DISTRIBUTED TARGET TRACKING USING SELF LOCALIZING SMART CAMERA NETWORKS

• US 20120249802A1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Inventors: Taylor, Camillo Jose
• Granted Patent: US 9,449,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A plurality of camera devices are configured to localize one another based on visibility of each neighboring camera in an image plane. Each camera device captures images and identifies sightings of candidate targets. The camera device share information about sightings and triangulate positions of targets. Targets are matched to known tracks based on prior images, allowing targets to be tracked in a 3D environment.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a target comprising the steps of:

determining, by a first camera device, the location of a second camera device;

capturing a first image by the first camera device and a second image by the second camera device;

extracting a first set of one or more target sightings in the first image and a second set of one or more target sightings in the second image using an image segmentation technique;

exchanging information about the first and second sets of one or more target sightings;

triangulating target sightings from the first and second sets of one or more target sightings to create a third set of target sightings; and

matching at least a subset of the third set of target sightings to one or more known tracks maintained by the first camera.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of exchanging information occurs over a peer-to-peer wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the location of the second camera is performed by observing the location of a blinking light associated with the second camera in an image plane of the first camera.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least one updated track in a database of the first imaging device based on the matching step.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating, by the first camera, at least on updated track that was matched by the matching step.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a central controller, track information relating to at least a subset of the first and second first and second set of one or more target sightings to create a third set of target sightings; and

storing, by the central controller, the track information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying the track information to a user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of deleting a first subset of one or more known tracks maintained by the first camera if the first subset of known tracks fails to match any of third set of target sightings after a predetermined amount of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of matching further comprises choosing the oldest known track when more than one known track matches at least one target sighting.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about known tracks, by the first camera devices, to at least a subset of neighboring camera devices.

11. A camera device for tracking objects comprising:

an imaging device capable of capturing a first image; and

a processor configured to

determine, the location of a second camera device further determining by a first camera device, the location of a second camera device;

capture the first image by the first camera device;

extract a first set of one or more target sightings in the first image using an image segmentation technique;

transmit to a second camera device at least a portion of the first set of one or more target sightings;

receive from the second camera device a second set of one or more target sightings in a second image captured by the second camera device;

triangulate target sightings from the first and second sets of one or more target sightings to create a third set of target sightings; and

matching at least a subset of the third set of target sightings to one or more known tracks maintained by the first camera.

12. The camera device of claim 11, further comprising a transceiver configured to exchange information with the second camera over a peer-to-peer wireless network.

13. The camera device of claim 11, further comprising a light source to communicate an identity of the camera device to the second camera device.

14. The camera device of claim 11, further comprising memory configured to store at least one updated track in a database of the first imaging device based on the matching step.

15. The camera device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate at least one updated track that was matched by the matching step to the second camera device.

16. The camera device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to send information relating to at least a subset of the first and second sets of one or more target sightings to create a third set of target sightings to a central controller.

17. The camera device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to delete a first subset of one or more known tracks maintained by the first camera if the first subset of known tracks fails to match any of the third set of target sightings after a predetermined amount of time.

18. The camera device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to choose the oldest known track when more than one known track matches at least one target sighting.

19. The camera device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information about known tracks to at least a subset of neighboring camera devices.