IP Library Granted Patent US 9,275,285
Granted Patent B2
US 9,275,285 · App. 13/434,330 · Granted Mar 1, 2016

Methods and apparatus to count people in images

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,275,285
App. No.
13/434,330
Granted
Mar 1, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to count people in images are disclosed. An example method includes generating a first fluctuation factor for a first frame by averaging fluctuation values of a random set of pixels of the first frame; generating a second fluctuation factor for a person indication area of the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of pixels of the person indication area; and marking the person indication area as a false positive when the second fluctuation factor is less than or equal to the first fluctuation factor.

Claims (36)

1. A method, comprising:

generating, with a random number generator, a random subset of pixels of a first frame, the random subset of pixels including less than all of the pixels of the first frame;

generating, via a processor, a first fluctuation factor for the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of the random subset of pixels of the first frame;

identifying, via the processor, a person indication area in which a person is believed to be located, the person indication area corresponding to a subset of the pixels of the first frame including less than all of the pixels of the first frame;

generating, via the processor, a second fluctuation factor for the person indication area of the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of the subset of the pixels corresponding to the person indication area; and

marking, via the processor, the person indication area as corresponding to a false positive when the second fluctuation factor is less than or equal to the first fluctuation factor.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein identifying the person indication area further includes calculating a location of the person indication area in the first frame.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , further including querying a database with the calculated location to determine whether a person was detected at the calculated location in previous frames captured within a threshold amount of time from capture of the first frame.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 , further including unmarking the person indication area as a false positive when the query indicates that at least one of the previous frames includes a detection of a person at the calculated location.

5. A method as defined in claim 3 , further including verifying the person indication area as a false positive when the query indicates that the previous frames do not include a detection of a person at the calculated location.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the generating of the first fluctuation factor includes performing root mean square calculations.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein the root mean square calculations are based on pixel intensities.

8. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

generate a random subset of pixels of a first frame, the random subset of pixels including less than all of the pixels of the first frame;

generate a first fluctuation factor for the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of the random subset of pixels of the first frame;

identify a person indication area in which a person is believed to be located, the person indication area corresponding to a subset of the pixels of the first frame including less than all of the pixels of the first frame;

generate a second fluctuation factor for the person indication area of the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of the subset of the pixels corresponding to the person indication area; and

identify the person indication area as corresponding to a false positive when the second fluctuation factor is less than or equal to the first fluctuation factor.

9. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to calculate a location of the person indication area in the first frame.

10. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query a database with the calculated location to determine whether a person was detected at the calculated location in previous frames captured within a threshold amount of time from capture of the first frame.

11. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to reverse the identification of the person indication area as a false positive when the query indicates that at least one of the previous frames includes a detection of a person at the calculated location.

12. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to verify the person indication area as a false positive when the query indicates that the previous frames do not include a detection of a person at the calculated location.

13. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to generate the first fluctuation factor by performing root mean square calculations.

14. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13 , wherein the root mean square calculations are based on pixel intensities.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor to:

generate a random subset of pixels of a first frame, the random subset of pixels including less than all of the pixels of the first frame;

generate a first fluctuation factor for the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of the random subset of pixels of the first frame; and

identify a person indication area in which a person is believed to be located, the person indication area corresponding to a subset of the pixels of the first frame including less than all of the pixels of the first frame;

generate a second fluctuation factor for the person indication area of the first frame by averaging fluctuation values of the subset of the pixels corresponding to the person indication area; and

a comparator to identify the person indication area as corresponding to a false positive when the second fluctuation factor is less than or equal to the first fluctuation factor.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , further including a location calculator to determine a location of the person indication area in the first frame.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , further including a checker to query a database with the calculated location to determine whether a person was detected at the calculated location in previous frames captured within a threshold amount of time from capture of the first frame.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein the checker is to reverse the identification of the person indication area as a false positive when the query indicates that at least one of the previous frames includes a detection of a person at the calculated location.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 , wherein the checker is to verify the person indication area as a false positive when the query indicates that the previous frames do not include a detection of a person at the calculated location.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the processor is to generate the first fluctuation via root mean square calculations based on pixel intensities.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2013
From: SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL; SOUNDARARAJAN, PADMANABHAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 029614/0544 →