Video display system for correcting the position and size of mask images

• US 7,893,959 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic i-PRO Sensing Solutions Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyata, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US10/347,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,953 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/152, 348/153, 348/207.99, 348/222.1, 348/239
• US Class Current: 348/153
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19686 Interfaces masking personal details for privacy, e.g. blurring faces, vehicle license plates
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An OSD circuit superimposes a mask image on a video imaged by a camera main body in a camera device. A microcomputer performs processing for changing the position where a mask image is displayed (superimposed) within a range of imaging with the camera device on the basis of a signal representing the pan/tilt position of the camera device. At this time, when the mask image is moved in the pan direction from an area where the initial position of the mask image is set, the position and the size of the mask image are corrected depending on the amount of movement of the mask image and the tilt angle of the camera device.

Claims

1. A video camera system comprising:

a camera device for acquiring video images;

an imaging direction control device configured to carry out panning/tilting control of the camera device;

a circuit configured to superimpose a mask image on an arbitrary area set at an initial position within a range of imaging with the camera device on a video monitor, said initial position lies entirely within a screen of the video monitor;

a processor configured to;

receive a pan/tilt command to control the imaging direction control device;

control the movement of the mask image based on the pan/tilt command; and

correct the size of the mask image both forward and backward or either forward or backward in the direction of movement with the amount of correction of said mask image being adjusted depending on the movement speed thereof and the amount of correction increases as the movement speed increases.

2. A video camera system comprising:

a camera device for acquiring video images;

an imaging direction control device configured to carry out panning/tilting control of the camera device;

a circuit configured to superimpose a mask image on an arbitrary area set at an initial position within a range of imaging with the camera device on a video monitor, said initial position lies entirely within a screen of the video monitor;

a processor configured to;

receive a pan/tilt command to control the imaging direction control device;

calculate the amount of movement of the mask image based on the pan/tilt command;

control the position of the mask image based on the calculated amount of movement; and

correct the position of the mask image in the direction of movement when the camera device is also moved during processing for calculating the amount of movement of the mask image with the amount of correction of said mask image being adjusted depending on the movement speed thereof and the amount of correction increases as the movement speed increases.

3. A video camera system comprising:

a camera device for acquiring video images;

an imaging direction control device configured to carry out panning/tilting control of the camera device;

a circuit configured to superimpose a mask image on an arbitrary area set at an initial position within a range of imaging with the camera device on a video monitor, said initial position lies entirely within a screen of the video monitor;

a processor configured to;

receive a pan/tilt command to control the imaging direction control device;

control the movement of the mask image based on the pan/tilt command; and

correct the size of the mask image greater than the original size of the image when in a state where the camera device images an area including the original mask object by being reversed in the tilt direction and also reversed in the pan direction from an area where the initial position of the mask image is set.

4. A video camera system capable of carrying out panning/tilting control of a camera device, capable of displaying a video imaged by the camera device on a monitor as well as superimposing a maximum of n (n is a natural number of one or more) mask images within a range of imaging with the camera device, and capable of similarly superimposing a maximum of n mask images even within a range of imaging with the camera device at the time of imaging in another direction,

the video camera system comprising:

a processor configured to set priorities in the mask images; and

said processor further configured to select in a case where mask object areas whose number exceeds n exist within the range of imaging with the camera device, n mask images in conformity with said priorities.

5. A video camera system capable of carrying out panning/tilting control of a camera device, capable of displaying a video imaged by the camera device on a monitor as well as superimposing a maximum of n (n is a natural number of one or more) mask images within a range of imaging with the camera device, and capable of similarly superimposing a maximum of n mask images even within a range of imaging with the camera device at the time of imaging in another direction,

the video camera system comprising:

a processor configured to set priorities in the mask images; and

wherein the mask images are subjected to display judgment processing in the order of descending priorities within the range of imaging with the camera device, to perform display processing with respect to the mask image to be displayed and not further perform display processing with respect to the mask image when the number of displayed mask images is n.