Video Focus Alert via DCT Block Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Video cameras often lose focus due to various reasons, including tampering, and existing auto-focus features are not perfect, leading to potential prolonged periods of out-of-focus capture without user detection.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that receive a video frame, partition it into blocks, calculate discrete cosine transformation (DCT) coefficients, classify each block, calculate a focus level, and trigger an alert if the focus level meets predetermined criteria, allowing for manual focus configuration and continuous monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If video cameras operate autonomously with auto-focus features, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential prolonged out-of-focus capture without user detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors video frames and provides feedback by triggering alerts when out-of-focus conditions are detected, enabling the camera system to self-diagnose and notify users of focus issues without requiring constant manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The camera system performs self-monitoring of focus quality through automated DCT analysis of video frames, allowing it to detect and report its own operational status without external intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If continuous monitoring of focus levels is implemented, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases due to continuous video frame processing

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiduse of energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies DCT analysis selectively to portions of video frames rather than processing every pixel continuously, using block-based processing that performs sufficient focus assessment while minimizing computational energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The focus monitoring operates periodically by analyzing selected video frames rather than continuously processing all frames, reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable detection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If automated focus monitoring is added, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces complex mechanical focus measurement methods with computational DCT analysis of video frames, using software-based processing to achieve focus detection without additional physical sensors or mechanical components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8902366B2Systems and methods for triggering an out of focus alert

Publication Date: 2014.12.02 COGNYTE TECH ISRAEL LTD

AI summary

In order to trigger an out of focus alert when the focus level of a video frame meets a focus criteria, a method is performed including the operations of: receiving a video frame, partitioning the video frame into a plurality of blocks, calculating an array of discrete cosign transformation (DCT) coefficients for at least one of the plurality of blocks using a DCT, classifying each of the at least one of the plurality of blocks based on the array of DCT coefficients for that block, calculating a focus level of the video frame from the block classifications, and triggering an out of focus alert if the focus level meets a focus criteria.