Apparatus for automatically tracking an image of an object for a video camera

摘要

An automatic tracking apparatus usable in a video camera or an automatic focus adjusting system of the video camera has a tracking signal detecting unit for detecting a tracking signal representing a feature of an image of an object from a scanning line of a video signal within a predetermined tracking area, and for detecting a movement of the image of the object from a movement of a position of the tracking signal. The tracking signal detecting unit detects plural tracking signals from plural scanning lines, respectively, in each field of the video signal, and detects the movement of the image of the object from interfields movements of positions of the plural tracking signals in the respective plural scanning lines. A tracking control unit is responsive to the detected movement of the image of the object for changing a position of the tracking area. It is preferable to use only interfields movements of positions of tracking signals whose interfield moving amounts are within a predetermined range.