Traffic density analysis apparatus based on encoded video

Claim 2

A traffic density analysis apparatus comprising: a video decoder configured to decode encoded video data obtained by encoding a video signal corresponding to an analysis region and to output a decoded video signal and code information including mode information and vector information, the video decoder including a video memory to store at least one previously decoded video signal; a determination unit configured to determine a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the decoded video signal, the code information and the previously decoded video signal; a macroblock analyzer configured to analyze a macroblock determined as the moving object; and a traffic density estimator configured to set a specific region in a screen using an analysis result of the macroblock analyzer and to estimate a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to the moving object which passes through the specific region.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit temporarily determines that the macroblock of INTRA or INTER CODED is highly probably a moving object, and determines the moving object by comparing the decoded video signals of the current and previous frames only for the macroblock.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines that a macroblock where large motion vectors concentrate is highly probably a moving object, and determines a moving object by comparing the decoded video signals of the current and previous frames only for the macroblock.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the traffic density estimator estimates the traffic density from an average velocity and the number of moving objects which pass through the specific region.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprises a specific vehicle estimator configured to estimate a specific vehicle from a color of the moving object on the basis of an analysis result of the macroblock analyzer, and said traffic density estimator measures a velocity of the moving object from a velocity of the estimated specific vehicle.

Claim 7

A traffic density analysis apparatus comprising: a video encoder configured to encode a video signal corresponding to an analysis region and to output encoded video data, a local decoded signal and code information including mode information and vector information, the video encoder including a video memory to store at least one previous local decoded video signal; a determination unit configured to determine a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the encoded video data, the code information and the previous local decoded video signal; a macroblock analyzer configured to analyze a macroblock determined as the moving object; and a traffic density estimator configured to set a specific region in a screen using the local decoded signal generated by the video encoder and to analyze a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to a moving object which passes through the specific region.

Claim 8

A traffic density analysis apparatus comprising: a video encoder configured to encode a video signal corresponding to an analysis region and to output encoded video data, a local decoded signal and code information including mode information and vector information, the video encoder including a video memory to store at least one previous local decoded video signal; a determination unit configured to determine a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the encoded video data, the code information and the previous local decoded video signal; a macroblock analyzer configured to analyze a macroblock determined as the moving object; and a traffic density estimator configured to set a specific region in a screen using the local decoded signal generated by the video encoder and to analyze a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to a moving object which passes through the specific region.

Claim 9

A traffic information system comprising: at least one monitor camera unit configured to capture an image in a monitoring region to be monitored for a traffic density and to encode a video signal corresponding to the image to output encoded video data; at least one terminal configured to request traffic information and to receive the traffic information; and a monitor center comprising a video decoder configured to decode the encoded video data to output a decoded video signal and code information including mode information and vector information, the video decoder including a video memory to store at least one previously decoded video signal, a determination unit configured to determine a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the decoded video signal, the code information and the previously decoded video signal, a macroblock analyzer configured to analyze a macroblock determined as the moving object, and a traffic density estimator configured to set a specific region in a screen using an analysis result of the macroblock analyzer and to estimate a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to the moving object which passes through the specific region, and a transmitter configured to transmit traffic information including the traffic density and video information in response to a request of the terminal.

Claim 10

A traffic information system comprising: at least one monitor camera unit configured to capture an image in a monitoring region to be monitored for a traffic density and to encode a video signal corresponding to the image to output encoded video data; at least one terminal configured to request traffic information and to receive the traffic information; and a monitor center comprising a video decoder configured to decode the encoded video data to output a decoded video signal and code information including mode information and vector information, the video decoder including a video memory to store at least one previously decoded video signal, a determination unit configured to determine a moving object in units of a macroblock on the basis of the decoded video signal, the code information and the previously decoded video signal, a macroblock analyzer configured to analyze a macroblock determined as the moving object, and a traffic density estimator configured to set a specific region in a screen using an analysis result of the macroblock analyzer and to estimate a traffic density in the analysis region from information related to the moving object which passes through the specific region, and a transmitter configured to transmit traffic information including the traffic density and video information in response to a request of the terminal.

Claim 11

A traffic information system according to claim 7 wherein the monitor camera unit comprises a video camera configured to capture the monitoring region, a video encoder configured to compress-encode a video signal obtained by the video camera, and a transmitter configured to transmit the encoded video data.

Claim 12

A traffic information system according to claim 8 , wherein the determination unit temporarily determines that the macroblock is highly probably a moving object, and determines the moving object by comparing the decoded video signals of the current and previous frames only for the macroblock.

Claim 13

A traffic information system according to claim 7 , wherein the determination unit determines that a macroblock where large motion vectors concentrate is highly probably a moving object, and determines a moving object by comparing the decoded video signals of the current and previous frames only for the macroblock.

Claim 14

A traffic information system according to claim 7 , wherein the traffic density estimator estimates the traffic density from an average velocity and number of moving objects which pass through the specific region.

Claim 15

A traffic information system according to claim 7 , further comprises a specific vehicle estimator configured to estimate a specific vehicle from a color of the moving object on the basis of the object information, and the traffic density estimator measures a velocity of the moving object from a velocity of the estimated specific vehicle.