System and method for object extraction

• US 9,498,721 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2010
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EyeCue Vision Technologies LTD
• Original Assignee: EyeCue Vision Technologies LTD
• Inventors: Horovitz, Ronen, Kaftory, Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikeska, Neil
• Application Number:
  US13/201,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20110298922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,302 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 396/89, 703/1, 382/103, 382/209, 382/294, 600/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Systems and methods for extracting an image of a physical object constructed of for example bricks are presented. The method and system may detect boundaries and edges of a background using an edge detection operator, perform a perspective transformation calculation to compute a corrected virtual grid that is substantially aligned with the physical object'"'"'s image, locate a color calibration palette in the digital image and extract color value information for pixels of the color calibration palette, and discern bricks as part of the physical object'"'"'s image, the discernment being based in part on a determination of the brick'"'"'s color compared to the color palette and the background color, the discerned bricks forming the extracted image. A computer readable medium may include instructions causing a system to extract an image of a physical object constructed of bricks according to the method.

Claims

1. A system for extracting an image of a physical object constructed of bricks, the system comprising:

a controller;

a digital imaging device coupled to the controller and configured to provide a digital image of the physical object placed on a background;

a background detector unit coupled to the controller and configured to detect boundaries and edges of the background in the digital image;

a brick identifier unit coupled to the controller and configured to discern bricks in the digital image as part of the physical object'"'"'s image, the discerned bricks forming the extracted image; and

a comparison unit coupled to the controller and a datastore containing a database having records describing predetermined shapes, wherein the comparison unit is configured to compare the extracted image to a corresponding shape among the predetermined shapes;

wherein the controller selects the corresponding shape and presents the shape on a display unit along with an instruction to a user to construct the displayed shape from the bricks, so as to create the physical object.

2. The system of claim 1, the controller being configured to embed a digital representation of the extracted image in a video game display, wherein the digital representation can be manipulated by a user.

3. The system of claim 1, the comparison unit being further configured to provide a rating of a correspondence between the physical object and the corresponding shape.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to track time elapsed for the user to complete construction of the physical object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the corresponding shape and provides an instruction to a user to construct the shape from the bricks, so as to create the physical object.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a perspective transformation unit coupled to the controller and configured to compute a corrected virtual grid substantially aligned to the physical object'"'"'s image.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a color calibration extraction unit coupled to the controller and configured to locate a color calibration palette in the digital image by sampling associated pixels aligned to a corrected grid.

8. A method for extracting an image of a physical object constructed of bricks, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a digital image of the physical object placed on a background having a field;

detecting boundaries and edges of the background using an edge detection operator, wherein a curvature of edges calculated to be about 90°

is an indication of a corner;

discerning bricks as part of the physical object'"'"'s image, the discernment being based in part on a determination of the brick'"'"'s color compared to the background field, the discerned bricks forming the extracted image.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the step of comparing the extracted image to a database record describing a corresponding shape.

10. The method of claim 8, further including the step of embedding a digital representation of the extracted image in a video game, wherein the digital representation can be manipulated by a user.

11. The method of claim 9, further including the step of providing a rating of a correspondence between the physical object and the corresponding shape.

12. The method of claim 9, further including the step of presenting the corresponding shape on a display unit along with an instruction to a user to construct the displayed shape from the bricks, so as to create the physical object.

13. The method of claim 12, further including the step of tracking time elapsed for the user to complete construction of the physical object.

14. The method of claim 9, further including the steps of:

selecting the corresponding shape; and

providing instructions to a user to construct the shape from the bricks, so as to create the physical object.

15. The method of claim 9, further including the step of performing a perspective transformation calculation to compute a corrected virtual grid that is substantially aligned with the physical object'"'"'s image.

16. The method of claim 9, further including the step of locating a color calibration palette in the digital image and extracting color value information for pixels of the color calibration palette, wherein the discerning step is further based in part on a determination of the brick'"'"'s color compared to the color palette.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the method of:

extracting an image of a physical object constructed of bricks;

obtaining a digital image of the physical object placed on a background having a field;

detecting boundaries and edges of the background using an edge detection operator, wherein a curvature of edges calculated to be about 90°

is an indication of a corner; and

discerning bricks as part of the physical object'"'"'s image, the discernment being based in part on a determination of the brick'"'"'s color compared to the background field, the discerned bricks forming the extracted image.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions which when executed cause the processor to compare the extracted image to a database record of a corresponding shape.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions which when executed cause the processor to embed a digital representation of the extracted image in a video game, wherein the digital representation can be manipulated by a user.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions which when executed cause the processor to provide a rating of a correspondence between the physical object and the corresponding shape.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions which when executed cause the processor to present the corresponding shape on a display unit along with an instruction to a user to construct the displayed shape from the bricks, so as to create the physical object.