SHOOTING SYSTEM, IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS, MONITORING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20080055422A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takayama, Hirosuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.8
• 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

Abstract

A shooting system which has an image sensing apparatus and a monitoring apparatus, distributes an image from the image sensing apparatus to the monitoring apparatus, and allows the monitoring apparatus to remote-control the image sensing apparatus, comprises: an unit adapted to set access permission information containing at least information on a user permitted to access, for each partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus; an unit adapted to set access restriction information with which the access-permitted user restricts access by other users to the access-permitted partial area; an unit adapted to generate an image having undergone an image process to restrict view of the partial area for the other access-restricted users; and an unit adapted to distribute the image having undergone the image process to the other access-restricted users.

Claims

1. A shooting system which connects an image sensing apparatus to a monitoring apparatus capable of displaying an image shot by the image sensing apparatus so as to be able to communicate with each other, distributes an image from the image sensing apparatus to the monitoring apparatus, and allows the monitoring apparatus to remote-control the image sensing apparatus, comprising:

an access permission setting unit adapted to set access permission information containing at least information on a user permitted to access, for each partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus;

an access restriction setting unit adapted to set access restriction information with which the access-permitted user restricts access by other users to the access-permitted partial area;

an image processing unit adapted to generate an image having undergone an image process to restrict view of the partial area for the other access-restricted users; and

an image distribution unit adapted to distribute the image having undergone the image process to the other access-restricted users.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a data storage unit adapted to store the access permission information, control privilege information to permit remote control of the image sensing apparatus, and the access restriction information.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the access permission information contains range information of the partial area, identification information representing the partial area, and the information on the access-permitted user, and

the access restriction information contains information on a user among the other users who is permitted to access the view-restricted partial area, and information on a shooting condition and restriction content to restrict the access.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the image sensing apparatus comprises said access permission setting unit, and

the monitoring apparatus comprises said access restriction setting unit, and a control privilege acquisition unit adapted to request permission of remote control of the image sensing apparatus.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises a display unit adapted to display a setup window adapted to set the access restriction information for only the access-permitted user.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of view-restricted partial areas exist, said access restriction setting unit can set the access restriction information for each partial area.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said access restriction setting unit can set the access restriction information for a plurality of users for one view-restricted partial area.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the image sensing apparatus transmits, to the access-permitted user, a message that access is permitted, and an image of an access-permitted partial area.

9. The system according to claim 2, wherein said data storage unit further comprises a unit adapted to set the access restriction information again.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring apparatus further comprises a view restriction removal unit adapted to remove a view restriction from the partial area.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein

said view restriction removal unit comprises

a unit adapted to designate the view-restricted partial area from which the view restriction is to be removed,

a unit adapted to input an authentication pattern, and

a unit adapted to transmit the input authentication pattern to the image sensing apparatus, and

the image sensing apparatus further comprises

a unit adapted to collate the authentication pattern with preset authentication information, and

a unit adapted to, when the authentication pattern matches the authentication information, distribute, to the monitoring apparatus, an image from which the access restriction is removed, and when the authentication pattern does not match the authentication information, notify the monitoring apparatus of an authentication failure.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein when the view restriction is removed, said data storage unit changes the access restriction information to access permission information.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein when a plurality of view-restricted partial areas exist, the monitoring apparatus can remove the view restriction from each partial area.

14. An image sensing apparatus which can be remote-controlled by a monitoring apparatus and distributes an image to the monitoring apparatus, comprising:

an access permission setting unit adapted to set access permission information containing at least information on a user permitted to access, for each partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus;

an image processing unit adapted to generate an image having undergone an image process to restrict view of the partial area for other access-restricted users on the basis of access restriction information set for the partial area the access-permitted user is permitted to access; and

an image distribution unit adapted to distribute the image having undergone the image process to the other access-restricted users.

15. A monitoring apparatus which displays an image distributed from an image sensing apparatus and can remote-control the image sensing apparatus, comprising:

an access restriction setting unit adapted to set access restriction information with which a user, who is permitted by the monitoring apparatus to access a partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus, restricts access by other users to the access-permitted partial area;

a transmission unit adapted to transmit the access restriction information to the image sensing apparatus; and

a reception unit adapted to receive, from the image sensing apparatus, an image for which the image sensing apparatus performs an image process to restrict view of the partial area for the other access-restricted users.

16. A method of controlling a shooting system which connects an image sensing apparatus to a monitoring apparatus capable of displaying an image shot by the image sensing apparatus so as to be able to communicate with each other, distributes an image from the image sensing apparatus to the monitoring apparatus, and allows the monitoring apparatus to remote-control the image sensing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

setting access permission information containing at least information on a user permitted to access, for each partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus;

setting access restriction information with which the access-permitted user restricts access by other users to the access-permitted partial area;

generating an image having undergone an image process to restrict view of the partial area for the other access-restricted users; and

distributing the image having undergone the image process to the other access-restricted users.

19. A program which causes a computer to execute a control method defined in claim 16.

20. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program defined in claim 19.

17. A method of controlling an image sensing apparatus which can be remote-controlled by a monitoring apparatus and distributes an image to the monitoring apparatus, comprising the steps of:

setting access permission information containing at least information on a user permitted to access, for each partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus;

generating an image having undergone an image process to restrict view of the partial area for other access-restricted users on the basis of access restriction information set for the partial area the access-permitted user is permitted to access; and

distributing the image having undergone the image process to the other access-restricted users.

21. A program which causes a computer to execute a control method defined in claim 17.

22. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program defined in claim 21.

18. A method of controlling a monitoring apparatus which displays an image distributed from an image sensing apparatus and can remote-control the image sensing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

setting access restriction information with which a user, who is permitted by the monitoring apparatus to access a partial area contained in a shootable range of the image sensing apparatus, restricts access by other users to the access-permitted partial area;

transmitting the access restriction information to the image sensing apparatus; and

receiving, from the image sensing apparatus, an image for which the image sensing apparatus performs an image process to restrict view of the partial area for the other access-restricted users.

23. A program which causes a computer to execute a control method defined in claim 18.

24. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program defined in claim 23.