Tracking Assistance Device for Multi-Camera Surveillance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently tracking a moving object across multiple cameras, leading to high burdens on monitoring personnel due to errors in tracing information and difficulties in identifying the correct display section, resulting in potential loss of the object being monitored.
Innovation Solution
A tracking assistance device and method that displays captured images from multiple cameras on a map-based interface, allowing for target designation, camera selection based on tracing information, confirmation image playback, and error correction through candidate selection, reducing the burden on monitoring personnel by ensuring accurate tracking without losing sight of the target.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the camera that will next capture the image of the person being monitored is predicted and the captured image is displayed, then the burden of the monitoring person is reduced, but if there is another person in addition to the person being monitored in the captured image, the prediction of the next camera may be performed based on the direction of movement of the other person, resulting in the monitoring person losing sight of the person being monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of multiple persons in the captured image. The system identifies the person being monitored through tracing information and applies special handling only to that specific target, while ignoring other persons in the same image. This is achieved by storing tracing information that specifically tracks the person of interest and using this information to determine the next camera selection, rather than using general movement detection that could be influenced by other persons.
2Adaptability or versatility
If many display sections are arranged in the screen in correspondence with the number of cameras installed, then all camera views can be displayed, but it is difficult to determine the display section in which the person being monitored currently appears promptly and exactly, resulting in high monitoring burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes (highlighting) to differentiate the display section containing the person being monitored from other display sections. By applying a distinctive visual indicator such as a frame or border around the relevant display section, the system enables rapid identification of the target location without requiring the monitoring person to search through multiple display sections, thus reducing the monitoring burden while maintaining comprehensive camera coverage.
3Extent of automation
If tracing information is used to select the camera that will next capture the image of the person being monitored, then the tracking process is automated, but if the tracing information includes an error, the person being monitored may be lost from tracking, requiring manual correction which imposes burden on the monitoring person
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by allowing the monitoring person to verify the tracing information and provide correction when errors are detected. The system displays the current tracing results and enables manual intervention to correct mistakes, ensuring that the tracking accuracy is maintained while preserving the benefits of automation. This feedback mechanism reduces the burden by providing clear visual indication of tracking status and allowing simple correction procedures.
4Productivity
If the monitoring person determines the display section in which the person will appear next from the direction of movement of the person being monitored, then the tracking can be performed, but if it took much time to determine the next display section, the monitoring person may lose sight of the person to be monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-determining the next display section based on tracing information before the monitoring person needs to manually identify it. The system automatically predicts which display section will contain the person being monitored next and prepares to display it, eliminating the time-consuming manual determination process and preventing loss of sight of the target.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracking assistance device includes: a target-to-be-tracked setting unit that, in response to an input operation performed by a monitoring person on one of display views to designate a moving object to be tracked, sets the designated moving object as a target to be tracked, the display views displaying captured images taken by respective cameras and stored in a recorder; a camera selection unit that, based on tracing information obtained by processing the captured images, selects any of the cameras inferred to have taken an image of the moving object designated as the target to be tracked from among the cameras other than the camera corresponding to the display view on which the target to be tracked was designated; and a playback unit that causes the captured images taken by each camera selected by the camera selection unit to be displayed in a corresponding one of the display views.