Apparatus and Method for Controlling a Camera Connected to a Network

• US 20030112337A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mamoru Sato, Tadashi Yamakawa, Yoshiyuki Akiba
• Original Assignee: Mamoru Sato, Tadashi Yamakawa, Yoshiyuki Akiba
• Inventors: Akiba, Yoshiyuki, Yamakawa, Tadashi, Sato, Mamoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,219,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• 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 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A camera control apparatus provides an end user with environment to easily remote-control a video camera via a general network such as the Internet. When the camera control apparatus 1001 receives a file-transfer request described in the format of the network from an external device 1002 connected to the apparatus, it handles a characters in a character string of a file name of the request as camera-control characters. As a result, if the character string includes description corresponding to the format for camera control, the camera control apparatus 1001 controls the camera in accordance with the description to perform image sensing, and transfers the obtained video image as the content of an image file requested by the external device as the file-transfer request originator.

Claims

1. A camera control apparatus, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, comprising:

reception means for receiving a character string descried in a format of file-transfer request used on the network;

discrimination means for discriminating a predetermined control character relating to camera control, and a character indicating a control amount accompanying the control character, from a character string at a particular position of the character string received by said reception means; and

control means for controlling the camera based on the result of discrimination by said discrimination means, and transferring video image data obtained by the camera to a file-transfer request originator.

2. The camera control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means includes image-sensing angle discrimination means for discriminating image-sensing angle characters relating to panning, tilting and zooming of the camera control, and numerical value characters indicating control amounts accompanying the image-sensing angle characters, and wherein said control means controls the camera based on the result of discrimination by said image-sensing angle discrimination means, and transfers the video image data obtained by the camera to the file-transfer request originator.

3. The camera control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said discrimination means can discriminate a plurality of sets of character string, each character string comprising the image-sensing angle characters and the numerical value characters accompanying the image-sensing angle characters.

4. The camera control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said discrimination means discriminates a character string designating an image format,

and wherein said control means transfers video image data in the image format discriminated by said discrimination means.

5. The camera control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if the discriminated character string designates a moving image, the video image data is compressed in data in a corresponding moving-image format and transferred to the file-transfer request originator.

6. The camera control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means includes:

image-sensing time discrimination means for discriminating an image-sensing time request character and a character string designating image-sensing date and time, accompanying the image-sensing time request character; and

video-image discrimination means for discriminating a video-image read request character, requesting to read the video image, and a character string designating the video image to be read,

said camera control apparatus further comprises;

registration means for registering the image-sensing date and time obtained by said image-sensing time discrimination means;

returning means for returning information specifying the contents registered by said registration means to the file-transfer request originator;

memory means for storing the video image obtained by the camera;

determination means for determining whether or not the image-sensing time registered by said registration means has come; and

storage means for storing the video image data obtained by the camera into said memory means if said determination means determines that the image-sensing time has come,

wherein said control means transfers the video image data from said memory means to the file-transfer request originator, in accordance with the character string designating the video image to be read, discriminated by said video-image discrimination means.

7. The camera control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said discrimination means includes image-sensing angle discrimination means for discriminating image-sensing angle characters relating to panning, tilting and zooming of the camera control, and numerical value characters indicating control amounts accompanying the image-sensing angle characters,

and wherein said registration means registers the information on an image-sensing angle of the camera,

further wherein said storage means stores the video image obtained based on the information on the image-sensing angle.

8. The camera control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination means includes file-name discrimination means for discriminating a character string of a file name describing the image-sensing condition,

and wherein said control means reads content of the file name discriminated by said file-name discrimination means, controls the camera to perform image sensing in accordance with the image-sensing condition corresponding to the read content, and transfers the video image obtained by the image sensing to the file-transfer request originator.

9. The camera control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said discrimination means includes a storage-address discrimination means for discriminating a storage address of the file,

and wherein said control means reads a file of the discriminated file name and the discriminated storage address, controls the camera to perform image sensing in accordance with the image-sensing condition corresponding to the content of the file, and transfers the video image obtained by the image sensing to the file-transfer request originator.

10. The camera control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the storage address is a character string designating an Internet server.

11. A method for a camera control apparatus, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, comprising:

a reception step of receiving a character string descried in a format of file-transfer request used on the network;

a discrimination step of discriminating a predetermined control character relating to camera control, and a character indicating a control amount accompanying the control character, from a character string at a particular position of the character string received at said reception step; and

a control step of controlling the camera based on the result of discrimination at said discrimination step, and transferring video image data obtained by the camera to a file-transfer request originator.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said discrimination step includes an image-sensing angle discrimination step of discriminating image-sensing angle characters relating to panning, tilting and zooming of the camera control, and numerical value characters indicating control amounts accompanying the image-sensing angle characters,

and wherein at said control step, the camera is controlled based on the result of discrimination at said image-sensing angle discrimination step, and transfers the video image data obtained by the camera to the file-transfer request originator.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein at said discrimination step, a plurality of sets of character string, each character string comprising the image-sensing angle characters and the numerical value characters accompanying the image-sensing angle characters, can be discriminated.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein at said discrimination step, a character string designating an image format is discriminated,

and wherein at said control step, video image data is transferred in the image format discriminated at said discrimination step.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein if the discriminated character string designates a moving image, the video image data is compressed in data in a corresponding moving-image format and transferred to the file-transfer request originator.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said discrimination step includes:

an image-sensing time discrimination step of discriminating an image-sensing time request character and a character string designating image-sensing date and time, accompanying the image-sensing time request character; and

a video-image discrimination step of discriminating a video-image read request character, requesting to read the video image, and a character string designating the video image to be read, said method further comprises;

a registration step of registering the image-sensing date and time obtained at said image-sensing time discrimination step;

a returning step of returning information specifying the contents registered at said registration step to the file-transfer request originator;

a memory step of storing the video image obtained by the camera;

a determination step of determining whether or not the image-sensing time registered at said registration step has come; and

a storage step of storing the video image data obtained by the camera into said memory means if it is determined at said determination step that the image-sensing time has come,

wherein at said control step, the video image data is transferred from said memory step to the file-transfer request originator, in accordance with the character string designating the video image to be read, discriminated by said video-image discrimination means.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said discrimination step includes an image-sensing angle discrimination step of discriminating image-sensing angle characters relating to panning, tilting and zooming of the camera control, and numerical value characters indicating control amounts accompanying the image-sensing angle characters,

and wherein at said registration step, the information on an image-sensing angle of the camera is registered,

further wherein at said storage step, the video image obtained based on the information on the image-sensing angle is stored.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein said discrimination step includes a file-name discrimination step of discriminating a character string of a file name describing the image-sensing condition,

and wherein at said control step, content of the file name, discriminated by said file-name discrimination means, is controlled, the camera is controlled to perform image sensing in accordance with the image-sensing condition corresponding to the read content, and the video image obtained by the image sensing is transferred to the file-transfer request originator.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said discrimination step includes a storage-address discrimination step of discriminating a storage address of the file,

and wherein at said control step, a file of the discriminated file name and the discriminated storage address are read, the camera is controlled to perform image sensing in accordance with the image-sensing condition corresponding to the content of the file, and the video image obtained by the image sensing is transferred to the file-transfer request originator.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the storage address is a character string designating an Internet server.

21. A storage medium containing program codes to be read and executed by a computer connected to a camera, comprising:

reception-process program codes of executing processing for receiving a character string described in a format of file-transfer request used on a predetermined network;

discrimination-process program codes of executing processing for discriminating a predetermined control character relating to camera control, and a character indicating a control amount accompanying the control character, from a character string at a particular position of the character string received at said reception process; and

control-process program codes of executing processing for controlling the camera based on the result of discrimination at said discrimination process, and transferring video image data obtained by the camera to a file-transfer request originator.

22. A camera control apparatus, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, comprising:

reception means for receiving reservation information, including image-sensing time and image-sensing condition, via the network from an external device;

determination means for determining whether or not reservation can be accepted, based on the image-sensing time received by said reception means and already-registered image-sensing time;

notification means for, if said determination means determines that the reservation cannot be accepted, notifying-,the external device of the result of determination by said determination means;

registration means for, if said determination means determines that the reservation can be accepted, registering the reservation information received by said reception means in correspondence with identification information, and notifying the external device of the identification information;

control means for controlling the camera based on the reservation information registered by said registration means, and holding video image information obtained by the camera in correspondence with the identification information corresponding to the reservation information; and

output means for, when a video-image read request is issued with the identification information from the external apparatus, outputting video image information corresponding to the identification information, among video image information held by said control means.

23. The camera control apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said reception means receives a character string described in a format of file-transfer request used on the network,

and said camera control apparatus further comprising analyzing means for analyzing the character string received by said reception means to obtain the reservation information including the image-sensing time and the image-sensing condition.

24. The camera control apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said determination means determines that the reservation cannot be accepted if the i age-sensing time already registered by said registration means and the image-sensing time in the reservation information received by said reception means correspond with each other.

25. The camera control apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said determination means determines that the reservation cannot be accepted if the difference between the image-sensing time already registered by said registration means and the image-sensing time in the reservation information received by said reception means is a predetermined period or shorter.

26. The camera control apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the identification information notified by said registration means includes an access address and specific information to be added to the access address when the access address is accessed.

27. The camera control apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the access address is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in the Internet, and the specific information is a Cookie header included in a request header in the Internet.

28. A camera control apparatus, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, comprising:

reception means for receiving reservation information, including image-sensing time and image-sensing condition, via the network from an external device;

registration means for registering the reservation information received by said reception means in correspondence with identification information, and notifying the external device of the identification information, the identification information including an access address and specific information to be added to the access address when the access address is accessed;

control means for controlling the camera based on the reservation information registered by said registration means, and holding video image information obtained by the camera in correspondence with the identification information corresponding to the reservation information; and

output means for, when video-image read request is issued with the identification information from the external apparatus, outputting video image information corresponding to the identification information, among video image information held by said control means.

29. The camera control apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the access address is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in the Internet, and the specific information is a Cookie header included in a request header in the Internet.

30. The camera control apparatus according to claim 28, wherein notification of the identification information by said registration means is made by causing the external device to register a character string where the access address and the specific information are combined, as a URL, in a bookmark.

31. A method for a camera control apparatus, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, comprising:

a reception step of receiving reservation information, including image-sensing time and image-sensing condition, via the network from an external device;

a determination step of determining whether or not reservation can be accepted, based on the image-sensing time received at said reception step and already-registered image-sensing time;

a notification step of, if it is determined at said determination step that the reservation cannot be accepted;

notifying the external device of the result of determination at said determination step;

a registration step of, if it is determined at said determination step that the reservation can be accepted, registering the reservation information received at said reception step in correspondence with identification information, and notifying the external device of the identification information;

a control step of controlling the camera based on the reservation information registered at said registration step, and holding video image information obtained by the camera in correspondence with the identification information corresponding to the reservation information; and

an output step of, when a video-image read request is issued with the identification information from the external apparatus, outputting video image information corresponding to the identification information, among video image information held at said control means.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein at said reception step, a character string, described in a format of file-transfer request used on the network is received,

and said method further comprising an analyzing step of analyzing the character string received at said reception step to obtain the reservation information including the image-sensing time and the image-sensing condition.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein at said determination step, it is determined that the reservation cannot be accepted if the image-sensing time already registered at said registration step and the image-sensing time in the reservation information received at said reception step correspond with each other.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein at said determination step, it is determined that the reservation cannot be accepted if the difference between the image-sensing time already registered at said registration step and the image-sensing time in the reservation information received at said reception step is a predetermined period or shorter.

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein the identification information notified at said registration step includes an access address and specific information to be added to the access address when the access address is accessed.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the access address is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in the Internet, and the specific information is a Cookie header included in a request header in the Internet.

37. A method for a camera control apparatus, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, comprising:

a reception step of receiving reservation information, including image-sensing time and imagesensing condition, via the network from an external device;

a registration step of registering the reservation information received at said reception step in correspondence with identification information, and notifying the external device of the identification information, the identification information including an access address and specific information to be added to the access address when the access address is accessed;

a control step of controlling the camera based on the reservation information registered at said registration step, and holding video image information obtained by the camera in correspondence with the identification information corresponding to the reservation information; and

an output step of, when video-image read request is issued with the identification information from the external apparatus, outputting video image information corresponding to the identification information, among video image information held at said control step.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the access address is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in the Internet, and the specific information is a Cookie header included in a request header in the Internet.

39. The method according to claim 37, wherein notification of the identification information at said registration step is made by causing the external device to register a character string where the access address and the specific information are combined, as a URL, in a bookmark.

40. A computer-readable memory containing control program codes for a computer, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, said control program causes said computer to function as:

reception means for receiving reservation information, including image-sensing time and imagesensing condition, via the network from an external device;

determination means for determining whether or not reservation can be accepted, based on the image-sensing time received by said reception means and alreadyregistered image-sensing time;

notification means for, if said determination means determines that the reservation cannot be accepted, notifying the external device of the result of determination by said determination means;

registration means for, if said determination means determines that the reservation can be accepted, registering the reservation information received by said reception means in correspondence with identification information, and notifying the external device of the identification information;

control means for controlling the camera based on the reservation information registered by said registration means, and holding video image information obtained by the camera in correspondence with the identification information corresponding to the reservation information; and

output means for, when video-image read request is issued with the identification information from the external apparatus, outputting video image information corresponding to the identification information, among video image information held by said control means.

41. A computer-readable memory containing control program codes for a computer, connected to a network, capable of controlling image-sensing condition of a camera, said control program causes said computer to function as:

reception means for receiving reservation information, including image-sensing time and image-sensing condition, via the network from an external device;

registration means for registering the reservation information received by said reception means in correspondence with identification information, and notifying the external device of the identification information, the identification information including access address and specific information to be added to the access address when the access address is accessed;

control means for controlling the camera based on the reservation information registered by said registration means, and holding video image information obtained by the camera in correspondence with the identification information corresponding to the reservation information; and

output means for, when video-image read request is issued with the identification information from the external apparatus, outputting video image information corresponding to the identification information, among video image information held by said control means.