Method and apparatus for photographing moving object

• US 7,656,432 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Inventors: Ogawa, Ryota, Hama, Yoshihiro, Kaneko, Atsumi, Yamamoto, Masachika
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, KENT F
• Application Number:
  US11/392,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20060221229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 348/149, 348/208.13, 348/222.1, 348/148, 348/118, 340936-941, 340/933, 382103-107, 700/119
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects

Abstract

An apparatus for photographing a moving object has a velocity detector that measures a velocity of an object, at least one camera that has an image sensor and is located so as to capture the object, an operating processor that calculates a photograph point in accordance with resolution required for an object image, a camera controller that controls the camera on the basis of a detected velocity so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point, and an image transmitting processor that transmits image data, obtained by the camera, outside. The operating processor calculates the photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram. The object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

Claims

1. An apparatus for photographing a moving object comprising:

a velocity detector that measures a velocity of an object;

at least one camera that has an image sensor and is located so as to capture an image of the object;

an operating processor that calculates a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an object image;

a camera controller that controls said camera on the basis of a detected velocity so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point; and

an image transmitting processor that transmits image data, obtained by said camera, outside,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating processor calculates the photograph point for a moving object that travels at a velocity more than a predetermined velocity, said photograph controller photographing the moving object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said photograph controller controls said camera so as to successively photograph a series of objects that passes the photograph point in order.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating processor changes at least one of the photograph point, the angle of view of said camera, and the number of pixels used, by using the object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a change of the required resolution.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating processor changes the photograph point by using the object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a change of the required resolution.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating processor changes the angle of view of said camera by using the object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a change of the required resolution.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating processor changes the number of pixels used by using the object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a change of the required resolution.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of recording cameras are located along a plurality of lanes in which the object moves,

wherein said operating processor has a specifying processor that specifies a lane in which the object moves from the plurality of lanes, said photograph controller controlling a recording camera corresponding to the specified lane.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a vehicle specifying camera is located so as to capture the total of the plurality of lanes, and said specifying processor specifies the lane on the basis of image data obtained by said vehicle specifying camera.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, an angle of view of said vehicle specifying camera is broad compared to an angle of view of said recording camera.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operating processor operates the photograph point on the basis of the resolution and a number of pixels.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said camera has a zooming lens.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said camera is a still camera.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram exhibits a correspondence relationship between a combination of the angle of view and the number of pixels, and the product of the object distance and the resolution.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram exhibits a linear-relationship between a combination of the angle of view and the number of pixels and the product of the object distance and the resolution.

16. A method for photographing a moving object comprising:

measuring a velocity of an object;

calculating a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an object image;

controlling at least one camera on the basis of a detected velocity so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point, said camera having an image sensor and being located so as to capture an image of the object; and

transmitting the image data, obtained by said camera, outside

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

17. An apparatus for controlling a photograph of a moving object comprising:

an operating processor that calculates a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an object image; and

a camera controller that controls at least one camera on the basis of a detected velocity of the moving object so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point, said camera having an image sensor and being located so as to capture an image of the object,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

18. A method for controlling a photograph of a moving object comprising:

calculating a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an object image; and

controlling at least one camera on the basis of a detected velocity of the moving object so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point, said camera having image sensor and being located so as to capture an image of the object,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

19. A computer readable medium that stores a program for photographing a moving object, comprising:

a calculating code segment for calculating a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an object image; and

a controlling code segment for controlling at least one camera on the basis of a detected velocity of the moving object so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point, said camera having an image sensor and being located so as to capture an image of the object,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

20. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program product for photographing a moving object, comprising:

an operating processor that calculates a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an object image; and

a camera controller that controls at least one camera on the basis of a detected velocity of the moving object so as to photograph the object when the object passes the photograph point, said camera having an image sensor and being located so as to capture an image of the object,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

21. A vehicle detecting system comprising:

a velocity detector that measures a velocity of a vehicle;

at least one camera that has an image sensor and is located so as to capture an image of the vehicle;

an operating processor that calculates a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an image of the vehicle;

a specifying processor that specifies a lane in which the vehicle moves, from the plurality of lanes;

a camera controller that controls said camera on the basis of a detected velocity so as to photograph the vehicle when the vehicle passes the photograph point; and

an image transmitting processor that transmits image data, obtained by said camera, outside,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

22. A method for detecting vehicle comprising:

measuring a velocity of a vehicle;

calculating a photograph point by using an object-resolution conversion diagram, in accordance with a resolution required for an image of the vehicle;

specifying a lane in which the vehicle moves, from the plurality of lanes;

controlling at least one camera on the basis of a detected velocity so as to photograph the vehicle when the vehicle passes the photograph point, said camera having an image sensor and being located so as to capture an image of the object; and

an image transmitting processor that transmits image data, obtained by said camera, outside,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.

23. A method for photographing a moving object comprising:

measuring a velocity of an object;

carrying out a first photograph operation by a first angle of view when a velocity of the vehicle exceeds a given velocity;

operating a photograph point on the basis of a detected velocity, an image obtained by the first photograph operation, and an object-resolution conversion diagram; and

carrying out a second photograph operation by a second angle of view that is narrow compared to the first angle of view when the vehicle passes the photograph point,

wherein the object-resolution conversion diagram represents a correspondence relationship between an angle of view, a number of pixels, an object distance, and a resolution.