Camera surveillance system and method for displaying multiple zoom levels of an image on different portions of a display

• US 7,697,025 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hiroyuki, Nedu, Hiroshi, Kurebayashi, Masaaki, Kuroya, Takeyoshi, Hama, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, USMAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/649,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: 348/135, 348/208.1, 348/143, 348/14.13
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Positional and elevation data obtained from a camera unit is correlated with coordinates in an entire image display portion, used as a GUI having positional information to select a specified image with a mouse. Which frame this corresponds to in the entire image is calculated, and further, the position within the clicked frame is calculated. The calculated positional information is converted into positional information and elevation data of the frame. The camera unit is controlled with the positional information and elevation data from the camera unit, and an image of a range indicated by a specified image display frame superimposed on the display portion is taken, and stored and/or displayed. This allows confirmation an image of a range to be photographed beforehand, and the user can tell the relation between the range capable of acquiring images and the photography range at a glance, so desired portions can be continuously monitored.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring a predetermined location, comprising:

an entire image display portion for storing in a storage unit image data derived from a first camera unit capable of taking images from different imaging directions, and position information associated with each set of image data, said entire image display portion displaying either compressed images of said image data having been compressed from said first camera unit or compressed images of said image data read from said storage unit and then being compressed, at a position based on position information associated with a set of said displayed image data, with the position information of a respective set of image data being assembled therein;

a specified image display portion for deriving moving image data from a second camera unit capable of taking images from changeable directions and displaying said moving image data; and

a movement range image display portion for storing in a storage unit image data, derived from different positions from said first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof, with position information associated with each set of said image data derived from different positions from said first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof, said third image display portion displaying either compressed images of said image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof having been compressed from said first camera unit or compressed images of said image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof read from said storage unit and then being compressed, at a position based on associated position information, with the position information of a respective set of said image data sets derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof being assembled therein,

wherein a predetermined range is selected with a first indicating display and superimposed on said entire image display portion, and said moving image data is derived within said predetermined range,

wherein the movement range image display portion does not display all images from the first camera unit that are within the movement range, the movement range image display portion displays only particular images within the movement range the particular images selected from the group consisting of images showing four sides of the movement range, images showing the four corners of the movement range, and images showing the four corners and center of the movement range, and

wherein the movement range image display portion, the entire image display portion, and the specified image display portion are displayed simultaneously in mutually different regions that do not overlap one another.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein display information of a range indicated by a second indicating display superimposed on said movement range image display portion is displayed on said entire image display portion.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein, while selection is being made with said first or second indicating displays, and during the time from said selection until starting of image-taking of said selected range, image data within said predetermined range selected with said first or second indicating displays is read out from said storage unit and displayed on said specified or entire image display portion.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein, upon selection of an arbitrary point on said entire or movement range image display portion, said first or second indicating displays are superimposed on said entire or movement image display portion according to said selected arbitrary point.

5. A monitoring method for monitoring a predetermined location, comprising:

a step for storing in a storage unit image data, derived from a first camera unit capable of taking images from different imaging directions, and position information associated with each set of image data;

a step for displaying an entire image display portion, either compressed images of said image data having been compressed from said first camera unit or compressed images of said image data read from said storage unit and then being compressed, at a position based on position information associated with a set of said displayed image data, with the position information of a respective set of image data being assembled therein;

a step for deriving moving image data from a second camera unit capable of taking images from changeable directions;

a step for displaying said moving image data on a specified image display portion; and

a step of using a movement range image display portion for storing in a storage unit image data, taken of different positions with said first camera unit over all image-taking directions in the maximum movement range thereof, with position information attached to each set of image data taken over all image-taking directions in the maximum movement range, and displaying in the movement range image display portion either compressed images of said taken image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof having been compressed from the first camera or compressed images of said image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof stored in said storage unit having been compressed, at a position based on corresponding position information of a respective set of said set of image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof being assembled therein,

wherein a predetermined range is selected with a first indicating display and superimposed on said entire image display portion, and said moving image data is derived within said predetermined range

wherein the movement range image display portion does not display all images from the first camera unit that are within the movement range, the third image display portion displays only particular images within the movement range the particular images selected from the group consisting of images showing four sides of the movement range, images showing the four corners of the movement range, and images showing the four corners and center of the movement range, and

wherein the movement range image display portion, the entire image display portion, and the specified image display portion are displayed simultaneously in mutually different regions that do not overlap one another.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 5,

wherein an image of a range indicated by a second indicating display superimposed on said movement range image display portion is displayed on said entire image display portion.

7. The monitoring method according to claim 6, wherein, while selection is being made with said first or second indicating displays, and during the time from selection with said first or second indicating displays until starting of image-taking of said selected desired range, image data within said predetermined range selected with said first or second indicating displays is read out from said storage unit and displayed on said specified or entire image display portions.

8. The monitoring method according to claim 6, wherein, upon an arbitrary point on said entire or movement range image display portion being selected, said first or second indicating displays are superimposed on said entire movement range image display portion according to said selected arbitrary point.

9. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for causing a computer to execute a monitoring method for monitoring a predetermined location by:

storing in a storage unit image data, derived from a first camera unit capable of taking images from different imaging directions, and position information associated with each set of image data;

displaying on an entire image display portion, either compressed images of said image data having been compressed from said first camera unit or compressed images of said image data read from said storage unit and then being compressed, at a position based on position information associated with a set of said displayed image data, with the position information of a respective set of image data being assembled therein;

deriving moving image data from a second camera unit capable of taking images from changeable directions;

displaying said moving image data on a specified image display portion; and

using a movement range image display portion for storing in a storage unit image data, taken of different positions with said first camera unit over all image-taking directions in the maximum movement range thereof, with position information attached to each set of image data taken over all image-taking directions in the maximum movement range, and displaying in the movement range image display portion either compressed images of said taken image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof having been compressed from the first camera or compressed images of said image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof stored in said storage unit having been compressed, at a position based on corresponding position information of a respective set of said set of image data derived from the first camera unit over all image-taking directions in a maximum movement range thereof being assembled therein,

wherein a predetermined range is selected with a first indicating display and superimposed on said entire image display portion, and said moving image data is derived within said predetermined range,

wherein the movement range image display portion does not display all images from the first camera unit that are within the movement range, the movement range image display portion displays only particular images within the movement range the particular images selected from the group consisting of images showing four sides of the movement range, images showing the four corners of the movement range, and images showing the four corners and center of the movement range, and

wherein the movement range image display portion, the entire image display portion, and the specified image display portion are displayed simultaneously in mutually different regions that do not overlap one another.