IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,445,887
Granted Patent B2
US 10,445,887 · App. 14/780,086 · Granted Oct 15, 2019

Tracking processing device and tracking processing system provided with same, and tracking processing method

Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamamoto (Ishikawa, JP); Takeshi Fujimatsu (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
G06T7/292H04N7/181G06T2207/30196G06T2207/30232G08B13/19608
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,445,887
App. No.
14/780,086
Granted
Oct 15, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

To improve, when performing tracking of moving objects by using captured images taken by multiple cameras, the accuracy of the tracking process across the cameras, a tracking processing device includes: a storage unit that stores, for each camera, a plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information including image information of persons obtained from the captured images; a refining unit that performs refining of the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information and thereby extracts pieces of inter-camera tracking information to be used in a process of tracking the persons across the multiple cameras; and an associating unit that, on the basis of the pieces of inter-camera tracking information, associates the persons in the captured images across the multiple cameras.

Claims (68)

1. A tracking system for tracking moving objects comprising:

a plurality of cameras that obtain captured images of the moving objects;

an intra-camera tracking processing device connected to the plurality of cameras; and

an inter-camera tracking processing device connected to the intra-camera tracking processing device via a network, wherein

the plurality of cameras transmit the captured images to the intra-camera tracking processing device,

the intra-camera tracking processing device generates, for each camera, a plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information including image information of the moving objects obtained from the captured images and transmits the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information via the network, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device performs inter-camera tracking by:

receiving the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information from the network,

generating refined intra-camera tracking information for each camera by removing some but not all of the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information of one of the moving objects in the captured images received via the network; and

associating at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras,

wherein the removing of some but not all of the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information of one of the moving objects in the captured image always occurs before associating of at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras, wherein

the inter-camera tracking processing device sets, for each camera, an invalid region in the captured images, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device generates the refined intra-camera tracking information by removing, from the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, pieces of intra-camera tracking information relating to the moving objects positioned inside the set invalid region in the captured images.

2. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the inter-camera tracking processing device calculates, with regard to the image information of the moving objects, similarity degrees between the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device generates the refined intra-camera tracking information by removing, from the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, pieces of intra-camera tracking information on the basis of the similarity degrees thereof.

3. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the inter-camera tracking processing device is configured to re-set the invalid region in response to user input.

4. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the inter-camera tracking processing device sets the invalid region on the basis of position information of the moving objects relating to the pieces of intra-camera tracking information previously removed by the inter-camera tracking processing device.

5. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the inter-camera tracking processing device selects, with regard to the association process performed by the inter-camera tracking processing device, a first operation mode that prioritizes processing accuracy or a second operation mode that prioritizes processing speed, and

when the first operation mode is selected, the inter-camera tracking processing device performs association of the moving objects on the basis of the pieces of inter-camera tracking information, and when the second operation mode is selected, the inter-camera tracking processing device processor performs association of the moving objects on the basis the pieces of intra-camera tracking information.

6. The tracking processing device according to claim 2 , wherein

the inter-camera tracking processing device calculates, on the basis of position information of the moving objects in the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, moving direction vectors of the moving objects, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device associates the at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras on the basis of degrees of correspondence of angles of the moving direction vectors between the two different cameras.

7. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the inter-camera tracking processing device calculates, on the basis of position information of the moving objects in the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, moving direction vectors of the moving objects, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device associates the at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras on the basis of degrees of correspondence of angles of the moving direction vectors between the two different cameras.

8. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the removing operation removes intra-camera tracking information of a moving direction vector of the one of the moving objects when the magnitude of the moving direction vector is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

9. The tracking processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display displaying:

operation mode selection screen displaying

an icon for selecting a high accuracy mode prioritizing accuracy in the tracking of the moving objects, and

an icon for selecting a high speed mode prioritizing speed in the tracking of the moving objects; and

an invalid region setting screen displaying one of the captured images and accepting a user input for selecting an invalid region within the one of the captured images and associated with the some but not all of the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information removable by the generating operation.

10. A tracking processing method for tracking moving objects, the method comprising:

obtaining captured images of the moving objects with a plurality of cameras;

transmitting from the plurality of cameras the captured images to an intra-camera tracking processing device connected to the plurality of cameras;

generating, with the intra-camera tracking processing device, for each camera, a plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information including image information of the moving objects obtained from the captured images and transmitting the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information via a network to an inter-camera tracking processing device;

performing inter-camera tracking processing with the inter-camera tracking processing device by:

receiving the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information from the network;

generating refined intra-camera tracking information for each camera by removing some but not all of the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information of one of the moving objects in the captured images received via the network;

associating at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras,

wherein the removing of some but not all of the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information of one of the moving objects in the captured image always occurs before associating of at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras; and

setting, with the inter-camera tracking processing device, for each camera, an invalid region in the captured images,

wherein the generating of the refined intra-camera tracking information with the inter-camera tracking processing device is performed by removing, from the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, pieces of intra-camera tracking information relating to the moving objects positioned within the set invalid region in the captured images.

11. The tracking processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising calculating, with the inter-camera tracking processing device, with regard to the image information of the moving objects, similarity degrees between the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information,

wherein the generating of the refined intra-camera tracking information with the inter-camera tracking processing device is performed by removing, from the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, pieces of intra-camera tracking information on the basis of the calculated similarity degrees.

12. The tracking processing method according to claim 10 , wherein the inter-camera tracking processing device re-sets the invalid region in response to user input.

13. The tracking processing method according to claim 10 , wherein setting the invalid region with the inter-camera tracking processing device comprises setting the invalid region on the basis of position information of the moving objects relating to the pieces of intra-camera tracking information previously removed by the generating of the refined intra-camera tracking information.

14. The tracking processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising selecting, with the inter-camera tracking processing device, with regard to the associating, between a first operation mode that prioritizes processing accuracy and a second operation mode that prioritizes processing speed,

wherein, when the first operation mode is selected, the association associates the moving objects on the basis of the pieces of inter-camera tracking information, and when the second operation mode is selected, the association associates the moving objects on the basis of the pieces of intra-camera tracking information.

15. The tracking processing device according to claim 11 , further comprising calculating, with the inter-camera tracking processing device, on the basis of position information of the moving objects in the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, moving direction vectors of the moving objects,

wherein the inter-camera tracking processing device associates the least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras on the basis of degrees of correspondence of angles of the moving direction vectors between the two different cameras.

16. The tracking processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising

calculating, with the inter-camera tracking processing device, on the basis of position information of the moving objects in the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, moving direction vectors of the moving objects, and

associating, with the inter-camera tracking processing device, the at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras on the basis of degrees of correspondence of angles of the moving direction vectors between the two different cameras.

17. A tracking system for tracking moving objects comprising:

a plurality of cameras that obtain captured images of the moving objects;

an intra-camera tracking processing device connected to the plurality of cameras; and

an inter-camera tracking processing device connected to the intra-camera tracking processing device via a network, wherein

the plurality of cameras transmit the captured images to the intra-camera tracking processing device,

the intra-camera tracking processing device generates, for each camera, a plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information including image information of the moving objects obtained from the captured images and transmits the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information via the network, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device performs inter-camera tracking by:

receiving the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information from the network,

selecting one of the moving objects in the captured images that is occluded,

generating refined intra-camera tracking information for each camera by removing a piece of intra-camera tracking information of the one of the occluded moving objects from the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information of one of the moving objects in the captured images received via the network; and

associating at least two of the refined intra-camera tracking information from two different cameras, wherein

the inter-camera tracking processing device sets, for each camera, an invalid region in the captured images, and

the inter-camera tracking processing device generates the refined intra-camera tracking information by removing, from the plurality of pieces of intra-camera tracking information, pieces of intra-camera tracking information relating to the moving objects positioned inside the set invalid region in the captured images.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2015
From: YAMAMOTO, HIROYUKI; FUJIMATSU, TAKESHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 036838/0477 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-066294 · Mar 27, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160063731A1 · Mar 3, 2016