Image pickup apparatus, control method therefor, and program for implementing the method

• US 8,810,654 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Asami
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher S
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, TRACY Y
• Application Number:
  US11/552,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,855 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/151
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19676 Temporary storage, e.g. cyclic memory, buffer storage on pre-alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• 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

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus which is capable of identifying a criminal e.g. when the image pickup apparatus has been broken, without additionally providing a dedicated sensor for detecting an abnormality. A panhead unit supports a camera unit and rotates the same. A rotary encoder detects a rotating state of the panhead unit. A motor control circuit controls the rotating state of the panhead unit based on the rotating state detected by the rotary encoder. A system control circuit stores an image periodically picked up by the camera unit in the controlled rotating state of the panhead unit in a buffer memory. When the rotating state of the panhead unit is not being controlled based on the rotating state detected by the rotary encoder, a memory control circuit reads out images picked up, respectively, before and after a detection time at which the rotary encoder detected the rotating state, and stores the images in an auxiliary memory.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a pickup direction of a camera unit, comprising:

a determining unit that determines a driving state of a motor, the motor being for changing the pickup direction of the camera unit;

a detector unit that detects a change of the pickup direction; and

a processing unit that instructs, in response to contemporaneous satisfaction of conditions of (1) detection of the change of the pickup direction by the detector unit and (2) a determination by the determining unit that the motor for changing the pickup direction of the camera unit is not driven, execution of at least;

(a) a storing control processing for storing in a memory at least an image picked up before, after, or both before and after the contemporaneous satisfaction of the conditions of (1) and (2),

(b) an outputting processing for outputting an alert, or

both (a) and (b).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a timing for storing the image to the memory in response to the contemporaneous satisfaction of conditions of (1) and (2) is not a timing at which an image is to be periodically picked up.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit causes transmission of the image stored in the memory to an external information processing apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm unit that generates an alarm sound in accordance with the outputting of the alert.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays an alert message in accordance with the outputting of the alert.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit causes execution of the storing control processing for storing the image to the memory such that an image picked up based on a timing at which a difference between a target value based on a control signal for driving the motor and a rotation value of the motor based on the control signal for driving the motor is determined to exceed a predetermined value is stored in the memory.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the change of the pickup direction is a change in pan or tilt of the pickup direction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit instructs the execution of at least (a), (b), or both (a) and (b), based on a present pickup direction of the camera unit and a target pickup direction thereof.

9. A control method for a control apparatus for controlling a pickup direction of a camera unit, the control method comprising:

a determining step of determining a driving state of a motor, the motor being for changing the pickup direction of the camera unit;

a detecting step of detecting a change of the pickup direction; and

a processing step of instructing, in response to contemporaneous satisfaction of conditions of (1) detection of the change of the pickup direction in the detecting step and (2) a determination in the determining step that the motor for changing the pickup direction of the camera unit is not driven, execution of at least;

(a) a storing control processing for storing in a memory at least an image picked up before, after, or both before and after the contemporaneous satisfaction of the conditions of (1) and (2),

(b) an outputting processing for outputting an alert, or

both (a) and (b).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the processing step causes execution of the storing control processing for storing of the image to the memory such that an image picked up based on a timing at which a difference between a target value based on a control signal for driving the motor and a rotation value of the motor based on control signal for driving the motor is determined to exceed a predetermined value is stored in the memory.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the change of the pickup direction is a change in pan or tilt of the pickup direction.

12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising a second processing step of instructing the execution of at least (a), (b), or both (a) and (b), based on a present pickup direction of the camera unit and a target pickup direction thereof.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a control method for a control apparatus for controlling a pickup direction of a camera unit, the program comprising:

a determining module for determining a driving state of a motor, the motor being for changing the pickup direction of the camera unit;

a detecting module for detecting a change of the pickup direction; and

a processing module for instructing, in response to contemporaneous satisfaction of conditions of (1) detection of the change of the pickup direction by the detecting module and (2) a determination by the determining module that the motor for changing the pickup direction of the camera unit is not driven, execution of at least;

(a) a storing control processing for storing in a memory at least an image picked up before, after, or both before and after the contemporaneous satisfaction of the conditions of (1) and (2),

(b) an outputting processing for outputting an alert, or

both (a) and (b).

14. The medium according to claim 13, wherein the processing module causes execution of the storing control processing for storing the image to the memory such that an image picked up based on a timing at which a difference between a target value based on a control signal for driving the motor and a rotation value of the motor based on the control signal for driving the motor is determined to exceed a predetermined value is stored in the memory.

15. The medium according to claim 13, wherein the change of the pickup direction is a change in pan or tilt of the pickup direction.

16. The medium according to claim 13, the processing module instructs the execution of at least (a), (b), or both (a) and (b), based on a present pickup direction of the camera unit and a target pickup direction thereof.