Motion vector detection circuit and object tracking camera device utilizing the same

• US 6,002,428 A
• Filed: 10/20/1995
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Akio, Nakashima, Hiroshi, Matsumura, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Anand S.
• Application Number:
  US08/546,219
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169, 348/170, 348/171, 348/172, 348/699, 348/700, 348/416, 348/415, 348/411, 348/410, 354/430
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/145 Movement estimation for video coding H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A motion vector detection circuit includes a registration determining switch which sets a first registration determination mode wherein at an initial field, correlation values are evaluated by a correlator on the basis of integrated color data of a specific detection block being stored in a representative color memory and integrated color data of twenty-five (25) detection blocks being stored in an integrated color memory. A comparison circuit compares the correlation values with a predetermined threshold value, and if a condition that the threshold value is larger than the correlation value is satisfied in each of eighty (80) percents or more detection blocks, the integrated color data stored in the representative color memory is registered as a representative color of an object, and otherwise, no registration is performed. In a second registration determination mode set by the registration determining switch, the correlator evaluates correlation values on the basis of the integrated color data of the specific detection block and integrated color data of four (4) detection block.

Claims

1. A motion vector detection circuit which detects a motion vector of an object utilizing color information of a plurality of detection blocks defined within a motion vector detection area, comprising:

a first calculation means for obtaining first color information data on the basis of the color information of a specific detection block, said first color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of a first color and a second data subset containing information of a second color, different from said first color;

a second calculation means for obtaining second color information data for each of desired detection blocks on the basis of the color information of each of the desired detection blocks, said second color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of said first color and a second data subset containing information of said second color; and

a detection means for detecting the motion vector of said object on the basis of said first color information data and said second color information data, said detection means including a registration determining means for determining on the basis of said first and second data subsets of said first color information data and said first and second data subsets of said second color information data whether or not said first color information data is to be registered for detection of the motion vector, and a motion vector detection means for detecting the motion vector of said object in accordance with a determination result by the registration determining means.

2. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said registration determining means includes

a correlation means for detecting a correlation value of said first color information data and said second color information data,

a comparison means for comparing said correlation value with a threshold value, and

a determination means for determining on the basis of a comparison result by the comparison means whether or not said first color information data is to be registered.

3. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said second color information data includes second color information data for all the detection blocks within the motion vector detection area.

4. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said second color information data includes second color information data of detection blocks the number of which is smaller than the number of all the detection blocks within the motion vector detection area and which are arranged around said specific detection block.

5. A circuit according to claim 4, wherein said detection blocks includes detection blocks at left upper, right upper, left lower and right lower with respect to said specific detection block.

6. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said registration determining means includes

a first registration determination means for determining on the basis of said first color information data and said second color information data of all the detection blocks within the motion vector detection area whether or not said first color information data is to be registered, and

a second registration determination means for determining on the basis of said first color information data and said second color information data of the detection blocks the number of which is smaller than the number of all the detection blocks within the motion vector detection area and which are arranged around said specific detection block whether or not said first color information data is to be registered, and said circuit further comprising

a selection means for selecting one of the first registration determination means and the second registration determination means.

7. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said detection means includes

a same color block detection means for detecting a same color detection block which is regarded as a detection block having the same color as that of said specific detection block on the basis of said first color information data and said second color information data,

a large block detection means for detecting a large block constituted by the same color detection block,

a gravity detection means for detecting a gravity of the large block, and

a motion vector detection means for detecting the motion vector of said object on the basis of said gravity.

8. A circuit according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of detection blocks are arranged in a superposed manner within the motion vector detection area.

9. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said color information includes three kinds of color components different from each other.

10. A circuit according to claim 9, wherein said three kinds of color components include Y, R-Y and B-Y signals.

11. A circuit according to claim 9, wherein three kinds of color components include Y, Cr and Cb signals.

22. A circuit according to claim 7, wherein said gravity detection means includes

a selecting means for selecting a large block having a largest area when a plurality of large blocks exists within the motion vector detection area, and

a means for detecting a gravity of the large block having the largest area.

12. An object tracking camera device utilizing a motion vector detection circuit which detects a motion vector of an object utilizing color information of a plurality of detection blocks defined within a motion vector detection area, comprising:

a first calculation means for obtaining first color information data on the basis of the color information of a specific detection block, said first color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of a first color and a second data subset containing information of a second color, different from said first color;

a second calculation means for obtaining second color information data for each of desired detection blocks on the basis of the color information of each of the desired detection blocks, said second color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of said first color and a second data subset containing information of said second color;

a third calculation means for obtaining third color information data for each of said detection blocks on the basis of the color information of each of said detection blocks, said third color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of said first color and a second data subset containing information of said second color;

a correlation means for evaluating a correlation value on the basis of said first and second data subsets of said first color information data and said first and second data subsets of one of said second color information data and said third color information data;

a comparing means for comparing said correlation value with a predetermined threshold value; and

a detection determination means for determining on the basis of a comparison result of said comparison means whether or not the motion vector can be detected;

a detection means for detecting the motion vector of said object on the basis of said first and second data subsets of said first color information data and said first and second data subsets of said second color information; and

a control means for controlling a camera according to the motion vector detected by the detection means.

13. A motion vector detection circuit which detects a motion vector of an object utilizing a plurality of detection blocks set within a motion vector detection area, comprising:

a first calculation means for obtaining first color information data on the basis of color information of a specific detection block at a field just after an operation for object tracking is started, said first color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of a first color and a second data subset containing information of a second color, different from said first color;

a second calculation means for obtaining second color information data on the basis of the color information of said specific detection block at another field, said second color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of said first color and a second data subset containing information of said second color;

a third calculation means for obtaining third color information data for each of said detection blocks on the basis of the color information of each of said detection blocks, said third color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of said first color and a second data subset containing information of said second color;

a judge means for judging which one of said first color information data and said second color information data is to be utilized for detecting the motion vector, said judge means including

a correlation means for evaluating a correlation value on the basis of said first and second data subsets of said first color information data and said first and second data subsets of one of said second color information data and said third color information data,

a comparing means for comparing said correlation value with a predetermined threshold value, and

a detection determination means for determining on the basis of a comparison result of said comparison means whether or not the motion vector can be detected; and

a detection means for detecting the motion vector on the basis of said first and second data subsets of one of said first color information data and said second color information data.

14. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein said judge means judges that said second color information data is to be utilized when it is impossible to detect the motion vector with utilizing said first color information data.

15. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein said judge means includes a renewing means for renewing said second color information data at a time that the motion vector can not be detected with utilizing the second color information data.

16. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein said judge means judges that said first color information data is to be utilized instead of said second color information data if it becomes possible to detect the motion vector with utilizing said first color information data when the motion vector is detected with utilizing said second color information data.

17. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein said judge means judges that it is impossible to detect the motion vector at a time that said correlation value is larger than said threshold value in each of all the detection blocks.

18. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein said color information includes three kinds of color components different from each other.

19. A circuit according to claim 18, wherein said three kinds of color components include Y, R-Y and B-Y signals.

20. A circuit according to claim 18, wherein three kinds of color components include Y, Cr and Cb signals.

21. An object tracking camera device utilizing a motion vector detection circuit which detects a motion vector of an object with utilizing a plurality of detection blocks set within a motion vector detection area, comprising:

a first calculation means for obtaining first color information data on the basis of color information of a specific detection block at a field just after an operation for object tracking is started, said first color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of a first color and a second data subset containing information of a second color, different from said first color;

a second calculation means for obtaining second color information data on the basis of the color information of said specific detection block at another field, said second color information data including at least a first data subset containing information of said first color and a second data subset containing information of said second color;

a judge means for judging which one of said first color information data and said second color information data is to be utilized for detecting a motion vector, said judge means including a registration determining means for determining on the basis of said first and second data subsets of said first color information data and said first and second data subsets of said second color information data whether or not said first color information data is to be registered for detection of the motion vector, and a motion vector detection means for detecting the motion vector of said object in accordance with a determination result by the registration determining means;

a detection means for detecting the motion vector on the basis of said first and second data subsets of one of said first color information data and said second color information data; and

a control means for controlling a camera according to the motion vector detected by the detection means.