SERVER APPARATUS AND METHOD OF TRANSMITTING VIDEO DATA

• US 20120096126A1
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kamei, Yoichi, Matsumoto, Shinichi, Kono, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,491,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• 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 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

When a camera server receives an instruction involving invalidation of viewing limitation (masking processing) of video from a privileged client, the camera server limits viewing of video data with respect to a general client and a recording client. The camera server stores the video data of a limited period in a secondary storage device. When the camera server receives an instruction involving validation of the viewing limitation from the privileged client, the camera server transmits the stored video data of the limiting period to the recording client.

Claims

1. A server apparatus for transmitting video data to a client, the server apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive an instruction involving invalidation of a viewing limitation of video based on the video data from a client having a viewing authority of an area with the viewing limitation;

a transmission unit configured to limit viewing of the video data with respect to a client having no viewing authority of the area with the viewing limitation in response to reception of the instruction involving the invalidation of the viewing limitation; and

a storage unit configured to store video data of a limiting period during which viewing of the video data is limited with respect to the client having no viewing authority;

wherein the transmission unit transmits the video data of the limiting period to the client having no viewing authority in response to reception, by the receiving unit, of an instruction involving validation of the invalidated viewing limitation.

2. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the viewing limitation is set by privacy masking processing.

3. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the viewing limitation is set by a range limitation of at least any one of a panning angle, a tilting angle, and a zoom value of an imaging apparatus for acquiring the video data.

4. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the viewing limitation is set by an operation limitation of at least any one of a panning operation, a tilting operation, and a zooming operation with respect to an imaging apparatus for acquiring the video data.

5. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit transmits the video data before being subjected to privacy masking processing as the viewing limitation to the client having the viewing authority and limits viewing of the video data by the client having no viewing authority in response to reception of a generation request of a panoramic image from the client having the viewing authority, and transmits the panoramic image, generated by the client having the viewing authority and subjected to the privacy masking processing, to the client having no viewing authority.

6. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit notifies the client having no viewing authority of a reception of an instruction involving invalidation of the viewing limitation from the client having the viewing authority.

7. A transmission method performed by a server apparatus for transmitting video data to a client, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction involving invalidation of a viewing limitation of video based on the video data from a client having a viewing authority of an area with the viewing limitation;

limiting viewing of the video data with respect to a client having no viewing authority of the area with the viewing limitation in response to reception of the instruction involving the invalidation of the viewing limitation;

storing the video data of a limiting period during which viewing of the video data is limited with respect to the client having no viewing authority; and

transmitting the video data of the limiting period to the client having no viewing authority in response to reception of an instruction involving validation of the invalidated viewing limitation.

8. The transmission method according to claim 7, wherein the viewing limitation is set by privacy masking processing.

9. The transmission method according to claim 7, further comprising transmitting the video data before being subjected to privacy masking processing as the viewing limitation to the client having the viewing authority and limiting viewing of the video data by the client having no viewing authority in response to reception of a generation request of a panoramic image from the client having the viewing authority, and transmitting the panoramic image, generated by the client having the viewing authority and subjected to the privacy masking processing, to the client having no viewing authority.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to transmit video data to a client, the program comprising:

receiving an instruction involving invalidation of a viewing limitation of video based on the video data from a client having a viewing authority of an area with the viewing limitation;

limiting viewing of the video data with respect to a client having no viewing authority of the area with the viewing limitation in response to reception of the instruction involving the invalidation of the viewing limitation;

storing the video data of a limiting period during which viewing of the video data is limited with respect to the client having no viewing authority; and

transmitting the video data of the limiting period to the client having no viewing authority in response to reception of an instruction involving validation of the invalidated viewing limitation.

11. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the viewing limitation is set by privacy masking processing.

12. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the program further comprises transmitting the video data before being subjected to privacy masking processing as the viewing limitation to the client having the viewing authority and limiting viewing of the video data by the client having no viewing authority in response to reception of a generation request of a panoramic image from the client having the viewing authority, and transmitting the panoramic image, generated by the client having the viewing authority and subjected to the privacy masking processing, to the client having no viewing authority.