Method, system and apparatus for selecting a video frame

A system for selecting at least one video frame of a video sequence in a database of video sequences, the system comprising:

• a memory for storing data and a computer program;
• a processor coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for:
• detecting a plurality of faces in at least one video frame of the video sequence, wherein the plurality of faces detected in the at least one video frame is determined to exceed a predetermined size threshold based on pixel size of a detected face relative to the at least one video frame;
• tracking an orientation of the detected faces over a series of subsequent video frames to determine whether a first detected face is turning towards a second detected face, wherein the orientation of the detected faces is relative to a camera;
• determining, using the tracked orientation of the detected faces, a portion of the video sequence in which the first and second detected faces are oriented towards each other for at least a predetermined number of frames defining a gaze fixation of the detected faces;
• and
• selecting at least one video frame from the determined portion of the video sequence in the database of video sequences, said selected video frame capturing the gaze fixation of the detected faces.

An apparatus for selecting at least one video frame of a video sequence in a database of video sequences, the apparatus comprising:

• means for detecting a plurality of faces in at least one video frame of the video sequence, wherein the plurality of faces detected in the at least one video frame is determined to exceed a predetermined size threshold based on pixel size of a detected face relative to the at least one video frame;
• means for tracking an orientation of the detected faces over a series of subsequent video frames to determine whether a first detected face is turning towards a second detected face, wherein the orientation of the detected faces is relative to a camera;
• means for determining, using the tracked orientation of the detected faces, a portion of the video sequence in which the first and second detected faces are oriented towards each other for at least a predetermined number of frames defining a gaze fixation of the detected faces;
• and
• means for selecting at least one video frame from the determined portion of the video sequence in the database of video sequences, said selected video frame capturing the gaze fixation of the detected faces.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored on the medium for selecting at least one video frame of a video sequence in a database of video sequences, the program comprising:

• code for detecting a plurality of faces in at least one video frame of the video sequence, wherein the plurality of faces detected in the at least one video frame is determined to exceed a predetermined size threshold based on pixel size of a detected face relative to the at least one video frame;
• code for tracking an orientation of the detected faces over a series of subsequent video frames to determine whether a first detected face is turning towards a second detected face, wherein the orientation of the detected faces is relative to a camera;
• code for determining, using the tracked orientation of the detected faces, a portion of the video sequence in which the first and second detected faces are oriented towards each other for at least a predetermined number of frames defining a gaze fixation of the detected faces;
• and
• code for selecting at least one video frame from the determined portion of the video sequence in the database of video sequences, said selected video frame capturing the gaze fixation of the detected faces.