Information processing system and method, information processing apparatus, image-capturing device and method, recording medium, and program

• US 20040155963A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Tetsujiro, Takeda, Naoki, Kobayashi, Naoki, Fujimori, Yasuhiro, Takahashi, Yasuaki, Ohta, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/180
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19652 Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system
• 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A feature extracting unit obtains sensor data from a plurality of sensors to calculate each feature. When an event determining unit determines the occurrence of an event based on each feature, a display data constructor generates remote-controller display data for displaying the event, and controls a remote-controller display device to display the remote-controller display data. When a user decision is input from a user input IF based on this display, a control unit controls the sensors to be turned ON or OFF. When an infrared sensor detects an abnormality, a microwave sensor whose power consumption is small after the infrared sensor is turned ON. When the microwave sensor detects an abnormality, a video camera and a microphone are turned ON, and the microwave sensor is turned OFF. A communication unit wirelessly transmits an image signal captured by the video camera and an audio signal processed by the microphone. Then, if the infrared sensor does not detect an abnormality, the video camera and the microphone are turned OFF. With this arrangement, power consumption can be suppressed. The present invention is applied to, for example, a security system, for example, for monitoring outside a vehicle by a video camera disposed in the vehicle when the vehicle is parked.

Claims

1. An information processing system for performing monitor processing based on sensor data, comprising:

sensor means for obtaining sensor data;

feature extracting means for extracting a feature of an object based on the sensor data obtained by said sensor means;

event determining means for obtaining the feature extracted by said feature extracting means so as to determine whether an event has occurred based on determination parameters;

display-data generating means for generating, when the occurrence of the event is determined by said event determining means, display data including event data for reporting the occurrence of the event;

display means for giving an indication based on the display data generated by said display-data generating means;

input reception means for receiving the input of a user decision based on the indication given by said display means; and

control means for performing control processing based on the input of the user decision received by said input reception means.

2. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said display-data generating means further generates remote-controller display data consisting of the event data for reporting the occurrence of the event to a remote controller for controlling said display-data generating means.

3. An information processing system according to claim 2, further comprising remote-controller display means for displaying the remote-controller display data generated by said display-data generating means.

4. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:

parameter control means for updating the determination parameters for determining whether the event has occurred by said event determining means;

feature-extracting control means for controlling said feature extracting means to extract the feature; and

sensor control means for controlling said sensor means to obtain the sensor data.

5. An information processing system according to claim 4, wherein said sensor means comprises a plurality of sensors, and said sensor control means controls power sources of the plurality of sensors to be turned ON or OFF.

6. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said display-data generating means generates data based on a predetermined signal as the display data when said event determining means determines that an event has not occurred.

7. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said sensor means, said feature extracting means, said event determining means, and said control means are formed of a first information processing apparatus;

said display-data generating means is formed of a second information processing apparatus;

said display means is formed of a third information processing apparatus; and

said input reception means is formed of a fourth information processing apparatus.

8. An information processing system according to claim 7, wherein communication between said first information processing apparatus and said second information processing apparatus is performed wirelessly.

9. An information processing system according to claim 7, wherein said first information processing apparatus is driven by a battery.

10. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said sensor means, said feature extracting means, said event determining means, and said control means are formed of a first information processing apparatus;

said display-data generating means and said display means are formed of a second information processing apparatus; and

said input reception means is formed of a third information processing apparatus.

11. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said display-data generating means generates the display data by inserting the event data into a television broadcast signal.

12. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means comprises at least one of a camera, a microphone, and an infrared sensor.

13. An information processing method for an information processing system for performing monitor processing based on sensor data, said information processing method comprising:

a sensor step of obtaining sensor data;

a feature extracting step of extracting a feature of an object based on the sensor data obtained in said sensor step;

an event determining step of obtaining the feature extracted in said feature extracting step so as to determine whether an event has occurred based on determination parameters;

a display-data generating step of generating, when the occurrence of the event is determined in said event determining step, display data including event data for reporting the occurrence of the event;

a display step of giving an indication based on the display data generated in said display-data generating step;

an input reception step of receiving the input of a user decision based on the indication given in said display step; and

a control step of performing control processing based on the input of the user decision received in said input reception step.

14. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for executing monitor processing based on sensor data is recorded, said program comprising:

a feature extracting step of extracting a feature of an object based on the sensor data;

an event determining step of obtaining the feature extracted in said feature extracting step so as to determine whether an event has occurred based on determination parameters;

a display-data generating step of generating, when the occurrence of the event is determined in said event determining step, display data including event data for reporting the occurrence of the event;

an input reception step of receiving the input of a user decision; and

a control step of performing control processing based on the input of the user decision received in said input reception step.

15. A program for executing monitor processing based on sensor data, said program allowing a computer to execute:

a feature extracting step of extracting a feature of an object based on the sensor data;

an event determining step of obtaining the feature extracted in said feature extracting step so as to determine whether an event has occurred based on determination parameters;

a display-data generating step of generating, when the occurrence of the event is determined in said event determining step, display data including event data for reporting the occurrence of the event;

an input reception step of receiving the input of a user decision; and

a control step of performing control processing based on the input of the user decision received in said input reception step.

16. An information processing apparatus for performing monitor processing based on sensor data, comprising sensor means for obtaining a plurality of items of said sensor data by using a plurality of sensors, wherein said sensor means turns ON or OFF the plurality of sensors according to a decision signal based on a user instruction transmitted from a first information processing apparatus.

17. An information processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

feature extracting means for extracting a feature of an object based on the sensor data obtained by said sensor means;

event determining means for obtaining the feature extracted by said feature extracting means so as to determine whether an event has occurred based on determination parameters;

transmission means for transmitting, when the occurrence of the event is determined by said event determining means, message data for reporting the occurrence of the event to said first information processing apparatus;

reception means for receiving the decision signal transmitted from said first information processing apparatus; and

control means for performing control processing based on the decision signal received by said reception means.

18. An information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control means updates the determination parameters for determining whether the event has occurred by said event determining means, and controls the extraction processing of the feature by said feature extracting means and controls the obtaining processing of the sensor data by said sensor means.

19. An information processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein wireless communication is performed in said transmission means and in said reception means.

20. An information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said information processing apparatus is driven by a battery.

21. An information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one of a camera, a microphone, and an infrared sensor.

22. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus which comprises sensor means for obtaining a plurality of items of sensor data by using a plurality of sensors so as to perform monitor processing based on the sensor data, said information processing method comprising the step of turning ON or OFF the plurality of sensors according to a decision signal based on a user instruction transmitted from a first information processing apparatus.

23. An information processing apparatus for performing monitor processing, comprising display-data generating means for generating, in case of the occurrence of an event, display data by inserting event data for reporting the occurrence of the event into data based on a predetermined signal, wherein, when an event has not occurred, said display-data generating means generates the data based on the predetermined signal as the display data.

24. An information processing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising display means for displaying the display data generated by said display-data generating means.

25. An information processing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said display-data generating means further generates remote-controller display data consisting of the event data for reporting the occurrence of the event to a first information processing apparatus which remote-controls said information processing apparatus.

26. An information processing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:

event-message reception means for receiving message data for reporting the occurrence of the event from a second information processing apparatus;

display-data transmission means for transmitting the remote-controller display data to said first information processing apparatus;

decision signal reception means for receiving a decision signal based on the remote-controller display data from said first information processing apparatus; and

decision signal transmission means for transmitting the decision signal received by said decision signal reception means to said second information processing apparatus,

wherein said display-data generating means performs processing based on the message data.

27. An information processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein wireless communication is performed in said event-message reception means and in said decision signal transmission means.

28. An information processing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

feature extracting means for extracting a feature of an object based on sensor data;

event determining means for obtaining the feature extracted by said feature extracting means so as to determine whether an event has occurred based on determination parameters;

reception means for receiving a decision signal based on the display data from a first information processing apparatus; and

control means for performing control processing based on the decision signal received by said reception means,

wherein said display-data generating means generates the display data based on a determination result of said event determining means.

29. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said control means updates the determination parameters for determining whether the event has occurred by said event determining means, controls the extraction processing of the feature by said feature extracting means, and transmits a signal for controlling the obtaining processing of the sensor data by said first information processing apparatus to said first information processing apparatus.

30. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, said control means transmits a signal for turning ON or OFF a plurality of sensors provided for said first information processing apparatus.

31. An information processing apparatus for processing information, comprising:

reception means for receiving remote-controller display data consisting of event data for reporting the occurrence of an event from a first information processing apparatus;

display means for displaying the remote-controller display data received by said reception means;

input reception means for receiving the input of a user decision based on an indication of said display means; and

transmission means for transmitting a decision signal based on the user decision received by said input reception means to said first information processing apparatus.

32. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for processing information, comprising:

a reception step of receiving remote-controller display data consisting of event data for reporting the occurrence of an event from a first information processing apparatus;

a display control step of controlling an indication of the remote-controller display data received in said reception step;

an input reception step of receiving the input of a user decision based on the indication controlled in said display control step; and

a transmission step of transmitting a decision signal based on the user decision received in said input reception step to said first information processing apparatus.

33. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for executing information processing is recorded, said program comprising:

a reception step of receiving remote-controller display data consisting of event data for reporting the occurrence of an event from an information processing apparatus;

an input reception step of receiving the input of a user decision; and

a transmission step of transmitting a decision signal based on the user decision received in said input reception step to said information processing apparatus.

34. A program for executing information processing, allowing a computer to execute:

a reception step of receiving remote-controller display data consisting of event data for reporting the occurrence of an event from an information processing apparatus;

an input reception step of receiving the input of a user decision; and

a transmission step of transmitting a decision signal based on the user decision received in said input reception step to said information processing apparatus.

35. An information processing apparatus for performing monitor processing based on sensor data, comprising:

a first sensor for detecting an object;

a second sensor for detecting the object;

a battery for supplying power to said first sensor and said second sensor; and

power supply control means for supplying power to said first sensor without supplying power to said second sensor under normal conditions, and when an abnormality is detected by said first sensor, said power supply control means supplying power to said second sensor.

36. An information processing apparatus according to claim 35, wherein power consumption of said first sensor is smaller than power consumption of said second sensor.

37. An information processing apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said first sensor is an infrared sensor, and said second sensor is a microwave sensor.

38. An information processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising a third sensor whose power consumption is larger than said second sensor.

39. An information processing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said third sensor is a video camera or a microphone.

40. An information processing apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said second sensor is a sensor for detecting whether the object is approaching or going away from said second sensor.

41. An information processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said power supply control means does not supply power to said third sensor when said second sensor detects that the object is going away from said second sensor even when said first sensor detects the presence of the object, and said power supply control means supplies power to said third sensor when said second sensor detects that the object is approaching.

42. An information processing apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising transmission means for wirelessly transmitting an output of said third sensor.

43. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus comprising a first sensor for detecting an object, a second sensor for detecting the object, and a battery for supplying power to said first sensor and said second sensor so as to perform monitor processing based on data from said first sensor and said second sensor, said information processing method comprising the step of controlling power supply so that power is supplied to said first sensor without supplying power to said second sensor under normal conditions, and when an abnormality is detected by said first sensor, power is supplied to said second sensor.

44. An image-capturing device comprising:

image-capturing means installed inside a vehicle at a position to capture an image outside the vehicle through a rear window;

direction setting means for setting an image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means in a monitor mode;

determining means for determining whether the vehicle is in a first usage mode in which the vehicle is reversed or in a second usage mode in which the vehicle is not used; and

direction control means for controlling the image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means to be a direction in the back of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the first usage mode, and for controlling the image-capturing direction to be a direction set by said direction setting means when the vehicle is in the second usage mode.

45. An image-capturing device according to claim 44, further comprising:

detection means for detecting an object outside the vehicle through a window of the vehicle; and

power supply control means for prohibiting power supply to said image-capturing means when an object is not detected by said detection means, and for allowing power supply to said image-capturing means when an object is detected by said detection means.

46. An image-capturing device according to claim 45, wherein, when said detection means detects a moving object, said direction control means controls the image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means so that the object is traced.

47. An image-capturing device according to claim 45, further comprising a battery for supplying power to said image-capturing means, wherein, when the remaining amount of said battery is smaller than a reference value, said power supply control means replaces said battery with a battery of the vehicle to supply power.

48. An image-capturing device according to claim 44, further comprising:

transmission means for transmitting an image captured by said image-capturing means; and

transmission-destination setting means for setting a transmission destination of the image captured by said image-capturing means to a first display device disposed inside the vehicle when the vehicle is in the first usage mode, and for setting the transmission destination to be a second display device disposed outside the vehicle when the vehicle is in the second usage mode.

49. An image-capturing device according to claim 44, wherein said determining means determines whether the vehicle is in the first mode or in the second mode based on the status of an engine key and the status of a transmission gear of the vehicle.

50. An image-capturing method for an image-capturing apparatus which comprises image-capturing means installed inside a vehicle at a position to capture an image outside the vehicle through a rear window, said image-capturing method comprising:

a direction setting step of setting an image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means in a monitor mode;

a determining step of determining whether the vehicle is in a first usage mode in which the vehicle is reversed or in a second usage mode in which the vehicle is not used; and

a direction control step of controlling the image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means to be a direction in the back of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the first usage mode, and for controlling the image-capturing direction to be a direction set in said direction setting step when the vehicle is in the second usage mode.

51. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for an image-capturing device which comprises image-capturing means installed inside a vehicle at a position to capture an image outside the vehicle through a rear window is recorded, said program comprising:

a direction setting step of setting an image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means in a monitor mode;

a determining step of determining whether the vehicle is in a first usage mode in which the vehicle is reversed or in a second usage mode in which the vehicle is not used; and

a direction control step of controlling the image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means to be a direction in the back of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the first usage mode, and for controlling the image-capturing direction to be a direction set in said direction setting step when the vehicle is in the second usage mode.

52. A program for an image-capturing device which comprises image-capturing means installed inside a vehicle at a position to capture an image outside the vehicle through a rear window, said program comprising:

a direction setting step of setting an image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means in a monitor mode;

a determining step of determining whether the vehicle is in a first usage mode in which the vehicle is reversed or in a second usage mode in which the vehicle is not used; and

a direction control step of controlling the image-capturing direction of said image-capturing means to be a direction in the back of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the first usage mode, and for controlling the image-capturing direction to be a direction set in said direction setting step when the vehicle is in the second usage mode.