JP2003023445A - Camera server and video transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video transmission system that carries out a DDNS(dynamic domain name server) service of the URL of a camera server, similar to the case of conventional computers. SOLUTION: When a DHCP(dynamic host configuration protocol) server 3 dynamically gives an IP address to the camera server 1, the camera server 1 transmits the IP address to an external dynamic domain controller 5 along with its own identification information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera server and a video transmission system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of the broadband Internet, it has been common to use the Internet to transmit an image captured by an imaging camera installed at home from a camera server to a remote location. For example, when traveling for a long period of time, it is possible to check whether or not an abnormal situation has occurred in the home by viewing the image of the home captured by the imaging camera at the travel destination.

Here, when connecting through the Internet, a DNS (Domain Name Service) is generally used.
er) is applied. The most basic purpose of this DNS is to provide a mutual conversion function between a host name (domain name) and an IP address, which makes it easy for humans to understand the enormous number of 32 bit IP address numbers. It also converts and associates it so that it is easy to remember. In this way, DNS is a system that realizes a rapid name resolution system by distributing and managing host information and adopting a tree structure. Specifically, this DNS
Is a client-server based distributed database system, where clients are called resolvers and servers are called name servers. The DNS name resolution mechanism is such that the top level domain (j
p, us, com, edu), second level domain (co, ne, or, etc. in case of jp), and areas below it, and domain of organization, in order from top to bottom hierarchical structure And it is solved by iterative queries in the form of instructions to subordinate servers. It also has a cache function, which allows it to be solved instantly.

By applying such a general DNS, it is possible to transmit the image picked up by the image pickup camera from the camera server of the client to a remote place.

[0005]

By the way, when receiving an image captured by an image capturing camera at home while in a remote place, it is necessary to request the camera server at home from the receiver to transmit the image. .

When the camera server at home connects to the Internet by DNS using the TCP / IP method,
Generally, the IP address of the camera server is dynamically assigned by the DHCP server every time the camera server connects to the Internet, and the IP address is frequently changed. It becomes difficult to match the host name (domain name) and the IP address. And, usually, the address name is rarely assigned for the purpose of the Internet client. Therefore, it has been extremely difficult to accurately input the IP address that is frequently changed to make a connection request.

In view of these, recently, as a name resolution service, there is a method of using a simple DDNS (Dynamic Domain Name Server) service provided by a corporate server connected on a network.
DDNS is a solution that associates IP addresses with server names on the Internet.
If you have the right of DNS, you can manage the names in it.

For example, if there is a DDNS server with a domain name of "○○○ .co.jp", for example, "x
xx. ○○○. co. Consider the case where a subdomain name "jp" is assigned to a personal camera server. In this case, a person who accesses the server from outside can enter the address "xxx. ○○○ .co.jp" in the address input field, and the DDNS server with the domain name "○○○ .co.jp" , "Xxx. ○○○ .co.
It will be converted into an IP address registered in association with the subdomain name "jp" and transmitted to the person who is going to view the video from the camera server of the IP address.

[0009] Then, the personal server that has a contract with the DDNS server is a general OS (operation
If it is a normal computer running on the system), it will be dynamically updated every time its IP address is changed.
There are many IP address automatic notification software programs that re-register with the DNS server. Recently, OS
The (operating system) may initially be provided with an IP address automatic notification function. Therefore, when the personal server is started using a computer, even if the IP address of the computer is changed each time the connection is made, the changed new IP address is
The IP address automatic notification software dynamically notifies the DDNS server. Therefore, when the DDNS server receives the notification of the IP address from the personal server, if the registered subdomain name and the new IP address are updated, the personal server with the new IP address can be updated. An external user who wants to connect can easily connect to the personal server by inputting the subdomain name registered in advance in the DDNS server in the address input field.

However, such IP address automatic notification software is effective only for general-purpose computers, and at present, there is no IP address automatic notification software for a specific camera server that does not use a computer.

Alternatively, a method of officially acquiring a fixed address and a domain name for the camera server can be considered.

However, when a fixed address is acquired, there is a problem in that the ISP is expensive and it is necessary to register the address in the camera server. For such uses, the user's financial burden and labor were excessive.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera server and a video transmission system that can easily make a connection request to a camera server for a transmission request of a video imaged by an imaging camera. .

[0014]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems,
The invention according to claim 1 is a camera server for transmitting an image captured by an image capturing camera in response to a distribution request given via the Internet, the predetermined DHCP server.
When an IP address is given by the server, the IP address is sent together with its own identification information to an external dynamic domain controller.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the camera server according to the first aspect, the identification information includes a product serial number and a serial number of the camera server.

The invention according to claim 3 is a video transmitting system for transmitting a video imaged by an imaging camera to an arbitrary user in response to a distribution request given via a camera server and the Internet. A sub domain name is recorded in advance for the identification information of the camera server, and when the camera server notifies the IP address of the camera server together with the identification information, the sub domain name is associated with the IP address. A dynamic domain controller and a camera server that sends the IP address together with its own identification information to the dynamic domain controller when an IP address is given from a predetermined DHCP server.

The invention according to claim 4 is the video transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the identification information includes a product serial number and a serial number of the camera server.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the video transmission system according to the third aspect, the dynamic domain controller is a server manufactured or sold by the camera server.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A camera server according to an embodiment of the present invention is an RFC (Request for C).
Omments) 2136-compliant Dynamic
A function of Update DNS, that is, every time the IP address of the camera server is changed, a new I after the change is added.
P address to dynamic domain controller (DD
It has an "IP address automatic notification function" that dynamically notifies the NS server). On the dynamic domain controller side, as in the case where a general-purpose computer automatically notifies the IP address, the DN owned by itself is
The S database is dynamically updated with the newly notified IP address. As a result, even if the IP address is changed and reset each time the camera server connects, the dynamic domain controller can easily associate the new IP address with the registered subdomain name each time. The external user can easily connect to the camera server simply by inputting the sub domain name registered in advance in the dynamic domain controller in the address input field.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a video transmission system to which a camera server according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, this video transmission system includes a camera server 1 and DHCP (D) of an Internet service provider (ISP) that provides a service for connecting the camera server 1 to the Internet 2.
dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol server 3 and Internet 2
And a domain controller 4 and a dynamic domain controller 5 connected to each other.

The camera server 1 has a CPU, a RAM and an R
Although it is a functional element provided with a predetermined storage device such as an OM and a hard disk drive, it is not a general-purpose computer, but an image captured by the image capturing camera 6 is used on the Internet 2
It is a compact dedicated device with sufficient functions to be distributed through. The camera server 1 has an image processing function of converting an image captured by the image capturing camera 6 into a signal format suitable for communication, and when an external user on the Internet 2 requests distribution of the image, the external It has a communication function of transmitting a video to a user by TCP / IP.

The camera server 1 is provided with the IP address automatic notification function as described above. This IP address automatic notification function is a function realized by the CPU operating in accordance with a software program stored in advance in the storage device, and requests an IP address from the DHCP server 3 and responds to this request. When the new IP address is notified from the DHCP server 3, the new IP address is used together with the identification information (product serial number and serial number name) of the camera server 1 itself, the local communication path 7, the DHCP server 3 And a function of immediately transmitting to the dynamic domain controller 5 via the Internet 2.

The DHCP server 3 of the Internet provider is connected to the camera server 1 through a predetermined local communication path 7 such as Ethernet (registered trademark), and when the camera server 1 makes a connection request to the Internet 2. Each time, a new IP address is assigned to the camera server 1 to provide the Internet connection service.

The domain controller 4 is a domain name system server based on the IETF standard, and is a U
It has a domain database for associating RLs (including subdomain names) with IP addresses, and when there is a connection request for the URL, it sends a connection request to the personal server with the IP address corresponding to the URL. To do.

The dynamic domain controller 5 is
We have a dynamic domain database that associates the subdomain name (URL) with the IP address of the contracted personal server, and when a connection request for that subdomain name is made, the IP corresponding to that subdomain name Send a connection request to the personal server at the address.
In particular, the camera server 1 is included as a personal server of the dynamic domain controller 5, and the product server serial number and serial number of the camera server 1 are registered. That is, in the dynamic domain controller 5, for example, "xxx. ○○○ .co.j.
The subdomain name "p" is the personal camera server 1
When the IP address is notified from this camera server 1, if the product serial number and serial name are assigned, the product serial number and serial name are referenced to notify The existing IP address and the pre-registered subdomain name "xxx. ○○○ .co.
jp ”in association with each other and stored in the dynamic domain database. Then, a person who accesses the camera server 1 from the outside can enter "x" in the address input field.
xx. ○○○. co. When the sub domain name "jp" is input, the dynamic domain controller 5 converts the sub domain name into an IP address and requests the camera server 1 having the IP address to transmit the image.

This dynamic domain controller 5
For example, a company server of a company 11 such as a manufacturer or a seller of the camera server 1 is used. Therefore, if the manufacturer or distributor stores the product serial number and serial number of each camera server 1 in advance in the dynamic domain database before the sale of each camera server 1, The sub domain name and the IP address can be easily associated with each other. Therefore, as the registration item after sale of the camera server 1, only the attribute information of the client is required, and the registration work and management thereof are easy. Operations such as associating these can be easily performed by the terminals (computers) 13 and 14 connected to the corporate LAN 12.
The reference numeral 15 in FIG. 1 indicates a firewall.

The operation of the video transmission system having the above configuration will be described.

First, in the camera server 1, the DDN is set in advance.
As the own client server name notified by S,
The product serial number and the serial number name are stored in the dynamic domain database of the dynamic domain controller 5. The sub domain name of each camera server 1 is registered in the dynamic domain database.

Here, the camera server 1 receives the IP address from the DHCP server 3 of the ISP at the time of booting. The camera server 1 then receives its own identification information (product serial number and serial number name) and the received IP.
The address and the registered dynamic domain controller 5 are notified.

The dynamic domain controller 5 that has received the notification of the information, based on the identification information of the camera server 1 (name of the product serial number and serial number), has already registered the sub server associated with the camera server 1 in advance. By referring to the domain name, the referenced sub domain name and the received IP address are associated and stored in the dynamic domain database.

Then, a person who accesses the camera server 1 from the outside can enter "xxx. ○" in the address input field.
○○. co. If the sub domain name "jp" is input, the dynamic domain controller 5 converts the sub domain name into an IP address and requests the camera server 1 having the IP address to transmit the image.

As a result, an external user can easily issue a connection request to the camera server 1 using a fixed subdomain name instead of an IP address, which is much more convenient than in the past.

[0033]

According to the first and third aspects of the present invention, the DHCP server sends I to the camera server.
When the P address is dynamically assigned, the camera server sends the IP address along with its own identification information to the external dynamic domain controller, so the URL of the camera server is the same as a general-purpose computer. DDNS service can be performed. Therefore, even when the IP address of the camera server is frequently changed by the DHCP server, it is possible to issue a video distribution request to the camera server from a remote place by using the sub domain name instead of the IP address, which is convenient. .

According to the second and fourth aspects of the present invention, since the identification information includes the product serial number and serial number of the camera server, when the camera server sends its own IP address to the dynamic domain controller. It becomes easy to manage the identification information of.

According to the invention described in claim 5, since the dynamic domain controller is a server of a camera server manufacturer or vendor, at the manufacturer or vendor, before the sale of each camera server,
If the product serial number and serial number of each camera server are stored in advance in the dynamic domain database, the sub domain name and the IP address can be easily associated with each other.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a video transmission system to which a camera server according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 camera server 2 Internet 3 DHCP server 5 Dynamic Domain Controller 6 Imaging camera 7 Local communication path

Continued front page    F term (reference) 5C054 CC05 CE16 CH02 DA09 EA03                       HA18                 5C064 BA07 BB05 BC18 BC20 BC23                       BD02 BD07 BD08 BD09                 5K030 GA19 HA08 HB02 HB06 HC01                       JT04 MD09 MD10

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A camera server for transmitting an image picked up by an image pickup camera in response to a distribution request given via the Internet, which is external when an IP address is given from a predetermined DHCP server. The camera server, which transmits the IP address together with its own identification information to the dynamic domain controller. 2. The camera server according to claim 1, wherein the identification information includes a product serial number and a serial number of the camera server. 3. A video transmission system for transmitting a video image picked up by an image pickup camera to an arbitrary user in response to a distribution request given via the camera server and the Internet, wherein the identification information of the camera server is used. On the other hand, a sub domain name is recorded in advance, and when the camera server notifies the IP address of the camera server together with the identification information, a dynamic domain controller that associates the sub domain name with the IP address, A video transmission system comprising: a camera server that transmits the IP address together with its own identification information to the dynamic domain controller when an IP address is given from the DHCP server. 4. The video transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the identification information includes a product serial number and a serial number of the camera server. 5. The video transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the dynamic domain controller is a server of a manufacturer or a seller of the camera server.