Automatically expanding the zoom capability of a wide-angle video camera

• US 7,990,422 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grandeye Limited (Oncam Global Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Grandeye Limited (Oncam Global Group AG)
• Inventors: Ahiska, Bartu, Davey, Mark Kenneth, Cetin, Ahmet Enis
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOSSELMAN, JOEL W
• Application Number:
  US11/184,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,205 Days
• Field of Search: 348/218.1, 345/428
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19606 Discriminating between target movement or movement in an area of interest and other non-signicative movements, e.g. target movements induced by camera shake or movements of pets, falling leaves, rotating fan
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19628 of wide angled cameras and camera groups, e.g. omni-directional cameras, fish eye, single units having multiple cameras achieving a wide angle view
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19686 Interfaces masking personal details for privacy, e.g. blurring faces, vehicle license plates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system for automatically expanding the zoom capability of a wide-angle video camera using images from multiple camera locations. One preferred embodiment achieves this using images from the wide-angle video camera that are analyzed to identify regions of interest (RoI). Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) controls are then sent to aim slave cameras toward the RoI. Processing circuitry is then used to replace the RoI from the wide-angle images with the higher-resolution images from one of the slave cameras. In addition, motion-detecting software can be utilized to automatically detect, track, and/or zoom in on moving objects.

Claims

1. A method of automatically expanding the zoom capability of a wide angle video camera comprising the steps of:

capturing a wide angle video image using a master camera which is capable of generating a transformed view image of all or part of said wide angle image;

monitoring at least a part of the area covered by said master camera from a steerable slave video camera which is in close proximity to said master camera;

automatically controlling the field of vision of said slave camera from said master camera, wherein at least some of the control signals to said slave camera are fed from the master camera to achieve an approximate match between said transformed view and estimated said slave camera view;

replacing said transformed view of said master camera by said image from said slave camera in master camera output to achieve expanded zoom capability for said master camera; and

replacing at least one image output portion from said master camera with a second image portion, which is registered to said one portion, to accordingly output a single image;

wherein video output from said slave camera is fed to said master camera for reverse transformation into a similar projection as said wide angle image; and

wherein said reverse transformed image is compared to said wide angle image for determining adjustments to said control signals for controlling said slave camera.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method of reverse transformation and control signal adjustment is repeated in order to achieve a desired view matching accuracy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said control signals to said slave camera include an adjustment calculated at least in part from the relative positions of said master and slave camera or from feedback from the slave camera.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using more than one slave camera within close proximity of said master camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said master and said slave camera or cameras share circuitry.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the control signals to said slave camera fed from the master camera originate at a connected base station.