Camera control system that controls a plurality of linked cameras

• US 6,909,457 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukasawa, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHIPKEY, JASON T
• Application Number:
  US09/401,983
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/211.99, 348/211.3, 348/211.4, 348/211.6, 348/211.9, 348/211.11, 348/159, 348/218.1
• US Class Current: 348/211.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

In order to allow the user to access an arbitrary camera from an arbitrary camera client via a network, and to cause a plurality of cameras to perform a linked movement, a camera linkage server includes a communication path to each camera client, a client control module for controlling a camera used by the camera client, a communication path to each camera server, a camera server control module for controlling the camera used by the camera server, a camera server for controlling each of a plurality of cameras, a camera control module for controlling a camera client having an operation right for the camera and a state of the camera, and a linkage control module, having linked-movement defining information for defining a linked movement between each camera and other cameras, for recognizing a request for connection from an arbitrary camera client to an arbitrary camera via a corresponding client control module, and providing the other camera to perform a linked movement in accordance with the request for the connection with a request for connection via a corresponding camera server control module and a corresponding camera control module, based on the linked-operation defining information.

Claims

1. A camera control system for controlling a linked operation of a plurality of cameras via a network, said system comprising:

camera setting means for setting a plurality of cameras connected to the network as cameras to be linked with one another;

movement setting means for setting conditions and contents of a linked movement for each of the cameras set by said camera setting means;

camera-state-information acquisition means for acquiring information relating to a state of at least one photographing parameter of the plurality of cameras set by said camera setting means;

starting means for starting, when a camera satisfying the conditions of the linked movement set by said movement setting means is present based on the state information acquired by said camera-state-information acquisition means, the contents of the linked movement corresponding to the conditions of the linked movement set by said movement setting means; and

output means for outputting a control command corresponding to the contents of the linked movement to at least one camera to be linked with the camera satisfying the set conditions.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said camera setting means comprises identifier storage means for storing an identifier for a camera assigned by an arbitrary client apparatus to perform a linked movement.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

operation-right request means for requesting, when a request for an operation right for a camera from an arbitrary client apparatus has been received, the operation right for the camera, and an operation right for at least one camera which performs a linked movement with the camera.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

information storage means for storing, when it has been impossible to acquire an operation right for any one of the cameras to be linked for which operation rights have been requested by said operation-right request means, information defining a control to be performed in such a case,

wherein said output means outputs a control command to a camera which performs a linked movement based on the information stored in said information storage means.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storage means is a control of forcedly acquiring an operation right for the camera which is already being used.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storage means is a control of replacing a camera which is already being used with an alternative camera.

7. A system according to claim 4, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storage means is a control of waiting for a predetermined time period until an operation right for a camera which is already being used is acquired.

8. A system according to claim 4, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storage means comprises:

(a) a control of forcedly acquiring an operation right for a camera which is already being used;

(b) a control of replacing the camera which is already being used with an alternative camera; and

(c) a control of waiting for a predetermined time period until an operation right for the camera which is already being used is acquired.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one photographing parameter comprises one of camera tilt, pan and zoom.

10. A camera control method for controlling a linked operation of a plurality of cameras via a network, said method comprising:

a camera setting step of setting a plurality of cameras connected to the network as cameras to be linked with one another;

a movement setting step of setting conditions and contents of a linked movement for each of the cameras set in said camera setting step;

a camera-state-information acquiring step of acquiring information relating to a state of at least one photographing, parameter of the plurality of cameras set in said camera setting step,

a starting step of starting, when a camera satisfying the conditions of the linked movement set in said movement setting step is present based on the state information acquired in said camera-state-information acquiring step, the contents of the linked movement corresponding to the conditions of the linked movement set in said movement setting step; and

an output step of outputting a control command corresponding to the contents of the linked movement to at least one camera to be linked with the camera satisfying the set conditions.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said camera setting step comprises an identifier storing step of storing an identifier for a camera assigned by an arbitrary client apparatus to perform a linked movement.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

an operation-right requesting step of requesting, when a request for an operation right for a camera from an arbitrary client apparatus has been received, the operation right for the camera, and an operation right for at least one camera which performs a linked movement with the camera.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

an information storing step of storing, when it has been impossible to acquire an operation right for any one of the cameras to be linked for which operation rights have been requested in said operation-right requesting step, information defining a control to be performed in such a case,

wherein said output step outputs a control command to a camera which performs a linked movement based on the information stored in said information storing step.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storing step is a control of forcedly acquiring an operation right for a camera which is already being used.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storing step is a control of replacing the camera which is already being used with an alternative camera.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storing step is an operation of waiting for a predetermined time period until an operation right for the camera which is already being used is acquired.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the control information to be performed stored in said information storing step includes:

(a) a control of forcedly acquiring an operation right for a camera which is already being used;

(b) a control of replacing the camera which is already being used with an alternative camera; and

(c) a control of waiting for a predetermined time period until an operation right for the camera which is already being used is acquired.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the at least one photographing parameter comprises one of camera tilt, pan and zoom.

19. A storage medium storing an operation processing program for controlling a linked operation of a plurality of cameras via a network, said program comprising the processes of:

setting a plurality of cameras connected to the network as cameras to be linked with one another;

setting conditions and contents of a linked movement for each of the set cameras;

acquiring information relating to a state of at least one photographing parameter of the plurality of set cameras, starting, when a camera satisfying the set conditions of the linked movement is present based on the acquired state information, the contents of the linked movement corresponding to the set conditions of the linked movement; and

outputting a control command corresponding to the contents of the linked operation to at least one camera to be linked with the camera satisfying the set conditions.

20. A storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the at least one photographing parameter comprises one of camera tilt, pan and zoom.