JP2005094642A - Surveillance camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surveillance camera system for flexibly protecting privacy. <P>SOLUTION: The surveillance camera system 10 is equipped with a camera 12 for keeping a supervised area under surveillance, an image input means 14 to which image signals shot by the camera 12 are input, an image converting means 16 capable of processing an object taken as an image so as to get not-identifiable, a conversion condition setting means 18 for determining an operating condition of the image converting means 16, an image output means 20 for transmitting the image signals, and a monitor for displaying the image signals output from the image output means 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a surveillance camera system for monitoring a building such as an apartment.

  Conventionally, most surveillance camera systems are installed in supermarkets, convenience stores, financial institutions, ATMs, and other facilities where an unspecified number of people flow, and are used for crime prevention and crime investigations after crimes. In many cases, information such as “security camera is in operation” is posted nearby, and there is no problem even if it is photographed unless there is something to be behind the photographer (subject). The subject in the present invention includes not only the whole person and face, but also the whole automobile that contributes to the identification of the individual.

  In addition, some of the services provided by the security company include a system for monitoring an individual's house. When something happens, the image is sent to the surveillance center of the security company. After confirming the image at the monitoring center, a security guard rushes or acts as a proxy for the police.

  However, there is also a resident's desire that security guards do not want to see the house until there is nothing, so privacy is protected by covering a specific part in the surveillance image or applying a mosaic There are many. The most straightforward example is a monitoring system in a bathroom. A surveillance camera will be installed in the bathroom in order to confirm an accident while bathing the elderly from the outside. The video that can be seen at normal time is sent out as if it had an extreme mosaic. On the other hand, if the subject himself presses the call button or complains of poor physical condition, or stops working for a certain period of time, the above-mentioned image is switched to a clear image, and the state in the bathroom can be confirmed. .

  For the monitoring of public places and homes as described above, systems suitable for each are considered. On the other hand, in the case of apartment houses such as condominiums and residential areas where there are few inflows of unspecified majority, there is actually no appropriate system. There are cases where criminals posing as door-to-door sales invade, the aim of the car is money from a parked car or the car itself is stolen, or an irrelevant outsider throws garbage into the garbage collection place Even so, surveillance camera systems that are installed in public places can violate the privacy of individuals by photographing the daily life patterns of condominium residents and residential area residents who are constantly exposed to photography opportunities. Therefore, there is a conflict between the residents who actively recommend the introduction of surveillance camera systems and the residents who feel resistance to the invasion of individual privacy. It is easy to fall into the fact that it is not possible to ensure safety.

  As a method for introducing the surveillance camera system in such an area, it is conceivable to always adopt a method in which it is difficult to identify the subject. However, it may be impossible to identify the essential trespassers. In addition, there are those who commit violations of manners, such as throwing away trash outside the designated day of the week and the time of day, and not cleaning up pet shit.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 discloses a system that protects privacy by making an image in a normal state incapable of personal identification, and prevents information leakage even when outputting an image that can be personally identified upon request. The system applies processing such as mosaic to the image. Furthermore, a difference image between the image before processing and the image after processing is generated, and the difference image is encrypted. Since the difference image is encrypted, privacy protection and information leakage can be prevented. However, by processing all images, privacy can be protected and information leakage can be prevented, but it is not suitable for an apartment manager or the like to monitor in real time. That is, since all the images are once processed, it is not possible to respond immediately to crimes that are currently occurring.

JP 2002-281486 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a surveillance camera system that flexibly protects privacy in order to solve the above problems.

  The gist of the surveillance camera system of the present invention is a surveillance camera system that performs surveillance while protecting the privacy of a subject, a camera that photographs a surveillance area, and an image input unit that receives an image signal captured by the camera; An image conversion unit that performs image conversion that makes it impossible to identify a subject included in the image signal, and a first image signal that is not image-converted or an image signal that has been image-converted by the image conversion unit. A switch, conversion condition setting means for determining selection of the first switch, image output means for outputting the image signal, and a monitor for displaying the image signal sent from the image output means. An image signal photographed by the camera is image-converted by an image conversion unit. The image conversion is selected by the first switch. The image signal after the image conversion is output by the image output means and displayed on the monitor. The monitor displays an image signal that has been subjected to image conversion as necessary, thereby protecting the privacy of the subject.

  Regardless of the selection of the first switch, a second switch for selecting an image signal that has not undergone image conversion may be provided. In the event of an emergency such as a crime, an image signal that has not been converted can be selected by the second switch.

  A plurality of cameras may be provided to monitor a plurality of places, and a plurality of image output means may be provided to output a plurality of image signals.

  You may record the image signal before performing image conversion for the investigation material after a crime occurs.

  There may be a plurality of the image conversion units, and the image conversion method may be different for each image conversion unit. Plural image conversion methods may be used, and the privacy protection level may be flexibly changed.

  There may be a plurality of the image output means, and image conversion applied to the image signal output for each image output means may be different. It is possible to perform image conversion as necessary for each image signal and output it.

  According to the surveillance camera system of the present invention, privacy protection can be performed as necessary by selecting the first switch. Privacy protection can be switched flexibly, and the conflict of opinions of residents described in the prior art can be summarized.

  The surveillance camera system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The surveillance camera system of the present invention is a system for monitoring a suspicious person or the like while protecting the privacy of a resident such as an apartment. When a program appears during the description, it is assumed that storage means such as a memory is provided and the program is stored in the storage means. Further, even if not specifically described, it is assumed that a processor that operates according to the program is also provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the basic configuration of the monitoring camera system 10 includes a camera 12 that monitors a monitoring area, an image input unit 14 that receives an image signal captured by the camera 12, and a subject that appears in the image signal. The image conversion means 16 that can process the image conversion means, the conversion condition setting means 18 that determines the operating condition of the image conversion means 16, the image output means 20 that outputs an image signal, and the image output means 20 And a monitor (not shown) for displaying the image signal. Hereinafter, details of the monitoring camera system 10 will be described in the embodiments.

  When the monitoring camera system 10 is used in an apartment, the camera 12 is installed at an entrance, a garbage collection place, a parking lot, or the like as shown in FIG. In the present specification, these locations are called monitoring areas. If it is an entrance, it is monitoring the intrusion of a suspicious person, if it is a garbage collection place, it is monitoring the manner violation, and if it is a parking lot, it is monitoring the aim of the car. These monitoring areas are examples, and the camera 12 may be installed in another place as necessary.

  The camera 12 that captures the monitoring area uses, for example, a well-known monitoring camera, and the image signal captured by the camera 12 is an analog signal. By linking the sensor 13 to the image recording means 24, the sensor 13 works when a person passes, and the image recording means 24 can be operated only when the sensor 13 is turned on. Therefore, unnecessary image signals are not recorded in the image recording means 24 of FIG. An infrared sensor or the like is used as the sensor 13. The image input means 14 includes a terminal for taking in an image signal sent from the camera 12, a circuit for performing impedance matching between the camera 12 and a circuit such as the image conversion means 16, and an analog / digital conversion circuit 30. The reason for including the analog / digital conversion circuit 30 is that image conversion described later cannot be performed if the image signal is an analog signal.

  Details of the surveillance camera system 10 of FIG. 1 are shown in FIG. Other means except the camera 12 are accommodated in the controller 22 of the manager room shown in FIG.

  The security surveillance camera system 10 needs to store image signals for later crime investigations. At this time, if the image signal processed by the image conversion means 16 is stored, a process for restoring the processed image signal is required when reproducing. Therefore, the present invention provides image recording means 24 for recording the image signal before the image signal is sent to the image conversion means 16. The image recording means 24 includes a recording medium 26 that can record an image signal and a switch 28 that changes recording or reproduction. When the switch 28 is connected to A, the image signal is sent to the image conversion means 16 and recorded on the recording medium 26 as a moving image or a still image. When the switch 28 is connected to B, the image signal recorded on the recording medium 26 is reproduced. As the recording medium 26, a recording medium such as a hard disk or an optical disk can be used. As described above, when the sensor 13 is linked to the image recording unit 24, the image signal when the sensor 13 is turned on is recorded on the recording medium 26. Accordingly, the recording time of moving images recorded on the recording medium 26 or the number of still images can be reduced, and later retrieval becomes easy. Further, the capacity of the recording medium 26 can be saved. The switch 28 in the figure shows an image for switching the operation mode (reproduction and recording) of the image recording means 24.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the image conversion means 16, an image conversion unit 32 that performs image conversion that makes it impossible to identify the subject recorded in the image signal, and an image signal that has been converted by the image conversion unit 32 Or the 1st switch 34 which selects the image signal which is not image-converted is provided.

  There are a plurality of image conversion units 32, and the image signal conversion method differs for each image conversion unit 32. For example, PV1 is privacy protection level 1, and the converted image signal is an image in which the subject or its face is painted. PV2 is privacy protection level 2, and the converted image signal is a video with a mosaic of small blocks. PV3 is privacy protection level 3, and the converted image signal is a video with a large block mosaic applied. Note that PV0 is an image signal taken by a camera that does not protect privacy. Change PV0 to PV3 as necessary.

  In the present invention, the image conversion unit 32 of PV0 to PV3 is switched by the first switch 34 to perform image conversion. The first switch and the image conversion unit 32 of PV0 to PV3 shown in the figure are images. Actually, as shown in FIG. 5, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 35, a program memory 33 storing a program, and a working The memory 37 is used to perform image conversion from PV0 to PV3 on the image signal.

  An example of image conversion of PV0, PV1, PV2, and PV3 is mosaic processing. For example, as image conversion, mosaic processing is performed on the entire image or a part of the image. Alternatively, the eyes and nose are detected from the contour and color from the image signal, a part such as the eyes and nose is recognized as a human face, and mosaic processing is performed on the part (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-49912). ). Furthermore, as another method, a moving object is detected from a difference between temporally changing image signals, the moving object is recognized as a human, and a mosaic process is performed on the moving object. In addition to the mosaic process, a paint process or the like may be used. The degree of mosaic and fill varies from PV1 to PV3. PV0 to PV3 are summarized in Table 1.

  In the example described above, four image conversion units 32 are used, but the number of image conversion units 32 is arbitrary. The program and circuit configuration of the DSP 35 are changed according to the number of image conversion units 32.

  The image conversion means 16 is provided with a second switch 36 for selecting a PV0 image signal regardless of the selection of the first switch 34. This is to forcibly select PV0 in an emergency such as when a crime is occurring and to confirm the criminal. For example, an emergency button is provided at the entrance. When the emergency button is pressed, a switching signal of the second switch 36 is sent to the second switch 36, the connection is changed from Y to X in FIG. 3, and the second switch 36 selects PV0. The second switch 36 is also included in the same DSP 35 and program as the first switch 34 described above.

  In this specification, the operation of the first switch 34 and the second switch 36 will be described by mechanical connection. However, as described above, the DSP 35 actually operates in a software manner by the program stored in the program memory 33 as described above. .

  The conversion condition setting unit 18 determines the connection of the first switch 34. For this purpose, a signal for switching the first switch 34 is sent from the conversion condition setting means 18 to the first switch 34. If the privacy protection level changed by the first switch 34 is four from PV0 to PV3, the signal for switching is a 2-bit digital signal. For example, it is assumed that the privacy protection level is changed as shown in FIG. It changes according to the kind and time zone of the garbage collected. The conversion condition setting means 18 includes a time table that can be changed as shown in FIG. 6, a processor that operates in accordance with the time table, and a means that transmits the above-described signal under the control of the processor. . The conversion condition setting means 18 may be included in the program stored in the DSP 35 and the program memory 33 described above.

  As described above, the second switch 36 is a switch for forcibly changing to PV0. An emergency button is provided at or near the monitoring area where the camera 12 takes a picture. For example, in the case of an entrance of a condominium, an emergency button is provided together with a button on the keypad for unlocking the door. The emergency button is connected to the conversion condition setting means 18. The conversion condition setting means 18 is provided with means for transmitting a signal for switching the second switch 36 by a signal from the emergency button. Monitoring of intruders from outside such as the entrance of an apartment or a parking lot is always converted into an image signal that protects privacy. However, when an emergency button is pressed in an emergency, a PV0 image signal without privacy protection is output.

  Table 2 shows signals for converting the switches 34 and 36 to the image conversion means 16. 0 is a low signal, 1 is a high signal, and X indicates meaningless when R is 0. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing selection by signals to the first switch 34 and the second switch 36.

  A digital / analog conversion circuit 38 is included in the image output means 20. This is because in the image conversion means 16, the image signal is digital data, but it is converted back to an analog signal for output. The image output means 20 includes an amplifier that amplifies the image signal, a circuit for matching impedance, and a terminal for outputting the image signal to the outside.

  The image signal output from the image output means 20 is converted into a radio signal by the RF modulator 40 and transmitted, for example, as shown in FIG. The frequency of the radio signal is set to the frequency of an empty TV channel used by the residents of the apartment. Therefore, the residents of the apartment can see the image of the camera 12 with privacy protection as necessary.

  Further, a monitor 42 is provided in the manager's room so that an image signal that is not protected for privacy is output to the monitor 42. This is because the manager manages the safety of the residents due to the nature of the manager's work. In order to prevent a third party from watching the manager's monitor 42 without permission, a means for requesting a password when using the monitor in the manager's room may be provided.

  Each means of the monitoring camera system 10 shown in FIG. 3 is placed in the case of the controller 22 shown in FIG. Moreover, the structure which can change the time table of the conversion condition setting means 18 by the various buttons 44 may be sufficient. If the buttons 44 include a button for changing the second switch 36 to PV0 in an emergency, or a personal identification number is input with the various buttons 44, the second switch 36 may be changed to PV0 in an emergency. Further, the controller 22 may be connected to a communication network such as a telephone, and a configuration capable of reporting to a security company or the police by operating the button 44 may be adopted.

  As described above, the surveillance camera system 10 of the present invention can protect privacy as necessary. In an emergency, you can see images without privacy protection, which is useful for crimes. That is, privacy protection can be switched flexibly, and the conflict of opinions of residents described in the prior art can be summarized. Even if an image for privacy protection is output, an image without privacy protection can be used in a subsequent crime investigation, and both privacy protection and crime investigation can be used.

  Although the embodiment of the surveillance camera system 10 according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described invention. For example, the configuration of FIG. 1 has a single camera 12. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of image input means 14 are provided to receive image signals from the plurality of cameras 12. In order to handle a plurality of image signals, a multiplexer 46 is provided in the image conversion means 16a. The multiplexer 46 serves as a switch for selecting one of a plurality of inputs. Alternatively, the multiplexer 46 may function to select a plurality of image signals and combine them into one image signal. When the image signal is displayed on the monitor, the monitor is divided into a plurality of regions, and the image signal is received in each region. It may be configured to be displayed. Furthermore, the multiplexer 46 may function to switch and select a plurality of image signals sequentially. The multiplexer 46 may be a combination of the functions of the multiplexer 46 described above. The multiplexer 46 and the image conversion unit 32 shown in FIG. 8 are conceptual diagrams, and actually include a DSP 35 and a program as shown in FIG.

  A plurality of image output means 20 may be provided. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the number of multiplexers 46 is the same as the number of image output means 20a, b. The image signal may be changed for each of the image output units 20a and 20b, or may be the same.

  After authentication of a password or the like, an image signal without privacy protection of PV0 may be viewed. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, it is assumed that the image output means 20a is connected to a monitor in a manager's room. The authentication means 48 is a means for inputting a password and determining whether the password is correct. If the password is correct, an authentication signal is sent to the conversion condition setting means 18. The processor described above controls the signal output means so as to output the PV0 signal regardless of the contents of the time table. For example, the authentication means 48 is provided in the controller 22 shown in FIG. 4 and has a configuration in which buttons for inputting a password are provided in the various buttons 44.

  Further, in contrast to the explanation in the above paragraph, even if the other image output means 20b in FIG. 9 is for outputting an image signal to the resident, the authentication means 48 uses the other image as in the above manager. The image signal output from the output unit 20b may be a PV0 image signal.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the image signal processing method may be changed by an external input signal. As an external input signal, a signal when the sensor described in the first embodiment is activated is used. If it is a garbage collection place, as shown in Table 3, the privacy protection level is changed when the sensor detects a person. In Table 3, PVX indicates other than PV0. As shown in Table 3, the sensor is activated when a person enters the garbage collection place outside the designated garbage collection time, resulting in PV0.

  The time table of the conversion condition setting means may be flexibly rewritten by the rewriting means. The rewriting means is built in the controller 22 itself, and the time table can be rewritten by operating the button 44 of the controller 22. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a method of connecting the rewriting means 45 to the controller 22 is also possible. The rewriting means 45 uses a known computer. A cond in FIG. 4 is a terminal for connecting to a computer in order to rewrite the program of the conversion condition setting means. For example, when the day of the week for collecting garbage is changed, the time table can be rewritten accordingly. Further, a means for authenticating a password when rewriting the time table may be provided in the conversion condition setting means so that no one can rewrite the time table. Since the timetable is protected by a password, it is possible to prevent a malicious third party from rewriting the timetable without permission.

  For example, a plurality of timetables as shown in FIG. 6 may be prepared in advance, and the user may select the timetable as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 11, an initial value storage unit 50 that stores a plurality of initial values of the time table of the conversion condition setting unit 18 is provided. The configuration of FIG. 11 is a configuration that is changed to another time table by an external input signal. The storage means 50 is a ROM (Read Only Memory) or the like. For example, when the external input signal shown in FIG. 11 is generated by the operation of various buttons 44 in FIG. 4 and the processor of the conversion condition setting means 18 receives the external input signal, an arbitrary time table stored in the ROM is set as the conversion condition. The time table of the means 18 is overwritten. For example, it can be easily changed when the day of garbage collection changes.

  In the first embodiment, an image signal is transmitted by radio waves using the RF modulator 40. The image signal may be converted into image data and transmitted by a method other than radio waves. As shown in FIG. 12, image data may be transmitted to a computer network such as the Internet using the Internet protocol 52. The image data can be viewed on the computer by the resident computer accessing the server. The server stores a program for transmitting and receiving image data. The computer stores a program for reproducing image data. Since it is possible for anyone other than the resident to access the Internet, the server stores a program for performing password authentication when accessing the image data. The password prevents anyone other than the resident from viewing the image data.

  Image data from a plurality of cameras 12 can be stored in the server, and a program in the server can also serve as the multiplexer 46 shown in FIG. Further, the time table of the conversion condition setting means 18 may be changed via a network such as the Internet.

  In the sixth embodiment, a network such as the Internet is partially incorporated, but all may be configured on the network. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, a LAN-compatible camera 12a is connected to a network 54 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The image data is transmitted to the server 56 by a program built in the camera 12a. The server 56 is provided with image recording means, image conversion means, and conversion condition setting means shown in FIG. The image recording means is a recording medium such as a hard disk. The image conversion means and the conversion condition setting means are configured by a program. Also, the input / output terminal to the network 54 provided in the server 56 functions as the image input means and the image output means shown in FIG. Therefore, operations similar to those shown in FIG. 3 can be performed by the apparatus and the program constituting the server 56.

  A resident such as a condominium accesses the server 56 from a computer 58 connected to the network 54. The computer 58 can access the image data processed as necessary. The resident can see the image data displayed on the monitor of the computer 58.

  When the network 54 is connected to another network such as the Internet, the server 56 can be accessed from the other network. Therefore, an authentication unit is provided in the server 56 so that the image data of the server 56 cannot be seen. When the server 56 is accessed, the authentication means asks for a password for the accessed computer. Enable access to image data when password is correct. Therefore, only the resident who knows the password can view the image data.

  Further, when the camera 12a is connected to the network 54, the image signal output from the camera 12a is digital data.

  The camera 12a may be provided with a program for detecting a moving object by comparing image signals before and after consecutive. That is, since this program functions as a sensor, a signal when the sensor as shown in the first embodiment is activated may be transmitted to the network 54.

  The server 56 may be provided with a program that functions as the sensor described above. Image data without privacy protection is recorded when the sensor is activated.

  The network 54 may be connected to another network, and the image data may be transmitted to a security company server connected to the other network.

  Although the first switch 34 and the second switch 36 are provided in the first embodiment, only the first switch 34 may be provided. When the emergency button is pressed, an interrupt is generated in the processor that is processing the program of the conversion condition setting means 18 by a signal from the emergency button. The processor controls the means for transmitting the signal described in the first embodiment so as to send the signal of PV0.

  In addition, since a large amount of image signals are recorded when image signals are continuously recorded in the recording means 24, the recording means 24 records the image signals only when the sensor is activated. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce image signals recorded by interval recording when the sensor is operated.

  Although the analog / digital conversion circuit 30 is included in the configuration of FIG. 3, if the data photographed by the camera 12 is digital data, the analog / digital conversion circuit 30 is omitted. Further, when an image signal is transmitted as digital data, the digital / analog conversion circuit 38 is omitted.

  Further, the analog / digital conversion circuit 30 may be provided outside the image input means 14.

  A display device may be provided separately from the camera 12 itself or the camera 12. The display device displays so that the state of the image signal described above can be understood. Since the resident can confirm the state of the image signal for the resident, it can confirm that his / her privacy protection is applied.

  Although mosaic processing is shown in the first embodiment, other image conversion may be used. For example, the resolution of image data may be lowered, compressed, or the hue may be changed.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated in various Examples, this invention is not limited to said Example. In addition, the present invention can be implemented in a mode in which various improvements, modifications, and changes are made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a block diagram of the surveillance camera system of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the position where a camera is arrange | positioned in an apartment. It is the figure which showed the block diagram of FIG. 1 in detail. It is a figure of the controller placed in a manager's room. It is a figure which shows DSP, a program, and a working memory for performing image conversion. It is a figure which shows the example of the time table of the change of privacy protection in a garbage collection place. It is a flowchart which shows selection of image conversion. It is a figure which shows the other example of this invention, and is a figure when an image input means and / or an image output means become plurality. It is a block diagram in the case of changing image conversion in an image conversion means by an authentication means. It is a block diagram in the case of changing the image conversion in an image conversion means with an external input signal. It is a block diagram in the case of changing the time table of a conversion condition setting means to another time table. It is a block diagram in the case of outputting image data to the Internet. It is a figure at the time of comprising this invention on a network.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10a: Surveillance camera system 12, 12a: Camera 14: Image input means 16, 16a: Image conversion means 18: Conversion condition setting means 20: Image output means 24: Image recording means 34: First switch 36: Second switch

Claims (6)

A surveillance camera system that performs surveillance within a surveillance area,
A camera that captures the monitoring area and obtains an image signal;
An image conversion unit capable of performing image conversion that makes it impossible to identify the subject recorded in the image signal;
A first switch for selecting the image signal not image-converted or the image signal image-converted by the image converter;
Conversion condition setting means for determining selection of the first switch;
Image output means for outputting the image signal not subjected to image conversion or the image signal subjected to image conversion;
A monitor for displaying the image signal output from the image output means;
A surveillance camera system comprising:   The surveillance camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a second switch that selects an image signal that has not undergone image conversion regardless of the selection of the first switch.   The surveillance camera system according to claim 1, wherein the camera and / or the image output means are plural.   The surveillance camera system according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording the image signal before image conversion.   The surveillance camera system according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of the image conversion units, and a method of image conversion is different for each image conversion unit.   6. The surveillance camera system according to claim 3, wherein there are a plurality of image output means, and image conversion applied to an image signal output for each image output means is different.

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