MONITORING SYSTEM AND MONITORING METHOD

• US 20010040624A1
• Filed: 03/10/1998
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: EDANAMI, TAKAFUMI, KOBAYASHI, KENZO
• Granted Patent: US 6,577,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A first camera 12 having a fish-eye lens 13 and a second camera 14 having a fish-eye lens 15 are disposed with the respective fish-eye lenses faced with each other. An image pick-up range of the first camera 12 and an image pick-up range of the second camera 14 are partially overlapped, and only a relatively narrow area at the backside of each camera becomes a blind area. A processor 30 sets a frame F in the image pick-up area of the first camera 12 and the image pick-up area of the second camera 14 respectively corresponding to a set monitoring range. The image data within these frames F are taken out and distortions of the image due to the characteristics of the fish-eye lenses 13 and 15 are eliminated to obtain first and second transformed frame data. These transformed frame data are combined by an image combining unit 25, to obtain image data corresponding the monitoring range free from any gap. The combined image data is displayed in a monitor 8 through a PC 7.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring around, comprising:

a first camera having a fish-eye lens;

a second camera having a fish-eye lens and disposed opposite to said fish-eye lens of said first camera in a direction to face each other;

image data extracting means for extracting first and second frame data corresponding to a monitoring range from first image data captured by said first camera and second image data captured by said second camera; and

image combining means for generating combined frame data corresponding to said monitoring range by combining said first and second frame data extracted by said image data extracting means.

2. A monitoring system according to

claim 1

, further comprising display means for displaying an image within said monitoring range based on combined frame data output from said image combining means.

3. A monitoring system according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein said first and second cameras are disposed so that optical axes of respective fish-eye lenses are substantially parallel with a vertical direction.

4. A monitoring system according to

claims 1

to

3

, wherein said first and second cameras are disposed so that optical axes of respective fish-eye lenses substantially match together.

5. A monitoring system according to

claims 1

to

4

, further comprising transforming means for transforming said first and second frame data respectively, extracted by said image data extracting means, before combining these frame data by said image combining means.

6. A monitoring system according to

claim 5

, wherein said transforming means eliminates distortions of an image due to characteristics of said fish-eye lenses of said first camera and second camera respectively.

7. A monitoring system according to

claim 2

, further comprising image compressing means for compressing said combined frame data output from said image combining means and for sending said compressed frame data toward said display means.

8. A monitoring system according to claims 5 or 6, wherein said image combining means extracts frame data of a non-overlapped range captured by only said first camera from said first transformed frame data, extracts frame data of a non-overlapped range captured by only said second camera from said second transformed frame data, extracts frame data of an overlapped range from at least one of said first and second transformed frame data, and combines said frame data of said two non-overlapped ranges and said frame data of said overlapped range, to generate said combined frame data.

9. A monitoring system according to

claim 8

, wherein said image combining means extracts frame data of an overlapped range from both said first and second transformed frame data and thus improves the resolution of said frame data of said overlapped range by interpolating these data.

10. A monitoring method for monitoring around, comprising:

a first step for picking up an image by a first camera having a fish-eye lens and for picking up an image by a second camera having a fish-eye lens and disposed opposite to said fish-eye lens of said first camera;

a second step for extracting image data of a range corresponding to a monitoring range from first image data captured by said first camera and second image data captured by said second camera respectively;

a third step for transforming said first image data and said second image data corresponding to the ranges extracted in said second step into first transformed frame data and second transformed frame data respectively;

a fourth step for generating combined image data corresponding to said monitoring range by combining said first transformed frame data and said second transformed frame data obtained in said third step; and

a fifth step for displaying in a display unit an image based on said combined image data generated in said fourth step.

11. A monitoring method according to

claim 10

, further comprising a sixth step for compressing image combined data generated in said fourth step and for sending said compressed data to said display unit.

12. A monitoring method according to

claim 10

, wherein said fourth step is for extracting the frame data of a non-overlapped range obtained by only said first camera, the frame data of a non-overlapped range obtained by only said second camera and the frame data of an overlapped range obtained in superposition by said first camera and said second camera respectively, from said first transformed frame data and said second transformed frame data obtained in said third step, and for combining these image data to generate said combined image data.