Monitor camera system and method of displaying picture from monitor camera thereof

• US 6,744,461 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Security Video Camera Systems Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kogane, Haruo, Wakiyama, Koji, Ikoma, Ken, Wada, Jyoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims
• Application Number:
  US09/649,173
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/159, 348/211.11, 348/211.15, 348/144, 348/161, 348/153, 348/151, 348/150, 348/152, 382/103
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

In a monitor camera system comprising a monitor camera making 360-degree panning rotation and more-than 90-degree tilting rotation and a control unit for controlling the monitor camera, for masking a privacy zone in a picture taken by the monitor camera, the control unit sets mask data through the use of a contour parameter of a configuration of a mask zone for covering the privacy zone, while the monitor camera side holds the mask data to mask a portion of the picture with the mask zone defined on the basis of the mask data. According to this monitor camera system, since only a portion of the picture is masked with the mask zone, it is possible to protect the privacy from the picture taken by the monitor camera without impairing the monitoring function. In addition, since the monitor camera side holds the mask data, quick processing becomes feasible.

Claims

1. A monitor camera system comprising:

a monitor camera rotatable in panning directions and in tilting directions; and

control means for controlling said monitor camera, said monitor camera holding mask data to be used in masking a privacy zone predetermined in a picture taken by said monitor camera, said control means forming a mask zone based on the mask data so that the mask zone covers the privacy zone of the picture, thereby displaying the picture while masking the privacy zone by the mask zone.

2. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein said control means sets said mask data through the use of a contour parameter of a configuration of a mask zone for covering said privacy zone.

3. The monitor camera system according to claim 2, wherein the setting of said mask data is made on a central portion of said picture taken by said monitor camera.

4. The monitor camera system according to claim 2, wherein said control means uses, as said contour parameter, center coordinates and size coefficient of said mask zone configuration for setting said mask data.

5. The monitor camera system according to claim 2, wherein said control means uses, as said contour parameter, center coordinates of said mask zone configuration and a radius of said mask zone configuration for setting said mask data.

6. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein said monitor camera holds said mask data produced on the basis of center coordinates and one or more contour size parameters of said mask zone configuration.

7. The monitor camera system according to claim 2, wherein said control means uses, as said contour parameter, coordinates of a left upper vertex and a right lower vertex of said mask zone configuration for setting said mask data.

8. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein the masking is inhibited in a region in which a tilt angle is below a predetermined value.

9. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein said control means manages a number of masks included in one scene taken by said monitor camera, and inhibits the setting of masks, whose number exceeds a predetermined value, in the one scene.

10. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein said mask data, together with a number or name indicative of a mask zone for covering said privacy zone, is held in said monitor camera.

11. The monitor camera system according to claim 10, wherein, when receiving said number or said name from said control means, said monitor camera provides a display of a mask zone determined by said mask data held together with said number or said name.

12. The monitor camera system according to claim 11, wherein, when receiving said number or said name from said control means in a mask correction mode, said monitor camera provides a display of a mask zone corresponding to said number or said name.

13. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein said monitor camera inverts vertically said mask data held therein when masking said privacy zone.

14. The monitor camera system according to claim 2, wherein setting or cancellation of said mask data is made only when a password is inputted to said control means.

15. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein, when a position of said mask zone for covering said privacy zone deviates from a central position of a screen displaying a picture taken by said monitor camera, said monitor camera corrects a configuration of said mask zone.

16. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein, when a plurality of mask zones appear in one scene, said monitor camera converts said plurality of mask zones into one enlarged mask zone prior to masking processing.

17. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein, in a case in which a mask zone is set on a screen for displaying a picture taken by said monitor camera, said control means controls a moving speed of said monitor camera to a mask processing ability.

18. A method of displaying a picture taken by a monitor camera in panning directions and in tilting directions, said method comprising:

holding mask data, said mask data being set through a use of a counter parameter of a configuration of mask zone for covering a privacy zone predetermined in the picture; and

forming the mask zone based on the mask data so that the mask zone covers the privacy zone of the picture, thereby displaying the picture while masking the privacy zone by the mask zone.

19. The picture display method according to claim 18, wherein the masking is inhibited in a region in which a tilt angle is below a predetermined value.

20. The picture display method according to claim 18, wherein, when said mask zone deviates from a central portion of a screen for displaying the picture taken by said monitor camera, said mask zone configuration is corrected and displayed to cover the entire privacy zone.

21. The picture display method according to claim 18, wherein the masking is stopped when a moving speed of said monitor camera exceeds a predetermined value.

22. The picture display method according to claim 18, wherein a number or name is related to said mask data to be displayed together with said mask zone.

23. The picture display method according to claim 22, wherein said mask zone is displayed in response to an input of said number or said name for correction of said mask zone.