US 8,571,259 B2Granted

System and method for automatic identification of wildlife

OwnerRobert Allan Margolis, Hannah Ruth Margolisinventors

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Abstract

A system and method for automatically identifying wildlife in the field is disclosed that provides for identification of observed wildlife specimens without requiring the exercise of skill or judgment by the observer. The system and method for automatically identifying wildlife according to the invention also provides for automatic and easy to use identification of wildlife specimens in the field without distracting the user from wildlife observation. Wildlife identifications generated by the disclosed system and method may be easily stored in the field along with digital images of wildlife specimens, and corresponding location, time, date and elevation information, which may be easily transmitted and added to a wildlife identification database to allow compilation and archival of accumulated wildlife identification information from field observations of wildlife specimens.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for automatic identification of wildlife in the field comprising:

a viewing device comprising a digital image sensor operable to capture a digital image of a wildlife specimen viewed by a user through said viewing device, and an optical viewing device;
an image processing device comprising a power source, an image storage memory, a digital image processor executing a wildlife recognition program, a global positioning system receiver and a display which are electrically interconnected, and wherein said image processing device is operable to be carried by a user in the field;
a wildlife server comprising a data storage medium including a database and a processor executing a database program, operable to store wildlife identification data;
wherein said optical viewing device is connected in communication with said image processing device and is operable to transfer said digital image to said image processing device;
wherein said image processing device is operable, following a single input by said user, to generate an identification of said wildlife specimen and to store said digital image, said identification, and at least one of:
an associated location, time, and date, corresponding to said digital image;
wherein said wildlife server is connected in communication with said image processing device and is operable to receive at least one of said digital image, said identification and said associated location, time and date from said image processing device;
wherein the database provides a continuously updated compilation of wildlife data captured in the field by multiple users;
and
wherein said display displays a said identification to said user.

7 more elements

A method of automatically identifying wildlife in the field, comprising:

providing a viewing device for observing a wildlife specimen comprising a digital optical sensor, an optical viewing device, and a trigger;
capturing a digital image of said specimen in response to the engagement of said trigger;
transmitting said digital image to an image processing device comprising a digital image processor and an image storage memory;
processing said digital image to generate an identification of said wildlife specimen using at least one visible characteristic of said digital image;
storing at least one of said identification, said digital image and an associated location, time, and date corresponding to said digital image in said image storage memory;
transmitting at least one of said identification, said digital image and said associated location, time, and date to a wildlife server comprising a wildlife database;
storing at least one of said identification, said digital image and said location, time, and date in said wildlife database;
wherein the database provides a continuously updated compilation of wildlife data captured in the field by multiple users;
and
displaying said identification.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.