Video Actor Labeling via Face Clustering and Embedding Distance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video annotation techniques are inefficient in identifying and labeling actors in video frames due to challenges such as occlusions, blurs, and varying appearances, leading to a significant processing burden and time-consuming manual processes.

Innovation Solution

The system employs multi-task cascaded convolutional neural networks, FaceNet for facial feature generation, and clustering algorithms like DBSCAN and agglomerative clustering to efficiently identify and label actors by reducing facial embeddings distance for similar faces and increasing it for dissimilar ones, using spatio-temporal information and heuristic metrics for optimal face selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual processes are used for actor identification and labeling in video frames, then accuracy can be maintained through human judgment, but the process becomes extremely time-consuming and resource-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactor identification accuracyVSAvoidtime for actor labeling
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the video into individual frames and further segments face detection into separate clustering tasks. By dividing the large video dataset into manageable frame-level units and then into face clusters, the system enables automated processing while maintaining quality control, resolving the contradiction between automation speed and identification accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces automated image analysis tools and clustering algorithms as intermediaries between the video content and human operators. These tools pre-process and organize faces into clusters, reducing the burden on human annotators to manually examine every face while preserving human judgment for final verification, thus balancing automation efficiency with accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automated image analysis techniques are used to identify actors in video frames, then processing speed increases, but challenges such as occlusions, blurs, and varying appearances reduce identification accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo processing speedVSAvoidactor identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary face detection and clustering before final identification. By pre-organizing faces into clusters based on similarity metrics and handling obvious cases through automated rules, the system prepares data in advance, allowing faster processing while maintaining accuracy through structured organization that anticipates identification challenges

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback loops where clustering results are evaluated and refined. The system uses clustering quality metrics to adjust parameters and iteratively improves identification accuracy by learning from previous results, enabling automated processing to overcome challenges like occlusions and varying appearances while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If all video frames are analyzed to identify every actor presence, then comprehensive annotation is achieved, but the processing burden becomes unmanageable due to the large number of frames

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of actor annotationVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by focusing computational resources on key frames and representative face clusters rather than uniformly processing every single frame. By identifying and analyzing only the most informative portions of the video data, the system achieves comprehensive annotation coverage while reducing processing complexity to manageable levels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple video frames into face clusters, combining redundant information about the same actor appearances. By consolidating similar faces across numerous frames into representative clusters, the system maintains complete actor annotation information while dramatically reducing the number of individual processing units, thus lowering overall processing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11790695B1Enhanced video annotation using image analysis
Publication Date: 2023.10.17 AMAZON TECH INC
  • US11790695B1 patent drawing
  • US11790695B1 patent drawing
  • US11790695B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for enhanced video annotations using image analysis. A method may include identifying, by a first device, first faces of first video frames, and second faces of second video frames. The method may include determining a first score for the first video frames, the first score indicative of a first number of faces to label, the first number of faces represented by the first video frames, and determining a second score for the second video frames, the second score indicative of a second number of faces to label. The method may include selecting the first video frames for face labeling, and receiving a first face label for the first face. The method may include generating a second face label for the second faces. The method may include sending the first face label and the second face label to a second device for presentation.