Transmission apparatus and transmission method

• US 9,124,779 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kono, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chio, Tat
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, NGUYEN T
• Application Number:
  US13/090,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20110317011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A first control unit of a transmission apparatus controls pan, tilt, and rotation mechanisms according to a movement direction indicated by a movement instruction for changing an imaging direction of an imaging unit. A second control unit of the transmission apparatus performs control so as to prevent transmission of captured image data captured during the control of the pan, tilt, and rotation mechanisms, during the control performed by the first control unit.

Claims

1. A transmission apparatus configured to transmit an image captured by an imaging unit, the transmission apparatus comprising:

a first control unit configured to control a first direction change mechanism for changing a first moving direction of the imaging unit, a second direction change mechanism for changing a second moving direction of the imaging unit, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the imaging unit, according to an instruction to change an imaging direction of the imaging unit; and

a second control unit configured to restrict transmitting, to a transmission destination apparatus, an image captured by the imaging unit during rotation of the imaging direction if the first control unit makes the first and second direction change mechanisms change the imaging direction of the imaging unit and makes the rotation mechanism rotate the imaging unit according to the instruction, and to transmit the image captured by the imaging unit during changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit if the first control unit makes the first direction change mechanism change the first moving direction but does not make the second direction change mechanism change the second moving direction and the rotation mechanism rotate the imaging unit according to the instruction.

2. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit performs the control so that the imaging unit does not capture an image during changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

3. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit performs the control to prevent transmission of captured image data captured by the imaging unit during changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

4. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit transmits, to the transmission destination apparatus, a control-in-progress notification indicating that the first control unit is performing the control to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

5. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage control unit configured to store, in a memory, an image captured before the imaging direction is changed; and

a receiving unit configured to receive a request for captured image data,

wherein the second control unit transmits the image captured before the imaging direction is changed if the receiving unit receives the request for the captured image data while the imaging direction is changed.

6. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit from the transmission destination apparatus; and

a processing unit configured to process the image captured before the imaging direction is changed according to the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit to cause the transmission destination apparatus to perform a display as if the imaging direction is being changed to the imaging direction according to the instruction,

wherein the second control unit transmits processed image data processed by the processing unit.

15. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage control unit configured to store, in a memory, the image captured before the imaging direction is changed; and

a receiving unit configured to receive a request for the captured image,

wherein, if the determination unit determines that the imaging direction of the imaging unit is changed by controlling the rotation mechanism, the second control unit controls the transmission destination apparatus to display the image captured before the imaging direction is changed and stored in the memory.

7. A display control apparatus configured to display an image based on image data captured by an imaging unit and received from a transmission apparatus configured to control first and second direction change mechanisms configured to change a moving direction of the imaging unit, and to control a rotation mechanism for rotating the imaging unit, according to an instruction to change an imaging direction of the imaging unit, the display control apparatus comprising:

a transmission unit configured to transmit the instruction to change imaging direction of the imaging unit;

a receiving unit configured to receive the captured image data from the transmission apparatus, and receive a completion notification indicating that control according the instruction is completed;

a display control unit configured to prevent a display of the image captured by the imaging unit since a first timing according to the transmission of the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit until a second timing according to the reception of the completion notification; and

a storage control unit configured to store the captured image data before the control according to movement instruction in a memory,

wherein the display control unit displays the image based on the captured image data stored in the memory since the transmission of the movement instruction until the reception of the completion notification of the movement according to the movement instruction, regardless of a reception of the captured image data from the transmission apparatus, if the rotation mechanism is controlled for changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

8. The display control apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a transmission control unit configured to prevent the transmission unit from transmitting a request for the captured image data to the transmission apparatus since the transmission of the instruction to the transmission apparatus until the reception of the completion notification of the movement according to the instruction if the rotation mechanism is controlled for changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

9. The display control apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the receiving unit receives a control-in-progress notification indicating that the first control unit is performing the control according to movement direction, and

wherein the display control unit displays, on a display screen, an indication that the control is in progress according to the control-in-progress notification.

10. The display control apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a switch unit configured to switch a display between the image captured before the imaging direction is changed, and an image captured after the imaging direction is changed.

11. A transmission method for a transmission apparatus configured to transmit an image captured by an imaging unit, the transmission method comprising:

controlling a first direction change mechanism for changing a first moving direction of the imaging unit, a second direction change mechanism for changing a second moving direction of the imaging unit, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the imaging unit, according to an instruction to change an imaging direction of the imaging unit; and

restricting transmitting, to a transmission destination apparatus, an image captured by the imaging unit during rotation of the imaging direction if, according to the instruction, controlling includes making the first and second direction change mechanisms change the imaging direction of the imaging unit and making the rotation mechanism rotate the imaging unit, and transmitting the image captured by the imaging unit during changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit if, according to the instruction, controlling includes making the first direction change mechanism change the first moving direction but does not include making the second direction change mechanism change the second moving direction and the rotation mechanism rotate the imaging unit.

16. The transmission method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing, in a memory, the image captured before the imaging direction is changed; and

receiving a request for the captured image,

wherein, if it is determined that the imaging direction of the imaging unit is changed by controlling the rotation mechanism, preventing the display of the image includes controlling the transmission destination apparatus to display the image captured before the imaging direction is changed and stored in the memory.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program to cause a transmission apparatus, configured to transmit an image captured by an imaging unit, to perform a transmission method, the transmission method comprising:

controlling a first direction change mechanism for changing a first moving direction of the imaging unit, a second direction change mechanism for changing a second moving direction of the imaging unit, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the imaging unit, according to an instruction to change an imaging direction of the imaging unit; and

restricting transmitting, to a transmission destination apparatus, an image captured by the imaging unit during rotation of the imaging direction if, according to the instruction, controlling includes making the first and second direction change mechanisms change the imaging direction of the imaging unit and making the rotation mechanism rotate the imaging unit, and transmitting the image captured by the imaging unit during changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit if, according to the instruction, controlling includes making the first direction change mechanism change the first moving direction but does not include making the second direction change mechanism change the second moving direction and the rotation mechanism rotate the imaging unit.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, the transmission method further comprising

storing, in a memory, the image captured before the imaging direction is changed;

and

receiving a request for the captured image,

wherein, if it is determined that the imaging direction of the imaging unit is changed by controlling the rotation mechanism, preventing the display of the image includes controlling the transmission destination apparatus to display the image captured before the imaging direction is changed and stored in the memory.

13. A display control method performed by a display control apparatus configured to display an image based on image data captured by an imaging unit and received from a transmission apparatus configured to control first and second direction change mechanisms configured to change a moving direction of the imaging unit, and control a rotation mechanism for rotating the imaging unit, according to an instruction to change an imaging direction of the imaging unit, the display control method comprising:

transmitting the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit;

receiving the captured image data from the transmission apparatus, and receive a completion notification indicating that control according the instruction is completed;

preventing a display of the image captured by the imaging unit since a first timing according to the transmission of the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit until a second timing according to the reception of the completion notification; and

storing the captured image data before the control according to movement instruction in a memory,

wherein preventing the display of the image includes displaying the image based on the captured image data stored in the memory since the transmission of the movement instruction until the reception of the completion notification of the movement according to the movement instruction, regardless of a reception of the captured image data from the transmission apparatus, if the rotation mechanism is controlled for changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

18. The display control method according to claim 13, further comprising:

storing the image captured before the imaging direction is changed; and

displaying the image stored in the memory since the transmission of the movement instruction until the reception of the completion notification of the movement if it is determined that the imaging direction of the imaging unit is changed without controlling the rotation mechanism, regardless of a reception of the captured image data from the transmission apparatus.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program to cause a display control apparatus to perform a display control method, wherein the display control apparatus is configured to display an image based on image data captured by an imaging unit and received from a transmission apparatus configured to control first and second direction change mechanisms configured to change a moving direction of the imaging unit, and control a rotation mechanism for rotating the imaging unit, according to an instruction to change an imaging direction of the imaging unit, the display control method comprising:

transmitting the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit;

receiving the captured image data from the transmission apparatus, and receive a completion notification indicating that control according the instruction is completed;

preventing a display of the image captured by the imaging unit since a first timing according to the transmission of the instruction to change the imaging direction of the imaging unit until a second timing according to the reception of the completion notification; and

storing the captured image data before the control according to movement instruction in a memory,

wherein preventing the display of the image includes displaying the image based on the captured image data stored in the memory since the transmission of the movement instruction until the reception of the completion notification of the movement according to the movement instruction, regardless of a reception of the captured image data from the transmission apparatus, if the rotation mechanism is controlled for changing the imaging direction of the imaging unit.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, the display control method further comprising:

storing the image captured before the imaging direction is changed; and

displaying the image stored in the memory since the transmission of the movement instruction until the reception of the completion notification of the movement if it is determined that the imaging direction of the imaging unit is changed without controlling the rotation mechanism, regardless of a reception of the captured image data from the transmission apparatus.