Communication apparatus, image processing apparatus, communication method, and image processing method

• US 6,580,451 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawai, Tomoaki, Yonezawa, Hiroki, Kotani, Masaaki, Tsujimura, Kazuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US09/867,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 348/159, 348/14.02, 348/12-16, 348/150, 348/153, 348/14.01, 348/14.08, 348/14.03, 348/576, 348/211, 345/326-330, 345/334, 345/342, 345/348, 345/145-146
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19693 using multiple video sources viewed on a single or compound screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

In order to freely select, locate and display an image from a remote place on a monitor to facilitate observer'"'"'s use, disclosed are apparatus and methods arranged to perform operation of drag and drop of a symbol to a specific position on a map showing the symbol indicating information of the position where an image generator is set, thereby establishing logical network connection with a video transmission terminal to which the image generator is connected, to display a video in an arbitrary display area, to perform the drag and drop operation of the video displayed in the video display area to another video display area, thereby changing a video display position, and to perform the drag and drop operation thereof to a display stop symbol, thereby disconnecting the logical network connection to stop the video display of the video camera.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

means for supplying a video signal to a monitor so as to display a map window indicating a layout of a place;

means for effecting display of a symbol indicating a location of at least one image signal generating means on said map window; and

control means for effecting display of an image signal from said at least one image signal generating means on the monitor in accordance with drag and drop of the symbol on the map window.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image signal generating means is image pickup means and said symbol is an icon having a shape of a video camera.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is means for establishing a network for image communication with said image signal generating means in accordance with said drag and drop.

4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network is a local area network.

5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said network is a bidirectional communication network.

6. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network is a packet communication network.

7. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is means for effecting display of a plurality of image signals from said image signal generating means so as to be visually recognized simultaneously on the monitor, in accordance with repetitions of said drag and drop.

8. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supplying means is means for displaying said map in a switchable manner.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further having generating means for generating information indicating a photographing condition of said image signal generating means.

10. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the map window includes a plurality of different maps indicating layouts of a plurality of different places.

11. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for supplying a video signal to the monitor so as to display a video display window having a plurality of video display areas wherein the video display window is separated from the map window on the monitor.

12. The image processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the drag and drop operation is performed between the map window and one of the video display areas of the video display window.

13. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drag and drop operation is performed between the map window and one of the video display areas of the video display window.

14. An image processing method comprising steps of:

supplying a video signal to a monitor so as to display a map window indicating a layout of a place;

effecting display of a symbol indicating a location of at least one image signal generating means on said map window; and

effecting display of an image signal from said at least one image signal generating means on the monitor in accordance with drag and drop of the symbol on the map window.

15. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said image signal generating means is image pickup means and said symbol is an icon having a shape of a video camera.

16. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein upon said display a network for image communication with said image signal generating means is established in accordance with said drag and drop.

17. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said network is a local area network.

18. An image processing method according to claim 17, wherein said network is a bidirectional communication network.

19. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said network is a packet communication network.

20. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein upon said display, a plurality of image signals from said image signal generating means are displayed so as to be visually recognized simultaneously on said monitor, in accordance with repetitions of said drag and drop.

21. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said supplying comprises displaying said map in a switchable manner.

22. An image processing method according to claim 14, further having generating information indicating a photographing condition of said image signal generating means.

23. An image processing method according to claim 22, wherein said supplying is means for effecting display of said photographing condition on said monitor.

24. An image processing method according to claim 22, wherein said photographing condition comprises at least one of a photographing direction, a photographing view angle, and an in-focus position of said image signal generating means.

25. An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said steps are stored in a medium so as to be read by a computer.

26. The image processing method of claim 14 wherein the map window includes a plurality of different maps indicating layouts of a plurality of different places.

27. The image processing method of claim 26, wherein the drag and drop operation is performed between the map window and one of the video display areas of the video display window.

28. A communication method comprising:

effecting display of a video from a video transmission terminal connected to a network in a display area of a monitoring terminal which displays a plurality of display areas; and

performing drag and drop operation of the displayed video to a predetermined symbol, thereby controlling network connection with said connected video transmission terminal.