Electronic device and image capture control method using the same

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to security surveillance technology, and particularly to an electronic device and image capture control method using the same.

2. Description of Related Art

Image capture devices perform security surveillance by capturing images of specific sites, and sending the captured images to a control computer. However, a position of the image capture device at the location must be adjusted manually by dedicated control software installed in the control computer. Therefore, an efficient method for controlling an image capture device is desirable.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a control computer connected with an image capture device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the image capture device installed in a rail system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a device control system in the control computer.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for setting subject templates and corresponding control commands for controlling the image capture device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for controlling the image capture device using the electronic device.

FIGS. 6A-6C are schematic diagrams of one embodiment of subject templates under different subject status.

FIGS. 7A-7B are schematic diagrams of one embodiment of subject templates when a subject eye moves upward or downward.

FIGS. 8A-8B are schematic diagrams of one embodiment of subject templates when a subject eye moves left or right.

FIGS. 9A-9B are schematic diagrams of one embodiment of subject templates when a subject eye moves upper-left or down-left.

FIGS. 10A-10B are schematic diagrams of one embodiment of subject templates when a subject eye moves upper-right or down-right.

All of the processes described below may be embodied in, and fully automated via, functional code modules executed by one or more general purpose electronic devices or processors. The code modules may be stored in any type of non-transitory readable medium or other storage device. Some or all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in specialized hardware. Depending on the embodiment, the non-transitory readable medium may be a hard disk drive, a compact disc, a digital video disc, a tape drive or other suitable storage medium.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a control computer 2 connected with an image capture device 4 through a network 3 . In one embodiment, the control computer 2 includes a display device 20 , a camera 21 , an input device 22 , a storage device 23 , a device control system 24 , and at least one processor 25 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the image capture device 4 is installed on a rail system 6 . The rail system 6 comprises one or more tracks that the device control system 24 may be used to control the image capture device 4 by moving along the tracks of the rail system 6 . The device control system 24 adjusts a focal length of a lens of the image capture device 4 according to eye movements of a user.

In one embodiment, the image capture device 4 may be a speed dome camera or a pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera, for example. The rail system 6 is installed at a vantage point onsite, such as the top of the monitored scene.

The camera 21 captures a plurality of eye images of a user of the device control system 24 . The display device 20 may display monitored images captured by the image capture device 4 , and the input device 22 may be a mouse or a keyboard used to input data.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the device control system 24 in the control computer 2 . In one embodiment, the device control system 24 may include one or more modules, such as a template creating module 201 , a command setting module 202 , an eye area detection module 203 , and a device control module 204 . The one or more modules may comprise computerized code in the form of one or more programs that are stored in the storage device 23 (or memory). The computerized code includes instructions that are executed by the at least one processor 25 to provide functions for the one or more modules.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for setting subject templates and corresponding control commands for controlling the image capture device 4 . Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In block S 10 , the image capture device 4 captures images of eyes of different people in different positions under different subject statuses, and transfers the captured eye images to the control computer 2 . In one embodiment, the subject statuses may include a normal status, a large status, and a small status of the eyes of the user of the device control system 24 . A height of an eye area of the eye image under the normal status is greater than or equal to a first preset value, such as 1 centimeter, and less than or equal to a second preset value, such as 1.5 cm. A height of an eye area of the eye image under the large status is greater than the second preset value, and a height of an eye area of the eye image under the small status is less than the first preset value.

In block S 11 , the template creating module 201 creates subject templates of different subject statuses and eye positions according to the captured eye images. In one embodiment, the subject templates of different subject status include a subject template under normal status, such as FIG. 6A , a subject template under large status, such as FIG. 6B , and a subject template under small status, such as FIG. 6C . As shown in FIG. 6A , a smallest rectangle “ABCD” represents an eye area, “H” represents the height of the eye area, “e 1 ” represents a position of a right eye in the eye area, and “e 2 ” represents a position of a left eye in the eye area. The point “A” represents an origin of a coordinate system based on the eye area.

For example, a height of an eye area of the subject template under the normal status is greater than or equal to the first preset value and less than or equal to the second preset value. A height of an eye area of the subject template under the large status is greater than the second preset value, and a height of an eye area of the subject template under the small status is less than the first preset value.

In one embodiment, the subject templates of different eye positions are set under the normal status of the user's eyes. The subject templates of different eye positions include a subject template when one of the eyes is still, a subject template when one of the eyes moves upward, such as FIG. 7A , a subject template when one of the eyes moves downward, such as FIG. 7B , a subject template when one of the eyes moves left, such as FIG. 8A , a subject template when one of the eyes moves right, such as FIG. 8B , a subject template when one of the eyes moves upper-left, such as FIG. 9A , a subject template when one of the eyes moves down-left, such as FIG. 9B , a subject template when one of the eyes moves upper-right, such as FIG. 10A , and a subject template when one of the eyes moves down-right, such as FIG. 10B .

For example, if a right eye of a user is still, a range of an X-axis coordinate of a right eye is [ 1 . 8 , 2 . 2 ], and a range of a Y-axis coordinate of the right eye is [ 2 . 8 , 3 . 2 ]. The other subject templates of different eye positions may be created according to the subject template when one of the eyes is still. For example, if the right eye of the user moves rightward, a range of an X-axis coordinate of the right eye is [1, 1.8), and a range of a Y-axis coordinate of the right eye is [2.8, 3.2]. If the right eye moves upward, a range of an X-axis coordinate of the right eye is [1.8, 2.2], and a range of a Y-axis coordinate of the right eye is [2, 2.8). If the right eye moves toward upper-right, a range of an X-axis coordinate of the right eye is [1, 1.8), and a range of a Y-axis coordinate of the right eye is [2, 2.8).

In block S 12 , a control command corresponding to each of the subject templates is set using the command setting module 202 and stored in the storage device 23 of the control computer 2 . In other embodiments, the control computer 2 may be other suitable electronic device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA).

For example, if one of the eyes of a user is still, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to stop the image capture device 4 . If one of the eyes moves upward, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to control the image capture device 4 moving forward along the tracks of the rail system 6 . If one of the eyes moves downward, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to control the image capture device 4 moving backward along the tracks of the rail system 6 .

For example, if one of the eyes of a user moves towards upper-left, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to control the lens of the image capture device 4 moving upward. If one of the eyes moves towards down-left, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to control the lens of the image capture device 4 moving left.

Furthermore, if the subject status is the large status, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to zoom out the lens of the image capture device 4 . If the subject status is the small status, the control command corresponding to the subject template is used to zoom in the lens of the image capture device 4 .

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for controlling the image capture device 4 using the control computer 2 . Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In block S 20 , the eye area detection module 203 obtains an image captured by the camera 21 of the control computer 2 .

In block S 21 , the eye area detection module 203 detects an eye area in the obtained image using an eye detection method, and determines a matching subject template by comparing the detected eye area with a plurality of subject templates according to a height of the detected eye area and coordinates of an eye in the detected eye area. In one embodiment, the eye detection method may be a template matching method using neural network training algorithm and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) algorithm. It may be understood that, in other embodiments, the eye area detection module 203 may determine the matching subject template by comparing the detected eye area with the plurality of subject templates according to the height of the detected eye area and coordinates of two eyes in the detected eye area.

If the height of the detected eye area is greater than the second preset value corresponding to the subject template under the large status, the eye area detection module 203 obtains the subject template under the large status.

If the height of the detected eye area is less than the first preset value corresponding to the subject template under the small status, the eye area detection module 203 obtains the subject template under the small status.

If the height of the detected eye area is greater than or equal to the first preset value and less than or equal to the second preset value, the eye detection module 203 obtains a matching subject template from the subject templates of different eye positions according to an X-axis coordinate and a Y-axis coordinate of the eye in the detected eye area.

In block S 22 , the device control module 204 determines a control command corresponding to the matching subject template from the storage device 23 , and sends the control command to the image capture device 4 through the network 3 .

In block S 23 , the device control module 204 adjusts a position of the image capture device 4 , and an angle or a focal length of a lens of the image capture device 4 according to the control command.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly, any embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present disclosure and protected by the following claims.