Camera control and display device using graphical user interface

• US 6,452,628 B2
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kato, Eiji, Kawai, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US09/302,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5225, 348/207, 348/211, 348/212, 348/213, 348/222, 348/239, 348/333, 348/334, 348/369, 348/143, 348/155, 348/109, 348/12, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/333.05, 348/333.12, 348/358, 348/36, 348/39
• US Class Current: 348/333.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A motion image display apparatus for remotely controlling a camera includes a camera for inputting a motion image, a component for changing the direction of the camera, a component for synthesizing one still image in a wide area on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of the camera, and a display unit for displaying the still image synthesized by the synthesizing component in a still image area and a motion image currently being taken by the camera in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area; the displayed motion image area may be moved by a mouse device thereby changing the direction of the camera on the basis of the changed position of the motion image area.

Claims

1. A motion image display apparatus comprising:

motion image inputting means for inputting a motion image;

imaging direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing one still image in a wide area on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

display means for displaying the still image synthesized by said synthesizing means in a still image area, and displaying a motion image currently being taken by said motion image inputting means in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area;

motion image area moving means for moving the motion image area within the still image area; and

control means for controlling said imaging direction changing means on the basis of position information of the motion image area moved by said motion image area moving means so that the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means corresponds to the position of the moved motion image area, and updating a portion of the synthetic still image corresponding to the motion image area before being moved, as a still image, by using the motion image displayed in the motion image area before the imaging direction is changed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the whole synthetic still image is periodically updated by scanning an imaging area corresponding to the still image area by using said motion image inputting means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means and associated means for said display means, and said image inputting means and associated means for said image inputting means, are connected via a communication network.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises two of said display means, and

one display means is connected to the other display means, said image inputting means, said imaging direction changing means, and said motion image area moving means via a communication network.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises two of said motion image area moving means and has a control mediation function for said two motion image area moving means, and

one motion image area moving means is connected to said display means, the other motion image area moving means, said image inputting means, and said imaging direction changing means via a communication network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motion image area moving means is a line-of-sight input device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means updates the still image by using an image of the last frame of a motion image input immediately before the change of the imaging direction by said imaging direction changing means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

magnification changing means for designating a change in the magnification of said camera wherein said control means controls a display magnification of the still image by using a central position of the motion image as an origin, in response to changing the magnification of said camera by said magnification changing means.

9. A motion image display apparatus comprising:

motion image inputting means for inputting a motion image;

image direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing one still image in a wide area on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means;

display means for displaying the still image synthesized by said synthesizing means in a still image area, and displaying a motion image currently being taken by said motion image inputting means in a motion image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area;

motion detecting means for detecting a motion of an object in the motion image displayed in the motion image area; and

control means for moving the motion image area on the basis of position information of the object detected by said motion detecting means, controlling said imaging direction changing means so that the imaging direction of said motion image inputting means corresponds to the position of the moved object, and updating a portion of the synthetic still image corresponding to the motion image area before being moved, as a still image, by using the motion image displayed in the motion image area before the imaging direction is changed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein while said motion detecting means is not detecting a motion of an object, the whole synthetic still image is updated by scanning an imaging area corresponding to the still image area by using said motion image inputting means.

11. An image synthesizing apparatus which synthesizes images picked-up by a camera, comprising:

imaging direction changing means for changing an imaging direction of said camera;

synthesizing means for synthesizing one first still image on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said camera;

updating means for updating a portion of the first still image corresponding to a current image area detected by the camera before being moved, as a second still image, by using the current image picked-up by said camera before the imaging direction is changed, in response to changing the imaging direction by said imaging direction changing means, wherein said first and second still images are to be displayed.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

display means for displaying the first still image synthesized by said synthesizing means in a still image area, and displaying a current image currently being taken by said camera in a current image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area.

13. A method for synthesizing images picked-up by a camera using an image synthesizing apparatus, comprising:

changing an imaging direction of said camera;

synthesizing one first still image on the basis of motion images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said camera;

updating a portion of the first still image corresponding to a current image area detected by the camera before being moved, as a second still image, by using the current image picked-up by said camera before the imaging direction is changed, in response to changing the imaging direction of said camera, wherein said first and second still images are to be displayed.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying the first still image in a still image area; and

displaying a current image currently being taken by said camera in a current image area superposed on a position corresponding to a current imaging direction in the still image area.

15. An image synthesizing apparatus that synthesizes images picked-up by a camera of which an imaging direction is operated, comprising:

a memory which stores an image synthesized on the basis of images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said camera; and

an updating unit which updates a portion of said synthesized image, which is displayed, by using a current image corresponding to a current image area detected by said camera before the imaging direction is changed.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a display unit for displaying said synthesized image and the current image taken by said camera.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said display unit displays the current image taken by said camera on an area of said synthesized image corresponding to a current imaging direction.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the imaging direction of said camera is operated by a user.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a motion detecting unit for detecting a motion of an object;

wherein the imaging direction of said camera changes in response to a detection result of said motion detecting unit.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said updating unit updates said synthesized image periodically.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a zoom magnification of said camera is operated, and a display unit changes a display magnification of the current image in accordance with the zoom magnification of said camera.

22. An image synthesizing method for synthesizing images picked-up by a camera of which an imaging direction is operated, comprising:

storing in a memory an image synthesized on the basis of images in various directions previously taken by changing the imaging direction of said camera; and

updating a portion of said synthesized image, which is displayed, with an updating unit by using a current image corresponding to a current image area detected by said camera before the imaging direction is changed.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

displaying said synthesized image and the current image taken by said camera on a display unit.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said display unit displays the current image taken by said camera on an area of said synthesized image corresponding to a current imaging direction.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the imaging direction of said camera is operated by a user.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

detecting a motion of an object with a motion detecting unit;

wherein the imaging direction of said camera changes in response to a detection result of said motion detecting unit.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein said updating unit updates said synthesized image periodically.

28. The method according to claim 22, wherein a zoom magnification of said camera is operated, and a display unit changes a display magnification of the current image in accordance with the zoom magnification of said camera.