JP3805036B2 - Camera control apparatus and control method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a camera control device and a control method .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, in a multi-point remote camera video system such as a video phone, a video conference, or a surveillance camera, video or audio data is compressed and transmitted or received. At this time, an image input device such as a camera device or a voice input is used. All information input from the device etc. was sent to the other party.
[0003]
However, in recent years, video can be transmitted via an existing network without the need for a dedicated space due to downsizing of video input devices, improvement of computer hardware processing speed, and development of OS. It has become.
[0004]
As a result, it is possible to create a foundation that enables not only in-company video conferencing systems but also video conferences between companies and homes, as well as in-company video conferencing systems based on a network spanned by companies. . In addition, for example, it has become possible to view images from a remote camera from home via the Internet.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In video conferences and the like, the color of business meetings is also deep, so it is considered that there is not much problem with the video that is shot. However, when it reaches the individual level, issues such as privacy protection and confidentiality will be highlighted.
[0006]
In particular, in a system including a pan head and a camera portion, and a video input device capable of computer control of pan, tilt, zoom, focus, etc., the user can control the video input device from a remote place. Unintended areas can be accessed, and the above problem will no longer be negligible.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and provides a photographing non-permitted range, prohibits access to the non-permitted range, warns the terminal, and fulfills privacy protection and confidentiality obligations. It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera control system, a camera server, a control method thereof, a storage medium, and a camera control device.
[0008]
In order to solve this problem, for example, the camera control device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
A camera control device for controlling the angle of a camera,
Storage means for storing information indicating a photographing non-permitted range that prohibits photographing by the camera;
Control means for controlling the angle of the camera based on the input instruction information;
When there is a shootable range on both sides of the shooting non-permitted range, the input instruction information is an instruction to change an angle that falls within the shooting non-permitted range from one shooting permitted range currently taken by the camera. An automatic control means for automatically detecting the jump direction in accordance with the angle change direction and automatically controlling the camera angle to the other permitted shooting range at a position that has jumped the unpermitted range to the detected skipped direction. Is provided.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a terminal of a video conference system in the embodiment. In the figure, 11 is a ROM that stores the BIOS and boot program of the apparatus, 12 is a CPU that controls the entire apparatus, and 13 is a display device (CRT in the figure). A RAM 14 stores an OS executed by the CPU 12 and various programs that operate as a video conference system, and is also used as a work area of the CPU 12. An external storage device 15 stores an OS, a program for a video conference system, and various information files (including an access control table described later). Reference numeral 16 is a keyboard, and 17 is a pointing device. Reference numeral 18 denotes a network interface (NIC), and other terminals for performing a video conference are connected through the NIC 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a video camera, the zoom magnification of which can be controlled according to the control of the CPU 12, which is mounted on a predetermined camera platform, and pan and tilt can be controlled under the control of the CPU 12. ing. An audio input / output device 20 is connected to a microphone and a speaker (not shown), and performs reproduction output of sound (mainly audio), input of sound, and digitization processing.
[0011]
In addition, since the other terminal which comprises a video conference system is also the same structure fundamentally, one terminal was demonstrated here.
[0012]
In the above configuration, when the apparatus is turned on and an instruction to execute a program related to the video conference system is given by the keyboard 16 or the mouse 17, the CPU 12 reads the program for the video conference system from the external storage device 15 into the RAM 14. Will run.
[0013]
The OS operating on the terminal device of the embodiment is a multi-window type. The outline of the multi-window system will be described with reference to FIG. In this figure, 20 is one physical display display screen, 21 is an application using a multi-window, 22 is a logical screen buffer consisting of the number of lines and the number of digits corresponding to the number of lines and the number of digits of the display device 20, and this logic The application 21 operates in the screen buffer 22. Application 21 is coupled to a logical screen buffer 22 which is a virtual display.
[0014]
A window 23 for viewing the contents of the logical screen buffer 22 is displayed on the display device 20. That is, it can be said that the window 23 is for viewing all or part of the logical screen buffer 22.
[0015]
In the multi-window system, since a plurality of applications are operated (a plurality of windows may be displayed by one application), windows assigned to the respective applications are displayed as illustrated. Become. In addition, the OS controls in units of windows allocated for each application.
[0016]
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a configuration when a video conference program is operated on the terminal according to the embodiment.
[0017]
As illustrated, the image input device 30, the voice input / output device 31, and the network communication device 32 are connected to hardware 33. When the hardware 33 detects input signals from the image input device 30, the audio input / output device 31, and the network communication device 32, the hardware 33 generates a hardware interrupt. Next, these input data are transferred to the video conference system 37 or the camera control server 38 through the system (OS or a device driver for controlling various devices) 34. In addition, the camera control server 38 controls the camera control management unit 35 according to the inaccessible area within the shootable area of the image input device and the access control level (ACL) stored in the camera control storage unit 36, and controls the camera. to manage. The camera control server 38 determines the image or audio data to be delivered according to the access control level and the inaccessible area value. An example of an access control list describing the access control level (ACL) and access control data is shown in FIG.
[0018]
In the figure, “Group List” indicates the IP address (allows plural) of the network of the partner terminal connected to this terminal, and “Watch” indicates whether the video data is to be delivered to the delivery destination client (partner side "Control" is set to be within the shootable area, "Control" is set to allow control of the camera device such as pan, tilt, zoom, etc. Whether or not access to the inaccessible area is permitted and the storage address of the access control data in the case of disapproval, “Alert” stores the type of warning (warning by sound or video).
[0019]
The access control data stores the maximum movement range of the camera device as a value and is referred to from the access control list. The access control list and the access control data indicating the accessible area can be set / changed on the camera control server. The camera control server 38 refers to the access control table on the basis of the address of the connected terminal, and if the “Security Area” is NG, the camera control server 38 is in the image-capable area of the image input device. When there is a request for the camera angle to the inaccessible area, the access is denied, and an instruction is given to transmit warning information to the access source terminal according to the designated “Alert”. Note that warning information is transmitted to the terminal set as “NG” in “Watch” at the connection stage.
[0020]
In the illustrated access control data, “Pan” indicates a pan angle, and “Tilt” indicates a tilt angle. The zoom is a value at the maximum wide angle. Therefore, in the illustrated case, at the maximum wide angle (wide end)
abc ≦ pan angle ≦ def and ghi ≦ tilt angle ≦ kim
The visual field range (in this case, the rectangular range) is set as the non-permitted range (the negative sign of “-abc” at the pan angle in the figure means the left side of the non-permitted visual range. The pan angle does not mean “-20 °.” “+” Is the same.
[0021]
Also, there is a reason why the zoom is determined by default, and the viewing range of the camera is different between the wide end and the tele end. In the embodiment, since the wide end is used as a reference, if the zoom magnification is increased (the field of view range is reduced), the pan angle and tilt angle indicating the non-permitted range are finely adjusted according to the zoom magnification. In addition, by providing a plurality of rectangular ranges shown in the figure, it is possible to set a region other than the rectangular range as a photographing non-permitted range, or the range may be set by using another expression.
[0022]
The setting of the non-permission range is in a program that operates as a camera server, and the user can freely set and register it. At this time, in order to set the photographing non-permitted range, it is sufficient to operate the camera provided in itself and watch the video.
[0023]
Now, when the connection with the other party terminal is actually made, the video conference system refers to the other party's IP address for setting the access level when connecting to the other party's host. An inquiry is made to the camera control server based on this IP address, the camera control server sets the access control level of the other party and the maximum movable range of the camera device, and returns the result to the video conference system. The video conference system constantly monitors the camera control from the other party, and if it tries to access the shooting disapproval range determined by the IP address, it invalidates and sets the camera angle beyond that. Create warning information in the specified format and forward it to the other terminal.
[0024]
FIG. 4 shows an example of access to an inaccessible area from a remote place, and the operation processing contents in that case are shown in the flowchart of FIG.
[0025]
Now, there is a third party who is controlling a camera that can be remotely controlled from a remote host A (here, “Wtach” is “OK”, “Control” is “OK” in the access control table, and , “Security Area” is “NG” (that is, the non-permitted range functions effectively).
[0026]
This external host A has no access right to the inaccessible area by access control. At this time, when a third party of the host A moves the camera to access the inaccessible area, the video conference system is directed to the host A according to the access control table, and a warning image different from a normal image or audio data. A message or a warning voice message is distributed as data. Further, the camera control server forcibly moves the camera accessing the inaccessible area to a predetermined position.
[0027]
The operation of the camera control server is not limited to the above example in which a warning message is delivered when an inaccessible area is accessed, including an inaccessible area within the maximum movable range. Several methods are conceivable, such as setting a maximum movable range in
[0028]
It will be as follows if it demonstrates according to FIG.
[0029]
First, when a connection with the partner terminal is made in step S1, an IP address is acquired in step S2, and data in an access control table (ACT) corresponding to the IP address is read in step S3.
[0030]
When the process proceeds to step S4, it is determined whether or not the user (terminal) has the right to view the video of the camera. If not, the process proceeds to step S5 and the format indicated by the ACT data is determined. Warning information (audio or video in the embodiment) is transmitted, and the connection is disconnected in step S6.
[0031]
On the other hand, if it is determined that viewing of the camera video is permitted, the process proceeds to step S7, where camera manufacturing transmission is started (the video data shot by the camera is transferred to the other party thereafter. In other words, the video conference operation process of step S8 is performed, and when it is completed, the disconnection process is performed in step S9.
[0032]
The video conference operation process in step S8 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0033]
First, in step S11, it waits to receive a command from the other party.
[0034]
If it is determined that the received command means the end of the video conference, this process is terminated, and the disconnection process in step S9 in FIG. 5 is performed.
[0035]
Also, in step S13, it is determined whether the received command is a camera control command (instruction information for camera pan angle, tilt angle, and zoom). If it is determined that the received command is not a camera control command, the process proceeds to step S14. Proceed and perform corresponding processing.
[0036]
If it is determined that the command is a camera control command, the process advances to step S15 to determine whether the other party is set to be controllable based on the previously read ACT data. If it is determined that the control right is not given, the process proceeds to step S16, where the warning information in the format set by the ACT data is transmitted, and the process returns to step S11.
[0037]
If it is determined that the camera control right is given, the process proceeds to step S17, and it is determined based on the ACT data whether or not the photographing non-permission range is enabled for the destination.
[0038]
If it is determined that the non-permission data is valid, the process proceeds to step S18, and it is determined whether or not to enter the non-permission range when the camera control for the camera control command is executed. If it is determined that it falls within the non-permitted range, warning information based on the ACT data is transmitted to the other party in step S19, the camera is forcibly controlled in step S20, and the process returns to step S11.
[0039]
As for the forced control of the camera, for example, when transferring the video at the maximum zoom magnification, the limit of the field of view is reduced. This is because a part of the recorded video is shot. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the pan angle and / or tilt angle in consideration of such a case.
[0040]
On the other hand, in the case of a user whose disabled range is invalid, or when it is determined that the user is outside the disabled range even if the camera control command is executed, the camera is controlled according to the control command, Return to step S11.
[0041]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when access control data is provided for each connection partner, the camera can be controlled only in a state permitted in the connection partner, and an attempt is made to access a shooting non-permitted range. By sending a warning message to that effect, it becomes possible to call attention to the user of the partner terminal.
[0042]
In the embodiment, the video conference system has been described as an example. However, for example, the video conference system may be extended to the Internet that is currently attracting attention, and may function when accessing a camera server installed in a tourist attraction, for example.
[0043]
In particular, this problem will be important because there is naturally a residence near the place where the camera is installed. Also, in this case, it is better that the camera's non-permitted range can be changed only by those who have given specific privileges, but in some cases it should not be changed from the outside once set at the stage of installation. Would be better.
[0044]
In the above description, the processing when the camera control command is received from the counterpart terminal has been described. The same applies to the counterpart terminal side. In addition, when changing the camera angle (pan angle, tilt angle, zoom) of the partner terminal, for example, various buttons for changing the angle are displayed on the screen, and the pointing device or the like is used to indicate it. Just do it.
[0045]
<Second Embodiment>
In the above-described embodiment (first embodiment), an example in which the access control level of one image input apparatus connected to hardware on which the camera control server operates has been described. In the second embodiment, a plurality of image input devices connected to the same hardware and other image input devices connected in the same network are also controlled as an access control target.
[0046]
In this case, the access control table is managed for each camera set in the camera list as shown in FIG. Since there are a plurality of cameras to be controlled, each camera is loaded with an IP address and an access control table for each is provided. The camera list is managed by the camera management unit as shown in FIG.
[0047]
Further, in the first embodiment, a control method that can access only the actual accessible areas in FIGS. 9 and 10 is attempted. However, it is also possible to make all logical accessible areas accessible. It is done. Further, in the first embodiment, when the access non-permission range is controlled so as to fall within the field of view of the camera, the control is invalidated, and in some cases, the camera is forcibly controlled so as to be out of the field of view. However, as shown in FIG. 10, when the latent visual field range of the camera is divided within the access non-permitted range, the camera angle may be controlled at once to the permitted range that skips the non-permitted range. In this case, it is only necessary to detect the direction of jumping according to the change direction of the angle. Further, in the actually accessible area shown on the right side of FIG. 10, there is a case where the access non-permitted range is included unless the zoom magnification is the maximum. You may control so that it may become the magnification which does not enter into a range into an unauthorized range. Of course, even if there is a logically accessible area even at the maximum magnification, if a non-permitted range is entered when shooting at the maximum zoom, even if it is logically permitted, the range is not permitted. It is also necessary to treat it as a permitted range.
[0048]
Further, in the first embodiment, only the image is accessed, but if the system is on the conference space side, some control may be performed on the audio data. For example, when a microphone having a fixed directivity range is mounted on a camera, the directivity range of the microphone and the visual field range of the camera are different (variable by zooming), and thus must be controlled separately.
[0049]
The configuration of the terminal device in the embodiment does not have to be a special device. For example, a process described in the above embodiment on a personal computer or workstation equipped with a controllable camera, microphone, and speaker. It can also be realized by operating a program for realizing the above.
[0050]
Therefore, the present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, a camera, a microphone, a speaker, etc.) or an apparatus including a single device.
[0051]
Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for implementing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the.
[0052]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0053]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.
[0054]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0055]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0056]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a photographing non-permitted range, prohibit access to the non-permitted range, and warn the terminal to fulfill privacy protection and confidentiality obligations. .
[0057]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a terminal device of a camera conference system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing characteristics of a multi-window system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conceptual configuration of an apparatus when the terminal according to the embodiment operates as one terminal of the video conference system.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an operation when warning information is generated in a video conference system between terminals;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation processing procedure in the embodiment.
6 is a flowchart showing the contents of operation processing in step S8 in FIG. 6;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of an access control table in the second embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a layer configuration of a camera control server in the second embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the camera operation of the embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the camera operation of the embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the contents of an access control table in the first embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
31 Image Input Device 32 Network Communication Device 33 Hardware 34 System 35 Camera Control Management Unit 36 Camera Control Storage Unit 37 Video Conference System 38 Camera Control Server

Claims (6)

A camera control device for controlling the angle of a camera,
Storage means for storing information indicating a photographing non-permitted range that prohibits photographing by the camera;
Control means for controlling the angle of the camera based on the input instruction information;
When there is a shootable range on both sides of the non-photographing range, the input instruction information is an instruction to change the angle that falls within the non-photographable range from one of the photopickup ranges currently taken by the camera. Automatic control means for detecting the jump direction according to the direction of the angle change, and automatically controlling the camera angle to the other shooting permission range at a position that jumps over the shooting non-permission range in the detected jump direction. ,
A camera control device comprising: The camera control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angle change is a change in at least one of a pan direction and a tilt direction. The camera control device according to claim 2, wherein the automatic control unit changes a zoom magnification so as not to photograph the photographing non-permitted range when automatically controlling to the other photographing permitted range. A camera control method for controlling an angle of the camera based on input instruction information and information indicating a photographing non-permitted range that prohibits photographing of the camera stored in advance,
When there is a shootable range on both sides of the shooting non-permitted range, the input instruction information is an instruction to change the angle that falls within the shooting non-permitted range from one of the shooting permitted ranges currently captured by the camera. A jump direction is detected in accordance with the angle change direction, and the camera angle is automatically controlled to the other permitted shooting range at a position that has jumped over the prohibited shooting range in the detected skip direction. Camera control method. The camera control method according to claim 4, wherein the angle change is a change in at least one of a pan direction and a tilt direction. The camera control method according to claim 5, wherein the zoom magnification is changed so that the photographing non-permitted range is not photographed when the other photographing permitted range is automatically controlled.

Images