Control apparatus, method of controlling image sensing device, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that controls an image sensing device for tracking and sensing a tracking target

1. A control apparatus that controls an image sensing device for tracking and sensing a tracking target, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor operatively coupled to a memory, serving as:

(a) a detection unit configured to detect a tracking target that appears in a sensed video sensed by the image sensing device;

(b) a recording unit configured to record a size of the tracking target that appears in the sensed video;

(c) a determination unit configured, when a state in which the tracking target is detected in the sensed video becomes a state in which the tracking target is not detected in the sensed video, to determine a predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video, based on the size recorded by the recording unit, for a case of zooming out at a predetermined scaling factor; and

(d) a search unit configured to zoom out by the predetermined scaling factor, if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, and then to search for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines the predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video after a further zoom out, based on the previously obtained predicted size, if a result of the search, in relation to the sensed video after the zoom out at the predetermined scaling factor, is that the tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video, and the search unit zooms out if the predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video after the further zoom out is larger than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the search unit does not make an object that is smaller than a reference size be a tracking target, and wherein the predetermined size is a size based on the reference size.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the recording unit records the size of the tracking target that appears in a sensed video that is sensed after controlling a zoom, so that the tracking target appears at a predetermined size in the sensed video.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit, if a tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video and if a change amount of at least one of a pan angle and a tilt angle of the image sensing device immediately prior is greater than a predetermined amount, determines a predicted size of a tracking target in a sensed video after a zoom out based on the size recorded by the recording unit, and the search unit zooms out if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the search unit, if a tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video and if a change amount of at least one of a pan angle and a tilt angle of the image sensing device immediately prior is less than a predetermined amount, zooms in when the size of the tracking target in the sensed video is smaller than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom in.

7. A method of controlling an image sensing device for tracking and sensing a tracking target, by a processor executing a program stored in a memory, the method comprising:

detecting a tracking target that appears in a sensed video sensed by the image sensing device;

recording a size of the tracking target that appears in the sensed video;

determining a predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video, based on the recorded size, for a case of zooming out at a predetermined scaling factor, when a state in which the tracking target is detected in the sensed video becomes a state in which the tracking target is not detected in the sensed video; and

zooming out by the predetermined scaling factor, if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, and then searching for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the determining determines the predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video after a further zoom out, based on the previously obtained predicted size, if a result of the search, in relation to the sensed video after the zoom out at the predetermined scaling factor, is that the tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video, and the searching zooms out if the predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video after the further zoom out is larger than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the searching does not make an object that is smaller than a reference size be a tracking target, and wherein the predetermined size is a size based on the reference size.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the recording records the size of the tracking target that appears in a sensed video that is sensed after controlling a zoom, so that the tracking target appears at a predetermined size in the sensed video.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the determining, if a tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video and if a change amount of at least one of a pan angle and a tilt angle of the image sensing device immediately prior is greater than a predetermined amount, determines a predicted size of a tracking target in a sensed video after a zoom out based on the size recorded by the recording, and the searching zooms out if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the searching, if a tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video and if a change amount of at least one of a pan angle and a tilt angle of the image sensing device immediately prior is less than a predetermined amount, zooms in when the size of the tracking target in the sensed video is smaller than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom in.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer of a control apparatus that controls an image sensing device for tracking and sensing a tracking target to function as:

(a) a detection unit configured to detect a tracking target that appears in a sensed video sensed by the image sensing device;

(b) a recording unit configured to record a size of the tracking target that appears in the sensed video; and

(c) a determining unit configured, when a state in which the tracking target is detected in the sensed video becomes, a state in which the tracking target is not detected in the sensed video, to determine a predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video, based on the size recorded by the recording unit, for a case of zooming out at a predetermined scaling factor; and

(d) search unit configured to zoom out by the predetermined scaling factor, if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, and then to search for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

14. The storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the determination unit determines the predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video after a further zoom out, based on the previously obtained predicted size, if a result of the search, in relation to the sensed video after the zoom out at the predetermined scaling factor, is that the tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video, and the search unit zooms out if the predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video after the further zoom out is larger than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

15. The storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the search unit does not make an object that is smaller than a reference size be a tracking target, and wherein the predetermined size is a size based on the reference size.

16. The storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the recording unit records the size of the tracking target that appears in a sensed video that is sensed after controlling a zoom, so that the tracking target appears at a predetermined size in the sensed video.

17. The storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the determination unit, if a tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video and if a change amount of at least one of a pan angle and a tilt angle of the image sensing device immediately prior is greater than a predetermined amount, determines a predicted size of a tracking target in a sensed video after a zoom out based on the size recorded by the recording unit, and the search unit zooms out if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.

18. The storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the search unit, if a tracking target cannot be detected from the sensed video and if a change amount of at least one of a pan angle and a tilt angle of the image sensing device immediately prior is less than a predetermined amount, zooms in when the size of the tracking target in the sensed video is smaller than a predetermined size, and then searches for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom in.