US6594375B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1999-09-22
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Granted: 2003-07-15
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Expires: 2019-09-22
Abstract
Abstract An image processing method for determining an area representing a particular image from a moving image using a genetic algorithm, includes the steps of extracting a current frame image from a series of moving image data, producing a plurality of initial chromosomes indicating the particular image from a frame image previous to the current frame image, and determining the area of the particular image in the current frame image by executing a genetic algorithm on the initial chromosomes. According to this image processing method, it is possible to precisely and quickly determine an area of a particular image from a moving image.
Inventors
- 👤 Masami Kato
- 👤 Takashi Miyasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/60; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/30; G06T2207/30196; G06T2207/30201
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
An image processing method for determining an area representing a particular image from a moving image using a genetic algorithm, said method comprising: an extraction step for extracting a frame image from a series of moving image data; a first production step for randomly producing a plurality of initial chromosomes including a parameter indicating an area of the particular image; a second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes including a parameter indicating an area of the particular image according to a predetermined condition; an evaluation step for determining an evaluation value indicating the fitness, to the frame image, of the plurality of chromosomes produced in said first and second production steps; a selection/reproduction step in which a chromosome having a low evaluation value is removed from the plurality of chromosomes, and a chromosome having a high evaluation value is reproduced; a crossing-over step for performing crossing-over with a predetermined probability upon a plurality of chromosomes obtained in said selection/reproduction step; a mutation step for performing mutation upon a plurality of chromosomes obtained in said crossing-over step; and a determination step in which, if a chromosome is obtained which has an evaluation value greater than a predetermined threshold value under a predetermined condition after iterating said evaluation step, selection/reproduction step, crossing-over step, and mutation step, a parameter represented by the chromosome is determined as a parameter representing the area of the particular image of the frame image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
An image processing method for determining an area representing a particular image from a moving image using a genetic algorithm, said method comprising: an extraction step for extracting a frame image from a series of moving image data; a first production step for randomly producing a plurality of initial chromosomes including a parameter indicating an area of the particular image; a second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes including a parameter indicating an area of the particular image according to a predetermined condition; an evaluation step for determining an evaluation value indicating the fitness, to the frame image, of the plurality of chromosomes produced in said first and second production steps; a selection/reproduction step in which a chromosome having a low evaluation value is removed from the plurality of chromosomes, and a chromosome having a high evaluation value is reproduced; a crossing-over step for performing crossing-over with a predetermined probability upon a plurality of chromosomes obtained in said selection/reproduction step; a mutation step for performing mutation upon a plurality of chromosomes obtained in said crossing-over step; and a determination step in which, if a chromosome is obtained which has an evaluation value greater than a predetermined threshold value under a predetermined condition after iterating said evaluation step, selection/reproduction step, crossing-over step, and mutation step, a parameter represented by the chromosome is determined as a parameter representing the area of the particular image of the frame image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes, chromosomes of the last generation of a previous frame image are employed as the initial chromosomes thereby producing the initial chromosomes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes, variation information associated with the area of the particular image is generated from the determination results for a plurality of frames previous to the current frame to be processed, and the initial chromosomes are produced by means of prediction on the basis of the variation information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes, the initial chromosomes are produced on the basis of a plurality of chromosomes which were frequently determined, in the past, as representing an area of the particular image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes, the initial chromosomes are produced on the basis of a typical area of the particular image predicted depending on an application to which said image processing method is applied.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes, the initial chromosomes are produced on the basis of an instruction given by a user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein a mixing ratio of the number of initial chromosomes produced in said first production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes to that produced in said second production step for producing a plurality of initial chromosomes varies in accordance with the determination result for a previous frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said crossing-over step, a crossing-over position is limited in accordance with the determination result for a previous frame and an elapsed processing time.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image processing method according to claim 1 , wherein in said determination step, a series of processes according to the genetic algorithm is iterated at least a predetermined number of times.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
An image processing method according to claim 9 , wherein the predetermined number of times is set in accordance with the evaluation result.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-07-14 | 2007-01-13 | 2007-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-07-14 | 2011-01-13 | 2011-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-07-14 | 2015-01-13 | 2015-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |