JP2003319373A - Remote supervisory system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote supervisory system for supervising the images of a plurality of objects and employing one supervisory camera to make economical and effective image supervision. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of video signals photographed by one supervisory camera are stored and one supervisory monitor 10 monitors them. Then the supervisory monitor 10 displays a first video signal as a moving picture on a main screen of the supervisory monitor 10 and superimposingly displays a second video signal as a still picture on the main screen and displays it on a sub screen, when a change in the second video signal is detected, the sub screen is replaced with the main screen and the second video signal is displayed as a moving picture. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CCTV (Closed
The present invention relates to a remote monitoring system using a monitoring camera such as Circuit Television. 2. Description of the Related Art In a remote monitoring system using a television camera, a surveillance terminal having a surveillance camera and a monitor installed at a surveillance location is connected to a dedicated cable or a LAN,
It is connected by a network such as a subscriber network and a dedicated communication line. When the number of objects to be monitored increases, each monitoring location is photographed using a plurality of monitoring cameras, for example, four monitoring cameras, and a monitoring display is performed by a display monitor of a monitoring terminal corresponding to each monitoring camera. However, there is a problem that as the number of monitoring terminals increases, the equipment cost increases, and the communication cost for transmitting the video signal also increases. In order to solve this problem, instead of using a plurality of monitoring terminals as shown in FIG. 10, screens for respective monitoring cameras are alternately displayed on the monitor screen of one monitoring terminal. A method of superimposing and displaying images corresponding to each camera such as two screens / 4 screens has been implemented. FIG. 10 shows a configuration in which video signals of a plurality of monitoring cameras 1a are monitored by a monitor 10b of one monitoring terminal.
a remote monitoring system is constructed from four units a, the network 9a, the video switching / superimposing display distribution device 10a, and the monitor 10b of the monitoring terminal. That is, in FIG. 10, video signals from a plurality of monitoring cameras 1a are transmitted via a network 9a, and a plurality of images selected by a video switching / superimposition display distribution device 10a are superimposed on one monitoring terminal. It was displayed on the screen of the monitor 10b. [0005] However, the method of simply superimposing a plurality of images has a problem that an image to be monitored mainly in the superimposed screen is obstructed by other images and cannot be seen. In order to limit the transmission capacity between the surveillance camera and the surveillance terminal and to reduce the communication cost, these plural images are often displayed as still images, and effective surveillance with moving images is not possible. could not. [0007] In the prior art, there are many objects to be monitored, and when remote monitoring is performed using a plurality of monitoring cameras and a plurality of monitoring terminals, the cost of the apparatus is high and the video signal is high. However, there is a problem that the communication cost for transmitting the data increases. Also, in order to reduce costs and facilitate monitoring, there is a method of superimposing and displaying images corresponding to each monitoring camera such as two screens / 4 screens on a monitor of one monitoring terminal instead of using a plurality of monitoring terminals. However, when the superimposed screen is viewed, there is a problem that the image of the surveillance camera that the user wants to monitor mainly is obstructed by the images of other surveillance cameras and cannot be seen. Also, in order to reduce communication costs, when a plurality of monitoring targets are monitored with still images, monitoring using moving images cannot be performed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a remote monitoring system which solves the above-mentioned problem and monitors a plurality of targets with a single monitoring camera and performs effective image monitoring at low cost. In order to achieve the above object, a remote monitoring system according to the present invention stores a plurality of video signals photographed by a single monitoring camera and stores the video signals on a single monitoring monitor. In a remote monitoring system for monitoring, a first video signal is displayed as a moving image on a main screen of the monitoring monitor,
The second video signal is displayed as a sub-screen by superimposing the second video signal on the main screen of the monitoring monitor as a still image, and when it is detected that the second video signal has changed, the sub-screen is It is characterized in that the second video signal is displayed as a moving image instead of the main screen. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a remote monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a remote monitoring system includes a monitoring camera terminal 5, a network 9, and a display control device 10.
It is composed of The surveillance camera terminal 5 comprises a surveillance camera 1, a turning device 2, a machine-side device 7, and an abnormality sensor 6. The surveillance camera 1 is combined with the turning device 2, and the zoom ratio of the zoom lens, the azimuth and the elevation angle of the camera are controlled by a preset control signal from a display control device 10 described later, and connected to the machine side device 7. I have. The machine-side device 7 houses the preset control device 3, the digital conversion circuit 4, and the communication interface circuit 8. The preset control device 3 sets the angle of the turning device 2,
For setting the zoom ratio of the camera lens and monitoring the setting, a predetermined setting process is executed in accordance with the preset control signal for each monitoring image. The video signal photographed by the surveillance camera 1 is digitized by the digital conversion circuit 4 and the communication interface circuit 8 of the surveillance camera terminal 5 outputs the vertical and directional angles of the turning device from the preset control device 3 and the camera. Is multiplexed with a preset monitor signal for monitoring the zoom ratio of the display control device 10 and is constantly transmitted to the communication interface circuit 18 of the display control device 10 via the network 9. The signal of the abnormality sensor 6 provided in the monitoring camera terminal 5 is connected to the preset control device 3,
Treated as one item of the preset monitor signal. On the other hand, the display control device 10 serving as a monitoring terminal converts a video signal transmitted from the monitoring camera terminal 5 into a CRT.
While monitoring the screen, the operator resets the zoom ratio, the camera azimuth and the elevation of the surveillance camera 1 using the keyboard 25 and the mouse 26, and transmits the preset control signal to the surveillance camera. Transmit to terminal 5. Further, the user selects a monitoring image and sets a screen configuration for superimposing and displaying the monitoring image on the CRT 24. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the display control device 10. As shown in FIG. The display control device 10 includes a CPU 11. The main memory 12 for storing programs and data is connected to the CPU 11.
A keyboard line 15, a mouse controller 16, an image memory controller 17, and a communication interface 18 are connected to a bus line 13 extending from the bus line 13. The CRT controller 14 controls display of an image on the CRT 24. Keyboard controller 1
Reference numeral 5 captures key operation data of the keyboard 25. The mouse controller 16 captures position data by operating the mouse 26. The image memory controller 17 reads and writes data from and to the image memory 27. The communication interface 18 captures a digital video signal and a preset monitor signal transmitted from the monitoring camera terminal 5, and transmits a preset control signal generated under the control of the CPU 11 to the preset control device 3. Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is an example of a preset monitor screen according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a management table stored in the image memory 27, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a preset operation in the embodiment of the present invention. . The operation of the preset process will be described below with reference to FIGS. The operator operates the display control device 10
Using the keyboard 25 or the mouse 26, setting data of the left / right turning of the surveillance camera 1, the vertical swing, and the zoom ratio of the camera are input. The setting data is stored in the image memory 27 by the image memory controller 17 of the display control device 10 as a preset control signal, and is transmitted from the communication interface 18 to the preset control device 3 of the monitoring camera terminal 5 via the network 9. . On the other hand, a video signal captured by the monitoring camera 1 of the monitoring camera terminal 5 is received by the communication interface 18 via the network 9 and transferred to the CRT controller 14 under the control of the CPU 11. Where CRT
For example, it is assumed that a monitoring image as shown in FIG. This video signal and its preset control information are stored in the image memory 2 using the preset number as a key.
7 for management. That is, in accordance with an instruction from the keyboard 25, a preset number is determined for a still image generated from the video signal and stored in the image memory 27 (FIG. 5).
Step s11). Similarly, for the other monitoring targets, the display control device 10 transmits a preset control signal to the monitoring camera terminal 5 to generate a still image from the video signal captured by the monitoring camera 1 of the monitoring camera terminal 5. Then, another preset number is assigned and stored on the table of the image memory 27 (in the case of Yes in step s12). The monitoring camera terminal 5 always has the display control device 1
0, the video signal at the preset position of the surveillance camera 1, which is a default (initial setting) described later, is always displayed as a moving image on the CRT 24 of the display control device 10. On the other hand, a still image generated from a video signal captured from another preset position is periodically updated and displayed on the CRT 24 as a sub-screen. Hereinafter, the detailed operation will be described. First, the configuration of the monitoring screen will be described using the monitoring screen shown in FIG. First, the main screen to be displayed on the CRT 24 of the display controller 10 is set (step s13). This screen is a video signal from a preset position from the monitoring camera 1 set as a default in advance, and is displayed as a moving image on the CRT 24 as it is. Next, the order of monitoring the sub-screens to be displayed on the CRT 24 is set (step s14). On the CRT 24, the sub-screen is superimposed and displayed as a still image on the moving picture plane of the main screen. The setting of the imaging order and the time interval of the sub-screen is performed using the keyboard 25 and the mouse 26. For example, in FIG. 6, the main screen q3 is replaced with the sub-screen q
1, q2 are displayed in a superimposed manner. These sub-screens q1, q2
Correspond to the preset numbers 1 and 2 in FIG. 4 and are stored in the image memory 27 by the above-described processing. This allows the still images on the sub-screens q1 and q2 to be updated every 5 minutes and 10 minutes while constantly monitoring the main screen q3.
The keyboard 25 and the mouse 26 are used to input the shooting order and the shooting time interval so that the monitoring camera 1 shoots images in the order of q1, q1, q2, and q1. When the photographing at the preset position corresponding to the sub-image is completed, the monitoring camera 1 returns to the original default position and continues to send the video signal. Next, in monitoring the main screen by the operator, the mouse 2 is used to prevent the display positions, dimensions and arrangement of the sub-screens q1 and q2 from interfering with the main screen 3.
First, display conditions such as the display position, dimensions, and arrangement of the still images on the sub-screen q1 are set on the CRT 24 by step 6 (step s15). The setting of the display condition is repeated for the superimposed sub-screen q2 (Yes in step s16).
in the case of). The contents set and input in these steps s12 to s15 are stored in the table of the image memory 27 by the image memory controller 17 in each step as a preset control signal. It is needless to say that the main screen is not limited to the preset position set by default, and may display a video signal from a preset position selected by the operator. Next, referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the surveillance image exchange operation according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are flowcharts of the surveillance image switching operation of the remote monitoring system according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows a screen configuration in a case where a change such as an abnormality is found in the monitoring image on the sub-screen during monitoring, and the monitoring screen of the moving image is switched from the image shown in FIG. 6 to the changed image. . 7 and 8, the monitoring camera terminal 5
Continuously transmits the digital video signal and the preset monitor signal to the display control device 10, and the display control device 10 displays a moving image on the default main screen (step s2).
1). Next, at a time interval set in step s14 of FIG. 5, the display control device 10 starts an interrupt process for acquiring a monitoring image of the sub-screen corresponding to the preset number (step s22). At this time, the display controller 10 generates a still image from the video signal of the main screen being monitored as a moving image, stores the still image in the image memory 27, and displays the still image on the CRT 24 (step s23). Subsequently, the display control device 10 sends the information of the preset number (Pn) of the sub-screen and the information of the preset control signal to the preset control device 3 provided in the monitoring camera terminal 5 via the communication interface 18 and the network 9. Transmit (step s24). The monitoring camera terminal 5 is connected to the communication interface 8
, The preset control device 3 controls the turning device 2 and the surveillance camera 1 based on the data, and the surveillance camera 1 continues to transmit the video signal. The preset control device 3 simultaneously sends a preset monitor signal such as a zoom ratio and a preset number of the surveillance camera 1 to the communication interface 8, multiplexes the signal with the video signal of the surveillance camera 1, and transmits the multiplexed signal to the network 9 (step s2).
5). The multiplexed signal is connected from the communication interface 8 to the network 9 and the display control device 10
Transmitted to The display control device 10 checks the preset monitor signal and the preset information, and when confirming that the video signal from the monitoring camera terminal 5 is a video signal from a predetermined preset position, the display control device 10 corresponds to the preset number (Pn). A preset control signal is stored and stored in the image memory 27 as a new still image, and the surveillance camera terminal 5 is returned to the default position (step s26). The surveillance camera 1 returns to the default position at the same time that the still image is updated by the display control device 10, and transmits the video signal to the display control device 10 (step s2).
7). Accordingly, the display control device 10 performs a moving image display for monitoring the default position on the original main screen again (step s28). Next, the display controller 10 accesses the image memory 27, fetches the still image information stored in step s26, and updates and displays the still image of the sub-screen of the preset number (Pn) (step 29). In the monitoring example shown in FIG. 6, the sub-screens q1 to q2
Are displayed as one horizontal row of still images corresponding to the preset numbers P1 and P2. The display control device 10 always monitors the monitoring images on the sub-screens q1 and q2, but when it is determined that there is a change (for example, an abnormality has occurred) in the monitoring image (Yes in step s30), the monitoring image in which the change has occurred Is switched to the main screen q3 (step s31). The monitoring camera 1 moves to the position of the preset number 1 (step s32). The switching is performed with the screen arrangement set in step s15 in FIG. 5 and a screen configuration in which the display positions of the original main screen q3 and the original sub-screen q1 are switched (step s15).
33). FIG. 9 shows that the screen corresponding to the sub-screen q1 of FIG. 6 is switched to the main screen for displaying a moving image, and the monitor further uses the keyboard 25 and the mouse 26 to change the new sub-screens q2 and q.
3 are displayed as one column of still images,
This shows a case where the arrangement and the arrangement direction are changed so as not to hinder the display of the new main screen q1. When the monitoring and the display of the moving image on the switching screen become unnecessary (No in step s34), the monitoring camera 1 returns to the default position (step s35), and the configuration of the monitoring screen of the CRT 24 is changed to the original. The display returns to the default (initial setting) main screen moving image display (step s36). For example, in a system in which a normal doorway and an emergency doorway are monitored simultaneously by one camera, a normal screen with a large number of visitors is monitored on the main screen as a moving image, and an emergency doorway that is not normally used is monitored on the subscreen. When the emergency door is used by someone in the state, the door is opened and closed by the abnormality sensor 6.
Is detected by Based on this detection, the main screen is automatically switched to this emergency entrance so as to correspond to step s29, and the sub-screen is switched to be monitored at the normal entrance. In this way, if the main screen is automatically switched to this emergency doorway and a moving image is displayed, monitoring can be performed efficiently and effectively with only one camera. The detection of the change in the monitoring image may be performed by image processing of the video signal from the monitoring camera 1, for example, by comparing the preceding and following still images and detecting a change if the still images are different. When the surveillance camera 1 moves to the preset position, the display control device 10 switches the image immediately before the surveillance camera 1 starts moving, such as turning, to a still image and keeps the still image until the surveillance camera 1 returns from the preset position. Screen display. If the surveillance camera 1 moves to the preset position in one second, the surveillance camera 1 returns to the original position and can be observed again after three seconds, even if it takes one second to photograph a still image there. As described above, when the switching cycle to the sub-screen is an interval of several minutes or more, even if monitoring the still image at a plurality of points, the influence on the main screen is small, and the efficiency of one monitoring camera is small. Effective monitoring can be performed. According to the present invention, since a plurality of objects can be remotely monitored by one television camera, it is not necessary to install a large number of television cameras in a remote place. It is possible to construct a highly economical system capable of monitoring a plurality of still images using a still image while monitoring mainly a moving image, instead of monitoring a plurality of screens of only a still image which has been restricted in order to save costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a remote monitoring system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the display control device 10 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a setting example of a preset screen of a monitoring screen according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a table showing contents stored in an image memory 27 of the display control device 10 of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a preset operation of image capturing according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a monitoring screen according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operation of surveillance imaging in the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 1; FIG. 8 is a flowchart of surveillance imaging operation in the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 1; FIG. 9 is a monitoring screen according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional remote monitoring system. [Description of Signs] 1 surveillance camera 2 turning device 3 preset control device 4 digital conversion circuit 5 surveillance camera terminal 6 abnormality sensor 7 machine side device 8 communication interface 9 network 10 display control device 11 CPU 12 main memory 14 CRT controller 15 keyboard controller 16 Mouse Controller 17 Image Memory Controller 18 Communication Interface 24 CRT 25 Keyboard 26 Mouse 27 Image Memory

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Koji Sasaki             1 east of 3-1-1 Asahigaoka, Hino-shi, Tokyo             Shiba Communication Systems Engineering Co., Ltd.             Inside F term (reference) 5C022 AA01 AB62 AB66 AC01 AC27                       AC42 AC69 CA00                 5C054 CC05 CF06 DA06 EA05 EH07                       FA09 FC01 FE04 FE09 FE12                       FE21 FF03 HA18                 5K048 AA03 BA29 EB02 EB15 FB02                       FB05 HA01 HA22

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A remote monitoring system in which a plurality of video signals captured by one monitoring camera is stored and monitored by one monitoring monitor, the first video signal is a moving image. Displayed on the main screen of the monitoring monitor as it is, the second video signal is superimposed on the main screen of the monitoring monitor by a still image and displayed as a sub-screen, and the second video signal is changed. When the sub-screen is detected, the sub-screen is replaced with the main screen, and the second video signal is displayed as a moving image.