Method of difference sensing through optical coherent change detection

• US 8,005,301 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Q5 Innovations Inc.
• Original Assignee: Q5 Innovations Inc.
• Inventors: Plant, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire; Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US11/843,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20080050021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 348/96, 348/169, 348/173, 348/266, 348/366, 348/268, 348/578, 382/103, 382/107, 382/209, 382/210, 382/278, 382/284, 382/294, 382/261, 382/275
• US Class Current: 382/209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

A method of difference sensing. A first step involves producing a reference image using temporal averaging and spatial averaging. A second step involves producing a test image. A third step involves computationally comparing the reference image with the test image to arrive at a resulting difference image. The temporal averaging and spatial averaging effectively isolates in the difference image coherent changes imbeded in a complex and rapidly changing environment from transient changes inherent to the complex and rapidly changing environment.

Claims

1. A method of difference sensing, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a reference image using temporal averaging and spatial averaging, the temporal averaging and spatial averaging comprising taking a series of images of the same scene, spatially aligning the series of images, and then summing corresponding pixel values of the series of images to create a temporal average of pixel intensity;

producing a test image;

computationally comparing the reference image with the test image to arrive at a resulting difference image, such that the temporal averaging and spatial averaging effectively isolates in the difference image coherent changes imbedded in a complex and rapidly changing environment from transient changes inherent to the complex and rapidly changing environment.

2. The method of claim 1, the test image being produced using temporal averaging and spatial averaging.

3. The method of claim 1, computationally comparing involving subtracting the reference image from the test image.

4. The method of claim 1, the temporal averaging being within a specific time frame.

5. The method of claim 4, the spatial averaging involving a spatial sum of pixel intensity over the specified time frame.

6. The method of claim 1, background being deducted from the difference image to reduce computational detection load.

7. The method of claim 1, the reference image being saved at periodic intervals for subsequent chronological referencing.

8. The method of claim 1, the reference image being produced from a series of under exposed images.

9. The method of claim 1, including a step of producing the reference image and the test image utilizing polarization difference imaging.

10. The method of claim 1, including a step of coordinating more than one sensor modality.

11. The method of claim 10, the more than one sensor modality being an image sensor and an auditory sensor.