Apparatus and method for image pattern analysis
First Claim
1. Apparatus for analysis of target images in a field of interest comprising in operative combination:
- a) means for dividing a field into a plurality of adjacent portions having a high aspect ratio;
b) means for reflectively redirecting at least one region of one of said high aspect ratio field portions into a series of parallel, generally rectangular adjacently abutting zones, each of said zones having a length along a long axis greater than a width transverse thereto and including two long sides parallel to said long axis and two opposed zone ends, said abutting zones having an aggregrate aspect ratio below about 5;
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c) means for scanning said zones to produce signals corresponding to target images in said zones;
d) means for digitizing signals from said zone scanner to detect target image signals and provide address information therefor;
e) means for analyzing said digitized target image address information signals to locate target images in said field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus systems and methods for image analysis, including identification, location and analysis of both patterns of distribution of target images and tracking of a high speed target image. An example is scanning shotgun targets. A target, representing a field of view having multiple images distributed therein, is wrapped around a transparent drum illuminated from the interior, rotating the drum in front of a high aspect ratio slit, optically folding the slit aperture into a series of adjacent overlapping zones the aggregate aspect ratio of which is low, scanning the moving target with a video camera, digitizing the camera image signals, electronically processing the signals to identify bright image areas (e.g. shot holes), processing the information to determine the image location and analyzing the location information to determine image distribution patterns. The system and methods are applicable to a wide variety of image detection and analysis including: astronomy; satellite photos of sites; gatherings of people, things, animals, crops in fields; and movement of objects through the field of view such as objects on a conveyor belt, traffic, ballistic objects, and the like.
54 Citations
58 Claims
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1. Apparatus for analysis of target images in a field of interest comprising in operative combination:
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a) means for dividing a field into a plurality of adjacent portions having a high aspect ratio; b) means for reflectively redirecting at least one region of one of said high aspect ratio field portions into a series of parallel, generally rectangular adjacently abutting zones, each of said zones having a length along a long axis greater than a width transverse thereto and including two long sides parallel to said long axis and two opposed zone ends, said abutting zones having an aggregrate aspect ratio below about 5;
1;c) means for scanning said zones to produce signals corresponding to target images in said zones; d) means for digitizing signals from said zone scanner to detect target image signals and provide address information therefor; e) means for analyzing said digitized target image address information signals to locate target images in said field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Method of analysis of target images in a field of interest to determine numbers, position, path of travel or patterns of distribution of said target images comprising the steps in any appropriate sequence of:
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a) dividing a field of view into a plurality of adjacent portions having a high aspect ratio; b) reflectively orienting at least one region of one of said high aspect ratio field portions into a series of parallel, generally rectangular adjacently abutting zones, each of said zones having a length along a long is greater than a width transverse thereto and including two long sides parallel to said long axis and two opposed zone ends, said abutting zones having an aggregrate aspect ratio below about 5;
1;c) scanning said zones to produce signals corresponding to target images in said zones; d) digitizing said signals to detect target image signals and provide address information therefor; e) analyzing said digitized target image address information signals to locate target images in said field. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. Apparatus for image folding to change aspect ratio of a field of interest comprising in operative combination:
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a) means for dividing a field into a plurality of adjacent portions having a high aspect ratio; b) means for displaying at least one of said field portions for view; c) means for viewing said displayed high aspect ratio field portion and reflectively redirecting at least one region thereof into a series of adjacently abutting parallel, generally rectangular zones, each zone having a length along a long axis greater than a width transverse thereto and including two long sides parallel to said long axis and two opposed, spaced zone ends, said adjacently abutting parallel zones having an aggregate aspect ratio below about 5;
1; andd) said reflectively redirecting means orients said zones so that contiguous zone ends in said field region overlap, and said overlap is reflectively redirected into said series of adjacently abutting parallel zones. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. Method of changing the aspect ratio (height:
- width) of a field of interest comprising the steps in any appropriate sequence of;
a) dividing a field into a plurality of adjacent portions having a high aspect ratio; b) displaying at leas tone of said field portions for view; c) reflectively redirecting at least one region of said displayed field portion into a series of adjacently abutting parallel, generally rectangular zones, each zone having a length along a long axis greater than a width transverse thereto and including two long sides parallel to said long axis, and two opposed and spaced zone ends, said adjacently abutting parallel zones having an aggregate aspect ratio below about 5;
1; andd) said step of reflectively redirecting said field portion region includes orienting said zones so that contiguous end zone regions in said field region overlap, and said overlap is reflectively redirected into said series of adjacently abutting parallel zones. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
- width) of a field of interest comprising the steps in any appropriate sequence of;
Specification