JP2003264828A - Video system and video apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitoring system using a plurality of video apparatus wherein the operation of a personal computer for monitoring is made identical to that of a system employing a single video apparatus without the need for troublesome settings. <P>SOLUTION: The monitoring system including the plurality of video apparatuses each having a function of recording a video image from at least one imaging apparatus and a network connection function is characterized in that an operation setting memory of at least one of the video apparatus stores interconnection information 20 including the addresses of the other video apparatus and at least the identification information 22 of the imaging apparatus connected to each video apparatus so that video images from the plurality of video apparatus can be displayed side by side on a single screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A time-lapse recording / reproducing device is widely used as a video recording / reproducing device for security at banks, post offices, convenience stores, etc., trend monitoring of people and vehicles at train stations and intersections, and research in academic research. It is used. In a normal home VTR, a fixed number of images of about 30 frames are recorded / reproduced per second, but the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus has a mode of recording images of several frames per second in addition to one frame or several minutes per few seconds. In addition, a mode for intermittently recording one frame image is provided.

When an image subjected to intermittent recording is reproduced, the image becomes jerky, but on the other hand, there is an advantage that recording can be performed for a long time on a recording medium having the same capacity. For example, a tape-type time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus using a VHS video tape as a recording medium can record several tens to several hundreds of hours per tape.

As described in JP-A-11-136665, a hard disk device is used as a recording medium and a network interface is further provided so that an image can be displayed on a terminal device such as a personal computer connected to a network. There is also a known system.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the configuration of such a system. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus, and this time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1 includes a CPU 2 and an R.
OM3, RAM4, setting memory 5, image compression means 6, image expansion means 7, switcher buffer 8, analog-digital conversion means 9, digital-analog conversion means 10,
It includes a multiplexer 11, a hard disk device 12, and a network interface 13. The operation panels are omitted.

The multiplexer 11 is for selecting one of the inputs of the plurality of cameras 16 and can switch the camera inputs as necessary. Multiplexer 1
The input selected in 1 is digitized by the analog-digital conversion means 9, compressed by the image compression means 6 via the switcher buffer 8, and stored in the hard disk device 12.

During a normal monitoring operation, the switcher buffer 8 synthesizes the images of the cameras and the digital-analog conversion means 10 converts the images into analog signals to display the images on the external monitor 17.

In the reproducing operation, the image data read from the hard disk device 12 is expanded by the image expansion means 7, the switcher buffer 8 combines the images of the respective cameras, and the digital-analog conversion means 10 converts it into an analog signal. By doing so, the image is displayed on the external monitor.

In the case of monitoring / reproduction via a network, image data can be output through the network interface 13 to display an image on the personal computer 18 or the like.

The CPU 2 operates according to a program stored in the ROM 3, and uses the RAM 4 as a work area to control the whole. As shown in FIG. 10, the setting memory 5 stores a device setting 14 in which a camera number and a switching timing are written and a network setting 15 in which an address and a communication method necessary for communication are written. There is.

FIG. 11 schematically shows the connection between each device in the above monitoring system. The camera 16 and the monitor television 17 are connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1 via a cable, and the personal computer 18 is connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1 via a network 19. The image from the camera 16 is recorded on the hard disk device 12 in the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1, and at the same time, it can be monitored and reproduced by the monitor television 17 or the personal computer 18. Both the monitor television 17 and the personal computer 18 are not necessarily required, and only the monitor television 17 or only the personal computer 18 may be used. In some cases, neither is used.

[0012]

In the above monitoring system, when there are many points to be monitored and therefore it is necessary to use a plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing devices, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, four time-lapse recording / reproducing devices are used. When using the device, it is necessary to provide four monitor TVs,
There is a problem that the configuration of the monitoring system becomes complicated and the installation space of the equipment also increases.

Although it is possible to monitor with one personal computer through a network as shown in FIG. 13,
In this case, as shown in FIG. 14, a plurality of windows of each time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus are displayed on the screen of the personal computer, and it is necessary to perform an operation such as input switching or image selection on the personal computer side. It is not suitable for important monitoring work because it becomes complicated and the operability deteriorates. It is possible to store information about multiple time-lapse recording / playback devices in the system on a personal computer and run specific software to eliminate complicated operations on the personal computer, but to enable monitoring from multiple locations. Therefore, when connecting a plurality of personal computers to the network, it is necessary to store this information in each personal computer and perform complicated setting work.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in a surveillance system using a plurality of video devices, the operability of a personal computer for monitoring is controlled by one video device without complicated setting work. The purpose is to be equivalent to the case of the system using.

[0015]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object,
According to a first aspect of the invention, in a video system including a plurality of video devices each having a network connection function, at least one video device among the plurality of video devices is linked with at least an address of another video device. It is characterized by storing information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the video device has a function of recording and / or reproducing a video, and the linkage information includes the at least one. It is stored in the operation setting memory of one video device.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
In the invention described in the paragraph 1, the video device has an intermittent recording function and is connected to an imaging device, and the linkage information further includes identification information of the imaging device. .

The invention described in claim 4 is the invention according to claims 1 to 3.
In the invention described in any one of the above items, the video device storing the association information further includes at least one terminal device that receives video from the plurality of video devices via a network and displays a screen, The link information is transmitted to the terminal device in response to a request from the terminal device.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, the terminal device individually acquires images from the plurality of video devices based on the association information.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to the fourth aspect, the video device storing the link information is:
It is characterized in that an image is acquired from another image device based on the link information and is transferred to the terminal device together with an image from its own imaging device in response to a request from the terminal device.

The invention described in claim 7 is from claim 1 to claim 3.
In the invention according to any one of the items 1 to 3, further comprising a display device connected to the video device storing the association information, wherein the video device storing the association information displays an image from another video device according to the association information. It is characterized in that it is acquired and displayed on the screen of the display device together with an image from its own imaging device.

The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claims 1 to 7.
In the invention according to any one of items 1 to 3, one of the plurality of video devices is set as a time server, and the other video devices each have a built-in clock based on time information from the video device set in the time server. It is characterized by adjusting.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 9 stores, in a video device connected to at least one other video device by a network, association information including at least an address of the other video device. It is characterized by having done.

According to a tenth aspect of the invention, in the invention of the ninth aspect, the image device and the other image device are:
It has a function of recording and / or reproducing a video, and the linkage information is stored in an operation setting memory of the video device.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the ninth or tenth aspect, the video device and the other video device have an intermittent recording function and an image pickup device is connected. The linkage information further includes identification information of the imaging device.

[0026]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments thereof. Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a surveillance system which is a video system of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1a, 1b, 1
Reference numerals c and 1d are time-lapse recording / reproducing devices. The time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a includes cameras 16a1, 16a2, 1
6a3 and 16a4 are connected, and the cameras 16b1, 16b2, 16b3 and 16b are connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1b.
4 is connected, and the cameras 16c1, 16c2, 16c3, 16c4 are connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1c,
The time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1d includes cameras 16d1, 1
6d2, 16d3, 16d4 are connected. The time-lapse recording / reproducing devices 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d and the personal computer 18 are connected to a network. A monitor television 17 is connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a.

FIG. 2 shows the contents of the setting memory of the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus of the above system. In the case of the conventional time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus, the device setting 1 is stored in the setting memory.
4 and the network setting 15 are stored, but in the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the link setting 20 is also stored.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the contents of the link setting 20.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 is a time adjustment setting. In the time adjustment setting 21 is written information about whether or not the device itself becomes a time server, and if not, what should be referred to for time adjustment. Reference numeral 22 is link information, in which the setting name, device name, type, address, and camera number of the linked device are written. Reference numeral 23 denotes a disclosure destination setting, and when a connection request is made from the outside, information for designating a camera to which the connection is permitted is disclosed for each disclosure destination. In this embodiment, the time adjustment setting 2 is stored in the setting memory.
Although three types of settings, namely, 1, linkage information 22, and disclosure destination setting 23 are stored, not all of them are necessary, and other settings can be stored as necessary.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the flow of information when the above system operates. Here, the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1
It is assumed that a stores the link setting 20. First, the software operating on the personal computer 18 issues a request to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a. The time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a uses the personal computer 18 to display the association information 22 stored in the association setting 20 together with the image obtained from the camera on the personal computer 1.
Send to 8. The software operating on the personal computer 18 obtains the information of the address of the other time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatuses 1b, 1c, 1d, the camera of which camera can be displayed, etc. from the received link information 22, and the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1b, Requests are made to 1c and 1d respectively, and images are acquired from these devices.

The software on the personal computer 18 arranges the image from each time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus on the screen according to the information of the setting information 22 obtained from the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a. FIG. 5 shows an example in which images are arranged on the personal computer 18 using general browser software.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatuses are linked to each other, so that the operability equivalent to the case of using one time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus is realized. Further, it is not necessary to store the link information in the personal computer 18.

Embodiment 2. As shown in FIG. 6, the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1 a may acquire the images of the other time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatuses 1 b, 1 c, 1 d and transfer them to the personal computer 18. In this case, the software on the personal computer 18 first makes a request to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a. The time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a has the link setting 20.
Other time-lapse recording / reproducing devices 1b, 1c, 1d according to
To obtain an image from each device. In addition to the images obtained from the time-lapse recording / reproducing devices 1b, 1c, 1d, the images from the camera connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing device 1a itself are also transferred to the personal computer 18. The personal computer 18 uses software running on it to display these images. In the second embodiment, the personal computer 18 does not need to individually communicate with each time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus, and the communication path is simplified, which is suitable for remote monitoring and the like.

Embodiment 3. Instead of using a personal computer, the time-lapse recording / reproducing device 1a may arrange and combine the images from the respective devices and display them on the monitor television 17. In this case, first, the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a determines another time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to the link setting 20.
Requests b, 1c and 1d to acquire images from the cameras connected to the respective devices. Next, the images from the camera connected to the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a itself are added to these images, and the images are arranged / combined, converted into analog signals, and displayed on the monitor television 17. FIG. 7 shows an arrangement example of images on the screen in this case. In the third embodiment, by linking a plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing devices, it is possible to easily arrange / compose images from the plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing devices on the screen of one monitor television.

Fourth Embodiment In order to operate a plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing devices in a coordinated manner and ensure the operability equivalent to that of a single multi-channel device, it is a condition that the clocks incorporated in each time-lapse recording / reproducing device are accurately aligned. In particular, in order to synchronize and display a plurality of images correctly on a monitor television or the like at the time of reproducing operation, it is necessary to make the difference in time information at the time of recording of each device one frame or less. For example, in the case of displaying 30 frames per second, it is necessary to match the time information of each device with an accuracy within 0.03 seconds, and it is practically impossible to set the clock of each device correctly with human hands.

Therefore, for example, "server" is set in the time adjustment setting 21 of the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a so as to operate as a time server for providing write time information, and the other time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatuses 1b, 1c, 1d.
The address of the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus 1a is written in the time adjustment setting 21 as the reference destination. Thereby, each device refers to the time server and sets its own clock to the same time as the time server. Also, during the monitoring operation, the time server is referred to and the time difference is adjusted so as not to exceed one frame. With this, each device records the image according to the same time information, so that the images of the plurality of devices can be correctly synchronized during the reproduction operation.

Embodiment 5. An example in which the video device of the present invention is used for recording a television program will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 24a, 24b and 24c are television cameras with a built-in recorder, 18 is a personal computer placed in a monitor room, and 19 is a network. Although many cameras and monitors are used for recording, for example, the TV camera 24a
By storing the linkage information of each camera in, the setting of the entire system can be simplified. By accessing the television camera 24a that holds the association information from the monitor personal computer 18, for example, the association information with the other television cameras 24b and 24c is acquired, and the television camera 24 from the personal computer 18 is acquired.
Settings for monitoring and controlling all of a, 24b, and 24c are possible. In addition, by sharing the link information, inconsistency in settings does not occur, and editing work after recording becomes easy.

【The invention's effect】

According to the invention described in claims 1 to 3, when the surveillance system is composed of a plurality of video devices, images from the plurality of video devices can be arranged and displayed on the same screen. become.

According to the invention described in claims 4 to 6, the operability of the personal computer for monitoring is made equal to that of the system using one video device without performing complicated setting work. be able to.

According to the invention described in claim 7, in a surveillance system using a plurality of video devices, it is possible to easily arrange and display images from a plurality of video devices on the screen of the same television monitor. it can.

According to the invention described in claim 8, it is possible to correctly synchronize the images of the plurality of video devices during the reproducing operation.

According to the invention described in claims 9 to 11,
A video recording system or a monitoring system capable of arranging and displaying images from a plurality of video devices on the same screen can be easily configured.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents of a setting memory of the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of linkage settings stored in a setting memory of the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the flow of information in the monitoring system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an example of a screen display of a monitoring personal computer of the monitoring system of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the flow of information in the monitoring system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of a screen display of a television monitor in the monitoring system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a television program recording system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a conventional monitoring system using a time-lapse recording / reproducing device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the contents of a setting memory of the time-lapse recording / reproducing apparatus in the conventional monitoring system.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing a connection between devices in a conventional monitoring system that uses a time-lapse recording / reproducing device.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a conventional monitoring system including a plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing devices and a plurality of television monitors.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a conventional monitoring system including a plurality of time-lapse recording / reproducing devices and a monitoring personal computer connected to a network.

14 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a personal computer of the conventional monitoring system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d time-lapse recording / reproducing device,
2 CPU, 3 ROM, 4 RAM, 5 setting memory, 6 image compression means, 7 image expansion means,
8 switcher buffer, 9 analog-digital conversion means, 10 digital-analog conversion means, 11
Multiplexer, 12 hard disk drive, 1
3 network interfaces, 14 device settings,
15 network settings, 16,16a1,16a
2,16a3,16a4,16b1,16b2,16b3,1
6b4, 16c1, 16c2, 16c3, 16c4, 16d
1,16d2,16d3,16d4 camera, 17 monitor TV, 18 personal computer, 19 network, 20 link setting, 21 time adjustment setting, 22
Link information, 23 Publishing destination setting, 24a, 24b, 2
4c TV camera.

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tenryu Misawa             2-3 2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Ryo Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C053 FA06 FA12 JA21 JA24 KA24                       LA01 LA06                 5C054 AA02 EA01 EA03 EA05 EA07                       FF03 HA18

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. In a video system including a plurality of video devices each having a network connection function, at least one video device among the plurality of video devices stores association information including at least an address of another video device. A video system characterized by that. 2. The video device has a function of recording and / or reproducing a video, and the association information is stored in an operation setting memory of the at least one video device. The video system according to claim 1. 3. The video device has an intermittent recording function,
The video system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an imaging device is connected, and the association information further includes identification information of the imaging device. 4. The video device further comprising at least one terminal device for receiving the video from the plurality of video devices via a network and displaying the screen, and the video device storing the link information responds to a request from the terminal device. The video system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the link information is transmitted to the terminal device. 5. The video system according to claim 4, wherein the terminal device individually acquires images from the plurality of video devices based on the association information. 6. The video device storing the linkage information acquires a video from another video device based on the linkage information and transfers the video to the terminal device together with the video from its own imaging device in response to a request from the terminal device. The video system according to claim 4, wherein: 7. A display device connected to a video device storing the association information, wherein the video device storing the association information acquires an image from another video device in accordance with the association information, and its own imaging device. The image system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the image system is displayed on the screen of the display device together with the image from the image system. 8. One of the plurality of video devices is set as a time server, and the other video devices adjust their internal clocks based on the time information from the video devices set in the time server. The video system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. A video device connected to at least one other video device via a network, wherein link information including at least the address of the other video device is stored. 10. The video device and the other video device have a function of recording and / or reproducing a video, and the linkage information is stored in an operation setting memory of the video device. The video device according to claim 9. 11. The video device and the other video device have an intermittent recording function and are connected to an imaging device, and the link information further includes identification information of the imaging device. The video device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that.