JP2006311391A - Program and device for camera retrieval - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera retrieval program by which a user can freely observe thumbnail display of real time images of all the target cameras. <P>SOLUTION: In the program for making a computer realize a function for retrieving network cameras, the computer is functioned as a means for performing the thumbnail display 107 of real-time images distributed from the retrieved network cameras. In a device for retrieving the network cameras, it has a means for performing the thumbnail display 107 of the real-time images distributed from the retrieved network cameras. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network camera, and more particularly to a camera search program for displaying a camera search result as a thumbnail on a computer.

  A so-called network camera that connects to a WWW (World Wide Web) or the like and distributes camera images has been put into practical use. To use a network camera, for example, a network camera search program is installed and executed in a personal computer. Here, the search is to obtain identification information sequentially from a camera that is connected to the network and is operating and expresses the result.

  In a conventional network camera search program, a data set such as “camera name, IP address, port number” for each camera is generally obtained as a search result and displayed in a list in the order of camera discovery / response. With respect to the results displayed in the list, it is possible to log in by selecting a camera image required by the user from the list. As a result of the login, the user can obtain an image of the selected camera.

Necessary camera images can be broadly divided into real-time images that are currently captured by the camera and images that have already been recorded. For selecting the latter image, use the thumbnail display of the image. A method has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-234561 (Patent Document 1) is a method in which a program preselects a representative image of an already recorded image and displays it as a thumbnail for the user. However, in the method of Patent Document 1, the user can freely view the thumbnail display of real-time images of all the cameras that are not subject to the restriction beforehand, and select the next corresponding action, for example, the above image. There was a problem that it was not possible to move on to login.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-234561 (page 14, FIG. 10)

  An object of the present invention is to provide a camera search program that allows a user to freely view thumbnail displays of real-time images of all target cameras.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a camera search program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to search for a network camera. The computer search program includes a computer as means for displaying thumbnails of real-time images distributed from the searched network camera. It is made to function.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a camera search program that allows a user to freely view thumbnail displays of real-time images of all target cameras.

  Examples of the present invention will be described below.

A first embodiment of a camera search program according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is an external view of a camera for explaining a camera search program. In this camera search program, a network camera as shown in FIG. 1 is used. (A) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a rear view. The image is captured through the lens shown in the front view (a) as in the case of a normal camera device, and the captured image is distributed to the network via the rear view (c) LAN terminal 1. Various commands are received via the LAN terminal 1.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram for explaining the camera search program. A network camera 101 a of the network camera group 101 including network cameras arranged at various places as shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 102. On the other hand, a personal computer (PC) 103 is connected to the LAN 102. On the personal computer 103 side, a network adapter (not shown) (not shown) is provided for this connection. The network camera group 101 and the personal computer 103 are connected to the LAN 102 by a LAN cable. The personal computer 103 generally includes a display unit 104 and a control unit 105, and a memory 106 as an element of the control unit 105.

  FIG. 3 is a display example of the camera search program. It is an example of a display in the display part 104 of FIG. A network camera search program is installed in the personal computer (PC) 103, and when the user executes this program, a list showing IP addresses and the like as shown in the figure appears on the display unit 104. The lines in the list are in no particular order and correspond to the network cameras 102a, 101b, 101c, and 101d in FIG. For example, if the fourth line corresponds to the network camera 102a, this indicates that the network camera 102a has the camera name # 30-2F North. If the list display 107 does not fit on one display screen, the entire list may be displayed on a plurality of screens with page breaks and display page return operations using the keyboard.

  FIG. 4 is a processing flow that becomes a key in this embodiment of the camera search program. In the camera search step 201, a network camera is searched. In the next image acquisition step 202, an image is acquired from the searched network camera. This generally belongs to the category of snapshot image communication (acquiring only one image) provided in a network camera. In the image size determination step 203, it is determined whether the image size is the thumbnail size. In the image resizing step 204, if the target image in the image size determining step 203 is not the thumbnail size, the image is resized to the thumbnail size. In the thumbnail image display step 205, these thumbnail images are displayed on the list shown in FIG.

  4 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 as an association key. First, when the user presses the search button 108, a camera search step 201 is activated to search for a network camera, and to one camera. On the other hand, a data set such as “camera name, IP address, port number” is obtained as a search result. The portion excluding the thumbnail image in each line of the list display 107 is configured and displayed by this data set information.

  In the next image acquisition step 202, real-time image distribution is obtained from the searched network camera using the data set information. The following command is sent via LAN as an instruction means.

http: // <IP>: port / getimg.cgi? size = 160x120
It is a so-called API (Application Programming Interface), which corresponds to sending the command of the information category and operation category to obtain the image called getimg.cgi to the IP address of the target camera, Port No. by http protocol (communication procedure) To do. The description after the last size is a size instruction means, and here is a parameter for requesting delivery of an image having a thumbnail size of 160 dots horizontally and 120 dots vertically.

  80 is generally used as the port number, but when accessing the WAN (Wide Area Network) and instructing the network camera connected in the port forwarding format under the broadband router, the broadband router is connected to this network. The port number assigned to the camera may be specified.

  In an image size determination step 203, an image is received from the target network camera that has sent this command, and it is determined whether the size of the received image is the thumbnail size indicated by the size instruction means. A thumbnail-sized image is distributed from a network camera of a type that accepts designation of an image size. On the other hand, from a network camera that is not a type that accepts designation of an image size, an image of a predetermined size such as 480 dots wide and 360 dots high is delivered.

  In the latter case, the image delivered in the delivery image resizing step 204 is resized (generally reduced) to the thumbnail size. In brief, if the resized image is overwritten and stored in the distribution image storage area in the memory 106 of the personal computer, the designated thumbnail size image is stored in one storage area regardless of the determination result. In a thumbnail image display step 205, the thumbnail size image is displayed at the right end of the list shown in FIG. In the thumbnail image display step 205, in addition to the list display of FIG. 3, in order to increase the number of cameras displayed on one screen, only thumbnail images may be displayed.

  After this, the user points to the line where the target thumbnail image is displayed by the same access method, and then presses the log-in button 109, so that the image of the original size of the target thumbnail image is obtained by the http protocol. It is a common operation to display the URL via a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in a Web browser.

  Note that the change button 110 in FIG. 3 is used to make it possible to change and input the camera name on the list. However, there are programs in which double-byte characters such as kanji cannot be used for the camera name. Visibility by is more effective.

  Since the thumbnail images of the real-time images taken by each network camera are distributed and displayed, the user can visually recognize the target image and obtain an original size image. In the past, it was difficult for the user to identify the target camera at a glance, and it was sometimes noticed that the user was not the target of the search after logging in to the camera and viewing the distribution video. According to the embodiment, the user satisfaction is improved compared to operating from a list of only text information, the convenience of the network camera search program itself is improved, and human error is less likely to occur.

A second embodiment of the camera search program according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIGS. Portions common to the first embodiment are omitted.
In FIG. 3, the means for selecting the camera displayed as a thumbnail is to point to the line where the target thumbnail image is displayed, and then press the login button 109, as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the following means for accessing the selected camera will be described. Access means that the user logs in interactively with the camera search program and displays a real-time image by the viewer, remote configuration (camera setting), or the like.

  FIG. 5 shows a login screen 1 of the camera search program according to the second embodiment. When the login button 109 in FIG. 2 is pressed, this screen is displayed, and when the user inputs a login ID and a password on this screen, the display is changed to the login screen 2 in FIG. FIG. 6 shows a login screen 2 of the camera search program, and there are options by three buttons, view, setting and close. When the close button 401 is pressed, the processing ends and the screen returns to the screen of FIG. When the view button 402 is selected, the display of FIG. 7 is obtained, and when the setting button 403 is selected, the display of FIG. 8 is obtained.

  FIG. 7 is a viewer screen of the camera search program, and shows a state in which an image having a default size of 480 dots wide and 360 dots wide is distributed and displayed from the network camera.

  FIG. 8 is a camera search program setting screen. This screen display is obtained when setting is selected in FIG. In the size window at the top of the center, the so-called remote configuration allows the network camera to perform an image with an enlarged size of 640 dots wide by 480 dots wide, which is different from the default size such as 480 dots wide by 360 dots long. This is an example in which setting is performed in the image size setting window 501. As shown in the figure, there are various setting elements that can be specified interactively by the user.

  As described above, it is possible to obtain an effect that the user can obtain an image of a predetermined size using the viewer and can perform setting such as changing the image size using the setting screen.

The camera external view of Example 1 of the camera search program by this invention. The block diagram of Example 1 of a camera search program. The example of a display of Example 1 of a camera search program. The processing flow of Example 1 of a camera search program. The login screen 1 of Example 2 of a camera search program. The login screen 2 of Example 2 of a camera search program. The viewer screen of Example 2 of a camera search program. The setting screen of Example 2 of a camera search program.

Explanation of symbols

1 LAN terminal 101 Network camera group 102 LAN
103 PC
104 Display Unit 105 Control Unit 106 Memory 107 List Display 108 Search Button 109 Login Button 110 Change Button 201 Camera Search Step 202 Image Acquisition Step 203 Image Size Determination Step 204 Image Resize Step 205 Thumbnail Image Display Step 301 Login ID Input window 302 Password input window 401 Close button 402 View button 403 Setting button 501 Image size setting window

Claims (8)

In a program that allows a computer to search for network cameras,
A camera search program for causing a computer to function as a thumbnail display of real-time images distributed from the searched network camera. Means for instructing the size of the real-time image delivered from the network camera;
Means for determining that the real-time image is the size;
Means for displaying the image of the size when the determination means determines that the real-time image is the size;
The camera search program according to claim 1 for causing a computer to function as means for displaying a reduced image of the real-time image when the determination means determines that the real-time image is not the size. Means for selecting the thumbnailed camera;
The camera search program according to claim 1 for causing a computer to function as means for displaying a real-time image of the selected camera. Means for selecting the thumbnailed camera;
The camera search program according to claim 1 for causing a computer to function as means for performing remote configuration on the selected camera. In a device that searches for network cameras,
A camera search device comprising means for displaying thumbnails of real-time images distributed from the searched network camera. Means for instructing the size of the real-time image delivered from the network camera;
Means for determining that the real-time image is the size;
Means for displaying the image of the size when the determination means determines that the real-time image is the size;
6. The camera search device according to claim 5, further comprising means for displaying a reduced image of the real-time image when the determination means determines that the real-time image is not the size. Means for selecting the thumbnailed camera;
6. The camera search device according to claim 5, further comprising means for displaying a real-time image of the selected camera. Means for selecting the thumbnailed camera;
6. The camera search device according to claim 5, further comprising means for performing remote configuration on the selected camera.

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