Technique for updating a background image

• US 6,184,858 B1
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Avery, Brian Lyndall, Christian, Andrew Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/019,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 345/114, 345/110, 345/115, 345/113, 345/118, 345/99, 345/138, 382/190, 382/250, 382/118, 348/701
• US Class Current: 345/634
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7865 using correlation of the live video image with a stored image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/28 Quantising the image, e.g. histogram thresholding for discrimination between background and foreground patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/162 using pixel segmentation or colour matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/167 using comparisons between temporally consecutive images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/64 Circuits for processing colour signals H04N9/77 takes precedence; camera processing pipelines for processing colour signals H04N23/84

Abstract

A technique for updating a background image is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by obtaining at least two representations of an image. At least one portion of at least one of the at least two representations is identified. An updated representation of the image is then provided by averaging together the at least two representations excepting each identified portion.

Claims

1. A method for updating a background image of pixels, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least two representations of an image of pixels,

associating the image pixels with each other in a horizontal manner,

associating the image pixels with each other in a vertical manner,

identifying at least one portion of at least one of the at least two representations, wherein said at least one portion consists of a rectangular plurality of pixels formed from the pixels associated in a vertical and a horizontal manner with each other; and

providing an updated representation of the image by averaging together the at least two representations excepting each identified portion.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each identified portion represents an identifiable difference between the at least two representations.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the identifiable difference is a representation of an object, and wherein the regions within the identified portion which are not within the representation of the object are updated by averaging together at a slower rate said regions of the at least two representations.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the object is a human.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each identified portion is excepted for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each identified portion is excepted based upon an identifiable characteristic of each identified portion.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the identifiable characteristic is movement.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least two representations are digital representations, and obtaining the at least two representations includes imaging a scene.

9. An apparatus for updating a background image of pixels, the apparatus comprising:

an obtainer for obtaining at least two representations of an image of pixels;

a first associator for associating the image pixels with each other in a horizontal manner;

a second associator for associating the image pixels with each other in a vertical manner;

an identifier for identifying at least one portion of a least one of the at least two representations, wherein said at least one portion consist of a rectangular plurality of pixels formed from the pixels associated in a vertical and a horizontal manner with each other; and

a provider for providing an updated representation of the image by averaging together the at least two representations excepting each identified portion.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein each identified portion represents an identifiable difference between the at least two representations.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the identifiable difference is a representation of an object and wherein the regions within the identified portion which are not within the representation of the object are updated by averaging together at a slower rate said regions of the at least two representations.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the object is a human.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein each identified portion is excepted for a predetermined period of time.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein each identified portion is excepted based upon an identifiable characteristic of each identified portion.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the identifiable characteristic is movement.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the at least two representations are digital representations, and wherein the obtainer obtains the at least two representations by imaging a scene.

17. An article of manufacture for updating a background image, the article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

computer programming stored on the storage medium;

wherein the stored computer programming is configured to be readable from the computer readable storage medium by a computer and thereby cause the computer to operate as to;

obtain at least two representations of an image of pixels;

associate the image pixels with each other in a horizontal manner,

associate the image pixels with each other in a vertical manner,

identify at least one portion of a least one of the at least two representations, wherein said at least one portion consists of a rectangular plurality of pixels formed from the pixels associated in a vertical and a horizontal manner with each other; and

provide an updated representation of the image by averaging together the at least two representations excepting each identified portion.

18. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 17, wherein each identified portion represents an identifiable difference between the at least two representations.

19. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 18, wherein the identifiable difference is a representation of an object, and wherein the regions within the identified portion which are not within the representation of the object are updated by averaging together at a slower rate said regions of the at least two representations.

20. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 19, wherein the object is a human.

21. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 17, wherein each identified portion is excepted for a predetermined period of time.

22. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 17, wherein each identified portion is excepted based upon an identifiable characteristic of each identified portion.

23. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 22, wherein the identifiable characteristic is movement.

24. The article of manufacture as defined in claim 17, wherein the at least two representations are digital representations, wherein the at least two representations are obtained by imaging a scene.