JP6634994B2 - Information processing apparatus, control method thereof, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program, and more particularly to a technology that enables a subject to be photographed by a camera to be illuminated by illumination of a flying object, and that allows a camera to clearly photograph a subject.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a network camera such as a stationary weather camera is used to shoot an airport, a city, and the like and broadcast it on a television.

  However, in such a stationary network camera, if the subject is dark, the subject becomes difficult to be imaged.

  Patent Document 1 discloses that when a drone takes an image of the same person as that taken by a surveillance camera, the drone follows that person.

JP 2014-149620

  An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that enables a subject to be photographed by a camera to be illuminated by the lighting of a flying object, and allows the camera to clearly photograph the subject.

  The present invention is an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a network camera for photographing a subject and a flying object provided with a lighting device, and acquiring, from the network camera, photographing information relating to imaging of the subject by the network camera. Means, a subject specifying means for specifying the position of the subject according to the photographing information obtained by the obtaining means, and a target position for specifying a flight target position at which the flying object flies according to the position specified by the subject specifying means. An identification unit, and an instruction unit for instructing the flying object to fly the flying object to the flight target position identified by the target position identification unit.

  Further, the present invention is a network camera for photographing a subject, and a control method in an information processing device capable of communicating with a flying object equipped with a lighting device, wherein the acquisition unit is configured to acquire the subject by the network camera from the network camera. An acquisition step of acquiring shooting information related to imaging, a subject identification unit, a subject identification step of identifying the position of the subject according to the imaging information acquired in the acquisition step, and a target position identification unit, A target position specifying step of specifying a flight target position where the flying object flies according to the specified position; andinstruction means for instructing the flying object to fly to the flight target position specified by the target position specifying step. And an instruction step to be performed on the flying object.

  Further, the present invention is a network camera for photographing a subject, and a program that can be read and executed by an information processing device capable of communicating with a flying object provided with a lighting device, wherein the information processing device is Acquisition means for acquiring shooting information relating to imaging of a subject by a network camera, according to the shooting information acquired by the acquisition means, subject identification means for identifying the position of the subject, and according to the position identified by the subject identification means, Target position specifying means for specifying a flight target position at which the flying object flies, and functioning as instruction means for instructing the flying object to fly the flying object to the flight target position specified by the target position specifying means. It is characterized by making it.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to illuminate the object image | photographed by a camera with the illumination of a flying object, and a camera can image an object clearly.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware block diagram of the information processing apparatus 101 illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a drone 102 flies over a subject 303 captured by a network camera 1021 and illuminates a light with a lighting device 304 included in the drone 102. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of various data tables stored in the information processing apparatus 101. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a top view of the network camera 1021 at an initial position. FIG. 6 shows an example of a side view 601 of the network camera 1021, a side view 602 of the network camera 1021, and an example of a side view 602 of the network camera 1021. FIG. 701 is a side view 701 of the network camera. It is a top view of a network camera. It is a side view of a network camera and a drone located in a flight target position. It is a top view of a network camera. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart illustrating a control processing procedure executed by a CPU (control unit) of the information processing apparatus 101.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail according to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the system according to the embodiment of the present invention is a system including a network camera 1021, an information processing device 101, and a flying object such as a drone 102.

  The network camera 1021, the information processing apparatus 101, and the flying object such as the drone 102 are communicably connected via a network.

  The network camera 1021 and the information processing apparatus 101 are communicably connected via a wired or wireless network 104.

The information processing apparatus 101 and a flying object such as the drone 102 are communicably connected via a wired or wireless network 105.
Further, the information processing apparatus 101 is communicably connected to the console 103.

  The operation console 103 is an operation console of the network camera 1021, and the user can operate the operation console to cause the network camera 1021 to perform various operations such as pan, tilt, and zoom.

  Here, the network camera 1021 is a camera that can also function as a weather camera, a security camera, or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware block diagram of the information processing apparatus 101 illustrated in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a CPU, which comprehensively controls each device and controller connected to the system bus 204. The ROM 202 or the external memory 211 includes a basic input / output system (BIOS) or an operating system program (hereinafter, referred to as an OS), which is a control program of the CPU 201, and a function to be executed by each server or each PC. Various programs described later are stored.

  A RAM 203 functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like for the CPU 201. The CPU 201 loads various programs and the like necessary for executing the processing from the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 to the RAM 203 and executes the loaded programs to realize various operations.

  An input controller 205 controls input from an input device such as a keyboard (KB 209) or a pointing device such as a mouse (not shown). A video controller 206 controls display on a display 210 such as a liquid crystal display. The display 210 is a touch panel, and also functions as an input device that can be operated by pressing a screen on the display.

  A memory controller 207 is connected to an external storage device (hard disk (HD)) for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, various data, and the like, a flexible disk (FD), or a PCMCIA card slot. It controls access to an external memory 211 such as a CompactFlash (registered trademark) memory connected via an adapter.

  A communication I / F controller 208 connects and communicates with an external device via a network, and executes communication control processing on the network. For example, communication using TCP / IP is possible.

  Note that the CPU 201 enables display on the display 210 by executing, for example, an outline font development (rasterization) process on a display information area in the RAM 203. Further, the CPU 201 enables a user instruction with a mouse cursor (not shown) on the display 210.

  Various programs described below for realizing the present invention are recorded in the external memory 211 and are executed by the CPU 201 by being loaded into the RAM 203 as necessary. Furthermore, a definition file and various information tables used when executing the above program are also stored in the external memory 211, and a detailed description thereof will be described later.

  Next, the system including the network camera 1021 and a flying object such as the drone 102 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the drone 102 flies over a subject 303 captured by the network camera 1021 and illuminates a light with a lighting fixture 304 included in the drone 102.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the network camera 1021 includes a camera body 301 and a lens 302.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the shooting range shot by the network camera 1021 and the lighting range illuminated by the drone 102 are indicated by dotted lines.

Next, various data tables stored in the information processing apparatus 101 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of various data tables stored in the information processing apparatus 101.

  The position data of the network camera 1021 shown in FIG. 4 is information indicating the position (latitude, longitude, altitude) where the network camera 1021 is installed.

  The pan (angle) data shown in FIG. 4 is a table in which the initial position (reference position) where the network camera 1021 is installed is 0 °, and the photographing direction (north direction) of the network camera is shown at that position.

  Tilt (angle) data shown in FIG. 4 is a diagram showing tilt angle data of the network camera 1021. 0 ° indicates horizontal.

  The zoom (focus) data shown in FIG. 4 is data (f value) indicating how much the network camera 1021 is zoomed.

  The focus (distance) data shown in FIG. 4 is data indicating the distance to the focused object by the network camera 1021.

The iris (F value) data illustrated in FIG. 4 is data (F value) indicating the brightness (brightness of the subject) of the imaging range in which the network camera 1021 is imaging.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a top view of the network camera 1021 at the initial position.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the installed network camera 1021 at the initial position is facing north.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a side view 601 of the network camera 1021, a side view 602 of the network camera 1021, and a side view 602 of the network camera 1021.

  A side view 601 of the network camera 1021 indicates that the shooting direction of the network camera 1021 is horizontal, and indicates that the altitude of the network camera 1021 from the ground is, for example, 12.34 m.

  A side view 602 of the network camera 1021 shows that the network camera 1021 is tilted (tilted) downward by an angle of θ.

  A side view 602 of the network camera 1021 shows that the network camera 1021 is capturing an image of a subject 303 (also referred to as an intruder).

  Next, a control processing procedure executed by the CPU (control means) of the information processing apparatus 101 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart illustrating a control processing procedure executed by the CPU (control unit) of the information processing apparatus 101.

  First, the user operates the console and operates the network camera 1021 to perform panning, tilting, zooming, and the like, and inputs an instruction to shoot a subject to the information processing apparatus 101.

  Then, the information processing apparatus 101 transmits the input instruction to the network camera 1021, and controls the operation of the network camera 1021. Then, the network camera 1021 captures an image of the capturing range (subject) of the network camera 1021 (S1101).

  Then, the information processing apparatus 101 captures shooting information (pan (angle) data, tilt (angle) data, zoom (collation distance) data, focus (focus) data, iris (F value) in a state where the network camera 1021 is shooting. ) Data is acquired from the network camera 1021 (S1102).

S1102 is an application example of an acquisition unit that acquires, from a network camera, shooting information related to imaging of a subject by the network camera.
The information processing apparatus 101 determines whether to fly a drone (S1103).

  Specifically, it is possible to determine whether or not to fly the drone by determining whether or not an instruction to fly the drone has been received by the user. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus 101 determines whether or not the value of the iris (F value) data acquired in step S1102 exceeds a predetermined value, thereby determining an imaging range (subject) in which the network camera 1021 is imaging. By determining whether or not is dark, if it is determined that the shooting range (subject) is dark, it is determined that the drone is to fly, and if it is determined that the shooting range (subject) is not dark, the drone is Judge not to skip.

  When it is determined that the drone is to be skipped (S1103: YES), the information processing apparatus 101 proceeds to step S1104, and when it is determined that the drone is not to be skipped (S1103: NO), the information processing apparatus 101 proceeds to step S1107. Transition.

  In step S1104, the information processing apparatus 101 specifies the position of the subject according to the shooting information acquired in step S1102 (S1104). A specific calculation method (specification method) will be described later.

  S1104 is an application example of the subject specifying unit that specifies the position of the subject according to the photographing information acquired by the acquiring unit.

  Then, the information processing apparatus 101 specifies a flight target position at which the drone 102 is to fly according to the specified position of the subject (S1105), and instructs the drone 102 to fly to the specified flight target position. This is transmitted together with the flight target position (S1106). Then, the drone 102 jumps out to the flight target position and illuminates the subject with the lighting fixture 304. Here, a specific calculation method (specific method) of the flight target position will be described later.

  S1105 is an application example of the target position specifying unit that specifies the flight target position where the flying object flies according to the position specified by the subject specifying unit. The target position specifying means specifies a flight target position at which the flying object flies according to the position of the subject specified by the subject specifying means and the position of the network camera. Further, the target position specifying means specifies a flight target position where the flying object does not enter the imaging range of the network camera according to the position of the subject specified by the subject specifying means and the position of the network camera.

  S1106 is an application example of the instructing means for instructing the flying object to fly the flying object to the flight target position specified by the target position specifying means. Further, the instructing means transmits the position of the specified subject to the flying object so that the subject at the position specified by the subject specifying means is illuminated by the lighting equipment.

  The information processing apparatus 101 determines whether the user has received an instruction to stop shooting by the network camera (S1107). If the instruction to stop the shooting has been received, the information processing apparatus 101 instructs the network camera to stop shooting. Is performed, and an instruction to stop the flight is transmitted to the drone 102, and the process ends. Upon receiving an instruction to stop flying, the drone operates to fly back to a predetermined position. When the network camera receives an instruction to stop shooting, the network camera stops shooting.

If the information processing apparatus 101 determines that the user has not received an instruction to stop shooting by the network camera (S1107: NO), the information processing apparatus 101 returns the process to S1101.
Next, an example of the specifying method in S1104 and S1105 will be described.
First, a calculation for specifying the position of the subject is performed according to the shooting information acquired in S1102.
First, the height of the subject is calculated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the tilt angle of the imaging information acquired in S1102 is 5 degrees and the imaging distance (focus (focus) data) of the imaging information acquired in S1102 is 30 m, the height of the network camera The value of Z, which is the difference from the height of the subject, is calculated as 2.61 m by calculating sin (−5 degrees) × 30 m.

Therefore, the height of the network camera is 12.34 m as shown in the table of FIG. 4, and by subtracting 2.61 m from this 12.34 m, the height (altitude) of the subject is 9.73 m. Is calculated.
Next, a method of calculating the latitude of the subject will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the tilt angle of the shooting information acquired in S1102 is 5 degrees, and the shooting distance is 30 m. Therefore, by calculating cos (5 degrees) × 30 m, the distance from the network camera to the subject from above is calculated. The seen distance (29.89 m) is calculated.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8, since the pan angle of the shooting information acquired in S1102 is 15 degrees, by calculating cos (15 degrees) × 29.89 m, the latitude from the network camera to the subject is calculated. A straight distance (28.88 m) is calculated.

  Since the latitude is 30.86 m per second, by dividing 28.88 m by 30.86 m, it can be calculated that the difference in latitude from the network camera is 0.94 seconds.

Since the latitude of the network camera is 35 degrees 37 minutes 32.14 seconds as shown in FIG. 4, subtracting 0.94 seconds from 35 degrees 37 minutes 32.14 seconds, the latitude (35 degrees 37 Minute 33.06 seconds).
Next, a method of calculating the longitude of the subject will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 8, since the pan angle of the shooting information acquired in S1102 is 15 degrees and the distance from the network camera to the subject as viewed from above is 29.89 m, 29.89 m is represented by sin (15 degrees). By dividing, the distance (7.74 m) in longitude between the network camera and the subject is calculated.

  Since the longitude is 25.37 m per second, the value of the difference between the longitude of the network camera and the object (0.31 second) is calculated by dividing 7.74 m by 25.37 m.

Since the longitude of the network camera is 139 degrees 44 minutes 25.45 seconds as shown in FIG. 4, by subtracting 0.31 seconds from 139 degrees 44 minutes 25.45 seconds, the latitude of the subject (139 degrees 44 minutes 25 minutes) is obtained. .14 seconds).
With the above calculations, the altitude, latitude, and longitude of the subject could be obtained.
Next, a method for calculating the flight target distance of the drone will be described.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the drone is positioned 5 m (predetermined value) in front of the subject in the direction of the network camera and 5 m from the altitude of the subject in order to keep the drone out of the shooting range of the network camera. (Predetermined value).

That is, here, a position 5 m (predetermined value) in front of the subject in the network camera direction and a position 5 m (predetermined value) from the altitude of the subject are calculated.
First, calculation of the altitude of the flight target distance of the drone will be described.

Since the height of the subject is 9.73 m as described above, a value obtained by adding 5 m to the value (14.73 m) is calculated as the altitude of the flight target distance of the drone.
Next, a method of calculating the longitude of the flight target distance of the drone will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 10, a value obtained by subtracting 5 m from the horizontal distance (29.89 m) between the network camera and the subject is the horizontal distance (24.89 m) from the network camera to the flight target distance of the drone. .

  Therefore, since the pan angle is 15 degrees, when sin (15 degrees) × 24.89 m is calculated, the longitudinal distance (24.04 m) between the network camera and the flight target distance of the drone is calculated.

Since the longitude is 25.34 m per second, calculating the latitude of the network camera 1021 (35 degrees 37 minutes 32.14 seconds)-(24.04 m / (30.86 m / 1 second)) The latitude (35 degrees 37 minutes 31.36 seconds) of the flight target of the drone 102 is calculated.
Next, a method of calculating the latitude of the flight target distance of the drone will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 10, since the pan angle is 15 degrees, the flight target between the network camera and the drone is calculated by calculating cos (15 degrees) / the horizontal distance (29.89 m) between the network camera and the subject. The distance (6.44 m) on the latitude with respect to the distance is calculated.

  Since the longitude is 30.86 m per second, the latitude (35 degrees 37 minutes 32.14 seconds)-(24.04 m / (30.86 m / 1 second)) of the network camera 1021 is calculated, and the drone 102 Of the flight target (35 degrees 37 minutes 31.36 seconds) can be calculated.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the gist thereof.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to illuminate the subject photographed by the camera with the lighting of the flying object, and to photograph the subject clearly with the camera.

  As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described in full detail, this invention can take embodiment as a system, an apparatus, a method, a program executable by an apparatus, or a storage medium.

  Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and a computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or the apparatus to store the storage medium. Needless to say, this can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the program. That is, the present invention can be applied not only to an imaging device but also to an information processing device such as a personal computer.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible 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, and the like can be used.

  When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS (basic system or operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

101 information processing device 102 flying object 1021 network camera

Claims (6)

A network camera for photographing a subject, and an information processing device capable of communicating with a flying object equipped with lighting equipment,
Acquisition means for acquiring, from the network camera, imaging information relating to imaging of a subject by the network camera,
Subject specifying means for specifying the position of the subject according to the photographing information acquired by the acquiring means,
Target position specifying means for specifying a flight target position where the flying object flies according to the position specified by the subject specifying means,
Instruction means for instructing the flying object to fly the flying object to the flight target position specified by the target position specifying means,
An information processing apparatus comprising:   The said instruction | indication means transmits the position of the said specified subject to the said flying object in order to illuminate the object of the position specified by the said subject specification means with the said lighting fixture, The said flying object. Information processing device.   The said target position specification means specifies the flight target position at which the said flying object flies according to the position of the object specified by the said object specification means, and the position of the said network camera. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1.   The target position specifying means specifies a flight target position at which the flying object does not enter the imaging range of the network camera according to the position of the subject specified by the subject specifying means and the position of the network camera. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein A network camera for photographing a subject, and a control method in an information processing device capable of communicating with a flying object including a lighting device,
Obtaining means for obtaining, from the network camera, shooting information related to imaging of a subject by the network camera;
Subject identifying means for identifying a position of the subject according to the photographing information acquired in the acquiring step;
Target position specifying means for specifying a flight target position at which the flying object flies according to the position specified by the subject specifying step;
Instruction means for instructing the flying object to instruct the flying object to fly to the flight target position specified by the target position specifying step;
A control method comprising: A network camera that captures an object, and a program that can be read and executed by an information processing device that can communicate with a flying object including a lighting device,
The information processing device,
Acquisition means for acquiring, from the network camera, imaging information relating to imaging of a subject by the network camera,
Subject specifying means for specifying the position of the subject according to the photographing information acquired by the acquiring means,
Target position specifying means for specifying a flight target position where the flying object flies according to the position specified by the subject specifying means,
A program for causing an instruction to fly the flying object to a flight target position specified by the target position specifying means to function as instruction means for instructing the flying object.

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