Abstract: In object detection method and apparatus, a detection image related to a binary image obtained by subtracting a background image from an input image delivered from an image-pickup device is displayed on the display screen of a display unit, responsive to an operation done by an operator who determines that at least one object in the displayed detection image is a region to be excluded from object detection, the region of the object is set as a masking region automatically and thereafter, object detection is performed in respect of individual input images while performing masking in the masking region.

Abstract: A video system for reproducing, recording and editing moving images, an abnormality state of the video system or images is automatically detected from the reproduced images, the reproduced images detected as in the abnormality state is recorded as a still image which is displayed on a display screen.

Abstract: A moving picture editing method and apparatus that edits a moving picture fed from a video material source by working on editing windows displayed on a display to divide a video material into a plurality of cut images each formed of a plurality of frame images, display the representative frame images of each of said cut images on the screen of the display, select the representative frame images, assemble a hierarchical structure formed of a plurality of frame images, display the hierarchical structure, select one or a plurality of the representative frame images as a scene image, incorporate the frame images representative of the scene image in the hierarchical structure, display a tentative indicator image capable of representing an arbitrary video material on the display, incorporate said tentative indicator image in the hierarchical structure, and thus generate the hierarchical structure.

Abstract: An object is detected in comparison between an input image from an image pick-up device having a zoom mechanism and a template image stored in a manner that a first image within a view field of the image pick-up device is stored as a first as the template image, a power of the zoom mechanism to be changed is recorded, a second image to be detected is picked-up from the image pick-up device. Then, a size of either one of the template image and the second image is changed on the bases of the changed power of the zoom mechanism, and a template matching is performed between the template image and the second image to detect the object. This process makes it possible to track an object within the view field.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a video includes the steps of extracting frame images from an input video, calculating a time length between each of the frame images and a next one of the frame images, assigning index information determined by the calculated time length to each of the frame images, stringing together the index information assigned to the frame images, and characterizing the input video by the strung-together index information. The index information is a character code, and the strung-together index information is a character code string. The frame images include head frame images located at scene changes of the input video. The input video is being broadcasted or is included in a data base.

Abstract: A method of editing digital video information including a plurality of video image data and audio data associated with each of the video image data, having the steps of selecting a frame reading pattern from some reproduction patterns stored in a memory according to a specified reproduction mode of video information, reading the video image data from a video image data source according to the selected frame reading pattern, reading the audio data from an audio data source according to an audio reading pattern corresponding to the frame reading pattern, producing the read video image data at a predetermined frame rate, and producing the read audio data in synchronism with the produced video image data.

Abstract: A method of updating a reference background image used for detecting objects entering an image pickup view field based on the binary image generated from the difference between an input image and the reference background image of the input image. The image pickup view field is divided into a plurality of view field areas, and a reference background image corresponding to each of the fixed divided view field areas is updated. An entering object detection apparatus using this method has an input image processing unit including an image memory storing an input image from an image input unit, a program memory storing the program for activating the entering object detecting unit, a work memory and a central processing unit activating the entering object detecting unit in accordance with the program.

Abstract: An apparatus for editing a moving picture having related information including an input unit for inputting said moving picture and the related information, a detecting unit for detecting change points of the moving picture and dividing the moving picture into scenes and cuts, a selecting unit for extracting a still image representing each of the scenes and cuts, a memory for storing the related information and the representative still images of the scenes and cuts, apparatus for designating representative still images of the scenes and cuts to edit the moving picture, apparatus for determining a hierarchical structure, the hierarchical structure including layers in accordance with the scenes and cuts, a display for displaying the hierarchical structure and the related information, and a controller for controlling the memory and the display.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for editing a moving image display a plurality of representative images, each representing a specific frame image among a plurality of serial frame images constituting the moving image, by arranging the representative images on a screen of a display unit. The method and the apparatus for editing a moving image also detect a feature of video data of the moving image or of the representative images based on the video data. The representative images are then displayed on the screen in a manner different from a previous arrangement or display mode based on the detected feature.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a view field of an image picking-up apparatus using a manual manipulator. An image input interface converts video signal from the image picking-up apparatus to image data. An image memory stores the image data. An image processing unit processes the image data. A display unit displays the image data as an image with a manipulation marker superposed thereon at a position indicated by the manipulator. A controller controls the view field of the image picking-up apparatus using signals from the image processing unit. The manipulator moves the manipulation marker displayed on the image, and the image processing unit calculates a control amount of the view field based on position coordinates of the manipulation marker and controls the view field according to the control amount.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a video includes the steps of extracting frame images from an input video, calculating a time length between each of the frame images and a next one of the frame images, assigning index information determined by the calculated time length to each of the frame images, stringing together the index information assigned to the frame images, and characterizing the input video by the strung-together index information. The index information is a character code, and the strung-together index information is a character code string. The frame images include head frame images located at scene changes of the input video. The input video is being broadcasted or is included in a data base.

Abstract: Method of making a video program, wherein data about at least individual names, shapes and motions in connection with at least two objects appearing on the video program is recorded in a recording device; one of the objects is an image source material of the video program, and the other object is a phantom image source material of the video program; in making the video program, the object used in said video program is designated, data relating to the objects is read out from the recording device; and the video program is then made based on the data read out from the recording device.

Abstract: An apparatus for editing moving picture having a related information thereof comprising; input means for inputting said moving picture and said related information, said moving picture comprising a plurality of scenes, each scene comprising a plurality of cuts and each cut comprising a plurality of frame images; detecting means for detecting change points of said moving picture and dividing said moving picture into said scenes and cuts; selecting means for extracting a still image representing each of said scenes and cuts; a memory for storing said related information and the representative still images of said scenes and cuts; means for designating said representative still images of said scenes and cuts to edit said moving picture; means for determining a hierarchical structure, said hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of layers in accordance with said scenes and cuts; means for displaying said hierarchical structure and said related information; and a controller for controlling said memory and sa

Abstract: A moving object recognition method for recognizing a specified moving object in an input image signal in distinction from other objects, and a moving object tracking and monitoring apparatus using the method. One or more moving objects in the input image signal are sequentially detected by the subtraction method, the physical quantities of the detected moving objects are sequentially stored in a memory. Based on this physical quantities, one or more loci of the detected moving objects are determined. A group of physical quantities associated with each locus are stored in a memory as correlated information series of a moving object. Based on the information series thus stored, at least one of a plurality of classification methods is applied to each moving object for determining whether the moving object belongs to the specified moving object or other than the specified moving object. Thus, a detected moving object is recognized as to whether it is a specified moving object or not.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a video includes the steps of extracting frame images from an input video, calculating a feature of each of the frame images, assigning index information determined by the calculated feature to each of the frame images, stringing together the index information assigned to the frame images, and characterizing the input video by the strung-together index information.

Abstract: A monitoring method and apparatus for detecting an intruding object within a monitoring field of view by applying a subtraction method to an image obtained from an imaging device. A differential image of luminance values between an input image from the imaging device and a reference background image stored in a storage device is generated. The differential image is binarized using a predetermined binarization threshold value and the bianrization threshold value is changed until a noise level of a bianrized image becomes not greater than a predetermined value and based on a binarization threshold value at which the noise level becomes not greater than the predetermined value, an intruding object is detected.

Abstract: A system for processing a tracking picture of an intruding object includes a first TV camera for outputting a video signal used for detecting the intruding object, a second TV camera for outputting a video signal used for monitoring a magnified tracking picture of the intruding object, and a picture processing device for processing and operating on the video signal inputted from the first TV camera and outputting a rotation control signal and a zooming control signal. The system detects a difference between the video signal inputted from the first TV camera and a reference background video signal, and a change of a detecting state from the change of the numbers of objects detected in the continuous input video signal.

Abstract: An intruding object detecting method and an intruding object monitoring apparatus for detecting a target object intruding into an image pickup region while reducing the error detection of moving objects other than the target object. A difference in pixel value between an input image signal and each of different image signals in a predetermined number of frames greater than one is calculated for each pixel to thereby obtain differential images in the predetermined number of frames. The differential images in the predetermined number of frames are synthesized in predetermined proportions to thereby generate a synthesized differential image. The synthesized differential image is binarized on the basis of a predetermined threshold value to thereby generate a binarized image. A binarized object in the binarized image is detected as an object intruding into a monitoring visual field.

Abstract: An object detecting method, object detecting apparatus and intruding object monitoring apparatus employing the object detecting method. A predetermined monitor area having no object to be detected is imaged by an imaging device and reference background sequential images are registered in advance in a storage unit. When monitoring, the predetermined monitor area is imaged by the imaging device while at the same time sequentially outputting the images frame by frame from the imaging device, a reference background image corresponding to the image from the imaging device is selected from the reference background sequential images, subtraction processing is carried out between the image from the imaging device and a corresponding reference background image, and the object detecting processing is carried out based on the result of subtraction processing.

Abstract: An intruding object monitoring method using an intruding object monitoring system having a first intruding object monitoring apparatus for monitoring a monitor area by inputting images of the area and at least one second intruding object monitoring apparatus for performing a following of an intruding object. By this method, first intruding object monitoring apparatus acquires detection information of an object intruding into the monitor area, the second intruding object monitoring apparatus captures the intruding object in accordance with the detection information supplied from the first intruding object monitoring apparatus. After the intruding object is captured, the second intruding object monitoring apparatus performs the following of the captured intruding object independently of the first intruding object monitoring apparatus.