Traffic density analysis method based on encoded video

• US 6,990,214 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Toshiaki, Chujoh, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Miriam, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US11/048,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20050129280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 382103-107, 382/151, 382/154, 382163-166, 382/173, 382/194, 382/203, 382/209, 382/221, 382/233, 382/236, 382/243, 382/248, 382/253, 382/260, 382/274, 382287-291, 382/305, 701/207, 345/100, 345/501, 348/149, 375/240.26, 375/240.16
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors

Abstract

A traffic density analysis method includes decoding encoded video data corresponding to an analysis region to obtain a decoded video signal and code information, determining a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the decoded video signal, the code information and a previously decoded video signal, analyzing a macroblock determined as the moving object, setting a specific region in a screen using an analysis result of the macroblock, and estimating a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to the moving object passing through the specific region.

Claims

1. A traffic density analysis method comprising:

decoding encoded video data obtained by encoding a video signal corresponding to an analysis region to obtain a decoded video signal and code information including mode information and vector information;

determining a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the decoded video signal, the code information and a previously decoded video signal;

analyzing a macroblock determined as the moving object;

setting a specific region in a screen using an analysis result of the macroblock determined as the moving object; and

estimating a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to the moving object passing through the specific region.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the estimating includes estimating the traffic density from an average velocity and the number of moving objects passing through the specific region.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including estimating a specific vehicle from a color of the moving object on the basis of an analysis result of the macroblock determined as the moving object, and the estimating the traffic density includes measuring a velocity of the moving object from a velocity of the estimated specific vehicle.

4. A traffic density analysis method comprising:

encoding a video signal corresponding to an analysis region to output encoded video data, a local decoded signal, and code information including mode information and vector information;

determining a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the encoded video signal, the code information and a previous local decoded video signal;

analyzing a macroblock determined as the moving object;

setting a specific region in a screen using the local decoded signal; and

analyzing a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to a moving object passing through the specific region.

5. A method for transmitting traffic information, comprising:

capturing an image in a monitoring region to be monitored for a traffic density;

encoding a video signal corresponding to the image to output encoded video data;

decoding the encoded video data to output a decoded video signal and code information including mode information and vector information;

determining a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the decoded video signal, the code information and a previously decoded video signal;

analyzing a macroblock determined as the moving object;

setting a specific region in a screen using an analysis result of the macroblock determined as the moving object;

estimating a traffic density in the monitoring region from information related to the moving object passing through the specific region; and

transmitting traffic information including the traffic density and video information.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the encoding includes compress-encoding a video signal, and the transmitting includes transmitting the encoded video data.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the estimating includes estimating the traffic density from an average velocity and the number of moving objects passing through the specific region.

8. A method according to claim 5, further including estimating a specific vehicle from a color of the moving object on the basis of the object information, and the estimating the traffic density includes measuring a velocity of the moving object from a velocity of the estimated specific vehicle.