METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY ESTIMATING THE SPATIAL POSITIONS OF CAMERAS IN A CAMERA NETWORK

摘要

A method for automatically estimating the spatial positions between cameras in a camera network utilizes unique identifying signals, such as RFID signals, transmitting between nearby cameras to estimate the relative distances or positions between cameras from received signal strength (RSS), time of arrival (TOA), or time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements to thereby determine the neighboring relationship among the cameras. A discover-locate process can be used to discover, from the estimated relative distances, unknown cameras in the vicinity of at least three cameras at known locations. Absolute locations of the discovered unknown cameras can then be calculated using a geometric calculation. The discover-locate process can be cascaded throughout the network to discover and locate all unknown cameras automatically using previously discovered and located cameras. Such methods can be implemented in systems having cameras with transceivers integrated therein and a controller operably linked to the cameras.