Monitoring method and camera
AssigneeAxis AB
InventorsGustav Traff, Anis Ben Hamida, Mikael Pendse
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scene is monitored by receiving image data representing a thermal image captured by a thermal image sensor (13) and a visual image captured by a visual image sensor (15), the thermal image and the visual image depicting a same view of the scene. Objects (9) are detected in the visual image and in the thermal image. A mask (17a) is defined in the view of the scene, and it is determined if an object (9) or an object part, inside the mask (17a), is present in both the thermal image and the visual image. If so, a modified mask (17b) is provided by excluding an area occupied by the object (9) or the object part from the mask (17a).
Claims13
A method of monitoring a scene, the method comprising:
- receiving image data representing a thermal image captured by a thermal image sensor and a visual image captured by a visual image sensor, the thermal image and the visual image depicting a same view of the scene;
- detecting objects which have a different temperature than their environment, such as human beings, other living creatures or motor vehicles, in the visual image and in the thermal image;
- defining a mask covering a window in the view of the scene;
- matching the detected objects between the visual image and the thermal image in order to determine if an object or an object part, inside the mask, is present in both the thermal image and the visual image, and, if so, providing a modified mask by excluding an area occupied by the object or the object part from the mask.
A camera arranged for monitoring a scene, the camera comprising:
- a thermal image sensor arranged to capture a thermal image and a visual image sensor arranged to capture a visual image, the thermal image and the visual image depicting a same view of the scene;
- an object detector arranged to detect objects which have a different temperature than their environment, such as human beings, other living creatures or motor vehicles, in the visual image and in the thermal image;
- a mask definer arranged to define a mask covering a window in the view of the scene;
- and
- a mask modification unit arranged to match the detected objects between the visual image and the thermal image in order to determine if an object or an object part, inside the mask, is present in both the thermal image and the visual image, and, if so, provide a modified mask by excluding an area occupied by the object or the object part from the mask.
A video encoder arranged for monitoring a scene, the video encoder comprising:
- an image input arranged to receive a thermal image captured by a thermal image sensor and a visual image captured by a visual image sensor, the thermal image and the visual image depicting a same view of the scene;
- an object detector arranged to detect objects which have a different temperature than their environment, such as human beings, other living creatures or motor vehicles, in the visual image and in the thermal image;
- a mask definer arranged to define a mask covering a window in the view of the scene;
- and
- a mask modification unit arranged to match the detected objects between the visual image and the thermal image in order to determine if an object or an object part, inside the mask, is present in both the thermal image and the visual image, and, if so, provide a modified mask by excluding an area occupied by the object or the object part from the mask.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.