JP3367079B2 - Remote monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote monitoring device for controlling a surveillance camera installed at a remote place to monitor the situation at a remote place, and more particularly to image data of an image taken by the surveillance camera. The present invention relates to a remote monitoring device in a system in which a transmission delay occurs in the transmission of data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional remote monitoring apparatus for controlling a monitoring camera installed at a remote location to monitor the situation at the remote location.

In FIG. 12, 1 is a monitoring camera, 2 is a pan head unit, 3 is a pan head drive control unit, 4 is a camera control unit, 5 is a monitor unit, 6 is a drive signal generator, and 7 is a main control unit. Is.

In the remote monitoring apparatus shown in FIG. 12, a monitoring camera 1, a camera platform section 2, a camera platform drive control section 3 and a camera control section 4 are installed in a remote place, and a main control section 7 and a drive signal generator are provided. 6 and the monitor unit 5 are installed at an operation site such as a center.

The surveillance camera 1 is arranged on the platform part 2,
The monitoring camera 1 is driven in an arbitrary horizontal direction and vertical direction by the platform driving control unit 3, and the monitoring camera 1
The camera control unit 4 changes the state of the surveillance camera 1, for example, the amount of diaphragm (iris) of the lens, the zoom amount of the zoom lens, the focus position of the lens, and the like.

The camera control unit 4 determines the state (lens diaphragm amount, zoom lens zoom amount, lens focus position, etc.) of the monitoring camera 1 based on the drive signal from the center side drive signal generator 6. Then, a change instruction for changing the direction of the monitoring camera 1 is given to the camera platform drive control unit 3.

In this case, the drive signal generator 6 generates a drive signal based on a command from the main controller 7.

Image data of an image taken by the monitoring camera 1 is transmitted to the center side and displayed on the monitor section 5.

As a result, on the center side, the monitoring camera 1 can be seen while watching the image displayed on the monitor section 5 in the center.
It is possible to monitor the situation at a remote location by changing the direction of.

[0010]

In the conventional remote monitoring apparatus shown in FIG. 12, when the center side (operation site) and the monitoring camera installation point (remote site) are far apart, the monitoring camera is used. A public line or a leased line is used when transmitting the image data of the captured image to the center side.
When using a public line or leased line, image compression technology is adopted to reduce the line cost, the image data of the image taken by the surveillance camera is compressed, and the compressed image data is sent to the center side. It is supposed to be transmitted to.

Therefore, in the conventional remote monitoring apparatus shown in FIG. 12, driving delay of the platform portion 2, transmission delay of image data of the image taken by the monitoring camera 1, delay of image compression / expansion time, etc. occur. In such a system, not only is it extremely difficult to control the position of the surveillance camera 1, but also a sense of discomfort arises because only a still image is displayed for a while after issuing a movement start command for the surveillance camera 1,
Further, even if a stop command for the surveillance camera 1 is issued and the surveillance camera 1 is stopped, the image of the surveillance camera 1 sent continues to change for a while.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to delay the drive of the pan head portion in a remote monitoring device, and an image taken by a monitoring camera. Even if the image data transmission delay or the image compression / decompression time delay occurs, it is possible to display a virtual image of the image captured by the monitoring camera without time delay on the monitor unit on the center side. To provide.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0014]

Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, a brief description will be given to the outline of typical ones.
It is as follows.

(1) A surveillance camera, a camera platform that changes the direction of the surveillance camera, a camera platform drive controller that drives and controls the camera platform, and controls the state of the camera. A camera control unit is installed in a remote place, issues a movement command to the camera platform drive control unit or the camera control unit, and controls the direction or state of the surveillance camera, and the monitoring unit. In a remote monitoring device installed on the center side, a monitor unit for displaying image data of an image taken by the monitoring camera transmitted from the camera,
An output signal representing the direction or state of the surveillance camera on the side of the center, which simulates the dynamic characteristics of the drive motor used in the platform or the surveillance camera, based on a movement command from the main controller. A mathematical model that outputs
Correcting means for correcting the mathematical model, an image database in which images taken by the monitoring camera are stored in a memory in series, and the monitoring database is referred to by referring to the image database based on an output signal from the mathematical model. A virtual image synthesizing / display unit including a generation unit that generates image data of a virtual image simulating an image captured by a camera and a virtual image monitor unit that displays the image data generated by the generation unit. It is characterized by doing.

(2) In the means of (1) above, the mathematical model is a mathematical model considering a transmission delay of image data transmitted from the surveillance camera.

(3) In the means of (1) or (2), the mathematical model is a drive motor for changing the pan position, tilt position, lens zoom amount, aperture amount, and focus position of the surveillance camera. It is characterized by simulating the dynamic characteristics of at least one of the drive motors.

(4) In the means (1) to (3), an image memory for accumulating image data acquired in advance in the image database, and a table of the image memory with an output signal of the mathematical model as an address. And a means for referencing.

(5) In the means (4), the virtual image data when the focus of the lens of the surveillance camera is changed is combined with the image data in the image memory.

(6) In the means of (1) to (5), the virtual image monitor section is characterized by thinning out and displaying the image data generated by the generating means.

According to each of the above means, a mathematical model for simulating the dynamic characteristics of the drive motor used for the platform or the surveillance camera is adopted, and the rotation of the drive motor without transmission delay is adopted by using this mathematical model. By acquiring the position signal and accessing the image database using this signal, the virtual image of the image taken by the surveillance camera is displayed in real time on the virtual image monitor. Even in a system in which a transmission delay occurs in the transmission of image data of a captured image, the operability at the time of controlling the surveillance camera installed at a remote place can be improved on the center side.

Further, since the mathematical model is corrected by the correction means by using the actual rotational position signal of the drive motor, even if the characteristics of the drive motor change with time, the rotation of the drive motor can be accurately performed. It becomes possible to acquire a position signal.

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In all the drawings for explaining the embodiments of the invention, components having the same function are designated by the same reference numeral, and the repeated description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a remote monitoring apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention and controls a monitoring camera installed at a remote location to monitor the situation at the remote location. .

In FIG. 1, 10 is a main controller, 11 is a monitoring camera, 12 is a platform, 13 is a platform drive controller, 1
Reference numeral 4 is a camera control unit, 15 is a monitor unit, 16 is a virtual image synthesizing / displaying unit for synthesizing and displaying virtual images, 1
Reference numeral 9 denotes a transmission line, which is a virtual image combining / display unit 16
Is composed of a virtual image monitor unit 15a, a correction circuit 17, a mathematical model 18, and an image database 20.

Also in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring camera 11, the camera platform 12, the camera platform drive controller 13 and the camera controller 14 are installed at a remote location, and the main controller 10, Monitor unit 15 and virtual image composition
The display unit 16 is installed on the center side.

The monitoring camera 11 is arranged on the platform 12, the monitoring camera 11 is driven in any horizontal and vertical directions by the platform drive control unit 13, and the monitoring camera 11 is a camera. The state is changed by the control unit 14.

When changing the direction or state of the surveillance camera 11 installed at a remote place, a movement command is issued from the main control unit 10 on the center side to the camera control unit 14 via the transmission line 19. .

In the case of a command to change the direction of the monitoring camera 11, the camera control unit 14 causes the camera platform drive control unit 13 to operate.
A change instruction for changing the direction of the monitoring camera 11 is issued to the camera platform drive controller 13, and the camera platform drive control unit 13 rotates a designated drive motor based on a command from the main controller 10 to move the camera platform unit 12.

As a result, the surveillance camera 11 is set in a predetermined direction.

Further, in the case of an instruction to change the state of the monitoring camera 11, the camera control section 14 causes the main control section 10 to change.
Based on the command, the designated drive motor is rotated to set the state of the monitoring camera 11, for example, the aperture amount of the lens, the zoom amount of the lens, the focus position of the zoom lens, etc. to a predetermined state.

The direction and state of the surveillance camera 11 include the pan direction, the tilt direction, the zoom amount of the zoom lens, the focus amount of the lens, the iris amount of the lens, and the surveillance camera 11. There are housing wipers, defosters, cooling fans, etc.

The direction of the surveillance camera 11 (or the pan head 1)
The direction signal indicating the direction (2) or the state is transmitted to the main control unit 10 again via the transmission line 19.

At the same time, the image data of the image taken by the monitoring camera 11 is also transmitted to the main control unit 10 via the transmission line 19 and displayed on the monitor unit 15.

Further, the movement command for changing the direction or state of the surveillance camera 11 is also sent to the virtual image synthesizing / display unit 16, and similarly, the state signal indicating the direction or state of the surveillance camera 11 is also Virtual image composition
It is sent to the display unit 16.

In the virtual image synthesizing / displaying unit 16, the monitoring camera 11 having no transmission delay is based on the movement command for changing the direction or state of the monitoring camera 11 and the state signal indicating the direction or state of the monitoring camera 11. The state signals of are synthesized.

Using this signal as an address, a real-time virtual image is generated based on the image data stored in the image database 20, and the virtual image monitor unit 1
5a is displayed.

The virtual image monitor unit 15a may be in the window of the monitor unit 15 shown in FIG. 1 or in another dedicated monitor.

Here, the virtual image is not a so-called CG (computer graphics) which is synthesized by a computer but an image displayed by the image data previously captured by the monitoring camera 11 and stored in the image database 20. is there.

2 and 3 show examples of virtual images generated by the table reference method and displayed on the virtual image monitor unit 15a in the virtual image synthesizing / displaying unit 16 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the image database 20 created in advance, which is continuously displayed like a panoramic photograph. The display image shows an example of a display image observed from a high place with a good view of a coastal city. There is.

The horizontal axis of FIG. 2 is the horizontal angle (pan angle) of the surveillance camera, and the vertical axis is the vertical angle (tilt angle).
Is shown.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display image when a pan angle of 90 degrees and a tilt angle of -5 degrees are input to the computer as the surveillance camera position of the surveillance camera 11, and the image data of the designated location is It is read out from the image database 20 and enlarged and displayed.

When the surveillance camera 11 is moving, the virtual image can be displayed on the virtual image monitor section 15a in real time by inputting the camera position of the surveillance camera 11 every moment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic circuit configuration of a generation circuit for generating a position signal of the drive motor using a mathematical model in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, 31 is a drive motor for changing the camera position of the surveillance camera 11, 32 is a rotation angle detector for detecting the rotation angle, 33 is a mathematical model simulating the dynamic characteristics of the drive motor 31, and 34 is It is a correction circuit that corrects the mathematical model.

There are two types of drive motors 31 for changing the camera position of the surveillance camera 11, one for pan and one for tilt. Here, the case of using a pan drive motor will be described.

Since the operation is exactly the same even when the tilt drive motor is used, the description thereof will be omitted.

Needless to say, the same can be applied to the zoom drive motor, focus drive motor, and iris drive motor of the lens of the surveillance camera 11.

In FIG. 4, a motor drive signal based on a command from the main controller 10, that is, a motor drive signal for horizontally changing the surveillance camera 11 is input to the pan drive motor 31.

The drive signal may be a drive current signal or a torque command signal input to the drive amplifier.

The drive signal causes the drive motor 31 to rotate, and the surveillance camera installation table rotates via a gear or the like connected to the shaft thereof to change the direction of the surveillance camera 11.

A rotation angle detector 32 is connected to the rotation shaft of the drive motor 31 or the shaft of the surveillance camera installation table, and a signal proportional to the rotation angle is output.

The rotation angle detector 32 may be an optical encoder or a potentiometer using a low resistance device.

The mathematical model 33 includes a pan drive motor 31.
Is simulated, and by inputting the same motor drive signal, an output signal substantially similar to the actual drive motor 31 is generated and output.

That is, a rotation angle signal substantially the same as that of the actual drive motor 31 can be obtained.

However, in the actual drive motor 31, the mathematical model 33 does not match the actual drive motor 31 due to frictional force fluctuations in the gear portion, temperature changes, and secular changes.

Therefore, a correction circuit 34 is provided. In the correction circuit 34, the actual rotation angle signal of the drive motor 31 and the rotation angle signal from the mathematical model 33 are compared, and the mathematical model 33 is calculated according to the deviation amount. To fix.

With this feedback system, it is possible to obtain a rotation angle signal which is almost the same as that of the actual drive motor 31 from the mathematical model 33.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a concrete circuit configuration of the mathematical model 33 and the correction circuit 34 shown in FIG.

The dynamic characteristic of the drive motor 31 is expressed by the following equation (1).

[0063]

## EQU1 ## J (dω / dt) + K _d ω + K _s = K _T i (1) where, J: moment of inertia of drive motor ω: rotational angular velocity K _d : viscous friction coefficient K _s : load torque _KT : torque constant i: winding current of the drive motor.

Rewriting equation (1) using the Laplace operator s,

[0065]

Sω = (K _T / J) i− (K _d / J) ω− (K _s / J) (2)

[0066]

[Equation 3]   sθ = ω ... (3) Becomes

If this is expressed by a block, it becomes like a box 33 shown by a dotted line in FIG.

When the actual rotation angle signal of the drive motor 31 is (y ₁ ) and the rotation angle signal from the mathematical model 33 is (y ₂ ), the mathematical model 3 including the correction circuit 34 is used.
3 is represented by the following equations (4) and (5).

[0069]

Sω = (K _T / J) i− (K _d / J) ω− (K _s / J) + a ₁ (y ₁ −y ₂ ) ... (4)

[0070]

Sθ = ω + a ₂ (y ₁ −y ₂ ) ... (5) where a ₁ and a ₂ are correction gains, and the observer,
It is obtained by the Kalman filter principle.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the subtractor 35,
Actual rotational angle signal from the rotation angle signal (y ₁₎ and mathematical model 33 of the drive motor 31 the difference between _{(y 2) (y 1 -y} 2)
And the difference (y ₁ −y ₂ ) is corrected gain (a ₁ ,
Since it is fed back to the mathematical model 33 via a ₂ ), a more accurate rotation angle signal (y ₂ ) can be obtained.

Rotation angle signal (y ₂ ) from the mathematical model 33
Outputs the estimated value of the rotation angle signal when the rotation angle signal (y ₁ ) of the actual drive motor 31 is interrupted or when the rotation angle signal (y ₁ ) has a transmission delay.

FIG. 6 shows a motor using a mathematical model in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention in the case where the transmission of the image data of the image taken by the monitoring camera 11 causes a transmission delay. It is a block diagram which shows the schematic circuit structure of the production | generation circuit which produces | generates a position signal.

The main control unit 10 on the center side issues a movement command for changing the direction or state of the surveillance camera 11 installed at a remote place. This movement command is transmitted via the transmission path 36 to the camera control unit 14. And the monitoring camera 11 is controlled based on this movement command.

In this case, the station in which the monitoring camera 11 is installed is usually unmanned and is remotely controlled by the instruction from the center side.

In the generation circuit shown in FIG. 6, the main control unit 1
The motor drive signal based on the command of 0, that is, the motor drive signal based on the command to change the surveillance camera 11 in the horizontal direction, is transmitted through the transmission path 36 to the pan drive motor 31.
Entered in.

The drive motor 31 is rotated by this drive signal, the surveillance camera installation table is rotated via a gear connected to the shaft thereof, and the direction of the surveillance camera 11 is changed.

A rotation angle detector 32 is connected to the rotation axis of the drive motor 31 or the axis of the surveillance camera installation table, and a signal proportional to the rotation angle is output.

Each rotation signal detected by the rotation angle detector 32 is transmitted to the center side again via the transmission path 36.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a concrete circuit configuration of the mathematical model 33 and the correction circuit 34 shown in FIG.

At the center, since the rotation angle signal (y ₂ ) output from the mathematical model 33 does not pass through the transmission line 36,
It is ahead of the actual rotation angle signal (y ₁ ) of the drive motor 31 in time.

In order to make this coincide with each other, the delay circuit 37 for two circuits of the transmission line is inserted after the rotation angle signal output from the mathematical model 33.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flowchart for displaying a virtual image on the virtual image monitor unit 15a when the pan or tilt of the surveillance camera 11 is changed in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. is there.

First, the monitoring camera 1 from the main controller 10
When the pan or tilt movement command of 1 is issued, the pan or tilt position of the surveillance camera 11 is acquired every moment by the rotation angle signal from the mathematical model (18, 33) (step 112), and the image is based on that. An address for referring to the database 20 is calculated (step 11)
3).

Next, the image data is acquired from the image database 20 using the reference address (step 114) and displayed on the virtual image monitor section 15a (step 115). In this case, the process of joining the image data is performed.

Specifically, the image data is stored in steps of the pan angle, and when adjacent images are connected together, enlargement / reduction is performed so that the images become smooth near the connection point. Processing is performed by a circuit having a function or calculation software.

Next, it is determined whether or not the pan or tilt movement command is completed (step 111). If the pan or tilt movement command is not completed in step 111, the steps 112 through 112 are executed. Step 1
Repeat 15

In step 111, when the pan or tilt movement command is completed, a predetermined time, that is,
It is determined whether or not the time corresponding to the transmission delay time of the image data of the image captured by the monitoring camera 11 has elapsed (step 116). If the predetermined time has not elapsed in step 116, the virtual image is displayed. The image displayed on the monitor unit 15a is displayed (step 117).

When the predetermined time has elapsed in step 116, the display of the image (virtual image) on the virtual image monitor unit 15a is stopped.

When the predetermined time has passed in step 116, the image data of the actual image taken by the monitoring camera 11 is transmitted thereafter, and is displayed on the virtual image monitor section 15a. The image (virtual image) that is displayed does not essentially need to be displayed.

However, there is no problem even if it is always displayed.

FIG. 9 shows the virtual image monitor section 15a when the zoom amount of the zoom lens of the monitoring camera 11 is changed in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the flowchart which displays a virtual image in FIG.

First, the pan or tilt position of the surveillance camera 11 is acquired (step 131), and the address for referring to the image database 20 is calculated based on it (step 132).

Next, the image data is acquired from the image database 20 by using the reference address (step 133).

Next, the zoom magnification is obtained from the rotation angle signal from the mathematical model (18, 33) (step 13
5) Based on the image data acquired from the image database 20, enlargement / reduction processing is performed according to the acquired zoom magnification (step 136), and the virtual image monitor unit 15
It is displayed in a (step 137).

Next, it is judged whether or not the display command is completed (step 134), and if the display command is not completed at the step 134, the steps 135 to 137 are repeated.

When the display command is completed in step 134, the display of the image (virtual image) on the virtual image monitor unit 15a is stopped.

In FIG. 9, the end condition may be the end condition as shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flowchart for displaying a virtual image on the virtual image monitor section 15a when the focus of the lens of the monitoring camera 11 is changed in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. is there.

First, the pan or tilt position of the surveillance camera 11 is acquired (step 151), and the address for referring to the image database 20 is calculated based on it (step 152).

Next, the image data is acquired from the image database 20 by using the reference address (step 153).

Next, the zoom magnification is acquired (step 15
4) Based on the image data obtained from the image database 20, enlargement / reduction processing is performed according to the obtained zoom magnification (step 155).

Next, the focus distance is obtained from the rotation angle signal from the mathematical model (18, 33) (step 1
57), defocus processing is performed using a computer (step 158), and it is displayed on the virtual image monitor unit 15a (step 159).

Next, it is judged whether or not the display command is completed (step 156), and if the display command is not completed in step 156, steps 157 to 159 are repeated.

In step 156, when the display command is completed, the display of the image (virtual image) on the virtual image monitor section 15a is stopped.

In the remote monitoring device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the just focus position is stored in advance in correspondence with the predetermined pan and zoom positions.

From this, step 157 and step 15
At 8, the error of the focus distance is calculated, the defocus image corresponding to the error is calculated, and the virtual image monitor unit 1
5a is displayed.

The defocused image can be obtained in a simulated manner by changing the number of adjacent pixels to be averaged.

That is, when the defocus distance is small, the average value of four pixels in the upper, lower, left, and right directions and five pixels including the own pixel is taken as the value of the pixel.

A defocused image can be obtained by increasing the number of pixels taking an average value according to the distance.

Alternatively, it is also possible to synthesize a defocused image by a computer based on the focused image.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow chart when the image database 20 is generated in the remote monitoring apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

First, the main control unit 10 causes the monitoring camera 1 to
A pan or tilt movement command of 1 is issued (step 172), and the surveillance camera 11 is moved (changed) (step 173).

The pan or tilt position of the surveillance camera 11 after the movement is obtained (step 174), and at the same time, the image data of the image photographed by the surveillance camera 11 at that time is obtained (step 175).

Next, the address based on the pan and tilt positions of the surveillance camera 11 acquired in the step 174 is calculated (step 176), and the step 17 is also executed.
The image data of the image captured by the monitoring camera 11 acquired in step 5 is stored (stored) in the image memory (step 17).
7).

Next, the pan and tilt positions of the surveillance camera 11 are sequentially scanned (step 171), and the image data is collected by the steps 172 to 177.

In the above description, all the data of the pixels in the designated area of the image database 20 are displayed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the data of every other pixel is displayed. The image can be displayed on the virtual image monitor unit 15a at higher speed.

Although the present invention has been specifically described based on the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Not to mention getting it.

[0119]

The effects obtained by the typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

(1) According to the present invention, even in a system in which driving of the platform is delayed, transmission of image data of an image taken by a surveillance camera is delayed, or image compression / expansion time is delayed, Since the position information of the surveillance camera is obtained in real time, it is possible to display a virtual image of the image captured by the surveillance camera without time delay.

(2) According to the present invention, it becomes possible to improve the operability in controlling the direction or state of the surveillance camera.

(3) According to the present invention, highly accurate positioning is possible even if the characteristics of the drive motor that changes the direction or state of the surveillance camera changes over time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a remote monitoring apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention and controls a monitoring camera installed at a remote location to monitor the situation at the remote location.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a virtual image generated by a table reference method and displayed on a virtual image monitor unit 15a in a virtual image synthesis / display unit 16 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a virtual image generated by a table reference method and displayed on a virtual image monitor unit 15a in a virtual image combining / display unit 16 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a remote monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the schematic circuit structure of the production | generation circuit which produces | generates the position signal of a drive motor using a mathematical model.

5 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a specific circuit configuration of a mathematical model 33 and a correction circuit 34 shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a motor position signal obtained by using a mathematical model in the remote monitoring device according to the embodiment of the present invention in a system in which a transmission delay occurs in transmission of image data of an image captured by the monitoring camera 11. It is a block diagram which shows the schematic circuit structure of the production | generation circuit which produces | generates.

7 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a specific circuit configuration of a mathematical model 33 and a correction circuit 34 shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a remote monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a figure which shows the flowchart which displays a virtual image on the virtual image monitor part 15a, when the pan or tilt of the surveillance camera 11 is changed.

FIG. 9 shows a remote monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a figure which shows the flowchart which displays a virtual image on the virtual image monitor part 15a, when the zoom amount of the zoom lens of the surveillance camera 11 is changed.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flowchart for displaying a virtual image on the virtual image monitor unit 15a when the focus of the lens of the monitoring camera 11 is changed in the remote monitoring device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flowchart when the image database 20 is generated in the remote monitoring device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional remote monitoring device that controls a monitoring camera installed in a remote place to monitor the situation of the remote place.

[Explanation of Codes] 1, 11 ... Surveillance camera, 2, 12 ... Pan head, 3, 13
... Platform drive control unit, 4, 14 ... Camera control unit, 5, 1
5, 15a ... Monitor section, 6 ... Drive signal generator, 7, 10
... Main control unit, 16 ... Virtual image composition / display unit, 1
7, 34 ... Correction circuit, 18, 33 ... Mathematical model, 19,
36 ... Transmission path, 20 ... Image database, 31 ... Drive motor, 32 ... Rotation angle detector, 35 ... Attenuator, 37 ... Delay circuit.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Joji Yamaguchi 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) Reference JP-A-8-126076 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 7/18

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A surveillance camera, a platform for changing the direction of the surveillance camera, a platform drive control unit for driving and controlling the platform, and a camera for controlling the state of the surveillance camera. The control unit is installed in a remote place, and issues a movement command to the camera platform drive control unit or the camera control unit,
A main control unit that controls the direction or state of the surveillance camera and a monitor unit that displays image data of an image captured by the surveillance camera transmitted from the surveillance camera are installed on the center side. In the remote monitoring device, on the center side, the dynamic characteristics of the drive motor used in the platform or the monitoring camera is simulated, and the direction of the monitoring camera or the direction of the monitoring camera based on a movement command from the main control unit. A mathematical model that outputs an output signal that represents the state,
Correcting means for correcting the mathematical model, an image database in which images taken by the monitoring camera are stored in a memory in series, and the monitoring database is referred to by referring to the image database based on an output signal from the mathematical model. A virtual image synthesizing / display unit including a generation unit that generates image data of a virtual image simulating an image captured by a camera and a virtual image monitor unit that displays the image data generated by the generation unit. A remote monitoring device characterized by: 2. The remote monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the mathematical model is a mathematical model in which a transmission delay of image data transmitted from the surveillance camera is taken into consideration. 3. The mathematical model simulates the dynamic characteristics of at least one drive motor of the drive motors that changes the pan position, tilt position, lens zoom amount, aperture amount, and focus position of the surveillance camera. The remote monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. The image database is provided with an image memory for accumulating image data acquired in advance, and means for referring to the image memory with an output signal of the mathematical model as an address. The remote monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The remote monitoring device according to claim 4, wherein the virtual image data when the focus of the lens of the surveillance camera is changed is combined with the image data in the image memory. 6. The remote monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the virtual image monitor unit displays the image data generated by the generation unit by thinning it out. .