Object detection system and method

• US 7,574,131 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunvision Scientific Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sunvision Scientific Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Chao-Hung, Chang, Chow-Ing, Chang, Tain-Tzu
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US11/391,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20070230943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 396/322, 396/333, 396/433, 348/143, 348/144, 348/149, 348/150, 348/153, 348/154, 348/155, 348/159
• US Class Current: 396/322
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe

Abstract

An object detection system and method is applied to an active surveillance system for detecting at least one target object appeared in an area of interest. The object detection system includes a processor for defining the area of interest into at least a first and a second zone; a controller for assigning a first and a second weight to the first and the second zone, respectively, wherein the first weight is higher than the second weight; and a first image capturing device for capturing an image of the target object appeared in the first zone prior to capturing an image of the target object appeared in the second zone. With these arrangements, the detection of at least one target object appeared in more than one zone having a specific weight assigned thereto may be implemented with improved efficiency and accuracy in object selection and reduced interferences from environmental variables.

Claims

1. An object detection system for detecting at least one target object present in an area of interest, the system comprising:

a processor for defining the area of interest into at least a first region and a second region;

a controller for assigning a first priority to the first region and assigning a second priority to the second region, wherein the first priority is higher than the second priority;

a first image capturing device for capturing image of the target object present in the first region prior to capturing image of the target object present in the second region;

a second image capturing device for capturing a panoramic image of the area of interest, wherein the first image capturing device has a smaller angle of view than the second image capturing device; and

wherein the controller lowers the first priority or the second priority after the first image capturing device captured the target object present in the first region or the second region over a predetermined time.

2. The object detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein values of the first priority and the second priority are successively increased in at least one predetermined direction.

3. An object detecting method for detecting at least one target object present in an area of interest, the method comprising the steps of:

defining the area of interest into at least a first region and a second region;

assigning a first priority to the first region and a second priority to the second region, wherein the first priority is higher than the second priority;

capturing an image of the target object in the first region prior to capturing an image of the target object in the second region with a first image capturing device;

capturing a panoramic image of the area of interest with a second image capturing device, wherein the first image capturing device has a smaller angle of view than the second image capturing device; and

lowering the first priority or the second priority after the first image capturing device-captured the target object present in the first region or the second region over a predetermined time.

4. The object detection method as claimed in claim 3, wherein values of the first priority and the second priority are successively increased in at least one predetermined direction.