System and method for autonomous object tracking

• US 7,907,750 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Strelow, Dennis W., Morellas, Vassilios, Ariyur, Kartik B., Bedros, Saad J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rashid; David P
• Application Number:
  US11/423,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/24 Aligning, centring, orientation detection or correction of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A system for autonomous object tracking with static camera arrangements. Each camera arrangement may minimally have a pan-tilt-zoom camera and a range or depth sensor. Imaging may provide coordinates and depth information of a tracked object. Measurements of an image centroid position and width may be obtained with processing. Maintaining an image at the center of a camera screen may be attained at a pixel width of the image. Estimation and prediction of object size and position may be processed for providing pan, tilt and zoom rates for the camera. Pan, tilt and zoom latency may be accounted for in the system. There may be a number of camera arrangements where tracking of the object may be handed off by one camera arrangement to another.

Claims

1. A tracking system for autonomously tracking an object comprising:

a processor module connected to a display screen;

a camera module connected to the processor module; and

an actuator mechanism connected to the camera module;

wherein the camera module comprises a depth determining capability; and

wherein the processor module comprises;

an image processor for receiving an image from the camera module;

a state estimator for receiving a depth signal from the camera module, the state estimator connected to the image processor; and

a controller connected to the state estimator and the actuator mechanism; and

wherein the image processor provides a pixel position, an image center measurement, and size signal to the state estimator and the state estimator provides position, velocity, and acceleration signals to the controller such that the controller may actuate the actuator mechanism to manipulate the camera module and autonomously track the object, maintaining the image center at the center of the display screen; and

wherein the camera module comprises a scanning ladar; and

the ladar is for providing depth and displacement information of the tracked object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera module further comprises pan and tilt capabilities.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera module further comprises a zoom capability.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises a depth sensor connected to the processor module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises a camera and a range finder fused as one device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein coordinate information of a tracked object is derived from depth information.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network of camera modules.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a tracking of an object may be automatically handed off autonomously by the processor module from one camera module to another camera module.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the network is wireless.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a control law based on a first principles physical model of the tracking system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the controller is for providing of pan, tilt and zoom rate commands based on the control law; and

the pan, tilt and zoom rate commands are inputs for the camera module.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a distance of an image of the tracked object from a particular location on a screen of the camera module decreases exponentially over time.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a difference between a pixel width of the object on a screen of the camera module and pixel width set point decreases exponentially over time.

14. A tracking system comprising:

a processor module connected to a display screen; and

a camera module connected to the processor module; and

wherein;

the processor module comprises;

an image processor;

a state estimator connected to the image processor; and

a controller connected to the state estimator;

the camera module comprises a depth determining capability;

the camera module provides coordinate, image center, and/or depth information of a tracked object to the processor module;

the controller has a control law based on a model of the tracking system;

the controller is for providing pan, tilt and zoom rate commands based on the control law to maintain the image center at the center of the display screen; and

the pan, tilt and zoom rate commands are inputs to the camera module; and

wherein the camera module comprises a scanning ladar; and

the ladar is for providing depth and displacement information of a tracked object.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the model comprises latencies of the tracking system.