JP2003317193A - Apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To upload an image of the circumference of a vehicle to an image server which distributes the image to a user outside a vehicle at a user's request. <P>SOLUTION: The image server arranged on a network receives a request to distribute an image of a specified photography place from the user and requests an image control computer mounted on the vehicle through radio communication to photograph an image in timing of photography based upon the photography place when the image of the photography place that the user specifies is not stored. In an image uploading device having received the request, an information processing part 13 takes a picture in the specified timing and sends the photographed image and photographic information on the image to the image server through an A radio unit 25. Then the image server receives the image and photographic information on the image from the image control computer 10 and distributes the received image and photographic information on the image to the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is mounted on a vehicle,
An image upload device that captures an image while the vehicle is traveling and sends the image to the image server, an image server that specifies the timing of capturing the image in the image upload device, saves the image received from the image upload device, and distributes the image to the user. , And an image distribution system including the image upload device and an image server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a service in which a fixed-point camera is installed on a road and the image of the road taken by this camera is delivered to a requesting person in order to inform a person at a remote place of traffic congestion on the road. . For example, a service called MONET is designed to deliver road conditions to mobile phone users as live moving images. When the road condition is conveyed by the image, the person who sees the image can visually and instantaneously grasp the road condition. Therefore,
The notification of the road condition by the image is superior in that it is more direct than the notification of the road condition by the character information. Also,
The image distribution is not limited to traffic congestion, but it is also possible to convey information on roads such as weather, landscape conditions, approach routes to highways, accident conditions, and the like.

[0003]

If a vehicle traveling on a road can take such an image that conveys information about the road and upload the image to an image server that delivers the image to the user, a large amount of images can be distributed to various places. This is convenient because images can be distributed at various locations without installing a fixed-point camera. As a system for uploading images from such a vehicle to an image server, there is JP-A 2000-1729.
There is a technique described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 82. However, in the technique described in this publication, only the sensor attached to the vehicle or the occupant of the vehicle determines the shooting location of the traveling vehicle. Therefore, even if a third party outside the vehicle wants to leave or browse the image of the place where the vehicle is currently traveling, the image is captured unless the sensor inside the vehicle or the occupant accidentally captures the image. Upload to server,
That is, there is a problem that it is not transmitted.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to upload an image of the surroundings of a vehicle to an image server that distributes the image to the user in accordance with a request from the user outside the vehicle.

[0005]

The invention as set forth in claim 1 for achieving the above object is an image uploading device mounted on a vehicle, which comprises a first wireless communication device mounted on the vehicle. A receiving means for receiving the designation of the timing of photographing the surroundings of the vehicle with the camera mounted on the vehicle,
Shoot at the specified timing,
An image uploading device, comprising: a transmission unit that transmits the captured image to an image server that distributes the image based on a request from a user via a first wireless communication device.

As a result, in the image uploading device mounted on the vehicle, the receiving means receives the designation of the timing of photographing by the camera mounted on the vehicle, and the transmitting means performs the photographing at the designated timing. , The captured image is transmitted to the image server that distributes the image based on the request from the user via the first wireless communication device, so that the image around the vehicle is displayed to the user according to the request from the user outside the vehicle. It is possible to upload the image to an image server that delivers the image.

The image here is a concept including both moving images and still images. Further, shooting with a camera means obtaining a video signal output from the camera. In addition, in the present specification, a user is a terminal and a person who operates the terminal.

The invention described in claim 2 is the same as claim 1.
In the image uploading device described in (1), the transmitting means is
It is characterized in that shooting information of an image, which is information regarding a shooting situation when the image is shot, is transmitted to the image server together with the image via the first wireless communication device.

The invention described in claim 3 is the same as claim 1
Alternatively, in the image uploading device described in the item 2, the receiving unit receives the designation of the position of the vehicle at the time of shooting, as the designation of the timing of shooting.

It should be noted that the vehicle position includes the concept of indicating a strict point of the position and the concept of indicating a certain range of the position.

The invention described in claim 4 is the same as claim 1.
The image uploading device according to any one of items 1 to 3 is characterized in that the receiving unit receives, from the image server, the designation of the timing of taking an image with the camera via the first wireless communication device. .

The invention described in claim 5 is the same as claim 1.
The image uploading device according to any one of items 1 to 4 is characterized in that the image is a moving image.

As described above, since the image to be captured is a moving image, the vehicle also captures the range before and after the place where the user wants to know the road condition, so that the image capturing failure due to the position error at the time of capturing can be prevented. You will be able to have a margin. Further, since it is a moving image, the user who receives this image can grasp the temporal change in the situation of the shooting position.

The moving image here is a concept including both a moving image such as a normal movie and a plurality of still images taken in time series.

The invention according to claim 6 is the same as claim 5
In the image uploading device described in (1), the transmitting means is
The representative part of the image and the shooting information of the image are transmitted to the image server via the first wireless communication device, and then the remaining part of the image is imaged via the second wireless communication device mounted on the vehicle. It is characterized by sending to the server.

The invention according to claim 7 is the same as claim 6
In the image uploading device described in (1), the transmission capacity of the second wireless communication device is larger than the transmission capacity of the first wireless communication device.

As a result, the transmitting means has the second transmission capacity.
A second wireless communication device that transmits a representative part of an image and shooting information of the image to the image server first through a first wireless communication device that is smaller than the wireless communication device of FIG. Since the rest of the images are sent to the image server via, it is possible to send the minimum amount of information first in the small-capacity communication and then to send the detailed information in the large-capacity communication later, thus effectively utilizing the communication capacity. Transmission becomes possible.

The invention described in claim 8 is the same as claim 6.
Alternatively, in the image uploading device described in 7,
The communication cost when using this wireless communication device is lower than the communication cost when using the first wireless communication device.

As a result, the transmitting means sends the representative part of the image and the image pickup information of the image to the image server first via the first wireless communication device whose communication cost is smaller than that of the second wireless communication device. Since the remaining images are transmitted to the image server via the second wireless communication device having a higher communication cost later, the minimum information is first transmitted in the high cost communication.
Detailed information can be transmitted later in low-cost communication, and transmission that effectively utilizes the communication capacity can be performed.

The invention described in claim 9 is the same as that of claim 6.
In the image uploading device according to any one of items 1 to 8, the representative part of the image is that the image is taken at the center time of the time zone when the image is taken. There is.

The invention according to claim 10 is an image server arranged on a network, wherein
An image receiving unit that receives an image of the surroundings of the vehicle captured by the vehicle by wireless communication, and a request for image distribution at a specified capturing location from a user via a network, and based on the request, the vehicle captures the capturing location. And an image delivery unit for delivering to the user the image received by the image receiving unit as a response to the request by wireless communication to the vehicle to capture the image at the timing of shooting based on It is characterized by being an image server.

As a result, in the image server arranged on the network, the image distribution means receives a request for distribution of the image at the designated photographing location from the user via the network, and based on this request, the vehicle picks up the photographing location. Request this vehicle by wireless communication to take an image at the timing of shooting based on
Further, the image receiving means receives the image photographed by the vehicle from this vehicle by wireless communication, and the image delivering means delivers the received image to the user. Therefore, according to the request from the user outside the vehicle, the image around the vehicle is displayed. The image can be uploaded to an image server that delivers the image to the user.

The image distribution means makes a request to the vehicle by wireless communication based on a request from the user to distribute an image at a designated photographing location. However, based on the request for image distribution here, Does not necessarily mean that wireless communication is always performed with the vehicle when there is a request, and is a concept that includes wireless communication with the vehicle when necessary, based on a request for image distribution. .

The shooting location is a concept that includes both the position of the vehicle at the shooting time and the position of the shooting target. Information on the shooting direction and time may be added to specify the shooting target.

According to the invention described in claim 11, in the image server according to claim 10, among the vehicles, the planned route and the planned route of the vehicle which is adapted to travel on the planned planned route. Equipped with a vehicle operation route database consisting of correspondence between passing positions and scheduled passing times
The image distribution means is characterized by determining an object vehicle to be requested by radio communication to capture an image and transmit the image based on the operation route database.

Accordingly, the image server is provided with an operation route database of vehicles traveling on the determined planned route, and based on the operation route database, the vehicle requesting the image capturing is determined and then the request is transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently capture an image.

Further, the invention according to claim 12 is the image server according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the image receiving means captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle and the image captured by the vehicle from the vehicle. The image shooting information of the image, which is the information about the shooting situation at this time, is received by wireless communication, and the image and the shooting information of the image are stored based on the shooting information of the image, and the image distribution unit is designated by the user via the network. If the image storage unit does not store the image at the shooting location designated by the user, the vehicle captures the image at the shooting timing based on the shooting location Requesting the vehicle to transmit the image capturing information by wireless communication, and in response to this request, the image received by the image receiving means is distributed to the user. It is characterized in that.

As a result, in the image server arranged on the network, the image distribution means receives the image distribution request from the user at the designated shooting location via the network, and sends the image at the designated shooting location to the user. A vehicle for delivering and shooting an image of its surroundings by receiving a request for shooting by wireless communication if the image at the shooting location designated by the user is not stored, and creating shooting information of this shot image To the vehicle by wireless communication, and the image receiving means wirelessly communicates the image captured by this vehicle and the image capturing information of the image from this vehicle. Since this image and the shooting information of the image are delivered to the user, the surrounding area of the vehicle is requested according to the request of the user outside the vehicle. The image, it is possible to upload to the image server to deliver the image to the user.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image server according to the twelfth aspect, the photographing information of the image is
The image storage unit includes the shooting time information and the shooting location information when the image was shot, and the image storage unit saves the received image by organizing the shooting time or the shooting location at which the image was shot.

As described above, if the images are organized and stored according to the shooting location or the shooting time, the convenience of the user who uses the images is improved.

Further, in the invention described in claim 14, in the image server according to claim 12 or 13, the shooting information of the image is the position information and the traveling speed of the vehicle at which the image was taken. The image receiving means including the information,
Receives a moving image captured while the vehicle is traveling, based on the traveling speed information and position information of the vehicle that the captured information of the moving image has,
It is characterized in that the position of the vehicle at the time of shooting is calculated for each frame of the moving image.

With this, each frame of the moving image and the position of the vehicle when the frame is photographed are calculated.
Information about the shooting position can be delivered to the user in detail.

The frame is a concept that includes one frame of each moving image and still images continuously captured in time series.

The invention described in claim 15 is the image server according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the image server is provided with map information, and the shooting information of the image is the image when the image was taken. The image delivery means has the position information of the vehicle that has taken the image, and the image distribution means links the map information and the received image based on the position information of the vehicle that took the image when the image was taken, and based on this cooperation. The user interface is characterized in that an image designated by the user and shooting information of this image are delivered to the user.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image server according to the fifteenth aspect, the image shooting information is:
It is characterized in that it has shooting direction information of a shot image, and the user interface is adapted to display the shot image and shooting direction information of this image together.

By doing so, it becomes very easy for the user to understand at which position and in what direction the image should look. The shooting direction information of an image is the shooting direction when the shooting direction of one image is constant like a normal image, and the shooting direction information in one image such as an omnidirectional image or a panoramic image. This is a concept including both a position in an image and a correspondence relationship between the position and the shooting direction when the shooting direction is not constant.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the image server according to the fifteenth or sixteenth aspect, the map information has building information, and the user interface has a photographed image and a construction related to this image. The feature is that the product information is also displayed.

Further, in the invention described in claim 18, in the image server described in any one of claims 15 to 17, the image distributed by the image distribution means to the user is a moving image, and the user interface is The feature is that the user can perform frame advance and rewind of a moving image.

The invention described in claim 19 is the image server according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the image distributed by the image distribution means to the user is a panorama including images in a plurality of photographing directions. It is an image, and the user interface is characterized in that the user can display the image portion in the specified shooting direction in the panoramic image.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image distribution system including an image uploading device mounted on a vehicle and an image server arranged on a network, wherein the image uploading device is mounted on the vehicle. First mounted
Via the wireless communication device, the receiving means for receiving the designation of the timing of photographing the surroundings of the vehicle with the camera mounted on the vehicle, and the photographing at the designated timing of photographing, and the photographing of the image and the image. Information and the first to the image server
The image server receives the image of the surroundings of the vehicle taken by the upload device by wireless communication, and the image server specifies the image from the user via the network. In response to the request for image distribution at the shooting location, the image uploading apparatus wirelessly communicates with the image uploading apparatus so that the image uploading apparatus shoots the image at the shooting timing based on the shooting location and transmits the image. And an image distribution unit that distributes the image received by the image reception unit to the user as a response to the request.

As a result, in the image server arranged on the network, the image distribution means receives a request for distribution of the image at the designated photographing location from the user via the network, and sends the image at the designated photographing location to the user. Deliver and, if the image at the shooting location specified by the user is not stored, request the image uploading device mounted on the vehicle by wireless communication to shoot an image at the shooting timing based on this shooting location. .

Then, in the image upload device,
The receiving means receives from the image server the designation of the timing of photographing with the camera mounted on the vehicle, and the transmitting means performs the photographing at the designated timing, and the photographed image and the photographing information of this image are obtained. Is transmitted to the image server via the first wireless communication device.

Then, in the image server, the image receiving means receives the image photographed by the vehicle and the photographing information of the image from the image uploading device by wireless communication, and the image and the photographing information of the image are received by the user. The image around the vehicle can be uploaded to the image server that delivers the image to the user according to the request from the user outside the vehicle.

The invention according to claim 21 is the image distribution system according to claim 20, characterized in that the camera mounted on the vehicle on which the image upload device is mounted is an omnidirectional camera. .

The invention according to claim 22 is the image distribution system according to claim 19, wherein the transmitting means is
The feature is that the image taken by the omnidirectional camera is developed and then transmitted to the image server.

Generally, the image taken by the omnidirectional camera has a file size smaller than that of the image before unfolding, so that the transmitting means in the image uploading device unfolds the image. By doing so, the amount of data transferred from the image upload device to the image server is reduced.

Further, in the invention described in Item 23, in the image distribution system according to Item 19, the image receiving means receives the image photographed by the omnidirectional camera from the image uploading device, and thereafter, displays the image. It is characterized by expanding and saving.

[0048]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing an image distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 1 running on the road 2 has an omnidirectional photographing function capable of photographing 360 ° around the vehicle and a communication function of performing wireless communication with the base station 3. This vehicle 1 includes a photographed image 6 photographed by an omnidirectional photographing function, a position of the vehicle when the photographed image 6 is photographed, a photographing time, a traveling direction (azimuth) of the vehicle at the time of photographing, and a vehicle 1 at the time of photographing. The shooting information of the shot image 6 including the traveling speed and the like is transmitted to the image server 5 via the base station 3 and the base station network 4 to which the base station 3 is connected. The image shooting information is information about the shooting status when the image was shot. The captured image 6 is an image in which omnidirectional images viewed from the vehicle 1 are collected in the form of an image as if the surroundings were viewed through a fisheye lens. This image is distorted from the actual landscape, making it very difficult for humans to see.

The shooting location is a concept including both the position of the vehicle when the shot image 6 is shot and the position of the shooting target when the shot image 6 is shot. The latter position of the photographing target may be, for example, the road 2 immediately in front of the vehicle 1, or may be a distant landscape directly visible from the road 2.

The image server 5 which has received the photographed image 6 and the photographed information of the photographed image 6 is connected via a wide area network (not shown) to which the image server 5 is connected, and a user who requests image distribution. The distribution image 7 and the shooting information of the distribution image 7 are distributed. At this time, the image server 5 includes information on the position of the photographing target in the photographing information if necessary.
Here, the distribution image 7 is a developed image in which the distortion of the captured image 6 has been corrected so that it is easy for humans to see. In this specification, the conversion of the image from the captured image 6 to the distribution image 7 is referred to as development.

Further, the vehicle 1 receives the designation of the timing of photographing from the image server 5 by wireless communication and carries out the photographing at the timing as designated. In the present embodiment, the timing of taking a picture refers to the position of the vehicle 1 at the time of taking a picture. Taking an image when the vehicle 1 comes to a certain position is the same as taking an image at the time when the vehicle 1 comes to a certain position.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a configuration of a device mounted in the vehicle 1 for taking an image and transmitting the image to the image server 5.

The devices in the vehicle 1 are the image control computer 10, the omnidirectional camera 21, the GPS sensor 22, the azimuth sensor 23, the speed sensor 24, the A radio 25, the A antenna 26, the B radio 27, and the B antenna. 28.

The omnidirectional camera 21 is a camera. In the present embodiment, this camera is a camera that receives an image of 360 ° omnidirectional scenery all at once and constantly outputs the received omnidirectional image. As such, the omnidirectional camera described in Japanese Patent No. 2939087 can be used.

The GPS sensor 22 receives the information from the GPS satellites to calculate the current position of the vehicle 1 and outputs it as the current position information.

The azimuth sensor 23 is a device that detects the current direction of the vehicle 1 such as north, south, east and west using a gyroscope and outputs this as direction information.

The speed sensor 24 detects the rotational speed of the tire of the vehicle 1, calculates the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 from the rotational speed and the elapsed time, and outputs this as speed information.

The A radio device 25 converts the communication data into a radio signal, and the radio signal is transmitted from the A antenna 26 to the A radio device 2.
5 is transmitted to the base station corresponding to the communication system of FIG. The communication system of the A radio 25 is a PDC. The B wireless device 27 converts communication data into a wireless signal and transmits the wireless signal from the B antenna 28 to a base station corresponding to the communication system of the B wireless device 27.
The communication system of the B wireless device 27 is a wireless LAN. Therefore, the communication by the B wireless device 27 has a larger transmission capacity than the communication by the A wireless device 25, and the communication cost per unit information is cheaper. On the other hand, the communication area of the wireless LAN is smaller than the communication area of the PDC.

The image control computer 10 comprises a sensor control section 11, an image recording section 12, an information processing section 13, and a communication control section 14.

The sensor control unit 11 includes a GPS sensor 22,
The present position information, the direction information, and the speed information of the vehicle 1 are respectively received from the azimuth sensor 23 and the speed sensor 24, and the received information is output to the information processing unit 13. The sensor control unit 11 also receives and outputs the information at regular intervals, for example, every several seconds in the present embodiment, and also by receiving a control signal requesting the information from the information processing unit 13. It is designed to receive and output information.

The image recording unit 12 receives an omnidirectional image from the omnidirectional camera 21, records this as an omnidirectional moving image, and outputs it to the information processing unit 13 at the same time. The image recording unit 12 records the omnidirectional image received from the omnidirectional camera 21 as a moving image while receiving the image recording control signal from the information processing unit 13.

The information processing unit 13 receives the designation of the position of the vehicle 1 at the time of photographing from the communication control unit 14, and stores the designation information in a memory (not shown). Further, in this memory, a regular time for photographing and designation of a fixed position set at the time of design are also stored. Further, the information processing unit 13 receives the G from the sensor control unit 11.
The current position information from the PS sensor 22 is periodically received, the specified information stored in the memory is read from the memory, and the current position of the vehicle 1 is compared with the specified position. . Then, the information processing unit 13 determines that the vehicle 1
The image recording unit 12 for a period from when the user approaches the designated position to a predetermined distance from the designated position, and from a time when the user approaches the designated time until a predetermined time passes the designated time. Outputs a control signal for image recording,
A moving image is received from the image recording unit 12. The reception of this moving image is taken by the omnidirectional camera 21.

Further, the information processing unit 13 outputs a control signal requesting the current position information, the direction information, and the speed information to the sensor control unit 11 a plurality of times, for example, every several seconds, during the above-mentioned photographing period. The sensor control unit 11 based on the control signal
It is designed to receive these pieces of information output by.
Then, from the received information, shooting information of an image including time at each time, current position information, direction information, and speed information is created. In the present embodiment, since the image to be captured is an omnidirectional image, the directional information in the photographic information of the created image is the central portion of the omnidirectional image, that is, the front portion viewed from the vehicle, It is information about which direction corresponds to.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the photographing information of the image created by the information processing section 13. This creation information is composed of a tag, which is a character string that indicates the attribute of data and is surrounded by brackets, and data that is attributed by the tag. <Pict
Information for identifying the image corresponding to the shooting information of this image is stored in the area surrounded by the ure> tag and the </ pictutre> tag. <Name> to </ name>
The space indicates the file name of the corresponding image. # # #
# Is <lowerindex> ~ </ lowerin
From the numbers between dex> to <upper index> to </
It indicates that the numbers up to the number between upper index> are entered sequentially. That is, in this portion, the image corresponding to the shooting information of this image is captured as capture0001. jpg to capture0030. It is shown that it is a continuous still image up to jpg, that is, a moving image.

<Information> tag and </ i>
The area surrounded by the “nformation> tag” stores the current position information, time, direction information, and speed information of the vehicle 1 when this image was captured. <Place>
~ </ Place> between <longitude> ~
Latitude indicated between </ longitude> and <
The current position information composed of the longitude shown between "latitude" to "</ latitude" is stored. In FIG. 3, the current position information at the time the image was taken is the statistics 1
It shows that it is 35 ° 23′15.1 ″ and north latitude is 35 ° 19′23 ″.

Between <time> and </ time>, <
Date information stored between date> and </ date> and local time information stored between <localtime> and </ localtime> are stored. In FIG. 3, it is shown that the time when the image is taken is JST 10:38 ′, 10:10 ′ on February 1, 2002.

<Direction> to </ direc>
Direction information is indicated by the azimuth angle during the time period tion>. Figure 3
Indicates that the central portion of the captured image is in the direction of azimuth 95 ° 20′0 ″ when viewed from the vehicle 1.

Speed information is shown between <speed> and </ speed>. FIG. 3 shows that the speed of the vehicle 1 at the time of shooting is 85.10 km / h.

Between <frame> and </ frame>, frame number information indicating which still image in the image, ie, frame, the above described information corresponds to is stored. Also, this </ frame> tag is
It is also a tag indicating the end of information about one frame. That is, the information described after this tag is information regarding the subsequent frames. In this way, when there are a plurality of pieces of shooting information for one group of continuous still images (moving images), a plurality of pieces of information separated by the </ frame> tag are combined to form one piece of shooting information.

Further, the information processing unit 13 uses, as communication data, the communication control unit 14 as a communication data of a portion captured from the captured moving image at the above-mentioned central time and the captured information of the received image including the capturing time. It is designed to be sent to. It should be noted that the information processing section 13 is configured to include, in this communication data, information for designating the transmission of this communication data via the A radio device 25. It should be noted that the part taken from the moving image at the above-mentioned central time is selected because the image taken in the central time zone during the shooting is
This is because it is intended to be a representative part of the moving image. For example, when capturing a moving image before entering the intersection and after exiting the intersection, the central time zone is when the vehicle approaches the center of the intersection. The photographed image at the central portion can be seen up to the far side of the intersection where the omnidirectional camera 21 photographs.

Further, the information processing unit 13 is adapted to transmit the rest of the captured moving image other than the image included in the communication data to the communication control unit 14 as communication data. Further, the information processing unit 13 adds B to this communication data.
Information for designating transmission of this communication data via the wireless device 27 is included. However, when the communication control unit 14 cannot perform this communication via the B wireless device 27, the communication control unit 14 receives a notification to that effect. In this way, when the notification that the communication data cannot be transmitted via the B wireless device 27 is received, the information processing unit 13 performs the communication control unit for performing communication from the B wireless device 27 Nmax times (Nmax is a natural number). 14
The communication data is repeatedly sent to the device, and if the notification that communication is still impossible is received, the transmission of this communication data is stopped.

The communication control unit 14 controls the A radio 25 and B
It is a device that controls the wireless device 27, connects to a base station and a base station network, and performs data communication with the image server 5. In addition, the communication control unit 14 uses the A radio 25
It receives the designation of the position of the vehicle 1 at the time of taking an image from the image server 5 and outputs it to the information processing unit 13. Further, the communication control unit 14 sends communication data such as an image and image shooting information received from the information processing unit 13 for wireless transmission by this data communication to the image server 5.
When the data is transmitted to the wireless communication device 2, the communication data is output to either the A wireless device 25 or the B wireless device 27 according to the specification of which wireless device is included in the communication data. Further, the communication control unit 14 can detect whether or not the transmission to the image server 5 by outputting the communication data to the B wireless device 27 can be detected by the reception level of the B wireless device 27. Can notify the information processing unit 13 to that effect. Further, the communication control unit 14 is adapted to receive communication data converted from the wireless signal from the image server 5 received by the wireless device A from the base station of the PDC and output it to the information processing unit 13. The wireless signal from the image server 5 is, for example, a wireless signal for specifying the timing at which the image control computer 10 performs shooting.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a process performed by the information processing unit 13 of the vehicle 1 having the above-described structure to photograph an image with the omnidirectional camera 21 and transmit the image to the image server 5. The specific operation of the information processing unit 13 will be described below based on this flowchart. However, step 4
The processes of 45 and 450 are performed by the communication control unit 14. Prior to this processing, the information processing unit 13 previously receives from the communication control unit 14 the designation of the position of the vehicle 1 at the time of photographing from the image server 5 and stores it in the memory (step 400). When the vehicle 1 is traveling in such a state, the vehicle 1 acquires the current position information from the GPS sensor 22 from the sensor control unit 11 as a regular process (step 401).

Next, the information processing section 13 reads the specified information stored in the memory from the memory (step 405).

Then, in step 410, the information processing section 13
Is to compare the current position of the vehicle 1 acquired in steps 401 and 405 with the designated photographing position. Then, the information processing unit 13 determines whether or not the omnidirectional camera 21 should start shooting by determining whether or not the vehicle 1 has approached a predetermined distance from the designated position. If the shooting time is specified in the memory, it is determined whether or not the omnidirectional camera 21 should start shooting by determining whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from that time. This determination process is repeated until it is determined that shooting should be started.

When it is determined that the photographing should be started, the information processing section 13 starts the photographing by the omnidirectional camera 21,
In addition, the current position information, the direction information, the speed information, and the like are received from the sensor control unit 11 multiple times during photographing. (Step 415).

When the vehicle 1 is separated from the designated photographing position by a prescribed distance, or when the photographing is completed depending on whether a prescribed time has elapsed from the designated photographing time, the process proceeds to step 420 and the information processing section Reference numeral 13 extracts an image photographed in the central time zone of this photographing period. Then, the information processing unit 13 creates shooting information of the image from the current position information, the direction information, the speed information and the like received from the sensor control unit 11 (step 425) and collects the extracted image and the shooting information of the created image. (Step 430), A
Communication data is created so that the image and the shooting information of the image are transmitted to the image server 5 via the wireless device 25, and the communication data is transmitted to the communication control unit 14 (step 43).
5).

Next, the variable n for use in the subsequent steps is initialized to 1 (step 440), and the remaining portion obtained by taking the image extracted in step 420 from the captured moving image is passed through the B radio 27. Communication data to be sent to the image server 5 by the communication control unit 1
Send to 4. Here, the communication control unit 14 receives this communication data, and determines from the information included in this communication data that this communication data should be transmitted via the B radio. Then, it is determined whether or not the B wireless device 27 can be used by detecting the reception level of the B wireless device 27 (step 445). If the communication control unit 14 determines that the B wireless device 27 is available, the process proceeds to step 450, and the communication control unit 14 transmits the communication data received by the information processing unit 13 using the B wireless device 27. . Then, the process returns to the regular process of step 401.

If the communication control unit 14 determines that the B radio 27 is not available, the communication control unit 14 determines that the information processing unit 1
3 is notified to the effect that communication by the B wireless device 27 cannot be performed.
Then, the process proceeds to step 455, and the information processing unit 13 that has received this notification increments the variable n by one.
Next, the information processing unit 13 determines whether or not this variable n exceeds a predetermined value Nmax, and if it does not exceed the predetermined value Nmax, the same communication data as in the immediately preceding step 435 is transmitted to the communication control unit 14, thereby performing the processing. To step 445. That is, B radio 27 becomes available, or n is N
Information processing unit 13 until either max is exceeded
And the communication control unit 14 tries to transmit the history data to the B radio 27.

In step 460, the information processing section 13 determines that n is N.
If it is determined that the maximum value is exceeded, the information processing unit 13 determines B
Give up to send communication data from the radio 27,
The process is returned to the regular process of step 401.

By such processing, the image photographed by the vehicle 1 is transmitted to the image server 5 based on the designation from the image server 5 or the setting at the time of installation.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image distribution system including the above-mentioned devices of the vehicle 1. This image distribution system includes an A radio base station 31 and a B antenna 28 that communicate with the A antenna 26 of the vehicle 1 through the PDC.
B radio base station 32 that communicates with the
A base station network 33, which is a wired network in which these base stations participate, an image server 5 connected to this base station network 33,
A base station 35 and a fixed user 36 are connected to the image server 5 via a base station network 34, and an in-vehicle user 37 wirelessly communicates with the base station 35.

The fixed user 36 is a terminal installed in an office or home and a user who operates the terminal, and this computer requests and receives images and image shooting information from the image server 5 via the base station network 34. And so on.

The in-vehicle user 37 is a terminal installed in the vehicle and a user who operates the terminal, and this computer transmits images and image shooting information to the image server 5 via the base station 35 and the base station network 34. It is possible to request, receive, etc.

The image server 5 is connected to the vehicle 1 via the base station network 33, the A radio base station 31, and the B radio base station 32.
It is a device that receives and stores an image and shooting information of the image. Further, the image server 5 has a base station network 34.
The fixed user 36 is communicated with the fixed user 36 via the base station network 34 and the base station 35, and the list inquiry of the image to be stored and the photographing information of the image is received from the fixed user 36 and the in-vehicle user 37. Then, based on this, the list is sent back to the fixed user 36 and the in-vehicle user 37. Further, the image server 5 is adapted to receive a signal from the fixed user 36 or the in-vehicle user 37 requesting distribution of an image at a designated shooting location and shooting information of this image. Note that the shooting location is a concept that includes both the position of the vehicle 1 when shooting an image and the position of the shooting target when shooting an image. The latter position of the photographing target may be, for example, the road 2 immediately in front of the vehicle 1 in FIG. 2, or may be a distant landscape directly visible from the road 2. Also,
Information on the shooting direction and time may be used to specify the shooting target.

In response to the reception of this request, the image server 5 distributes the image and the image pickup information including the image pickup location information. If the requested image is not stored, the image server 5 selects an appropriate vehicle from vehicles equipped with the same devices as the vehicle 1, and takes an image at the timing of shooting based on the requested shooting location. Thus, it is requested by transmitting a radio signal to this vehicle.

The image server 5 has a processing device (not shown) for performing such processing, and the processing device executes programs having various functions. Each program is executed in parallel, and data is passed between them.

The image server 5 also has a database in which information used for such processing is recorded. Specifically, it has a photographed image database 51, a database reading / information processing program 52, and an operation route database 53.

The photographed image database 51 records the images received from the vehicle and the photographing information of the images. These images and the shooting information of the images are sorted and stored according to the shooting time or the shooting place where the images were shot.
However, the images recorded in the photographed image database 51 are from the photographed image 6 to the distribution image 7 by the processing described later.
Has been expanded to.

The map information database 52 records map information including place names, road positions and lane shapes, and building information. The building information is the name of the building such as a parking lot name or a store name, the owner name of the building, a telephone number, and em.
An aile address, a homepage address about a building, a location code of the building, an advertisement of the building, a catch phrase, and other unique information about the building.

The operation route database 53 is a vehicle that operates according to a predetermined route and a predetermined timetable, such as a regular route bus or a regular delivery truck of a shipping company, and has image capturing and transmitting functions like the vehicle 1. The operation schedule that associates the time with the traveling position is recorded. If a vehicle whose operation schedule is determined is used for photographing, it serves as a criterion for selecting a vehicle for photographing the requested image, so that the image can be photographed and distributed efficiently.

The above-mentioned program uses these databases. As the program loaded and executed by the processing device of the image server 5, the image server 5 is a database read / information processing program 5.
4, a shooting command transmission program 55, a shooting information processing program 56, a user data distribution program 57, an image conversion program 58, and a vehicle data reception program 59.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image distribution system in which the image server 5 stores images and image shooting information received from the vehicle 1, and images and image shooting information from the fixed user 36 and the in-vehicle user 37. 5 is a timing chart showing a process of delivering these in response to a delivery request of the above, based on communication between the image server 5, the vehicle 1, the fixed user 36, and the in-vehicle user 37.

In the following, the image server 5 receives a request from the fixed user 36 or the in-vehicle user 37 for the delivery of the image and the shooting information of the image, and requests the image and the shooting information of the image for the operation of these programs. Accordingly, the description will be given according to the order of the processes to be distributed, thereby clarifying the operation of each program and the image server 5 as a whole. In the following description, the fixed user 36 and the in-vehicle user 37 are collectively referred to as a user.

When the vehicle 1 is installed and a device for transmitting the captured image and the captured image and the captured information of the image to the image server 5, a system administrator or the like periodically sets a place and time to be captured. (Step 505). This setting is performed by recording the designated place and time in the memory of the vehicle 1. Then, the information processing unit 13 periodically captures an image according to this setting, and the image server 5 via the A radio base station 31, the B radio base station 32, and the base station network 33.
The photographed image and the photographing information of the created image are transmitted (step 510).

The vehicle data reception program 59 of the image server 5 is adapted to receive these transmitted images and the image photographing information. Vehicle data reception program 5
Upon receiving these (step 515), 9 sends the received image to the image conversion program 58 and sends the shooting information of the received image to the shooting information processing program 56.

The image conversion program 58 is a program for receiving an image from the vehicle data reception program 59, expanding the image, and transmitting the expanded image to the database reading / information processing program 54. The image captured by the information processing unit 13 and received by the vehicle data reception program 59 is an omnidirectional image such as the captured image 6 in FIG. In such an omnidirectional image, the actual landscape is distorted as described above, and it is difficult for humans to see and handle. Therefore, in order to make it easier for humans to visually handle, the image is converted into an image having a screen ratio as in the actual landscape, such as the distribution image 7. This image conversion is called image expansion. According to the study by the inventor, the file size of the image after expansion becomes larger than the file size of the image before expansion. This is the captured image 6 shown in FIG.
As described above, since there are unnecessary parts unrelated to the actual scenery in the center and four corners in the image before expansion, one of the causes is that the information amount of the image after expansion is reduced by removing them. Is. In addition, as a result of actual measurement by the inventor of the case where the image before expansion and the image after expansion are compressed and stored in JPEG format, the result is 600 × 450 pixels before expansion,
The image of B is 2370 of 1370x170 pixels after development.
The image size is 5 KB, and the file size is reduced by 1/4.

The image pickup information processing program 56 receives the image pickup information of the image from the vehicle data reception program 59, performs a predetermined process on the image pickup information, and sends the information of the result of the process to the database read / information processing program 54. It is like this. The predetermined process is, for example, interpolation of image pickup information of an image. As described above, the information processing unit 1
In step 3, the shooting information of the image is acquired a plurality of times during the shooting of the moving image. However, since the acquisition of the shooting information of this image includes the position measurement by GPS,
Actually, the number of times of acquisition is limited, and it is difficult to acquire image capturing information corresponding to each frame of an image captured at 30 frames per second such as a moving image. Therefore, the shooting information of the image acquired during shooting is
The number of frames is set to be smaller than the number of frames to be photographed, and later, based on the photographing information of this image, position information, direction information and the like corresponding to each frame are complemented and calculated. This is the interpolation of the shooting information of the image. The photographing information processing program 56 requests the database reading / information processing program 54 to transmit map information in order to perform this interpolation, and accordingly receives the map information transmitted from the database reading / information processing program 54. FIG. 7 schematically shows the flow of interpolation processing.

FIG. 7A is a map in which an area including the position information in the shooting information of the image is extracted from the received map information and displayed. In this map, the shapes of the intersections and the lanes of the roads connecting to the intersections are shown. These are the information that the map information has. FIG. 7B illustrates a plurality of pieces of speed information, direction information, and position information included in the image capturing information in the displayed map area. In the figure, circles indicate position information, arrow directions indicate direction information, and arrow lengths indicate speed information. Further, each frame corresponds to one frame number. The time series of movement can be determined by referring to the order of frame numbers. FIG. 7 (c) shows the estimated route of the vehicle 1 by superposing FIG. 7 (a) and FIG. 7 (b).
Is. The photographing information processing program 56 is executed by the vehicle 1 as shown in FIG.
Since the movement order as shown in (b) was performed on the road as shown in FIG. 7 (a), it is determined that this movement is a right turn, and it is estimated that the vehicle 1 enters the right turn lane before the right turn. Based on this, the travel route is estimated. FIG. 7D shows the route of the vehicle 1 when each frame is captured in all frames based on the estimated travel route and speed information, assuming that all frames are captured at equal intervals in time. The estimated position is shown by a circle. At this time, direction information, speed information, etc. can be similarly estimated. In this way, the shooting information processing program 56 interpolates shooting information of images in all frames. By performing such interpolation, the shooting information of the image becomes more detailed.

The database read / information processing program 54 receives the expanded image from the image conversion program 58, and at the same time receives the photographing information of the image subjected to the predetermined processing from the photographing information processing program 56. And associate these received images with the shooting information of the images,
Further, the image and the shooting information of the image are sorted in the shooting time or the shooting place where the image is shot and stored in the shot image database 51. The shooting time and shooting location of the image are determined by referring to the shooting information of the image. When the database reading / information processing program 54 is requested by the photographing information processing program 56 to transmit the map information, the database reading / information processing program 54 reads the map information from the operation route database 53 and transmits the read information to the photographing information processing program 56. It has become.

Vehicle data reception program 5 as described above
9, shooting information processing program 56, image conversion program 58, database reading / information processing program 54
The data received by the vehicle data reception program 59 in step 515 by the processing
1 (step 520).

In this way, the photographed image database 51
When the user accesses the image server 5 in which the image and the image-captured information of the image are stored via the network such as the base station network 34 for image browsing, the data distribution program for the user of the image server 5 57 requests the database read / information processing program 54 to transmit a list of images stored in the captured image database 51 and map information in the map information database 52.

When the database read / information processing program 54 receives the list of images and a request to send map information, the photographed image database 51 is searched to create this list, and the map information is read from the map information database 52. The created list and the read map information are transmitted to the user data distribution program 57.

The data distribution program 57 for users, which has received the list and the map information from the database reading / information processing program 54, combines the received list with the map information, plots the photographed points on the map, and adds the photographing time. The data shown in the figure is transmitted to the user as Web data. The processing up to this point after receiving the access from the user is the image server 5 in step 525.
Processing. Note that the user uses We
b. Can be browsed using a browser (step 528).

A user who receives this Web data, in order to browse the image of the point plotted in this figure,
When the image pickup location of the image to be browsed is designated and a request is made to deliver the image and the image pickup information of the image (step 530), the user data delivery program 57 receives the delivery request and takes the designated image and the image pickup. Information is requested to the database read / information processing program 54.

The database read / information processing program 54 receives this request and searches the photographed image database 51 for the requested image and the photographing information of the image. Since it is determined that it exists as a result of the search,
The database reading / information processing program 54 reads the image and the shooting information of the image from the shooting image database 51, reads the map information around the position information described in the shooting information of this image from the map information database 52, and reads this image, Image shooting information and map information are transmitted to the user data distribution program 57.

When the user data distribution program 57 receives this transmission, it distributes it to the requesting user as Web data. The data distribution program 5 for the user starts from the time when the data distribution program 57 for the user receives the request for the distribution of the image and the photographing information of the image.
7 and database reading / information processing program 5
The process performed by 4 corresponds to step 535.

This Web data is dynamic data whose display can be changed interactively.
Examples of the Web data displayed using a Web browser are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In FIG. 8, HTML
It is displayed in a split screen using the multi-frame function of. The upper right split screen is a panoramic display of a portion of a certain direction area at a certain moment in the omnidirectional moving image requested by the user. However, characters such as xx direction are displayed in the lower left corner and xx direction are displayed in the upper right corner of this split screen together with the image. xx and XX are place names. This display shows the data distribution program 57 for users.
At the Web data creation stage associates the direction information of the shooting information with this image, determines the direction of the road extending from the intersection on this screen, and links the map information and the vehicle position of the shooting information, This can be realized by determining which road this road is and the road heading to which place name, and reflecting it in the user interface.

The left split screen is a map showing at which position the displayed image is located and in which direction the image is viewed. The roads are marked with strips on this map, and the vehicle positions are marked with circles on this map.The arrow indicates the direction of the center of the viewpoint, that is, the center of the displayed image. Direction. Moreover, the hatched area in the map indicates the area where the image data exists, that is, the area in which the moving image is imaged by this vehicle. These can be displayed by the user data distribution program 57 by linking the road position and lane shape of the map information with the vehicle position and direction information of the shooting information.

The divided screen at the lower center displays the current position information of the image capturing information and the image capturing time information in characters. This can be displayed by linking the position of the road in the map information, the position of the vehicle in the shooting information, and the shooting time.

The four user-operable split screens on the lower right interactively change the display of the image on the upper right by sending or returning the shooting time of the image or rotating the viewpoint left or right. Is able to. This can be realized by using a technology such as Java (registered trademark) or cgi. The data distribution program 57 for users distributes such an interactive interface, so that the user can enjoy the visual effect as if he were moving back and forth while virtually looking left and right at the place where he was photographed. .

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the image displayed on the upper right split screen. In this image, buildings such as stores and offices are displayed. The company name or store name, telephone number, home page address, e-mail address, etc. of each building are displayed above these buildings. This display can be displayed by linking the current position information and the direction information of the shooting information of the image on which the user data distribution program 57 is displayed with the building information in the map information.

Further, in step 528, the user who receives the Web data of the figure in which the photographed point and the photographing time are described on the map distributes the image of the photographing place which is not photographed in this figure and the photographing information of the image. When the image server 5 is requested (step 537), the user data distribution program 57 receives the distribution request, and requests the database reading / information processing program 54 for the image at the designated photographing location and the photographing information of the image. .

The database read / information processing program 54 that has received this request searches the photographed image database 51 for the requested image and the photographing information of the image. Since it is determined that the search result does not exist, the database read / information processing program 54
Searches the operating route database 53 for a vehicle that has an operating schedule to move to a position where the requested shooting location can be photographed in the future, and if the vehicle is found as a result of the search, the operating schedule of that vehicle is used. The data distribution program 57 for a user is notified when, for example, how many minutes later, photographing can be performed. If there are a plurality of applicable vehicles, or if one vehicle has a timing at which a plurality of images can be taken, a plurality of pieces of information indicating when the images can be taken are notified based on them.

The user data distribution program 57 which has received the notice of when the photographing can be performed notifies the user of the notice as a list of photographing reservation possible times. After the user data distribution program 57 receives the request for the distribution of the image and the image shooting information, the data distribution program 57 for the user and the database reading /
The process performed by the information processing program 54 is step 540.
Corresponding to.

The user who has received the notification of this list selects one or a plurality of photographing times from the list and issues a signal requesting acquisition of an image at that time to the image server 5.
(Step 545).

Upon receiving this request, the user data distribution program 57 sends the information on the selected time to the database read / information processing program 54 (step 550). The database read / information processing program 54 receives the information of the selected time,
Based on the operation schedule searched in step 540, a vehicle that can be photographed at this time is searched for, and an identification number such as a network address or a telephone number of the radio of the vehicle and a specified position information that requires the image and the photographing information of the image. And the time is notified to the photographing command transmission program 55.
At this time, if the designated shooting location is a shooting target such as a landscape, the location where the landscape can be shot is estimated,
Let it be the specified location information.

When the photographing command transmission program 55 receives from the database reading / information processing program 54 the identification number of a specific vehicle, the image and the designated position information requiring the photographing information of the image, only the vehicle of the identification number is received. Send a signal requesting to take a picture at a specified position. The process of the database read / information processing program 54 and the photographing command transmission program 55 from the time when the database read / information processing program 54 receives the information of the selected time corresponds to step 555.

This specific vehicle receives the request signal transmitted by the photographing instruction transmission program 55 (step 56).
0), the information processing unit 13 and the communication control unit 14 perform the processing shown in FIG. 4 based on the request signal, and the captured image and the captured information of the image are transmitted to the image server 5 (step 565). The image and the shooting information of the image are the image and the shooting information of the image of the shooting location designated for the user to browse.

In the image server 5 that has received this image and the shooting information of the image, the vehicle data reception program 59 receives this image and the shooting information of the image, and the image conversion program 58 receives the image as in the processing of step 507. And send it to the database read / information processing program 54,
The photographing information processing program 56 processes the photographing information of the image and transmits it to the database reading / information processing program 54, and the database reading / information processing program 54
Saves the received image and shooting information of the image in the shot image database 51. At this time, the database read / information processing program 54 adds the shooting information of this image to
Information on the shooting location specified by the user is included. At this time, the database read / information processing program 54 notifies the user data distribution program 57 that the user has acquired the image designated in step 545 and the shooting information of the image. Upon receiving this notification, the user data distribution program 57 notifies the user that the shooting of the designated image has been completed using Web data, e-mail, or the like. From step 565 onward to this notification process,
The process performed by each program of the image server 5 is step 57.
Corresponds to 0.

After that, when the user disconnects from the image server 5, the user waits for the user to access again, and after the access, the image and the image are captured by the user interface as described in FIGS. 8 and 9. Information, map information, etc. are distributed (step 580).

By the operation of the image server 5 and the image control computer 10 as described above, the image server 5 receives a request from the user to deliver an image at a designated shooting location via the network, and receives an image at the designated shooting location. To the user, and if the image at the shooting location designated by the user is not stored, the image control computer 10 mounted on the vehicle is instructed to capture the image at the designated location based on this shooting location. Request by communication.

Then, the image control computer 10 receives from the image server 5 the designation of the position for photographing with the omnidirectional camera 21 mounted on the vehicle, and also performs the photographing at the designated timing, and the image is photographed. The image and the shooting information of this image are transmitted to the image server 5 via the A wireless device 25 and the B wireless device 27.

Then, the image server 5 receives from the image control computer 10 the image photographed by this vehicle and the photographing information of the image by wireless communication, and delivers this image and the photographing information of the image to the user. Therefore, it becomes possible to upload the image around the vehicle to the image server 5 that delivers the image to the user, in accordance with the request from the user outside the vehicle.

(Second Embodiment) The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the present embodiment, in the image distribution system of the first embodiment, the image control computer 10 uses the image server 5 via one type of communication system.
It has been modified to communicate with.

In the image distribution system of this embodiment, the A radio base station 31, the base station network 33, shown in FIG.
The configurations and operations of the image server 5, the base station network 34, the base station 35, the fixed user 36, and the in-vehicle user 37 are the same as those in the first embodiment. However, the B radio base station 32 does not exist. FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a configuration of a device mounted in the vehicle according to the present embodiment for capturing an image and transmitting the image to the image server 5. The difference from the configuration of the equivalent device shown in FIG. 1 in the first embodiment is that the B radio 27 and the B antenna 28 in FIG. 1 do not exist in this embodiment.

The configurations and operations of the sensor control unit 11, the image recording unit 12, the omnidirectional camera 21, the GPS sensor 22, the azimuth sensor 23, the speed sensor 24, the A radio 25, and the A antenna 26 are the same as those in the first embodiment. It is equivalent to the one having the same reference numeral.

The information processing unit 13 and the communication control unit 14 are
In the first embodiment, it has the same configuration as that denoted by the same reference numeral in FIG. However, in the operation thereof, the information processing unit 13 sends all the taken images and the shooting information of the images to the communication control unit 14 so as to be sent to the image server 5 via the A wireless device 25. Also, the communication control unit 14
All the communication data received from the information processing unit 13 for transmission to the image server 5 are transmitted from the A wireless device 25.

As described above, the image around the vehicle is uploaded to the image server 5 which delivers the image to the user according to the request from the user outside the vehicle without using the two kinds of radios as in the first embodiment. It is possible to

(Third Embodiment) The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the present embodiment, the image distribution system of the second embodiment is modified such that the image development is performed not by the image server 5 but by the image control computer 10.

In the image distribution system of this embodiment, the A radio base station 31, the base station network 33, shown in FIG.
The configurations and operations of the base station network 34, the base station 35, the fixed user 36, and the in-vehicle user 37 are the same as those in the first embodiment. However, the B radio base station 32 does not exist.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of the configuration of a device for taking an image and transmitting it to the image server 5, which is mounted in the vehicle according to the present embodiment. In the second embodiment, the difference from the configuration of the equivalent device shown in FIG. 10 is that the image developing unit 15 is interposed between the omnidirectional camera 21 and the image recording unit 12.

The image expanding unit 15 receives the omnidirectional video from the omnidirectional camera 21, expands this image, and the image recording unit 1
2 is output. As a result, the image recording unit 1
The moving image recorded by 2 is already developed.

FIG. 12 shows the image server 5 according to this embodiment.
It is a block diagram of a configuration of. The image server 5 differs from the image server 5 shown in FIG. 5 in the first embodiment in that the image conversion program 58 does not exist.
That is, the moving image received by the vehicle data reception program 59 is transmitted to the database read / information processing program 54 without being expanded by the image conversion program 58. This is done because the image has already been expanded by the image expansion unit 15 in the vehicle, so there is no need to expand it again.

As described in the first embodiment, the file size of the image is reduced by expanding the image. Further, according to the actual measurement with the JPEG format file, the file size is reduced to about 1/4 by the expansion. Therefore, by expanding the image captured on the vehicle side in advance and transmitting it to the image server 5, the amount of transfer data at the time of this transmission is reduced.

In the first to third embodiments of the present invention, the image control computer 10 corresponds to the image upload device.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, the A radio device 25 corresponds to the first radio communication device. Although the A wireless device 25 is adapted to support a PDC communication system, the first wireless communication device does not necessarily need to support a PDC communication system, but may correspond to any communication system. Good.

The direction information of the first to third embodiments is
Corresponds to shooting direction information.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the B radio 2
Reference numeral 7 corresponds to a second wireless communication device. The B radio 27
Corresponds to a wireless LAN communication system, but the second wireless communication device does not necessarily need to correspond to a wireless LAN communication system, and may correspond to any communication system.

In addition, in the first to third embodiments, FIG.
The process of receiving from the communication control unit 14 the designation of the position of the vehicle 1 at the time of performing the image capturing from the image server 5 by the information processing unit 13 shown in FIG. 1 via the first wireless communication device mounted on the vehicle. , A receiving means for receiving designation of a timing for taking an image of the surroundings of the vehicle with a camera mounted on the vehicle. However, the receiving means only needs to receive the designation of the timing of shooting, and does not need to receive the designation of the position of the vehicle 1 at the time of shooting as in the process of step 400. For example, the shooting time is designated. May be received.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, the information processing section 13 is adapted to receive the designation of the timing of photographing from the image server 5, but the receiving means may receive it from anywhere. Yes, the image server 5
It is not necessary to receive from the user, and for example, the designation of the timing of shooting may be received by the communication directly from the user.

Further, in the photographing and transmitting processes of the information processing unit 13 and the communication control unit 14 in steps 415 to 460 shown in FIG. 4, photographing is performed at the designated photographing timing, and the photographed images are A transmission means for transmitting the image to the image server that distributes the image based on the request from the user via the first wireless communication device is configured.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, the image captured by the information processing unit 13 is a moving image, but this is not necessarily a moving image, and may be, for example, a still image.

Further, in the first embodiment, as a typical part of the moving image, the one taken at the central time of the time zone in which the moving image was taken is used, but this is not always the central time. It does not have to be a thing.

Further, steps 515 and 52 of FIG. 6 performed by the vehicle data reception program 59, the image conversion program 58, the photographing information processing program 56, and the database read / information processing program 54 shown in FIG.
The receiving and storing process of 0 constitutes the image receiving means.
However, the image receiving means only needs to receive the image of the surroundings of the vehicle captured by the vehicle from the vehicle by wireless communication. For example, the image server 5 receives the image and immediately delivers the image to the user. In case you do not need to save what you receive. Further, in this case, it is not always necessary to receive the shooting information of the image.

Further, the data distribution program 5 for users
7. Database reading / information processing program 54,
Steps 535 and 54 of the shooting command transmission program 55
The processing of 0, 555 receives a request for distribution of an image at a designated shooting location from the user via the network,
Based on this request, the vehicle requests the vehicle by wireless communication to capture an image at the timing of capturing based on the capturing location and transmit the image, and the user receives the image received by the image receiving means in response to the request. An image delivery means for delivering to the.

In the operation of this embodiment, if the photographed image database 51 does not contain an image of the photographed place designated by the user, the operation route database 53.
It is designed to search for a vehicle that has an operation schedule that allows you to take a picture of the relevant shooting location, and let that vehicle take a picture. However, this is not always necessary, and equipment such as vehicle 1 It is also possible to broadcast a signal requesting to perform shooting with specified position information to all vehicles equipped with the and connected to the base station network 33. In this case, since the broadcast does not specify the other party of the transmission, the photographing command transmission program 55 that transmits the photographing request signal to the vehicle does not need to know the information about the vehicle that can perform the photographing.
Alternatively, this transmission may not be broadcast but may be multicast, which is a transmission method for delivering data to a specific plurality. In that case, the shooting command transmission program 55 needs to know the information of the other vehicle.

In the first to third embodiments, the image server 5 has map information, and the user data distribution program 57 distributes the map information to the user together with the image and the image shooting information. It is not always necessary to distribute map information.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, the omnidirectional camera 21 is used for photographing, but it is not always necessary that the camera is capable of photographing in all directions.

Further, the data distribution program 5 for users
The Web data distributed by 7 need not be dynamic data whose display can be changed interactively.

Further, FIG. 3 shows an example of the photographing information of the image in the first embodiment, but the photographing information of the image is configured so that all such position information, time, direction information and speed information are not available. The shooting information of the image can be constituted by only one of them, which is not the case.

Of the above-mentioned means, the means constituted by the processing shown in the flowcharts and timing charts and the means constituted by the programs shown in FIGS. 5 and 12 realize the functions of the respective means. It does not necessarily have to be configured by software processing, and may be configured as dedicated hardware.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a configuration of a device mounted in a vehicle 1 for capturing an image and transmitting the image to an image server 5 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing the image distribution system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of shooting information of an image created by an information processing unit 13.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process performed by the information processing unit 13 and the communication control unit 14 to capture an image and send the image to the image server 5.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image distribution system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing an exchange of data processing among the image server 5, the user, and the vehicle.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a flow of a process of interpolating shooting information of an image.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of web data distributed by a user data distribution program 57 displayed using a web browser.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a further example of Web data distributed by a user data distribution program 57 displayed using a Web browser.

FIG. 10 is mounted in a vehicle according to a second embodiment,
3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device for capturing an image and transmitting the image to the image server 5. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device mounted in the vehicle according to the third embodiment for capturing an image and transmitting the image to the image server 5.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image server 5 according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Vehicle, 2 ... Road, 3 ... Base station, 4 ... Base station network, 5 ...
Image server, 6 ... Captured image, 7 ... Delivery image, 10 ... Image control computer, 11 ... Sensor control unit, 12 ... Image recording unit, 13 ... Information processing unit, 14 ... Communication control unit, 21 ... Omnidirectional camera, 22 … GPS sensor, 23… Direction sensor,
24 ... Speed sensor, 25 ... A radio, 26 ... A antenna, 27 ... B radio, 28 ... B antenna, 31 ... A radio base station, 32 ... B radio base station, 33 ... Base station network, 3
4 ... Base station network, 35 ... Base station, 36 ... Fixed user, 37
... In-vehicle user, 51 ... Photo image database, 52 ... Map information database, 53 ... Operation route database, 5
4 ... Database reading / information processing program, 55
... Shooting command transmission program, 56 ... Shooting information processing program, 57 ... User data distribution program, 58 ...
Image conversion program, 59 ... Vehicle data reception program.

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5C054 AA02 CA04 CF05 CH02 DA07                       EA01 EA03 EA05 ED07 FD02                       FF02 GB11 HA28 HA30                 5C064 BA07 BB05 BB10 BC10 BC16                       BC20 BC25 BD02 BD08 BD09                 5H180 AA01 BB05 BB15 CC04 CC12                       FF05 FF10 FF13 FF22 FF32                       FF40

Claims (23)

[Claims] 1. An image uploading device mounted on a vehicle, wherein a camera mounted on the vehicle captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle via a first wireless communication device mounted on the vehicle. The receiving unit that receives a designation of timing, and the first wireless communication device to the image server that performs the image capturing at the timing of performing the specified image capturing and delivers the captured image based on a request from a user. And an image uploading device comprising: 2. The transmitting means transmits, to the image server along with the image, image capturing information of the image, which is information regarding an image capturing state when the image is captured, via the first wireless communication device. The image uploading device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The image uploading device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit receives designation of a position of the vehicle at the time of shooting as the designation of the timing of performing the shooting. 4. The receiving unit receives, from the image server, a designation of a timing for taking an image with the camera, via the first wireless communication device. The image uploading device according to any one of the above. 5. The image uploading device according to claim 1, wherein the image is a moving image. 6. The transmitting means transmits a representative portion of the image and shooting information of the image to the image server via the first wireless communication device, and then a second portion mounted on a vehicle. The image upload device according to claim 5, wherein the remaining part of the image is transmitted to the image server via the wireless communication device. 7. The image upload device according to claim 6, wherein the transmission capacity of the second wireless communication device is larger than the transmission capacity of the first wireless communication device. 8. The image according to claim 6, wherein the communication cost when using the second wireless communication device is lower than the communication cost when using the first wireless communication device. Upload device. 9. The representative portion of the image is a portion of the image captured at a central time of a time zone in which the image is captured.
The image uploading device according to any one of 1. 10. An image server arranged on a network, comprising: an image receiving means for receiving, from a vehicle, an image of the surrounding area of the vehicle captured by the vehicle by wireless communication; and a user designated via the network. Received a request for image distribution at the shooting location of, and based on this request,
The vehicle requests the vehicle by radio communication to capture an image at the timing of capturing based on the capturing location and transmit the image, and the image received by the image receiving unit is sent as a response to the request. An image server equipped with an image delivery means for delivering to users. 11. A vehicle of the vehicle, which is adapted to travel on a planned route planned in advance, of the planned route, a correspondence between a passage position in the planned route, and a scheduled passage time. An operation route database is provided, and the image distribution unit determines a target vehicle to be requested by radio communication to capture the image and transmit the image based on the operation route database. The image server according to 10. 12. The image receiving means receives, from a vehicle, image capturing information of an image of the surroundings of the vehicle captured by the vehicle and image capturing information, which is information regarding a capturing state when the image is captured, by wireless communication. And, the received image and the shooting information of the image are stored based on the shooting information of the image, the image delivery unit receives a request for delivery of an image at a designated shooting location from a user via the network, If the image storage unit does not store the image at the shooting location designated by the user, the vehicle captures an image at a shooting timing based on the shooting location and transmits the image and shooting information of the image. , Requesting the vehicle by wireless communication, and delivering the image received by the image receiving means to the user in response to the request. Image server according to claim 10 or 11, symptoms. 13. The image capturing information of the image includes image capturing time information and image capturing location information when the image was captured, and the image storing means stores the received image at the image capturing time when the image was captured or The image server according to claim 12, wherein the image server is arranged and stored for each shooting location. 14. The image capturing information of the image includes position information and traveling speed information of the vehicle that captured the image when the image was captured, and the image receiving unit captured the image while the vehicle was traveling. A moving image is received, and a position of the vehicle when the moving image is captured for each frame of the moving image is calculated based on traveling speed information and position information of the vehicle included in the captured information of the moving image. The image server according to claim 12 or 13. 15. The map information is provided, the shooting information of the image has position information of a vehicle that took the image when the image was taken, and the image delivery means received the map information. The image is made to cooperate with each other based on the position information of the vehicle that took the image when the image was taken, and as the user interface based on this cooperation, the image designated by the user and the shooting information of this image are described above. The image server according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the image server delivers the image to a user. 16. The shooting information of the image has shooting direction information of the shot image, and the user interface is adapted to display the shot image and shooting direction information of this image together. The image server according to claim 15, further comprising: 17. The map information has building information, and the user interface is adapted to display a photographed image and building information related to the image together. The image server according to 15 or 16. 18. The image delivered by the image delivery means to the user is a moving image, and the user interface allows the user to perform frame advance and rewind of the moving image. The image server according to any one of claims 15 to 17, which is characterized in that. 19. The image distributed by the image distribution means to the user is a panoramic image including a plurality of images in the shooting directions, and the user interface displays an image part in the shooting direction specified by the user in the panoramic image. The display device is capable of being displayed.
The image server according to any one of 6 to 18. 20. An image distribution system comprising an image uploading device mounted on a vehicle and an image server arranged on a network, wherein the image uploading device is a first wireless device mounted on the vehicle. Receiving means for receiving, via a communication device, a designation of timing for photographing the surroundings of the vehicle with a camera mounted on the vehicle, and the photographing for performing the photographing at the designated timing for photographing, and the image. And transmitting means for transmitting the image capturing information of the image to the image server via the first wireless communication device, wherein the image server captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle captured by the upload device. An image receiving means for receiving by wireless communication, and a request for delivering an image at a designated shooting location from a user via the network, and based on this request The image uploading device requests the image uploading device by wireless communication to shoot the image at the shooting timing based on the shooting location and transmit the image, and the image receiving means receives the request in response to the request. And an image distribution means for distributing the image to the user. 21. The image distribution system according to claim 20, wherein the camera mounted on the vehicle on which the image upload device is mounted is an omnidirectional camera. 22. The image distribution system according to claim 21, wherein the transmitting unit develops an image captured by the omnidirectional camera and then transmits the image to the image server. 23. The image according to claim 21, wherein the image receiving means expands and saves the image captured by the omnidirectional camera after receiving the image from the image upload device. Delivery system.