OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20120250939A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yano, Kotaro
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/2504 Coarse or fine approaches, e.g. resolution of ambiguities or multiscale approaches
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

In an object detection system with a first and a second image processing apparatus, the first image processing apparatus includes a reduction unit configured to reduce an input image, a first detection unit configured to detect a predetermined object from a reduction image reduced by the reduction unit, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the input image and a first detection result detected by the first detection unit to the second image processing apparatus, and the second image processing apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive the input image and the first detection result from the first image processing apparatus, a second detection unit configured to detect the predetermined object from the input image, and an output unit configured to output the first detection result and a second detection result detected by the second detection unit.

Claims

1. An object detection system including a first and a second image processing apparatus:

wherein

the first image processing apparatus comprises;

a reduction unit configured to reduce an input image;

a first detection unit configured to detect a predetermined object from a reduction image reduced by the reduction unit; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the input image and a first detection result detected by the first detection unit to the second image processing apparatus; and

the second image processing apparatus comprises;

a reception unit configured to receive the input image and the first detection result from the first image processing apparatus;

a second detection unit configured to detect the predetermined object from the input image; and

an output unit configured to output the first detection result and a second detection result detected by the second detection unit.

2. The object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the input image is a moving image and the transmission unit transmits the input image at a frame rate lower than a frame rate at which the input image is input to the reduction unit.

3. The object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second detection units detect the predetermined object by sequentially reducing an image so that the resolution of the reduced image does not coincide.

4. An object detection method in an object detection system including a first and a second image processing apparatus, comprising:

in the first image processing apparatus,

reducing an input image to a reduction image;

detecting a predetermined object from the reduction image to acquire a first detection result; and

transmitting the input image and the first detection result to the second image processing apparatus; and

in the second image processing apparatus,

receiving the input image and the first detection result from the first image processing apparatus;

detecting the predetermined object from the input image to acquire a second detection result; and

outputting the first and second detection results.

5. An object detection system including a first and a second image processing apparatus:

wherein

the first image processing apparatus comprises;

a first detection unit configured to detect a predetermined object from an input image;

a reduction unit configured to reduce the input image; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit a reduction image reduced by the reduction unit and a first detection result detected by the first detection unit to the second image processing apparatus; and

the second image processing apparatus comprises;

a reception unit configured to receive the reduction image and the first detection result from the first image processing apparatus;

a second detection unit configured to detect the predetermined object from the reduction image; and

an output unit configured to output the first detection result and a second detection result detected by the second detection unit.

6. The object detection system according to claim 5, wherein the input image is a moving image and the transmission unit transmits the reduction image at a frame rate higher than a frame rate at which the input image is input to the detection unit.

7. The object detection system according to claim 5, wherein the first detection unit clips a partial image including the predetermined object from the input image if the first detection unit detects the predetermined object from the input image, the transmission unit transmits the partial image together with the first detection result to the second image processing apparatus, and the output unit outputs the partial image together with the first detection result.

8. An object detection method in an object detection system including a first and a second image processing apparatus, comprising:

in the first image processing apparatus,

detecting a predetermined object from an input image to acquire a first detection result;

reducing the input image to a reduction image; and

transmitting the reduction image and the first detection result to the second image processing apparatus; and

in the second image processing apparatus,

receiving the reduction image and the first detection result from the first image processing apparatus;

detecting the predetermined object from the reduction image to acquire a second detection result; and

outputting the first and second detection results.