JP2003283701A - Network camera apparatus and information communication system employing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network camera apparatus that can select itself to act like a supplier of an IP address or a recipient of the IP address and can be compatible with many information communication systems. <P>SOLUTION: The network camera apparatus decides whether it acts like a supplier of an IP address for a PPP (Point to Point Protocol) connection or a recipient of the IP address by switching a setting switch or information stored in a storage section. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network camera device using a public line network and an information communication system using the same, and more particularly to a public line network operated remotely by a user device and inputting a request or an alarm from the user device. The present invention relates to an apparatus for transmitting digital data such as images to an information communication system using the apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, transfer of digital data including image and voice data using a network line has become very common.

These image and sound data are used for various purposes, but many of them are intended for monitoring and observation. Most of these are a combination of a camera, an image processor and a network transmitter, and they function as a so-called "web camera", which allows users to access those devices installed at the location where they want to view images and sounds via the network. You can access and browse images and sounds at remote locations.

Most of these currently commercialized products use TCP / IP as a network protocol stack (software), and a PPP (Point) is provided to access users so that they can operate as image servers themselves. -
to-Point Protocol: RFC1661) and IPCP (The PPP
Many are equipped with a function (dial-up server function) that can provide an IP address by Internet Protocol Control Protocol (RFC1332). One example is AXIS (http://www.axiscom.co.jp/ ) Camera server AX2100.

The fact that the camera server side functions as a dial-up server means that, conversely, the user device (mostly a computer) side that browses the image operates as a dial-up client. The server side provides the IP address to the client device side.

[0006] Although detailed in the RFC, the PPP is widely used especially for one-to-one connection using a public telephone line or the like, and TCP / IP is used.
It exists in the lowest layer of the protocol and is also used when connecting to the Internet by accessing the Internet service provider from a general home via a modem. In this case, the home computer becomes the dial-up client and the dial-up server. The IP address is provided by the Internet service provider.

[0007]

As described above, generally, in a PPP connection, the side that makes the connection request, that is, the “client” receives the IP address from the side that receives the connection request, that is, the “server” side. As a matter of course, a network camera device, a so-called web camera device, functions as a dial-up server like a normal web camera device and is used by a peer-to-peer (one-to-one) connection. If you decide to construct an image transmission system that allows network cameras to be placed on public telephone lines and allows multiple users to view the images captured by these network cameras via the control server, May cause problems.

Regarding the connection between the user device and each network camera device, since the control server needs to process the connection of a plurality of network camera devices at the same time, it is necessary to be able to identify each network camera device. Need to make a connection to donate. Therefore, the network camera device side must operate as the recipient of the IP address.

On the other hand, in the peer-to-peer (PeerToPeer) connection method, which is the most general connection, the network camera device side must operate as a supplier of IP addresses.

In other words, in some cases, the network camera device is used in a peer-to-peer connection, and in some cases, it is also used as one component of the image transmission system. Depending on the information communication system to be constructed, a call is made. It is necessary to arbitrarily set the IP address providing direction, but in the conventional device, consideration for such a point was insufficient.

The present invention has been made under such a background, and its first object is to be able to selectively set the supply or the supply of the IP address, and can be applied to many information communication systems. It is to provide a network camera device.

A second object is to provide a network camera device which automatically makes a call and operates as a supplier of an IP address.

A third object is to provide an information communication system using the above network camera device.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, an image signal input terminal from a built-in camera or an external camera signal, an image compression means, and a compressed image signal are transmitted to a network. It consists of network hardware and network software for driving the network hardware. TCP / IP and PPP (RFC1661) are used for the network software, and IPCP
A network camera device that supplies or receives an IP address according to (RFC1332), and whether the network camera device itself is the IP address supplier or the IP address recipient in the IPCP. It is characterized in that selection means is provided for switching and setting electrical connection for selection.

The invention according to claim 2 is the same as the built-in camera or an image signal input terminal from an external camera signal, an image compression means, and network hardware for transmitting the compressed image signal to a network. It consists of network software for driving network hardware, and TCP / I
IP using P and PPP (RFC1661) and IPCP (RFC1332)
A network camera device that supplies or receives an address, and the network camera device itself is
The CP is characterized by having a storage unit for storing a numerical value for setting whether to be a supplier of the IP address or a recipient of the IP address.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an image signal input terminal from a built-in camera or an external camera signal, image compression means, network hardware for transmitting the compressed image signal to a network, and the same are provided. It consists of network software for driving network hardware, and TCP / I
P, connection and using PPP (RFC1661), a network camera device that supplies or is supplied with an IP address by IPCP (RFC1332), at the time of connection negotiation by the PPP, first request the supply of the IP address, In addition, when the connection destination requests the supply of the IP address, the device itself operates as a supplier of the IP address.

The invention according to a fourth aspect is an information communication system comprising the network camera device according to the first to third aspects.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

This embodiment is applied to a network camera device.
FIG. 1 shows an example in which a switch for setting whether to become a supplier of an IP address or a recipient of an IP address is provided in PPP / IPCP. FIG. 1 shows a network camera device and a user device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block configuration diagram showing a connection state with and having the following configuration.

Reference numeral 101 is an embodiment of a network camera device according to the present invention, 102 is a camera circuit including an image sensor 1021, a signal processing circuit 1022, 103 is an image compression processing 1031, a system control processing 1032, and a processor including a network protocol stack 1033. And
A so-called microcomputer, 104 is a RAM used for buffering image data and calculation of a processor, and 105 is a non-volatile memory for storing programs and setting data of the processor, such as an EEPROM or a FLASH memory. 106 is a network connection circuit,
For example, a modem, TA, PHS data communication card, etc. A LAN connection circuit such as Ethernet (registered trademark) may be used. 107 is an external alarm signal input terminal. 1
Reference numeral 08 denotes an external video input signal terminal, which is used to transmit a video signal from an external video device such as an external camera, not an image obtained from the camera block 102. 1
Reference numeral 09 is a setting switch. With this switch, whether to become an IP address supplier in PPP and IPCP connection,
Alternatively, set whether to be the recipient of the IP address. 1
Reference numeral 10 denotes an image data storage circuit, which is a circuit for storing a video signal obtained from a camera circuit or an external video device, such as a FLASH memory, a hard disk and a control circuit thereof. 111 is a user device or a control server.

Like the conventional network camera device, this device transmits an image obtained from a camera circuit or an external image device to a user device or a control server according to a command or setting from the network.
The direction in which the IP address is provided is set as follows in the setting switch state 1 and state 2. State 1: Acts as an IP address provider regardless of the direction of the call. State 2: Acts as the recipient of the IP address regardless of the direction of the call.

According to the above, when the network camera device is used by the peer-to-peer connection, the setting switch is set to the state 1, and when it is also used as one component of the image transmission system of FIG. 3 described later, the setting switch is set. By setting the state 2, the common device can be used for both.

In place of the above switch, FLAS
Even when a non-volatile memory such as an H memory stores each numerical value for setting the selection of whether to be the supplier of the IP address or the recipient of the IP address, the same effect as in the above embodiment is obtained. Is obtained.

For example, in the case where a numerical value in the case of becoming a supplier of an IP address and a numerical value in the case of being a recipient of an IP address are stored in a non-volatile memory in advance and a network camera device or a network connection circuit is activated, By controlling according to the value read from the memory, when connecting to the network, become the supplier of the IP address,
Alternatively, it is possible to set the selection of whether to be the recipient of the IP address.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, in the case of connection negotiation by PPP, when the connection partner first requests the supply of the IP address, and the connection destination also requests the supply of the IP address, the device itself supplies the IP address. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control processing steps, which is an example of performing the operation.

It is needless to say that the software including the control processing steps is included in the program of the processor 103 in FIG.

The flow of control processing will be described below with reference to FIG. The connection by PPP roughly consists of five phases. These are the physical line connection shown in S201, the link layer connection shown in S202, the authentication shown in S203, the network layer connection shown in S204, and the actual communication start shown in S205.

In the negotiation in the link layer connection in S202, an agreement is made with respect to the authentication method used in S203, the protocol field of the PPP frame, the propriety of compression of the address field, the MRU (maximum received data length), and the like. In the authentication of S203, whether the communication partner is a proper partner is authenticated by the method determined when connecting the link layer. In general, PAP (Password
Authentication Protocol RFC1334) and CHAP (Chal
lenge Handshake Authentication Protocol CHAP RFC19
94 or MS-CHAP RFC2433) is used.

When the authentication phase ends, the process moves to the network layer connection negotiation phase of S204. In the network layer negotiation
IPCP (Internet Protocol Control Protocol) is used to determine the IP address to be used and decide whether to compress the TCP / IP header.

In this embodiment, the setting of the IP address will be described. In the network layer connection negotiation, this device first requests the supply of an IP address as shown in S204a. Specifically, an IPCP setting request packet is transmitted with an IP address of 0.0.0.0. At this time,
The connection destination also transmits an IP address setting request packet (not shown) to this device, and this device performs a receiving operation. Depending on the connection partner, this apparatus may transmit the IP address request packet (not shown) before transmitting the IP address 0 setting request packet, but the order of transmission and reception may be first. .

When the reception of the IP address setting request packet from the connection destination is completed, this apparatus checks the contents of the connection destination IP address setting request shown in S204b. IP
When all the address values are 0, it is determined that the supply of the IP address is requested, and the process proceeds to S204c. If the IP address is not 0, the IP address of the connection destination is registered with that address, and the process proceeds to S204d and waits for the IP address to be supplied from the other party.

If the process proceeds to S204c, the IP address of the device itself is set to a value prepared in advance in a non-volatile memory or the like. Then, the IP address for the connection partner prepared in advance is transmitted to the connection destination as a setting negation packet. When the connection destination makes a setting request with the value specified in the setting negation packet, the IP address is retransmitted as a setting confirmation packet, and the mutual IP addresses are fixed. This shifts to the communication start phase of S205.

When the process proceeds to S204d, the setting negation packet from the connection destination is received, the IP address set therein is registered as the IP address of this apparatus, and the process proceeds to the communication start phase of S205.

As described above, the network camera device detects that the IP address is requested by receiving the setting request packet with the IP address of 0 from the connection destination, and supplies the IP address to the connection destination. It can be used for general peer-to-peer connection. Further, in the negotiation of the network layer, it operates so as to first request the supply of the IP address, so that even if it is used as a component of the image transmission system of FIG. can do.

Next, a detailed system of image transmission / information communication using the network camera of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is an image transmission system in which a plurality of network camera devices are arranged on a public telephone line, and the images picked up by these network camera devices can be viewed by a plurality of users via a control server. It is a block configuration diagram showing an example.

In the figure, 201 is a control server, 202, 203, 204 and 205 are network camera devices, 206 is a data storage means, 207 is an alarm device, 208 is a PHS or cellular radio telephone network, and 209 is an ISDN line. Network, 210 is a general analog network, 211 is a protocol converter, 212 is a terminal adapter or dial-up router device, 213 is an internet network, 214 is a user or user device,
Reference numeral 215 is a data storage means in the control server.

In the figure, there are network camera devices, so-called web camera devices, which are connected to the control server 201 by a wired and public telephone line, and each network camera device and the control server 2 are provided.
01 indicates that the IP address is supplied or supplied by the PPP connection. It is not necessary for all the webcams to have a common function. For example, inside the camera 202,
There is a local data storage means 206 and the camera 20
2 autonomously stores the collection of image data in this storage means, and the control server can transmit the data in this storage means to its own storage means 215 if necessary. Further, the camera 203 has a function of being connected to the alarm device 207, receives an alarm signal from this alarm device, connects to the control server by itself, and transmits image data to the control server.

As described above, the control server and each camera device are connected by the public telephone line network, but here, the PHS or the cellular radio telephone line network 20 is used.
8, the ISDN line network 209, and the general analog line network 210. The respective line networks are connected by the protocol converter 211, and although there are differences in the transmission speeds, mutual transmission of data transmission is free.

The control server and the ISDN network are
Although connected by TA (terminal adapter) or dial-up router device 212, a plurality of lines are prepared according to the number of camera devices to be managed.

On the other hand, the control server is also connected to the Internet network 213, and the user or the user device 214 can browse the image data collected by each camera device via the control server via the Internet. .

FIG. 4 shows a call originating from the public telephone line network and PP.
It is four schematic diagrams (a)-(d) regarding the provision direction of the IP address by P and IPCP. In the figure, 30
5, 306, 307 and 308 are network camera devices, and 309, 310, 311 and 312 are public telephone line networks. Also, arrows 313, 314, 315, 316
Indicates the direction of calling, and arrows 317, 318, 319, 3
Reference numeral 20 indicates the direction of IP address provision by PPP and IPCP. Reference numerals 321, 322, 323, and 324 are user devices that browse the images of the network camera device, and correspond to computers, PDAs, mobile phones, and the like.

In FIG. 4A, the user device 321 calls the network camera device 305 to make a call, and the network camera device serves as a dial-up server to provide an IP address to the user device side. This is the most common call origination and delivery direction shown in the conventional example. In this case, the only function required on the user device side is the dial-up client function. It is a function supported by PDA.

In FIG. 4B, conversely, the network camera device 306 makes a call to the user device 322 to make a call, and the user device functions as a dial-up server.
Provide an IP address to the network camera device side. This is especially true when, for example, an alarm signal is generated on the camera side,
The image at that time is transmitted to the user device,
This is an essential connection method in a system intended for monitoring.In this case, the function required on the user device side is the dial-up server function, but a consumer personal computer or a personal computer that is not considered to be used as a server. PD
A may not be supported.

FIG. 4C shows a special case in which the calling user device side provides an IP address to the camera device, but the user device side provides a plurality of camera devices, for example, camera 1 and camera 2. This is a connection that is necessary to distinguish the two when they are connected simultaneously.

Although FIG. 4D is also a special case, as in FIG. 4B, an alarm signal is generated on the camera device side and an image at that time is transmitted to the user device. This is a connection required when the user device side has only a dial-up client function.

The connection relationship between the user device and each network camera device in FIG. 4 is exactly the same as the connection between the control server and each network camera device in FIG. 3, but the control server is a plurality of network camera devices. Since it is necessary to process the connections at the same time, it is necessary to be able to identify each network camera device, and it is necessary to make the connection that provides the IP address by itself, that is, the connection shown in FIGS. From a network camera device side, this is
This means that you must act as the addressee.

On the other hand, as described above, the most general connection is peer-to-peer (PeerToPee) according to the method of FIG.
r) A connection method, which means that the network camera device side must operate as a supplier of IP addresses.

That is, if a certain network camera device is used by a peer-to-peer connection in some cases, and if it is also used as one component of the image transmission system as shown in FIG. Although it is necessary to be able to arbitrarily set the address supply direction, the network camera device of the present invention can flexibly deal with each of such connection forms.

[0050]

According to the present invention, a network camera device using a public line can be switched and used for peer-to-peer connection with common hardware or connection as a component of an image transmission system.

Further, the network camera device can automatically make a call and become a supplier of the IP address and connect to the dial-up server of the other party.

As described above, since the network camera device can be a supplier or a recipient of an IP address, it is possible to construct an information communication system compatible with a wide range of user devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a device configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control flow of an IP address supply operation according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an image transmission system.

[Figure 4] Schematic diagram of calling and IP address provision direction

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... One embodiment of network camera device according to the present invention, 102 ... Camera circuit, 1021 ... Image sensor, 10
22 ... Signal processing circuit, 103 ... Processor or microcomputer, 1031 ... Image compression processing, 1032 ... System control processing, 1033 ... Network protocol stack, 1
04 ... RAM, 105 ... Non-volatile memory, 106 ... Network connection circuit, 107 ... External alarm signal input terminal, 108 ... External video input signal terminal, 109 ... Setting switch, 110 ... Image data storage circuit, 111 ... User device or control Server, 201 ... Control server, 202, 203, 204, 205 ... Network camera device, 206 ... Data storage means, 207
... Alarm device, 208 ... PHS or cellular radio telephone network, 209 ... ISDN network, 210 ... General analog network, 211 ... Protocol converter, 212 ... Terminal adapter or dial-up router device, 213 ... Internet network, 214 ... User or user device, 215 ... Data storage means in control server, 305, 306, 307, 308 ... Network camera device, 309, 310, 311, 312 ... Public telephone network, arrows 313, 314, 315, 316 ... Call direction, arrows 317, 318, 319, 320 ... Direction of IP address provision by PPP and IPCP, 321, 32
2,323,324 ... User device

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5C022 AA12 AB65 AC69                 5C064 BA07 BB03 BB05 BC10 BC16                       BC20 BC25 BD03 BD08                 5K101 KK03 KK13 LL03 LL12 MM06                       NN06 NN18 PP02 RR12 RR22                       UU18

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image signal input terminal from a built-in camera or an external camera signal, image compression means, network hardware for transmitting a compressed image signal to a network, and for driving the network hardware. The network camera device, which uses TCP / IP and PPP (RFC1661) for the network software and supplies or receives an IP address by IPCP (RFC1332), the network camera device itself being A network camera device provided with a selection means for switching and setting an electrical connection for selecting whether to be a supplier of an IP address or a recipient of an IP address in the IPCP. 2. A built-in camera or an image signal input terminal from an external camera signal, an image compression means, network hardware for transmitting a compressed image signal to a network, and for driving the network hardware. The network camera device, which uses TCP / IP and PPP (RFC1661) for the network software and supplies or receives an IP address by IPCP (RFC1332), the network camera device itself being A network camera device characterized by comprising a storage unit for storing a numerical value for setting selection of whether to be an IP address supplier or an IP address recipient in the IPCP. 3. An internal camera or an image signal input terminal from an external camera signal, an image compression means, network hardware for transmitting the compressed image signal to a network, and for driving the network hardware. A network camera device which comprises TCP / IP, connection and PPP (RFC1661) for the network software, and which supplies or receives an IP address by IPCP (RFC1332), the connection negotiation by the PPP. When requesting the supply of an IP address first, and the connection destination also requests the supply of an IP address,
A network camera device characterized in that it operates as a supplier of an IP address. 4. An information communication system comprising the network camera device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.