Collaborative camera services for distributed real-time object analysis
A collaborative object analysis capability is depicted and described herein. The collaborative object analysis capability enables a group of cameras to collaboratively analyze an object, even when the object is in motion. The analysis of an object may include one or more of identification of the object, tracking of the object while the object is in motion, analysis of one or more characteristics of the object, and the like. In general, a camera is configured to discover the camera capability information for one or more neighboring cameras, and to generate, on the basis of such camera capability information, one or more actions to be performed by one or more neighboring cameras to facilitate object analysis. The collaborative object analysis capability also enables additional functions related to object analysis, such as alerting functions, archiving functions (e.g., storing captured video, object tracking information, object recognition information, and so on), and the like.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to:
analyze, at a first camera, an object detected by the first camera to determine object analysis information associated with the object;
identify, at the first camera, a second camera configured to facilitate analysis of the object, wherein the second camera is selected based on a camera capability of the second camera and the object analysis information associated with the object, wherein the camera capability of the second camera comprises a video processing speed of the second camera;
generate, at the first camera, based on at least one of the camera capability of the second camera and the object analysis information associated with the object, an action adapted for use by the second camera to facilitate analysis of the object; and
propagate the action from the first camera toward the second camera.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to identify the second camera, the processor is configured to:
select the second camera, from among a plurality of available cameras, based on respective camera capability information associated with the available cameras.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to identify the second camera as a camera configured to facilitate analysis of the object, the processor is configured to:
determine a location of the second camera;
determine movement information associated with the object, wherein the movement information is indicative of at least one of a movement of the object and an expected movement of the object; and
identify the second camera as a camera configured to facilitate analysis of the object based on the location of the second camera and the movement information associated with the object.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to identify the second camera as a camera configured to facilitate analysis of the object, the processor is configured:
determine, based on the camera capability of the second camera, an analysis capability supported by the second camera for facilitating analysis of the object; and
identify the second camera as a camera configured to facilitate analysis of the object based on the analysis capability supported by the second camera.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, the processor is configured to:
determine an initial configuration of the second camera; and
determine a preferred configuration of the second camera;
wherein the action is configured for causing reconfiguration of the second camera from the initial configuration to the preferred configuration.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the initial configuration of the second camera and the preferred configuration of the second camera is determined based on the camera capability of the second camera.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a preferred configuration of the second camera; and
generate the action for causing configuration of the second camera according to the preferred configuration.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the object analysis information comprises at least one of an object type of the object and movement information indicative of at least one of a movement of the object and an expected movement of the object.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive camera capability information associated with the second camera; and
store, at the first camera, the camera capability information associated with the second camera.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
propagate, from the first camera toward the second camera, a message including camera capability information associated with the first camera.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a video capture mechanism configured for capturing video; and
a memory configured for storing at least one of captured video and object analysis information.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera capability of the second camera comprises a software capability of the second camera.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the software capability of the second camera comprises an embedded analysis capability of the second camera.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera capability of the second camera comprises a hardware capability of the second camera.
15. A method, comprising:
using a processor and a memory for:
analyzing, at a first camera, an object detected by the first camera to determine object analysis information associated with the object;
identifying, at the first camera, a second camera configured to facilitate analysis of the object, wherein the second camera is selected based on a camera capability of the second camera and the object analysis information associated with the object, wherein the camera capability of the second camera comprises a video processing speed of the second camera;
generating, at the first camera, based on at least one of the camera capability of the second camera and the object analysis information associated with the object, an action adapted for use by the second camera to facilitate analysis of the object; and
propagating the action from the first camera toward the second camera.
16. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to:
receive, at the apparatus from a first camera, a first action and a second action, wherein the first action and the second action are associated with analysis of an object detected by the first camera, wherein the second action is intended for the apparatus;
configure the apparatus based on the first action, wherein the configuration of the apparatus facilitates analysis of the object by the apparatus; and
determine, by the apparatus based on at least one of information associated with the apparatus or information associated with a second apparatus, not to configure the apparatus based on the second action.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the information associated with the second apparatus comprises at least one of a status of the second apparatus and capability information associated with the second apparatus.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to:
propagate the second action toward the second apparatus.
19. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor and a memory communicatively connected to the processor, the processor configured to:
receive, at the apparatus from a first camera, a first action and a second action, wherein the first action and the second action are associated with analysis of an object detected by the first camera, wherein the second action is intended for a second apparatus;
configure the apparatus based on the first action, wherein the configuration of the apparatus facilitates analysis of the object by the apparatus; and
select the second action for processing by the apparatus, instead of by the second apparatus, based on at least one of information associated with the apparatus or information associated with the second apparatus.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the information associated with the second apparatus comprises at least one of a status of the second apparatus and capability information associated with the second apparatus.