Image distributing system

• US 6,727,940 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1999
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishida, Yoshihiro, Oka, Hiroto, Takagi, Tsuneyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Villecco, John M
• Application Number:
  US09/363,259
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 340/211.3, 340/14.09, 340/38, 340/39, 340/36, 340/143, 340/552, 340/207.1, 340/207.11, 340/211.99, 340/211.8, 340/211.7, 340/211.9, 340/218.1, 709/203, 709/211
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• 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

This invention allows a user to simultaneously control geometric parameters for a camera and suppresses a deterioration in the image quality of distributed video images while keeping the cost low. The invention includes an image sensing area calculation unit for calculating a minimum image sensing area including required areas from clients, a required video image forming unit for forming required video images by extracting video images of the respective required areas from a video image of the image sensing area which is sensed, and a video image transmission I/F for distributing the formed required video images to the respective clients. Only the minimum area including the respective required areas is sensed, and video images of the respective required areas are cut from the video image and distributed to the respective users, thereby allowing a plurality of users to simultaneously control the camera and obtain video images at desired viewpoints and view angles. In addition, since only one camera is used, the required cost can be kept low, and the electronic zoom magnifications of video images to be distributed can be suppressed low, thereby minimizing a deterioration in the image quality of each required video image.

Claims

1. An image distributing system for distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled through a network, comprising:

a receiving unit which receives information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control unit which controls said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective terminals, wherein said control unit calculates an image sensing direction in which the image sensing area of said camera which is required from each of said client terminals is included, and controls panning and/or tilting of said camera in accordance with the calculated image sensing direction; and

a distributing unit which extracts images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled by said control unit and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit which, when there is a client terminal whose required image sensing area is not included in the image sensing area of said camera which is controlled by said control means, transmits information indicating an error to said client terminal.

3. An image distributing system for distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving unit which receives information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control unit which controls said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein said control unit calculates a minimum view angle in which the image sensing area of said camera which is required from each of said client terminals is included, and controls zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle; and

a distributing unit which extracts images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled by said control unit and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

4. An image distributing system for distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving unit which receives information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control unit which controls said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein said control unit controls said camera such that the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from the maximum number of client terminals, of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, are included in a zooming range in which said camera can be driven, when all the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals cannot be included in the zooming range of said camera; and

a distributing unit which extracts images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled by said control unit and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said control unit calculates a minimum view angle in which the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from the maximum number of client terminals are included within the zooming range of said camera, and controls zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein when a plurality of combinations of the image sensing areas of said camera required from the maximum number of client terminals are included in the zooming range of said camera, said control unit selects a combination, of the combinations, with which a minimum view angle is set, and controls said camera in accordance with the minimum view angle including the selected combination of the image sensing areas.

7. An image distributing system for distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving unit which receives information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control unit which controls said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein said control unit controls said camera to include the image sensing areas, of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, which exist in a range determined in accordance with statistical information of the required image sensing areas of said camera; and

a distributing unit which extracts images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled by said control unit and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said control unit calculates a minimum view angle in which the image sensing areas existing in the range determined in accordance with the statistical information of the image sensing areas of said camera are included, and controls zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle.

9. An image distributing system for distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving unit which receives information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control unit which controls said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals;

a distributing unit which extracts images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled by said control unit and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals; and

a transmission unit which, when the image sensing area of said camera which is newly required information received by said receiving unit is not included in a current image sensing area of said camera, transmits information indicating that the requirement is in a standby state to a client sending the newly-required information.

10. An image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating an image sensing direction in which the image sensing area of said camera which is required from each of said client terminals is included, and a step of controlling panning and/or tilting of said camera in accordance with the calculated image sensing direction; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the cut images to said respective client terminals.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising a transmission step of, when there is a client terminal whose required image sensing area is not included in the image sensing area of said camera which is controlled in the control step, transmitting information indicating an error to said client terminal.

12. An image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating a minimum view angle in which the image sensing area of said camera which is required from each of said client terminals is included, and a step of controlling zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the cut images to said respective client terminals.

13. An image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of controlling said camera such that the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from the maximum number of client terminals, of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, are included in a zooming range in which said camera can be driven, when all the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals cannot be included in the zooming range of said camera; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the cut images to said respective client terminals.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating a minimum view angle in which the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from the maximum number of client terminals are included within the zooming range of said camera, and a step of controlling zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the control step includes a step of, when a plurality of combinations of the image sensing areas of said camera required from the maximum number of client terminals are included in the zooming range of said camera, selecting a combination, of the combinations, with which a minimum view angle is set, and a step of controlling said camera in accordance with the minimum view angle including the selected combination of the image sensing areas.

16. An image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas, of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, which exist in a range determined in accordance with statistical information of the required image sensing areas of said camera; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the cut images to said respective client terminals.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating a minimum view angle in which the image sensing areas existing in the range determined in accordance with the statistical information of the image sensing areas of said camera are included, and a step of controlling zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle.

18. An image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting, and zooming can be controlled, through a network, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of said camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals;

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the cut images to said respective client terminals; and

a transmission step of, when the image sensing area of said camera which is newly required information received in the receiving step is not included in a current image sensing area of said camera, transmitting information indicating that the requirement is in a standby state to a client sending the newly-required information.

19. A recording medium for computer-readably storing a program for executing an image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting and zooming can be controlled, through a network, said image distributing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of a camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating an image sensing direction in which the image sensing area of said camera which is required from each of said client terminals is included, and a step of controlling panning and/or tilting of said camera in accordance with the calculated image sensing direction; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

20. A medium according to claim 19, further comprising a transmission step of, when there is a client terminal whose required image sensing area is not included in the image sensing area of said camera which is controlled in the control step, transmitting information indicating an error to said client terminal.

21. A recording medium for computer-readably storing a program for executing an image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting and zooming can be controlled, through a network, said image distributing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of a camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating a minimum view angle in which the image sensing area of said camera which is required from each of said client terminals is included, and a step of controlling zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

22. A recording medium for computer-readably storing a program for executing an image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting and zooming can be controlled, through a network, and image distributing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of a camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of controlling said camera such that the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from the maximum number of client terminals, of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, are included in a zooming range in which said camera can be driven, when all the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals cannot be included in the zooming range of said camera; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

23. A medium according to claim 22, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating a minimum view angle in which the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from the maximum number of client terminals are included within the zooming range of said camera, and a step of controlling zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle.

24. A medium according to claim 23, wherein the control step includes a step of, when a plurality of combinations of the image sensing areas of said camera required from the maximum number of client terminals are included in the zooming range of said camera, selecting a combination, of the combinations, with which a minimum view angle is set, and a step of controlling said camera in accordance with the minimum view angle including the selected combination of the image sensing areas.

25. A recording medium for computer-readably storing a program for executing an image distributing method of distributing images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting and zooming can be controlled, through a network, said image distributing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of a camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, wherein the control step includes a step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas, of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, which exist in a range determined in accordance with statistical information of the required image sensing areas of said camera; and

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals.

26. A medium according to claim 25, wherein the control step includes a step of calculating a minimum view angle in which the image sensing areas existing in the range determined in accordance with the statistical information of the image sensing areas of said camera are included, and a step of controlling zooming of said camera in accordance with the calculated view angle.

27. A recording medium for computer-readably storing a program for executing an image distributing method of distributing, images from a camera at least one of whose panning, tilting and zooming can be controlled, through a network, said image distributing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving information about an image sensing area of a camera which is required by each of a plurality of client terminals;

a control step of controlling said camera to include the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals;

a distributing step of extracting images of the image sensing areas of said camera which are required from said respective client terminals, from an image sensed by said camera controlled in the control step and distributing the extracted images to said respective client terminals; and

a transmission step of, when the image sensing area of said camera which is newly required information received in the receiving step is not included in a current image sensing area of said camera, transmitting information indicating that the requirement is in a standby state to a client sending the newly-required information.