Output apparatus, output method and program for outputting a moving image including a synthesized image by superimposing images

• US 8,254,626 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takamori, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Randolph I
• Application Number:
  US11/961,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20080152193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound

Abstract

An output apparatus includes a section that acquires a moving image, a section that extracts a moving object in the acquired moving image, a section that identifies an object area, which is an area occupied by the extracted object in each moving image component image in a plurality of moving image component images included in the acquired moving image, a section that selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the identified object areas are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the acquired moving image, a section that generates a single synthesized image by superimposing images that include a plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of moving image component images selected, and a section that outputs the generated synthesized image.

Claims

1. An output apparatus, comprising one or more processors configured to function as a plurality of sections comprising:

a moving image acquiring section that receives via a transmission path a moving image obtained by capturing a monitored area;

a moving object extracting section that extracts a moving object in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section;

an object area identifying section that identifies an object area, which is an area occupied by the object extracted by the moving object extracting section in each moving image component image in a plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section;

a moving image component image selecting section that selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section;

an image generating section that generates a single synthesized image by superimposing images that include a plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of moving image component images selected by the moving image component image selecting section; and

an output section that outputs the synthesized image generated by the image generating section, wherein

the moving image component image selecting section selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in a moving image of a first period in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section,

the image generating section generates a single synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of moving image component images selected by the moving image component image selecting section,

the output section outputs the single synthesized image generated by the image generating section as the image representing the moving image of the first period instead of the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period,

the moving image component image selecting section selects a first group of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section and selects a second group of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among at least a portion of the moving image component images in the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period and from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of a second period that follows the first period,

the image generating section generates a first synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image of the first group and generates a second synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image of the second group, and

the output section outputs the first synthesized image and the second synthesized image generated by the image generating section as the images representing the moving images of the first period and the second period, respectively, instead of the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving images of the first period and the second period.

2. The output apparatus comprising one or more processors configured as a plurality of sections according to claim 1, the sections further comprising:

a moving direction identifying section that identifies a direction in which the object extracted by the moving object extracting section moves in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section; and

a period identifying section that identifies a period in which an amount of change in a direction identified by the moving direction identifying section is less than a predetermined amount of change in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section, wherein the moving image component image selecting section selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images that represent a moving image of the period identified by the period identifying section.

3. The output apparatus comprising one or more processors configured as a plurality of sections according to claim 1, the sections further comprising a period identifying section that identifies a period in which time intervals between moving image component images that include the object areas that do not overlap with each other are shorter than predetermined durations in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section, wherein the moving image component image selecting section selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images that represent a moving image of the period identified by the period identifying section.

4. The output apparatus comprising one or more processors configured as a plurality of sections according to claim 1, the sections further comprising:

a condition storing section that stores a condition concerning objects to be extracted from the moving image; and

an object identifying section that identifies objects to which the condition stored by the condition storing section is applicable, wherein the moving object extracting section extracts the moving object in the moving image from among the objects identified by the object identifying section.

5. The output apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the condition storing section stores a condition relating to a shape of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying section identifies objects to which the condition relating to the shape stored by the condition storing section is applicable.

6. The output apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the condition storing section stores a condition relating to a position of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying section identifies objects to which the condition relating to the position stored by the condition storing section is applicable.

7. The output apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the condition storing section stores a condition relating to a direction of motion of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying section identifies objects to which the condition relating to the direction stored by the condition storing section is applicable.

8. The output apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the condition storing section stores a condition relating to a direction of motion in real space of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying section identifies objects to which the condition relating to the direction in real space stored by the condition storing section is applicable.

9. An output method, comprising:

acquiring a moving image;

extracting a moving object in the moving image;

identifying an object area, which is an area occupied by the object extracted in the step of extracting the moving object in each moving image component image in a plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image acquired in the step of acquiring the moving image;

selecting a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified in the step of identifying the object area are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image acquired in the step of acquiring the moving image;

generating a single synthesized image by superimposing images that include a plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of selected moving image component images acquired in the step of acquiring the moving image; and

outputting the synthesized image generated in the step of generating the image, wherein

the selecting step selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in a moving image of a first period in the moving image acquired,

the generating step generates a single synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of moving image component images selected,

the outputting step outputs the single synthesized image generated as the image representing the moving image of the first period instead of the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period,

the selecting step selects a first group of moving image component images in which the object areas identified are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period in the moving image acquired and selects a second group of moving image component images in which the object areas identified are not in positions that overlap with one another from among at least a portion of the moving image component images in the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period and from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of a second period that follows the first period,

the generating step generates a first synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image of the first group and generates a second synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image of the second group, and

the outputting step outputs the first synthesized image and the second synthesized image generated as the images representing the moving images of the first period and the second period, respectively, instead of the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving images of the first period and the second period.

10. The output method according to claim 9, further comprising:

identifying a direction in which the object extracted moves in the moving image acquired; and

identifying a period in which an amount of change in a direction identified is less than a predetermined amount of change in the moving image acquired, wherein the selecting step selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images that represent a moving image of the period identified.

11. The output method according to claim 9, further comprising:

identifying a period in which time intervals between moving image component images that include the object areas that do not overlap with each other are shorter than predetermined durations in the moving image acquired, wherein the selecting step selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images that represent a moving image of the period identified.

12. The output method according to claim 9, further comprising:

storing a condition concerning objects to be extracted from the moving image; and

identifying objects to which the condition stored is applicable, wherein the extracting step extracts the moving object in the moving image from among the objects identified.

13. The output method according to claim 12, wherein

the storing step stores a condition relating to a shape of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying step identifies objects to which the condition relating to the shape stored is applicable.

14. The output method according to claim 12, wherein

the storing step stores a condition relating to a position of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying step identifies objects to which the condition relating to the position stored is applicable.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium that causes an output apparatus that outputs an image to function as:

a moving image acquiring section that acquires a moving image;

a moving object extracting section that extracts a moving object in the moving image;

an object area identifying section that identifies an object area, which is an area occupied by the object extracted by the moving object extracting section in each moving image component image in a plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image acquired by the moving image acquiring section;

a moving image component image selecting section that selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image acquired by the moving image acquiring section;

an image generating section that generates a single synthesized image by superimposing images that include a plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of moving image component images selected by the moving image component image selecting section; and

an output section that outputs the synthesized image generated by the image generating section, wherein

the moving image component image selecting section selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in a moving image of a first period in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section,

the image generating section generates a single synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image in the plurality of moving image component images selected by the moving image component image selecting section,

the output section outputs the single synthesized image generated by the image generating section as the image representing the moving image of the first period instead of the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period,

the moving image component image selecting section selects a first group of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period in the moving image acquired by the moving image acquiring section and selects a second group of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among at least a portion of the moving image component images in the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of the first period and from among the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving image of a second period that follows the first period,

the image generating section generates a first synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image of the first group and generates a second synthesized image by superimposing the images that include the plurality of object areas included in each moving image component image of the second group, and

the output section outputs the first synthesized image and the second synthesized image generated by the image generating section as the images representing the moving images of the first period and the second period, respectively, instead of the plurality of moving image component images included in the moving images of the first period and the second period.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, causing an output apparatus that outputs an image to further function as:

a moving direction identifying section that identifies a direction in which the object extracted by the moving object extracting section moves in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section; and

a period identifying section that identifies a period in which an amount of change in a direction identified by the moving direction identifying section is less than a predetermined amount of change in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section, wherein the moving image component image selecting section selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images that represent a moving image of the period identified by the period identifying section.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, causing an output apparatus that outputs an image to further function as:

a period identifying section that identifies a period in which time intervals between moving image component images that include the object areas that do not overlap with each other are shorter than predetermined durations in the moving image received by the moving image acquiring section, wherein the moving image component image selecting section selects a plurality of moving image component images in which the object areas identified by the object area identifying section are not in positions that overlap with one another from among the plurality of moving image component images that represent a moving image of the period identified by the period identifying section.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, causing an output apparatus that outputs an image to further function as:

a condition storing section that stores a condition concerning objects to be extracted from the moving image; and

an object identifying section that identifies objects to which the condition stored by the condition storing section is applicable, wherein the moving object extracting section extracts the moving object in the moving image from among the objects identified by the object identifying section.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein

the condition storing section stores a condition relating to a shape of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying section identifies objects to which the condition relating to the shape stored by the condition storing section is applicable.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein

the condition storing section stores a condition relating to a position of the object to be extracted from the moving image, and

the object identifying section identifies objects to which the condition relating to the position stored by the condition storing section is applicable.