Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus, transmission and reception system, transmission apparatus control method, reception apparatus control method, transmission and reception system control method, and program

• US 10,356,302 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalapodas, Dramos
• Application Number:
  US14/485,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00251 with an apparatus for taking photographic images, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3283 Compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A monitoring camera, which can communicate with a client apparatus via an IP network, includes a communication unit configured to output an image and metadata relating to the image. The communication unit transmits encoding method information, which indicates configurability of an encoding method for each of the image and the relevant metadata output from the communication unit, to the client apparatus via the IP network.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus that communicates with a reception apparatus via a network, comprising:

a camera for capturing an image of an imaging target;

at least one processor for changing at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom magnification of the camera; and

the at least one processor transmitting image data based on the image captured by the camera, metadata, and encoding method information to the reception apparatus via the network, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the tilt angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, wherein the compression encoding method for the metadata is independent from a compression encoding method for the image data, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM),

wherein, in response to a Get Metadata Configuration Options command from the reception apparatus, the encoding method information is transmitted,

wherein transmission of the encoding method information is independent from transmission of the image data, and

wherein the transmission of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

the at least one processor accepting a request of content information about the image data and the metadata, from the reception apparatus via the network,

wherein information corresponding to the request accepted together with the encoding method information is transmitted.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a notification is transmitted about information indicating whether information indicating an image capturing position is included in the metadata, and information indicating whether information indicating an operating state is included in the metadata, together with information indicating a compression encoding method for the metadata, to the reception apparatus via the network.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

the at least one processor detecting an object included in the image captured,

wherein the image data is based on an image captured, and the metadata includes information related to an object detected.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the object detected is a moving object.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compression encoding method for the image data includes at least one of JPEG, MPEG4, H.264, and H.265.

7. A reception apparatus that communicates with an imaging apparatus that generates metadata and image data based on an image captured by a camera, to change at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom magnification of the camera, storing encoding method information, and transmitting the image data, the metadata, and the encoding method information via a network, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of the first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the title angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM), the reception apparatus comprising:

at least one processor for receiving the image data and the metadata, from the imaging apparatus, via the network,

the at least one processor for requesting by transmitting a Get Metadata Configuration Options command to the camera, to transmit the encoding method information via the network,

wherein the encoding method information transmitted in response to the Get Metadata Configuration Options command from the camera is received,

wherein the encoding method information received is independent from reception of the image data, and

wherein the reception of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.

8. The reception apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

the at least one processor causing a display to display information indicating a compression encoding method for each of the image data and the metadata when the encoding method information for each of the image data and the metadata is received.

9. The reception apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the display displays information indicating a compression encoding method for the image data and information indicating a compression encoding method for the metadata, using different windows.

10. The reception apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display displays the information indicating the compression encoding method for the image data and the information indicating the compression encoding method for the metadata, using the same window.

11. The reception apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the metadata includes information indicating an object included in the image data, and the display displays information indicating information included in the metadata together with the information indicating the compression encoding method for the metadata.

12. A system that includes an imaging apparatus and a reception apparatus, the reception apparatus communicates with the transmission apparatus via a network, the system comprising:

a camera to capture an image of an imaging target;

at least one processor for changing at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom magnification of the camera,

wherein the imaging apparatus includes transmitting image data based on the image captured by the camera, metadata, and encoding method information, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the tilt angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, wherein the compression encoding method for the metadata is independent from a compression encoding method for the image data, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM),

wherein the reception apparatus includes requesting by transmitting a Get Metadata Configuration Options command to the camera, to transmit the encoding method information via the network and receiving the image data, the metadata, and the encoding method information from the imaging apparatus via the network,

wherein the encoding method information transmitted based on the request is received,

wherein transmission and reception of the encoding method information is independent from transmission and reception of the image data, and

wherein the transmission and reception of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.

13. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus that communicates with a reception apparatus via a network, the method comprising:

capturing an image of an imaging target using a camera;

changing at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom magnification of the camera;

receiving a request for acquiring information about encoding image data and metadata from the reception apparatus via the network; and

transmitting image data based on the image captured by the camera, metadata, and encoding method information to the reception apparatus via the network, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the tilt angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, wherein the compression encoding method for the metadata is independent from a compression encoding method for the image data, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM),

wherein transmission of the encoding method information is dependent upon a Get Metadata Configuration Options command from the reception apparatus,

wherein transmission of the encoding method information is independent from transmission of the image data, and

wherein the transmission of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.

14. A method for controlling a reception apparatus that communicates with an imaging apparatus that generates metadata and image data based on an image captured by a camera, changing at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom magnification of the camera, storing encoding method information, and transmitting the image data, the metadata, and the encoding method information via a network, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the tilt angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM), the method comprising:

receiving the image data and the metadata, from the imaging apparatus via the network,

requesting by transmitting a Get Metadata Configuration Options command to the camera, to transmit the encoding method information via the network,

wherein receiving of the encoding method information transmitted in response to the Get Metadata Configuration Options command from the camera,

wherein receiving of the encoding method information is independent from receiving of the image data, and

wherein the reception of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a method for controlling a reception apparatus that communicates with an imaging apparatus that generates metadata and image data based on an image captured by a camera, storing encoding method information, and transmitting the image data, the metadata, and the encoding method information, via a network, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the tilt angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM), the method comprising:

receiving the image data and the metadata, from the imaging apparatus via the network,

requesting by transmitting a Get Metadata Configuration Options command to the camera, to transmit the encoding method information via the network,

receiving the encoding method information transmitted in response to the Get Metadata Configuration Options command from the camera,

wherein receiving of the encoding method information is independent from receiving of the image data, and

wherein the reception of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a method for controlling an imaging apparatus that communicates with a reception apparatus via a network, the method comprises:

capturing an image of an imaging target using a camera;

changing at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle and a zoom magnification of the camera; and

transmitting image data based on the image captured by the camera, metadata, and encoding method information to the reception apparatus via the network, wherein the encoding method information indicates options of a compression encoding method for the metadata which is settable to the imaging apparatus, wherein the metadata includes at least one of first information and second information, wherein the first information indicates at least one of the pan angle, the tilt angle and the zoom magnification of the camera, wherein the second information indicates an operating state, wherein the compression encoding method for the metadata is independent from a compression encoding method for the image data, and wherein the compression encoding method includes at least one of Efficient XML Interchange (EXI), Fast Infoset (FI), and Binary MPEG (BiM),

wherein transmission of the encoding method information is dependent upon a Get Metadata Configuration Options command from the reception apparatus,

wherein transmission of the encoding method information is independent from transmission of the image data, and

wherein the transmission of the encoding method information is executed before setting of the compression encoding method for the metadata.