Methods and apparatus for tracking objects using saliency
First Claim
1. A method of operating a robotic device, the method comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of input images of a visual scene during navigation of a trajectory by the robotic device;
determining a map of a back projected color histogram based upon a plurality of bins, a respective bin of the plurality of bins grouping a range of values corresponding to a difference between a first pixel and a second pixel in a respective input image of the plurality of input images, the second pixel corresponding to an average value of a plurality of pixels of the respective input image, the respective input image corresponding to a surrounding region of the visual scene;
determining a salient feature of a respective pixel of the respective input image based on evaluation of the map, the salient feature corresponding to a number of pixels representing the same exact value in remaining of the respective input image; and
adjusting the trajectory of the robotic device in accordance with a parameter associated with the salient feature.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for tracking and discerning objects using their saliency. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the tracking of objects is based on a combination of object saliency and additional sources of signal about object identity. Under certain simplifying assumptions, the present disclosure allows for robust tracking of simple objects with limited processing resources. In one or more variants, efficient implementation of the methods described allow sensors (e.g., cameras) to be used on board a robot (or autonomous vehicle) on a mobile determining platform, such as to capture images to determine the presence and/or identity of salient objects. Such determination of salient objects allow for e.g., adjustments to vehicle or other moving object trajectory.
228 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a robotic device, the method comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of input images of a visual scene during navigation of a trajectory by the robotic device; determining a map of a back projected color histogram based upon a plurality of bins, a respective bin of the plurality of bins grouping a range of values corresponding to a difference between a first pixel and a second pixel in a respective input image of the plurality of input images, the second pixel corresponding to an average value of a plurality of pixels of the respective input image, the respective input image corresponding to a surrounding region of the visual scene; determining a salient feature of a respective pixel of the respective input image based on evaluation of the map, the salient feature corresponding to a number of pixels representing the same exact value in remaining of the respective input image; and adjusting the trajectory of the robotic device in accordance with a parameter associated with the salient feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A controller configured for use with a robotic apparatus, the controller comprising:
a sensor processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to analyze a sensor input, the sensor input being analyzed based at least on; initialization of a tracking process using color saliency, the tracking process comprising at least one of (i) generation of a heat map corresponding to the sensor input from the color saliency, (ii) determination of a peak value in the generated heat map based on a threshold, and (iii) application of a plurality of thresholds below the peak value to produce a threshold heat map; identification of a salient feature using the threshold heat map, the salient feature corresponding to a number of pixels representing the same exact value in remaining of the respective input image; and communication of tracking information to the controller, the controller configured to cause an adjustment of a trajectory of the robotic apparatus in accordance with a characteristic of the salient feature. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A non-transitory computer-readable apparatus having a plurality of computer readable instructions stored thereon, that when executed by at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to:
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obtain a plurality of images during navigation of a robotic device along a trajectory; transform the plurality of images via a low-pass operation; determine a map based upon a difference between (i) a first pixel of a respective image of the plurality of images, and (ii) a second pixel, the second pixel corresponding to an average value of a plurality of pixels of a corresponding image of the transformed plurality of images; determine change in position of a salient feature of an object from the map between one or more subsequent pairs of the plurality of images, the salient feature corresponding to a number of pixels representing the same exact value in remaining of the corresponding image; determine a salient object based on an evaluation of the map; and adjust the trajectory of the robotic device in accordance with the determined salient object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a robotic platform, the method comprising:
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receiving a sensory input including a plurality of images, a respective image including a plurality of colors; determining a color saliency of the sensory input based on discriminability of a respective color of the plurality of colors in the sensory input from a reference color prototype; initializing a tracking process using the determined color saliency to produce a heat map, the heat map comprising one or more potential salient features; identifying a salient feature using shape information associated with the one or more potential salient features in the heat map, the shape information being correlated to each of the one or more potential salient features and a respective auxiliary shape associated with each of the one or more potential salient features, the salient feature corresponding to a number of pixels representing the same exact value in remaining of the respective image; and adjusting trajectory of the robotic platform in accordance with a characteristic of the salient feature upon the tracking information being communicated to the controller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification