US7496228B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for detecting and classifying objects in images, such as insects and other arthropods
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 2004-05-03
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Granted: 2009-02-24
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Expires: 2024-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A color-based imaging system and method for the detection and classification of insects and other arthropods are described, including devices for counting arthropods and providing taxonomic capabilities useful for pest-management. Some embodiments include an image sensor (for example, a digital color camera, scanner or a video camera) with optional illumination that communicates with a computer system. Some embodiments include a color scanner connected to a computer. Sampled arthropods are put on a scanner to be counted and identified. The computer captures images from the scanner, adjusts scanner settings, and processes the acquired images to detect and identify the arthropods. Other embodiments include a trapping device and a digital camera connected by cable or wireless communications to the computer. Some devices include a processor to do the detection and identification in the field, or the field system can send the images to a centralized host computer for detection and identification.
Inventors
- 👤 Val R. Landwehr
- 👤 Fernando Agudelo-Silva
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:42
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01M; A01M1/00; A01M1/02; A01M1/026; A01M1/14; A01M1/145; A01M3/00; A01M3/005; G; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/40; G06V10/46; G06V10/56; G06V20/00; G06V20/60; G06V20/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; and a detector, coupled to the input device, that detects an object in the image; a histogram generator coupled to receive object image information from the detector, that generates a first object-image histogram based at least in part on image information of the detected object, wherein the first object-image histogram has a plurality of bins, each one of the plurality of bins located on: a row corresponding to a value of a first color-space dimension, and a column corresponding to a value of a second color-space dimension; and a classifier that classifies the object based on the first image-object histogram and provides a categorization identifier based on the classification.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
121 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; and a detector, coupled to the input device, that detects an object in the image; a histogram generator coupled to receive object image information from the detector, that generates a first object-image histogram based at least in part on image information of the detected object, wherein the first object-image histogram has a plurality of bins, each one of the plurality of bins located on: a row corresponding to a value of a first color-space dimension, and a column corresponding to a value of a second color-space dimension; and a classifier that classifies the object based on the first image-object histogram and provides a categorization identifier based on the classification.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the histogram generator uses color information to generate the first image-object histogram, including hue information for the first dimension and color-saturation information for the second dimension.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein histogram generator generates the first image-object histogram having the first dimension that includes hue and the second dimension that includes color-saturation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detector uses color information to detect the object, including both hue information and color-saturation information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the histogram generator uses color information based on calculations, from the red, green, blue (RGB) values of each of a plurality of pixels, of substantially: CR=0.701×RED+0.587×GREEN+0.114×BLUE, CB=−0.299×RED+0.587×GREEN+0.886×BLUE, SATURATION=SQUARE ROOT(CR SQUARED+CB SQUARED), and HUE=ARCTAN(CR/CB).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
130 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; and a detector, coupled to the input device, that detects an object in the image; a histogram generator, coupled to receive object image information from the detector, that generates object-image-histogram information based at least in part on image information of the detected object; a classifier that classifies the object based on the object-image-histogram information and provides a categorization identifier based on the classification; and a distinguisher that distinguishes a first arthropod in the detected object from a second item in the detected object, in digital images where the detected object includes the first arthropod at least partially overlapped with the second item, using image information selected from a group consisting of luminance, hue, color-saturation information and combinations thereof.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
130 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; and a detector, coupled to the input device, that detects an object in the image; a histogram generator, coupled to receive object image information from the detector, that generates object-image-histogram information based at least in part on image information of the detected object; a classifier that classifies the object based on the object-image-histogram information and provides a categorization identifier based on the classification; and a distinguisher that distinguishes a first arthropod in the detected object from a second item in the detected object, in digital images where the detected object includes the first arthropod at least partially overlapped with the second item, using image information selected from a group consisting of luminance, hue, color-saturation information and combinations thereof.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; and a detector, coupled to the input device, that detects an object in the image; a histogram generator, coupled to receive object image information from the detector, that generates object-image-histogram information based at least in part on image information of the detected object; a classifier that classifies the object based on the object-image-histogram information and provides a categorization identifier based on the classification; and a imagable surface having at least one sticky area for capturing arthropods and having at least one colored area for calibrating colors of the image.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; and a detector, coupled to the input device, that detects an object in the image; a histogram generator, coupled to receive object image information from the detector, that generates object-image-histogram information based at least in part on image information of the detected object; a classifier that classifies the object based on the object-image-histogram information and provides a categorization identifier based on the classification; and a imagable surface having at least one sticky area for capturing arthropods and having at least one colored area for calibrating colors of the image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A machine-implemented method comprising: acquiring a digital image; detecting a first arthropod object in the image; and generating first-object histogram information based at least in part on color information of the detected first object; and classifying a type of the first object based on the first-object histogram information and generating a categorization identifier based on the classifying.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A machine-implemented method comprising: acquiring a digital image; detecting a first arthropod object in the image; and generating first-object histogram information based at least in part on color information of the detected first object; and classifying a type of the first object based on the first-object histogram information and generating a categorization identifier based on the classifying.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the color information used to generate the histogram includes hue and color-saturation information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 8 , further comprising: detecting a second object in the image, wherein the second object is at least partially overlapped with the first object; distinguishing the first object from the second object using image information selected from a group consisting of luminance, hue, color-saturation information and combinations thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the first-object histogram information is generated based on hue and color-saturation information, and wherein the categorization identifier includes a genus identification and a species identification.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the acquiring of the image includes filtering light for the image to limit a spectral range of the light.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the acquiring of the image includes filtering light for the image to limit a polarization of the light.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the acquiring of the image includes providing a sticky substrate having first background area that has a first color that is darker than the first object and a second background area that has a second color that is lighter than the first object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the acquiring of the image includes providing a substrate having first area that has a first calibration color, and a second area that has a second calibration color that is different from the first calibration color.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 8 , further comprising: distinguishing the first object from a background image using image information selected from a group consisting of hue information, color-saturation information and combinations thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 8 , further comprising: adding the categorization identifier to a database, the database including information on a date and a location associated with the categorization identifier.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 , further comprising: applying a pest-control protocol based on one or more categorization identifiers of the database.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; means for detecting a first arthropod object in the image and distinguishing the first object from a background image using image information selected from a group consisting of luminance, hue, color-saturation information and combinations thereof; and means for classifying the detected first arthropod object that includes generating a histogram having a plurality of independent dimensions including at least a first dimension and a second dimension.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus comprising: an input device coupled to receive a digital image; means for detecting a first arthropod object in the image and distinguishing the first object from a background image using image information selected from a group consisting of luminance, hue, color-saturation information and combinations thereof; and means for classifying the detected first arthropod object that includes generating a histogram having a plurality of independent dimensions including at least a first dimension and a second dimension.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , farther comprising: means for detecting a second object in the image, wherein the second object is at least partially overlapped with the first object, and for distinguishing the first object from the second object using image information selected from a group consisting of luminance, hue, color-saturation information and combinations thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the second object is not an arthropod object.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising means for acquiring the image including a filter to limit a spectral range of the light and to limit a polarization of the light, and wherein the image information used to distinguish the first object from the background includes luminance, hue and color-saturation information.
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