Multi parallax exploitation for omni-directional imaging electronic eye

• US 8,170,326 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vialogy Corp., ViaLogy LLC (Yourgene Health Plc)
• Original Assignee: Vialogy Corp.
• Inventors: Gulati, Sandeep, George, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAWAN, SHEELA C
• Application Number:
  US11/969,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20090232387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 382/154, 382/181, 382/190, 382/195, 382/199, 382/200, 382/318, 348/42, 348/47, 348/E13.001, 348/E13.002, 348/E13.003, 348/E13.025, 348/E13.004, 348/568, 348/E5.112
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

Techniques and systems are disclosed for electronic target recognition. In particular, techniques and systems are disclosed for performing electronic surveillance and target recognition using a multiple parallax exploitation (MPEX) electronic eye platform. Among other things, a MPEX system can include an imaging unit that includes multiple image capture devices spaced from one another to form an array to provide overlapping fields-of-view and to capture multiple overlapping stereo images of a scene. The MPEX system can also include a processing unit connected to the imaging unit to receive and process data representing the captured multiple overlapping stereo images from the imaging unit to characterize one or more objects of interest in the scene.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an imaging unit including multiple image capture devices spaced from one another to form an array to provide overlapping fields-of-view and to capture multiple overlapping stereo images of a scene; and

a processing unit connected to the imaging unit to receive and process data representing the captured multiple overlapping stereo images from the imaging unit to characterize one or more objects of interest in the scene, the processing unit configured to process the data with a multi-thread object extraction algorithm that uses quantum resonance interferometry (QRI).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging unit is configured to capture images of each object of interest in multiple orthogonal frames.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to process the data by processing overlapping regions in the overlapping stereo images.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to process the data on object of interest basis instead of pixel basis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging unit includes a combination of low and high resolution image capture devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging unit includes multiple image capture devices having different focal lengths.

7. A system comprising:

an imaging unit including multiple image capture devices spaced from one another to form an array to provide overlapping fields-of-view and to capture multiple overlapping stereo images of a scene; and

a processing unit connected to the imaging unit to receive and process data representing the captured multiple overlapping stereo images from the imaging unit to characterize one or more objects of interest in the scene, wherein the processing unit is configured to correlate the overlapping stereo images in a position-shift-rotation invariant manner.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing unit is configured to correlate the overlapping stereo images in a position-shift-rotation invariant manner that is clutter resistant.

9. A method comprising:

receiving captured images of a scene in one or more overlapping fields of view;

processing overlapping regions of the captured images with a multi-thread object extraction algorithm that uses quantum resonance interferometry (QRI); and

based on the processing, characterizing, with a computer comprising a processor and a memory device, one or more objects of interest in the scene.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising capturing the images of the one or more objects of interest in multiple orthogonal frames.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising processing the captured images on object of interest basis instead of pixel basis.

12. A method comprising:

receiving captured images of a scene in one or more overlapping fields of view;

processing overlapping regions of the captured images;

based on the processing, characterizing, with a computer comprising a processor and a memory device, one or more objects of interest in the scene; and

performing subgraph-isomorphic correlation with the captured images.

13. A method comprising:

receiving captured images of a scene in one or more overlapping fields of view;

processing overlapping regions of the captured images;

based on the processing, characterizing, with a computer comprising a processor and a memory device, one or more objects of interest in the scene; and

performing correlation of the captured images in a position-shift-rotation invariant manner.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing correlation of the captured images in a position-shift-rotation invariant manner that is clutter resistant.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a program stored thereon, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving captured images of a scene in one or more overlapping fields of view;

processing overlapping regions of the captured images with a multi-thread object extraction algorithm that uses quantum resonance interferometry (QRI); and

based on the processing, characterizing one or more objects of interest in the scene.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to capture the images of the one or more objects of interest in multiple orthogonal frames.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to process the captured images on object of interest basis instead of pixel basis.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a program stored thereon, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving captured images of a scene in one or more overlapping fields of view;

processing overlapping regions of the captured images;

based on the processing, characterizing one or more objects of interest in the scene; and

performing subgraph-isomorphic correlation with the captured images.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a program stored thereon, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving captured images of a scene in one or more overlapping fields of view;

processing overlapping regions of the captured images;

based on the processing, characterizing one or more objects of interest in the scene; and

performing correlation of the captured images in a position-shift-rotation invariant manner.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform correlation of the captured images in a position-shift-rotation invariant manner that is clutter resistant.