JP2003102076A - Supervisory system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a supervisory system capable of increasing the supervisory capability while suppressing the increase in the facility cost to the utmost. SOLUTION: The supervisory system is configured such that a data communication function attached mobile phone 90 at a remote location can access a WWW access server 70 by using its WWW server function and the data communication function attached mobile phone 90 reads supervisory data stored in a supervisory data storage server 80 to confirm a supervisory state and the data communication function attached mobile phone 90 transmits command data to a supervisory controller 110 of a supervisory slave station to operate a supervisory sensor 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a monitoring system for monitoring various facilities or buildings in remote areas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, intranets, which have been developed at the same time as the spread of the Internet and are easy to realize in-house information systems, have been attracting attention. Then, as a means of utilizing this intranet, a monitoring sensor that monitors the monitored object captures monitoring information such as images, and a terminal device at a remote place connected to the intranet acquires this monitoring information to realize monitoring. Surveillance system has been put to practical use.

As a first prior art example of such a monitoring system, for example, a plurality of monitoring slave stations for transmitting the image signal acquired by the monitoring sensor for monitoring the monitored object by the WWW (World Wide Web) function. A plurality of monitoring slave stations are connected to the master station via a bidirectional transmission path such as the Internet, and the intranet laid in the master station is connected to each client to form a system. There is known a monitoring system in which a client realizes remote monitoring by receiving an image signal of a monitored object of a specific monitoring slave station via an intranet and a bidirectional transmission path.

However, in the above monitoring system, the WWW (World Wide Web) function is provided on the monitor slave station side, so that the amount of software installed in the image processing unit of the monitor sensor on the monitor slave station side is significantly increased. Point to do,
Due to problems such as the need to dispatch an engineer with communication-related expertise at the time of maintenance and inspection, building and operating a monitoring system was not easy.

As a second prior art example, for example,
There is a monitoring system disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-355759 (Title of Invention: Remote Monitoring System). In this prior art, the above-mentioned monitoring slave station of the first conventional technology is a monitoring slave station using an image transmission device that performs data transmission without the WWW (World Wide Web) function. Therefore, the amount of software installed on the monitor slave station side is reduced, and the problem of the first conventional technique is solved. Furthermore, in the second conventional technique, a master station and a terminal such as a computer are connected to each other via the Internet to enable remote monitoring.

[0006]

In these first and second prior arts, the monitoring sensor of the monitoring slave station has a fixed image, and it is impossible to monitor a region other than a predetermined imaging area. Met. Further, in order to expand the image pickup area, it is necessary to increase the number of surveillance cameras, which is a factor of cost increase. Under these circumstances, there has been a demand for increasing the monitoring capability by setting a desired imaging area while suppressing an increase in equipment cost as much as possible.

Further, in the first and second prior arts, the image signal picked up by the monitoring sensor is a still image, and image data of a moving image having a large amount of data has not been transmitted. However, there is a problem that the monitoring ability is low only with the still image. Under such circumstances, there has been a demand to increase the monitoring capability by suppressing the increase in equipment cost as much as possible and transmitting image data of a moving image whose state can be easily grasped.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to reduce these inconveniences, and an object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system capable of increasing the monitoring capability while suppressing an increase in equipment cost as much as possible.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the monitoring system according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises:
What is claimed is: 1. A monitoring system for monitoring by transmitting monitoring data relating to monitoring information from one or a plurality of monitoring slave stations to a master station via a bidirectional transmission path, wherein the monitoring slave station is a target to be monitored by a camera and a microphone. And a monitoring sensor that outputs a monitoring signal including an image signal from a camera and an audio signal from a microphone, and a signal processing unit that converts the monitoring signal output from the monitoring sensor and generates monitoring data to be transmitted to the master station. A monitoring controller that operates the monitoring sensor according to command data transmitted from the master station, a transmission unit that transmits monitoring data and receives command data via a bidirectional transmission path, and the signal processing unit. Transmission of monitoring data output from the signal processing unit to the transmission unit, which is connected to the monitoring control device and the transmission unit, and command data output from the transmission unit It said to the central processing unit for transmitting to the monitoring control unit, and station comprises the parent station receives the monitoring data transmitted through the bidirectional transmission path W
A station including a WW access server and a monitoring data storage server for accumulating monitoring data is used, and the WWW access server is made accessible by a terminal device located at a remote place by a WWW server function, and the terminal device monitors. It is characterized in that the monitoring state can be confirmed by reading out the data, and that the monitoring sensor can be operated by transmitting command data from the terminal device to the monitoring control device of the monitoring slave station.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the surveillance system according to the first aspect, the signal processing section includes a video capture, and the video capture includes image data and audio obtained by converting an image signal. It is characterized in that monitoring data including voice data obtained by converting a signal is generated.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the surveillance system according to the first aspect, the signal processing section includes a video capture and encoding section, and the video capture converts an image signal. The audio data is generated by converting the image data and the audio signal, and the encoding unit compression-encodes the image data and the audio data to generate the monitoring data.

[0012] According to a fourth aspect of the monitoring system, in the monitoring system according to the third aspect, the encoding unit encodes image data and audio data into MPEG4 (Mov
ing PictureExperts Group layer 4) compression coding.

According to a fifth aspect of the monitoring system, in the monitoring system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the transmission unit is a MAC (Media Access).
Control) method is used to control access to the transmission to the bidirectional transmission path.

According to a sixth aspect of the surveillance system, in the surveillance system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the terminal device is a mobile phone with a data communication function or an image display function. Mobile phone with the WWW
The access server is characterized by having a WWW server function accessed by the mobile phone with the data communication function or the mobile phone with the image display function.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
Shows an overall configuration diagram of the monitoring system of the present embodiment. In the monitoring system of this embodiment, the monitoring sensor 10,
Signal processing unit 20, central processing unit 30, transmission unit 40, router 50, network 60, WWW access server 7
0, a monitoring data storage server 80, a mobile phone 90 with a data communication function, a mobile phone network 100, and a monitoring control device 110 as a whole. The signal processing unit 20, the central processing unit 30, the transmission unit 40, and the monitoring control device 110 are collectively housed in one housing as the image transmission / control device 200.

The monitoring sensor 10 is installed at a place to be monitored (for example, a substation, a factory, a golf course, a building, a supermarket, etc.). The monitoring sensor 10 transmits image /
A monitoring signal is output to the control device 200. Although not shown, the monitoring sensor 10 specifically includes at least a camera and a microphone, and the monitoring signal includes an image signal output from the camera and an audio signal output from the microphone.

As the monitoring signal, in addition to the above-mentioned image signal and audio signal, contact information obtained by monitoring overheating of electrical equipment such as a transformer and other monitoring can be included in the monitoring signal. In order to handle this contact information, the server software of the WWW access server 70 may be made compatible with the contact information, if necessary. Note that, for simplification of the description, in the present embodiment, the monitoring signal will be described below as being only the image signal and the audio signal.

The signal processor 20 includes a video capture 20.
a. The video capture 20a processes the image signal and the audio signal output from the monitoring sensor 10 into data, A / D converts the image signal into image data and the audio signal into audio data, and outputs the image data and the audio data. Outputs monitoring data including.

The central processing unit 30 includes a signal processing unit 20.
When the monitoring data generated by (video capture 20a) is input, the monitoring data is temporarily stored in the memory included in the central processing unit 30, and the monitoring data is transmitted to the transmission unit 40 after adjusting the time timing. Is output.

The transmission unit 40 sends the monitoring data to the router 50.
Also, transmission data that can be transmitted to the WWW access server 70 via the network 60 is generated, and the generated transmission data is transmitted to the WWW access server 70.
The transmission method of the transmission unit 40 employs a MAC (Media Access Control) method for controlling access to transmission to the network.

It is assumed that the bidirectional transmission line consisting of the router 50 and the network 60 is an intranet bidirectional transmission line, but an Ethernet (registered trademark) LAN is used instead of the intranet.
The present invention can be implemented even if a bidirectional transmission path based on (Local Area Network) is connected.

The WWW access server 70 extracts and generates monitoring data from the received transmission data. Such monitoring data is transferred to the monitoring data storage server 80 connected to the WWW access server 70,
These monitoring data will be accumulated.

The mobile phone 90 with a data communication function is assumed to be a so-called i-mode (registered trademark) compatible mobile phone. The WWW access server 70 is registered as an internet server accessible by the mobile phone. Therefore, the mobile phone 90 with the data communication function is
The WWW access server 70 can be accessed via the mobile phone network 100, desired monitoring data is retrieved from the monitoring data storage server 80, and the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function is accessed via the mobile phone network 100. Can obtain monitoring data. The monitoring data includes still images / voices, and these voices / images are reproduced on the speaker / display screen of the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function so that the monitoring information of the monitored object can be acquired at a remote location. become.

Since the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function can also transmit data, it is possible to transmit command data for controlling the monitoring sensor 10. When command data is transmitted from the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function, the monitor control device 110 receives the command data via the mobile phone network 100, the WWW access server 70, the router 50, the network 60, the transmission unit 40, and the central processing unit 30. It

This command data is data for controlling the zoom-in / out of the camera of the monitoring sensor 10, the focus direction and the focal length, and the sound collection direction of the microphone. In this way, the mobile phone with data communication function 9
0 and the image transmission / control device 200 send and receive monitoring data and command data to monitor a desired monitored object. The monitoring system of this embodiment is such a one.

In the present embodiment, the description has been made assuming that there is one monitoring slave station, but there may be a plurality of monitoring slave stations. Even when there are a plurality of monitoring slave stations, it is possible to implement the present invention because it can be connected to an intranet or an Ethernet LAN. In particular, in order to transmit data from the monitoring slave station connected to the LAN to the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function, the transmission unit 40 uses the PHY for converting the monitoring data into IP.
/ MAC device is mounted and the IP packet generated by the PHY / MAC device is transmitted.

Further, the server function of the WWW access server 70 having a password-based authentication function is also used,
The mobile phone 90 with a data communication function and the mobile phone network 100 are connected through an edge device such as a router. As described above, in the present embodiment, the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function is operated to acquire monitoring data, and
Since the command data can be transmitted, the monitored object can be monitored even in a remote place.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the so-called i-mode type mobile phone is assumed as the mobile phone 90 with the data communication function. The WWW access server 70 is registered as a WEB access server for i-mode mobile phones so that the WWW access server 70 can be accessed by the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function.

In this manner, the i-mode cellular phone 90 with data communication function is operated to access the WWW access server 70 which is the master station side, and the cellular phone 90 with data communication function acquires the monitoring data acquired by the monitoring slave station. You will be able to. Further, it becomes possible to control the zoom-in / out, direction, and other operations of the camera serving as a monitoring sensor from the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function. A laptop PC (Personal Computer) equipped with, for example, a modem instead of the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function.
It goes without saying that even a terminal device / PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) personal digital assistant terminal or other terminal device can be used as long as it is a terminal device compatible with the i-mode system. Such a laptop PC (Pe
rsonal Computer) A terminal device can also acquire and monitor monitoring information.

Next, a monitoring system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an overall configuration diagram of the monitoring system of this embodiment. In the first embodiment, a mobile phone 90 with a data communication function as a master station
However, in the monitoring system of the present embodiment, a mobile phone 90 ′ with an image display function capable of displaying a moving image is used. This mobile phone 90 'with image display function is the IMT-2
000 system, MPEG4 (Moving Pi
cture Experts Group layer 4) Built-in decoder. Therefore, in this embodiment, the monitoring data compressed and encoded by the MPEG4 system is handled. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment have the same reference numerals in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the same reference numerals simplify the description, and only different points will be described in detail.

In the monitoring system of this embodiment, the monitoring sensor 10, signal processing unit 20 ', central processing unit 30, transmission unit 40, router 50, network 60, WWW access server 70, monitoring data storage server 80, image display. Mobile phone 90 'with functions, mobile phone network 1
00, the monitoring control device 110 as a whole. The signal processing unit 20 'and the central processing unit 3 described above
0, the transmission unit 40, and the monitor control device 110 are collectively housed in one housing as an image transmission / control device 200 ′.

The signal processing unit 20 'of this embodiment includes an encoding unit 20b in addition to the video capture 20a. The encoding unit 20b performs compression encoding processing based on the MPEG4 system using the monitoring data output from the video capture 20a, and generates compression encoded monitoring data. The monitoring data generated by the encoding unit 20b by adopting the MPEG4 system can be transmitted at a low bit rate. By adopting the MPEG4 system in this way, the frequency band occupied by the bidirectional transmission path such as an intranet or LAN is narrow, so that it is possible to transmit a large amount of monitoring data and obtain high-quality image information and audio information. be able to.

The central processing unit 30 includes a signal processing unit 20 '.
When the coded monitoring data generated in (1) is input, the monitoring data is temporarily stored in the built-in memory, the time timing is adjusted, and the monitoring data is output to the transmission unit 40. The transmission unit 40 converts the encoded monitoring data into data that can be transmitted via the router 50 and the network 60 to generate transmission data, and W
It is transmitted to the WW access server 70. The transmission method of the transmission unit 40 employs a MAC (Media Access Control) method for controlling access to transmission to the network.

As described above, the coding unit 20b adopts the MPEG4 system for coding the color moving image signal, and the transmission unit 40 controls the access to the network for transmission.
Since the AC system is adopted, it becomes a monitoring system compatible with the IMT-2000 system next-generation mobile phone, and the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function can acquire moving image information and voice information with high quality as the monitoring information. Like

The WWW access server 70 extracts and generates monitoring data from the received transmission data. This monitor data is transferred to the monitor data storage server 80 connected to the WWW access server 70, and these monitor data are accumulated. The mobile phone 90 'with an image display function can access the WWW access server 70 via the network 100 for a mobile phone, and the mobile phone 90' with an image display function can acquire monitoring data.

The mobile phone 90 'with an image display function is assumed to be a so-called FOMA-compatible phone, and the monitoring data is expanded and decoded by a decoder included in the mobile phone 90' with an image display function into image data and audio data. Converted,
It is possible to acquire the monitoring information of the monitored target.

Since the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function can also transmit data as in the mobile phone 90 with a data communication function of the first embodiment, command data can be output. When command data is transmitted from the mobile phone 90 'with image display function, the mobile phone network 100, WW
W access server 70, router 50, network 6
0, the transmission unit 40, and the central processing unit 30 to receive the command data from the monitoring controller 110.

This command data is data for controlling the zoom-in / out of the camera of the monitoring sensor 10, the focus direction and the focal length, and the sound collection direction of the microphone. As described above, in this embodiment, since the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function can be operated to acquire the monitoring data and transmit the command data, the moving image of the desired monitored object can be obtained even in a remote place. It is possible to monitor by image, and the monitorable area can be expanded to enhance the monitoring ability. The monitoring system of the second embodiment is such a one.

In this embodiment, the compression encoding method is M
It has been described as the PEG4 system. This MPEG
The four systems also support variable bit rates according to the standard. Therefore, the quality of the image and audio included in the monitoring data is usually reduced to low bit rate transmission, and only when there is an abnormality in the monitored object, change to high image quality and high bit rate, and when and where necessary. It is also possible to construct a moving image monitoring device system that enhances the monitoring capability according to the requirements.

Specifically, the mobile phone 9 with an image display function
Adjust the bit rate by using the video monitoring software (commercially available from some manufacturers) capable of variable encoding built in 0 ', etc., and detecting an abnormality triggered by a change that exceeds a predetermined threshold. To do. The present invention can be implemented with such a configuration. In addition, MPEG2
The system and the MPEG4 system may be separately used to provide a monitoring system that corresponds to the importance of the monitoring application or monitoring item.

Further, although limited to a fixed bit rate, a monitor slave station which is extremely easy to handle by forming an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) in which the signal processor 20 and the transmitter 40 of the monitor slave station are integrated, or MPEG4. By appropriately modifying and combining parts such as a device that integrates the system and MAC, it can be used as a monitoring slave station in a specialized form by focusing on necessary and sufficient functions. For example, information technology system such as power distribution IT (monitoring and control of power distribution equipment). It is also possible to implement a monitoring slave station incorporated as a part of ().

In the present embodiment as well, the transmission unit 40 and the WW
The bidirectional transmission path with the W access server 70 is the router 5
0 and an intranet consisting of a network 60 are described as intervening, but Ethernet-based L
The present invention can be implemented even when an AN is connected.

Note that, instead of the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function, for example, a laptop PC equipped with a modem
(Personal Computer) Terminal Device / PDA (Personal Computer)
It goes without saying that even personal information communication terminals for personal use and other terminal devices can be used as long as they are terminal devices compatible with the IMT-2000 system. Such a laptop PC (Personal Compute
r) The terminal device can also acquire and monitor the monitoring information.

Although the present embodiment has been described assuming that there is one monitoring slave station, there may be a plurality of monitoring slave stations. Even when there are a plurality of monitoring slave stations, it is possible to implement the present invention because it can be connected to an intranet or an Ethernet LAN. In particular, in order to transmit data from the monitor slave station connected to the LAN to the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function, the transmission unit 40 converts the monitor data into an IP PHY.
/ MAC device is mounted and the IP packet generated by the PHY / MAC device is transmitted.

Further, the server function of the WWW access server 70 having a password-based authentication function is also used,
The mobile phone 90 'with an image display function is connected to the mobile phone network 100 through an edge device such as a router. As described above, in this embodiment, since the monitoring data can be acquired and the command data can be transmitted by operating the mobile phone 90 ′ with an image display function, the monitored object can be displayed by the moving image even in a remote place. It can be monitored and has enhanced monitoring capabilities.

As described above, in the present embodiment, as the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function, for example, a mobile phone capable of transmitting and receiving a moving image by the so-called FOMA system is assumed. FO the WWW access server 70
The WWW access server 70 is registered as a WEB access server for an MA type mobile phone so that the WWW access server 70 can be accessed by the mobile phone 90 'with an image display function.

In this way, the i-mode mobile phone 90 with the data communication function, which is the master station side, is operated to access the WWW access server 70, and the monitoring data acquired by the monitoring slave station is carried as the mobile phone 90 with the data communication function. Can be sent to the phone. In addition, zoom in / out of the camera that will be the monitoring sensor
Mobile phone 90 with data communication function for out, direction, etc.
It can be controlled from.

Further, in consideration of the situation of the monitored object, the LAN can be usually used from the intranet or the like, and the monitoring items can be narrowed down to the system for performing the image monitoring and the monitoring device control from the cameras arranged in the monitored object. .

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a monitoring system capable of increasing the monitoring capability while suppressing an increase in equipment cost as much as possible. Moreover, the functions are limited to the necessary and sufficient ones depending on the place to be monitored (for example, power plant / substation, factory, golf course, building, supermarket, etc.), the time required for the monitoring information, or the importance of the monitoring application or the monitoring items. A specialized monitoring system can also be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram including a monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram including a monitoring system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Monitoring sensor 20, 20 'signal processing unit 20a video capture 20b encoder 30 Central processing unit 40 Transmitter 50 routers 60 network 70 WWW access server 80 Monitoring data storage server 90 Cellular phone with data communication function 90 'mobile phone with image display function 100 Cellular network 110 Supervisory control device 200,200 'image transmission / control device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H04N 7/18 H04N 7/18 D 5K101 // G06F 13/00 351 G06F 13/00 351N F term (reference) 5B089 GA12 GA25 GB02 HA10 HA13 JA35 JB16 JB22 KA11 5C054 AA02 DA07 DA08 EG10 GA01 HA02 HA18 5C087 AA09 AA21 AA37 BB03 BB12 BB20 BB46 BB74 GG70 GG GG76 FF17 FF23 FF17 FF19 FF19 FF19 FF19 FF20 FF20 FF20 5K033 BA02 BA08 BA14 5K048 BA22 BA23 BA34 DC01 HA01 HA02 5K101 KK13 LL12 MM07 NN06 NN07 VV01

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A monitoring system for monitoring by transmitting monitoring data relating to monitoring information from one or a plurality of monitoring slave stations to a master station via a bidirectional transmission path, wherein the monitoring slave stations are cameras and A monitoring sensor that monitors the monitored object with a microphone and outputs a monitoring signal that includes an image signal from the camera and a voice signal from the microphone, and the monitoring data that is converted from the monitoring signal output from the monitoring sensor and sent to the master station. A signal processing unit for generating, a monitoring control device for operating the monitoring sensor by command data transmitted from the master station, a transmission unit for transmitting monitoring data and receiving command data via a bidirectional transmission path, Transmission of monitoring data output from the signal processing unit to the transmission unit and output from the transmission unit, which is connected to the signal processing unit, the monitoring control device, and the transmission unit A central processing unit that transmits the command data sent to the monitoring control device, and the master station is a WWW access server that receives the monitoring data sent via a bidirectional transmission path, A monitoring data storage server for accumulating monitoring data, and a station having a WWW server function enabling access from a terminal device at a remote location, and the terminal device reading the monitoring data. A monitoring system capable of confirming a monitoring state, and transmitting command data from the terminal device to the monitoring control device of the monitoring slave station to operate the monitoring sensor. 2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit includes a video capture, and the video capture generates monitoring data including image data converted from an image signal and audio data converted from an audio signal. A monitoring system characterized by: 3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit includes a video capture and encoding unit, and the video capture generates image data converted from an image signal and audio data converted from an audio signal. The encoding system compresses and encodes image data and audio data to generate monitoring data. 4. The monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the encoding unit MPEs image data and audio data.
A monitoring system characterized by compression coding according to the G4 (Moving Picture Experts Group layer 4) system. 5. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit controls access to transmission to a bidirectional transmission path by a MAC (Media Access Control) method. Characteristic monitoring system. 6. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device is a mobile phone with a data communication function or a mobile phone with an image display function, and the WWW access server is A monitoring system having a WWW server function accessed by a mobile phone with a data communication function or a mobile phone with an image display function.