System and method for automatic identification of wildlife

• US 8,571,259 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hannah Ruth Margolis, Robert Allan Margolis
• Original Assignee: Hannah Ruth Margolis, Robert Allan Margolis
• Inventors: Margolis, Robert Allan, Margolis, Hannah Ruth
• Primary Examiner(s): Seth, Manav
• Application Number:
  US12/456,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures

Abstract

A system and method for automatically identifying wildlife in the field is disclosed that provides for identification of observed wildlife specimens without requiring the exercise of skill or judgment by the observer. The system and method for automatically identifying wildlife according to the invention also provides for automatic and easy to use identification of wildlife specimens in the field without distracting the user from wildlife observation. Wildlife identifications generated by the disclosed system and method may be easily stored in the field along with digital images of wildlife specimens, and corresponding location, time, date and elevation information, which may be easily transmitted and added to a wildlife identification database to allow compilation and archival of accumulated wildlife identification information from field observations of wildlife specimens.

Claims

1. A system for automatic identification of wildlife in the field comprising:

a viewing device comprising a digital image sensor operable to capture a digital image of a wildlife specimen viewed by a user through said viewing device, and an optical viewing device;

an image processing device comprising a power source, an image storage memory, a digital image processor executing a wildlife recognition program, a global positioning system receiver and a display which are electrically interconnected, and wherein said image processing device is operable to be carried by a user in the field;

a wildlife server comprising a data storage medium including a database and a processor executing a database program, operable to store wildlife identification data;

wherein said optical viewing device is connected in communication with said image processing device and is operable to transfer said digital image to said image processing device;

wherein said image processing device is operable, following a single input by said user, to generate an identification of said wildlife specimen and to store said digital image, said identification, and at least one of;

an associated location, time, and date, corresponding to said digital image;

wherein said wildlife server is connected in communication with said image processing device and is operable to receive at least one of said digital image, said identification and said associated location, time and date from said image processing device;

wherein the database provides a continuously updated compilation of wildlife data captured in the field by multiple users; and

wherein said display displays a said identification to said user.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said viewing device comprises one or more of:

a spotting telescope, a digital camera, a rifle scope and binoculars.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said viewing device is connected to said image processing device by a cable.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said identification of said wildlife specimen comprises one or more of:

a species, a sub-species, a gender, an age, and an individual animal identification of said wildlife specimen.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said wildlife database server is connected to said image processing device by one or more of a cable and a computer network.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said viewing device comprises said image processing device.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said image processing device additionally comprises a digital altimeter.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein said image processing device is further operable to store an associated elevation corresponding to said digital image.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said digital image sensor comprises one or more of a CCD and a CMOS sensor.

10. A method of automatically identifying wildlife in the field, comprising:

providing a viewing device for observing a wildlife specimen comprising a digital optical sensor, an optical viewing device, and a trigger;

capturing a digital image of said specimen in response to the engagement of said trigger;

transmitting said digital image to an image processing device comprising a digital image processor and an image storage memory;

processing said digital image to generate an identification of said wildlife specimen using at least one visible characteristic of said digital image;

storing at least one of said identification, said digital image and an associated location, time, and date corresponding to said digital image in said image storage memory;

transmitting at least one of said identification, said digital image and said associated location, time, and date to a wildlife server comprising a wildlife database;

storing at least one of said identification, said digital image and said location, time, and date in said wildlife database;

wherein the database provides a continuously updated compilation of wildlife data captured in the field by multiple users; and

displaying said identification.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said viewing device comprises one or more of:

a spotting telescope, a digital camera, a rifle scope and binoculars.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said identification of said wildlife specimen comprises one or more of:

a species, a sub-species, a gender, an age, and an individual animal identification of said wildlife specimen.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said processing comprises executing computer readable instructions to recognize at least one visible characteristic of said digital image of said wildlife specimen and to generate an identification of said wildlife specimen by comparing said at least one visible characteristic with a plurality of known wildlife characteristics.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein transmitting said identification, said digital image and at least one of said location, time, and date to a wildlife server additionally comprises transmitting said identification, said digital image and said location, time and date to a client computer.

15. The method according to claim 14 additionally comprising storing said identification, said digital image and said location, time and date on said client computer.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting by means of one or more of a wired or a wireless digital connection.

17. The method according to claim 10 wherein said associated location comprises a location generated by a global positioning system receiver when said digital image is captured.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein said associated location additionally comprises an elevation generated by one or more of:

a global positioning system receiver and an altimeter, when said digital image is captured.

19. The method according to claim 10 wherein said associated time and date comprise a time and date generated by one or more of:

a global positioning receiver and a digital clock, when said digital image is captured.

20. The method according to claim 10 additionally comprising displaying said identification, said digital image and at least one of said location, time, date and elevation to a user, following said processing.