Moving object automatic tracking apparatus

• US 8,144,199 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Pro Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takenaka, Shinji, Michimoto, Yasuyuki, Oyabu, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US12/374,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/254 involving subtraction of images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Disclosed is a moving object automatic tracking apparatus that includes a movement detector for detecting movement of a moving object from an image obtained in time series from an image input portion. A tracker tracks the moving object by controlling a platform of the image input portion in a direction of movement of the moving object based on a movement detection result of the movement detector. An area manager manages a registered preset position and new registration of a preset position indicating an area for executing tracking by the tracker and movement detection by the movement detector. A patrol monitor conducts monitoring while patrolling plural preset positions set and managed by the area manager, and when a position in which the moving object is tracked and lost differs from the initialized preset position, the lost position is newly added and registered as an adaptive preset position.

Claims

1. A moving object automatic tracking apparatus comprising:

an image input portion supported by an adjustable platform, wherein the image input portion captures a moving object in an image;

a movement detector which detects movement of the moving object in the image obtained from the image input portion that controls a photography direction;

a tracker which tracks the moving object by controlling the photography direction of the image input portion in a direction of movement of the moving object based on a detection result of the movement detector;

an area manager that;

manages a plurality of previously-registered preset positions that each correspond to a different photography direction of the image input portion to be repeatedly established before the movement of the moving object is detected to monitor the plurality of preset positions, and

also adaptively registers and manages an adaptive preset position corresponding to another photography direction, different than the each of the different photography directions, that is to be repeatedly established in addition to the previously-registered preset positions for monitoring the adaptive preset position in response to detection of the moving object; and

a patrol monitor for patrolling and monitoring the preset position.

2. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the area manager registers a peripheral area including a lost position of tracking as the adaptive preset position when the moving object moves to an area other than the initially registered preset position and is tracked and lost.

3. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the area manager deregisters the adaptive preset position when the moving object is not detected in an area of the adaptive preset position when a predetermined time has elapsed after the adaptive preset position is registered.

4. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined time is determined as a function of a frequency at which the movement of the moving object is detected at the adaptive preset position.

5. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the area manager sets a preset disapproval area where setting of the adaptive preset position is disapproved, and manages registration of the preset position.

6. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the patrol monitor includes a patrol order setting portion for setting and changing an order in which the different photography directions are established.

7. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adaptive preset position is a location where the movement of the moving object is detected.

8. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a frequency at which the another photography direction corresponding to the adaptive preset position is established is greater than a second frequency at which one or more of the different photography directions corresponding to the adaptive preset positions is established.

9. A moving object automatic tracking apparatus comprising:

an image input portion supported by an adjustable platform, wherein the image input portion captures a moving object in an image;

a movement detector which detects movement of the moving object in the image obtained from the image input portion that controls a photography direction;

a tracker which tracks the moving object by controlling the photography direction of the image input portion in a direction of movement of the moving object based on a detection result of the movement detector;

an area manager which adaptively registers a preset position, and manages a registered preset position, the present position indicating an area for performing tracking and movement detection of the moving object, wherein the area manager registers a peripheral area including a lost position of tracking as the adaptive preset position when the moving object moves to an area other than the initially registered preset position and is tracked and lost; and

a patrol monitor for patrolling and monitoring the preset position.

10. The moving object automatic tracking apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the adaptive preset position is deregistered when a predetermined time has elapsed after the adaptive preset position is registered.