Network camera apparatus and distributing method of video frames

• US 7,877,777 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takanezawa, Tetsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vieaux; Gary C
• Application Number:
  US11/428,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20070300272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 725/105, 725/104, 348/211.3, 348/14.12, 348/207.11, 709/240
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

When a request for a transmitting method of video frames of the client apparatus is received in a communicating unit to communicate with said client apparatus, whether the received request for the transmitting method of the video frames is a request for the transmitting method of the video frames for recording or a request for the transmitting method of the video frames for a live display is discriminated. If the received request for the transmitting method of the video frames is the request for the transmitting method of the video frames for recording, each of the video frames formed in an image sensing unit is temporarily stored in a memory and each of the stored video frames is transmitted. If the received request for the transmitting method of the video frames is the request for the transmitting method of the video frames for the live display, a process for transmitting the latest frame among the video frames formed in the image sensing unit is repetitively executed.

Claims

1. A network camera apparatus for transmitting video frames formed in an image sensing unit to a client apparatus, the network camera apparatus comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with the client apparatus;

acquiring means for acquiring a time interval related to the video frames formed in the image sensing unit;

determination means for, if the communication unit receives from the client apparatus a request for the video frames, determining a type of the received request; and

a control unit configured to, (a) in a case where the determination means determines that the received request is for recording, execute a process for transmitting a video frame formed in the image sensing unit based on the time interval acquired by the acquiring means, (b) in a case where the determination means determines that the received request is for a live display and the transmission of a last video frame formed at a first timing is completed earlier than a second timing which is later than the first timing by the acquired time interval, execute a process for transmitting a video frame, the frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at the second timing, and (c) in a case where the determination means determines that the received request is for the live display and if the transmission of the last video frame is completed between the second timing and a third timing which is later than the second timing by the acquired time interval, execute a process for transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at a fourth timing which is later than the second timing and earlier than the third timing.

2. The network camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for temporarily storing the video frames,

wherein in a case where the determination means determines that the received request is for recording, the video frames stored in the memory are transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit.

3. The network camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for temporarily storing video frames, wherein the video frames stored in the memory are the video frames which have not been transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit because the transmission of a previous video frame has been delayed, and the control unit transmits the video frames stored in the memory in accordance with a request from the client apparatus.

4. A video frame transmitting method of a network camera apparatus for transmitting video frames formed in an image sensing unit to a client apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) acquiring a time interval related to the video frames formed in the image sensing unit;

(b) if a request for the video frames is received from the client apparatus by a communicating unit configured to communicate with the client apparatus, determining a type of the received request;

(c) in a case where it is determined that the received request is for recording, transmitting a video frame formed in the image sensing unit based on the acquired time interval;

(d) in a case where it is determined that the received request is for a live display and the transmission of a last video frame formed at a first timing is completed earlier than a second timing which is later than the first timing by the acquired time interval, transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at the second timing; and

(e) in a case where it is determined that the received request is for the live display and the transmission of the last video frame is completed between the second timing and a third timing which is later than the second timing by the acquired time interval, transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at a fourth timing which is later than the second timing and earlier than the third timing.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the network camera apparatus is provided with a memory for temporarily storing the video frames, and

wherein in (b), in a case where it is determined that the received request is for recording, the video frames stored in the memory are transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the network camera apparatus is provided with a memory for temporarily storing video frames, and

wherein in (b), the video frames stored in the memory are the video frames which have not been transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit because the transmission of a previous video frame has been delayed, and the video frames stored in the memory are transmitted in accordance with a request from the client apparatus.

7. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a computer program for allowing a control unit to execute the video frame transmitting method according to claim 4.

8. A network camera apparatus for transmitting video frames formed in an image sensing unit to a client apparatus, the network camera apparatus comprising:

acquiring means for acquiring a time interval related to the video frames formed in the image sensing unit; and

a control unit configured to, (a) in a case where a transmission of a last video frame formed at a first timing is completed earlier than a second timing which is later than the first timing by the acquired time interval, execute a process for transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at the second timing, and (b) in a case where the transmission of the last video frame formed at the first timing is completed between the second timing and a third timing which is later than the second timing by the acquired time interval, execute a process for transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at a fourth timing which is later than the second timing and earlier than the third timing.

9. The network camera apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

determination means for determining a type of a request received from the client apparatus for the video frames; and

a memory for temporarily storing the video frames,

wherein if the determination means determines that the received request is for recording, the video frames stored in the memory are transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit.

10. The network camera apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a memory for temporarily storing video frames,

wherein the video frames stored in the memory are the video frames which have not been transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit because the transmission of a previous video frame has been delayed, and

wherein the control unit executes a process for transmitting the video frames stored in the memory in accordance with a request from the client apparatus.

11. A video frame transmitting method of a network camera apparatus for transmitting video frames formed in an image sensing unit to a client apparatus, the method comprising:

acquiring a time interval related to the video formed in the image sensing unit; and

(a) in a case where a transmission of a last video frame formed at a first timing is completed earlier than a second timing which is later than the first timing by the acquired time interval, transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at the second timing, and (b) in a case where the transmission of the last video frame formed at the first timing is completed between the second timing and a third timing which is later than the second timing by the acquired time interval, transmitting a video frame, the video frame having been formed in the image sensing unit at a fourth timing which is later than the second timing and earlier than the third timing.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

determining a type of a request received from the client apparatus for the video frames,

wherein, if it is determined that the received request is for recording, the video frames stored in a memory are transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing video frames; and

transmitting the stored video frames in accordance with a request from the client apparatus,

wherein the stored video frames are the video frames which have not been transmitted in order of time when the video frames have been formed in the image sensing unit because the transmission of a previous video frame has been delayed.