Method and apparatus for detecting innovations in a scene

摘要

A method and apparatus for detecting innovations in a scene in an image of the type having a large array of pixels. The method comprises the step of generating a multitude of parallel signals representing the amount of light incident on a group of adjacent pixels (masks) and these signals may be considered as forming a n by one vector, Z, where n equals the number of pixels in the masks. L such groups of adjacent pixels or elementary masks are used to geometrically cover the entire image in parallel. The method further comprises the step of replicating the generating step a multitude of times to generate a multitude of Z vectors by taking multiple frames of observations of the image (scene). These Z vectors may be represented in the form A.sub.k, where k equals 1,2,3, . . . , m, where m equals the number of replicates. Each of the Z.sub.k vectors are related to a vector &bgr;.sub.k of three parameters by a measurement equation in a linear model framework, i.e. Z.sub.k =D&bgr;. sub.k +e.sub.k, where e.sub.k is an additive noise term. In one embodiment, a solution of the linear model yields the best estimates of the parameters &bgr;.sub.k =D.sup.t Z.sub.k, where D.sup.T is a three by four matrix, &bgr;.sub.k is a three by one vector, and Z.sub.k is a four by one vector of the measurements. &bgr;.sub.k includes three components u.sub.k, A.sub.k and &bgr;.sub.k. The values of u.sub.k, A.sub.k, and B. sub.k are monitored over time, and a signal is generated whenever any one of these variables rises above a respective preset level.