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

• US 7,187,402 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• 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, Tsujimura, Kazuko, Kotani, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Tung
• Application Number:
  US10/386,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 348/159, 3482111-21114, 348/150, 348/153, 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 348/14.08, 348/14.12, 348/36, 345/2.1, 345/4, 345/156, 345/163
• 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:

video signal supplying means for supplying a video signal to a monitor so as to display, on the monitor, at least one symbol representing an image signal generating means, and a window for displaying an image signal from the image signal generating means;

display control means for effecting display control in accordance with an operation made on the symbol displayed on the monitor; and

control means for controlling the video signal supplying means in accordance with a drag and drop of the symbol to the window on the monitor, to start displaying the image signal from the image signal generating means represented by the symbol, in the window on the monitor.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the window is divided into a plurality of areas in advance, and displays the image signal from the image signal generating means represented by the symbol moved into an area by the drop operation.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for generating information indicating a generation condition of the image signal from the image signal generating means represented by the symbol, and displaying the information on a display.

4. A control method for an image processing apparatus, comprising:

a video signal supplying step of supplying a video signal to a monitor so as to display, on the monitor, at least one a symbol representing an image signal generating method, and a window for displaying an image signal generated by the image signal generating method;

a display control step of effecting display control in accordance with an operation made on the symbol displayed on the monitor; and

a control step of controlling the video signal supplying step in accordance with a drag and drop of the symbol to the window on the monitor to start displaying the image signal generated by the image signal generating method represented by the symbol, in the window on the monitor.

5. A control method according to claim 4, wherein the window is divided into a plurality of areas in advance, and displays the image signal generated by the image signal generating method represented by the symbol moved into an area by the drop operation.

6. A control method according to claim 4, further comprising a display step of generating information indicating a generation condition of the image signal generated by the image signal generating method represented by the symbol, and displaying the information on a display.

7. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium and embodying a computer-executable program for implementing the control method according to claim 4.

8. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium and embodying a computer-executable program for implementing the control method according to claim 5.

9. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium and embodying a computer-executable program for implementing the control method according to claim 6.

10. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a processor programmed to supply a video signal to a monitor so as to display, on the monitor, at least one a symbol representing an image signal generating means, and a window for displaying an image signal from the at least one image signal generating means;

a processor programmed to effect display control in accordance with an operation made on the symbol displayed on the monitor; and

a processor programmed to control the video signal supply processor in accordance with a drag and drop of the symbol to the window on the monitor start displaying the image signal from the image signal generating means represented by the symbol, in the window on the monitor.

11. An image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the window is divided into a plurality of areas in advance, and displays the image signal from the image signal generating means represented by the symbol moved into an area by the drop operation.

12. An image processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a processor programmed to generate information indicating a generation condition of the image signal from the image signal generating means represented by the symbol, and display the information on a display.