JP2002027427A - Image data transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the conditions of a store 10 to be monitored anytime from anywhere with a portable telephone set 40 with a communication function without an expensive plant and equipment investment. SOLUTION: An ASP server 32 is connected to cameras 11 installed in the store 10 through the intermediary of an ISDN circuit 17, and the portable telephone set 40 is connected to the ASP server 32 through the intermediary of an internet circuit 34. The ASP server 32 fetches a customer's authentication and image data based on the authentication data and image transfer request inputted through the portable telephone, the fetched image data are converted into image data for the portable telephone set 40, the converted image data are stored in an image memory 60, the URL of the converted image data is transmitted to the portable telephone set 40 after the storage of the image data is finished. The image data which are read out from the image memory 60 by the URL inputted through the portable telephone set 40 are transmitted and displayed on the portable telephone set 40. The ASP server 32 collects and manages accounting information on a customer through an accounting server 54.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera provided at a customer's surveillance location, which is connected to an ASP (application service provider) server via a general public line, and the ASP server is connected to the customer's Internet via an Internet line. The present invention relates to an image data transmission system that couples a mobile terminal with a communication function (for example, a mobile phone with an Internet communication function) and transmits image data obtained by a camera to the mobile terminal in response to an image transmission request from the mobile terminal. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system as shown in FIG. 8 is known as a system for transmitting an image of a camera provided at a monitoring place of a customer to a monitoring center provided at a remote place. That is, a plurality of cameras (for example, a CCD color camera) 11, 11, and 11 and a camera control / image transmission device 12 are installed in each of the A, B, and C stores 10a, 10b, and 10c as customer monitoring locations, An image transmission device 14, a remote control (remote controller) 15 and a monitor 16 are installed at the head office (for example, a monitoring center) 13 of a chain store, and the camera control / image transmission device 12 of each store (10a, 10b or 10c) is connected to an ISDN (general). Service digital network) The image transmission device 14 of the head office 13 via the line 17
And the images taken by the cameras 11 to 11 of the stores are monitored by the monitor 16 of the head office 13.

A monitoring system shown in FIG. 9 (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
00-59765) are known. That is, the network 1 is installed in a house (for example, a home) 18 as a monitoring place.
9. Install a plurality of cameras 20 to 20 and a server 21;
Cameras 20 to 20 and server 21 are connected to this network 19.
And the public line 22 and the base station 2 are connected to the server 21.
3 and a TV-equipped mobile phone (a mobile phone with a television device) 24 connected to the server 21 via a connection circuit 2
5. A control unit 26, a frame memory 27, a modem 28, a decoding unit 29, and a transfer control unit 30 are provided, and control of the cameras 20 to 20 and transmission control of image data are performed in accordance with instructions from the mobile phone 24 with TV. Thus, the configuration is such that the situation inside the house 18 can be monitored by the mobile phone 24 with TV.

[0004]

However, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 8, the situation in the A, B, and C stores 10a, 10b, and 10c can be monitored only from the fixedly provided headquarters 13, so A, B, C from wherever you want
There is a problem that the situation in the stores 10a, 10b, and 10c cannot be monitored. Furthermore, each store (10a, 10b
Or 10c), a plurality of cameras 11 to 11 and a camera control / image transmission device 12, and an image transmission device 14, a remote control 15, and a monitor 16 provided in the headquarters 13 must be installed as a set. There is a problem that a large capital investment is required. In addition, in the conventional example shown in FIG.
Can monitor the situation inside the house 18 at any time, so that the situation inside the house 18 can be monitored from wherever one wants to see it. However, when considering the application of extending the monitoring place to a plurality of places, each monitoring place (for example, within each store) Network 19 and camera 20 for each
Since the server 21 must be installed outside of the server 20,
There was a problem that expensive capital investment was required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and eliminates the need for expensive capital investment. It enables a portable terminal with an Internet communication function to monitor the situation in a monitoring place from anywhere when desired. Image data
Data transmission system.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an ASP server is connected to a camera provided at a customer's monitoring place via a general public line, and the customer's Internet is connected to the ASP server via an Internet line. Image data for connecting a mobile terminal with a communication function and transmitting image data obtained by a camera to the mobile terminal in response to an image transmission request of the mobile terminal
An image transmission device for transmitting image data obtained by a camera based on an image capture request signal to an ASP server side at a monitoring place, wherein the ASP server receives the image data from a portable terminal. An authentication means for authenticating the customer based on the authentication data, and an image capture request signal transmitted to the image transmission apparatus based on the image transmission request of the portable terminal when the authentication is performed by the authentication means. Image processing means for taking in the image data transmitted by the image processing apparatus and converting the image data into image data to be displayed on a portable terminal; and image data for storing the image data processed by the image processing means in an image memory. The data storage means detects the end of storage of the image data in the image memory by the image data storage means, and transmits the access destination address of the image data in the image memory to the portable terminal. Image transmission control means for reading out corresponding image data from the image memory when the access destination address is input from the portable terminal and transmitting the image data to the portable terminal, and accounting processing means for collecting and managing accounting data for the customer. And characterized in that: In such a configuration,
The ASP server authenticates the customer based on the authentication data input from the mobile terminal, captures the image data obtained by the camera based on the image transmission request from the mobile terminal, and displays it on the mobile terminal. The image data is converted into image data for storage and stored in the image memory. When the storage is completed, the access destination address of the image data is transmitted to the portable terminal. The image data is read, transmitted to the portable terminal and displayed. The ASP server further collects and manages billing data for customers.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an image transmission apparatus provided at a monitoring place for facilitating subscription by reducing a fee charged by an ASP server operator to a customer is provided by a co-processor. The image data obtained by the camera by its own call is transmitted to the ASP server based on the image capture request signal with a callback request, and the image processing means of the ASP server uses the authentication input from the mobile terminal. When the customer is authenticated based on the data, an image capture request signal with a callback request is transmitted to the image transmission apparatus based on the image transmission request input from the portable terminal, and transmitted by the image transmission apparatus. The configuration is such that image data is captured and converted into image data to be displayed on a portable terminal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to enable automatic image transmission in the event of a fire occurring at a monitoring place or a burglary invading the monitoring place in the first or second invention, An abnormality detection sensor is provided at the monitoring place, and the image transmission device outputs image data obtained by the camera based on the abnormality detection signal of the abnormality detection sensor together with the abnormality detection signal.
The image processing means is provided with a function of transmitting the image data to the SP server side, and based on the abnormality detection signal transmitted by the image transmission device, captures the image data transmitted by the image transmission device and displays the image data on the portable terminal. A function of converting the image data into image data, wherein the image transmission control means reads the corresponding image data from the image memory based on the abnormality detection signal transmitted by the image transmission device and transmits the image data to the portable terminal; Is provided.

According to a fourth or fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second or third aspect of the invention, transmission of an image obtained by one or a plurality of cameras provided at a plurality of monitoring locations of a customer is enabled. The ASP server includes a plurality of image transmission devices having one ends connected to a general public line in parallel, and a switch device inserted between the other ends of the plurality of image transmission devices and the image processing means. The coupling of the image processing means to the plurality of image transmission devices is switched by the switching control of the switch device.

[0010] The invention of claim 6, 7 or 8 is based on claim 1,
In the inventions of 2, 3, 4 or 5, in order to make it easier for the ASP server operator to charge the customer, the billing processing means determines the number of customer monitoring locations and the number of cameras installed at the customer monitoring locations. In response to the customer-specific data entered on condition that the membership fee is set for each of the customer's mobile terminals, the number of request times charge data obtained by multiplying the number of image transmission requests by the customer by the first set unit price And at least one of the browsing time fee data obtained by multiplying the image browsing time of the customer by the second set unit price is recorded in its own database as billing data for the customer. .

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an image data transmission system according to the present invention, and the same components as those in FIGS. 8 and 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 1, 10 is a store as an example of a customer monitoring place, 13 is a headquarters as a customer monitoring center (for example, a chain store headquarters), 17 is an ISDN line as an example of a general public line, and 32 is an application service. An ASP server provided at the trader side, 34 is an Internet line, 36 is a provider (Internet connection trader), 38 is a base station for communicating with a mobile phone (an example of a mobile terminal), 40, 40
Is a mobile phone with an Internet communication function as an example of a mobile terminal with an Internet communication function of a customer.

In the store 10, cameras (for example, CCD color cameras) 11 and 1 for capturing images of objects to be monitored are provided.
1, 11, first and second sensors (for example, a temperature sensor and a vibration sensor) 41 and 43 as sensors for detecting an abnormal state such as a fire or an earthquake, and a camera control / image transmission device 12 a are provided. ing. The camera control / image transmission device 12a transmits the image data to the camera 11 based on an image capture request signal transmitted through the ISDN line 17.
A function of controlling the driving of the first and the eleventh, compressing the image data obtained by the imaging (for example, compressing from NTSC system to H.261) and transmitting the compressed data to the ISDN line 17; The driving of the cameras 11, 11, and 11 is controlled based on the abnormality detection signals of the sensors 41 and 43, and the image data obtained by the imaging is transmitted to the IS together with the abnormality detection signal.
It has a function of transmitting to the DN line 17.

In the head office 13, an image transmission device 14 is provided.
a, a remote control 15 and a monitor 16 are provided, and the image transmission device 14a transmits an image capture request signal to the store 10 via the ISDN line 17 based on an image transmission request command from the remote control 15, A function of transmitting image data transmitted from the store 10 via the ISDN line 17 to the monitor 16 to display an image;
The image data is transmitted based on the image data and the abnormality detection signal transmitted from the store 10 via the ISDN line 17.
And a function of transmitting the image data to the monitor 16 to display an image.

In the ASP server 32, an unauthorized access prevention server 44 coupled to a common bus 42, a user confirmation / mail management server 46, an image processing server 48, a data storage server 50, an Internet communication server 52, and a billing process A server 54, a router 56, and an image transmission device 58 are provided. The router 56 has one side coupled to the unauthorized access prevention server 44 in the ASP server 32 and the other side coupled to the base station 38 via the Internet line 34 and the provider 36 outside the ASP server 32. The image transmission device 58 has one side coupled to the image processing server 48 in the ASP server 32 and the other side having the ISDN outside the ASP server 32.
It is coupled to line 17.

The unauthorized access prevention server 44 has a function of preventing a hacker or the like from making unauthorized access (intrusion) via the Internet line 34. The user confirmation / mail management server 46 has a customer login authentication function and a delivery mail management function.
More specifically, it has a function of confirming a user by associating a domain name and a host name with an IP address, and a function of managing transmission and reception of an e-mail by a user ID and a password. The image processing server 48 transmits an image capture request signal corresponding to the image transmission device 58 based on an image capture request signal from the Internet communication server 52, and also stores the store 1 via the image transmission device 58.
GIF (Graphic
Interchange Format) and convert the mobile phone 4
A function of converting the image data into image data to be displayed on the display screen of No. 0 and transmitting the image data to the data storage server 50 is provided.

The data storage server 50 has a built-in image memory 60, and stores image data transmitted from the image processing server 48 and image data for a reception processing screen in response to an image transmission request from the mobile phone 40. The image memory 60 has a function of storing data such as customer authentication data and e-mail address input from an input device (not shown) on condition that the membership fee is received.

The Internet communication server 52 has a customer-facing contact function such as operation management of a reception / image distribution homepage. For example, the mobile phone 40
Performs Internet communication control (including image transmission control) for image transmission request processing from the Internet. More specifically, the function of detecting the end of the storage of the image data in the image memory 60 corresponding to the image transmission request from the data storage server 50, and the access destination address of the image memory 60 based on the detection of the end of the storage ( For example, URL (Uniform Resource Loc)
ator)) to the mobile phone 40, a function of reading out corresponding image data from the image memory 60 when the access destination address is input from the mobile phone 40, and transmitting the data to the mobile phone 40. Is provided.

The billing processing server 54 is provided with an input device (not shown) on condition that an enrollment fee is set for each customer's mobile phone 40 in accordance with the number of customers' stores and the number of cameras provided in the stores. In response to the customer's unique data (e.g., e-mail address) input from the customer, the requested number of times data obtained by multiplying the customer's image transmission request times by the first set unit price and the customer's image browsing time by the second. It has a function of recording, collecting, and managing the browsing time fee data multiplied by the set unit price as the billing data for the customer in the corresponding request number fee memory and the browsing time fee memory in its own database. I have.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the contractor registration as an initial setting will be described, then image transmission will be described, and finally, store monitoring by the head office will be described.

1: Contractor Registration (1) On the ASP server 32 side, a contractor registration is performed from an input device (not shown) for each mobile phone 40 on condition that an enrollment fee is received from a customer. That is, as shown in (1) of the system processing operation column of FIG. 3, data (for example, a telephone number or an e-mail address) for specifying the customer's mobile phone 40 and personal identification number data (for example, an ID or a password) ), Device registration for registering the data for specifying the cameras 11 to 11 and the sensors 42 and 44 in the store 10 and the store in the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50, password registration, and surveillance location registration. Is performed. At the same time, the charging processing server 54 creates an area for recording the charging data for each customer in the requested number of charges memory viewing time charge memory in its own database in association with the customer's mail address.

2: Image transmission (1) When a customer inputs a telephone number from the mobile phone 40 as shown in the upper part of FIG. 2 to make a call to receive the image data providing service of the ASP server 32 operator. The call data is input to the Internet communication server 54 via the base station 38, the provider 36, the Internet line 34, the router 56, the unauthorized access prevention server 44 and the bus 42. Then, the Internet communication server 5
4 reads out the authentication screen data from the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50 under the user confirmation / email management of the mail management server 46 and the mail management, and transfers the authentication screen data to the mobile phone 40 through the reverse route. The authentication screen is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40.

(2) The customer inputs "ID" and "password" as authentication data requested on the authentication screen, and enters "O"
When "K" is clicked, the authentication data is input to the Internet communication server 54 via the same route as in (1). Then, the Internet communication server 54 performs user confirmation under the user confirmation / mail management of the user confirmation / mail management server 46 and the data storage server 50.
The menu screen data is read from the image memory 60 of
The menu screen data is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 through the reverse route. Therefore, a menu screen is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40.

(3) When the customer selects “camera image confirmation” corresponding to the image transmission request from a plurality of selection items shown on the menu screen of the mobile phone 40, the selection signal is changed to the above (1). The data is input to the Internet communication server 54 via the same route, and the data storage server 50 and the image processing server 4
8, an instruction signal is output in accordance with “A. Acceptance process” (part of the operation of the system processing operation) in FIG. 3, and image transmission control is performed. That is, the Internet communication server 5
4 reads out the request reception screen data from the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50, transmits the request reception screen data to the mobile phone 40 by the reverse route, and displays the request reception screen on the display unit of the mobile phone 40. indicate. At the same time, a signal for requesting image capture is output from the Internet communication server 54 to the image processing server 48.

(4) When an image capture request signal is input from the Internet communication server 54 to the image processing server 48, the image processing server 48 outputs an image capture request signal to the image transmission device 58 and responds to the signal. Then, a signal of an image capture request is output from the image transmission device 58 to the camera control / image transmission device 12a in the store 10 via the ISDN line 17. Then, the cameras 11 to 11 are controlled by the camera control function and the image transmission function of the camera control / image transmission device 12a.
The camera corresponding to the image transmission request among 11 is driven to image the inside of the store 10, and the image data obtained by the imaging is transmitted via the ISDN line 17 via the image transmission device 58 to the image processing server 48. The image is taken in by the image processing server 48.

(5) The image data captured by the image capture of (4) is processed by the image processing server 48 as G
After being converted into the IF format, it is converted into image data to be displayed on the display screen of the mobile phone 40, and is stored in the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50. When the accumulation of the image progresses and the end of image accumulation is detected by the Internet communication server 54, the Internet communication server 54
After confirming the user's e-mail address under the user confirmation / e-mail management of the user confirmation / e-mail management server 46, the capture completion notification data including the URL in the image memory 60 of the image data is illegally accessed as an e-mail. The data is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 via the prevention server 44, the router 56, the Internet line 34, the provider 36, and the base station 38.

(6) In the reception processing of (3), the cost required for processing the image transmission request and the request reception screen is, as shown in the column of the incurred cost in FIG. It is not charged because it corresponds to a pay-as-you-go rate) and is a burden on the customer. However, the cost required for processing the image capture request corresponds to the operation fee of the ASP server 32 and
Since it is a burden of 2, it is charged. The processes (4) and (5) correspond to “B. Image request / capture process” in the operation of the system processing operation in FIG. 3, and the cost required for the image capture request and the image capture process. Is equivalent to the usage fee of the ISDN line 17 by the ASP server 32 (a meter-based fee), and the cost required for processing of the end-of-import notification is the usage fee of the Internet line 34 by the ASP server 32 and the usage fee of the mobile phone 40 ( The usage fee is charged to the ASP server 32 and is therefore subject to charging. The charge data to be charged corresponds to the data charged to the registered contractor for each reception as shown in the charge column of FIG. 3, and the data of the charge processing server 54. The corresponding request count charge memory in the database is recorded in association with the customer's mail address.

(7) In step (5), the signal of the completion notice of the transfer is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 side.
When an image browsing request is made by clicking on a URL included in the capture completion notification using, the signal of the image browsing request is transmitted to the base station 38, the provider 36, and the Internet line 3.
4, the data is input to the Internet communication server 54 via the router 56, the unauthorized access prevention server 44, and the bus 42. Then, the Internet communication server 54 reads the corresponding image data from the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50 under the user confirmation / mail management of the user confirmation / mail management server 46, and reverses the image data. The data is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 through the route. For this reason, the display (image display) of the image captured at the store 10 is performed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40.

(8) The processing of (7) corresponds to “C. Image display processing” of the operation of the system processing operation of FIG. The fee for the image display is equivalent to the fee for use of the ISDN line 17 by the ASP server 32 (the fee for the pay-as-you-go system). As shown in the billing column of FIG. 3, the fee is charged to the contractor according to the browsing time, and the fee data to be billed is
The corresponding browsing time fee memory in the database of the accounting server 54 is recorded in association with the customer's mail address.

The operator of the ASP server 32 bills the contractor based on the billing data in the database of the billing server 54, and the contractor pays the bill. The billing data in the database of the billing server 54 is the billing data recorded in the number-of-requests charge memory and the viewing time charge memory described in the above (6) and (8).

3. Store monitoring by headquarters (1) Image transmission device 14a from remote control 15 of headquarters 13
, An image transmission request signal is output from the image transmission device 14a to the camera control / image transmission device 12a in the store 10 via the ISDN line 17. Then, the cameras 11 to 1 are operated by the camera control function and the image transmission function of the camera control / image transmission device 12a.
1, the camera corresponding to the image transmission request is driven to take an image of the inside of the store 10, and the taken image data is ISD
The data is transmitted to the image transmission device 14a via the N line 17.
Then, the image transmission device 14a outputs the transmitted image data to the monitor 16, and the corresponding image is displayed on the monitor 16.

In the above embodiment, the billing for the customer is constituted by the billing for the registered contractor for each reception and the billing for the registered contractor according to the browsing time as shown in the billing column of FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG.
2 can be reduced to reduce the fee charged by the ASP server 32 operator to the customer.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the camera control / image transmission device 12a in the store 10 of FIG. 1 and the image processing server 48 in the ASP server 32 are connected to a camera control / image having a callback function. Change to the transmission device 12b (not shown) and the image processing server 48b (not shown) and charge the customer n times (for example, 100 times) as shown in the charge column of FIG. And the billing to the registered contractor according to the browsing time may be eliminated.

That is, based on the image transmission request signal input from the mobile phone 40, the image processing server 48b transmits the command via the ISDN line 17 for a fixed time until the camera control / image transmission device 12b becomes recognizable. The camera control / image transmitting apparatus 12b transmits an image capture request signal with a call back request and disconnects the camera 11 based on the image capture request signal with the call back request.
The configuration is changed so that the image data obtained in steps (11) to (11) is transmitted to the ASP server 32 side. Therefore, as shown in the cost column of occurrence in FIG. 4, the cost required for the image capture request and the image capture processing is reduced by the ASP server 32 to the ISDN line 1.
7 (ASP charge: flat-rate fee), a small flat-rate fee, and a callback IS
The usage fee of the DN line 17 is changed to “payment by the customer: pay-as-you-go”, and the cost required for image display processing is changed to the usage fee of the ISDN line 17 by callback (payment by the customer:
Metered rate). Therefore, the load on the ASP server 32 can be reduced by reducing the load on the ASP server 32 and the fee charged to the customer by the ASP server 32 operator.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the service providing area is limited to a certain area (for example, in Tokyo), and the customer is charged m times (for example, 100 times) as shown in the billing column of FIG. ) May be configured only by charging the registered contractor for each reception, and the charging for the registered contractor according to the browsing time may be eliminated. That is, as shown in the column of the incurred cost in FIG. 5, the cost required for the image capture request and the image capture processing is reduced to the usage fee of the ISDN line 17 by the ASP server 32 (ASP burden: fixed rate fee limited to the area). By making the change, the load on the ASP server 32 can be reduced and the fee charged to the customer by the ASP server 32 operator can be reduced.

Next, the camera control / image transmission device 12a and the image processing server 48 of FIG. 1 are changed to the camera control / image transmission device 12b and the image processing server 48b having the callback function, and the billing method is changed to that of FIG. A description will be given of the image transmission operation at the time of abnormality detection in the case where.

(1) The store 10 is opened due to the occurrence of a fire or an earthquake.
When the abnormality detection signal is output from the first and second sensors 41 and 43 provided in the camera, the camera control / image transmission device 12b responds to the abnormality detection signal among the cameras 11 to 11 based on the abnormality detection signal. The camera is driven to take an image, and the image data obtained by this imaging is supplied to the ISDN line 17.
Is transmitted to the image transmission device 58 in the ASP server 32 via the. At this time, the first and second sensors 41 and 43 are simultaneously
The abnormal detection signal detected in is passed through the ISDN line 17,
The data is input to the image processing server 48b and the Internet communication server 52 via the image transmission device 58.

(2) The abnormality detection signal is transmitted to the image processing server 48.
b, the image processing server 48b outputs an image capture request signal to the image transmission device 58 based on the abnormality detection signal, and the image data transmitted from the store 10 via the ISDN line 17. The data is converted into GIF format, converted into image data to be displayed on the display screen of the mobile phone 40, and stored in the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50. The image capture request and the image capture correspond to the image capture request and the image capture in FIG. 4, and the cost required for the processing corresponds to the customer's usage fee for the ISDN line 17 (a meter-based fee). It does not burden the server 32.

(3) When an abnormality detection signal is input to the Internet communication server 52, the Internet communication server 52 controls transmission of image data based on the abnormality detection signal. That is, the Internet communication server 52
When the end of the image storage is detected, the user's e-mail address is confirmed under the user confirmation / mail management of the user confirmation / mail management server 46, and then the image data 6 of the image data is stored.
A fetch end notification signal including the URL at 0 is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 via the unauthorized access prevention server 44, the router 56, the Internet line 34, the provider 36, and the base station 38. This notice of completion of acquisition corresponds to the notice of completion of acquisition shown in FIG. 4, and the cost required for the processing corresponds to the fee for use of the Internet line 34 by the ASP server 32 and the fee for use of the mobile phone 40 (charge on a metered basis). , ASP
Since the load is imposed on the server 32, the server 32 is charged.

(4) In step (3), the capture end notification signal is transmitted to the mobile phone 40, and the customer uses the mobile phone 40 to click on the URL included in the capture end notification to make an image browsing request. And the signal of the image browsing request is transmitted to the base station 3
8, via the provider 36, the internet line 34, the router 56, the unauthorized access prevention server 44, and the internet communication server 54 via the bus 42. Then, under the user confirmation of the user confirmation / mail management server 46 and the mail management, the Internet communication server 54
After the user confirmation, the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50
, The corresponding image data is read out, and the image data is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 through the reverse route, and the image picked up at the store 10 is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40.

(5) In the processing of (4), the image browsing request corresponds to the image browsing request of FIG. 4, and the cost required for the processing is a fee for using the mobile phone 40 by the customer (a fee based on a metered system). And is not subject to billing. The image display corresponds to the image display of FIG. 4, and the cost required for the processing is equivalent to the customer's usage fee for the ISDN line 17 (pay-as-you-go fee), and does not burden the ASP server 32.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the abnormality detection sensor is provided in the store as well as the camera is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is also applicable to a case where the abnormality detection sensor is omitted. Can be. In this case, the camera control / image transmission device in the store, the image processing server in the ASP server, the Internet communication server, and the image transmission device can exclude the function based on the abnormality detection signal among the functions.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where there is one store as a monitoring place has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be used when there are a plurality of stores as monitoring places. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, it can also be used for a case where there are three stores. FIG. 6 illustrates a portion having a configuration different from that of FIG. 1 corresponding to the fact that three stores are provided, and illustration of the same portion as FIG. 1 is omitted.

In FIG. 6, reference numerals 10a, 10b, and 10c denote A, B, and C stores as monitoring locations of the same customer, and 32c.
Is an ASP server, 48c is an image processing server, 58a, 5
8b and 58c are image transmission devices, and 62 is a switch device. Each of the A, B, and C stores 10a, 10b, and 10c is provided with a camera 11, 11, 11, a first and a second sensor 41, 43, and a camera control / image transmission device 12a similar to FIG. I have.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the image capture request signal output from the Internet communication server 52 based on the image transmission request signal transmitted from the mobile phone 40 via the Internet line 34 includes a switch. A switching control signal for controlling switching of the device 62 is included. The image processing server 48c controls the switch device 62 with a switching control signal transmitted from the Internet communication server 52, and transmits an image capture request signal to a corresponding image among the image transmission devices 58a, 58b, 58c. A function of transmitting to the transmission device;
a, a switching control signal for controlling switching of the switch device 62 based on a control signal transmitted together with image data from the switch device 6;
2 is provided.

Next, the operation of transmitting image data in the normal state of the embodiment of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. (1) In order to receive the image data providing service of the operator of the ASP server 32c, when the customer inputs a telephone number from the mobile phone 40 and makes a call, the Internet communication server 54 sets the user confirmation / mail management server 46 The authentication screen data is read from the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50 under user confirmation and mail management, and the authentication screen data is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 side. Therefore, an authentication screen as shown in FIG. 7A is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40.

(2) The customer requests “I
When "D" and "Password" are entered and "OK" is clicked, the Internet communication server 54 confirms the user /
After confirming the user under the mail management server 46 and the mail management, the menu screen data is read out from the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50 after the user confirmation is performed, and transmitted to the mobile phone 40 side. Therefore, a menu screen as shown in FIG. 7B is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40.

(3) When the customer selects “camera image confirmation” corresponding to the image transmission request from a plurality of selection items shown on the menu screen, the Internet communication server 5
4 to the data storage server 50 and the image processing server 48c
, A predetermined instruction signal is output, and the corresponding request reception processing and image capture and transmission processing are performed.

(4) In the request accepting process of (3), first, a "store selection" screen as shown in FIG. 7C is displayed. If "A store" is selected here, the screen shown in FIG. A "camera selection" screen as shown in FIG. 4) is displayed. Here, "registration 1" and "registration 2" are selected, and when "OK" is clicked, a "reception complete" screen as shown in FIG. Is displayed. In this request receiving process, when not only the “A store” but also a plurality of stores including the “B store” and / or the “C store” are selected, the “reception” shown in FIG. The display on the "Complete" screen is corresponding.

(5) In the image capture and transmission process of (3), the following processes (5-1) and (5-2) are performed.

(5-1) Internet Communication Server 54
Outputs an image capture request signal to the image processing server 48c, and the image processing server 48c controls switching of the switch device 62 by a switching control signal included in the image capture request signal, and outputs the image capture request signal. Image transmission devices 58a, 58
b, the image capture request signal is output to the corresponding image transmission device 58a, and in response to this, the image transmission device 58a transmits the image capture request signal via the ISDN line 17 to the A store 10a.
An image capture request signal is output to the camera control / image transmission device 12a inside the device. Therefore, the camera control / image transmission device 1
2a is a camera 1 corresponding to “register 1” and “register 2”
1 and 11 are driven to take images of the corresponding locations of "registration 1" and "registration 2", and the image data obtained by this imaging is passed through the ISDN line 17 via the image transmission device 58a to the image processing server. 48c, and the image is taken in by the image processing server 48c. When “A store”, “B store”, and “C store” are selected in the above (4), in the process of (5-1), the switch device 62 performs time division at a predetermined timing. Can be switched, "A store",
The image transmission request signals for the “B store” and the “C store” are time-divisionally switched and the corresponding image transmission devices 58a, 58
b, 58c, and switches the image data transmitted from the "A store", "B store", and "C store" side in a time-division manner after passing through the corresponding image transmission devices 58a, 58b, 58c. The image is transmitted to the image processing server 48c, and the image is captured by the image processing server 48c.

(5-2) The image data captured in (5-1) is converted into a GIF format by the image processing server 48c, and then displayed on the display screen of the mobile phone 40. The data is converted into data and stored in the data storage server 50.
Is stored in the image memory 60. When the accumulation of the image proceeds and the end of the image accumulation is detected by the Internet communication server 54, the Internet communication server 54
After confirming the customer's e-mail address under the user confirmation / mail management of the user confirmation / mail management server 46, the capture completion notification data including the URL in the image memory 60 of the image data is transmitted via the Internet line 34. To the mobile phone 40 side. For this reason, a capture end notification screen as shown in FIG. 7F is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40. When “A store”, “B store”, and “C store” are selected in (4), the capture displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40 by the process of (5-2). On the end notification screen, along with the URL for "A store", "B
URLs for “store” and “C store” are also displayed.

(6) In the above (5-2), the data of the end of the acquisition is
Is transmitted to the mobile phone 40 side, and the customer
When the user clicks on the URL included in the import completion notification and makes an image browsing request, the Internet communication server 5
Reference numeral 4 reads the corresponding image data from the image memory 60 of the data storage server 50, and transmits the image data to the mobile phone 40 side. For this reason, an image captured at the store 10 is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 40. That is, first, a "camera selection" screen as shown in FIG. 7 (g) is displayed, and when "registration 1" is selected here, a "image of registration 1" screen as shown in FIG. 7 (h) is displayed. Then, when "registration 2" is selected, a "registration 2 image" screen is displayed as shown in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the case where the image processing server converts the image data transmitted from the store via the image transmission device into a GIF format suitable for a still image has been described. Is not limited to this,
An image processing server converts image data transmitted from a store via an image transmission device into a JPE suitable for still images.
When converted to G (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format, or by the image processing server, the image data transmitted from the store via the image transmission device is converted to MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group) format suitable for moving images. It can also be used when converted.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the head office 13 is provided so as to be able to be used in addition to the conventional system shown in FIG. 8 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It can also be used when the head office 13 is omitted.

In the above embodiment, the general public telephone line is
Although the case of the DN line has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be used when the general public line is a line other than the ISDN line.

In the above-described embodiment, the case has been described where an unauthorized access prevention server is provided in order to prevent hackers or the like from making unauthorized access via the Internet line. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It can also be used when the unauthorized access prevention server is omitted.

In the above embodiment, the case where the monitoring place is a store has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be used when the monitoring place is other than the store. For example, the present invention can also be used when the monitoring place is a nursing facility, a medical facility, a warehouse, a farm, a barn, or the like, or a room where a sick person or a caregiver of a general household is present.

[0058]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an image transmission device is provided at a monitoring place, and an ASP server is provided with an authentication unit, an image processing unit,
The system includes image data storage means, image transmission control means, and billing processing means. The ASP server authenticates the customer based on the authentication data input from the portable terminal, and responds to the image transmission request from the portable terminal. Image data obtained by the camera based on the image data is captured, and the image data to be displayed on the portable terminal is obtained.
The data is converted to data and stored in the image memory. When the storage is completed, the access destination address of the image data is transmitted to the portable terminal, and the corresponding image data is read from the image memory by inputting the access destination address from the portable terminal. Since it is configured to be transmitted to the portable terminal and transmitted to the portable terminal, the customer can monitor the situation in the monitoring place from any place when he / she wants to view with the portable terminal without requiring an expensive capital investment. Further, a charging processing means is provided to collect charging data for the customer,
Since the management is performed, the service provision fee of the ASP server operator can be easily understood by the customer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the image transmission device provided at the monitoring location is obtained by the camera by calling itself based on the image capture request signal with the call back request. The image data is transmitted to the ASP server side, and the AS
The image processing means of the P server, when the customer is authenticated based on the authentication data input from the mobile terminal, sends an image with a call-back request to the image transmission apparatus based on the image transmission request input from the mobile terminal. The ASP requester transmits the capture request signal, captures the image data transmitted by the image transmission device, compresses the image data, and converts it into image data to be displayed on a mobile terminal. The fee to be charged can be reduced, and the customer can easily join.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or the second aspect of the present invention, an abnormality detection sensor is provided at the monitoring location, and the image transmission device uses the image data obtained by the camera based on the abnormality detection signal of the abnormality detection sensor. Data together with the abnormality detection signal.
An image processing means for acquiring image data transmitted by the image transmission device based on the abnormality detection signal transmitted by the image transmission device and displaying the image data on the portable terminal; A function of converting the image data into image data, wherein the image transmission control means reads the corresponding image data from the image memory based on the abnormality detection signal transmitted by the image transmission device and transmits the image data to the portable terminal. Therefore, automatic image transmission can be made possible in the event of a fire occurring at a monitoring location or a burglary entering the monitoring location.

According to a fourth or fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second or third aspect of the present invention, the ASP server includes a plurality of image transmission apparatuses having one ends connected in parallel to a general public line, and the plurality of image transmission apparatuses. A switch device inserted between the other end of the device and the image processing means is provided, and the switching control of the switch device is configured to switch the coupling of the image processing means to the plurality of image transmission devices. Transmission of images obtained by one or more cameras provided at a plurality of monitoring locations of a customer can be facilitated.

The sixth, seventh or eighth aspect of the present invention provides the first aspect,
In the invention of 2, 3, 4 or 5, the billing processing means receives an enrollment fee set for each customer's mobile terminal according to the number of customer monitoring locations and the number of cameras installed at the customer's monitoring locations. According to the customer's unique data entered as a condition,
At least one of request number fee data obtained by multiplying the number of image transmission requests of a customer by a first set unit price and viewing time fee data obtained by multiplying a customer's image viewing time by a second set unit price. Since the data is recorded in its own database as the charge data for the customer, the charge for the customer of the ASP server operator can be easily understood.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image data transmission system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence chart illustrating the operation of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a charging method of a charging processing server in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a billing when the camera control / image transmission device 12a and the image processing server 48 in FIG. 1 are changed to a camera control / image transmission device 12b and an image processing server 48b (not shown) having a callback function. It is a figure explaining the billing method of a processing server. You. You.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another charging method of the charging processing server in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main part of another embodiment of the image data transmission system according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of FIG. 6 and is a diagram illustrating a display example of a display unit of the mobile phone.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 10a, 10b, 10c: stores (examples of monitoring locations of customers), 11: cameras, 12a: camera control / image transmission devices, 17: ISDN lines (examples of general public lines), 32, 32c: ASP servers, 34 ... Internet line, 36 ... Provider, 38 ... Base station,
Reference numeral 40: a cellular phone with an Internet communication function of a customer (an example of a portable terminal); 41, 43: a sensor (an example of an abnormality detection sensor); 42, a bus; 44, an unauthorized access prevention server; 46, a user confirmation / mail management server;
48, 48c: Image processing server, 50: Data storage server, 52: Internet communication server, 54:
Billing server, 56 ... Router, 58, 58a, 5
8b, 58c: image transmission device, 60: image memory,
62 ... Switch device.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/78 H04N 7/18 D 5K101 5/915 H04B 7/26 109M 7/18 H04N 5/91 K ( 72) Inventor Katsumi Takei 1116 Suenaga, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu General Limited (72) Inventor Takashi Sasaki 3-23-5 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Axis Ikebukuro Building Axis Software F-term (reference) 5B049 BB00 CC36 DD00 EE56 FF04 GG06 5C053 FA11 FA27 GB01 GB40 KA03 KA04 KA05 KA19 KA24 LA01 LA06 LA15 5C054 AA02 AA05 CA04 CC03 CH02 EA01 EA03 EA05 EA07 FA00 FE01 GA01 GB02 HA18 AC02 CB01 BC11 BC23 BC25 5K067 AA29 AA41 BB04 BB21 DD13 DD17 DD52 EE02 EE10 EE16 GG01 HH05 HH22 HH 23 HH24 5K101 KK13 KK14 LL02 LL03 MM07 NN06 NN18 NN21 PP04 RR05 RR12 UU19

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An ASP (Application Service Provider) server is connected to a camera provided at a monitoring place of a customer via a public telephone line, and the ASP server is connected to the ASP server via an Internet line. An image data transmission system for transmitting image data obtained by the camera to the mobile terminal in response to an image transmission request from the mobile terminal, wherein the image capture request signal is transmitted to the monitoring location. And an image transmission device for transmitting image data obtained by the camera to the ASP server based on the authentication data of the customer based on authentication data input from the portable terminal. And an image capture request signal transmitted to the image transmission apparatus based on the image transmission request of the portable terminal when the authentication is performed by the authentication means. Image processing means for taking in the image data transmitted by the image transmission apparatus and converting the image data into image data to be displayed on the portable terminal; and converting the image data processed by the image processing means into an image. Image data storage means for storing the image data in the memory, and an access destination of the image data in the image memory when the completion of the storage of the image data in the image memory by the image data storage means is detected. Image transmission control means for transmitting an address to the portable terminal, reading corresponding image data from the image memory when the access destination address is input from the portable terminal, and transmitting the read image data to the portable terminal; An image data transmission system comprising: accounting processing means for collecting and managing accounting data for a customer. 2. An ASP (Application Service Provider) server is connected to a camera provided at a customer's monitoring place via a general public line, and the ASP server is connected to the customer via an Internet line. An image data transmission system for transmitting image data obtained by the camera to the mobile terminal in response to an image transmission request of the mobile terminal, wherein a call back request is provided at the monitoring location. An image transmission device is provided for transmitting image data obtained by the camera by calling itself on the basis of an image capture request signal to the ASP server side, wherein the ASP server performs authentication inputted from the portable terminal. Date
Authentication means for authenticating the customer based on the data transmission request, and an image capture request with a callback request to the image transmission apparatus based on an image transmission request input from the portable terminal when the authentication is performed by the authentication means. Image processing means for transmitting a signal, taking in image data transmitted by the image transmission device, and converting the image data into image data to be displayed on the portable terminal; and image data processed by the image processing means. Image data storage means for storing data in the image memory, and detecting the end of storage of the image data in the image memory by the image data storage means, and detecting the image data in the image memory. The access destination address is transmitted to the portable terminal, and when the access destination address is input from the portable terminal, the corresponding image data is read out from the image memory and the portable terminal is read. And an image transmission control means for transmitting to,
An image data transmission system comprising: accounting means for collecting and managing accounting data for the customer. 3. An abnormality detection sensor is provided at a monitoring place, and the image transmission device transmits image data obtained by a camera based on the abnormality detection signal of the abnormality detection sensor to the ASP server side together with the abnormality detection signal. Image processing means for receiving image data transmitted by the image transmission device based on the abnormality detection signal transmitted by the image transmission device and displaying the image data on a portable terminal. The image transmission control means has a function of reading out corresponding image data from an image memory based on the abnormality detection signal transmitted by the image transmission device and transmitting the image data to the portable terminal. The image data transmission system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 4. An ASP server comprising: a plurality of image transmission devices having one ends coupled in parallel to a general public line; and a switch device inserted between the other ends of the plurality of image transmission devices and image processing means. 3. The image data transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising: switching the coupling of said image processing means to said plurality of image transmission devices by switching control of said switch device. 5. An ASP server comprising: a plurality of image transmission devices having one ends coupled in parallel to a general public line; and a switch device inserted between the other ends of the plurality of image transmission devices and image processing means. 4. The image data transmission system according to claim 3, further comprising: switching the coupling of said image processing means to said plurality of image transmission devices by switching control of said switch device. 6. A billing processing means for receiving a membership charge set for each portable terminal of the customer according to the number of monitoring locations of the customer and the number of cameras provided at the monitoring location of the customer. Corresponding to the unique data, request number charge data obtained by multiplying the customer's image transmission request count by the first set unit price, and browsing time charge data obtained by multiplying the customer's image viewing time by the second set unit price. 6. The image data transmission system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the charge data is recorded as charge data for a customer in its own database. 7. A billing processing means for receiving a membership fee set for each customer's portable terminal in accordance with the number of customer monitoring locations and the number of cameras provided at the customer's monitoring location. Corresponding to the unique data, request number charge data obtained by multiplying the customer's image transmission request count by the first set unit price, and browsing time charge data obtained by multiplying the customer's image viewing time by the second set unit price. 4. The image data transmission system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the charge data is recorded as charge data for a customer in its own database. 8. A billing processing means for receiving a customer's input entered on the condition of receiving an enrollment fee set for each customer's portable terminal according to the number of customer's monitoring locations and the number of cameras provided at the customer's monitoring location. Corresponding to the unique data, request number charge data obtained by multiplying the customer's image transmission request count by the first set unit price, and browsing time charge data obtained by multiplying the customer's image viewing time by the second set unit price. 5. An image data transmission system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the charge data is recorded as charge data for a customer in its own database.