IMAGE IDENTIFICATION MARKER AND METHOD

• US 20160188938A1
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gideon Summerfield
• Original Assignee: Gideon Summerfield
• Inventors: Summerfield, Gideon
• Application Number:
  US14/911,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20160188938A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/44 Local feature extraction by analysis of parts of the pattern, e.g. by detecting edges, contours, loops, corners, strokes or intersections; Connectivity analysis, e.g. of connected components

Abstract

A system and method for identifying the origin of photographic images and selecting photographic images according to the identified origin for inclusion in a set of photographic images employs a high contrast identifiable label disposable at one or more points in one or more sizes within the camera field of view for images of the label to be included in any photographic image. The label can be one of a plurality of different styles of each label. Each different label bears a unique identification code in the form of a decoder bull binary number. Each label also comprises an asymmetrical element. Photographic images are scanned to identify any labels. If labels are found, label images are adapted for size, flatness of face presentation and rotational orientation. The unique identification code is read as a sequence of binary digits provided by presence or absence of code elements. If the read code matches a pre-determined selected code, the photographic image upon which the label appears is accepted as an addition to a set of photographic images all relating to the predetermined code.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A marker for use on physical objects in order to allow the marker to be identified and the objects classified by processing photographs or video frames taken of the objects, the marker comprising an image composed of at least two contrasting colours

the image being based upon an image template including a number of shapes, whose edges form at least three separate, non-overlapping and non-crossing closed loop lines wherein

at least a first line encompasses at least a second line

at least a third line does not encompass at least a second line

the lines when considered as a whole are asymmetric

the lines of the marker include at least eight key features such as sharp corners and central points distributed across the marker in two dimensions

and wherein there are also included a number of secondary encoding features which may be arranged in a number of ways on the basic template of the marker to encode a unique ID.

18. A marker according to claim 17, wherein the lines of the image is asymmetric both rotationally and reflectively.

19. A marker according to claim 17 wherein the encoding features are produced in more than two colours.

20. A marker according to claim 18, wherein the encoding features are produced in more than two colours.

21. A marker according to claim 17 wherein the width of the shapes and the spaces between them are at least 3% the diameter of the marker

22. A marker according to claim 18 wherein the width of the shapes and the spaces between them are at least 3% the diameter of the marker

23. A marker according to claim 19 wherein the width of the shapes and the spaces between them are at least 3% the diameter of the marker

24. A method of detecting a marker according to claim 17 comprising the steps of

receiving a photograph that may contain the image of the marker

generating lines from the edges of shapes of contrasting colour and/or brightness

identifying any groups of lines

for at least one such identified group of lines determining one or more of the following characteristics of the lines picked from the group of how many lines encompasses other lines, how many lines do not encompass other lines, the hierarchy of the lines which do and don'"'"'t encompass other lines, the number of key features such as sharp corners and central points on each line, the number of key features such as sharp corners and central points on all the lines, the shape of the lines, the relative positions of the lines, the relative sizes of the lines

and comparing such characteristics with the stored characteristic corresponding to the basic template of the marker to identify it.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein there is included the step of separating the photograph or the marker into different colour channels.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein there is included the step of enhancing the photograph prior to generating lines from the edges of shapes.

27. A method according to claim 25 wherein there is included the step of enhancing the photograph prior to generating lines from the edges of shapes.

28. A method according to claim 24 wherein there is included the step of removing generated edges of anomalous size.

29. A method according to claim 25 wherein there is included the step of removing generated edges of anomalous size.

30. A method according to claim 26 wherein there is included the step of removing generated edges of anomalous size.

31. A method according to claim 27 wherein there is included the step of removing generated edges of anomalous size.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein the step of enhancing the photograph is repeated with different settings.

33. A method according to claim 27, wherein the step of enhancing the photograph is repeated with different settings.

34. A method according to claim 30, wherein the step of enhancing the photograph is repeated with different settings.

35. A method according to claim 31, wherein the step of enhancing the photograph is repeated with different settings.

36. A method according to claim 24, wherein there is included the steps of

identifying key features such as sharp corners and central points

comparing identified key features to an undistorted template to extract deformation information

correcting image for deformation

seeking asymmetric features and compare to those in original template in order to ascertaining rotational orientation

correcting image for rotation

seeking presence or absence of encoding features in known locations

decoding encoding features to obtain image ID

and outputting the image ID.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein there is included the step of retrieving metadata associated with original image/source using the image ID.

38. A method according to claim 36 wherein a first image and second image are processed simultaneously.

39. A method of processing a first image according to claim 36 while simultaneously receiving a photograph that may contain a second image of the marker

generating lines from the edges of shapes of contrasting colour and/or brightness from the second image

identifying any groups of lines from the second image

for at least one such identified group of lines from the second image determining one or more of the following characteristics of the lines picked from the group of how many lines encompasses other lines, how many lines do not encompass other lines, the hierarchy of the lines which do and don'"'"'t encompass other lines, the number of key features such as sharp corners and central points on each line, the number of key features such as sharp corners and central points on all the lines, the shape of the lines, the relative positions of the lines, the relative sizes of the lines

and comparing such characteristics with the stored characteristic corresponding to the basic template of the marker to identify the second image.

40. A method according to claim 24 wherein there is included the step of seeking asymmetric features

reflecting the image if it is found that reflection of the photograph has taken place.

41. A method according to claim 36 wherein there is included the step of seeking asymmetric features

reflecting the image if it is found that reflection of the photograph has taken place.