Camera control system

• US 20050099496A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Akitomo
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A camera control system capable of controlling a plurality of cameras determines whether or not the camera to be controlled is controllable. The display state of an interface is used for performing a camera operation is changed in accordance with a result of this determination.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A control method for controlling a first electronic apparatus by a second electronic apparatus via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving status information of the first electronic apparatus;

holding the status information in the second electronic apparatus; and

causing the second electronic apparatus to send a control request according to the held status information to the first electronic apparatus or not to send the control request in accordance with the status information, when the second electronic apparatus controls the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the first electronic apparatus controls an action in accordance with the control request, when the control request is received.

32. The control method according to claim 31, further comprising the step of sending the status information of the first electronic apparatus to the second electronic apparatus.

33. The control method according to claim 31, further comprising the step of forming the status information of the first electronic apparatus.

34. A control method for controlling a first electronic apparatus by a second electronic apparatus via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

executing a program to receive status information of the first electronic apparatus and to hold the status information; and

executing a program to cause the second electronic apparatus to send a control request according to the held status information to the first electronic apparatus or not to send the control request in accordance with the status information, when the second electronic apparatus controls the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the first electronic apparatus controls an action in accordance with the control request, when the control request is received.

35. The control method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of loading a program stored in a storage device to the second electronic apparatus.

36. The control method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of sending the status information of the first electronic apparatus to the second electronic apparatus.

37. The control method according to claim 34, wherein the status information of the first electronic apparatus is formed in the first electronic apparatus.

38. The control method according to claim 34, wherein the received status information of the first electronic apparatus is held in a program area.

39. A control method for controlling a first electronic apparatus by a second electronic apparatus via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

loading a program stored in a storage device to the second electronic apparatus;

executing the loaded program to receive status information of the first electronic apparatus and to hold the first status information in a program area; and

executing the loaded program to cause the second electronic apparatus to send a control request according to the held status information to the first electronic apparatus or not to send the control request in accordance with the status information, when the second electronic apparatus controls the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the status information of the first electronic apparatus is formed in the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the first electronic apparatus controls an action in accordance with the control request, when the control request is received.

40. A control system for controlling a first electronic apparatus by a second electronic apparatus via a network, said system comprising;

a reception device for receiving status information of the first electronic apparatus;

a holding device for holding the status information in the second electronic apparatus; and

a control device for causing the second electronic apparatus to send a control request according to the held status information to the first electronic apparatus or not to send the control request in accordance with the status information, when the second electronic apparatus controls the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the first electronic apparatus controls an action in accordance with the control request, when the control request is received.

41. A control system for controlling a first electronic apparatus by a second electronic apparatus via a network, said system comprising:

a first control device for executing a program to receive status information of the first electronic apparatus and to hold the status information; and

a second control device for executing a program to cause the second electronic apparatus to send a control request according to the held status information to the first electronic apparatus or not to send the control request in accordance with the status information, when the second electronic apparatus controls the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the first electronic apparatus controls an action in accordance with the control request, when the control request is received.

42. A control system for controlling a first electronic apparatus by a second electronic apparatus via a network, said system comprising:

a loading device for loading a program stored in a storage device to the second electronic apparatus;

a first control device for executing the loaded program to receive status information of the first electronic apparatus and to hold the status information in a program area; and

a second control device for executing the loaded program to cause the second electronic apparatus to send a control request according to the held status information to the first electronic apparatus or not to send the control request in accordance with the status information, when the second electronic apparatus controls the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the status information of the first electronic apparatus is formed in the first electronic apparatus;

wherein the first electronic apparatus controls an action in accordance with the control request, when the control request is received.