Apparatus, Systems and Methods For Shadow Assisted Object Recognition and Tracking

Number: 20170358104
Published: 2017-12-14
Filed: 2017-03-13
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: ZHANG; Yuecheng, Akin; Ilke
CPC: G06T7/73; G06T7/90; G06V20/42
Verdict: Low Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Uses an objects cast shadow in video imagery to assist in recognizing and tracking the object itself.

Abstract

Described herein are apparatus, systems and methods for shadow assisted object recognition and tracking. The methods performed by the apparatus and system include identifying a blob within a video image, the video image having at least one object and at least one shadow of the at least one object, the at least one shadow of the at least one object cast by at least one light source. Identifying the blob includes identifying an object projection corresponding to the at least one object and a shadow projection corresponding to the at least one shadow. A location of an object portion of the at least one object is determined based on the shadow projection.

Background

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a video frame image depicting players in a baseball game.

FIG.2 shows two video frame images of a single player with shadow removal function turned on.

FIG. 3 shows a video frame image of a blob area including a player's image and its respective shadow image projections.

FIG. 4 shows a video frame image of a blob areaincluding a player's image and its respective shadow image projections and lines showing the dominant directions of the shadows according to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the four players located within the box depicted in the video frame image of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of the four players located within the box depicted in the video frame image of FIG. 1 wherein the blob areas of players include their casted shadows.

FIG. 7 shows an object having a single shadow and a location being determined for the object using the information from the single shadow according to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 7A shows an example of when the object of FIG. 7 has jumped off the ground according to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary method for using shadows to segment occluded players according to the exemplary embodiments discussed herein.

FIG. 9 shows a video image from a football game that includes players' foregrounds and their shadows, as well as its corre

Claims

1. A method, comprising: identifyinga blob within a video image, the video image having at least one object and at least one shadow of the at least one object, the at least one shadow of the at least one object castby at least one light source, wherein identifying the blob includes identifying: an object projection corresponding to the at least one object, and a shadow projection corresponding to the at least one shadow; and determining a location of an object portion of the at least one object based on the shadow projection. 12. A device, comprising: a memory having a program stored thereon; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor executes the program to cause the processor to perform operations comprising: identifying a blob within a video image, the video image having at least one object and at least one shadow of the at least one object, the at least one shadow of the at least one object cast by at least one light source, wherein identifying the blob includes identifying: an object projection corresponding to the at least one object, and a shadow projection corresponding to the at least one shadow; and determining a location of an object portion of the at leastone object based on the shadow projection.