DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC TRACKING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for automatic tracking capable of performing stable automatic tracking wherein a malfunction is reduced even in the presence of a subject, a shield body, etc., whose image is difficult to be processed. SOLUTION: A moving body is detected in an imaging region imaged by an imaging section 10 capable of panning, tilting, and zooming, and the panning and tilting quantities of the imaging section 10 are controlled by an imaging region control section 15 on the basis of the position and moving vector of the detected moving body. When the imaging region imaged by the imaging section 10 and a specific region which is previously specified by a specific area specification section 12 and whose image is difficult to be processed overlap with each other, detection processing for the moving body is switched in accordance with whether the moving body is inside or outside the specific region. For example, the moving body is not detected in the specific region and an object to be tracked which is the moving body is waited until it appears at the periphery of the specific region. Once the object to be tracked appears, detection processing for the moving body is started. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT