Patent ID: 8351663

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: for each dot template of one or more dot templates corresponding to an object to be detected within an image, where each dot template is defined as a collection of points, at each position of one or more positions within the image, determining a value of the image at each point of the dot template at the position of the image, such that the dot template is effectively overlaid at the position; determining a score of the dot template at the position based on the values of the image determined at the points of the dot template, by using an evaluation function; and, where the score of the dot template is greater than a predetermined threshold, concluding that the object is at least potentially located within the image at the position at which the dot template has been effectively overlaid, wherein a number of the points of each dot template is selected in accordance with the evaluation function to permit the evaluation function to discern whether the image contains the object, wherein a position of each point within each dot template is selected in accordance with the evaluation function to permit the evaluation function to discern whether the image contains the object, wherein the number of the points of each dot template is selected so that the number of the points is a minimal number necessary to permit the evaluation function to discern whether the image contains the object, and wherein the evaluation function is a non-correlation evaluation function.