APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DEFINING AN AREA OF INTEREST FOR IMAGE SENSING
First Claim
1. A method for operating an apparatus with a camera and at least one user input facility, the method comprising:
- receiving an input signal from a user via the at least one user input facility;
capturing a series of digital images of the user in an environment with the camera in response to the input signal;
tracking movement of the user through the environment to identify a path; and
storing information corresponding to the path in a memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for defining an area of interest or a trip line using a camera by tracking the movement of a person within a field of view of the camera. The area of interest is defined by a path or boundary indicated by the person'"'"'s movement. Alternatively, a trip line comprising a path between a starting point and a stopping point may be defined by tracking the movement of the person within the camera'"'"'s field of view. An occupancy sensor may be structured to sense the movement of an occupant within an area, and to adjust the lighting in the area accordingly if the occupant enters the area of interest or crosses the trip line. The occupancy sensor includes an image sensor coupled to a processor, an input facility such as a pushbutton to receive input, and an output facility such as an electronic beeper to provide feedback to the person defining the area of interest or the trip line.
338 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for operating an apparatus with a camera and at least one user input facility, the method comprising:
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receiving an input signal from a user via the at least one user input facility; capturing a series of digital images of the user in an environment with the camera in response to the input signal; tracking movement of the user through the environment to identify a path; and storing information corresponding to the path in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable medium storing data and instructions to cause a programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
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analyzing a first series of digital images of an environment to identify a first person moving through the environment; constructing a path corresponding to the motion of the first person through the environment; storing information related to the path in a memory; analyzing a second series of digital images of the environment to identify a second person moving through the environment; and producing a detection signal if the second person crosses the path.
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12. The computer-readable medium of claim ii, storing additional data and instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
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monitoring an ambient light level in the environment; and producing the detection signal only if the second person crosses the path and the ambient light level is below a predefined threshold.
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13. The computer-readable medium of claim ii, storing additional data and instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
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detecting a configuration signal from a user-input device to initiate the first analyzing operation; and emitting a confirmation signal to a user-output device to notify the first person of the storing operation.
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14. The computer-readable medium of claim ii, storing additional data and instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
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identifying feet of the first person in the first series of digital images, wherein constructing the path corresponding to the motion of the first person through the environment is constructing the path corresponding to the motion of the feet of the first person through the environment.
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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a digital camera; a user input device; a user output device; a programmable processor coupled to the digital camera, the user input device, and the user output device; and a non-volatile storage medium containing data and instructions to cause the programmable processor to perform operations including; recording a path corresponding to movement of a first person through a field of view of the digital camera in response to an activation of the user input device; notifying the first person of a successful recording using the user output device; detecting a second person moving through the field of view of the digital camera; and producing a detection signal if the second person crosses the path. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification