Video tracking systems and methods employing cognitive vision

Abstract

Video tracking systems and methods include a peripheral master tracking process integrated with one or more tunnel tracking processes. The video tracking systems and methods utilize video data to detect and/or track separately several stationary or moving objects in a manner of tunnel vision. The video tracking system includes a master peripheral tracker for monitoring a scene and detecting an object, and a first tunnel tracker initiated by the master peripheral tracker, wherein the first tunnel tracker is dedicated to track one detected object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A video tracking system, comprising:
 a master peripheral tracker operative to interact with an image data stream, said master peripheral tracker including logic to monitor a scene and to detect an object; and   a first tunnel tracker initiated by said master peripheral tracker, said first tunnel tracker including logic dedicated to track one said detected object.   
     
     
         2 . The video tracking system of  claim 1  further including a second tunnel tracker initiated by said master peripheral tracker after detecting a second object, said second tunnel tracker including logic dedicated to track said second detected object. 
     
     
         3 . The video tracking system of  claim 2  further including a third tunnel tracker initiated by said master peripheral tracker after detecting a third object, said third tunnel tracker including logic dedicated to track third second detected object. 
     
     
         4 . The video tracking system of  claim 1  further including a digital video controller constructed and arranged to receive image data. 
     
     
         5 . The video tracking system of  claim 1  further including a tracker proxy for communicating with said master peripheral tracker and client applications. 
     
     
         6 . The video tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said master peripheral tracker includes an object detector and an object tracker. 
     
     
         7 . The video tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said tunnel tracker executes an edge based tunnel tracking algorithm. 
     
     
         8 . The video tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said tunnel tracker executes a Kernel based tunnel tracking algorithm. 
     
     
         9 . The video tracking system of  claim 1 , wherein said tunnel tracker executes a Background subtraction based tunnel tracking algorithm. 
     
     
         10 . A video tracking method, comprising:
 monitoring a scene and detecting an object using a master peripheral tracker; and   initiating by said master peripheral tracker a first tunnel tracker dedicated to track one said detected object.   
     
     
         11 . The video tracking method of  claim 10  further including initiating by said master peripheral tracker a second tunnel tracker dedicated to track a second detected object. 
     
     
         12 . The video tracking method of  claim 10  wherein said master peripheral tracker sends image requests to a digital video controller. 
     
     
         13 . The video tracking method of  claim 10  wherein said master peripheral tracker and said digital video controller exchange image data streams and notification messages. 
     
     
         14 . The video tracking method of  claim 10  wherein said master peripheral tracker provides assembled tracking images to a tracker proxy that communicates with client applications. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A server executable embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium for use with the video tracking system comprising:
 monitoring a scene and detecting an object using a master peripheral tracker; and   initiating by said master peripheral tracker a first tunnel tracker dedicated to track one said detected object.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product for providing video tracking data, comprising:
 monitoring a scene and detecting an object using a master peripheral tracker; and   initiating by said master peripheral tracker a first tunnel tracker dedicated to track one said detected object.   
     
     
         18 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A video camera system, comprising:
 a video camera providing a digitized image data stream corresponding to acquired video data;   a digital video controller; and   a graphics processing unit executing layered processing comprising including a master peripheral tracker operatively interacting with said digital video controller to receive some of said image data stream and being programmed to monitor a scene and to detect a first object in said video data; said master peripheral tracker initiating a first tunnel tracker including logic dedicated to track said first detected object.   
     
     
         33 . The video camera system of  claim 32  wherein said master peripheral tracker detects a second object and initiates a second tunnel tracker including logic dedicated to track said second detected object. 
     
     
         34 . The video camera system of  claim 33  wherein said master peripheral tracker detects a third object and initiates a third tunnel tracker including logic dedicated to track said third detected object. 
     
     
         35 - 55 . (canceled)