DETECTION OF STATIC OBJECT ON THOROUGHFARE CROSSINGS
First Claim
1. A method for applying computer vision techniques to automatically detect the presence of static objects within a first thoroughfare crossing of a second thoroughfare, the method comprising:
- in response to input video image data from a scene of a level-grade crossing of a first thoroughfare by a second thoroughfare, a processing unit extracting and recording into a tangible data storage medium foreground object image features via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features;
the processing unit determining, by estimating movement features of the foreground object image features, whether an underlying object of the extracted foreground object image features is in motion or is static;
the processing unit determining a dominant moving direction of the underlying object as a function of the extracted optical flow image features if the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is in motion;
the processing unit resetting the process and not generating an event alarm if the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is parallel to an orientation of the second thoroughfare that is crossed by the first thoroughfare; and
if the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is static, or that the object is in motion and the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is not parallel to the orientation of the second thoroughfare that is crossed by the first thoroughfare, the processing unit;
determining an initial appearance of the foreground object region;
starting and running a static-ness timer that runs while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features;
generating the event alarm if the started static-ness timer reaches a threshold while the determined appearance of the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; and
wherein the event alarm indicates that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Foreground object image features are extracted from input video via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features. If estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is in motion, a dominant moving direction of the underlying object is determined. If the dominant moving direction is parallel to an orientation of the second, crossed thoroughfare, an event alarm indicating that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare is not generated. If the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is static, or that its determined dominant moving direction is not parallel to the second thoroughfare, an appearance of the foreground object region is determined and a static-ness timer run while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for applying computer vision techniques to automatically detect the presence of static objects within a first thoroughfare crossing of a second thoroughfare, the method comprising:
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in response to input video image data from a scene of a level-grade crossing of a first thoroughfare by a second thoroughfare, a processing unit extracting and recording into a tangible data storage medium foreground object image features via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features; the processing unit determining, by estimating movement features of the foreground object image features, whether an underlying object of the extracted foreground object image features is in motion or is static; the processing unit determining a dominant moving direction of the underlying object as a function of the extracted optical flow image features if the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is in motion; the processing unit resetting the process and not generating an event alarm if the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is parallel to an orientation of the second thoroughfare that is crossed by the first thoroughfare; and if the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is static, or that the object is in motion and the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is not parallel to the orientation of the second thoroughfare that is crossed by the first thoroughfare, the processing unit; determining an initial appearance of the foreground object region; starting and running a static-ness timer that runs while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; generating the event alarm if the started static-ness timer reaches a threshold while the determined appearance of the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; and wherein the event alarm indicates that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system, comprising:
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a processing unit in communication with a computer readable memory and a tangible computer-readable storage medium; wherein the processing unit, when executing program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory; in response to input video image data from a scene of a level-grade crossing of a first thoroughfare by a second thoroughfare, extracts and records into a tangible data storage medium foreground object image features via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features; determines, by estimating movement features of the foreground object image features, whether an underlying object of the extracted foreground object image features is in motion or is static; determines a dominant moving direction of the underlying object as a function of the extracted optical flow image features if the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is in motion; resets the process and does not generate an event alarm if the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is parallel to an orientation of the second thoroughfare that is crossed by the first thoroughfare; and if the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is static, or that the object is in motion and the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is not parallel to the orientation of the second thoroughfare; determines an initial appearance of the foreground object region; starts and runs a static-ness timer that runs while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; and generates the event alarm if the started static-ness timer reaches a threshold while the determined appearance of the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; and wherein the event alarm indicates that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a computer readable tangible storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer processing unit, cause the computer processing unit to; in response to input video image data from a scene of a level-grade crossing of a first thoroughfare by a second thoroughfare, extract and record into a tangible data storage medium foreground object image features via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features; determine, by estimating movement features of the foreground object image features, whether an underlying object of the extracted foreground object image features is in motion or is static; determine a dominant moving direction of the underlying object as a function of the extracted optical flow image features if determined that the underlying object is in motion; reset the process and not generate an event alarm if the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is parallel to an orientation of the second thoroughfare that is crossed by the first thoroughfare; and if determined that the underlying object is static, or that the object is in motion and the determined dominant moving direction of the underlying object is not parallel to the orientation of the second thoroughfare; determine an initial appearance of the foreground object region; start and run a static-ness timer that runs while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; generate the event alarm if the started static-ness timer reaches a threshold while the determined appearance of the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features; and wherein the event alarm indicates that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification