JPS6418081A - Tracking apparatus for image - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the automatic and highly precise tracking of a target moving at high speed without depending on the ability of an operator, by a method wherein an area around a tracking point is divided into a plurality of regions, a characteristic feature of each region is calculated, and a region matched with the characteristic feature of the tracking point is selected from these regions. CONSTITUTION:An area around a tracking point on a screen composed of many picture elements is divided into a plurality of regions so as to track a target automatically according to an instruction of a tracking control circuit 16. For each region, the maximum value of an amplitude is detected as a characteristic feature of the region by a maximum value detecting circuit 11, and a distance between a picture element having said maximum value and a picture element having a lower level detected by a detecting circuit 12 of the lower grade of a prescribed level is calculated, while the number of picture elements having this lower level is computed. In this way, the target is tracked while the characteristic feature of each region being identified, any region having a similar characteristic feature being searched constantly, and a picture element having the maximum value of an amplitude in said region being set afresh as the tracking point.