Patent ID: 6400830
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: G06K,G06T

Abstract:
A method for tracking objects through a series of images, wherein each image includes a plurality of pixels, and wherein each pixel is defined by digitized intensity and digitized color, the method comprising the steps of:averaging a plurality of images of entire scenes and therefrom establishing a background image of an entire scene containing no objects of interest, storing the averaged background image as a plurality of pixels, receiving first and second representations of the images' plurality of pixels, processing the digitized intensity and the digitized color of each pixel, with respect to the stored averaged background image pixels, grouping substantially adjacent pixels according to their processed intensity and their color, thereby forming at least one first identified grouping of substantially adjacent pixels within the first representation and at least one second grouping of substantially adjacent pixels within the second representation, matching the first and second groupings of substantially adjacent pixels thereby defining and tracking an identified grouping of substantially adjacent pixels, determining if the identified grouping is a grouping of interest, and updating the averaged background image by averaging in the pixels from the first and the second representations minus any identified grouping of interest.