Texas Instruments Corporation

Frank Z Brill

Bruce E Flinchbaugh

Thomas J Olson

Scott A King

A system () includes an image detector () which is a video camera, and which detects and outputs a succession of video images of a selected subject. A technique for processing these images involves preparing compressed image information. The compressed image information includes a first detected image (FIG.A) that serves as a reference image, includes information (FIG.G) identifying regions of subsequent detected images that differ from the first image, and excludes at least a portion of each of the subsequent images. The information identifying regions of subsequent detected images is free of contrast information for a substantial portion of each of those regions. The compressed image information for a given image is decompressed by displaying the reference image and by modifying the displayed reference image based on the information identifying differences from the reference image.

Method and apparatus for compressing image information

A monitoring system ( ) includes a video camera ( ) which generates images of a monitored area. A computer ( ) receives the images from the video camera, and contains a digitized map ( ) of the monitored area. One of the detected images ( ) is saved as a reference image. An operator defines a first region ( ) corresponding to a selected portion of the monitored area, as viewed in the reference image, and defines a second region ( ) which corresponds to the selected portion of the area as viewed on the map. Subsequent images from the camera are compared to the reference image, in order to identify an object of interest, and a first point associated with the object is identified. If the first point is within the first region, a warp transformation of the first point from the first region to the second region is carried out, in order to identify within the second region a second point which corresponds to the first point, and which identifies the location on the map of the object of interest.

Method and apparatus for mapping a location from a video image to a map

Given a system which detects simple events, one can define a complex event by constructing a list of sub-events. In order to recognize a complex event, the system keeps a record of the sub-events that have occurred thus far and the objects involved in these sub-events. Whenever the first sub-event in a complex event's sequence is recognized, an activation for that complex event is created. The activation contains an indication of the identity of the object involved in the event. The activation also includes an index initialized to one. If a newly detected event matches the next sub-event in any of the currently open complex events, the index for that complex event is incremented. If the index reaches the total number of sub-events in that complex event, the complete complex event is recognized. Thus any desired alarm is generated. Since the complex event that was just recognized may also be a sub-event of another complex event, the activation lists are consulted again to see if the indices of any other complex event activations can be advanced.

Method and system for defining and recognizing complex events in a video sequence

This invention employs probabilistic templates, or p-templates, which probabilistically encode the rough position and extent of the tracked object's image. The p-templates track objects in the scene, one p-template per object. They can be used to incorporate three-dimensional knowledge about the scene, and to reason about occlusion between the objects tracked by the p-templates. This invention requires video capture and digitization hardware, image processing hardware such as a digital signal processor, and a method for estimating the image size of a person standing at a given location in the image.

Method of dealing with occlusion when tracking multiple objects and people in video sequences

An apparatus and method for transmitting graphical representations is disclosed. The present invention has an image generator ( ) that generates an image ( ) of a head ( ) with facial features, including an eye portion ( ) that correlates to an eye ( ) in the head ( ). The apparatus also has a non-updating tracker ( ) that searches for an eye target image of the eye ( ) in the head ( ). The eye portion ( ) correlating to the eye ( ) is positioned at the target image located by the non-updating tracker ( ). The apparatus also has an updating tracker ( ) that searches for an updated eye target image when the non-updating tracker ( ) is unable to locate the eye target image. The updating tracker ( ) also positions the eye portion ( ) at the updated eye target image and updates the updated eye target image with the eye portion ( ). The updating tracker further determines the location of the eye portion ( ). The apparatus also has an image differentiator ( ) coupled to the trackers for providing image differential signals ( ), including eye differential signals representing positional difference from the location of the eye portion ( ). The apparatus also has a display device ( ) that receives the image differential signals ( ), including the eye differential signals, and animates a model ( ) with the received image differential signals ( ).

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Frank Z Brill