Video processing technique for 3D target location identification
A method and system for determining the location of objects using a plurality of full motion video cameras where the location is based on the intersecting portions of a plurality of three-dimensional shapes that are generated from the video data provided by the cameras. The three-dimensional shapes include two-dimensional shapes that contain predetermined traits in each of the frames of the video signals.
1. A method of determining the location of objects, the method comprising:
receiving a video signal from each of a plurality of full motion video cameras observing an area;
identifying predetermined traits in frames of each video signal, the predetermined traits being associated with the objects;
demarcating a portion of the video frame with a two-dimensional shape, the demarcated portion containing the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal;
assigning geospatial information to the two-dimensional shape containing the identified predetermined traits, the geospatial information representing a location of a camera that acquired the frame;
defining a plurality of three-dimensional shapes, each three-dimensional shape extending from a distance beyond the objects to the location of the camera for each frame of the video signal including the predetermined traits, each three-dimensional shape including a two-dimensional shape with the geospatial information;
identifying each of the full motion video cameras associated with overlapping coverage of the area that provided the video signal where the two-dimensional shape demarcates the identified predetermined traits;
calculating intersecting portions of the plural three-dimensional shapes by applying an intersect function to the defined three-dimensional shapes obtained from the full motion video cameras with overlapping coverage of the area, the intersect function outputting an intersecting shape; and
determining a center of the intersecting shape, the center of the intercepting shape being a determined location of the object.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein an angle of expansion of the three-dimensional shape is in based on a focal length of the video camera.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional shapes include a first plane closest to each of the plurality of full motion video cameras and a second plane further from each of the plurality of full motion video cameras, wherein boundaries of the three-dimensional shapes are defined by the first and second planes.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified predetermined traits represent motion of an object in multiple frames of the video signal.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified predetermined traits are recognized objects.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined traits to be identified are changed based on additional detected signals.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each frame of each video signal includes a timestamp.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculation of the intersecting portions occurs based on the defined three-dimensional shapes created from two-dimensional shapes surrounding the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal, wherein each of the frames have a common timestamp.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a third party provides inputs that change the predetermined traits to be identified.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of full motion video cameras includes cameras with different focal lengths.
11. A system for determining the location of an object, the system comprising:
a plurality of full motion video cameras observing an area;
a computing device configured to define three-dimensional shapes by:
receiving a video signal from each of the plurality of full motion video cameras;
identifying predetermined traits in frames of each video signal, the predetermined traits being associated with the objects;
demarcating a portion of the video frame with a two-dimensional shape, the demarcated portion containing the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal;
assigning geospatial information to the two-dimensional shape containing the identified predetermined traits, the geospatial information representing a location of a camera that acquired the frame;
defining a plurality of three-dimensional shapes, each three-dimensional shape extending from a distance beyond the objects to the location of the camera for each frame of the video signal including the predetermined traits, each three-dimensional shape including a two-dimensional shape with the geospatial information; and
storing the defined three-dimensional shapes;
an intersecting shape computing device configured to define an intersecting shape by:
identifying each of the full motion video cameras associated with overlapping coverage of the area that provided the video signal where the two-dimensional shape demarcates the identified predetermined traits;
calculating intersecting portions of the plurality of three-dimensional shapes by applying an intersect function to the defined three-dimensional shapes obtained from the full motion video cameras with overlapping coverage of the area, the intersect function outputting an intersecting shape;
determining a center of the intersecting shape, the center of the intercepting shape being a determined location of the object; and
storing the determined location of the object.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein an angle of expansion of the three-dimensional shape is in based on a focal length of the video camera.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the three-dimensional shapes include a first plane closest to each of the plurality of full motion video cameras and a second plane further from each of the plurality of full motion video cameras, wherein boundaries of the three-dimensional shapes are defined by the first and second planes.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the identified predetermined traits represent motion of an object in multiple frames of the video signal.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the identified predetermined traits are recognized objects.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined traits to be identified are changed based on additional detected signals.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein each frame of each video signal includes a timestamp.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the calculation of the intersecting portions occurs based on the defined three-dimensional shapes created from two-dimensional shapes surrounding the identified predetermined traits in the frames of each video signal, wherein each of the frames have a common timestamp.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the center of the intersecting shape is transmitted to a third party.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of full motion video cameras includes cameras with different focal lengths.