JP2003141521A - Image display system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image display system allowing many people to watch at the same time and in real time an image taken along a certain direction by a camera installed in a remote place, while also enabling a still image provided by photographing to be viewed like a moving image. SOLUTION: The image display system comprises a camera system including a digital camera fitted with a wide angle lens and a transmission means for transmitting image information taken by the digital camera; a storage means for storing the image information taken; an Internet server having a transmission means for transmitting the image information stored; and a terminal device having a transmission request means connected to the server via the Internet for requesting the transmission of the image information stored in the storage means of the server, and a display means for displaying images according to the image information transmitted. The server or the terminal device is provided with a distortion correcting means for correcting the distortion of a wide angle image taken via the wide angle lens.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display system, and more particularly, it enables a large number of people to simultaneously view an image of a remote location in any direction captured by a camera in real time. The present invention relates to an image display system that can be applied to a wide range of purposes, as it can show images as if they were moving images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a system for visually confirming the situation at a remote place, there is a so-called "Internet camera" in which a camera installed at a remote place and a user's terminal device are connected via the Internet. . Since this "Internet camera" can usually only see images in the direction in which the camera is facing, it is necessary to change the direction of the camera when viewing in another direction. A general method is to control the orientation of the camera by moving the platform on which the. However, since this method is a method of physically moving the camera, when a plurality of users want to confirm different directions at the same time, the request cannot be met.

As a method for solving such a problem, there is a method of using an image photographed by a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens. Conventionally, a method of using such a lens is a photographing method using a fisheye lens. Developed photo,
After reading with a film scanner, fine adjustment such as center axis alignment of the fish-eye image was performed, and then it was converted into a corrected normal view image.Therefore, it took a lot of time and labor to obtain a normal image. It took a long time, and it was not possible to meet the user's demand for confirming the remote situation in real time.

In recent years, homepages have become one of the indispensable advertising media for businesses, and various innovations have been made on homepages in order to attract the interest of viewers. As one of such ingenuities, there are many homepages that display images of the inside of a store, but most of the images displayed on such homepages are still images, so the viewer's interest is high. Could not be attracted enough. On the other hand, there are some videos that are displayed, but most of them are plugged directly into the video. There were many troubles such as the need to constantly move the camera.

[0005] In the past, when purchasing clothes, etc., it was usual to actually try on clothes in the changing room when selecting clothes suitable for oneself from many kinds of clothes. However, there was a problem that it was troublesome to change clothes one by one. In order to solve such a problem, a method of preliminarily storing in a computer image data obtained by photographing many kinds of clothes and replacing the person's clothes photographed by the camera with the stored image of clothes is considered. To be However, in order to view the worn image from various angles, it is necessary for a person to move in front of the camera to take a picture or to arrange a large number of cameras around the person.
Further, conventionally, when photographing a large object such as a large car or a huge building, it is necessary to use a telephoto lens from a distant position to photograph the whole, and a wide space is required for photographing. I was there.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a large number of people can simultaneously capture in real time an image taken in an arbitrary direction by a camera installed in a remote place. It is possible to see and still images obtained by shooting can be viewed as if they were moving images, which is useful for various purposes such as trying on clothes using images and shooting large objects in narrow places. The present invention aims to provide an image display system using a wide-angle lens that can be used.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides the following means. Claim 1
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera system including a digital camera equipped with a wide-angle lens, a transmission unit that transmits image information captured by the digital camera, and a storage unit that stores the captured image information. An Internet server having a transmission unit for transmitting the stored image information, a transmission request unit for connecting to the server via the Internet and requesting transmission of the image information stored in the storage unit of the server, A terminal device having a display means for displaying an image based on the received image information, and the server or the terminal device is provided with a distortion correction means for correcting the distortion of a wide-angle image taken through a wide-angle lens. The present invention relates to an image display system characterized by the following. Claim 2
The invention according to claim 1 relates to the image display system according to claim 1, wherein the wide-angle lens is a fish-eye lens.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the distortion correction by the distortion correction means is performed by a spherical mapping in which a sphere is virtually defined in a three-dimensional image and the image is pasted inside the sphere. An image display system according to claim 1 or 2. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the Internet server is provided with distortion correction means,
The Internet server further comprises moving image creating means for creating a moving image by cutting out an image centered on the horizontal axis from the distortion-corrected image and moving the vertical axis of the image at a constant speed. Claim 1
The image display system according to any one of 1 to 3. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the digital camera is installed in a changing room, and the terminal device captures an image of a clothing image storage section that stores images of various types of clothing and a person who has entered the changing room. 5. The image display system according to claim 1, further comprising replacement display means for displaying an image of clothes out of the images by replacing the image of clothes with the image of clothes stored in the clothes image storage unit. Regarding

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of an image display system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an image display system according to the present invention. The image display system according to the first embodiment includes a camera system (4) including a digital camera (2) equipped with a wide-angle lens (1) and a computer (3) connected to the digital camera (2), A terminal comprising an Internet server (6) connected to the computer (3) of the camera system (4) via the Internet (5), and a computer connected to the Internet server (6) and the Internet (5). And device (7).

A fish-eye lens is most preferably used as the wide-angle lens (1), but a wide-angle lens other than the fish-eye lens may be used. Computer (3) is RAM or RO
A memory (M) and a CPU that controls various processing operations are provided together with a transmission unit (11) that transmits image information captured by the digital camera (2) to the Internet (3). In addition, the Internet server (6) is provided with a transmitting means (1
The storage device (8) for storing the image information transmitted via the Internet (3) by the terminal 1) and the image of the terminal device (7) based on the transmission request from the terminal device (7).
A transmission means (9) for transmitting to is provided. In the present invention, the computer (3) constituting the camera system (4) may be provided with the storage means (8) and the transmission means (9) to have the function as the Internet server (6). is there.

The terminal device (7) is used by a user who uses the system, and includes a RAM and a ROM.
Together with a memory consisting of, a CPU for controlling various processing operations, etc., and a transmission request means (12) for requesting transmission of the image information stored in the storage means (8) of the server (6) and the image information transmitted based on the transmitted image information. A device having a function of connecting to the Internet (5), such as a personal computer, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a mobile phone, is preferably used. it can.

The Internet server (6) or the terminal device (7) is provided with a distortion correction means (10) for correcting the distortion of a wide-angle image such as a fisheye image taken by the wide-angle lens (1). In the present invention, this distortion correction means (10)
Need only be provided in either the Internet server (6) or the terminal device (7), and if the Internet server (6) is provided, the terminal device (7) need not be provided. On the contrary, when the terminal device (7) has it, it is not necessary to have the internet server (6). In the illustrated example, the Internet server (6) and the terminal device (7) equipped with the distortion correction means (10).
Are denoted by reference numerals (6B) and (7A), and the Internet server (6) and the terminal device (7) which are not provided are denoted by reference numerals (6A) and (7B).

The distortion correction by the distortion correction means (10) is performed by spherical mapping (also called environment mapping) widely known in computer graphics. Spherical mapping defines a sphere virtually in a three-dimensional image and pastes the image inside it (mapping)
In the case of a fisheye image, mapping is performed by converting the distance from the center of the fisheye image into an angle.

For example, if y = fθ, the point (X, Y) on the image is (x, Oy), the center point of the fish-eye image is R, and the radius of the sphere to be mapped is R (x, Y) as follows.
y, z) are mapped. u = √ ((X−Ox) × (X−Ox) + (Y−Oy) ×
(Y−Oy)) θ = u / fx = Rsin (θ) × (X−Ox) / uy = Rsin (θ) × (Y−Oy) / uz = Rcos (θ)

When the image is pasted on the sphere by such spherical mapping, the image after the distortion correction of the fish-eye lens is made easy by creating an image that can be seen when the sphere is viewed in any direction. Can be obtained.
By performing distortion correction by this spherical mapping,
The work of aligning the center axis of the fisheye image becomes unnecessary. That is, in order to perform central axis alignment, it is only necessary to shift the position when mapping the image, and it is not necessary to prepare data in which the image itself is shifted. Therefore, the server (6) for storing the image does not need to process the fisheye image captured by the digital camera (2) on the server, and the processing load of the server is significantly reduced. Furthermore, according to this method, since it is possible to have the fish-eye image and the central axis position information independently, it becomes easy to automatically update the image. That is, when the fisheye image is updated by the automatic photographing function of the digital camera (2), it is possible to always see the latest image by updating only the photographed image.

When using the terminal device (7A) equipped with the distortion correcting means (10), the user must use the terminal device (7A).
The transmission requesting means (12) of (A) requests the server (6A) to transmit the image information (fisheye image) stored in the storage means (8), and the image information (fisheye image) is stored in the storage means (8). By incorporating the fisheye image into the terminal device (7A) and correcting the fisheye image by the distortion correction means (10) provided in the terminal device (7A), the display means (13) normally displays in almost real time. Can be seen as a field-of-view image. On the other hand, the terminal device (7) that does not include the distortion correction means (10)
When using B), the user accesses the server (6B) equipped with the distortion correction means (10) from the terminal device (7B), and transmits the image in the direction he or she wants to see by the transmission request means (12). By the request, the image in which the distortion of the fish-eye image is corrected is received by the server (6B) and can be viewed as a normal visual field image on the display means (13) of the terminal device (7B).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the second embodiment of the image display system according to the present invention. The image display system according to the second embodiment also has a digital camera (2) equipped with the wide-angle lens (1) and a computer (3) connected to the digital camera (2), as in the system according to the first embodiment. A camera system (4), an internet server (6) connected to the computer (3) of the camera system (4) via the internet (5), the internet server (6) and the internet (5) And a terminal device (7) composed of a computer connected via the.

Since each component of the system according to the second embodiment is basically the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, only differences from the first embodiment will be described below. In the system according to the second embodiment, the Internet server (6) includes the above-mentioned storage means (8),
In addition to the transmitting means (9) and the distortion correcting means (10), a moving image creating means (11) for creating a moving image from the still image whose distortion is corrected by the distortion correcting means (10) is further provided.

The moving image creating means (11) cuts out and selects a still image whose distortion is corrected by the distortion correcting means (10) around the horizontal axis, and selects the vertical axis of the image at a constant speed. It is composed of a program created to move by, and by the operation of this program, a still image taken by the digital camera (2) can be displayed as if the camera itself is rotating in the lateral direction.

The moving image thus obtained is directly taken into the terminal device (7) from the memory of the Internet server (6) and viewed, so that the situation of the remote place can be seen similarly to the system of the first embodiment. Although it can be used as a visual understanding system, the obtained moving images can be posted on the home page and viewed by an unspecified number of users by taking advantage of the characteristic that moving images can be obtained. It can be used as a system for advertising.

In this case, the Internet server (6)
Converts a still image whose distortion has been corrected by the distortion correcting means (10) into a moving image by the moving image creating means (11) and stores the moving image in the storage means (8). The moving image is programmed in advance and stored in the storage means (8). ) Is stored in the screen of the home page (HP) related to the image, and is displayed as an inset screen (G). As a result, a user who accesses the home page (HP) from the terminal device (7) via the Internet (5) can see the moving image on the home page and is strongly impressed.

According to the system of the second embodiment, a business owner such as a store that provides images simply installs a camera with a wide-angle lens and shoots a still image, and a moving image overlooking the entire shooting site is widely viewed. Since it is possible to post the image on the home page, it is possible to obtain a great advertising effect with extremely low cost. Also, if two digital cameras (2) are placed back to back, an image rotated 360 degrees around the camera can be displayed,
It will be even more effective in advertising.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the third embodiment of the image display system according to the present invention. The system according to the third embodiment can be applied as a clothing try-on substitute system in a clothing store or the like. In the system according to the first or second embodiment, the digital camera (2) is installed in a changing room. At the same time, the terminal device
A clothing image storage unit (14) that stores images of various types of clothing that have been captured in advance, and an image of the clothing among the images captured of persons who entered the changing room are stored in the clothing image storage unit. A replacement display means (15) for replacing and displaying an image of clothes and an automatic measuring means (16) for measuring the size of clothes worn by a person who entered the room are provided.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a changing room in the system of the third embodiment. In the illustrated example, wide-angle lenses are provided at two locations, a front wall and a rear wall of the changing room (K). A digital camera (2) is attached so that a person in the changing room can be photographed from the front and rear direction. A mirror (M) is attached to the front wall. The digital camera (2) is preferably arranged so as to be able to capture an image of the person in the changing room in all directions around it. Therefore, a wide-angle lens such as a fish-eye lens with a wide photographic range is preferable. Is preferably used.

In the system of the third embodiment, a person who wants to choose clothes (a person who wants to try on clothes) first enters the changing room while wearing his or her own clothes. Then, the whole body of the person who entered the room is photographed from all directions by the digital camera (2), and the photographed image is a whole body image whose distortion is corrected by the distortion correcting means (10). Automatic measuring means (1
In 6), the size of the clothes worn by the person who wants to try on the clothes is measured based on the image in which the distortion is corrected. This measurement is
Since the distortion is corrected based on the image already corrected, there is a fixed ratio between the actual size and the size of the captured image, and this ratio is measured in advance from the installation position of the camera (2). By setting the calculation program in advance, it becomes possible to calculate the size of the actual clothes worn by the person who wants to try on the clothes easily and accurately in a short time.

Next, the image of the clothes portion of the image in which the distortion has been corrected is replaced with the image of the clothes stored in the clothes image storage section (14) by the replacement display means (15) and displayed, A person who wants to try on the clothes can select clothes that suit him or her on the screen of the display means (13) without changing clothes at all. In addition, since the size of the clothes worn by the person who wants to try on clothes is automatically measured in advance, it is possible to reliably select the clothes that match the size of one's body. In addition, by shooting through a wide-angle lens, the person who wants to try on does not have to move in front of the camera or install many cameras in the changing room, and the person who wants to try on the image of the whole body wearing desired clothes. Can be checked from all directions around him.

Further, the system according to the present invention can be applied to various uses other than the above, and can be suitably used for photographing a large object such as a large automobile or a huge building. In this case, a camera (2) equipped with a wide-angle lens (1) such as a fish-eye lens may be installed near a large object, photographed, and the photographed image may be corrected by the above method to obtain a normal image. According to this method, it is possible to shoot the entire target object without using a telephoto lens from a distance as in the conventional case, so that it is possible to shoot in a narrow space, and there is less difficulty in selecting a shooting place. There is a big merit that

[0028]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a large number of people can simultaneously view images in arbitrary directions taken by a camera installed in a remote place in real time. Various systems can be provided easily and at low cost. According to the invention of claim 2, a single camera can photograph a wide range, and the number of installed cameras can be reduced. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the work of aligning the center axes of the fish-eye images is unnecessary, and the processing load on the server that stores the images is significantly reduced.

According to the invention of claim 4, a still image obtained by photographing can be viewed as if it were a moving image, and an excellent advertising effect can be obtained by plugging the obtained image into a homepage, for example. be able to.
In the invention according to claim 5, a person who wants to try on clothes can select clothes that suit him or her on the screen without changing clothes. Moreover, even if the person who wants to try on does not move in front of the camera or install many cameras around the person who wants to try on,
A person who wants to try on the clothes can check the image of the whole body wearing the desired clothes from all directions around him / herself.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an image display system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the image display system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of an image display system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a changing room in the system of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 wide-angle lens 2 digital camera 3 computers 4 camera system 5 Internet 6 Internet server 7 Terminal 8 storage means 9 Transmission means 10 Distortion correction means 11 Transmission means 12 Transmission requesting means 13 Display means 14 Clothing image storage 15 Replacement display means K changing room

Continued front page    F term (reference) 5B057 BA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB08                       CB12 CB16 CD12 CH08                 5C022 AB51 AB62 AB65 AB66 AB68                 5C054 AA01 CA01 CC02 CD03 CH02                       DA01 DA06 EA03 EA05 ED11                       FD01 FD03 HA18                 5C064 BA07 BB03 BD02 BD08                 5C077 LL20 PP59 PQ12 TT09

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A camera system comprising a digital camera equipped with a wide-angle lens, a transmission means for transmitting image information captured by the digital camera, and a storage means for storing the captured image information. An internet server having a transmitting means for transmitting the stored image information, a transmission requesting means connected to the server via the internet and requesting transmission of the image information stored in the storage means of the server, A terminal device having a display means for displaying an image based on the received image information, and the server or the terminal device is provided with a distortion correction means for correcting the distortion of a wide-angle image taken through a wide-angle lens. An image display system characterized by: 2. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the wide-angle lens is a fisheye lens. 3. The distortion correction by the distortion correction means is performed by a spherical mapping in which a sphere is virtually defined in a three-dimensional image and the image is pasted inside the sphere. Image display system. 4. The Internet server is provided with distortion correction means, and the Internet server cuts out an image centered on a horizontal axis from the distortion-corrected image and moves the vertical axis of the image at a constant speed. The image display system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a moving image creating unit that creates a moving image. 5. The digital camera is installed in a changing room, and the terminal device has a clothes image storage section for storing images of various kinds of clothes and an image of a person who has entered the changing room. The image display system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising replacement display means for displaying an image of clothes by replacing the image of clothes with the image of clothes stored in the clothes image storage section.