Monitoring method and camera
First Claim
1. A method of masking part of an image of a scene captured by a camera monitoring the scene, comprising:
- mounting a light source and marking a part of the scene with light having a predefined spectral content and a spatial verification pattern,capturing an analysis image of the scene by a sensor sensitive to the predefined spectral content,segmenting the analysis image, based on the predefined spectral content, to find a candidate image region,detecting a spatial pattern in the candidate image region,comparing a characteristic of the detected spatial pattern to a corresponding characteristic of the spatial verification pattern, and, if the characteristic of the detected spatial pattern and the corresponding characteristic of the spatial verification pattern match,identifying the candidate image region as a verified image region corresponding to the part of the scene which is illuminated by the light source,obtaining image data representing the scene, andhiding image data, corresponding to the verified image region, from being displayed, by blurring or substituting, and displaying remaining image data, thereby providing a privacy mask for the part of the scene which is illuminated by the light source, or displaying image data corresponding to the verified image region, and hiding remaining image data from being displayed, by blurring or substituting, thereby providing a privacy mask for a non-illuminated part of the scene,modulating the spatial verification pattern between at least a first and a second spatial verification pattern according to a temporal modulation sequence, andwith a respective one of the first and the second spatial verification pattern, in accordance with the temporal modulation sequence, repeating said marking, said capturing, said segmenting, said detecting and said comparing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of monitoring a scene by a camera (7) comprises marking a part (14) of the scene with light having a predefined spectral content and a spatial verification pattern. An analysis image is captured of the scene by a sensor sensitive to the predefined spectral content. The analysis image is segmented based on the predefined spectral content, to find a candidate image region. A spatial pattern is detected in the candidate image region, and a characteristic of the detected spatial pattern is compared to a corresponding characteristic of the spatial verification pattern. If the characteristics match, the candidate image region is identified as a verified image region corresponding to the marked part (14) of the scene. Image data representing the scene is obtained, and image data corresponding to the verified image region is processed in a first manner, and remaining image data is processed in a second manner.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of masking part of an image of a scene captured by a camera monitoring the scene, comprising:
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mounting a light source and marking a part of the scene with light having a predefined spectral content and a spatial verification pattern, capturing an analysis image of the scene by a sensor sensitive to the predefined spectral content, segmenting the analysis image, based on the predefined spectral content, to find a candidate image region, detecting a spatial pattern in the candidate image region, comparing a characteristic of the detected spatial pattern to a corresponding characteristic of the spatial verification pattern, and, if the characteristic of the detected spatial pattern and the corresponding characteristic of the spatial verification pattern match, identifying the candidate image region as a verified image region corresponding to the part of the scene which is illuminated by the light source, obtaining image data representing the scene, and hiding image data, corresponding to the verified image region, from being displayed, by blurring or substituting, and displaying remaining image data, thereby providing a privacy mask for the part of the scene which is illuminated by the light source, or displaying image data corresponding to the verified image region, and hiding remaining image data from being displayed, by blurring or substituting, thereby providing a privacy mask for a non-illuminated part of the scene, modulating the spatial verification pattern between at least a first and a second spatial verification pattern according to a temporal modulation sequence, and with a respective one of the first and the second spatial verification pattern, in accordance with the temporal modulation sequence, repeating said marking, said capturing, said segmenting, said detecting and said comparing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A camera system for monitoring a scene, comprising:
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a light source mounted to mark a part of the scene with light having a predefined spectral content and a spatial verification pattern; and a camera arranged to monitor the scene, the camera comprising; a sensor arranged to sense a predefined spectral content and capture an analysis image of the scene, and image processing circuitry configured to; segment the analysis image, based on the predefined spectral content, to find a candidate image region, detect a spatial pattern in the candidate image region, compare a characteristic of the detected spatial pattern to a corresponding characteristic of a spatial verification pattern, and, if the characteristic of the detected spatial pattern and the corresponding characteristic of the spatial verification pattern match, identify the candidate region as a verified image region corresponding to a part of the scene illuminated by a light source with light having the predefined spectral content and the spatial verification pattern, obtain image data representing the scene, and hide image data, corresponding to the verified image region, from being displayed, by blurring or substituting, and display remaining image data, to thereby provide a privacy mask for the part of the scene which is illuminated by the light source, or display image data corresponding to the verified image region, and hide remaining image data from being displayed, by blurring or substituting, to thereby provide a privacy mask for a non-illuminated part of the scene, wherein the spatial verification pattern between at least a first and a second spatial verification pattern is modulated according to a temporal modulation sequence, and the marking, capturing, segmenting, detecting, and comparing are repeated with a respective one of the first and the second spatial verification pattern, in accordance with the temporal modulation sequence. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification