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

• US 7,794,161 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/789,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.3, 348/211.8
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• 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 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A camera control system in which operations intended by clients can be carried out by a camera server by appropriately managing and controlling every client that wishes to control a camera. Operation commands are issued to the camera server from only one client at any given time. The camera control system includes a camera server that controls a camera whose angle can be freely controlled; and a plurality of clients that control the camera and display images transmitted from the camera server on a display screen. The camera server includes a notifying unit operable when the camera server has received a control authorization acquisition request for camera control that has been issued by one client to notify the client of time information including a waiting time before the camera control is possible and a permitted control time during which the camera control is permitted for a fixed period after the waiting time has elapsed.

Claims

1. A client device connected to a camera server that transmits images photographed by a camera, the client device comprising:

display unit which displays graphic and text data;

issuing unit which issues a control authorization request to the camera server for requesting a control of the camera; and

control unit which controls the display unit according to a response from the camera server,

wherein if the control of the camera is permitted, the camera server grants the client device a permitted control time during which the client device is permitted to control the camera, and the control unit controls the display unit to display the permitted control time and a camera-control section, and

wherein when the permitted control time is ended, the control unit controls the display unit to end displaying the camera-control section.

2. The client device according to claim 1,

wherein the camera-control section controls pan/tilt of the camera.

3. The client device according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a waiting time before the client device controls the camera and to display the permitted control time and the camera-control section after the waiting time is ended.

4. The client device according to claim 3,

wherein the camera server transmits time information to the client device, the time information including the waiting time and the permitted control time.

5. The client device according to claim 1,

wherein a control-prohibited period is assigned to the camera when controlling of the camera is switched from the client device to another client device, the control-prohibited period excluding all client devices from controlling the camera so that a conflict between operation commands is avoided.

21. The client device according to claim 1,

wherein the camera server assigns a random number to the client device as a client ID and stores the client ID in a management table for storing client information upon receiving the control authorization request.

6. A method for a client device to control a camera connected to a camera server comprising the steps of:

displaying graphic and text data;

issuing a control authorization request to the camera server for requesting a control of the camera; and

controlling the displaying step according to a response from the camera server,

wherein if the control of the camera is permitted, the camera server grants the client device a permitted control time during which the client device is permitted to control the camera, and the control unit controls the display unit to display the permitted control time and a camera-control section, and

wherein when the permitted control time is ended, the control step controls the display step to end displaying the camera-control section.

7. The method according to claim 6,

wherein the camera-control section controls pan/tilt of the camera.

8. The method according to claim 6,

wherein the control step controls the display step to display a waiting time before the client device controls the camera and to display the permitted control time and the camera-control section after the waiting time is ended.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the camera server transmits time information to the client device, the time information including the waiting time and the permitted control time.

10. The method according to claim 6,

wherein a control-prohibited period is assigned to the camera when controlling of the camera is switched from the client device to another client device, the control-prohibited period excluding all client devices from controlling the camera so that a conflict between operation commands is avoided.

22. The method according claim 6,

wherein the camera server assigns a random number to the client device as a client ID and stores the client ID in a management table for storing client information upon receiving the control authorization request.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing an executable program for controlling a camera connected to a camera server comprising the steps of:

displaying graphic and text data;

issuing a control authorization request to the camera server for requesting a control of the camera; and

controlling the displaying step according to a response from the camera server,

wherein if the control of the camera is permitted, the camera server grants a client device a permitted control time during which the client device is permitted to control the camera, and the control unit controls the display unit to display the permitted control time and a camera-control section, and

wherein when the permitted control time is ended, the control step controls the display step to end displaying the camera-control section.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11,

wherein the camera-control section controls pan/tilt of the camera.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11,

wherein the control step controls the display step to display a waiting time before the client device controls the camera and to display the permitted control time and the camera-control section after the waiting time is ended.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein the camera server transmits time information to the client device, the time information including the waiting time and the permitted control time.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11,

wherein a control-prohibited period is assigned to the camera when controlling of the camera is switched from the client device to another client device, the control-prohibited period excluding all client devices from controlling the camera so that a conflict between operation commands is avoided.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11,

wherein the camera server assigns a random number to the camera as a client ID and stores the client ID in a management table for storing camera information upon receiving the control authorization request.

16. A camera control system comprising:

at least one imaging unit that generates images;

at least one client device for receiving the images generated by the at least one imaging unit; and

a camera server for managing a control of the at least one imaging unit among the at least one client device,

wherein each client device includes;

display units which displays graphic and text data;

issuing unit which issues a control authorization request to the camera server for requesting a control of the camera; and

control units which controls the display unit according to a response from the camera server,

wherein if the control of the camera is permitted, the camera server grants the client device a permitted control time during which the client device is permitted to control the camera, and the control unit controls the display unit to display the permitted control time and a camera-control section, and

wherein when the permitted control time is ended, the control unit controls the display unit to end displaying the camera-control section.

17. The camera control system according to claim 16,

wherein the camera-control section controls pan/tilt of the camera.

18. The camera control system according to claim 16,

wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a waiting time before the client device controls the camera and to display the permitted control time and the camera-control section after the waiting time ends.

19. The camera control system according to claim 18,

wherein the camera server transmits time information to the client device, the time information including the waiting time and the permitted control time.

20. The camera control system according to claim 16,

wherein a control-prohibited period is assigned to the camera when controlling of the camera is switched from the client device to another client device, the control-prohibited period excluding all client devices from controlling the camera so that a conflict between operation commands is avoided.

24. The camera control system according to claim 16,

wherein the camera server assigns a random number to the client device as a client ID and stores the client ID in a management table for storing client information upon receiving the control authorization request.