Detecting and tracking objects in images

• US 8,170,281 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shamaie, Atid
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KANJIBHAI B
• Application Number:
  US12/461,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/107, 382/159, 382/181, 382/305, 382/312, 345/166, 345/173, 345/179, 345/594, 345/661, 348/169
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2135 based on approximation criteria, e.g. principal component analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2413 based on distances to training or reference patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/764 using classification, e.g. of video objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/7715 Feature extraction, e.g. by transforming the feature space, e.g. multi-dimensional scaling [MDS]; Mappings, e.g. subspace methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

According to one disclosed method, coordinates in a multi-dimensional space are determined for an image point characterizing a particular object. An equation describing a model in the space is provided. The model is characteristic of a set of training images of one or more other objects. The coordinates are applied to the equation to determine a distance between the image point and the model. Based on the determined distance, a determination is made as to whether the particular object matches the one or more other objects. A set of training images may be received. A multi-dimensional space (e.g., eigenspace) may be determined based on the set of training images. A set of training points may be generated by projecting the set of training images into the multi-dimensional space. An equation describing a model in the multi-dimensional space that is characteristic of the set of training points may be determined.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

determining whether the detected object is of a predetermined object type using a trained recognition model, the recognition model being trained to determine whether the detected object is of the predetermined object type based on an appearance of the detected object; and

generating a user input to a computer application based on the detected object, if it is determined that the detected object is of the predetermined object type.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1,

wherein the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

wherein the object is near a second side of the surface, and

wherein the first side is obverse to the second side.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point; and

generating a user input to a computer application based on the coordinates of the detected object.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point comprises projecting data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3,

wherein the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

wherein the object is near a second side of the surface, and wherein the first side is obverse to the second side.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein detecting an object near the surface comprises detecting an object touching the surface.

7. A method comprising:

detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

determining whether the detected object is of a predetermined object type using a trained recognition model, the recognition model being trained to determine whether the detected object is of the predetermined object type based on an appearance of the detected object; and

generating, using a processing device, a user input to a computer application based on the detected object, if it is determined that the detected object is of the predetermined object type.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

wherein the object is near a second side of the surface, and

wherein the first side is obverse to the second side.

9. A method comprising:

detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point; and

generating, using a processing device, a user input to a computer application based on the coordinates of the detected object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point comprises projecting data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point.

11. The method of claim 9,

wherein the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

wherein the object is near a second side of the surface, and

wherein the first side is obverse to the second side.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting an object near the surface comprises detecting an object touching the surface.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising;

detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

determining whether the detected object is of a predetermined object type using a trained recognition model, the recognition model being trained to determine whether the detected object is of the predetermined object type based on an appearance of the detected object; and

generating a user input to a computer application based on the detected object, if it is determined that the detected object is of the predetermined object type.

14. The system of claim 13,

wherein the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

wherein the object is near a second side of the surface, and

wherein the first side is obverse to the second side.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising;

detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point; and

generating a user input to a computer application based on the coordinates of the detected object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point comprises projecting data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point.

17. The system of claim 15,

wherein the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

wherein the object is near a second side of the surface, and

wherein the first side is obverse to the second side.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein detecting an object near the surface comprises detecting an object touching the surface.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

means for determining whether the detected object is of a predetermined object type using a trained recognition model, the recognition model being trained to determine whether the detected object is of the predetermined object type based on an appearance of the detected object; and

means for generating a user input to a computer application based on the detected object, if it is determined that the detected object is of the predetermined object type.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the electromagnetic radiation is projected onto a first side of the surface,

the object is near a second side of the surface, and

the first side is obverse to the second side.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting, using electromagnetic radiation projected proximally to a surface, an object near the surface;

means for processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point; and

means for generating a user input to a computer application based on the coordinates of the detected object.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for processing data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point comprises means for projecting data elements of the object into a multi-dimensional space having a dimensionality that is lower than a number of data points to produce coordinates for an image point.