Video system

• US 20050018053A1
• Filed: 08/07/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iijima, Katsumi, Mitsutake, Hideaki, Sekine, Masayoshi, Muramoto, Tomotaka, Suga, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,256,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

In a video system of the invention, control means is provided for a terminal input apparatus which is connected by a communication network of a camera on the partner side and which comprises an image display apparatus having a multiwindow display function for selecting and displaying the camera. An image pickup operation which is required to the camera on the partner side, for example, the image pickup direction, focal distance, panning, exposure amount, white balance, automatic focusing, and the like of the designated camera are inputted by using an image display and a window display of the image display apparatus. The operation of the camera on the partner side and the operations of a tripod, a movable arm, and the like to hold the camera are controlled through communicating means. A photographed image is displayed by the display apparatus.

Claims

1-69. -69. (Cancelled).

70. A server connected via a predetermined communication medium with a plurality of terminals each of which has a display, and a camera controllable from the plurality of terminals, said server comprising:

a generating device that generates common information about a camera state to be displayed on the respective displays of the plurality of terminals; and

a changing device that changes the common information in accordance with control of the camera on the basis of a command from a predetermined terminal,

wherein the common information changed by said changing device is displayed at not only the predetermined terminal but also other terminals of the plurality of terminals.

71. A server according to claim 70, wherein the common information to be displayed includes information including at least one of pan, tilt and zoom of the camera.

72. A server according to claim 71, wherein the common information is displayed as a bar and a cursor and a cursor on the display.

73. A server according to claim 70, said server further comprising:

an inquiring device that inquires of the camera information regarding the camera,

wherein said generating device generates the common information in accordance with response information of the inquiry by said inquiring device.

74. A server according to claim 70, wherein the predetermined terminal is a terminal which is authorized to control the camera, and

wherein the common information is displayed on the display of another terminal which is not authorized to control the camera, in the same way as the common information is displayed on the terminal which is authorized to control the camera.

75. A server system including a server connected via a predetermined communication medium with a plurality of terminals each of which has a display, and a camera controllable from the plurality of terminals, said server comprising:

a generating device that generates common information about a camera state to be displayed on the respective displays of the plurality of terminals; and

a changing device that changes the common information in accordance with control of the camera on the basis of a command from a predetermined terminal,

wherein the common information changed by said changing device is displayed not only at the predetermined terminal but also at other terminals of the plurality of terminals.

76. A server system according to claim 75, wherein the common information to be displayed includes information including at least one of pan, tilt and zoom of the camera.

77. A server system according to claim 76, wherein the common information is displayed as a bar and a cursor on the display.

78. A server system according to claim 75, said server further comprising:

an inquiring device that inquires of the camera information regarding the camera,

wherein said generating device generates the common information in accordance with response information of the inquiry by said inquiring device.

79. A server system according to claim 75, wherein the predetermined terminal is a terminal which is authorized to control the camera, and

wherein the common information is displayed on the display of another terminal which is not authorized to control the camera, in the same way as the common information is displayed on the terminal which is authorized to control the camera.

80. A method of controlling a server connected via a predetermined communication medium with a plurality of terminals each of which has a display and a camera controllable from the plurality of terminals, said method comprising:

a generating step of generating common information about a camera state to be displayed on respective displays of the plurality of terminals; and

a changing step of changing the common information in accordance with control of the camera on the basis of a command from a predetermined terminal,

wherein the common information changed in said changing step is displayed not only at the predetermined terminal but also at other terminals of the plurality of terminals.

81. A method according to claim 80, wherein the common information to be displayed includes information including at least one of pan, tilt and zoom of the camera.

82. A method according to claim 81, wherein the common information is displayed as a bar and a cursor on the display.

83. A method according to claim 80, further comprising:

an inquiring step of inquiring of the camera information regarding the camera,

wherein said generating step generates the common information in accordance with response information of the inquiry in said inquiring step.

84. A method according to claim 80, wherein the predetermined terminal is a terminal which is authorized to control the camera, and

wherein the common information is displayed on the display of another terminal which is not authorized to control the camera, in the same way as the common information is displayed on the terminal which is authorized to control the camera.

85. A computer readable medium which stores a program for executing a method of controlling a server connected via a predetermined communication medium with a plurality of terminals each of which has a display, and a camera controllable from the plurality of terminals, the method comprising:

a generating step of generating common information about a camera state to be displayed on the respective displays of the plurality of terminals; and

a changing step of changing the common information in accordance with control of the camera on the basis of a command from a predetermined terminal,

wherein the common information changed in the changing step is displayed not only at the predetermined terminal but also at other terminals of the plurality of terminals.

86. A medium according to claim 85, wherein the common information to be displayed includes information including at least one of pan, tilt and zoom of the camera.

87. A medium according to claim 86, wherein the common information is displayed as a bar and a cursor on the display.

88. A medium according to claim 86, further comprising:

an inquiring step of inquiring of the camera information regarding the camera,

wherein said generating step generates the common information in accordance with response information of the inquiry in said inquiring step.

89. A medium according to claim 85, wherein the predetermined terminal is a terminal which is authorized to control the camera, and

wherein the common information is displayed on the display of another terminal which is not authorized to control the camera, in the same way as the common information is displayed on the terminal which is authorized to control the camera.