Method for estimating body orientation

An apparatus for estimating body orientation, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to
• execute a region extraction processing that includes extracting a person region from a plurality of images, the person region corresponding to a region of a person, the plurality of images including an image taken at a first time and an image taken at a second time after the first time;
• execute an identification processing that includes identifying a left site and a right site in the person region from each image at the first time and the second time, the left site indicating the left site in the person region, and the right site indicating the right site in the person region;
• execute a calculation processing that includes calculating a left moving amount and a right moving amount, the left moving amount indicating a moving amount between the left site at the first time and the left site at the second time, the right moving amount indicating a moving amount between the right site at the first time and the right site at the second time;
• and
• execute an estimation processing that includes estimating body orientation of the person in the person region at the second time based on a first difference and relation information, the first difference being a difference between the left moving amount and the right moving amount, the relation information including first relation information and second relation information, the first relation information indicating a relationship between the first difference and a first change amount when the left moving amount is larger than the right moving amount, the first change amount being a body orientation change amount of the person in the person region, and the second relation information indicating a relationship between the first difference and the first change amount when the right moving amount is larger than the left moving amount.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing a program which causes a processor to perform processing for estimating body orientation, the processing comprising:

• executing a region extraction processing that includes extracting a person region from a plurality of images, the person region corresponding to a region of a person, the plurality of images including an image taken at a first time and an image taken at a second time after the first time;
• executing an identification processing that includes identifying a left site and a right site in the person region from each image at the first time and the second time, the left site indicating the left site in the person region, and the right site indicating the right site in the person region;
• executing a calculation processing that includes calculating a left moving amount and a right moving amount, the left moving amount indicating a moving amount between the left site at the first time and the left site at the second time, the right moving amount indicating a moving amount between the right site at the first time and the right site at the second time;
• and
• executing an estimation processing that includes estimating body orientation of the person in the person region at the second time based on a first difference and relation information, the first difference being a difference between the left moving amount and the right moving amount, the relation information including first relation information and second relation information, the first relation information indicating a relationship between the first difference and a first change amount when the left moving amount is larger than the right moving amount, the first change amount being a body orientation change amount of the person in the person region, and the second relation information indicating a relationship between the first difference and the first change amount when the right moving amount is larger than the left moving amount.