Virtual mask for use in autotracking video camera images

1. A surveillance camera system comprising:

a camera having an adjustable field of view and configured to acquire images; and

a processing device operably coupled to said camera and configured to:

allow a user to define a virtual mask to mask an area of static motion within an acquired image, wherein said virtual mask defines a masked area completely encircling an unmasked area;

adjust a field of view of the camera by altering a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom setting of the camera with the processing device to automatically track a moving object of interest in the acquired images and to maintain the moving object within the field of view of the camera with a reduced level of regard for areas of the acquired images that are within the virtual mask; and

transform a location of the virtual mask by scaling, rotating and translating the virtual mask to align the virtual mask with an acquired image based on the adjustments to the field of view of the camera made while automatically tracking the moving object.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the acquired images include a plurality of pixels, said processing device being configured to track a moving object of interest in the acquired images with less regard for first ones of the pixels that are within the virtual mask than for second ones of the pixels that are outside of the virtual mask.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said processing device is configured to track a moving object of interest in the acquired images with no regard for the first ones of the pixels that are within the virtual mask.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing device is further configured to:

sense movement within the acquired images and to create a motion mask based upon the sensed movement;

modify the motion mask by use of the virtual mask; and

identify the moving object of interest in the acquired images dependent upon the modified motion mask.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the motion mask comprises a plurality of motion values, each of the motion values corresponding to at least one respective pixel in the acquired images.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing device is configured to allow a user to define a virtual mask within the acquired images by drawing a visible representation of the virtual mask.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing device is configured to allow a user to define a virtual mask within the acquired images by selecting a plurality of vertices of the virtual mask within the acquired images.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the areas of the acquired images that are within the virtual mask include a source of static motion.

9. A method of operating a surveillance camera system, said method comprising:

acquiring images with a camera having an adjustable field of view;

defining a virtual mask to mask an area of static motion within an acquired image, wherein said virtual mask defines a masked area completely encircling an unmasked area;

adjusting a field of view of the camera by using a processing device coupled to the camera to automatically alter a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom setting of the camera to automatically track a moving object of interest in the acquired images and to maintain the moving object within the field of view of the camera with a reduced level of regard for areas of the acquired images that are within the virtual mask; and

transforming a location of the virtual mask by scaling, rotating and translating the virtual mask to align the virtual mask with an acquired image based on adjustments to the field of view of the camera while automatically tracking the moving object.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the acquired images include a plurality of pixels, said tracking step comprising tracking the moving object of interest in the acquired images with less regard for first ones of the pixels that are within the virtual mask than for second ones of the pixels that are outside of the virtual mask.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said tracking step comprises tracking the moving object of interest in the acquired images with no regard for the first ones of the pixels that are within the virtual mask.

12. The method of claim 9 comprising the further steps of:

sensing movement within the acquired images;

creating a motion mask based upon the sensed movement;

modifying the motion mask by use of the virtual mask; and

identify the moving object of interest in the acquired images dependent upon the modified motion mask.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the motion mask comprises a plurality of motion values, each of the motion values corresponding to at least one respective pixel in the acquired images.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said defining step comprises drawing a visible representation of the virtual mask.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said defining step comprises selecting a plurality of vertices of the virtual mask within the acquired images.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the areas of the acquired images that are within the virtual mask include a source of static motion.

17. A method of operating a surveillance camera system, said method comprising:

acquiring images with a camera having an adjustable field of view;

creating a motion mask based upon the acquired images;

locating a source of static motion within the acquired images;

defining a virtual mask over the source of static motion within an acquired image, wherein said virtual mask defines a masked area completely encircling an unmasked area;

modifying the motion mask by use of the virtual mask;

adjusting a field of view of the camera by using a processing device coupled to the camera to automatically alter a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom setting of the camera to automatically track a moving object of interest in the acquired images based upon the modified motion mask to maintain the moving object within the field of view of the camera; and

transforming a location of the virtual mask by scaling, rotating and translating the virtual mask to align the virtual mask with an acquired image based on adjustments to the field of view of the camera while automatically tracking the moving object.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the acquired images include a plurality of pixels, said motion mask including a plurality of motion values, each of the motion values corresponding to at least one of the pixels, said modifying step being performed on the motion values.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said tracking step comprises tracking the moving object of interest in the acquired images with no regard for ones of the pixels that are within the virtual mask.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said defining step comprises drawing a visible representation of the virtual mask.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said defining step comprises selecting a plurality of vertices of the virtual mask within the acquired image.