US 2015/0310628 A1Published application

Method for reducing false object detection in stop-and-go scenarios

AssigneeXerox Corporation

InventorAaron Michael Burry

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Abstract

Video-based object tracking accuracy is improved by a tentative identification of objects to be tracked. An identified blob that does not encompass a previously established set of tracking features (“tracker”) triggers initialization of an infant tracker. If that tracker remains the only tracker or becomes the “oldest” tracker associated with a blob identified in subsequent video frames, the “age” of the tracker is increased. If, in subsequent frames, the tracker is encompassed by a blob that is associated with an “older” tracker, the “age” of the tracker is decreased. Infant trackers that reach or exceed a threshold “age” are promoted to adult status. Adult trackers can be processed as being associated with valid objects. Trackers established for blobs identified due to mask segmentation tend not to cause false object detections. When segmentation is corrected, blob segments are combined and redundant trackers for the associated object are demoted and ignored.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A video image processing method for tracking objects, the method comprising:

receiving a video image frame including video data;
updating locations of existing object trackers based on the received video data;
identifying regions in the video image that qualify as object detection blobs based on the video data and blob classification rules;
for each identified object detection blob:
determining if an existing tracker is associated with a location within the blob region;
increasing an age or importance parameter value of any infant tracker that is the only tracker determined to be associated with the object detection blob;
increasing an age or importance parameter value of any infant tracker that is the oldest infant tracker or is associated with the highest valued importance parameter among a plurality of infant trackers that are associated with the object detection blob, if the object detection blob is not associated with an existing adult tracker;
initializing an infant tracker for each identified object detection blob region that is not associated with at least one existing tracker;
decreasing the age or importance parameter value of any infant tracker associated with a location within the blob region that is also associated with an adult tracker or is also associated with at least one infant tracker having an older age or greater importance parameter value than the infant tracker;
and
promoting to adult tracker status any infant tracker having an age or importance parameter value above a threshold age or importance parameter value.

8 more elements

A video image processing apparatus for tracking objects, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor configure as:
a video image receiver that is operative to receive a video image frame including video data;
a tracker updater that is operative to update the locations of any existing object trackers based on the received video data;
a blob identifier that is operative to identify regions in the video image that qualify as object detection blobs based on the video data and blob classification rules;
a blob processor that is operative to:
for each object detection blob identified by the blob identifier:
determine if an existing tracker is associated with a location within the blob region;
increase an age or importance parameter value of any infant tracker that is the only tracker determined to be associated with a the object detection blob;
increase an age or importance parameter value of any infant tracker that is the oldest infant tracker or is associated with the highest valued importance parameter among a plurality of infant trackers that are associated with the object detection blob, if the object detection blob is not associated with an existing adult tracker;
initialize an infant tracker for each identified object detection blob region that is not associated with at least one existing tracker;
decrease the age or importance parameter value of any infant tracker associated with a location within the blob region that is also associated with an adult tracker or is also associated with at least one infant tracker having an older age or greater importance parameter value than the infant tracker;
and
promote to adult tracker status any infant tracker having an age above a threshold age.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.