Abstract: A new method and device to generate two field of view images from a sensor pixel array is achieved. The method comprises providing an array of sensing pixels. An array digital data stream is generated by sequentially generating a plurality of digital data streams each corresponding to blocks of the sensing pixels in the array. All the sensing pixels in any block are sampled simultaneously. First and second digital video streams are generated from the array digital data stream. The first and second digital video streams comprise first and second fields of view of the array, respectively. Each pixel of the first digital video stream corresponds to a filtered and sub-sampled combination of more than one of the sensing pixel samples.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting objects from a sequence of images of a scene containing an object by using two distinct methods for object detection. One is suited for well-lit scenes (e.g., daytime), while the other is suitable for poorly-lit scenes (e.g., nighttime) where the objects have lights mounted on them. Further, the method and apparatus are adaptive to the image statistics of the objects being detected, and can be programmed to filter out “weak” detections that lie below a certain percentile in the observed statistical distribution of image measures. The specific percentile is determined based on whether the scene has been determined to be well- or poorly-lit and whether it contains shadows or not.

Abstract: A method for fixating a camera, mounted on a motorized mount, on a target point. The method includes receiving a plurality of images representative of a scene; selecting, within the plurality of images, a first display reference image containing the target point at a first coordinate location; estimating, in a current image within the plurality of images, a transformation that maps the current image to the first display reference image; estimating a second coordinate location of the target point in the current image using the transformation; computing an image slip between the target point in the current image and the target point in the first display reference image; converting the image slip into an angular correction for fixating the camera; modifying the angular correction by using closed-loop control with the motorized mount; and warping the current image using the transformation to align the current image with the first display reference image.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting salient motion in an image sequence using optical flow. For each pixel in an image, frame-to-frame optical flow information are collected over time for computing a rough estimate of the total image distance traveled by each pixel. Specifically, an optical flow field is generated for every two successive image frames. The resulting optical flow field is applied to warp one or more intermediate measure images that contain intermediate cumulative measurements. The warped measure images for an image sequence are used to compute a sum of frame-to-frame optical flow fields for the image sequence to yield a cumulative flow field that can be used to generate a measure of salience for each image point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining certain ambient conditions in a scene by analyzing a sequence of images that represent the scene. The apparatus uses only image information to determine scene illumination, or the presence of shadows, fog, smoke, or haze by comparing properties of detected objects, averaged over a finite video sequence, against properties of the reference image of the scene as that scene would appear without any objects present. Such a reference image is constructed in a manner similar to time-averaging successive camera images.

Abstract: A locally-adaptive method and apparatus for constructing a reference image containing only the background from an image sequence containing moving or temporarily-stationary objects. Specifically, the apparatus contains a sample mask selector and a reference updater. The selector generates a mask which is used by the updated to perform updating of a reference image using only portions of the input image that contain background imagery. The updater enhances the masking function using a statistical analysis to avoid updating pixels using non-background imagery.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing a sequence of images to detect object movement within the sequence. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of: (a) supplying a sequence of image frames; (b) initializing a reference image that contains image information regarding stationary objects within a scene represented by the sequence of images; (c) supplying a next image frame which temporally follows the sequence of image frames; (d) comparing the next image to the reference image to produce a motion image representing motion information regarding movement of objects within the scene; (e) updating the reference image with information within the next image that represents stationary objects within the scene; and (f) repeating steps (c), (d), and (e) for each next image supplied. The method is implemented by image processing apparatus.