Server, terminal and control methods for transmitting real-time images over the internet

• US 6,484,195 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamakawa, Tadashi, Sato, Mamoru, Igarashi, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/503,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/230, 709/232, 709/246, 707/104, 707/200
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection

Abstract

A server which smoothly transmits/receives a moving image from image sensing device via the Internet. The server comprises a camera which converts an object image into an image signal, a camera controller which controls the camera, and a camera driver. When the image signal converted by the camera is transferred as still-image data on the Internet, the data is transferred by the HTML or HTTP protocol, on the other hand, when the image signal is transferred as moving-image data, the data is transferred by another protocol.

Claims

1. A terminal apparatus capable of communicating with a server comprising a control means for controlling an image sensing means that converts an object image into image signals and a transmission means for transmitting the image signals, said terminal apparatus further comprising:

request means for transmitting request information, for requesting an image file, to the server,

wherein a file name of the image file is composed of control information for controlling said image sensing means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication between the server and the terminal apparatus is made via Internet.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said request means is made using FTP protocol.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising designation means for designating a sensing direction of said image sensing means, and

wherein the file name is composed of characters indicating parameters for controlling said image sensing means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said request information transmitted by said request means includes image sensing schedule information.

6. A server, for controlling image sensing means, comprising:

reception means for receiving a request for an image sensed by an image sensing means from a communication terminal apparatus, where said request includes a file name which includes control information for controlling said image sensing means; and

transmission means for controlling said image sensing means in accordance with said control information and transmitting an image sensed by said image sensing means to the terminal apparatus as a file.

7. The server according to claim 6, wherein communication between the server and the terminal apparatus is made via Internet.

8. The server according to claim 6, wherein said reception means is made using FTP protocol.

9. The server according to claim 6, further comprising designation means for designating a sensing direction of said image sensing means in accordance with control information included in the request from the terminal apparatus,

wherein the file name is composed of characters indicating parameters for controlling said image sensing means.

10. The server according to claim 9, wherein said request information received by said reception means includes image sensing schedule information.

11. A method of operating a terminal, for communicating with a server, comprising:

controlling an image sensor to covert an object image into image signals and transmitting the image signals,

requesting the transmission of information of an image file to the server,

wherein file name of the image file requested is composed of control information for controlling said image sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11, the server communicates with the terminal apparatus via Internet.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said requesting is made using FTP protocol.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising designating a sensing direction of said image sensing,

wherein the file name is composed of characters indicating parameters for controlling said image sensing means.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said information transmitted by said requesting includes image sensing schedule information.

16. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for controlling an image sensing means comprising:

procedure codes for receiving a request for an image sensed by an image sensing means from a communication terminal apparatus, where said request includes a file name which is composed of control information for controlling said image sensing means; and

procedure codes for controlling said image sensing means in accordance with said control information and transmitting an image sensed by said image sensing means to the terminal apparatus as a file.

17. The storage medium according to claim 16,wherein communication between the server and the terminal apparatus is made via Internet.

18. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein said receiving is made using FTP protocol.

19. The storage medium according to claim 16, further comprising procedure codes for designating a sensing direction of said image sensing means in accordance with control information included in the request from the terminal apparatus,

wherein the file name is composed of characters indicating parameters for controlling said image sensing means.

20. The storage medium according to claim 19, wherein said information received by said receiving includes image sensing schedule information.

21. A method of operating a server for controlling image sensing means, comprising:

receiving a request for an image sensed by an image sensing means from a communication terminal apparatus, where said request includes a file name which includes control information for controlling said image sensing means; and

controlling said image sensing means in accordance with said control information and transmitting the image sensed by said image sensing means to the terminal apparatus as a file.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein communication between the server and the terminal apparatus is made via Internet.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said reception means is made using FTP protocol.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

designating a sensing direction of said image sensing means in accordance with control information included in the request from the terminal apparatus,

wherein the file name is composed of characters indicating parameters for controlling said image sensing means.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said request information includes image sensing schedule information.

26. A storage medium containing a program for controlling a terminal apparatus, capable of communicating with a server comprising a control means for controlling an image sensing means that converts an object image into image signals and a transmission means for transmitting the image signals, comprising:

procedure codes for requesting the transmission of an image file to the server,

wherein a file name of the image file is composed of control information for controlling said image sensing means.

27. The storage medium according to claim 26, wherein the communication between the server and the terminal apparatus is made via Internet.

28. The storage medium according to claim 26, wherein the request is made using FTP protocol.

29. The storage medium according to claim 26, further comprising:

procedure codes for designating a sensing direction of said image sensing means, and

wherein the file name is composed of characters indicating parameters for controlling said image sensing means.

30. The storage medium according to claim 29, wherein said information includes image sensing schedule information.