IP Library Granted Patent US 7,286,709
Granted Patent B2
US 7,286,709 · App. 10/650,727 · Granted Oct 23, 2007

Apparatus and computer program for detecting motion in image frame

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,286,709
App. No.
10/650,727
Granted
Oct 23, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to precisely and stably detect a motion in an monitoring image, excluding effects of an illumination change and flicker. The frame division means divides an inputted X-th image frame F (X) into a plurality of blocks B(X)ij. Representative (e.g, average) luminance values BLrep (X)ij of block B (X) ij, a representative luminance value FLrep (X) of F (X), block luminance differences ΔBLrep (X)ij between the frame F (X) and a frame prior to F (X) and a frame luminance difference ΔFLrep (X) between the present frame F (X) and a frame prior to F (X) are calculated. Then, a certain block is determined to include a motion, if | ΔBLrep (X)ij−ΔFLrep (X) | for that certain block is greater than a prescribed threshold. The threshold may be adaptively changed in accordance with the luminance state.

Claims (30)

1. A motion detection apparatus for detecting a motion in an image frame inputted and stored in a time series, said apparatus comprising:

a frame division section for dividing the inputted X-th image frame F(X) into a plurality of blocks B(X)ij, where i=1 to m and j=1 to n;

a block luminance acquisition section for acquiring representative luminance values BLrep(X)ij of said blocks B(X)ij;

a frame luminance acquisition section for acquiring a representative luminance value FLrep(X) of said inputted frame F(X);

a storing section for storing BL(X)ij and FLrep(X);

a block luminance difference calculation section for calculating block luminance differences ΔBLrep(X)ij between corresponding blocks in F(X) and a frame prior to F(X);

a frame luminance difference calculation section for calculating a frame luminance difference ΔFLrep(X) between F(X) and a frame prior to F(X);

an absolute difference calculation section for calculating absolute values |ΔBLrep(X)ij−ΔFLrep(X)|;

a determination section for determining that a certain block includes a motion, if said absolute value for said certain block is greater than a prescribed threshold; and

an output section for outputting the determination result, wherein:

said determination section determines that:

said certain block includes a motion, if said absolute value for said certain block is greater than a second threshold and moreover if either or both of said representative luminance values of the corresponding certain blocks in F(X) and a frame prior to F(X) is/are greater than a first threshold, where said first threshold is greater than said second threshold; or

said certain block includes a motion, if said absolute value for said certain block is greater than a third threshold and moreover if both of said representative luminance values of the corresponding certain blocks in F(X) and a frame prior to F(X) are smaller than or equal to a first threshold, where said second threshold is greater than said third threshold.

2. The motion detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said representative luminance value is an average, mode or median of luminance values.

3. The motion detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said frame prior to said present frame F(X) is a frame F(X−1) just prior to F(X) or a frame F(X−k) which is “k” frames prior to F(X), where “k” is greater than or equal to two.

4. A computer readable medium storing a motion detection computer program for detecting a motion in an image frame inputted and stored in a time series, said program comprising the steps of:

a frame division step for dividing the inputted X-th image frame F(X) into a plurality of blocks B(X)ij, where i=1 to m and j=1 to n;

a block luminance acquisition step for acquiring representative luminance values BLrep(X)ij of said blocks B(X)ij;

a frame luminance acquisition step for acquiring a representative frame luminance value FLrep(X) of said inputted frame F(X);

a storing step for storing BL(X)ij and FLrep(X);

a block luminance difference calculation step for calculating block luminance differences ΔBLrep(X)ij between corresponding blocks in F(X) and a frame prior to F(X);

a frame luminance difference calculation step for calculating a frame luminance difference ΔFLrep(X) between F(X) and a frame prior to F(X);

an absolute difference calculation step for calculating absolute values |ΔBLrep(X)ij−ΔFLrep(X)|;

a determination step for determining that a certain block includes a motion, if said absolute value for said certain block is greater than a prescribed threshold; and

an output step for outputting the determination result, wherein:

said determination step determines that:

said certain block includes a motion, if said absolute value for said certain block is greater than a second threshold and moreover if either or both of said representative luminance values of the corresponding certain blocks in F(X) and a frame prior to F(X) is/are greater than a first threshold, where said first threshold is greater than said second threshold; or

said certain block includes a motion, if said absolute value for said certain block is greater than a third threshold and moreover if both of said representative luminance values of the corresponding certain blocks in F(X) and a frame prior to F(X) are smaller than or equal to a first threshold, where said second threshold is greater than said third threshold.

5. The computer readable medium storing the motion detection computer program according to claim 4 , wherein said representative luminance value is an average, mode or median of luminance values.

6. The computer readable medium storing the motion detection computer program according to claim 4 , wherein said frame prior to said present frame F(X) is a frame F(X−1) just prior to F(X) or a frame F(X−k) which is “k” frames prior to F(X), where “k” is greater than or equal to two.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Apr 9, 2012
From: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LTD.
To: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028010/0740 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2003
From: WAKABAYASHI, TSUKIMI; YURINO, NAOKO
To: VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LTD.
Reel/Frame 014447/0498 →