JPH08265729A - Video delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To confirm a person viewing video images outputted to a network. CONSTITUTION: Video communication terminal equipments 10-1 to 10-4 fetch the video images of a camara 30 by a video capturing device 34 and output them through a network interface 36 to the network 12. The video images from the other six terminal equipments are simultaneously displayed on a display 26. When the video images are outputted to the network, on the display 26, the list of the persons to whom the observation (display) of the video images is allowed and the list of the persons who are observing them at present are displayed and the person who is remotely operating the camera 30 is displayed. The person who wants to fetch the video images on the network 12 registers his own name by an access request. The registration list is reported to a video transmission origin.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video delivery system for delivering video through a network, and more specifically to a video delivery system for delivering video to one or more arbitrary terminals connected to the network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is an increasing number of systems in which a video camera is connected to a computer and camera images are taken into the computer. The captured camera image is transmitted to a remote place via a public communication line or a computer network, for example. For example, a video conference system or a video conference system, or video mail is a typical application. In a video conference system, the output video of a video camera is captured in a computer and exchanged over a network. During the conference, the other party with whom the video is exchanged is determined.

[0003] In addition, there is a video delivery system in which camera images at multiple points can be exchanged with each other to convey a remote situation. In this system, a specific number of cameras among a plurality of cameras are selected, the video is acquired via a network, and displayed on a monitor screen.
It differs from the video conferencing system in that the person with whom the video is exchanged is not necessarily fixed. That is, the usage is such that an image desired to be viewed is arbitrarily selected and displayed on a monitor screen for observation.

[0004]

In a system capable of remotely controlling a video camera connected to a computer connected to a network via the network, the video camera can be operated when the owner (or administrator) of the computer does not intend. There is a problem that the camera is operated and the image is viewed. Often becomes a violation of privacy.
Such an adverse effect is particularly noticeable when connected to an open computer network.

Further, in the conventional example, the owner (or manager) of the camera has no way of confirming by whom the image of his camera is seen, and therefore, it may be seen by an unintended person. You cannot prevent it when you are.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a video delivery system capable of easily confirming the video delivery destination.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a video delivery system that can freely limit video delivery destinations.

[0008]

A video delivery system according to the present invention includes a video input means, a delivery means for delivering the video captured from the video input means onto a network, and a plurality of delivery means sent by the delivery means. A multi-point camera image in which one or more image display means for displaying an image from a point, the image input means, the delivery means, and the image display means are present on the network to mutually transmit and receive the image. The delivery system is characterized in that means for displaying which video display means the video to be delivered is displayed and by whom is controlled.

[0009]

With the above means, it is displayed which host observes the video output to the network and which host operates the video input means. As a result, the operation status and the usage status of the video to be delivered can be clearly recognized.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-
4 are video communication terminals that connect to the network 12 to transmit and receive video and have exactly the same configuration. That is, the video communication terminals 10-1, 10-2, 10-
3, 10-4, ... Are CPUs 20 for controlling the whole,
The main memory 22, the secondary storage device 24 (for example, a hard disk device), the bitmap display 26, the mouse 28 as a pointing device, the video camera 30, the pan, tilt, zoom and focus of the video camera 30 are directly , A camera control device 32 for controlling, a video capture device 34 for capturing an output video signal of the video camera 30, and a network interface 36 for connecting to the network 12.
CPU 20, main memory 22, secondary storage device 24, bitmap display 26, mouse 28, camera control device 32, video capture device 34 and network
The interface 36 connects to the internal bus 38.

The video output of the video camera 30 is A / D converted by the video capture device 34, converted into a predetermined format, and sent to the network 12 via the network I / F 36. At this time, multicast communication or broadcast communication is used to simultaneously deliver the video to a plurality of points. The camera control device 32 can also be controlled from a remote location via the network 12. In this embodiment, the video communication devices 10-1, 10-2, 10-
General-purpose workstations are used as 3, 10-4, ....

FIG. 2 illustrates a bitmap display 26.
It is an example of a display screen displayed in. On the bitmap display 26, a window display system capable of displaying a plurality of windows is operating.

Reference numeral 40 is a symbol indicating that the image is being transmitted. While the symbol 40 is displayed on the screen, the image taken by the camera 30 is being sent to the network 12. The video transmission process described below displays the symbol 40 on the screen during its operation.

Reference numeral 42 is a multipoint video display window,
Another video communication device (if the bitmap display 26 of the terminal 10-1 is used, the other terminals 10-2, 10-3,
10-4, ...) Some of the selected images are displayed. To select which image to display, a menu for that is used, but here,
I don't care about the selection method. Video from another terminal is an image that is updated at a rate according to the application, such as a moving image or a still image that is updated approximately once every 10 seconds. The transmission rate or update rate is the transmission capacity of the network 12 and each of the video communication terminals 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 104,
It is obvious that it is limited by the processing capacity of ...

Reference numeral 44 denotes a camera operation panel, which is provided with direction buttons 46 for pan (left / right) operation and tilt (up / down) operation, and a zoom button 48 for zoom operation, and is connected to a camera to be operated. Host name display area 50 for inputting and displaying the host name of the video communication terminal device
Access requesting the operating right of the camera connected to the video communication terminal device displayed in the host name display area 50.
It is provided with a button 52 and a release button 54 for giving up its operation right. These buttons 46, 48, 52,
54 can be operated with the mouse 28 by a known method.

The bitmap display 26 also displays an access status display window showing who is operating the camera 30 connected to the device (eg, device 10-1) and who is watching the image. It FIG.
An example of an access state display window is shown. In this embodiment, the access status display window is displayed on the bitmap display 26 by double-clicking the symbol 40.

Reference numeral 60 is a list of persons watching the camera image sent to the network 12, that is, an observer list column for displaying an observer list, and a login name is displayed. If there are multiple people, list the login names of all people. Reference numeral 62 is an operator column for displaying an operator who is currently remotely controlling the camera, and the login name of the operator is displayed. Reference numeral 64 denotes an access permission list field that displays a list of persons who are allowed to see the camera image, and displays the login name of the person who is permitted to see the camera image.
Reference numeral 66 is an access addition field for inputting a login name of a person to be added to the access permission list. When a person (login name) that is not displayed in the access permission list field 64 is input in the access addition field 66, the person is added to the access permission list. If one or more persons (login names) in the access permission list are deleted, they are deleted from the access permission list.

In the access permission list column 64, all persons (login names) connected to the network 12 are displayed in a list, and the persons who are permitted to access are distinguished by a special color or a check box. You may do it. This makes it easy to add to and delete from the access permission list, and also makes it possible to easily recognize a person who is connected to the network 12 but does not have access permission. The observer and the operator with a special color or
It is possible to eliminate the observer list column 60 and the operator column 62 by displaying them with a check box or the like for distinguishing them from others, but in the case where a large number of people connect to the network 12, FIG. It may be easier to understand if it is displayed in another column as shown.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the process of this embodiment. The video transmission process 70 performs video capturing and delivery, and controls the display of the symbol 40 and the access status window shown in FIG. The multi-point video display process 72 displays, in each area of the multi-point camera video display window 42, images of arbitrarily designated 6 points among the images delivered from other multi-points.

The camera control server 74 is the network 1
The camera 30 is controlled by receiving the camera control command via 2 and transferring the camera control command to the camera control device 32. The camera control client 76 displays the camera operation window 44 on the screen of the display 26 and gives a camera control command according to the operation.
The video communication terminal device (camera control server 74) displayed in the host name display area 50 via the network 12.
To send to.

The video transmission process 70, the multipoint video display process 72, the camera control server 74, and the camera control client 76 are respectively connected to the video communication terminal devices 10-1 and 10-1.
10-2, 10-3, 10-4, ...

The access management process 78 includes all the video communication terminal devices 10-1 and 10-1 connected to the network 12.
The remote control of the cameras 30 of 0-2, 10-3, 10-4, ... And the delivery of the video are managed, and only one is started on any video communication terminal device on the network 12. are doing.

FIG. 5 shows a management table managed by the access management process 78. Send process list 80
Connects to the network 12 and sends the video transmission process 70.
Of all the video communication terminal devices that are operating, that is, the name of the video communication terminal device that delivers the video (in this embodiment, since the workstation is used, the host name of the workstation) field 80 -1, and a field 80-2 of a login name (camera control login name) of an operator who is remotely controlling the camera connected thereto,
Field 80 for pointer to multipoint video display list
3 and field 8 of pointer to access permission list
0-4 are provided.

The name of the video communication terminal device delivering the video is notified to the management process 78 when the video transmission process 70 is activated, and the name is sent to the field 80-1 of the transmission process list 80. be registered. A field 80-2 is blank when no one is remotely controlling the camera, and when a login name is entered, it indicates that remote control is in progress.

The multipoint video display process list 82 is
It is provided corresponding to each entry of the transmission process list 80. In the list 82, the device names and login names of all the video communication terminal devices receiving the video delivered from the corresponding transmission host are registered. In FIG. 5, for example, ho
Received (viewing) the video delivered from st3
Is person1 (login name) of hostA (reception host), person of hostB (reception host)
2 (login name) and p of hostC (reception host)
erson3 (login name) or the like. The login name is the name used to log in to the workstation. The access permission list 84 includes login names of users of the video communication terminal devices that are permitted to access each transmission host.

The multipoint video display process list 82 is
It is changed when the multipoint image display process 72 is activated and when the camera image displayed in the multipoint image display process 72 is to be switched. The multipoint video display process 72 has a startup host name, a login name, and a host name (sending host name) of a delivery source of 1 to 6 videos to be displayed when the multipoint video display process 72 is activated and when switching the camera images to be displayed. Is notified to the management process 78 in the form of an update request. The update request data includes a login name, an activation host name, N indicating the number of videos to be displayed, and a number of sending hosts (video delivery source hosts) 1 to N.

Upon receiving the update request, the access management process 78 updates the multi-point video display process list 82. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the updating process.

For each sending host i (i = 1 to N) in the data attached to the update request (S1, S2, S11),
The field 80-1 of the transmission process list 80 is searched using the transmission host i as a key (S3). If there is a match (S3), the access permission list 84 corresponding to the sending host i in the sending process list 80 is searched using the login name attached to the update request as a key (S3).
5).

If there is a match with the access permission list 84, that is, if it is registered (S6), the receiving host name field of the multipoint image display list 82 is searched using the host name attached to the update request as a key. Yes (S7).
If they do not match (S8), the host name and login name attached to the update request are respectively displayed in the multipoint video display list 82.
Are additionally registered in the fields of the receiving host and the receiving user / login name of (S9). At this time, at the same time, the corresponding transmission host is notified of the new contents of the multipoint video display list 82.

If there is no match in S4, the sending host i is registered in the unapproved list (S10). The non-approved list is
This is to notify the update request source that the video display request is for an unregistered transmission host.

When the processing of S3 to S10 is completed for each transmitting host i (i = 1 to N) in the data attached to the update request (S2), it is checked whether the non-approval list is empty (S12). If the non-approval list is empty (S12), the approval signal ACK indicating that the video can be displayed for all the transmission hosts for which the update request is made is returned to the update request source (S13), and if the non-approval list is not empty. (S12),
A non-approval signal indicating that video cannot be displayed for the transmission host included in the non-approval list is returned to the update request source (S14). That is, the request request source is notified of whether or not a video can be displayed for each transmission host that has made an update request.

The multipoint video display process 72 displays on the display screen that the video cannot be displayed for the transmission host that has received the non-approval signal.

FIG. 7 shows an operational flowchart of the video transmission process 70. When activated, the video transmission process 70 first displays an initial screen (S21), registers the host name in the management process 78 (S22), and waits for an event. (S23). In the present embodiment, three types of events are assumed: an event for capturing a video, an update request for requesting a change in information presented by the GUI of the transmission process 70, and a change in access permission.

An event for capturing an image is generated as a timer event at regular time intervals by setting a timer (S
24). When a timer event occurs (S24), the output image of the camera 30 is fetched (S25), and the multipoint image display process corresponding to the own host name in the transmission process list 80 managed by the management process 78. Obtain the list 82 (reception host list in the list) (S26). This will be the list of destinations. The captured video is multicast to each receiving host described in the acquired multipoint video display process list 82 (S27).

The second event is when the access state changes and an update request for changing the information presented by the GUI of the video transmission process 70 occurs (S28). This update request occurs at the following location. First, when the access management process 78 updates the multi-point video display list, that is, the information of who is watching in S9 of FIG. 6, it transmits new contents to the corresponding video transmission process 70,
Update is requested (S29). Access control process 78
The image transmission process 70 updates the contents of the observer list column 60 of FIG. 3 based on the information from (S30).

Regarding who is operating the camera, when the access button 52 is pressed and the release button is pressed while the host name display area 50 of the camera operation panel 44 is input with the host name to be controlled. An information update request is issued to the access management process 78 when 54 is pressed. Upon receiving this, the access management process 78 updates the column of the camera control login name 80-2 of the transmission process list 80 and also issues an information update request to the video transmission process 70 in the same manner. Updates the operator field 62 (FIG. 3). At this time, when the column of the camera control login name 80-2 corresponding to the target host is not blank, that is, when the camera has already been controlled, the camera busy signal indicates that the camera operation client Returned to and cannot operate the camera.

The third event is the case where the host name is input in the access addition field 66 to change the access permission (S31). In this case, the access management process 7 issues a request for adding a new host name that permits access.
8 (S32, S33). The access management process 78 receives the request and updates the access permission list 84. That is, the host name requested to be added is added to the access permission list 84. Of course, if it has already been registered, the video transmission process 70
Will be notified or the additional registration will be ignored.

As described above, in this embodiment, the host receiving the video delivered via the network,
Information such as the host who is permitted to receive the information, the person who operates the camera, and the like is displayed on the screen, so that it is possible to prevent an unintended person from seeing the image.

Although the embodiment for displaying the delivered image in real time has been described, the image is compressed in the network 1
It is obvious that the present invention can also be applied to the case where the data is output to the second storage unit 2 and is stored and stored in the secondary storage device 24 or the like for the later reproduction display.

[0041]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, it is displayed which host observes the delivered image and which host operates the image input means. It becomes possible to clearly recognize the situation and the use situation of the output video.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a screen example of a present embodiment of image display and camera operation.

FIG. 3 is a display example of an access status display window.

FIG. 4 is a process configuration diagram of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of a transmission process table according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a management process 78 according to this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a video transmission process 70 according to this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4: Video communication terminal device 12: Network 20: CPU 22: Main memory 24: Secondary storage device 26: Bit map display 28: Mouse 30: Video camera 32: camera control device 34: video capture device 36: network interface 38: internal bus 40: symbol indicating video transmission 42: multipoint video display window 44: camera operation panel 46: direction button 48: zoom button 50 : Host name display area 52: Access button 54: Release button 60: Observer list column 62: Operator column 64: Access permission list column 66: Access addition column 70: Video transmission process 72: Multipoint video display process 74 : Camera control server 76: camera control client 78 : Access management process 80: Transmission process list 80-1: Transmission host field 80-2: Camera control login name field 80-3: Pointer field to multipoint video display list 80-4: Access permission list Pointer field 82: Multipoint video display process list 84: Access permission list

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A video input means, a delivery means for delivering the video captured from the video input means to a network, a video display means for displaying the video from a plurality of points sent by the delivery means, and A multi-point camera video delivery system in which one or more video input means, the delivery means, and the video display means exist on the network to mutually transmit and receive images, and which video is delivered. A video delivery system, characterized in that it is provided with a means for displaying by a display means and by whom it is controlled. 2. Further, management means for managing which video display means the delivered video is displayed and who operated which video input means, and video display means for designating the display of the delivered video. The video delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising: a display limiting unit that limits the display. 3. The image delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the image input unit is an image pickup unit capable of externally controlling pan, tilt, zoom, focus and the like. 4. A video delivery system for delivering a video to one or more other points via a network, wherein a video output device for outputting the video to the network is provided with means for displaying the device currently receiving the video. A video delivery system characterized by that. 5. The video delivery system according to claim 4, wherein the video output means further comprises means for displaying a device permitted to receive a video delivered to the network. 6. The video output device comprises video input means that can be remotely controlled via a network, and means for displaying a person who remotely operates the video input means.
Or the video delivery system described in 5.