Smart tracking system

A method of intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject with a camera comprising the steps of:

• a. determining a last direction in which the camera moved about an axis;
• b. calculating an elapsed time value representing the elapsed time interval since the camera last moved;
• c. determining an error direction representing the present orientation of the subject relative to the camera;
• d. comparing said last direction with said error direction;
• e. moving the camera about the axis in the error direction if said last direction and said error direction are equal;
• f. comparing said elapsed time value with a predetermined value if said last direction and said error direction are not equal;
• and
• g. moving the camera about the axis in the error direction if the elapsed time value at least equals the predetermined value.

An apparatus for intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject with a camera comprising:

• a. means for determining an error direction in representing the present orientation of the subject relative to the camera;
• b. means for sensing a last direction in which the camera moved about an axis;
• c. means for calculating an elapsed time value representing the elapsed time interval since the camera last moved;
• d. means for comparing the last direction with the error direction, and for comparing the elapsed time value with a predetermined value if the error direction and the last direction are not equal;
• and
• e. a drive unit, responsive to said means for determining and said means for comparing, for moving the camera in the error direction about said one axis if the elapsed time value at least equals the predetermined value or the last direction equals the error direction.

A method of intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject within the frame of a camera comprising the steps of:

• a. moving the camera about an axis to bring the subject within the camera frame;
• b. establishing predetermined limits for the angular velocity and angular acceleration of the camera about the axis;
• c. defining a central zone within the camera frame and substantially symmetrical about the center of the subject;
• d. moving the camera about the axis at rates not to exceed the predetermined limits to maintain the subject within the zone;
• e. calculating a first percentage representing the total time the subject was outside said central zone during a given time interval;
• f. calculating the maximum angular speed and maximum regular acceleration of the subject within said given time interval;
• and
• g. redefining said predetermined limits for the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the camera in accordance with the anticipated motion of the subject.

An apparatus for permitting a camera to maintain a moving subject within the frame of a camera in a manner which is visually pleasing to a view, the apparatus comprising:

• a. means for storing a plurality of predetermined limits for the angular velocity and angular acceleration of the camera about an axis;
• b. a drive unit, responsive to said means for storing, for moving the camera about the axis at rates not in excess of the predetermined limits to maintain the subject within the zone;
• c. means for defining a central zone within the camera frame and substantially symmetrical about the center of the subject;
• d. first means for calculating a first percentage representing the total time the subject was outside the central zone during a given time interval;
• e. second means for calculating the maximum angular velocity and maximum angular acceleration of the subject within the given time interval;
• and
• f. means, responsive to said first and said second means, for selecting new predetermined limits from the means for storing for the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the camera in anticipation of future motion of the subject.

A method of intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject within the frame of a camera comprising the steps of:

• a. defining a central zone within the camera frame by a pair of angular coordinates along one axis and substantially symmetric about the center of the subject at a first time;
• b. determining an angular error along said one axis between the subject and the camera at a second time;
• c. determining whether the angular error is within the central zone;
• d. determining an error direction representing the direction the camera must move to reduce the angular error at the second time, if the angular error is not within the central zone;
• e. moving the camera about said one axis in the error direction;
• and
• f. redefining the angular coordinates of the central zone so that the central zone is shifted in a direction which is opposite the error direction.

An apparatus for intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject within the frame of a camera comprising:

• a. means for defining a central zone within the camera frame by a pair of angular coordinates along one axis and substantially symmetric about the center of the subject at a first time;
• b. means for determining an angular error along said one axis between the subject and the camera at a second time;
• c. means for determining whether the angular error is within the central zone;
• d. means for determining an error direction representing the direction in which the camera must move to reduce the angular error at a second time, if the angular error is not within the central zone;
• e. a drive unit for moving the camera about said one axis in the error direction;
• and
• f. means for redefining the angular coordinates of the central zone so that the central zone is shifted in a direction which is opposite the error direction.

A method of intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject within the frame of a camera comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving signal from the subject and continuously generating relative orientation data therefrom in the form of control signals, said orientation data being a continuous function of the relative angular position of the subject;
• b. defining a central zone within the camera frame with a pair of angular coordinates along one axis;
• c. determining, from said control signals, whether the subject is within the central zone;
• d. selectively processing said control signals if the subject is not within the central zone;
• e. redefining the angular coordinates describing said central zone to reorient the central zone within the camera frame;
• and
• moving the camera about an axis to maintain the subject within the central zone.

An apparatus for intelligently and automatically tracking a moving subject within the frame of a camera comprising:

• a. means for receiving signals from the subject and for generating relative orientation data therefrom in the form of control signals, said orientation data being a continuous function of the relative angular position of the subject;
• b. means for defining a central zone within the camera frame with a pair of angular coordinates along one axis;
• c. means for determining, from the control signals, whether the subject is within the central zone;
• d. means for processing the control signals if the subject is not within the central zone;
• e. means for redefining the angular coordinates describing the central zone to reorient the central zone within the camera frame;
• and
• f. a drive unit, responsive to the means for processing, for moving the camera about an axis to maintain the subject within the central zone.

An apparatus for permitting a camera to maintain a moving subject within the camera frame in a manner that is visually pleasing to a viewer, the system comprising:

• a. a subject for generating signals which can be tracked;
• b. control means for receiving signals from the subject and for continuously generating relative orientation data therefrom in the form of control signals, said control signals representing the angular error between the position of the subject and the camera along at least one plane;
• c. means for anticipating future relative motion of the subject based on past motion of the subject;
• d. means, responsive to said control signals, for determining whether the angular error represented by the control signals is within an acceptable range given anticipated motion by the subject, and for processing said control signals if said angular error is not within the acceptable range;
• and
• e. a drive unit, responsive to said processed control signals, for selectively moving the camera about an axis to maintain the subject within the camera frame.

An apparatus for tracking the motion of a subject, comprising:

• a. means for storing a plurality of predetermined limits for each of the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the apparatus about an axis;
• b. control means for storing periodic values for each of the angular speed and angular acceleration of the subject during a given time interval and for determining the motion characteristics of the subject during the given time interval from said period values;
• c. means, responsive to the control means, for selecting one of said plurality of predetermined limits for each of the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the apparatus in accordance with the motion characteristics of the subject;
• and
• e. a drive unit, responsive to the means for selecting and the means for storing, for moving the apparatus about the axis at rates not in excess of the selected predetermined limits.

An apparatus for tracking the motion of a subject with an apparatus comprising the steps of:

• a. storing a plurality of predetermined limits for each of the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the apparatus about an axis;
• b. determining the motion characteristics of the subject during the given time interval in accordance with the motion history of the subject during the time interval;
• c. selecting one of said plurality of predetermined limits for each of the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the apparatus in accordance with the motion characteristics of the subject;
• and
• d. moving the apparatus about the axis at rates not in excess of the selected predetermined limits.