CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING

• US 20140293071A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Akaishi, Masao
• Granted Patent: US 9,826,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.11
• 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

Abstract

A control apparatus controls an image capturing unit for which an image capturing direction is movable inputs at least one of a setting value for restricting a movable range for which the image capturing direction of an image capturing unit is movable, or a setting value for restricting a visible range for which displaying is permitted in a range capturable by moving the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit and controls one of the movable range or the visible range based on a setting value for restricting the other of the movable range and the visible range.

Claims

1. A control apparatus operable to control an image capturing unit for which an image capturing direction is movable, the control apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to input at least one of a first setting value for restricting a movable range for which the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit is movable, or a second setting value for restricting a visible range for which displaying is permitted in a range capturable by moving the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit; and

a control unit configured to control one of the movable range or the visible range based on a setting value for restricting the other of the movable range and the visible range.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit controls the visible range based on a setting value for restriction of a pan direction in the first setting values, and based on an angle of view in a horizontal orientation of the image capturing unit.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit controls, in a case where a visible range, restricted by the second setting value, includes a range not including a range captured by moving an image capturing direction within a movable range restricted by the first setting value, the visible range so that the range not including the range captured by moving the image capturing direction within the movable range, restricted by the first setting value, is not included.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first setting value is received from an apparatus connected to via a network, and

the restriction unit controls the visible range based on the first setting value.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second setting value is received via a network from an image capturing apparatus having the image capturing unit, and

the restriction unit controls the movable range based on the second setting value.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the movable range is a movable range of a pan direction or of a tilt direction.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the movable range includes a changeable range for zooming.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit controls a pre-set position so that a pre-set position is included within a visible range restricted based on a setting value for restricting a movable range.

9. A method of controlling an image capturing unit operable to move an image capturing direction, the method comprising:

inputting at least one of a first setting value for restricting a movable range for which the image capturing direction of an image capturing unit is movable, or a second setting value for restricting a visible range for which displaying is permitted in a range capturable by moving the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit; and

controlling one of the movable range or the visible range based on a setting value for restricting the other of the movable range and the visible range.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the visible range is controlled based on a setting value for restriction of a pan direction in the first setting values, and based on an angle of view in a horizontal orientation of the image capturing unit.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in a case where a visible range, restricted by the setting value, includes a range not including a range captured by moving an image capturing direction within a movable range restricted by the setting value, the visible range is controlled so that the range not including the range captured by moving the image capturing direction within the movable range, restricted by the setting value, is not included.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the first setting value is received from an apparatus connected to via a network, and

the visible range is controlled based on the first setting value.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the second setting value received via a network from an image capturing apparatus having the image capturing unit is input, and

the movable range is controlled based on the second setting value.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the movable range includes a changeable range for zooming.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein

a pre-set position is controlled so that a pre-set position is included within a visible range restricted based on a setting value for restricting a movable range.

16. A storage medium for storing a computer program for controlling an image capturing unit for which an image capturing direction is movable, the computer program comprising:

inputting at least one of a first setting value for restricting a movable range for which the image capturing direction of an image capturing unit is movable, or a second setting value for restricting a visible range for which displaying is permitted in a range capturable by moving the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit; and

controlling one of the movable range or the visible range based on a setting value for restricting the other of the movable range and the visible range.

17. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

the visible range is controlled based on a setting value for restriction of a pan direction in the first setting values for restricting the movable range, and based on an angle of view in a horizontal orientation of the image capturing unit.

18. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

in a case where a visible range, restricted by the setting value, includes a range not including a range captured by moving an image capturing direction within a movable range restricted by the setting value, the visible range is controlled so that the range not including the range captured by moving the image capturing direction within the movable range, restricted by the setting value, is not included.

19. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

the first setting value is received from an apparatus connected via a network is input, and

the visible range is controlled based on the first setting value.

20. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

the movable range includes a changeable range for zooming.