Showing papers on "Smart camera published in 2001"

A vision system for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract: We present the design and implementation of a real-time computer vision system for a rotorcraft unmanned aerial vehicle to land onto a known landing target. This vision system consists of customized software and off-the-shelf hardware which perform image processing, segmentation, feature point extraction, camera pan/tilt control, and motion estimation. We introduce the design of a landing target which significantly simplifies the computer vision tasks such as corner detection and correspondence matching. Customized algorithms are developed to allow for realtime computation at a frame rate of 30 Hz. Such algorithms include certain linear and nonlinear optimization schemes for model-based camera pose estimation. We present results from an actual flight test which show the vision-based state estimates are accurate to within 5 cm in each axis of translation, and 5 degrees in each axis of rotation, making vision a viable sensor to be placed in the control loop of a hierarchical flight management system.

Video system and methods for operating a video system

Abstract: A multiple camera video system and methods for operating such a system. The system may include a plurality of cameras located around a stadium, athletic playing field or other location. The cameras are remotely controlled in a master-slave configuration. A camera operator at a master pan head selects one of the plurality of cameras as the current master camera and utilizes the master pan head to adjust the telemetry and zoom of the master camera to follow the target object. The telemetry and zoom parameters of the master camera are then used to calculate corresponding telemetry, zoom and/or other parameters for each of the plurality of slave cameras. Video captured by each of the cameras is stored for the production of replay video feeds or for archiving. The replays may be capable of “spinning” through the video feeds of adjacent cameras in order for the viewer to get the sensation of revolving around the target object. The multiple camera video system also includes methods for calibrating the system.

System for storing and utilizing picture image data recorded by digital camera

Abstract: Pictures recorded by a digital camera can be stored and utilized by a method convenient and appropriate for the situation. The system comprises variety of means for transferring picture image data recorded by a variety of digital cameras to an image server installed in a DPE or the like and a variety of accessing means for enabling the picture image data stored in the image server to be accessed.

System for automated screening of security cameras

Abstract: The present invention involves a system for automatically screening closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for large and small scale security systems, as used for example in parking garages. The system includes six primary software elements, each of which performs a unique function within the operation of the security system to provide intelligent camera selection for operators, resulting in a marked decrease of operator fatigue in a CCTV system. Real-time image analysis of video data is performed wherein a single pass of a video frame produces a terrain map which contains parameters indicating the content of the video. Based on the parameters of the terrain map, the system is able to make decisions about which camera an operator should view based on the presence and activity of vehicles and pedestrians, furthermore, discriminating vehicle traffic from pedestrian traffic. The system is compatible with existing CCTV (closed circuit television) systems and is comprised of modular elements to facilitate integration and upgrades.

Mobile robot and course adjusting method thereof

Abstract: A mobile robot capable of recognizing its location and adjusting its direction in response to an obstacle in its way includes a running device, an obstacle detecting device for detecting the presence of an obstacle, a location recognizing device, a controlling portion, and a power supply. The location recognizing device includes a first vision camera directed toward the ceiling of a room and a first vision board. The first vision camera recognizes a base mark on the ceiling. The first vision board processes an image from the first vision camera and transmits the image data to the controlling portion. The obstacle detecting device includes a line laser for emitting a linear light beam toward the obstacle, a second vision camera for recognizing a reflective linear light beam from the obstacle, and a second vision board for processing image data captured by the second vision camera.

Applications for a mobile digital camera, that distinguish between text-, and image-information in an image

Abstract: A digital camera is equipped with means for recognising if the information in an image is text- or image-based, or can also be used for conventional digital photographing. It is also equipped with optical character reading-means (OCR). Several methods of using such a camera are described, e.g. ordering articles and services from advertisements or catalogues; creating case records for medical care; transmitting hand-written letters and messages by mobile phone; registering and manipulating documentation from appointments and conferences; and controlling flows of packets, goods or products.

A Camera Engine for Computer Games: Managing the Trade‐Off Between Constraint Satisfaction and Frame Coherence

Abstract: Many computer games treat the user in the “1st person” and bind the camera to his or her view. More sophistication in a game can be achieved by enabling the camera to leave the users' viewpoint. This, however, requires new methods for automatic, dynamic camera control. In this paper we present methods and tools for such camera control. We emphasize guiding camera control by constraints; however, optimal constraint satisfaction tends to lead to the camera jumping around too much. Thus, we pay particular attention to a trade-off between constraint satisfaction and frame coherence. We present a new algorithm for dynamic consideration of the visibility of objects which are deemed to be important in a given game context.

Electronic camera and system for transmitting digital over a communication network

Abstract: An electronic camera and system for capturing of digital images, and wireless transmission of the captured images to a recipient. The camera includes a selection device for creating an electronic content identifier to be associated with a digital image file in the camera that identifies a recipient that the associated digital image file is to be forwarded.

Multi-mode camera and method therefor

Abstract: An image acquisition system that is used to acquire digital images of objects or scenes is disclosed. The image acquisition system supports multiple modes of operation. The image acquisition system can be used to acquire and store not only video images but also still images. The image acquisition system is typically part of, or within, a digital camera, but could also itself be a digital camera.

Sensor and imaging system

Abstract: A system is disclosed having a camera, a processor, and a user interface. The camera transmits image data responsive to a scene within a field of view. In response to the image data, the processor indicates whether a condition has been satisfied. The user interface is operably connected to the processor and allows a user to select criteria for detection of objects, for indicating criteria selected, and for providing visual confirmation that an object has been detected.

Home security video system using internet technique

Abstract: A security system including several camera devices and a communication device in sites at which monitoring is required by a user. The several camera devices may constantly monitor the sites. The camera devices have motion detecting functions and provide unusual status reporting signals and necessary image information to the communications device when the movements of an intruder have been detected. The communication device communicates with and is connected to a server that serves as an information center via the internet line when unusual status signals have been received. The information from the camera devices is also sent to server. The server automatically notifies the user by a predetermined user-selected method. The notified user can access the server and confirm the information.

Methods and systems for networked camera control

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing fluid real-time camera control of at least one camera to at least one network user via a network including the internet. A control pad or area can be provided to camera users via an application or applet that can be calibrated to provide fluid camera control. Compressed or uncompressed analog, digital, or streaming video and audio data can also be provided to the users to allow real-time low latency continuous audio/visual feedback. Multiple camera users can obtain control of a camera using a dynamic queuing technique that can allow single user camera control for certain time intervals. An administrator can establish user camera control parameters including camera control intervals for subscriber users versus non-subscriber users, camera usurping by an administrator, elimination of camera control privileges for a user, and denial of camera control requests by a user.

Video camera with major functions implemented in host software

Abstract: A low cost camera by implementing the major functions in host software is provided. This is accomplished by sending raw, digitized data from the camera directly to the host. The increased volume of raw data is handled by either an improved compression/decompression scheme using lossless compression, using lossy compression or using a shared bus with higher bandwidth. By moving such functions as color processing and scaling to the host, the pixel correction can also be moved to the host. This in turn allows the elimination of the frame buffer memory from the camera. Finally, the camera can use a low cost lens by implementing vignetting, distortion, gamma or aliasing correction with a correction value stored in a register of the camera for later access by the host to perform corrections.

Vision-based control of mobile robots

Abstract: This paper presents an approach for direct control of a mobile robot to keep it on a pre-taught path based solely on the perception from a monocular CCD camera. In particular, we present a novel vision-based control algorithm for mobile systems equipped with a conventional camera and a pan-tilt head or with an omnidirection camera. This algorithm avoids numerical instabilities of previously reported approaches. The experimental performance of the method as well as its practical limitations are discussed.

Viewing meeting captured by an omni-directional camera

Abstract: One vision of future technology is the ability to easily and inexpensively capture any group meeting that occurs, store it, and make it available for people to view anytime and anywhere on the network. One barrier to achieving this vision has been the design of low-cost camera systems that can capture important aspects of the meeting without needing a human camera operator. A promising solution that has emerged recently is omni-directional cameras that can capture a 360-degree video of the entire meeting.The panoramic capability provided by these cameras raises both new opportunities and new issues for the interfaces provided for post-meeting viewers — for example, do we show all meeting participants all the time or do we just show the person who is speaking, how much control do we provide to the end-user in selecting the view, and will providing this control distract them from their task. These are not just user interface issues, they also raise tradeoffs for the client-server systems used to deliver such content. They impact how much data needs to be stored on the disk, what computation can be done on the server vs. the client, and how much bandwidth is needed. We report on a rototype system built using an omni-directional camera and results from user studies of interface preferences expressed by viewers.

Building an intelligent camera management system

Abstract: Given rapid improvements in storage devices, network infrastructure and streaming-media technologies, a large number of corporations and universities are recording lectures and making them available online for anytime, anywhere access. However, producing high-quality lecture videos is still labor intensive and expensive. Fortunately, recent technology advances are making it feasible to build automated camera management systems to capture lectures. In this paper we report our design of such a system, including system configuration, audio-visual tracking techniques, software architecture, and user study. Motivated by different roles in a professional video production team, we have developed a multi-cinematographer single-director camera management system. The system performs lecturer tracking, audience tracking, and video editing all fully automatically, and offers quality close to that of human-operated systems.

Augmented reality visualization device

Abstract: A head-mounted display system includes an imaging camera for capturing a view of a workspace located below the head-mounted display system, the imaging camera positioned at a downward pitch angle for capturing an image of the workspace. The system further includes a tracking camera aligned in substantially the same yaw as the imaging camera, the tracking camera for capturing a tracking image including a marker structure, and a display which displays a view of the workspace captured by the imaging camera augmented by a virtual image generated by a processor and registered according to the tracking image.

Self-calibration of a stereo vision system for automotive applications

Abstract: In this paper a calibration method for on-board cameras used on the ARGO autonomous vehicle is presented. A number of markers have been placed on the vehicle's hood, which is framed by the vision system. Due to the knowledge of the markers' position it is possible to compute the camera position and orientation with respect to the vehicle. By using fast computations, this procedure, of basic importance when the camera head has pan-tilt capabilities, can be performed during autonomous driving, without slowing down normal operations.

System and camera for transferring digital images to a service provider

Abstract: A method and digital camera for capturing images to be provided to a service provider. The camera includes a capture device for capturing digital images; a memory for storing the captured digital images; an interface to a communications device for transmitting the stored images to a service provider; wherein the digital interface automatically transfers images to the network service provider during a specified time period. Rechargeable batteries may be provided for powering the digital camera; wherein the communications device recharges the batteries using the interface. The camera may further include a display for displaying digital files stored in the digital memory and displaying the at least one order status confirmation file on the display.

Camera calibration and three-dimensional world reconstruction of stereo-vision using neural networks

Abstract: Stereo-pair images obtained from two cameras can be used to compute three-dimensional (3D) world coordinates of a point using triangulation. However, to apply this method, camera calibration parameters for each camera need to be experimentally obtained. Camera calibration is a rigorous experimental procedure in which typically 12 parameters are to be evaluated for each camera. The general camera model is often such that the system becomes nonlinear and requires good initial estimates to converge to a solution. We propose that, for stereo vision applications in which real-world coordinates are to be evaluated, artificial neural networks be used to train the system such that the need for camera calibration is eliminated. The training set for our neural network consists of a variety of stereo-pair images and corresponding 3D world coordinates. We present the results obtained on our prototype mobile robot that employs two cameras as its sole sensors and navigates through simple regular obstacles in a high-con...

Communication devices incorporating reduced area imaging devices

Abstract: A reduced area imaging device is provided for use with a communication device, such as a wireless/cellular phone. In one configuration of the imaging device, the image sensor is placed remote from the remaining image processing circuitry. In a second configuration, all of the image processing circuitry to include the image sensor is placed in a stacked fashion near the same location. In the first configuration, the entire imaging device can be placed at the distal end of a camera module. In a second configuration, the image sensor is remote from the remaining image processing circuitry wherein available space within the phone is used to house the remaining circuitry. In any of the embodiments, the image sensor may be placed alone on a first circuit board, or timing and control circuits may be included on the first circuit board containing the image sensor. One or more video processing boards can be stacked in a longitudinal fashion with respect to the first board, or the video processing boards may be placed within the housing of the communication device. The communication device includes a miniature LCD-type monitor which is capable of viewing not only the images taken by the camera module, but also can show incoming video images. The camera module is of such small size that it can be easily stored within the housing of the communication device, and may be attached thereto as by a small retractable cable. Having a tethered camera module allows it to be pointed at any desired object within sight of the user, and without having to actually point or move the phone housing in order to take an image.

Mobile information communicating terminal device having video camera

Abstract: A mobile information communicating terminal device having a video camera includes a camera receiver unit pivotally supported in a vertical direction with respect to an upper edge face of the device. When the device is employed as a video camera, the camera receiver unit is rotated about a vertical axis to a position in which a video camera portion of the camera receiver unit is located at a back side of the device. When the device is employed as a mobile television telephone, the vertical relationship of the video camera is not changed. Therefore, a vertical inversion processing of an image signal is not required.

Xetal: a low-power high-performance smart camera processor

Abstract: Xetal is a digital signal processor to be combined with a 30 frames per second VGA-format CMOS or CCD image sensor or any other source of digital video data. The processor is fully programmable and therefore able to run a variety of algorithms ranging from image communication to machine vision. Xetal comprises a parallel processor array and a special purpose controller to achieve high computational performances (up to 5 GOPS) with a very modest power consumption. This can go down to 30 mW for simple applications such as a digital camera for video conferencing. The Xetal chip has been realized in a 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process and takes up an area of 25 mm/sup 2/.

Automobile camera system

Abstract: An automobile camera system which employs a detection and imaging system, including a force and motion detector sensor system, a wireless Internet network interface, and a digital/web camera network for capturing video and related audio data The system is configured for vehicles to capture image data of intruders within and outside a vehicle The system operates in different modes, which includes a snapshot by motion mode, a snapshot by force mode, and a video by force mode Data captured in these respective modes are transmitted wireless to a lap-top or desk-top computer configured with an e-mail software system which automatically transmits captured data to selective e-mail sources over the Internet Each sensor is electrically linked to the camera network to activate camera modes based on intruder activity Image data capture includes satellite transmission links for computer based image retrieval and/or vehicle surveillance

Process of operations with an interchangeable transmission device and apparatus for use therein for a common interface for use with digital cameras

Abstract: A digital camera supplies images to a first computer of a network via a receiver which is enabled as a bridge for Bluetooth, wireless LAN and infrared transmission from a digital camera. Once a digital camera is registered in a computer system, transmissions from the camera can be transmitted to the receiving first computer and thereafter transferred over the network for creation of a multi-media file which can be viewed at a private network or Internet accessible second computer.

Method and system for transferring data between a digital camera and a host

Abstract: A system and a method for the transfer of data between a digital camera and a host using a novel combination of hardware and software related elements. An aspect of the hardware-related elements provides a camera base unit which remains connected with the host, and which the camera is connected with to facilitate the transfer of data to the host. The camera base unit significantly simplifies the connection between the camera and the host by alleviating the need to directly connect the camera with a host. Furthermore, the camera base unit, by providing a pass-through connection and placement guides that mate with the camera, assures that an intuitive placement of the camera on the camera base unit also enables an electronic connection between the camera and the host. Therefore, the simple placement of the camera in contact with the camera base unit ensures a proper interface between the camera and the host, which is connected with the camera base unit. Another aspect of the hardware-based elements is directed towards a “quick send” button. Pushing the “quick send” button causes all the selected on-camera data to be transferred to a local or remote host. The transfer of data is caused by a series of software operations which are initiated in response to the camera connecting with the camera base unit, and which are performed either automatically or following the pushing of the “quick send” button.

Automatic video recording system using wide-and narrow-field cameras

Abstract: A system facilitates the automatic video recording of events which include a moving target. The invention is applicable to all types of videos, but sporting videos are particularly appropriate, where the moving target might be a ball, player, or other target. Broadly, the invention deploys at least two cameras, one (master camera) operating in wide-angle mode to cover a large field of view or the entire scene. At least one second camera operates in a pan/tilt/zoom-in mode relative to the master. A computer analyzes the video input from the first camera and “tracks” the target, preferably using image recognition. The coordinates of the tracked target are transmitted to the second computer to control the second camera(s) to record the event at close-up angles.

Network storage type video camera system

Abstract: A network storage type video camera system enables to perform real-time recording and live distribution concurrently. The network storage type video camera system includes camera terminal equipment for generating moving image data; a network; and a moving image storage server connected to the camera terminal equipment through the network, wherein the camera terminal equipment converts the generated moving image data into packets to transmit in real time to the moving image storage server; the moving image storage server stores received packets and then reports reception packet information on the received packets to the camera terminal equipment; and further, after real-time transmission of the packets is completed, the camera terminal equipment supplies one or more lost packets having been lost during the transmission to the moving image storage server, so as to complement the lost packets according to the reported reception packet information.

Object tracking with a pan-tilt-zoom camera: application to car driving assistance

Abstract: In this paper, visual perception in car driving assistance is considered. The work deals with the development of a system combining a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera and a standard camera, in order to track the front vehicles. The standard camera has a small focal length, and is devoted to the analyse of the whole frontal scene. Here, the PTZ camera is used to track the closest vehicle. Camera rotations and zoom are controlled by visual servoing and by an efficient real time target tracking algorithm. The aim of this work is to keep the rear view image of target vehicle stable in scale and position. The methods presented were tested on real road sequences within the VELAC demonstration vehicle. Experimental results show the effectiveness of such an approach.

Automated video production system and method using expert video production rules for online publishing of lectures

Abstract: An automated system and method for producing videos using expert video production rules. The automated video production system and method of the present invention is particularly well-suited for the online publishing of lectures. The system of the present invention includes a camera system for capturing the lecture, such as an audience-tracking camera and a non-intrusive lecturer-tracking camera. Moreover, each camera may be controlled by a cinematographer. Tracking of a subject is performed using a history-based, reduced-motion tracker that sets up a camera shot based on the subject's movement history and leaves the shot fixed until the camera is switched. The system also includes a virtual director module having a probabilistic finite state machine (FSM) module that uses probabilistic rules and the expert video production rules to determine a current camera view.