Person search system

Abstract

A server includes a controller. The controller receives an image that is captured by a camera and a location of the camera at a time of capturing the image, detect a human image in the image, make a determination as to whether or not the human image detected in the image corresponds to an image of an object, predict an area of activities of the object based on the location of the camera and the time of capturing the image in response to determination that the human image corresponds to the image of the object, and command a vehicle to move to the area of activities and discover the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A server comprising a controller configured to:
 receive an image that is captured by a camera and a location of the camera at a time of capturing the image;   detect a human image in the image;   make a determination as to whether or not the human image detected in the image corresponds to an image of an object;   predict an area of activities of the object based on the location of the camera and the time of capturing the image in response to determination that the human image corresponds to the image of the object; and   command a vehicle to move to the area of activities and discover the object.   
     
     
         2 . The server according to  claim 1 , further comprising a non-transitory storage medium, wherein the controller is further configured to make the determination on the basis of information about the object stored in the non-transitory storage medium and the image. 
     
     
         3 . The server according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect the human image in each of a plurality of images, and the controller is further configured to make the determination on the basis of a plurality of human images that are images of a same person. 
     
     
         4 . The server according to  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the controller is further configured to make the determination on the basis of an input made through the user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The server according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to command the vehicle to give protection to a person corresponding to the human image that is determined to be an image of the object by the controller. 
     
     
         6 . The server according to  claim 5 , wherein the vehicle is further configured to give protection to the object by letting the object get on the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The server according to  claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a plurality of vehicles, and the controller is further configured to determine an area or route in or along which the vehicle is to travel to discover the object, on the basis of positional information of the plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         8 . The server according to  claim 1 , wherein information about the object is stored in the server. 
     
     
         9 . The server according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive the image and the location of the camera from a first vehicle that has the camera and a GPS receiver for acquiring positional information. 
     
     
         10 . An information processing method performed by a computer,
 the computer configured to:   receive an image that is captured by a camera and a location of the camera at a time of capturing the image;   detect a human image in the image;   make a determination as to whether or not the human image detected in the image corresponds to an image of an object;   predict an area of activities of the object based on the location of the camera and the time of capturing the image in response to determination that the human image corresponds to the image of the object; and   command a vehicle to move to the area of activities and discover the object.   
     
     
         11 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to make the determination on the basis of information about the object stored in a non-transitory storage medium and the image. 
     
     
         12 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to detect the human image in each of a plurality of images, and the computer is further configured to make the determination on the basis of a plurality of human images that are images of a same person. 
     
     
         13 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to make the determination on the basis of an input made through a user interface. 
     
     
         14 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to command the vehicle to give protection to a person corresponding to the human image that is determined to be an image of the object by the computer. 
     
     
         15 . The information processing method according to  claim 14 , wherein the computer is further configured to command the vehicle to give protection to the object by letting the object get on the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to determine an area or route in or along which the vehicle is to travel to discover the object, on the basis of positional information of a plurality of vehicles. 
     
     
         17 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to store information about the object in a non-transitory storage medium. 
     
     
         18 . The information processing method according to  claim 10 , wherein the computer is further configured to receive the image and the location of the camera from a first vehicle that has the camera and a GPS receiver for acquiring positional information. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicle configured to:
 receive a command to move to an area of activities of an object and discover the object; and   receive an area or route in or along which the vehicle is to travel to discover the object; wherein   the area of activities of the object is predicted based on a location of a camera and a time of capturing an image in response to determination that a human image detected in the image that is captured by the camera corresponds to an image of an object.   
     
     
         20 . The vehicle according to  claim 19 , wherein the vehicle is further configured to give protection to a person corresponding to the human image when the vehicle discovers the object.