Camera control apparatus and method, and camera control system

• US 7,956,891 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Uchihara, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cowan; Euel K
• Application Number:
  US11/970,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• 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 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A camera control system having a terminal device connected to a plurality of cameras via a network is provided. In response to an operation that exceeds a maximum control value (maximum control angle) of the PTZ of a camera that is the target of control, the terminal device displays peripheral camera information, which corresponds to a shooting direction in which the operation has been requested, together with video shot by the camera being controlled. The peripheral camera information includes installation camera position information, viewable angle information, control status information and peripheral map information as well as at least one item of captured video from a camera other than the camera being controlled.

Claims

1. A camera control apparatus connected to a plurality of cameras via a network, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire position information of the plurality of cameras;

a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an operation request is a request for controlling a control-target camera to operate exceeding a viewable angle of the control-target camera; and

a display control unit configured to cause camera information of one or more cameras other than the control-target camera, having position information corresponding to the operation request to be displayed on a display device in response to the operation request in a case where the determination unit determines that the operation request is a request for controlling the control-target camera to operate exceeding the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit causes video from the control-target camera and the camera information to be displayed on the same screen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit causes position information, viewable angle information, control status information and map information concerning the control-target camera as well as at least one item of captured video from the one or more cameras having the position information corresponding to the operation request to be displayed as the camera information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit accepts selection of a camera, which is to be controlled, from the camera information displayed in accordance with the exceeding of the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit causes map information indicating a position of the control-target camera and a position of the one or more cameras positioned at a direction corresponding to the operation request exceeding the viewable angle of the control-target camera to be displayed as the camera information.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes the camera information to be displayed at a display area where a part of a video display area for displaying a video from the control-target camera before the operation request exceeds the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

5. A method of controlling a camera control apparatus connected to a plurality of cameras via a network, comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring position information of the plurality of cameras;

a determination step of determining whether or not an operation request is a request for controlling a control-target camera to operate exceeding a viewable angle of the control-target camera; and

a display control step of causing camera information of one or more cameras other than the control-target camera, having position information corresponding to the operation request to be displayed on a display device in response to the operation request in a case where the determination step determines that the operation request is a request for controlling the control-target camera to operate exceeding the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said display control step causes video from the control-target camera and the camera information to be displayed on the same screen.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said display control step causes position information, viewable angle information, control status information and map information concerning the control-target camera as well as at least one item of captured video from the one or more cameras having the position information corresponding to the operation request to be displayed as the camera information.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said display control step accepts selection of a camera, which is to be controlled, from the camera information displayed in accordance with the exceeding of the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein said display control step causes map information indicating a position of the control-target camera and a position of the one or more cameras positioned at a direction corresponding to the operation request exceeding the viewable angle of the control-target camera to be displayed as the camera information.

14. The method according to claim 5, wherein the display control step causes the camera information to be displayed at a display area where a part of a video display area for displaying a video from the control-target camera before the operation request exceeds the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method of controlling a camera control apparatus connected to a plurality of cameras via a network, said program comprising:

a code for acquiring position information of the plurality of cameras;

a code for determining whether or not an operation request is a request for controlling a control-target camera to operate exceeding a viewable angle of the control-target camera; and

a code for performing a display control step of causing camera information of one or more cameras other than the control-target camera, having position information corresponding to the operation request to be displayed on a display device in response to the operation request in a case where the determination step determines that the operation request is a request for controlling the control-target camera to operate exceeding the viewable angle of the control-target camera.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein said display control step causes map information indicating a position of the control-target camera and a position of the one or more cameras positioned at a direction corresponding to the operation request exceeding the viewable angle of the control-target camera to be displayed as the camera information.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the display control step causes the camera information to be displayed at a display area where a part of a video display area for displaying a video from the control-target camera before the operation request exceeds the viewable angle of the control-target camera.