Method and system for detecting a signal structure from a moving video platform

1. A method for detecting a signal structure from a moving vehicle comprising:

capturing an image from a camera mounted on the moving vehicle;

restricting a search space by predefining candidate regions in the image based on locations of signal structures along railway tracks stored in a memory;

extracting a set of features of the image within each candidate region; and

detecting the signal structure;

wherein restricting the search space by predefining candidate regions in the image comprises mapping a set of measurement in world coordinates to a set of measurement in image coordinates based on a projection matrix.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the moving vehicle comprises a railroad train.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting the search space comprises detecting a path of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the candidate region is provided by calibrating the camera.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of measurement comprises the height of the signal structure with respect to the ground plane.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the candidate region comprises a candidate box.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the candidate box size is approximately equivalent to the signal structure size.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the signal structure comprises classifying the set of features as a signal structure image region or a non-signal structure image region.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising classifying extracted features using a machine learning technique.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the machine learning technique comprises support vector machine learning technique or boosting technique.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising tracking the signal structure in the image to eliminate false detections.

12. A method for detecting a signal structure from a moving vehicle comprising:

capturing a video from a camera mounted on the moving vehicle;

extracting an image from the video;

restricting a search space by predefining candidate regions in the image based on locations of signal structures along railway tracks stored in a memory;

extracting a set of features of the image within each candidate region;

detecting the signal structure; and

tracking the detection of the signal structure to eliminate a false detection;

wherein restricting the search space by predefining candidate regions in the image comprises mapping a set of measurement in world coordinates to a set of measurement in image coordinates based on a projection matrix.

13. A system for signal structure detection comprising:

a camera configured to capture video or images from a moving vehicle;

a descriptor configured to extract a set of features from at least one predefined candidate region in the image; and

a classifier configured to classify the set of features as a signal structure image or a non-signal structure image;

wherein the descriptor is further configured to map a set of measurement in world coordinates to a set of measurement in image coordinates based on a projection matrix.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the camera comprises a video camera or a high-speed digital camera.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the camera comprises a pan-tilt-zoom camera.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the moving vehicle comprises a railroad train.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the candidate region is provided by camera calibration.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the descriptor and the classifier are implemented by appropriate programming of a digital processor.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the classifier comprises a machine learning technique algorithm.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the machine learning technique algorithm comprises adaptive boosting algorithm.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the machine learning technique algorithm comprises support vector machine algorithm.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions of a computer program that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for detecting a signal structure in an image comprising:

restricting a search space in the image by predefining candidate regions in the image based on locations of signal structures along railway tracks stored in a memory;

extracting a set of features of the image within the candidate region; and

detecting a signal structure;

wherein restricting the search space by predefining candidate regions in the image comprises mapping a set of measurement in world coordinates to a set of measurement in image coordinates based on a projection matrix.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , further comprising a code for classifying the set of features as a signal structure image or a non-signal structure image.