IP Library Granted Patent US 9,594,961
Granted Patent B2
US 9,594,961 · App. 14/732,107 · Granted Mar 14, 2017

Methods and apparatus to count people in images

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,594,961
App. No.
14/732,107
Granted
Mar 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to count people in images are disclosed. An example method includes identifying, via a processor, active segments of a plurality of segments of a first frame of image data based on respective fluctuation factors; determining, via the processor, that a first one of the active segments is adjacent to or overlaps with a second one of the active segments; and providing, via the processor, a region of interest in the first frame of image data to an object detection operation, the region of interest including the first and second ones of the active segments and excluding an inactive one of the plurality of segments of the first frame.

Claims (26)

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor, active segments and inactive segments of a plurality of segments of a first frame of image data by comparing respective fluctuation factors determined for the respective segments to a fluctuation threshold, the fluctuation threshold being calculated based on an average fluctuation of a set of pixels in the first frame of image data;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, that a first one of the active segments of the first frame is adjacent to or overlaps with a second one of the active segments of the first frame; and

providing, by executing an instruction with the processor, a region of interest in the first frame of image data to an object detection operation, the region of interest including the first and second ones of the active segments of the first frame and excluding an inactive segment of the first frame.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the object detection operation does not process the inactive segments.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including linking the first and second ones of the active segments to form a shape.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 , wherein the shape is a rectangle.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fluctuation factors are root mean square values based on pixel intensities.

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

identify active segments and inactive segments of a plurality of segments of a first frame of image data by comparing fluctuation factors determined for the respective segments to a fluctuation threshold, the fluctuation threshold being calculated based on an average fluctuation of a set of pixels in the first frame of image data;

determine that a first one of the active segments of the first frame is adjacent to or overlaps with a second one of the active segments of the first frame; and

provide a region of interest in the first frame of image data to an object detection operation, the region of interest including the first and second ones of the active segments of the first frame and excluding an inactive segment of the first frame.

7. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 6 , further including instructions to execute the object detection operation, the object detection operation does not process the inactive segments.

8. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 6 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to link the first and second ones of the active segments to form a shape.

9. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the shape is a rectangle.

10. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 6 , wherein the fluctuation factors are root mean square values based on pixel intensities.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a comparator to identify active segments and inactive segments of a first frame of image data by comparing fluctuation factors determined for respective segments of the first frame to a fluctuation threshold, the fluctuation threshold being calculated based on an average fluctuation of a set of pixels in the first frame of image data;

a segment linker to:

determine that a first one of the active segments of the first frame is adjacent to or overlaps with a second one of the active segments of the first frame; and

define a region of interest in the first frame of image data to include the first and second ones of the active segments of the first frame and exclude an inactive segment of the first frame; and

a detector to perform an object detection operation on the region of interest, at least one of the comparator, the segment linker or the detector implemented via a processor.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the detector is to not perform the object detection operation on the inactive segment of the first frame.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the segment linker is to define the region of interest in the first frame of image data by linking the first and second ones of the active segments to form a shape.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the shape is a rectangle.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the fluctuation factors are root mean square values based on pixel intensities.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, 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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2015
From: SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL; SOUNDARARAJAN, PADMANABHAN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 035813/0562 →