JP2011166609A - Video transmitting apparatus and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem, wherein when an impact shock arising from outside of a camera accidentally changes a shooting angle, visibility control is disabled, resulting in a distribution of a video to a client that is not desired to be viewed by the client. <P>SOLUTION: An impact shock level detecting section 108 determines the level of an impact shock against an image pickup part 102, and according to the level determined, video data distribution to the clients 110, 111, 112 is controlled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a video transmission apparatus and a control method thereof.

  In recent years, many network camera systems have been proposed in which video captured by a video camera or the like is distributed via a network such as the Internet or a LAN and can be monitored by a remote client (computer terminal). Furthermore, a system that not only monitors the video of the camera but also makes it possible to change the shooting angle by remotely controlling the pan and tilt angles of the camera from the client side.

  In such a system capable of distributing video of a camera that can be remotely controlled to a plurality of clients, there is a case where there is a range that the user does not want to show within the shooting angle of the camera. For example, there may be a problem that a part of an image of a camera installed outdoors infringes privacy or copyright.

  For this reason, countermeasures are taken such as setting a camera prohibition range in the shooting range of the camera to be controlled and setting the camera visibility limit. Such visibility restrictions have been provided, and the problem of privacy and copyright infringement has been addressed by reducing the resolution of video within the visibility restriction range for transmission. (See Patent Documents 1 and 2)

JP 2001-136514 A JP 2002-027425 A

  However, in the prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, even if the camera visibility restriction is set, if the installation position of the camera body or the direction of the lens barrel moves, the reference shooting angle Changes, and there is a deviation from the visible limit range. For this reason, if the shooting direction of the camera changes due to an intruder's mischief on the camera or an external impact on the camera due to an earthquake, etc., the visual restriction is invalidated and the video that you do not want to show is delivered to the client. Problem arises.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a network camera system that does not deliver a video whose shooting angle has changed when an external impact is applied to the camera. Is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transmission means for transmitting video data shot by a shooting means to a client, a detection means for detecting a level of impact on the shooting means, and an impact detected by the detection means. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided limiting means for limiting transmission of video data to the client by the transmission means. Further, the present invention provides a transmission means for transmitting video data photographed by the photographing means to the client, a detecting means for detecting a level of impact on the photographing means, and a control command for controlling the photographing means. And a restricting means for restricting the control of the photographing means by the client in accordance with an impact level detected by the detecting means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent distribution of a video whose shooting angle has changed even when the camera receives an external impact.

Block diagram showing the network camera system of the present embodiment Flowchart showing the operation of the network camera of the first embodiment. Flowchart showing the operation of the network camera of the second embodiment. Block configuration diagram showing an operation of shock detection of the network camera of the second embodiment Flowchart showing the operation of the network camera of the third embodiment. The figure which shows the control right of the network camera of Example 3

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  In the first embodiment, a process for detecting the intensity of impact on a camera and stopping video distribution to a client according to a comparison result with a threshold value will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network camera system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This network camera system includes a network camera (hereinafter referred to as a camera) 101 and a plurality of clients 110, 111, and 112, and video data captured by the camera 101 is distributed to each client via the network 109. The camera 101 is a video transmission device.

  First, the operation of the camera 101 will be described. The video data of the subject imaged by the imaging unit 102 is transmitted to the memory 105 after the video signal processing unit 103 performs processing such as gain adjustment. The CPU 104 compresses the video data written in the memory 105 in the JPEG format or the like, and the communication unit 106 transmits the compressed video data to the clients 110, 111, and 112 via the network 109.

  The lens barrel of the camera 101 includes an impact sensor 107 that can detect an impact from the outside. The impact level detection unit 108 generates impact level information based on the strength and direction of the impact received by the impact sensor 107. It transmits to CPU104. The impact sensor 107 is an acceleration sensor provided in an image capturing unit (for example, a lens barrel) for image capturing, and the impact level detection unit 108 detects the level of impact detected by the impact sensor 107. The CPU 104 transmits control information to the communication unit 106 in order to limit transmission of video data to the client according to the impact level information.

  Note that the video transmission device of the present invention is not limited to a device incorporating the imaging unit 102, and the imaging unit 102 may be externally attached to the video transmission device. Further, the video transmission device of the present invention may be realized as a relay device or a distribution server that relays video from a camera.

  Next, the operation of the client 112 will be described. The video data transmitted via the network 109 is received by the communication unit 113, decompressed by the display control unit 114, and then displayed on the monitor 116. In the operation input unit 115, the viewer issues camera control commands such as pan, tilt, and zoom of the camera 101 via an input device such as a mouse. The communication unit 113 transmits a camera control command to the camera 101 via the network 109 and controls the camera 101 from a remote place. The clients 110 and 111 have the same configuration as the client 112, and receive video data and transmit camera control commands. Here, the client 110 is an administrator client who has all authority for camera control of the camera 101, and the client 111 is a member client to which a part of camera control of the camera 101 is restricted. The client 112 is a guest client that is only allowed to receive video from the camera 101.

  Next, a processing procedure when the camera 101 receives an external impact will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart in FIG. 2 shows a part of a program executed by the CPU 104 which is a computer. The memory 105 is a recording medium that records the program so that the CPU 104 can read it.

  An impact detected by an impact sensor 107 provided in a lens barrel (imaging unit) of the camera 101 is detected as an impact strength by an impact level detection unit 108 (detection procedure). In step 201, the impact level to the camera is compared with a preset threshold value of impact level. This threshold value can be set as the sensitivity of the impact sensor, and an impact level at which the shooting angle changes due to the impact is set in advance. If the impact level is lower than the threshold, it is determined that the damage to the camera is low, and normal video distribution is continued. On the other hand, if the impact level is greater than the threshold value, the shooting angle may have changed due to the impact.

  If the video data is being distributed to the client in step 202, the transmission of the video data to the client is stopped in step 203 to prevent video distribution in a state where the shooting angle is shifted. As described above, the transmission restriction procedure for restricting the transmission of the video data to the client is performed according to the level of the impact detected by the impact sensor 107.

  In step 204, the client is notified of information that there has been an impact on the camera. In step 205, the mode is changed to an abnormal mode, and transmission of video data is stopped even if there is a video distribution request from each client.

  If the abnormal mode is canceled, the distribution of the video is resumed in step 206 and the normal operation state is entered. The abnormal mode can be performed when the administrator client issues an abnormal mode cancel command after resetting the photographing angle, or operates an abnormal mode cancel switch provided in the camera. In the normal mode, a transmission procedure for transmitting video data captured by the imaging unit 102 from the communication unit 106 to the client is performed.

  As described above, by detecting the intensity of impact on the camera and restricting the distribution of the video to the client according to the level, it is possible to prevent the distribution of the video with the shooting angle shifted.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, if the impact level is greater than the threshold value, the resolution of the video data to be transmitted to the client may be reduced to roughen the image quality (limit the resolution of the video to be transmitted). By doing so, it is possible to transmit so that an image whose shooting angle is shifted cannot be recognized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the camera includes a plurality of impact sensors, detects the direction of impact to the camera using these detection information, and restricts the distribution of video to the client according to the direction. Is possible.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, it is also possible to make a determination from video data being shot as a method for detecting the strength of impact on the camera. It is possible to determine the strength of the impact from the amount of change in the video data of the subject being photographed (movement amount, movement speed, brightness change), etc. It is also possible to determine the direction.

  In the second embodiment, processing for detecting the strength of impact on the camera and restricting video transmission according to the impact level and the priority level of each client will be described.

  The typical configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 1 in the first embodiment, but the impact level received by the camera in the impact level detection unit 108 is divided into a plurality of levels. The configuration of the impact level detection unit that divides the impact level into a plurality will be described with reference to FIG.

  The lens barrel of the camera 101 includes an impact sensor 107 that can detect an impact from the outside, and is output as a minute voltage according to the strength of the impact. The impact sensor 107 is an acceleration sensor provided in a photographing unit (for example, a lens barrel) for photographing a video. The amplifier 402 amplifies the output voltage of the impact sensor 107 with a predetermined gain. Reference numerals 403 and 404 denote comparators that compare two types of threshold values set by the threshold value setting unit 405 via the CPU 104 with the output voltage from the amplifier 402. Comparators 403 and 404 detect and determine the level of impact detected by the impact sensor 107. The comparator 403 sets a low-level threshold value corresponding to the normal shaking of the building, and if it is equal to or higher than the threshold value, notifies the CPU 104 of an intermediate level impact. The comparator 404 sets a medium level threshold value corresponding to shaking such as an earthquake, and if it is equal to or greater than the threshold value, notifies the CPU 104 of a high level impact.

  In this way, by setting a plurality of threshold values and comparing them with the impact level to the camera, the CPU 104 can detect how much the impact has been on the camera.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, it is also possible to make a determination from video data being shot as a method for detecting the strength of impact on the camera. It is possible to determine the strength of the impact from the amount of change (moving amount, moving speed, brightness change) of the video data of the subject being shot, and more than one impact strength received by the camera. It is possible to divide it into different levels. It is also possible to determine the direction of impact from the direction of movement of the subject.

  As described above, the processing procedure when the camera 101 receives an external impact in a configuration capable of detecting a plurality of impact levels will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart in FIG. 3 shows a part of a program executed by the CPU 104 which is a computer. The memory 105 is a recording medium that records the program so that the CPU 104 can read it.

  In step 301 (detection procedure), the level of impact on the camera is compared with a preset low level threshold. If it is smaller than the threshold value, it is an impact that is about the shaking of the building, and no shift in the shooting angle occurs, so normal video distribution is continued to each client 110, 111, 112.

  In step 302, the impact level on the camera is compared with a preset medium level threshold. If it is smaller than the threshold value, the shooting angle may be shifted because of the impact of an earthquake. Accordingly, in step 306, an alert panel prompting the administrator client 110 (FIG. 1) that there has been a medium level impact or confirmation of the shooting angle is displayed, and then the client 110, 111, 112 is normally instructed. Continue video distribution.

  If the threshold value is larger than the threshold value in step 302, it is assumed that the impact level on the camera is due to the intruder's destructive behavior or the like, and the shooting angle is also deviated.

  In step 303, it is confirmed whether the member client 111 (FIG. 1) or the guest client 112 (FIG. 1) is viewing the video of the camera. If the video is being viewed, distribution of the video data is stopped in step S307. Note that in the transmission restriction in step S307, the video data transmitted to the clients 111 and 112 is reduced in resolution to make the image quality coarse (limit the resolution of the video to be transmitted), thereby recognizing a video with a shooting angle shifted. It may be sent so that it cannot.

  In step 304, an alert panel for prompting the correction of the shooting angle and the fact that there has been a large level of impact is displayed on the administrator client 110 (FIG. 1). In step 305, the mode is changed to an abnormal mode, and transmission of video data is prohibited even when a video distribution request is received from the member client 111 or the guest client 112. That is, a restriction procedure for restricting transmission of video data to the client is performed according to the level of impact detected by the impact sensor 107.

  When the abnormal mode is canceled, the distribution of the video to the clients 110, 111, and 112 is resumed and the normal operation state is entered. Release of the abnormal mode is performed by the administrator client 110 issuing an abnormal mode release command after resetting the photographing angle, or operating an abnormal mode release switch provided in the camera. In the normal mode, a transmission procedure for transmitting video data captured by the imaging unit 102 from the communication unit 106 to the client is performed.

  As described above, it is possible to prevent the distribution of video with different shooting angles by detecting the strength of the impact on the camera and restricting the distribution of the video according to the impact level and the priority level of each client. it can. Further, it is possible to notify the client of information corresponding to the impact level (medium or large), and to prompt the client to respond according to the impact level.

  In the first and second embodiments, the method for limiting the video data distributed to the client according to the strength of the impact on the camera has been described. In the third embodiment, a method for limiting the control right of the camera function from the client according to the strength of the impact on the camera will be described.

  The configuration of this embodiment is the same as that described in Embodiment 1 with reference to FIG. However, the camera 101 has a pan head function that can be driven by a control command from a client received by the communication unit 106, and can be changed to a desired shooting angle by a pan / tilt control command. The camera 101 continuously records the impact level detected by the impact level detection unit 108 as impact log information, and the impact log information can be confirmed by a control command from the client. Control rights for these camera functions are assigned based on the priority of the client as shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, ○ indicates that it is permitted and × indicates that it is prohibited. The administrator client 110 has the authority to control all functions of the camera 101. In addition, the member client 111 has authority for video display and pan / tilt operations (operations in the shooting direction). The guest client 112 can only display images. The communication unit 106 is a reception unit that receives a control command from a client.

  Note that the video transmission device of the present invention is not limited to a device incorporating the imaging unit 102, and the imaging unit 102 may be externally attached to the video transmission device. Further, the video transmission device of the present invention may be realized as a relay device or a distribution server that relays video from a camera.

  As described above, the processing procedure when the camera 101 receives an impact from the outside in the configuration in which the control right of the camera function is assigned to each client will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart in FIG. 5 shows a part of a program executed by the CPU 104 which is a computer. The memory 105 is a recording medium that records the program so that the CPU 104 can read it.

  The impact detected by the impact sensor 107 provided in the lens barrel of the camera 101 is detected by the impact level detector 108 as the strength of the impact. The impact sensor 107 is an acceleration sensor provided in an image capturing unit (for example, a lens barrel) for image capturing, and the impact level detection unit 108 detects the level of impact detected by the impact sensor 107. As a method for detecting the intensity of impact on the camera, it is also possible to determine from the video data being shot. It is possible to determine the strength of the impact from the amount of change in the video data of the subject being photographed (movement amount, movement speed, brightness change), etc. It is also possible to determine the direction.

  In step 500 (detection procedure), the impact level to the camera is compared with a preset threshold of impact level. This threshold value can be set as the sensitivity of the impact sensor, and an impact level at which the shooting angle changes due to the impact is set in advance. If the impact level is less than the threshold, it is determined that the damage to the camera is low and normal operation is continued. On the other hand, if the impact level is greater than the threshold value, the shooting angle may have changed due to the impact.

  In step 501, an alert panel or the like notifies the administrator client 110 of an impact through the network.

  If the video data is being distributed to the guest client 112 in step 502, transmission of the video data to the guest client 112 is stopped in step 503. At the same time, panning and tilting driving (changing the shooting direction) requested by the guest client 112 is prohibited. This is because if the pan and tilt are driven with the shooting angle shifted, there is a possibility that a region where visibility is limited is shot. This is also because it is necessary for the administrator client to preferentially perform pan and tilt drive in order to reset the shooting angle. In step S503, the image data transmitted to the client 112 may be transmitted in such a manner that the image with the shooting angle shifted cannot be recognized by reducing the resolution of the image data and coarsening the image quality.

  If the video data is being distributed to the member client 111 in step 504, the pan / tilt drive requested by the member client 111 in step 505 is prohibited. In steps 503 and 505, a control restriction procedure for restricting the control of the imaging unit 102 by the client is executed according to the level of impact detected by the impact sensor 107.

  In step 506, the mode is changed to the abnormal mode, and reception is stopped even if a video distribution request from the guest client 112 or a pan / tilt request from the member client 111 is received. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the control right for the camera function when the mode is changed to the abnormal mode, and the administrator client 110 has the right to control all the functions of the camera 101 as usual. Yes. On the other hand, the member client 111 is seized with the authority for panning and tilting operations, and the guest client 112 is seized with the authority for video display.

  The administrator client confirms the pan / tilt movable range of the camera 101 based on the impact information from the alert panel or the like, and then sets the visible range restriction in a state where the photographing angle is shifted. If the abnormal mode is canceled by the administrator client issuing an abnormal mode cancel command after setting the shooting angle or operating the abnormal mode cancel switch provided in the camera, the normal camera is returned in step 506. Move to operation based on control rights. In the normal mode, a control command for controlling the image capturing unit 102 is received from the client, an acceptance procedure is executed, and the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit 102 is controlled. This control may include control such as zoom magnification. Further, in the normal mode, a transmission procedure for transmitting the video data captured by the imaging unit 102 from the communication unit 106 to the client is performed.

  As described above, by detecting the intensity of impact on the camera and restricting the right to control the camera function according to the level, it is possible to prevent the distribution of the video with the shooting angle shifted.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

  For example, the present invention can be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

101 Network Camera 102 Imaging Unit 103 Video Signal Processing Unit 104 CPU
105 Memory 106 Communication Unit 107 Impact Sensor 108 Impact Level Detection Unit 109 Network 110 Administrator Client 111 Member Client 112 Guest Client

Claims (15)

Transmitting means for transmitting video data photographed by the photographing means to the client;
Detecting means for detecting a level of impact on the photographing means;
A video transmission apparatus comprising: a limiting unit that limits transmission of video data to the client by the transmission unit according to an impact level detected by the detection unit.   The transmission means transmits video data to a plurality of clients, and restricts the clients that transmit the video data by the transmission means according to a result of comparing a plurality of preset threshold values and the impact level by the detection means. The video transmission apparatus according to claim 1.   2. The video transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the limiting unit stops transmission of video data to the client by the transmission unit according to an impact level detected by the detection unit.   2. The video transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the limiting unit limits the resolution of the video data transmitted to the client by the transmission unit according to the level of impact detected by the detection unit. Transmitting means for transmitting video data photographed by the photographing means to the client;
Detecting means for detecting a level of impact on the photographing means;
Receiving means for receiving a control command for controlling the photographing means from the client;
A video transmission apparatus comprising: a limiting unit that limits control of the photographing unit by the client according to an impact level detected by the detection unit.   6. The video transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the limiting unit limits the control of the shooting direction of the shooting unit by the client in accordance with the level of impact detected by the detection unit.   7. The video transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is configured to detect an impact level using a change amount of video data captured by the imaging unit. 8. . A transmission restriction method in a video transmission device for transmitting video data shot by a shooting means to a client,
Detecting the level of impact on the imaging means;
A transmission restriction method in a video transmission apparatus, wherein transmission of video data to the client is restricted according to the detected level of impact.   9. The transmission according to claim 8, wherein video data is transmitted to a plurality of clients, and clients that transmit the video data are limited in accordance with a result of comparing a plurality of preset threshold values with the impact level. Restriction method. A control limiting method in a video transmission device that transmits video data captured by a photographing means to a client,
Detecting the level of impact on the imaging means;
Receiving a control command for controlling the photographing means from the client;
A control limiting method, wherein control of the photographing means by the client is limited according to the detected level of impact.   The control restriction method according to claim 10, wherein the control of the photographing direction of the photographing unit by the client is restricted according to the detected level of impact. A transmission procedure for transmitting video data shot by the shooting means to the client;
A detection procedure for detecting a level of impact on the imaging means;
A program for causing a computer to execute a restriction procedure for restricting transmission of video data to the client according to the detected level of impact.   In the transmission procedure, video data is transmitted to a plurality of clients, and in the restriction procedure, a client that transmits video data is limited according to a result of comparing the shock levels with a plurality of preset threshold values. The program according to claim 12, characterized in that: A transmission procedure for transmitting video data shot by the shooting means to the client;
A detection procedure for detecting a level of impact on the imaging means;
Receiving a control command for controlling the photographing means from the client and causing the computer to execute a restriction procedure for restricting the control of the photographing means by the client according to the detected level of impact. Program.   15. The program according to claim 14, wherein, in the restriction procedure, control of the photographing direction of the photographing unit by the client is restricted according to the detected level of impact.

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