Patent ID: 6895102
Filing Date: 2005-05-17
Classification: G06K,G06T

Abstract:
1. A system for tracking a target comprising: (a) an image sensor mounted to a gimbal for acquiring an image, wherein the image includes a plurality of pixels representing the target and a background; (b) a motor for rotating the gimbal; and (c) an autotracker electrically coupled to the image sensor and the motor, the autotracker including: (i) a probability map generator for computing a probability that each of the plurality of pixels having a particular intensity is either a portion of the target or a portion of the background; (ii) a pixel processor in communicative relation with the probability map generator for calculating a centroid of the target based upon the probabilities computed by the probability map generator; and (iii) a controller in communicative relation with the pixel processor for generating commands to the motor based upon the centroid.