AU2013237753A1

AU2013237753A1 - Method for controlling a monitoring device

Info

Publication number: AU2013237753A1
Application number: AU2013237753A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Florian Gagel; Frank Heidemann; Stefan Schacht
Original assignee: Diehl BGT Defence GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Diehl BGT Defence GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2013-07-17
Filing date: 2013-10-08
Publication date: 2015-02-05
Also published as: DE102013011927B4; DE102013011927A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a monitoring device in which a camera system records a panoramic image (16) of the surroundings with at least one camera (6). In order to achieve reliable monitoring of the surroundings, it is proposed that a unit of the monitoring device is controlled depending on at least one specified image content (28) of the panoramic image (16) and the panoramic image (16) is displayed on a display system (12) such that a first section (18) of the panoramic image (16) is displayed in the correct orientation and a second section (20) of the panoramic image (16) is displayed reversed. (FIG 3) 16 42 14 18 26- 24 26-- 24 28 44 I20 ----- I - L i ) 3 0----

Description

1 METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MONITORING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling a monitoring device in which a camera system records a panoramic image of the surroundings with at least one camera. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] For monitoring the surroundings of a building, one or more vehicles or other objects worthy of protection it is known to record a panoramic image of the surroundings of the object using a camera system and to display the same with a display system in a monitoring centre, so that an operator can monitor the surroundings displayed on the screens. Because a panoramic image cannot be displayed on a normal screen such that satisfactory and detailed monitoring of the surroundings would be possible, it is known to distribute a panoramic image on a plurality of juxtaposed screens. If the operator recognizes suspicious objects in the images, he can control the response measures, for example producing an alarm. This can also be carried out automatically by the monitoring device. [0003] It is an object of the present invention to specify a method for controlling a monitoring device, with which good monitoring of the surroundings is enabled. [0004] Said object is achieved by a method of the above-mentioned type, with which a unit of the monitoring device is controlled depending on at least one specified image content of the panoramic image and the panoramic image is displayed on a display system such that a first section of the panoramic image is shown in the correct orientation and a second section of the panoramic image is shown reversed. [0005] The invention is based on the consideration that it is necessary for monitoring the surroundings to recognize specified image contents in the panoramic image, for example persons or vehicles that are approaching each other. This can be carried 2 out by an operator or automatically by an image processing method. In order to prevent unnecessary false alarms, it is also advantageous with automated image content monitoring to give an operator the option of a good overview, so that automatic image content recognition can be checked by the operator and for example released for controlling the unit of the monitoring device. [0006] In order to make the visual monitoring of the contents in the panoramic image advantageous for an operator, the panoramic image can be divided into two or more sections, which for example are displayed one above the other. This enables a long, tubular display, which is difficult to maintain in overview, to be avoided. [0007] However, it has been shown here that it is difficult for an operator to recognize in which direction the suspicious objects are moving relative to each other when multiple persons or vehicles are approaching when using such an illustration method. This is because by dividing the panoramic image into a plurality of sections, for example persons that are approaching each other, but which are displayed in different sections, are apparently shown as moving apart and vice-versa. Movement patterns of suspicious objects are thus difficult to perceive, so that misinterpretations and false alarms or - significantly more serious - faulty monitoring of the surroundings with failure to detect potential hazards occur. [0008] By displaying the sections such that the first section is displayed in the correct orientation and the second section is displayed reversed, such orientation confusion can be counteracted. Related groups of objects can be recognized more reliably as such by an operator or automatically, so that the reliability of the control of the monitoring device can be increased. [0009] By a reversed display of the section it is understood below that the surroundings are represented as a lateral mirror image, so that for example an object moving from left to right in the surroundings is shown in the panoramic image moving from right to left. In contrast, a display in the correct orientation is understood to mean that a laterally correct image is shown and a lateral direction of a movement of an object in the surroundings is shown directionally correctly in the panoramic image.

3 [0010] The monitoring device comprises the camera system, advantageously also the display system and especially an input means for the input of control commands of an operator, especially for control of the unit of the monitoring device. The camera system can comprise one or a plurality of cameras, wherein the panoramic image can be recorded by a single camera or a plurality of the cameras. The panoramic image can be composed of a plurality of images of a plurality of cameras, for example by means of stitching. The unit of the monitoring device to be controlled can be another camera, such as an infrared camera, a rangefinder, such as a laser unit, a spotlight, a weapon, a physical screening unit, such as for example a gate, or another suitable unit. The recognition of the specified image content in the panoramic image can be carried out by an operator that is observing the panoramic image. Preferably, however, the recognition of the image content takes place automatically with an image processing method. This allows the image content recognition and control of the unit to be carried out fully automatically. [0011] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the panoramic image is recorded by a plurality of cameras with fixed orientation in the surroundings, whose images advantageously overlap. Such images can be combined into a panoramic image by stitching, for example by searching the image contents of the overlapping regions for similarities by means of image processing methods and superimposing the similarities. Advantageously, the panoramic image is divided into the two sections such that at least one image of one of the cameras is displayed at least partially in both sections. The division of the sections must therefore not be carried out such that a plurality of camera images are only associated with the first section and a further plurality of camera images are only associated with the second section. The division of the panoramic image into the sections thus takes place advantageously independently of the camera images or their dimensions or angle coverage. The at least partial display of one camera image in both sections would advantageously also take place in both sections even if said image is not overlapping an adjacent image. [0012] Advantageously, the panoramic image is an all-round image or 3600 image. This enables full monitoring of horizontal surroundings to be achieved. An azimuth angle of the panoramic image is for example between 200 and 40', so that a rectangular display of the panoramic image can be carried out without large image distortions.

4 [0013] The number of sections into which the panoramic image is divided can be two or more, wherein two or three are particularly advantageous. An advantageous embodiment provides two sections, which are at least 190' images and overlap at their two ends respectively by at least 5'. This allows a transition of an object of interest from one section into the other section to be easily tracked. [0014] It is likewise useful for reliable monitoring if the two sections are displayed in a rectangular representation on a screen of the display system. The top and bottom edges of the two sections are advantageously parallel to each other. A clear association of an object with one of the two sections is moreover necessary if the two sections are displayed separately from each other. If the two sections are shown flush one above the other the lateral edges of the sections are thus flush with each other and this is likewise useful for a good overview. Furthermore, it is advantageous if both sections show the surroundings upright that an upright object is thus shown as upright in both sections. [0015] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the panoramic image is searched for the predetermined image content by the use of image processing. Reliable recognition of the image content can also be guaranteed for long periods. Advantageously, on finding the image content an alarm is output, wherein the unit of the monitoring device is an alarm unit and is controlled such that the alarm is output. It is also advantageous if the image content found in the panoramic image is marked. An operator can be referred to the image content and can confirm or reject the same. If confirmation occurs then the alarm is triggered. If no confirmation occurs then the alarm can still be output automatically, for example after the expiry of a reaction time of for example 30 seconds. The output of the alarm can be inhibited by rejecting the marked image content. [0016] Monitoring of the panoramic image can be facilitated if it is shifted through the sections on finding the predefined image content such that the located image content is represented in the centre of one of the sections. Relevant image content can thus be moved into the focus of attention of an operator. 09/01/14,21158 speci,4 5 [0017] The unit of the monitoring device, for example a spotlight, can be controlled depending on how far the displacement takes place to dispose the image content in the centre. Because the displacement angle can correspond directly to a direction of the object recognized by means of the image content in the surroundings, the element, for example the spotlight, can be oriented directly in said direction and thus towards the object. This allows the object to be displayed in detail and thus made recognisable. [0018] If a suspicious object migrates in the surroundings, then it would also migrate in the panoramic image, so that its tracking is possibly made difficult. This can be counteracted if the image content is held in one of the sections even during a movement through the panoramic image, so that the panoramic image migrates in the sections by means of the movement. The suspicious object can always remain in the focus of attention of the operator and can easily be monitored by the operator. [0019] Especially for a movement of the panoramic image through both sections, it is advantageous if angle data are merged into the sections that indicate the orientation of at least one region of a section in the surroundings. This enables recognition to be simplified in cases in which the suspicious object is spatially located in the surroundings. [0020] Another advantageous possibility is that after location of the image content said image content is marked in the panoramic image and an operator shifts the image content into a central region of one of the sections by means of a suitable input into an input means. This can prevent an object of interest in the panoramic image from migrating from one section to the next and thereby making detection of movement more difficult. Moreover, effective observation of the object can be facilitated. It is also advantageous if the unit of the monitoring device is oriented by means of the displacement towards an object whose image is formed in the image content. A direction in which the object of interest is located can be determined from the displacement angle with which the image content is shifted by the operator - or automatically. Said direction can be determined relative to a predetermined direction. The unit, for example a spotlight or a spectral camera, can now be oriented in said direction. The displacement can be simplified for the operator if the operator only confirms the image content for example that can be carried 6 out by touching the screen. The position of the contact with the screen can be determined and the image content displayed there can be moved into the centre. [0021] Another possibility for orienting the unit consists of an operator touching the screen at the position of an object of interest or recognized image content and determining the corresponding direction by means of a control means and orienting the unit in said direction. [0022] In order to investigate a suspicious object more accurately, it is advantageous to record the same not only by means of the at least one camera generating the panoramic image, but also to use additional image data by means of the unit of the monitoring device, said image data only being generated following recognition of the object or the image contents. For this purpose the object can be additionally illuminated and/or recorded in a wider spectral range or with increased resolution. The unit of the monitoring device can for example be another camera having greater image resolution than the camera recording the panoramic image. The image of the high resolution camera can be displayed on the display unit in addition to the two sections. [0023] The additional illumination or recording unit generally does not cover the entire surroundings, but has to be oriented towards the suspicious object. This can simply be achieved if the panoramic image is searched for the image content using image processing, on finding the image content the position of the image content in the panoramic image is determined and correlated with a predetermined direction and the unit of the monitoring device is oriented in said direction. [0024] It is not always clear from the panoramic image at what distance a suspicious object is located. This problem can be solved by measuring the distance from the unit of the monitoring device to the object that is displayed in the panoramic image as the image unit. Accordingly, the unit of the monitoring device can be a distance measuring unit, which is advantageously controlled on finding the predetermined image content so that a distance measurement is triggered. Advantageously, the distance measuring unit is previously oriented towards the object, especially using the position of the predetermined image content in the panoramic image.

7 [0025] The monitoring of a large panoramic image can be fatiguing for an operator or associated with the high computing costs of automated image monitoring. For this purpose, it is proposed that the panoramic image is migrated through the two sections at a predetermined speed, so that focussing on a sub-region of a section corresponds to sweeping a view through the surroundings. The view of an operator can relate to a portion of the section and thus sweeps through the entire panoramic image, so that this can be continuously monitored. Image processing can also be restricted to searching the sub region that is migrating through the panoramic image, so that the computing cost can be contained within a sustainable range. The panoramic image is hereby advantageously recorded by a plurality of cameras with fixed orientation in the surroundings, so that the cameras remain at rest relative to the surroundings despite the migration of the panoramic image through the sections. The migration of the panoramic image can be produced artificially, for example by an image displacement program. [0026] For supporting the search of the sub-region another movable camera can be pivoted in its orientation through the surroundings such that it is always aligned towards an image portion that is displayed in the centre of one of the sections. The image portion can be the sub-region. On the other hand, the panoramic image can be recorded by a plurality of cameras of fixed orientation in the surroundings, so that they do not have to be moved. The image portion representing the surrounding section is advantageously always shown in the centre of one of the sections. Information from an additional spectral range that the movable camera detects can be blended into said image portion. Additional image details are also possible and advantageous by using additional illumination. If the movable camera has a greater resolution than the camera that records the panoramic image, there is also the possibility of displaying said high resolution image portion in the centre of the section, for example whereby the image portion is shown larger, i.e. protruding above and below the section. It is also possible and advantageous that the image portion is not shown in the centre of the section but in a separate region of the display system, for example above or below the section. [0027] If the movable camera has a spectral sensitivity in a spectral range that is different from that of the camera that records panoramic image, then the image area can show image contents from two different spectral ranges. The image content of the 8 panoramic camera can for example be expanded by the entire or partial image content of the additional spectral camera. [0028] In general the control of the monitoring device can be generally dispensed with, wherein, deviating from the above-mentioned method according to the invention, the control of the unit of the monitoring device depending on at least one specified image content of the panoramic image can be dispensed with. The guidance according to the invention can hereby be limited to a method for imaging a panoramic image, whereby a camera system records a panoramic image of the surroundings with at least one camera and the panoramic image is displayed on a display system such that a first section of the panoramic image is shown in the correct orientation and a second section of the panoramic image is shown reversed. Said characteristic of the invention can also be combined with all other described details. [0029] The invention is also directed towards a monitoring device with a camera system for recording a panoramic image comprising at least one camera, a display system for visual display of the panoramic image, for example for an operator. Optionally, the monitoring device can additionally comprise an input system for recording an input command of an operator. A process unit for controlling a unit of the camera system is also possible and advantageous. [0030] In order to achieve reliable monitoring of the surroundings it is proposed that for this purpose the display system is provided to display a first section of the panoramic image in the correct orientation and a second section of the panoramic image reversed. [0031] The already provided description of advantageous embodiments of the inventions contains numerous features that are partially reproduced in individual dependent claims combined into a plurality of features. Said features can however also advantageously be considered individually and combined into further advantageous combinations. In particular, said features can each be combined individually and in any suitable combination with the method according to the invention and the device according to the invention according to the independent claims.

9 [0032] The characteristics, features and advantages of the invention described above, and the manner in which theses are achieved will become clearer and more fully understood in combination with the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which are explained in detail in connection with the figures. The exemplary embodiments are used to explain the invention and do not restrict the invention to the combination of features specified therein nor in relation to functional features. Moreover, for this purpose suitable features of any exemplary embodiment can also be explicitly considered in isolation, removed from an exemplary embodiment, introduced into another exemplary embodiment to extend it and/or can be combined with any of the claims. [0033] In the figures. [0034] FIG. 1 shows a group of vehicles with cameras for recording a panoramic image of the surroundings, [0035] FIG. 2 shows a panoramic image divided into two sections on a display unit, [0036] FIG. 3 shows a panoramic image divided into two sections with a central region displayed with higher resolution and [0037] FIG. 4 shows the higher resolution region below the two sections of the panoramic image. [0038] FIG 1 shows an object 2 to be protected with five vehicles 4 placed relative to each other like a circle of wagons and for example intended to remain overnight in this arrangement. The vehicles 4 are each fitted with a camera 6, which is movably placed on the vehicle or can be rotatably mounted on the respective vehicle 4. The cameras 6 are all oriented in a fixed manner in the surroundings during the recording, so that the orientation of their viewing angle area 8 does not change without a movement of the corresponding vehicle 4 in the surroundings. The cameras 6 are each oriented relative to each other such that the ranges of viewing angle 8 of adjacent cameras 6 slightly overlap each other. This enables all directions in the surroundings around the group of vehicles to be covered with the provided five cameras 6 of the group of vehicles. The cameras 6 form a camera system that is part of a monitoring device.

10 [0039] The image data of the camera 6 are transferred by cable or wirelessly to a process unit 10 that is disposed in one of the vehicles 4. This combines the images of the cameras 6 using image processing methods, for example stitching, to form a panoramic image that covers the entire surrounding area of 3600 and has a vertical extent of 30'. Such recordings are repeated at defined time intervals, for example every 50 milliseconds, so that the panoramic images can be combined in their sequence to form a panoramic film. [0040] Said panoramic images - for simplicity only a single panoramic image is referred to below, without this being associated with a limitation - are displayed on a display system 12 with a display means 14, which is illustrated schematically in FIG 2. [0041] FIG 2 shows the display unit 14 in one of the vehicles 4, which is implemented in the form of a screen. The panoramic image 16 is divided into two sections 18, 20, which are disposed flush with each other on the display means 14. Each of the two sections 18, 20 displays an angular section 22 of the panoramic image of 180' plus an overlap area 24, 26 in each case, wherein the overlap area 24 displays the same range of viewing angles in both sections 18, 20 and the overlap area 26 likewise displays the same range of viewing angles in both sections 18, 20. [0042] The two sections 18, 20 are each rectangular illustrations with parallel top and bottom edges and they are disposed separately from each other below and flush with each other. They also display the surroundings such that the upper section 18 shows the surroundings in the correct orientation and the lower section 20 shows the surroundings reversed. This is indicated schematically by means of the horizontal arrows drawn in the lower area in the two sections 18, 20. If a person were to move clockwise around the wagon circle, then they would move in the two sections in the direction of the two arrows through the panoramic image or through the two sections. At the time at which the person enters the overlap area 24 of the upper section 18, their image is also formed in the overlap area 24 of the lower section 20, but the direction of motion changes from forwards to backwards or in this example from oriented to the right to oriented to the left. If the person now enters the overlap area 26 of the lower section 20, then their image is also formed in the overlap area 26 of the upper section 28 and again the direction of motion in the image changes, without its direction of motion changing in the surroundings. In both sections 18, 09/01/14,21158 speci,10 11 20 a person standing upright in the surroundings would be shown standing upright in each case. [0043] The panoramic image 16 is continuously searched by the process unit 10 by means of an image processing method for specified image contents, for example for persons, ground vehicles and aircraft. For this purpose, image patterns are placed in the process unit 10 or in a data processing program or in a memory of the process unit 10, for which the surroundings or the panoramic image 16 are searched. Such specified image content 28 is indicated by way of example and schematically in FIG 2. Said image content 28 represents an object of interest, for example a person approaching the protective circle. [0044] If such predetermined image content 28 is found by the process unit 10, then it is marked by the process unit 10 in a possible exemplary embodiment and especially moved to the centre of the upper section 18, as indicated by the oblique arrow. The marker is indicated in FIG 2 by the hatching and can be implemented on the display means 14 for example by means of a coloured emphasis of the image content 28. The process unit 10 also advantageously controls a unit of the monitoring device, for example an acoustic unit, such as a loudspeaker 30, which outputs an acoustic signal for an operator. The operator checks the image content 28 and can initiate one or a plurality of subsequent actions. One such subsequent action can be the rejection of the image content 28 as harmless. At an input means 32 (FIG 1) the operator gives a corresponding command to reject the image content 28, whose optical marker is then withdrawn by the process unit 10. [0045] Another subsequent action can be that the operator uses the input means 32 to output an alarm, which for example can be acoustically transmitted by means of an alarm unit 34 to the other vehicles 4 or in another way. [0046] However, it can also occur that the operator wishes to first check the displayed object, being also the object of interest, or the image content 28. For this purpose, he directs another camera 36 towards the object of interest 38, as indicated schematically in FIG 1. The image content 28 is an image of the object 38. The orientation of the camera 36 can be carried out in a number of different ways. The angular position of the image content 28 relative to a predetermined angular position in the panoramic image 12 can be determined by the process unit 10. By this means the angular position of the object of interest 28 in the surroundings can also be determined relative to a predetermined direction and the additional and movable camera 36 can be oriented towards the object 38. Likewise it is possible that the operator touches the screen in the area of the image content 28 and especially at the same time issues a command to the input means 32 that causes orientation of the camera 36 to the angular position of the screen contact. If the image content 28 has already been automatically moved to the centre of the upper section 18, as illustrated in FIG 2, then in principle such a manual control by the operator is not required. However, it can occur that the operator wishes to orient the camera 36 in other directions as well and for example this is carried out using the screen as described. [0047] The additional camera 36 can be a camera that is sensitive in a different spectral range, in which the cameras 6 of the vehicles 4 are insensitive. For example, an infrared spectral range would be conceivable, whereas the cameras 6 only record in the visible spectral range. Moreover, a high resolution camera is advantageous, that is one that is of higher resolution than the cameras 6 of the vehicles 4. This enables the object 38 to be displayed magnified. Instead of or in addition to the camera 36, another unit can also be oriented, for example a rangefinder or an illumination unit, for example a spotlight or an infrared radiator. [0048] With the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG 3 the camera 36 is a higher resolution camera 36 that is oriented towards the object of interest 38. In its field of view the camera 36 produces an image area 42 that is disposed in the central area of one section 18. Hereby section 18 is somewhat wider because the higher resolution image area 42 should not cover any image area of section 18 whose image is not formed in the higher resolution image area 42. Accordingly, the two sections 18, 20 are no longer disposed laterally flush with each other when merging the higher resolution image area 42, wherein however the overlap regions 24, 26 remain unchanged. [0049] Instead of merging the higher resolution image area 42 in one section 18, 20 it is of course also possible to display said image area 42 outside sections 18, 20. FIG 4 shows the higher resolution image area 42 below sections 18, 20. A separate display is 09/01/14,21158 speci,12 13 particularly advantageous if the resolution is very much higher as the magnification is thus very much higher than with the cameras 6 recording the panoramic image. [0050] Moreover, the process unit 10 continuously tracks a possible movement of the object of interest 38 or of the image content 28 through the panoramic image 16 and keeps the image content 28 in the centre of the section 18 and with this exemplary embodiment also in the centre of the higher resolution image area 42. Accordingly, other objects disposed statically in the surroundings migrate through sections 18, 20. In order to still give the operator information about the direction of the object of interest 38 or of the image content 28 in the panoramic image 16, the panoramic image 16 is provided with angle data 44, which for example is merged into the lower area of sections 18, 20, as indicated in FIGs. 2 and 3. Said angle data 44 can be provided with numbers, for example numbers of degrees, so that a direction overview is provided to the operator. [0051] By keeping the image content 28 in the centre of the section 18 even during migration of the image content of interest through the panoramic image 16, the operator can track possible changes of the image content 28 or of the object 38 very accurately, without the image content 28 migrating across the section boundary and thus making tracking difficult. [0052] With the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 2 and 3 the panoramic image 16 is shown divided into two sections 18, 20. However, depending on the overlap area of the panoramic image - generally 3600 are not necessary but a smaller area - or azimuth angle or other divisions are also conceivable and advantageous. For example, a panoramic image is divided into three sections lying one below the other and displayed accordingly on the display means 14.

14 [0053] Reference character list 2 object 4 vehicle 6 camera 8 range of viewing angles 10 process unit 12 display system 14 display means 16 panoramic image 18 section 20 section 22 angular section 24 overlap area 26 overlap area 28 image content 30 loudspeaker 32 input means 34 alarm unit 36 camera 38 object 42 image area 44 angle information [0054] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. [0055] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a monitoring device, with which a camera system records a panoramic image of the surroundings with at least one camera, a unit of the monitoring device is controlled depending on at least one specified image content of the panoramic image and the panoramic image is displayed on a display system such that a first section of the panoramic image is displayed in the correct orientation and a second section of the panoramic image is displayed reversed.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the panoramic image is recorded by a plurality of cameras with fixed orientation in the surroundings, whose images overlap, the images are combined by stitching to form a panoramic image and the panoramic image is divided into the two sections such that at least one image of one of the cameras is at least partly displayed in both sections.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the panoramic image is a 3600 image, the two sections are each at least 190' images and the two sections overlap at both ends by at least 50 in each case.

4. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the two sections are displayed in a rectangular representation with parallel top and bottom edges, separated from each other, one above the other and flush with each other on a screen of the display system and both sections show the surroundings upright.

5. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the panoramic image is searched for the image content using image processing, the unit of the monitoring device in the form of an alarm unit is controlled on finding the image content and an alarm is output and the image content found is marked in the panoramic image.

6. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the panoramic image is searched for the image content using image processing, on finding the image content the panoramic image is shifted through the sections such that the image of the image content is formed in the centre of one of the sections. 09/01/14,21158 speci,15 16

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the image content is held at the centre of one of the sections even during a movement through the panoramic image, so that the panoramic image migrates in the sections by means of the movement.

8. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein angle data are merged into the two sections, the angle data indicating the orientation of at least one area of a section in the surroundings.

9. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the panoramic image is searched for the image content using image processing, on finding the image content this is marked in the panoramic image, an operator shifts the image content into a central region of one of the sections by means of a corresponding input in an input means and the unit is oriented by the displacement towards an object whose image is formed in the image content.

10. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the panoramic image is searched for the image content using image processing, on finding the image content the position of the image content in the panoramic image is determined and correlated with a direction in the surroundings and the unit of the monitoring device is oriented in said direction.

11. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the panoramic image is searched for the image content using image processing, on finding the image content the unit of the monitoring device in the form of a distance measuring unit is controlled and a distance is measured from the unit to an object that is displayed in the panoramic image as the image content.

12. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the panoramic image migrates at a predetermined speed through the two sections, so that focussing on a sub-region of a section corresponds to sweeping the view in the surroundings.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the panoramic image is recorded by a plurality of cameras with fixed orientation in the surroundings and another, movable 09/01/14,21158 speci,16 17 camera is pivoted in its orientation through the surroundings such that it is always oriented towards an image portion that is displayed in the centre of one of the sections.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the movable camera is different in its spectral sensitivity from that of the cameras recording the panoramic image and its image is merged into the panoramic image such that this image area displays image contents from two different spectral ranges.

15. Monitoring device with a camera system for recording a panoramic image comprising at least one camera, a display system for visual display of the panoramic image, an input system for detecting an input command of an operator, a unit and a process unit for controlling the unit, wherein the display system is provided so as to display a first section of the panoramic image in the correct orientation and a second section of the panoramic image reversed. 09/01/14,21158 speci,17