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US 9,734,401 B2Granted
Detection and tracking of item features
AssigneeRoboticVISIONTech LLC
InventorShawn Hunt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Technologies are generally described for detection and tracking of item features. In some examples, features of an object may be initially found through detection of one or more edges and one or more corners of the object from a first perspective. In addition, determination may be made whether the detected edges and corners of the object are also detectable from one or more other perspectives. In response to an affirmative determination, the detected edges and of the object may be marked as features to be tracked, for example, in subsequent frames of a camera feed. The perspectives may correspond to distributed locations in a substantially umbrella-shaped formation centered over the object. In other examples, lighting conditions of an environment where the object is being tracked may be programmatically controlled.
Claims18
A method to detect and track item features, the method comprising:
- selecting a plurality of perspectives from randomly distributed locations in a substantially umbrella-shaped formation centered over an item;
- detecting one or more edges and one or more corners of the item from a first perspective of the plurality of perspectives;
- determining whether the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from at least a second perspective of the plurality of perspectives;
- in response to a determination that the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from the at least the second perspective of the plurality of perspectives, marking the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item as features to be tracked;
- and
- tracking the item through at least two captured image frames based on a correlation of the one or more edges and the one or more corners.
3 more elements
A method to detect and track item features, the method comprising:
- detecting one or more edges and one or more corners of an item from a first perspective;
- determining whether the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from at least a second perspective;
- in response to a determination that the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from the at least the second perspective, marking the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item as features to be tracked;
- determining one or more geometric features within the item based on the marked one or more edges and the marked one or more corners of the item;
- determining an edge distance from an edge of each determined geometric feature, of the one or more geometric features, to a nearest outer edge of the item;
- and
- tracking the item through at least two captured image frames based on a correlation of the one or more geometric features and corresponding edge distances.
4 more elements
An apparatus configured to detect and track item features, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one image capture module that comprises a plurality of image sensors positioned at a plurality of locations in a substantially umbrella-shaped formation centered over an item, wherein the at least one image capture module is configured to capture images of the item from a plurality of perspectives;
- and
- at least one analysis module communicatively coupled to the at least one image capture module, wherein the at least one analysis module is configured to:
- detect one or more edges and one or more corners of the item from a first perspective;
- in response to a detection of a change in a lighting intensity or a lighting color composition in an environment in which the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are being detected, compensate for the detected change by use of one or more light sources;
- determine whether the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from at least a second perspective;
- and
- in response to a determination that the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from the at least the second perspective, mark the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item as features to be tracked.
5 more elements
An apparatus configured to detect and track item features, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one image capture module that comprises a plurality of image sensors, wherein the at least one image capture module is configured to capture images of an item from a plurality of perspectives;
- a movable support configured to move the at least one image capture module to a plurality of positions in a substantially umbrella-shaped formation centered over the item, wherein the plurality of perspectives correspond to the plurality of positions in the substantially umbrella-shaped formation;
- and
- at least one analysis module communicatively coupled to the at least one image capture module, wherein the at least one analysis module is configured to:
- detect one or more edges and one or more corners of the item from a first perspective;
- in response to a detection of a change in a lighting intensity or a lighting color composition in an environment in which the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are being detected, compensate for the detected change by use of one or more light sources;
- determine whether the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from at least a second perspective;
- and
- in response to a determination that the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from the at least the second perspective, mark the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item as features to be tracked.
6 more elements
A system to detect and track item features, the system comprising:
- at least one image capture module that comprises a plurality of image sensors, wherein the at least one image capture module is configured to capture images of an item from a plurality of perspectives;
- at least one movable support mechanically coupled to the at least one image capture module, wherein the at least one movable support is configured to move the at least one image capture module to a plurality of positions in a substantially umbrella-shaped formation, wherein the plurality of positions correspond to the plurality of perspectives;
- and
- at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one image capture module and the at least one movable support, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
- detect one or more edges and one or more corners of the item from a first perspective;
- in response to a detection of a change in a lighting intensity or a lighting color composition in an environment in which the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are being detected, compensate for the detected change by use of one or more light sources;
- determine whether the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from at least a second perspective;
- and
- in response to a determination that the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item are detectable from the at least the second perspective, mark the one or more edges and the one or more corners of the item as features to be tracked.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.