ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PAN-TILT-ZOOM CAMERAS

• US 20130176439A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloud Network Technology Singapore Pte. Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, HOU-HSIEN, LEE, CHANG-JUNG, LO, CHIH-PING
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An electronic device receives an image of a monitored area captured a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera. When the electronic device rotates, rotation information of the electronic device relative to a previous position state of the electronic device is detected by an electronic gyroscope. The electronic device converts the rotation information of the electronic device into rotation information of a lens of the PTZ camera relative to a present position of the lens according to preset association, generates a first control command according to rotation information of the lens, and control the lens of the PTZ camera to move from the present position to a new position according to the first control command The electronic device receives a new image of the monitored area that is captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the new position.

Claims

1. A method being executed by a processor of an electronic device for controlling one or more pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras connected to the electronic device via a network, the method comprising:

setting a first association between a rotation operation of the electronic device and a rotation operation of a lens of a PTZ camera, and a second association between a zoom adjustment of an image of a monitored area and a zoom adjustment of a focal length of the lens, wherein the image is captured by the PTZ camera and displayed on a display screen of the electronic device;

accessing the PTZ camera via the network, and adjusting the lens of the PTZ camera to an initial position by sending an initial command to the PTZ camera;

receiving an initial image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the initial position and sent via the network, and displaying the initial image on the display screen;

detecting a first rotation angle and a first rotation orientation of the electronic device relative to a previous position state of the electronic device using an e-gyroscope of the electronic device when the electronic device rotates;

converting the first rotation angle and the first rotation orientation of the electronic device into a second rotation angle and a second rotation orientation of the lens of the PTZ camera relative to a present position of the lens according to the first association;

generating a first control command according to the second rotation angle and the second rotation orientation of the lens, and controlling the lens of the PTZ camera to move from the present position to a new position according to the first control command; and

receiving a new image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the new position, and displaying the new image on the display screen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a first zoom ratio of the new image, and converting the first zoom ratio into a second zoom ratio of the focal length of the lens of the PTZ camera according to the second association;

generating a second control command according to the second zoom ratio, and adjusting the focal length of the lens of the PTZ camera according to the second control command; and

receiving a zoomed image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera after the focal length of the lens is adjusted, and displaying the zoomed image on the display screen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first zoom ratio is set by manipulation of zoom buttons displayed on the display screen, and the zoom buttons comprise a zoom-in button, a zoom-out button, and a zoom ratio adjustment bar.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first zoom ratio is determined by operating the zoom ratio adjustment bar.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device rotates leftwards or rightwards according to a longitudinal axis or a latitudinal axis of the electronic device.

6. An electronic device being connected with one or more pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras via a network, the electronic device comprising:

a storage device;

a processor; and

one or more programs that are stored in the storage device and executed by the processor, the one or more programs comprising instructions to;

set a first association between a rotation operation of the electronic device and a rotation operation of a lens of a PTZ camera, and a second association between a zoom adjustment of an image of a monitored area and a zoom adjustment of a focal length of the lens, wherein the image is captured by the PTZ camera and displayed on a display screen of the electronic device;

access the PTZ camera via the network, and adjust the lens of the PTZ camera to an initial position by sending an initial command to the PTZ camera;

receive an initial image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the initial position and sent via the network, and display the initial image on the display screen;

detect a first rotation angle and a first rotation orientation of the electronic device relative to a previous position state of the electronic device using an e-gyroscope installed within the electronic device when the electronic device rotates;

convert the first rotation angle and the first rotation orientation of the electronic device into a second rotation angle and a second rotation orientation of the lens of the PTZ camera relative to a present position of the lens according to the first association;

generate a first control command according to the second rotation angle and the second rotation orientation of the lens, and control the lens of the PTZ camera to move from the present position to a new position according to the first control command; and

receive a new image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the new position, and display the new image on the display screen.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to:

set a first zoom ratio of the new image, and convert the first zoom ratio into a second zoom ratio of the focal length of the lens of the PTZ camera according to the second association;

generate a second control command according to the second zoom ratio, and adjust the focal length of the lens of the PTZ camera according to the second control command; and

receive a zoomed image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera after the focal length of the lens is adjusted, and display the zoomed image on the display screen.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first zoom ratio is set by manipulation of zoom buttons displayed on the display screen, and the zoom buttons comprise a zoom-in button, a zoom-out button, and a zoom ratio adjustment bar.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first zoom ratio is determined by operating the zoom ratio adjustment bar.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the electronic device rotates leftwards or rightwards according to a longitudinal axis or a latitudinal axis of the electronic device.

11. A non-transitory storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor of an electronic device to perform a method for controlling one or more pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras connected to the electronic device via a network, the method comprising:

setting a first association between a rotation operation of the electronic device and a rotation operation of a lens of a PTZ camera, and a second association between a zoom adjustment of an image of a monitored area and a zoom adjustment of a focal length of the lens, wherein the image is captured by the PTZ camera and displayed on a display screen of the electronic device;

accessing the PTZ camera via the network, and adjusting the lens of the PTZ camera to an initial position by sending an initial command to the PTZ camera;

receiving an initial image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the initial position and sent via the network, and displaying the initial image on the display screen;

detecting a first rotation angle and a first rotation orientation of the electronic device relative to a previous position state of the electronic device using an e-gyroscope installed within the electronic device when the electronic device rotates;

converting the first rotation angle and the first rotation orientation of the electronic device into a second rotation angle and a second rotation orientation of the lens of the PTZ camera relative to a present position of the lens according to the first association;

generating a first control command according to the second rotation angle and the second rotation orientation of the lens, and controlling the lens of the PTZ camera to move from the present position to a new position according to the first control command; and

receiving a new image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera at the new position, and displaying the new image on the display screen.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

setting a first zoom ratio of the new image, and converting the first zoom ratio into a second zoom ratio of the focal length of the lens of the PTZ camera according to the second association;

generating a second control command according to the second zoom ratio, and adjusting the focal length of the lens of the PTZ camera according to the second control command; and

receiving a zoomed image of the monitored area captured by the lens of the PTZ camera after the focal length of the lens is adjusted, and displaying the zoomed image on the display screen.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the first zoom ration is set by manipulation of zoom buttons displayed on the display screen, and the zoom buttons comprise a zoom-in button, a zoom-out button, and a zoom ratio adjustment bar.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the first zoom ratio is determined by operating the zoom ratio adjustment bar.

15. The medium of claim 11, wherein the electronic device rotates leftwards or rightwards according to a longitudinal axis or a latitudinal axis of the electronic device.