Multi-Camera Tracker Selection for Discreet Target Following

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tracking systems, such as those described in Patent Literatures 1 to 6, often fail to support trackers like security guards in effectively tracking suspicious individuals without being noticed, as the individuals may evade detection when they sense the guard's presence.

Innovation Solution

A tracking support system utilizing multiple cameras to calculate the position of a tracking target, select an appropriate tracker, and transmit distance information to the tracker's terminal, allowing the tracker to maintain a discreet distance from the target, thereby reducing the likelihood of being noticed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a tracker approaches close to the tracking target to maintain effective monitoring, then the monitoring effectiveness is improved, but the target may notice the tracker and evade detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring effectivenessVSAvoidtarget awareness of tracking

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an information transmission device as an intermediary between the tracker and the target. This device provides real-time information about the target's location and status to the tracker without requiring physical proximity, thereby maintaining monitoring effectiveness while minimizing the target's awareness of being tracked.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical approach of physical proximity-based monitoring with an information-based system. By using information transmission devices to deliver target data to the tracker, the system eliminates the need for the tracker to physically approach the target, thus preventing target awareness while maintaining monitoring reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If multiple trackers are deployed to ensure continuous tracking, then the reliability of tracking is improved, but the complexity of coordination and management increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking continuityVSAvoidtracker coordination system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the functions of multiple trackers into a coordinated network where information is shared and tasks are distributed. By combining the capabilities of multiple trackers through a centralized information management system, the patent achieves continuous tracking reliability while reducing the complexity of individual tracker operations through standardized information exchange protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12494116B2Tracking support apparatus, terminal, tracking support system, tracking support method and program

Publication Date: 2025.12.09 NEC CORP

AI summary

A tracking support system includes a position calculating section connected with a plurality of cameras arranged in a predetermined monitoring area to transmit video images imaged by the plurality of cameras and configured to calculate a position of the tracking target based on the video images received from the plurality of cameras; a tracker selecting section configured to select a tracker to be instructed to track the tracking target, based on position information of the terminal received from the terminal and the calculated position of the tracking target; and an information transmitting section configured to transmit information of a distance between the tracking target and the terminal during the tracking of the tracking target to the terminal carried by the selected tracker.