US5329368A — Image tracking system and technique

Claim 1

Independent Claim 143 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating a first frequency domain representation of a reference frame of image data; second means for creating a second frequency domain representation of an input frame of image data; processing means for detecting changes in phase of said frequency domain representation of said reference frame relative to said frequency domain representation of said input frame to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame, said processing means generating at least one output signal indicative of said displacement; and compensation means, responsive to said at least one output signal, for providing compensation for said displacement of said input frame relative to said reference frame.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 143 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating a first frequency domain representation of a reference frame of image data; second means for creating a second frequency domain representation of an input frame of image data; processing means for detecting changes in phase of said frequency domain representation of said reference frame relative to said frequency domain representation of said input frame to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame, said processing means generating at least one output signal indicative of said displacement; and compensation means, responsive to said at least one output signal, for providing compensation for said displacement of said input frame relative to said reference frame.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

The system of claim 1, further including display means for displaying said frames of image data, wherein said compensating means includes electronic means, responsive to said at least one output signal, for adjusting said displayed frames of image data for said displacement.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 1, further including an optical arrangement, wherein said compensating means includes means, responsive to said at least one output signal, for adjusting said optical arrangement.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

The system of claim 1, wherein said compensating means includes an alarm device, responsive to said at least one output signal, for signaling said displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 62 words

The system of claim 1: wherein said first means creates said first frequency domain representation for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; wherein said second means creates said second frequency domain representation for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; and wherein said processing means detects said phase changes from said frequency domain representations of said input and reference frames.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 130 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating a first frequency domain representation of a reference frame of image data for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; second means for creating a second frequency domain representation of an input frame of image data for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; processing means for detecting changes in phase between said first and second frequency representations to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame; means for displaying said frames of image data; and electronic means for adjusting said displayed frames in response to said displacement.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 130 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating a first frequency domain representation of a reference frame of image data for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; second means for creating a second frequency domain representation of an input frame of image data for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; processing means for detecting changes in phase between said first and second frequency representations to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame; means for displaying said frames of image data; and electronic means for adjusting said displayed frames in response to said displacement.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 120 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating frequency domain representations of a reference frame of image data for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; second means for creating frequency domain representations of an input frame of image data for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; processing means for detecting changes in phase between said first and second frequency representations to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame; an optical arrangement; and means for adjusting said optical arrangement in response to said displacement.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 120 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating frequency domain representations of a reference frame of image data for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; second means for creating frequency domain representations of an input frame of image data for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; processing means for detecting changes in phase between said first and second frequency representations to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame; an optical arrangement; and means for adjusting said optical arrangement in response to said displacement.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 139 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating a first frequency domain representation of a reference frame of image data for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; second means for creating a second frequency domain representation of an input frame of image data for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; processing means for detecting changes in phase between said first and second frequency representations to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame; and alarm means for outputting a signal indicative of said displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 139 words

An image motion tracking system for use with an image detector having an array of elements in the x and y directions, comprising: first means for creating a first frequency domain representation of a reference frame of image data for first and second pairs of selected frequencies; second means for creating a second frequency domain representation of an input frame of image data for said first and second pairs of selected frequencies; processing means for detecting changes in phase between said first and second frequency representations to discern a displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame; and alarm means for outputting a signal indicative of said displacement of at least a portion of said input frame relative to at least a portion of said reference frame.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 63 words

Apparatus for processing first and second time frames of image data, comprising: transforming means for transforming said first and second time frames from time domains to first and second frequency domain representations for selected frequencies only; and first processing means, responsive to an output of said transforming means, for determining at least one phase shift between said first and second frequency domain representations.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 63 words

Apparatus for processing first and second time frames of image data, comprising: transforming means for transforming said first and second time frames from time domains to first and second frequency domain representations for selected frequencies only; and first processing means, responsive to an output of said transforming means, for determining at least one phase shift between said first and second frequency domain representations.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said selected frequencies include high frequencies for detecting jitter between said first and second time frames.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said selected frequencies include low frequencies for detecting motion of an image between said first and second time frames.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 9, each one of said frames displaying an image in n dimensions, where n≧1, wherein said transforming means transforms each time frame for as many as n pairs of selected frequencies.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 70 words

The apparatus of claim 9, said first and second time frames each displaying an image in an x-direction and in a y-direction, wherein said transforming means transforms said first time frame into said first frequency domain representation for selected first and second pairs of frequencies, and wherein said transforming means transforms said second time frame into said second frequency domain representation for said selected first and second pairs of frequencies.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein only two frequencies among said first and second pairs are distinct.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 64 words

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said transforming means transforms a time frame (g) into a frequency domain representation (G) according to the following discrete fourier transform: ##EQU7## where fx and fy are the selected frequencies in the x,y directions M and N are the number of pixels in the x,y directions, and Δx and Δy are the pixel spacings in the x,y directions.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first and second pairs of selected frequencies are determined as follows: f.sub.x =k/MΔx where k=±1,±2,±3, . . . or ±((M/2)-1); and f.sub.y =l/MΔy where l=±1,±2,±3, . . . or ±((N/2)-1).

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising second processing means, responsive to an output of said first determining means, for determining a displacement of an image in said first and second time frames by considering only the imaginary component of said at least one phase shift.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said displacement in said x-direction (δ x ) and said y-direction (δ y ) are determined according to Cramer's rule as follows: ##EQU8## and Q is a quotient of the input frame frequency domain representation to the reference frame frequency domain representation.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising second processing means, responsive to an output of said first determining means, for determining a displacement of an image in said first and second time frames by considering only the imaginary component of said at least one phase shift.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 102 words

Apparatus for determining displacement in an x-direction (δ x ) and a y-direction (δ y ) of an image from a first time frame of image data to a second time frame of image data, comprising means for storing said image data; and means for processing said image data as follows: ##EQU9## where f x1 , f y1 are a first pair of selected frequencies, f x2 , f y2 are a second pair of selected frequencies, ##EQU10## and where Q is a quotient of the fourier transform of the input time frame to the fourier transform of the reference time frame.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 102 words

Apparatus for determining displacement in an x-direction (δ x ) and a y-direction (δ y ) of an image from a first time frame of image data to a second time frame of image data, comprising means for storing said image data; and means for processing said image data as follows: ##EQU9## where f x1 , f y1 are a first pair of selected frequencies, f x2 , f y2 are a second pair of selected frequencies, ##EQU10## and where Q is a quotient of the fourier transform of the input time frame to the fourier transform of the reference time frame.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-07-11	1998-01-10	1998-07-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-07-11	2002-01-10	2002-07-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-07-11	2006-01-10	2006-07-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image tracking system and technique

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