Discrete features for rapid pedestrian detection in infrared images

In this paper the authors propose a pedestrian detection system based on discrete features in infrared images. Unique keypoints are searched for in the images around which a descriptor, based on the histogram of the phase congruency orientation, is extracted. These descriptors are matched with defined regions of the body of a pedestrian. In case of a match, it creates a region of interest in the image, which is classified as a pedestrian / non-pedestrian by an SVM classifier. The pedestrian detection system has been tested in an advanced driver assistance system for urban driving.