Adapter device for image capturing device

• US 20030177500A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axis AB (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Toshihiro, Nakamura, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A network camera system is configured such that an adapter device is connected with a digital camera, and the adapter device is connected with a network to which a client is also connected. A video signal representing a real-time image and a digital image signal representing a high-resolution still image are transmitted from the camera to the adapter. The adapter has a function of a file server and allows the client to download image data corresponding to the high-resolution still image. The adapter device further has a function of a streaming server and transmits streaming data representing the real-time image. The client can transmits an operation command to the adapter through the network, and the adapter transfer the command to the camera to perform the operation required by the client.

Claims

1. A network camera system including at least one client, a digital camera and an adapter device, said client and said adapter being connected with each other through a network,

said camera comprising:

an image capturing device;

an analog video signal outputting system that outputs an analog video signal representing a moving image captured by said image capturing device;

a digital image signal outputting system that outputs a digital image signal representing a still image captured by said image capturing device;

a control command receiving system; and

an operation control system that controls an operation of said camera in accordance with the control command received through said control command receiving system;

said adapter device comprising;

a file server system that receives the digital image signal from said camera and stores an image file representing the still image captured by said image capturing device, said file server system allowing said at least one client to download the image file from said file server through the network;

a streaming server system that receives the analog video signal from said camera and creates streaming data corresponding to the received video signal, the streaming data being transmitted to said client through the network;

a command receiving system that receives an operation command from said client through the network; and

a command transmitting system that transmits a control command corresponding to the operation command to said camera, and

said client comprising;

a browsing system that downloads the image file from said file server system and displays an image represented by the image file, said browsing system being capable of processing the streaming data and displaying the moving image represented by said streaming data; and

a command transmitting system that allows an operator to input an operation command indicative of an operation to be executed by said camera and transmits the operation command to said adapter device through the network.

2. The network camera system according to claim 1, wherein the operation to be executed by said camera includes capturing a still image when the operation command is input to said command transmitting system by the operator.

3. The network camera system according to claim 1, wherein the digital image signal representing the captured image output by said digital image signal outputting system is received by said file server system and stored in said adapter device.

4. The network camera system according to claim 1, wherein the operation to be executed by said camera includes at least one of zooming operation of said camera, capturing a still image and adjustment of brightness of an image captured by said camera.

5. The network camera system according to claim 1, wherein a resolution of the still image is greater than that of the moving image.

6. An adapter device for a network camera system including at least one client, a digital camera and the adapter device, said client and said adapter device being connected with each other through a network, the camera being capable of outputting an analog video signal representing a moving image and digital image signal representing a still image captured by the camera, an operation of the camera being controllable by inputting a control command to the camera, the client including a browsing system that downloads the image file from a file server system and displays an image represented by the image file, the browsing system being capable of processing streaming data and displaying a moving image represented by the streaming data, the client further including a command transmitting system that allows an operator to input an operation command indicative of an operation to be executed by the camera and transmits the operation command to said adapter device through the network, said adapter device comprising:

a file server system that receives the digital image signal from said camera and stores an image file representing the still image captured by the camera, said file server system allowing the at least one client to download the image file through the network;

a streaming server system that receives the analog video signal from said camera and creates streaming data corresponding to the received video signal, the streaming data being transmitted to said client through the network;

a command receiving system that receives an operation command from the client through the network; and

a command transmitting system that transmits a control command corresponding to the operation command to said camera.

7. An adapter device capable of being connected with an image capturing device and transmitting a captured image to a terminal connected to a network system as digital image data, said adapter device comprising:

a first interface receiving an analog signal output by the image capturing device;

a second interface capable of transmitting/receiving digital data to/from the image capturing device;

a first image data generating system that generates first digital data based on the analog signal received through said first interface;

a network interface that exchanges data with the terminal through the network; and

a controller that controls said first interface, said second interface, said first image data generating system and said network interface.

8. The adapter device according to claim 7, wherein the analog signal includes an analog video signal.

9. The adapter device according to claim 7, wherein said network includes the Internet.

10. The adapter device according to claim 7, wherein said adapter device transmits data to said terminal in accordance with the HTTP.

11. The adapter device according to claim 7, further includes a casing,

wherein said first interface and said second interface are formed on said casing,

wherein said adapter device is configured such that, by securing said casing onto said image capturing device, an analog signal output terminal of the image capturing device is connected to said first interface and a digital signal output terminal of the image capturing device is connected to said second interface.

12. The adapter device according to claim 11, further includes a fixation mechanism that securely fixes said adapter device to the image capturing device.

13. The adapter device according to claim 12, wherein said fixation mechanism includes a positioning member that is used to adjust a positional relationship of said adapter device with respect to the image capturing device when said adapter is secured to the image capturing device.

14. The adapter device according to claim 13, wherein said positioning member includes at least two guide pins which are inserted in corresponding holes formed on the image capturing device.

15. The adapter device according to claim 12, wherein said fixation mechanism includes locking claws which engage with engageable portions formed on the image capturing device.

16. The adapter device according to claim 15, wherein said fixation mechanism further includes a release mechanism which is operated to release engagement of said locking claws with the engageable portions.

17. An adapter device to be connected with an image capturing device, said adapter device comprising:

a first terminal and a second terminal which are connectable with the image capturing device;

a third terminal connectable to a communication network;

a controlling system capable of controlling the image capturing device;

an image processing system that processes an image signal to generate first digital image data; and

a server system that manages digital image data including the first digital image data,

wherein said first terminal receives a video signal of a moving image, said image processing system generating the first digital image data by processing the video signal;

wherein a control signal instructing the image capturing device to capture second digital image data representing an image having a higher resolution than an image represented by the first digital image data is transmitted from said controlling system through said second terminal, the second digital image signal, which is generated in response to the control signal transmitted to said image capturing device through said second terminal, being received through said second terminal,

wherein another control signal requesting for capturing of the second digital image data by said image capturing device is transmitted from a computer connected to the communication network to said controlling system through said third terminal, and

wherein said server system transmits one of the first digital image data and the second digital image data to the computer through said third terminal.