Image display device

• US 6,337,709 B1
• Filed: 02/08/1996
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Uchigasaki, Harumi, Kawamata, Yukihiro, Tani, Masayuki, Yamaashi, Kimiya, Futakawa, Masayasu, Nishikawa, Atsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US08/598,699
• Time in Patent Office: 2,161 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211, 348/213, 348/143, 348/141, 348/140, 348/136, 348/137, 348/20, 348/13, 348/15, 348/169, 348/170, 348/159, 348/587, 348/586
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An image display includes whole image display for displaying an area viewed by a certain camera, a camera position detecting using for detecting a place which the camera is viewing and camera position display unit for specifying the area that the camera displays on the whole image on the basis of the camera position acquired by the above camera position detecting unit. A user recognizes the place in the whole image that he is watching and does not lose his location when he pans or zooms the camera.

Claims

1. In an image display device for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory means for memorizing a whole image of a whole area that is larger than a sub-area capable of being taken in by the camera;

whole image display means for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means for displaying a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detecting means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of the current image that the camera is taking in;

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detecting means; and

whole image renewal means for renewing the whole image that is memorized in said whole image memory means in response to an input of a whole image renewal command.

3. In the image display device according to claim 1 or claim 2, which further comprises display switching means for switching between the current area image and the whole image and for displaying both images on the same display screen.

2. In an image display device for displaying an image received from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory means for memorizing a whole image of a whole area that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in;

whole image display means for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means for displaying a current image of the sub area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detection means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of the current image that the camera is taking in;

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detection means;

area image display state detection means for detecting a displaying state of said area image display means; and

whole image renewal means for renewing the whole image that is memorized in said whole image memory means so as to renew the whole image, when said area image display state detecting means detects that said area image display means does not display an image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in.

4. In an image display device for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image display means for displaying a whole image of a whole area that is larger than a sub area that the camera is capable of taking in;

area specifying means for specifying the sub-area on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means; and

camera control means for controlling said camera to take in the sub-area specified by said area specifying means.

5. In the image display device according to claim 4, wherein said area specifying means specifies a rectangular sub-area on the whole image.

6. In the image display device according to claim 4, which further comprises:

camera position detecting means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of a current image that the camera is taking; and

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by the camera position detecting means.

7. In the image display device according to claim 6, wherein said area specifying means specifies the sub-area by movement, enlargement and contraction of the mark displayed by said camera position display means.

11. In an image display device according to claim 4, which further comprises area image display means which displays a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in and a specified area image of said area specifying means.

8. In a monitoring system for displaying an image received from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory means for memorizing a whole image of a whole area that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in;

whole image display means for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means for displaying a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detecting means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of the current image that the camera is taking in;

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detecting means; and

whole image renewal means for renewing the whole image that is memorized in said whole image memory means in response to an input of a whole image renewal command by a user.

9. In a monitoring system for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image display means for displaying a whole image of a whole area that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in;

area specifying means for specifying the sub-area on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means; and

camera control means for controlling said camera to take in the sub-area specified by said area specifying means.

10. In an image display device for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory for memorizing a whole image of a whole panning area of the camera that is larger than a sub-area capable of being taken in by the camera at a single panning position;

whole image display for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means which displays a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detecting means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area that the camera is taking in; and

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detecting means.

12. In an image display device for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory means for memorizing a whole image of a whole camera panning area of the camera that is larger than a sub-area capable of being taken in by the camera at any single panning position while in a maximum field of view setting;

whole image display means for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means for displaying a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detecting means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of the current image that the camera is taking in; and

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detecting means.

13. In an image display device for displaying an image received from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory means for memorizing a whole image of a whole camera panning area of the camera that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in at any single panning position while in a maximum field of view setting;

whole image display means for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means for displaying a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detection means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of the current image that the camera is taking in;

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detection means; and

area image display state detection means for detecting a displaying state of said area image display means.

14. In an image display device for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image display means for displaying a whole image of a whole camera panning area of the camera that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in at any single panning position while in a maximum field of view setting;

area specifying means for specifying the sub-area on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means, which is to be displayed; and

camera control means for controlling said camera to take in the sub-area specified by said area specifying means.

15. In a monitoring system for displaying an image received from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image memory means for memorizing a whole image of a whole camera panning area of the camera that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in at any single panning position while in a maximum field of view setting;

whole image display means for displaying the memorized whole image;

area image display means for displaying a current image of the sub-area that the camera is taking in;

camera position detecting means for detecting a present position in the whole image, of the sub-area of the current image that the camera is taking in; and

camera position display means for displaying a mark on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means showing said present position detected by said camera position detecting means.

16. In a monitoring system for displaying an image from a camera on a display screen, the improvement which comprises:

whole image display means for displaying a whole image of a whole camera panning area of the camera that is larger than a sub-area that the camera is capable of taking in at any single panning position while in a maximum field of view setting;

area specifying means for specifying the sub-area on the whole image displayed by said whole image display means, which is to be displayed; and

camera control means for controlling said camera to take in the sub-area specified by said area specifying means.