known bottom color information is shorts color information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the characteristic of the individual comprises determining a team of the player.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the characteristic of the individual comprises determining an identity of the individual.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a microprocessor to perform the following steps:

locating an object within an image;

determining an area around the object within the image;

dividing the area into at least first and second portions based upon image information within the area; and

classifying the image based upon image information in the first portion of the area and also upon image information in the second portion of the area.

18. An interactive television system comprising:

an authoring tool configured to receive a video image, locate an object within the video image, divided an area around the object into first and second portions; and

generate metadata based upon first image information within the first portion and upon second image information within the second portion;

an aggregator configured to receive the video image and metadata and generate a video stream that is enhanced with the metadata; and

a delivery system configured to transmit the video stream that is enhanced with the metadata.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an interactive television client coupled to receive the video stream that is enhanced with the metadata from the delivery system.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the video image comprises an IPTV image.