Monitor

• US 20050157173A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hiroyuki, Kurebayashi, Masaaki, Mase, Mikiko, Hama, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 8,044,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• 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 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

When a target area is monitored by way of panoramic images of the area that are generated by shooting the target area, sequentially shifting the shooting direction, a unit image of a generated panoramic image and a corresponding unit image of another panoramic image generated before the first panoramic image are compared and the change, if any, in the luminance level is detected. Then, the detected difference of luminance level is compared with a predetermined threshold value and predetermined information is displayed on the display screen along with the generated panoramic image. It is possible to define small regions in the area for which a large threshold is predetermined and/or small regions in the area for which no such comparison is made on a unit image basis.

Claims

1. A monitor for monitoring a panoramic image generated by shooting a target area, sequentially shifting the shooting direction, the monitor comprising:

comparing means for sequentially detecting the difference of luminance level between each unit image forming the generated panoramic image and the corresponding unit image taken prior to the first unit image along the same shooting direction and comparing the detected difference of luminance level with a predetermined threshold value;

defining means for predefining one or more than one regions with a threshold value greater than the predetermined threshold value and/or one or more than one regions exempt from the comparison, on a unit image basis; and

display control means for causing predetermined information to be displayed on a display screen along with the generated panoramic image according to the result of the comparison by the comparing means.

2. The monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

shooting means for shooting the target area, sequentially shifting the shooting direction thereof.

3. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein the comparing means compares the difference of luminance level on the basis of image compression unit.

4. The monitor according to claim 1, wherein the comparing means compares the difference of luminance level for each primary color signal or for each luminance signal and each color difference signal.

5. A monitoring method of monitoring a panoramic image generated by shooting a target area, sequentially shifting the shooting direction, the method comprising:

a comparing step of sequentially detecting the difference of luminance level between each unit image forming the generated panoramic image and the corresponding unit image taken prior to the first unit image along the same shooting direction and comparing the detected difference of luminance level with a predetermined threshold value; and

a display step of causing predetermined information to be displayed on a display screen along with the generated panoramic image according to the result of the comparison in the comparing step;

one or more than one regions with a threshold value greater than the predetermined threshold value and/or one or more than one regions exempt from the comparison being predefined on a unit image basis in the comparing step.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the difference of luminance level is compared on the basis of image compression unit in the comparing step.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the difference of luminance level is compared for each primary color signal or for each luminance signal and each color difference signal in the comparing step.

8. A computer program for causing a computer to monitor a panoramic image generated by shooting a target area, sequentially shifting the shooting direction, the program comprising:

a comparing step of sequentially detecting the difference of luminance level between each unit image forming the generated panoramic image and the corresponding unit image taken prior to the first unit image along the same shooting direction and comparing the detected difference of luminance level with a predetermined threshold value; and

a display step of causing predetermined information to be displayed on a display screen along with the generated panoramic image according to the result of the comparison in the comparing step;

one or more than one regions with a threshold value greater than the predetermined threshold value and/or one or more than one regions exempt from the comparison being predefined on a unit image basis in the comparing step.

9. A recording medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to monitor a panoramic image generated by shooting a target area, sequentially shifting the shooting direction, the program comprising:

a comparing step of sequentially detecting the difference of luminance level between each unit image forming the generated panoramic image and the corresponding unit image taken prior to the first unit image along the same shooting direction and comparing the detected difference of luminance level with a predetermined threshold value; and

a display step of causing predetermined information to be displayed on a display screen along with the generated panoramic image according to the result of the comparison in the comparing step;

one or more than one regions with a threshold value greater than the predetermined threshold value and/or one or more than one regions exempt from the comparison being predefined on a unit image basis in the comparing step.