JP2002010241A - Image information providing system and method, and information processing device and server equipment therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and system for browsing a camera-monitoring image data from portable information terminals through a network. SOLUTION: A information processing device 10 fetches the image data taken by a camera 11 and stores the data after processing the data into an accessible format to the portable information terminals 50. The processing device 10 uploads the stored image data to a home page 31 area of a contracted internet service provider 30. Then the terminal 50 enables a remote monitoring by fetching the image information stored at provider side accessing to the homepage 31 of the provider 30 where the image is stored at an arbitrary interval via a mobile communications service network 40.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information providing method and an image information providing system for providing image information captured by a camera or the like to a customer or a user, an information processing apparatus and a server used in the system Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a system for performing remote monitoring based on image information captured by a camera.

In this type of remote monitoring system, as shown in FIG. 9, a camera or a sensor 100 sends image information to be photographed or detected to a processing device 110, and the processing device 110 processes the image information as necessary. Then, the image data is transmitted to the telephone line or the wireless line 120, and the security service company or the like 130 receives the image information through the line to remotely monitor the image information.

In the case of such a configuration, management by a third party such as a security service company 130 has tended to increase the system installation cost and operation cost of the camera or sensor 100, the processing device 110, and the like.

In order to check the monitoring status from outside, the security service company 130 needs a telephone line 120
It was a form to contact and listen to the situation. Also, it was difficult for the contractor himself to check the monitoring status, and it was not easy to change the equipment contents and installation location.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-1986 discloses a technique in which image data captured by a camera installed at a construction site or the like is temporarily stored in a server, and the external terminal accesses the server via a wireless line or a computer communication line. A remote monitoring system that monitors image information of a construction site or the like with an external terminal by accessing the system is disclosed.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-59765 discloses a technique in which image information from a home camera connected by a wireless line in a home is stored in a home server in the wireless line, and a cellular phone with a television is set up from outside. A home security system that accesses the home server according to the instruction and captures image information from a camera in the home to remotely monitor the home from outside is disclosed.

[0008]

However, in the case of the remote monitoring system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-1986, the external terminal does not access the Internet but uses a communication protocol for communication with the server. Must be built-in. Furthermore, it is limited to a remote monitoring system within a closed line with the server.

The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-5976
In the case of the home security system described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5 (1993), a home phone server is directly accessed via a wireless line according to an instruction of a mobile phone with a television, and image information from a camera in the home is taken. It requires a communication protocol to communicate with the home server, and is limited to communication over a closed line with the home server.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image information providing service and a remote monitoring method using an existing infrastructure such as the Internet, and a user can use an information processing apparatus without a third party such as a security company. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus which can be provided with image information by the Internet using a portable information terminal or can easily realize remote monitoring.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for browsing image data monitored by a camera from a portable information terminal via a network.

In the method and system for providing image information according to the present invention, an information processing apparatus (10 in FIG. 1) captures image data captured by an image sensor (11 in FIG. 1) such as a camera, and outputs the data to a portable information terminal (FIG. 1). In step 50), the data is processed and stored in a format that can be browsed. The information processing device 10 uploads the stored image data to a homepage (31 in FIG. 1) of the Internet service provider (30 in FIG. 1) subscribed to, for example, at regular intervals.

Next, in the portable information terminal (50 in FIG. 1),
By accessing the homepage 31 of the Internet service provider 30 in which the image data is stored at an arbitrary interval via the mobile communication network (40 in FIG. 1), the image information stored in the provider is taken in. Enable remote monitoring.

In the method for providing image information according to the present invention, by using the Internet service provider 30,
If the access point of the Internet service provider 30 is located at the destination even when the camera 11 moves, uploading to the homepage 31 can be performed at a low local call rate.

In the present invention, when an image captured by the camera 11 is uploaded from the information processing apparatus 10, the amount of image data stored in the information processing apparatus 10 is managed by the information processing apparatus 10, and a general telephone line is used when uploading. May be adjusted to the data size that can be uploaded within the minimum billing time.

Similarly, when uploading images from a plurality of cameras 11, the amount of image data stored in the information processing device 10 is managed by the information processing device 10, and the upload is performed within the minimum charging time of the general telephone line. Adjust to the data size that can be uploaded in.

The image data from the camera 11 is added with the date, time, and camera number at the time of image capturing, in order to clarify which camera 11 and when the image data was captured. It may be output to the device 10.

Further, the server device of the present invention is a server device connected to a network connected to a mobile communication network connected to a portable information terminal, which receives image information from the information processing device via the network. Means for storing, means for determining whether the image information is data that can be browsed by a portable information terminal when image information is uploaded from the network, and means for storing the uploaded data when the image information is not browseable data. Means for processing into data that can be browsed by the information terminal, storing the processed image data on a database of the server, and storing the uploaded image data on the database without processing if the data is viewable. If the image information is requested from the network, the image information stored on the database is And means for downloading via the network to the band information terminal.

Further, another server device of the present invention is a server device connected to a network connected to a mobile communication network connected to a portable information terminal, wherein image information from the information processing device is transmitted via the network. Means for receiving and storing, image data uploaded from the network when the image information is uploaded, means for storing the uploaded image data on a database, and image data stored on the database when the image information is requested from the network. Means for downloading the image information to the portable information terminal via a network.

[0020]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Description of First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image information providing method according to the present invention, and shows an example of a system configuration for realizing the image information providing method. Here, an example of the remote monitoring system will be described.

Referring to FIG. 1, the first embodiment is similar to the first embodiment.
A camera 11, an information processing apparatus 10, an Internet service provider 30, a home page 31, and a mobile communication network 40 providing communication services such as a mobile phone.
Mobile information terminal 50 connectable to mobile communication network 40
And a communication network 20 such as the Internet for interconnecting the information processing apparatus 10, the Internet service provider 30, and the mobile communication network 40 described above.

The camera 11 is installed at a place where monitoring or the like is desired, captures an image of an object, and outputs image data to an information processing apparatus 10 such as a personal computer. Further, the camera 11 of the present embodiment can be replaced with a camera monitoring system using wireless.

The image data from the camera 11 is added with the date, time and camera number at the time of image capturing, and a camera number in order to clarify which camera 11 and when the image data was captured. It is desirable to output to the device 10.

The information processing apparatus 10 can display the captured image data in a format that can be viewed on the portable information terminal 50, for example, G
It has a function for processing into an IF format file. Further, the information processing apparatus 10 has a function of periodically uploading the processed image data (image information) to a homepage 31 provided by the Internet service provider 30 on the network 20.

Internet service provider 30
Provides services to connect to the Internet, etc., as well as e-mail and personal homepage services.

The homepage 31 uses services provided by the Internet service provider 30. The image data uploaded from the information processing apparatus 10 is stored on this homepage 31.

The mobile communication network 40 is a network for communicating voice, text, image data, and the like to the portable information terminal 50.

The portable information terminal 50 is a portable telephone terminal or an information terminal to which the portable telephone terminal is connected. The portable information terminal 50 accesses the home page 31 via the mobile communication network 40, and provides image data and the like provided on the home page 31. It has the function to download. Such personal digital assistants,
In addition to the mobile phone, another mobile communication terminal capable of making a call to a mobile communication network may be used.

In this embodiment, when uploading an image captured by the camera 11 from the information processing apparatus 10,
The amount of image data stored in the information processing device 10 is managed by the information processing device 10, and a general telephone line (a telephone line (not shown) in the network 20 existing between the information processing device 10 and the Internet provider 30) at the time of uploading. May be adjusted to the data size that can be uploaded within the minimum billing time.

Similarly, when uploading images from a plurality of cameras 11, the amount of image data stored in the information processing device 10 is managed by the information processing device 10, and the upload is performed within the minimum charging time of a general telephone line. Adjust to the data size that can be uploaded in.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment (the flow of the image information providing method) will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the network 20
Suppose it is the Internet.

Referring to FIG. 2, camera 11 outputs image data of a captured image to information processing apparatus 10 (step a1). The information processing apparatus 10 processes the captured image data into a file format that can be viewed by the portable information terminal 50 and stores the processed data (step a2). Information processing device 1
0 uploads the stored image files to the homepage 31 of the Internet service provider 30 contracted at regular intervals (step a3).

In the Internet service provider 30, the uploaded image file is stored on the homepage 3
No. 1 is stored in the storage area (step a4). At this time,
The information processing apparatus 10 adds the time stamp at the time of capturing the image (date and time) to the file name of the image file to be processed and stored or a location recognizable by the portable information terminal 50, and thereafter, the portable information terminal 50 browses. When you want to help you browse the image at any time.

The person carrying the portable information terminal 50 accesses the address (URL) of the homepage 31 where the image file is stored from the portable information terminal 50 and requests an arbitrary image file (step a5).

Internet service provider 30
Downloads the specified image file to the portable information terminal 50 in response to the request (step a).
6). The portable information terminal 50 displays the downloaded image file (Step a7).

In step a3, when the information processing apparatus 10 uploads the image data stored from the camera 11 to the homepage 31, as shown in FIG.
For example, the image data stored in the information processing
The data is uploaded to the homepage 31 every minute, and the image data from the camera 11 accumulated for 15 minutes is uploaded to the homepage 31 with a minimum charging time of 3 minutes for a general telephone line.

The image data stored in the information processing device 10 may be a case where there are a plurality of cameras 11 or a case where there are image data from a plurality of information processing devices 10. At this time, similarly, the image data stored from the plurality of cameras 11 or the image data stored by the plurality of information processing apparatuses 10 are uploaded with a minimum charging time of 3 minutes for a general telephone line.

In the first embodiment, the Internet service provider 30 may process the image data instead of the information processing apparatus 10.

When requesting the Internet service provider 30 for image data, the portable information terminal 50 may specify the type of image data stored on the homepage. Alternatively, the type of the camera 11 may be designated and image data from the camera may be acquired.

Internet service provider 30
Thus, it is desirable to accumulate image data for each type of image data and to be able to read it out at any time from a request from a portable information terminal.

The first effect of the first embodiment is that the monitoring image data can be browsed by the portable information terminal 50.

A second effect is that a remote monitoring system can be easily constructed by using an existing infrastructure. The reason is that it can be constructed using existing systems and services such as a camera and a camera monitoring system, the Internet, a homepage, and a portable information terminal.

The third effect is that the use of the Internet service provider 30 allows the camera /
The image can be uploaded at the cheapest call fee using the access point closest to the monitoring side, regardless of the distance between the location where the information processing device is installed and the distance between the portable information terminal. This means that it can be operated at a lower cost than when talking directly between the camera monitoring side and the portable information terminal.

The fourth effect is that remote monitoring while moving is possible by using a portable information terminal.

(Description of Second Embodiment) Next, FIG.
A second embodiment of the image information providing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The system configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 1, but the operation is different from that of the first embodiment as shown in FIG. The operation will be described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 4, camera 11 outputs image data of a captured image to information processing apparatus 10 (step b1). The information processing apparatus 10 processes the captured image data into a file format that can be browsed by the portable information terminal 50 and accumulates the image data at regular intervals (step b2).

The person carrying the portable information terminal 50 requests image data from the portable information terminal 50 to the information processing apparatus 10 by e-mail (step b3). The service provider 30 receives the electronic mail transmitted from the portable information terminal 50, and notifies the information processing terminal 10 that the electronic mail has been received (step b4).

The information processing terminal 10 confirms the arrival of the e-mail (step b5). After confirming the arrival of the e-mail, the information processing terminal 10 converts the stored image data from the latest data to the Internet service provider 30.
Upload to the homepage 31 (step b
6).

The Internet service provider 30 stores the uploaded image file on the homepage 3
No. 1 is stored in the storage area (step b7).

The person who has the portable information processing terminal 50 accesses the address (URL) of the homepage 31 where the image files are stored from the portable information processing terminal 50 and requests the latest image file (step b).
8).

Internet service provider 30
Downloads the designated latest image file to the portable information processing terminal 50 in response to this request (step b9). The portable information terminal 50 displays the downloaded image file (Step b10).

As described above, when there is a request for image data from the portable information terminal 50, the Internet service provider 30 informs the information processing terminal 10 of the request and uploads the processed image data. You may. Thereby, the service provider 30
May store image data as needed from the portable information terminal.

In the above second embodiment, the form information terminal 50 is connected to the Internet service provider 30
When a request for image data is made (step b3 or b8), the type of image data stored in the homepage may be designated. Alternatively, the type of the camera 11 may be designated and image data from the camera may be acquired.

Internet service provider 30
Thus, it is desirable to accumulate image data for each type of image data and to be able to read it out at any time from a request from a portable information terminal.

(Description of Information Processing Apparatus 10) Next, the specific configuration of the information processing apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 and the operation of capturing and processing image data will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 5, an information processing apparatus 10 has an interface (I / F) 12 with a camera 11, an image data storage unit 13 for storing image data, and browses image data on the portable information terminal 50 shown in FIG. It has an image data processing unit 14 for processing to a possible format, a transmission control unit 15 for controlling transmission to the network 20 in FIG. 1, an interface 16 such as RS-232C or USB, and a CPU 17 for controlling the whole. . This information processing apparatus 10 is connected to a network 20 and a terminal adapter or MODE.
The connection is made via an M (modem) 18.

In FIG. 6, the information processing apparatus 10
Under the control of U17, image data is fetched from the interface 12 and stored in the image data storage unit 13 (step c1). Next, the image data processing unit 14 trims a necessary portion from the image data (step c).
2) The trimmed image data is processed in a format that can be received and viewed by the portable information terminal, or in a capacity and size (step c3).

Next, the transmission control section 15 thins out the processed image data and uploads it so that the image data can be uploaded to the Internet service provider 30 of FIG. 1 in the minimum charging time (for example, 3 minutes) (step c4).

In the case of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4, between steps c3 and c4, the CPU 17 confirms the incoming mail. Alternatively, only the image data requested by the portable information terminal may be transferred from the image data processing unit 14 to the transmission control unit 15.

(Internet Service Provider 30
Next, the specific configuration and operation of the Internet service provider 30 of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 7, the Internet service provider 30 has a gateway 32 and a server 3 for converting a protocol between the network 20 and the server 33.
And stores image data in the homepage 31 of the database 34.

In FIG. 8, a connection request is received from the network 20 (step d1). If the connection request is for uploading the image data in FIG. 2 (step a3), the server 33 determines whether the image data is data that can be browsed on the portable information terminal (step d2). The processed data is processed into data that can be browsed by the portable information terminal (step d3), and the processed image data is stored in the homepage 31 on the database of the server (step d4). If YES, do not process
The uploaded image data is stored in the homepage 31 on the database of the server (step d4).

In step d1, when the connection request is a request for image data in step a7 in FIG. 2 and in step b8 in FIG. 4, the server 33 transmits the image data stored in the homepage on the database to the mobile phone in FIG. Information terminal 5
0 via the network 20 (step d5).

Further, in step d1, if the connection request is for requesting the image data in step b3 of FIG. 4 by e-mail, the server 33 performs the mail reception in FIG.
(Step d6).

The image information providing service according to the embodiment of the present invention is realized by the information processing apparatus 10 and the Internet service provider 30 described above.

If it is clear that the image information is to be processed in the information processing terminal 10, the determination means in step d2 is unnecessary.

(Modification of Embodiment of the Invention)
It is possible to develop a system configuration that can handle not only image data but also characters, sounds, contact information from sensors, alarm information, and the like together with image data.

The image information may be a moving image or a still image. In addition, depending on the type of image information provided, not everyone can view the information, and it is also possible to provide a function for restricting a person who can view the information with a password or the like in terms of security. In this case, for example, the server device may request a password before downloading the image data to be restricted to the portable information terminal to the portable information terminal, and upload the image data only when the passwords match.

Further, the image information received by the information processing apparatus is not limited to the information from the camera, but may be from a file storing the image information. Alternatively, image information from a network connected to the information processing device may be used.

As another modified example, an emergency operation button may be attached to the information processing apparatus 10 of FIG. 1, and a message may be transmitted using the mail function of the portable information terminal 50 by pressing the operation button. As a result, the system can be extended to an emergency notification system.

It is also useful that the camera 11 on the monitoring side is mounted on a gantry that can be remotely controlled, and that the camera 11 can be moved by remote control from the information processing device 10.
It is conceivable to attach a similar gantry to a device such as a sensor that obtains contact information. For example, the camera 11 attached to the gantry here can be replaced by a mobile robot having a built-in camera.

Further, the service form of the image information providing method can be applied to various business fields. For example, there is not only a remote monitoring system but also a service of providing image data for sightseeing guidance with a camera, a service of providing image data for weather information, and the like.

[0074]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The following effects can be obtained.

The first effect is that the monitoring image data can be browsed by the portable information terminal.

The second effect is that a remote monitoring system can be easily constructed by using the existing infrastructure. The reason is that it can be constructed using existing systems and services such as a camera and a camera monitoring system, the Internet, a homepage, and a portable information terminal.

The third effect is that, by using an Internet service provider, the access closest to the monitoring side is independent of the distance between the place where the camera / information processing apparatus to be the monitoring side is installed and the portable information terminal. Using points, you can upload images at the lowest call rates. This means that it can be operated at a lower cost than when talking directly between the camera monitoring side and the portable information terminal.

The fourth effect is that remote monitoring while moving is possible by using a portable information terminal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image information providing method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an upload operation from the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the information processing apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an Internet service provider according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the Internet service provider of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a conventional remote monitoring system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Information processing apparatus 11 Camera 20 Network 30 Internet service provider 31 Homepage 40 Mobile communication network 50 Portable information terminal

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yugo Ohno 3-16-8 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Within Nippon Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Matsuoka 3-chome, Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa No. 16-8 Nippon Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. (72) Nobuyuki Koki 3-16-8 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa F-term within Nippon Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. FF03 HA02 HA18 5C064 BA07 BC10 BC18 BC20 BC23 BD01 BD07

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus including a server connected to a network and a mobile communication network connected to the network, wherein the information processing apparatus captures image information and can be viewed on a portable information terminal. Means for processing the processed image information, and means for uploading the processed image information to the server device via the network, wherein the server device stores: the uploaded image information; and Based on a request from the communication network to the network, stored in the storage means,
Means for fetching image information to a requester of the mobile communication network and transmitting the image information to the network. 2. An information processing device and a server device connected to a network, and a mobile communication network connected to the network, wherein the information processing device captures and stores image information; Means for uploading image information to the server device via the network, the server device processing the uploaded image information into a format that can be viewed on a portable information terminal, and the processed image A storage unit for storing information; and, based on a request from the mobile communication network to the network, capturing image information stored in the storage unit to a request source of the mobile communication network, and transmitting the image information to the network. And an image information providing system. 3. The image information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image information taken into the information processing device is image information from an image sensor. 4. The image information according to claim 1, wherein the uploading means of the information processing apparatus uploads the image information at a time within a minimum charging time of the mobile communication network. Delivery system. 5. An image information providing method using an information processing device and a server device connected to a network, and a mobile communication network connected to the network. Processing the data into a format that can be browsed by the information terminal, uploading the image information to the server device via the network, and storing the uploaded image information in a storage unit;
A method of fetching stored image information to a requester of the mobile communication network based on a request from the mobile communication network to the network, and transmitting the image information to the network. 6. An image information providing method using an information processing device and a server device connected to a network and a mobile communication network connected to the network, wherein the information processing device captures and stores image information. A procedure for uploading the stored image information to the server device via the network; a procedure for processing the uploaded image information into a format that can be viewed on a portable information terminal; and the processed image information. Storing, based on a request from the mobile communication network to the network, capturing image information stored in the storage means to a request source of the mobile communication network, and transmitting the image information to the network. Including image information providing method. 7. The portable information terminal requests image information stored in the storage unit via the mobile communication network and the network, and receives the image information transmitted to the network. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein
Or the method for providing image information described in 6. 8. In the uploading procedure, 1
8. The image information providing method according to claim 5, wherein the image information is uploaded to the server device within a minimum charging time of the mobile communication network per time. 9. An information processing device connected to a network, a means for receiving image information, an image data storage unit for storing the received image information, and processing of the image information into a format that can be browsed by a portable information terminal. An information processing apparatus comprising: an image data processing unit that performs transmission; and a transmission control unit that controls transmission to the network. 10. A server device connected to a network connected to a mobile communication network connected to a portable information terminal, means for receiving and storing image information from an information processing device via the network, and the network Means for determining whether or not the image information is data that can be browsed by a portable information terminal, if there is upload of image information from the portable data terminal; Processing, storing the processed image data on the database of the server, if the data is viewable, without processing, storing the uploaded image data on the database; and If it is a request, the image information stored on the database Server device and means for download via the. 11. A server device connected to a network connected to a mobile communication network connected to a portable information terminal, means for receiving and storing image information from an information processing device via the network, and the network Means for storing the uploaded image data on a database when image information is uploaded from the network, and transmitting the image information stored on the database to a portable information terminal via a network when the image information is requested from the network. Means for downloading via a server, and a server device comprising: