JP2012222780A - Record distribution device, record distribution method, and monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently transmit a plurality of images and to effectively perform monitoring even in a narrow-band network environment.SOLUTION: A record distribution device 100 includes: an image pickup part 101 for picking up an image; an image encoding part 109 for generating image data; a data reception part 114 for receiving individual transmission data; an image data extraction part 117 for extracting image data from the individual transmission data; a data composition part 120 for generating one piece of image data from the image data selected from the image data generated in the image encoding part 109 and the image data extracted in the image data extraction part 117, and generating composite transmission data including the one piece of image data; and a data transmission part 121 for transmitting the composite transmission data.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data recording / delivery device, an image data recording / delivery method, and a monitoring system using image data.

  With recent improvements in network technology and image coding technology, security is monitored from a remote location using a monitoring camera connected to the network. In such remote monitoring, image data transmitted from a plurality of monitoring cameras is received and recorded by a remote server via a network, and the monitor uses this recorded image when an abnormality occurs. Checking images is widely performed.

  In addition, it is widely performed that an image of image data transmitted from a monitoring camera is displayed in real time, and a remote monitor monitors the abnormality. In such monitoring, an abnormality is generally detected in accordance with a change in a captured image by the monitoring camera.

  In such remote monitoring using a plurality of surveillance cameras, the screen displayed on the monitor is divided and images of image data transmitted from the plurality of surveillance cameras are simultaneously displayed on the monitor. Therefore, it is widely performed that a supervisor views a plurality of images at the same time. For example, when displaying images of image data transmitted from 16 surveillance cameras, the screen displayed on the monitor is divided into 16 and the images from each surveillance camera are simultaneously displayed on this monitor. Things have been done. Further, in this divided display, it is often possible to set so that only the image of a specific surveillance camera is displayed on the monitor.

  However, when the surveillance staff is monitoring images transmitted from a plurality of surveillance cameras, it has been difficult to find important images and relate them to each other. For example, when a person moves across images sent from a plurality of monitoring cameras, it is difficult for the monitoring person to associate and monitor them.

  For this reason, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of IP (Internet Protocol) cameras with motion detection are used to transmit only the image of the camera that has detected the motion to a remote location. A system for sequentially displaying on a monitor has been proposed.

JP 2010-98592 A (page 7, FIG. 1)

  However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, when a plurality of IP cameras detect movement at the same time, the plurality of IP cameras perform image transmission at the same time, so that the data amount increases rapidly and the network bandwidth is narrowed. In the bandwidth environment, there is a problem that it takes a long time to transmit an image and confirmation of an important scene is delayed.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and enables a plurality of images to be efficiently transmitted and effectively monitored even in a narrow-band network environment. For the purpose.

A record delivery apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes:
An image capturing unit for capturing an image;
An image encoding unit that generates image data of an image captured by the image capturing unit;
A data receiving unit for receiving individual transmission data including image data from the first network;
An image data extraction unit for extracting image data from the individual transmission data;
A data composition unit for generating one image data from the generated image data and image data selected from the extracted image data, and generating composite transmission data including the one image data;
A data transmission unit configured to transmit the combined transmission data to a second network.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of images can be efficiently transmitted and effectively monitored even in a narrow-band network environment.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a record distribution device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing a configuration of a monitoring system using a record distribution device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. In Embodiment 1, it is the schematic which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of a camera. In Embodiment 1, it is the schematic which shows the image imaged with the camera. In Embodiment 1, it is the schematic of the synthesized image which synthesize | combined the image imaged with the camera. 4 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device according to Embodiment 1 is a slave device. 6 is a schematic diagram showing importance calculation information referred to by the importance calculation unit according to Embodiment 1 when calculating importance. FIG. (A) and (B) are the values of the score assigned by the importance calculation unit and the importance calculated by the importance calculation unit for an image captured under certain shooting conditions in the first embodiment. It is the schematic which shows an example of a value. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of individual transmission data in Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device according to Embodiment 1 is a master device. (A)-(T) is the schematic which shows an example of the arrangement | positioning pattern which can be selected in Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of combined transmission data in Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a record delivery apparatus according to a second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating processing when the record distribution device according to Embodiment 2 is a slave device. 10 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device according to the second embodiment is a master device. FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a record delivery apparatus according to a third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining grouping extraction processing performed by the record distribution device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a record delivery apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of individual transmission data in Embodiment 4. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of composite transmission data in Embodiment 4. FIG.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a record delivery apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The recording / distributing apparatus 100 includes an image capturing unit 101, an image analysis unit 102, an external information input unit 103, an external information analysis unit 104, a voice input unit 105, a voice analysis unit 106, and a metadata generation unit 107. , Importance calculation unit 108, image encoding unit 109, image cutout unit 110, transmission data switching unit 111, management information generation unit 112, data recording unit 113, data reception unit 114, metadata An extraction unit 115, an importance level extraction unit 116, an image data extraction unit 117, an importance level comparison unit 118, a scaling unit 119, a data synthesis unit 120, and a data transmission unit 121 are provided. Here, the record distribution device 100 functions as either a master device or a slave device based on the setting of the user.

  In FIG. 1, a part of the portions provided in the recording / distributing device 100 or connected to the recording / distributing device 100, for example, the user of this device, starts or stops recording, A command input unit for specifying settings of a device or a slave device, a setting storage unit for storing settings of a master device or a slave device, a state display unit for displaying the state of a device, for image encoding and decoding processing The temporary data storage unit for temporarily storing data, the control unit for controlling the temporarily stored data, the display unit for displaying the output image signal, and the like are omitted.

  The image capturing unit 101 captures an image and generates an image signal that is an electrical signal corresponding to the image. Then, the image capturing unit 101 supplies the generated image signal to the image analysis unit 102 and the image encoding unit 109.

  The image analysis unit 102 analyzes the image captured by the image capturing unit 101 based on the image signal given from the image capturing unit 101, and generates image analysis data as analysis result data indicating the analysis result. For example, the image analysis unit 102 analyzes whether the image captured by the image capturing unit 101 includes an important part. As an example, the image analysis unit 102 performs motion detection and face detection based on the image captured by the image capturing unit 101. Then, as an analysis result, the image analysis unit 102, when the ratio of the area in which the motion is detected and the movement is detected (for example, when the ratio of the area in which the motion is detected is not “0”), Image analysis data including data indicating the coordinates of the area where the motion is detected, the presence / absence of face detection, and the coordinates of the area where the face is detected is detected, and this image analysis data is generated. Is provided to the metadata generation unit 107.

  The external information input unit 103 receives an input of an external signal generated by an external device. For example, in the present embodiment, the external signal is a detection signal generated by a sensor device (not shown), but may be another signal, for example, an operation signal generated by an elevator. Here, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the sensor device outputs a detection signal when the sensing object moves, for example, when the door is opened. In the present embodiment, one external information input unit 103 is provided, but a plurality of external information input units 103 may be provided.

  The external information analysis unit 104 analyzes the external signal input to the external information input unit 103, and generates external input data as analysis result data indicating the analysis result. For example, in the present embodiment, the external information analysis unit 104 externally indicates that an external signal is input from the external device when an external signal from the sensor device is input to the external information input unit 103. When input data is generated and no external signal is input from the sensor device to the external information input unit 103, external input data indicating that no external signal is input from the external device is generated. Then, the external information analysis unit 104 gives the generated external input data to the metadata generation unit 107.

  The voice input unit 105 receives an input of a voice signal from a microphone (not shown) or the like. In the present embodiment, one voice input unit 105 is provided, but a plurality of voice input units 105 may be provided.

  The voice analysis unit 106 analyzes the voice signal input to the voice input unit 105, and generates voice input data as analysis result data indicating the analysis result. For example, the voice analysis unit 106 specifies the volume level of the voice from the voice signal input to the voice input unit 105. Then, the voice analysis unit 106 calculates a ratio of the specified volume level to a predetermined maximum value of the volume level, and generates voice input data indicating this ratio (voice input ratio). Then, the voice analysis unit 106 gives the generated voice input data to the metadata generation unit 107.

  As described above, the image analysis unit 102, the external information analysis unit 104, and the voice analysis unit 106 constitute a state analysis unit that analyzes the state of the monitoring target with a plurality of items, and the analysis result data indicating the analysis result is meta-data. The data generation unit 107 is provided.

Based on the analysis result data given from the image analysis unit 102, the external information analysis unit 104, and the voice analysis unit 106, the metadata generation unit 107 generates partial metadata including the analysis result analyzed by these, The partial metadata is given to the importance calculation unit 108. Then, when the importance value calculated by the importance calculation unit 108 is given based on the partial metadata, the metadata generation unit 107 gives the importance value and the partial metadata to the data composition unit 120. give. Here, in the partial metadata, the ratio of the area where the motion was detected, the coordinates of the area where the motion was detected, the presence / absence of face detection, and the face detected when the motion was detected Includes at least data indicating the coordinates of the area where the face is detected, the presence / absence of external signal input, and the voice input ratio.
Also, the metadata generation unit 107 gives the image analysis data received from the image analysis unit 102 to the image cutout unit 110.

  The importance calculation unit 108 calculates the importance of the individual image data. Here, the importance calculation unit 108 converts a plurality of states to be monitored from the state analysis unit including the image analysis unit 102, the external information analysis unit 104, and the voice analysis unit 106 via the metadata generation unit 107. Analysis result data indicating the analysis result analyzed in the item is acquired, and the importance of the individual image data is calculated based on the analysis result. For example, when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is a slave device, the importance calculating unit 108 calculates the importance of the individual image data from the partial metadata given from the metadata generating unit 107, and this importance The degree value is given to the metadata generation unit 107. Further, when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is the master device, the importance calculating unit 108 calculates the importance of the individual image data from the partial metadata provided from the metadata generating unit 107, and this importance The degree value is given to the metadata generation unit 107 and the importance comparison unit 118. A specific method of calculating the importance will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  The image encoding unit 109 encodes the image signal given from the image capturing unit 101 to generate image data. Then, the image encoding unit 109 supplies the generated image data to the image cutout unit 110 and the management information generation unit 112.

The image cutout unit 110 cuts out a part of the image picked up by the image pickup unit 101 based on the image analysis data given from the metadata generation unit 107 when necessary. Here, when the image analysis unit 102 determines that an important part is included in the image captured by the image capturing unit 101, the image cutting unit 110 extracts the important part. For example, the image cutout unit 110 determines the cutout range so that the image analysis unit 102 includes a region where motion is detected or a region where a face is detected. In addition, when a motion is detected in one image and a face is also detected, the image cutout unit 110 gives priority to the area where the face is detected and includes the area where the face is detected. It is desirable to determine the cutting range so that the Further, the image cutout unit 110 may perform the cutout process after decoding the image data encoded by the image encoding unit 109 once, or may perform the cutout process without decoding depending on the encoding format. May be performed.
The image cutout unit 110 gives the image data after the cutout processing to the transmission data switching unit 111 as individual image data. In addition, when no motion is detected and no face is detected, the image cutout unit 110 uses the image data given from the image encoding unit 109 as it is as individual image data as it is as a transmission data switching unit. 111.

  The transmission data switching unit 111 switches the output destination for outputting the individual image data given from the image cutting unit 110. For example, the transmission data switching unit 111 provides the individual image data to the scaling unit 119 when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is the master device. Further, the transmission data switching unit 111 gives the individual image data to the data composition unit 120 when the recording / distributing device 100 which is the own device is a slave device.

The management information generation unit 112 generates a unique identifier that is unique to the image data given from the image encoding unit 109. In addition, the management information generation unit 112 causes the data recording unit 113 to record the image data given from the image encoding unit 109 in association with the generated unique identifier. Furthermore, the management information generation unit 112 gives the generated unique identifier to the data synthesis unit 120.
Here, the unique identifier generated by the management information generation unit 112 will be described. The unique identifier may be anything as long as it is unique with respect to the image data. For example, in this embodiment, the unique identifier identifies the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device. Device information, which is identification information for identifying the image data, and a sequence number for identifying each image data. The sequence number is preferably composed of date information. Here, when date / time information is used as a sequence number, a plurality of pieces of image data may be generated per second. Therefore, it is desirable that the date / time information has a resolution of 1 second or less. For example, a unique sequence number can be assigned to image data by using date and time information having a resolution of 90 kHz.

The data recording unit 113 records data. For example, the data recording unit 113 records the image data and the unique identifier given from the management information generation unit 112 in association with each other. In addition, when the partial metadata is given from the metadata generation unit 107, the data recording unit 113 records the partial metadata in association with the image data corresponding to the partial metadata. Further, the data recording unit 113 records the combined transmission data given from the data combining unit 120 when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is the master device.
Here, the data recording unit 113 includes a medium for storing data therein. The data storage medium can be constituted by a hard disk, a flash memory, a removable SD memory card, or the like.

  The data receiving unit 114 receives data. For example, in the present embodiment, the data receiving unit 114 receives individual transmission data transmitted from another recording / distributing device 100.

  The metadata extraction unit 115 extracts individual metadata from the individual transmission data received by the data reception unit 114, and provides this individual metadata to the importance degree extraction unit 116 and the data composition unit 120.

  The importance level extraction unit 116 extracts the importance value from the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 115, and gives the importance level value to the importance level comparison unit 118.

  The image data extraction unit 117 extracts individual image data from the individual transmission data received by the data reception unit 114 and supplies the individual image data to the scaling unit 119.

  The importance comparison unit 118 compares the importance value of the individual image data calculated by the importance calculation unit 108 and the importance value of each individual image data extracted by the importance extraction unit 116. Then, the size and arrangement position for each individual image data when the image of the individual image data is combined into one image data are specified. Then, the importance level comparing unit 118 gives the size for each individual image data to the scaling unit 119 and gives the arrangement position for each individual image data to the data composition unit 120. The size and arrangement position of each individual image data specified by the importance degree comparison unit 118 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The scaling unit 119 changes the size (resolution) of the individual image data provided from the transmission data switching unit 111 and the image data extraction unit 117 according to the size of each individual image data received from the importance level comparison unit 118. Then, the scaling unit 119 gives the individual image data after the size change to the data composition unit 120.

The data composition unit 120 generates transmission data by attaching metadata to the image data, and gives this transmission data to the data transmission unit 121.
For example, when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is a slave device, the data composition unit 120 receives the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generation unit 107 and the management information generation unit 112. Individual metadata including the given unique identifier is generated, and the individual transmission data is generated by attaching the individual metadata to the individual image data given from the transmission data switching unit 111.
In addition, when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is the master device, the data composition unit 120 receives the individual image data after the size change given from the scaling unit 119 from the importance comparison unit 118. Composite image data is generated by placing the image data at the placement position for each image data. Then, when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is the master device, the data synthesizing unit 120 receives the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generating unit 107 and the management information generating unit 112. The composite metadata including the given unique identifier and the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 115 is generated. Then, the data composition unit 120 generates composite transmission data by attaching composite metadata to the generated composite image data.
Then, the data synthesis unit 120 provides the data transmission unit 121 with the individual transmission data or the synthesized transmission data generated as described above. In addition, the data synthesis unit 120 causes the data recording unit 113 to record the synthesized transmission data generated as described above.

The data transmission unit 121 transmits data to the network. For example, when the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is a slave device, the data transmitting unit 121 records the individual transmission data provided from the data synthesizing unit 120 via the network as the recording / distributing device that is the master device. To 100.
Further, when the recording / distributing device 100 as the master device is the master device, the data transmitting unit 121 transmits the composite transmission data given from the data synthesizing unit 120 to a predetermined device via the network. To do. Here, the predetermined device that is the transmission destination of the combined transmission data is a device other than the record distribution device 100 that transmits the individual transmission data to the record distribution device 100 that is the master device. For example, the predetermined device is preferably a viewing device including a display unit that displays a composite image.
When the recording / distributing device 100 that is the own device is a slave device, the communication address of the recording / distributing device 100 that is the master device is stored in a communication address storage unit (not shown), and is the own device. When the recording / distributing device 100 is a master device, it is assumed that a predetermined communication address of the device is stored in a communication address storage unit (not shown).

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the configuration of the monitoring system 150 using the recording / distributing apparatus 100. The monitoring system 150 includes a first camera 151, a second camera 152, a third camera 153, a fourth camera 154, and a viewing device 155. The first camera 151, the second camera 152, the third camera 153, and the fourth camera 154 are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) via a network hub 156. In addition, a first network router 157 is connected to this LAN, and the first camera 151, the second camera 152, the third camera 153, and the fourth camera 154 are connected to the Internet 158 via the first network router 157. It is configured so that it can be connected. The viewing device 155 is configured to be connected to the Internet 158 via the second network router 159.

The first camera 151, the second camera 152, the third camera 153, and the fourth camera 154 are configured by the record distribution device 100. The first camera 151 is set as a master device, and the second camera 152, the third camera 153, and the fourth camera 154 are set as slave devices.
These cameras 151 to 154 are installed in an area to be monitored and take an image of this area. Then, the second camera 152, the third camera 153, and the fourth camera 154 that are slave devices generate individual transmission data, and transmit the individual transmission data to the first camera 151 that is a master device. The first camera 151 then receives individual image data, partial metadata, a unique identifier, and individual received from the second camera 152, the third camera 153, and the fourth camera 154 from an image captured by the own device. Based on the transmission data, composite transmission data is generated, and the composite transmission data is transmitted to the viewing device 155. The viewing device 155 is usually installed at a remote location, and the user of the viewing device 155 can monitor the monitoring area from the remote location.

  Although not shown, the viewing device 155 includes at least a receiving unit, an image processing unit, and a display unit. The receiving unit receives the combined transmission data, and the image processing unit receives the combined transmission data from the combined transmission data. Data is extracted, and an image corresponding to the composite image data is displayed on the display unit. In addition, the viewing device 155 can be configured to further include an input unit that receives an instruction input from a user of the viewing device 155. When the input unit receives an input of metadata display instruction from the user, the image processing unit extracts the composite metadata from the composite transmission data, and all or Metadata image data in which a part of data is converted into a predetermined display format may be generated, and the display unit may display an image corresponding to the metadata image data. Note that the viewing device 155 may further include a recording unit that records the combined transmission data.

  With the configuration as described above, in the monitoring system 150, a plurality of image data generated by the plurality of cameras 152 to 154 is sent to the first camera 151 as a master device connected to the LAN, and the first camera 151 Generates one composite image data by combining the image data and image data corresponding to the image captured by the own apparatus, and transmits the composite image data to the wide area network.

  Although the monitoring system 150 is configured with four cameras here, the number of cameras is not limited to four, and may be three or less or five or more.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement example of the cameras 151 to 154 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the cameras 151 to 154 are arranged at different positions in a room 160 as a monitoring target. The room 160 is provided with a door 161 for a person to enter and exit, and a subject 162 exists in the room 160. And the cameras 151-154 image | photograph the to-be-photographed object 162 from a respectively different position. Although not shown, the door 161 is provided with an open / close sensor as a sensor device, and the open / close sensor is connected to the external information input unit 103 of the fourth camera 154. When the open / close sensor detects that the door 161 is opened, the open / close sensor outputs a detection signal to the fourth camera 154.

  4A to 4D are schematic diagrams illustrating images captured by the cameras 151 to 154 illustrated in FIG. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing an image IM1 captured by the first camera 151. FIG. FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram showing an image IM <b> 2 captured by the second camera 152. FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram illustrating an image IM3 captured by the third camera 153. FIG. 4D is a schematic diagram illustrating an image IM <b> 4 captured by the first camera 154.

  Since these images IM1 to IM4 are obtained by photographing the same subject 162 from different angles, they are related images. However, these images IM1 to IM4 can be distinguished into important images and unimportant images depending on the position of the camera. In the image IM2, the subject 162 is shown larger than the other images. In the image IM1 and the image IM3, the subject 162 is photographed next to the image IM2. In the image IM4, the subject 162 is shown smaller than the other images IM1 to IM3, but the face of the subject 162 is shown in front. Then, the importance calculation unit 108 of the recording / distributing device 100 calculates the importance according to the states of the images IM1 to IM4.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a composite image SIM obtained by combining images captured by the cameras 151 to 154. An image obtained by scaling the image IM1 (see FIG. 4A) captured by the first camera 151 is combined with the region # 1 of the combined image SIM. An image obtained by scaling the image IM2 (see FIG. 4B) captured by the second camera 152 is combined with the region # 2. An image obtained by scaling the image IM3 (see FIG. 4C) captured by the third camera 153 is combined with the region # 3. In the region # 4, an image obtained by scaling the image RIM4 (see FIG. 4D) ripped from the image IM4 captured by the fourth camera 154 is synthesized.

Next, the operation of the record distribution apparatus 100 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device 100 is a slave device.

  First, when the image capturing unit 101 captures an image (S10), the image capturing unit 101 supplies an image signal of the captured image to the image analyzing unit 102 and the image encoding unit 109. The image analysis unit 102 performs the process of step S11, and the image encoding unit 109 performs the process of step S14.

  In step S11, the image analysis unit 102 performs motion detection and face detection based on the given image signal, generates image analysis data including these analysis results, and generates the image analysis data as metadata. Part 107. The image analysis data includes, for example, the ratio of the area in which the movement is detected, the coordinates of the area in which the movement is detected, the presence / absence of face detection, and the case in which the face is detected. Includes data indicating the coordinates of the area where the face is detected.

  Next, the metadata generation unit 107 performs partial processing based on the image analysis data given from the image analysis unit 102, the external input data given from the external information analysis unit 104, and the voice input data given from the voice analysis unit 106. Metadata is generated and this partial metadata is given to the importance calculation unit 108 (S12). In the partial metadata, when motion is detected, the coordinates of the area where the motion is detected, the presence or absence of face detection, and when the face is detected, the coordinates of the area where the face is detected At least data indicating the presence / absence of an external signal input and the voice input ratio are included.

  Next, the importance level calculation unit 108 calculates the importance level based on the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107 (S13). Then, the importance calculation unit 108 gives the calculated importance value to the metadata generation unit 107. The metadata generation unit 107 gives the generated partial metadata and the importance value given from the importance calculation unit 108 to the data synthesis unit 120.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing importance calculation information IPT that is referred to by the importance calculation unit 108 when calculating the importance. The importance calculation information IPT is information in a table format having an item number column IPT1, an item column IPT2, a condition column IPT3, and a score column IPT4.

The item number column IPT1 stores an item number that is an identification number for identifying each item used when calculating the importance.
The item column IPT2 stores the item name of the item identified in the item number column IPT1. Here, in the present embodiment, the importance is calculated using four items of “motion detection”, “face detection”, “external input”, and “voice input”.
The condition column IPT3 stores a condition for assigning the analysis result to the score stored in the score column IPT4 for each item identified in the item number column IPT1.
The score column IPT4 stores a score value assigned to calculate the importance when the analysis result of the item identified in the item number column IPT1 satisfies the condition stored in the condition column IPT3. . In the example of FIG. 7, in the motion detection in which the item number i is “0”, the entire captured image is divided into, for example, 81 (= 9 × 9) areas, and whether or not the captured image has moved in each area. Is determined. If the number of areas that have moved is 70% or more of the whole, the value of Score [0] is “1”, and if it is 31% to 69%, the value of Score [0] is “0. In the case of 30% or less, the value of Score [0] is “0”. In the face detection with the item number i being “1”, if the captured image includes a person's face, the value of Score [1] is “1” and the person's face is not included. The value of Score [1] is “0”. In the case of external input with the item number i being “2”, the value of Score [2] is “1” when there is a sensor input, and the value of Score [2] is “1” when there is no sensor input. 0 ". Also, in the voice input with the item number i being “3”, if the voice input ratio exceeds 70%, the value of Score [3] is “1”, and the voice input ratio is 31% to 69%. In this case, the value of Score [3] is “0.5”, and when the voice input ratio is 30% or less, the value of Score [3] is “0”.

  The conditions shown in FIG. 7 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 7. For example, the motion number of item number i is “0” and the value of Score [0] is The condition of “1” may be that the number of motion detection areas is 80% or more. In addition, in the voice input with the item number i being “3”, the voice input ratio is used as a condition. However, the specific voice condition is determined by using the ratio of the volume level in the voice of the specific frequency or higher voice recognition. It may be configured such that a higher score value is given when the above is satisfied.

（１）式において、Ｓｃｏｒｅ［ｉ］は、項目番号ｉ毎のスコアの値であり、Ｗｅｉｇｈｔ［ｉ］は、項目番号ｉ毎の重み係数である。例えば、本実施の形態では、項目番号ｉが「０」の重み係数Ｗｅｉｇｈｔ［０］の値は「２」、項目番号ｉが「１」の重み係数Ｗｅｉｇｈｔ［１］の値は「４」、項目番号ｉが「２」の重み係数Ｗｅｉｇｈｔ［２］の値は「３」、項目番号ｉが「３」の重み係数Ｗｅｉｇｈｔ［３］の値は「１」とされているが、これらの値に限定されるものではない。 And the importance calculation part 108 calculates importance (IP) by following (1) Formula, for example using the importance calculation information IPT shown by FIG.

In equation (1), Score [i] is a score value for each item number i, and Weight [i] is a weighting factor for each item number i. For example, in the present embodiment, the value of the weighting factor Weight [0] with the item number i being “0” is “2”, the value of the weighting factor Weight [1] with the item number i being “1” is “4”, The value of the weighting factor Weight [2] for the item number i is “2” is “3”, and the value of the weighting factor Weight [3] for the item number i is “3” is “1”. It is not limited to.

  8A and 8B show the score values assigned by the importance calculation unit 108 to images captured under certain shooting conditions in the cameras 151 to 154 shown in FIG. It is the schematic which shows an example of the value of importance calculated by the importance calculation part.

  FIG. 8A shows an example of score values assigned by the importance calculation unit 108. For example, in the image captured by the first camera 151, since a moderate motion is detected, the value of the motion detection score Score [0] is “0.5”, and no face is detected. The value of Score [1] for face detection is “0”, there is no sensor input, the value of Score [2] for sensor input is also “0”, the value of Score [3] for voice input is not input Is also “0”. The image captured by the second camera 152 is close to the subject and has a wide motion detection area, so the motion detection score Score [0] is “1”, and no face is detected. The value of Score [1] is “0”, there is no sensor input, the value of Score [2] of the sensor input is also “0”, and an intermediate audio signal is input. The value of “0.5” is “0.5”. In the image picked up by the third camera 153, since moderate movement is detected, the value of the motion detection score Score [0] is “0.5”, and no face is detected. Since the value of Score [1] is “0” and there is no sensor input, the value of Score [2] of the sensor input is also “0” and an intermediate audio signal is input. The value of “0.5” is “0.5”. In the image captured by the fourth camera 154, since the distance from the subject is far and the area where the motion is detected is small, the value of the motion detection Score [0] is “0”, and the face of the subject is captured from the front. Since the face is detected, the face detection Score [1] value is “1”, and there is also sensor input by opening and closing the door. Therefore, the sensor input Score [2] value is “1” and the audio signal is input. Therefore, the value of Score [3] for voice input is “0”.

FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of importance values calculated by the importance calculation unit 108 based on the score values shown in FIG.
The importance calculation unit 108 calculates the importance by substituting the score value shown in FIG. 8A into the equation (1). In the example shown in FIG. 8B, the importance value of the image captured by the first camera 151 is “1.0”, and the importance value of the image captured by the second camera 152 is “1.0”. 2.5 ”, the importance value of the image captured by the third camera 153 is“ 1.5 ”, and the importance value of the image captured by the fourth camera 154 is“ 7 ”. By calculating the importance by combining a plurality of items in this way, for example, when there is no movement but a face is detected, or when the movement is small but there is voice input, an image that is more important for the supervisor Can be comprehensively determined.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 6, in step S <b> 14, the image encoding unit 109 encodes the image signal given from the image capturing unit 101 to generate image data. Then, the image encoding unit 109 gives the generated image data to the management information generation unit 112 and the image cutout unit 110.

  Next, the management information generation unit 112 generates a unique identifier that is unique to the image data given from the image coding unit 109, the image data given from the image coding unit 109, the unique identifier, Is given to the data recording unit 113 (S15). For example, the management information generating unit 112 gives the generated unique identifier to the footer part of the image data and gives it to the data recording unit 113.

  Next, the data recording unit 113 records the image data given from the management information generating unit 112 in association with the unique identifier (S16). When the partial metadata of the image data is sent from the metadata generation unit 107, the data recording unit 113 records the partial metadata in association with the image data.

  In step S17, the image cutout unit 110 generates individual image data. For example, the image cropping unit 110 includes at least one of data indicating a region where motion is detected and data indicating a region where a face is detected in the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107. If it is, the range including the region is cut out from the image data given from the image encoding unit 109. Then, the image cutout unit 110 sets the cut out image data as individual image data. On the other hand, the image cutout unit 110 indicates that the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107 includes data indicating that no motion is detected, and that no face is detected. When data is included, the image data given from the image encoding unit 109 is set as individual image data. The image cutout unit 110 provides the individual image data to the transmission data switching unit 111, and the transmission data switching unit 111 provides the individual image data to the data composition unit 120.

  Next, the data synthesizing unit 120 includes the individual metadata including the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generating unit 107 in step S13 and the unique identifier given from the management information generating unit 112 in step S15. Data is generated, and individual transmission data is generated by attaching the individual metadata to the individual image data given from the transmission data switching unit 111 in step S17 (S18). Then, the data composition unit 120 gives the generated individual transmission data to the data transmission unit 121.

Here, FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of the individual transmission data IID1.
The individual transmission data IID1 includes individual image data IID11, a unique identifier IID12, an importance IID13, an item number IID14, an item number IID15, an analysis result data size IID16, and an analysis result IID17.
The individual image data IID11 is individual image data given from the transmission data switching unit 111 in step S17.
The unique identifier IID12 is a unique identifier given from the management information generating unit 112 in step S15. The individual image data IID11 is uniquely identified by the unique identifier IID12.
The importance IID13 is the importance value given from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S13.
The item number IID14, the item number IID15, the analysis result data size IID16, and the analysis result IID17 are data included in the partial metadata provided from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S13.
The item number IID14 indicates the number of items used to calculate the importance, and in the present embodiment, this number is “4”. Then, the combinations of the item number IID15, the analysis result data size IID16, and the analysis result IID17 are stored for the number indicated by the item number IID14. The item number IID15 is an identification number for identifying each item used for calculating the importance. In this embodiment, “0” is motion detection, “1” is face detection, “ “2” is an external input, and “3” is a voice input. The analysis result data size IID16 indicates the data size of the analysis result IID17. The analysis result IID17 includes an analysis result corresponding to the item identified by the item number IID15. In the present embodiment, when the item number IID15 is “0”, the ratio of the area where the motion is detected, and when the motion is detected, the coordinates of the area where the motion is detected, the item number IID15 is In the case of “1”, the presence / absence of face detection, and in the case where a face is detected, the coordinates of the area in which the face is detected, the item number IID15 being “2”, the presence / absence of external input, the item number When IID15 is “3”, data indicating the voice input ratio is stored as analysis result IID17.
The unique identifier IID12, the importance level IID13, the item number IID14, the item number IID15, the analysis result data size IID16, and the analysis result IID17 constitute individual metadata.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 6, the data transmission unit 121 transmits the individual transmission data given from the data synthesis unit 120 to the record distribution device 100 as the master device via the network (S19).

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device 100 is a master device. Here, the processing from step S20 to step S27 in FIG. 10 is the same as the processing from step S10 to step S17 in FIG.

  In step S28, the data receiving unit 114 determines whether or not individual transmission data has been received from another recording / distributing device 100 serving as a slave device. Then, the data receiving unit 114 gives a time stamp indicating the received time to the received individual transmission data. Further, the metadata extraction unit 115 extracts individual metadata from the received individual transmission data, and provides this individual metadata to the importance level extraction unit 116 and the data composition unit 120. Further, the image data extraction unit 117 extracts individual image data from the received individual transmission data, and provides the individual image data to the scaling unit 119. Then, when receiving the individual transmission data (Yes in Step S28), the data receiving unit 114 proceeds to the process of Step S29, and when not receiving the individual transmission data (No in Step S28). The process proceeds to step S31.

  In step S29, the importance level extraction unit 116 extracts the importance value included in the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 115 (S29). Then, the importance level extraction unit 116 gives the extracted importance level value to the importance level comparison unit 118.

  Next, the data receiving unit 114 determines whether or not the importance value is extracted from all the individual transmission data to which the time stamp of the same time is given (S30). Then, when the importance value is extracted from all the individual transmission data to which the time stamp of the same time is given (Yes in step S30), the data receiving unit 114 is given the time stamp of the same time. If there is no individual transmission data from which the importance value is not extracted among the individual transmission data, the process proceeds to step S31. On the other hand, when the importance value is not extracted from all the individual transmission data to which the time stamp of the same time is given (No in step S30), the data receiving unit 114, in other words, the time stamp of the same time is If there is individual transmission data from which the importance value is not extracted among the assigned individual transmission data, the process returns to step S29.

  In step S31, the importance level comparison unit 118 calculates the importance value of the individual image data calculated by the importance level calculation unit 108 and the importance level of each individual image data extracted by the importance level extraction unit 116. By comparing the values, the size and arrangement position for each individual image data when the images of the individual image data are combined into one image data are specified. For example, the importance level comparing unit 118 selects one arrangement as a composite image data from a plurality of arrangement patterns in which individual image data is arranged in a predetermined size and position according to the importance value for each individual image data. A pattern is selected, and the size and position at which each individual image data is arranged are specified by the selected arrangement pattern. Then, the importance level comparison unit 118 gives the specified size to the scaling unit 119 and gives the specified arrangement position to the data synthesis unit 120.

FIGS. 11A to 11T are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of arrangement patterns that can be selected by the importance degree comparison unit 118. 11A to 11T show an example in which there are four recording / distributing apparatuses 100 connected to the network, but this number is not limited to four.
FIG. 11A shows an arrangement pattern SIP1 when all the importance values of the four individual image data are lower than a predetermined threshold.
FIGS. 11B to 11E show the arrangement patterns SIP2 to SIP5 when only the importance value of one individual image data among the four individual image data is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.
FIGS. 11F to 11I also show the arrangement patterns SIP6 to SIP9 when only the importance value of one individual image data among the four individual image data is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. For example, it is desirable that the threshold when the patterns SIP6 to SIP9 are selected be larger than the threshold when the patterns SIP2 to SIP5 are selected.
FIGS. 11J to 11O show the arrangement patterns SIP10 to SIP15 when only the importance value of the two individual image data out of the four individual image data is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.
11 (P) to 11 (S) show the arrangement patterns SIP16 to SIP19 when only the importance value of the three individual image data among the four individual image data is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.
FIG. 11 (T) shows an arrangement pattern SIP20 in the case where all of the importance values of the four individual image data are greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.

  The importance level comparing unit 118 corresponds to the record distribution device 100 that has not received the individual transmission data when there is one of the four record distribution devices 100 that has not received the individual transmission data at the same time. The importance and the position of the individual image data are specified as “0”. Then, the importance level comparing unit 118 substitutes the scaling unit 119 for the predetermined image data such as black image data, for example, the individual image data corresponding to the recording / distributing device 100 that has not received the individual transmission data. Give instructions to do so.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 10, in step S <b> 32, the scaling unit 119 performs scaling of each individual image data so as to have the size given from the importance comparison unit 118. Then, the scaling unit 119 gives the individual image data after the size change to the data composition unit 120. At this time, the scaling unit 119 attaches scaling area information indicating a reduction ratio or an enlargement ratio for each individual image data. In addition, when a predetermined image data such as black image data is substituted, information indicating that there is no original image is attached to the substituted image data.

  Next, the data synthesizing unit 120 generates synthesized image data by arranging the individual image data scaled in step S32 at the arrangement position given from the importance degree comparing unit 118. The data composition unit 120 also determines the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S23, the unique identifier given from the management information generation unit 112 in step S25, and the metadata in step S28. Composite metadata including the individual metadata provided from the data extraction unit 115 is generated. Then, the data composition unit 120 generates composite transmission data by attaching the generated composite metadata to the generated composite image data (S33). Then, the data synthesis unit 120 provides the generated synthesized transmission data to the data transmission unit 121.

Here, FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of the combined transmission data SID1.
The composite transmission data SID1 includes composite image data SID11, maximum camera number SID12, each image presence / absence information SID13, camera number SID14, scaling area SID15, unique identifier SID16, importance SID17, item number SID18, It has item number SID19, analysis result data size SID20, and analysis result SID21.
The composite image data SID11 is composite image data obtained by combining the individual image data in step S33.
The maximum camera number SID12 indicates the maximum number of cameras (recording / distributing apparatus 100) that capture individual image data to be combined with the combined image data. For example, in the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the maximum camera number SID12 is “4”.
Each image presence / absence information SID13 is information indicating whether or not the captured individual image data is combined with the combined image data for each camera (recording / distributing apparatus 100). For example, each image presence / absence information SID3 is clearly indicated by bit pattern information. For example, in the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the individual image data of the images captured by the first camera 151, the second camera 152, and the fourth camera 154 out of the four cameras 151 to 154 is combined image data. When the black image data is used instead of the individual image data of the image captured by the third camera 153, each image presence / absence information SID13 is indicated as “1011”. .
The camera numbers SID14 to analysis results SID21 are provided as many as the number of cameras (recording / distributing devices 100) in which the individual image data is included in the composite image data.
The camera number SID14 is an identification number for identifying the camera (recording / distributing apparatus 100). For example, as the camera number SID14, device information included in the unique identifier can be used.
The scaling area SID15 indicates a reduction rate or an enlargement rate scaled by the scaling unit 119 with respect to individual image data of an image captured by the camera (recording / distributing device 100) identified by the camera number SID14.
The unique identifier SID16 is a unique identifier of individual image data of an image captured by the camera (recording / distributing apparatus 100) identified by the camera number SID14. This is given from the management information generation unit 112 in step S25.
As described above, when the images from the four cameras are combined and transmitted, the unique identifier assigned to each of the four individual image data is added to the combined image data and transmitted. When the composite image data is recorded on the ground, the original individual image data can be specified from the composite image data, and more detailed individual image data can be efficiently confirmed from the composite image data. In addition, when recording an image in each camera, this list of unique identifiers may be created, and the unique identifiers and the address information of the image data may be managed as a pair. Can be executed.
The importance SID17 is a value of importance of individual image data of an image captured by the camera (recording / distributing apparatus 100) identified by the camera number SID14. This is included in the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S23 or the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 115 in step S29.
The item number SID18, the item number SID19, the analysis result data size SID20, and the analysis result SID21 are given from the partial metadata supplied from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S23 or from the metadata extraction unit 115 in step S29. Is included in the individual metadata. Item number SID18, item number SID19, analysis result data size SID20, and analysis result SID21 are the same as item number IID14, item number IID15, analysis result data size IID16, and analysis result IID17 of individual transmission data IID1 shown in FIG. It is.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 10, the data transmission unit 121 transmits the composite transmission data given from the data synthesis unit 120 to a predetermined device, for example, a viewing device, via the network (S34).

  In the embodiment described above, the audio data itself is configured not to be distributed or recorded to the outside. However, if necessary, the audio data may be recorded and transmitted to the network. . When audio data is transmitted to the network, audio data of a plurality of devices may be multiplexed and transmitted, or any one device (for example, a device having the highest importance) according to the importance value. Audio data may be transmitted.

  As described above, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 100 and the recording / distributing method performed by the recording / distributing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, important images spanning a plurality of recording / distributing apparatuses 100 can be simultaneously transmitted to a public line with a small amount of data. Therefore, efficient remote monitoring in which a plurality of videos are associated can be performed even in a narrow band environment.

  For example, in the case of surveillance video with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 called full high-vision, which has been increasing in recent years, in a high image quality mode, the frame rate is about 8 Mbps (Bit Per Second) in terms of a frame rate of 30 fps (Frames Per Second). Data size. In the standard image quality mode, the bit rate is about 4 Mbps under the above conditions. In the present embodiment, for example, the first camera 151 and the second camera 152 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are set to high image quality, and the third camera 153 and the fourth camera 154 are set to standard image quality. Assume that the frame rates of 151 to 154 are set to 15 fps for the first camera 151, 15 fps for the second camera 152, 7.5 fps for the third camera 153, and 4 fps for the fourth camera 154. In this case, when each of the cameras 151 to 154 transmits image data to a remote place as it is, 4.77 Mbps data is transmitted every second to a wide area network such as the Internet 158 shown in FIG. It will be. On the other hand, when the images of the four cameras 151 to 154 are combined into one image and transmitted according to the present embodiment, for example, when the importance values of the four images are all equal, Data of 1.38 Mbps is transmitted to the network every second. In this case, in this embodiment, the amount of data transmitted to the wide area network is reduced by about 71% from 4.77 Mbps in the conventional method to 1.38 Mbps.

  When the amount of data to be transmitted is 4.77 Mbps as in the conventional case, a line bandwidth of 5 Mbps or more is required, and when the amount of data to be transmitted is 1.38 Mbps as in the present embodiment, a line bandwidth of 2 Mbps or more is required. In an example of an environment that provides ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), the ratio of the line that has an execution speed of 5 Mbps or higher is 60%, whereas the line that has an execution speed of 2 Mbps or higher is output. The ratio has reached 98%. For this reason, in this environment, data can be smoothly transmitted on almost all lines by the effect of the present invention.

  In addition, according to the recording / distributing device 100 and the recording / distributing method performed by the recording / distributing device 100 as described above, the recording / distributing device 100 synthesizes images. Processing such as replacement is not required, and even a device having a low image processing capability compared to a PC or the like, such as a mobile terminal that has been increasing in recent years, can smoothly monitor a plurality of images in association with each other.

  In addition, according to the recording / distributing device 100 described above and the recording / distributing method performed by the recording / distributing device 100, in the composite image data, each of the individual image data is determined according to the importance value of each individual image data. Since the image size is automatically changed, the monitor can always focus on important images and monitor them without having to change the screen. Details can be confirmed.

  In addition, according to the recording / distributing device 100 described above and the recording / distributing method performed by the recording / distributing device 100, the importance level is determined by combining a plurality of items in addition to motion detection. It is possible to deal with not only objects but also stationary objects, and by weighting a plurality of items, it is possible to focus on more important images required by the supervisor.

  Furthermore, according to the recording / distribution apparatus 100 described above and the recording / distribution method performed by the recording / distribution apparatus 100, each recording / distribution apparatus 100 that has become a slave apparatus in accordance with the importance of the image Since only part of the data is cut out and data is transmitted, traffic on the LAN can be reduced, and the image cut-out process is distributed to each of the record distribution devices 100, so that the record distribution device 100 as the master device performs image composition. The processing load at the time of performing can be reduced. For this reason, the record distribution apparatus 100 can be manufactured at low cost.

  Further, according to the recording / distribution apparatus 100 described above and the recording / distribution method performed by the recording / distribution apparatus 100, the image data picked up by the own apparatus is recorded together with the unique identifier and is also synthesized with the composite image data. Since the unique identifier of the individual image data is attached, the viewer can easily confirm the original individual image data based on the unique identifier attached to the composite image data.

  Furthermore, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 100 described above and the recording / distributing method performed by the recording / distributing apparatus 100, the installation position of the recording / distributing apparatus 100 is not limited and can be freely installed. The effects of the invention can be obtained.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the record delivery apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment. The recording / distributing device 200 includes an image capturing unit 101, an image analysis unit 102, an external information input unit 103, an external information analysis unit 104, an audio input unit 105, an audio analysis unit 106, and a metadata generation unit 107. , Importance calculation unit 208, image encoding unit 109, image cutout unit 110, transmission data switching unit 211, management information generation unit 112, data recording unit 113, data reception unit 114, metadata An extraction unit 115, an importance level extraction unit 116, an image data extraction unit 117, an importance level comparison unit 218, a scaling unit 119, a data synthesis unit 120, a data transmission unit 121, and a threshold value comparison unit 222 are provided. . Here, the recording / distributing apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment includes processing points in the importance level calculation unit 208, the transmission data switching unit 211, the importance level comparison unit 218, and a threshold value comparison unit 222. Thus, it is different from the record delivery apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The record distribution device 200 according to Embodiment 2 creates composite transmission data including composite image data when the importance value of the individual image data of the captured image exceeds a predetermined threshold value, Send to the network.

  The importance calculation unit 208 calculates the importance of the individual image data in the same manner as the importance calculation unit 108 in the first embodiment. For example, the importance calculation unit 208 calculates the importance of the individual image data from the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107 when the recording / distribution device 200 which is the own device is a slave device. The degree value is given to the metadata generation unit 107 and the threshold comparison unit 222. Further, when the recording / distributing device 200 that is the own device is the master device, the importance calculating unit 208 calculates the importance of the individual image data from the partial metadata provided from the metadata generating unit 107, and this importance is calculated. The degree value is given to the metadata generation unit 107, the importance comparison unit 218, and the threshold comparison unit 222.

  The threshold comparison unit 222 determines whether or not the importance value given from the importance calculation unit 208 is larger than a predetermined threshold. Then, the threshold value comparison unit 222 gives an instruction to output the individual image data to the transmission data switching unit 211 when the importance value given from the importance level calculation unit 208 is larger than a predetermined threshold value. When the importance value given from the importance calculation unit 208 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the transmission data switching unit 211 is instructed not to output individual image data.

  Similar to the transmission data switching unit 111 in the first embodiment, the transmission data switching unit 211 switches the output destination to which the individual image data given from the image cutout unit 110 is output. However, in the present embodiment, the transmission data switching unit 211 outputs the individual image data when an instruction to output the individual image data is given from the threshold comparison unit 222, and the individual image data from the threshold comparison unit 222. When an instruction not to output is given, individual image data is not output.

  The importance level comparing unit 218 performs the same processing as the importance level comparing unit 118 in the first embodiment, but is calculated by the importance level calculating unit 208 when the recording / distributing device 200 that is its own device is a master device. When the threshold value comparison unit 222 determines that the importance value is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined whether or not individual transmission data is received from the record distribution device 200 as a slave device. For example, when the importance level comparison unit 218 receives the importance value from the importance level extraction unit 116, the importance level comparison unit 218 determines that the individual transmission data is received from the record distribution device 200 that is a slave device. When the importance level comparing unit 218 determines that the individual transmission data is received from the recording / distributing device 200 as the slave device, the importance level value is the same as the importance level comparing unit 118 in the first embodiment. The process which compares is performed.

Next, the operation in the record distribution device 200 will be described.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device 200 according to Embodiment 2 is a slave device. Here, the processing from step S40 to S46 in FIG. 14 is the same as the processing from step S10 to S16 in FIG. However, the importance calculation unit 208 also provides the threshold value comparison unit 222 with the importance value calculated in step S43.

  In step S47, the image cutout unit 110 generates individual image data. For example, the image cropping unit 110 includes at least one of data indicating a region where motion is detected and data indicating a region where a face is detected in the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107. If it is, the range including the region is cut out from the image data given from the image encoding unit 109. Then, the image cutout unit 110 sets the cut out image data as individual image data. On the other hand, the image cutout unit 110 indicates that the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 107 includes data indicating that no motion is detected, and that no face is detected. When data is included, the image data given from the image encoding unit 109 is set as individual image data. Then, the image cutout unit 110 gives the individual image data to the transmission data switching unit 211.

Next, the threshold value comparison unit 222 determines whether or not the importance value given from the importance level calculation unit 208 in step S43 exceeds a predetermined threshold value (S48). If the threshold value exceeds the threshold value (Yes in step S48), the threshold value comparison unit 222 gives an instruction to output the individual image data to the transmission data switching unit 211, proceeds to the process of step S49, and does not exceed the threshold value. In the case (No in step S48), the transmission data switching unit 211 is instructed not to output the individual image data, and the process returns to step S40.
When the transmission data switching unit 211 receives an instruction to output individual image data from the threshold comparison unit 222, the transmission data switching unit 211 uses the individual image data provided from the image cutout unit 110 in step S47 as the data composition unit 120. To give. When the transmission data switching unit 111 receives an instruction from the threshold comparison unit 222 not to output the individual image data, for example, the transmission data switching unit 111 discards the individual image data given from the image cutting unit 110 in step S47.

  Next, the data synthesis unit 120 includes the individual metadata including the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S43 and the unique identifier given from the management information generation unit 112 in step S45. Data is generated, and the individual metadata is generated by attaching the individual metadata to the individual image data given from the transmission data switching unit 211 in step S48 (S49). Then, the data composition unit 120 gives the generated individual transmission data to the data transmission unit 121.

  Next, the data transmitting unit 121 transmits the individual transmission data given from the data synthesizing unit 120 to the record distribution device 200 that is the master device via the network (S50).

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing processing when the record distribution device 200 according to Embodiment 2 is a master device. Here, the processing from step S60 to step S70 in FIG. 15 is the same as the processing from step S20 to S30 in FIG. However, the importance calculation unit 208 also provides the threshold value comparison unit 222 with the importance value calculated in step S63.

  In step S71, the threshold value comparison unit 222 determines whether or not the importance value given from the importance level calculation unit 208 in step S63 exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Then, when the importance value is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value (No in step S71), the threshold value comparison unit 222 proceeds to the process of step S72, and the importance value is set to the predetermined threshold value. Is exceeded (Yes in step S71), the process proceeds to step S73.

  In step S <b> 72, the importance level comparing unit 218 determines whether or not individual transmission data is received from the record distribution device 200 that is a slave device. When the importance comparison unit 218 receives such individual transmission data (Yes in step S72), the importance comparison unit 218 proceeds to the process of step S73, and does not receive such individual transmission data ( In step S72, No), the process returns to step S60.

  In step S73, the importance level comparison unit 218 calculates the importance value of the individual image data calculated by the importance level calculation unit 208 and the importance level of each individual image data extracted by the importance level extraction unit 116. By comparing the values, the size and arrangement position of each individual image data when the images of each individual image data are combined into one image data are specified. Then, the importance level comparison unit 218 gives the specified size to the scaling unit 119 and gives the specified arrangement position to the data synthesis unit 120.

  Next, the scaling unit 119 performs scaling of each individual image data so as to have the size given from the importance level comparing unit 218 (S74). Then, the scaling unit 119 gives the individual image data after the size change to the data composition unit 120. At this time, the scaling unit 119 attaches scaling area information indicating a reduction ratio or an enlargement ratio for each individual image data. The scaling unit 119 attaches information indicating that there is no original image when the image data is substituted with predetermined image data such as black image data.

Next, the data composition unit 120 generates composite image data by placing the individual image data scaled in step S74 at the placement position given from the importance level comparison unit 218. The data composition unit 120 also determines the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generation unit 107 in step S63, the unique identifier given from the management information generation unit 112 in step S65, and the metadata in step S68. Composite metadata including the individual metadata provided from the data extraction unit 115 is generated. Then, the data composition unit 120 generates composite transmission data by attaching the generated composite metadata to the generated composite image data (S75). Then, the data synthesis unit 120 provides the generated synthesized transmission data to the data transmission unit 121.
In all the record distribution apparatuses 200 connected to the LAN, for example, in the installation example shown in FIG. 3, not all the images of the four cameras 151 to 154 are important. There are cases where only the image for one camera is important, or the case where the image for two cameras is important. For this reason, for example, when the image to be transmitted to the wide area network is for one camera, the data composition unit 120 in the second embodiment has a size and a size so that the image of the one camera is displayed on the entire screen. Composite to position.

  Next, the data transmission unit 121 transmits the composite transmission data given from the data synthesis unit 120 to a predetermined device, for example, a viewing device, via the network (S76).

  As described above, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment, among at least one of the images captured by the plurality of recording / distributing apparatuses 200, the importance value of the image exceeds the threshold value. In other words, the composite image data is transmitted to the wide area network only when the image is determined to be important. Further, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment, even in the LAN, the individual image data is transmitted from the slave apparatus to the master apparatus only when the importance value of the image exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Is done. For this reason, according to the record delivery apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment, it is possible to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted in both the wide area network and the LAN. Therefore, efficient monitoring can be performed even in an environment where the network bandwidth is narrower than in the first embodiment.

  Further, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment, an important image is transmitted by transmitting only an image whose importance value exceeds a threshold value, in other words, an image determined to be important as a composite image. Can be displayed larger, and by not displaying an unimportant image, there is no problem that the supervisor misses an important event.

  Note that the threshold for determining the importance level by the threshold comparison unit 222 may be set to the same value for all the recording / distributing devices 200 connected to the LAN, or the setting position of the recording / distributing device 200, the imaging target, and the like. In response to this, an individual value may be set for each recording / distributing device 200.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
Next, Embodiment 3 will be described.
FIG. 16 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the record delivery apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment. The recording / distributing device 300 includes an image capturing unit 101, an image analysis unit 102, an external information input unit 103, an external information analysis unit 104, an audio input unit 105, an audio analysis unit 106, and a metadata generation unit 307. , Importance calculation section 308, image encoding section 109, image cropping section 310, transmission data switching section 111, management information generating section 112, data recording section 113, data receiving section 114, metadata Extraction unit 115, importance extraction unit 316, image data extraction unit 117, importance comparison unit 318, scaling unit 319, data synthesis unit 320, data transmission unit 121, timer unit 323, and grouping And an extraction unit 324. The record delivery apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3 includes a metadata generation unit 307, an importance calculation unit 308, an image extraction unit 310, an importance extraction unit 316, an importance comparison unit 318, a scaling unit 319, and a data synthesis unit 320. And the point that the timer unit 323 and the grouping extraction unit 324 are provided are different from those of the first embodiment. Here, the recording / distributing apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment synthesizes images selected from images captured within a predetermined time. Note that the processing in the case where the record distribution device 300 is a slave device is the same as in the first embodiment.

The metadata generation unit 307 performs the same processing as the metadata generation unit 107 in the first embodiment when the recording / delivery device 300 that is its own device is a slave device.
The metadata generation unit 307, when the recording / distribution device 300 as its own device is a master device, based on the analysis result data given from the image analysis unit 102, the external information analysis unit 104, and the voice analysis unit 106, Generate partial metadata including the analysis results analyzed by these analysis units, attach the image identification information for identifying the image analyzed by the image analysis unit 102 to the partial metadata, and calculate the importance Part 308. Here, as the image identification information, a count value counted up from a predetermined initial value every time image analysis data is input from the image analysis unit 102 may be used.
The metadata generation unit 307 was attached to the importance value calculated by the importance calculation unit 308 based on the partial metadata and the partial metadata used to calculate the importance value. When the image identification information is given, the importance value and the partial metadata used to calculate the importance value are given to the data composition unit 320.
The metadata generation unit 307 also includes image analysis data included in the partial metadata used to calculate the importance value received from the importance calculation unit 308, and an image corresponding to the image analysis data. Are provided to the image cutout unit 310.

The importance level calculation unit 308 performs the same processing as the importance level calculation unit 108 in the first embodiment when the recording / distributing device 300 that is its own device is a slave device.
The importance calculation unit 308 calculates the importance of the individual image data from the partial metadata given from the metadata generation unit 307 when the recording / distribution device 300 that is the own device is the master device. The value is given to the grouping extraction unit 324 together with the image identification information attached to the partial metadata used for calculating the importance value. When the importance level calculation unit 308 receives notification of the image identification information extracted by the grouping extraction unit 324 from the grouping extraction unit 324, the notified image identification information and the image identification information are attached. The importance value calculated from the partial metadata is supplied to the metadata generation unit 307 and the importance comparison unit 318.

The image cutout unit 310 performs the same processing as the image cutout unit 110 in the first embodiment when the recording / delivery device 300 that is its own device is a slave device.
When the recording / delivery device 300 that is the device itself is a master device, the image cutout unit 310 provides the image data corresponding to the image identification information provided from the metadata generation unit 307 from the metadata generation unit 307. Based on the obtained image analysis data, if necessary, a part of the image captured by the image capturing unit 101 is cut out. Then, the image cutout unit 310 gives the individual image data to the transmission data switching unit 111. In the present embodiment, the image cutout unit 310, when the recording / distribution device 300 as its own device is a master device, does not correspond to the image identification information given from the metadata generation unit 307. Are not output to the transmission data switching unit 111. Here, every time image data is given from the image encoding unit 109, the image cutout unit 310 calculates a count value counted up from a predetermined initial value, and uses this count value as image identification information. Good.

The importance level extraction unit 316 extracts the importance level value and the unique identifier from the individual metadata provided from the metadata extraction unit 115, and provides the importance level value and the unique identifier to the grouping extraction unit 324.
Upon receiving notification of the unique identifier extracted by the grouping extraction unit 324 from the grouping extraction unit 324, the importance level extraction unit 316 receives the notified unique identifier and the individual image data corresponding to this unique identifier. The importance value is given to the importance comparison unit 318.

  The timer unit 323 counts a predetermined time. When the predetermined time is counted, the timer unit 323 notifies the grouping extraction unit 324 that the predetermined time has been counted.

When there are a plurality of importance values given from the importance calculation unit 308 for each notification interval from the timer unit 323, the grouping extraction unit 324 corresponds to the importance having the largest value among them. The image generation information is notified to the metadata generation unit 307. The grouping extraction unit 324, when there is only one importance value given from the importance calculation unit 308 within the notification interval from the timer unit 323, images corresponding to the importance value. The identification information is notified to the metadata generation unit 307.
In addition, the grouping extraction unit 324 receives a plurality of importance values of individual image data generated by the same slave device from the importance extraction unit 316 for each notification interval from the timer unit 323. The unique identifier corresponding to the importance having the largest value is notified to the importance extracting unit 316. It should be noted that the grouping extraction unit 324 receives one importance value of the individual image data generated by the same slave device from the importance extraction unit 316 within the notification interval from the timer unit 323. Then, the uniqueness identifier corresponding to the importance value is notified to the importance extraction unit 316.

  The importance level comparison unit 318 compares the importance values given from the importance level calculation unit 308 and the importance level extraction unit 316, and combines each individual image data image into one image data. The size and arrangement position of the image data are specified. Then, the importance level comparing unit 318 gives the size of each individual image data identified by the image identification information or the unique identifier to the scaling unit 319, and the arrangement of each individual image data identified by the image identification information or the unique identifier. The position is given to the data composition unit 320.

  The scaling unit 319 is supplied from the transmission data switching unit 111 and the image data extraction unit 117 according to the size of each individual image data identified by the image identification information or the unique identifier received from the importance comparison unit 318. Change the size of individual image data. Then, the scaling unit 319 gives the individual image data after the size change to the data composition unit 320. Note that the scaling unit 319 discards the individual image data that does not correspond to the unique identifier given from the importance comparison unit 118 and does not output it to the data composition unit 320.

Data synthesizing section 320 performs the same processing as data synthesizing section 120 in the first embodiment when recording / distributing apparatus 300 as its own apparatus is a slave apparatus.
When the recording / distributing device 300 as its own device is a master device, the data composition unit 320 receives the individual image data identified by the image identification information or the unique identifier received from the importance level comparison unit 318. In addition, the synthesized image data is generated by synthesizing the individual image data given from the transmission data switching unit 111 and the scaling unit 319. Then, the data composition unit 320 receives the image received from the importance comparison unit 318 among the partial metadata and the importance value given from the metadata generation unit 307 and the unique identifier given from the management information generation unit 112. Synthesizing metadata including the one corresponding to the identifier and the one corresponding to the unique identifier received from the importance comparison unit 318 among the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 115 is generated. Then, the data composition unit 320 generates composite transmission data by attaching composite metadata to the generated composite image data.
Then, the data synthesis unit 320 provides the data transmission unit 121 with the synthesized transmission data generated as described above. In addition, the data synthesis unit 120 causes the data recording unit 113 to record the synthesized transmission data generated as described above.

  Next, the grouping extraction process in the record delivery apparatus 300 according to Embodiment 3 will be described using FIG. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram for explaining the grouping extraction process performed by the record delivery apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 17, the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, and the fourth camera are realized by the recording / distributing device 300. In FIG. 17, the horizontal axis direction is the time axis, and the circle symbol indicates the image generation timing of each camera. A section divided by a vertical broken line is a fixed time measured by the timer unit 323. In FIG. 17, this certain time is defined as one group, and each group is distinguished from group A to group F for explanation.

  As shown in FIG. 17, in general, in surveillance applications, for example, one image is captured every 4 seconds, one image is captured per second, or 1 There are cases where the operation is performed with different image capturing intervals, such as four images captured per second.

  The record distribution apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment extracts a maximum of one image for each camera in each group. If there is only one camera image in a group, the image is extracted. If there is no camera image in a group, the image is extracted. Not. When there are a plurality of images from a certain camera in one group, the importance values of the plurality of images are compared, and the one with the highest importance value is extracted.

  In the example of group A, since there is only one image of the first camera, this image is extracted as the image of the first camera. Since there is only one image of the second camera, this image is extracted as the image of the second camera. Since there are two images from the third camera, of these images, the one with the higher importance value is extracted as the image of the third camera. Since there is only one image from the fourth camera, this image is extracted as the image from the fourth camera. The images extracted in this way are combined as combined image data at the time of group A.

  The fixed time for grouping in the present embodiment may be set in advance according to the environment where the recording / distributing apparatus 300 is installed and the monitoring target. For example, when monitoring the state of a river, etc., since the change in importance value per unit time is generally small, the fixed time for grouping is a relatively long time, for example, 5 Seconds etc. may be set. On the other hand, when monitoring the movement of a person or the like, the fixed time may be set to a relatively short time, for example, 0.5 seconds. As the fixed time for grouping is reduced, the degree of correlation between a plurality of image data included in the composite image data increases, but the amount of data to be transmitted increases.

  As described above, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment, the most important images are extracted and combined at a certain time interval, and the important images at the certain time interval can be confirmed with one image. The amount of data transmitted to the network can be efficiently reduced.

  The processing in the third embodiment described above can be added to the second embodiment.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described.
FIG. 18 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the record delivery apparatus 400 according to the fourth embodiment. The recording / distributing device 400 includes an image capturing unit 101, an image analysis unit 102, an external information input unit 103, an external information analysis unit 104, an audio input unit 105, an audio analysis unit 106, and a metadata generation unit 407. The importance calculation unit 108, the image encoding unit 109, the image cropping unit 110, the transmission data switching unit 111, the management information generating unit 112, the data recording unit 413, the data receiving unit 114, and the metadata. An extraction unit 415, an importance level extraction unit 116, an image data extraction unit 417, an importance level comparison unit 118, a scaling unit 419, a data synthesis unit 420, a data transmission unit 121, a recording state monitoring unit 425, A recording state detection unit 426 and a recording data switching unit 427 are provided. The recording / distributing device 400 according to the fourth embodiment records the data generation unit 407, the metadata extraction unit 415, the image data extraction unit 417, the scaling unit 419, and the data synthesis unit 420 in terms of processing, and the data recording unit 413. And the point that the recording state monitoring unit 425, the recording state detecting unit 426, and the recording data switching unit 427 are provided, is different from the recording / distributing device 100 according to the first embodiment.

  The recording state monitoring unit 425 monitors whether or not the data recording unit 413 is normally recording. For example, the data recording unit 413 is realized by a storage medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory. In general, the storage medium can be written due to a life corresponding to the number of times of writing or a partial failure. It may not be possible. When the recording state monitoring unit 425 detects that the data recording unit 413 is not normally recorded for some reason, for example, when a recording error is detected, the recording is not normally performed. This is notified to the metadata generation unit 407.

The metadata generation unit 407 generates partial metadata including the analysis results analyzed by these analysis units based on the analysis result data given from the image analysis unit 102, the external information analysis unit 104, and the voice analysis unit 106. Then, this partial metadata is given to the importance calculation unit 108. Also, the metadata generation unit 407 generates flag information indicating whether or not recording is normally performed based on the notification from the recording state monitoring unit 425. For example, when the recording state monitoring unit 425 notifies that the recording is not performed normally, the metadata generation unit 407 generates flag information indicating that the recording is not performed normally, If the state monitoring unit 425 does not notify that the recording is not normally performed, flag information indicating that the recording is normally performed is generated. Then, when the importance value calculated by the importance calculation unit 108 is given based on the partial metadata, the metadata generation unit 407 obtains the importance value, the partial metadata, and the flag information. This is given to the data synthesis unit 420.
Also, the metadata generation unit 407 gives the image analysis data received from the image analysis unit 102 to the image cutout unit 110.

  The metadata extraction unit 415 extracts individual metadata from the individual transmission data received by the data reception unit 114, and provides the individual metadata to the importance level extraction unit 116, the data synthesis unit 420, and the recording state detection unit 426.

  The image data extraction unit 417 extracts individual image data from the individual transmission data received by the data reception unit 114, and provides the individual image data to the recording data switching unit 427.

  The recording state detection unit 426 confirms the flag information included in the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 415, and when the flag information indicates that the recording is not normally performed, The individual metadata is given to the recording data switching unit 427, and an instruction to record with the individual image data is issued to the data recording unit 413.

  The recording data switching unit 427 gives the individual image data received from the image data extraction unit 417 to the scaling unit 419. In addition, the recording data switching unit 427 displays individual image data corresponding to the individual metadata received from the recording state detection unit 426 together with the individual metadata in accordance with a recording instruction from the recording state detection unit 426. To 413.

  The data recording unit 413 records data. For example, the data recording unit 413 records the image data and the unique identifier given from the management information generating unit 112 in association with each other. Further, when the partial metadata is given from the metadata generation unit 407, the data recording unit 413 records the partial metadata in association with the corresponding image data. Further, the data recording unit 413 records the combined transmission data given from the data combining unit 420 when the recording / distributing device 400 that is the own device is the master device. The data recording unit 413 records the individual image data and the individual metadata received from the recording data switching unit 427.

  The scaling unit 419 changes the size of the individual image data provided from the transmission data switching unit 111 and the recording data switching unit 427 in accordance with the size of each individual image data received from the importance comparison unit 118. Then, the scaling unit 419 gives the individual image data after the size change to the data composition unit 420.

The data composition unit 420 generates transmission data by attaching metadata to image data, and provides the transmission data to the data transmission unit 121.
For example, when the recording / distributing device 400 that is the own device is a slave device, the data composition unit 420 generates partial metadata, importance value and flag information, and management information generated from the metadata generation unit 407. The individual metadata including the unique identifier given from the unit 112 is generated, and the individual metadata is generated by attaching the individual metadata to the individual image data given from the transmission data switching unit 111.
On the other hand, the data composition unit 420 receives the individual image data after the size change given from the scaling unit 419 from the importance comparison unit 118 when the recording / distribution device 400 which is its own device is a master device. The composite image data is generated by arranging the individual image data at the arrangement position. Then, when the recording / distributing device 400 that is the own device is the master device, the data composition unit 420 generates partial metadata, importance value and flag information, and management information generated from the metadata generation unit 407. The composite metadata including the unique identifier given from the unit 112 and the individual metadata given from the metadata extraction unit 415 is generated. Then, the data composition unit 120 generates composite transmission data by attaching composite metadata to the generated composite image data.
Then, the data synthesis unit 420 provides the data transmission unit 121 with the individual transmission data or the synthesized transmission data generated as described above. In addition, the data synthesis unit 420 causes the data recording unit 413 to record the synthesized transmission data generated as described above.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of individual transmission data IID4 generated by data synthesizer 420 in the fourth embodiment.
The individual transmission data IID4 includes individual image data IID41, unique identifier IID42, recording state information IID43, importance IID44, item number IID45, item number IID46, analysis result data size IID47, and analysis result IID48. Have. Here, the individual image data IID41, the unique identifier IID42, the importance IID44, the item number IID45, the item number IID46, the analysis result data size IID47, and the analysis result IID48 of the individual transmission data IID4 are the individual transmission data shown in FIG. The same applies to individual image data IID11, unique identifier IID12, importance IID13, item number IID14, item number IID15, analysis result data size IID16, and analysis result IID17.
The recording state information IID 43 is flag information sent from the metadata generation unit 407. By referring to the recording state information IID43, the master device can detect the recording state of the slave device.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating a data structure of the combined transmission data SID4 generated by the data combining unit 420 according to the fourth embodiment.
The composite transmission data SID4 includes composite image data SID41, maximum camera number SID42, each image presence / absence information SID43, each recording state information SID44, camera number SID45, scaling area SID46, unique identifier SID47, and importance SID48. , Item number SID49, item number SID50, analysis result data size SID51, and analysis result SID52. Here, composite image data SID41 of composite transmission data SID4, maximum camera number SID42, each image presence / absence information SID43, camera number SID45, scaling area SID46, unique identifier SID47, importance SID48, item number SID49, item number SID50, analysis result The data size SID51 and the analysis result SID52 are the composite image data SID11 of SID1 shown in FIG. 10, the maximum camera number SID12, each image presence / absence information SID13, the camera number SID14, the scaling area SID15, the unique identifier SID16, the importance SID17, This is the same as the item number SID18, item number SID19, analysis result data size SID20, and analysis result SID21.
Each recording state information SID44 is information indicating whether or not recording is normally performed for each camera (recording / distributing apparatus 400). For example, each recording state information SID44 is clearly indicated by bit pattern information. For example, in the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first camera 151, the second camera 152, and the fourth camera 154 out of the four cameras 151 to 154 are normally recording, and the third camera In the camera 153, when the recording is not normally performed, each recording state information SID44 is indicated as “0001”.

  Note that the data structures of the individual transmission data IID4 and the combined transmission data SID4 are not limited to the data structures shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, respectively. The information shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 only needs to be included. Therefore, other information that does not affect the effect of the present invention, such as manufacturer information, may be included.

  As described above, according to the recording / distributing apparatus 400 according to the fourth embodiment, when a problem occurs in which image data cannot be recorded in any of the plurality of recording / distributing apparatuses 400 connected via LAN, The distribution device 400 can record the individual image data captured by the recording / distribution device 400 in which a problem has occurred, and can improve the problem that recording cannot be performed due to a problem in the recording medium.

  Note that the processing in the fourth embodiment described above can be added to the second or third embodiment.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the record distribution devices 100 to 400 calculate the importance for individual image data of an image captured by the own device when the own device is a slave device. Then, this importance is included in the individual transmission data and transmitted to the master device. In this regard, for example, if the recording / distributing device 100 to 400 is a slave device, the recording / distributing device 100-400 does not calculate the importance and includes partial metadata necessary for calculating the importance in the individual transmission data. Alternatively, it may be transmitted to the master device. In such a case, in the record distribution devices 100 to 400 that are the master devices, the metadata extraction units 115 and 415 give the extracted individual metadata to the importance level calculation units 108, 208, and 308, and the importance level The calculation units 108, 208, and 308 may calculate the priority of the individual image data of the slave device based on the partial metadata included in the individual metadata.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the record distribution devices 100 to 400 scale the individual image data when the own device is the master device, but the own device is a slave device. In some cases, the individual image data may be scaled to a size corresponding to the importance. In such a case, the master device does not have to scale the individual image data sent from the slave device. Then, the slave device can reduce the size of the individual image data and transmit it, thereby saving the bandwidth used in the LAN.

  Further, for example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when motion is detected simultaneously by a plurality of IP cameras, only related images among images in which motion is detected are continuously displayed on the monitor. However, according to the recording / distributing devices 100 to 400 according to the first to fourth embodiments, since the images in which the motion is detected are combined and displayed as one image, a plurality of recording / distributing devices 100 to 400 are used. Even if a motion is detected in the image captured at 400 at the same time, monitoring can be performed efficiently.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the images in which the motion is detected are displayed on the monitor one by one, when important images are captured across a plurality of IP cameras, those images are displayed. There was a problem in that it was impossible to watch and view important images because they could not be related and managed at the same time. However, in the recording / distributing apparatuses 100 to 400 according to the first to fourth embodiments, since important videos can be synthesized and viewed simultaneously, such a problem does not occur.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since an image is switched using a motion detection function that detects motion, an image is transmitted only when there is motion. For this reason, for example, there is a problem that an image that does not move, such as a person who has stopped or an object left behind, is not transmitted as data, and cannot be viewed or recorded. However, in the record delivery apparatuses 100 to 400 according to the first to fourth embodiments, not only when motion is detected, but for example, when there is a sensor input, when a face is detected, or when there is a voice input Such a problem does not occur because the importance is determined from a plurality of items.

  In addition, in the conventional technique for displaying transmitted image data as a single image, when a large amount of image data is sent at a time, the monitor displays the images sequentially as a single image. The equipment on the side needed high throughput. On the other hand, in the record delivery apparatuses 100 to 400 according to the first to fourth embodiments, since images are synthesized on the transmission side, the reception side apparatus does not need high processing capability.

  100: 200, 300, 400: Record distribution device 101: Image capturing unit 102: Image analysis unit 103: External information input unit 104: External information analysis unit 105: Audio input unit 106: Audio analysis unit 107, 307, 407: Metadata generation unit, 108, 208, 308: Importance calculation unit, 109: Image encoding unit, 110, 310: Image extraction unit, 111, 211: Transmission data switching unit, 112: Management Information generation unit 113, 413: Data recording unit 114: Data reception unit 115, 415: Metadata extraction unit 116, 316: Importance extraction unit 117, 417: Image data extraction unit 118, 218, 318 : Importance comparison unit, 119, 319, 419: scaling unit, 120, 320, 420: data synthesis unit, 121: data Data transmission unit, 222: threshold comparator, 323: timer unit, 324: grouping extractor, 425: recording state monitoring unit, 426: recording state detection unit, 427: recording data switching unit.

Claims (19)

An image capturing unit for capturing an image;
An image encoding unit that generates image data of an image captured by the image capturing unit;
A data receiving unit for receiving individual transmission data including image data from the first network;
An image data extraction unit for extracting image data from the individual transmission data;
A data composition unit for generating one image data from the generated image data and image data selected from the extracted image data, and generating composite transmission data including the one image data;
And a data transmission unit that transmits the combined transmission data to the second network. A scaling unit that changes a size of the generated image data and image data selected from the extracted image data;
The record distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the data composition unit generates one image data from the image data whose size has been changed by the scaling unit. A metadata generation unit that generates partial metadata of the generated image data;
A metadata extraction unit that extracts individual metadata from the individual transmission data; and
The data synthesizing unit generates synthesized transmission data by synthesizing at least one of partial metadata corresponding to the selected image data and individual metadata with the one image data. The record distribution device according to claim 2. An importance calculator for calculating the importance of the generated image data based on the partial metadata;
An importance extraction unit for extracting the importance from the individual metadata;
An importance comparison unit that identifies the size and arrangement position of the selected image data from the calculated importance and the extracted importance; and
The scaling unit changes the selected image data to the specified size,
The record distribution device according to claim 3, wherein the data composition unit generates the one image data by arranging the resized image data at the specified arrangement position. It further includes a status analysis unit that analyzes the status of the monitoring target with multiple items,
The metadata generation unit includes the analysis result in the state analysis unit in the partial metadata,
The record distribution apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the importance calculation unit calculates the importance from the analysis result. The state analysis unit is an image analysis unit that analyzes whether the captured image includes an important part, an external information analysis unit that analyzes whether an external signal is input from an external device, and The recording / distributing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising at least one of a voice analysis unit that analyzes a volume level of the input voice. An image analysis unit that analyzes whether the captured image includes an important part; and
An image cutout unit that cuts out the important part from the generated image data,
The scaling unit is configured to change a size of image data selected from the extracted image data and the extracted image data;
The record distribution device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein The record distribution device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the scaling unit changes all sizes of the generated image data and the extracted image data. A threshold comparison unit for determining whether the importance is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold;
8. The scaling unit according to claim 2, wherein the scaling unit changes the size of the image data determined by the threshold value comparison unit to be equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value. 9. The record distribution apparatus according to the description. A timer section for measuring a predetermined time;
Among the plurality of image data generated from the image captured at the predetermined time, the image data having the highest importance is specified, and the plurality of data received from the same transmission source at the predetermined time A grouping extraction unit that identifies image data having the highest importance among the image data extracted from the individual transmission data of
The recording / distributing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the scaling unit changes a size of the image data specified by the grouping extraction unit. A management information generator for generating a unique identifier for uniquely identifying the generated image data;
A data recording unit that records the generated image data in association with the unique identifier;
The data synthesis unit further synthesizes the unique identifier of the generated image data with the one image data when the generated image data is included in the selected image data. The record distribution device according to any one of claims 1 to 10. Recording state information indicating whether or not image data is correctly recorded is extracted from the individual transmission data, and whether or not the image data included in the individual transmission data is correctly recorded based on the recording state information A recording state detection unit for determining whether or not,
When the recording state detection unit determines that the image data included in the individual transmission data is not correctly recorded, the image data included in the individual transmission data is stored in the data storage unit. The record distribution device according to claim 11, further comprising: a record data switching unit. An imaging process for capturing an image;
An image encoding step for generating image data of the image captured in the imaging step;
A data receiving step of receiving individual transmission data including image data from the first network;
An image data extraction step of extracting image data from the individual transmission data;
A data synthesizing step for generating one image data from the generated image data and image data selected from the extracted image data, and generating combined transmission data including the one image data;
A data transmission step of transmitting the combined transmission data to the second network. A scaling step of changing a size of image data selected from the generated image data and the extracted image data;
The recording / distributing method according to claim 13, wherein in the data synthesizing step, one image data is generated from the image data whose size has been changed in the scaling step. A metadata generation step of generating partial metadata of the generated image data;
A metadata extraction step of extracting individual metadata from the individual transmission data, and
In the data combining step, combined transmission data is generated by combining at least one of partial metadata and individual metadata corresponding to the selected image data with the one image data. The record distribution method according to claim 14. An importance calculation step of calculating the importance of the generated image data based on the partial metadata;
An importance extraction step of extracting the importance from the individual metadata;
An importance comparison step for identifying the size and arrangement position of the selected image data from the calculated importance and the extracted importance; and
In the scaling step, the selected image data is changed to the specified size,
The recording / distributing method according to claim 15, wherein, in the data composition step, the one image data is generated by arranging the resized image data at the specified arrangement position. It further has a state analysis process for analyzing the state of the monitoring target with a plurality of items,
In the metadata generation step, the analysis result in the state analysis step is included in the partial metadata,
The record distribution method according to claim 16, wherein in the importance calculation step, the importance is calculated from the analysis result. The state analysis step includes an image analysis step for analyzing whether or not an important part is included in the captured image, an external information analysis step for analyzing whether an external signal is input from an external device, and The recording / distributing method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one of voice analysis steps of analyzing a volume level of input voice. A slave device that transmits and receives data via the first network; a master device that transmits and receives data via the first network and the second network; and a viewing device that transmits and receives data via the second network. A monitoring system,
The slave device is
An image capturing unit for capturing an image;
An image encoding unit that generates image data of an image captured by the image capturing unit;
A data synthesis unit for generating individual transmission data including the image data;
A data transmission unit that transmits the individual transmission data to the master device via the first network;
The master device is
An image capturing unit for capturing an image;
An image encoding unit that generates image data of an image captured by the image capturing unit;
A data receiving unit for receiving the individual transmission data via the first network;
An image data extraction unit for extracting image data from the individual transmission data;
A data composition unit for generating one image data from the generated image data and image data selected from the extracted image data, and generating composite transmission data including the one image data;
A data transmission unit that transmits the combined transmission data to the viewing device via the second network;
The viewing device includes:
A receiving unit that receives the combined transmission data via the second network;
An image processing unit for extracting the one image data from the combined transmission data;
And a display unit that displays an image based on the one image data.

Images