IP Library Granted Patent US 12,586,349
Granted Patent B2
US 12,586,349 · App. 18/015,301 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Systems and methods for training multi-class object classification models with partially labeled training data

Inventors: Huizhong Chen (Mountain View, CA); Zhichao Lu (Santa Clara, CA); Jonathan Zwi Ben-Meshulam (Fort Worth, TX)
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
G06V10/764G06V10/776
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,586,349
App. No.
18/015,301
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed to a computer-implemented method for training a machine-learned multi-class object classification model with partially labeled training data. The method can include obtaining image data depicting objects and ground truth data comprising a subset of object class annotations respectively associated with a subset of object classes of a plurality of object classes. The method can include processing the image data with the machine-learned multi-class object classification model to obtain object classification data. The method can include evaluating a loss function that evaluates a multi-class classification loss and adjusting one or more parameters of the multi-class object classification model based on the loss function.

Claims (41)

1 . A computing system for training a multi-class object classification model with partially labeled training data, comprising:

one or more processors;

a machine-learned multi-class object classification model configured to classify a plurality of object classes; and

one or more tangible, non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

obtaining image data depicting one or more objects and ground truth data comprising a subset of object class annotations respectively associated with a subset of object classes of the plurality of object classes;

processing the image data with the machine-learned multi-class object classification model to obtain object classification data;

evaluating a loss function that evaluates a multi-class classification loss comprising a difference between the object classification data and the subset of object class annotations, wherein the loss function comprises a plurality of weighted loss signals respectively associated with the plurality of object classes, wherein the weight of each of the weighted loss signals has a magnitude greater than zero and is based at least in part on the inclusion of the object class associated with the respective loss signal within the subset of object classes; and

adjusting one or more parameters of the machine-learned multi-class object classification model based at least in part on the loss function.

2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the weight of each of the weighted loss signals is a normalized value;

a first weighted loss signal of the plurality of weighted loss signals is associated with a first object class that is included within the subset of object classes;

a second weighted loss signal of the plurality of weighted loss signals is associated with a second object class that is excluded from the subset of object classes; and

the weight of the first weighted loss signal is greater than the weight of the second weighted loss signal.

3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters of the machine-learned multi-class object classification model are adjusted proportionally to the weights of each of the weighted loss signals of the loss function.

4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein:

a first annotation of the subset of object class annotations comprises a bounding box and a label for a corresponding object of a first object class depicted in the image data; and

a second annotation of the subset of object class annotations comprises a label indicating that an object of a second object class is not depicted in the image data.

5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the object classification data comprises one or more predicted object class annotations for one or more objects predicted to be depicted in the image data.

6 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the loss function comprises evaluating a subset of weighted loss signals of the loss function respectively associated with the subset of object classes.

7 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining additional image data depicting one or more additional objects; and

processing the additional image data with the machine-learned multi-class classification model to obtain an image classification output, the image classification output comprising one or more labels descriptive of the additional image data.

8 . A computer-implemented method for training a machine-learned multi-class object classification model with partially labeled training data, comprising:

obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, image data depicting one or more objects and ground truth data comprising a subset of object class annotations respectively associated with a subset of object classes of a plurality of object classes;

processing, by the computing system, the image data with the machine-learned multi-class object classification model to obtain object classification data;

evaluating, by the computing system, a loss function that evaluates a multi-class classification loss comprising a difference between the object classification data and the subset of object class annotations, wherein the loss function comprises a plurality of weighted loss signals respectively associated with the plurality of object classes, wherein the weight of each of the weighted loss signals has a magnitude greater than zero and is based at least in part on the inclusion of the object class associated with the respective loss signal within the subset of object classes; and

adjusting, by the computing system, one or more parameters of the machine-learned multi-class object classification model based at least in part on the loss function.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein:

the weight of each of the weighted loss signals is a normalized value;

a first weighted loss signal of the plurality of weighted loss signals is associated with a first object class that is included within the subset of object classes;

a second weighted loss signal of the plurality of weighted loss signals is associated with a second object class that is excluded from the subset of object classes; and

the weight of the first weighted loss signal is greater than the weight of the second weighted loss signal.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more parameters of the machine-learned multi-class object classification model are adjusted proportionally to the weights of each of the weighted loss signals of the loss function.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein:

a first annotation of the subset of object class annotations comprises a bounding box and a label for a corresponding object of a first object class depicted in the image data; and

a second annotation of the subset of object class annotations comprises a label indicating that an object of a second object class is not depicted in the image data.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the object classification data comprises one or more predicted object class annotations for one or more objects predicted to be depicted in the image data.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein evaluating the loss function comprises evaluating, by the computing system, a subset of weighted loss signals of the loss function respectively associated with the subset of object classes.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining, by the computing system, additional image data depicting one or more additional objects; and

processing, by the computing system, the additional image data with the machine-learned multi-class object classification model to obtain an image classification output, the image classification output comprising one or more labels descriptive of the additional image data.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2023
From: CHEN, HUIZHONG; LU, ZHICHAO; BEN-MESHULAM, JONATHAN ZWI
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 062371/0556 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230274527A1 · Aug 31, 2023
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