Camera control system

• US 7,106,364 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kazama, Youichi, Suzuki, Kazuko, Noro, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Christensen, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Application Number:
  US09/118,754
• Time in Patent Office: 2,979 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.08, 348/14.05, 348/213, 348/211.3, 348/211.1, 348/14.09, 348/211.4, 348/211.5, 348/552, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/211.6
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A camera server includes a video transmitting part for transmitting a video signal of a video camera to each of a plurality of camera clients in response to their request to acquire the control right of the video camera and their requests to transmit video information of the video cameras, a permission command issuring part for issuing a command to permit control of the video camera in response to the request to acquire the control right of the video camera, and an automatic control part for executing automatic control of the video camera if the command to permit control of the video camera is not issued.

Claims

1. A camera control system for controlling a video camera from a computer terminal via a network, comprising:

a video transmitting device adapted to transmit image signals obtained by the video camera; and

a control device adapted to control the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal;

wherein said control device is adapted to start to execute automatic control of the video camera with transmitting image signals obtained by the automatic control to the computer terminal if the control command for the video camera is not received from the computer terminal for a predetermined period.

2. A camera control system according to claim 1,

wherein said control device stops automatic control of the video camera if the video image of the video camera is not outputted by said video transmitting device.

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

an issuing device adapted to issue a control right of the video camera to one of a plurality of computer terminals which makes a request to acquire the control right of the video camera which is required for said control device to control the video camera,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals by said issuing device.

4. A camera control system according to claim 3, wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera if a predetermined time period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released.

5. A camera control system according to claim 3, further comprising:

video transmitting device adapted to transmit a video image of the video camera in response to a request from each of the plurality of computer terminals,

wherein said control device stops automatic control of the video camera if the video image of the video camera is not outputted from said video transmitting device to any computer terminal other than the computer terminal to which the control right of the video camera is issued.

6. A camera control system according to claim 3, wherein said issuing device issues control rights of a predetermined plurality of video cameras to one computer terminal.

7. A camera control system according to claim 6, wherein said control device executes automatic control of the predetermined plurality of video cameras if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are not issued to any of the computer terminals by said issuing device.

8. A camera control system according to claim 6, wherein said control device executes automatic control of the predetermined plurality of video cameras excluding a video camera whose control right is received, if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are issued to one computer terminal by said issuing device.

9. A camera control system according to claim 6, wherein said control device executes automatic control of video cameras whose control rights are not received for a predetermined time period, from among the predetermined plurality of video cameras, if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are issued to one computer terminal by said issuing device.

10. A camera control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory which stores a loci of an image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of the loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored in said memory.

11. A camera control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory which stores at least one image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in said memory.

12. A camera control system according to claim 11, wherein said memory stores an image pickup direction relative to a control position in a range in which the video camera can pick up an image.

13. A camera control system according to claim 10, wherein said storage device stores at least one of a zoom magnification, a subject distance and an on/off state of a backlight correction of the video camera, correspondingly with the image pickup direction of the video camera.

14. A camera control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a measuring device adapted to divide a range of a controllable image pickup direction of the video camera into a plurality of ranges and measuring a time period which elapses when the video camera is being controlled in accordance with a control command from one of the plurality of computer terminals in each of divided ranges,

wherein said control device controls an image pickup direction of the video camera within a particular range of the plurality of divided ranges in which particular range a total of the time periods measured by said measuring device is largest.

15. A camera control system according to claim 7,

wherein if automatic control is being executed by said control device, said video transmitting device transmits video signals from the predetermined plurality of video cameras to a computer terminal which has made the video transmission request, while changing over the video signals at intervals of a predetermined time period.

16. A camera control system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a counting device adapted to count at least one of the number of times by which the control right has been issued to each of a predetermined plurality of video cameras by said issuing device, the number of times by which a request to acquire the control right of each of the predetermined plurality of video cameras has been received from the plurality of computer terminals, and the number of times by which said video transmitting device has transmitted a video image from each of the predetermined plurality of video cameras to the plurality of computer terminals; and

a changeover device adapted to control changeover time periods of outputting of video signals of the predetermined plurality of video cameras, on the basis of the number of times counted by said counting device, wherein if automatic control is being executed by said control device, said video transmitting device changes over the video images from the predetermined plurality of video cameras on the basis of the changeover time periods controlled by said changeover device and outputs a video image to a computer terminal which has made the video transmission request.

17. A camera control system according to claim 16, wherein said changeover device controls the changeover time periods of outputting of the video signals of the predetermined plurality of video cameras in proportion to the number of times counted by said counting device.

18. A camera control system comprising:

a video camera;

a control device adapted to control the video camera;

an automatic control device adapted to start to execute automatic control of the video camera with transmitting image signals obtained by the automatic control to a computer terminal if a control command for the video camera is not received from the computer terminal for a predetermined period; and

a plurality of computer terminals for enabling said control device to output the control command for the video camera via a network.

19. A control method for a camera control system for controlling a video camera from a computer terminal via a network, said control method comprising:

a control step of controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

an automatic control step of starting to execute automatic control of the video camera with transmitting image signals obtained by the automatic control to the computer terminal if the control command for the video camera is not received from the computer terminal for a predetermined period.

20. A control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a request from a plurality of computer terminals,

wherein said automatic control step stops automatic control of the video camera if the video image of the video camera is not outputted by said video transmitting step.

21. A control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

an issuing step of issuing a control right of the video camera to one of a plurality of computer terminals which makes a request to acquire the control right of the video camera which is required for said control step to control the video camera,

wherein said automatic control step stops automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals by the issuing step.

22. A control method according to claim 21, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera if a predetermined time period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released.

23. A control method according to claim 21, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a request from each of the plurality of computer terminals,

wherein said automatic control step stops automatic control of the video camera if the video image of the video camera is not outputted by video transmitting step to any computer terminal other than the computer terminal to which the control right of the video camera is issued.

24. A control method according to claim 21, wherein said issuing step issues control rights of a predetermined plurality of video cameras to one computer terminal.

25. A control method according to claim 24, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the predetermined plurality of video cameras if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are not issued to any of the computer terminals by said issuing step.

26. A control method according to claim 24, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the predetermined plurality of video cameras excluding a video camera whose control right is received, if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are issued to one computer terminal by said issuing step.

27. A control method according to claim 24, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of video cameras whose control rights are not received for a predetermined time period, from among the predetermined plurality of video cameras, if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are issued to one computer terminal by said issuing step.

28. A control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

a storage step of storing a loci of an image pickup direction of the video camera,

wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of the loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored by said storage step.

29. A control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

a storage step of storing at least one image pickup direction of the video camera,

wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored by said storage step.

30. A control method according to claim 29, wherein said storage step stores an image pickup direction relative to a central position in a range in which the video camera can pick up an image.

31. A control method according to claim 28 or 29, wherein said storage step stores at least one of a zoom magnification, a subject distance and an on/off state of a backlight correction of the video camera, correspondingly with the image pickup direction of the video camera.

32. A control method according to claim 19, further comprising:

a measuring step of dividing a range of a controllable image pickup direction of the video camera into a plurality of ranges and measuring a time period which elapses when the video camera is being controlled in accordance with a control command from one of the plurality of computer terminals in each of the plurality of divided ranges,

wherein said automatic control step controls an image pickup direction of the video camera within a particular range of the plurality of divided ranges in which particular range a total of the time periods measured by said measuring step is largest.

33. A control method according to claim 25, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a video transmission request from each of the plurality of computer terminals,

wherein if automatic control is being executed by said automatic control step, said video transmitting step transmits video signals from the predetermined plurality of video cameras to a computer terminal which has made the video transmission request, while changing over the video signals at intervals of a predetermined time period.

34. A camera control system according to claim 21, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a video transmission request from each of the plurality of computer terminals;

a counting step of counting at least one of the number of times by which the control right has been issued to each of a predetermined plurality of video cameras by said issuing step, the number of times by which a request to acquire the control right of each of the predetermined plurality of video cameras has been received from the plurality of computer terminals, and the number of times by which said video transmitting step has transmitted a video image from each of the predetermined plurality of video cameras to the plurality of computer terminals; and

a changeover step of controlling changeover time periods of outputting of video signals of the predetermined plurality of video cameras, on the basis of the number of times counted by said counting step,

wherein if automatic control is being executed by said automatic control step, said video transmitting step changes over the video images from the predetermined plurality of video cameras on the basis of the changeover time periods controlled by said changeover step and outputs a video image to a computer terminal which has made the video transmission request.

35. A control method according to claim 34, wherein said changeover step controls the changeover time periods of outputting of the video signals of the predetermined plurality of video cameras in proportion to the number of times counted by said counting step.

36. A storage medium which stores therein a program for executing control over a camera control system for controlling a video camera from a computer terminal via a network, said program comprising processes of:

controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

starting to execute automatic control of the video camera with transmitting image signals obtained by the automatic control to the computer terminal if the control command for the video camera is not received from the computer terminal for a predetermined period.

37. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said program further comprises processes of:

transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a request from a plurality of computer terminals, and

stopping automatic control of the video camera if the video image of the video camera is not outputted.

38. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said program further comprises processes of:

issuing a control right of the video camera to one of a plurality of computer terminals which makes a request to acquire the control right of the video camera which is required to control the video camera; and

executing automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals.

39. A storage medium according to claim 38, wherein said program further comprises a process of executing automatic control of the video camera if a predetermined time period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released.

40. A storage medium according to claim 38, wherein said program further comprises processes of:

transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a request from each of the plurality of computer terminals; and

stopping automatic control of the video camera if the video image of the video camera is not outputted to any computer terminal other than the computer terminal to which the control right of the video camera is issued.

41. A storage medium according to claim 38, wherein said program further comprises a process of issuing control rights of a predetermined plurality of video cameras to one computer terminal.

42. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said program further comprises a process of executing automatic control of the predetermined plurality of video cameras if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are not issued to any of the computer terminals.

43. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said program further comprises a process of executing automatic control of the predetermined plurality of video cameras excluding a video camera whose control right is received, if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are issued to one computer terminal.

44. A storage medium according to claim 41, wherein said program further comprises a process of executing automatic control of video cameras whose control rights are not received for a predetermined time period, from among the predetermined plurality of video cameras, if the control rights of the predetermined plurality of video cameras are issued to one computer terminal.

45. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said program further comprises processes of storing a loci of an image pickup direction of the video camera, and executing automatic control of the video camera on the basis of the loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera which is stored.

46. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said program further comprises processes of storing at least one image pickup direction of the video camera, and executing automatic control of the video camera in the stored at least one image pickup direction.

47. A storage medium according to claim 46, wherein said program further comprises a process of storing an image pickup direction relative to a central position in a range in which the video camera can pick up an image.

48. A storage medium according to claim 45 or 46, wherein said program further comprises a process of storing at least one of a zoom magnification, a subject distance and an on/off state of a backlight correction of the video camera, correspondingly with the image pickup direction of the video camera.

49. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein said program further comprises processes of dividing a range of a controllable image pickup direction of the video camera into a plurality of ranges and measuring a time period which elapses when the video camera is being controlled in accordance with a control command from one of the plurality of computer terminals in each of the plurality of divided ranges, and controlling an image pickup direction of the video camera within a particular range of the plurality of divided ranges in which particular range a total of the measured time periods is largest.

50. A storage medium according to claim 42, wherein said program further comprises processes of transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a video transmission request from each of the plurality of computer terminals, and, if automatic control is being executed, transmitting video signals from the predetermined plurality of video cameras to a computer terminal which has made the video transmission request, while changing over the video signals at intervals of a predetermined time period.

51. A storage medium according to claim 38, wherein said program further comprises processes of:

transmitting a video image of the video camera in response to a video transmission request from each of the plurality of computer terminals;

counting at least one of the number of times by which the control right has been issued to each of a predetermined plurality of video cameras, the number of times by which a request to acquire the control right of each of the predetermined plurality of video cameras has been received from the plurality of computer terminals, and the number of times by which a video image has been transmitted from each of the predetermined plurality of video cameras to the plurality of computer terminals;

controlling changeover time periods of outputting of video signals of the predetermined plurality of video cameras, on the basis of the counted number of times; and

if automatic control is being executed, changing over the video images from the predetermined plurality of video cameras on the basis of the controlled changeover time periods and outputting a video image to a computer terminal which has made the video transmission requests.

52. A storage medium according to claim 51, wherein said program further comprises a process of controlling the changeover time periods of outputting of the video signals of the predetermined plurality of video cameras in proportion to the counted number of times.

53. A camera control apparatus for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, comprising:

a control device adapted to control the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

an issuing device adapted to issue a control right of the video camera which is required for said computer terminal to control the video camera, to the computer terminal, wherein if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by said issuing device for a predetermined period, after the predetermined period elapses, said control device executes automatic control of the video camera, and if the control right is issued to the computer terminal, said control device does lot execute the automatic control of the video camera.

54. A camera control apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera if a predetermined time period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released.

55. A camera control apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising:

a video transmitting device adapted to transmit image signals obtained by the video camera;

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera and said video transmitting device transmits the image signals of the controlled camera, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by said issuing device for the predetermined period.

56. A camera control apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said issuing device issues the control right of the video camera to one of a plurality of computer terminals which makes a request to request to acquire the control right of the video camera which is required for said control device to control the video camera, and

said control device executes automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals by said issuing device for the predetermined period.

57. A camera control apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising:

a memory which stores a loci of an image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of the loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored in said memory.

58. A camera control apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising:

a memory which stores at least one image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in said memory.

59. A camera control apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the image pickup direction is a central position within the controllable image pickup range of the video camera.

60. A camera control method for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, comprising:

a control step of controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

an automatic control step of, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal for a predetermined period, after the predetermined period elapses, executing automatic control of the video camera, and if the control right is issued to the computer terminal, not executing the automatic control of the video camera.

61. A camera control method according to claim 60, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera if a predetermined time period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released.

62. A camera control method according to claim 60, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting image signals obtained by the video camera;

wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera and said video transmitting step transmits the image signals of the controlled camera, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal for the predetermined period.

63. A camera control method according to claim 60, wherein said control step controls the video camera on the basis of a control command from one of a plurality of computer terminals, and

said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals for the predetermined period.

64. A camera control apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of a loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored in a memory.

65. A camera control method according to claim 60, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in a memory.

66. A camera control method according to claim 65, wherein the image pickup direction is a central position within the controllable image pickup range of the video camera.

67. A storage medium which stores therein a program for executing a camera control method for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, said program comprising the processes of:

controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal for a predetermined period, after the predetermined period elapses, executing automatic control of the video camera, and if the control right is issued to the computer terminal, not executing the automatic control of the video camera.

68. A camera control apparatus for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, comprising:

a control device adapted to control the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

an issuing device adapted to issue a control right of the video camera which is required for said computer terminal to control the video camera, to the computer terminal,

wherein, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by said issuing device, said control device executes automatic control of the video camera, and if the control right is issued to the computer terminal, said control device does not execute the automatic control of the video camera and controls the video camera on the basis of the control command from the computer terminal.

69. A control apparatus according to claim 68, further comprising:

a video transmitting device adapted to transmit image signals obtained by the video camera;

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera and said video transmitting device transmits the image signals of the controlled camera, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by said issuing device.

70. A camera control apparatus according to claim 68, wherein said issuing device issues the control right of the video camera to one of a plurality of computer terminals which makes a request to request to acquire the control right of the video camera which is required for said control device to control the video camera, and

said control device executes automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals by said issuing device.

71. A camera control apparatus according to claim 68, further comprising:

a memory which stores a loci of an image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of the loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored in said memory.

72. A camera control apparatus according to claim 68, further comprising:

a memory which stores at least one image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in said memory.

73. A camera control apparatus according to claim 72, wherein the image pickup direction is a central position within the controllable image pickup range of the video camera.

74. A camera control method for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, comprising:

a control step of controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

an automatic control step of, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by an issuing device, executing automatic control of the video camera, and if the control right is issued to the computer terminal, not executing the automatic control of the video camera and controlling the video camera on the basis of the control command from the computer terminal.

75. A camera control method according to claim 74, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting image signals obtained by the video camera;

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera and said video transmitting step transmits the image signals of the controlled camera, if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by said issuing device.

76. A camera control method according to claim 74, wherein said control step controls the video camera on the basis of a control command from one of a plurality of computer terminals, and

said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera if the control right of the video camera is not issued to any of the plurality of computer terminals.

77. A camera control method according to claim 74, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of a loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored in a memory.

78. A camera control method according to claim 74, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in a memory.

79. A camera control method according to claim 78, wherein the image pickup direction is a central position within the controllable image pickup range of the video camera.

80. A storage medium which stores therein a program for executing a camera control method for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, said program comprising the process of:

controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

if the control right of the video camera is not issued to the computer terminal by an issuing device, executing automatic control of the video camera, and if the control right is issued to the computer terminal, not executing the automatic control of the video camera and controlling the video camera on the basis of the control command from the computer terminal.

81. A camera control apparatus for controlling a video camera from a computer terminal via a network comprising:

a control device adapted to control the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal;

an issuing device adapted to issue a control right of the video camera which is required for said computer terminal to control the video camera, to the computer terminal; and

a releasing device adapted to release the control right required by said computer terminal,

wherein, if a predetermined period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released by said releasing device, said control device executes automatic control of the video camera, and if a predetermined period does not elapse after the control right of the video camera is released, said control device does not execute the automatic control of the video camera.

82. A control apparatus according to claim 81, further comprising:

a video transmitting device adapted to transmit image signals obtained by the video camera;

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera and said video transmitting device transmits the image signals of the controlled camera, if a predetermined period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released by said releasing device.

83. A camera control apparatus according to claim 81, wherein said issuing device issues the control right of the video camera to one of a plurality of computer terminals which makes a request to request to acquire the control right of the video camera which is required for said control device to control the video camera, and

said control device executes automatic control of the video camera if a predetermincd period elapses after all of the control right required by the plurality of computer terminals are released by said releasing device.

84. A camera control apparatus according to claim 81, further comprising:

a memory which stores a loci of an image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of the loci of the image pickup direction of the camera, which is stored in said memory.

85. A camera control apparatus according to claim 81, further comprising:

a memory which stores at least one image pickup direction of the video camera in a memory,

wherein said control device executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in said memory.

86. A camera control apparatus according to claim 85, wherein the image pickup direction is a central position within the controllable image pickup range of the video camera.

87. A camera control method for controlling a video camera from a computer terminal via a network, comprising:

a control step of controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

an automatic control step of, if a predetermined period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released, executing automatic control of the video camera, and if a predetermined period does not elapse after the control right of the video camera is released, not executing automatic control of the video cameral.

88. A control method according to claim 87, further comprising:

a video transmitting step of transmitting image signals obtained by the video camera;

wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera and said video transmitting step transmits the image signals of the controlled camera, if a predetermined period elaPses after the control right of the video camera is released.

89. A camera control method according to claim 87, wherein said control step controls the video camera on the basis of a control command from one of a plurality of computer terminals, and

said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera if a predetermined period elapses after all of the control right required by the plurality of computer terminals are released.

90. A camera control method according to claim 87, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera on the basis of a loci of the image pickup direction of the video camera, which is stored in a memory.

91. A camera control method according to claim 87, wherein said automatic control step executes automatic control of the video camera in the at least one image pickup direction stored in a memory.

92. A camera control method according to claim 91, wherein the image pickup direction is a central position within the controllable image pickup range of the video camera.

93. A storage medium which stores therein a program for executing a camera control method for controlling a video camera in accordance with a control command from a computer terminal via a network, said program comprising the processes of:

controlling the video camera on the basis of a control command from the computer terminal; and

if a predetermined period elapses after the control right of the video camera is released, executing automatic control of the video camera, and if a predetermined period does not elapse after the control right of the video camera is released, not executing automatic control of the video camera.