In this paper, we propose an automatic target tracking method in monitoring systems of wide area by a camera with the function of pan/tilt action. Firstly, the location point of the camera is determined by considering the shape of monitored area. The monitored area is divided into three kinds of basic shapes (rectangular form, L form and convex form). The camera is located at one vertex position and controlled to perform the pan/tilt operation by a computer, so that the whole area can be monitored by the camera. Secondly, an image is taken at every pan/tilt position. If the moving object is in the viewing area of the camera, it can be captured by detecting the change of the taking place in the images. As there is no object in the image, the camera is moved to the next pan/tilt position. But if the change is detected in the viewing area, the camera is fixed to monitor this area and a sequence of the image is taken into the image processor. The object is recognized by image processing. Three kinds of postures (standing, sitting down and lying down) of human are judged by using the ratio of the vertical felly diameter to horizontal one of the image and the ratio of the area o object to the area of it's circumscription rectangular, and the movement of the object is tracked by the image processing in the monitor. As object disappeared from the display, the camera is moved to the neighbor pan/tilt position to track the object automatically.
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