IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,541,859
Granted Patent B2
US 12,541,859 · App. 18/309,862 · Granted Feb 3, 2026

Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Inventor: Shugo Higuchi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G06T7/194G06T7/174G06T2207/20224
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,541,859
App. No.
18/309,862
Granted
Feb 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image processing apparatus comprises one or more processors, and one or more memories storing executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image processing apparatus to function as: a specification unit configured to specify, on a basis of a difference between a first region, corresponding to a foreground region of a target frame, in a background image corresponding to the target frame in a buffered frame group and a second region, corresponding to the foreground region, in a background image of each of frames after the target frame in the buffered frame group, a background image among the background images of the frames; and an output unit configured to output the specified background image.

Claims (34)

1 . An image processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image processing apparatus to:

specify, on a basis of a difference between a first region, corresponding to a foreground region of a target frame, in a background image corresponding to the target frame in a buffered frame group and a second region, corresponding to the foreground region, in a background image of each of frames after the target frame in the buffered frame group, a background image among the background images of the frames; and

output the specified background image,

wherein the difference is obtained sequentially from a background image of a frame having a capturing time earlier than the target frame with respect to a background image of a frame having a capturing time more recent than the target frame in the buffered frame group,

wherein a background image is specified to be output among the background images of the frames based on the obtained difference, and

wherein a background image is specified in which the obtained difference is greater than a threshold.

2 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to generate a background image not including a foreground in a buffered frame.

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to generate, as a background image, a processed frame in which a pixel value of a pixel in the foreground region in a buffered frame is replaced with another pixel value.

4 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said another pixel value is an average value of pixel values of pixels positioned around a foreground region in a buffered frame.

5 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said another pixel value is an average value of pixel values of pixels in a region, corresponding to a foreground region of the buffered frame, in a background image in which a background where no subject is present is captured in advance.

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to generate a processed frame in which a partial image in a foreground region in a buffered frame is replaced with a partial image in a region, corresponding to the foreground region, in a frame acquired last time.

7 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to output a synthesis frame in which the specified background image is translucently synthesized with the target frame.

8 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to display, using display methods different from each other, a correspondence region corresponding to the foreground region and a region other than the correspondence region in the synthesis frame.

9 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to:

detect an occurrence of a specific event; and

output a background image of a frame at a capturing time corresponding to a timing at which the image processing apparatus detects a specific event among specified background images.

10 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to output a background image of a frame at a capturing time corresponding to a timing at which the image processing apparatus detects that a face of a person faces a front in a frame after the target frame in the buffered frame group.

11 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to output a background image of a frame at a capturing time corresponding to a timing at which the image processing apparatus detects an end of a sentence or a break of a word in a voice recognition result.

12 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to output a background image of a frame at a capturing time corresponding to a timing at which the image processing apparatus detects a specific voice.

13 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the image processing apparatus to output a background image of a frame at a capturing time corresponding to a timing at which the image processing apparatus detects a specific operation.

14 . An image processing method performed by an image processing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:

specifying, on a basis of a difference between a first region, corresponding to a foreground region of a target frame, in a background image corresponding to the target frame in a buffered frame group and a second region, corresponding to the foreground region, in a background image of each of frames after the target frame in the buffered frame group, a background image among the background images of the frames; and

outputting the specified background image,

wherein the difference is obtained sequentially from a background image of a frame having a capturing time earlier than the target frame with respect to a background image of a frame having a capturing time more recent than the target frame in the buffered frame group,

wherein a background image is specified to be output among the background images of the frames based on the obtained difference, and

wherein a background image is specified in which the obtained difference is greater than a threshold.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to:

specify, on a basis of a difference between a first region, corresponding to a foreground region of a target frame, in a background image corresponding to the target frame in a buffered frame group and a second region, corresponding to the foreground region, in a background image of each of frames after the target frame in the buffered frame group, a background image among the background images of the frames; and

output the specified background image,

wherein the difference is obtained sequentially from a background image of a frame having a capturing time earlier than the target frame with respect to a background image of a frame having a capturing time more recent than the target frame in the buffered frame group,

wherein a background image is specified to be output among the background images of the frames based on the obtained difference, and

wherein a background image is specified in which the obtained difference is greater than a threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2023
From: HIGUCHI, SHUGO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 063860/0045 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-078951 · May 12, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230368396A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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