JP4148795B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that records an image taken by a surveillance camera, and more particularly to an image recording apparatus that is used in conjunction with an alarm device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a surveillance camera system combining a surveillance camera and an alarm device has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this monitoring camera system, when an abnormality is detected by an alarm device, an image taken by the monitoring camera at that time is recorded in a recording device. The recorded image is useful for identifying an intruder or the like that has caused the abnormality detection.
[0003]
For this reason, only an authorized person can perform operations such as stopping recording of images taken by the surveillance camera, searching for images, playing back images, or deleting recorded images.
An authorized operator operates the ID card to read the ID code before performing a desired operation. The image recording apparatus accepts a subsequent operation only when the input ID code matches the ID code registered in advance.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-224570
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The surveillance camera system is also used for purposes other than intruder image recording. For example, it is also used for image recording of an operator who operates an alarm device or an image recording device, image recording of a visitor, scheduled recording of a situation image in a store, display of a current situation image, and the like.
When the surveillance camera system is used for such multiple purposes, the opportunity to operate the image recording apparatus increases. Therefore, it is only inconvenient and inconvenient for the user to input the ID code for each operation.
[0006]
However, it is not preferable that an unauthorized person can operate. If the image can be operated in the warning set state, the image is deleted by the intruder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to allow an image recording apparatus connected to an alarm device to restrict operations on recorded images without requiring a user to perform special operations.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made to achieve the above object. The image recording apparatus of the present invention records an image captured by the monitoring camera in the storage unit when the alarm device detects an abnormality. The recorded image is used for analysis of the cause of abnormality. The image recording apparatus performs a process of recording an image captured by the monitoring camera in a storage unit and a process of reproducing, searching, and erasing the image recorded in the storage unit in accordance with a user operation.
[0008]
The image recording apparatus of the present invention has an operation lock processing unit, and invalidates an operation input in the operation unit when the security device is set in a warning set state. Therefore, when the alarm device is set to the alert set state, it becomes invalid regardless of who operates the operation unit of the image recording device, thereby preventing an intruder from reproducing or erasing the image. it can.
[0009]
When the alarm device is not set to the alarm set state, by enabling the operation of the operation unit, the user can manage images without requiring troublesome operations such as inputting an ID code. .
It should be noted that the operation of the operation unit can be set to be invalid in a state other than the warning set state. This valid or valid setting can be set in advance by the user.
[0010]
Further, according to the present invention, even when the alarm device is set to the warning set state, the operation of the operation unit can be validated when the alarm device is set to the coping state of the guard. Thereby, the security guard who arrives upon receiving an abnormality report from the alarm device can immediately check the contents of the recorded image.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
A surveillance camera system using the image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The image recording device 1 is connected to the alarm device 2. The alarm device 2 communicates with a remote monitoring center 4 via a communication line 3.
[0012]
Various sensors 5 such as a disaster prevention sensor and a security sensor are arranged in the security area and connected to the alarm device 2. An external camera 6 that captures the monitoring area is connected to the image recording apparatus 1.
It should be noted that the external camera 6 can be used as one of the sensors 5 by performing motion detection processing on the image captured by the external camera 6.
[0013]
The alarm device 2 has a set / release operation unit 7. When the user operates the set / release operation unit 7 using the ID card, the security mode of the warning device 2 is set to the warning set mode or the warning release mode. Further, when the security guard intends to deal with the situation within the monitoring area, the countermeasure mode is set using an ID card or by a command from the monitoring center 4.
The alarm device 2 collates and confirms the ID code read from the ID card, and then sets the security mode to the operation input mode.
[0014]
When there is a security mode switching setting, the alarm device 2 transmits the setting information to the image recording device 1. The setting information includes date / time, operator ID, and security mode transition information.
When the sensor 5 detects an abnormality in the warning set mode, the alarm device 2 issues an abnormality to the remote monitoring center 4 via the communication line 3. Further, the abnormality detection information is notified to the image recording apparatus 1.
[0015]
The image recording apparatus 1 is connected to an external camera 6 and further includes a main body camera 8. The main camera 8 is angle-adjusted and fixed so that the face of the person who operates the image recording device 1 or the alarm device 2 can be photographed. The main camera 8 is provided with an illumination unit 9. The external camera 6 captures an image of the monitoring area, but it may capture the operator as with the main camera 8.
[0016]
The image recording apparatus 1 further includes an operation unit 10 and a liquid crystal display unit 11.
The operation unit 10 includes a camera changeover switch 12 and operation buttons 13. By operating the operation unit 10, it is possible to record images captured by the arbitrary cameras 6 and 8 in the storage unit 21. By operating the operation unit 10, it is possible to search for a recorded image, display it on the liquid crystal display unit 11, and delete it.
[0017]
When the alarm device 2 detects an abnormality and receives abnormality detection information, the image recording device 1 records an image captured by the external camera 6 or the main camera 8 corresponding to the sensor 5 that has detected the abnormality in the storage unit 21. To do. Thereby, the image which image | photographed the condition at the time of abnormality occurrence can be left in the memory | storage part 21. FIG.
Further, when the set / release operation unit 7 is operated in the alarm device 2 and the security mode setting information is received, the received setting information and the image captured by the main camera 8 are recorded in the storage unit. Thereby, an operator's image can be attached and the operation history of the alarm device 2 can be left.
[0018]
The configuration of the image recording apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The control unit 14 includes a CPU and controls each unit of the image recording apparatus 1.
The alarm device 2 is connected to the control unit 14 via an alarm device interface 15 (hereinafter, “interface” is abbreviated as “I / F”), and the external camera 6 is connected via an external camera I / F 16.
[0019]
A main body camera 8, a distance measuring sensor 17, an illumination unit 9, and an illuminance sensor 18 are connected to the control unit 14.
The control unit 14 includes an imaging processing unit 19, a recording processing unit 20, a display processing unit 22, and an operation lock processing unit 23.
The photographing processing unit 19 performs focus adjustment and exposure adjustment based on detection outputs of the distance measuring sensor 17 and the illuminance sensor 18, turns on the illumination unit 9 if necessary, and performs photographing with the main body camera 8. Shooting by the main camera 8 is continuously performed at predetermined time intervals.
[0020]
The recording processing unit 20 has a ring buffer, and holds the captured images of the external camera 6 and the main camera 8 for a predetermined number of frames. The retained image is retained by a predetermined number of frames by overwriting the oldest image with the newly received image. For example, when images are received at intervals of 1 second and 10 frames are held, images for the past 10 seconds are held.
[0021]
The held image is recorded in the storage unit 21 by the recording processing unit 20 according to a predetermined condition. This predetermined condition will be described later. The storage unit 21 is configured by a flash memory. Information recorded in the storage unit 21 can be transferred to a memory card inserted from an insertion slot (not shown) or an externally connected electronic device.
The operation unit 10 includes a camera changeover switch 12 and operation buttons 13.
The operation button 13 includes buttons such as “display”, “search”, “record”, and “delete”. The camera changeover switch 12 is provided to select the external camera 6 or the main camera 8.
[0022]
When “recording” is selected by the operation button 13, the recording processing unit 20 records an image by the external camera 6 or the main camera 8 selected by the camera changeover switch 12 in the storage unit 21. When the abnormality detection information is received from the alarm device 2, an image by the external camera 6 or the main camera 8 corresponding to the sensor 5 that has detected the abnormality is recorded in the storage unit 21. Further, when security mode setting information is received from the alarm device 2 and it is determined that the security mode has been switched, the image by the main camera 8 is stored in the storage unit 21.
Thereby, the image of the operator who operated the alarm device 2 is recorded.
[0023]
When “display” or “search” is selected with the operation button 13, the display processing unit 22 displays the current image input from the external camera 6 or the main camera 8 or the information recorded in the storage unit 21 on the liquid crystal display unit. 11 and performs processing according to the operation of the operation unit 10.
When “Erase” is selected with the operation button 13, the information recorded in the storage unit 21 is erased by the recording processing unit 20.
[0024]
The operation lock processing unit 23 sets the operation of the operation unit 10 input to the control unit 14 to be valid or invalid.
When the alarm device I / F 15 receives the alert set mode as the guard mode, the operation is set to be invalid. As a result, search and deletion of recorded images by an intruder or the like can be prevented.
[0025]
When the countermeasure mode is received as the security mode, the operation is set to be valid. As a result, operations such as recording, searching, and erasing of images can be performed by security guards.
In the case of the warning cancellation mode, the operation can be set to be valid or invalid by a command from an authorized user or the monitoring center 4.
[0026]
When it is set to be valid, the user can arbitrarily manage the image by operating the operation unit without requiring troublesome operations such as inputting an ID code in the alert release state. When set to invalid, the image cannot be managed only by operating the operation unit by a normal method, and therefore it is possible to prohibit image management by an unauthorized user.
[0027]
With reference to FIG. 3, a process of recording a captured image in the storage unit 21 by the recording processing unit 20 will be described. The illustrated process is executed at predetermined time intervals.
When an abnormality is detected by the alarm device 2, abnormality detection information is transmitted to the image recording device 1. When the alarm device I / F 15 receives the abnormality detection information (YES in step S1), the image held in the ring buffer is recorded in the storage unit 21 (step S2).
[0028]
The image recorded at this time is an image taken by the external camera 6 or the main camera 8 corresponding to the sensor 5 that has detected the abnormality, and includes one image at the time of abnormality detection and one image before and after that one second. Three images are obtained. Abnormal information, date and time, camera number, etc. are attached to the recorded image.
[0029]
When the alarm device 2 performs a security mode switching operation, the setting information is transmitted to the image recording device 1. When the security mode received by the alarm device I / F 15 changes (YES in step S3), the image held in the ring buffer is stored in the storage unit 21 (step S4). The images recorded at this time are images taken by the main camera 8, and are two images in total, one image at the time of switching operation and one image two seconds before. Setting information including date / time, operator ID, and security mode transition information is attached to the image.
[0030]
For example, when the user wants to record an image currently captured by the external camera 6, the user selects the external camera 6 with the camera changeover switch 12 and operates the recording button of the operation button 13. When this recording operation is performed (YES in step S5), the current image captured by the external camera 6 is recorded in the storage unit 21 (step S6). The date and time, camera number, etc. are attached to the recorded image. At this time, the operator may be photographed with the main camera 8 and attached to the recorded image.
[0031]
The process of the operation lock process part 23 is demonstrated using FIG. The illustrated process is executed at predetermined time intervals.
When the warning device 2 is operated to switch the security mode and the warning set mode is input to the warning device I / F 15 (YES in step S11), the operation is set to be invalid (step S12).
[0032]
When the warning release mode is input as the security mode (YES in step S13), the user or the monitoring center sets the validity or invalidity set in advance (step S14).
When the countermeasure mode is received as the security mode (YES in step S15), the operation is set to be valid (step S16).
[0033]
As described above, since no one can operate the recorded image in the warning set mode, it is possible to allow an unauthorized person to operate in the warning release mode. As a result, since the operation can be performed without inputting the ID code in the warning release mode, the burden on the operator can be reduced. In addition, even in the alert release mode, it is possible to set so that only authorized persons can operate as in the conventional case. Regardless of the setting in the warning release mode, the operation is allowed in the countermeasure mode, so that the guard can immediately check the information in the recording unit 21 without taking time for troublesome ID code input.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in an image recording apparatus connected to an alarm device, it is possible to restrict operations on a recorded image without requiring a user to perform a special operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a surveillance camera system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image recording apparatus in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing of a recording processing unit in FIG. 2;
4 is a flowchart showing processing of an operation lock processing unit in FIG. 2;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image recording apparatus 2 ... Alarm apparatus 3 ... Communication line 4 ... Monitoring center 5 ... Sensor 6 ... External camera 7 ... Set / release operation part 8 ... Main body camera 9 ... Illumination part 10 ... Operation part 11 ... Liquid crystal display part 12 ... Camera switch 13 ... operation button 14 ... control unit 15 ... alarm device I / F
16 ... External camera I / F
17 ... Distance sensor 18 ... Illuminance sensor 19 ... Shooting processing unit 20 ... Recording processing unit 21 ... Storage unit 22 ... Display processing unit 23 ... Operation lock processing unit

Claims (3)

In an image recording device that is connected to an alarm device and records an image from a surveillance camera,
An acquisition unit for acquiring information from the alarm device;
A storage unit for recording images;
An operation unit that receives user input,
An image processing unit for performing processing for recording an image from the monitoring camera in the storage unit, and processing for recording an image of the monitoring camera in the storage unit in response to an operation input from the operation unit, or An image processing unit that performs processing on an image recorded in the storage unit;
An operation lock processing unit that sets the operation input of the operation unit to be valid or invalid, and when the acquisition unit acquires warning set information, an operation lock processing unit that sets the operation input to invalid,
An image recording apparatus comprising:   The operation lock processing unit can be set by the user when the valid or invalid setting is in a state other than the warning set state, and when the acquisition unit acquires the warning release state, The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation is set to valid or invalid set by the user. An alarm device that receives an operation using a user's ID card, sets the security mode to a warning set or a warning release, and sets the security mode to a response state by an operation using a security officer's ID card or a command from the monitoring center And an image recording device connected to the alarm device for recording an image from the monitoring camera,
The image recording apparatus includes:
An acquisition unit for acquiring information of a security mode set by the alarm device;
A storage unit for recording images;
An operation unit that receives user input,
An image processing unit that performs processing for recording an image of the monitoring camera in the storage unit or processing for an image recorded in the storage unit in response to an operation input from the operation unit;
An operation lock processing unit for setting the operation input of the operation unit to be valid or invalid;
Comprising
The operation locking unit, the acquisition unit is disabled the operation input and acquires precaution setting information, the acquisition unit is characterized in that it enabled the operation of the operation unit and obtains the address state Surveillance camera system.

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