Claims
- 1. An improved security surveillance process for comparing a plurality of 2D pictures of individuals comprising a first group with 2D pictures of individuals comprising a second group, said process comprising the steps of:
generating 3D image data for facial pictures of each individual in said first group; generating a plurality of angularly offset 2D images from said 3D image data for each individual in said first group; generating a plurality of 2D picture images for individuals in a second group within a surveillance field; and comparing ones of said plurality of 2D images for an individual of said first group with a 2D image for an individual in said second group.
- 2. The process of claim 1 additionally including the step of identifying an individual of said second group based upon a best match of facial features with ones of said plurality of 2D images for each individual in said first group.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of comparing comprises the step of optically or electronically comparing facial features data based upon triangular measurements of like data for members of said first and second group respectively.
- 4. An improved surveillance system for identifying an individual based upon previously recorded 3D facial image data sets for a plurality of individuals comprising a first group of individuals, said system comprising:
a 3D camera for generating 3D facial image data of a plurality of individuals comprising said first group of individuals; means for generating a plurality of 2D images for each individual in said first group by slicing said 3D facial data for each individual at a plurality of predetermined angular offsets of said 3D image data; a 2D camera for generating pictures of a plurality of individuals comprising a second predetermined group within an optical field of surveillance; and a comparator for successively analyzing a plurality of 2D images of individuals of said first group with 2D images of individuals of said second group to identify a possible match of individuals included in both said first and second groups.
- 5. The improved surveillance system of claim 4 wherein said 2D image generator generates a plurality of 2D images for each individual in said first group, each image being at a predetermined angular offset to a selected reference point of said 3D data set, and additionally including positioning means for selecting a predetermined angular offset for facial angles for each successive 2D image.
- 6. The improved surveillance system of claim 5 wherein said comparator comprises an optical or electrical comparator for comparing predetermined or selectable facial feature data of individuals in said first and second groups of individuals.
- 7. The improved surveillance system of claim 4 additionally including a memory for storing said plurality of 2D data images generated from said 3D data set for each individual in said first.
- 8. A method of automatically recognizing a human face, said method comprising:
developing a three-dimensional model of a face; and generating a plurality of two-dimensional images based on said three-dimensional model.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model from different angles.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model in different lighting conditions.
- 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model with different facial expressions.
- 12. The method of 8, further comprising developing a database of two-dimensional images based on three-dimensional facial models.
- 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising comparing an input image to the images of said database.
- 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying conditions of said input image and comparing said input image against a sub-set of images in said database with conditions that correspond to said conditions of said input image.
- 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying an input image with a particular person and three-dimensional facial model based on matching said input image with an image of said database.
- 16. The method of claim 8, wherein developing a three-dimensional model of a face comprises imaging said face with a three-dimensional camera.
- 17. The method of claim 8, wherein developing a three-dimensional model of a face comprises mapping a two-dimensional image of said face onto a generic three-dimensional model.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein developing a three-dimensional model of a face comprises mapping two or more two-dimensional images of said face onto a generic three-dimensional model.
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
extracting a texture map from each two-dimensional image; combining said texture maps to form a final texture map for said three-dimensional model.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said combining said texture maps further comprises using a fuzzy weight function to create seamless transitions between texture maps.
- 21. A system of automatically recognizing a human face, said method comprising:
means for developing a three-dimensional model of a face; and means for generating a plurality of two-dimensional images based on said three-dimensional facial model.
- 22. The system of claim 21, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model from different angles.
- 23. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for generating a plurality of two-dimensional images of said three-dimensional model from different angles.
- 24. The system of claim 21, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model in different lighting conditions.
- 25. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for generating a plurality of two-dimensional images of said three-dimensional model in different lighting conditions.
- 26. The system of claim 21, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model with different facial expressions.
- 27. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for generating a plurality of two-dimensional images of said three-dimensional model by morphing said three-dimensional model into different facial expressions.
- 28. The system of claim 21, further comprising a database of said two-dimensional images based on three-dimensional facial models.
- 29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for comparing an input image to the images of said database.
- 30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for identifying an input image with a particular person and three-dimensional facial model based on matching said input image with an image of said database.
- 31. The system of claim 21, further comprising a three-dimensional camera for generating said three-dimensional facial model.
- 32. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for mapping one or more two-dimensional images of said face onto a generic three-dimensional model to produce said three-dimensional facial model.
- 33. Software recorded on a computer-readable medium, said software, when executed, causing a computer to generating a plurality of two-dimensional images based on a three-dimensional facial model.
- 34. The software of claim 33, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model from different angles.
- 35. The software of claim 33, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model in different lighting conditions.
- 36. The software of claim 33, wherein said two-dimensional images illustrate the face of the model with different facial expressions.
- 37. The software of claim 33, wherein said software further causes a computer to develop a database of two-dimensional images based on three-dimensional facial models.
- 38. The software of claim 37, wherein said software further causes a computer to compare an input image to the images of said database.
- 39. The software of claim 38, wherein said software further causes a computer to identify conditions of said input image and compare said input image against a sub-set of images in said database with conditions that correspond to said conditions of said input image.
- 40. The software of claim 38, wherein said software further causes a computer to identify an input image with a particular person and three-dimensional facial model based on matching said input image with an image of said database.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from the following previously-filed Provisional Patent Applications, U.S. Application No. 60/341,627, filed Dec. 17, 2001, entitled “A Novel Video Surveillance Identification (VSID) System for Preventing Terrorist Attacks,” and U.S. Application No. 60/370,997, filed Apr. 9, 2002, entitled “three-dimensional Face Identification Technology.” Both of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60341627 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
|
60370997 |
Apr 2002 |
US |