Moving object extraction using background difference and region growing with a spatiotemporal watershed algorithm

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper, we describe a new method for moving object extraction based on a background image subtraction method to be applied to an object‐based picture coding system. Since this method requires a background image, we have to represent the background from a moving picture that has been shot already. We propose a new method in which the background image is reproduced by a temporal histogram of each pixel in the picture and a watershed algorithm is employed for region growing to acquire precise edge detection of the moving objects. Furthermore, a spatiotemporal watershed algorithm is introduced in order to prevent judder of the extracted objects. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 33(12): 11–26, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10237