Automatic tracking camera system

• US 9,282,230 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takashima, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Young, Patricia I
• Application Number:
  US13/672,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20130120585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

An automatic tracking camera system includes: an image pickup unit; a driving unit for rotating the image pickup unit in panning or tilting direction; a signal receiver for receiving an object information signal; an image signal processor for recognizing an object in an image and detecting motion of the object in the image; a controller for controlling the image pickup unit, the driving unit, and the image signal processor; and a memory for storing, for each passageway, standby positions at which the image signal processor detects the object. The controller calculates an approaching passageway and angle of the object; selects a corresponding standby position from the standby positions stored in the memory; drives the driving unit and a lens apparatus to the standby position; and controls, when the image signal processor recognizes the object, the driving unit and the lens apparatus to automatically track the object based on detected information.

Claims

1. An automatic tracking camera system, comprising:

an image pickup portion comprising a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus;

a driver configured to rotate the image pickup unit in at least one of a panning direction and a tilting direction;

a signal receiver configured to receive an object information signal which an object to be tracked is transmitting;

an image signal processor configured to recognize the object in an image obtained by the image pickup unit, and detect a motion of the object in the image;

a controller configured to control the image pickup unit, the driving unit, and the image signal processor; and

a memory configured to store, for each of one or more passageways, standby positions at which the image pickup portion is brought into a standby state so that the image signal processor detects the object,

wherein the controller is configured to;

obtain an approaching passageway and an approaching direction of the object based on the object information signal received by the signal receiver;

select, based on the approaching passageway and the approaching direction, a corresponding standby position from among the standby positions stored in the memory;

control the driver to the selected corresponding standby position; and

control, when the image signal processor has recognized the object, the driver so as to automatically track the object based on information detected by the image signal processor, and

wherein, when the signal receiver has not acquired a new object information signal after the object is automatically tracked for a predetermined time, the controller controls the driver and the lens apparatus to a previous standby position.

7. The automatic tracking camera system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

control the driver and the lens apparatus to the selected corresponding standby position; and

control, when the image signal processor has recognized the object, the driver and the lens apparatus so as to automatically track the object based on information detected by the image signal processor.

2. An automatic tracking camera system, comprising:

an image pickup portion comprising a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus;

a panning/tilting driver configured to rotate the image pickup portion in at least one of a panning direction and a tilting direction;

a signal receiver configured to receive an aircraft information signal which an aircraft to be tracked is transmitting;

an image signal processor configured to recognize the aircraft in an image obtained by the image pickup portion, and detect a motion of the aircraft in the image;

a controller configured to control the image pickup portion, the panning/tilting, and the image signal processor; and

a memory configured to store, for each of one or more runways, standby positions at which the image pickup portion is brought into a standby state so that the image signal processor detects the aircraft,

wherein the controller is configured to;

obtain an approaching runway and an approaching direction of the aircraft based on the aircraft information signal received by the signal receiver;

select, based on the approaching passageway and the approaching direction, a corresponding standby position from among the standby positions stored in the memory;

control the panning/tilting driver to the selected corresponding standby position; and

control, when the image signal processor has recognized the aircraft, the panning/tilting driver so as to automatically track the aircraft based on information detected by the image signal processor, and

wherein, when the signal receiver has not acquired a new aircraft information signal after the aircraft is automatically tracked for a predetermined time, the controller controls the panning/tilting driver and the lens apparatus to a previous standby position.

3. The automatic tracking camera system according to claim 2, wherein each of the standby positions comprises a panning position and a tilting position of the panning/tilting driver and a zoom position and a focus position of the lens apparatus.

4. The automatic tracking camera system according to claim 2, wherein the aircraft information signal comprises a horizontal position and an altitude of the aircraft.

8. The automatic tracking camera system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to:

drive the panning/tilting driver and the lens apparatus to the selected corresponding standby position; and

control, when the image signal processor has recognized the aircraft, the panning/tilting driver and the lens apparatus so as to automatically track the aircraft based on information detected by the image signal processor.

5. A method of automatically tracking an object using an automatic tracking camera system, comprising:

an image pickup portion comprising a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus;

a driver configured to rotate the image pickup portion in at least one of a panning direction and a tilting direction;

a signal receiver configured to receive an object information signal which an object to be tracked is transmitting;

an image signal processor configured to recognize the object in an image obtained by the image pickup portion, and detect a motion of the object in the image;

a controller configured to control the image pickup portion, the driver, and the image signal processor; and

a memory configured to store, for each of one or more passageways, standby positions at which the image pickup portion brought into a standby state so that the image signal processor detects the object,

wherein the controller is configured to;

obtain an approaching passageway and an approaching direction of the object based on the object information signal received by the signal receiver;

select, based on the approaching passageway and the approaching direction, a corresponding standby position from among the standby positions stored in the memory;

control the driver to the selected corresponding standby position; and

control, when the image signal processor has recognized the object, the driver so as to automatically track the object based on information detected by the image signal processor,

the method comprising;

receiving, from the object, positional information of the object;

obtaining an approaching passageway and an approaching direction of the object based on the positional information;

selecting, based on the approaching passageway and the approaching direction, an optical axis direction, a zoom position, and a focus position of the lens apparatus as a standby position from among prestored values;

controlling the driver to the standby position; and

controlling, when the object has been detected in an image obtained at the standby position through image processing, the driver and the lens apparatus so as to automatically track the object based on information obtained through the image processing, and

when the signal receiver has not acquired a new object information signal after the object is automatically tracked for a predetermined time, controlling the driver and the lens apparatus to a previous standby position.

6. A method of automatically tracking an aircraft using an automatic tracking camera system, comprising:

an image pickup portion comprising a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus;

a panning/tilting driver configured to rotate the image pickup portion in at least one of a panning direction and a tilting direction;

a signal receiver configured to receive an aircraft information signal which an aircraft to be tracked is transmitting;

an image signal processor configured to recognize the aircraft in an image obtained by the image pickup portion, and detect a motion of the aircraft in the image;

a controller configured to control the image pickup portion, the panning/tilting driver, and the image signal processor; and

a memory configured to store, for each of one or more runways, standby positions at which the image pickup portion is brought into a standby state so that the image signal processor detects the aircraft,

wherein the controller is configured to;

obtain an approaching runway and an approaching direction of the aircraft based on the aircraft information signal received by the signal receiver;

select, based on the approaching passageway and the approaching direction, a corresponding standby position from among the standby positions stored in the memory;

control the panning/tilting driver to the selected corresponding standby position; and

control, when the image signal processor has recognized the aircraft, the panning/tilting driver so as to automatically track the aircraft based on information detected by the image signal processor,

the method comprising;

receiving, from the aircraft, positional information of the aircraft;

obtaining an approaching runway and an approaching direction of the aircraft based on the positional information;

selecting, based on the approaching passageway and the approaching direction, an optical axis direction, a zoom position, and a focus position of the lens apparatus as a standby position from among prestored values;

controlling the panning/tilting driver to the standby position; and

controlling, when the aircraft has been detected in an image obtained at the standby position through image processing, the panning/tilting driver and the lens apparatus so as to automatically track the aircraft based on information obtained through the image processing, and

when the signal receiver has not acquired a new aircraft information signal after the aircraft is automatically tracked for a predetermined time, controlling the panning/tilting driver and the lens apparatus to a previous standby position.