Tracking closely spaced objects in images
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJames Ridgeway Gillis
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for tracking a cluster of objects. A path for a center of mass for the cluster of objects is identified using a sequence of frames of sensor data generated by a sensor system. The path is identified with respect to a coordinate system for the sensor data. A relative path for each object in the cluster of objects is identified with respect to the coordinate system for the sensor data. The relative path is relative to the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects. A final path for each object in the cluster of objects is identified with respect to the coordinate system for the sensor data using the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects and the relative path for each object in the cluster of objects.
Claims27
A method for identifying information about a cluster of objects in motion, the method comprising:
- identifying a path for a center of mass for the cluster of objects using a sequence of frames of sensor data generated by a sensor system in which the path is identified with respect to a coordinate system for the sensor data, the path for the center of mass comprising an estimation of a path along which the center of mass moves from image to image in the sequence of frames;
- identifying a relative path for each object in the cluster of objects with respect to the coordinate system for the sensor data using a minimization algorithm and constraints for the minimization algorithm, wherein the relative path is relative to the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects;
- and
- identifying a final path for the each object in the cluster of objects with respect to the coordinate system for the sensor data using the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects and the relative path for the each object in the cluster of objects, the final path comprising a sum of the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects and the relative path for each object in the cluster of objects.
An apparatus for identifying information about a cluster of objects in motion comprising:
- a sensor system configured to generate sensor data;
- a data processing system configured to receive the sensor data, to identify a path for a center of mass for a cluster of objects using a sequence of frames of the sensor data generated by the sensor system in which the path is identified with respect to a coordinate system for the sensor data, the path for the center of mass comprising an estimation of a path along which the center of mass moves from image to image in the sequence of frames;
- identify a relative path for each object in the cluster of objects with respect to the coordinate system for the sensor data using a minimization algorithm and constraints for the minimization algorithm, wherein the relative path is relative to the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects;
- and identify a final path for the each object in the cluster of objects with respect to the coordinate system for the sensor data using the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects and the relative path for the each object in the cluster of objects, the final path comprising a sum of the path for the center of mass for the cluster of objects and the relative path for each object in the cluster of objects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.