JP2006238356A - System and method for imaging - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging system for imaging a user in the composition desirable for each of users. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging system comprises: an imaging unit; remote control units each of which transmits through wireless communication an identification signal indicative of identification information and an operation instruction signal for remotely controlling the imaging unit; an identification signal receiving unit for receiving an identification signal from the remote control unit; a reception strength measuring unit for measuring the identification signal received by the identification signal receiving unit; an identification information holding unit for holding identification information in which an identification signal indicates a strongest reception strength measured by the reception strength measuring unit among a plurality of identification signals if the identification signal receiving unit receives the plurality of identification signals from the plurality of remote control units; an operation instruction signal receiving unit for receiving an operation instruction signal from a remote control unit; and an imaging control unit for instructing processing corresponding to an operation instruction signal to the imaging unit when the operation instruction signal identified by identification information held by the identification information holding unit is received from the remote control unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging system and an imaging method. In particular, the present invention relates to an imaging system and an imaging method for imaging an image.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a system for capturing a user using a camera installed in a theme park facility or the like, there is a system in which a camera captures an image from an instruction from a shutter device possessed by the user (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this system, for example, when a user arrives near a snap spot of a camera installed on a flower bed or the like, an alarm sound is emitted from a shutter device owned by the user. The user confirms the alarm sound and then presses the shutter button of the shutter device to capture an image using the camera, so that the user can capture an image with a desirable photo opportunity for the user.
JP 2003-78804 A

  In such a system, the camera operates according to instructions from a plurality of shutter devices owned by a plurality of users near the snap spot. For this reason, even when the user stands at the snap spot and tries to image the user himself / herself, the image is captured by an imaging instruction from another user near the snap spot. In addition, when one user exclusively uses a camera, other users at the snap spot cannot take an image using the camera. Therefore, there has been a problem that an image having a composition desired by each user cannot be captured.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system and an imaging method that can solve the above-described problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous specific examples of the present invention.

  An imaging system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an imaging unit, an identification signal indicating identification information, a remote operation unit that transmits an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit by wireless communication, and an identification signal from the remote operation unit When the identification signal receiving unit receives a plurality of identification signals from a plurality of remote control units, the reception strength measuring unit that measures the reception strength of the identification signal received by the identification signal receiving unit An identification information holding unit for holding identification information indicated by an identification signal having the strongest reception intensity measured by the reception intensity measuring unit among a plurality of identification signals, and an operation command signal receiving unit for receiving an operation command signal from the remote operation unit And an imaging control unit that, when receiving an operation command signal from the remote operation unit identified by the identification information held by the identification information holding unit, instructs the imaging unit to perform processing according to the operation command signal. That.

  The identification information indicated by the identification signal received by the identification signal receiving unit and the reception intensity of the identification signal measured by the reception intensity measuring unit are stored in association with each other for a predetermined period after the identification signal receiving unit receives the identification signal. A reception strength storage unit may be further provided, and the identification information holding unit may hold identification information stored in association with the strongest reception strength among a plurality of reception strengths stored in the reception strength storage unit.

  The antenna unit further includes an antenna unit that receives an identification signal transmitted by the remote control unit and transmits the identification signal to the identification signal receiving unit, and the receivable region of the identification signal by the antenna unit is a predetermined position in the imaging region captured by the imaging unit. The center area may be used. The receivable region of the identification signal by the antenna unit may be a region centering on the position where the person to be imaged should exist in the imaging region captured by the imaging unit. The antenna unit may be installed at a predetermined position in the imaging region imaged by the imaging unit.

  The imaging method according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a step of imaging with an imaging unit, a step of transmitting an identification signal indicating identification information, and an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit from a remote operation unit by wireless communication, An identification signal reception stage for receiving an identification signal from a remote control unit, a reception intensity measurement stage for measuring the reception intensity of the identification signal received in the identification signal reception stage, and a plurality of remote control operations for a plurality of identification signals in the identification signal reception stage When receiving from the remote control unit, the identification information holding stage for holding the identification information indicated by the identification signal having the strongest reception intensity measured in the reception intensity measurement stage among the plurality of identification signals and receiving the operation command signal from the remote control unit And when an operation command signal is received from the remote control unit identified by the identification information held in the identification information holding step, a process corresponding to the operation command signal is performed. The and a step of instructing the imaging unit.

  The imaging system according to the third aspect of the present invention includes an imaging unit, a remote operation unit that transmits an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit by wireless communication, and three or more receiving operation command signals from the remote operation unit. Based on the reception strength of the operation command signal received by the antenna unit, the three or more antenna units, a region specifying unit for specifying a region where the remote control unit exists, and an operation command signal received by the three or more antenna units And a partial image including at least a part of a region where the remote control unit specified by the region specifying unit exists from the captured image captured by the imaging unit, and an imaging control unit that causes the imaging unit to capture a region including the remote control unit And an image extraction unit that cuts out and stores the image in the image storage unit.

  A human region extraction unit that extracts a region of a person included in a region where the remote control unit specified by the region specification unit exists among the captured images captured by the imaging unit is provided, and the image extraction unit includes the human region extraction unit A partial image including the person region extracted by may be cut out and stored.

  You may further provide the imaging direction control part which controls the imaging direction of an imaging part to the direction of the area | region of the remote control part which the area | region specific part specified. You may further provide the focusing distance control part which controls the focusing distance of an imaging part to the area | region of the remote control part which the area | region specific | specification part specified.

  An imaging method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes a step of imaging by an imaging unit, a step of transmitting an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit from the remote operation unit by wireless communication, and an operation command signal from the remote operation unit. A reception stage received by three or more antenna units, an area specifying stage for specifying an area where the remote control section is present based on the reception strength of the operation command signal received in the reception stage, and an operation command received in the reception stage A step of causing the imaging unit to image an area including the remote operation unit in response to the signal, and a partial image including at least a part of the area where the remote operation unit specified in the area specifying step exists from the captured image captured by the imaging unit And an image extraction stage for cutting out the image and storing it in the image storage unit.

  Note that the above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be the invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the imaging system which images a user with the composition which each user desires can be provided.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the claimed invention, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are inventions. It is not always essential to the solution.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a usage environment of an imaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The imaging system, for example, captures a picture of a user who is visiting an amusement park and provides it to the user. The imaging device 110 is installed at a position in the amusement park where a user's photograph can be taken. The remote operation unit 140 possessed by the user transmits a signal to be imaged by the imaging device 110 based on the user's operation. Server 120 receives a signal transmitted from remote operation unit 140 from antenna unit 130 by wireless communication. Then, the server 120 causes the imaging device 110 to capture the user's image based on the signal received from the remote operation unit 140.

  The imaging device 110 transmits the captured image to the server 120. The server 120 stores the received image in a directory provided for each user, for example, a directory associated with the remote operation unit 140. When the user leaves the amusement park, the user receives an image stored in the server 120 for each user. Further, the server 120 may provide the user with an image stored in the server 120 by transmitting the image to the remote operation unit 140 through the antenna unit 130. The remote operation unit 140 may be a portable information terminal such as a mobile phone owned by the user, or may be a portable information terminal lent out at an amusement park.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a block configuration of the imaging system. The imaging system includes an imaging device 110a, a server 120a, an antenna unit 130a, and a remote operation unit 140a. The imaging device 110 a includes an imaging unit 212 and an image holding unit 214. The server 120a includes an operation command signal reception unit 222, an identification signal reception unit 224, a reception intensity measurement unit 226, a reception intensity storage unit 228, an identification information selection unit 230, an identification information holding unit 232, an identification information comparison unit 234, and an imaging control unit. 236, an image acquisition unit 242 and an image storage unit 244. The imaging device 110a, the server 120a, the antenna unit 130a, and the remote operation unit 140a are examples of the imaging device 110, the server 120, the antenna unit 130, and the remote operation unit 140 illustrated in FIG.

  The remote operation unit 140a transmits an identification signal indicating identification information for identifying the remote operation unit 140a and an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit 212 by wireless communication. The remote operation unit 140a may transmit the identification signal and the operation command signal as a set. The antenna unit 130 a receives the identification signal transmitted from the remote operation unit 140 a and transmits it to the identification signal receiving unit 224. Further, the antenna unit 130 a receives the operation command signal transmitted from the remote operation unit 140 a and transmits the operation command signal to the operation command signal receiving unit 222. Further, the antenna unit 130a may transmit an operation command signal including identification information to the identification signal receiving unit 224 as an identification signal for identifying the remote operation unit 140a.

  The identification signal receiving unit 224 receives the identification signal transmitted from the remote operation unit 140a through the antenna unit 130a. The reception intensity measuring unit 226 measures the reception intensity of the identification signal received by the identification signal receiving unit 224. The reception strength storage unit 228 stores the identification information indicated by the identification signal received by the identification signal reception unit 224 and the reception strength of the identification signal measured by the reception strength measurement unit 226 in association with each other.

  Based on the reception intensity measured by the reception intensity measurement unit 226, the identification information selection unit 230 uses the identification information that identifies the remote operation unit 140a that should accept the operation command, among the identification information stored in the reception intensity storage unit 228. To select. Specifically, the identification information selection unit 230, among the plurality of reception strengths stored by the reception strength storage unit 228, when the identification signal reception unit 224 receives a plurality of identification signals from the plurality of remote control units 140a. The identification information stored in association with the strongest reception strength is selected. The identification information holding unit 232 holds the identification information selected by the identification information selection unit 230. The reception strength storage unit 228 associates the identification information indicated by the identification signal received by the identification signal reception unit 224 with the reception strength of the identification signal measured by the reception strength measurement unit 226 so that the identification signal reception unit 224 You may store for a predetermined period after receiving an identification signal.

  The operation command signal receiving unit 222 receives an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit 212 from the remote operation unit 140a. The identification information comparison unit 234 compares the identification information included in the operation command signal received by the operation command signal reception unit 222 with the identification information held by the identification information holding unit 232 and holds the identification information holding unit 232. It is determined whether or not an operation command signal has been received from remote operation unit 140a identified by the identification information.

  When the identification information comparison unit 234 determines that the operation command signal has been received from the remote operation unit 140a identified by the identification information held by the identification information holding unit 232, the imaging control unit 236 responds to the operation command signal. Processing is instructed to the imaging unit 212. For example, the imaging control unit 236 instructs the imaging unit 212 to perform imaging when the imaging operation is instructed from the remote operation unit 140a.

  Specifically, the imaging unit 212 receives light from the subject with an imaging device such as a CCD, and images the subject. Then, the image holding unit 214 stores the captured image captured by the imaging unit 212. The image acquisition unit 242 acquires the captured image held by the image holding unit 214 and stores it in the image storage unit 244.

  Note that the imaging unit 212 may continuously capture the subject at predetermined time intervals. The image holding unit 214 may hold a predetermined number of images obtained by continuously capturing images with the imaging unit 212. Then, the image acquisition unit 242 may acquire a captured image captured at the timing closest to the time when the imaging by the imaging unit 212 is instructed from the captured images held by the image holding unit 214.

  Note that the receivable region of the identification signal by the antenna unit 130a may be a region centered on a predetermined position in the imaging region captured by the imaging unit 212. In addition, the receivable region of the identification signal by the antenna unit 130a may be a region having a maximum reception intensity at a predetermined position in the imaging region captured by the imaging unit 212. In addition, the area where the identification signal can be received by the antenna unit 130a may be an area centering on the position where the person to be imaged should exist in the imaging area. For example, the receivable area of the identification signal by the antenna unit 130a may be an area centered at a position where the person to be imaged should be in order to obtain an image with an optimal composition in the imaging area.

  The antenna unit 130a may be installed at a predetermined position in the imaging area. And the antenna part 130a may be embed | buried under the ground in an imaging area so that it may not appear in the image imaged with the imaging part 212. FIG. Further, the antenna unit 130a may be provided outside the imaging region 312. In addition, the antenna unit 130a may be provided at a higher place on the ground, such as a wall of a building.

  According to the imaging system of the present embodiment, the imaging unit 212 operates in response to an instruction from the user outside the imaging region while the user inside the imaging region by the imaging unit 212 is imaging with the imaging unit 212. Can be prevented. Further, since the imaging unit 212 can be operated based on an instruction from the remote control unit 140a possessed by the user closer to the imaging point, an image having a desired composition can be provided to the user.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of information stored in the reception strength storage unit 228. The reception intensity storage unit 228 stores the identification information indicated by the identification signal received from the remote operation unit 140a in association with the reception intensity of the identification signal and the time when the identification signal is received. The identification information may be ID information stored in advance in each of the remote control units 140a, for example. When a predetermined period has elapsed from the time stored as the reception time, the reception intensity storage unit 228 deletes the identification information stored in association with the reception time.

  Note that the remote control unit 140a may transmit the identification signal at a predetermined time interval. The reception intensity storage unit 228 may delete the identification information for identifying the remote operation unit 140a when the identification signal from the remote operation unit 140a cannot be received at a predetermined time interval. In addition, the reception intensity storage unit 228 may delete the identification information for identifying the remote operation unit 140a when an identification signal having a reception intensity equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold is received from the remote operation unit 140a.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of an operation flow for storing the identification signal in the reception intensity storage unit 228. The identification signal receiving unit 224 receives the identification signal transmitted from the remote operation unit 140a (S402). Also, the reception intensity storage unit 228 determines whether or not the identification information indicated by the identification signal has already been stored (S404). When the identification information indicated by the identification signal has already been stored (S404: YES), the reception intensity storage unit 228 indicates the reception intensity and the reception time stored in association with the identification information, respectively. Is updated with the reception strength and the time when the identification signal is received (S406), and the process is terminated.

  In S406, the reception strength storage unit 228 may update the reception time without updating the reception strength when the reception strength of the identification signal is smaller than the stored reception strength. Further, in S406, the reception strength storage unit 228 associates the reception strength of the identification signal with the reception strength that is already stored, the time when the identification signal is received, and the identification information indicated by the identification signal. The reception time may be updated without updating the reception intensity on the condition that the time interval between the received reception time and the stored reception time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time interval.

  In addition, when the reception intensity storage unit 228 does not store the identification information indicated by the received identification signal in S404 (S404: NO), the reception intensity measured by the reception intensity measurement unit 226 is received. And it newly stores in association with the time received by the identification signal receiving unit 224 (S408), and ends the process.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the temporal change in reception intensity. The reception intensity 502, the reception intensity 504, and the reception intensity 506 indicate temporal changes in the reception intensity of the identification signal received from the remote control unit 140a having identification information # 301, # 302, and # 303, respectively. The identification information selection unit 230 selects the identification information held by the identification information holding unit 232 among the identification information stored in the reception intensity storage unit 228 at a predetermined time interval. For example, the identification information selection unit 230 selects the identification information held in the identification information holding unit 232 based on the reception strength stored in the reception strength storage unit 228 at each update time (t0, t1, t2). To do.

  Specifically, the identification information selection unit 230 receives the identification signal received at the strongest reception strength P10 among the reception strengths (P10, P20, P30) stored in the reception strength storage unit 228 at the update time t0. The identification information # 301 indicated by is selected and held in the identification information holding unit 232. The identification information holding unit 232 holds the identification information # 301 until the next update time t1. Subsequently, the identification information selection unit 230 uses the identification signal received at the strongest reception strength P21 among the reception strengths (P11, P21, P30) stored in the reception strength storage unit 228 at the update time t1. The identification information # 302 shown is selected and held in the identification information holding unit 232. The identification information holding unit 232 holds the identification information # 302 for a period from the update time t1 to the update time t2. Then, the identification information selection unit 230 performs the identification indicated by the identification signal received at the maximum reception strength P32 among the reception strengths (P12, P22, P32) stored in the reception strength storage unit 228 at the update time t2. The information # 303 is held in the identification information holding unit 232. Then, the identification information holding unit 232 holds the identification information # 303 for a period from the update time t2 to the next update time.

  In addition, when the identification information selection unit 230 receives the identification signals from the plurality of remote control units 140a, the identification information selection unit 230 causes the identification information holding unit 232 to sequentially hold the identification information in the order received with the stronger reception intensity at the update time. Also good. For example, at the update time t0, the identification information # 301 having the strongest reception strength among the reception strengths stored in the reception strength storage unit 228 is replaced with the identification information holding unit during the period from the time t0 to the next update time t1. 232. In the period from the update time t1 to the next update time t2, the identification information # 302 having the second strongest reception strength among the reception strengths stored in the reception strength storage unit 228 at the update time t0. The identification information holding unit 232 holds it. In the period from time t2 to the next update time, identification information # 303 having the third strongest reception intensity stored in the reception intensity storage unit 228 at the update time t0 is identified. The information is held in the information holding unit 232.

  Then, the server 120a may transmit the order in which the user can operate the imaging unit 212, the time at which the imaging unit 212 can be operated, and the like to the remote operation unit 140a. Then, the remote operation unit 140a may display the received order, time, and the like to notify the user.

  FIG. 6 shows details of the operation when an operation command signal is received. The operation command signal receiving unit 222 receives the operation command signal (S602). The identification information comparison unit 234 extracts identification information from the operation command signal received by the operation command signal reception unit 222. Then, the identification information comparison unit 234 determines whether or not the identification information extracted from the operation command signal is held in the identification information holding unit 232 (S604). In S604, when the identification information extracted from the operation command signal is held in the identification information holding unit 232 (S604: YES), the operation command signal is transmitted to the imaging control unit 236 to operate the imaging unit 212. (S606), and the process ends. In S604, if the identification information extracted from the operation command signal is not stored in the identification information holding unit 232 (S604: NO), the process is terminated without transmitting the operation command signal to the imaging control unit 236. .

  According to the imaging system of the present embodiment, when instructed to operate the imaging unit 212 from a plurality of remote operation units 140a, a signal from another remote operation unit 140a possessed by a user outside the imaging region is used. Imaging can be prevented. In addition, the order of users who can operate the imaging unit 212 can be appropriately determined. Further, since the imaging unit 212 can capture an image based on an operation command of the remote operation unit 140a possessed by the user who is present at a position closer to the imaging point, an image having a desired composition can be provided to the user.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of another configuration of the imaging system. An example of the usage environment of the imaging system is the same as the usage environment described with reference to FIG. The imaging system includes an imaging device 110b, a server 120b, three or more antenna units 130b, and a remote operation unit 140b. The imaging device 110b includes an imaging unit 712 and an image holding unit 714. The server 120b includes an area specifying unit 702, an image acquisition unit 742, a person area extraction unit 704, an image extraction unit 706, an image storage unit 744, an imaging direction control unit 708, an in-focus distance control unit 710, and an imaging control unit 736. . Note that the imaging device 110b, the server 120b, the antenna unit 130b, and the remote operation unit 140b are other examples of the imaging device 110, the server 120, the antenna unit 130, and the remote operation unit 140 illustrated in FIG.

  Note that the operations of the imaging unit 712, the image holding unit 714, and the image acquisition unit 742 are the same as the operations of the imaging unit 212, the image holding unit 214, and the image acquisition unit 242, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The remote operation unit 140b transmits an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit 712 by wireless communication. Three or more antenna units 130b are provided at different positions. The antenna unit 130b receives an operation command signal from the remote operation unit 140b by wireless communication and transmits it to the server 120b. The imaging control unit 736 causes the imaging unit 712 to capture an area including the remote operation unit 140b in accordance with the operation command signal received by the antenna unit 130b. The imaging control unit 736 controls the imaging unit 712 according to each operation command signal received from the plurality of remote operation units 140b. For example, the imaging control unit 736 instructs the imaging unit 712 to perform imaging when instructed to perform imaging from the remote operation unit 140b.

  The area specifying unit 702 specifies an area where the remote operation unit 140b exists based on the reception strength of the operation command signal received by the three or more antenna units 130b. Specifically, the region specifying unit 702 determines whether the remote operation unit 140b is based on the reception strength of the operation command signal received by three or more antenna units 130b that are not in a straight line position and the position of the antenna unit 130b. Identify areas that exist.

  Note that four or more antenna units 130b may be provided in places not on the same plane. Then, the region specifying unit 702 is a remote control unit in a three-dimensional space based on the reception intensity of the operation command signal received by four or more antenna units 130b that are not located on the same plane and the position of the antenna unit 130b. The area where 140b exists may be specified.

  The imaging direction control unit 708 may instruct the imaging control unit 736 to control the imaging direction of the imaging unit 712 in the direction of the region of the remote operation unit 140b specified by the region specifying unit 702. Further, the focusing distance control unit 710 may instruct the imaging control unit 736 to control the focusing distance of the imaging unit 712 in the region of the remote operation unit 140b specified by the region specifying unit 702.

  The person area extraction unit 704 extracts, from the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit 742, a person area included in the area where the remote operation unit 140b exists, specified by the area specifying unit 702. The image extraction unit 706 cuts out a partial image including at least a part of the region where the remote operation unit 140b specified by the region specifying unit 702 is located from the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit 742, and stores it in the image storage unit 744. Store. Specifically, the image extraction unit 706 cuts out a partial image including the person region extracted by the person region extraction unit 704 and stores it in the image storage unit 744.

  Of the components included in the imaging system, only the imaging unit 712 is installed at a location where a subject can be captured, and the components other than the imaging unit 712 are realized by a personal computer or the like provided at a location different from the imaging unit 712. May be. In addition, the remote operation unit 140b may be carried by a user who instructs the imaging device 110b to perform imaging, or may be installed in the vicinity of an area captured by the imaging device 110b.

  According to the imaging system of the present embodiment, when imaging is instructed from a plurality of remote operation units 140b, an image in which the user who operates each remote operation unit 140b is a subject can be provided to the user. Further, it is possible to provide an image in which the user is centered. Therefore, an image having a composition desirable for the user can be provided.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of a captured image captured by the imaging unit 712. The image acquisition unit 742 acquires the image 800 from the image holding unit 714 based on a signal for instructing imaging from the remote operation unit 140b. The area specifying unit 702 determines that the remote control unit 140 b exists inside the specific area 810 and the specific area 812 in the image 800.

  The person region extraction unit 704 extracts the contour of the subject from the images in the specific region 810 and the specific region 812 by edge extraction or the like, and performs pattern matching between the extracted subject contour and a predetermined human pattern. For example, the person's region shown in the image 800 is extracted. In addition, the person region extraction unit 704 extracts a subject having a color close to the color of human skin from the images in the specific region 810 and the specific region 812, and extracts the extracted subject and a predetermined human face. A subject having the shape of a human face may be determined by pattern matching with a pattern or the like, and a person region including the subject may be extracted.

  Then, the image extraction unit 706 determines the partial region 822 and the partial region 832 including the region of the person (814, 816) extracted by the person region extraction unit 704. Then, the image extraction unit 706 stores the partial image 840 and the partial image 850 obtained by cutting out the partial region 822 and the partial region 832 from the image 800 in the image storage unit 744.

  Note that the image extraction unit 706 may set the partial region 822 and the partial region 832 so that the person extracted by the human region extraction unit 704 appears in the central region of the partial region 822 and the partial region 832. The image extraction unit 706 may set the partial region 822 and the partial region 832 in a region wider than the specific region 810 and the specific region 812 in the image 800 determined by the region specifying unit 702.

  According to the imaging system in the present embodiment, when imaging is instructed from a plurality of remote control units 140b possessed by a plurality of users, an image with the user as a subject can be provided to each user. In addition, since the person area extraction unit 704 extracts a person from the image in the area specified by the area specifying unit 702, the person area extraction unit 704 can extract a person in a shorter time than when extracting a person from the entire image captured by the imaging unit 712. Can be extracted.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of a procedure for controlling the imaging direction and the focusing distance. The image 900 is an example of an image captured by the imaging unit 712 at the timing when the remote operation unit 140b instructs imaging. When the person 914 in the image 900 instructs imaging, the imaging direction control unit 708 directs the imaging direction of the imaging unit 712 to the direction of the area where the remote operation unit 140b specified by the area specifying unit 702 exists. The imaging control unit 736 is instructed. Further, the focus distance control unit 710 adjusts the focus distance of the imaging unit 712 so as to focus on the subject existing in the region where the remote control unit 140b specified by the region specifying unit 702 exists. Then, the image acquisition unit 742 acquires an image 920 obtained by imaging with the imaging unit 712.

  The person area extraction unit 704 extracts the outline of the person 916 from the image 920 in the specific area 910 including the area where the remote control unit 140b exists. Then, the image extraction unit 706 determines a partial region 922 including the contour of the extracted person 916. Then, the image storage unit 744 stores a partial image 930 obtained by cutting out the partial region 922 from the image 920 by the image extraction unit 706.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of a procedure for acquiring an image. The area specifying unit 702 specifies an area where the remote control unit 140b exists (S1002). Subsequently, the imaging direction control unit 708 directs the imaging direction of the imaging unit 712 to the direction of the area where the remote operation unit 140b exists (S1004). Then, the focusing distance control unit 710 matches the focusing distance captured by the imaging unit 712 with the area where the remote operation unit 140b exists (S1006). Then, imaging is performed using the imaging unit 712 (S1008). Note that the procedure may proceed from step S1002 to step S1008 without controlling the imaging direction and focus distance of the imaging unit 712.

  Subsequently, the person area extraction unit 704 extracts a person area in the image captured by the imaging unit 712 (S1010). Subsequently, the image extraction unit 706 cuts out an image of a region including a person region in the image captured by the imaging unit 712 (S1012). Subsequently, the image storage unit 744 stores the image cut out by the image extraction unit 706 (S1014), and ends the process.

  According to the imaging system of the present embodiment, when imaging is instructed from a plurality of remote control units 140b possessed by a plurality of users, an image with the user as a subject can be provided to each user. Further, it is possible to provide the user with an image in which each of the users is reflected in the center of the image. Therefore, an image having a composition desirable for each user can be provided to each user.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. Various modifications or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows an example of the utilization environment of an imaging system. It is a figure which shows an example of the block configuration of an imaging system. It is a figure which shows an example of the information which the receiving intensity storage part 228 stores. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation | movement flow which stores an identification signal in the reception intensity | strength storage part 228. It is a figure which shows an example of the time change of receiving intensity. It is a figure which shows the detail of operation | movement at the time of receiving the operation command signal. It is a figure which shows an example of the block configuration of an imaging system. It is a figure which shows an example of the image imaged. It is a figure which shows an example of the procedure which controls an imaging direction and a focus distance. It is a figure which shows an example of the procedure which acquires an image.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Imaging device 120 Server 130 Antenna part 140 Remote operation part 212 Imaging part 214 Image holding part 222 Operation command signal receiving part 224 Identification signal receiving part 226 Reception intensity measuring part 228 Reception intensity storing part 230 Identification information selecting part 232 Identification information holding part 234 Identification information comparison unit 236 Imaging control unit 242 Image acquisition unit 244 Image storage unit 702 Region identification unit 704 Human region extraction unit 706 Image extraction unit 708 Imaging direction control unit 710 Focus distance control unit 712 Imaging unit 714 Image holding unit 736 Imaging Control unit 742 Image acquisition unit 744 Image storage unit

Claims (11)

An imaging unit;
An identification signal indicating identification information, and a remote operation unit that transmits an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit by wireless communication;
An identification signal receiving unit for receiving an identification signal from the remote control unit;
A reception intensity measuring unit that measures the reception intensity of the identification signal received by the identification signal receiving unit;
When the identification signal receiving unit receives a plurality of identification signals from the plurality of remote control units, the identification information indicated by the identification signal having the strongest reception intensity measured by the reception intensity measurement unit among the plurality of identification signals. An identification information holding unit to hold,
An operation command signal receiving unit for receiving the operation command signal from the remote control unit;
An imaging control unit that instructs the imaging unit to perform processing according to the operation command signal when the operation command signal is received from the remote operation unit identified by the identification information held by the identification information holding unit; An imaging system comprising: The identification information indicated by the identification signal received by the identification signal receiving unit is associated with the reception intensity of the identification signal measured by the reception intensity measuring unit for a predetermined period after the identification signal receiving unit receives the identification signal. A reception strength storage unit for storing
The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the identification information holding unit holds identification information stored in association with the strongest reception intensity among a plurality of reception intensities held by the reception intensity storage unit. An antenna unit for receiving the identification signal transmitted by the remote control unit and transmitting it to the identification signal receiving unit;
The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the receivable region of the identification signal by the antenna unit is a region centering on a predetermined position in an imaging region captured by the imaging unit. The imaging system according to claim 3, wherein the receivable region of the identification signal by the antenna unit is a region centering on a position where the person to be imaged should exist in an imaging region imaged by the imaging unit. The imaging system according to claim 3, wherein the antenna unit is installed at a predetermined position in an imaging region imaged by the imaging unit. The stage of imaging with the imaging unit;
Transmitting an identification signal indicating identification information and an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit from the remote operation unit by wireless communication;
Receiving an identification signal from the remote control unit; and
A reception strength measurement step of measuring the reception strength of the identification signal received in the identification signal reception step;
When a plurality of identification signals are received from a plurality of remote control units in the identification signal reception stage, the identification information indicated by the identification signal having the strongest reception intensity measured in the reception intensity measurement stage among the plurality of identification signals is held. An identification information retention stage to perform,
Receiving the operation command signal from the remote control unit;
A step of instructing the imaging unit to perform processing according to the operation command signal when the operation command signal is received from the remote operation unit identified by the identification information held in the identification information holding step. Imaging method. An imaging unit;
A remote operation unit for transmitting an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit by wireless communication;
Three or more antenna units for receiving operation command signals from the remote control unit;
An area specifying unit for specifying an area in which the remote control unit exists based on the reception intensity of the operation command signal received by the three or more antenna units;
In response to an operation command signal received by the three or more antenna units, an imaging control unit that causes the imaging unit to image a region including the remote control unit;
An imaging system comprising: an image extraction unit that cuts out a partial image including at least a part of a region where the remote control unit specified by the region specifying unit exists from a captured image captured by the imaging unit and stores the partial image in an image storage unit. A human region extracting unit that extracts a region of a person included in the region of the remote control unit identified by the region identifying unit from among the captured images captured by the imaging unit;
The imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the image extraction unit cuts out and stores a partial image including a person region extracted by the person region extraction unit. The imaging system according to claim 7, further comprising an imaging direction control unit that controls an imaging direction of the imaging unit in a direction of the area of the remote operation unit specified by the area specifying unit. The imaging system according to claim 7, further comprising a focusing distance control unit that controls a focusing distance of the imaging unit in the region of the remote control unit specified by the region specifying unit. The stage of imaging with the imaging unit;
Transmitting an operation command signal for remotely operating the imaging unit from a remote operation unit by wireless communication;
Receiving the operation command signal from the remote control unit with three or more antenna units;
An area specifying step for specifying an area where the remote control unit exists based on the reception intensity of the operation command signal received in the receiving stage;
In response to the operation command signal received in the receiving step, causing the imaging unit to image a region including the remote operation unit;
An image extraction method comprising: extracting a partial image including at least a part of a region where the remote operation unit specified in the region specifying step is extracted from a captured image captured by the imaging unit and storing the partial image in an image storage unit.

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