Imaging apparatus, method of controlling same and computer program therefor

• US 8,606,570 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawai, Tomoaki, Nakamura, Yasuo, Shiraga, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US12/489,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20090326954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/152, 704/233, 704/246
• US Class Current: 704/233
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

An imaging apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a sound collecting unit configured to collect speech in a monitored environment, a shooting unit configured to shoot video in the monitored environment, a detection unit configured to detect a change in a state of the monitored environment based upon a change in data acquired by the sound collecting unit, the shooting unit and a sensor for measuring the state of the monitored environment, a recognition unit configured to recognize the change in state with regard to speech data acquired by the sound collecting unit and video data acquired by the shooting unit, and a control unit configured to start up the recognition unit and select a recognition database, which is used by the recognition unit, based upon result of detection by the detection unit.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a sound collecting unit configured to collect speech in a monitored environment;

a shooting unit configured to shoot video in the monitored environment;

a detection unit configured to detect a change in a state of the monitored environment based upon a change in data acquired by said sound collecting unit, said shooting unit and a sensor for measuring the state of the monitored environment;

a recognition unit configured to recognize the state with regard to speech data acquired by said sound collecting unit and video data acquired by said shooting unit; and

a control unit configured to start up said recognition unit and select a recognition database, which is used by said recognition unit, based upon result of detection by said detection unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit adjusts parameters used by said detection unit in detecting the change in state of the monitored environment, based upon the result of detection by said detection unit or the result of recognition by said recognition unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store the video data and speech data for a period of time during which said detection unit detected the change in state of the monitored environment;

wherein said recognition unit performs recognition asynchronously with respect to detection of the change in state by said detection unit, using the data that has been stored in said storage unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection unit detects the change in state of the monitored environment based upon a change in DCT coefficients or motion vector included in the video data acquired by said shooting unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to transmit the result of detection by said detection unit and the result of recognition by said recognition unit.

6. A computer program stored on a storage medium for causing a computer to function as the imaging apparatus set forth in claim 1.

7. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a sound collecting unit configured to collect speech in a monitored environment;

a shooting unit configured to shoot video in the monitored environment;

a detection unit configured to detect a change in a state of the monitored environment based upon a change in data acquired by said sound collecting unit, said shooting unit and a sensor for measuring the state of the monitored environment;

a communication unit configured to transmit data and detection content, acquired by said sound collecting unit and said shooting unit over a period of time during which said detection unit detected the change in state of the monitored environment, to a recognition apparatus for recognizing the state, and to receive result of recognition with respect to content transmitted; and

a control unit configured to cause said communication unit to transmit to the recognition apparatus based upon result of detection by said detection unit, and to adjust parameters, which are used in detecting the change in state of the monitored environment, based upon the result of recognition.

8. A computer program stored on a storage medium for causing a computer to function as the imaging apparatus set forth in claim 7.

9. A method of controlling an imaging apparatus having a sound collecting unit for collecting speech in a monitored environment, and an shooting unit for shooting video in the monitored environment, said method comprising:

detecting a change in a state of the monitored environment based upon a change in data acquired by the sound collecting unit, the shooting unit and a sensor for measuring the state of the monitored environment;

selecting a recognition database, which is used in recognition, and starting up recognition based upon result of detection at said detecting; and

recognizing, in response to start-up of recognition, the state, using the selected recognition database, with regard to speech data acquired by the sound collecting unit and video data acquired by the shooting unit.

10. A method of controlling an imaging apparatus having a sound collecting unit for collecting speech in a monitored environment, and an shooting unit for shooting video in the monitored environment, said method comprising:

detecting a change in a state of the monitored environment based upon a change in data acquired by the sound collecting unit, the shooting unit and a sensor for measuring the state of the monitored environment;

transmitting data and detection content, acquired by the sound collecting unit and the shooting unit over a period of time during which the change in state of the monitored environment was detected at said detecting, to a recognition apparatus for recognizing the state based upon the result of detection at said detecting;

receiving result of recognition with respect to content transmitted; and

adjusting parameters, which are used in detecting the change in state of the monitored environment, based upon the result of recognition.

11. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a monitoring unit configured to monitor an environment;

a detection unit configured to detect a change in a state of the environment monitored by the monitoring unit;

a recognition unit configured to recognize the state of the environment; and

a control unit configured to start up said recognition unit and select a recognition database, which is used by said recognition unit, based upon result of detection by said detection unit.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said monitoring unit includes a sound collecting unit configured to collect sound in the environment.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said monitoring unit includes a shooting unit configured to shoot video in the environment.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said monitoring unit includes a sensor configured to measure the state of the environment.

16. A computer program stored on a non-transitory storage medium for causing a computer to function as the information processing apparatus set forth in claim 11.

15. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising:

monitoring an environment;

detecting a change in a state of the monitored environment;

selecting a recognition database and starting up recognition based upon the detected change in the state of the environment; and

recognizing, in response to start-up of recognition, the state of the environment using the selected recognition database.