Methods and apparatus to improve detection and false alarm rate over image segmentation are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first score based on a first pixel distance between a first feature of a first object in a reference image and a second feature in a second image of a search area, determining a second score corresponding to a second pixel distance between the second feature and a mathematical representation of a plurality of shapes representing a similarity between the second feature in the second image of the search area and the plurality of shapes observed simultaneously. The method further includes determining a normalized score by normalizing the first score based on the second score and identifying a second object in the second image of the search area as the first object in the reference image when the normalized score satisfies a threshold score.

For each frame of a video, a determination is made whether an image of a hand exists in the frame. When at least one frame of the video includes the image of the hand, locations of the hand in the frames of the video are tracked to obtain a tracking result. A verification is performed to determine whether the tracking result is valid in a current frame of the frames of the video. When the tracking result is valid in the current frame of the video, a location of the hand is tracked in a next frame. When the tracking result is not valid in the current frame, localized hand image detection is performed on the current frame.

For each frame of a video, a determination is made whether an image of a hand exists in the frame. When at least one frame of the video includes the image of the hand, locations of the hand in the frames of the video are tracked to obtain a tracking result. A verification is performed to determine whether the tracking result is valid in a current frame of the frames of the video. When the tracking result is valid in the current frame of the video, a location of the hand is tracked in a next frame. When the tracking result is not valid in the current frame, localized hand image detection is performed on the current frame.

A system is provided for determining coordinated motion between objects. The system includes a velocity data receiving component, a position data receiving component, a multidimensional indexing component and a determining component. The velocity data receiving component receives velocity data of the objects. The position data receiving component receives position data of the objects. The multidimensional indexing component generates multidimensional indices of the objects based on the velocity data and position data. The determining component determines whether there is coordinated motion between objects based on the multidimensional indices.

A system is provided for determining coordinated motion between objects. The system includes a velocity data receiving component, a position data receiving component, a multidimensional indexing component and a determining component. The velocity data receiving component receives velocity data of the objects. The position data receiving component receives position data of the objects. The multidimensional indexing component generates multidimensional indices of the objects based on the velocity data and position data. The determining component determines whether there is coordinated motion between objects based on the multidimensional indices.

An image processing apparatus for tracking a target object to be tracked included in a plurality of consecutively captured images, the image processing apparatus comprises an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image; a template acquisition unit configured to acquire a template corresponding to a target object to be tracked included in the image; a masking map generation unit configured to generate a masking map serving as a map indicative of a degree of masking the target object to be tracked, which is included in the image, by another object; and a tracking unit configured to detect the target object to be tracked included in the image by using the template, and acquire over a plurality of images an amount of movement of the target object to be tracked and a direction of the movement of the target object to be tracked, based on both of the template and the masking map.

An image processing apparatus for tracking a target object to be tracked included in a plurality of consecutively captured images, the image processing apparatus comprises an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image; a template acquisition unit configured to acquire a template corresponding to a target object to be tracked included in the image; a masking map generation unit configured to generate a masking map serving as a map indicative of a degree of masking the target object to be tracked, which is included in the image, by another object; and a tracking unit configured to detect the target object to be tracked included in the image by using the template, and acquire over a plurality of images an amount of movement of the target object to be tracked and a direction of the movement of the target object to be tracked, based on both of the template and the masking map.

The invention relates to a method for motion estimation between two images of an environmental region (9) of a motor vehicle (1) captured by a camera (4) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein the following steps are performed: a) determining at least two image areas of a first image as at least two first blocks (B) in the first image, b) for each first block (B), defining a respective search region in a second image for searching the respective search region in the second image for a second block (B) corresponding to the respective first block (B); c) determining a cost surface (18) for each first blocks (B) and its respective search region; d) determining an averaged cost surface (19) for one of the at least two first blocks (B) based on the cost surfaces (18); d) identifying a motion vector (v) for the one of the first blocks (B) describing a motion of a location of the first block (B) in the first image and the corresponding second block (B) in the second image. The invention also relates to a computing device (3), a driver assistance system (2) as well as a motor vehicle (1).

The invention relates to a method for motion estimation between two images of an environmental region (9) of a motor vehicle (1) captured by a camera (4) of the motor vehicle (1), wherein the following steps are performed: a) determining at least two image areas of a first image as at least two first blocks (B) in the first image, b) for each first block (B), defining a respective search region in a second image for searching the respective search region in the second image for a second block (B) corresponding to the respective first block (B); c) determining a cost surface (18) for each first blocks (B) and its respective search region; d) determining an averaged cost surface (19) for one of the at least two first blocks (B) based on the cost surfaces (18); d) identifying a motion vector (v) for the one of the first blocks (B) describing a motion of a location of the first block (B) in the first image and the corresponding second block (B) in the second image. The invention also relates to a computing device (3), a driver assistance system (2) as well as a motor vehicle (1).

According to an embodiment, an image output device includes an extractor, a search unit, an associate unit, and a controller. The extractor is configured to extract a first parameter that varies in accordance with a movement of an object from at least one first image of the object, and extract a second parameter that varies in accordance with a movement of the object from each second image of the object. The search unit is configured to search for a second parameter similar to the first parameter. The associate unit is configured to associate the first image from which the first parameter is extracted with the second image from which the second parameter that is retrieved with respect to the first parameter is extracted. The controller is configured to instruct an output unit to output an image based on the first and second images that are associated to each other.