Apparatus and methods for computerized object identification

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for identification of a coded pattern visible to a computerized imaging apparatus while invisible or inconspicuous to human eyes. A pattern and/or marking may serve to indicate identity of an object, and/or the relative position of the pattern to a viewer. While some solutions exist for identifying patterns (for example, QR codes), they may be visually obtrusive to a human observer due to visual clutter. In exemplary implementations, apparatus and methods are capable of generating patterns with sufficient structure to be used for either discrimination or some aspect of localization, while incorporating spectral properties that are more aesthetically acceptable such as being: a) imperceptible or subtle to the human observer and/or b) aligned to an existing acceptable visual form, such as a logo. In one variant, a viewer comprises an imaging system comprised as a processor and laser scanner, or camera, or moving photodiode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising processor-executable instructions for autonomously controlling, in response to the instructions, an autonomous vehicle to traverse an operational environment of the autonomous vehicle by:
 obtaining a first image of a video captured by an image capture device of the autonomous vehicle;   obtaining first object tracking data by processing the first image, the first object tracking data identifying a first portion of a plurality of portions of the first image based on a characteristic of a color of the first portion, wherein the first portion corresponds to an object captured by the first image, and wherein the characteristic includes a first shape formed by the object in the first image; and   in response to identifying the first shape, autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle relative to the object based on the first object tracking data to maintain a distance from the object within a defined range.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle to navigate around an obstacle. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the object is mobile. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein processing the first image includes:
 obtaining data identifying a region within the first image; and   obtaining the first object tracking data based on the region.   
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle includes:
 obtaining a second image, the second image subsequent to the first image in the video;   processing the second image to obtain second object tracking data identifying a first portion of the second image based on the characteristic of the color of the first portion of the second image, wherein the first portion of the second image corresponds to the object captured by the second image, and wherein the characteristic includes a second shape, that differs from the first shape, formed by the object in the second image; and   in response to identifying the second shape, autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data, wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle other than to maintain the distance from the object within the defined range.   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data includes autonomously controlling the image capture device. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle to follow a defined path, wherein processing the second image includes identifying a waypoint along the defined path. 
     
     
         8 . A method of autonomous vehicle control, the method comprising:
 obtaining a first image of a video captured by an image capture device of an autonomous vehicle;   obtaining first object tracking data by processing the first image, the first object tracking data identifying a first portion of a plurality of portions of the first image based on a characteristic of a color of the first portion, wherein the first portion corresponds to an object captured by the first image, and wherein the characteristic includes a first shape formed by the object in the first image; and   in response to identifying the first shape, autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle relative to the object based on the first object tracking data, wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle relative to the object includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle to maintain a distance from the object within a defined range.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle to navigate around an obstacle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the object is mobile. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein processing the first image includes:
 obtaining data identifying a region within the first image; and   obtaining the first object tracking data based on the region.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle includes:
 obtaining a second image, the second image subsequent to the first image in the video;   processing the second image to obtain second object tracking data identifying a first portion of the second image based on the characteristic of the color of the first portion of the second image, wherein the first portion of the second image corresponds to the object captured by the second image, and wherein the characteristic includes a second shape, that differs from the first shape, formed by the object in the second image; and   in response to identifying the second shape, autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data, wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle other than to maintain the distance from the object within the defined range.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data includes autonomously controlling the image capture device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data includes autonomously controlling the autonomous vehicle to follow a defined path, wherein processing the second image includes identifying a waypoint along the defined path. 
     
     
         15 . An autonomous vehicle comprising:
 a memory;   an image capture device; and   a processor that executes instructions stored in the memory to:
 control the image capture device to capture a first image of a video; 
 process the first image to obtain first object tracking data identifying a first portion of a plurality of portions of the first image based on a characteristic of a color of the first portion, wherein the first portion corresponds to an object captured by the first image, and wherein the characteristic includes a first shape formed by the object in the first image; and 
 in response to the first shape, control the autonomous vehicle based on the first object tracking data to maintain a distance from the object within a defined range. 
   
     
     
         16 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the processor executes the instructions to adjust a trajectory of the autonomous vehicle to navigate around an obstacle. 
     
     
         17 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the object is mobile. 
     
     
         18 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein the processor executes the instructions to:
 obtain a second image, the second image subsequent to the first image in the video;   process the second image to obtain second object tracking data identifying a first portion of the second image based on the characteristic of the color of the first portion of the second image, wherein the first portion of the second image corresponds to the object captured by the second image, and wherein the characteristic includes a second shape, that differs from the first shape, formed by the object in the second image; and   in response to the second shape, control the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data, wherein to control the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data, the processor executes the instructions to control the autonomous vehicle other than to maintain the distance from the object within the defined range.   
     
     
         19 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein to control the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data, the processor executes the instructions to control the image capture device. 
     
     
         20 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein to control the autonomous vehicle based on the second object tracking data, the processor executes the instructions to control the autonomous vehicle to follow a defined path, wherein the second object tracking data identifies a waypoint along the defined path.