Global Feature Pyramid Network

TL;DR

This paper introduces the Global Feature Pyramid Network (GFPNet), which enhances target detection by integrating global information and intra-layer feature interaction into the feature pyramid framework.

Contribution

The paper proposes GFPNet, an improved feature pyramid network that combines global information capture with intra-layer and inter-layer feature interactions for better detection accuracy.

Findings

GFPNet outperforms baseline models in object detection tasks.

Incorporating global features improves detection accuracy.

Enhanced intra-layer interaction reduces false positives.

Abstract

The visual feature pyramid has proven its effectiveness and efficiency in target detection tasks. Yet, current methodologies tend to overly emphasize inter-layer feature interaction, neglecting the crucial aspect of intra-layer feature adjustment. Experience underscores the significant advantages of intra-layer feature interaction in enhancing target detection tasks. While some approaches endeavor to learn condensed intra-layer feature representations using attention mechanisms or visual transformers, they overlook the incorporation of global information interaction. This oversight results in increased false detections and missed targets.To address this critical issue, this paper introduces the Global Feature Pyramid Network (GFPNet), an augmented version of PAFPN that integrates global information for enhanced target detection. Specifically, we leverage a lightweight MLP to capture global feature information, utilize the VNC encoder to process these features, and employ a parallel learnable mechanism to extract intra-layer features from the input image. Building on this foundation, we retain the PAFPN method to facilitate inter-layer feature interaction, extracting rich feature details across various levels.Compared to conventional feature pyramids, GFPN not only effectively focuses on inter-layer feature information but also captures global feature details, fostering intra-layer feature interaction and generating a more comprehensive and impactful feature representation. GFPN consistently demonstrates performance improvements over object detection baselines.