Camera control using scroll bar for tilt control and having display of tilting direction and controllable range information

• US 6,919,921 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1998
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Morota, Masayuki, Tanaka, Koichiro, Yonezawa, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannett, James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/088,217
• Time in Patent Office: 2,605 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.11, 348/211.8, 348/211.13, 348/14.03, 348/14.07, 348/159, 348/153, 348/143, 702/188
• US Class Current: 348/211.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19693 using multiple video sources viewed on a single or compound screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• 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 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A camera control system is arranged to improve operability of at least a camera or each of a plurality of cameras for panning and tilting control over the camera by permitting simultaneous confirmation of the photo-taking postures of the camera in the direction of tilting as well as in the direction of panning. The operability is improved by arranging a tilt control panel to be displayed to permit control in the tilting direction of the camera when a camera icon indicative of the camera is selected on a map displayed at a monitor.

Claims

1. A camera control system for controlling an image pickup direction of a camera connected to said camera control system through a network, said camera control system comprising:

a map display control device adapted to display a map;

a first camera index indicative of a position of the camera in a state of being superimposed on the map and a second camera index on the map, indicative of a state of a current tilting direction of the camera in relation to the fist camera index by changing the shape of said second camera index without depending on a state of a current panning direction of the camera;

a tilting direction display control device adapted to display information on the current tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to a designated second camera index and information on the controllable range in the tilting direction of the camera in response to designating the second camera index, by using a scroll bar; and

a communicating device adapted to receive an image picked up by the camera;

wherein said tilting direction display control device display the information of the current tilting direction of the camera and information on the controllable range in association with the change of shape of the second camera index.

2. A camera control system according to claim 1, wherein said communicating device outputs a command for, in response to designating the second camera index, enabling the tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to the designated second camera index, to be controlled.

3. A camera control system according to claim 1, wherein said second camera index is displayed in response to designating the first camera index.

4. A camera control system according to claim 1, wherein the second camera index is an icon, and indicates the state of the tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to said icon.

5. A camera control system according to claim 1, wherein said communicating device outputs a command for enabling the tilting direction of the camera to be controlled in response to designating and moving the index on the scroll bar.

6. A camera control system according to claim 5, wherein the second camera index indicates the tilting direction of the camera in association with movement of the index on the scroll bar.

7. A control method for a camera control system for controlling an image pickup direction of a camera connected to said camera control system through a network, said control method comprising:

a map display step for displaying a map;

a first camera index display step of displaying a first camera index indicative of a position of the camera in a state of being superimposed on the map; and

a second camera index display step of displaying a second camera index on the map indicative of a state of a current tilting direction of the camera in relation to the first camera index by changing the shape of said second camera without depending on a state of a current passing direction of the camera;

a displaying information display step of displaying information on the current tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to a designated second camera index and information on the controllable range in the tilting direction of the camera in response to designating the second camera index, by using a scroll bar; and

wherein said displaying information display step displays the information of the current tilting direction of the camera and information on the controllable range in association with the change of shape of the second camera index.

8. A control method according to claim 7, further comprising a control step of, in response to designating the second camera index displayed by said second camera index display step, enabling the tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to the designated second camera index, to be controlled.

9. A control method according to claim 7, wherein said second camera index display step is arranged to display the second camera index in response to designating the first camera index.

10. A control method according to claim 7, wherein the second camera index displayed by said second camera index display step is an icon, and indicates the state of the tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to said icon.

11. A control method according to claim 7, wherein said control step is arranged to enable the tilting direction of the camera to be controlled in response to designating and moving the index displayed by said tilting direction display step.

12. A control method according to claim 11, wherein the second camera index displayed by said second camera index display step indicates the tilting direction of the camera in association with movement of the index displayed by said tilting direction display step.

13. A storage medium which stores therein a program for operating functions of a camera control system for controlling an image pickup direction of a camera connected to said camera control system through a network, said program comprising processes of:

displaying a map;

displaying a first camera index indicative of a position of the camera in a state of being superimposed on the map; and

displaying a second camera index, on the map, indicative of a state of a current tilting direction of the camera in relation to the first camera index by changing the shape of said second camera index without depending on a state of a current panning direction of the camera;

displaying information on the current tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to a designated second camera index and information on the controllable range in the tilting direction of the camera in response to designating the second camera index, by using a scroll bar; and

wherein said displaying step displays the information of the current tilting direction of the camera and information on the controllable range in association with the change of shape of the second camera index.

14. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further comprises a process of, in response to designating the second camera index displayed, enabling the tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to the designated second camera index, to be controlled.

15. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further comprises a process of displaying the second camera index in response to designating the first camera index.

16. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further comprises a process of causing the displayed second camera index to indicate the tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to the second camera index.

17. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein said program further comprises a process of enabling the tilting direction of the camera to be controlled in response to designating and moving the index displayed on the scroll bar.

18. A storage medium according to claim 17, wherein said program further comprises a process of causing the second camera index displayed to indicate the tilting direction of the camera in association with movement of the index displayed on the scroll bar.

19. A camera control system for controlling an image pickup direction of a camera connected to said camera control system through communication medium, said camera control system comprising:

a camera index display control device adapted to display a camera index indicative of a state of a current tilting direction of the camera by changing the shape of said camera index;

a tilting direction display control device adapted to display information on the current tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to a designated camera index and information on the controllable range in the tilting direction of the camera in association with the change of the shape of the designated camera index, in response to designating said camera index, by using a scroll bar separately formed from said camera index.

20. A camera control system according to claim 19, further comprising, a map display control device adapted to display a map and an icon indicative of the position of a camera on the map;

wherein said camera index display control device display the camera index, in accordance with designating the icon on the map.

21. A camera control system according to claim 19, wherein said tilting direction display control device display a numerical value of tilting direction, in accordance with the position of the scroll bar.

22. A camera control system according to claim 19, wherein the change of the shape of the designated camera index is implemented in accordance with the dragging a pointer on the camera index.

23. A camera control system according to claim 19, wherein said camera index display control device displays the camera index in association with the change of the position of the scroll bar.

24. A camera control method for a camera control system for controlling an image pickup direction of a camera connected to said camera control system through communication medium, said camera control method comprising:

a camera index display step of displaying a camera index indicative of a state of a current tilting direction of the camera by changing the shape of said camera index;

a displaying information display step of displaying information on the current tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to a designated camera index and information on the controllable range in the tilting direction of the camera in association with the change of the shape of the designated camera index, in response to designating said camera index, by using a scroll bar separately formed from said camera index.

25. A control method according to claim 24, further comprising, a control step of displaying a map and an icon indicative of the position of a camera on the map;

wherein said control step displays the camera index, in accordance with designating the icon on the map.

26. A control method according to claim 24, wherein said displaying information displaying step displays a numerical value of tilting direction, in accordance with the position of the scroll bar.

27. A control method according to claim 24, wherein the change of the shape of the designated camera index is implemented in accordance with the dragging a pointer on the camera index.

28. A camera control system according to claim 24, wherein said camera index display step displays the camera index in association with the change of the position of the scroll bar.

29. A storage medium which stores therein a program for operating functions of a control method for a camera control system for controlling an image pickup direction of a camera connected to said camera control system through communication medium, said program comprising processes of:

displaying a camera index indicative of a state of a current tilting direction of the camera by changing the shape of said camera index;

displaying information on the current tilting direction of a camera which corresponds to a designated camera index and information on the controllable range in the tilting direction of the camera in association with the change of the shape of the designated camera index, in response to designating said camera index, by using a scroll bar separately formed from said camera index.

30. A control method according to claim 29, further comprising, displaying a map and an icon indicative of the position of a camera on the map;

wherein said the camera index is displayed, in accordance with designating the icon on the map.

31. A control method according to claim 29, wherein said displaying information displays a numerical value of tilting direction, in accordance with the position of the scroll bar.

32. A control method according to claim 29, wherein the change of the shape of the designated camera index is implemented in accordance with the dragging a pointer on the camera index.

33. A camera control system according to claim 29, wherein said camera index display step displays the camera index in association with the change of the position of the scroll bar.