Tracking of an object of interest based on wireless location estimates combined with aerial or satellite imagery

摘要

An improved method of tracking an object of interest. The tracking that is enabled by the disclosed tracking engine is based on location estimation of a wireless terminal combined with aerial or satellite imagery of an object of interest, in which a relationship has been determined to exist between the wireless terminal and the object of interest. In some tracking scenarios, a wireless telecommunications network can be used to direct an image-based surveillance system where to start observing, as an object of interest heads away from a heavily populated area or other area with satisfactory wireless coverage. In some other tracking scenarios, the trajectory of the object as derived from the image data enables the tracking engine to target a specific portion of the wireless network to utilize in generating the location estimates, thereby reducing the resource utilization of the wireless network and tracking engine.

主权项

1. A method of surveillance comprising:
estimating, by a server computer, a first location of a first wireless terminal within a first geographic region, wherein the first geographic region comprises a wireless coverage area that is defined by service coverage provided by one or more base stations, wherein the estimating of the first location is based on a location estimation technique that is capable of providing a first level of accuracy at the first location, and wherein the location estimation technique is based on radio signals exchanged between the first wireless terminal and the one or more base stations; determining, by the server computer, a relationship between the first wireless terminal and an object of interest; estimating, by the server computer, a location of transit of the object of interest from the first geographic region into a second geographic region based on i) the first location of the first wireless terminal and ii) the relationship, wherein any estimating of location attempted within the second geographic region via the location estimation technique is characterized as having a lower level of accuracy than the first level; selecting, by the server computer, a particular image-based surveillance system based on at least one of i) the location of transit of the object of interest and ii) an estimate of the velocity of the first wireless terminal; and transmitting, by the server computer, a message to the particular image-based surveillance system selected, wherein the message comprises a first indicium based on the location of transit of the object of interest.