TR-04-03: Feature Tracking for Cut Detection

Abstract

There has been much work concentrated on creating shot boundary detection algorithms in recent years. However a truly accurate method of cut detection still eludes researchers in general. Cut detection methods can all be classified based on the various inter-frame differencing schemes that they employ. In this work we present a scheme based on stable feature tracking for inter frame differencing. Furthermore, we present a method to stabilize the differences and automatically detect a global threshold to achieve a high detection rate. We compare our scheme against other cut detection techniques on a variety of data sources that have been specifically selected because of the difficulties they present for other differencing techniques due to quick motion, many small shots and computer-generated effects. In this study our goal is to improve the accuracy of cut detection, particularly for difficult image sequences.