Imaging system

• US 20060133787A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Pro Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Yasuji, Ogata, Tsuyoshi, Ike, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,399,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/56
• 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

Herein disclosed is an imaging system which can enhance its operational performance to allow an operator to easily obtain a good grasp of images collectively displayed on a screen by comprising: a camera (1) to be disposed in a remote place, the camera (1) having an optical axis (1a); driving means (8, 13) for driving the camera (1) to have the optical axis (1a) of the camera (1) moved in each of horizontal and vertical directions; position detecting means (10) for detecting a position of the optical axis (1a) of the camera (1)in each of the horizontal and vertical directions; position information storing means (12) for storing position information indicative of the position of the optical axis (1a) of the camera (1)to have the position information linked to an image taken at the position by the camera (1); and remote controlling apparatus (21) to be electrically connected to the driving means (8) through a communication network (19, 22) to control the driving means (8, 13), the remote controlling apparatus (21) including display means for displaying on the screen the image taken at the position by the camera (1) to have the screen linked to the position information.

Claims

1. An imaging system, comprising:

a camera to be disposed in a remote place, said camera having an optical axis;

driving means for driving said camera to have said optical axis of said camera moved in each of horizontal and vertical directions;

position detecting means for detecting a position of said optical axis of said camera in each of said horizontal and vertical directions;

position information storing means for storing position information indicative of said position of said optical axis of said camera to have said position information linked to an image taken at said position by said camera; and

remote controlling apparatus to be electrically connected to said driving means through a communication network to control said driving means, said remote controlling apparatus including display means for displaying on a screen said image taken at said position by said camera to have said screen linked to said position information.

2. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said screen has a divided image screen;

said display means is adapted to display images sequentially taken at said respective positions by said camera on said divided image section in conjunction with said detected positions.

3. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises:

position registering means for registering said position detected by said position detecting means with an optical condition of the camera, and in which

said driving means is adapted to drive said camera on the basis of said registered position and optical condition.

4. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said screen has an enlarged image section, and which further comprises:

image switching means for allowing said display means to display a moving image taken at said selected position by said camera to have said moving image displayed on said enlarged image section, said image switching means, when one of said images displayed on said divided image section is selected, being adapted to allow said camera to be moved and occupy a position linked to said selected image.

5. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said remote controlling apparatus is adapted to control said driving means at regular time intervals to have said camera sequentially take images at said positions linked to said images displayed on said divided image section to allow said images displayed on said divided image section to be updated to said images taken by said camera.

6. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises:

image information storing means for storing image information indicative of said images taken by said camera at said positions to have said stored images linked to said respective positions.

7. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said remote controlling apparatus is adapted to control said driving means to have said camera take images at predetermined time intervals at said positions, which further comprises

difference detecting means for detecting differences to said images in each position, and in which

said remote controlling apparatus is adapted to produce a notification signal on said differences detected by said difference detecting means.

8. An imaging system as set forth in claim 7, in which

said displaying means of said remote controlling apparatus is adapted to enlarge said image linked to a position in which said difference of said images is detected by said difference detecting means, and to display said enlarged image on said enlarged image section.

9. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said remote controlling apparatus is adapted to obtain viewing angle information on a viewing angle of a lens unit of said camera to calculate a distance in each of said horizontal and vertical directions on the basis of said viewing angle information.

10. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said remote controlling apparatus further includes inputting means for inputting descriptive information on said images at said respective positions, and

said display means is adapted to superimpose said descriptive information inputted by said inputted means on said respective images to be displayed on said divided image section or said enlarged image section.