Method for locating a model in an image

Abstract

A method and system for recognizing an object in an image. A model of the sought object is transformed according to a set of preselected transformations to produce a set of transformed models, each transformed model including a plurality of transformed model pixels. A hash table is constructed, each entry of the hash table corresponding to an image pixel that in turn corresponds to a transformed model pixel of at least one of the transformed models, each entry of the hash table including a list of all the transformed models that include that transformed model pixel. The feature pixels of the image are determined, and are augmented by a distance transformation to provide a set of relevant pixels. Each relevant pixel that appears in the hash table contributes a score to the corresponding transformed models. For each transformed model, the sums of the scores provides a tally. The transformed model with the highest tally corresponds to the location of the object in the image if that highest tally exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.