US 2013/0156298 A1 · Using High-Level Attributes to Guide Image Processing

Abstract

Using high-level attributes to guide image processing is described. In an embodiment high-level attributes of images of people such as height, torso orientation, body shape, gender are used to guide processing of the images for various tasks including but not limited to joint position detection, body part classification, medical image analysis and others. In various embodiments one or more random decision forests are trained using images where global variable values such as player height are known in addition to ground-truth data appropriate for the image processing task concerned. In some examples sequences of images are used where global variables are static or vary smoothly over the sequence. In some examples one or more trained random decision forests are used to find global variable values as well as output values for the task concerned such as joint positions or body part classes.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of processing an image having at least one high-level attribute, the method comprising:

accessing at least one random decision forest arranged to take into account the high-level attribute by virtue of having been trained using training images for which values of at least one global variable expressing the high-level attribute are known;
for each of a plurality of image elements of the image, pushing the image element through the random decision forest to obtain candidate output values and, information about the certainty of the candidate output values;
using the candidate output values and certainty information to select a set of candidate output values as either:
a most confident set of candidate output values over the global variable and the candidate output values jointly;
or a most confident set of candidate output values given an estimate of the global variable;
or a weighted combination of the candidate output values given an estimate of the global variable.

3 more elements

A computer-implemented method of processing an image having at least one high-level attribute, the method comprising:

training at least one random decision forest using training images for which values of at least one global variable expressing the high-level attribute are known, the training being such that the random decision forest is able to take into account the high-level attribute;
for each of a plurality of image elements of the image, pushing the image element through the random decision forest to obtain candidate output values and information about the certainty of the candidate output values;
using the candidate output values and certainty information to select a set of candidate output values as either:
a most confident set of candidate output values over the global variable and the candidate output values jointly;
or a most confident set of candidate output values given an estimate of the global variable;
or a weighted combination of the candidate output values given an estimate of the global variable.

3 more elements

An image processing system comprising:

at least one random decision forest arranged to take into account a high-level attribute of an image by virtue of having been trained using training images for which values of at least one global variable expressing the high-level attribute are known;
a processor, arranged to push each of a plurality of image elements of the image through the random decision forest to obtain candidate output values and information about the certainty of the candidate output values;
the processor being arranged to use the candidate output values and certainty information to select a set of candidate output values as either:
a most confident set of candidate output values over the global variable and the candidate output values jointly;
or a most confident set of candidate output values given an estimate of the global variable;
or a weighted combination of the candidate output values given an estimate of the global variable.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Using High-Level Attributes to Guide Image Processing

Life of this patent

Using High-Level Attributes to Guide Image Processing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20