Image capture enhancement using dynamic control image

• US 9,888,188 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brain, Alister J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRABHAKHER, PRITHAM DAVID
• Application Number:
  US15/370,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20170085811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 3482221
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20224 Image subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/81 for suppressing or minimising disturbance in the image signal generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/40 Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for image capture with infrared emitters, with associated computer control and processing for providing consistent and high quality image data. Image data of consecutive frames from a camera is obtained, with a first frame being taken during an emission of infrared light directed at a scene to be captured by the camera and a second frame being taken without an emission of infrared light. The consecutive frames provide a dynamic control image of the captured scene. The image data may be used to support photometric sampling techniques used in building geometric models for subject recognition in camera imagery in variable lighting environments.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving captured image frames from a camera, wherein the captured image frames comprise a first frame captured during an infrared emission, and a second frame, adjacent to the first frame, captured outside the infrared emission;

subtracting the second frame from the first frame to provide an image of a reflected infrared component; and

removing, from the reflected infrared component, a previously obtained background image of the environment space to enhance a subject in the image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plan view captured image from a plan view camera of the environment space, wherein the plan view captured image is captured during an emission;

identifying a subject in the plan view captured image; and

positioning the subject in two dimensions of a plan of the environment space.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

outputting a resultant image for processing; and

recalibrating the resultant image based on the positioning of the subject and a previously obtained infrared light intensity map of the environment space.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a background image of the environment space by capturing image frames during a sequence of emissions without a subject in the environment space; and

obtaining an infrared light intensity map of the environment space.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating a sequence of infrared emissions, by one or more emitters in an environment space wherein activating a sequence of infrared emissions, by one or more emitters in an environment space comprises;

firing emissions from the one or more emitters in turn to obtain multiple captured frame images having different light angles on a subject in the environment space.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein activating a sequence of infrared emissions is in response to detecting a subject in the environment space.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving captured image frames from a plurality of cameras at different locations for capturing the environment space; and

outputting a resultant image outputs multiple resultant images for further processing.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving camera telemetry data for a position and an orientation of a non-static camera, for each captured image frame.

9. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive captured image frames from a camera, wherein the captured image frames comprise a first frame captured during an infrared emission, and a second frame, adjacent to the first frame, captured outside the infrared emission;

program instructions to subtract the second frame from the first frame to provide an image of a reflected infrared component; and

program instructions to remove, from the reflected infrared component, a previously obtained background image of the environment space to enhance a subject in the image.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices further comprise:

program instructions to receive a plan view captured image from a plan view camera of the environment space, wherein the plan view captured image is captured during an emission;

program instructions to identify a subject in the plan view captured image; and

program instructions to position the subject in two dimensions of a plan of the environment space.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices further comprise:

program instructions to output a resultant image for processing; and

program instructions to recalibrate the resultant image based on the positioning of the subject and a previously obtained infrared light intensity map of the environment space.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices further comprise:

program instructions to obtain a background image of the environment space by capturing image frames during a sequence of emissions without a subject in the environment space; and

program instructions to obtain an infrared light intensity map of the environment space.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices further comprise:

program instructions to activate a sequence of infrared emissions, by one or more emitters in an environment space wherein activating a sequence of infrared emissions, by one or more emitters in an environment space comprises;

program instructions to fire emissions from the one or more emitters in turn to obtain multiple captured frame images having different light angles on a subject in the environment space.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to activate a sequence of infrared emissions is in response to detecting a subject in the environment space.

15. A computer system comprising:

a control system using a processor and a memory configured to provide instructions to the processor to execute control of a sequence of emissions by one or more emitters, wherein a sequence of infrared emissions is synchronized with a frame counter of a camera; and

a processing system using a processor and a memory configured to provide instructions to the processor to execute processing of captured image frames of the camera, the processing system including;

a frame receiving component configured to receive the capture image frames comprising a first frame captured during an emission, and a second frame, adjacent to the first frame, captured outside an emission;

an adjacent frame processing component configured to subtract the second frame from the first frame to provide an image of a reflected infrared component;

a background deduction component configured to remove, from the reflected infrared component, a previously obtained background image of the environment space to enhance a subject in the image; and

a resultant image output component configured to output a resultant image.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

a plan view camera capable of capturing a plan view of the environmental space, wherein the control system activates the plan view camera to capture a plan view image during an emission by one or more of the emitters.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the processing system includes:

a position component for receiving a plan view captured image from a plan view camera of the environment space, identifying a subject in the plan view captured image, and positioning the subject in the two dimensions of the plan of the environmental space.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the processing system includes:

a recalibration component for recalibrating the resultant image based on the positioning of the subject and a previously obtained infrared light intensity map of the environment space.

19. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

a pre-processing component for obtaining a background image of the environment space by capturing image frames during a sequence of emissions without a subject in the environment space, and for obtaining an infrared light intensity map of the environment space.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the control system executes control of a sequence of emissions to fire emissions from one or more emitters in turn to obtain multiple captured frame images having different light angles on a subject in the environment space.