Static occlusion handling using directional pixel replication in regularized motion environments
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsMatthew Adam Shreve, Qun Li, Edgar A. Bernal, Robert P. Loce
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure provides a static occlusion handling method and system for use with appearance-based video tracking algorithms where static occlusions are present. The method and system assumes that the objects to be tracked move in according to structured motion patterns within a scene, such as vehicles moving along a roadway. A primary concept is to replicate pixels associated with the tracked object from previous frames to current or future frames when the tracked object coincides with a static occlusion, where the predicted motion of the tracked object is a basis for replication of the pixels.
Claims25
A computer-implemented method of tracking an object in a scene captured with an image capturing device configured to provide a first frame including a plurality of pixels representative of the scene, the scene including an occlusion which occludes at least a portion of the tracked object as the tracked object travels along an approaching direction (D) associated with the scene, the method comprising:
- a) locating the occlusion and associated occlusion pixel positions within the frame including the scene;
- b) estimating the approaching direction (D) of the tracked object in the scene, relative to the located occlusion;
- and
- c) tracking the object in the scene, where pixels from a neighboring region along direction (D) in a second frame are replicated to replace the occlusion pixels in the first frame while all or part of the tracked object is occluded by the occlusion.
The method of claim 47, wherein the pixels that are replaced in the first frame are replicated from a prior frame based on at least one of the speed of the tracked object.
An image processing system comprising:
- a controller configured to receive a digital image of a scene, the controller configured to execute instructions to perform a method of tracking an object in the scene captured with an image capturing device to provide a first frame including a plurality of pixels representative of the scene, the scene including an occlusion which occludes at least a portion of the tracked object as the object travels along an approaching direction (D) associated with the scene, the method comprising:
- a) locating the occlusion and associated occlusion pixel positions within the frame including the scene;
- b) estimating the approaching direction (D) of the tracked object in the scene, relative to the located occlusion;
- and
- c) tracking the object in the scene, where pixels from a neighboring region along direction (D) in a second frame are replicated to replace the occlusion pixels in the first frame while all or part of the tracked object is occluded by the occlusion.
A computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory computer-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of tracking an object in a scene captured with an image capturing device configured to provide a first frame including a plurality of pixels representative of the scene, the scene including an occlusion which occludes at least a portion of the tracked object as the tracked object travels along an approaching direction (D) associated with the scene, the method comprising:
- a) locating the occlusion and associated occlusion pixel positions within the frame including the scene;
- b) estimating the approaching direction (D) of the tracked object in the scene, relative to the located occlusion;
- and
- c) tracking the object in the scene, where pixels from a neighboring region along direction (D) in a second frame are replicated to replace the occlusion pixels in the first frame while all or part of the tracked object is occluded by the occlusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.