IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,387,344
Granted Patent B2
US 12,387,344 · App. 17/840,772 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Object tracking apparatus, object tracking method, and program

Inventor: Shoji Yachida (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
G06T7/20H04N23/69H04N23/695G06T2207/20101
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,387,344
App. No.
17/840,772
Granted
Aug 12, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object tracking apparatus ( 10 ) includes a target determination information acquisition unit ( 110 ), an image processing unit ( 120 ), and a control unit ( 130 ). The target determination information acquisition unit ( 110 ) acquires target determination information determining an object to be tracked. The image processing unit ( 120 ) detects the object to be tracked and tracks the detected object by performing image processing on a to-be-processed region being a partial region of an image acquired from an imaging apparatus ( 20 ). The control unit ( 130 ) controls an imaging range of the imaging apparatus ( 20 ) in such a way that the object to be tracked is included in the to-be-processed region.

Claims (42)

1. A camera controlling apparatus comprising:

at least one memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:

tracking an object within a first range, the first range including a part of a first frame captured by a camera and the first range being narrower than the first frame;

controlling the camera to pan or tilt to display the object in a center of a second frame which is captured by the camera after the first frame in response to that the object is shown at a first position, the first position being a position within the first range and a position different from the center of the first frame, in a case where a size of the first range is controlled to be a first size; and

sending the second frame to a user equipment,

wherein the size of the first range is configured to be controllable,

wherein the controlling the camera to pan or tilt is executed in response to that the object is shown at a second position, in a case where the size of the first range is controlled to be a second size, the second size being larger than the first size,

wherein the second position is more distant from the center of the first frame than the first position, and is a position within the controlled first range.

2. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is not controlled to pan or tilt if the position of the object stays within a third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range, even if the object is not displayed in a center of the first frame.

3. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the camera captures a same field of view of the first frame if the position of the object stays within a third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range, even if the object is not displayed in a center of the first frame.

4. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise controlling the camera to pan or tilt if the position of the object within the first range is detected outside a third range, the third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range.

5. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the object includes a vehicle.

6. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the object includes a person.

7. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a request to use the first range from the user equipment.

8. A camera comprising:

at least one memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:

tracking an object within a first range, the first range indicating a part of a first frame captured by the camera and the first range being narrower than the first frame;

controlling the camera to pan or tilt to display the object in a center of a second frame which is captured by the camera after the first frame in response to that the object is shown at a first position, the first position being a position within the first range and a position different from the center of the first frame, in a case where a size of the first range is controlled to be a first size; and

sending the second frame to a user equipment,

wherein the size of the first range is configured to be controllable,

wherein the controlling the camera to pan or tilt is executed in response to that the object is shown at a second position, in a case where the size of the first range is controlled to be a second size, the second size being larger than the first size,

wherein the second position is more distant from the center of the first frame than the first position, and is a position within the controlled first range.

9. The camera according to claim 8 , wherein the camera is not controlled to pan or tilt if the position of the object stays within a third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range, even if the object is not displayed in a center of the first frame.

10. The camera according to claim 8 , wherein the camera captures a same field of view of the first frame if the position of the object stays within a third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range, even if the object is not displayed in a center of the first frame.

11. The camera according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise controlling the camera to pan or tilt if the position of the object within the first range is detected outside a third range, the third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range.

12. The camera according to claim 8 , wherein the object includes a vehicle.

13. The camera according to claim 8 , wherein the object includes a person.

14. The camera according to claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a request to use the first range from the user equipment.

15. A camera controlling method performed by a computer and comprising:

tracking an object within a first range, the first range indicating a part of a first frame captured by a camera and the first range being narrower than the first frame;

controlling the camera to pan or tilt to display the object in a center of a second frame which is captured by the camera after the first frame in response to that the object is shown at a first position, the first position being a position within the first range and a position different from the center of the first frame, in a case where a size of the first range is controlled to be a first size; and

sending the second frame to a user equipment,

wherein the size of the first range is configured to be controllable,

wherein the controlling the camera to pan or tilt is executed in response to that the object is shown at a second position, in a case where the size of the first range is controlled to be a second size, the second size being larger than the first size,

wherein the second position is more distant from the center of the first frame than the first position, and is a position within the controlled first range.

16. The camera controlling method according to claim 15 , wherein the camera is not controlled to pan or tilt if the position of the object stays within a third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range, even if the object is not displayed in a center of the first frame.

17. The camera controlling method according to claim 15 , wherein the camera captures a same field of view of the first frame if the position of the object stays within a third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range, even if the object is not displayed in a center of the first frame.

18. The camera controlling method according to claim 15 , comprising controlling the camera to pan or tilt if the position of the object within the first range is detected outside a third range, the third range being smaller than the first range and being located at an inner side of the first range.

19. The camera controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first range is controlled based on a size of a resource allocatable to image processing.

20. The camera controlling method apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the first range is controlled based on a size of a resource allocatable image processing.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 17284590
Related Publication 20220309682A1 · Sep 29, 2022
References Cited (34)
US 6323898B1 · Koyanagi et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6687386B1 · Ito et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6809760B1 · Takagi et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20100002083A1 · Takenaka · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100260379A1 · Yokohata · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20130314547A1 · Watanabe · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20150334356A1 · Kim · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160336041A1 · Mukai et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170116749A1 · Kuroda · 2017 [cited by examiner]
JP H09186927A · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000069346A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000177513A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001050263A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001086407 · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2005236508A · 2005 [cited by examiner]
JP 2005346425A · 2005 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006033188A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006229321A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007274543A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008079216A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011004152 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012080222A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013223220A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013247508A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014225854A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016092606A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017151815A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016002228A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP Office Action for JP Application No. 2022-135632, mailed on Apr. 25, 2023 with English Translation. [cited by applicant]
International Serach Report for PCT Application No. PCT/JP2018/038645, mailed on Dec. 18, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Haga, Tetsuji “Automatic Intruder Detection And Tracking System With Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera”, IEICE Technical Report, Sep. 16, 1999, vol. 99, No. 305, pp. 23-30. [cited by applicant]
US Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 17/284,590, mailed on Jun. 29, 2023. [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action for JP Application No. 2022-135632 mailed on Dec. 17, 2024 with English Translation. [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action for JP Application No. 2023-215530 mailed on Nov. 26, 2024 with English Translation. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,604,090