Patent Document ID: 5574498
Application ID: 08309983
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A target tracking system comprising: memory means for storing R-Y signals, B-Y signals and luminance signals of an input color image in a first region of interest, wherein said image is subdivided into a plurality of pixels and an individual set of R-Y signal, B-Y signal, and luminance signal is associated with a pixel of said image; a processor programmed to extract predetermined characteristic quantities of said image from said first region of interest, said programmed processor being operable to: (a) calculate a forecasted luminance signal as a function of luminance forecast coefficients which are determined as a function of (i) said R-Y signals and (ii) said B-Y signals of said image in said region of interest, (b) calculate a forecasted B-Y signal as a function of B-Y forecast coefficients which are determined as a function of said B-Y signal of said image in said region of interest, (c) calculate a one-dimensional evaluation function from an absolute sum of (i) luminance signal differences which are determined as a function of luminance signals associated with respective pixels in said image, (ii) set color differences which are determined as a function of sets of R-Y and B-Y signals associated with respective pixels in said image, (iii) luminance forecast errors which are determined as a function of the luminance signal associated with a pixel of said image and said forecasted luminance signal, and (iv) B-Y forecast errors which are determined as a function of said B-Y signal associated with the pixel of said image and said forecasted B-Y signal, (d) change an origin of said R-Y signals and said B-Y signals in response to a user input, (e) convert the image to a binary image by adaptively changing a threshold value of said one-dimensional evaluation function, and (f) determine a location of a target object from said binary image; camera control means for controlling panning and tilt of a television camera based on said location of said target object to provide a second region of interest; said processor being further programmed to continuously track said target object in said second region of interest until a switch is operated by an operator to disable the camera control means, whereby said processor is operable to extract said predetermined characteristic quantities of said image from said second region of interest and to control the camera control means to effect the panning and tilt of the television camera based on said location of said target object.