JP2000184237A - Method for controlling camera and universal head - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily perform the remote control of a camera and a universal head by outputting control signals for reducing the number of pixels or increasing compressibility or performing the combination of both further in synchronism at the time of controlling the camera and the universal head. SOLUTION: The control of the zoom and pan tilt of the camera 1 and the control of the direction of the camera by the universal head 4 are operated by an operation part 12 provided on a reception side. Then, the control signals are sent through a transmission interface 11, a transmission line 7 and the transmission interface 6 to a camera control part 5. In the camera control part 5, corresponding to the sent control signals, the camera 1 is controlled and the universal head 4 is controlled. Further, from the reception side, the control signals for lowering the number of the pixels or raising the compressibility or performing both are outputted to an image compression part 2 in synchronism with the control signals. Thereafter, when no more control signal arrives, the original number of the pixels and the original compressibility are restored.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for remotely controlling a camera and a camera platform in an image transmission system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When transmitting an image, if the transmission path does not have a capacity large enough to transmit a moving image, the image is transmitted as a quasi-moving image or a still image by dropping frames. Also in the case of performing image compression, if the capacity of the compressed image exceeds the capacity of the transmission path, the image is similarly transmitted as a quasi-moving image or a still image. In a system for transmitting an image, a camera is installed on the side that transmits the image, the image output by the camera is transmitted, the image is transmitted via a transmission path, and the image is displayed on the receiving side. In some cases, the user may remotely control camera control such as zoom-up, pan-tilt, and focus adjustment of the camera, and control of the camera platform that moves the camera up, down, left, and right while viewing the displayed image. When performing this control, while watching the display on the receiving side, it is possible to control without any problem if it is a moving image, but if there is a frame drop such as a quasi-moving image or a still image, Control was not successful due to over-control or under-control only with the images sent. Alternatively, it took a very long time for control.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to perform the above-described remote control of a camera and a camera platform without difficulty.

[0004]

When the number of pixels at which a camera image is captured and image compression are performed, the number of pixels and the compression ratio can be controlled remotely from the receiving side, and the camera and the camera platform can be controlled. , The number of pixels is reduced, or the compression ratio is increased, and a combination of both is performed. After the control of the camera and the camera platform is completed, the number of pixels and the compression ratio are restored to the original values. Reducing the number of pixels or increasing the compression ratio reduces the capacity of the image to be transmitted. Therefore, since the capacity of the image is smaller than the capacity of the transmission path, the number of images that can be transmitted per unit time increases. That is, an image can be transmitted as a moving image or in a state close to a moving image. By increasing the number of pixels and the compression ratio, the image quality of the image that can be viewed on the receiving side decreases, but only while controlling the camera on the transmitting side. So there is no problem.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. The image signal output from the camera 1 is compressed by the image compression unit 2 and output through the transmission interface 3. The output signal passes through the transmission path 7 and
The image decompression unit 9 is transmitted through the transmission interface 8 on the receiving side.
And the compressed image signal is expanded to monitor 1
0 and the image is displayed. Controlling the zoom and pan / tilt of the camera 1 and controlling the direction of the camera by the camera platform 4 are performed by operating the operation unit 12 on the receiving side. Is sent to the camera control unit 5 through. The camera control unit controls the camera 1 and controls the camera platform 4 according to the transmitted signal. When this control signal is sent from the receiving side, the image compression unit 2
, The control signal is output so as to reduce the number of pixels and / or increase the compression ratio. Then, when the control signal to the camera 1 does not come from the receiving side, the image compression unit 2 is returned to the original number of pixels and the compression ratio. That is, the number of pixels is temporarily reduced or the compression ratio is increased while the camera 1 is under control.

[0006]

According to the above-described control, the control of the camera and the camera platform becomes easy. In addition, the control is to reduce the number of pixels in the image compression unit or increase the compression ratio
In a device that performs normal image compression, there is a function of selecting to set several kinds of pixel numbers and a function of selecting a compression ratio. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide the function for the present invention. It should just be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: camera, 2: image compression section, 3, 8, 6, 11: transmission interface, 4: pan head, 5: camera / pan head control section,
7: Transmission path, 9: Image expansion unit, 10: Monitor, 12:
Operation unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A system for compressing a video output signal from a camera, transmitting an image, receiving the received image at a receiving side, expanding the image, and monitoring the camera, a camera and a camera platform attached to the camera from the receiving side. In the case where the control is performed remotely, the number of pixels of the transmission image is reduced and the compression ratio is increased only while the camera and the head are being controlled, and the camera and the head are controlled. Method.