System and method for tracking

• US 9,350,923 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CAST Group of Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CAST Group of Companies, Inc.
• Inventors: Densham, Gilray, Eichel, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perez Fuentes, Luis
• Application Number:
  US14/336,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/586 from multiple light sources, e.g. photometric stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/15 Image signal generation with circuitry for avoiding or correcting image misregistration
• 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 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for tracking at least position and angular orientation. The system comprises a computing device in communication with at least two cameras, wherein each of the cameras are able to capture images of one or more light sources attached to an object. A receiver is in communication with the computing device, wherein the receiver is able to receive at least angular orientation data associated with the object. The computing device determines the object'"'"'s position by comparing images of the light sources and generates an output comprising the position and angular orientation of the object.

Claims

1. A kit of components for tracking multiple objects, comprising:

multiple tracking apparatuses including a given tracking apparatus, each tracking apparatus able to be attached to a respective object to be tracked, and

each tracking apparatus comprising;

one or more light sources that strobe according to a strobe pattern associated with an object ID;

an inertial measurement unit; and

a wireless radio for transmitting at least measurements obtained from the inertial measurement unit and the object ID;

at least two cameras, each of the cameras able to capture images of the light sources of the multiple tracking apparatuses;

a receiver configured to receive from the multiple tracking apparatuses at least multiple measurements and multiple object IDs,

including a given measurement and a given object ID transmitted together from the given tracking apparatus;

a computing device able to obtain at least the images from the at least two cameras and the multiple measurements and the multiple object IDs from the receiver,

the computing device configured to at least;

analyze the images to determine a given strobe pattern of a given light source of the given tracking apparatus;

identify the given object ID based on the given strobe pattern;

determine a given position of the given light source by at least determining a pixel location of the given light source in the images; and

after confirming that the given object ID identified using the given strobe pattern and the given object ID obtained via the receiver are the same,

generating an output comprising the given object ID, the given position and the given measurements; and

the computing device further configured to send a command to at least the given tracking apparatus to cease its radio transmission whilst continuing to strobe the given light source.

2. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the one or more light sources of each one of the tracking apparatuses are infrared light sources and the cameras are sensitive to infrared light.

3. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the computing device further comprises a state machine calculator for computing a current state of the given object, the current state comprising the given position and angular orientation of the given object.

4. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the inertial measurement unit measures at least inertial acceleration.

5. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the inertial measurement unit measures at least angular orientation, which comprises roll, pitch, and yaw.

6. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the computing device is further configured to ignore a light source that does not strobe when analyzing the images.

7. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the given measurements include inertial acceleration data, and the computing device is further configured to:

determine an acceleration and the given position of the given light source by comparing a series of images of the given light source; and

, after determining that the acceleration determined from the series of images is approximately equal to the inertial acceleration data, the computing device associating the given object ID obtained from the receiver with the position of the given light source.

9. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine if a subsequent position of the one or more light sources in subsequent images is within an expected vicinity of the position, and if so, associating the given object ID with the subsequent position.

10. The kit of components of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter, wherein the computing device is able to send a beacon mode selection to at least one of the multiple tracking apparatuses via the transmitter to control when the one or more light sources are active.

11. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein the given measurements comprise inertial acceleration data, and the computing device is further configured to:

detect that only one of the cameras is able to detect the given light source, or none of the cameras are able to detect the given light source;

identify a last known position of the given object as determined from the images; and

determining a new position of the given object by combining the inertial acceleration data with the last known position of the given object.

12. The kit of components of claim 1 wherein each one of the multiple tracking apparatuses further comprises a memory for storing one or more beacon modes, the one or more beacon modes determining at least one of:

which one or more types of measurements obtained from the inertial measurement unit are to be transmitted;

a time period that the one or more light sources is active; and

a time period that measurements obtained from the inertial measurement unit are transmitted by the wireless radio.

8. The kit of components of 7 wherein the computing device is further configured to:

after associating the given position of the given light source with the given object ID, determine if a subsequent position of the given light source in subsequent images is within an expected vicinity of the position of the given light source, and if so, associating the given object ID with the subsequent position.

13. A system for tracking multiple objects, comprising:

multiple tracking apparatuses including a given tracking apparatus, each tracking apparatus able to be attached to a respective object to be tracked, and

each tracking apparatus comprising;

one or more light sources that strobe according to a strobe pattern associated with an object ID;

an inertial measurement unit; and

a wireless radio for transmitting at least measurements obtained from the inertial measurement unit and the object ID;

at least two cameras, each of the cameras able to capture images of the light sources of the multiple tracking apparatuses;

a receiver configured to receive from the multiple tracking apparatuses at least multiple measurements and multiple object IDs,

including a given measurement and a given object ID transmitted together from the given tracking apparatus;

a computing device able to obtain at least the images from the at least two cameras and the multiple measurements and the multiple object IDs from the receiver, the computing device configured to at least;

analyze the images to determine a given strobe pattern of a given light source of the given tracking apparatus;

identify the given object ID based on the given strobe pattern;

determine a given position of the given light source by at least determining a pixel location of the given light source in the images; and

after confirming that the given object ID identified using the given strobe pattern and the given object ID obtained via the receiver are the same,

generating an output comprising the given object ID, the given position and the given measurements; and

the computing device further configured to send a command to at least the given tracking apparatus to cease its radio transmission whilst continuing to strobe the given light source.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the computing device further comprises a state machine calculator for computing a current state of the given object, the current state comprising the given position and angular orientation of the given object.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the inertial measurement unit measures at least inertial acceleration.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the inertial measurement unit measures at least angular orientation, which comprises roll, pitch, and yaw.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the computing device is further configured to ignore a light source that does not strobe when analyzing the images.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the given measurements include inertial acceleration data, and the computing device is further configured to:

determine an acceleration and the given position of the given light by comparing a series of images of the given light source; and

, after determining that the acceleration determined from the series of images is approximately equal to the inertial acceleration data, the computing device associating the given object ID obtained from the receiver with the given position of the given light source.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine if a subsequent position of the given light source in subsequent images is within an expected vicinity of the given position, and if so, associating the given object ID with the subsequent position.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the given measurements comprise inertial acceleration data, and the computing device is further configured to:

detect that only one of the cameras is able to detect the given light source, or none of the cameras are able to detect the given light source;

identify a last known position of the given object as determined from the images; and

determining a new position of the given object by combining the inertial acceleration data with the last known given position.