Abstract: A technique for temporal smoothing of results from a scene analysis process which creates a sequence of visually pleasing and acceptable images generated in whole or part from such results. The technique applies temporal smoothing across time-related sets of scene analysis results. The spatial smoothing can be applied at various steps in the process: to images in the original sequence, to intermediate or final results of scene analysis in either a pixel-oriented or geometric domain, or to the images generated in whole or part from the scene analysis results. In a preferred embodiment, different levels of smoothing are applied to different parts of the intermediate or final results. The differentiation can be done using image masks (for pixel-oriented results) or geometry selection techniques (for geometric results).

Abstract: A technique for displaying a visual representation of an estimated three-dimensional scene structure and the values of various parameters associated with the scene, together with a visual representation of at least one two-dimensional image used in the scene structure estimation algorithm. A user inputs information by adjusting parameters and/or specifying an element or region of the visual representations and supplies mark-ups and other information such as attributes for the element or region to be applied during a next iteration of the scene structure estimation algorithm. The scene structure estimation algorithm is then re-executed and the process repeats until the user is satisfied with the resulting visual scene structure.

Abstract: A technique for converging upon a computer-based model of a real world or synthetic scene. The computer model makes use of abstraction-based data objects as well as image-based data objects. A correlation mesh provides links between related image-based and abstraction-based objects. An initial step in a process analyzes an input image stream and user inputs to derive initial image-based objects and abstraction-based objects for the scene model. Subsequent steps in the process allow user inputs to refine the image-based objects, abstraction-based objects and/or the correlation mesh. As a result, refinements to the image-based object model of the scene can improve the abstraction-based model of the scene, and refinements to the abstraction-based object model can improve the image-based model.