Image distribution system and the control method therefor

• US 20060070111A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An image distribution system, which is connected via a network with a client for displaying an image picked up by an image sensing unit of a server, judges a communication status of the network. In addition, in accordance with a result of the judgment, the image distribution system changes a user interface for selecting a function request command for the image sensing unit of the imaging apparatus.

Claims

1. An image distribution system comprising:

a server including an image sensing unit;

a client device for distributing an image picked up by the image sensing unit via a network;

control means for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit;

command issue means for issuing a function request command from the client device to the control means;

judging means for judging a communication status of the network; and

changing means for changing a user interface for selecting the function request command issuable by the command issue means in the client device, in accordance with a result of a judgment by the judging means.

2. A server for distributing to a client device an image picked up by an image sensing unit of the server via a network, the server comprising:

control means for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server in response to a function request command from the client device;

judging means for judging a communication status of the network;

changing means for changing a type of the function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with the communication status of the network judged by the judging means; and

notification means for notifying the client device of information related to a type of the function request command changed by the changing means in order to display a user interface corresponding to the function request command changed by the changing means on the client device.

3. A server according to claim 2, wherein the function request command includes a basic control command including at least one of pan, tilt, zoom, and backlight compensation of the image sensing unit;

and an extended control command for carrying out an operation previously set in accordance with a prescribed condition.

4. A server according to claim 2, wherein the changing means restricts the function request command to the extended control command if the communication status is below a reference amount.

5. A client device for receiving an image picked up by an image sensing unit of a server via a network, the client device comprising:

command issue means for issuing a function request command for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server;

judging means for judging a communication status of the network; and

changing means for changing a display of a user interface corresponding to the function request command issued by the command issue means in accordance with a result of a judgment by the judging means.

6. A server for distributing to a client device an image picked up by an image sensing unit of the server via a network, the server comprising:

control means for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server in response to a function request command from the client device;

judging means for judging a status of the client device;

changing means for changing a type of the function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with the status of the client device judged by the judging means; and

notification means for notifying the client device of information related to a type of the function request command changed by the changing means in order to display a user interface corresponding to the function request command changed by the changing means on the client device.

7. A server according to claim 6, wherein the status of the client device includes:

at least one of a kind of the client;

an access right the client device has; and

a number of connected client devices.

8. A control method for controlling, through a client device, an image sensing unit of a server via a network, comprising:

a judging step of judging a communication status of the network;

a changing step of changing a type of a function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with the communication status of the network judged in the judging step; and

a notification step of notifying the client device of information related to a type of the function request command changed by the changing means in order to display a user interface corresponding to the function request command changed in the changing step on the client device.

9. A control method to claim 8, wherein the function request command includes:

a basic control command including at least one of pan, tilt, zoom, and backlight compensation of the image sensing unit; and

an extended control command for carrying out an operation previously set in accordance with a prescribed condition.

10. A control method according to claim 8, wherein the changing step includes restricting the function request command to the extended control command if the communication status is below a reference amount.

11. A control method for controlling, through a client device, an image sensing unit of a server via a network, comprising:

a command issue step of issuing a function request command for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server;

a judging step of judging a communication status of the network; and

a display step of displaying a user interface corresponding to the function request command issued in the command issue step in accordance with a result of a judgment in the judging step.

12. A control method for controlling, through a client device, an image sensing unit of a server via a network, comprising:

a command issue step of issuing a function request command for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server;

a judging step of judging a status of the client device;

a changing step of changing a type of the function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with the status of the client device judged in the judging step; and

a display step of displaying a user interface corresponding to the function request command changed in the changing step.

13. A control method according to claim 12, wherein the changing step includes changing a kind of the function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with at least one of a kind of the client, an access right the client device has, and a number of connected client devices.

14. A program for executing a control method for controlling, through a client device, an image sensing unit of a server via a network, the program causing a computer to execute:

a judging step of judging a communication status of the network;

a changing step of changing a type of a function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with the communication status of the network judged in the judging step; and

a notification step of notifying the client device of information related to a type of the function request command changed by the changing means in order to display a user interface corresponding to the function request command changed in the changing step on the client device.

15. A program for executing a control method for controlling, through a client device, an image sensing unit of a server via a network, the program causing a computer to execute:

a command issue step of issuing a function request command for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server;

a judging step of judging a communication status of the network; and

a display step of displaying a user interface corresponding to the function request command issued in the command issue step in accordance with a result of a judgment in the judging step.

16. A program for executing a control method for controlling, through a client device, an image sensing unit of a server via a network, the program causing a computer to execute:

a command issue step of issuing a function request command for controlling an operation of the image sensing unit of the server;

a judging step of judging a status of the client device;

a changing step of changing a type of the function request command controllable by the client device in accordance with the status of the client device judged in the judging step; and

a display step of displaying a user interface corresponding to the function request command changed in the changing step.