Multi-video Navigation System for Target Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Monitoring and tracking a target across multiple video sources from remote cameras is challenging, especially in large facilities, as it requires significant time and effort to follow the target's movement, often resulting in reduced information value by the time the tracking is complete.
Innovation Solution
A user interface and system that facilitates tracking a target between multiple video sources using predetermined relationships between cameras, allowing for automated, semi-automated, or manual navigation, with features like accelerated video playback and video stitching to create a continuous sequence, enabling efficient tracking forward and backward in time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If manual tracking of a target across multiple camera views is performed, then complete tracking information can be obtained, but the time required increases significantly (hours to track through a facility)
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes topological relationships between cameras and pre-processes video data into manageable segments with metadata, so that when tracking is needed, the operator can quickly navigate through pre-organized camera sequences rather than manually searching through all camera feeds from scratch
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that automatically manages camera sequences, video segmentation, and temporal navigation between the raw camera feeds and the operator. This intermediary handles the complex coordination of multiple camera views and time sequences, reducing the operator's workload and tracking time
2Loss of information
If real-time monitoring of all camera feeds is attempted, then complete situational awareness is achieved, but the system complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the continuous video stream from multiple cameras into discrete, manageable segments with associated metadata. Each segment represents a specific time period from specific camera(s), allowing operators to navigate through organized segments rather than overwhelming continuous feeds from all cameras simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds temporal and spatial dimensions to the organization of video data by creating a multi-dimensional structure based on camera topology and time sequences. This allows navigation through video data in multiple dimensions (different cameras, different time periods, different sequences) rather than simply switching between camera views
3Loss of information
If video data from multiple cameras is processed and stitched together, then continuous tracking sequence is achieved, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing of video data during ingestion, organizing it into segments with pre-calculated metadata including temporal information and camera relationships. This pre-processing creates a ready-to-navigate structure that reduces the computational burden during actual tracking operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for tracking from the full video streams, creating condensed segments with key metadata. This extraction process separates the critical tracking information from the complete video data, allowing efficient navigation and processing without handling all raw video data
Data Source
AI summary
A video tracking system includes a user interface configured to facilitate tracking of a target between video cameras. The user interface includes user controls configured to assist a user in selecting video cameras as the target moves between fields of view of the video cameras. These user controls are automatically associated with specific cameras based on a camera topology relative to a point of view of a camera whose video data is currently being viewed. The video tracking system further includes systems and methods of synchronizing video data generated using the video cameras and of automatically generating a stitched video sequence based on the user selection of video cameras. The target may be tracked in real-time or in previously recorded video and may be track forward or backwards in time.