Imaging Region Adjustment Device

• US 20080259162A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Atsushi, Araki, Shoichi, Aoki, Katsuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/24 Aligning, centring, orientation detection or correction of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/662 by using master/slave camera arrangements for affecting the control of camera image capture, e.g. placing the camera in a desirable condition to capture a desired image
• 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 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

To provide an imaging region adjustment device, including plural camera terminals, capable of imaging an entire imaging target without blinds spots. Each of the camera terminals includes a camera (201) which images a virtual imaging region obtained while changing the position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time and an adjusting unit B (204) which adjusts the position of the virtual imaging region by controlling the camera (201). The adjusting unit B (204) adjusts the position and aspect ratio of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of the virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of the other camera terminals, and when the virtual imaging regions A of N other camera terminals are contained in the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal, divides the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal into N+1 regions.

Claims

1. An imaging region adjustment device comprising camera terminals,

wherein each of said camera terminals includes:

a camera which images a virtual imaging region obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication unit operable to send and receive virtual imaging region information indicating the virtual imaging region; and

an adjusting unit operable to adjust a position of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of the virtual imaging regions of said camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of the other camera terminals indicated by the virtual imaging region information received by said communication unit,

wherein said imaging region adjustment device further comprises

a region dividing unit operable to divide, into N regions, a region containing virtual imaging regions of N (≧

22) camera terminals among said camera terminals and allocate the respective N divided regions to said N camera terminals, and

said adjusting unit is operable to execute the adjustment of the region allocated to one'"'"'s own camera terminal by said region dividing unit, regarding the allocated region as a new virtual imaging region.

2. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein said region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation in the case where the virtual imaging regions of the N camera terminals are in a containment relationship.

3. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein said region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation in the case where the virtual imaging regions of the N camera terminals are adjacent to one another.

4. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1,

wherein said region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation for at least one camera terminal for which the allocation is executed so that time required for said camera to image the virtual imaging region is reduced or the size of a region other than the virtual imaging regions within a region to be actually imaged by said camera is reduced.

5. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 4,

wherein said region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation so that an aspect ratio of the virtual imaging region of said camera terminal becomes closer to an aspect ratio of the imaging region of said camera.

6. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1,

wherein said region dividing unit is operable to execute the division by selecting a division pattern from among predetermined division patterns.

7. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1,

wherein said camera repeatedly changes the position of the imaging region within the virtual imaging region at a fixed cycle.

8. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1,

wherein said region dividing unit is incorporated in at least one camera terminal among the camera terminals.

9. An imaging region adjusting method for adjusting an imaging region using camera terminals which images virtual imaging regions obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time, said imaging region adjusting method comprising:

an adjusting step of adjusting a position of the virtual imaging region of each camera terminal so that a combined region of the virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region; and

a region dividing step of dividing, into N regions, a region containing virtual imaging regions of N (≧

2) camera terminals among the camera terminals and allocating the respective divided regions to the N camera terminals,

wherein, in said adjusting step, the adjusting is executed regarding the region allocated in said region dividing step as a new virtual imaging region.

10. A camera terminal constituting an imaging region adjustment device which adjusts an imaging region using camera terminals, said camera terminal comprising:

a camera which images a virtual imaging region obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication unit operable to send and receive virtual imaging region information indicating the virtual imaging region; and

an adjusting unit operable to adjust a position of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of the virtual imaging regions of said camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of the other camera terminals indicated by the virtual imaging region information received by said communication unit,

wherein said adjusting unit is further operable to divide, into N regions, a region containing the virtual imaging regions of N (≧

2) camera terminals among said camera terminals, allocate the respective N divided regions to said N camera terminals, and execute the adjustment of the region allocated to own camera terminal, regarding the allocated region as a new virtual imaging region.

11. An imaging region adjusting method executed by a camera terminal constituting an imaging region adjustment device which adjusts an imaging region using camera terminals, said imaging region adjusting method comprising:

an imaging step of imaging virtual imaging regions obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication step of sending and receiving virtual imaging region information indicating the virtual imaging region; and

an adjusting step of adjusting a position of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of the virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of the other camera terminals indicated by the virtual imaging region information received in said communication step,

wherein, in said adjusting step, a region containing virtual imaging regions of N (≧

2) camera terminals among the camera terminals are divided into N regions, the respective divided N regions are allocated to the N camera terminals, and the adjusting is executed, regarding the allocated region as a new virtual imaging region.

12. A program for a camera terminal constituting an imaging region adjustment device which adjusts an imaging region using camera terminals, said program causing a computer to execute the steps included in the imaging region adjusting method according to claim 11.

13. A detecting region adjustment device comprising sensor terminals,

wherein each of said sensor terminals includes:

a sensor which detects a virtual detecting region obtained while changing a position of a detecting region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication unit operable to send and receive virtual detecting region information indicating the virtual detecting region; and

an adjusting unit operable to adjust a position of the virtual detecting region of one'"'"'s own sensor terminal so that a combined region of the virtual detecting regions of said sensor terminals completely covers a specific detecting target region, based on the virtual detecting region of one'"'"'s own sensor terminal and virtual detecting regions of the other sensor terminals indicated by the virtual detecting region information received by said communication unit,

wherein said detecting region adjustment device further comprises

a region dividing unit operable to divide, into N regions, a region containing virtual detecting regions of N (≧

2) sensor terminals among said sensor terminals and allocate the respective divided regions to said N sensor terminals, and

said adjusting unit is operable to execute the adjustment of the region allocated to said sensor terminal by said region dividing unit, regarding the allocated region as a new virtual detecting region.