Method, system and device for detecting an object proximate to a water/air type interface
First Claim
1. A method for detecting an object in a zone situated proximate to an interface between two liquid media and/or gaseous media having different refractive indices, the method comprising:
- creating at least one video image of the interface and of the zone from at least one observation point, each observation point being situated on one side of the interface;
producing electrical signals representative of each video image;
digitizing the electrical signals to produce data corresponding to each video image;
processing the data, for the purpose of discriminating the data corresponding to the video image of a real object from those that correspond to an apparent video image generated by the interface;
generating calottes from each video image;
associating characteristics with each calotte;
deducing a presence of an object when the characteristics exceed a predetermined threshold;
iterating, at specified time intervals, the operation of deducing the presence of an object;
calculating a number of times that the object is detected during a first specified time period;
discriminating, at a point of the zone, between an object that is present a number of times larger than a first specified threshold as a stationary object, and an object that is present a number of times smaller than the first specified threshold as a moving object;
performing a stereoscopic analysis of the object that is stationary relative to the interface;
determining whether a stationary object is situated on an other side of the interface, on a same side of the interface, or at the interface, relative to one of the observation points, each video image being recorded from the observation point at specified time intervals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for detecting an object in a zone located proximate to an interface between two liquid and/or gaseous media having different refractive indices, for example of the air/water type. The method and system produce at least a video image of the interface and the zone and produces electric signals representing each video image. Then, the electric signals are digitized and the data is processed by discriminating the data corresponding to the video image of the real object from those corresponding to the apparent video image generated by the interface.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for detecting an object in a zone situated proximate to an interface between two liquid media and/or gaseous media having different refractive indices, the method comprising:
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creating at least one video image of the interface and of the zone from at least one observation point, each observation point being situated on one side of the interface; producing electrical signals representative of each video image; digitizing the electrical signals to produce data corresponding to each video image; processing the data, for the purpose of discriminating the data corresponding to the video image of a real object from those that correspond to an apparent video image generated by the interface; generating calottes from each video image; associating characteristics with each calotte; deducing a presence of an object when the characteristics exceed a predetermined threshold; iterating, at specified time intervals, the operation of deducing the presence of an object; calculating a number of times that the object is detected during a first specified time period; discriminating, at a point of the zone, between an object that is present a number of times larger than a first specified threshold as a stationary object, and an object that is present a number of times smaller than the first specified threshold as a moving object; performing a stereoscopic analysis of the object that is stationary relative to the interface; determining whether a stationary object is situated on an other side of the interface, on a same side of the interface, or at the interface, relative to one of the observation points, each video image being recorded from the observation point at specified time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for detecting an object in a zone situated proximate to an interface between two liquid media and/or gaseous media having different refractive indices, the system comprising:
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means for creating at least one video image of the interface and of the zone from at least one observation point, each observation point being situated on one side of the interface; digital conversion means for producing digital data from the electrical signals representative of each video image; information-processing means for discriminating the digital data corresponding to the video image of a real object from those corresponding to an apparent video image generated by the interface; generating means for generating calottes from each video image; calculating means for associating characteristics with each calotte and for deducing a presence of an object when the characteristics exceed a predetermined threshold; iterating means for iterating, at specified time intervals, the operation of deducing the presence of an object; totalizer means for calculating a number of times that the object is detected during a first specified time period; discriminating means for discriminating, at a point of the zone, between an object that is present a number of times larger than a first specified threshold as a stationary object, and an object that is present a number of times smaller than the first specified threshold as a moving object; and means for stereoscopic analysis of the object that is stationary relative to the interface; means for determining whether a stationary object is situated on an other side of the interface, on a same side of the interface, or at the interface, relative to one of the observation points, each video image being recorded from the observation point at specified time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification