JPH04284792A - Monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To preserve and monitor a large quantity of image information without taking large space by being equipped with an image pick-up means, a data converting part, a transmitting part and a data storing part. CONSTITUTION:The image pick-up is performed for each prescribed time by a video camera 11. By a converting part 12, binary image data are converted and stored into the memory of facsimile equipment 13. A signal coded by receiving side facsimile equipment 15 is decoded and stored into a file 16. When the next image pick-up is performed, a video signal at the monitoring area is also binarized, stored into compared with the memory of the facsimile 13, compared with the previous image data by an image identifying device 14 and a different portion is transmitted through the facsimile 13. Then, when the change is not performed, transmission is not performed, and monitoring is continued at the prescribed interval. The data are read from the file 16 as needed and printed by the facsimile 15. By such a constitution, even for the monitoring device necessary to preserve the image data for a long time, the preservation of the image data becomes unnecessary at the monitoring place and the storing data quantity is decreased.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a monitoring device, and more particularly to a monitoring device that photographs a monitored location and stores the image data.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, security cameras have been used as monitoring devices as described above. As shown in FIG. 3, this system consists of a video camera 21 that photographs the monitored area and outputs an image signal, and a video tape recorder 23 that stores this image signal on a video tape 22. When checking, use the videotape 22 containing the image data.
This is done by playing the .

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the above-mentioned monitoring device, when it is necessary to store image data for a long period of time, it is necessary to store a large amount of video tape, and it is necessary to store a large amount of video tape. There is a problem in that it is difficult to store large amounts of video tapes in stores and the like. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device that can store a large amount of image data without taking up a large amount of space.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] As shown in FIG. 1, means for solving the above problems in the present invention include, in a monitoring device, a photographing means 1 for photographing a monitored location and outputting an image signal; a data converting means 2 for converting image data into binary image data; a transmitting section 3 for transmitting the binary image data to a telephone line; and a receiving section 4 for receiving the image data;
The present invention also includes a data storage section 5 that stores received image data.

According to the present invention, the transmitter 3 can use the image comparison means 6 to select data different from the previously transmitted image data from among the image data, and transmit only the different data.

[0006]

[Operation] According to the present invention, the image signal from the photographing means is
The image data is converted into binary image data by the data converting means, received by the transmitting section via the telephone line by the receiving section, and stored in the data storage section. Therefore, even in a monitoring device that needs to store image data for a long period of time, there is no need to store image data at the monitoring location.

[0007]The image comparing means compares the previous image data and the image data, and transmits only the different data, thereby reducing the amount of data to be transmitted and stored.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a monitoring device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a monitoring device according to the present invention.

In this embodiment, the monitoring device includes a video camera 11 as a photographing means for photographing a monitored place such as a store, and a data converter for converting an image signal outputted from the video camera 11 into a binary image that can be transmitted by facsimile. Part 12 and
a facsimile device 13 having an image memory for storing converted data and serving as a transmitter for transmitting the binary image through a telephone line; and an image comparison means for comparing previous image data and image data and selecting only different data. It has an image identification device 14. Each of the above configurations is provided at a monitoring location.

[0010] A facsimile machine as a receiver is connected to a facsimile machine at the monitoring place via a telephone line at a place remote from the monitoring place, for example, a monitoring center, and receives the image signal from the sending facsimile machine. The facsimile apparatus 15 has a file serving as a large-capacity data storage section for storing image data received by the facsimile apparatus 15.

Next, the operation of the monitoring device according to this embodiment will be explained. First, the video camera 11 photographs the monitoring location at every set time. A video signal from the video camera 11 is converted into binary image data in a data converter 12. At this time, the continuous tone video signal is converted into a binary image using a technique such as a dither method.

The converted image data is stored in the image memory of the facsimile machine 13. The image data photographed first at this time is encoded and transmitted directly from the facsimile device 13 via the telephone line according to the normal facsimile communication procedure. Receiving side facsimile device 15
Then, this encoded signal is received, decoded, and stored in the file 16 as binary image data.

[0013] When the next photograph is taken, the video signal in the monitoring area is similarly binarized and sent to the facsimile machine 1.
3, and is stored in the image memory of 3, and the image identification device 14
The image data is compared with the previous image data, differences are detected, and the different data is sent to the transmitting section of the facsimile machine 13, which transmits this data as image data. Therefore, when there is no change in the image, no data is transmitted. This operation is performed at predetermined intervals and monitoring is continued.

Each time the receiving facsimile device 15 receives this data, it stores it in a file 16. Then, this data is read out and printed by the facsimile device 15 as necessary.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, there is no need to provide a space for storing image data at the location where monitoring is performed, and monitoring data over a long period of time can be stored in another location. In addition to not transmitting image data that does not exist, the data is also binarized and transmitted by facsimile, so it is compressed compared to the original video data, making it possible to store large amounts of data efficiently. .

[0016]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
The monitoring device includes: a photographing means for photographing a monitored location and outputting an image signal; a data converting means for converting image data into binary image data; a transmitting section for transmitting the binary image data to a telephone line; Since it is equipped with a receiving section that receives data and a data storage section that stores the received image data, the image signal from the photographing means is converted into binarized image data by the data converting means, and the transmitting section The data is received by the receiving unit via the telephone line and stored in the data storage unit. Therefore, even in a monitoring device that needs to store image data for a long period of time, there is no need to store image data at the monitored location, and the amount of data to be stored can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional monitoring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Photographing means 2 Data conversion section 3 Transmission section 4 Receiving section 5 Data storage section 6 Image comparison means

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claims 1: Photographing means (1) for photographing a monitoring location and outputting an image signal; a data converter (2) for converting the image signal into binary image data; and transmitting the binary image data to a telephone line. A monitoring device comprising: a transmitting section (3) that receives the image data; a receiving section (4) that receives the image data; and a data storage section (5) that stores the received binary image data. 2. The transmitting section (3) is characterized by having an image comparing means (6) for comparing the image data with previously transmitted image data, and transmitting only data different from the previously transmitted image data. The monitoring device according to claim 1.