Imaging apparatus and control method therefor

• US 8,368,756 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Konno, Georgero
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US11/704,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 348/155
• US Class Current: 348/155
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes: an image creating section imaging a predetermined surveillance range and creating image data; an image processing section in which computing processing means having a predetermined processing ability performs first image processing of detecting an abnormality in the surveillance range in accordance with the image data and generating a first detection signal and second image processing of converting the image data to a predetermined data format in parallel; and a determination processing section determining whether a predetermined subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range or not based on the first detection signal, generating and supplying a first control signal to the image processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance does not exist, and generating and supplying a second control signal to the image processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance exists.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image creating section imaging a predetermined surveillance range and creating image data;

an image processing section in which computing processing means having a predetermined processing ability performs first image processing of detecting an abnormality in the surveillance range in accordance with the image data and generating first detection signal and second image processing of converting the image data to a predetermined data format in parallel; and

a determination processing section determining whether a predetermined subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range or not based on the first detection signal, generating and supplying a first control signal to the image processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance does not exist in the surveillance range, and generating and supplying a second control signal to the image processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range,

wherein the image processing section allocates a larger proportion of the processing ability of the computing processing means to the first image processing performed by a detection processing section than that to the second image processing performed by a compression processing section, a distribution processing section and a recording processing section if the first control signal is supplied thereto and allocates a larger proportion of the processing ability of the computing processing means to the second image processing performed by the compression processing section, the distribution processing section and the recording processing section than that to the first image processing performed by the detection processing section if the second control signal is supplied thereto,

wherein, both, the first image processing performed by a detection processing section and the second image processing performed by a compression processing section are performed whether or not the first control signal is supplied thereto.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination processing section determines whether the subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range or not based on the first detection signal and an abnormality detection signal supplied from a predetermined detecting means for detecting an abnormality in the surveillance range.

3. A control method for an imaging apparatus that images a predetermined surveillance range and detects a subject under surveillance, the method comprising the steps of:

imaging the surveillance range and creating image data;

performing first image processing of detecting an abnormality in the surveillance range in accordance with the image data and generating a first detection signal and second image processing of converting the image data to a predetermined data format in parallel by computing processing means having a predetermined processing ability;

determining whether the subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range or not based on the first detection signal;

allocating a larger proportion of the processing ability of the computing processing means to the first image processing performed by a detection processing section than that to the second image processing performed by a compression processing section, a distribution processing section and a recording processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance does not exist in the surveillance range; and

allocating a larger proportion of the processing ability of the computing processing means to the second image processing performed by the compression processing section, the distribution processing section and the recording processing section than that to the first image processing performed by the detection processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range,

wherein, both, the first image processing performed by a detection processing section and the second image processing performed by a compression processing section are performed whether or not the first control signal is supplied thereto.

4. The control method for an imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein whether the subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range or not is determined based on the first detection signal and an abnormality detection signal supplied from a predetermined detecting means for detecting an abnormality in the surveillance range.

5. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image creating section imaging a predetermined surveillance range and creating image data;

an image processing section in which a computing processing unit having a predetermined processing ability performs first image processing of detecting an abnormality in the surveillance range in accordance with the image data and generating a first detection signal and second image processing of converting the image data to a predetermined data format in parallel; and

a determination processing section determining whether a predetermined subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range or not based on the first detection signal, generating and supplying a first control signal to the image processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance does not exist in the surveillance range, and generating and supplying a second control signal to the image processing section if it is determined that the subject under surveillance exists in the surveillance range,

wherein the image processing section allocates a larger proportion of the processing ability of the computing processing unit to the first image processing performed by a detection processing section than that to the second image processing performed by a compression processing section, a distribution processing section and a recording processing section if the first control signal is supplied thereto and allocates a larger proportion of the processing ability of the computing processing unit to the second image processing performed by the compression processing section, the distribution processing section and the recording processing section than that to the first image processing performed by the detection processing section if the second control signal is supplied thereto,

wherein, both, the first image processing performed by a detection processing section and the second image processing performed by a compression processing section are performed whether or not the first control signal is supplied thereto.