CONFERENCE SYSTEM, MONITORING SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND A NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20120093365A1
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: ARAGANE, Kuniaki, YOSHINO, Kyoji, INAGAKI, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 8,515,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

To provide a conference system, a monitoring system, an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-image processing program capable of accurately and effectively recognizing an object based on a fisheye-distorted image photographed at a wide angle.

When an instruction of selecting an arbitrary point Ci(ui, vi) of a 2D-viewable planar regular image generated based on a fisheye-distorted image S photographed by a fisheye lens is received, point Si(xi, yi) on the fisheye-distorted image S is calculated as a coordinate corresponding to Ci(ui, vi), and a pixel information group configuring the planar regular image is newly generated based on a pixel information group configuring the fisheye-distorted image S.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

distorted circular image storing unit that stores a pixel information group configuring a distorted circular image generated based on the externally-input distorted circular image photographed by a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror;

converting unit that converts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image;

planar regular image storing unit that stores the pixel information group configuring the converted planar regular image;

selection-instruction receiving unit that receives an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to an arbitrary point on the stored planar regular image;

corresponding coordinate specifying unit that specifies pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to the pixel information on the selection-instructed planar regular image; and

reconverting unit that reconverts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image about the specified pixel information.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

screen information generating unit that generates screen information having a predetermined size to be displayed on a displaying part based on the pixel information group configuring the reconverted planar regular image.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the selection-instruction receiving unit receives an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to multiple points on the planar regular image converted by the converting unit;

the corresponding coordinate specifying unit specifies pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to the respective items of pixel information on the selection-instructed planar regular image, and

the reconverting unit reconverts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image about the respective items of specified pixel information per pixel information specified by the corresponding coordinate specifying unit.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:

display controlling unit that controls a display form such that each item of the generated screen information is displayed at the same size on the displaying part.

5. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claim 1, comprising:

object recognizing unit that recognizes a predetermined object displayed on the converted planar regular image,

wherein the selection-instruction receiving unit receives an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to an arbitrary point on the recognized object.

6. An image processing apparatus comprising:

distorted circular image storing unit for storing a pixel information group configuring multiple distorted circular images generated based on the externally-input distorted circular images obtained by continuously photographing a subject by a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror in correspondence to each distorted circular image;

converting unit that converts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image per distorted circular image;

planar regular image storing unit that stores the converted pixel information group configuring the planar regular image;

object recognizing unit that recognizes a specific object displayed on the converted planar regular image;

operation recognizing unit that recognizes a successive change indicated by the recognized object on the planar regular images per planar regular image;

second corresponding coordinate specifying unit that specifies pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to an arbitrary point on an object per planar regular image recognized by the operation recognizing unit; and

reconverting unit that reconverts the pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image about the pixel information on each distorted image specified by the second corresponding coordinate specifying unit per pixel information specified by the second corresponding coordinate specifying unit.

7. A conference system comprising:

a camera for outputting a subject photographed by a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror as a distorted circular image to an image processing apparatus; and

the image processing apparatus for generating screen information based on the input distorted circular image and outputting it to a terminal device,

the image processing apparatus comprising;

distorted circular image storing unit that stores a pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image generated based on the input distorted circular image;

converting unit that converts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image;

planar regular image storing unit that stores the pixel information group configuring the converted planar regular image;

object recognizing unit that recognizes one or multiple specific objects displayed on the converted planar regular image;

selection-instruction receiving unit that receives an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to an arbitrary point on the recognized object per recognized object;

corresponding coordinate specifying unit that specifies pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to the pixel information on the selection-instructed planar regular image per recognized object;

reconverting unit that reconverts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image about the pixel information specified by the corresponding coordinate specifying unit per recognized object;

screen information generating unit that generates the pixel information group configuring the reconverted planar regular image as screen information having a predetermined size to be displayed on a displaying part per recognized object; and

outputting unit that outputs the generated screen information to the terminal device.

8. The conference system according to claim 7,

wherein the camera is arranged such that a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror mounted on the camera is faced upward.

9. A monitoring system comprising:

a monitoring camera mounting thereon a function of outputting a subject photographed by a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror within a predetermined photographing range from a first photographing center as a distorted circular image to an image processing apparatus and

a function of outputting a subject photographed by a lens group comprising a zoom mechanism within a predetermined range from a second photographing center as a planar regular image to the image processing apparatus; and

the image processing apparatus for generating screen information based on the input distorted circular image,

wherein the monitoring camera comprises;

pan/tilt driving unit that switches a photographing position of the camera, and

the image processing apparatus comprises;

distorted circular image storing unit that stores a pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image generated based on the input distorted circular image;

converting unit that converts the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image;

planar regular image storing unit that stores the pixel information group configuring the converted planar regular image;

object recognizing unit that recognizes an object displayed on the converted planar regular image;

selection-instruction receiving unit that receives an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to an arbitrary point on the stored planar regular image;

corresponding coordinate specifying unit that specifying pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to the pixel information on the selection-instructed planar regular image; and

position controlling unit that calculates distance information for newly setting the second photographing center at a position indicated by the pixel information specified by the corresponding coordinate specifying unit based on the previously-calculated first photographing center and second photographing center, and outputting a control signal for driving a monitoring camera to a position indicated by the distance information to the pan/tilt driving unit.

10. An image processing method in an image processing apparatus, comprising:

a distorted circular image storing step of storing a pixel information group configuring a distorted circular image generated based on the externally-input distorted circular image photographed by a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror;

a converting step of converting the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image;

a planar regular image storing step of storing the pixel information group configuring the converted planar regular image;

a selection-instruction receiving step of receiving an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to an arbitrary point on the stored planar regular image;

a corresponding coordinate specifying step of specifying pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to the pixel information on the selection-instructed planar regular image; and

a reconverting step of reconverting the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image about the pixel information specified by the corresponding coordinate specifying step.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-image processing program, the image processing program causing a computer to execute:

a distorted circular image storing step of storing a pixel information group configuring a distorted circular image generated based on the externally-input distorted circular image photographed by a wide-angle lens or omnidirectional mirror;

a converting step of converting the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image;

a planar regular image storing step of storing the pixel information group configuring the converted planar regular image;

a selection-instruction receiving step of receiving an instruction of selecting pixel information corresponding to an arbitrary point on the stored planar regular image;

a corresponding coordinate specifying step of specifying pixel information on a distorted circular image corresponding to the pixel information on the selection-instructed planar regular image; and

a reconverting step of reconverting the stored pixel information group configuring the distorted circular image into a pixel information group configuring a 2D-viewable planar regular image about the pixel information specified by the corresponding coordinate specifying step.