Method and imager for detecting the location of objects

• US 7,119,838 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terra Scientia, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blue Marlin LLC
• Inventors: Aceti, John Gregory, Moroney, Richard Morgan III, Burstyn, Herschel Clement, Pletcher, Timothy Allen, Zanzucchi, Peter John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELBY, GEVELL V
• Application Number:
  US10/921,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 348/208.14, 348/169, 382/165, 473/152, 473/150
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51

Abstract

A device detects the location of objects in an environment by receiving an optical image and converting the optical image of the lost object into a color digital image. The device employs software to perform an analysis of the color digital image to detect the location of the one or more objects in the environment by using color and shape characteristics of the one or more objects. The software uses a range of the visible portion of the color space uniquely identified for the type of object in that environment and identifies those pixels in the color digital image that may be possible targets. Intensity of background and object size are used to exclude pixels as possible target objects.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the location of at least a portion of a stationary object in an environment having stationary objects, the method comprising:

defining a target color space uniquely identified for the type of object that is stationary based on observed R,G,B levels in a series of reference digital color images of the type of object that is stationary in the environment;

generating a live color digital image of the environment;

determining whether there are a set of pixels in the live digital color image of the environment that are within the target color space defined for the type of object that is stationary; and

reporting the determination that there are a set of pixels within the target color space defined for the type of object that is stationary;

wherein the set of pixels corresponds to the location of the at least a portion of the stationary object in the environment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the color digital image is generated by one of:

a digital camera and a digital video camera.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising providing a light source for illuminating the environment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object is white or any acceptable color for which RGB components may be determined.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the stationary object is a golf ball.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the environment includes at least one of:

grass, bushes, trees, and sand.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether the set of pixels determined as within the target color space defined for the type of the stationary object satisfy a characteristic of the object.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic is one of:

a size, color intensity and a shape.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the target color space includes generating the series of reference digital color images of the type of the stationary object.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the target color space.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital color image is one digital color image in a series of digital color images.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination that there are a set of pixels within the target color space defined for the type of object is reported by one of:

a visual display, a tactile alert, a sound alert, and an odorous alert.

13. An apparatus for detecting the location of at least a portion of a stationary object in an environment having stationary objects, the apparatus comprising:

a processor operable to execute computer program instructions; and

a memory operable to store computer program instructions executable by the processor, for performing the steps of;

defining a target color space uniquely identified for the type of object that is stationary based on observed R,G,B levels in a series of reference digital color images of the type of object that is stationary in the environment;

generating a live color digital image of the environment;

determining whether there are a set of pixels in the live digital color image of the environment that are within the target color space defined for the type of object that is stationary; and

reporting the determination that there are a set of pixels within the target color space defined for the type of object that is stationary;

wherein the set of pixels corresponds to the location of the at least a portion of the stationary object in the environment.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the color digital image is generated by one of:

a digital camera and a digital video camera.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for providing a light source for illuminating the environment.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the object is white or any acceptable color for which RGB components may be determined.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the stationary object is a golf ball.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the environment includes at least one of:

grass, bushes, trees, and sand.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising determining whether the set of pixels determined as within the target color space defined for the type of the stationary object satisfy a characteristic of the object.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the characteristic is one of:

a size, color intensity and a shape.

21. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein defining the target color space includes generating the series of reference digital color images of the type of object.

22. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for storing the target color space.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the digital color image is one digital color image in a series of digital color images.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the determination that there are a set of pixels within the target color space defined for the type of object is reported by one of:

a visual display, a tactile alert, a sound alert, and an odorous alert.