Process and apparatus for the automatic detection and extraction of features in images and displays
First Claim
1. A method of extracting features from source signals, such as image signals, display signals, and similar complex signals, comprising the steps of:
- (a) producing a display field of said source signal having two or more dimensions;
(b) generating a force field around areas of said display field having selected properties, such as those areas having a prescribed intensity;
(c) placing at least one movable and deformable template in the display field that is acted upon by said force field; and
(d) evaluating at least one characteristic of said template after said template has been acted upon by said force field, said force field causing said template to move and/or deform in response to the forces present within said force field, said at least one characteristic providing an indication of a feature present within said source signal.
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Abstract
A pattern recognition process and apparatus automatically extracts features in displays, images, and complex signals. Complex signals are processed to two- or higher-dimensional displays or other imagery. The displays or other imagery are then processed to produce one or more visual fields in which regions with certain properties are enhanced. The enchanced regions are induced to produce attractive forces. Flexible templates placed in the visual fields are acted upon by the attractive forces, causing the templates to deform in such a way as to match features which are similar, but not identical to, the template. The deformed templates are then evaluated in order to identify or interpret the feature to which the template was attracted. Apparatus utilizing the process generates a display of the features extracted from the input signal. Desired information can be obtained from such a display, such as trajectories, the location of ridges, buildings, edges, or other boundaries. The extracted features can be used within a control system to automatically guide an object, such as a vehicle or airplane, along a desired course; or within a signal processing system to provide a display of the features in a way that aids in the interpretation of such features.
172 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A method of extracting features from source signals, such as image signals, display signals, and similar complex signals, comprising the steps of:
- (a) producing a display field of said source signal having two or more dimensions;
(b) generating a force field around areas of said display field having selected properties, such as those areas having a prescribed intensity; (c) placing at least one movable and deformable template in the display field that is acted upon by said force field; and (d) evaluating at least one characteristic of said template after said template has been acted upon by said force field, said force field causing said template to move and/or deform in response to the forces present within said force field, said at least one characteristic providing an indication of a feature present within said source signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
- (a) producing a display field of said source signal having two or more dimensions;
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22. A method for classifying features from a display having two or more dimensions comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a force field around areas within said display field having selected properties; (b) defining a movable and deformable template having desired initial characteristics; (c) placing said template within said display field; (d) allowing said template to move and deform within said display in response to being acted upon by said force field; and (e) evaluating at least one final characteristic of said template after said template has moved to a final state and assumed a final shape as a result of being acted upon by said force field; and (f) classifying a feature present in the display field as a function of the evaluated final characteristic of said template. - View Dependent Claims (62)
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23. A method of identifying features in a display field, said display field comprising a two or more dimensional array of a complex signal, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a force field around areas within said display field having selected characteristics; (b) placing a movable and flexible template within said display field that moves and flexes in response to said force field; and (c) evaluating at least one characteristic of said template after it has moved and flexed as a result of being acted upon by said force field, said evaluated characteristic providing an indication of the identity of selected features within said display field. - View Dependent Claims (63)
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24. A method of interpreting a complex signal comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating at least one display field of two or more dimensions that display said complex signal; (b) enhancing selected portions of said display field; (c) generating a force field around said selected enhanced portions; (d) defining at least one movable template having desired characteristics, such as a flexible stick, and placing said template within said display field so that it is acted upon by said force field for a prescribed time period; and (e) evaluating at least one characteristic of said template at the conclusion of said time period, said evaluated characteristic providing information relative to the interpretation of said complex signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 64)
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26. A control system comprising:
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an element to be controlled that is responsive to a control signal; receiving means for receiving at least one input signal; feature-extraction means for extracting at least one specified feature from said input signal, said feature extraction means including display-field generating means for generating at least one display field of at least two dimensions of said input signal, force-field generating means for generating a force field surrounding selected portions of said display field, template means for placing at least one movable and deformable template in said display field that is acted upon by said force field, and evaluating means for evaluating said at least one movable and deformable template after it has been acted upon by said force field, the location, orientation and shape of said template providing an indication that a feature is present within said display field having a similar location, orientation and shape, said identified feature being extracted from said display field; and control means responsive to the feature extracted by said feature extraction means for generating said control signal; whereby the element of said control system that is controlled in response to said control signal is controlled as a function of the extracted feature from said input signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 65)
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36. A signal processing system for interpreting an input signal comprising:
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receiving means for receiving at least one input signal; feature-extraction means for extracting desired features from said input signal, said feature extraction means including; display-field generating means responsive to said input signal for generating at least one display field of said input signal having at least two dimensions, force-field generating means for generating a force field surrounding selected properties of said display field, template means for placing at least one movable template in said display field and for allowing said template to move within said display field in response to said force field, and evaluating means for identifying those features within said input signal that are to be extracted, said evaluating means including means for determining at least the position of said movable template after said template has been acted upon by said force field, said determined position providing an indication of those features within said display field that are to be extracted; and display means for extracting the identified features from the display field and for displaying said extracted features, said display of extracted features providing an interpretation of said signal. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 66)
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53. A system for interpeting a complex signal comprising:
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means for receiving said complex signal; means for displaying said complex signal in a display field having at least two dimensions; means for enhancing areas of said display field having prescribed properties; means for generating a force field around at least one of said enhanced areas; means for placing a template having desired characteristics within said display field so that it is acted upon by said force field until a prescribed event occurs; means for determining the occurrence of said prescribed event; means for evaluating said template to determine its location orientation, and shape within said display field after the occurence of said prescribed event, which information provides an indication of the location, orientation and shape of a feature within said display field, and hence within said complex signal; the presence of said feature within said complex signal providing an aid to the interpretation of said complex signal. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 67)
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Specification