Information processing apparatus and information processing method for associating an image with related information

• US 9,471,982 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): MOYER, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US14/135,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20140112545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69

Abstract

An association degree evaluation unit acquires pieces of position information of an image sensing apparatus at respective times within an adjacent time range to an imaging time of a designated image of those sensed by the image sensing apparatus. Furthermore, the association degree evaluation unit acquires pieces of position information of a moving object at the respective times within the adjacent time range. Then, the association degree evaluation unit calculates a similarity between routes of the image sensing apparatus and moving object based on the acquired position information group, and decides a degree of association between the designated image and moving object based on the calculated similarity. An associating unit registers information indicating the degree of association in association with the designated image.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising one or more processors configured to function as:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of position information of an image sensing apparatus within a period including an imaging time of an image by the image sensing apparatus and a plurality of pieces of position information of each of moving objects within the period;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, for each of the moving objects, a difference between the plurality of pieces of position information of the image sensing apparatus and the plurality of pieces of position information of the moving object;

a display unit configured to display both of (i) the moving objects as candidates to be registered as the metadata of the image and (ii) a similarity corresponding to the difference for each of the moving objects, wherein the similarity is higher as the difference is smaller;

a selection acceptance unit configured to accept a selection by a user of at least one moving object to be registered as metadata of the image from the displayed candidates; and

a registration unit configured to register, with the image, information used for specifying the selected moving object as the metadata of the image, even if the selected moving object is not included in the image.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the registration unit associates the information, as the metadata of the image, used for specifying the selected moving object with the image to register into a memory of the information processing apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the period includes times adjacent to the imaging time.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pieces of position information of the image sensing apparatus indicates a route of the image sensing apparatus, and the plurality of pieces of position information of the moving object indicates a route of the moving object.

5. An information processing method comprising:

acquiring a plurality of pieces of position information of an image sensing apparatus within a period including an imaging time of an image by the image sensing apparatus and a plurality of pieces of position information of each of the moving objects within the period;

calculating, for each of the moving objects, a difference between the plurality of pieces of position information of the image sensing apparatus and the plurality of pieces of position information of the moving object;

displaying both of (i) the moving objects as candidates to be registered as the metadata of the image and (ii) a similarity corresponding to the difference for each of the moving objects, wherein the similarity is higher as the difference is smaller;

accepting a selection by a user of at least one moving object to be registered as metadata of the image from the displayed candidates; and

registering, with the image, information used for specifying the selected moving object as the metadata of the image, even if the selected moving object is not included in the image.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as respective units of an information processing apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of position information of an image sensing apparatus within a period including an imaging time of an image by the image sensing apparatus and a plurality of pieces of position information of each of the moving objects within the period;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, for each of the moving objects, a difference between the plurality of pieces of position information of the image sensing apparatus and the plurality of pieces of position information of the moving object;

a display unit configured to display both of (i) the moving objects as candidates to be registered as the metadata of the image and (ii) a similarity corresponding to the difference for each of the moving objects, wherein the similarity is higher as the difference is smaller;

a selection acceptance unit configured to accept a selection by a user of at least one moving object to be registered as metadata of the image from the displayed candidates; and

a registration unit configured to register, with the image, information used for specifying the selected moving object as the metadata of the image, even if the selected moving object is not included in the image.