JP2007214803A - Device and method for controlling photographing - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To photograph a section required for a conference, and to control a camera obstructing no proceeding of the conference without stopping a camera image even when the camera is moved. <P>SOLUTION: A device for controlling a photographing can communicate with the camera through a network. The device for controlling the photographing has an input decision means for deciding whether there is an input in I/0 equipment. The device further has a camera control means for changing the direction of the photographing of the camera into the direction of the I/0 equipment having the input when the input is decided in the input decision means, and for returning the direction of the photographing of the camera in the predetermined standard direction when the input to the I/O equipment is not decided by the input decision means again for the predetermined time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing control apparatus and a photographing control method.

  In recent years, there is an electronic conference system using a personal computer. In addition, there is an electronic conference system that can make presentations using a large display such as a liquid crystal projector or a plasma display panel in order to represent the conference realistically.

  There is also an electronic conference system that includes a camera that automatically tracks a moving person and always photographs the participant even if the participant moves during the meeting. In addition, there is an electronic conference system that hides an out-of-focus state by making an image during camera movement during tracking a still image.

(Conventional example 1)
Patent Document 1 is an example of a conference system that automatically tracks a participant even if the participant moves during the conference and always photographs the participant. The technique of Patent Document 1 captures a state including a conference participant and the entire conference room in advance, stores the position of the person from there, detects the amount of movement of the person, and controls the camera accordingly. Even if a conference participant moves, the person can be projected.

(Conventional example 2)
As an example of a conference system that hides an out-of-focus state by using a still image as an image during camera movement during tracking, there is Patent Document 2. The technique of Patent Document 2 eliminates the uncomfortable feeling of the person watching the received video by displaying the still image video on the monitor of the other station while the shooting range of the local camera moves and the camera is focused. It is something that can be done.

JP-A-10-51755 JP-A-5-207450

  However, the conference system as shown in the above-described conventional example has the following problems. In the conference system in Conventional Example 1, there is little possibility of irregular movement during the conference. For example, even if a participant moves away from the conference such as leaving the conference room, it is tracked. There is a problem that obstructs the meeting. In addition, there is a privacy problem that an object that should not be shown to the other party in the conference room is also photographed.

  Further, the conference system in Conventional Example 2 has a problem of disturbing the conference by giving a sense of anxiety that the system has gone down by making the image while the camera is moving a still image.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and performs camera control that captures a necessary part in a conference and does not inhibit the progress of the conference without stopping the camera image even when the camera moves. The purpose is to do.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides an imaging control device capable of communicating with an imaging device via a network, and an input determination unit that determines whether or not there is an input to an input / output device, and the input determination When the means determines that there is an input, the photographing direction of the photographing device is changed to the direction of the input / output device where the input has been made, and the input judging means again performs the previous time during a predetermined time. When it is not determined that there is an input to the entry output device, the image pickup device has a photographing device control means for returning the photographing direction of the photographing device to a predetermined standard direction.

  According to the present invention, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to shoot a necessary part in the conference and perform camera control without stopping the conference image without stopping the camera image even when the camera moves. be able to.

  In addition, the present invention is a photographing control device capable of communicating with a photographing device via a network, and a person movement determining means for determining whether or not a person photographed by the photographing device has moved, and an input / output device In the input determination means for determining whether or not there is an input, and the person movement determination means, it is determined that the person photographed by the photographing apparatus has moved, and the input determination means determines that there is an input. If the shooting direction of the shooting device is changed to the direction of the input / output device that has been input, and the person movement determination means determines again that the person shooting by the shooting device has moved, And a photographing device control means for returning the photographing direction of the photographing device to a predetermined standard direction.

  According to the present invention, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to shoot a necessary part in the conference and perform camera control without stopping the conference image without stopping the camera image even when the camera moves. be able to.

  The terminal device corresponds to, for example, a terminal device 101 or 111 described later. The input / output device corresponds to, for example, an input / output device or a display described later. Further, the photographing apparatus corresponds to, for example, a camera 102 or 112 described later.

  In order to solve the above problem, the present invention may be a shooting control method, a program, and a storage medium.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform camera control that does not hinder the progress of a conference without photographing a necessary part in the conference and without stopping the camera image even when the camera moves.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of an electronic conference system. Reference numerals 101 and 111 denote terminal devices which have a communication function and are connected to the network 103. The terminal devices 101 and 111 are devices such as a personal computer that receive information and display the information or perform processing based on the information.

  Reference numerals 102 and 112 denote cameras, which have a communication function and are connected to the network 103 or each terminal device. For example, the terminal device 101 and the camera 102 are installed at the same conference base, and the terminal device 111 and the camera 112 are installed at the same conference base different from the conference base. In addition, for example, an input / output device (also simply referred to as a display) such as a display equipped with a digitizer function to be described later is installed at each conference base so as to be communicable with the terminal device. In addition, the information displayed on the display installed in each conference base shall be synchronized like a normal electronic conference system.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a meeting state displayed on the display. 201 and 202 are conference participant images, which are images taken by the cameras 102 and 112 shown in FIG. 1, respectively. Reference numeral 203 denotes material used in the conference, which can be written (or input) by a presenter or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the terminal device 101. The terminal device 101 includes a personal computer and electronic conference terminal device program data, and includes a CPU 301, a memory 302, a storage device 303, an input device 304, a communication device 305, a display device 306, and a bus 307.

  The CPU 301 performs processing calculations. The memory 302 implements a storage area necessary for calculation. The storage device 303 stores program data for the electronic conference terminal device itself and data necessary for its operation (for example, information stored in an information storage unit 311 described later).

  The input device 304 receives information input from a user such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a digitizer of a personal computer. The communication device 305 is a device for connecting the terminal device 101 to the network 103, and exchanges information with other terminal devices 111 and the cameras 102 and 112. The display device 306 displays information input / transmitted / received by the terminal device 101 and information transmitted / received by the cameras 102, 112. A bus 307 connects these devices and transfers data.

  More specifically, the program data for the electronic conference terminal device corresponds to 308, and the personal computer corresponds to each unit 301 to 307.

  Note that the hardware configuration of the terminal device 111 is the same as the hardware configuration of the terminal device 101 shown in FIG. 3.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the terminal device 101. The information storage unit 311 is information necessary for a conference, such as a user name, an IP address of the terminal device 101, an IP address of a camera (for example, the camera 102) used in the conference, and a default shooting position of the camera (shooting). Range) etc. The information storage unit 311 also stores camera route information, image information, and the like, which are information necessary to hold a conference. These pieces of information are written into the information storage unit 311 or read from the information storage unit 311 in accordance with a request from the information management unit 312.

  The information management unit 312 operates and manages the information storage unit 311. The information management unit 312 writes information in the information storage unit 311, deletes information, or reads information from the information storage unit 311 in accordance with a request from the control unit 313.

  The control unit 313 receives an event or control request from a display or camera connected to the network, instructs the information management unit 312 to store information, or requests an event or control request to the camera that can be controlled by the terminal device 101. Is sent out.

  The receiving unit 314 receives an event or control request from a display or camera connected to the network, and sends the received event or control request to the control unit 313. The transmission unit 315 transmits a message such as an event or a control request to a designated terminal device, display, or camera in accordance with a transmission command transmitted from the control unit 313.

  The functional configuration of the terminal device 111 is the same as the functional configuration of the terminal device 101 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart (part 1) illustrating an example of the camera control process of the terminal device 101. In the following, a case where a presenter (user) writes on a display will be described as an example of a presentation event.

  In step 401, the terminal apparatus 101 waits until it detects that the presenter writes on the display, and proceeds to the next step 402 when it detects that the presenter writes on the display.

  Subsequently, in step 402, the terminal device 101 acquires information about the camera (for example, the camera 102) associated with the display from the information storage unit 311 or the like, and captures the display direction with respect to the camera 102. Control proceeds to the next step 403.

  In step 403, the terminal device 101 waits for a predetermined set time (for example, 4 seconds) stored in the information storage unit 311 and the like, and determines whether the presenter has written to the display again during this time. To do. If the terminal device 101 determines again that the presenter has written to the display during the set time, the terminal device 101 returns to step 403 again. On the other hand, if the terminal device 101 determines that the presenter did not write on the display during the set time, the terminal device 101 proceeds to the next step 404.

  In step 404, the terminal device 101 returns the camera directed in the display direction in step 402 to the direction of the person watching the display (original position), and waits until it detects that the presenter writes on the display again.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a general layout configuration in which an electronic conference is performed. Reference numeral 501 denotes an input / output device (for example, a display equipped with a digitizer function) capable of displaying and writing for presentation. Reference numeral 502 denotes a camera that captures the state of the meeting, and corresponds to, for example, the camera 102 in FIG.

  Reference numeral 503 illustrates the shooting range of the camera 502. A conference participant 504 is watching the input / output device 501. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the camera 502 is placed around an intermediate position between the input / output device 501 and the conference participant 504.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of changing the shooting range when the presenter gives a presentation from the state of FIG. Since 601 to 604 in FIG. 7 are the same as 501 to 504 in FIG. A presenter 605 stands around the input / output device 601 in order to perform a presentation (input to the input / output device 601).

  Reference numeral 606 illustrates the shooting range of the camera 602 when the presenter 605 is giving a presentation (input to the input / output device 601).

  When an input is made to the input / output device 601 by the presenter 605 by the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 5, the terminal apparatus 101 controls the camera 602 to change the shooting range from the shooting range 603 to the shooting range 605. When the presenter 605 finishes input to the input / output device 601, the terminal apparatus 101 controls the camera 602 to return the shooting range from the shooting range 605 to the shooting range 603.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the state of the conference displayed on the display when the flowchart processing of FIG. 5 is performed under the situation of FIG. Reference numerals 701 and 703 are the same as 201 and 203 in FIG.

  FIG. 8 differs from FIG. 2 in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, since the presenter is giving a presentation, the participant video 702 captures the direction of the presenter (or the input / output device that the presenter is inputting). It has become a video.

  When an input is made to the input / output device 601 by the presenter 605 by the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 5, the terminal apparatus 101 controls the camera 602 to change the shooting range from the shooting range 603 to the shooting range 605. Therefore, the participant image 702 is an image obtained by photographing the direction of the presenter (or the input / output device that the presenter is inputting).

  In this way, the camera captures the presenter only when the presenter gives a presentation, and when the presentation is finished, the original conference participant can be captured to display the necessary scene on the display.

(Embodiment 2)
In an electronic conference system, even if the presenter does not write to the input / output device, being in the vicinity of the input / output device is ready to write, and in this case, it is better to shoot the presenter than the conference participants. Is natural.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment, a process for grasping the position of the presenter and controlling the shooting direction of the camera will be described. The system configuration in the second embodiment is the same as the system configuration in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart (part 2) illustrating an example of the camera control process of the terminal device 101. In step 801, the terminal apparatus 101 analyzes the captured image of the camera 102 and determines whether or not a person has come out of the capturing range of the camera 102 (for example, 603 in FIG. 7). If the terminal device 101 determines that the person has come out of the shooting range of the camera 102 (for example, 603 in FIG. 7) as a result of analyzing the photographed image of the camera 102, the terminal device 101 detects that the person has moved and proceeds to the next step 802. move on. If the terminal device 101 analyzes the photographed image of the camera 102 and determines that the person is not out of the photographing range of the camera 102 (for example, 603 in FIG. 7), the terminal device 101 determines that the movement of the person has not been detected. Return to 801.

  In step 802, for example, the terminal device 101 determines whether or not the presenter (person) has written on the display during a predetermined time. If the terminal device 101 determines that the presenter has written on the display during a predetermined time, the terminal device 101 proceeds to the next step 803. If the terminal device 101 determines that the presenter did not write on the display during a predetermined time, the terminal device 101 determines that it is a meaningless action (movement) of a person who is not the presenter, and returns to step 801.

  In step 803, the terminal apparatus 101 controls the camera 102 to capture the display direction, and proceeds to the next step 804.

  In step 804, the terminal apparatus 101 analyzes the captured image of the camera 102 and determines whether or not a person has come out of the shooting range of the camera 102 (for example, 606 in FIG. 7). If the terminal device 101 analyzes the photographed image of the camera 102 and determines that the person has come out of the photographing range of the camera 102 (for example, 606 in FIG. 7), Proceed to step 805. When the terminal device 101 analyzes the image captured by the camera 102 and determines that the person is not out of the imaging range of the camera 102 (for example, 606 in FIG. 7), the terminal device 101 has not detected the movement of the presenter returning to the seat. Then, the process of step 804 is repeated.

  In step 805, the terminal apparatus 101 returns the camera that is directed to the display direction in step 803 to the direction (original position) of the person watching the display. Then, the terminal apparatus 101 stands by again until it detects that a person has come out of the shooting range of the camera 102 (for example, 603 in FIG. 7).

  By performing the processing as shown in FIG. 9, it is possible to grasp the position of the presenter and control the shooting direction (shooting range) of the camera, and to accurately display the scene necessary for the conference.

(Embodiment 3)
In the electronic conference system of the above-described embodiment, when the presenter gives a presentation, the camera captures the direction, but since it continues to capture the image during the change of direction, there are objects that should not be shown to other conference bases. There is a possibility of being shot. However, if the video is stopped, it will give anxiety that the system has gone down.

  Therefore, in the third embodiment, a process of switching a natural shooting target by performing a direction change along a path that may be shown while transmitting a video indicating that the direction of the camera is being changed will be described. The system configuration in the third embodiment is the same as the system configuration in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart (part 3) illustrating an example of the camera control process of the terminal device 101. It is assumed that route information used for camera control is registered in advance in each terminal device (such as the information storage unit 311 of the terminal device).

  In step 901, the terminal apparatus 101 waits until it detects that the presenter writes on the display, and proceeds to the next step 902 when it detects that the presenter writes on the display.

  In step 902, the terminal apparatus 101 acquires path information for turning the camera (for example, the camera 102) associated with the display in the display direction from the information storage unit 311 or the like, and then proceeds to the next step 903. move on.

  In step 903, the terminal apparatus 101 acquires information on the camera (for example, the camera 102) associated with the display from the information storage unit 311 or the like, and sets the display direction to the camera 102 according to the route information. Control to shoot. Then, the process proceeds to next Step 904.

  In step 904, the terminal device 101 waits for a predetermined set time (for example, 4 seconds) stored in the information storage unit 311 or the like, and determines whether the presenter has written to the display again during this time. To do. If the terminal device 101 determines again that the presenter has written to the display during the set time, the terminal device 101 returns to step 904 again. On the other hand, if the terminal device 101 determines that the presenter did not write on the display during the set time, the terminal device 101 proceeds to the next step 905.

  In step 905, the terminal apparatus 101 provides route information for turning the camera (for example, the camera 102) associated with the display to the direction (original position) of the person watching the display, as the information storage unit 311. And the process proceeds to the next step 906.

  In step 906, the terminal apparatus 101 controls the camera directed in the display direction in step 903 to capture the direction (original position) of the person viewing the display according to the route information. And it waits until it detects that a presenter writes in a display again.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the conference room viewed from directly above for the supplementary explanation of FIG. Reference numerals 1001 to 1006 are the same as 601 to 606 in FIG. In FIG. 11, ranges 1007 and 1008 are illustrated in addition to FIG. 7. In FIG. 11, if the shooting ranges 1003 and 1006 are shot, the ranges 1007 and 1008 are meaningless areas for the conference.

  However, even if there are objects that are not desired to be shot in the meaningless areas 1007 and 1008 in the conference, if the shooting range of the camera is simply moved from the shooting range 1003 to the shooting range 1006, for example, the range 1007 May be included in the shooting range.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conference room in which FIG. 11 is represented in three dimensions. 1101 indicates the presenter side (back), 1102 indicates the camera (center), and 1103 indicates the conference participant side (front side).

  Reference numeral 1104 denotes an object which is not desired to be photographed, and is located around the left back of the conference participant side 1103. 1105 to 1107 are paths through which the camera 1102 moves when moving from the presenter side 1101 to the conference participant side 1103 or when moving from the conference participant side 1103 to the presenter side 1101. For example, following the path 1105, the camera 1102 captures a range 1007 in FIG. In this case, the camera 1102 is not preferable because it captures the target 1104.

  On the other hand, the camera 1102 does not shoot the target 1104 when passing through a route 1106 that moves while photographing the ceiling or a route 1107 that moves while photographing the floor. In addition, the conference participants can visually understand that the camera is moving. Therefore, it is effective to move through these routes while maintaining the shooting state.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GUI for setting and specifying a shooting route of the camera in the terminal device 101. In FIG. 13, 1201 is a presenter side, 1202 is a camera, 1203 is a conference participant side, and 1204 is a plan view of a range that can be captured by the camera 1202. Reference numeral 1205 denotes a diagram illustrating a shooting route of the camera 1202 within the shooting range 1204. FIG. 13 shows an example in which a route for moving while photographing the ceiling in FIG. 12 is designated.

  When shooting is switched from the conference participant side 1203 to the presenter side 1201, the camera captures the ceiling by moving the shooting direction upward from the conference participant side 1203. By moving horizontally as it is and moving down to the point where the presenter 1201 is photographed, it is possible to change the photographing direction of the camera while photographing the top. That is, the route 1205 in FIG.

  The terminal device 101 controls the camera based on route information as indicated by the set route 1205. The same setting can be made when moving while photographing the floor.

  In this way, if the presentation is simply performed, the camera is not moved in that direction, but by instructing the route at the time of movement, it is possible to hold the conference safely and naturally without showing the object that the other party does not want to see. Can be advanced.

(Other embodiments)
In the third embodiment, the first embodiment has been described as having a routing function, but the second embodiment may be implemented with the function of the third embodiment (routing function).

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the analysis and movement control of the image captured by the camera are performed by the terminal device, but may be performed by the camera side.

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described second embodiment, the image is analyzed and the movement of the person is detected based on whether or not the image is out of the shooting range. However, for example, a switch may be provided in the seat of the conference participant, and movement may be detected by a signal from the switch, or whether or not a person is near the display may be detected by a sensor or the like.

  As described above, according to each embodiment, the camera control that captures a necessary part in the conference and does not hinder the progress of the conference without stopping the camera image even when the camera moves. It can be carried out.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

It is a figure which shows an example of the system configuration | structure of an electronic conference system. It is the figure which showed an example of the mode of the meeting displayed on a display. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the terminal device. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a terminal device 101. FIG. 5 is a flowchart (part 1) illustrating an example of a camera control process of the terminal device 101. It is a figure which shows an example of the general layout structure which is conducting the electronic conference. It is a figure which shows an example of the change of the imaging | photography range when a presenter gives a presentation from the state of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a meeting displayed on a display when the flowchart process of FIG. 5 is performed under the situation of FIG. 6. 10 is a flowchart (part 2) illustrating an example of a camera control process of the terminal device 101. 12 is a flowchart (part 3) illustrating an example of a camera control process of the terminal apparatus 101. It is a figure which shows an example which looked at the meeting room from right above for the supplementary explanation of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the conference room which represented FIG. 11 in three dimensions. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a GUI for setting and specifying a shooting route of a camera in the terminal device 101. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

101 Terminal Device 102 Camera 111 Terminal Device 112 Camera 301 CPU
302 Memory 303 Storage device 304 Input device 305 Display device

Claims (7)

A shooting control device capable of communicating with a shooting device via a network,
Input determination means for determining whether or not there is an input to the input / output device;
When the input determining means determines that there is an input, the shooting direction of the shooting device is changed to the direction of the input / output device that has been input, and the input determination is again performed during a predetermined time. If it is not determined in the means that there is an input to the input / output device, imaging device control means for returning the imaging direction of the imaging device to a predetermined standard direction;
An imaging control apparatus comprising: A shooting control device capable of communicating with a shooting device via a network,
Person movement determination means for determining whether or not a person photographed by the photographing apparatus has moved;
Input determination means for determining whether or not there is an input to the input / output device;
When the person movement determining means determines that the person photographed by the photographing apparatus has moved, and the input determining means determines that there has been an input, before the photographing direction of the photographing apparatus has been input When the direction of the entry output device is changed and the person movement determination unit determines again that the person photographed by the photographing device has moved, the photographing direction of the photographing device is determined as a predetermined standard direction. Photographing device control means for returning to
An imaging control apparatus comprising: Path information storage means for storing a path when changing the shooting direction of the shooting apparatus;
The imaging control device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device control unit changes a shooting direction of the imaging device based on the route information stored in the route information storage unit. A shooting control method in a shooting control apparatus capable of communicating with a shooting apparatus via a network,
An input determination step for determining whether or not there is an input to the input / output device;
In the input determination step, when it is determined that there is an input, the shooting direction of the shooting device is changed to the direction of the input / output device that has been input, and the input determination is performed again during a predetermined time. If it is not determined in the step that there is an input to the input / output device, a photographing device control step for returning the photographing direction of the photographing device to a predetermined standard direction;
An imaging control method comprising: A shooting control method in a shooting control apparatus capable of communicating with a shooting apparatus via a network,
A person movement determination step of determining whether or not a person photographed by the photographing apparatus has moved;
An input determination step for determining whether or not there is an input to the input / output device;
If it is determined in the person movement determination step that the person photographed by the photographing apparatus has moved, and it is determined in the input determination step that there is an input, before the photographing direction of the photographing apparatus is input The direction is changed to the direction of the entry output device, and when it is determined again that the person photographed by the photographing apparatus has moved in the person movement determining step, the photographing direction of the photographing apparatus is determined as a predetermined standard direction. An imaging device control step to return to
An imaging control method comprising:   A program for causing a computer to execute the photographing control method according to claim 4 or 5.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 6.

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