US6404455B1 — Method for tracking entering object and apparatus…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 86 words

A method of tracking and detecting objects entering into an imaging field of view of a camera in an object tracking and monitoring apparatus provided with said camera, comprising the steps of: sequentially outputting picture signals from said camera; detecting objects in said picture signals; detecting changes in the detected objects from said picture signals; and classifying the detected changes in the detected objects into at least one of a plurality of predetermined state changes to be classified include appearance, single connection, coupling, disappearance and separation.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 86 words

A method of tracking and detecting objects entering into an imaging field of view of a camera in an object tracking and monitoring apparatus provided with said camera, comprising the steps of: sequentially outputting picture signals from said camera; detecting objects in said picture signals; detecting changes in the detected objects from said picture signals; and classifying the detected changes in the detected objects into at least one of a plurality of predetermined state changes to be classified include appearance, single connection, coupling, disappearance and separation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: detecting said objects to be detected based on classification of said detected changes.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: creating connecting information for representing a location and a change of an area of a region of said objects detected at each time from said detected changes; and inferring a trace of said objects by a moving distance of said detected objects from said created connecting information.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising the steps of: determining if one object is split into plural objects when said objects are detected, from said connecting information; and correcting the plural objects determined as a split state into one object.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 57 words

The system as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising the step of: recursively determining if the split state is corrected at said step of correcting the split state, wherein said step of determining the split state and said step of correcting the split state are repeated until no more corrections for the split state are possible.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 119 words

The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising the steps of: determining if one object is detected as split objects when said objects are detected, from said connecting information; correcting plural objects determined as the split state into one object; determining if plural objects are detected as a connected one object when said object is detected, from said connecting information; correcting one object determined as the connected state into plural objects from the connecting information before and after said detection; and wherein plural objects determined as the split state are corrected into one object and one object determined as the connected state is corrected into plural objects based on the connecting information before and after said detection.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 71 words

The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the operation is executed to hold a location of said object, area of a region occupied by said object, and a pixel pattern of said region, detected as the connecting information at said step of creating the connecting information, and the operation is executed to determine the connected state by matching the pixel pattern at said step of determining the connected state.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 183 words

The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising the steps of: determining if one object is detected as split plural objects when said plural objects are detected, from said connecting information; correcting said plural objects determined as the split state into one object; recursively determining if the correction for the split state is executed at said step of correcting the split state; determining if plural objects are detected as a connected one object when said one object is detected, from said connecting information; correcting said one object determined as the connected state into plural objects, based on the connecting information before and after said detection; recursively determining if the correction for the connected state is executed at said step of correcting the connected state; and wherein said step of determining the split state and said step of correcting the split state are repeated until no more correction for the split state is possible and said step of determining the connected state and said step of correcting the connected state are repeated until no more correction for the connected state is possible.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 70 words

The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the operation is executed to hold a location of object, area of a region occupied by said object, and a pixel pattern of said region, detected as the connecting information at said step of creating the connecting information and the operation is executed to determine the connected state by matching the pixel pattern at said step of determining the connected state.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: creating the connecting information for representing change of a location and area of a region occupied by said objects detected at each time from said detecting state change; and inferring a trace of said objects by a moving distance of said detected objects from said created connected information.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: determining if one object is detected as a split state when plural objects are detected, from said connecting information; and correcting said plural objects determined as the split state into one object.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the steps of recursively determining if the correction for the split state is executed at said step of correcting the split state, and wherein said step of determining the split state and said step of correcting the split state are repeated until no more correction for the split state is possible.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: determining if plural objects are detected as a connected one object when said one object is detected, from said connecting information; and correcting said one object determined as the connected one object into plural objects, based on said connecting information before and after said detection.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising the step of recursively determining if the correction for the connected state is executed at said step of correcting the connected state, and wherein said step of determining the connected state and said step of correcting the connected state are repeated until no more correction for the connected state is possible.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 125 words

The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: determining if one object is detected as split plural objects when said, plural objects are detected, from said connecting information; correcting said plural objects determined as the split state into one object; determining if plural objects are detected as a connected one object when said one object is detected, from said connecting information; correcting said one object determined as the connected state into plural objects, based on the connecting information before and after said detection; and wherein plural objects determined as the split state is corrected into one object and one object determined as the connected state is corrected into plural objects, based on the connecting information before and after said detection.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising the steps of holding a location of said object, area of a region occupied by said object and a pixel pattern of said region, detected as the connecting information at said step of creating the connecting information, and determining the connected state by matching the pixel pattern at said step of determining the connected state.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 183 words

The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising the steps of: determining if one object is detected as split plural objects when said plural objects are detected, from said connecting information; correcting said plural objects determined as the split state into one object; recursively determining if the correction for the split state is executed at said step of correcting the split state; determining if plural objects are detected as a connected one object when said one object is detected, from said connecting information; correcting said one object determined as the connected state into plural objects, based on the connecting information before and after said detection; recursively determining if the correction for the connected state is executed at said step of correcting the connected state; and wherein said step of determining the split state and said step of correcting the split state are repeated until no more correction for the split state is possible and said step of determining the connected state and said step of correcting the connected step are repeated until no more correction for the connected state is possible.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising the steps of holding a location of said object, area of a region occupied by said object and a pixel pattern of said region, detected as the connecting information at said step of creating the connecting information, and determining the connected state by matching the pixel pattern at said step of determining the connected state.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising the steps of holding a location of said object, area of a region occupied by said object and a pixel pattern of said region, detected as the connecting information at said step of creating the connecting information, and determining the connected state by matching the pixel pattern at said step of determining the connected state.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 155 words

A system for processing a tracking and monitoring a picture of objects, comprising: a first camera for imaging an overall monitoring area and outputting a first picture for detecting said objects entering a given monitoring area; a second camera for outputting a picture signal for monitoring a picture to track said objects; and a picture processing device for generating a control signal for controlling said second camera based on said first picture signal input from the first camera, wherein said picture processing device comprises: a detecting unit for detecting changes in the detected objects from said second picture signal; and a classifing unit for classifying the detected changes in the detected objects into at least one of a plurality of predetermined state changes including appearance, single connection, coupling, disappearance and separation, and wherein said second camera operates to automatically track and image said objects entering into said monitoring area in response to said control signal.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 155 words

A system for processing a tracking and monitoring a picture of objects, comprising: a first camera for imaging an overall monitoring area and outputting a first picture for detecting said objects entering a given monitoring area; a second camera for outputting a picture signal for monitoring a picture to track said objects; and a picture processing device for generating a control signal for controlling said second camera based on said first picture signal input from the first camera, wherein said picture processing device comprises: a detecting unit for detecting changes in the detected objects from said second picture signal; and a classifing unit for classifying the detected changes in the detected objects into at least one of a plurality of predetermined state changes including appearance, single connection, coupling, disappearance and separation, and wherein said second camera operates to automatically track and image said objects entering into said monitoring area in response to said control signal.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 71 words

The system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein said first camera is provided with an imaging lens of a wide field of view, said second camera is provided with a zoom lens, and said second camera is mounted on an electric pan and tilt head, and wherein said picture processing device generates a rotation control signal for controlling said electric pan and tilt head signal inputted from said first camera.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 72 words

The system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said picture processing device is served to generate a zooming control signal for zooming said zoom lens by a given amount of from said video signal inputted from said first camera, and said second camera is served to automatically track said object entering said monitoring area and image said object as automatically zooming said lens under the control of said picture processing device.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 133 words

The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said picture processing device includes a data bus, a central processing unit (CPU), a program memory for saving a program for operating said CPU, picture memories, a working memory, and a pan and tilt head control unit, the latter five of which are connected with said data bus, and wherein said CPU operates to generate a picture of said entering object from the video signal inputted from said first camera, save said picture in said picture memory, detect said entering object from said picture, operate the data about said entering object, store the operated data in said working memory, and enable said pan and tilt head control unit to generate said rotation control signal and said zooming control signal based on said operated data.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the data operated through the effect of the CPU and stored in said working memory contains a locational coordinate of said entering object.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 127 words

The system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein said picture memory contains: an input picture memory for storing the video signal inputted from said first camera; a background picture memory for storing a background video signal used for detecting said entering object; two working memories for storing the input video signal and the background video signal used for doing an operation for detecting a difference between said background picture and said input picture; an inter-picture operating result picture memory for storing the detected and operated difference between said background picture and the input picture; and a digital picture memory for storing as a picture of said entering object a binary-coded video signal of said detected and operated difference between said background picture and said input picture.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 125 words

The system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said picture processing device includes a data bus, a CPU, a program memory for saving a program for operating said CPU, picture memories, a working memory, and a pan and tilt head control unit, the latter five of which are connected with said data bus, and wherein said CPU operates to generate a picture of said entering object from the video signal inputted from said first camera, store the video signal in said picture memory, detect said entering object from said picture, operate data about said intruded object, store said operated data in said working memory, and enable said pan and tilt head control unit to generate said rotation control signal based on said operated data.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the data operated through the effect of the CPU and stored in said working memory contains a locational coordinate of said entering object.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 128 words

The system as claimed in claim 26 , wherein said picture memory contains: an input picture memory for storing the video signal inputted from said first camera; a background picture memory for storing a background video signal used for detecting said entering object; two working memories for storing the input video signal and the background video signal for carrying out an operation for detecting a difference between the background picture and the in put picture; an inter-picture operation result picture memory for storing the detected and operated difference between said background picture and said input picture; and a binary-coded picture memory for storing as a picture of said entering object a binary-coded image signal of said detected and operated difference between said background picture and said input picture.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method as claimed in claim 28 , further comprising the steps of: determining if plural objects are connected as one object when said objects is detected, from said connecting information; and correcting one object determined as a connected state into plural objects based on the connecting information before and after the detection.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method as claimed in claim 29 , further comprising the step of: recursively determining if the correction for the connected state is executed at said step of correcting the connected state, wherein said step of determining the connected state and said step of correcting the connected state are repeated until no more corrections for the connected state are possible.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 71 words

The method as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the operation is executed to hold a location of said object, area of a region occupied by said object, and a pixel pattern of said region, detected as the connecting information at said step of creating the connecting information, and the operation is executed to determine the connected state by matching the pixel pattern at said step of determining the connected state.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-06-10	2005-12-10	2006-06-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-06-10	2009-12-10	2010-06-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-06-10	2013-12-10	2014-06-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method for tracking entering object and apparatus for tracking and monitoring entering object

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