Method of processing an image of a visual scene
First Claim
1. A method of processing an image of a visual scene, comprising:
- a. acquiring at least one image of a visual scene, wherein said at least one image comprises a plurality of pixels, and said plurality of pixels are arranged in a first array of pixels comprising a first plurality of rows and a second plurality of columns;
b. acquiring or determining a range map comprising at least one distance value associated with at least one pixel of said plurality of pixels, wherein said at least one distance value comprises a measure of distance relative to an associated at least one camera used to acquire said at least one image; and
c. processing said at least one pixel of at least one of said at least one image or said range map with a connected-components sieve filter, wherein said connected-components sieve filter is adapted to locate at least one cluster of pixels or elements within said at least one of said at least one image or said range map such that said at least one cluster of pixels or elements contains one or more said pixels or elements that are connected to at least one other pixel or element of said pixels or elements either along a same one of said first plurality of rows of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map, a same one of said second plurality of columns of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map, or diagonally adjacent along both said first plurality of rows of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map and said second plurality of columns of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map; and
d. comparing a count of pixels or elements contained within at least one said cluster of pixels or elements with a threshold, and if said count of pixels or elements contained within said at least one said cluster of pixels or elements is less than said threshold, then nulling or ignoring said pixels or elements within said at least one said cluster of pixels or elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image of a visual scene, comprising a plurality of pixels. is acquired and an associated range map is either determined therefrom or separately acquired. Elements of the range map comprise distances from the camera for each pixel of the image. In one aspect, either the image or the range map is processed with a connected-components sieve filter that locates clusters of pixels or elements that are connected to one another along either adjacent rows, columns or diagonally. In another aspect, a cross-range value of range-map element is compared with a down-range-responsive cross-range threshold of a boundary of a collision-possible space and the pixel or element is nulled or ignored if associated with a location that is not in the collision-possible space. The collision-possible space is responsive to an operating condition of a vehicle from which the image is acquired.
124 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of processing an image of a visual scene, comprising:
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a. acquiring at least one image of a visual scene, wherein said at least one image comprises a plurality of pixels, and said plurality of pixels are arranged in a first array of pixels comprising a first plurality of rows and a second plurality of columns; b. acquiring or determining a range map comprising at least one distance value associated with at least one pixel of said plurality of pixels, wherein said at least one distance value comprises a measure of distance relative to an associated at least one camera used to acquire said at least one image; and c. processing said at least one pixel of at least one of said at least one image or said range map with a connected-components sieve filter, wherein said connected-components sieve filter is adapted to locate at least one cluster of pixels or elements within said at least one of said at least one image or said range map such that said at least one cluster of pixels or elements contains one or more said pixels or elements that are connected to at least one other pixel or element of said pixels or elements either along a same one of said first plurality of rows of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map, a same one of said second plurality of columns of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map, or diagonally adjacent along both said first plurality of rows of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map and said second plurality of columns of said at least one of said at least one image or said range map; and d. comparing a count of pixels or elements contained within at least one said cluster of pixels or elements with a threshold, and if said count of pixels or elements contained within said at least one said cluster of pixels or elements is less than said threshold, then nulling or ignoring said pixels or elements within said at least one said cluster of pixels or elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of processing an image of a visual scene, comprising:
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a. acquiring at least one image of a visual scene, wherein said at least one image comprises a plurality of pixels; b. acquiring or determining a range map comprising at least one distance value associated with at least one pixel of said plurality of pixels, wherein said at least one distance value comprises a measure of distance relative to an associated at least one camera used to acquire said at least one image, and said at least one distance value comprises a down-range value and a cross-range value; c. comparing said cross-range value associated with said at least one pixel with a cross-range threshold representative of a boundary of a collision-possible space, wherein said cross-range threshold representative of said boundary of said collision-possible space is responsive to said down-range value; and d. nulling or ignoring said at least one pixel or a corresponding element of said range map if the operation of comparing said cross-range value with said cross-range threshold indicates that said at least one pixel is associated with a location that is not in said collision-possible space, wherein said collision-possible space is responsive to an operating condition of a vehicle from which said at least one image is acquired. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification