IP Library Granted Patent US 9,704,260
Granted Patent B2
US 9,704,260 · App. 14/810,989 · Granted Jul 11, 2017

Methods and apparatus to improve detection and false alarm rate over image segmentation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,704,260
App. No.
14/810,989
Granted
Jul 11, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein. An example method to improve object detection and false alarm rate over image segmentation includes overlaying a first object of a first image onto a second image. A first score based on a first chamfer distance between first edges of the first object and second edges in the second image is determined. A second score corresponding to a second chamfer distance between the second edges and a mathematical representation of a plurality of shapes is determined, the second score representing a similarity between the second edges and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously. A normalized score is determined by normalizing the first score based on the second score. A presence of the second object in the second image matching the first object is detected based on whether the normalized score satisfies a threshold score.

Claims (30)

1. A method to detect an object in an image comprising:

retrieving a first image of a first object and a second image of a search area;

determining a first score based on a first chamfer distance between first edges of the first object in the first image and second edges in the second image of the search area, the first chamfer distance being a first measure of pixel distances between portions of the first edges and the second edges;

determining a second score corresponding to a second chamfer distance between the second edges of the search area and a mathematical representation of a plurality of shapes, the second score representing a similarity between the second edges of the search area and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously, the second chamfer distance being a second measure of pixel distances between portions of the second edges and the mathematical representation of the plurality of shapes;

determining a normalized score by normalizing the first score based on the second score; and

detecting a presence of a second object in the second image of the search area matching the first object when the normalized score satisfies a threshold score.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second score represents a lesser similarity between the second edges and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously than a second similarity between the second edges and any one of the plurality of shapes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shapes corresponding to the mathematical representation are representative of background clutter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second edges of the second image are edges of a retail store shelf.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second score further includes cross-correlating the second edges with a matrix of ones having a same size as the first object.

6. An apparatus to detect an object comprising:

an image retriever to retrieve a first image of a first object and a second image of a search area;

an image scorer to determine a first score based on a first chamfer distance between first edges of the first object in the first image and second edges in the second image of the search area, the first chamfer distance being a first measure of pixel distances between portions of the first edges and the second edges;

the image scorer further to determine a second score corresponding to a second chamfer distance between the second edges of the search area and a mathematical representation of a plurality of shapes, the second score representing a similarity between the second edges of the search area and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously, the second chamfer distance being a second measure of pixel distances between portions of the second edges and the mathematical representation of the plurality of shapes;

a normalizer to determine a normalized score by normalizing the first score based on the second score; and

an object detector to determine whether a second object matching the first object is present in the second image of the search area based on whether the normalized score satisfies a threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second score represents a lesser similarity between the second edges and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously than a second similarity between the second edges and any one of the plurality of shapes.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of shapes corresponding to the mathematical representation are representative of background clutter.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second edges of the second image are edges of a retail store shelf.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein determining the second score further includes cross-correlating the second edges with a matrix of ones having a same size as the first object.

11. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed, cause a computing device to at least:

retrieve a first image of a first object and a second image of a search area;

determine a first score based on a first chamfer distance between first edges of the first object in the first image and second edges in the second image of the search area, the first chamfer distance being a first measure of pixel distances between portions of the first edges and the second edges;

determine a second score corresponding to a second chamfer distance between the second edges of the search area and a mathematical representation of a plurality of shapes, the second score representing a similarity between the second edges of the search area and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously, the second chamfer distance being a second measure of pixel distances between portions of the second edges and the mathematical representation of the plurality of shapes;

determine a normalized score by normalizing the first score based on the second score; and

determine whether a second object matching the first object is present in the second image of the search area based on whether the normalized score satisfies a threshold.

12. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the second score represents a lesser similarity between the second edges and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously than a second similarity between the second edges and any one of the plurality of shapes.

13. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of shapes corresponding to the mathematical representation are representative of background clutter.

14. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the second edges of the second image are edges of a retail store shelf.

15. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein determining the second score further includes cross-correlating the second edges with a matrix of ones having a same size as the first object.

Assignments (8)
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 →
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 Oct 29, 2015
From: SULLIVAN, JONATHAN; SCHILLER, BRIAN; TERRAZAS, ALEJANDRO; XIE, WEI; BIVINS, MICHAEL ALLEN
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 036915/0313 →