Technique for automatically tracking an object by a camera based on identification of an object

Abstract

Automatic tracking by a camera of an object such as on-air talent appearing in a television show commences by first determining whether the object lies within the camera field of view matches a reference object. If so, tracking of the object then occurs to maintain the object in fixed relationship to a pre-set location in the camera's field of view, provided the designated object has moved more than a threshold distance from the pre-set location.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for automatically tracking objects in a video feed generated, the system comprising:
 a camera configured to generate the video feed for the production of a television program;   an object detector configured to compare an image characteristic the video feed with a stored image of an object to detect whether the object is captured in the video feed;   a tolerance determiner configured to calculate whether a distance between a pre-set position in a field of view of the camera and the detected object therein is within a tolerance radius; and   an object tracker configured to automatically control a robotic camera pedestal to physically adjust a positioning of the camera and a corresponding position of the object within the field of view of the camera when the distance between the pre-set position and the detected object is outside the tolerance radius.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a tracking window setting module configured to define a tracking window in the field of view of the camera based on an operator defined region of interest received by a user interface, such that the system will not track the object in the video feed when the object is outside the defined tracking window. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a tracking location setting module configured to define the pre-set position in the field of view of the camera for the identified object; and wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically track the identified object by controlling the robotic camera pedestal when the camera generates the video feed to maintain the identified and tracked object in a fixed relationship relative to the defined pre-set position in the field of view of the camera. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically control the robotic camera pedestal by displacing the camera in an X and Y axis to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically control at least one of a panning operation and a tilting operation of the camera to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the object detector includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to compare the image characteristic with the stored image, the tolerance determiner includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to calculate whether the distance between the pre-set position in the field of view and the detected object therein is within the tolerance radius, and the object tracker includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to automatically control the robotic camera pedestal to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for automatically tracking objects in a video feed generated by a camera, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor configured to implement instructions stored on the memory so as to provide:
 an object detector configured to compare an image characteristic in frames of the video feed with a stored image of an object to detect the object in the video feed; 
 a tolerance determiner configured to calculate whether a distance between a pre-set position in a field of view of the camera and the detected object therein is within a tolerance radius; and 
 an object tracker configured to automatically control a robotic camera pedestal to physically adjust a positioning of the camera and a corresponding position of the object within the field of view of the camera when the distance between the pre-set position and the detected object is outside the tolerance radius in at least one frame of the video feed. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising the camera configured to capture the frames of the video feed for the production of a television program. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to implement instructions stored on the memory so as to provide a tracking window setting module configured to define a tracking window in the field of view of the camera, such that the system will not track the object in the video feed when the object is outside the defined tracking window. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the tracking window setting module is configured to define the tracking window based on an operator defined region of interest received by a user interface. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to implement instructions stored on the memory so as to provide a tracking location setting module configured to define the pre-set position in the field of view of the camera for the identified object. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically track the identified object by controlling the robotic camera pedestal when the camera captures the frames of the video feed to maintain the identified and tracked object in a fixed relationship relative to the defined pre-set position in the field of view of the camera. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically control the robotic camera pedestal by displacing the camera in an X and Y axis to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically control at least one of a panning operation and a tilting operation of the camera to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         15 . A system for automatically tracking objects in a video feed generated by a camera, the system comprising:
 an object detector configured to compare an image characteristic in frames of the video feed with a stored image of an object to detect the object in the video feed;   a tolerance determiner configured to calculate whether a distance between a pre-set position in a field of view of the camera and the detected object therein is within a tolerance radius; and   an object tracker configured to automatically control a robotic camera pedestal to physically adjust a positioning of the camera and a corresponding position of the object within the field of view of the camera when the distance between the pre-set position and the detected object is outside the tolerance radius in at least one frame of the video feed.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , further comprising the camera configured to capture the frames of the video feed for the production of a television program. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 15 , further comprising a tracking window setting module configured to define a tracking window in the field of view of the camera, such that the system will not track the object in the video feed when the object is outside the defined tracking window. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the tracking window setting module is configured to define the tracking window based on an operator defined region of interest received by a user interface. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 17 , further comprising a tracking location setting module configured to define the pre-set position in the field of view of the camera for the identified object; and wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically track the identified object by controlling the robotic camera pedestal when the camera captures the frames of the video feed to maintain the identified and tracked object in a fixed relationship relative to the defined pre-set position in the field of view of the camera. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically control the robotic camera pedestal by displacing the camera in an X and Y axis to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the object tracker is configured to automatically control at least one of a panning operation and a tilting operation of the camera to physically adjust the positioning of the camera. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the object detector includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to compare the image characteristic with the stored image, the tolerance determiner includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to calculate whether the distance between the pre-set position in the field of view and the detected object therein is within the tolerance radius, and the object tracker includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to automatically control the robotic camera pedestal to physically adjust the positioning of the camera.