Dot templates for object detection in images

#The present invention relates generally to the detection of objects within images, and more particularly to the utilization of dot templates to detect objects within images.

#Computerized object detection involves detecting or identifying objects within digital images. An image is typically represented as a number of pixels, usually organized as a grid, where each pixel has a different value. In the case of a black-and-white image, each pixel of the image may have a single value, substantially corresponding to the intensity or brightness of the pixel within the image. In the case of a color image, each pixel of the image may have values for different color components, such as red, green, and blue color components, hue, saturation, and value color components, or other types of color components. The values for the different color components of a given pixel together make up the color of that pixel.

#Computerized object detection has proven to be a difficult technical problem. Unlike the human eye and the human brain, computers have difficulty in quickly identifying what objects are present within an image. For instance, objects may be vehicles, people, and faces. Objection detection is thus the process of determining whether a given object is present within a given image, and is further the process of determining where within an image an object is located.

#The drawings referenced herein form a part of the specification. Features shown in the drawing are meant as illustrative of only some embodiments of the invention, and not of all embodiments of the invention, unless explicitly indicated, and implications to the contrary are otherwise not to be made.

#FIG. 1 is a diagram illustratively depicting the basic process of scanning a dot template against an image to determine whether there are any locations within the image that may contain the object represented by the dot template, according to an embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of a front view facial object in relation to which a dot template has been defined, according to an embodiment of the invention.

#In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and logical, mechanical, and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

#The manner by which one embodiment of the invention employs scanning a dot template against an image to determine whether there are any locations within the image that may contain an object represented by the dot template is depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 includes an image 102 and a dot template 110. The image 102 includes a number of pixels 104A, 104B, . . . , 104N, collectively referred to as the pixels 104. The pixels 104 of the image 102 in FIG. 1 are specifically organized along a number of columns 106A, 106B, 106C, 106D, . . . , 106J, collectively referred to as the columns 106, and along a number of rows 108A, 108B, 108C, 108D, 108E, . . . , 108K, collectively referred to as the rows 108.

#Each of the pixels 104 of the image 102 has one or more values. Where the image 102 is a black-and-white (or grayscale) image, each of the pixels 104 has a single value, such as from 0 to 2n−1, where the image is an n-bit image, and which represents the intensity or brightness of the pixel relative to the other pixels. Where the image 102 is a full-color image, each of the pixels 104 has a value for each different color component of the image, such as from 0 to 2n−1, where the image is an n-bit image. For instance, the color components of the image may include red, green, and blue color components, such that each of the pixels 104 has a value for each of the red, green, and blue color components. The color components may further be the hue, saturation, and value color components in another embodiment of the invention. The types of color components are in general not limited by embodiments of the invention. For instance, other types of color components include hue, lightness, and saturation; cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, and so on. The values of these different color components for a given pixel together define the color of that pixel.