Detecting a sub-image region of interest in an image using pilot signals

A device for processing image data, the device comprising:

• a memory configured to store an image;
• and
• one or more processors implemented in circuitry and configured to:
• process the image to identify a pilot signal in the image indicating a portion of the image, the pilot signal forming a boundary around the portion and having pixel values defined according to a mathematical relationship with pixel values within the portion such that the pilot signal is not perceptible to a human user and is detectable by the device;
• determine the portion of the image using the pilot signal;
• and
• further process the portion to attempt to detect one or more contents of the portion without attempting to detect the one or more contents of the image in portions of the image outside the portion.

A device for processing image data, the device comprising:

• means for processing an image to identify a pilot signal in the image indicating a portion of the image, the pilot signal forming a boundary around the portion and having pixel values defined according to a mathematical relationship with pixel values within the portion such that the pilot signal is not perceptible to a human user and is detectable by a computing device;
• means for determining the portion of the image using the pilot signal;
• and
• means for further processing the portion to attempt to detect one or more contents of the portion without attempting to detect the one or more contents of the image in portions of the image outside the portion.

A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device for decoding video data to:

• process an image to identify a pilot signal in the image indicating a portion of the image, the pilot signal forming a boundary around the portion and having pixel values defined according to a mathematical relationship with pixel values within the portion such that the pilot signal is not perceptible to a human user and is detectable by a computing device;
• determine the portion of the image using the pilot signal;
• and
• further process the portion to attempt to detect one or more contents of the portion without attempting to detect the one or more contents of the image in portions of the image outside the portion.

A device for processing image data, the device comprising:

• a memory configured to store data for an image;
• and
• one or more processors implemented in circuitry and configured to:
• determine pixel values of an image at a boundary around the image;
• and
• process the image to add a pilot signal at the boundary around the image, the pilot signal having pixel values defined according to a mathematical relationship with the pixel values of the sub-image such that the pilot signal is not perceptible to a human user and is detectable by a computing device.