Vehicle Image Masking for Partial License Plate Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing techniques struggle to ensure consistent mask processing for objects, such as license plates, when only a part of the object is visible in the camera frame, leading to incomplete detection and reduced personal information protection in video services.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device that detects vehicles and implements mask processing on partial image areas, transitioning to specific part processing once the object, like a license plate, becomes visible, ensuring thorough degradation of visibility even if the object is not fully within the frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mask processing is implemented only when the whole object is detected in the image, then detection accuracy is improved, but personal information protection reliability deteriorates because objects may be partially visible and undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting the presence of a vehicle first, then proactively monitoring for the appearance of specific parts (license plate, window) in subsequent frames. This preliminary detection of the vehicle's presence allows the system to prepare for mask processing before the specific part becomes visible, ensuring no detection gaps occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous monitoring and mask processing throughout the object's presence in the video. Once a vehicle is detected, the system continuously checks for specific parts in each frame and maintains mask processing as long as the vehicle or its specific parts are visible, ensuring uninterrupted personal information protection.
2Reliability
If mask processing is applied to the whole vehicle area, then personal information protection is improved, but image quality deteriorates due to excessive masking of non-sensitive areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different processing qualities to different parts of the image. Instead of uniform mask processing across the entire vehicle area, the system specifically targets and masks only the sensitive parts (license plate, window) while leaving other non-sensitive areas of the vehicle visible, thus maintaining image quality where possible while protecting personal information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the vehicle into distinct parts and applies mask processing selectively. By identifying and separating the sensitive parts (license plate, window) from the rest of the vehicle body, the system can apply masking only to the segmented sensitive areas rather than the entire vehicle, reducing unnecessary information loss.
3Reliability
If image processing is performed on the entire video continuously, then personal information protection is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial processing by applying mask processing only to specific frames where vehicles and their sensitive parts are detected, rather than processing every frame uniformly. This selective approach reduces the total processing time while maintaining protection reliability by ensuring all relevant frames are processed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses preliminary vehicle detection to trigger subsequent frame-by-frame monitoring. By first detecting the vehicle's presence and then only processing frames where the vehicle or its specific parts are visible, the system avoids unnecessary processing of frames without relevant objects, significantly reducing overall processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device is provided with a communication device and a processor. The processor is configured to acquire a first video obtained by imaging outside scenery of a first vehicle, when the processor detects that a second vehicle appears on the first video, implement image processing that degrades visibility of a video with respect to a first image area corresponding to at least a part of the second vehicle on the first video, when the processor detects that the second vehicle appears on the first video and then a specific part of the second vehicle appears on the first video, end the image processing with respect to the first image area and implement image processing that degrades visibility of a video with respect to a second image area corresponding to the specific part of the second vehicle on the first video.