Control apparatus, control system, control method and storage medium of the same

• US 6,903,765 B1
• Filed: 07/12/1999
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Bannai, Yuichi, Takagi, Tsuneyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/351,591
• Time in Patent Office: 2,157 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N00.7/18, 348/159, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/211.99, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 3482113-2119, 348/211.11, 348/211.13, 348/211.14
• US Class Current: 348/211.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Herein provided is a control system capable of efficiently and assuredly performing a remote-control of a plurality of instruments. When the plurality of instruments, which are connected to a network 600 and controllable by a computer, namely a first camera 300 and a second camera 400 as shown in FIG. 1, are remotely and simultaneously controlled, the present system is constituted so that a control right of the second camera 400 acquired by a certain client enables the client to control even the first camera while disenables other clients except for the client which acquires the control right to control both the first camera 300 and second camera 400. Accordingly, it turns unnecessary to individually acquire all of the control rights to control the related instruments, first camera 300 and the second camera 400.

Claims

1. A control apparatus capable of controlling first instrument and second instrument which have specified functions and move relatedly with mutual movements, comprising:

a control right acquisition device for acquiring a control right to control the second instrument by using one acquisition command;

a control restriction device for restricting to control both the first instrument and second instrument when the control right of the second instrument is acquired by another apparatus; and

a control permission device for permitting to control both the first instrument and the second instrument when the control right of the second instrument is acquired by using said one acquisition command.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said control restriction device invalidates a control command for controlling the first instrument and the second instrument when another apparatus acquires the control right.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device for displaying at least information about the control right.

4. A control system capable of controlling first instrument and second instrument, which are connected to a network and move relatedly with mutual movements, from remote locations, comprising:

a control right acquisition device for acquiring a control right to control the second instrument by using acquisition command;

a control restriction device for restricting to control both the first instrument and second instrument when the control right of the second instrument is acquired by another apparatus; and

a control permission device for permitting to control both the first instrument and the second instrument when the control right of the second instrument is acquired by using said one acquisition command.

5. The control system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a display device for displaying at least information about the control right.

6. A method of controlling first instrument and second instrument, which have specified functions and move relatedly with mutual movements, comprising:

a control right acquisition step of acquiring a control right to control the second instrument by using one acquisition command;

a control restriction step of restricting to control both the first instrument and second instrument when the control right of the second instrument is acquired by another apparatus; and

a control permission step of permitting to control both the first instrument and the second instrument when the control right of the second instrument is acquired by using said one acquisition command.

7. The control method according to claim 6, wherein:

said control restriction step includes a step of invalidating a control command for controlling the first instrument and the second instrument when another apparatus acquires the control right.

8. A method of controlling first camera and second camera, which are connected to a network and move relatedly with mutual movements, from a plurality of remote locations comprising:

a control right acquisition step of acquiring a control right to control the second camera by using one acquisition command;

a control restriction step of restricting to control both the first camera and second camera when the control right of the second camera is acquired by another apparatus; and

a control permission step of permitting to control both the first camera and the second camera when the control right of the second camera is acquired by using said one acquisition command.

9. The control method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display step of displaying at least information about control right.

10. A control apparatus capable of controlling first camera and second camera, which move relatedly with mutual movements, comprising:

a control right acquisition device for acquiring a control right to control the second camera by using acquisition command;

a control restriction device for restricting to control both the first camera and second camera when the control right of the second camera is acquired by another apparatus; and

a control permission device for permitting to control both the first camera and the second camera when the control right of the second camera is acquired by using said one acquisition command.