Operation at mobile terminal when communicating with remote camera

• US 20050007459A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Takahiro, Kawai, Tomoaki, Ohnishi, Motoo
• Granted Patent: US 7,663,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.990
• 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 23/661 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 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, has a display unit and a plurality of operating units. Operations for acquiring video and for controlling a camera are assigned to respective ones of the plurality of operating units. Depending upon the operation of the plurality of operating units, processing is executed for acquiring video from the camera server or for instructing the camera server to control the camera.

Claims

1. A storage medium, which is capable of being read by an information processing apparatus, storing a program executed in a mobile terminal for the purpose of controlling the mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network and has a display unit and a plurality of operating units, said storage medium comprising:

first program code means for assigning operations for video acquisition and camera control to respective ones of the plurality of operating units; and

second program code means for executing processing for video acquisition from the camera server or for camera control with respect to the camera server in accordance with operation of the plurality of operating units.

2. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said first program code means assigns a scrolling operation to the operating units in a case where video that has been acquired from the camera server cannot all be displayed on the display unit.

3. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said first program code means assigns at least one operation from among pan, tilt and zoom operations of a camera, which has been connected to the camera server, to the operating units.

4. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile telephone, and the plurality of operating units include numeric keys for dialing.

5. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the program is downloaded from the camera server to the mobile terminal via the network.

6. A mobile terminal capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units; and

a control unit that downloads a program for video acquisition and camera control from the camera server, assigns operations for video acquisition and camera control to respective ones of said plurality of operating units based upon the program, and executes processing for video acquisition from the camera server or for camera control with respect to the camera server in accordance with operation of said plurality of operating units.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein said control unit assigns a scrolling operation to said operating units in a case where video that has been acquired from the camera server cannot all be displayed on said display unit.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein said control unit assigns at least one operation from among pan, tilt and zoom operations of a camera, which has been connected to the camera server, to said operating units.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 6, wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile telephone, and said plurality of operating units include numeric keys for dialing.

10. An image distribution system comprising a camera server that distributes video captured by a camera, and a mobile terminal capable of communicating with said camera server via a network, wherein said mobile terminal includes:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units; and

a control unit that downloads a program for video acquisition and camera control from said camera server, assigns operations for video acquisition and camera control to respective ones of said plurality of operating units based upon the program, and executes processing for video acquisition from said camera server or for camera control with respect to said camera server in accordance with operation of said plurality of operating units; and

said camera server includes;

a storage unit that stores the program; and

a download unit that downloads the program to said mobile terminal when said mobile terminal is initially connected thereto.

11. A storage medium, which is capable of being read by an information processing apparatus, storing a program executed in a mobile terminal for the purpose of controlling the mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network and has a display unit that displays video from the camera server and a plurality of operating units, said storage medium having program code means which, if video from the camera server has a size greater than screen size of the display unit, performs control so as to scroll the screen of the display unit in accordance with an operation input based upon at least one of the plurality of operating units.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said program code means generates a plurality of partial videos, which have sizes of the screen size of the display unit, from the video from the camera server, and scrolling of the screen is realized by changing over and displaying the partial videos.

13. The storage medium according to claim 12, wherein said program code means performs rotational scrolling of the screen in accordance with an operation of one operating unit.

14. A mobile terminal capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, comprising:

a display unit that displays an image from the camera server;

a plurality of operating units; and

a control unit which, if video from the camera server has a size greater than screen size of said display unit, performs control so as to scroll the screen of said display unit in accordance with an operation input based upon at least one of said plurality of operating units.

15. An image distribution system comprising a camera server that distributes video captured by a camera, and a mobile terminal capable of communicating with said camera server via a network, wherein said mobile terminal includes:

a display unit that displays an image from the camera server;

a plurality of operating units; and

a control unit which, if an image from the camera server has a size greater than screen size of said display unit, performs control so as to scroll the screen of said display unit in accordance with an operation input based upon at least one of said plurality of operating units.

16. A storage medium, which is capable of being read by an information processing apparatus, storing a program executed in a mobile terminal for the purpose of controlling the mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network and has a display unit and a plurality of operating units, said storage medium comprising:

first program code means for obtaining from the camera server video in a visible range area of a camera which is connected to the camera server, and displaying the video on the display unit;

second program code means for controlling the camera on the basis of a control condition for the camera input by using the plurality of operating units from the mobile terminal; and

third program code means for displaying in the displayed video a frame indicative of an area of the video to be obtained from the camera when the camera is controlled based on the control condition, wherein the frame is displayed in different colors before controlling the camera, during controlling the camera and after controlling the camera.

17. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the control condition includes at least one operation from among pan, tilt and zoom operations.

18. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said program is downloaded from the camera server to the mobile terminal via the network.

20. The storage medium according to claim 18, wherein said program is downloaded from the camera server to the mobile terminal via the network.

19. A storage medium, which is capable of being read by an information processing apparatus, storing a program executed in a mobile terminal for the purpose of controlling the mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network and has a display unit, a plurality of operating units and a vibrator notifying unit, said storage medium comprising:

first program code means for obtaining from the camera server video sensed by a camera connected to the camera server, and displaying the video on the display unit;

second program code means for acquiring control privilege from the camera server for controlling the camera in the mobile terminal;

third program code means for controlling the camera using the plurality of operating units from the mobile terminal when the control privilege is acquired; and

fourth program code means for setting whether or not to perform notification by the vibrator notifying unit at least when the video is displayed, when the control privilege is acquired, when control is completed, or when an error occurs.

21. A mobile terminal capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units;

a control unit that controls a camera connected to the camera server on the basis of the a control condition input by using said plurality of operating units; and

a display control unit that obtains from the camera server video in a visible range area of the camera, displays the video on said display unit, and displays in the displayed video a frame indicative of an area of the video to be obtained from the camera when the camera is controlled based on the control condition, wherein the frame is displayed in different colors before controlling the camera, during controlling the camera and after controlling the camera.

22. The mobile terminal according to claim 21, wherein the control condition includes at least one operation from among pan, tilt and zoom operations.

23. A mobile terminal capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units;

a vibrator notifying unit;

a display control unit that obtains from the camera server video sensed by a camera connected to the camera server, and displays the video on said display unit;

a control privilege acquisition unit that is used for acquire control privilege from the camera server for controlling the camera;

a control unit that is used for controlling the camera on the basis of the operation of said plurality of operating units when the control privilege is acquired; and

a setting unit that sets whether or not to perform notification by the vibrator notifying unit at least when the video is displayed, when the control privilege is acquired, when control is completed, or when an error occurs.

24. A storage medium, which is capable of being read by an information processing apparatus, storing a program executed in a mobile terminal for the purpose of controlling the mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network and has a display unit and a plurality of operating units, said storage medium comprising:

first program code means for obtaining from the camera server video sensed by a camera connected to the camera server, and displaying the video on the display unit; and

second program code means for setting a number of times the video is obtained in the mobile terminal using the plurality of operating units.

25. The storage medium according to claim 24, wherein, when the video is obtained the set number of times, the acquisition of video in the mobile terminal is automatically terminated.

26. The storage medium according to claim 24 further comprising:

third program code means for switching between a first control mode in which control of predetermined operation of the camera server is restricted and a second control mode in which the control of the predetermined operation is not restricted; and

fourth program code means for controlling the camera server using the plurality of operating units in the second control mode,

wherein the number of times the video is obtained is set either in the first or second control mode.

27. The storage medium according to claim 26, wherein the predetermined operation includes at least one of change in a size and change in video quality of the video obtained by the camera.

28. The storage medium according to claim 26, wherein an external device is further connected to the camera server, and the predetermined operation includes ON/OFF control of connection between the camera server and the external device.

29. The storage medium according to claim 26, further comprising program code means for authenticating the mobile terminal,

wherein when the mobile terminal is authenticated the mobile terminal is allowed to change to the second control mode, and when the mobile terminal is not authenticated the mobile terminal is inhibited to change to the second control mode.

30. The storage medium according to claim 24, wherein the program is downloaded from the camera server to the mobile terminal via the network.

31. A storage medium, which is capable of being read by an information processing apparatus, storing a program executed in a mobile terminal for the purpose of controlling the mobile terminal, which is capable of communicating with a camera server via a network and has a display unit which displays video sensed by a camera connected to the camera server and a plurality of operating units, said storage medium comprising:

first program code means for changing between a first control mode in which control of predetermined operation of the camera server is restricted and a second control mode in which the control of the predetermined operation is not restricted; and

second program code means for controlling the camera server using the plurality of operating units in the second control mode.

32. The storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the predetermined operation includes at least one of change in a size and change in video quality of the video obtained by the camera.

33. The storage medium according to claim 31, wherein an external device is further connected to the camera server, and the predetermined operation includes ON/OFF control of connection between the camera server and the external device.

34. The storage medium according to claim 31, further comprising program code means for authenticating the mobile terminal, wherein when the mobile terminal is authenticated the mobile terminal is allowed to change to the second control mode, and when the mobile terminal is not authenticated the mobile terminal is inhibited to change to the second control mode.

35. The storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the program is downloaded from the camera server to the mobile terminal via the network.

36. A mobile terminal capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units;

a display control unit that obtains from the camera server video sensed by a camera connected to the camera server, and displays the video on said display unit; and

a control unit that controls a number of times the video is obtained in the mobile terminal on the basis of the operation of said plurality of operating units.

37. The mobile terminal according to claim 36 further comprising a changeover unit that switches between a first control mode in which control of predetermined operation of the camera server is restricted and a second control mode in which the control of the predetermined operation is not restricted,

wherein said control unit controls the camera server on the basis of the operation of said plurality of operating units in the second control mode, and the number of times the video is obtained is set either in the first or second control mode.

38. The mobile terminal according to claim 37, wherein the predetermined operation includes at least one of change in a size and change in video quality of the video obtained by the camera.

39. The mobile terminal according to claim 37, wherein an external device is further connected to the camera server, and the predetermined operation includes ON/OFF control of connection between the camera server and the external device.

40. The mobile terminal according to claim 37, wherein said changeover unit includes an authentication unit that authenticates the mobile terminal, and changes to the second control mode when the mobile terminal is authenticated, and inhibits to change to the second control mode when the mobile terminal is not authenticated.

41. A mobile terminal capable of communicating with a camera server via a network, comprising:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units;

a changeover unit that switches between a first control mode in which control of predetermined operation of the camera server is restricted and a second control mode in which the control of the predetermined operation is not restricted; and

a control unit that controls the camera server based on operation of said plurality of operating units in the second control mode.

42. The mobile terminal according to claim 41, wherein the predetermined operation includes at least one of change in a size and change in video quality of the video obtained by the camera.

43. The mobile terminal according to claim 41, wherein an external device is further connected to the camera server, and the predetermined operation includes ON/OFF control of connection between the camera server and the external device.

44. The mobile terminal according to claim 41, wherein said changeover unit includes an authentication unit that authenticates the mobile terminal, and changes to the second control mode when the mobile terminal is authenticated, and inhibits to change to the second control mode when the mobile terminal is not authenticated.

45. An image distribution system comprising a camera server that distributes video captured by a camera, and a mobile terminal capable of communicating with said camera server via a network, wherein said mobile terminal includes:

a display unit;

a plurality of operating units;

a changeover unit that switches between a first control mode in which control of predetermined operation of the camera server is restricted and a second control mode in which the control of the predetermined operation is not restricted; and

a control unit that controls said camera server based on operation of said plurality of operating units in the second control mode,

wherein said camera server performs the control of the predetermined operation based on the control by said control unit.

46. The image distribution system according to claim 45, wherein an external device is further connected to said camera server, and the predetermined operation includes ON/OFF control of connection between the camera server and the external device.