Method and system for performing adaptive image acquisition

• US 9,854,147 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Application Number:
  US13/336,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 348142-160
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/32 involving image mosaicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20228 Disparity calculation for image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30181 Earth observation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/16 using multiple overlapping images; Image stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1965 the vehicle being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

An adaptive image acquisition system and method that generates virtual view of a surveillance scene to a user (operator), in which, the user operates the system. Through viewing the virtual view, the user controls sensors that create the virtual view. The sensors comprise at least one first sensor having a higher resolution than at least one second sensor. Images from the second sensor are processed to create an image mosaic that is overlaid with images from the higher resolution first sensor. In one embodiment of the invention, the first sensor is moved using Saccade motion. In another embodiment of the invention, a user'"'"'s intent is used to control the Saccade motion.

Claims

1. An adaptive image acquisition system comprising:

a registration module for registering a first image and a second image to create a plurality of registered images, wherein the first image has a higher resolution than the second image;

a virtual view generation module for creating a virtual view of a scene corresponding to a scene represented in the first image and the second image, wherein the virtual view is created using the registered images; and

an interface, coupled to the virtual view generation module, for enabling a user to control one or more imaging sensors while viewing the virtual view, wherein at least one of the one or more imaging sensors are moved according to a motion pattern in response to a reaction of the user to the virtual view in order to capture objects of interest to the user, wherein the motion pattern is algorithmically determined by the adaptive image acquisition system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of registered images is produced by the one or more imaging sensors.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second image is formed by sub-sampling the first image.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the one or more imaging sensors comprise a first sensor, wherein the first sensor is a narrow field of view camera and a second sensor, wherein the second sensor is a wide field of view camera.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the second sensor is moved according to the motion pattern, and the motion pattern is Saccade motion.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the virtual view comprises an image mosaic of images captured by the second sensor that is overlaid with images from the first sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an intent estimation module for deriving a user'"'"'s intent from a user'"'"'s control of the interface and using the user'"'"'s intent to control the motion.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the intent estimation module comprises an exploration task estimation module and a user intent estimation module.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the exploration task estimation module uses a hidden Markov model.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the intent estimation module creates an interest map of a user'"'"'s interest in specific regions and/or objects that have been imaged.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein a user indirectly controls the at least one sensor through the interface.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising an alert generation module coupled to the virtual view generation module for identifying the objects of interests, possible targets and changes in behavior in the first image and the second image and notifying the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the alert generation module analyzes behavior of possible targets and compares the behavior to an ontology of target behavior.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the alert generation module is coupled with an object and event detection module.

15. A method of performing adaptive image acquisition comprising:

creating a virtual view of a scene corresponding to captured images;

enabling a user to control one or more imaging sensors while viewing the virtual view;

processing a user'"'"'s historical control of the one or more imaging sensors to estimate an intent of the user with respect to controlling the one or more sensors; and

controlling the one or more imaging sensors in response to the estimated intent of the user, wherein at least one of the one or more imaging sensors are moved according to a motion pattern in response to a reaction of the user to the virtual view in order to capture objects of interest to the user, wherein the motion pattern is algorithmically determined.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the captured images comprise a first image and a second image, where the first image is produced by a first sensor and the second image is produced by a second sensor, wherein the first sensor has a higher resolution than the second sensor.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second image is formed by sub-sampling the first image.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first sensor is a narrow field of view camera and the second sensor is a wide field of view camera.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one first sensor is moved using Saccade motion.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the virtual view comprises an image mosaic of images captured by the second sensor that is overlaid with images from the first sensor.