Image data delivery

• US 20030206238A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Oya, Takashi, Iizuka, Yoshio, Kawai, Tomoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,425,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A conversion apparatus is connected to a camera server delivering image information obtained by image sensing to a display operation terminal. When image information is received from the camera server, the conversion apparatus converts the received image information to a format for a portable display terminal, and delivers it to the portable display terminal.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image information reception unit adapted to receive image information obtained by sensing from an image sensing apparatus capable of delivering the image information to a first image display apparatus; and

an image information delivering unit adapted to convert said image information received by said image information reception unit to a format for a second image display apparatus different in type from said first image display apparatus, and deliver the converted image information to said second display apparatus.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image information delivering unit delivers another information different from said image information to said second image display apparatus.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising an image processing unit adapted to superimpose said another information on said image information,

wherein said image information delivering unit delivers said image information with said another information superimposed thereon by said image processing unit to said second image display apparatus.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image information delivering unit delivers said another information to said second image display apparatus for a time period over which the operation of said image sensing apparatus is controlled.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image information delivering unit delivers said another information to said second image display apparatus for a time period until the image processing apparatus establishes connection with said image sensing apparatus.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sound data sending unit adapted to convert response information to control information for controlling an image sensing operation from said image processing apparatus into sound data for said second image display apparatus, and send the sound data to said second image display apparatus.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a first information acquisition unit adapted to acquire another information retrieved by an information storage device storing various kinds of information on the basis of control information for controlling an image sensing operation from said information storage device,

wherein said image information delivering unit delivers said another information obtained by said first information acquisition unit to said second image display apparatus.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control information includes at least information for controlling pan and/or tilt angles in the image sensing operation of said image sensing apparatus.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control information includes at least information for controlling the zoom scaling factor in the image sensing operation of said image sensing apparatus.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first information acquisition unit obtains said another information retrieved by said information storage device according to the current time.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first information acquisition unit obtains said another information retrieved by said information storage device according to said image sensing apparatus.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a second information acquisition unit adapted to obtain information indicating a control state related to the image sensing operation of said image sensing apparatus as said another information,

wherein said information delivering unit delivers said another information obtained by said second information acquisition unit to said second image display apparatus.

13. An image delivery system comprising:

an image sensing apparatus capable of delivering image information obtained by image sensing to a first image display apparatus;

a second image display apparatus different in type from said first image display apparatus, adapted to request said image information sensed by said image sensing apparatus; and

an image processing apparatus adapted to obtain said image information from said image sensing apparatus by accepting the request for said image information from said second image display apparatus, and deliver said image information to said second image display apparatus.

14. The image delivery system according to claim 13, wherein said image processing apparatus superimposes another information on said image information, and delivers the same to said second image display apparatus.

15. An image delivery system comprising:

an image sensing apparatus capable of delivering image information obtained by image sensing to said first image display apparatus;

a second image display apparatus different in type from said first image display apparatus, adapted to send sound data indicating a request for said image information sensed by said image sensing apparatus; and

an image processing apparatus adapted to convert said sound data from said second image display apparatus into a control command for said image sensing apparatus, and send said control command to said image apparatus,

wherein said image processing apparatus receives said image information sent from said image sensing apparatus according to said control command, and delivers said image information to said second image display apparatus.

16. The image delivery system according to claim 15, wherein said image processing apparatus converts response information to said control command from said image sensing apparatus into sound data for said second image display apparatus, and sends the sound data to said second image display apparatus.

17. An image processing method comprising:

receiving image information obtained by image sensing from an image sensing apparatus capable of delivering the image information to a first image display apparatus; and

delivering the received image information to a second image display apparatus different in type from said first image display apparatus.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for carrying out the image processing method of claim 17.

19. An information delivery apparatus comprising:

an image data reception unit adapted to receive image data from a plurality of image sending apparatuses capable of sending said image data;

a sound data reception unit adapted to receive sound data from a plurality of sound sending apparatuses;

a coding unit adapted to selectively combine said image data received by said image data reception unit with said sound data received by said sound data reception unit, and code the combined data as image data with sound; and

a delivering unit adapted to deliver said image data with sound generated by said coding unit to a receiving apparatus.

20. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising an information storage unit adapted to store at least predetermined one or more conditions and correspondence between said conditions and various kinds of sound data as information.

21. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said predetermined one or more conditions includes at least one of conditions related to the status of said image sending apparatus, conditions related to personal information of a user and conditions related to time.

22. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising an alteration unit adapted to alter the contents of information stored in said information storage unit upon request from said receiving apparatus.

23. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said image data reception unit and said sound data reception unit are apparatuses connected on a network independently of said information delivery apparatus.

24. An information delivery system comprising a plurality of image sending apparatuses capable of sending image data, a plurality of sound sending apparatuses capable of sending sound data, a plurality of information delivery apparatuses adapted to deliver information, and a receiving apparatus adapted to receive said information delivered from said information delivery apparatus,

wherein said information delivery apparatus comprises:

an image data reception unit adapted to receive said image data from said image sending apparatus;

a sound data reception unit adapted to receive said sound data from said sound sending apparatus;

a coding unit adapted to selectively combine said image data received by said image data reception unit with said sound data received by said sound data reception unit, and code the combined data as image data with sound; and

a delivering unit adapted to deliver said image data with sound generated by said coding unit, and

said receiving apparatus receives as said information said image data with sound delivered from said delivering unit of said information delivery apparatus.

25. An information delivery method comprising:

receiving image data from a plurality of image sending apparatuses;

receiving sound data from a plurality of sound sending apparatuses;

selectively combining received image data and sound data and coding as image data with sound; and

delivering said coded image data with sound to a receiving apparatus.

26. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for carrying out the information delivery method of claim 25.

27. A conversion processing method in which image data of a first size coded by a first coding method in which data is divided into first blocks and coded is converted into image data of a second size coded by a second coding method in which data is divided in second blocks and coded, comprising:

clipping image data equivalent to said second size from image data of said first size along a borderline of said first block, and

coding the clipped image data equivalent to said second size by the second coding method.

28. The conversion processing method according to claim 27, wherein image data of said first size is decoded by a decoding method corresponding to said first coding method prior to said clipping.

29. The conversion processing method according to claim 27, wherein image data is clipped with the image data coded by said first coding method at the time of said clipping, and the image data coded by said first coding method is converted into image data of said second coding method at the time of said coding.

30. The conversion processing method according to claim 27, wherein image data of said first size is scaled up by a factor of n by carrying out interpolation processing if said first size is smaller than said second size, and

the image data equivalent to said second size is clipped from the image data scaled up by a factor of n along a borderline of said first block at the time of said clipping.

31. The conversion processing method according to claim 27, further comprising:

comparing image data of the previous frame with image data of the current frame to make an inter-frame prediction for each block; and

selecting, on the basis of said inter-frame prediction, whether to perform coding by using image data in the current frame by said second coding method or to perform coding by using inter-frame predicted deviation information by said second coding method.

32. The conversion processing method according to claim 27, wherein said first coding method is the JPEG coding method, and said second coding method is the MPEG coding metod.

44. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for carrying out the conversion processing method of claim 27.

33. A conversion processing method in which image data of a first size coded by a first coding method in which data is divided into first blocks and coded is converted into image data of a second size coded by a second coding method in which data is divided into second blocks and coded, comprising:

generating image data equivalent to said second size by inserting predetermined data in the periphery of image data of said first size in said second blocks; and

coding the generated image data equivalent to said second size by the second coding method.

34. The conversion processing method according to claim 33, wherein image data of said first size is decoded by a decoding method corresponding to said first coding method prior to said insertion.

35. The conversion processing method according to claim 33, further comprising:

scaling down the image data of said first size by a factor of n by thinning-out the image data when said first size is larger than said second size; and

smoothing pixels located in borderlines of blocks of said image data scaled down,

wherein the image data subjected to said smoothing is used at the generating of said image data.

36. The conversion processing method according to claim 33, wherein image data is clipped with the image data coded by said first coding method at the time of said clipping, and the image data coded by said first coding method is converted into image data of said second coding method at the time of said coding.

37. The conversion processing method according to claim 33, further comprising:

making an inter-frame prediction for each block by comparing image data of the previous frame with image data of the current frame; and

selecting, on the basis of said inter-frame prediction, whether to perform coding by using image data in the current frame by said second coding method or to perform coding by using inter-frame predicted deviation information by said second coding method.

38. The conversion processing method according to claim 33, wherein said first coding method is the JPEG coding method, and said second coding method is the MPEG coding method.

45. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for carrying out the conversion processing method of claim 33.

39. A conversion processing method in which image data of a first size coded by a first coding method in which data is divided into first blocks and coded is converted into image data of a second size coded by a second coding method in which data is divided into second blocks and coded, comprising:

converting image data of said first size into image data of said second coding method; and

inserting predetermined data coded by said second coding method in the periphery of the converted image data of said first size in said second blocks so that said second image size is obtained.

40. The conversion processing method according to claim 39, wherein said first coding method is the JPEG coding method, and said second coding method is the MPEG coding method.

46. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for carrying out the conversion processing method of claim 39.

41. A conversion processing apparatus converting image data of a first size coded by a first coding method in which data is divided into first blocks and coded into image data of a second size coded by a second coding method in which data is divided into second blocks and coded, comprising:

a clipping unit adapted to clip image data equivalent to said second size from image data of said first size along the borderline of said first block; and

a coding unit adapted to code the clipped image data equivalent to said second size by the second coding method.

42. A conversion processing apparatus converting image data of a first size coded by a first coding method in which data is divided into first blocks and coded into image data of a second size coded by a second coding method in which data is divided into second blocks and coded, comprising:

a data generation unit adapted to insert predetermined data in the periphery of image data of said first size in second blocks so that said second image size is obtained to generate image data equivalent to said second size; and

a coding unit adapted to code the generated image data equivalent to said second size by the second coding method.

43. A conversion processing apparatus converting image data of a first size coded by a first coding method in which data is divided into first blocks and coded into image data of a second size coded by a second coding method in which data is divided into second blocks and coded, comprising:

a conversion unit adapted to convert image data of said first size into image data of said second coding method; and

an insertion unit adapted to insert predetermined data coded by said second coding method in the periphery of the converted image data of said first size in said second blocks so that said second image size is obtained.