JPH08237635A - Image pickup controller and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an image pickup controller and a control method thereof in which a control request of image pickup resource is received, rejected or held based on management information. CONSTITUTION: A CPU 203 decides whether or not a control request received from a communication equipment 207 and issued to an image pickup device 202 is accepted based on management information corresponding to the request source and controls the image pickup device 202 based on the decided control request. When a 1st control request whose control is already started is in existence, the priority on the 1st control request and a 2nd control request to be received is decided based on priority information corresponding to the request source included in the management information and whether or not the 2nd control request is accepted is decided based on the decision result. When the accept of the 2nd control request is decided, the 1st control request is held.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup control apparatus and a control method therefor, for example, an image pickup control apparatus for image pickup resources included in a system in which a plurality of resources are connected to each other via a network and shared, and a control method therefor. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a distributed system using a network, resources such as a processor resource, an external storage device, and a printing device are appropriately distributed among a plurality of users based on various resource sharing mechanisms. Also, with the speeding up of networks and the speeding up of computer systems, voice and video are also targets for sharing in distributed systems, and a video information utilization system using a remote camera is one of them.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned technique has the following problems. That is, it is not appropriate to apply the conventional sharing mechanism for resources to the remote camera sharing mechanism in a distributed environment.

For example, a file system or a database management system is used as a resource sharing mechanism for an external storage device. These mechanisms use different areas on the storage device as storage areas for files and records of individual users. While allocating, permit or reject data reference based on access control information. In addition, the resource sharing mechanism for the printing device selects a printing device that satisfies the print request and performs scheduling to prevent the print requests from overlapping each other. Generally, in order to manage sharing of different kinds of resources, a mechanism based on the characteristics of the resources should be provided. It is inappropriate to apply it to management.

The following are required for the sharing management mechanism of the remote camera. (1) Distribution control of video information to the remote camera (2) Control of angle of view and brightness of the remote camera, and attitude control of the camera (3) Content control of video information taken by the camera (4) Mutual control Acceptance control of conflicting requests

These mechanisms must meet the characteristics of remote cameras. In particular, the information obtained from the remote camera is generally real-time video information, and there is a restriction that information distribution and control request response must not be delayed for an unpredictable period. In this regard,
The same applies to a voice input device normally used with a remote camera.

That is, there is no existing resource sharing mechanism that satisfies the characteristics of a remote camera as a remote camera control in a distributed system and an access management mechanism for accessing image information obtained from the remote camera. As a result, there are problems that the remote camera cannot be shared sufficiently among a plurality of users, and that the control of the camera and the reference of the video information are unduly permitted.

The present invention is for solving the above-mentioned problems, and provides an image pickup control apparatus and a control method thereof capable of accepting, rejecting, or holding a request for controlling image pickup resources based on management information. With the goal.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] and

The present invention has the following structure as one means for achieving the above object.

An image pickup control device according to the present invention is an image pickup control device for an image pickup resource included in a system in which a plurality of resources are connected to each other via a network and shared, and which receives a control request for the image pickup resource. Means, determining means for deciding whether or not to accept the control request based on the management information corresponding to the issuer of the control request received by the receiving means, and acceptance for the control request. Control means for controlling the imaging resource based on the control request.

The image pickup control method according to the present invention is an image pickup control method for image pickup resources included in a system in which a plurality of resources are connected to each other via a network and shared, and a control request for the image pickup resources is received. A receiving step, a determining step of determining whether to accept the control request based on the management information corresponding to the issuer of the control request received in the receiving step, and a decision of accepting in the determining step. And a control step of controlling the imaging resource based on the generated control request.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image pickup control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0013]

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a distributed system using video information using a remote camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 101 is a computer network to which various kinds of resources such as a user terminal 102 and a remote camera 103 are connected. This computer network 101 is composed of LAN such as Ethernet and FDDI, ISDN, leased line or public line.
It is a WAN.

The user terminal 102 is connected to the computer network 101, and has a CPU, a main storage device, an external storage device,
A terminal device in which necessary items such as an input device, a display device, and a communication device are combined, and is, for example, a computer system.

The remote camera 103 is connected to the computer network 101. The connection is made directly by using a dedicated camera control device or indirectly through the terminal device 102. In that case, the control mechanism described later operates. In the following description, it is assumed that the dedicated camera control device is used to connect to the computer network 101.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control device of the remote camera 103. In the figure, reference numeral 202 denotes a photographing device that inputs a still image or a moving image as video information to the remote camera control device (hereinafter, also referred to as “camera”). In this embodiment, the sound information is
It is input by the audio input device attached to the image capturing device 202 and distributed together with the image information, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, in the case of distributing the audio information independently of the image information, this embodiment also shows. The method can be applied as is. It is also possible to use a plurality of voice input devices for one image capturing device 202. In the following, the image information and the sound information will be collectively described as video information.

Reference numeral 203 denotes a CPU which controls the entire remote camera control device, and 204 denotes a storage device which stores programs executed by the CPU 203 and control information and is used by the CPU 203 as a work memory. Reference numeral 205 denotes a video storage device for temporarily storing the video information input from the image capturing device 202, 206
Is an image processing device that performs various image processes on the image information stored in the video storage device 205. Note that software processing using the CPU 203 is also possible depending on the content of image processing. A communication device 207 receives a camera control request from the outside, transmits a response to the camera control request, and distributes video information stored in the video storage device 205. These functional blocks are interconnected by a bus 201.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an access control management table stored in the storage device 204 of the camera control device. This table is used by the CPU 203 for access control management.

In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a user identifier for identifying the user who issued the camera control request, which is commonly used in the distributed system shown in FIG. 1 or a remote camera control device. Is converted into a recognizable identifier. 302 is a terminal identifier for identifying the terminal device of the issue source when the camera control request is issued, and is an identifier depending on the network to which the terminal is connected.

Reference numeral 303 denotes a priority registered for each set of the user identifier 301 and the terminal identifier 302. The remote camera control device processes the camera control request based on this priority 303. In this embodiment, the higher the value, the higher the priority. The user identifier 301 and the terminal identifier 302
The maximum value of the priority allowed for the group is managed by another table or the like.

Reference numeral 304 denotes a camera control parameter permitted for each set of the user identifier 301 and the terminal identifier 302. The range of various settings of the photographing apparatus 202 such as brightness and angle of view, the photographing apparatus 2
The range of the attitude control 02 and the image processing parameter indicating the image processing applied to the video information obtained from the image capturing apparatus 202 are included. The camera control parameter 304 is internal information unique to the remote camera control device.

Reference numeral 305 is a record of the access control management table composed of the fields 301 to 304 described above, which is the CPU 203.
Registration, deletion, and modification are performed by the control program running on the above. In the present embodiment, when the camera control request matches a plurality of records, it is assumed that any one of them is selected using a known method, and the overlap between the records is excluded. Further, 306 is a special record in which at least one of the user identifier 301 and the terminal identifier 303 is empty and is a record selected when it does not match any of the records 305. The user identifier 301 is shown in FIG.
Although the case where both the terminal identifier 303 and the terminal identifier 303 are empty is shown, as described above, the user identifier 301 or the terminal identifier 302
Records that are only empty are allowed.

The allowable range of the control parameter p is as follows, for example. Control parameter p = shooting range: Ωp (ψ, φ), shooting time: 0:00 ~ 6:00 frame rate: 5 ~ 30

In addition to these, as the camera control parameters 304, imaging control parameters such as brightness, focus and magnification,
The camera orientation control parameters, image processing parameters for processing by the image processing device 206, and the like are included.
Note that the allowable range of the series of camera control parameters 304 is
As a record unique to the camera control device, especially CPU 203,
It is held in the storage device 204.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of a procedure for processing a camera control request, in which the camera control request is accepted.
It is executed by the CPU 203.

First, in step S401, the user identifier 301 and the terminal identifier 302 of the issuer of the camera control request are acquired. Acquisition of the user identifier 301 is performed by a known user authentication means
The terminal identifier 302 is performed by a known communication means. Next, in step S402, the access control management table is searched to obtain the records corresponding to the user identifier 301 and the terminal identifier 302, and it is determined in step S403 whether there is a corresponding record.

If there is a corresponding record, the allowable range of the request can be obtained from the record, and it is checked in step S404 whether the request is within the allowable range. This inspection is, for example,
It is to check whether the camera attitude control request is within the allowable range indicated by the retrieved record.

If the request is within the allowable range in step S405, the process proceeds to step S406 to inspect the operating status of the camera 202, and in step S407 it is determined whether the camera 202 is operating according to another camera control request. To do. If the camera 202 is in operation, the process advances to step S408 to compare the priority of the request currently operating the camera 202 with the priority of the request to be processed. continue,
In step S409, if the request being processed has a higher priority than the priority comparison result, step S410
Proceeding to, the low-priority request for operating the camera 202 is suspended, and the suspension notification is notified based on the corresponding user identifier and terminal identifier. That is, the hold notification is sent to the issuer of the held request.

Next, if the camera 202 is not operating in step S407, or if the low priority request is held in step S410, the camera control request is accepted in step S411, and the issuer thereof is issued. Is notified of the acceptance of the request and the camera 202 is controlled in accordance with the request. Further, since the camera control request is stored in the storage device 204 including the user identifier, the terminal identifier, and the priority, steps S406 to S410 of the new camera control request process.
In, the stored camera control request can be referred to.

Further, the corresponding record is not retrieved in step S403, the request is determined to exceed the allowable range in step S405, and the request for operating the camera 202 in step S409 has a higher priority. In either case, in step S412, the request to be processed is rejected, and the issuer is notified of the rejection. In step S409, if the two requests have the same priority, the process may branch to step S410.
You may set it to branch to step S412.

Further, the low-priority request held in step S410 is restarted when the process for the higher-priority request is completed, unless cancellation is requested by the issuer or the like.

As described above, in the remote camera control device shared in the multi-user distributed environment, an access control management table having the user identifier and the terminal identifier of the issuer of the camera control request as keys is provided, and the camera control parameters are stored in this table. By registering the acceptance range of
A plurality of camera control requests can be arbitrated, and remote camera resources can be effectively shared.

[0033]

Second Embodiment An image pickup control apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. It should be noted that in the second embodiment, substantially the same configurations as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the first embodiment, when there are a plurality of requests, one of the requests is rejected or put on hold based on the priority of the requests. However, it is possible to accept multiple requests at the same time if the requests do not conflict with each other.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of the procedure for processing the camera control request according to the present embodiment. The same steps as those in the processing shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals. That is,
In step S501, it is checked whether or not the two requests collide with each other.
If no collision occurs, the process proceeds to step S411.

Here, the camera control requests that do not collide with each other include a case where video information obtained from the same camera need only be transmitted, such as a video information distribution start request, or a request having a high priority. This is a case where, as a result, a request with a high priority is satisfied, such as a posture control including a specified imaging range or a zooming request.

However, while it is relatively easy to determine whether to accept a request with a low priority during the processing of a request with a high priority, a process with a high priority ends and a pending priority is given. When resuming the processing of a request with a low value, a separate processing is required. That is, the request with the highest priority is selected from the pending requests and the processing is restarted. However, among the pending requests with a lower priority, the processing can be restarted at the same time as the request to restart the processing. There may be some.

Therefore, the procedure of the process for restarting the request is as follows.
The processing from step S402 onward will be repeated in order from the request with the highest priority, but a method for efficiently performing this is when the request is suspended in step S410, and
This is realized by obtaining an interdependency relationship with another request when accepting the request in S411. That is, when resuming a request, it becomes possible to acquire a resumable series of requests based on the interdependency.

The same process can be performed for holding a request with a low priority in step S410. In other words, when a request being processed is held and a new request is accepted, a set of requests that can continue processing is obtained, so processing can be continued among the requests to be held. Those that do not continue processing as they are, and separately start only processing of a new request that is found to be acceptable. By doing so, it is possible to minimize the transmission of the request suspension notification performed in step S410, and in particular, it is possible to improve the utilization efficiency of the computer network 101.

[0040]

Third Embodiment An image pickup control apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In addition, in the third embodiment, substantially the same configurations as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, when a request with a low priority is accepted, the user terminal that receives the distribution of the video information.
102 becomes plural. Here, when the imaging range is changed by a request with a high priority, if the request has a low priority,
Originally, there is a possibility that video information in a range that should not be included is distributed. As an example of a procedure to prevent this, it is possible to re-examine the distribution request of the low priority video information in step S404 shown in FIG. 5, and to reject the request in step S412 according to the determination in step S405. is there. However, in this procedure, even if the imaging range changes again due to a request with a high priority, and it becomes possible to accept again the request for distributing the video information, which was previously rejected,
It becomes impossible to restart the process.

To improve this, further steps
S405 may be changed to refer to the camera control request stored in the storage device 204 in step S411, and the stored request may be changed to hold the process in step S410. This makes it possible to implement a temporary holding process that satisfies the access permission, for example, in response to a change in the imaging range.

However, in the above procedure, the holding process of step S410 is required, so that the load of the CPU 203 increases. As a method for preventing this, the following method can be applied.

That is, the image processing device 206 is used to mask the video information that should not be originally included in the distribution to the request having the low priority. For example, Figure 6
As shown in FIG. 1, an imaging range 501 set by a request with a high priority and an imaging range 502 allowed by a request with a low priority are overlapped with each other 503.
Only try to deliver. If you do this, the camera
Since the entire video information obtained from 202 is 501, the request with high priority is always satisfied. On the other hand, delivery for low priority requests is also possible (that is, range).
503) will be satisfied, and the temporary holding process as described above will be unnecessary.

By providing a mechanism for distributing partial video information in this manner, it is possible to prevent a video that should not be originally included from being distributed in response to a camera control request or a video information distribution request. These low priority requirements can be met.

[0046]

[Modifications] In each of the above-described embodiments, an example in which there is only one imaging device 202 managed by the remote camera control device has been described, but a plurality of imaging devices 202 are managed by one remote camera control device. The same is true for the case. Specifically, step S4 shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
From 06 to S410, the operating status of each camera 202 is inspected, and if there is a camera 202 that is not operating, the request processing is performed using that camera 202. Also, if all the cameras 202 are in operation, compare the priority of the requests operating each individual camera 202,
The processing from step S408 is performed on the request with the lowest priority.

In this way, from the outside of the remote camera control device, it is logically seen that one photographing device 202 exists. Therefore, regarding the camera control request issued from the user terminal 102. Does not require any changes.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the sound information is handled as being attached to the image information, but it is not limited to this in general. For example, a specific user identifier 30
For the combination of 1 and the terminal identifier 302, prohibiting the distribution of sound information or accepting the distribution request only in a specific time period is performed by the voice input attached to the remote camera 103 in the control parameter 304 described above. It is easily realized by defining the control allowance parameter together with the device identifier.

The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including a single device.

Needless to say, the present invention can also be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an imaging control device that accepts, rejects, or holds an imaging resource control request based on management information, and a control method therefor.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a distributed system using video information using a remote camera according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control device of the remote camera shown in FIG.

3 is a diagram showing an example of an access control management table stored in a storage device of the camera control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for processing a camera control request,

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for processing a camera control request according to the second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining how to distribute partial video information according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Computer network 102 User terminal 103 Remote camera 202 Imaging device (camera) 203 CPU 204 Storage device 207 Communication device

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An imaging control device for imaging resources included in a system in which a plurality of resources are connected to each other via a network and shared, the receiving means receiving a control request for the imaging resources, and the receiving means. Based on the management information corresponding to the issuer of the received control request, the determining means for determining whether to accept the control request, based on the control request determined to be accepted by the determining means, An image pickup control apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the image pickup resource. 2. The deciding means is based on priority information corresponding to an issuer included in the management information, the first control request whose control has already been started, and the newly received second control request. 2. The imaging control device according to claim 1, wherein the priority of the control request is determined, and whether or not to accept the second control request is determined based on the determination result. 3. The control means, when the deciding means decides to accept the second control request,
The first control request is held pending
The imaging control device described in 2. 4. The control means restarts the control of the imaging resource based on the suspended first control request after the control of the imaging resource based on the second control request is completed. The imaging control device according to claim 3. 5. The determining means determines whether or not the control content of the already started first control request and the control content of the newly received second control request collide with each other,
2. The imaging control device according to claim 1, wherein whether or not to accept the second control request is determined based on the determination result. 6. The control means, when the deciding means decides to accept the second control request,
6. The imaging control device according to claim 5, wherein the imaging resource is controlled based on the first control request and is controlled based on the second control request. 7. The control means, in response to a control request for distribution of a video obtained by the imaging resource, permits or rejects distribution of a part of the video based on the management information. 7. The imaging control device according to claim 6. 8. The control unit controls the voice input unit included in the imaging resource based on a control request determined to be accepted by the determination unit. 7. The imaging control device described in any one of 7. 9. An imaging control method for imaging resources included in a system in which a plurality of resources are connected to each other via a network and shared, comprising: a receiving step of receiving a control request for the imaging resources; Based on the management information corresponding to the issuer of the received control request, a determination step of determining whether to accept the control request, and based on the control request determined to be accepted in the determination step, And a control step of controlling imaging resources.