Target Tracking in a Multi-Camera Surveillance System

Abstract

Tracking of targets in video captured by a multi-camera surveillance system is often difficult due to incomplete camera coverage and due to the complexities associated with automated recognition in a dense and highly variable environment. The present disclosure embraces a system and method for target tracking in a multi-camera surveillance system that reduces the time required for a user to track a target by offering computer generated search results that include suggestions of candidates found in the video that match (to some degree) the target. When one of the candidates is selected by a user, the search is shifted to other cameras and continued. In this way, the target may be tracked quickly. Further, a playlist of video snippets of the target is accumulated during the search and can be played to show all captured video of the target moving about the facility.

1 . A method for tracking a target in a multi-camera surveillance system using target samples, the method comprising:
 receiving primary video from a primary camera of a plurality of cameras and secondary video from secondary cameras of the plurality of cameras;   presenting the received primary video in a first window of a graphical user interface;   presenting the received secondary video in a second window of the graphical user interface;   receiving a selection of a target sample from the primary video from a user;   adding the target sample to a target-sample set specific to a target;   presenting the target sample in a third window of the graphical user interface;   searching the secondary video for candidate samples based on the target sample in the target-sample set;   presenting the candidate samples in the third window of the graphical user interface;   receiving a selection of one of the candidate samples in the third window of the graphical user interface   adding the selected one of the candidate samples to the target-sample set as a new target sample; and   presenting the target samples of the target-sample set in the third window of the graphical user interface, wherein the target samples replace the candidate samples in the third window.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected one of the candidate samples is associated with one of the secondary cameras of the plurality of secondary cameras, and further comprising assigning the one of the secondary cameras as a new primary camera. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  1 , further comprising:
 obtaining geographic locations of cameras of the plurality of cameras used to acquire the target samples in the target-sample set;   obtaining a time for each target sample in the target-sample set; and   reconstructing, using the times and the geographic locations, a track of the target, wherein the track graphically depicts a path of the target through the geographical locations at the obtained times.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating a video playlist of video from the target samples in the target-sample set.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the primary camera; and   assigning the secondary cameras from the plurality of cameras based on the primary camera selection.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein assigning the secondary cameras comprises assigning the secondary cameras such that the secondary cameras view areas different from an area viewed by the primary camera. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein assigning the secondary cameras comprises assigning the secondary cameras such that the secondary cameras are proximate to the primary camera. 
     
     
         8 . A multi-camera surveillance system for tracking a target, comprising:
 a plurality of cameras that each capture video of different areas of a facility;   a computing device communicatively coupled to the plurality of cameras, wherein the computing device comprises a processor, the processor configured by software to:
 receive primary video from a primary camera of the plurality of cameras and secondary video from secondary cameras of the plurality of cameras; 
 present the received primary video in a first window of a graphical user interface; 
 present the received secondary video in a second window of the graphical user interface; 
 receive a selection of a target sample from the primary video from a user; 
 add the target sample to a target-sample set specific to a target; 
 present the target sample in a third window of the graphical user interface; 
 search the secondary video for candidate samples based on the target sample in the target-sample set; 
 present the candidate samples in the third window of the graphical user interface; 
 receive a selection of one of the candidate samples in the third window of the graphical user interface; 
 add the selected one of the candidate samples to the target-sample set as a new target sample; and 
 present the target samples of the target-sample set in the third window of the graphical user interface, wherein the target samples replace the candidate samples in the third window. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the selected one of the candidate samples is associated with one of the secondary cameras of the plurality of secondary cameras, and the processor is further configured by software to assign the one of the secondary cameras as a new primary camera. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured by software to:
 obtain geographic locations of cameras of the plurality of cameras used to acquire the target samples in the target-sample set;   obtain a time for each target sample in the target-sample set; and   reconstruct, using the times and the geographic locations, a track of the target, wherein the track graphically depicts a path of the target through the geographical locations at the obtained times.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured by software to:
 create a video playlist of video from the target samples in the target-sample set.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further conjured by software to:
 receive a selection of the primary camera; and   assign the secondary cameras from the plurality of cameras based on the primary camera selection.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor configured by software to assign, based on the primary camera selection, the secondary cameras comprises the processor configured by software to assign the secondary cameras such that the secondary cameras view areas different from an area viewed by the primary camera. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor configured by software to assign the secondary cameras comprises the processor configured by software to assign the secondary cameras such that the secondary cameras are proximate to the primary camera. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer readable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:
 receiving primary video from a primary camera of a plurality of cameras and secondary video from secondary cameras of the plurality of cameras;   presenting the received primary video in a first window of a graphical user interface;   presenting the received secondary video in a second window of the graphical user interface;   receiving a selection of a target sample from the primary video from a user;   adding the target sample to a target-sample set specific to a target;   presenting the target sample in a third window of the graphical user interface;   searching the secondary video for candidate samples based on the target sample in the target-sample set;   presenting the candidate samples in the third window of the graphical user interface;   receiving a selection of one of the candidate samples in the third window of the graphical user interface;   adding the selected one of the candidate samples to the target-sample set as a new target sample; and   presenting the target samples of the target-sample set in the third window of the graphical user interface, wherein the target samples replace the candidate samples in the third window.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the selected one of the candidate samples is associated with one of the secondary cameras of the plurality of secondary cameras, and the method further comprises assigning the one of the secondary cameras as a new primary camera. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 obtaining geographic locations of cameras of the plurality of cameras used to acquire the target samples in the target-sample set;   obtaining a time for each target sample in the target-sample set; and   reconstructing, using the times and the geographic locations, a track of the target, wherein the track graphically depicts a path of the target through the geographical locations at the obtained times.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 creating a video playlist of video from the target samples in the target-sample set.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a selection of the primary camera; and   assigning the secondary cameras from the plurality of cameras based on the primary camera selection.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein assigning the secondary cameras comprises assigning the secondary cameras such that the secondary cameras view areas different from an area viewed by the primary camera.