Posture estimating apparatus, posture estimating method and storing medium

A posture estimating apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor and memory coupled to each other and configured to:
• input a range image including a multi joint object;
• derive at least one joint position candidate for each of a first joint position and a second joint position of the multi-joint object, from the input range image;
• store information including joint position permissible range information for a first joint and a second joint in a multi-joint object model corresponding to the multi joint object;
• calculate joint position range information for each combination of a plurality of joint position candidates set to the first joint position of the multi-joint object and at least one joint position candidate set to the second joint position of the multi-joint object;
• evaluate consistency for each combination by determining whether the calculated joint position range information for each combination is within the joint position permissible range information of the first and second joint positions of the multi-object model;
• calculate an evaluation value based on likelihoods of the joint position candidates and the evaluated consistencies for all combination;
• estimate a posture of the multi joint object based on the calculated evaluation value;
• store joint position information concerning the estimated posture;
• and
• estimate information including an arrangement relation between the first joint in the multi-joint object and a second joint from the stored joint position information,
• wherein, in a case where the information including the arrangement relation between the first joint in the multi-joint object and the second joint is estimated, the at least one processor and the memory are further configured to estimate the posture of the multi joint object based on the estimated information.

A posture estimating method for a posture estimating apparatus which stores information including a distance between a first joint in a multi joint object model corresponding to a multi-joint object and a second joint, the method comprising:

• inputting a range image including the multi-joint object;
• deriving at least one joint position candidate for each of a first joint position and a second joint position of the multi-joint object, from the input range image;
• storing information including joint position permissible range information for the first joint and the second joint in the multi-joint object model corresponding to the multi-joint object;
• calculating joint position range information for each combination of a plurality of joint position candidates set to the first joint position of the multi-joint object and at least one joint position candidate set to the second joint position of the multi-joint object;
• evaluating consistency for each combination by determining whether the calculated joint position range information is within the joint position permissible range information of the first and second joint positions of the multi-object model;
• calculating an evaluation value based on likelihoods of the joint position candidates and the evaluated consistencies for all combinations;
• and
• estimating a posture of the multi joint object based on the calculated evaluation value.

A posture estimating method for a posture estimating apparatus which stores information including an arrangement relation between a first joint in a multi joint object model corresponding to a multi-joint object and a second joint, the method comprising:

• inputting a range image including the multi-joint object;
• deriving at least one joint position candidate for each of a first joint position and a second joint position of the multi-joint object, from the input range image;
• storing information including joint position permissible range information for the first joint and the second joint in the multi-joint object model corresponding to the multi-joint object;
• calculating joint position range information for each combination of a plurality of joint position candidates set to the first joint position of the multi-joint object and at least one joint position candidate set to the second joint position of the multi-joint object;
• evaluating consistency for each combination by determining whether the calculated joint position range information for each combination is within the joint position permissible range information of the first and second joint positions of the multi-object model;
• calculating an evaluation value based on likelihoods of the joint position candidates and the evaluated consistencies for all combinations;
• estimating a posture of the multi joint object based on the calculated evaluation value;
• storing joint position information concerning the estimated posture;
• and
• estimating information including an arrangement relation between the first joint in the multi-joint object and the second joint from the stored joint position information,
• wherein in a case where the information including the arrangement relation between the first joint in the multi-joint object and the second joint is estimated, the posture of the multi-joint object is estimated based on the estimated information.

A non-transitory computer-readable storing medium which stores a program for controlling a posture estimating apparatus which stores information including a distance between a first joint in a multi-joint object model corresponding to a multi-joint object and a second joint, the program causes a computer to execute:

• inputting a range image including the multi-joint object;
• deriving at least one joint position candidate for each of a first joint position and a second joint position of the multi-joint object, from the input range image;
• storing information including joint position permissible range information for the first joint and the second joint in the multi-joint object model corresponding to the multi-joint object;
• calculating joint position range information for each combination of a plurality of joint position candidates set to the first joint position of the multi-joint object and at least one joint position candidate set to the second joint position of the multi-joint object;
• evaluating consistency for each combination by determining whether the calculated joint position range information for each combination is within the joint position permissible range information of the first and second joint positions of the multi-object model;
• calculating an evaluation value based on likelihoods of the joint position candidates and the evaluated consistencies for all combinations;
• and
• estimating a posture of the multi joint object based on the evaluation value.

A non-transitory computer-readable storing medium which stores a program for controlling a posture estimating apparatus which stores information including an arrangement relation between a first joint in a multi-joint object model corresponding to a multi-joint object and a second joint, the program causes a computer to execute:

• inputting a range image including the multi-joint object;
• deriving at least one joint position candidate for each of a first joint position and a second joint position of the multi-joint object, from the input range image;
• storing information including joint position permissible range information for the first joint and the second joint in the multi-joint object model corresponding to the multi-joint object;
• calculating joint position range information for each combination of a plurality of joint position candidates set to the first joint position of the multi-joint object and at least one joint position candidate set to the second joint position of the multi-joint object;
• evaluating consistency for each combination by determining whether the calculated joint position range information for each combination is within the joint position permissible range information of the first and second joint positions of the multi-object model;
• calculating an evaluation value based on likelihoods of the joint position candidates and the evaluated consistencies for all combinations;
• estimating a posture of the multi joint object based on the calculated evaluation value;
• storing joint position information concerning the estimated posture;
• and
• estimating information including an arrangement relation between the first joint in the multi-joint object and the second joint from the stored joint position information,
• wherein in a case where the information including the arrangement relation between the first joint in the multi-joint object and the second joint is estimated, the posture of the multi-joint object is estimated based on the estimated information.