Off-Screen Target Indicators for Video Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining situational awareness and reorienting a camera attached to a moving platform to track off-screen targets is challenging due to high cognitive burden, as current methods require operators to remember and estimate target bearings and motion, especially when targets leave the camera's field of view.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a dynamical system model, such as a Kalman filter, to track target geographical coordinates and velocity, allowing automatic display of indicators showing the direction and distance to off-screen targets, enabling the camera to be automatically or manually reoriented with minimal operator effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operator manually tracks target bearings and estimates target motion, then situational awareness can be maintained, but the cognitive burden increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting targets, computing their locations relative to the video field of view, and preparing target indicators before the operator needs them. This includes continuously updating target positions using a dynamical model and pre-calculating where targets will be, reducing the operator's cognitive load during critical tracking moments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational system that acts as a mediator between the camera platform and the operator. This intermediary automatically computes target locations, generates visual indicators, and provides guidance information, freeing the operator from performing complex mental calculations while maintaining reliable situational awareness
2Reliability
If the camera operator manually reorients to track off-screen targets, then target tracking can be maintained, but the time required to reorient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary computation of target locations and generates visual indicators showing where off-screen targets are positioned relative to the current field of view. This allows the operator to quickly reorient by following visual cues rather than performing manual bearing calculations, significantly reducing reorientation time while maintaining reliable target tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by displaying visual indicators that show the relationship between the current camera view and off-screen target positions. This feedback guides the operator's reorientation actions, providing real-time information about whether the camera is moving toward or away from the target, thereby reducing the time needed to reacquire the target
3Ease of operation
If visual indicators are displayed for off-screen targets, then the operator can quickly reorient to targets, but the display complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by displaying target indicators only in the specific regions of the display where they are most useful - typically at the edges or corners of the screen corresponding to off-screen directions. Each indicator is localized to provide directionally-specific information without cluttering the entire display, maintaining ease of operation while controlling overall display complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for displaying off-screen target indicators in motion video comprising the steps of receiving motion video containing a series of individual video frames, selecting a target object within a selected video frame by choosing selected target object pixel space coordinates, and determining whether the selected target object pixel space coordinates are within the selected video frame. Upon determining that the selected target object pixel space coordinates are within the selected video frame, the method updates a dynamical system model with the target object geographical coordinates, longitudinal target object speed, and latitudinal target object speed. Upon determining that the selected target object pixel space coordinates are not within the selected video frame, the method calculates estimated target object geographical coordinates at time t using the dynamical system model. The method then calculates final values in the video field of view at which to draw a target indicator.