System and method for stabilized single moving camera object tracking

A system comprising:

• a moveable camera adapted to obtain a sequence of video images,
• an estimator adapted to generate a camera motion estimate of motion of said moveable camera and to generate a camera motion model from said camera motion estimate;
• a controller adapted to receive an initial direction of an optical axis, said controller controlling said moveable camera to maintain the optical axis in the initial direction based on the initial direction and said camera motion model;
• and
• a stabilizer adapted to adjust said sequence of video images based on said camera motion model to stabilize said sequence of video images.

A method comprising:

• obtaining, at a moveable camera, a sequence of video images of a scene having an object;
• identifying an object border within a current video image that substantially surrounds said object;
• determining a background area and an object area of said current video image in said sequence of video images based on said object border;
• determining optical flow data of said background area and of said object area;
• calculating a camera motion model based on said optical flow data of said background area;
• calculating an object motion model based on said optical flow data of said object area;
• adjusting said object border based on said object motion model;
• calculating a correction model based on said camera motion model;
• and
• adjusting said current video image based on said correction model.