Camera system, control method, communication terminal, and program storage media, for selectively authorizing remote map display

• US 20030206232A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kazuko, Kawai, Tomoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,202,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A display authorization area corresponding a user is selected from maps stored in a device, only the selected zone is displayed, and a camera which is not authorized for the user to perform information communication is inhibited from being displayed. With this arrangement, a camera control system having so excellent security that any user cannot see a place irrelevant to the user and cannot recognize the position of an installed camera is constructed.

Claims

1. A camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said system comprising:

map display means for displaying a map;

index display means for displaying superposed on a map displayed by said map display means at least one index respectively indicating a position of said at least one camera on the map displayed by said map display means;

camera authorization setting means for setting an authorization state of a camera, said authorization state indicating that said camera is authorized to be displayed as an index corresponding to said camera on a map displayed by said map display means; and

first index display inhibition means for inhibiting said index display means from displaying an index corresponding to a camera other than a camera having an authorization state set by said camera authorization setting means which authorizes said camera to be displayed as an index on the map displayed by said display means.

2. A camera control system according to claim 1, wherein a camera having an authorization state which authorizes said camera to be displayed as an index superposed on a map displayed by said map display means is authorized to perform information communication with a terminal of said system.

3. A camera control system according to claim 2, further comprising group authorization storage means for storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored in said group authorization storage means.

4. A camera control system according to claim 2, further comprising user authorization storage means for storing a user authorization, said user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state for said at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in said user authorization storage means.

5. A camera control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

management means for managing a camera authorization state of each one of said at least one camera; and

second index display inhibition means for inhibiting said index display means from displaying superposed on a map displayed by said map display means an index corresponding to a camera determined by said management means to be used by another user.

6. A camera control system according to claim 2, wherein said information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

7. A camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said system comprising:

map display means for displaying a map;

camera authorization setting means for setting an authorization state of a camera, said authorization state indicating that said camera is authorized to perform information communication between said camera and said system; and

index display means for displaying superposed on a map displayed on said map display means at least one index, each index indicating a respective one of said at least one camera, an index corresponding to a camera having an positive authorization state set by said camera authorization setting means being displayed different from an index corresponding to a camera not having a positive authorization state.

8. A camera control system according to claim 7, wherein said information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

9. A camera control system according to claim 7, further comprising user authorization storage means for storing a user authorization, said user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state for said at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in said user authorization storage means.

10. A camera control system according to claim 7, further comprising group authorization storage means for storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state for said at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored in said group authorization storage means.

11. A camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said system comprising:

map storage means for storing at least one type of map for indicating a location of said at least one camera;

map authorization setting means for setting an authorization state of a map, said authorization state indicating whether said map is authorized to be displayed;

list display means for displaying in a list a map having an authorization state set by said map authorization setting means authorizing display of said map, and for selecting a map displayed by said list display means; and

map display means for displaying a map selected by said list display means.

12. A camera control system according to claim 11, further comprising user authorization storage means for storing a user authorization, said user authorization indicating users authorized to display a map stored by said map storage means, and wherein said map authorization setting means sets the authorization state of a map in accordance with the user authorization stored by said user authorization storage means.

13. A camera control system according to claim 11, further comprising group authorization storage means for storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to display a map, said map authorization setting means setting the authorization state of a map in accordance with the group authorization stored by said group storage means.

14. A camera control system according to claim 11, further comprising:

index display means for displaying superposed on a map displayed by said display means at least one index for respectively indicating a position of said at least one camera;

camera authorization setting means for setting an authorization state of a camera, said camera authorization state indicating that a camera is authorized to be displayed as an index superposed on a map displayed on map display means; and

first index display inhibition means for inhibiting said index display means from displaying an index corresponding to a camera other than a camera having a authorization state set by said camera authorization setting means authorizing said camera to be displayed as an index on the map displayed by said map display means.

15. A camera control system according to claim 14, wherein a camera having an authorization state which authorizes said camera to be displayed as an index superposed on a map displayed by said map display means is authorized to perform information communication with a terminal of said system.

16. A camera control system according to claim 15, further comprising user authorization storage means for storing a user authorization, said user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and said wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in said user authorization storage means.

17. A camera control system according to claim 15, further comprising group authorization storage means for storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored by said group authorization storage means.

18. A camera control system according to claim 15, further comprising:

management means for managing a camera authorization state of each one of said at least one camera; and

second index display inhibition means for inhibiting said index display means from displaying superposed on a map displayed by said map display means an index corresponding to a camera determined by said management means to be used by another user.

19. A camera control system according to claim 15, wherein said information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

20. A camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said system comprising:

map storage means for storing at least one map for indicating a location of said at least one camera;

map authorization setting means for setting an authorization state of a map, said authorization state indicating whether a map is authorized to be displayed;

list display means for displaying in a list said at least one map stored in said map storage means, and for selecting a map displayed in a list by said list display means;

map display means for displaying a map selected from said list display means; and

map display inhibition means for inhibiting said map display means from displaying a map having an authorization state set by said map authorization setting means that does not authorize display of said map at said map display means.

21. A camera control system according to claim 20, further comprising user authorization storage means for storing a user authorization, said user authorization indicating users authorized to display a map stored in said map storage means, and wherein said map authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one map for each user in accordance with the user authorization stored in said user authorization storage means.

22. A camera control system according to claim 20, further comprising group authorization storage means for storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to display a map stored in said map storage means, and wherein said map authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one map for each terminal in the group of terminals in accordance with the group authorization stored in said group authorization storage means.

23. A camera control system according to claim 20, further comprising:

index display means for displaying superposed on a map displayed on said display means at least one index for respectively indicating a position of said at least one camera on the map displayed on said map display means;

camera authorization setting means for setting an authorization state of a camera, said authorization state indicating whether a camera is authorized to be displayed as an index corresponding to said camera on a map displayed by said map display means; and

first index display inhibition means for inhibiting said index display means from displaying an index corresponding to a camera other than a camera having an authorization state set by said camera authorization setting means which authorizes said camera to be displayed as an index by said map display means.

24. A camera control system according to claim 23, wherein a camera having an authorization state which authorizes said camera to be displayed as an index superposed on a map displayed by said map display means is authorized to perform information communication with a terminal of said system.

25. A camera control system according to claim 24, further comprising user authorization storage means for storing a user authorization, said user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in said user authorization storage means.

26. A camera control system according to claim 24, further comprising group authorization storage means for storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein said camera authorization setting means sets the authorization state of said at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored in said group authorization storage means.

27. A camera control system according to claim 24, further comprising:

management means for managing a camera authorization state of each one of said at least one camera; and

second index display inhibition means for inhibiting said index display means from displaying superposed on a map displayed by said display means an index corresponding to a camera determined by said management means to be used by another user.

28. A camera control system according to claim 24, wherein the information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

29. A method of controlling a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said method comprising:

displaying a map for indicating a location of said at least one camera on the map;

displaying superposed on a map displayed in said map display step at least one index for respectively indicating a position of said at least one camera on the map displayed in the map display step;

setting an authorization state of a camera, said authorization state indicating whether said camera is authorized to be displayed as an index corresponding to said camera on a map displayed in the map display step; and

inhibiting the superposed display on a map to be displayed in said map displaying step of an index corresponding to a camera other than a camera having an authorization state set in the camera authorization setting step which authorizes the camera to be displayed as an index on the map displayed in the map displaying step.

30. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 29, wherein a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera is authorized to perform information communication.

31. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 30, further comprising a step of storing a user authorization, the user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to the at lest one camera, wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state of the at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in the user authorization storing step.

32. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 30, further comprising a step of storing a group authorization, said group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to the at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state of the at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored in the group authorization storing step.

33. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 30, further comprising:

managing the authorization state of each one of said at least one camera; and

inhibiting the superposed displaying on a map in the map displaying step of an index corresponding to a camera determined in the managing step to be used by another user.

34. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 30, wherein the information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

35. A method of controlling a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said method comprising:

displaying a map for indicating a location of said at least one camera;

setting a camera authorization state of a camera, the authorization state indicating that the camera is authorized to perform information communication between the camera and the system; and

displaying superposed on a map displayed in said map displaying step at least one index, each index indicating a respective one of said at least one camera, an index corresponding to a camera having a positive authorization state set in the camera setting step being different from an index corresponding to a camera having a positive authorization state.

36. A method of controlling a camera system according to claim 35, wherein the information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

37. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 35, further comprising a step of storing a user authorization, the user authorization indicating user authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state of the at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in the user storing step.

38. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 35, further comprising a step of storing a group authorization, the group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state of the at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored in the group authorization storing step.

39. A method of controlling a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, said method comprising:

storing at least one map for indicating a location of said at least one camera;

setting an authorization state of the at least one map, the authorization state indicating whether the at least one map is authorized to be displayed;

displaying in a list the at least one map having an authorization state set in the map authorization setting step, and selecting a map from the list; and

displaying a map selected from the list display step.

40. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 39, further comprising a step of storing a user authorization, the user authorization indicating users authorized to display a map, and wherein the map setting step sets the authorization state of the map in accordance with the user authorization stored in the user authorization storing step.

41. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 39, further comprising a step of storing a group authorization, the group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to display the at least one map, and wherein the map authorization setting step sets the authorization state in accordance with the group authorization stored in the group authorization storing step.

42. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 39, further comprising:

displaying superposed on a map at least one index for respectively indicating a position of said at least one camera;

setting a camera authorization state of a camera, the camera authorization state indicating that a camera is authorized to be displayed as an index superposed on a map; and

inhibiting the display of an index corresponding to a camera other than a camera having an authorization state set in said camera authorization setting step in said map displaying step.

43. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 42, wherein a camera having an authorization state which authorizes the camera to be displayed as an index superposed on a map in the map displaying step is authorized to perform information communication.

44. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 43, further comprising a step of storing a user authorization, the user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state of the at least one camera in accordance with the user authorization stored in said user authorization storing step.

45. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 43, further comprising a step of storing a group authorization, the group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state of the at least one camera in accordance with the group authorization stored in the group authorization storing step.

46. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 43, further comprising:

managing an authorization state of each one of said at least one camera; and

inhibiting the superposed display on a map in the map displaying step of an index corresponding to a camera determined in the managing step to be used by another user.

47. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 43, wherein the information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

48. A method of controlling a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to control said at least one camera, the method comprising:

storing at least one map for indicating a location of said at least one camera;

setting an authorization state of a map, the authorization state indicating whether the map is authorized to be displayed in the map storing step;

displaying in a list the at least one map stored in the map storing step, selecting a map from the list;

displaying a map selected in the list displaying step; and

inhibiting the map displaying step when a map other than a map having an authorization state set in the map authorization setting step in selected in the list displaying step.

49. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 48, further comprising a step of storing a user authorization, the user authorization indicating users authorized to display a map stored with respect to the map storing step, and wherein the map authorization setting step sets the authorization state for each of the at least one map for each user in accordance with the user authorization stored in the user authorization storing step.

50. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 48, further comprising a step of storing a group authorization, the group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to display a map with respect to the at least one map stored in the map storing step, and wherein the map authorization setting step sets an authorization state of a map in accordance with the group authorization state stored in the group authorization storing step.

51. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 48, further comprising:

displaying superposed on a map displayed in said map displaying step at least one index respectively indicating a position of said at least one camera displayed in the map displaying step;

setting an authorization state of a camera, the authorization state indicating whether the camera is authorized to be displayed as an index corresponding to said camera on a map displayed in the map displaying step; and

inhibiting the superposed display in said map displaying step of an index corresponding to a camera other than a camera having an authorization state set in the camera authorization setting step.

52. A camera control system according to claim 51, wherein a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera is authorized to perform information communication.

53. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 52, further comprising a step of storing a user authorization, the user authorization indicating users authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization state in accordance with the user authorization stored in the user authorization storing step.

54. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 52, further comprising a step of storing a group authorization, the group authorization indicating a group of terminals authorized to perform information communication with respect to said at least one camera, and wherein the camera authorization setting step sets the authorization sate in accordance with the group authorization stored in the group authorization storing step.

55. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 52, further comprising:

managing the authorization state of each one of said at least one camera; and

inhibiting the superposed displaying on a map in the map displaying step of an index corresponding to a camera determined in the managing step to be by another user.

56. A method of controlling a camera control system according to claim 52, wherein the information communication includes at least one of communication of a camera control command and communication of a camera video image.

57. A video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera, comprising:

map display means for displaying a map for indicating a position where said at least one camera is located;

index display means for displaying an index for indicating the position of said at least one camera such that the index overlaps the map displayed by said map display means;

reception means for receiving information related to a camera authorized to perform information communication from said at least one camera; and

index display inhibition means for inhibiting an index corresponding to a camera other than said camera authorized to perform information communication from being displayed on the basis of the information related to said camera and received by said reception means.

58. A video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera, comprising:

map display means for displaying a map for indicating a position where said at least one camera is located;

reception means for receiving information related to a camera authorized to perform information communication from said at least one camera; and

index display means for displaying an index corresponding to said camera authorized to perform information communication as an index different from an index corresponding to another camera.

59. A video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera, comprising:

first reception means for receiving information related to a map authorized to be displayed from at least one type of map;

list display means for displaying a map as a list on the basis of the information related to the map received by said first reception means; and

map display means for displaying a map selected from said list display means.

60. A video communication terminal according to claim 59, further comprising:

index display means for displaying an index for indicating the position of said at least one camera such that the index overlaps the map displayed by said map display means;

second reception means for receiving information related to a camera authorized to perform information communication from said at least one camera; and

index display inhibition means for inhibiting an index corresponding to a camera other than said camera authorized to perform information communication from being displayed on the basis of the information related to said camera and received by said second reception means.

61. A video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera, comprising:

first reception means for receiving information related to a map authorized to be displayed from at least one type of map;

list display means for displaying a map as a list;

map display means for displaying a map selected from said list display means; and

map display inhibition means for inhibiting a map from being displayed by said map display means when a map other than a map authorized to be displayed from said list display means.

62. A video communication terminal according to claim 61, further comprising:

index display means for displaying an index for indicating the position of said camera such that the index overlaps the map displayed by said map display means;

second reception means for receiving information related to a camera authorized to perform information communication from said at least one camera; and

index display inhibition means for inhibiting an index corresponding to a camera other than said camera authorized to perform information communication from being displayed on the basis of the information related to said camera and received by said reception means.

63. A storage media in which a program for executing an operation process of a video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera is stored, executing the processes of:

displaying a map for indicating a position where said at least one camera is located;

displaying an index for indicating the position of said at least one camera such that the index overlaps the map displayed by map display means;

receiving information related to a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera from said at least one camera; and

inhibiting an index corresponding to a camera other than said camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera from being displayed on the basis of the information related to said camera and received by reception means.

64. A storage media according to claim 63, wherein a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera is authorized to perform information communication.

65. A storage media in which a program for executing an operation process of a video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera is stored, executing the processes of:

displaying a map for indicating a position where said at least one camera is located;

receiving information related to a camera authorized to perform information communication from said at least one camera; and

displaying an index corresponding to said camera authorized to perform information communication as an index different from an index corresponding to another camera.

66. A storage media in which a program for executing an operation process of a video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera is stored, executing the processes of:

receiving information related to a map authorized to be displayed from at least one type of map;

displaying a map as a list on the basis of the information related to a received map; and

displaying a map selected from the map displayed as a list.

67. A storage media according to claim 66, further executing the processes of:

displaying an index for indicating the position of said at least one camera such that the index overlaps the map displayed by map display means;

receiving information related to a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera from said at least one camera; and

inhibiting an index corresponding to a camera other than said camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera from being displayed on the basis of the received information related to said camera.

68. A storage media according to claim 67, wherein a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera is authorized to perform information communication.

69. A storage media in which a program for executing an operation process of a video communication terminal for a camera control system for supplying a control command to at least one camera to make it possible to control said camera is stored, executing the processes of:

receiving information related to a map authorized to be displayed from at least one type of map;

displaying a map as a list;

displaying a map selected from the map displayed as a list; and

inhibiting the map from being displayed when a map other than the map authorized to be displayed.

70. A storage media according to claim 69, further comprising the processes of:

displaying an index indicating the position of said camera such that the index overlaps the displayed map;

receiving information related to a camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera from said at least one camera; and

inhibiting an index corresponding to a camera other than said camera authorized to display the index corresponding to said camera from being displayed on the basis of the received information related to said camera.