System and method for dynamic selection of high sampling rate for a selected region of interest

1. A system for enhancing a sampling rate of an imager detector for a selected region of interest, the system comprising:

an imaging device; and

a processing unit in communication with the imaging device;

wherein the imaging device is configured to acquire a plurality of datasets of corresponding plurality of image frames by performing corresponding plurality of image frame handling cycles;

wherein the processing unit is configured to define a special region of interest (SROI) in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames, based on the datasets of the respective image frames; and

wherein the imaging device is further configured to acquire at least one partial dataset of a corresponding at least one partial image frame comprising the SROI, during each of at least some of the plurality of image frame handling cycles and within a residual time between an end of an image frame acquiring time and an end of the respective image frame handling cycle.

2. The system of claim 1 , disposed on a locomotive of a train such that the imaging device faces a direction of travel of the train, and wherein the processing unit comprises a tracking module configured to:

detect rails in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames;

define margins on both sides of the detected rails in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames;

define a safe braking line in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames, based on a safe braking distance of the train;

define a safe zone in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames, based on the defined margins and the defined safe braking line; and

define the SROI in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames at a distal end of the defined safe zone.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processing unit comprises an obstacle detection module configured to:

analyze at least the partial datasets of the SROI in the full image frames; and

detect based on the analysis thereof, a potential object/obstacle on rails or in the defined SROI.

4. A method of enhancing a sampling rate of an imager detector for a selected region of interest, the method comprising:

acquiring, by an imaging device, a plurality of datasets of corresponding plurality of image frames by performing corresponding plurality of image frame handling cycles;

defining, by a processing unit, a special region of interest (SROI) in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames, based on the datasets of the respective image frames; and

acquiring, by the imaging device, at least one partial dataset of a corresponding at least one partial image frame comprising the SROI, during each of at least some of the plurality of image frame handling cycles and within a residual time between an end of an image frame acquiring time and an end of the respective image frame handling cycle.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: detecting, by a tracking module of the processing unit, rails in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames;

defining, by the tracking module, margins on both sides of the detected rails in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames;

defining, by the tracking module, a safe braking line in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames, based on a safe braking distance of the train;

defining, by the tracking module, a safe zone in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames, based on the defined margins and the defined safe braking line; and

defining, by the tracking module, the SROI in each of at least some of the plurality of the image frames at a distal end of the defined safe zone.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

analyzing, by an obstacle detection module of the processing unit, at least the partial datasets of the SROI in the full image frames; and

detecting, by the obstacle detection module, based on the analysis thereof, a potential object/obstacle on rails or in the defined SROI.