Marker-Based Image Masking for Multiple Capturable Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional video control devices struggle to appropriately mask areas outside multiple capturable areas, leading to potential leakage of confidential information during video transmission.
Innovation Solution
An information processing method that recognizes multiple markers in an image, calculates distances between them, and identifies capturable areas to create a mask image that masks areas outside these areas, ensuring accurate masking even with multiple capturable zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single capturable area is used for video sharing, then the masking is simple and reliable, but the system cannot handle multiple capturable areas simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image into multiple capturable areas by detecting multiple markers and grouping them into distinct marker groups. Each marker group defines a separate capturable area, allowing the system to handle multiple areas simultaneously while maintaining simple masking logic for each individual area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces marker groups as intermediary elements between the camera and the masking process. These marker groups serve as mediators that carry information about capturable area boundaries, enabling the system to automatically identify and mask multiple areas without complex processing.
2Measurement precision
If marker recognition is performed without distance calculation, then the process is faster, but capturable areas cannot be accurately identified when multiple markers are present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs distance calculation only for markers that are potentially part of the same marker group, rather than calculating distances for all marker pairs. This partial action approach maintains accurate capturable area identification while reducing unnecessary computational overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of marker detection from simple presence detection to distance-based spatial relationship analysis. By incorporating distance as a new parameter, the system can accurately group markers into capturable areas without significantly increasing processing time.
3Reliability
If all areas are made capturable, then the sharing coverage is maximized, but confidential information in unmarked areas cannot be protected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality attributes to different areas of the image. Areas surrounded by marker groups are marked as capturable with high quality, while other areas are automatically excluded from sharing. This local differentiation ensures that only appropriate areas are shared while maintaining security for areas containing confidential information.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device acquires an image captured by a camera, recognizes a plurality of markers included in the image, calculates a distance between each of the plurality of markers that are recognized, identifies a first capturable area surrounded by a predetermined number of markers belonging to a first marker group among the plurality of markers that are recognized and a second capturable area surrounded by a predetermined number of markers belonging to a second marker group among the plurality of markers that are recognized based on the distance that is calculated, creates a mask image in which an area outside the first capturable area and the second capturable area in the image is masked, and outputs the mask image.