Patent application EP20169187A (EP), filed 2020-04-10
Publication number: EP3736733A1
Title: TRACKING DEVICE, TRACKING METHOD, AND TRACKING SYSTEM
Abstract: A tracking device for tracking a target object includes an interface connectable to a camera configured to acquire an image and determine a location of the object within the image and a distance therefrom, a memory that stores first coordinates that indicate a location of the camera with respect to a reference point in the facility, and a first direction towards which the camera faces, and a processor configured to calculate a second direction from the camera to the object based on the first direction and the location of the object, based on the second direction and the distance, calculate second coordinates indicating a location of the target object with respect to the location of the camera, based on the first and second coordinates, calculate third coordinates indicating a location of the target object with respect to the reference point, and store the calculated third coordinates in the memory.
IPC codes: G06K   9/    00            A I
G06T   7/   292            A I
G06T   7/    50            A I
G06T   7/    70            A I
G06T   7/    20            A I
G06V  20/    52            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A tracking device for tracking a current location of a target object within a facility, comprising:
number: 2
text: The tracking device according to claim 1, wherein the second coordinates are polar coordinates indicating the location of the target object with respect to the location where the camera is installed.
number: 3
text: The tracking device according to claim 2, wherein
the first coordinates are absolute coordinates indicating the location where the camera is installed with respect to the reference point of the facility, and
the third coordinates are absolute coordinates indicating the location of the target object with respect to the reference point.
number: 4
text: The tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the processor is configured to store time information indicating when the image of the target object is acquired by the camera, together with the calculated third coordinates in the memory.
number: 5
text: The tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the target object is a person, and the location of the target object determined by the camera is a location where a head of the person is located within the image.
number: 6
text: The tracking device according to claim 5, wherein the facility is a sales room of a store.
number: 7
text: The tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the processor is configured to:
number: 8
text: The tracking device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to, upon determining that the second direction is erroneous, correct the calculated second coordinates using a previous second direction acquired by the camera, and recalculate the third coordinates using the corrected second coordinates.
number: 9
text: The tracking device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the processor is configured to repeat a process of the calculation of the second direction, the second coordinates, and the third coordinates, and the storage thereof as long as the target object is located within the image.
number: 10
text: The tracking device according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to:
number: 11
text: A method for tracking a current location of a target object within a facility, the method comprising:
number: 12
text: The method according to claim 11, wherein the second coordinates are polar coordinates indicating the location of the target object with respect to the location where the camera is installed.
number: 13
text: The method according to claim 12, wherein
the first coordinates are absolute coordinates indicating the location where the camera is installed with respect to the reference point of the facility, and
the third coordinates are absolute coordinates indicating the location of the target object with respect to the reference point.
number: 14
text: The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising storing time information indicating when the image of the target object is acquired by the camera, together with the calculated third coordinates.
number: 15
text: The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising:
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-11-11
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
Prior art cited: ref_id: US2014064560A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2014064560
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
Final disposition: pending (2020-11-11)