Apparatus, program and method for detecting both stationary objects and moving objects in an image

An object detection apparatus for detecting objects in input images captured from a mobile unit, comprising:

• a local flow processor for applying Gabor filter to calculate optical flow in predetermined directions of each local area,
• a flow feature calculator for estimating motion of the mobile unit based on said optical flow, calculating new flow information using the estimated motion, comparing said new flow information with said optical flow for each local area to extract local areas having flow information not consistent with said estimated motion;
• and
• an object presence/absence determiner for determining the presence or absence of objects in the extracted local areas.

A computer program product executable on a computer for detecting objects in input images captured by an imaging device on a mobile unit, when executed, said computer program produce performing the steps of:

• calculating flow information for each local area in said input images;
• calculating flow information for each global area in said input images using said flow information for each local area;
• estimating motion of the mobile unit using said flow information for each global area;
• calculating new flow information using the estimated motion;
• comparing said new flow information with said flow information for each local area to extract local areas having flow information not consistent with said estimated motion;
• and
• determining the presence or absence of objects in the extracted local areas.

A computer program product executable on a computer for detecting objects in input images captured by an imaging device on a mobile unit, when executed, said computer program produce performing the steps of:

• (a) calculating flow information for each local area in said input images;
• (b) calculating flow information for each global area in said input images using said flow information for each local area;
• (c) applying said flow information for global area to result of first learning to estimate the motion of said mobile unit;
• (d) estimating motion of the mobile unit using said flow information for each global area;
• (e) calculating new flow information using the estimated motion;
• (f) comparing said new flow information with said flow information for each local area to extract local areas having flow information not consistent with said estimated motion;
• (g) repeating the steps (a) to (f) on said extracted local areas to extract second local areas;
• and
• (h) determining the presence or absence of objects in said second local areas.

An object detection method for detecting objects in input images captured from a mobile unit, comprising:

• calculating flow information for each local area in said input images;
• calculating flow information for each global area in said input images using said flow information for each local area;
• estimating motion of the mobile unit using said flow information for each global area;
• calculating new flow information using the estimated motion;
• comparing said new flow information with said flow information for each local area to extract local areas having flow information not consistent with said estimated motion;
• and
• determining the presence or absence of objects in the extracted local areas.

An object detection method for detecting objects in input images captured from a mobile unit, comprising:

• (a) calculating flow information for each local area in said input images;
• (b) calculating flow information for each global area in said input images using said flow information for each local area;
• (c) applying said flow information for global area to result of first learning to estimate the motion of said mobile unit;
• (d) estimating motion of the mobile unit using said flow information for each global area;
• (e) calculating new flow information using the estimated motion;
• (f) comparing said new flow information with said flow information for each local area to extract local areas having flow information not consistent with said estimated motion;
• (g) repeating the steps (a) to (f) on said extracted local areas to extract second local areas;
• and
• (h) determining the presence or absence of objects in said second local areas.