Patent ID: 8170277

Claim:
An automatic tracking apparatus for tracking a moving object, comprising: a first object detector that detects the object from an image photographed by a camera which is provided with a zooming mechanism and photographs at a predetermined image angle; a first zooming controller that changes zooming magnification of the camera in such a case that a dimension of the detected object does not satisfy a predetermined condition on the image, wherein the first zooming controller changes the zooming magnification at a first speed; a second object detector that detects the object from an image again photographed by the camera after the zooming magnification is changed; a tracking unit that compares the object detected by the second object detector with the image photographed by the camera so as to specify a position of the object and to track the object on the image; and a second zooming controller that controls the zooming magnification of the camera in such a manner that a dimension of the object to be tracked becomes a predetermined dimension on an image which is photographed by the camera, wherein the second zooming controller changes the zooming magnification at a slower speed than the first speed.