Imaging region adjustment device

• US 8,154,599 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Katsuji, Yoshida, Atsushi, Araki, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIU, HO T
• Application Number:
  US11/667,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/24 Aligning, centring, orientation detection or correction of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/662 by using master/slave camera arrangements for affecting the control of camera image capture, e.g. placing the camera in a desirable condition to capture a desired image
• 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 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An imaging region adjustment device includes plural camera terminals, capable of imaging an entire imaging target without blinds spots. Each of the camera terminals includes a camera which images a virtual imaging region obtained while changing the position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time and an adjusting unit B which adjusts the position of the virtual imaging region by controlling the camera. The adjusting unit B adjusts the position and aspect ratio of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of the virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of the other camera terminals, and when the virtual imaging regions A of N other camera terminals are contained in the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal, divides the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal into N+1 regions.

Claims

1. An imaging region adjustment device comprising camera terminals, wherein each of the camera terminals includes:

a camera which images a virtual imaging region obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication unit operable to send and receive virtual imaging region information indicating the virtual imaging region; and

an adjusting unit operable to adjust a position of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of other camera terminals indicated by the virtual imaging region information received by the communication unit, and

wherein the imaging region adjustment device further comprises;

a region dividing unit operable to divide, into N regions, a region containing virtual imaging regions of N (≧

2) camera terminals among the camera terminals and allocate the respective N divided regions to the N camera terminals, and

the adjusting unit is operable to execute an adjustment of a region allocated to one'"'"'s own camera terminal by the region dividing unit so as to assign the allocated region as a new virtual imaging region.

2. The imaging region adjustment device accordingly to claim 1, wherein the region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation in a case where the virtual imaging regions of the N camera terminals are in a containment relationship in which one of the virtual imaging regions completely covers another of the virtual imaging areas.

3. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1,

wherein the region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation in a case where the virtual imaging regions of the N camera terminals are adjacent to one another.

4. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation for at least one camera terminal for which the allocation is executed so that a time required for the camera to image a virtual imaging region is reduced or a size of a region other than the virtual imaging regions within a region to be imaged by the camera is reduced.

5. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 4, wherein the region dividing unit is operable to execute the division and allocation so that an aspect ratio of the virtual imaging region of the camera terminal becomes closer to an aspect ratio of an imaging region of the camera.

6. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the region dividing unit is operable to execute the division by selecting a division pattern from among predetermined division patterns.

7. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the camera repeatedly changes a position of an imaging region within a virtual imaging region at a fixed cycle.

8. The imaging region adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the region dividing unit is incorporated in at least one camera terminal among the camera terminals.

9. A camera terminal constituting an imaging region adjustment device which adjusts an imaging region using camera terminals, the camera terminal comprising:

a camera which images a virtual imaging region obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication unit operable to send and receive virtual imaging region information indicating the virtual imaging region; and

an adjusting unit operable to adjust a position of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of other camera terminals indicated by the virtual imaging region information received by the communication unit,

wherein the adjusting unit is further operable to divide, into N regions, a region containing the virtual imaging regions of N (≧

2) camera terminals among the camera terminals, allocate the respective N divided regions to the N camera terminals, and execute an adjustment of a the region allocated to own camera terminal so as to assign the allocated region as a new virtual imaging region.

10. An imaging region adjusting method executed by a camera terminal constituting an imaging region adjustment device which adjusts an imaging region using camera terminals, the imaging region adjusting method comprising:

an imaging step of imaging virtual imaging regions obtained while changing a position of an imaging region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication step of sending and receiving virtual imaging region information indicating the virtual imaging region; and

an adjusting step of adjusting a position of the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal so that a combined region of virtual imaging regions of the camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target region, based on the virtual imaging region of one'"'"'s own camera terminal and virtual imaging regions of other camera terminals indicated by the virtual imaging region information received in the communication step,

wherein, in the adjusting step, a region containing virtual imaging regions of N (≧

2) camera terminals among the camera terminals are divided into N regions, the respective divided N regions are allocated to the N camera terminals, and the adjusting is executed so as to assign an allocated region as a new virtual imaging region.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for a camera terminal constituting an imaging region adjustment device which adjusts an imaging region using camera terminals, the program causing a computer to execute the steps included in the imaging region adjusting method according to claim 10.

12. A detecting region adjustment device comprising sensor terminals, wherein each of the sensor terminals includes:

a sensor which detects a virtual detecting region obtained while changing a position of a detecting region within a specific region in a specific period of time;

a communication unit operable to send and receive virtual detecting region information indicating the virtual detecting region; and

an adjusting unit operable to adjust a position of the virtual detecting region of one'"'"'s own sensor terminal so that a combined region of the virtual detecting regions of the sensor terminals completely covers a specific detecting target region, based on the virtual detecting region of one'"'"'s own sensor terminal and virtual detecting regions of other sensor terminals indicated by the virtual detecting region information received by the communication unit,

wherein the detecting region adjustment device further comprises;

a region dividing unit operable to divide, into N regions, a region containing virtual detecting regions of N (≧

2) sensor terminals among the sensor terminals and allocate the respective divided regions to the N sensor terminals, and

the adjusting unit is operable to execute an adjustment of a region allocated to the sensor terminal by the region dividing unit so as to assign the allocated region as a new virtual detecting region.