System and method for producing a still image representation of a motion video

A video processing system having a computer with one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more memories, and further comprising:

• a. means for initializing a motion history record with one or more motion statistics, a segmentation mask, an attribute, and an attribute sensitivity of a digital video stream having a plurality of still frames in an ordered sequence;
• b. means for iteratively selecting two of the still frames in a sampled order;
• c. means for attribute differencing of the attribute of the selected frames using a frame to frame comparison to determine an attribute difference at one or more frame locations in the frames and determining if the attribute difference from one frame to the other frame exceeds the attribute sensitivity;
• d. means for storing the attribute difference and the motion statistics of the attribute difference in the motion history record;
• e. means for determining a relevant motion if the attribute difference exceeds the attribute sensitivity when the segmentation mask has not yet been updated;
• f. means for determining a relevant motion, if the segmentation mask has been updated and the attribute difference exceeds one or more of the motion statistics within a statistical confidence level;
• g. means for updating the segmentation mask at one or more mask locations corresponding to the frame locations if a relevant motion is determined;
• and
• h. means for updating a strobe photo with the relevant motion at one or more photo locations corresponding to the mask and frame locations if the segmentation mask is updated, so that a history of relevant motions is recorded on the strobe photo.

A video processing system method comprising the steps of:

• a. initializing a motion history record with one or more motion statistics, a segmentation mask, an attribute, and an attribute sensitivity of a digital video stream having a plurality of still frames in an ordered sequence;
• b. iteratively selecting two of the still frames in a sampled order;
• c. attribute differencing of the attribute in the selected frames using a frame to frame comparison to determine an attribute difference at one or more frame locations in the frames and determining if the attribute difference from one frame to the other frame exceeds the attribute sensitivity;
• d. storing the attribute difference and the motion statistics of the attribute difference in the motion history record;
• e. determining a relevant motion if the attribute difference exceeds the attribute sensitivity when the segmentation mask has not yet been updated;
• f. determining a relevant motion if the segmentation mask has been updated and the attribute difference exceeds one or more of the motion statistics within a statistical confidence level;
• g. updating the segmentation mask at one or more mask locations corresponding to the frame locations if a relevant motion is determined;
• and
• h. updating a strobe photo with the relevant motion at one or more photo locations corresponding to the mask and frame locations if the segmentation mask is updated so that a history of relevant motions is recorded on the strobe photo.

A computer program product which performs the steps of:

• a. initializing a motion history record with one or more motion statistics, a segmentation mask, an attribute, and an attribute sensitivity of a digital video stream having a plurality of still frames in an ordered sequence;
• b. iteratively selecting two of the still frames in a sampled order;
• c. attribute differencing of the attribute in the selected frames using a frame to frame comparison to determine an attribute difference at one or more frame locations in the frames and determining if the attribute difference from one frame to the other frame exceeds the attribute sensitivity;
• d. storing the attribute difference and the motion statistics of the attribute difference in the motion history record;
• e. determining a relevant motion if the attribute difference exceeds the attribute sensitivity when the segmentation mask has not yet been updated;
• f. determining a relevant motion if the segmentation mask has been updated and the attribute difference exceeds one or more of the motion statistics within a statistical confidence level;
• g. updating the segmentation mask at one or more mask locations corresponding to the frame locations if a relevant motion is determined;
• and
• h. updating a strobe photo with the relevant motion at one or more photo locations corresponding to the mask and frame locations if the segmentation mask is updated so that a history of relevant motions is recorded on the strobe photo.