Control device and method

• US 7,697,030 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Sawada, Masaru, Terada, Tomoyuki, Kishida, Naotaka, Itoh, Ayumi
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/733,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20050030376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 348143-161
• US Class Current: 348/152
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A monitor camera is provided with a control device which carries out a predetermined process in response to an input of a trigger signal. The control device has an arrangement in that continuous images are successively inputted from a camera unit thereto and in that a detection of a moving object is carried out by detecting a change in images in a moving-object detector. When no change in images is detected by the moving-object detector within a predetermined time after the input of a trigger signal from a detection sensor to a trigger signal input unit, the control device determines the trigger signal inputted to the trigger signal input unit as valid. Then, only when the valid trigger signal has been detected, an abnormality process is carried out. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the abnormality process from being performed upon erroneous detection of a normal state as an abnormal state.

Claims

1. A control device for carrying out a predetermined process in response to a trigger signal from a sensor, comprising:

a signal input unit connected to the sensor and configured to receive a trigger signal;

a detector connected to an image capturing unit and configured to receive continuous images from the image capturing unit, said detector being configured to analyze images obtained from said image capturing unit for at least a period of time beginning at a time of a trigger signal and ending a predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal, said detector being configured to determine whether or not a change occurs in such images during said period of time;

a determining unit which determines whether or not a trigger signal is a valid signal, said determining unit being configured to determine, based on analysis by said detector, that the trigger signal is valid in the case that said detector does not detect a change in the images during said period of time; and

a controller, responsive to said determining unit, which is configured to carry out a predetermined process in the case that said determining unit determines that a trigger signal is a valid signal.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

said sensor detects an intruding object in a predetermined monitoring area in which images are captured by said image capturing unit.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

said detector detects whether or not any moving object exists in each of the images in an image stream that continues in time series, which are obtained from said image capturing unit.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

said controller carries out different processes between a case where said trigger signal is not determined as a valid signal by said determining unit and that where said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit.

5. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a recorder recording continuous images obtained from said image capturing unit, wherein

said controller controls said recorder so as to record the continuous images obtained from said image capturing unit, when said determining unit determines said trigger signal as a valid signal.

6. The control device according to claim 1, wherein

when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit, said controller outputs a signal used for activating an external apparatus connected to the control device.

7. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sound-data storage unit storing sound data, wherein

when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit, said controller generates sound based upon sound data stored in said sound-data storage unit.

8. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit carrying out data communications with an external apparatus, wherein

when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit, said controller allows said communication unit to output information indicating the result of determination to said external apparatus.

9. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said detector is further configured to activate an image capturing unit from a stand-by state to start image capturing in response to a trigger signal.

10. A control method of carrying out a predetermined process in response to a trigger signal from a sensor, comprising the steps of:

receiving a trigger signal from the sensor;

receiving continuous images from an image capturing unit;

detecting a change in the images by analyzing the images for at least a period of time beginning at a time of a trigger signal and ending a predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal;

determining with an electronic computing device, based on analysis by said detecting step, that a trigger signal is a valid signal in the case that said detecting step does not detect a change in the images during said period of time; and

carrying out a predetermined process, in response to said determining step determining that a trigger signal a valid signal.

11. The control method according to claim 10, wherein

said change in the images is detected by determining whether or not any moving object exists in each of the images in an image stream that continues in time series.

12. The control method according to claim 10, wherein:

said predetermined process includes a process to record the images.

13. A control device for carrying out a predetermined process in response to a trigger signal, comprising:

a signal input unit configured to receive a trigger signal;

a detector configured to receive continuous images from an image capturing unit and to detect a change in the images by analyzing the images obtained from said image capturing unit, said detector being further configured to analyze the images during a first time period commencing at the time of a trigger signal and ending a first predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal, said detector being further configured to analyze the images during a second time period commencing at the end of the first time period and ending a second predetermined amount of time after the first time period, and said detector being further configured to analyze the images during a third time period commencing at the end of the second time period;

a determining unit which determines whether or not a trigger signal is a valid signal based on analysis by said detector, said determining unit being configured to determine that the trigger signal is an invalid signal in the case that said detector detects a change in the images during the second time period, and said determining unit being further configured to determine that the trigger signal is a valid signal in the case that said detector detects a change in images during one of the first and third time periods; and

a controller, responsive to said determining unit, which is configured to carry out a predetermined process in the case that said determining unit determines that a trigger signal is a valid signal.

14. The control device according to claim 13, wherein

said signal input unit is connected to a sensor which generates said trigger signal.

15. The control device according to claim 14, wherein

said sensor unit detects an intruding object in a predetermined monitoring area from which the continuous images are captured by said image capturing unit.

16. The control device according to claim 13, wherein

said detector detects whether or not any moving object exists in each of the continuous images in an image stream that continues in time series.

17. The control device according to claim 13, wherein

said controller carries out different processes between a case where said trigger signal is determined as an invalid signal by said determining unit and that where said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit.

18. The control device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a recorder recording the continuous images obtained from said image capturing unit, wherein

said controller controls said recorder so as to record the continuous images obtained from said image capturing unit when said determining unit determines said trigger signal as a valid signal.

19. The control device according to claim 13, wherein

when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit, said controller outputs a signal used for activating an external apparatus connected to the control device.

20. The control device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a sound-data storage unit storing sound data, wherein

when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit, said controller generates sound based upon sound data stored in said sound-data storage unit.

21. The control device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a communication unit carrying out data communications with an external apparatus, wherein

when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal by said determining unit, said controller allows said communication unit to output information indicating the result of determination to said external apparatus.

22. The control device according to claim 13, wherein said detector is further configured to activate an image capturing unit from a stand-by state to start image capturing in response to a trigger signal.

23. A computer readable medium encoded with a program which can be run by a computer to which a trigger signal and continuous images are inputted, said program causing the computer to implement a method comprising the steps of:

receiving a trigger signal;

receiving said continuous images;

detecting a change in the continuous images by analyzing the continuous images that are received after the input of the trigger signal, said detecting step further analyzing the images during a first time period commencing at the time of a trigger signal and ending a first predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal, said detecting step further analyzing the images during a second time period commencing at the end of the first time period and ending a second predetermined amount of time after the first time period, and said detecting step further analyzing the images during a third time period commencing at the end of the second time period;

determining, based on analysis by the detecting step, that a trigger signal is an invalid signal in the case that said detecting step detects a change in images during the second time period, and determining, based on analysis by the detecting step, that a trigger signal is a valid signal in the case that said detecting step detects a change in images during one of the first and third time periods; and

carrying out, in response to said determining step, a predetermined process in the case that said trigger signal is determined to be a valid signal.

24. A control method of carrying out a predetermined process in response to a trigger signal, comprising the steps of:

receiving a trigger signal;

receiving continuous images from an image capturing unit;

detecting a change in the images by analyzing the images, said detecting step further analyzing the images during a first time period commencing at the time of a trigger signal and ending a first predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal, said detecting step further analyzing the images during a second time period commencing at the end of the first time period and ending a second predetermined amount of time after the first time period, and said detecting step further analyzing the images during a third time period commencing at the end of the second time period;

determining with an electronic computer device, based on an analysis by said detecting step, that a trigger signal is an invalid signal in the case that a change in the images is detected during the second time period, and determining with an electronic computer device, based on an analysis by said detecting step, that a trigger signal is a valid signal in a case that a change in images is detected during one of the first and third time periods; and

carrying out a predetermined process when said trigger signal is determined as a valid signal.

25. The control method according to claim 24, wherein

said change in images is detected by determining whether or not any moving object exists in each of the images in an image stream that continues in time series.

26. The control method according to claim 24, wherein;

said predetermined process includes a process to record the continuous images.

27. A control device for carrying out a predetermined process in response to a trigger signal from a sensor, comprising:

a signal input unit connected to a sensor and configured to receive a trigger signal;

a detector connected to an image capturing unit and configured to receive continuous images and detect a change in the images by analyzing the images obtained from the image capturing unit for at least a period of time beginning at a time of a trigger signal and ending a predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal;

a determining unit configured to determine whether or not a trigger signal is a valid signal, said determining unit configured to determine, based on analysis by said detector, that the trigger signal is a valid signal in the case that said detector detects no change in images that are received in said period of time; and

a controller, responsive to said determining unit, which is configured to carry out a predetermined process in the case that the trigger signal is determined to be a valid signal.

28. A control device for carrying out a predetermined process in response to a trigger signal from a sensor, comprising:

a signal input unit connected to a sensor and configured to receive a trigger signal;

a detector connected to an image capturing unit and configured to receive continuous images and detect a change in the images by analyzing the images obtained from the image capturing unit, said detector being further configured to analyze the images during a first time period commencing at the time of a trigger signal and ending a first predetermined amount of time after the trigger signal, said detector being further configured to analyze the images during a second time period commencing at the end of the first time period and ending a second predetermined amount of time after the first time period, and said detector being further configured to analyze the images during a third time period commencing at the end of the second time period;

a determining unit configured to determine, based on analysis by said detector, whether a trigger signal is a valid signal, said determining unit determining that the trigger signal is an invalid signal in the case that said detector detects a change in images during the second time period, and said determining unit configured to determine that the trigger signal is a valid signal in the case that said detector detects a change in images during one of the first and third time periods; and

a controller, responsive to said determining unit, which is configured to carry out a predetermined process in the case that said determining unit determines that a trigger signal is a valid signal.