DISPLAY CONTROL APPARATUS AND DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD

• US 20120098854A1
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohnishi, Motoo
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/626
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/26 Projecting separately subsidiary matter simultaneously with main image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A display control apparatus includes a control unit of a client configured to specify a privacy mask zone in a panoramic area, display a graphic pattern larger than the specified privacy mask zone over the privacy mask zone, and accept an operation to shift the privacy mask zone corresponding to the displayed graphic pattern.

Claims

1. A display control apparatus that displays an image based on image data obtained from an imaging apparatus, the display control apparatus comprising:

a specification unit configured to specify a privacy mask zone of the image;

a display control unit configured to control display of a graphic pattern larger than the specified privacy mask zone over the privacy mask zone; and

a control unit configured to accept a shift operation of the privacy mask zone corresponding to the displayed graphic pattern.

2. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specification unit specifies a privacy mask zone disposed in a panoramic area larger than an area where an image captured by the imaging apparatus at one time is displayed,

wherein the display control unit causes the graphic pattern to be displayed over the privacy mask zone in the panoramic area, the graphic pattern having a size corresponding to a zoom value of the imaging apparatus set at the specification of the privacy mask zone in the panoramic area, and

wherein the control unit causes the privacy mask zone to be shifted in such a manner that the graphic pattern displayed over the privacy mask zone does not move beyond the panoramic area.

3. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit configured to set values for height and width of the privacy mask zone,

wherein the specification unit specifies a privacy mask zone disposed in a panoramic area larger than an area where an image captured by the imaging apparatus at one time is displayed,

wherein the display control unit displays, over the privacy mask zone in the panoramic area, a ratio between a zoom value of the imaging apparatus at the specification of the privacy mask zone in the panoramic area and a zoom value corresponding to a maximum field of view of the imaging apparatus, and the graphic pattern having a size corresponding to the values for height and width of the privacy mask zone,

wherein the control unit causes the privacy mask zone to be shifted in such a manner that the graphic pattern displayed over the privacy mask zone does not move beyond the panoramic area.

4. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes the graphic pattern to be displayed over the privacy mask zone at a placing operation of a mouse cursor on the privacy mask zone.

5. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes the graphic pattern to be displayed over the privacy mask zone, at a shift operation of the privacy mask zone.

6. The display control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the specification unit specifies a privacy mask zone in a panoramic area larger than an area where an image captured by the imaging apparatus at one time is displayed,

wherein the display control unit causes a plurality of privacy mask zones to be displayed in the panoramic area, and causes the graphic pattern to be displayed over the privacy mask zone specified by the specification unit, the graphic pattern having a size corresponding to a zoom value of the imaging apparatus set at the specification of the privacy mask zone in the panoramic area,

wherein the control unit determines the privacy mask zone to be shifted according to the shift operation, based on specification of the graphic pattern displayed over the privacy mask zone among the plurality of privacy mask zones.

7. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specification unit specifies a privacy mask zone in a panoramic area larger than an area where an image captured by the imaging apparatus at one time is displayed,

wherein the display control unit causes a graphic pattern to be displayed over a first privacy mask zone positioned closer to a mouse cursor than a second privacy mask zone in the panoramic area when the first and second privacy mask zone are displayed in the panoramic area, the graphic pattern having a size corresponding to a zoom value of the imaging apparatus set at the specification of the privacy mask zone,

wherein the control unit determines the privacy mask zone to be shifted according to the shift operation, based on specification of the graphic pattern displayed over the privacy mask zone among the plurality of privacy mask zones.

8. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls a pan angle and a tilt angle of the imaging apparatus in the direction where the privacy mask zone is shifted according to a shift operation.

9. A display control method performed by a display control apparatus that displays an image based on image data obtained from an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

specifying a privacy mask zone of the image;

displaying a graphic pattern larger than the specified privacy mask zone over the privacy mask zone; and

accepting a shift operation of the privacy mask zone corresponding to the displayed graphic pattern.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable process, the computer-executable process causing a computer that displays an image based on image data obtained from an imaging apparatus to execute a method comprising:

specifying a privacy mask zone of the image;

displaying a graphic pattern larger than the specified privacy mask zone over the privacy mask zone; and

accepting a shift operation of the privacy mask zone corresponding to the displayed graphic pattern.

11. A display control apparatus that displays an image based on image data obtained from an imaging apparatus, the display control apparatus comprising:

a specification unit configured to specify a privacy mask zone of the image;

a display control unit configured to display a graphic pattern that indicates a range where the privacy mask zone can be shifted, according to a zoom value of the imaging apparatus used at the specification of the privacy mask zone; and

a control unit configured to shift the privacy mask zone within the graphic pattern according to a shift operation of the privacy mask zone.

12. The display control apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a setting unit configured to set values for height and width of the privacy mask zone,

wherein the display control unit displays a graphic pattern having a size corresponding to a ratio between a zoom value of the imaging apparatus at the specification of the privacy mask zone and a zoom value corresponding to a maximum field of view of the imaging apparatus.

13. A display control method performed by a display control apparatus that displays an image based on image data obtained from an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

specifying a privacy mask zone of the image;

displaying a graphic pattern that indicates a range where the privacy mask zone can be shifted, according to a zoom value of the imaging apparatus at the specification of the privacy mask zone; and

shifting the privacy mask zone within the graphic pattern according to a shift operation of the privacy mask zone.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable process, the computer-executable process causing a computer that displays an image based on image data obtained from an imaging apparatus to execute a method comprising:

specifying a privacy mask zone of the image;

displaying a graphic pattern that indicates a range where the privacy mask zone can be shifted, according to a zoom value of the imaging apparatus at the specification of the privacy mask zone; and

shifting the privacy mask zone within the graphic pattern according to a shift operation of the privacy mask zone.