JP2003289529A - Monitor camera system and control programs for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitor camera system which can easily designate a monitored color. <P>SOLUTION: The system is provided with a camera, a display 8 for displaying moving images captured by the camera, an image processing portion 12 for switching the moving images displayed on the display to a static image, and a detected color storing portion 34 for storing a detected color designated by a user on a static image. By comparing the moving images captured by the camera and the detected color information stored in the detected color storing portion 34, a monitored object is detected on the moving images captured by the camera. <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 surveillance camera system. The present invention also relates to a control program for the surveillance camera system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, as a function of a surveillance camera, a function of finding or tracking a specific color is desired. Such a function can be used by parents, for example, by detecting that an infant wearing red clothes enters a dangerous place, or by tracking the color of the child's clothes with a surveillance camera installed in a school or a nursery school. It is useful in that the behavior can be monitored at home or in the office.

[0003]

However, in order to detect or track a specific color, it is necessary to store the target color in advance. Although there is a method of selecting from the sample colors for specifying the color, it is generally difficult to select the sample color that matches the actual color.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surveillance camera system capable of easily specifying information regarding a surveillance target such as color information.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a control program for a surveillance camera system that can easily specify information about a surveillance target such as color information.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the surveillance camera system according to the present invention is
A camera and means for displaying moving images taken by the camera,
In response to a predetermined operation, a means for switching the moving image displayed on the display means to a still image, a means for storing information on a monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image, and an image taken by a camera. , By comparing with the information about the monitoring target stored by the storage means,
And a detection unit that detects a monitoring target on an image captured by a camera.

In such a system, since the information regarding the monitoring target can be designated in the still image state, the user can easily designate the information. The captured image used to detect the monitoring target by the detection unit is not limited to a moving image, and may be a still image.

Although color information is most suitable as the information regarding the monitoring target, the type of information regarding the monitoring target does not limit the present invention. For example, it is possible to specify the face of a person.

According to a second aspect of the surveillance camera system of the present invention, a plurality of cameras, a means for displaying a moving image photographed by at least one camera, and a display means for displaying the moving image in response to a predetermined operation. Means for switching the moving image to a still image, means for storing information on the monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image, images captured by a plurality of cameras, and the monitoring target stored by the storage means. It is characterized by further comprising: detection means for detecting a monitoring target on images captured by a plurality of cameras by comparing the information with the information.

In such a system, the information (for example, color information) on the monitoring target designated on the still image captured by one camera can be used to detect the monitoring target on the image captured by another camera.

A first aspect of the control program according to the present invention is a control program for a surveillance camera system comprising a camera and means for displaying a moving image photographed by the camera, in response to a predetermined operation, By switching the moving image displayed on the display means to a still image, storing the information regarding the monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image, and comparing the image captured by the camera with the information regarding the monitoring target, It is characterized in that the monitoring target is detected on the image taken by the camera.

A second aspect of the control program according to the present invention is a control program for a surveillance camera system comprising a plurality of cameras and means for displaying a moving image photographed by at least one camera. In response, the moving image displayed on the display means is switched to a still image, information regarding the monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image is stored, and images captured by a plurality of cameras and information regarding the monitoring target are stored. Is compared with each other to detect a monitoring target on images captured by a plurality of cameras.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A surveillance camera system according to the present invention comprises at least one camera and a display section for displaying a video image captured by the camera, and displays a moving image on the display section during monitoring to set a color to be monitored. This is for switching a moving image to a still image and allowing the user to specify a color on the still image. Figure 1
It is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a surveillance camera system concerning the present invention for realizing such a function. Figure 2
It is a control block diagram of the surveillance camera system of FIG.

More specifically, the surveillance camera system 2 generally includes one or more (four in the example shown in the figure) for monitoring one or more (four in the example shown in the figure) monitoring areas E1 to E4. Security camera device 4 (4A, 4B, 4C, 4)
D) (hereinafter, simply referred to as a camera), a control unit 6 equipped with a program for performing processing such as monitoring / tracking by a plurality of cameras 4 and setting of detection colors, and monitoring areas E1 to E
Sensors S1 to S4 respectively provided in the display 4, a display 8 capable of simultaneously displaying monitoring images of the four cameras 4, and an input device 9 for a user to input an appropriate instruction to the control unit 6. Equipped with. As will be described later, each camera 4 performs a normal monitoring operation of patrol the monitoring areas E1 to E4 in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 6, and a centralized monitoring for centrally monitoring an abnormality in a specific monitoring area. Either a monitoring operation or a tracking operation for tracking an object is performed.

The control unit 6 manages various information related to each camera 4, an instruction unit 10 that controls the visual field of each camera 4, an image processing unit 12 that processes an image transmitted from the camera 4, and a variety of information. Multiple camera status management unit 14 and sensor S1
To S4 corresponding to the monitoring areas E1 to E4 (for example, the information that the sensor S3 is in the monitoring area E3) stores the sensor / monitoring area information storage unit 16
And a set time storage unit 18 for storing various times set by the user via the input device 9, such as a traveling time, a tracking execution time, and a scanning time (these will be described later). Camera 4
When the image data is sent from the image processing unit 12 to the image processing unit 12, the image data is stored in the image storage unit 19. Based on the data in the image storage unit 19, moving image data or still image data is transmitted from the image processing unit 12 to the display 8.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the display 8 has a selection menu so that the user can select either a monitoring mode for allowing the system 2 to monitor or a setting mode for performing various settings when the system is activated. The screen is displayed. As a setting mode, as shown in FIG. 3B, a user selects an arbitrary area as a monitoring area, and a “monitoring area setting” menu for setting the field of view of the camera so that the angle of view captures the monitoring area. , "Circulation order" menu for setting the order in which each camera travels, "Course time setting" menu for setting the patrol time in each surveillance area, and detection of abnormalities in the surveillance area A “detection color setting” menu is provided for setting the detection color when color detection is used for this purpose. The setting of the monitoring area, the patrol order, and the patrol time is described in detail in the “monitoring camera system and the control program for the monitoring camera system” filed on the same day as the present application by the present applicant, and will not be described here.

In the monitoring mode, the switching of the images displayed in the blocks divided into four on the display 8 by the circulation may be performed by fixing the display blocks assigned to each camera as shown in FIG. 4 (a). (For example, the image captured by the camera 4A is always displayed in the upper left block.) Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4B, the display block assigned to each monitoring area may be fixed (for example, the monitoring area). The image of E1 is always displayed in the upper left block.) In addition, the patrol method shown in FIG.
This is a case where each camera circulates synchronously so as not to monitor the same surveillance area, but each camera may circulate the surveillance area independently.

As shown in FIG. 5, the information managed by the multi-camera status management unit 14 includes, for each camera 4, the coordinates of the installation position of the camera 4 in the system and the monitoring areas Ei (i.
= 1 to 4), the current field of view of the camera 4, the user selection information indicating the selection information when the user gives an instruction to select the camera 4 via the input device 9, and the like. The information of the monitoring area Ei includes the field of view information of the camera 4 for capturing the area Ei at the angle of view and the monitoring area Ei.
A method for monitoring i, a number “n” (n = 1 to 4) indicating the patrol order of the monitoring area Ei (for example, the camera 4A is
The monitoring area E3 per round is monitored "2". ) Is included. The visual field information of each camera 4 for capturing the surveillance area Ei at the angle of view is set in the setting mode. As the monitoring method, motion detection is selected unless the user sets a detection color in the "color detection setting" menu.

Each camera 4 is a pan / tilt camera having a tracking function and a zoom function, and as shown in FIG.
To manage the actuator 20 that changes the pan / tilt angle and the photographing magnification according to the instruction from the instruction unit 10, the image abnormality detection unit 22 that detects an abnormality in the image captured by the camera 4, and various information related to the camera Camera state management unit 24. In the present application, to control the visual field of the camera,
It also includes control for changing the photographing magnification as necessary. Each camera 4 has a sensor S1 in a certain monitoring area E1 to E4.
Input terminals (not shown) are provided for receiving signals from S4. The detection signal of the sensor is transmitted to the camera state management unit 24 via the input terminal of the camera. The detection signal of the sensor may be directly transmitted to the instruction unit 10. In the example of FIG. 1, the signals from the sensors S1 to S4 are the cameras 4A to 4D, respectively.
Sent to.

The image abnormality detecting unit 22 detects the moving object on the image based on the difference between the image frames.
6, a color detection unit 28 that detects the color set in the setting mode on the image, and a lens cover detection unit 30 that detects that the lens of the camera 4 is covered by something.

The information managed by the camera status management unit 24 of each camera 4 includes "image abnormality detection information" indicating whether or not the image abnormality detection unit 22 detects an abnormality, and a detection signal is transmitted to the camera 4. "Sensor abnormality detection information" indicating whether or not the sensor S has detected an abnormality, "tracking execution information" indicating whether or not the camera 4 is tracking, and the like are included. These pieces of information are appropriately referred to by the instruction unit 10 as described later.

The sensor may be installed in a place other than the monitoring area. In other words, the sensor is used even in an area which is not imaged in the normal traveling of the camera 4 (in the example of the figure, S5 in the areas E5 and E6,
2) of S6) (hereinafter referred to as a sensor outside the monitoring area) is provided, and when the sensor detects an abnormality, the camera 4 intensively captures the area where the abnormality is detected.
Corresponding to the sensor outside the monitoring area, the control unit 6 is provided with a sensor state management unit 32 that manages “outside area sensor abnormality detection information” indicating whether or not an abnormality is detected by the sensor.

The input device 9 includes a selection key for selecting a camera for determining a detection color, a switching key for switching a moving image to a still image, and a determination for determining a designated candidate color as a detection color or canceling the determination. Includes a release key, a mouse for moving the cursor on the display 8 and the like. When setting the detection color, the image processing unit 12 enlarges and displays only the moving image of the selected camera on the display 8 when any of the cameras is selected by the selection key. Then, when the switch key is pressed, the image processing unit 12 switches the moving image to the still image. Further, when an arbitrary point of the still image is designated by the cursor and the mouse is clicked, the color of the designated point is blinked as the designated color together with the approximate color of the color of the designated point. Further, the designated color is stored as the detected color in the detected color storage unit 34 of the display control unit 6 by the operation of the enter key. The moving image data and the still image data stored in the image storage unit 19 are digital data in which, for example, YUV format color data is represented in 256 steps (8 bits) of 0 to 255. The image processing unit 12 extracts the color data of the peripheral pixels (for example, 10 pixels) around the point designated by the cursor, and stores it in the detected color storage unit 34 as the detected color data together with the approximate color data. There is.
For example, if the color data designated by the cursor is Y: 150,
In the case of U: 70 and V: 80, the image processing unit 12 sets the upper limit and the lower limit, that is, Y: (13
5, 165), U: (55, 85), V: (65, 9)
5) is stored in the detected color storage unit 34. The same applies when another format is used as the color notation format, for example, the RGB format.

As will be described later, the selection key of the input device 9 is also used in the monitoring mode to indicate the centralized monitoring area to the instruction unit 10 based on the image displayed on the display 8. At this time, the instruction unit 10 controls the field of view of the camera so that the monitoring area displayed on the specific camera is centrally monitored by a plurality of cameras. The input device 9 further includes a forced end key for forcibly ending the monitoring and tracking operations in the monitoring mode.

Next, referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 which are flow charts showing an example of processing for setting the detection color, and FIG. 9 which shows a screen displayed on the display 8 when setting the detection color. A method of setting the detection color will be described. In the description below, the color of the clothes of the child is set as the detected color. First, in step S1, "detection color setting" is selected from the setting menu. In step S2, the user uses the input device 9 to set the detection colors of the cameras (4A to 4D).
Any one of the above) is selected and the moving image captured by the selected camera is displayed on the display 8. In step S3, the user controls the visual field of the selected camera via the input device 9 so as to capture the clothing of the child, which is the target color target.

In step S4, when the user designates an arbitrary point on the display screen with the cursor C [FIG. 9 (a)], in step S5, the designation section 10 brings the designated point to the center of the angle of view. The attitude of the selected camera is controlled as shown in FIG.
(B)]. The reason why the color target is moved to substantially the center of the display screen is to prevent the color target from coming off the display screen even when zooming up in step S6.

In step S6, the instruction unit 10 changes the photographing magnification to enlarge the image around the designated point, and the image processing unit 12 stops the moving image display and displays a still image on the display 8 [Fig. 9 (c)]. By displaying the still screen in this way, the user can easily specify the detection color. Also, by enlarging the screen, the user can more easily specify the detection color. In step S7, when the user specifies a part of the child's clothes with the cursor C on the still screen, the flow is step S8 in FIG.
Proceed to. In steps S8 and S9, the image processing unit 12 temporarily sets the data of the designated color in the detected color storage unit 34 as the designated color by combining the colors of the peripheral pixels of the designated point and the colors of the peripheral pixels of the designated point. To memorize. In this way, by giving a width to the color specified by the cursor, it is possible to set not only a part of the clothes of the child but the entire clothes of the child as the color target even if the clothes of the child do not have a uniform color. It will be possible.

In step S10, the image processing section 12 causes the designated color around the designated point to blink. Step S11
If the user gives an instruction to determine the designated color that is blinkingly displayed as the detected color through the input device 9, the step S12
Then, the designated color data temporarily stored in the detected color storage unit 34 is stored as detected color data.
The detected color data is referred to by the instruction unit 10 when the system 2 performs monitoring and tracking.

In step S13, the image processing unit 12 restores the photographing magnification changed in step S6 to the original value, and then in step S13.
At 14, the still image is switched to the moving image, and the detection color setting flow ends.

If the user does not specify on the still screen for a certain period of time in step S7 (step S15), the process proceeds to step S13, in which the photographing magnification is initialized and the moving image is switched.

In step S11, when the user releases the blinking designated color via the input device 9, the process returns to step S7 and returns to the color designation standby state on the still screen.

In the above-described detection color setting method, in addition to the color object having the detection color, an object of the same color included in the background can also be the monitoring object. However, if the moving object detection is performed together with the color detection, the detection color Only moving objects with can be monitored.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are flow charts showing a modified example of the detection color setting method shown in FIGS. In step S6 of FIG. 7, the instruction unit 10 changes the photographing magnification to enlarge the image around the designated point, and then the image processing unit 12
Stopped displaying the moving image and displayed a still image on the display 8, but in step S6 ′ of FIG.
After switching from a moving image to a still image, cuts out and enlarges still image data around a designated point. In this case, the instruction unit 10 does not need to change the photographing magnification of the camera corresponding to step S13 of FIG. 8, and after storing the detected color in the detected color storage unit 34 in step S12 as shown in FIG. In step S14, the still image is switched to the moving image.

12 to 17 are flowcharts showing an example of processing for monitoring by the monitoring camera system according to this embodiment. Specifically, when an abnormality is detected in any of the plurality of monitoring areas, the fields of view of the plurality of cameras are controlled so that the same monitoring area is monitored by the plurality of cameras from multiple directions. Referring also to FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6, first, in step S1201, the system is activated to cause the display 8 to display a selection menu. In step S1202, the monitor mode is selected from the selection menu displayed on the display 8 to display the monitor video on the display 8.

In step S1203, the instruction unit 10 selects the camera N (= 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D) for which the field of view control is performed, and in step S1204, the multiple camera state management unit 14 manages each camera N. Referring to the “patrol order number” and “camera field-of-view information” in the monitoring area, the actuator 20 of the camera N is controlled according to these information,
Thus, the field of view of the camera N includes the surveillance area to be visited first. In step S1205, the instruction unit 1
0 refers to the “monitoring method (moving object detection or color detection) information” of each monitoring area information managed by the multi-camera state management unit 14 for the camera N, and instructs the camera N on the monitoring method according to this information. Until the instruction of the field of view / monitoring method of the cameras other than the camera N is completed, steps S1203 to S1203
1205 is repeated (step S1206). When the field of view / monitoring method instructions for all the cameras are completed (that is, each camera first starts photographing the monitoring area to be visited), the flow proceeds to step S1207.

When the user issues a monitoring stop command through the input device 9 before the patrol time at the current patrol position is finished in step S1207 (step S1208), the display 8 displays a selection menu which is an initial screen. (Step S1209).

When the patrol time at the current patrol position is finished in step S1207, the process returns to step S1203 and the field of view of each camera is controlled so as to monitor the surveillance area to be visited next (steps S1203 to S1206).

If the instruction unit 10 has not received a monitoring stop command from the user before the patrol time at the current patrol position ends in step S1207, the process advances to step S1210. In step S1210, the “image / sensor abnormality detection information” of the camera state management unit 24 of each camera 4 is confirmed during the patrol at the current patrol position.

More specifically, referring to the subroutine of FIG. 13, first, in step S1301, the instruction unit 10 sequentially refers to the "image abnormality detection information" of the camera state management unit 24 of each camera 4. If it is confirmed in step S1302 that the camera 4 has detected an abnormality, the flow proceeds to step S1303. Regarding step S1302, the monitoring flow of each camera will be described later with reference to FIG. In step S1303, the area currently monitored by the camera in which the abnormality has been detected is set as the "centralized monitoring area", and this camera is set as the "reference camera", and the flow for confirming the abnormality detection information ends.

If no abnormality is detected in step S1302, the flow proceeds to step S1304. Step S
In 1304, the instruction unit 10 sequentially refers to “(in-area) sensor abnormality detection information” of the camera state management unit 24 in each camera 4, and also refers to “out-of-area sensor abnormality detection information” of the sensor state management unit 32. refer.

If an abnormality is detected in step S1305, the flow proceeds to step S1306. Step S1
In 306, the instruction unit 10 refers to the information on the monitoring area stored in the sensor / monitoring area information storage unit 16 and sets the monitoring area in which the detected sensor is arranged as the “centralized monitoring area”, and the abnormality is detected. The flow for confirming the detection information ends.

If no abnormality is detected in step S1305, the flow proceeds to step S1307. Step S
At 1307, the instruction unit 10 causes the multiple camera state management unit 14 to
Refer to the "user selection information" of each camera 4 managed in.

If the selection of the camera 4 by the user is detected in step S1308, the flow is step S1309.
Proceed to. In step S1309, the instruction unit 10 sets the area currently monitored by the camera selected by the user as the “centralized monitoring area”, sets this camera as the “reference camera”, and confirms the abnormality detection information. To finish.

If the selection of the camera 4 by the user is not detected in step S1308, the flow for confirming the abnormality detection information ends.

FIG. 14 shows the monitoring flow of each camera.
First, in step S1401, each camera 4 determines whether the instruction unit 1
In response to a monitoring method and a command for field-of-view control to the monitoring area from 0, the actuator 20 directs the camera field of view to the monitoring area, and the image abnormality detection unit 22 starts monitoring. Step S
In 1402, when the image abnormality detection unit 22 of a camera 4 detects an abnormality on the image, the process proceeds to step S1403,
The presence of an abnormality is recorded in the “image abnormality detection information” of the camera state management unit 24 of the camera 4, and the monitoring flow is ended. As described above, the “image abnormality detection information” of each camera 4 is for the instruction unit 10 to appropriately refer to for the purpose of finding an abnormality on the image. Step S1402
Then, if the image abnormality detection unit 22 does not detect an abnormality on the image, the flow proceeds to step S1404. Step S1
In 404, when each camera 4 receives a signal from the sensor of the corresponding monitoring area (for example, when the camera 4B receives a signal from the sensor S2 of the monitoring area E2), the process proceeds to step S1403, and the camera of the camera 4 concerned. The presence of an abnormality is recorded in the "sensor abnormality detection information" of the state management unit 24, and the monitoring flow ends. As described above, the “sensor abnormality detection information” of each camera 4 is referred to by the instruction unit 10 as appropriate for the purpose of finding an abnormality by the sensor. In step S1404, each camera 4
However, if no signal is received from the sensor in the corresponding monitoring area, the process returns to step S1402, and the image abnormality detection unit 22
The abnormality detection on the image is performed.

Returning to FIG. 12, in step S1211, if the centralized monitoring area is not set in step S1210, the process returns to step S1203 to control the field of view of each camera so as to monitor the monitoring area to be visited next (step S1203). ~ S1206).

In step S1211, step S121
If the centralized monitoring area is set to 0, step S1
Proceed to 212 to start the centralized monitoring control flow.

The centralized monitoring control flow will be described with reference to the subroutine of FIG. In the following description, the monitoring area E
It is assumed that 4 is set as the "centralized monitoring area".

First, in step S1501, the camera N which controls the visual field to the set centralized monitoring area E4 is selected. The camera N concentrates when the “reference camera” is set in the confirmation flow of abnormality detection information in FIG. 12 (that is, when an abnormality on the image obtained by the camera 4 is detected, or when the user looks at the display 8 and concentrates). It is one of the three cameras excluding the reference camera, when the "reference camera" is not set (that is, when the sensor detects an abnormality), and is one of the four cameras (when the monitoring area is designated). However, if any camera is monitoring the monitoring area where the sensor detects anomaly, this camera is excluded.)

In step S1502, the instruction unit 10 refers to the information managed by the plural camera state management unit 14, and controls the visual field to the centralized monitoring area according to the visual field information that directs the camera N to the centralized monitoring area E4. The actuator 20 of the camera N is instructed. Steps S1501 and S1
Repeat 502 for the remaining cameras,
Control the centralized monitoring area E4 (step S150
3) (All the images displayed on the display 8 are switched to the monitoring area E4 as shown in FIG. 18), and the centralized monitoring control flow ends.

Returning to FIG. 12, after the centralized monitoring control flow ends, the tracking flow by the plurality of cameras 4 is started (step S1213).

The tracking flow will be described with reference to the subroutine of FIG. When the setting of the centralized monitoring area E4 is based on the color detection of the image obtained by the reference camera in step S1601, the process proceeds to step S1602, and the target detection method at the time of tracking is set to color detection (that is, abnormality detection of the remaining cameras). Set the method to color detection.). Step S1601
Then, when the setting of the centralized monitoring area E4 is based on other than the color detection of the image obtained by the reference camera (that is, when the moving object detection of the image obtained by the reference camera is performed, or when the abnormality detection of the sensor S4 of the monitoring area E4 is performed. , And when the user specifies the centralized monitoring area), the process proceeds to step S1603,
The object detection method during tracking is set to moving body detection (that is, the abnormality detection method for all cameras is set to moving body detection).

In step S1604, the instruction unit 10 instructs each camera 4 to start tracking by the tracking method set in step S1602 or S1603. Step S16
Unless the user instructs the tracking stop via the input device 9 in 05, the instruction unit 10 refers to the “tracking execution information” of the camera state management unit 24 of each camera, and each camera is currently tracking. Check if you are doing. If at least one camera is being tracked in step S1607, the tracking is continued, and if all the cameras stop tracking, the tracking flow is ended. After that, FIG.
As shown in step S1203, the system restarts patrol monitoring by a plurality of cameras. Step S16
Even when the user gives an instruction to end the tracking in 05, the system ends the tracking operation and restarts the patrol monitoring by the plurality of cameras.

FIG. 17 shows a tracking flow of each camera 4. In step S1701, each camera 4 has the instruction unit 10
A tracking method command is received from and tracking is started. Step S
At 1702, the tracking start is recorded in the “tracking execution information” of the camera information management unit 24 of each camera 4. Step S170
In 3, the tracking is performed until the tracking target is lost (that is, when the tracking target moves out of the angle of view) or until the tracking execution time stored in the set time storage unit 18 has passed. Tracking is stopped in step S1704, and “tracking execution information” of the camera information management unit 24 of each camera 4 in step S1705.
The tracking stop is recorded in, and the tracking flow in each camera ends.

The specific embodiments according to the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these, and various modifications can be made. For example, the image abnormality detection unit 2 mounted in the camera 4
0 and the camera state management unit 24 may be provided on the control unit 6 side.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the monitor mode and the setting mode are separately prepared as the selection menu, but it is possible to forcibly perform the color monitoring by receiving the setting command of the detected color from the user in the monitoring mode. You may do it.

In FIG. 19, the detection color is set during patrol monitoring,
It is a flow chart which shows an example of processing for monitoring and tracking with this detection color. Referring also to FIG. 2, step S1
At 901, the system 2 is performing patrol monitoring (see FIG. 1).
2 in steps S1203 to S1211).
If the user gives a detection color setting instruction to the instruction unit 10 in 1902, the flow proceeds to step S1903. In step S1903, the detection color is set. The detection color is set by the same method as described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, and the detection color information is recorded in the detection color storage unit 34.

In step S1904, the instruction unit 10 sets the monitoring method of each camera 4 to color detection. Step S1
At 905, based on the detected color information recorded in the detected color storage unit 34, each camera starts tracking if an object having a detected color (for example, a child) enters the angle of view, and if it leaves the angle of view, the tracking starts. To stop.

In step S1906, step S190
When the user forcibly ends the monitoring with the detection color set in step 3, the field of view of each camera returns to the state at the time of patrol monitoring before receiving the detection color setting instruction in step S1902, and step S1908. Then, the monitoring method of each camera returns to the state at the time of patrol monitoring. In this flow, the system returns to the patrol monitoring state only when the user forcibly terminates the detection color monitoring in step 1906, but the detection color monitoring starts (after the detection color setting in step S1803) for a certain period of time. You may make it return to the state at the time of patrol monitoring after progress.

[0061]

According to the present invention, information (for example, color information) regarding a monitoring target can be designated in a still image state, and thus a monitoring camera system which is convenient for the user can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a surveillance camera system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the surveillance camera system of FIG.

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a display screen when the system is activated.
(B) The figure which shows a setting menu screen.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a display screen when a display block assigned to each camera is fixed and switched. (B)
The figure which shows the display screen at the time of switching, fixing the display block allocated to each monitoring area.

5 is a diagram showing information managed by a multi-camera state management unit in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of each camera.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a first part of a detection color setting process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a second part of the detection color setting process.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display screen in a detection color setting process.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a first part of another example of the detection color setting process.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a second part of another example of the detection color setting process.

FIG. 12: Surveillance using the surveillance camera system of FIG.
The flowchart which shows the whole tracking process.

13 is a flowchart showing a subroutine for confirming abnormality detection information in step S1210 of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the monitoring operation of each camera.

15 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of centralized monitoring control of step S1212 of FIG.

16 is a flowchart showing a tracking operation subroutine of step S1213 of FIG.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the tracking operation of each camera.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing how a display screen is switched in the centralized monitoring control flow.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for forcibly performing detection color monitoring during patrol monitoring.

[Explanation of symbols]

2: surveillance camera system, 4A to 4D: camera, E1 to
E4: monitoring area, S1 to S4: sensors.

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A camera, means for displaying a moving image captured by the camera, means for switching the moving image displayed on the display means to a still image in response to a predetermined operation, and on the still image. By comparing the information about the monitoring target instructed by the user, the image captured by the camera, and the information about the monitoring target stored by the storage unit,
A surveillance camera system comprising: a detection unit that detects a surveillance target on an image captured by the camera. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information regarding the monitored object is color information. 3. A plurality of cameras, means for displaying a moving image taken by at least one camera, and means for switching the moving image displayed on the display means to a still image in response to a predetermined operation. By comparing the information about the monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image with the images captured by the plurality of cameras and the information about the monitoring target stored by the storage unit, A surveillance camera system comprising: a detection unit that detects a surveillance target on an image captured by the camera. 4. A control program for a surveillance camera system comprising a camera and means for displaying a moving image captured by the camera, wherein the moving image displayed on the display means is stopped in response to a predetermined operation. By switching to the image and storing the information on the monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image, and comparing the image captured by the camera with the information on the monitoring target, the monitoring target is detected on the image captured by the camera. A control program characterized by detecting. 5. A control program for a surveillance camera system comprising a plurality of cameras and means for displaying a moving image taken by at least one camera, wherein the display means is caused to display in response to a predetermined operation. By switching the moving image to a still image, storing the information about the monitoring target instructed by the user on the still image, and comparing the images captured by multiple cameras with the information about the monitoring target, A control program for detecting a monitoring target on a captured image.