Method and apparatus for qualitative spatiotemporal data processing

A method to generate a plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors for a sequence of video images, each video image including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having a plurality of horizontal rows and a plurality of vertical columns, comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing the sequence of video images as a three dimensional array having an x dimension corresponding to the horizontal rows of pixels in the video images, a y dimension corresponding to the vertical columns of pixels in the video images, and a t dimension corresponding to other images in the sequence;
• (b) filtering each image in the sequence of video images using a one-dimensional spatial filter oriented in the y dimension;
• (c) selecting a plane of pixels of the sequence of video images corresponding to the t dimension and the x dimension;
• (d) filtering the selected plane of pixels to produce a plurality of horizontal spatiotemporal filter values corresponding to the pixels in the selected plane of pixels;
• and
• (e) determining the plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors responsive to the plurality of horizontal spatiotemporal filter values.

A method of indexing a sequence of N-dimensional data sets of scalar quantities for storage in a database of N-dimensional data sets, where N is an integer, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) filtering a volume of the scalar quantities using a plurality of oriented filter characteristics to produce a respective plurality of spatiotemporal filter values corresponding to the scalar quantities in the data sets;
• (b) combining the plurality of spatiotemporal filter values to define a corresponding plurality of spatiotemporal descriptors;
• (c) associating the plurality of spatiotemporal descriptors with the sequence of N-dimensional data sets as an index value;
• and
• (d) storing the sequence of N-dimensional data sets in the database.

A method of automatically selecting a region of interest of a scene using a sequence of N-dimensional data sets, each N-dimensional data set including a plurality of scalar quantities arranged in N-dimensions, where N is an integer, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) filtering a volume of the scalar quantities to produce a plurality of spatiotemporal filter values corresponding to the scalar quantities data sets;
• (b) determining the plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors responsive to the plurality of spatiotemporal filter values;
• and
• (c) analyzing the plurality of spatiotemporal descriptors to identify the region if interest.

Apparatus for generating a plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors for a sequence of video images, each video image including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having a plurality of horizontal rows and a plurality of vertical columns, comprising:

• a memory for storing the sequence of video images as a three dimensional array having an x dimension corresponding to the horizontal rows of pixels in the video images, a y dimension corresponding to the vertical columns of pixels in the video images, and a t dimension corresponding to other images in the sequence;
• a plurality of filters which filter a volume of pixels to produce a respective plurality of spatiotemporal filter values corresponding to the pixels in the sequence of video images;
• and
• a classifier which determines the plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors from the plurality of spatiotemporal filter values.

A computer-readable carrier including computer program instructions that instruct a computer to generate a plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors for a sequence of video images, each video image including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having a plurality of horizontal rows and a plurality of s vertical columns, comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing the sequence of video images as a three dimensional array having an x dimension corresponding to the horizontal rows of pixels in the video images, a y dimension corresponding to the vertical columns of pixels in the video images, and a t dimension corresponding to other images in the sequence;
• (b) filtering a volume of pixels to produce a plurality of spatiotemporal filter values corresponding to the pixels in sequence of video images;
• and
• (c) determining the plurality of relevant spatiotemporal descriptors responsive to the plurality of spatiotemporal filter values.