IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20080166017A1
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ito, Wataru, Ito, Mitsue
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/01 Solutions for problems related to non-uniform document background
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system

Abstract

In an image processing apparatus for processing images, a transformation unit transforms an image on a first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup to an image on a second coordinate system set up on a reference plane, a display unit displays an image transformed by the transformation unit and a reception unit receives setting information a user inputs in accordance with a displayed image on the display unit. For example, in the image processing apparatus, the reception unit receives, as the setting information, information to be used for image processing.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for processing images picked up by a camera to detect objects in the images, comprising:

a memory for storing image data corresponding to the images picked up by the camera;

an image processor for processing said image data stored in said memory and detecting an object in said processed image data; and

a display for displaying processed image data including the detected object output by said image processor,

wherein said image processor transforms an image on a first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup to an image on a second coordinate system set up on a plane representing a reference, displays the transformed image on said display, receives setting information input by a user in accordance with a display of the image by said display, and transforms the picked-up image or/and parameters necessary for detection by using the received setting information and then detecting an object from the picked up image by using the parameters.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for the image on said first coordinate system and the image on said second coordinate system, mutual coordinate transformation is performed through central projection about the center at a principal point of the camera.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said parameters have at least one of an area parameter for defining an area in which an object is to be detected and a size parameter for defining a range of size of the object to be detected.

4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said setting information has at least one of the area parameter and the size parameter.

5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each time that an object representing a reference is detected, said area parameter is updated to set up an area surrounding the reference object and an object other than said reference object is decided on the second coordinate system as to whether to be in said area.

6. An image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each time that an object representing a reference is detected, said area parameter is updated to set up an area surrounding the reference object, said area parameter designated on the, second coordinate system is transformed to that on the first coordinate system in accordance with the position of said reference object, and an object other than said reference object is decided on the first coordinate system as to whether to be in said area.

7. An image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transformation means transforms an image on the first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup also to an image on a third coordinate system different from the second coordinate system, said reception means receives setting information as a value on any of the first, second and third coordinate systems, and said detection means detects an object by using, among said first to third coordinate systems, coordinate systems different for the size parameter and the area parameter.

8. An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said setting information has coordinate transformation parameter for transforming the first coordinate system to the second or third coordinate system.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said coordinate transformation parameter includes three independent parameters corresponding to a depression angle, an installation height and a view field angle of said camera.

10. An image processing method for processing images picked up by a camera to detect objects in the images, said image processing method comprising the steps of:

processing image data stored in a memory and detecting an object in the processed image data; and

displaying the processed image data including the detected object on a display,

wherein said processing step comprises;

transforming an image on a first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup to an image on a second coordinate system set up on a plane representing a reference,

displaying the transformed image on said display, receives setting information input by a user in accordance with a display of the image by said display, and

transforming the picked-up image or/and parameters necessary for detection by using the received setting information and then detecting an object from the picked up image by using the parameters.

11. An image processing method according to claim 10, wherein for the image on said first coordinate system and the image on said second coordinate system, mutual coordinate transformation is performed through central projection about the center at a principal point of the camera.

12. An image processing method according to claim 11, wherein said parameters have at least one of an area parameter for defining an area in which an object is to be detected and a size parameter for defining a range of size of the object to be detected.

13. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein said setting information has at least one of the area parameter and the size parameter.

14. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein each time that an object representing a reference is detected, said area parameter is updated to set up an area surrounding the reference object and an object other than said reference object is decided on the second coordinate system as to whether to be in said area.

15. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein each time that an object representing a reference is detected, said area parameter is updated to set up an area surrounding the reference object, said area parameter designated on the, second coordinate system is transformed to that on the first coordinate system in accordance with the position of said reference object, and an object other than said reference object is decided on the first coordinate system as to whether to be in said area.

16. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein said transformation means transforms an image on the first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup also to an image on a third coordinate system different from the second coordinate system, said reception means receives setting information as a value on any of the first, second and third coordinate systems, and said detection means detects an object by using, among said first to third coordinate systems, coordinate systems different for the size parameter and the area parameter.

17. An image processing method according to claim 16, wherein said setting information has coordinate transformation parameter for transforming the first coordinate system to the second or third coordinate system.

18. An image processing method according to claim 17, wherein said coordinate transformation parameter includes three independent parameters corresponding to a depression angle, an installation height and a view field angle of said camera.

19. A computer program, stored on a storage medium, for processing images picked up by a camera to detect objects in the images, said computer program, when executed, causes an image processing apparatus to perform the steps of:

processing image data stored in a memory and detecting an object in the processed image data; and

displaying the processed image data including the detected object on a display,

wherein said processing step comprises;

transforming an image on a first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup to an image on a second coordinate system set up on a plane representing a reference,

displaying the transformed image on said display, receives setting information input by a user in accordance with a display of the image by said display, and

transforming the picked-up image or/and parameters necessary for detection by using the received setting information and then detecting an object from the picked up image by using the parameters.

20. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein for the image on said first coordinate system and the image on said second coordinate system, mutual coordinate transformation is performed through central projection about the center at a principal point of the camera.

21. A computer program according to claim 20, wherein said parameters have at least one of an area parameter for defining an area in which an object is to be detected and a size parameter for defining a range of size of the object to be detected.

22. A computer program according to claim 21, wherein said setting information has at least one of the area parameter and the size parameter.

23. A computer program according to claim 21, wherein each time that an object representing a reference is detected, said area parameter is updated to set up an area surrounding the reference object and an object other than said reference object is decided on the second coordinate system as to whether to be in said area.

24. A computer program according to claim 21, wherein each time that an object representing a reference is detected, said area parameter is updated to set up an area surrounding the reference object, said area parameter designated on the, second coordinate system is transformed to that on the first coordinate system in accordance with the position of said reference object, and an object other than said reference object is decided on the first coordinate system as to whether to be in said area.

25. A computer program according to claim 21, wherein said transformation means transforms an image on the first coordinate system representing a coordinate system during pickup also to an image on a third coordinate system different from the second coordinate system, said reception means receives setting information as a value on any of the first, second and third coordinate systems, and said detection means detects an object by using, among said first to third coordinate systems, coordinate systems different for the size parameter and the area parameter.

26. A computer program according to claim 25, wherein said setting information has coordinate transformation parameter for transforming the first coordinate system to the second or third coordinate system.

27. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein said coordinate transformation parameter includes three independent parameters corresponding to a depression angle, an installation height and a view field angle of said camera.