JP2013183349A - Imaging controller, control method of the same and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to easily check whether a desired mask is set or not.SOLUTION: An image controller controls an imaging section which can image an image from a different camera position by moving a direction of a camera to one of a panning direction and a tilt direction and sets a mask for covering a specified region in the image imaged by the imaging section. The imaging controller includes: control calculation means for calculating a control method for imaging by the imaging section according to position information of the mask to be set; and display means for displaying a synthesis image obtained by synthesizing the image imaged by the imaging section according to the control method calculated by the control calculation means with the mask.

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging control apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program. Especially suitable for setting a mask for privacy protection in a specific area for images taken from different camera positions by moving the camera in the pan and tilt directions. It is.

Some surveillance cameras are provided with a privacy mask function that outputs an image covered by painting a specific area in a part of an image taken for privacy protection.
The surveillance camera disclosed in Patent Document 1 holds a central coordinate of a privacy mask and a parameter indicating a shape size. When the surveillance camera moves in the pan direction and the tilt direction, the position of the privacy mask can be moved while maintaining the shape of the privacy mask in accordance with changes in the image to be captured.

  The surveillance camera disclosed in Patent Document 2 holds angle information corresponding to each vertex of the privacy mask. When this surveillance camera moves in the pan direction and tilt direction, it calculates the coordinates on the image corresponding to each vertex, so that the shape and position of the privacy mask can be changed according to the change in the image to be captured. .

Japanese Patent No. 3722653 Japanese Patent No. 3996805

  In the surveillance camera disclosed in Patent Document 1, even a specific object reflected away from the central coordinates of the privacy mask can be covered with a specific pan angle and tilt angle. However, another pan angle and tilt angle cannot be covered and displayed. Even if there is an object that is not always desired to be covered, there is a problem that it is displayed at a specific pan angle and tilt angle but is covered at another pan angle and tilt angle.

  Such a phenomenon often occurs when the tilt angle is in the vicinity of the zenith. That is, the shape of the object on the image picked up at a specific pan angle and tilt angle changes between the object picked up at a different pan angle and tilt angle in the vicinity of the vertex. On the other hand, even if images are taken at different pan and tilt angles, the shape of the privacy mask remains unchanged.

  In the surveillance camera disclosed in Patent Document 2, the shape of the privacy mask changes in accordance with the change of the image, so the above-described problem does not occur. However, the load of the drawing process for the surveillance camera to change the shape of the privacy mask increases. Therefore, when the surveillance camera is moved in the pan direction and tilt direction, the followability of the privacy mask deteriorates, and the position and shape of the privacy mask change later than the object on the image. The problem that the coating cannot be performed occurs.

  Such a problem is not limited to the case where the pan angle and the tilt angle are changed, and the same applies even when the rotation angle that rotates around the optical axis of the surveillance camera is changed. That is, it occurs when the camera is moved in at least one of the pan direction, the tilt direction, and the rotation direction.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. When a mask is set in which only the position moves while maintaining the shape, the area covered by any camera position is The user can easily check the uncovered area. That is, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily check whether a mask desired by a user is set.

  The present invention controls an image pickup unit that can pick up an image from different camera positions by moving the direction of the camera, and also sets an image pickup control that sets a mask for covering a specific area of an image picked up by the image pickup unit. A control calculation unit that calculates a control method for causing the imaging unit to capture an image based on position information of a set mask, and the imaging unit based on the control method calculated by the control calculation unit Display means for displaying a composite image in which the mask is combined with an image picked up by the above method.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when setting the mask which covers a specific area | region, it can be confirmed easily whether the mask which a user desires is set.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the monitoring camera and mask setting apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen of a mask setting. It is a flowchart which shows the process which calculates camera control. It is a figure for demonstrating the method to calculate the area | region of a mask. It is a figure which shows the control range of a surveillance camera. It is the figure which showed the position and magnitude | size of a mask in the control range. It is the figure which showed the position and magnitude | size of a mask in the control range. It is a figure which shows the mask displayed by the change of a captured image. It is a figure which shows the mask displayed by the change of a captured image. It is a figure which shows the structure of the surveillance camera and mask setting apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process which synthesize | combines the mask of 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which the monitoring camera 1 is used as the imaging device and the mask setting device 2 is used as the imaging control device.
<First Embodiment>
In the first embodiment, when a privacy mask (hereinafter referred to as a mask) is set by the mask setting device 2, the surveillance camera 1 actually captures images at a plurality of camera positions where the mask is displayed, and masks the captured images. To generate a composite image. The mask setting device 2 displays the composite image generated by the monitoring camera 1 so that the user can easily confirm whether the desired mask is set.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera system 10 in which a monitoring camera 1 and a mask setting device 2 are connected via a network 3. The surveillance camera 1 is an example of an imaging device, and can capture images from different camera positions by moving the direction of the camera in the pan direction, the tilt direction, and the rotation direction, and covers a specific area in the captured image. It has a function to synthesize a mask. The mask setting device 2 is an example of an imaging control device that controls the monitoring camera 1 and functions as a mask setting tool for setting a mask.

  Here, the surveillance camera 1 and the mask setting device 2 are connected one by one via the network 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of them may be connected. The camera system 10 may be connected to a viewer client that browses images and controls the monitoring camera 1. As the network 3, a digital network such as the Internet or an intranet having a sufficient bandwidth capable of transmitting a camera control signal and a compressed image signal described later is used. The network protocol assumes the TCP / IP (UDP / IP) protocol. An IP address is assigned to each of the monitoring camera 1 and the mask setting device 2.

The surveillance camera 1 includes a lens 101, a rotation mechanism 102, a movable pan head 103, an imaging unit 104, a camera control unit 105, a mask composition unit 106, an image compression unit 107, a communication control unit 108, a storage unit 109, and a command interpretation unit 110. doing.
The lens 101 is a lens group including a zoom lens, and has a role of forming an optical image on the imaging unit 104. The imaging unit 104 outputs the formed optical image as an image such as a moving image or a still image. The rotation mechanism 102 rotates the lens 101 and the imaging unit 104 in the rotation direction that is the optical axis direction. The movable camera platform 103 rotates the lens 101, the imaging unit 104, and the rotation mechanism 102 in the pan direction and the tilt direction. The camera control unit 105 performs camera operations such as panning, tilting, rotation, and zooming by controlling the lens 101, the rotation mechanism 102, and the movable pan head 103 according to the command received via the communication control unit 108.

  When the mask setting is valid, the mask composition unit 106 generates a composite image obtained by compositing the mask with the image output from the imaging unit 104. The image compression unit 107 compresses the image output from the imaging unit 104 or the mask composition unit 106 into data that can be easily distributed, such as Motion JPEG, and distributes it to the network 3 from the communication control unit 108. The storage unit 109 stores position information, panoramic images, programs, and the like, which are various mask setting values received from the mask setting device 2. The panoramic image is an image when the surveillance camera 1 is moved and imaged in the pan direction and the tilt direction. The panoramic image is taken when the surveillance camera 1 is first installed or according to an instruction from the mask setting device 2. The command interpreter 110 interprets a command received from the mask setting device 2 or the viewer client and transmits it to the camera controller 105 or the like.

  The monitoring camera 1 receives commands from the mask setting device 2 and the viewer client via the communication control unit 108, distributes captured images according to the received commands, and executes various camera operations. Although the image compression format has been described as Motion JPEG, the present invention is not limited to this compression format.

The mask setting device 2 connects to the surveillance camera 1 by designating an IP address assigned to each surveillance camera 1.
The mask setting device 2 includes a screen display unit 201, a camera operation input unit 202, a camera setting input unit 203, a display control unit 204, an operation command generation unit 205, a setting command generation unit 206, a camera control calculation unit 207, an image expansion unit 208, A communication control unit 209 and a storage unit 210 are included.
The communication control unit 209 receives a captured image distributed from the monitoring camera 1 and a panoramic image stored in the storage unit 109 of the monitoring camera 1 and receives results of various camera operations. The display control unit 204 displays the captured image and panoramic image distributed from the monitoring camera 1 on the screen display unit 201, generates a graphical user interface (GUI) from the results of various camera operations, and displays the graphical user interface (GUI) on the screen display unit 201. Or At this time, the display control unit 204 receives the image expanded by the image expansion unit 208 or receives the result of the camera operation after being interpreted by the operation command generation unit 205.

The camera operation input unit 202 receives input from the mouse or keyboard for camera operation, and transmits the received input to the operation command generation unit 205. The operation command generation unit 205 generates various camera operation commands such as pan, tilt, rotation, and zoom from GUI operations such as operations of sliders and buttons and mouse clicks on panoramic images.
The camera setting input unit 203 receives an input related to mask setting and transmits the received input to the setting command generation unit 206. The setting command generation unit 206 generates a mask setting command.

The communication control unit 209 transmits the various camera operation commands generated by the operation command generation unit 205 and the mask setting command generated by the setting command generation unit 206 to the monitoring camera 1.
The mask setting input received by the camera setting input unit 203 and the setting result received from the monitoring camera 1 by the communication control unit 209 are transmitted to the display control unit 204 via the setting command generation unit 206. The display control unit 204 reflects the input of the mask setting and the setting result on the GUI and displays them on the screen display unit 201, thereby providing visual feedback to the user.
The camera control calculation unit 207 extracts a plurality of camera positions at which the mask is displayed in order to display a composite image obtained by combining the mask with the user. Detailed processing of the camera control calculation unit 207 will be described later.
The storage unit 210 stores a panoramic image received from the monitoring camera 1, a program for executing mask setting, and the like.

  FIG. 2A shows an example of a mask setting screen. The display shown in FIG. 2A is displayed on the screen display unit 201 when the camera operation input unit 202 accepts the start of mask setting.

The mask setting screen 300 includes a pan slider 302, a tilt slider 303, a zoom slider 304, and rotation buttons 305 and 306 corresponding to the camera operation input unit 202. An operation input from the mask setting screen 300 via the camera operation input unit 202 is converted into a camera operation command by the operation command generation unit 205 and then transmitted to the monitoring camera 1. Therefore, the user can execute camera operations such as panning, tilting, rotation, and zooming of the monitoring camera 1 through the mask setting device 2.
In addition, a mask preview frame 307 is displayed on the image display unit 301 that displays the captured image received from the monitoring camera 1. The user can input a mask having a desired position and size by changing the position and size of the preview frame 307.

Next, assumed mask setting will be described.
The user operates the preview frame 307 so as to have a desired position and size, and presses the add button 308 and the change button 309. Since the preview frame 307 is displayed in front of the subject 312 included in the captured image, the operation to the preview frame 307 can be easily performed. Here, the add button 308 and the change button 309 correspond to the camera setting input unit 203.
The mask setting input received by the camera setting input unit 203 is converted into a mask setting command by the setting command generation unit 206 and then transmitted to the monitoring camera 1. The surveillance camera 1 sets a mask with the position and size of the preview frame 307. The surveillance camera 1 distributes the captured image obtained by synthesizing the mask 311 covering a part of the captured image to the mask setting device 2, so that the mask 311 is partially displayed on the image display unit 301 of the mask setting device 2. A captured image is displayed. Since the mask 311 is displayed in front of the subject 312 included in the captured image, the surveillance camera 1 can distribute the captured image in which the privacy is protected. The mask 311 shown in FIG. 2A is rectangular, but is not limited to this shape, and may be circular, for example.
In addition, the surveillance camera 1 delivers a combined captured image by changing the position of the mask in accordance with camera operations such as panning, tilting, and rotation. At this time, since the shape of the mask is maintained and the shape is not changed, the surveillance camera 1 can easily follow the mask 311 to the changed captured image and distribute the captured image. The user can delete the set mask 311 by pressing the delete button 310.

  In the mask setting assumed in this way, when the camera setting input unit 203 receives an input of mask setting, the surveillance camera 1 delivers a captured image obtained by synthesizing the set mask. However, when the surveillance camera 1 performs camera operations such as panning, tilting, and rotation, there are cases where an area that is desired to be covered is always displayed, or an area that is not always desired is not displayed.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the camera setting input unit 203 receives an input of mask setting, the camera control calculation unit 207 extracts the camera position where the mask is displayed, and moves the monitoring camera 1 to the extracted camera position. Control the camera. The monitoring camera 1 distributes the captured image obtained by combining the mask while moving the camera position, so that the user can confirm whether or not the desired mask is set.
Thereafter, the mask setting device 2 performs a display for confirming whether or not to register the mask displayed on the screen display unit 201. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an example of a message 313 for confirming whether or not to register a mask. The surveillance camera 1 sets a mask when “Yes” is selected by the user, and does not set a mask when “No” is selected.

Hereinafter, the processing performed by the camera control calculation unit 207 will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is realized when the CPU of the mask setting device 2 executes a program, and is started when the camera setting input unit 203 receives an input of mask setting.
First, in step S101, the camera control calculation unit 207 extracts a plurality of camera positions at which at least part of the input mask may be displayed by camera operations such as panning, tilting, and rotation of the monitoring camera 1. . At this time, the larger the number of camera positions to be extracted, the easier it is for the user to check the area covered by the mask and the area not covered by the mask at many camera positions. However, as the number of camera positions increases, the time for calculating the camera position and the time for the surveillance camera 1 to move the camera position become longer. It is desirable to extract.

Next, in step S102, the camera control calculation unit 207 determines whether there is an unselected camera position among the extracted camera positions. If there is an unselected camera position, the process proceeds to step S103, and if there is no unselected camera position, the process proceeds to step S107.
In step S103, the camera control calculation unit 207 selects an unselected camera position from the extracted plurality of camera positions.

  In step S <b> 104, the camera control calculation unit 207 calculates a mask area to be displayed based on position information including the center position and size of the input mask for the captured image at the selected camera position. Specifically, the camera control calculation unit 207 calculates a mask area by performing projective transformation in accordance with the selected camera position with reference to the imaging center (projection center) of the monitoring camera 1. Note that the camera control calculation unit 207 is not limited to the case where the projective transformation is performed, and may calculate the mask region by the process as shown in FIG.

Here, when a mask having a center position O and a size (width W × length L) as shown in FIG. 4A is input, the camera control calculation unit 207 determines the pan angle and tilt of the center position O. Get the angle. Next, it is assumed that the camera control calculation unit 207 has moved from the center position O to the selected camera position, and between the input mask center position O and the selected camera position center position O ′. Calculate the distance. The selected camera position is specified by the pan angle and the tilt angle, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. Therefore, the camera control calculation unit 207 can acquire the tilt angle and pan angle from the center position O to the center position O ′. The camera control calculation unit 207 determines the distance t in the tilt direction and the distance in the pan direction from the center position O to the center position O ′ in the captured image as shown in FIG. 4B according to the acquired tilt angle and pan angle. p can be calculated. Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, the camera control calculation unit 207 draws a mask 314 having the same size (width W × length L) as the input mask, with the moved center position O as the center. Thus, it is possible to calculate the mask area for the captured image at the selected camera position. Therefore, the camera control calculation unit 207 can calculate the mask area for the captured image at the selected camera position without actually moving the monitoring camera 1.
Note that when the zoom changes, the size of the captured image changes, so the mask area for the captured image at the selected camera position also changes. Therefore, the camera control calculation unit 207 calculates the mask area based on the zoom when the camera setting input unit 203 receives an input of the mask setting.

  In step S105, the camera control calculation unit 207 determines whether or not the calculated mask area is included in the captured image at the selected camera position. That is, this determination corresponds to a process of determining whether or not at least a part of the input mask is displayed in the captured image at the selected camera position. As the camera position extracted in step S101, the camera position at which at least a part of the input mask is likely to be displayed is extracted, and therefore the camera position where the mask is not displayed is also extracted. Therefore, only the camera position where at least a part of the mask is displayed in the captured image can be extracted in step S105. FIG. 4C described above shows a case where a part of the mask is displayed on the captured image.

If the mask area is included, the process advances to step S106, and the camera control calculation unit 207 adds the selected camera position to the camera position array. The camera position array is data describing information on a plurality of camera positions for actually moving the monitoring camera 1 and the order of moving the camera positions. Therefore, the camera position added to the camera position array is the camera position where the surveillance camera 1 actually moves.
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S105 that the mask area is not included, the process returns to step S102, and the processing from step S102 to step S106 is repeated for all camera positions. Thereafter, if it is determined in step S102 that there is no unselected camera position, the process proceeds to step S107.

In step S107, the camera control calculation unit 207 adds the current camera position to the camera position array.
In step S108, the camera control calculation unit 207 calculates a moving speed at which the camera control is completed within a predetermined time from the total movement amount when the surveillance camera 1 moves all the camera positions in the camera position array.
In step S <b> 109, the camera control calculation unit 207 transmits camera control information including the camera position array and the moving speed to the operation command generation unit 205. The camera control information is information relating to a control method when the mask setting device 2 causes the image capturing unit 104 of the monitoring camera 1 to capture an image. The operation command generation unit 205 generates a camera operation command from the received camera control information, and the communication control unit 209 transmits the generated camera operation command to the monitoring camera 1. In addition, the communication control unit 209 transmits the mask setting command generated by the setting command generation unit 206 to the monitoring camera 1.

  The surveillance camera 1 performs camera operations such as panning, tilting, and rotation in accordance with the camera operation command, and shoots while sequentially moving the camera positions included in the camera position array at the calculated moving speed. At this time, the monitoring camera 1 synthesizes a mask with the captured image based on the mask position information included in the mask setting command, and distributes the mask to the mask setting device 2.

  Note that step S107 may be omitted if the surveillance camera 1 does not need to return to the original camera position after sequentially moving the camera positions included in the camera position array. Further, the mask setting screen may have an interrupt button for interrupting movement based on the camera control information by the monitoring camera 1. When the interrupt button is pressed, the monitoring camera 1 may transmit a camera operation command for returning to the original camera position added in step S107.

Next, the camera position extracted in step S101 and the camera position added to the camera position array in step S104 will be described.
FIG. 5 is a two-dimensional coordinate space in which the pan angle of the monitoring camera 1 is the horizontal axis and the tilt angle is the vertical axis, and shows a control range 401 for controlling the monitoring camera 1. When the entire control range 401 is divided at each fixed angle of the pan angle and the tilt angle, each lattice point where the divided vertical and horizontal axes intersect becomes the camera position extracted in step S101. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the pan angle is divided by 20 ° and the tilt angle is divided by 10 °.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the position and size of the input mask 402 in the control range 401. If the horizontal direction is the reference angle (0 °) of the tilt angle, the center position of the mask 402 is set to a tilt angle near 90 degrees, that is, in the vertical direction. The size of the input mask 402 is indicated by the rectangular size of the mask 402. 6 shows the camera position 403 added to the camera position array in step S106 in the case of the position and size of the mask 402 shown in FIG.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the captured image and the mask when the surveillance camera 1 moves in the pan direction when the mask has a tilt angle near 90 degrees. As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8D, the area of the mask 311 is always displayed inside the captured image 301 even when moving in the pan direction. That is, the camera position 403 added to the camera position array includes all pan angle grid points having the same tilt angle as shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the position and size of the input mask 404 in the control range 401. If the horizontal direction is the reference angle (0 °) for the tilt angle, the center position of the mask 404 is set to a tilt angle near 0 degrees, that is, in the horizontal direction. The size of the input mask 404 is indicated by the rectangular size of the mask 404. 7 shows the camera position 405 added to the camera position array in step S106 in the case of the position and size of the mask 404 shown in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the captured image and the mask when the surveillance camera 1 is moved in the pan direction and the tilt direction when the mask has a tilt angle near 0 degrees. FIG. 9A is a captured image from a camera position corresponding to the center position of the mask, and FIGS. 9B to 9E are captured images when moving from the center position of the mask in the pan direction and the tilt direction, respectively. It is. As shown in FIGS. 9B to 9E, the mask 311 is displayed on the captured image 301 at the camera position close to the pan direction and the tilt direction from the camera position corresponding to the center position of the mask. That is, the camera position 405 added to the camera position array is a lattice point adjacent to the center position of the mask as shown in FIG.

  As described above, the camera control calculation unit 207 extracts the camera position at which at least a part of the mask is displayed in the captured image, and adds it to the camera position array. That is, the surveillance camera 1 that captures images according to the camera position array distributes captured images in which the mask positions change as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8D and FIGS. 9A to 9E, for example. Can do. The user can confirm whether a desired mask is set by visually recognizing the distributed image. If it is a desired mask, the user selects to register the mask on the screen shown in FIG. If it is not the desired mask, the user selects not to register the mask through the screen shown in FIG. 2B, and performs an operation of changing the position and size of the preview frame 307 so that the desired mask is obtained as necessary. Do it again.

<Second Embodiment>
In the second embodiment, when the mask setting device 2 receives an input of mask setting, the mask setting device 2 itself generates captured images at a plurality of camera positions where at least a part of the mask is displayed, and the generated photographing A composite image is generated by combining a mask with an image. The mask setting device 2 can generate a composite image by itself to display a captured image as if the surveillance camera 1 was virtually controlled, and the user can check whether a desired mask is set.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera system 20 in which the monitoring camera 1 and the mask setting device 2 are connected via the network 3. The camera system 20 according to the present embodiment is the same as the camera system 10 according to the first embodiment, except that a covering region combining unit 211 is added to the mask setting device 2. In the present embodiment, the processing of the camera control calculation unit 207 of the mask setting device 2 and the mask setting screen shown in FIG. 2 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the camera control information calculated by the camera control calculation unit 207 is transmitted to the covering region synthesis unit 211. The covering region combining unit 211 generates a captured image in which a mask at each camera position included in the camera position array is displayed from the current captured image, combines the mask, and displays the combined image on the image display unit 301.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process of combining the captured image on which the mask at each camera position included in the camera position array is displayed, which is performed by the covering region combining unit 211. The flowchart shown in FIG. 11 is realized when the CPU of the mask setting device 2 executes a program, and is started when camera control information is received from the camera control calculation unit 207.
First, in step S201, the covering region combining unit 211 determines whether there is an unselected camera position from the camera position array of the acquired camera control information. If there is an unselected camera position, the process proceeds to step S202, and if there is no unselected camera position, the process proceeds to step S205.

  In step S202, the covering region combining unit 211 selects a camera position that has not been selected from the camera positions included in the camera position array. The covering region combining unit 211 generates a captured image at the selected camera position from the current captured image. For example, when the camera position included in the camera position array is a camera position 403 as shown in FIG. 6, an image obtained by moving the current captured image in the pan direction is generated according to the selected camera position. . In the case of the camera position 405 as shown in FIG. 7, an image is generated by moving the current captured image in the pan direction and the tilt direction according to the selected camera position. Specifically, the covering region combining unit 211 generates a captured image at the camera position selected from only the current captured image by projective transformation. In other words, the covering region composition unit 211 performs a projective transformation based on the pan angle, tilt angle, and zoom values between the current camera position and the selected camera position, thereby virtually adding the selected camera position. Generate a captured image. Note that a part of the image may be lost by moving the current captured image. In this case, the covering region combining unit 211 may black out the missing portion, and the captured image corresponding to the camera position selected by combining the missing image from the panoramic image stored in the storage unit 210 is displayed. It may be generated.

In step S <b> 203, the covering region composition unit 211 calculates a mask region to be displayed based on the input mask position information with respect to the captured image at the selected camera position. This process is the same process as step S104 described above.
In step S204, the covering region combining unit 211 generates a combined image obtained by combining the captured image generated in step S201 with the mask calculated in the region calculated in step S202. Then, it returns to step S201 and repeats the process from step S201 to step S204 until all the camera positions included in the camera position array are selected. If all the camera positions have been selected, the process proceeds to step S205.
In step S205, the covering area composition unit 211 displays the composite image generated in step S204 via the display control unit 204 on the screen display unit 201 in the order of camera positions included in the camera position array.

  As described above, the mask setting device 2 itself generates a captured image at the camera position where at least a part of the mask is displayed, and generates a composite image in which the mask is combined with the generated captured image. In the mask setting device 2, the generated composite image can be displayed as a captured image in which the position of the mask changes as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8D and FIGS. 9A to 9E, for example. The user can confirm whether a desired mask is set by viewing the displayed image. If the mask is a desired mask, the user selects the mask to be registered on the screen shown in FIG. 2B, so that the communication control unit 209 transmits the mask setting command generated by the setting command generation unit 206 to the monitoring camera 1. Send. The monitoring camera 1 sets a mask based on the mask position information included in the mask setting command, and distributes the captured image on which the mask is displayed to the mask setting device 2 and the viewer client.

  According to the present embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the captured image as if the mask setting device 2 virtually controlled the surveillance camera 1 is displayed, and therefore it is necessary to receive the captured image from the surveillance camera 1. The captured image on which the mask is displayed can be quickly displayed.

<Third Embodiment>
Unlike the first embodiment, in the third embodiment, when an input of mask setting is received, the mask setting device 2 directly outputs an image to the imaging unit 104 of the monitoring camera 1 without extracting the camera position where the mask is displayed. Camera control information for imaging is calculated. The present embodiment can be configured in the same manner as the camera system 10 of the first embodiment, and the mask setting screen shown in FIG. 2 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

The processing performed by the camera control calculation unit 207 will be specifically described. The process described below is realized by the CPU of the mask setting device executing a program, and is started when the camera setting input unit 203 receives an input of mask setting.
The camera control calculation unit 207 calculates camera control information including a camera position array and a moving speed for causing the imaging unit 104 to capture an image based on the input mask position information.
Specifically, the camera control calculation unit 207 acquires the pan angle and tilt angle of the input mask center position. When the acquired tilt angle is, for example, around 90 degrees, the camera control calculation unit 207 calculates the camera position array of the imaging unit 104 that rotates the pan direction by 180 degrees while maintaining the tilt angle at 90 degrees. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 210 of the mask setting device 2 stores a combination table in which the mask position information and the camera position array are associated with each other. This combination is a combination in which a camera position array in which a part of the mask is displayed is obtained in advance based on the input mask position information. The camera control calculating unit 207 can calculate the camera position array by referring to the stored mask position information with the stored table. In the table, the moving speed when the monitoring camera 1 moves according to the camera position array may be stored in association with each other.

Thereafter, the camera control calculation unit 207 performs processing similar to the processing from step S109 onward in the flowchart of FIG. 3, so that the monitoring camera 1 synthesizes a mask with the captured image taken according to the camera position array, and sets the mask. Delivered to the device 2.
According to the present embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the process of extracting the camera position where the input mask is displayed can be omitted, so that the captured image on which the mask is displayed can be quickly displayed. Can be done.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary, The 1st-3rd implementation mentioned above. It is also possible to appropriately combine the forms. For example, the second and third embodiments are combined to generate a captured image based on the camera position arrangement calculated by the mask setting device 2 using a table, and a combined image is generated by combining the generated captured image with a mask. May be.

Further, for example, a preview button may be added to the mask setting screen shown in FIG. When the preview button is pressed, the message 313 is not displayed, and only the camera control similar to that when the add button 308 or the change button 309 is pressed can be executed.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the surveillance camera 1 that can move the camera in the pan direction, the tilt direction, and the rotation direction has been described. It can be applied to the surveillance camera 1.

  The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, a program that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment is supplied to the monitoring camera 1 and the mask setting device 2 via a network and various recording media, and the computer (CPU) of the monitoring camera 1 and the mask setting device 2 stores the program code. It is a process to read and execute. In this case, the program and a computer-readable recording medium recording the program constitute the present invention.

  1: surveillance camera (imaging device) 2: mask setting device (imaging control device) 3: network 10: camera system 20: camera system 201: screen display unit 202: camera operation input unit 203: camera setting input unit 204: display control Unit 205: Operation command generation unit 206: Setting command generation unit 207: Camera control calculation unit 208: Image expansion unit 209: Communication control unit 210: Storage unit 211: Covered region composition unit 300: Screen for mask setting 301: Image display unit 302: Pan slider 303: Tilt slider 304: Zoom slider 305: Rotation button 306: Rotation button 307: Preview work 308: Add button 309: Change button 310: Delete button 311: Mask 312: Object 313: message

Claims (11)

An imaging control device that controls an imaging unit capable of imaging from different camera positions by moving a camera direction and sets a mask for covering a specific region of an image captured by the imaging unit. ,
Control calculation means for calculating a control method for causing the imaging unit to perform imaging based on position information of the set mask;
An imaging control apparatus comprising: a display unit configured to display a composite image in which the mask is combined with an image captured by the imaging unit based on a control method calculated by the control calculation unit. The control calculation means includes an extraction means for extracting a plurality of camera positions displayed by including at least a part of the mask in an image picked up by the image pickup unit based on the set mask position information. Have
The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays a combined image in which the mask is combined for each image captured from a plurality of camera positions extracted by the extracting unit. A selection means for selecting a plurality of camera positions one by one;
Based on the camera position selected by the selection means and the position information of the mask, it is determined whether or not at least a part of the mask is displayed in an image captured at the camera position selected by the selection means. Determination means for
The imaging control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the extraction unit extracts a camera position at which at least a part of the mask is displayed by the determination unit. Transmitting means for transmitting information of a plurality of camera positions extracted by the extracting means to an imaging device including the imaging unit;
Receiving means for receiving an image in which the mask is combined with an image captured by moving the imaging unit in at least one of a pan direction and a tilt direction based on information on a plurality of camera positions transmitted by the transmitting means. And having
The imaging control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display unit displays the composite image received by the receiving unit. A calculating unit that calculates a moving speed of the imaging unit that moves the plurality of camera positions extracted by the extracting unit within a predetermined time;
The imaging control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the transmission unit transmits information on the plurality of camera positions and information on a moving speed of the imaging unit calculated by the calculation unit. Generating means for generating images picked up at a plurality of camera positions extracted by the extracting means using a current image picked up by the image pickup unit;
The imaging control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit displays a composite image in which the mask is combined with the image generated by the generation unit.   The generation unit generates an image captured at a plurality of camera positions extracted by the extraction unit by performing projective conversion on a current image captured by the imaging unit. The imaging control device according to 1.   8. The display device according to claim 1, wherein after displaying the composite image in which the mask is combined, the display unit performs display for confirming whether or not to register the mask to the user. The imaging control device according to item. Confirmation means for confirming whether or not to register the mask to the user after the composite image in which the mask is synthesized is displayed by the display means;
8. The transmission device according to claim 6, further comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the position information of the mask to an imaging apparatus including the imaging unit when it is confirmed that the mask is registered by the confirmation unit. The imaging control device according to 1. A method for controlling an imaging control apparatus that controls an imaging unit that can capture images from different camera positions by moving the direction of the camera, and sets a mask for covering a specific region of an image captured by the imaging unit Because
A control calculation step of calculating a control method for causing the imaging unit to capture an image based on position information of the set mask;
And a display step of displaying a composite image in which the mask is combined with an image captured by the imaging unit based on the control method calculated in the control calculation step. The image pickup unit that can pick up images from different camera positions is controlled by moving the direction of the camera, and the image pickup control device that sets a mask for covering a specific area of the image picked up by the image pickup unit is controlled. A program for
A control calculation step of calculating a control method for causing the imaging unit to capture an image based on position information of the set mask;
A program for causing a computer to execute a display step of displaying a composite image in which the mask is combined with an image captured by the imaging unit based on the control method calculated in the control calculation step.

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