Method of and apparatus for setting image-capturing conditions, and computer program

• US 7,630,515 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Harada, Tomoyuki, Nishimaki, Yuji, Takahashi, Kunikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner; Brian P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fujita; Katrina
• Application Number:
  US10/851,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20050169500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

An apparatus for setting an image-capturing condition includes a travel direction storing unit that receives information on a travel direction of a moving object, and stores the information received, and an image-capturing condition setting unit that sets, based on the information stored, a condition for capturing an image that includes identification data for identifying the moving object.

Claims

1. An apparatus for setting an image-capturing condition, under which a camera is to capture an image of a moving object, the image including identification data for identifying the moving object, comprising:

a storing unit that stores current travel direction data indicating whether the moving object is traveling in a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction, and image capturing condition data including referenced travel direction data;

an image-capturing condition setting unit that compares the current travel direction data with the referenced travel direction data and replaces the referenced travel direction data with the current travel direction data if the referenced travel direction data does not coincide with the current travel direction data; and

an image-capturing processing unit that refers to the image capturing condition data, determines whether the referenced travel direction data indicates that the moving object is traveling in the first direction or the second direction, and instructs the camera to capture the image when a front portion of the moving object reaches a first line if the referenced travel direction data is determined to indicate that the moving object is traveling in the first direction and instructs the camera to capture the image when a back portion of the moving object reaches a second line if the referenced travel direction data is determined to indicate that the moving object is traveling in the second direction.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a travel direction detecting unit that detects a traveling direction of the moving object to obtain the current travel direction data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current travel direction data comprises direction change schedule data including different time slots and a travel direction allocated to each time slot.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image-capturing condition setting unit refers to the direction change schedule data, and obtains, as the current travel direction data, the travel direction allocated to one of the different time slots corresponding to a current time from the direction change schedule data.

5. A method of setting an image-capturing condition under which a camera is to capture an image of a moving object, the image including identification data for identifying the moving object, comprising:

storing current travel direction data indicating whether the moving object is traveling in a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction, and image capturing condition data including referenced travel direction data;

comparing the current travel direction data with the referenced travel direction data;

replacing the referenced travel direction data with the current travel direction data if the referenced travel direction data does not coincide with the current travel direction data;

determining whether the referenced travel direction data indicates that the moving object is traveling in the first direction or the second direction;

instructing the camera to capture the image when a front portion of the moving object reaches a first line if the referenced travel direction data is determined to indicate that the moving object is traveling in the first direction; and

instructing the camera to capture the image when a back portion of the moving object reaches a second line if the referenced travel direction data is determined to indicate that the moving object is traveling in the second direction.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising detecting a traveling direction of the moving object to obtain the current travel direction data.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the current travel direction data comprises direction change schedule data including different time slots and a travel direction allocated to each time slot.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining, as the current travel direction data, the travel direction allocated to one of the different time slots corresponding to a current time from the direction change schedule data.

9. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process of setting an image-capturing condition under which a camera is to capture an image of a moving object, the image including identification data for identifying the moving object, the process comprising:

storing current travel direction data indicating whether the moving object is traveling in a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction, and image capturing condition data including referenced travel direction data;

comparing the current travel direction data with the referenced travel direction data;

replacing the referenced travel direction data with the current travel direction data if the referenced travel direction data does not coincide with the current travel direction data;

determining whether the referenced travel direction data indicates that the moving object is traveling in the first direction or the second direction;

instructing the camera to capture the image when a front portion of the moving object reaches a first line if the referenced travel direction data is determined to indicate that the moving object is traveling in the first direction; and

instructing the camera to capture the image when a back portion of the moving object reaches a second line if the referenced travel direction data is determined to indicate that the moving object is traveling in the second direction.

10. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further causing a computer execute a process comprising:

detecting a traveling direction of the moving object to obtain the current travel direction data.

11. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the current travel direction data comprises direction change schedule data including different time slots and a travel direction allocated to each time slot.

12. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 11, further causing a computer execute a process comprising:

obtaining, as the current travel direction data, the travel direction allocated to one of the different time slots corresponding to a current time from the direction change schedule data.

13. A method of capturing an image, comprising:

storing, at a storage unit, information related to a direction of travel of a moving object including whether the direction of travel is a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction;

setting, at a setting unit, a condition for capturing the image, which includes data used to identify the moving object, based upon the direction stored in the storage unit;

changing, at the setting unit, a position of a boundary line most appropriate for capturing the image when the storage unit receives information indicating that the direction of travel has changed from the first direction to the second direction or from the second direction to the first direction; and

directing a camera to capture the image based upon the change in position of the boundary line.