Camera operation apparatus

• US 6,856,346 B1
• Filed: 04/12/1999
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Taisuke, Morita, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, Vu, Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/289,855
• Time in Patent Office: 2,136 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.05, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/211.99, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 348/211.3, 348/211.4, 348/211.6, 348/211.8, 348/211.11, 348/211.12, 348/211.13
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• 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 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

It is an object to provide a camera control system which can immediately cope with control of a plurality of kinds of video cameras. At least one module for generating a camera control command corresponding to each kind of camera is stored. Information associated with a kind of camera serving as a control target is recognized. A module for generating the camera control command is selected from at least one module on the basis of the information associated with the recognized kind of camera.

Claims

1. A camera operation apparatus for operating a camera via a network, comprising:

a storage device for storing at least one module for generating a control command for the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

a recognition device for recognizing information associated with a kind of camera subject to control;

a selection device for selecting a module for generating the control command for the camera from said at least one module, on the basis of the information associated with the kind of camera recognized by said recognition device; and

a module request device, connected to the network, for requesting through the network, transmission of the module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized by said recognition device to a device having the module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized by said recognition device, when said camera operation apparatus has no module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized by said recognition device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control right request device to requesting a control right for the camera to a camera server executing control of the camera,

wherein the information associated with the kind of camera is attached to a control right obtaining notice for the camera notified from the camera server in response to a request to the control right for the camera by said control right request device.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device for displaying a window for operating the camera, on the basis of the module selected by said selection device,

wherein said display device changes at least display contents for operation in said window in accordance with a kind of camera.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera operation apparatus allows at least one of panning and tilting operations of the camera.

5. A camera operation apparatus for operating a camera via a network, comprising:

a storage device for storing at least one module for generating a control command for the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

a recognition device for recognizing information associated with a kind of camera subject to control;

a selection device for automatically selecting a module for generating the control command for the camera from said at least one module, on the basis of the information associated with the kind of camera recognized by said recognition device; and

a display device for displaying a window for operating the camera, on the basis of the module selected by said selection device,

wherein said display device changes at least display contents for operation in said window in accordance with a kind of functions the camera can perform.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said camera operation apparatus allows at least one of panning and tilting operations of the camera.

7. A camera operation method of operating a camera via a network, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one module for generating a control command and for the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

recognizing information associated with a kind of camera subject to control;

selecting a module for generating the control command for the camera from said at least one module, on the basis of the information associated with the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step; and

requesting through the network, transmission of the module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step to a device having the module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step, when there is no module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

requesting a control right for the camera to a camera server executing control of the camera,

wherein the information associated with the kind of camera is attached to a control right obtaining notice for the camera notified from the camera server in response to a request to the control right for the camera in the requesting step.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

displaying a window for operating the camera, on the basis of the module selected in the selecting step,

wherein said displaying step changes at least display contents for operation in said window in accordance with a kind of camera.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said camera operation method allows at least one of panning and tilting operations of the camera.

11. A camera operation method of operating a camera via a network, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one module for generating a control command for the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

recognizing information associated with a kind of camera subject to a control;

selecting automatically a module for generating the control command for the camera from said at least one module, on the basis of the information associated with the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step; and

displaying a window for operating the camera, on the basis of the module selected in the selecting step,

wherein said displaying step changes at least display contents for operation said window in accordance with a kind of functions the camera can perform.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said camera operation method allows at least one of panning and tilting operations of the camera.

13. A storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for executing a camera operation processing comprising the steps of:

storing at least ane module for generating a control command for a camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

recognizing information associated with a kind of camera subject to control;

selecting a module for generating the control command for the camera from said at least one module, on the basis of the information associated with the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step; and

requesting through a network, transmission of the module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step to a device having the module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step when there is no module corresponding to the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step.

14. A medium according to claim 13, wherein the processing further comprises the step of:

requesting a control right for the camera to a camera sever executing control of the camera,

wherein the information associated with the kind of camera is attached to a control right obtaining notice for the camera notified from the camera server in response to a request to the control right for the camera in the requesting step.

15. A medium according to claim 13, wherein the processing further comprises the step of:

displaying a window for operating the camera, on the basis of the module selected in the selecting step,

wherein said display step includes changing display contents for operation on at least the window in accordance with a kind of camera.

16. A:

medium according to claim 13, wherein the processing allows at least one of panning and tilting operations of the camera.

17. A storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for executing a camera operation processing comprising the steps of:

storing at least one module for generating a control command for a camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

recognizing information associated with a kind of camera subject to control;

selecting automatically a module for generating the control command for the camera from said at least one module, on the basis of the information associated with the kind of camera recognized in the recognizing step; and

displaying a window for operating the camera, on the basis of the module selected in the selecting step;

wherein said displaying step changes at least display contents for operation in said window in accordance with a kind of functions the camera can perform.

18. A medium according to claim 17, wherein the processing allows at least one of panning and tilting operations of the camera.

19. A camera server for controlling a camera on the basis of a control instruction received from a camera operation apparatus via a network, comprising:

a storage device for storing at least one module for controlling the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

a selection device for selecting a module for controlling the camera from said at least one module; and

a module request device for requesting through the network, transmission of the module corresponding to the kind of current camera connected with said camera server, when no module corresponding to the kind of current connected camera is stored by said storage device.

20. A camera server according to claim 19, wherein the control instruction is at least one of panning, tilting and zooming operations of the camera.

21. A camera server according to claim 19, wherein when the transmission of the module is achieved, the restart-up of said camera server is performed.

22. A method of controlling a camera server for controlling a camera on the basis of a control instruction received from a camera operation apparatus via a network, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one module for controlling the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

selecting a module for controlling the camera from said at least one module; and

requesting through the network, transmission of the module corresponding to the kind of current camera connected with said camera server, when no module corresponding to the kind of current connected camera is stored in said storing step.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the control instruction is at least one of panning, tilting and zooming operations of the camera.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein when the transmission of the module is achieved, the restart-up of said camera server is performed.

25. A storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for executing a method of controlling a camera server for controlling a camera on the basis of a control instruction received from a camera operation apparatus via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

storing at least one module for controlling the camera in accordance with each kind of camera;

selecting a module for controlling the camera from said at least one module; and

requesting through the network, transmission of the module corresponding to the kind of current camera connected with said camera server, when no module corresponding to the kind of current connected camera is stored in said storing step.

26. A storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the control instruction is at least one of panning, tilting and zooming operations of the camera.

27. A storage medium according to claim 25, wherein when the transmission of the module is achieved, the restart-up of said camera server is performed.