Adaptive Trail Cameras

Abstract

Example techniques are disclosed for altering trail camera settings when deployed. For example, settings relating to triggering functionality, time lapse functionality, image resolution, motion sensor sensitivity, flash intensity, and other camera functions can be altered. The settings can be altered based on environmental conditions such as weather and ambient noise. The settings can also be altered based on trail camera conditions such as available battery capacity or image storage capacity. The trail camera settings can also be altered based on images obtained by the trail camera, with or without analyzing content of the images.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computing device comprising:
 a hardware processing unit; and   a hardware memory device or storage device storing instructions which, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:   receive weather conditions at a location of a trail camera or one or more images captured by the trail camera;   determine a setting adjustment for the trail camera based at least on the weather conditions at the location of the trail camera or the one or more images captured by the trail camera; and   send one or more instructions to the trail camera over a wired or wireless network to perform the setting adjustment,   wherein the setting adjustment controls at least one of time lapse functionality, triggering functionality, flash intensity, picture/video mode functionality, number of pictures taken per trigger, length of videos, and/or image resolution of the trail camera.   
     
     
         22 . The computing device of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 based at least on the weather conditions at the location of the trail camera, determine the setting adjustment to switch the trail camera from time lapse mode to triggering mode or from triggering mode to time lapse mode, wherein the time lapse mode involves capturing images at regular intervals and the triggering mode involves capturing images in response to motion sensor triggers.   
     
     
         23 . The computing device of  claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 based at least on wind velocity at the location of the trail camera, determine the setting adjustment to switch the trail camera from the time lapse mode to the triggering mode or from the triggering mode to the time lapse mode.   
     
     
         24 . The computing device of  claim 23 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 when the wind velocity exceeds a threshold, determine the setting adjustment to cause the trail camera to switch from the triggering mode to the time lapse mode.   
     
     
         25 . The computing device of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 based at least on the weather conditions at the location of the trail camera, determine the setting adjustment to transition the trail camera from picture mode to video mode, from video to picture mode, to adjust the number of pictures captured per motion sensor trigger, to adjust video length, or to adjust image resolution.   
     
     
         26 . The computing device of  claim 25 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 based at least on wind velocity at the location of the trail camera, determine the setting adjustment to transition the trail camera from the picture mode to the video mode, from the video to the picture mode, to adjust the number of pictures captured per motion sensor trigger, to adjust video length, or to adjust the image resolution.   
     
     
         27 . The computing device of  claim 26 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 when the wind velocity exceeds a threshold, determine the setting adjustment to at least one of transition the trail camera from video mode to picture mode, reduce image resolution, or reduce a number of images captured per motion sensor trigger.   
     
     
         28 . The computing device of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 based at least on the weather conditions at the location of the trail camera, determine the setting adjustment to a motion sensor sensitivity of the trail camera.   
     
     
         29 . The computing device of  claim 28 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 based at least on a wind velocity at the location of the trail camera, determine the setting adjustment to the motion sensor sensitivity of the trail camera.   
     
     
         30 . The computing device of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the hardware processing unit, cause the hardware processing unit to:
 when the wind velocity exceeds a threshold, reduce the motion sensor sensitivity of the trail camera.   
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 receiving weather conditions at a location of a trail camera or one or more images captured by the trail camera;   determining a setting adjustment for the trail camera based at least on the weather conditions at the location of the trail camera or the one or more images captured by the trail camera; and   sending one or more instructions to the trail camera over a wired or wireless network to perform the setting adjustment,   wherein the setting adjustment controls at least one of time lapse functionality, triggering functionality, flash intensity, picture/video mode functionality, number of pictures taken per trigger, length of videos, and/or image resolution of the trail camera.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 performing image analysis on the one or more images captured by the trail camera to detect the presence or absence of one or more animals in the one or more images; and   determine the setting adjustment based at least on the presence or absence of the one or more animals in the one or more images.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 determining the setting adjustment to cause the trail camera to initiate time lapse mode when at least one animal is detected in at least one image.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 determining the setting adjustment to cause the trail camera to temporarily enter time lapse mode for a particular time window each day when at least one animal is detected in at least one image on at least two previous days during the particular time window.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 determining the setting adjustment to cause the trail camera to temporarily enter time lapse mode when at least one animal is detected in at least one image.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 based at least on the presence or absence of animals in the one or more images, determine the setting adjustment to transition the trail camera from picture mode to video mode, from video to picture mode, to adjust the number of pictures captured per motion sensor trigger, to adjust video length, or to adjust image resolution.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 responsive to detection of at least one animal in at least one image, determine the setting adjustment to increase a number of pictures taken per motion sensor trigger.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 responsive to detection of at least one animal in at least one image, determine the setting adjustment to transition from picture to video mode for a period of time.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 responsive to detection of at least one animal in at least one image, determine the setting adjustment to increase image resolution of pictures or videos captured by the trail camera.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 responsive to detection of at least one animal in at least one image, determine the setting adjustment to increase motion sensor sensitivity of the trail camera.