Control system for allowing an operator to proportionally control a work piece

• US 20040189802A1
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Limited (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Limited (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Flannery, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,868,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• 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 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• 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

Abstract

A control system (1) includes a work piece, such as a camera (2), having an adjustable functionality (3). A configuration device is associated with the work piece and is responsive to one or more control signals (7), the configuration device affects one or more selective adjustments to the adjustable functionality (3). Further included is an input device, such as a mouse (11), for generating one or more input signals (13) in response to one or more predetermined manual inputs (15) from an operator (9). Also a controller (21) is included for providing the control signals (7), the controller (21) being implemented in a graphical user environment and being responsive to the impute signals (13) such that the selective adjustments made to the adjustable functionality (3) are substantially proportional.

Claims

1. A control system including:

a work piece having an adjustable functionality;

a configuration device associated with the work piece and responsive to one or more control signals, the configuration device affecting one or more selective adjustments to the adjustable functionality;

an input device for generating one or more input signals in response to one or more predetermined manual inputs from an operator; and

a controller for providing the control signals, the controller being implemented in a graphical user environment and being responsive to the input signals such that the selective adjustments made to the adjustable functionality are substantially proportional.

2. A control system according to claim 1 wherein the controller includes:

a processor for operating a GUI and for providing the control signals;

a display, having a viewing area in which both the GUI and a cursor are displayed, the display being responsive to the controller, and the cursor being movable about the viewing area in response to the input signals.

3. A control system according to claim 2 wherein the GUI provides the operator with a graphical and immediate feedback on the nature of the control signals being generated by the manual inputs from the operator.

4. A control system according to claim 3 wherein the position of the cursor on the viewing area corresponds to one or more preselected commands, each of the preselected commands corresponding to at least one of the control signals;

and, wherein the controller is responsive to cursor position.

5. A control system according to claim 4 wherein the viewing area includes a plurality of adjacent regions in which the cursor may be positioned, each of the regions corresponding to at least one of the preselected commands.

6. A control system according to claim 2, wherein a visual representation is associated with the cursor, the representation corresponding to the region over which the cursor lies.

7. A control system according to claim 6 wherein the GUI includes a separate graphical indicator of the command corresponding to the region over which the cursor lies.

8. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller and the configuration device are remote from each other, and the control signals are relayed via a network.

9. A control system according to claim 8 wherein the network is an intranet or an Internet.

10. A control system including:

a camera for providing a first signal representative of a video sequence captured by the camera;

a configuration device, associated with the camera, responsive to one or more control signals, the configuration device affecting one or more selective adjustments to at least one of;

(a) a pan movement of the camera,

(b) a tilt movement of the camera, and

(c) a zoom effect provided by the camera;

an input device for generating one or more input signals in response to one or more predetermined manual inputs from an operator; and

a controller for providing the control signals, the controller being implemented in a graphical user environment and being responsive to the input signals such that the selective adjustments made to the pan, the tilt, and the zoom are substantially proportional.

11. A control system according to claim 10 wherein the controller, being responsive to the first signal, includes:

a processor for operating a GUI and for providing the control signals, the GUI having an image area; and

a display, having a viewing area, for displaying within the viewing area both the GUI and a cursor, the display being responsive to the controller such that an image reflective of the first signal is presented by the controller in the image area, and the cursor being movable about the viewing area in response to the input signals.

12. A control system according to claim 11 wherein the GUI provides the operator with a graphical and immediate feedback on the nature of the control signals being generated by the manual inputs from the operator.

13. A control system according to claim 12 wherein the first signal is a live video feed.

14. A control system according to claim 13 wherein the position of the cursor on the image area corresponds to one or more preselected commands, each of the preselected commands corresponding to at least one of the control signals;

and, wherein the controller is responsive to cursor position.

15. A control system according to claim 14 wherein the image area includes a plurality of adjacent regions in which the cursor may be positioned, each of the regions corresponding to at least one of the preselected commands.

16. A control system according to claim 11, wherein a visual representation is associated with the cursor, the representation corresponding to the region over which the cursor lies.

17. A control system according to claim 16 wherein the GUI includes a separate graphical indicator of the command corresponding to the region over which the cursor lies.

18. A control system according to claim 10, wherein the controller and the configuration device are remote from each other, and the control signals are relayed via a network.

19. A control system according to claim 18 wherein the network is an intranet or an Internet.

20. A control system including:

a work piece having at least one adjustable functionality, the work piece being responsive to a control signal;

an input device for generating one or more input signals in response to a manual input from an operator;

a display having a viewing area, the viewing area including a GUI, the GUI and the viewing area being responsive to the input signals; and

a controller for generating the control signal, the controller being responsive to the graphical user interface.

21. A control system according to claim 20 wherein the control signal corresponds to at least one of:

a new rate at which the adjustable functionality is to be performed by the work piece such that the adjustable functionality is adjusted according to the new rate; and

an adjustment to the rate at which the functionality is being performed by the work piece.

22. A control system according to claim 21 wherein the GUI includes a cursor maneuverable on the viewing area, the cursor being responsive to the input signals, wherein the location of the cursor on the viewing area corresponds to at least one control signal.

23. A control system according to claim 22 wherein at least one section of the viewing area corresponds to at least one control signal, the correspondence between the section and the control signal being selectively modifiable such that the control signal corresponding to the section may be modified to be a different control signal.

24. A control system according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the following is selectively adjustable:

a) the size of the section; and

b) the shape of the section.

25. A control system according to claim 20, wherein the work piece is a camera.

26. A control system according to claim 25 wherein the functionalities include at least one of:

a) panning;

b) tilting;

c) zooming; and

d) focusing.

27. A control system according to claim 26 wherein the visual configuration of the cursor reflects at least one of:

a) the new rate at which the functionality is to be performed by the work piece;

b) the adjustment to the rate at which the functionality is being performed by the work piece;

c) the input signal;

d) the control signal;

e) the location of the cursor on the display; and

f) the control signal associated with the location of the cursor on the display.

28. A control system according to claim 27 wherein the viewing area corresponds to an image captured by the camera, the image being received by the controller as a video signal.

29. A control system according to claim 28 wherein the control and video signals are relayed via a network, the network including at least one of:

an intranet, a WAN, and an Internet.

30. A control system according to claim 20, wherein the controller is a computer.

31. A method for allowing an operator to control a work piece having one or more adjustable functionalities, the work piece being responsive to a control signal, the method including:

generating an input signal for a GUI, the input signal generating being in response to a manual input from an operator;

generating a control signal, the control signal being in response to the input signal received by the GUI;

transmitting the control signal to a work piece; and

adjusting the rate of at least one functionality associated with the work piece, the adjusting being in response to the control signal.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the GUI includes:

a viewing area, wherein at least one section of the viewing area corresponds to at least one control signal, the correspondence between the section and the control signal being selectively modifiable such that the control signal corresponding to the section may be modified to be a different control signal; and

, wherein the control signal generation corresponds to the section.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein the GUI includes:

a cursor maneuverable on the viewing area, the cursor being responsive to the input signals, wherein the location of the cursor on the viewing area corresponds to at least one control signal; and

, wherein the control signal generation corresponds to the location of the cursor.

34. A method according to claim 31, wherein the work piece is a camera and the functionalities include at least one of:

a) panning;

b) tilting;

c) zooming; and

d) focusing.

35. A method according to claim 34 which further includes transmitting video signals from the camera to the computer such that the viewing area corresponds to an image captured by the camera.

36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the control and video signals are relayed via a network, the network including at least one of:

an intranet, a WAN, and an Internet.

37. A method according to claim 31, wherein the controller is a computer.

38. A method for allowing an operator to proportionally control a camera including:

locating a camera for providing a first signal representative of a video sequence captured by the camera;

being responsive to one or more control signals, the configuration device affecting one or more selective adjustments to at least one of;

(a) a pan movement of the camera,

(b) a tilt movement of the camera, and

(c) a zoom effect provided by the camera;

generating one or more input signals in response to one or more predetermined manual inputs from an operator; and

implementing a controller for providing the control signals, the controller being implemented in a graphical user environment and being responsive to the input signals such that the selective adjustments made to the pan, the tilt, and the zoom are substantially proportional.