Surveillance Camera Automatic Calibration via Object Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional surveillance camera systems require technical knowledge and manual calibration for accurate video analytics, making them inconvenient, time-consuming, and costly to set up.

Innovation Solution

A surveillance camera system with an imaging sensor and a logic device that automatically calibrates by tracking objects and determining correlations between image locations and sizes, allowing for minimal user input and configuration through a master parameter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual calibration with technical knowledge is used, then video analytics accuracy is improved, but setup time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo analytics accuracyVSAvoidsetup time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic calibration without requiring external technical assistance. The camera autonomously captures images, detects objects, and computes calibration parameters through embedded processing, eliminating the need for engineers to manually configure the system while maintaining calibration accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs calibration actions automatically during the installation process itself, rather than requiring a separate calibration step. By capturing images and computing parameters in real-time during setup, the system eliminates the time loss associated with post-installation calibration while ensuring accurate video analytics performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If manual calibration with technical knowledge is used, then video analytics accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo analytics accuracyVSAvoidcalibration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera system autonomously performs the entire calibration process including image capture, object detection, and parameter computation without requiring external technical knowledge. This self-calibration capability eliminates the complexity burden from users while maintaining accurate video analytics through automated processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical calibration procedures with automated computational processes. Instead of requiring engineers to physically adjust parameters and configure settings, the system uses image processing algorithms and automated detection to compute calibration parameters, reducing operational complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If automatic calibration is used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalibration easeVSAvoidcalibration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual calibration operations with automated image processing and object detection algorithms. This substitution maintains ease of operation by eliminating manual configuration while ensuring measurement precision through computational methods that objectively analyze captured images and compute accurate calibration parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from captured images and object detection results to automatically adjust and refine calibration parameters. By continuously analyzing the relationship between detected object positions and known physical dimensions, the system self-corrects and optimizes calibration accuracy while maintaining automatic operation without technical intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If multiple parameters are configured manually, then video analytics performance is improved, but ease of operation worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo analytics performanceVSAvoidconfiguration ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines and configures multiple calibration parameters including focal length, installation height, and look-down angle through embedded processing. This self-configuration capability maintains reliable video analytics performance by computing all necessary parameters while eliminating the burden of manual configuration for users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The calibration system performs multiple functions simultaneously including object detection, parameter computation, and configuration optimization through a single automated process. This multi-functional approach ensures comprehensive video analytics performance while simplifying user interaction to a single calibration initiation action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11030775B2Minimal user input video analytics systems and methods

Publication Date: 2021.06.08 TELEDYNE FLIR LLC

AI summary

Various techniques are disclosed for calibrating surveillance camera systems with minimal user input. Such surveillance camera calibration techniques may be implemented in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure to facilitate calibration and parameter configuration such that a surveillance camera can be installed and set up for video analytics with minimal input from a user without technical training or knowledge.