Integrating multi-camera tracking into a dynamic task allocation system for smart cameras

This paper reports on the integration of multi-camera tracking into an agent-based framework, which features autonomous task allocation for smart cameras targeting traffic surveillance. Since our target platforms are distributed embedded systems with limited resources, the trackers may only be active, if the target is in the camera´s field of view. Consequently, the tracking algorithm has to migrate from camera to camera in order to follow the target, whereas the decision when and whereto the migration takes place is reached autonomously by the tracker. Consequently, no central control host is required. We further present different strategies on when to migrate a tracker, and how to determine the camera which observes the tracked object subsequently. We have realized the tracker´s control by using heterogeneous mobile agents, which employ a state-of-the-art tracking algorithm for tracking. The tracking system has been implemented on our smart cameras (SmartCam) which are comprised of a network processor and several digital signal processors (DSPs) and provide a complex software framework.