CAMERA CONTROL AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• US 20010040636A1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eiji Kato, Tomoaki Kawai
• Original Assignee: Eiji Kato, Tomoaki Kawai
• Inventors: KATO, EIJI, KAWAI, TOMOAKI
• Granted Patent: US 6,452,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A first frame indicating a maximum imaging visual field when a camera is panned and tilted to the respective limits is displayed on a display screen. A second frame indicative of a current imaging range is displayed at a position in the first frame which corresponds to the current imaging conditions (panning, tilting, and zooming). Panning and tilting are designated by an operation of moving the second frame, and zooming is designated by an operation of enlarging or reducing the second frame. In this way panning, tilting, and zooming of the camera are controlled in accordance with the position and the size of the second frame in the first frame. It is preferable that an image in the maximum imaging visual field be previously taken and displayed in the first frame.

Claims

1. A camera control device for controlling a camera capable of at least panning and tilting, comprising:

display means for displaying a first frame which indicates a potential maximum imaging visual field defined by limits of panning and tilting, and a second frame which indicates a current imaging range at a position inside the first frame and corresponding to current imaging conditions.

2. The device according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

operating means for operating the second frame displayed on said display means; and

control means for controlling said camera in accordance with the position of the second frame operated by said operating means.

3. The device according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

means for inputting an image in a maximum imaging visual field while moving said camera within the limits of panning and tilting at a predetermined timing, and displaying the input image in the first frame.

4. The device according to

claim 3

, wherein the predetermined timing is when camera control is started.

5. The device according to

claim 3

, wherein the predetermined timing is when an operator inputs a specific instruction.

6. The device according to

claim 3

, wherein the predetermined timing is when a camera operation input is determined.

7. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein said camera comprises an externally controllable zoom function, and said display means displays the first frame which indicates a potential maximum imaging visual field defined by the limits of panning and tilting and a wide-angle end of zooming, and the second frame which indicates a current imaging range inside the first frame and having a position and a size corresponding to current panning, tilting, and zooming conditions.

8. The device according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

operating means consisting of a pointing device for operating a camera operation area set inside and/or in the vicinity of the second frame displayed on said display means; and

control means for updating the display of the second frame and controlling said camera in accordance with the operation by said operating means.

9. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein said control means updates the display position of the second frame and controls said camera in accordance with a predetermined operation by the pointing device started from inside the camera operation area by said operating means.

10. The device according to

claim 9

, wherein the predetermined operation by the pointing device is a drag operation by a mouse.

11. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein said control means updates the display size of the second frame and controls said camera in accordance with a predetermined drag operation started from inside the camera operation area by said operating means.

12. A camera control device for controlling a camera capable of panning and tilting, comprising:

first display means for displaying, as a first frame, a potential maximum imaging visual field range of said camera, which is determined by ranges of panning, tilting, and an imaging visual field of said camera;

second display means for displaying an imaging visual field upon initialization of said camera, as a second frame, inside the first frame;

designating means for designating a movement of the displayed second frame;

frame display updating means for updating the display of the second frame in accordance with the contents designated by said designating means; and

control means for controlling an imaging direction of said camera in accordance with the designated contents by said designating means.

13. The device according to

claim 12

, wherein said designating means is a pointing device.

14. The device according to

claim 12

, further comprising:

synthesizing means for repeatedly causing said camera to pick up images while panning and tilting said camera, and synthesizing image data corresponding to a maximum imaging visual field of said camera from the picked up images; and

third display means for displaying the synthetic image in the first frame.

15. The device according to

claim 14

, wherein said synthesizing means and said third display means are initially activated.

16. The device according to

claim 14

, wherein said synthesizing means and said third display means are activated upon reception of a predetermined operation instruction.

17. The device according to

claim 12

, further comprising:

input means for inputting an image taken by said camera; and

image display means for displaying the input image in the second frame.

18. A camera control device for controlling a camera capable of panning, tilting, and zooming, comprising:

first display means for displaying, as a first frame, a potential maximum imaging visual field range of said camera, which is defined by ranges of panning, tilting, and an imaging visual field of said camera;

second display means for displaying an imaging range upon initialization of said camera, as a second frame, inside the first frame;

first designating means for designating a movement of the displayed second frame;

second designating means for designating a size of the displayed second frame;

frame display updating means for updating the display of the second frame in accordance with the contents designated by said first or second designating means; and

control means for controlling an imaging direction or a zoom ratio of said camera in accordance with the designated contents by said designating means.

19. The device according to

claim 18

, wherein said first and second designating means are pointing devices.

20. The device according to

claim 18

, further comprising:

synthesizing means for repeatedly causing said camera to pick up images while panning and tilting said camera, and synthesizing image data corresponding to a maximum imaging visual field of said camera from the picked up images; and

third display means for displaying the synthetic image in the first frame.

21. The device according to

claim 20

, wherein said synthesizing means and said third display means are initially activated.

22. The device according to

claim 20

, wherein said synthesizing means and said third display means are activated upon reception of a predetermined operation instruction.

23. The device according to

claim 20

, further comprising:

input means for inputting an image taken by said camera; and

image display means for displaying the input image in the second frame.

24. A motion image display apparatus comprising:

motion image inputting means for inputting a motion image;

imaging direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing one still image in a wide area on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

display means for displaying the still image synthesized by said synthesizing means in a still image area, and displaying a motion image currently being taken by said motion image inputting means in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area;

motion image area moving means for moving the motion image area within the still image area; and

control means for controlling said imaging direction changing means on the basis of position information of the motion image area moved by said motion image area moving means so that the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means corresponds to the position of the moved motion image area, and updating a portion of the synthetic still image corresponding to the motion image area before being moved, as a still image, by using the motion image displayed in the motion image area before the imaging direction is changed.

25. The apparatus according to

claim 24

, wherein the whole synthetic still image is periodically updated by scanning an imaging area corresponding to the still image area by using said motion image inputting means.

26. The apparatus according to

claim 24

, wherein said display means and associated means for said display means, and said image inputting means and associated means for said image inputting means, are connected via a communication network.

27. The apparatus according to

claim 24

, wherein

said apparatus comprises two of said display means, and

one display means is connected to the other display means, said image inputting means, said imaging direction changing means, and said motion image area moving means via a communication network.

28. The apparatus according to

claim 24

, wherein

said apparatus comprises two of said motion image area moving means and has a control mediation function for said two motion image area moving means, and

one motion image area moving means is connected to said display means, the other motion image area moving means, said image inputting means, and said imaging direction changing means via a communication network.

29. The apparatus according to

claim 24

, wherein said motion image area moving means is a line-of-sight input device.

30. A motion image display apparatus comprising:

motion image inputting means for inputting a motion image;

image direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing one still image in a wide area on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

display means for displaying the still image synthesized by said synthesizing means in a still image area, and displaying a motion image currently being taken by said motion image inputting means in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area;

motion detecting means for detecting a motion of an object in the motion image displayed in the motion image area; and

control means for moving the motion image area on the basis of position information of the object detected by said motion detecting means, controlling said imaging direction changing means so that the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means corresponds to the position of the moved object, and updating a portion of the synthetic still image corresponding to the motion image area before being moved, as a still image, by using the motion image displayed in the motion image area before the imaging direction is changed.

31. The apparatus according to

claim 30

, wherein while said motion detecting means is not detecting a motion of an object, the whole synthetic still image is updated by scanning an imaging area corresponding to the still image area by using said motion image inputting means.

32. A motion image display apparatus comprising:

motion image inputting means for inputting a motion image;

imaging direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

still image inputting means having a wider field angle than a field angle of said motion image inputting means, said still image inputting means taking a still image over a wide area;

display means for displaying the still image taken by said still image inputting means in a still image area, and displaying a motion image currently being taken by said motion image inputting means in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area;

motion image area moving means for moving the motion image area within the still image area; and

control means for controlling said imaging direction changing means on the basis of position information of the motion image area moved by said motion image area moving means so that the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means corresponds to the position of the moved motion image area.

33. A motion image display apparatus comprising:

motion image inputting means for inputting a motion image;

imaging direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

still image inputting means having a wider field angle than a field angle of said motion image inputting means, said still image inputting means taking a still image over a wide area;

display means for displaying the still image taken by said still image inputting means in a still image area, and displaying a motion image currently being taken by said motion image inputting means in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area;

motion detecting means for detecting a motion of an object in the motion image displayed in the motion image area; and

control means for moving the motion image area on the basis of position information of the object detected. by said motion detecting means, and controlling said imaging direction changing means so that the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means corresponds to the position of the moved object.

34. A camera control device for controlling a camera capable of panning and tilting, comprising:

input means for inputting a plurality of still images in different directions by controlling said camera;

still image forming means for forming one still image in a wide area by synthesizing the input still images;

first display means for displaying the still image formed by said still image forming means;

second display means for displaying a motion image taken by said camera at a corresponding position in the displayed still image;

designating means for designating a change in the position of the motion image displayed by said second display means;

updating means for updating the still image by using an image of the last frame of a motion image input immediately before the designation by said designating means; and

control means for changing an imaging direction of said camera in accordance with the contents designated by said designating means, and activating said second display means to display the motion image obtained from said camera at a new position in the still image.

35. A camera control device for controlling a camera capable of panning, tilting, and zooming, comprising:

input means for inputting a plurality of still images in different directions by controlling said camera;

still image forming means for forming one still image in a wide area by synthesizing the input still images;

first display means for displaying the still image formed by said still image forming means;

second display means for displaying a motion image taken by said camera at a corresponding position in the displayed still image;

first designating means for designating a change in the display position of the motion image displayed by said second display means;

second designating means for designating a change in the magnification of the motion image displayed by said second display means;

updating means for updating the still image by using an image of the last frame of a motion image input immediately before the designation by said first or second designating means;

first control means for changing an imaging direction of said camera in accordance with the contents designated by said first designating means, and activating said second display means to display the motion image obtained from said camera at a new position in the still image; and

second control means for changing a zoom ratio of said camera in accordance with the contents designated by said second designating means, and controlling a display magnification of the still image by using a central position of the motion image as an origin.