High dynamic range video of fast moving objects without blur

A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, for video monitoring of fast moving objects under a variety of lighting conditions, comprising:

• code for establishing, by a video unit during a bootstrap phase, a plurality of sampling points for a viewing scene that includes a background object;
• code for capturing, by the video unit during the bootstrap phase, at each sampling point, a plurality of video images under different lighting conditions, each video image having a color under a respective lighting condition at a respective optimum exposure;
• code for storing, by the video unit during the bootstrap phase, in a model database either in the video unit or in a cloud database, for each sampling point, at least one model that is a combination of the color of at least one of the video images, its respective optimum exposure, and its respective lighting condition;
• code for capturing, by the video unit during an image capture phase, for at least one of the sampling points, a video image having a captured color under current lighting conditions and an optimum exposure;
• code for comparing, by the video unit during the image capture phase, for the least one of the sampling points, the captured color and the optimum exposure, with the at least one model of color and respective optimum exposure in the model database, to find a respective lighting condition of a best match model in the model database;
• code for adjusting, by the video unit during the image capture phase, an exposure setting of the video unit, to a most frequently occurring value for exposure among other ones of the plurality of sampling points, if lighting conditions for the other ones of the plurality of sampling points are within a threshold range of the lighting condition of the best match model in the model database;
• and
• code for, if lighting conditions for a subset of the other ones of the plurality of sampling points, do not match any model in the model database, then identifying, by the video unit during the image capture phase, that a foreground object has moved over the background object where the subset of the other ones of the plurality of sampling points are located.

An apparatus for video monitoring of fast moving objects under a variety of lighting conditions, comprising:

• a video unit located within viewing distance of a highway, including a video camera, video processor, a processor and memory including computer program code configured to cause the video processor to process a video stream from the video camera;
• the video processor configured to establish during a bootstrap phase, a plurality of sampling points for a viewing scene that includes a background object;
• the video processor configured to capture during the bootstrap phase, at each sampling point, a plurality of video images under different lighting conditions, each video image having a color under a respective lighting condition at a respective optimum exposure;
• the video processor configured to store during the bootstrap phase, in a model database either in the video unit or in a cloud database, for each sampling point, at least one model that is a combination of the color of at least one of the video images, its respective optimum exposure, and its respective lighting condition;
• the video processor configured to capture during an image capture phase, for at least one of the sampling points, a video image having a captured color under current lighting conditions and an optimum exposure;
• the video processor configured to compare during the image capture phase, for the least one of the sampling points, the captured color and the optimum exposure, with the at least one model of color and respective optimum exposure in the model database, to find a respective lighting condition of a best match model in the model database;
• the video processor configured to adjust during the image capture phase, an exposure setting of the video unit, to a most frequently occurring value for exposure among other ones of the plurality of sampling points, if lighting conditions for the other ones of the plurality of sampling points are within a threshold range of the lighting condition of the best match model in the model database;
• and
• if lighting conditions for a subset of the other ones of the plurality of sampling points, do not match any model in the mode database, then the video processor configured to identify that a foreground object has moved over the background object where the subset of the other ones of the plurality of sampling points are located.

A method for operating a model database for moving object detection of fast moving objects under a variety of lighting conditions, comprising:

• establishing, by a video processor during a bootstrap phase, a plurality of sampling points for a viewing scene that includes a background object;
• capturing, by the video processor during the bootstrap phase, at each sampling point, a plurality of video images under different lighting conditions, each video image having a color under a respective lighting condition at a respective optimum exposure;
• storing, by the video processor during the bootstrap phase, in a model database either in the video processor or in a cloud database, for each sampling point, at least one model that is a combination of the color of at least one of the video images, its respective optimum exposure, and its respective lighting condition;
• storing, by the video processor during an image capture phase, new models in the model database, as a dynamic, self-learning process that improves the accuracy of moving object detection;
• and
• if lighting conditions for a subset of the plurality of sampling points, do not match any model in the model database, then identify that a foreground object has moved over a background object where the subset of the plurality of sampling points is located.

A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, for operating a model database for moving object detection of fast moving objects under a variety of lighting conditions, comprising:

• code for establishing, by a video processor during a bootstrap phase, a plurality of sampling points for a viewing scene that includes a background object;
• code for capturing, by the video processor during the bootstrap phase, at each sampling point, a plurality of video images under different lighting conditions, each video image having a color under a respective lighting condition at a respective optimum exposure;
• code for storing, by the video processor during the bootstrap phase, in a model database either in the video processor or in a cloud database, for each sampling point, at least one model that is a combination of the color of at least one of the video images, its respective optimum exposure, and its respective lighting condition;
• code for storing, by the video processor during an image capture phase, new models in the model database, as a dynamic, self-learning process that improves the accuracy of moving object detection;
• and
• code for, if lighting conditions for a subset of the plurality of sampling points, do not match any model in the model database, then identify that a foreground object has moved over a background object where the subset of the plurality of sampling points is located.