US4096525A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Video scanning change discriminator
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-07-06
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Granted: 1978-06-20
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Expires: 1996-07-06
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the speed and direction and height/width dimensions of subject movement within a field of view. Two video frames are compared such that the dimensions of change within the two frames are determined, sorted and counted. One count is made of the vertically-occurring change; the other count is made of the horizontally-occurring change. The derived change dimensions and position is stored to be later compared with the change dimensions and position of a following comparison of two scans; the lateral displacement of one change position of a prior time with respect to the change position of the present time is determined and counted, the count representing the magnitude and direction of the subject movement that occurred. These determinors are `dumped` into a computer which detects certain types of change and ignores others and which may be operated to determine the velocity of horizontal movement as well as changes in velocity of vertical movement.
Inventors
- 👤 William James Lathan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S11/00; G01S11/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A system for analyzing video signals representing a field of view, comprising, in combination: means for supplying video signal data representing sequentially occurring video frames, each said frame including a plurality of horizontal scan signals; comparison means for synchronously comparing horizontal scan signals from a first video frame with horizontal scan signals representing like-positioned scan lines from a later-occurring video frame to generate a sequence of differential signals representing changes in said video data occurring along the scan-line positions of said horizontal scan signals, said changes indicating movement of an object in said field of view; storage means for storing said differential signals; and direction sensing means synchronously responsive to a first differential signal prior to storage representing changes occurring along a given scan line position and to a second previously generated differential signal, received from said storage means, representing changes previously occurring along the same scan line position, said direction sensing means including means for detecting the relative time of occurrence of change-representative data in said two differential signals, means for providing an indication of rightward movement of said object when the first-detected change-representative data occurs in said second differential signal, and means for providing an indication of leftward movement of said object when the first-detected change-representative data occurs in said first differential signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
215 words
A system for analyzing video signals representing a field of view, comprising, in combination: means for supplying video signal data representing sequentially occurring video frames, each said frame including a plurality of horizontal scan signals; comparison means for synchronously comparing horizontal scan signals from a first video frame with horizontal scan signals representing like-positioned scan lines from a later-occurring video frame to generate a sequence of differential signals representing changes in said video data occurring along the scan-line positions of said horizontal scan signals, said changes indicating movement of an object in said field of view; storage means for storing said differential signals; and direction sensing means synchronously responsive to a first differential signal prior to storage representing changes occurring along a given scan line position and to a second previously generated differential signal, received from said storage means, representing changes previously occurring along the same scan line position, said direction sensing means including means for detecting the relative time of occurrence of change-representative data in said two differential signals, means for providing an indication of rightward movement of said object when the first-detected change-representative data occurs in said second differential signal, and means for providing an indication of leftward movement of said object when the first-detected change-representative data occurs in said first differential signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system set forth in claim 1 further comprising: horizontal detection means for determining and indicating the duration between the time of occurrence of said first-detected change-representative data in one of said differential signals and the time of occurrence of the first change-representative data occurring in the other of said differential signals, whereby a measure of the horizontal distance moved by said object is obtained.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system set forth in claim 2 further comprising: vertical detection means for determining the number of differential signals for each video frame in which change-representative data is detected, whereaby a measure of the sum of the vertical dimension of said object and the vertical distance moved thereby is obtained.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
58 words
The system set forth inclaim in claim wherein said storage means comprises a constant-interval delay circuit and wherein said system further comprises: computing means for dividing the time duration indicated by said horizontal detection means by the delay interval of said constant interval delay circuit to obtain a measure of the velocity of horizontal movement of said object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
347 words
The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for detecting the relative time of occurrence of said change-representative data comprises: first and second gating circuits receiving, respectively, said first and second differential signals; bistable circuit means having mutually exclusive set and reset outputs, said set output being connected to control said first and second gating circuits to block said differential signals; a pair of first two-input coincidence circuits, the first of said inputs being connected, respectively, to the outputs of said first and second gating circuits and the other of said inputs being connected to the reset output of said bistable circuit means, the outputs of said coincidence circuits being connected to an input of said bistable circuit means to activate the set output thereof; timing means for resetting said bistable circuit means just prior to commencement of said differential signals whereby said gating circuits are conditioned to pass said differential signals; a second two-input coincidence circuit connected to the inputs of said first and second gating circuits for generating a coincidence output when change-representative data is simultaneously present in both of said differential signals, the output of said coincidence circuit being supplied to control said first and second gating circuits to block said differential signals; third and fourth circuits connected, respectively, to the outputs of said first and second gating circuits; and multivibrator means connected to supply a train of pulses to said third and fourth gating circuits, whereby when the first-detected change-representative data occurs in said first differential signal said third gating circuit is activated by said change-representative data to pass a train of pulses indicating leftward movement of said object and when the first-detected change-representative data occurs in said second differential signal said fourth gating circuit is activated by said change-representative data to pass a train of pulses indicating rightward movement of said object, said system further operating such that the later occurrence of change-representative data in the opposite differential signal activates the set output of said bistable circuit means to block said differential signals and terminate said direction-indicating train of pulses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
The system set forth in claim 5 further comprising: first counting means for counting the number of pulses in the train of pulses passed by said third gating circuit during each video frame cycle; and second counting means for counting the number of pulses in the train of pulses passed by said fourth gating circuit during each video frame cycle, the count in said first counting means being an indication of the leftward horizontal distance moved by said object and the count in said second counting means being an indication of the rightward horizontal distance moved by said object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system set forth in claim 6 further comprising: third counting means for counting the number of times the set output of said bistable circuit means is activated during each video frame cycle, the count in said third counting means representing a measure of the sum of the vertical dimension of said object and the vertical distance moved thereby.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3890462A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-19 | 1981-12-19 | 1982-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-19 | 1985-12-19 | 1986-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-19 | 1989-12-19 | 1990-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |