Image distributing apparatus

• US 20060015554A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yaginuma, Yutaka, Umezaki, Yasushi, Terui, Yuichi, Takayama, Syuichi, Hasegawa, Mitsuyo
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

To provide a technology for easily distributing an image in a requested photograph direction. Photograph images, which are photographed by turning a photographing apparatus and continuously photographing the periphery of the photographing apparatus, are stored in a storing region. Any direction in a photograph range of the photographing apparatus is specified and a distribution request of an image photographed in the specified direction is received. A reading start position on one image is determined from the continuous photograph images in accordance with the specified direction of the distribution request. A part of the photograph image is read out from the start position as a distribution image. The distribution images are read out from the positions moved correspondingly to the turns from the start position on the image following the photograph image. The distribution images are distributed to request destinations of the distribution requests.

Claims

1. An image distributing apparatus, including:

an image register storing photograph images, which are photographed by turning a photographing apparatus and continuously photographing the periphery of the photographing apparatus, in a storing region;

a request receiver receiving a distribution request of an image photographed in a specified direction, which is specified any direction in a photograph range of the photographing apparatus;

a reader determining a reading start position on one image, from the continuous photograph images, in accordance with the specified direction of the distribution request, and reading out a part of the photograph image from the start position as a distribution image, and also reading out the distribution images from the positions moved correspondingly to the turns from the start position on the image following the photograph image; and

a distributor distributing the distribution images to request destinations of the distribution requests.

2. The image distributing apparatus according to claim 1, in which:

the image resister stores the photographed images in addresses of the storing region correlated to the photograph directions; and

the reader determines a reading start address on the storing region as the reading start position, and determines an address that is different correspondingly to the turn from the start address, and reads out the distribution image from those addresses.

3. The image distributing apparatus according to claim 1, in which:

the reader stores the plurality of reading start positions correspondingly to a plurality of distribution requests, and reads out the distribution images related to the plurality of reading start positions; and

the distributor distributes the plurality of distribution images to the respective request destinations.

4. The image distributing apparatus according to of claim 1, in which the image register overwrites and records the photograph images to the storing region at the turn unit.

5. An image distributing method, including the steps of:

storing photograph images, which are photographed by turning a photographing apparatus and continuously photographing the periphery of the photographing apparatus, in a storing region;

receiving a distribution request of an image photographed in a specified direction, which is specified any direction in a photograph range of the photographing apparatus;

determining a reading start position on one image, from the continuous photograph images, in accordance with the specified direction of the distribution request, and reading out a part of the photograph image from the start position as a distribution image, and also reading out the distribution images from the positions moved correspondingly to the turns from the start position on the image following the photograph image; and

distributing the distribution images to request destinations of the distribution requests.

6. The image distributing method according to claim 5, in which:

at the step of storing the images, the photographed images are stored in addresses of the storing region correlated to the photograph directions; and

at the step of determining the reading start address on the storing region as the reading start position, and determines an address that is different correspondingly to the turn from the start address, and reads out the distribution images from those addresses.

7. The image distributing method according to claim 5, in which:

at the step of reading out the distribution image, the plurality of reading start positions are stored correspondingly to a plurality of distribution requests, and the distribution images related to the plurality of reading start positions are read out; and

at the step of distributing the distribution images, the plurality of distribution images are distributed to the respective request destinations.

8. The image distributing method according to claim 5, in which at the step of registering the photograph images, the photograph images are overwritten and recorded to the storing region at the turn unit.

9. A storage medium stored an image distribution program for, on a computer, executing steps of:

storing photograph images, which are photographed by turning a photographing apparatus and continuously photographing the periphery of the photographing apparatus, in a storing region;

receiving a distribution request of an image photographed in a specified direction, which is specified any direction in a photograph range of the photographing apparatus;

determining a reading start position on one image, from the continuous photograph images, in accordance with the specified direction of the distribution request, and reading out a part of the photograph image from the start position as a distribution image, and also reading out the distribution images from the positions moved correspondingly to the turns from the start position on the image following the photograph image; and

distributing the distribution images to request destinations of the distribution requests.

10. The storage medium according to claim 9, in which:

at the step of storing the images, the photographed images are stored in addresses of the storing region correlated to the photograph directions; and

at the step of determining the reading start address on the storing region as the reading start position, and determines an address that is different correspondingly to the turn from the start address, and reads out the distribution images from those addresses.

11. The storage medium according to claim 9, in which:

at the step of reading out the distribution image, the plurality of reading start positions are stored correspondingly to a plurality of distribution requests, and the distribution images related to the plurality of reading start positions are read; and

at the step of distributing the distribution images, the plurality of distribution images are distributed to the respective request destinations.

12. The storage medium according to claim 9, in which at the step of registering the photograph images, the photograph images are overwritten and recorded to the storing region at the turn unit.

13. An image distributing system having a photographing apparatus that is turnably placed and an image distributing apparatus for distributing an image photographed by the photographing apparatus through a network,

in which the photographing apparatus includes:

a photographing device continuously photographing an image;

a turning device turning a photograph direction; and

an output device outputting a photograph image to the image distributing apparatus, and

in which the image distributing apparatus includes;

an image register storing photograph images of the photographing apparatus in a storing region;

a request receiver receiving a distribution request of an image photographed in a specified direction, which is specified any direction in a photograph range of the photographing apparatus;

a reader determining a reading start position on one image, from the continuous photograph images, in accordance with the specified direction of the distribution request, and reading out a part of the photograph image from the start position as a distribution image, and also reading out the distribution images from the positions moved correspondingly to the turns from the start position on the image following the photograph image; and

a distributor distributing the distribution images to request destinations of the distribution requests.