JP2004096580A - Data management device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily turn the setting of a camera apparatus after exchange into the same setting as the setting of the camera apparatus before the exchange at the time of exchanging the camera apparatus incorporated in a communication channel. <P>SOLUTION: In a remote monitoring system constituted of the camera apparatus connected to the communication channel and an image storage server, at the time of performing the exchange work of the camera apparatus, the image storage server requests the setting data of the camera apparatus to the camera apparatus before the exchange of the camera apparatus. The camera apparatus transmits the setting data to the request and the image storage server preserves and manages the transmitted setting data in a recording medium so as to identify from which camera apparatus the setting data are transmitted. Then, after the exchange of the camera apparatus, the image storage server transmits the preserved setting data of the camera apparatus to the camera apparatus after the exchange. In the camera apparatus, the setting data transmitted from the image storage server are written as the setting data of camera apparatus itself and uses the written setting data as the setting of camera apparatus itself thereafter. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data management device, and more particularly, to a data management device used in a remote monitoring system and performing data communication with a terminal device connected via a communication line.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The remote monitoring system using a computer network includes one or more camera devices having a communication function, and an image storage server that stores image data from the camera devices. The setting operation of the camera device is manually performed for each camera device, and the camera device performs a shooting operation under operating conditions according to the set values stored in the internal memory by the setting operation.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when exchanging the camera device A for which the operating conditions have been set for the camera device B for which the set value has not been set, it is necessary to manually perform the same operation as the setting operation for the camera device A for the camera device B, Work efficiency was very poor.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a data management device capable of improving the efficiency of setting work required when exchanging a terminal device connected to a communication line and operating according to operation condition data. It is.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, in a data management device for managing transmission data transmitted from a terminal device connected to a communication line and operating according to operation condition data, an operation for starting an exchange operation for exchanging a terminal device for another terminal device is performed. Acquiring means for acquiring the operating condition data from the terminal device through the communication line, storing means for storing the operating condition data obtained by the obtaining means, and storing by the storing means when the exchange operation is terminated. A data management device comprising: a first transmission unit that transmits operation condition data to another terminal device through a communication line.
[0006]
[Action]
The communication terminal and the server are connected to a network. When the exchange work of the communication terminal is started, an exchange operation start operation is performed on the server before the exchange of the communication terminal. The server requests the communication terminal to transmit the setting data of the communication terminal. The communication terminal transmits setting data in response to a request from the server. When receiving the setting data of the communication terminal, the server stores the setting data of the communication terminal in a recording medium so that the setting data of the communication terminal can be distinguished.
[0007]
Next, after exchanging the communication terminals, an operation for notifying that the exchange of the communication terminals has been completed is performed. The server can transmit the saved setting data of the communication terminal to the communication terminal after the exchange. Upon receiving the setting data transmitted from the server, the communication terminal writes the received setting data as its own setting data, and thereafter uses the written setting data as its own setting data.
[0008]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when the exchange work of the communication terminal is performed, the server saves the setting data of the communication terminal before the exchange, and writes the setting data of the communication terminal stored in the server to the communication terminal after the exchange. . For this reason, when the communication terminal incorporated in the system is disconnected from the communication line and a new communication terminal is replaced to be incorporated in the communication line, the setting contents of the communication terminal before the replacement and the setting contents of the communication terminal after the replacement are changed. The same settings can be easily made. In other words, according to the present invention, the work efficiency of exchanging communication terminals is improved.
[0009]
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
【Example】
Referring to FIG. 1, a remote monitoring system 10 of this embodiment includes an image storage server 12 having a storage capacity capable of storing a large number of images. The image storage server 12 is connected to a plurality of camera devices 16, 16,.
[0011]
FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the image storage server 12. The internal memory 102 temporarily stores a program executed by the CPU 106 and an original setting table read from the camera device 16 in addition to the software running on the CPU 106 and the image data sent from the camera device 16. The HDD 104 stores an original setting table 214, sample setting tables 112, 112,... And a camera ID-IP address relative table in addition to a large amount of image data sent from the camera device 16. By executing the software, the CPU 106 supports a protocol corresponding to the camera device 16, exchanges commands with the camera device 16, and receives image data transmitted from the camera device 16. Communication with the outside is performed via the I / F 108.
[0012]
Each camera device 16 is configured as shown in FIG. The subject is photographed by the image sensor 202, and the photographed image data is temporarily stored in the internal memory 210. The flash memory 204 records a program 216 executed by the CPU 208, a default setting table 212 in which setting values (operating conditions) are determined in advance, and an original setting table 214 that holds setting values desired by the operator. The CPU 208 executes the program 106 recorded in the flash memory 204 to control a photographing operation based on the default setting table 212 or the original setting table 214 recorded in the flash memory 204, or to convert photographed image data into an image. The data is transmitted to the storage server 12. The CPU 208 also controls transmission and reception of the setting table 214 with the image storage server 12. Communication with the outside is performed via the I / F 206.
[0013]
FIG. 4A shows an example of setting items and setting values of the default setting table 212, and FIG. 4B shows an example of setting items and setting values of the original setting table 214. The setting items of the default setting table 212 and the setting items of the original setting table 214 are the same. The difference between the default setting table 212 and the original setting table 214 is that the setting values of the default setting table 212 are predetermined and cannot be rewritten, whereas the setting values of the original setting table 214 can be arbitrarily changed by an operator. Is a point. The setting values of the default setting table 212 are valid only when the original setting table 214 is empty. That is, when the setting values are recorded in the original setting table 214, the setting values in the original setting table 214 have priority and the setting values in the default setting table 212 are not used.
[0014]
The setting items of the default setting table 212 and the original setting table 214 include a camera ID 1022/1122, an installation location 1024/1124 of the camera device 16 itself, an IP address 1026/1126 of the camera device 16 itself, a photographing direction 1028/1128, and a zoom magnification 1030. / 1130, image resolution 1032/1132, image compression ratio 1034/1134, image frame rate 1036/1136, shooting mode 1038/1138, method of uploading images to image storage server 12 1040/1140, image storage server 12 And an IP address 1044/1144 of the image storage server 12.
[0015]
The CPU 106 of the image storage server 12 executes the processing shown in FIG. 5 according to the program 110 stored in the internal memory 102. Thus, the replacement of the camera device 16 by the operator and the reading / writing of the setting table desired by the operator are smoothly performed.
[0016]
First, an operation menu is displayed in step S101 to prompt the operator to select a desired process. The operation menu has three items: (1) camera device exchange, (2) setting table reading, and (3) setting table writing. Item (1) includes a series of operations necessary for replacing the camera device 16, such as reading the original setting table 214 from the camera device 16, replacing the camera device 16, and writing the original setting table 214 on a new camera device 16. When executed. The item (2) is executed when only the work of reading the original setting table 214 such as reading the original setting table 214 of an arbitrary camera device 16 and storing the original setting table 214 in the image storage server 12 is performed. Item (3) is executed when only the work of writing the sample setting table 112 such as writing the table 110 stored in the HDD 104 into an arbitrary setting table into an arbitrary camera device 16 is performed.
[0017]
First, a case where item (1) is selected in step S101 will be described. In order to notify the start of the camera device replacement work, an operation of selecting item (1) is performed in step S101. If a selection operation is accepted, YES is determined in the step S103, and the process proceeds to a step S105. In step S105, the original setting table 214 is read from the camera device 16, and the original setting table 214 is stored in the internal memory 102 in a state where the original setting table 214 is associated with the camera ID of the camera device 16 of the reading source. Details of the setting table reading process in step S105 will be described later.
[0018]
When the process in step S107 is completed, a message is displayed in step S109, "Replace the camera device and set the new camera device to the default setting state." When the operator replaces the camera device 16 with another camera device 16, sets the replaced camera device 16 to a default setting state, and then performs an exchange end operation on the image storage server 12, the process proceeds to the next step S111. .
[0019]
In step S111, the original setting table to which the camera ID of the camera device 16 before replacement is assigned is read from the internal memory 102, and the read original setting table 214 is written in the camera device 16 after replacement. Details of the setting table writing process in step S111 will be described later. When the setting table writing process is completed in step S111, the camera exchange process ends.
[0020]
Next, a case where item (2) is selected in step S101 will be described. In order to notify the start of the operation of reading the setting data from the camera device, an operation of selecting item (2) is performed in step S101. If a selection operation is accepted, NO is determined in the step S103, and the process proceeds to a step S113. In step S113, it is determined whether item (2) has been selected in step S101, so that the determination result is YES and the process proceeds to step S115. In step S115, the setting table 214 is read from the camera device 16, and the original setting table 214 is stored in the HDD 104 in a state where the original setting table 214 is associated with the camera ID of the camera device of the reading source. Details of the setting table reading process in step S115 will be described later. When the reading process in step S115 is completed, the camera exchange process ends.
[0021]
Next, a case where item (3) is selected in step S101 will be described. In order to notify the start of the setting data writing work of the camera device, an operation of selecting item (3) is performed in step S101. When the selection operation is accepted, NO is determined in the step S103, and the process proceeds to a step S113. Further, NO is also determined in step S113, and the process proceeds to step S117. In step S117, all of the sample setting tables 112 stored in the HDD 104 are displayed, and the operator is prompted to select a desired sample setting table 112. When the selection of the setting table by the operator is completed, the process proceeds to step S119, and the selected sample setting table 112 is set as the original setting table 214. When the substitution is completed, the process proceeds to step S121, and a message “Set the camera device to which the settings are to be written to the default setting state and connect to the network” is displayed. When the operator prepares the camera device 16 in the default setting state in the network and performs a preparation completion operation on the image storage server, the process proceeds from step S121 to step S111. In step S111, the selected sample setting table 112 is written into the camera device 16 in the default state. Details of the setting table writing process in step S111 will be described later. When the setting table writing process is completed in step S111, the camera exchange process ends.
[0022]
The above is the description of the camera exchange process flow. Next, the “setting table reading process” of step S105 and step S115 and the “setting table writing process” of step S111, which are not described in detail in the description of the flow of FIG. 5, will be described.
[0023]
First, the "setting table reading process" in steps S105 and S115 will be described. The "setting table reading process" is executed according to the flows shown in FIGS. First, in step S301, the image storage server 12 starts up a communication client for communicating with the camera devices 16, 16,... In the next step S303, the camera device 16 that reads the original setting table 214 is designated. There are two types of designation methods, a designation method using a camera ID and a designation method using an IP address, and any of these methods can be used. In the next step S305, it is determined whether or not designation by camera ID has been selected in step S303. If designation by camera ID has been selected, the process proceeds to step S307. If designation by IP address has been selected, step S307 is skipped. Proceed to S309. In step S307, an IP address for the camera ID specified in step S303 is acquired from the camera ID-IP address relative table. Although a detailed description of the camera ID-IP address relative table is omitted in this embodiment, a camera ID-IP address relative table created when the camera device 16 and the image storage server 12 are connected for the first time. It is.
[0024]
In the next step S309, the IP address obtained in the processing of steps S303 to S307 is substituted for a variable “READ_IP”. Thereafter, the camera device 16 specified by the operator can be specified only by referring to the variable “READ_IP”.
[0025]
Next, in step S311, the camera device 16 having the IP address of the variable “READ_IP” is requested to read the original setting table 214. In the next step S313, it is determined whether or not there is a reply of the original setting table 214 from the camera device 16. If there is a reply, the process proceeds to step S315, and the returned original setting table 214 is stored in the HDD 104 in a state associated with the camera ID of the camera device 16 of the reply source. At this time, the original setting table 214 is also saved as the sample setting table 112 at the same time. When the saving of the original setting table 214 and the sample setting table 112 is completed, the communication client is stopped in step S317, and the process returns to the main routine.
[0026]
On the other hand, if there is no reply from the camera device 16 to the original setting table 214 in step S313, the process waits for a reply from the camera device 16 by repeating steps S313 to S319. If there is no reply even after the lapse of the predetermined time, the process proceeds to error processing. In the error processing, in order to notify the operator that the original setting table 214 could not be normally taken out, an error message is displayed on the operator's operation screen and a process of leaving an error log is performed. When the error processing ends, the processing returns to the main routine.
[0027]
Next, the “setting table writing process” in step S111 will be described. The “setting table writing process” is executed according to the flow shown in FIG. First, the image storage server 12 starts up a communication client to communicate with the camera device 16 in step S501. In the next step S503, the original setting table 214 stored in the HDD 104 is obtained. When the acquisition of the original setting table 214 is completed, the contents of the original setting table 214 are checked in step S505. Specifically, whether the IP address to be set is not already used in the network, whether communication is possible even if the IP address to be set is set in the camera device 16, whether the camera ID to be set is It checks whether there is any conflict with another camera device 16, whether the image upload method is compatible with the image storage server 12, whether the image storage server address is the IP address of the image storage server 12, and the like. If there is a problem, error processing is performed. If there is no failure, the process proceeds to step S507, where the original setting table 214 is transmitted to the camera device 16 set by the IP address of the default setting table. At the time of execution of step S507, the operator sets the IP address of the camera device 16 to be written in the setting table on the network so as to be the IP address of the setting value of the default setting table 212 (default IP address). . By setting the camera device 16 in this manner, the image storage server 12 only needs to transmit the original setting table 214 to the default IP address. Further, if the setting value is reset, the camera device 16 operates with the setting value of the default setting table 212, and can receive the original setting table 214 from the image storage server 12 in this state. When the camera device 16 is restarted after receiving the original setting table 214, the camera device 16 operates with the set values of the original setting table 214. That is, since the setting value of the original setting table 214 is used for the IP address, the IP address of the camera device 16 that has newly received and updated the original setting table is the IP address of the camera device 16 from which the original setting table 214 was originally. The IP address is the same as the address.
[0028]
Next, it is determined whether the original setting table 214 transmitted in step S509 has been normally written in the camera device 16. If the writing has been performed normally, a success message is returned from the camera device 16, and if the writing has not been performed normally, a failure message is returned from the camera device 16. Therefore, the determination in step S509 is made based on the content of the returned message. If a success message has been returned, the flow advances to step S511 to stop the communication client and return to the main routine. If no success message has been returned, the process proceeds to step S513, and if not, the process returns to step S509 to wait for a message from the camera device 16 again. On the other hand, if a timeout occurs or a failure message is returned from the camera device 16, YES is determined in the step S513, and error processing is performed.
[0029]
The above is the description of the processing executed by the image storage server 12. Thereby, reception and storage of the original setting table 214 from the camera device 16 are realized. Also, the original setting table can be transmitted from the image storage server 12 to the camera device 16 at the timing desired by the operator, and the settings of the camera device 16 can be changed. As a result, the efficiency of various setting operations occurring when the camera device 16 is replaced can be improved.
[0030]
Next, processing executed by the camera device 16 will be described. When the camera device 16 starts up according to the flow shown in FIG. 9, it performs settings according to the setting values of the default setting table 212 or the setting values of the original setting table. Hereinafter, the flow of FIG. 9 will be described in detail. The flow in FIG. 9 and the flow in FIGS. 10 and 11 described below correspond to the program 216 in the flash memory 204.
[0031]
First, when the power of the camera device 16 is turned on, the execution of the flow in FIG. 9 starts. First, in step S201, the setting values of the default setting table 212 are substituted for the setting variables of the camera device 16. Next, in step S203, the original setting table 214 in the flash memory 204 is referred to, and in the next step S205, it is determined whether or not a desired setting value exists in the original setting table. If a setting value exists in the original setting table 214, the setting value is substituted for a setting variable in step S207, and the process proceeds to step S209. On the other hand, if there is no setting value in the original setting table 214, the process skips step S207 and proceeds to step S209. In step S209, the I / F 206 is set based on the setting variables so that communication with the outside via the network 20 is enabled. When the setting in step S209 is completed, a communication server (not shown) for communicating with the image storage server 12 is started in step S211. Finally, in step S213, the imaging task is activated according to the setting variables, and the activation process ends.
[0032]
Next, a process executed when the camera device 16 transmits and receives the setting table 214 to and from the image storage server 12 will be described. First, when the image storage server 12 reads the original setting table 214 of the camera device 16, the “setting table reading process” of step S105 or step S115 in FIG. 5 is executed. 10 is executed.
[0033]
First, in step S401, a request for reading the original setting table 214 from the image storage server 12 is received by the communication server. Next, in step S403, the original setting table 214 is acquired from the flash memory 204, and in the next step S405, the original setting table 214 is transmitted to the image storage server 12 via the communication server. When the transmission to the image storage server 12 is completed, the process returns to the main routine.
[0034]
When the image storage server 12 writes the original setting table 214 or the sample setting table 112 into the camera device 16, the image storage server 12 executes the “setting table writing process” of step S111 in FIG. The camera device 16 executes the flow of FIG.
[0035]
First, in step S601, the original setting table 214 or the sample setting table 112 transmitted from the image storage server 12 is received. Next, the content of the received setting table is checked in step S603. Specifically, it is checked whether the contents of the setting table correspond to the camera device 16 to be set. If there is a defect in the setting table, an error is returned to the image storage server 12 in step S613, and the process returns to the main routine. If there is no defect in the setting table, the process proceeds to step S605, and the original setting table 214 in the flash memory 204 is overwritten with the received setting table. Therefore, if the received setting table is the sample setting table 112, the sample setting table 112 becomes the original setting table 214 thereafter. In the next step S607, it is determined whether the writing of the setting table is successful. If the writing is successful, a success message is returned to the image storage server 12 in step S609, and the camera device 16 is restarted in the next step S611. The reason why the camera device 16 is restarted is to reset the entire camera device 16 using the new original setting table 214. On the other hand, if the writing of the setting table fails, a failure message is returned to the image storage server 12 in step S613, and the process returns to the main routine.
[0036]
The above is the description of the processing executed by the camera device 16. Thereby, the camera device 16 can transmit the original setting table 214 in response to the request from the image storage server 12 or receive the setting table transmitted from the image storage server 12 and write the received setting table into the camera device 16. It becomes possible.
[0037]
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, one image storage server 12 and three camera devices 16 are provided. However, a plurality of image storage servers 12 may be provided. The number may be more or less than three. Further, the network 20 may be via the Internet.
[0038]
The communication between the image storage server 12 and the camera device 16 is performed in a server & client system in which the camera device 16 is used as a server and the image storage server is used as a client. May be adopted as a client. Furthermore, even if communication is not performed in real time by the server & client method, non-real time communication using e-mail may be used, for example.
[0039]
When transmitting the setting table from the image storage server 12 to the camera device 16, the IP address of the camera device 16 was set as the default IP address. However, the IP address of the camera device 16 may be an arbitrary IP address if a means is provided for notifying the image storage server 12 of the IP address of the camera device 16 that receives the setting table.
Further, in order to create an original setting table and a sample setting table which are setting values desired by the operator, an editing function for editing the setting values of the original setting table and the sample setting table may be added.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing a system configuration of a remote monitoring system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image storage server.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera device.
FIG. 4 is an illustrative view showing a default setting table and an original setting table;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of the image storage server.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another part of the operation of the image storage server.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another part of the operation of the image storage server.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the operation of the image storage server.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of the camera device.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing another part of the operation of the camera device.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing another part of the operation of the camera device.
[Explanation of symbols]
12 ... Image storage server
16 Camera device
20 ... Network

Claims (5)

In a data management device that manages transmission data transmitted from a terminal device connected to a communication line and operating according to operation condition data,
Acquisition means for acquiring the operating condition data from the terminal device through the communication line when an operation of starting exchange work for exchanging the terminal device for another terminal device is performed, and the operating condition data acquired by the acquiring unit is Storage means for storing, and a first transmission means for transmitting the operating condition data stored by the storage means to the another terminal device through the communication line when an end operation of the exchange work is performed. A data management device. A second transmitting means for transmitting the operating condition data stored by the storage means to the new terminal device through the communication line when a connection work for connecting a new terminal device to the communication line is performed. The data management device according to claim 1, further comprising: The data management device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device is a monitoring camera device, and the transmission data is captured image data. A terminal control method for a data management device that manages transmission data transmitted from a terminal device connected to a communication line and operating according to operation condition data,
(A) acquiring the operating condition data from the terminal device through the communication line when an exchange operation for exchanging the terminal device for another terminal device is performed;
(B) storing the operating condition data obtained in the step (a); and (c) transferring the operating condition data stored in the step (b) to the communication line when the operation of ending the exchange work is performed. A terminal control method for transmitting to the another terminal device through the terminal. A terminal control program executed by a data management device that manages transmission data transmitted from a terminal device connected to a communication line and operating according to operation condition data,
An acquisition step of acquiring the operation condition data from the terminal device through the communication line when a start operation of an exchange work for exchanging the terminal device with another terminal device is performed;
A storing step of storing the operating condition data obtained in the obtaining step, and transmitting the operating condition data stored in the storing step to the another terminal device through the communication line when an operation of ending the exchange work is performed. A terminal control program, comprising:

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