JP2003324728A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pleasant operating environment by enhancing a user interface in the case of imaging with high resolution with respect to a network camera capable of distributing a video image onto a network. <P>SOLUTION: When moving picture imaging with low resolution at a high frame rate is switched into moving picture imaging with high resolution at a low frame rate, the size of a video display window at a client side is extended to display the high resolution video image fully on a screen without reducing the video image. Or a new window other than the window for displaying the low resolution video image is created and the video image with high resolution imaging is fully displayed in the new window without reducing the video image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network camera capable of delivering video on a network such as a LAN or the Internet, and particularly, when a still image or a high quality image is taken at a low frame rate. , The improvement of the operating environment provided to the client.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, network cameras that directly send video information on a LAN or the Internet have been increasing in place of cameras that store captured video on media such as tape and film, and can be used in scenic spots, downtown areas, or people. It is installed in a place where people can't go, and it's becoming possible to watch live images on the spot without going to the site.

Such a network camera is connected to a network such as the Internet or LAN,
Display the captured image on the display of the computer connected to the network.

In the network camera as described above, there is also a model capable of performing camera operations such as panning, tilting, and zooming on the network, and a client on the network can see an image in a direction of his or her preference. There are also network cameras that are designed to be like this.

[0005]

In the current network camera, the capacity of the communication line becomes a bottleneck, and if the moving image is shot at 30 frames per second, the resolution of the captured image is CIF (352 × 288). Limited in extent.

However, in addition to the problem of moving image shooting, the number of pixels of CCD, which is an image pickup device, is increasing, and some video cameras and the like have a function capable of shooting still images with high pixels. This is a function that uses a high pixel CCD and shoots at the NTSC level when shooting a moving image, but at the time of shooting a still image, the CCD pixels are fully used to shoot a still image at a high resolution of XGA level or higher.

Even with a network camera, when shooting a moving image of 30 frames per second, a CIF level image is taken, but when shooting a still image or a low frame rate such as 1 frame per second or 2 frames per second, it is high at XGA level or higher. It is thought that it will be possible to shoot at resolution.

For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-042275 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-175177, there is a motion detecting means by image processing of a video being photographed, and the motion detecting means An example of performing high-resolution shooting by output is disclosed.

At this time, if a high resolution image is displayed in the window displaying the image captured at the CIF level, only a part of the captured image can be displayed. For this reason, the client who has requested the high-quality image cannot see the entire captured image unless the user scrolls the screen or manually increases the window size.

Further, it is possible to fit the entire screen in the CIF image display window by reducing the size of the captured image without changing the window size, but in this method, the client captures in high resolution. I couldn't get the benefits I had. The above-mentioned publicly known example does not disclose the operation of the display window, and it is not considered that a comfortable operating environment can be obtained.

In order to observe an image shot with high image quality, the client must operate the window,
There was a problem that a comfortable operating environment could not be obtained.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-232922, there is a publicly known example in which the photographing area is controlled according to the format of the photographing area. In this case, the image displayed on the display means is also displayed. The user interface of is not mentioned.

[0013]

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a network camera capable of delivering video on a network, from low resolution and high frame rate shooting to high resolution and low frame rate shooting. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a comfortable operating environment while making sure that the client recognizes that a high-resolution image is captured when switching to.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to the present application has a function of photographing a moving image of low resolution and a high frame rate, and has a larger number of photographing pixels as compared with the photographing of a low resolution and a high frame rate. Using the high resolution, low frame rate to shoot video, the function of distributing the shot video on the network such as the Internet, intranet, low resolution, high frame rate shooting and the high resolution A function for switching the shooting in the above, a function for controlling the resolution switching of the video to be shot from a network, and a shooting device having these functions,
When it is detected that the conditions of the image to be shot have been switched, the state of displaying the image on the client is changed.

According to the above-mentioned invention, the client can clearly confirm whether the low-resolution / high-frame-rate shooting or the high-resolution / low-frame-rate shooting is selected, and a comfortable operating environment can be obtained.

Further, in the network camera according to the present invention, if the low-resolution and high-frame-rate shooting is changed to the high-resolution and low-frame-rate shooting, the client observing the video shot on the network It is characterized in that the window size of the video display screen is enlarged so that the entire screen of the video image captured in high resolution is displayed without being reduced.

According to the present invention, a client observing an image can check the entire screen of an image taken in high resolution without reducing the size, and can benefit from high resolution imaging.

Further, in the network camera according to the present invention, if the low resolution / high frame rate shooting is changed to the high resolution / low frame rate shooting, the low resolution / high frame rate video is displayed. In addition to the window, a new window capable of displaying the entire range of the image captured with high resolution is created, and the image captured with high resolution is displayed in the new window.

According to the present invention, a client observing an image can detect a low-resolution image as well as a high-resolution image.
It is possible to check the high frame rate video at the same time, you can check the movement of the subject in the video,
A comfortable operating environment can be obtained.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (Embodiment 1) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG.
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1A is a diagram schematically showing a screen on which a video image distributed on a network camera is observed on a display device on the client side. Reference numeral 11 is a network camera in the present invention, and 12 is a PC for displaying an image taken by the network camera 11. The video captured by the network camera 11 is distributed via a network such as the Internet or a LAN.

When the moving image is shot at a high frame rate of 30 frames per second, the image taken by the network camera 11 becomes a CIF level image because the image processing speed or the communication infrastructure becomes a bottleneck. And delivered on the network.

The PC 12 is considered to be generally used as a display device on the client side. Recent PC 12
Most display screen sizes have a resolution of XGA (1024 × 768) or higher. Therefore, the video shot at CIF level is
As shown in (a), it only occupies a part of the entire display screen.

When the client operating the network camera 11 requests high-resolution shooting, the camera body takes high-resolution shooting. As mentioned above,
There is a limit to the image processing speed or the communication speed of the network, and if an attempt is made to deliver an image with high resolution, that is, a large amount of data, the frame rate of the moving image taken will drop, and It is shot at a frame rate of about frame.

At this time, if a high-resolution image is displayed with a small window size, the screen may be scrolled to check the image, or the window size may be changed manually. Operation is required. Also, when the display image is a reduced image,
It looks just like low-resolution video, and clients can't benefit from high-resolution video.

Therefore, at the time of this high-resolution shooting, FIG.
As shown in (b), P which is the display device on the client side
The size of the video display window of C12 is enlarged so that the high-resolution captured video can be displayed in full screen.

By changing the window size and displaying the entire screen on the display device on the client side, the client can enjoy a high resolution image and can obtain a comfortable operating environment.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of changing the resolution and photographing in this embodiment. Step 21 is a step showing a normal low-resolution shooting state of a high frame rate of 30 frames per second. Step two
In step 2, it is detected whether or not a high-resolution shooting execution command is input from the client. If a high-resolution shooting execution command is detected in step 22, the window size on the PC screen displayed on the client is enlarged in step 23. In step 24, the image taken with high resolution is displayed on the enlarged window. At this time, the frame rate of the image is captured at a low frame rate of 1 to 2 frames per second.

Here, the high-resolution shooting is executed by detecting that an execution command is input from the client on the network, but the present invention is not limited to this example, and for example, an external sensor is provided and the external sensor is used. High-resolution imaging may be performed by the output from.

External sensors include vibration, shock, light,
Various sensors such as sound, heat, speed, acceleration, electric current, etc. can be considered. High resolution imaging may be performed using these sensors as a trigger.

The subsequent steps are the steps of returning the video imaged at the high resolution and the low frame rate to the normal moving image shooting at the low resolution and the high frame rate again.

In step 25, it is detected whether or not the client has stopped the high-resolution, low-frame-rate shooting and has input a command for returning to the low-resolution, high-frame-rate normal shooting.

If it is detected that the command for returning to the normal photographing is input, the window size is reduced to the default original size again in step 26, and the CI
It restores to F level low resolution and high frame rate moving image.

Here, as the return trigger to the video of the low resolution and the high frame rate, the return command input from the client is taken as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the elapsed time is counted, or Low resolution by various external sensors as well as high resolution shooting trigger
It goes without saying that it is possible to return to a high frame rate image.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3A is a diagram schematically showing a screen of a video image distributed on the network camera, which is observed on the display device on the client side. When shooting at a high frame rate of 30 frames per second, CIF level video is shot, and the shot video is P on the client side.
It is displayed on a part of C12. In the present embodiment, images captured by a plurality of cameras are displayed on the PC 12 on the client side.
Is displayed.

It is assumed that a client selects one of the images displayed by a plurality of cameras displaying the image and sends a request signal to display the image in high resolution. The network camera that received the request for high-resolution shooting switches to high-resolution shooting.

The PC 12 on the client side, at the stage of transmitting the request signal for high-resolution shooting, creates a new window having a size that can fit the entire screen of the video shot at the high resolution. The high resolution image is displayed in this newly created window.

The window of the image shot with the low resolution is left as it is and the last scene of the image shot with the low resolution is displayed, or the image shot with the high resolution is reduced and displayed. You may do it.

With such a configuration, it can be used as a thumbnail display of what is being taken by another camera.

In this embodiment, a new window is created on the display device on the client side, and the high-resolution shot video is displayed in full screen on the new window. With this configuration, the client can enjoy a high-resolution image and can obtain a comfortable operating environment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of changing the resolution and photographing in this embodiment. Step 41 is a step showing a normal low-resolution, high-frame-rate shooting state of 30 frames per second. Step 4
In step 2, it is detected whether or not a high-resolution shooting execution command is input from the client. If a high-resolution shooting execution command is detected in step 42, a new window is created on the PC screen displayed on the client in step 43. Step 44 is a step of displaying the video imaged in high resolution on the newly created window. The frame rate of the image at this time is from 1 second
Filmed at a low frame rate of 2 frames.

At this time, the window displaying the low-resolution shot image is left as it is, and the last scene of the video shot in the low resolution is displayed.

In this embodiment, the high-resolution shooting is executed by detecting that the execution command is input from the client on the network, but the invention is not limited to this example. High resolution imaging may be performed by the output from the external sensor as in the first embodiment.

External sensors include vibration, shock, light,
Various sensors such as sound, heat, speed, acceleration, and current can be considered, and high-resolution imaging may be performed by using the output of these sensors as a trigger.

The following steps are steps for returning the video imaged at the high resolution and the low frame rate to the normal moving image shooting at the low resolution and the high frame rate again.

In step 45, it is detected whether the client has stopped the high-resolution, low-frame-rate shooting and has input a command for returning to the low-resolution, high-frame-rate normal shooting.

If it is detected that the command for returning to the normal photographing has been input, step 46 proceeds to step 4
The window newly created in 3 is closed, the window displaying the CIF level low resolution and high frame rate video is activated, and the video is displayed in that window.

Also in the present embodiment, as the trigger for returning to the video of low resolution and high frame rate, the returning instruction input from the client is taken as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the elapsed time is counted. It goes without saying that, similarly to the high-resolution shooting trigger, various external sensors may be used to restore the low-resolution, high-frame-rate video.

[0050]

As described above, in the image capturing apparatus according to the present invention, when an image is captured at a high resolution and a low frame rate, the window of the window displaying the normal low resolution and high frame rate image is displayed. The configuration is such that the size is enlarged to display the image shot in high resolution on the full screen, and the restored image window size is restored when returning to the low resolution and high frame rate shooting. Is characterized by.

According to the above-mentioned invention, it is possible to clearly confirm whether the image is a low resolution, high frame rate image, a high resolution, low frame rate image, or a comfortable image. It is possible to obtain various operating environments.

Furthermore, when the image capturing apparatus of the present invention is used to capture an image at a high resolution and a low frame rate, a high resolution image is displayed in addition to the normal window displaying the low resolution and high frame rate image. It is characterized by creating a new window capable of displaying the entire range of an image taken at a resolution and a low frame rate, and displaying an image taken at a high resolution in this newly created window.

According to the above invention, the client observing the image can simultaneously confirm the image captured in the high resolution and the image captured in the low resolution, and confirm the movement of the subject in the image. And a comfortable operating environment can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 network cameras 12 PC

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photographing apparatus has the following. Shooting lens,
And an image sensor for converting light rays condensed by the photographing lens into an electric signal, a first photographing function for photographing a continuous moving image by using a part of pixels of the image sensor, and the first photographing function A second image capturing function for capturing a still image using a larger number of pixels than the image capturing element used for the above, or a video image captured at a lower frame rate than the moving image captured by the first image capturing function; A switching means for switching between the first and second photographing functions, a function of distributing an image photographed by the first photographing function or the second photographing function on the network,
Display means for displaying the photographed image distributed on the network, a function of changing the photographing direction of the photographing lens, a function of changing the photographing magnification of the photographing lens, the first photographing function and the second photographing. Control means for controlling a switching function for switching functions, a function for changing the shooting direction of the shooting lens, and a function for changing the shooting magnification of the shooting lens from a network, and a shooting device having these, the first shooting function And a state of the image displayed on the display means is changed according to the output of the switching means for switching the second photographing function. 2. When the switching means for switching from the first photographing function to the second photographing function is operated, the display area of the image displayed on the display means is enlarged to make the second photographing function. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a full screen of the image photographed in is displayed. 3. When the switching means for switching from the first photographing function to the second photographing function operates, the first means is displayed on the display means displaying the image by the first photographing function.
A new video image display area is created separately from the video image of the shooting function, and the full screen of the video image shot by the second shooting function is displayed on the newly created video display means. The video display device according to claim 2.