Selective viewing of a scene

• US 8,965,047 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Irisity AB
• Original Assignee: Mindmancer AB
• Inventors: Berlic, Johnny, Strandevall, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Aaron W
• Application Number:
  US13/495,724
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 348 1401- 1416, 348143-160, 348169-172
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene includes acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera. The method includes identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane. The method includes modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side. The method includes displaying the modified acquired image for a person to view the real scene.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera;

identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane;

modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side; and

displaying the modified acquired image to a person performing surveillance of the real scene,

wherein the virtual plane is defined at a specific location in a passageway in the real scene such that any object passing through the virtual plane in the passageway is only visible in the modified acquired image while on one of the first and second sides.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the image is acquired as part of continuously acquiring a live image of the real scene, and wherein during a duration of the acquired live image the first object moves between a location behind the virtual plane and a location in front of the virtual plane, as seen from the camera.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

modifying the acquired live image so that the first object is visible in the modified acquired live image only when the first object is in front of the virtual plane.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

modifying the acquired live image so that the first object is visible in the modified acquired live image only when the first object is behind the virtual plane.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a shape defines the virtual plane, the method further comprising:

replacing any image contents within the shape with substitute content that does not include the first object.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

acquiring the substitute content by acquiring another image of the real scene while the first object is not present on the first side of the virtual plane.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a shape defines the virtual plane, the method further comprising:

determining that the first object is on the first side by identifying that image content corresponding to at least part of the first object has a predefined location relative to a border of the shape.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the image is acquired as part of continuously acquiring a live image of the real scene, the method further comprising:

modifying the acquired live image by erasing any image content within the shape and placing substitute content within the shape that does not include the first object;

identifying that the first object moves in the real scene, wherein the first object is not visible in the modified acquired live image while the first object is on the first side;

determining, based on the identification, that the first object moves past the shape to the second side; and

ceasing to remove content corresponding to the first object from the modified acquired live image based on the determination.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first object is on the first side by analyzing a size of the first object in the acquired image using a map of the real scene.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first object is on the first side by determining a distance from the first object to the camera.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the first object is a human being and wherein the distance is determined using a size of a part of the human being measured in the acquired image.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual plane is defined by a virtual polygon.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modified acquired image is displayed to the person substantially in real time.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modified acquired image is displayed for low-security level observation, further comprising recording the acquired image for high-security level observation.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a shape defines the virtual plane, the shape comprising at least one hole.

16. A computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera;

identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane;

modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side; and

displaying the modified acquired image to a person performing surveillance of the real scene,

wherein the image is acquired as part of continuously acquiring a live image of the real scene, and wherein during a duration of the acquired live image the first object moves between a location behind the virtual plane and a location in front of the virtual plane, as seen from the camera.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

modifying the acquired live image so that the first object is visible in the modified acquired live image only when the first object is in front of the virtual plane.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

modifying the acquired live image so that the first object is visible in the modified acquired live image only when the first object is behind the virtual plane.

19. A computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera;

identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane;

modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side;

displaying the modified acquired image to a person performing surveillance of the real scene; and

determining that the first object is on the first side by analyzing a size of the first object in the acquired image using a map of the real scene.

20. A computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera;

identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane;

modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side;

displaying the modified acquired image to a person performing surveillance of the real scene; and

determining that the first object is on the first side by determining a distance from the first object to the camera.