Camera control apparatus and method, and camera control system

• US 8,427,539 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Uchihara, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe, Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): COWAN, EUEL K
• Application Number:
  US13/092,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348152-155, 348/169
• 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 which is connected to a plurality of cameras via a network, comprising;

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

a control unit configured to control one of the plurality of cameras as a control-target camera;

a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a control request for a first one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the control unit is a control request for camera control which exceeds a viewable angle of the first one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the control unit;

a display control unit configured to control a display device to display an operation image for operating to change the control-target camera from the first one to a second one of the plurality of cameras in a case where the determination unit determines that the control request to the first one of the plurality of cameras is the control request for camera control which exceeds the viewable angle of the first one of the plurality of cameras; and

a changing unit configured to change the control-target camera from the first one to the second one of the plurality of the cameras to be controlled by the control unit in response to the operation to the operation image displayed in accordance with the determination by the determination unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the operation image comprises an icon and

the changing unit changes the control-target camera to the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to an icon operated among a plurality of icons displayed by the display control unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the display device to display the operation image and user information indicating whether the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to the operation image is usable or not.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the display device to display the operation image and angle information indicating viewable angle of the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to the operation image.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the display device to display the operation image and a

pickup image picked up by the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to the operation image.

6. A control method of a camera control apparatus which is connected to a plurality of cameras via a network, the method comprising:

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

a controlling step of controlling one of the plurality of cameras as a control-target camera;

a determining step of determining whether or not a control request for a first one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the controlling step is a control request for camera control which exceeds a viewable angle of the first one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the controlling step;

a display controlling step of controlling a display device to display a operation image for operating to change the control-target camera from the first one to a second one of the plurality of cameras in a case where the control request to the first one of the plurality of cameras is the control request for camera control which exceeds the viewable angle of the first one of the plurality of cameras; and

a changing step of changing the control-target camera from the first one to the second one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the controlling step in response to the operation to the operation image displayed in the display controlling step.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

the operation image comprises an icon, and

the control-target camera is changed in the changing step to the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to an icon operated among a plurality of icons displayed in the display controlling step.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the operation image and user information indicating whether the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to the operation image is usable or not are displayed in the display controlling step.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the operation image and angle information indicating viewable angle of the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to the operation image are displayed in the display controlling step.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the operation image and a pickup image picked up by the second one of the plurality of cameras corresponding to operation image are displayed in the display controlling step.

11. A camera system to which a plurality of cameras and a camera control apparatus are connected via a network, comprising

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

a control unit configured to control one of the plurality of cameras as a control-target camera;

a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a control request for a first one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the control unit is a control request for camera control which exceeds a viewable angle of the first one of the plurality of cameras to be controlled by the control unit;

a display control unit configured to control a display device to display an operation image for operating to change the control-target camera from the first one to a second one of the plurality of cameras in a case where the determination unit determines that the control request to the first one of the plurality of cameras is the control request for camera control which exceeds the viewable angle of the first one of the plurality of cameras; and

a changing unit configured to change the control-target camera from the first one to the second one of the plurality of the cameras to be controlled by the control unit in response to the operation to the operation image displayed by the display control unit.