IP Library Granted Patent US 10,007,863
Granted Patent B1
US 10,007,863 · App. 15/172,826 · Granted Jun 26, 2018

Logo recognition in images and videos

Inventors: Jose Pio Pereira (Cupertino, CA); Kyle Brocklehurst (Mountain View, CA); Sunil Suresh Kulkarni (San Jose, CA); Peter Wendt (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
G06K9/6215G06K9/4642G06K9/4671G06K9/52G06K9/6267G06K9/66G06T7/0081G06T7/60G06K2009/4666G06T2207/20052
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,007,863
App. No.
15/172,826
Granted
Jun 26, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

Accurately detection of logos in media content on media presentation devices is addressed. Logos and products are detected in media content produced in retail deployments using a camera. Logo recognition uses saliency analysis, segmentation techniques, and stroke analysis to segment likely logo regions. Logo recognition may suitably employ feature extraction, signature representation, and logo matching. These three approaches make use of neural network based classification and optical character recognition (OCR). One method for OCR recognizes individual characters then performs string matching. Another OCR method uses segment level character recognition with N-gram matching. Synthetic image generation for training of a neural net classifier and utilizing transfer learning features of neural networks are employed to support fast addition of new logos for recognition.

Claims (54)

1. A method to detect a logo in images in video frames selected from a video stream, comprising:

applying a saliency analysis and segmentation of selected regions in a selected video frame to determine segmented likely logo regions;

processing the segmented likely logo regions with feature matching using correlation to generate a first match, neural network classification using a convolutional neural network to generate a second match, and text recognition using character segmentation and string matching to generate a third match; and

deciding a most likely logo match by combining results from the first match, the second match, and the third match.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the saliency analysis comprises:

applying a discrete cosine transform (OCT) on the segmented likely logo regions of an image in a selected video frame to determine spectral saliency of each segmented likely logo region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein saliency detection comprises:

applying a discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the segmented likely logo regions of an image in a selected video frame to determine spectral saliency of each likely logo region; and

measuring multi-scale similarity at two higher scales and a smaller scale of the spectral saliency of each likely logo region.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the multi-scale similarity measures include orientation gradient histograms, hue, saturation, value (HSV) histograms, and stroke width transform (SWT) statistics which include total number of strokes, number of horizontal strokes, number of vertical strokes, stroke density, and number of loops.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein segmentation comprises:

applying a stroke width transform (SWT) analysis to the selected regions to generate SWT statistics;

applying a graph based segmentation algorithm to establish word boxes around likely logo character strings; and

analyzing each of the word boxes to produce a set of character segmentations to delineate the characters in the likely logo character strings.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

combining neighboring keypoint regions with consistent aspect ratios and size to generate a new keypoint and region.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting and combining edge segments in a keypoint region; and

binning sample points on selected edges according to angle and distance with reference to a dominant orientation of the selected edges.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using multiple text classifiers for robust logo text detection.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using stroke heuristics to select the text classifier.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using N-gram matching to recognize a segment.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory in communication with the at least one processor, the memory including non-transitory computer-readable code which, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least:

apply a saliency analysis and segmentation of selected regions in a selected video frame to determine segmented likely logo regions;

process the segmented likely logo regions with feature matching using correlation to generate a first match, neural network classification using a convolutional neural network to generate a second match, and text recognition using character segmentation and string matching to generate a third match; and

decide a most likely logo match by combining results from the first match, the second match, and the third match.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the saliency analysis comprises:

applying a discrete cosine transform (OCT) on the segmented likely logo regions of an image in a selected video frame to determine spectral saliency of each segmented likely logo region.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein saliency detection comprises:

applying a discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the segmented likely logo regions of an image in a selected video frame to determine spectral saliency of each likely logo region; and

measuring multi-scale similarity at two higher scales and a smaller scale of the spectral saliency of each likely logo region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the multi-scale similarity measures include orientation gradient histograms, hue, saturation, value (HSV) histograms, and stroke width transform (SWT) statistics which include total number of strokes, number of horizontal strokes, number of vertical strokes, stroke density, and number of loops.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing code which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

apply a saliency analysis and segmentation of selected regions in a selected video frame to determine segmented likely logo regions;

process the segmented likely logo regions with feature matching using correlation to generate a first match, neural network classification using a convolutional neural network to generate a second match, and text recognition using character segmentation and string matching to generate a third match; and

decide a most likely logo match by combining results from the first match, the second match, and the third match.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein segmentation comprises:

applying a stroke width transform (SWT) analysis to the selected regions to generate SWT statistics;

applying a graph based segmentation algorithm to establish word boxes around likely logo character strings; and

analyzing each of the word boxes to produce a set of character segmentations to delineate the characters in the likely logo character strings.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising:

combining neighboring keypoint regions with consistent aspect ratios and size to generate a new keypoint and region.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising

detecting and combining edge segments in a keypoint region; and

binning sample points on selected edges according to angle and distance with reference to a dominant orientation of the selected edges.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising:

using multiple text classifiers for robust logo text detection.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 further comprising:

using stroke heuristics to select the text classifier.

Assignments (12)
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 042262 / FRAME 0601) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 061748/0001 →
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 8, 2017
From: PEREIRA, JOSE PIO; BROCKLEHURST, KYLE; KULKARNI, SUNIL SURESH; WENDT, PETER
To: GRACENOTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 042646/0419 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 13, 2017
From: GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 042262/0601 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Feb 8, 2017
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; CASTTV INC.; TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; TRIBUNE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 041656/0804 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 12, 2016
From: GRACENOTE, INC.; CASTTV, INC.; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039667/0565 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62171820 · Jun 5, 2015
Cited By (15)
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