Systems and methods for using visual hulls to determine the number of people in a crowd
US6987885B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 14, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 17, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 14, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V20/53
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are presented that determine the number of people in a crowd using visual hull information. In one embodiment, an image sensor generates a conventional image of a crowd. A silhouette image is then determined based on the conventional image. The intersection of the silhouette image cone and a working volume is determined. The projection of the intersection onto a plane is determined. Planar projections from several image sensors are aggregated by intersecting them, forming a subdivision pattern. Polygons that are actually empty are identified and removed. Upper and lower bounds of the number of people in each polygon are determined and stored in a tree data structure. This tree is updated as time passes and new information is received from image sensors. The number of people in the crowd is equal to the lower bound of the root node of the tree.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.