Camera control system, camera server, camera client, control method, and storage medium

• US 7,161,623 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuno, Tomoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vieaux; Gary C.
• Application Number:
  US10/395,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.11, 348/211.3, 348/211.4, 348/211.14, 348/211.12, 348/211.13, 348/231.2, 348/231.6, 348/333.06, 348/211.9, 348/211.99, 348/211.1
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

An arrangement is provided in which previously sensed image information is stored, so that information with an angle desired by the user can be searched for and displayed. Image data sensed by a camera device (100) is captured by an image information capture unit (101) and the angle information of image data captured by the image information capture unit (101) is acquired by an image view point information acquisition unit (102). A header is generated by a header generation unit (103) based on the angle information. A recording information generation unit (104) generates recording information based on the generated header and the captured image data, and stores the generated information in an external storage device (6). Upon reception of an external search instruction, a search unit (105) searches for information matching angle information included in the search condition, and an output unit (106) outputs the found image data.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, which connects to an image sensing device, for transferring an image sensed by the image sensing device to a plurality of clients via a network, comprising:

a first reception unit that receives from a client, via the network, a transmission request for transferring a real time image;

a control unit that controls the view angle of the image sensing device in accordance with a request received by said first reception unit from a client having the right of control of the image sensing device;

a first transfer unit that transfers, to the plurality of clients which request the transfer of a real time image, a real time image sensed by the image sensing device in accordance with the request from the client having the right of control of the image sensing device;

a recording unit that controls the image sensing device in accordance with a predetermined schedule and records an image sensed by the image sensing device as a non-real time image on a recording medium;

a restriction unit that restricts a transmission operation by said first transfer unit while said recording unit controls the image sensing device and records the image sensed by the image sensing device;

a second reception unit that receives from one of the plurality of clients, via the network, a transmission request for transferring a non-real time image; and

a second transfer unit that transfers a non-real time image, recorded by said recording unit, when said second reception unit receives the transfer request for transferring a non-real time image from said one of the plurality of clients.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls the image sensing device in accordance with a request from one client having the right of access to the image sensing device.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the view angle of the image sensing device is freely controllable.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each request received by said first reception unit and said second reception unit includes information designating a view angle of the image sensing device.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said recording unit records a plurality of images having different view angles from each other by controlling the view angle of the image sensing device.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recording unit records images, sensed by the image sensing device, associated with view angle information for each of the images.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said restriction unit stops transfer of a real-time image based on a request from the client having the right of control of the image sensing device.

8. A communication method for use with an image sensing device, for transferring an image sensed by the image sensing device to a plurality of clients via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a client, via the network, a transmission request for transferring a real time image;

controlling the view angle of the image sensing device in accordance with the request received in said receiving step from a client having the right of control of the image sensing device;

transferring to the plurality of clients which request transfer of a real time image, a real time image sensed by the image sensing device in accordance with a request from the client to have the right of control of the image sensing device;

controlling the image sensing device in accordance with a predetermined schedule and recording an image sensed by the image sensing device as a non-real time image on a recording medium;

restricting a transmission operation in said transferring step while controlling the image sensing device and recording the image sensed by the image sensing device;

receiving from one of the plurality of clients, via the network, a transmission request for transferring a non-real time image; and

transferring a non-real time image, recorded in said recording step, when said the transfer request for transferring a non-real time image is received from said one of the plurality of clients in said receiving step.

9. The communication method according to claim 8, wherein said controlling step includes controlling the image sensing device in accordance with a request from one client having the right of access to the image sensing device in said receiving step.

10. The communication method according to claim 8, wherein the view angle of the image sensing device is freely controllable in said controlling step.

11. The communication method according to claim 10, wherein each request received in said receiving steps includes information designating a view angle of the image sensing device.

12. The communication method according to claim 10, wherein said recording step records a plurality of images having different view angles from each other by controlling the view angle of the image sensing device.

13. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein said recording step records images, sensed by the image sensing device, associated with view angle information for each of the images.

14. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein said restricting step stops transfer of a real-time image based on a request from the client having the right of control of the image sensing device in said receiving step.

15. A storage medium containing therein computer readable communication method for transferring an image sensed by an image sensing device to a plurality of clients via a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving from a client, via the network, a transmission request for transferring a real time image;

controlling the view angle of the image sensing device in accordance with the request received in said receiving step from a client having the right of control of the image sensing device;

transferring to the plurality of clients which request transfer of a real time image, a real time image sensed by the image sensing device in accordance with a request from the client to have the right of control of the image sensing device;

controlling the image sensing device in accordance with a predetermined schedule and recording an image sensed by the image sensing device as a non-real time image on a recording medium;

restricting a transmission operation in said transferring step while controlling the image sensing device and recording the image sensed by the image sensing device;

receiving from one of the plurality of clients, via the network, a transmission request for transferring a non-real time image; and

transferring a non-real time image, recorded in said recording step, when said the transfer request for transferring a non-real time image is received from said one of the plurality of clients in said receiving step.