Image Processing

• US 20140126822A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Sydney
• Original Assignee: University of Sydney
• Inventors: Underwood, James Patrick, Reina, Giulio, Douillard, Bertrand, Milella, Annalisa
• Application Number:
  US14/004,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20140126822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/174
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3826 Terrain data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2433 Single-class perspective, e.g. one-against-all classification; Novelty detection; Outlier detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/251 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20081 Training; Learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/764 using classification, e.g. of video objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/803 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing images, the method comprising: using a radar (4), generating a first image of an area of terrain (8); using a sensor (5), generating a second image of the area of terrain (8); performing an image segmentation process on the first image to identify a point in the first image as corresponding to a ground surface of the area of terrain (8); and projecting the identified point in the first image from the first image into the second image to identify a point in the second image as corresponding to the ground surface of the area of terrain (8). The method may further comprise: for the identified point in the second image, defining a sub-image of the second image containing that point; and performing a feature extraction process on the sub-image to identify points in the sub-image that correspond to the ground surface.

Claims

1. A method for processing images, the method comprising:

using a radar, generating a first image of an area of terrain;

using a sensor, generating a second image of the area of terrain;

performing an image segmentation process on the first image to identify a point in the first image as corresponding to a ground surface of the area of terrain; and

projecting the identified point in the first image from the first image into the second image to identify a point in the second image as corresponding to the ground surface of the area of terrain.

2. A method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

for the identified point in the second image, defining a sub-image of the second image containing that point; and

performing a feature extraction process on the sub-image to identify points in the sub-image that correspond to the ground surface of the area of terrain.

3. A method according to claim 2, the method further comprising constructing a model of the particular object or terrain feature using the points in the sub-image that correspond to the ground surface of the area of terrain.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the model is a multivariate Gaussian distribution.

5. A method according to claim 3, the method further comprising using the model to construct a classifier for classifying a region in a third image as either corresponding to the ground surface of the area of terrain or not corresponding to the ground surface of the area of terrain.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the classifier is a one-class classifier.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the classifier classifies the region depending on the Mahalanobis distance between the region and the model.

8. A method according to any of claim 1, wherein the sensor (5) is arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is a camera arranged to detect visible light.

14. A program or plurality of programs arranged such that when executed by a computer system or one or more processors it/they cause the computer system or the one or more processors to operate in accordance with the method of any of claim 1.

15. A machine readable storage medium storing a program or at least one of the plurality of programs according to claim 14.

10. Apparatus for processing images, the apparatus comprising:

a radar arranged to generate a first image of an area of terrain;

a sensor arranged to generate a second image of the area of terrain; and

one or more processors arranged to;

perform an image segmentation process on the first image to identify a point in the first image as corresponding to a ground surface of the area of terrain; and

project the identified point in the first image from the first image into the second image to identify a point in the second image as corresponding to the ground surface of the area of terrain.

11. A vehicle comprising the apparatus of claim 10.

12. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

13. A vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle (2) is a land-based vehicle.