JP2005167439A - Patrol monitoring method of a plurality of cameras utilizing storage function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a method for realizing such a function as monitoring the video images from all cameras while switching efficiently when the number of the camera exceeds that of video images displaceable simultaneously on a monitor screen without missing a generated event to be monitored in a system where an operator monitors the video images from a plurality of cameras. <P>SOLUTION: This method is provided with a means for switching object cameras to be displayed at a constant time interval, a means for storing the video image of each camera constantly, and the switching means to perform reproduction control such that video images stored from previous display end time to current display end schedule time can be displayed at current display time interval when the video image of a certain camera is displayed. Furthermore, a means for determining temporal change of the stored video image through image processing is provided in order to remove part without change and to take out only video images having a change. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  In a system in which the operator monitors images from multiple cameras, if there are cameras that exceed the number of images that can be displayed simultaneously on the monitoring screen, it is generated by monitoring while switching the images from all cameras efficiently. It is related to a method of realizing a function that does not miss an event to be monitored.

  In this patent, in addition to automatically switching the camera at regular time intervals on the monitoring system side, by using a storage function that stores the video of each camera, monitoring that does not overlook the events that should be monitored Propose a way to provide

  When there are cameras that exceed the number of images that can be displayed simultaneously on the monitoring screen, it is not possible to display all the cameras at the same time, so monitoring can be performed while switching the displayed images for each number of cameras that can be displayed simultaneously. There are ways to do it.

  It is necessary for the monitoring operator to switch the camera and watch the video from all the cameras while monitoring whether there are any abnormalities at the same time, because the switching operation of the camera and the video image of the camera must be performed simultaneously. The burden of is great. If this switching operation is automated, the monitoring operator can concentrate on viewing the video from the camera, and if this automatic camera switching can be stopped only when he / she wants to watch, monitoring with less work load can be realized ( Patent Document 1).

  Another conventional method is to automatically switch the camera for an intruder or the like using sensor input or the like. The sensor input informs the occurrence of an event to be monitored with a high degree of accuracy, and the camera switching based on it is certainly effective.

However, since the input from the sensor does not occur frequently, it is a normal situation, so when there is no sensor input, the above two conventional methods are used in combination, such as monitoring by automatic camera switching as described above. Sometimes it is done.
JP 2001-2224012 A

  However, when automatic camera switching is performed at regular intervals, if attention is paid to a certain camera, the camera is regularly monitored at a certain interval, but there is a period of time that is not monitored. It is conceivable that the monitoring operator misses the occurrence of the event in time. There is also a method of automatically switching cameras based on the input from the sensor, but it is not possible to guarantee that all cameras will not be overlooked.

  Therefore, the video is stored for each camera, and when displaying the target camera, the video from the first part of the stored video that has not been displayed in the past to the scheduled display end time is played back at a fast forward speed. We propose a patrol monitoring system for cameras that can be confirmed almost in real time (with a delay of switching time interval at most) without leaving the video. It is more effective as a monitor if there is a time section that is not displayed at all, and that it is possible to check the images of all the time zones of all the cameras even at the fast-forward playback speed.

  The switching means for switching the target camera to be displayed at regular time intervals, the storage means for always storing the video for each camera, and the switching means work to display the video of a certain camera, the previous display end time From this time, reproduction control is performed so that the accumulated video up to the scheduled display end time can be displayed at the current display time interval.

  That is, when two camera groups are switched and displayed, a period in which the camera group is not selected and a period in which the camera group is selected by continuously playing back the video in the selected period at double speed. The display and playback of the target camera can be performed without time omission. Similarly, 3 camera speeds are basic for 3 camera groups, and 4 camera speeds are basic for 4 camera groups.

  In addition, it comprises a change detection means for judging temporal changes in the stored video by image processing, and a stored video processing means for cutting out only the stored video that has changed by removing the non-changed portion. Since there will be no change, you will see the same image, so skip and play as close to normal speed as possible, and if there is almost no change, watch only the stored video that has changed. After confirmation, switch to a live image.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a function of monitoring the video from all the cameras while efficiently switching them and not overlooking the generated event to be monitored.

(Example 1)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram of the entire system of this embodiment. Consider a configuration in which a plurality of cameras 101 directly connected to a network are arranged and a monitoring system 102 on the network displays a video monitoring and operation screen 103. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional monitoring system has many types in which video from a camera is directly input to the monitoring device 201 as an analog signal. In this case, the camera to be monitored is the number of physical terminals. The number of terminals is large and the upper limit is determined to be 16 or the like, for example, and it was possible to display all the images on the multi-screen 202.

  On the other hand, in the configuration as shown in FIG. 1, cameras that can be arranged on the network have no strict upper limit and can monitor many cameras. In this case, there is no guarantee that even a multi-screen such as 103 can display all, and depending on the number of setting cameras, only a part of the images can be observed simultaneously.

  However, the idea of this proposal is not only the configuration of FIG. 1 but also the configuration of FIG. 2, all can be displayed with 4 × 4 16 camera display, but switching display with 2 × 2 4 camera display. Therefore, the method of the present invention is also applicable. Proposed a method for displaying camera images in situations where the number of cameras that can be displayed simultaneously is limited due to restrictions on the monitoring screen, and all cameras cannot be displayed simultaneously. .

  Note that the monitoring devices 102 and 201 may be realized as dedicated devices, or a general-purpose PC may be operated with application software that realizes a monitoring function. In addition, a camera that can be directly connected to the network, such as 101 in FIG. 1, may be used, and an analog connection camera may be connected to the network using a camera server device, such as 104. The camera server device may be a dedicated device or a general-purpose PC having a video capture function.

  If the number of cameras that can be monitored at the same time is limited due to restrictions on the monitoring screen, and all cameras cannot be displayed simultaneously, the cameras to be monitored are classified into camera groups that can display simultaneously. Thus, repeating the display while switching the camera group at a certain time interval has been conventionally performed as one monitoring support method. This method of automatically switching the camera at regular intervals is called an auto switch in this proposal. FIG. 3 shows this method as a time chart. In the figure, the display video is switched at certain intervals, and the display video indicates that the current video input from the camera corresponding to the same time is displayed. That is, when the camera group 1 is displayed, the same time image of the camera group 2 is not seen. Of course, as shown in FIG. 4, the number of camera groups is not limited to two. Even if the number of cameras is large and the number of camera groups becomes three or more, the camera groups are basically switched at regular intervals, and the input video from the cameras when other camera groups are displayed is not displayed. Of course, this is the situation when the auto switch is operating, and you can stop the auto switch or switch the camera group manually, so you can actively specify the camera you want to see now and watch the video Is possible.

  FIG. 5 is a time chart for explaining the basic concept of the present invention. The display video is switched to the corresponding camera group at a constant time interval. The video displayed at that time is, for example, the video displayed in 501 is the video in the 502 time section. In other words, in the example shown in this figure, video at all times is displayed by performing fast-forward playback at double speed. Naturally, if the number of cameras increases and the number of camera groups becomes three, video display is basically performed at a triple speed, and if it becomes four, the speed becomes quadruple.

  Because it is fast-forward playback, it will not be a complete live video, but as you can see from the time relationship between 501 and 502 in FIG. 5, the playback image at the beginning of the display time interval is delayed by the time unit of the display time interval. As playback progresses, the delay decreases, and when the playback ends, the playback image catches up with the current time video.

  FIG. 6 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention. Live video is always stored by the storage unit 601. The camera selection means 604 automatically selects a plurality of display target cameras at regular time intervals. In step 604, a camera selection notification or a camera non-selection notification is sent to the playback control means 602 of all cameras. When the camera selection notification is made, the playback control means 602 is notified of the scheduled playback end time. The playback control unit 602 calculates the playback speed of the video from the last time of the video that has been accumulated and played back to the scheduled playback end time based on the playback period that can be determined from the scheduled playback end time. And playback of the stored video is started at the playback speed.

  The playback video of the stored video from the camera that has received the camera selection notification passes through the video switching means 603 and is supplied to the camera selection means. The video switching means 603 outputs the video when the playback control means supplies the stored playback video, and selects and outputs the live video when the stored playback video is not supplied.

  The camera selection unit 604 receives the video from the camera that is currently displayed, and requests the video display unit 605 to display the video on the multi-screen.

  As for the playback of the stored video, it is possible not only to perform fast forward but also to control the playback speed or display live by omitting the stored video with no video change. . Specifically, the storage unit 601 incorporates a unit for detecting a time-series change in the image. When the image is divided into a plurality of rectangular blocks and the values of parameters such as histograms are compared for each block, and the number of blocks with different parameters exceeds a certain value, a change is detected. Table information of continuous sections in which no change can be detected is also recorded in association with the stored video.

  The reproduction control means 602 is larger than a certain time unit (for example, about 1 second) while referring to the table of the continuous sections in which no change can be detected with respect to the accumulated video in the time section 701 in FIG. A non-change portion is extracted, thinning processing is performed so that the non-change portion becomes the time unit, and the stored video 701 is converted into a video 703 having a shorter time interval.

  The reproduction control unit 602 determines the reproduction speed so that the accumulated video obtained by adding 703 and 702 is displayed in the display time interval. For the time interval 702, the process of thinning out the unchanged part at the time of reproduction is executed while accumulating and reproducing. When the reproduced image finally catches up at the current time, if there is a remaining display time, Switch to video. Actually, the video switching means 603 is switched to the live video when the video from the reproduction control means is no longer supplied.

  When monitoring is actually performed using the camera tour in this method, it is practical to provide means for stopping this tour method. Actually, an operator gives an instruction by GUI, and provides an operation means for switching to live display. Also provided is an operation means for resuming the patrol method in the present method. At this time, in the live display section from the stop to the restart, the live of all the cameras is not confirmed by the operator, and some cameras are selectively displayed. In this live video display section, an instruction is issued from the camera selection unit 604 to the video switching unit 603 to forcibly become a live video. The video during this period is accumulated by 601 and stored as an accumulated video.

  The stored video is mounted so that it is automatically deleted from the oldest because of the storage capacity. However, if the patrol is stopped during the patrol in this method, the accumulated video in the stopped display section is not subject to automatic deletion so that it can be confirmed later.

  In monitoring, a sensor or the like is often used to determine the situation to be monitored. Conventionally, a camera image associated in advance is displayed based on a contact input from a sensor. That is, the operation of scanning the camera, such as camera patrol, is paused when contact input occurs, and if the video of the associated camera is not displayed, the live video of the camera is the camera selection means. Is selected.

  The behavior when contact input occurs in the monitoring system that performs patrol monitoring using this method will be described. When the contact input is generated, this patrol method is automatically stopped once, as is the case where the patrol state is temporarily stopped manually. When contact input occurs, the camera associated with the contact in advance is automatically selected by the camera selection means 604.

(Example 2)
As another embodiment, an implementation method will be described in which the patrol is not completely stopped even when a live image of a certain camera is to be displayed by sensor input or manual operation. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the concept of the camera group in the present embodiment. A camera group consists of half the number of cameras that can be displayed simultaneously on the screen. In this way, two camera groups can be displayed simultaneously, and the camera group is switched in units of two during patrol.

  When you want to pay attention to the camera in the patrol, the corresponding image on the screen is instructed using a double click etc. with a pointing device such as a mouse. The camera associated with each sensor is instructed. When a camera to be noticed in this way is generated, it is changed to a cycle in which camera groups are switched one by one using half of the screen. That is, the playback speed is doubled when half of the screen is used, compared to a tour using the entire screen. Noteworthy live video is also displayed on the other half of the screen. For example, it is displayed in the display area of a or b in FIG. In FIG. 9, the video display sizes of the live display area and the patrol display area are different in consideration of the fact that the user wants to check the live display. However, the same layout may be used. If the live display operation or sensor input occurs before manually restarting the patrol mode, the live video from the camera will be displayed in order in the display frame where the live display was performed at the oldest point in the live display area. become.

System configuration diagram of this embodiment Conventional monitoring system configuration diagram Conventional time chart Conceptual diagram of camera group Time chart of the present invention Configuration diagram of the present invention Time chart of the present invention (when change detection is performed) Conceptual diagram of the camera group of the second embodiment (during patrol) Conceptual diagram of camera group of Example 2 (live display)

Claims (7)

  The switching means for switching the target camera to be displayed at regular time intervals, the storage means for always storing the video for each camera, and the switching means work to display the video of a certain camera, the previous display end time And a monitoring monitoring method for a plurality of cameras that perform reproduction control so that accumulated video up to the scheduled display end time can be displayed at the current display time interval.   The playback control for enabling the stored video to be displayed at display time intervals is performed by playback speed determining means for determining a playback speed so that the stored video scheduled to be played falls within the display time, and storing at the determined playback speed. The tour monitoring method for a plurality of cameras according to claim 1, comprising playback means for playing back video.   A change detection means for judging temporal changes of the stored video by image processing, and a storage video processing means for cutting out only the stored video that has changed by removing the non-changed portion, and extracting the changed portion. The tour monitoring method for a plurality of cameras according to claim 1, comprising: a playback speed determining means for determining a playback speed so that a video is within the display time; and a playback means for playing back the stored video at the determined playback speed.   The tour monitoring method for a plurality of cameras according to claim 3, further comprising display control means for switching to a live video from the camera when the current time is caught during reproduction of the stored image.   5. A monitoring apparatus comprising operating means for enabling a monitoring operator to manually start and stop the camera patrol method according to claim 1.   A display that includes input means for detecting an input from a sensor, and when the sensor input is detected, stops the camera patrol method according to claim 1 and displays a live video of a camera associated with the sensor. A monitoring device comprising a control means and comprising a control means for restarting the camera patrol again after a predetermined time has elapsed or manually. Switching between a first screen configuration for displaying accumulated video on a multi-screen and a second screen configuration for displaying live video and stored video on a multi-screen based on the camera patrol method according to claim 1. A monitoring device equipped with display control means for performing live display without stopping the patrol itself.

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