Abstract: A system for automatically acquiring high-resolution images by steering a pan-tilt-zoom camera at targets detected in a fixed camera view is provided. The system uses automatic or manual calibration between multiple cameras. Using automatic calibration, the homography between the cameras in a home position is estimated together with the effects of pan and tilt controls and the expected height of a person in the image. These calibrations are chained together to steer a slave camera. The manual calibration scheme steers a camera to the desired region of interest and calculates the pan, tile and zoom parameters accordingly.

Abstract: A system for automatically acquiring high-resolution images by steering a pan-tilt-zoom camera at targets detected in a fixed camera view is provided. The system uses automatic or manual calibration between multiple cameras. Using automatic calibration, the homography between the cameras in a home position is estimated together with the effects of pan and tilt controls and the expected height of a person in the image. These calibrations are chained together to steer a slave camera. The manual calibration scheme steers a camera to the desired region of interest and calculates the pan, tile and zoom parameters accordingly.

Abstract: Techniques for classifying one or more objects in at least one video, wherein the at least one video comprises a plurality of frames are provided. One or more objects in the plurality of frames are tracked. A level of deformation is computed for each of the one or more tracked objects in accordance with at least one change in a plurality of histograms of oriented gradients for a corresponding tracked object. Each of the one or more tracked objects is classified in accordance with the computed level of deformation.

Abstract: Techniques for classifying one or more objects in at least one video, wherein the at least one video comprises a plurality of frames are provided. One or more objects in the plurality of frames are tracked. A level of deformation is computed for each of the one or more tracked objects in accordance with at least one change in a plurality of histograms of oriented gradients for a corresponding tracked object. Each of the one or more tracked objects is classified in accordance with the computed level of deformation.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring events includes defining alert events based on primitive event types in an environment monitored by monitoring devices. Alert parameters are set for each alert event, and alert events are combined to create a composite alert event based on a plurality of alert events. A plurality of engines is monitored to determine if multiple events comprising the composite alert event have occurred.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method to detect semantic attributes of human body in computer vision. In detecting semantic attributes of human body in computer vision, the invention maintains a list of semantic attributes, each of which corresponds to a human body part. A computer module then analyzes segments of a frame of a digital video to detect each semantic attribute by finding a most likely attribute for each segment. A threshold is applied to select candidate segments of the frame for further analysis. The candidate segments of the frame then go through geometric and resolution context analysis by applying the physical structure principles of a human body and by analyzing increasingly higher resolution versions of the image to verify the existence and accuracy of parts and attributes.

Abstract: A system for automatically acquiring high-resolution images by steering a pan-tilt-zoom camera at targets detected in a fixed camera view is provided. The system uses automatic or manual calibration between multiple cameras. Using automatic calibration, the homography between the cameras in a home position is estimated together with the effects of pan and tilt controls and the expected height of a person in the image. These calibrations are chained together to steer a slave camera. The manual calibration scheme steers a camera to the desired region of interest and calculates the pan, tile and zoom parameters accordingly.

Abstract: A system for assisting the alignment of a hitch pin mounted on the rear of a vehicle with a hitch socket mounted on the front of a trailer. The system includes a camera mounted to the vehicle and positioned to capture an image rearwardly of the vehicle. A video display is contained within the vehicle which displays the image captured by the camera. A processor is also contained in the vehicle which calculates a preferred path of travel of the vehicle to position the hitch pin in alignment with the hitch socket. The processor is programmed to provide instructions to an operator of the vehicle of the required steering to maintain the vehicle on the preferred path of travel. The processor recalculates the preferred path of travel whenever the vehicle veers from the preferred path of travel by a preset threshold.

Abstract: Techniques for classifying one or more objects in at least one video, wherein the at least one video comprises a plurality of frames are provided. One or more objects in the plurality of frames are tracked. A level of deformation is computed for each of the one or more tracked objects in accordance with at least one change in a plurality of histograms of oriented gradients for a corresponding tracked object. Each of the one or more tracked objects is classified in accordance with the computed level of deformation.

Abstract: Techniques for calibrating a classification system, wherein one or more objects in at least one video are classified, are provided. At least one view associated with the at least one video is obtained. The at least one view is partitioned into at least one region. A given object is classified in accordance with its location in reference to the at least one region. In an additional embodiment, one or more object models are obtained. At least one normalized size of the one or more objects is defined within at least one view associated with the at least one video in accordance with the one or more object models. The one or more objects are classified in accordance with the at least one defined normalized size.

Abstract: Systems and methods for foreground analysis in real-time video include background subtraction and foreground detection, shadow removal, quick lighting change adaptation, static foreground region detection, foreground fragment reduction, and frame level change detection. Processes include background image extraction and foreground detection, integrating texture information of the background image and a current frame to remove false positive foreground areas resulting from lighting changes, integrating pixel intensity information by determining a cross-correlation of intensities between a current frame and the background image for each pixel in a foreground mask to remove image shadows. Static foreground region detection and fragment reduction are also included.

Abstract: Techniques for tracking entities using a single overhead camera are provided. A foreground region is detected in a video frame of the single overhead camera corresponding to one or more entities. It is determined if the foreground region is associated with an existing tracker. It is determined whether the detected foreground region is the result of at least one of a merger of two or more smaller foreground regions having corresponding existing trackers and a split of a larger foreground region having a corresponding existing tracker when the detected foreground region is not associated with an existing tracker. The detected foreground region is tracked via at least one existing tracker when the foreground region is associated with an existing tracker or the foreground region is the result of at least one of a merger and a split.

Abstract: Systems and methods for foreground analysis in real-time video include background subtraction and foreground detection, shadow removal, quick lighting change adaptation, static foreground region detection, foreground fragment reduction, and frame level change detection. Processes include background image extraction and foreground detection, integrating texture information of the background image and a current frame to remove false positive foreground areas resulting from lighting changes, integrating pixel intensity information by determining a cross-correlation of intensities between a current frame and the background image for each pixel in a foreground mask to remove image shadows. Static foreground region detection and fragment reduction are also included.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for normalizing objects across a plurality of image viewpoints. A set of classification results are obtained for a given object class across a sequence of images for each of a plurality of viewpoints. The classification results are each comprised of a position of one of the objects in the image, and at least one projected property of the object at that position. Normalization parameters are then determined for each of the viewpoints by fitting a high order model to the classification results to model a change in the projected property. The high order model may implement a least squares fit of a second order polynomial to the classification results. The normalization parameters may be used to compute normalized features and normalized training data for object classification.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring events includes defining alert events based on primitive event types in an environment monitored by monitoring devices. Alert parameters are set for each alert event, and alert events are combined to create a composite alert event based on a plurality of alert events. A plurality of engines is monitored to determine if multiple events comprising the composite alert event have occurred.

Abstract: A method for monitoring events includes defining alert events based on primitive event types in an environment monitored by monitoring devices. Alert parameters are set for each alert event, and alert events are combined to create a composite alert event based on a plurality of alert events. A plurality of engines is monitored to determine if multiple events comprising the composite alert event have occurred.

Abstract: A surveillance system and method includes a plurality of sensors configured to monitor an environment. A plurality of analytic engines is associated with each of the plurality of sensors. The plurality of analytic engines employs different technologies and is configured to analyze input from the sensors to determine whether an event has occurred in a respective technology. A unifying data model is configured to cross correlate detected events from the different technologies to gain integrated situation awareness across the different technologies.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a viewable video index for low bandwidth applications are provided. The exemplary aspects of the present invention solve the problems with the prior art systems by incorporating information for generating a viewable representation of the video data into the index, thus generating a viewable video index. The viewable video index contains information for generating a visual representation of moving objects in the video data, a visual representation of the background of the video capture area, i.e. the scene, a representation of the object trajectory, a representation of the object attributes, and a representation of detected events. The result is that the viewable video index may be transmitted to a low bandwidth application on a client device and may be used along with associated object and background models to generate a representation of the actual video data without requiring that the original video data itself be streamed to the client device.

Abstract: A system for automatically acquiring high-resolution images by steering a pan-tilt-zoom camera at targets detected in a fixed camera view is provided. The system uses automatic or manual calibration between multiple cameras. Using automatic calibration, the homography between the cameras in a home position is estimated together with the effects of pan and tilt controls and the expected height of a person in the image. These calibrations are chained together to steer a slave camera. The manual calibration scheme steers a camera to the desired region of interest and calculates the pan, tile and zoom parameters accordingly.

Abstract: A data indexing system and method includes acquiring activity data in a context and indexing the activity data in accordance with contextual conditions. The activity data is stored in accordance with indices. An event is correlated with the activity data by using the indices to review the activity data in the context.