# US 12,192,634 B2 · Automated camera positioning for feeding behavior monitoring

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- Number: US 12,192,634 B2
- Document ID: US12192634B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/206,542
- Filed: 2023-06-06
- Published: 2023-11-30
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-05-03
- Assignees: TidaIX AI Inc.
- Applicants: TidalX AI Inc.
- Inventors: Barnaby John James; Grace Taixi Brentano; Laura Valentine Chrobak; Zhaoying Yao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192634B2

## CPC

- A01K 61/00: Culture of aquatic animals (receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria, A01K63/00)
- H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
- A01K 61/80: Feeding devices
- G06T 7/80: Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration
- H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
- G06T 2207/30232: Surveillance
- G06T 2207/30244: Camera pose
- Y02A 40/81: Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable storage media, for automated camera positioning for feeding behavior monitoring. In some implementations, a system obtains an image of a scene, a spatial model that corresponds to a subfeeder, and calibration parameters of a camera, the system determines a size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the system selects an updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, the system provides the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder to a winch controller, and the system moves the camera to the updated position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
obtaining, at one or more processing devices, an image of a scene that includes an aquaculture subfeeder configured to deliver a feed underwater;
obtaining, by the one or more processing devices, a spatial model that corresponds to the subfeeder;
obtaining calibration parameters of a camera that captured the image of the scene;
determining, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the spatial model, the image of the scene, and the calibration parameters of the camera, a size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene;
selecting, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, an updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder;
generating, by the one or more processing devices, a signal configured to cause a winch controller to move the camera to the updated position; and
providing the signal to the winch controller.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera comprises:
dynamically selecting the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the updated position comprises a preferred position of the camera relative to the subfeeder associated with the spatial model of the subfeeder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, comprises:
determining a depth of the subfeeder that characterizes a distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder;
determining, based on the depth of the subfeeder, a current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder; and
selecting, based on the current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein determining the depth of the subfeeder that characterizes the distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder comprises:
determining a number of pixels in the image of the scene that depicts the subfeeder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein determining the depth of the subfeeder that characterizes the distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder comprises:
correlating the spatial model of the subfeeder within the image of the scene with the calibration parameters of the camera.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, in the image of the scene, the subfeeder is at least partially obscured by another object.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the spatial model, the image of the scene, and the calibration parameters of the camera, a current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, and
wherein selecting, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder comprises:
selecting the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder such that a feed is visible within the image of the scene.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein determining, by the one or more processing devices, and based on the spatial model, the image of the scene, and the calibration parameters of the camera, the current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder comprises:
determining that at the current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder a feed is not visible within the image of the scene.

### Claim 10

A system comprising one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
obtaining an image of a scene that includes an aquaculture subfeeder configured to deliver a feed underwater;
obtaining a spatial model that corresponds to the subfeeder;
obtaining calibration parameters of a camera that captured the image of the scene;
determining, based on the spatial model, the image of the scene, and the calibration parameters of the camera, a size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene;
selecting, based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, an updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder;
generating a signal configured to cause a winch controller to move the camera to the updated position; and
providing the signal to the winch controller.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein selecting, based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera comprises:
dynamically selecting the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the updated position comprises a preferred position of the camera relative to the subfeeder associated with the spatial model of the subfeeder.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein selecting, based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, comprises:
determining a depth of the subfeeder that characterizes a distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder;
determining, based on the depth of the subfeeder, a current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder; and
selecting, based on the current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein determining the depth of the subfeeder that characterizes the distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder comprises:
determining a number of pixels in the image of the scene that depict the subfeeder.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein determining the depth of the subfeeder that characterizes the distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder comprises:
correlating the spatial model of the subfeeder within the image of the scene with the calibration parameters of the camera.

### Claim 16

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to one or more processors that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
obtaining an image of a scene that includes an aquaculture subfeeder configured to deliver a feed underwater;
obtaining a spatial model that corresponds to the subfeeder;
obtaining calibration parameters of a camera that captured the image of the scene;
determining, based on the spatial model, the image of the scene, and the calibration parameters of the camera, a size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene;
selecting, based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, an updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder;
generating a signal configured to cause a winch controller to move the camera to the updated position; and
providing the signal to the winch controller.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein selecting, based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera comprises:
dynamically selecting the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the updated position comprises a preferred position of the camera relative to the subfeeder associated with the spatial model of the subfeeder.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein selecting, based on the size of the subfeeder in the image of the scene, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, comprises:
determining a depth of the subfeeder that characterizes a distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder;
determining, based on the depth of the subfeeder, a current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder; and
selecting, based on the current position of the camera relative to the subfeeder, the updated position of the camera relative to the subfeeder.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein determining the depth of the subfeeder that characterizes the distance of the camera that obtained the image of the scene from the subfeeder comprises:
determining a number of pixels in the image of the scene that depict the subfeeder.