Moving body recognition circuit using luminance signal and moving body tracking apparatus using the moving body recognition circuit

• US 4,847,688 A
• Filed: 04/15/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited 1006 OAZA Kadoma-Shi Osaka Japan
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuroda, Toshihisa, Nishimura, Shigeru, Kawata, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/182,005
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 358/96, 358/125, 358/126, 358/107, 358/108
• US Class Current: 348/172
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments

Abstract

In a moving body tracking apparatus having a moving body recognition circuit and TV camera, the moving body recognition circuit includes: a contour signal generator for producing a first contour signal indicative of contour of an image defined by at least one field, a second contour signal subsequent to the first contour signal, and a third contour signal subsequent to the second contour signal, a first and a second memory for temporarily storing, respectively the first and the second contour signals; contour line width increasing circuit responsive to the first and second memory for increasing the width of contour line represented by output signals of the first and second memory; and comparator responsive to the third contour signal and output signal from the contour line width increasing circuit for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by the third contour signal is out of phase with a contour line represented by the output signal from the contour line width increasing circuit. As a result, moving body except for undesired small movement can be satisfactorily extracted.

Claims

1. Moving body recognition circuit using a luminance signal, comprising:

(a) contour signal generator means responsive to said luminance signal for producing a first contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, a second contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field subsequent to said first-mentioned field, and a third contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field subsequent to said second-mentioned field;

(b) first memory means for temporarily storing said first contour signal;

(c) second memory means for temporarily storing said second contour signal;

(d) a phase compensator for compensating the phase of said third contour signal;

(e) contour line width increasing means responsive to said first and second memory means for increasing the width of a contour line represented by the output signal of said first and second memory means; and

(f) comparator means responsive to an output signal from said phase compensator and an output signal from said contour line width increasing means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said phase compensator is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said contour line width increasing means.

2. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contour line width increasing means comprises:

(a) horizontal contour expanding means for expanding in a horizontal line contours represented by said output signals from said first and second memory mean;

(b) a memory circuit for temporarily storing a first output signal from said horizontal contour expanding means; and

(c) means for combining an output signal from said memory circuit and second output signal from said horizontal contour expanding means subsequent to said first output signal.

3. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said comparator means includes an AND gate.

4. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a control signal generator for producing timing signals to control read and write timings of said first and second memory means.

5. Moving body recognition circuit using a luminance signal, comprising:

(a) contour signal generator means responsive to said luminance signal for producing a first contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, a second contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field subsequent to said first-mentioned field, and a third contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field subsequent to said second-mentioned field;

(b) first memory means for temporarily storing said first contour signal;

(c) second memory means for temporarily storing said second contour signal;

(d) a phase compensator for compensating the phase of said third contour signal;

(e) OR gates means responsive to said output signal from said first and second memory means;

(f) moving body contour separator means responsive to said output signal from said phase compensator and an output signal from said OR gate means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said phase compensator is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said OR gate means;

(g) contour line width increasing the means responsive to said output signal from said OR gate means for increasing the width of the contour line represented by output signals of said first an second memory means; and

(h) comparator means responsive to an output signal from said moving body contour separate means and an output signal from said contour line width increasing means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said moving body contour separator mans is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said contour line width increasing means.

6. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said contour line width increasing means comprises:

(a) horizontal contour expanding means for expanding in a horizontal line contours represented by said output signals from said OR gate means;

(b) a memory circuit for temporarily storing a first output signal from said horizontal contour expanding means; and

(c) means for combining an output signal from said memory circuit and a second output signal from said horizontal contour expanding means subsequent to said first output signal.

7. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said moving body contour separator means includes:

XOR gate means responsive to said output signal from said OR gate means and said output signal from said phase compensator; and

AND gate means responsive to said output signal from said XOR gate means and said output signal from said phase compensator.

8. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said memory means includes:

a first and second memory means for temporarily storing, respectively, said first and second contour signals; and

OR gate means responsive to said output signal from said first and second memory means.

9. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 5, where said moving body contour separator means includes:

XOR gate means responsive to said output signal from said memory means and said output signal from said third contour signal;

a first AND gate means responsive to an output signal from said XOR gate means and said third contour signal; and

a second AND gate means responsive to an output signal from said first AND gate means and said output signal from said memory means.

10. Moving body recognition circuit using a luminance signal, comprising:

(a) contour signal generator means responsive to said luminance signal for producing a first contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, a second contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, and a third contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field;

(b) memory means for temporarily storing, respectively, said first an second contour signals;

(c) moving body contour separating means responsive to said third contour signal and an output signal from said memory means for producing an output signal representing moving body contour signals;

(d) pulse generator means responsive to field period signals for producing a plurality of sampling signals and a plurality of camera stand driving signals;

(e) switching means for selecting one signal in said sampling signals, such selected one signal being applied to said memory means to sample said first and second contour signals, and for selecting one signal in said camera stand driving signals; and

(f) camera stand controller means responsive to said moving body contour signal and one of said camera stand driving signal for producing an output signal representing a camera stand control signal.

11. Moving body recognition circuit using a luminance signal, comprising:

(a) contour signal generator means responsive to said luminance signal for producing a first contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, a second contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, and a third contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field;

(b) sampling pulse generator means for producing a first sampling signal and a second sampling signal;

(c) a first moving body extractor means including;

(i) a first memory means for temporarily storing, respectively, said first and second contour signals in accordance with said first sampling signal;

(ii) a first phase compensator for compensating the phase of said third contour signal;

(iii) a first moving body contour separator means responsive to said output signal from said first phase compensator and an output signal from said first memory means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said first phase compensator is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said first memory means;

(iv) a first contour line width increasing means responsive to said output signal from said first memory means for increasing the width of a contour line represented by output signals from said first memory means; and

(v) a first comparator means responsive to an output signal from said first moving body contour separator means and an output signal from said first contour line width increasing means for producing an output signal for said first moving body extractor means when a contour line represented by said output signal from said first moving body contour separator means is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said first contour line width increasing means;

(d) a second moving body extractor means including;

(i) a second memory means for temporarily storing, respectively, said first and second contour signals in accordance with said second sampling signal;

(ii) a second phase compensator for compensating the phase of said third contour signal;

(iii) a second moving body contour separator means responsive to said output signal from said second phase compensator and an output signal from said second memory means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said second phase compensator is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said second memory means;

(iv) a second contour line width increasing means responsive to said output signal from said second memory means for increasing the width of a contour line represented by output signals from said second memory means; and

(v) a second comparator mens responsive to an output signal from said second moving body contour separator means and an output signal from said second contour line width increasing means for producing an output signal for said second moving body extractor means when a contour line represented by said output signal from said second moving body contour separator means is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output sinal from said second contour line width increasing means;

(e) a first position control signal generator means for calculating a moving body centroid in accordance with an output signal from said first moving body extractor means and for producing output signals representing a first horizontal position control signal and a first vertical position control signal; and

(f) a second position control signal generator means for calculating a moving body centroid in accordance with an output signal from said second moving body extractor means and for producing output signals representing a second horizontal position control signal and a second vertical position control signal.

12. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

horizontal motor control means and vertical motor control means.

13. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 12, wherein said horizontal motor control means and said vertical motor control means respectively includes:

(a) switching circuit responsive to said horizontal position control signal and said vertical position control signal;

(b) pulse width determining circuit for determining the pulse width of one signal of said horizontal position control signal and said vertical position control signal such that each pulse of the other signal of said horizontal position control signal and said vertical position control signal is respectively in each pulse of said one signal of said horizontal position control signal and said vertical position control signal;

(c) inverter responsive to an output of said pulse width determining circuit; and

(d) an AND gate responsive to an output signal from said inverter and said the other signal of said horizontal position control signal and said vertical position control signal.

14. Moving body recognition circuit as claimed in claim 13, wherein said switching circuit is controlled by a central processing unit.

15. Moving body tracking apparatus comprising:

(a) a TV camera for producing a TV signal having a luminance signal to image a moving body;

(b) a TV monitor for monitoring images of said moving body;

(c) a moving body recognition circuit for using said luminance signal;

comprising;

(i) contour signal generator means responsive to said luminance signal for producing a first contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, a second contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field, and a third contour signal indicative of the contour of an image defined by at least one field;

(ii) sampling pulse generator means for producing a first sampling signal and a second sampling signal;

(iii) a first moving body extractor means including;

a first memory means for temporarily storing, respectively, said first and second contour signals in accordance with said first sampling signal;

a first phase compensator for compensating the phase of said third contour signal;

a first moving body contour separator means responsive to an output signal from said first phase compensator and an output signal from said first memory means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said first phase compensator is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said first memory means;

a first contour line width increasing means responsive to said output signal from said first memory means for increasing the width of the contour line represented by output signals from said first memory means; and

a first comparator means responsive to said output signal from said first moving body contour separator means and an output signal from said first contour line width increasing means for producing an output signal for the first moving body extractor means when a contour line represented by said output signal from said first moving body contour separator means is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said first contour line width increasing means;

(iv) a second moving body extractor means including;

a second memory means for temporarily storing, respectively, said first and second contour signals in accordance with said second sampling signal;

a second phase compensator for compensating the phase of said third contour signal;

a second moving body contour separator means responsive to an output signal from said second phase compensator and an output signal from said second memory means for producing an output signal when a contour line represented by said output signal from said second phase compensator is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said second memory means;

a second contour line width increasing means responsive to said output signal from said second memory means for increasing the width of the contour line represented by the output signals from said second memory means; and

a second comparator means responsive to said output signal from said second moving body contour separator means and an output signal from said second contour line width increasing means for producing an output signal for said second moving body extract means when a contour line represented by said output signal from said second moving body contour separator means is out of phase with a contour line represented by said output signal from said second contour line width increasing means;

(v) a first position control signal generator means for calculating a moving body centroid in accordance with said output signal from said first moving body extractor means and for producing output signals representing a first horizontal position control signal and a first vertical position control signal; and

(vi) a second position control signal generator means for calculating a moving body centroid in accordance with said output signal from said second moving body extractor means and for producing output signals representing a second horizontal position control signal and a second vertical position control signal;

(d) motor controller means responsive to said first and second horizontal position control signals and said first and second vertical position control signals for respectively producing a horizontal motor control signal and a vertical motor control signal; and

(e) a stand controller responsive to said horizontal motor control sinal and said vertical motor control signal for controlling movement of said TV camera.