Method for assisting an automated video tracking system in reaquiring a target
First Claim
1. A method for reacquiring a target in an automated video tracking system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting a desired target to be tracked;
(b) constructing a computer model of the selected target;
(c) switching the automated video tracking system to an automatic track mode to initiate a tracking sequence to automatically track the selected desired target based on correlation between a video image of the selected, tracked target and the previously constructed computer model;
(d) during said automatic track mode, the automated video tracking system calculating a confidence value indicating a degree of correlation between the tracked video image of the target and the previously constructed computer model of said tracked target;
(e) during said automatic track mode, the automated video tracking system providing a warning to a user indicating that said automatic track mode is about to fail whenever said calculated confidence value falls below a pre-determined threshold confidence value;
(f) if the automated video tracking system encounters a period of difficulty in tracking the tracked selected desired target, manually guiding tracking the selected target until the selected target is reacquired and said period of difficulty has passed; and
(g) switching the automated video tracking system to the automatic mode for automatic tracking of the reaquired selected desired target based on the previously constructed computer model without constructing a new computer model.
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Abstract
A method for reacquiring a target in an automated video tracking system is provided. The method includes the steps of: selecting a desired target to be tracked; switching the automated video tracking system to an automatic mode to initiate a tracking sequence to automatically track the selected desired target; switching the automated video tracking system from an automatic mode to a manual mode if the automated video tracking system encounters a period of difficulty in tracking the desired target; reacquiring the desired target in manual mode; and switching the automated video tracking system to the automatic mode for automatic tracking of the reacquired desired target without initiating a new tracking sequence. An apparatus and automated video tracking system for carrying out the methods of the present invention are also provided.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for reacquiring a target in an automated video tracking system, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a desired target to be tracked; (b) constructing a computer model of the selected target; (c) switching the automated video tracking system to an automatic track mode to initiate a tracking sequence to automatically track the selected desired target based on correlation between a video image of the selected, tracked target and the previously constructed computer model; (d) during said automatic track mode, the automated video tracking system calculating a confidence value indicating a degree of correlation between the tracked video image of the target and the previously constructed computer model of said tracked target; (e) during said automatic track mode, the automated video tracking system providing a warning to a user indicating that said automatic track mode is about to fail whenever said calculated confidence value falls below a pre-determined threshold confidence value; (f) if the automated video tracking system encounters a period of difficulty in tracking the tracked selected desired target, manually guiding tracking the selected target until the selected target is reacquired and said period of difficulty has passed; and (g) switching the automated video tracking system to the automatic mode for automatic tracking of the reaquired selected desired target based on the previously constructed computer model without constructing a new computer model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for reacquiring a target in an automated video tracking system, the apparatus comprising:
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selecting means for selecting a desired target to be tracked and causing a computer model of the selected target to be built; mode switching means for switching the automated video tracking system between an automatic mode to automatically track the selected desired target based on a correlation between the video image of the tracked target and the previously built computer model and a manual mode; calculation means for calculating a confidence value indicating a degree of correlation between the video image of the tracked target and the previously built computer model of said tracked target; warning means for providing a warning to a user indicating that said calculated confidence value has fallen below a pre-determined threshold confidence value to prompt a user to enter the manual mode and manually track the selected target until the selected target has been reacquired with above the predetermined threshold confidence value; the selected target has been manually reacquired, recommencing tracking in the automatic mode based on the correlation between the tracked video image and the previously built computer model without constructing a new video model. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for reacquiring a target in an automated video tracking system, the apparatus comprising:
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selecting means for selecting a desired target to be tracked; mode selecting means for switching the automated video tracking system to and from one of an automatic mode to initiate a tracking sequence after target selection to automatically track the selected desired target and a manual mode, the mode selecting means including; an input device where the automated video tracking system is switched to automatic mode by controlling an input device used to select the desired target and the automated video tracking system is switched to manual mode by releasing control of the input device; calculation means for calculating a confidence value indicating a degree of correlation between the video image of the tracked target and a previously constricted computer model of said tracked target; warning means for providing a warning to a user indicating that said automatic track mode is about to fail whenever said calculated confidence value falls below a pre-determined threshold confidence value; reacquiring means for reacquiring the desired target in manual mode in response to and during the automated video tracking system encountering a period of difficulty in tracking the desired target; wherein after reacquiring the desired target the automated video tracking system is switched back to automatic mode without initiating a new tracking sequence. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An automated video tracking system for backing and reacquiring a target, the automated video tracking system comprising:
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a video camera for capturing video image data of a scene including a desired target; pan and tilt camera motors for controlling a pan and tilt respectively, of the video camera; a video display for displaying the video image data selecting means for selecting the desired target to be tracked; mode switching means for switching the automated video tracking system to and from one of an automatic mode to initiate a tracking sequence after target selection to automatically track the selected desired target and a manual mode; calculation means for calculating a confidence value indicating a degree of correlation between the video images of the tracked target and a previously constructed computer model of said tracked target; warning means for providing a warning to a user indicating that said automatic track mode is about to fail whenever said calculated confidence value falls below a pre-determined threshold confidence value; reacquiring means for reacquiring the desired target in manual mode in response to and during the automated video tracking system encountering a period of difficulty in tracking the desired target; wherein after reacquiring the desired target the automated video tracking system is switched back to automatic mode without initiating a new tracking sequence. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification