Adaptive Multi-Camera Target Tracking Under Hardware Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-camera multi-target tracking systems face challenges in optimizing hardware resource usage while maintaining tracking quality, particularly in large-scale surveillance setups, due to their dependency on hardware resources and lack of adaptive mechanisms to handle dynamic resource demands.

Innovation Solution

An adaptive system that includes a tracking device with dynamic configurators and measuring devices to optimize processing based on performance metrics, using an additional reference tracking device to set configuration parameters, ensuring efficient use of hardware resources and maintaining tracking quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multi-camera multi-target tracking algorithms are implemented with sophisticated processing, then tracking quality and detection accuracy are improved, but hardware resource demand and computing costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetracking qualityVSAvoidhardware resource demand
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts configuration parameters of tracking devices based on real-time performance metrics and resource availability. The configurators modify processing capabilities, resolution, and frame rates adaptively to optimize the balance between tracking quality and hardware resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes physical and operational parameters of tracking devices including processing capability, image resolution, and frame rate. These parameter adjustments allow the system to maintain acceptable tracking quality while reducing computational load and hardware resource demand when resources are constrained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Area of stationary object

If a large number of cameras are deployed for comprehensive surveillance coverage, then monitoring area and detection capability are improved, but computing costs and hardware resource requirements become prohibitive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring areaVSAvoidcomputing costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The surveillance system is divided into multiple independent tracking devices, each responsible for specific camera feeds and target tracking tasks. This segmentation allows distributed processing where each device handles a portion of the total computational load, making large-scale deployments feasible without requiring centralized supercomputing resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial processing by selectively adjusting the processing capability of individual tracking devices based on local conditions and resource availability. Not all cameras require maximum processing power simultaneously, allowing the system to maintain comprehensive coverage while reducing overall computing costs through selective optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If tracking priority is given to particular targets by allocating more resources, then detection accuracy for priority targets is improved, but tracking quality of other targets is temporarily reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidtracking flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different processing qualities and resource allocations to different tracking devices and targets based on local requirements. Priority targets receive enhanced processing resources from specific tracking devices, while other devices maintain standard operation, allowing differentiated quality of service without uniformly reducing overall system capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes configuration parameters of tracking devices to prioritize specific targets when needed. By adjusting processing capability, resolution, and frame rate parameters selectively, the system can allocate more resources to priority targets while maintaining acceptable performance for other targets, preserving overall tracking flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If configuration parameters are continuously adjusted to reduce hardware resource demand, then resource efficiency is improved, but system complexity and control difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses performance metrics as feedback to automatically adjust configuration parameters. Tracking devices monitor their own performance and resource consumption, and configurators use this feedback to make automatic parameter adjustments. This closed-loop control reduces system complexity by automating the optimization process rather than requiring manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Tracking devices and configurators are designed to self-adjust their configuration parameters based on performance metrics and resource conditions. The system serves itself by automatically optimizing resource allocation and processing capabilities without requiring external control, reducing operational complexity while maintaining high resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3506201B1Adaptive system and method for automatically tracking at least one target in at least one video stream
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 BULL SA
  • EP3506201B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3506201B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3506201B1 patent drawing

AI summary

This system comprises: at least one tracking device (141, ..., 14n), receiving a video stream and dynamically configurable, designed for the automatic detection and tracking of at least one target by analyzing the video stream; a performance metric calculator (20) for the tracking device (141, ..., 14n); a configuration parameter corrector (26) for the tracking device (141, ..., 14n) based on the performance metric; and a dynamic configurator (161, ..., 16n) for the tracking device (141, ..., 14n) by applying the corrected configuration parameter. It further comprises at least one measurement device (181, ..., 18n) for at least one value representative of the demand on hardware resources by the tracking device (141, ..., 14n), and the calculator (20) is more specifically designed to calculate the performance metric from the measured value.