JPH10178631A - Multipoint centralized supervisory system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a setting system which performs appropriate remote setting of an image and voice transmission device in each supervisory place and also makes setting quick and easy. SOLUTION: A setting change command controlling part 7 of a supervisory center preliminarily makes terminal setting in each supervisory site and a command group of peripheral equipment settings database, transmits a terminal setting of each different supervisory site or a peripheral equipment setting command group at the time of connecting to a terminal of the supervisory site, and the terminal of the supervisory site analyzes a received setting command and changes a setting value of a designated setting item. That includes making the setting effective when all the setting by the setting command is finished, returning it to an initial setting state when a supervisory operation is finished and confirming an initial setting state to resume a supervisory operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-point centralized monitoring system for receiving images and sounds of a remote place via a network or the like and monitoring the remote place. The present invention relates to a method for setting a terminal and terminal peripheral devices (such as a monitoring camera and a microphone).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a method for detecting abnormalities and states of distant places and devices, as shown in FIG. 14, video cameras, microphones and the like are installed at each monitoring location and input is made from those devices. There is a system in which multi-point centralized monitoring is performed by inputting an image, audio data, and the like to an image and audio transmission device such as a videophone and transmitting the image and audio data to a monitoring center with a monitoring person via a network or the like.

A video / audio transmission device used in such a system is an I / O transmission device generally used in videophones and the like.
It conforms to TU-T Recommendation H.320 and can communicate between different models.

[0004] Such an image and sound transmission apparatus can set communication capability, communication mode, image quality of an image to be transmitted, and the like. In addition, settings (pan, tilt, zoom, etc.) of the surveillance camera connected to the video / audio transmission device
Can be changed according to the monitoring environment.

[0005] In such a case, it is necessary for a person in charge to go to the monitoring location to set the image / audio transmission device installed at the monitoring location, which may hinder smooth monitoring work execution.

[0006] As a method for solving this problem, a system is conceivable in which the following functions are provided to make it unnecessary for a person in charge to go out to a monitoring place and set.

When the video and audio transmission device installed on the monitored side wants to change the terminal settings (communication capability and communication mode, etc.) of the video and audio transmission device installed on the monitored side, the two devices need to change. During communication, an arbitrary command for changing the other end unset from the monitoring device to the user data is passed, the terminal setting change command received by the device at the monitoring location is analyzed, and the setting value of the specified setting item is changed. change.

[0008]

The conventional system has the following problems.

(1) When changing the settings of the video / audio transmission device installed at the monitoring location, first connect to the device at the location to be monitored, and then send the setting change command to the LSD (LowS
speedData), HSD (High SpeedData)
ta), MLP (MultiLayerProtoco)
Since transmission must be performed as necessary using user data such as l), it is not possible to shift to monitoring work immediately after connection, which may hinder smooth business execution.

(2) When monitoring a monitoring place at multiple points,
The video and audio transmission devices at each monitoring location have appropriate settings, and different setting changes may be required. In such a case, different connection items must be changed for each monitoring location after connecting to each monitoring location.
Therefore, the monitoring person must know in advance the setting items suitable for each monitoring place, and there is a possibility that omission of items to be set or trouble in smooth business execution may occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a setting system which enables remote setting of a video / audio transmission apparatus suitable for each monitoring place, and furthermore, makes setting quick and easy.

[0012]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a setting change item required for each monitoring place is stored in a database in advance, and the terminal setting and setting can be performed when the terminal is connected to the terminal at the monitoring place. Peripheral device settings are changed, and the terminal setting recognizes the end of setting to enable the setting change.
Control to invalidate, and when the call is disconnected, the peripheral device of the terminal at the monitoring location is returned to the initial setting state set at the time of connection of the call, and the setting of items executed at the next connection is omitted. And the following method is characterized.

(1st invention) It has a multipoint monitoring place,
In a multipoint centralized monitoring system for transmitting and monitoring video and audio between an image and sound transmission device provided in a monitoring center and an image and sound transmission device provided in a terminal for each monitoring location, the monitoring center includes a terminal for each monitoring location. A command for setting and peripheral device setting is stored in a database in advance, and a setting change command for transmitting a terminal setting or a peripheral device setting command group for each monitoring location registered in the database when connected to the video / audio transmission device at the monitoring location. The terminal at the monitoring place includes a setting change command control unit that analyzes the received setting command and changes a setting value of a specified setting item.

(Second Invention) The setting change command control unit of the monitoring center issues a terminal setting end command when all setting changes by the setting command are completed,
The setting change command control unit of the monitoring place temporarily stores the setting value according to the received setting command, invalidates the setting value when the call is disconnected during the setting change, and receives the terminal setting end command. It is characterized in that the temporarily stored setting value is validated and stored in a nonvolatile memory or the like.

(Third invention) The setting change command control unit of the monitoring center, when ending the monitoring task for the monitoring place, transmits the peripheral device setting command transmitted at the start of the monitoring task again, and sets the monitoring place. The change command control unit is configured to return various settings of the peripheral device to an initial setting state set at the time of connection with the monitoring center by the re-received peripheral device setting command.

(Fourth invention) The setting change command control unit of the monitoring center, when connected to the terminal at the monitoring place, inquires whether or not peripheral devices of the terminal are in an initial setting state. When the state is in the state, the issuance of the peripheral device setting command is omitted.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image / audio transmission apparatus on a monitoring center side showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a video input / output unit 1 has a video display device for displaying a received video signal and a video camera for generating a video signal to be transmitted, and inputs and outputs a video image.

The video codec unit 2 converts the received digital video signal into an analog signal and gives it to the video input / output unit 1 as video display information, and converts the analog video signal to be transmitted from the video input / output unit 1 into a digital signal. Convert to obtain transmitted video information.

The voice input / output unit 3 has a speaker for outputting a received voice signal as voice, and a microphone for generating a voice signal to be transmitted, and performs input / output of voice signals.

The audio codec unit 4 converts the received digital audio signal into an analog signal and gives it to the audio input / output unit 3 as audio information, and converts the analog audio signal to be transmitted from the audio input / output unit 3 into a digital signal. To obtain transmission voice information.

The multiplexing / demultiplexing section 5 multiplexes video information and audio information from the video input / output section 1 and the audio input / output 3 through the codec sections 2 and 4, and conversely converts the received digital information into video information. Codec unit 2 is separated into audio information,
4 to the video input / output unit 1 and the audio input / output unit 3. The multiplexing / separating unit 5 also multiplexes / separates user data.

The network interface unit 6 performs transmission / reception processing of digital information between the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 5 and the network. These functional units are also provided in the image / audio transmission device on the monitoring place side.

In the video / audio transmission apparatus having the above configuration, in this embodiment, a setting change command control unit 7 is provided, and user data handled by the control unit 7 is transmitted via the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 5 and the network interface unit 6. To send and receive data to the monitoring location

The setting change command control unit 7 sets a command (hereinafter, referred to as a terminal setting change command. The command format and the like are appropriately designed) for setting setting items suitable for the image / audio transmission device at each monitoring location. Prepare in advance,
This can be transmitted as user data. This user data is stored in a database in advance at the monitoring center. The video / audio transmission device at the monitoring location receives and saves the command, and has a setting change command control unit for changing the setting of the setting item according to the command.

In the above configuration, when communicating with a place to be monitored, the setting change command control section of the monitoring center searches the database for a terminal setting change command group for the monitored place, and establishes a call. Then, using the user data, these terminal setting change commands are transmitted to the setting change command control unit of the monitoring place.

The command control unit of the monitoring place that has received the terminal setting change command analyzes what command the command requires to change the setting, and controls to change the setting of the specified setting item.

However, if an abnormality such as a sudden disconnection of the call occurs while receiving the terminal setting change command, all the desired setting changes are not completely completed. In such a state, the following operation may be adversely affected.

First, the setting change command control unit of the monitoring center transmits a command indicating the change when all desired setting changes are completed. (The terminal setting change command is hereinafter referred to as a terminal setting end command.) In the setting change command control unit for the monitoring place, the contents of the change by the terminal setting change command received so far are temporarily stored in a memory or the like. After that, when the terminal setting end command is received, the setting change content stored in the memory or the like is written in the nonvolatile memory or the like.

At this time, ACK is returned as a setting change completion report to the setting change command control unit of the monitoring center. If the call is disconnected before receiving the terminal setting end command, the setting change up to that time is invalidated.

FIG. 2 shows the above sequence, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show flowcharts of the monitoring center side and the monitoring place side.

In FIG. 3, the monitoring center searches the database (S1), extracts a command for the other party (S2), and if the user data after the call connection is ON (S1).
3) Issue a setting command (S4), issue a setting change end command at the end of the setting (S5, S6), and wait for ACK reception from the terminal at the monitoring place by the timer set (S7, S)
8), reset the timer upon receiving ACK (S9),
If K cannot be received, an error process or the like is performed as a timeout (S10, S11).

In FIG. 4, the terminal at the monitoring place receives the setting change command from the monitoring center (S21), analyzes this (S22), and if it is not a terminal setting command, performs a peripheral device setting command process (S23). , S24),
The setting value specified when the terminal setting command is not the setting end command is changed (S25, S26), and the setting value is temporarily stored in the memory (S27). When the setting end command is received, the temporarily stored setting value is written to the non-volatile memory (S28), and ACK is transmitted to the monitoring center (S29).

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, after connection with the image / audio transmission device installed at the monitoring place, the setting can be changed immediately to the setting suitable for the monitoring place, and the operation can smoothly proceed to the monitoring operation. Work can be reduced.

When monitoring a monitoring place at multiple points,
Since there is no need to directly change different setting items for each monitoring place, it is not necessary for the observer to store the items to be set, and the effect of preventing omission of the items to be set can be expected.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment,
This is a terminal setting method for an image and sound transmission device installed at a monitoring place. In the present embodiment, the setting method of the peripheral device (surveillance camera or the like) connected to the image / audio transmission device on the monitoring place side is used.

In actual surveillance work, the direction of the surveillance camera, the zoom, and the like often differ for each surveillance location. Usually, the surveillance center connects to the surveillance place via a network or the like, and then remotely controls the direction of the surveillance camera or the like, zoom, and the like. However, this method is not effective in a monitoring system for centrally monitoring multiple points because a monitoring camera or the like must first be directed to a place to be monitored, which is inefficient and burdens a monitoring person.

Therefore, similarly to the first embodiment, each setting of the peripheral device such as a surveillance camera is stored in a database and registered. When performing communication with a place to be monitored, a peripheral device setting change command group for the monitored place is searched from the database, and after the call is established, these setting change commands are transmitted using user data.

The monitoring location setting change command control unit that receives the peripheral device setting change command analyzes what command the command requires to change the setting, and connects the specified peripheral device so as to change the setting. Cable (RS
232C). The connection of the peripheral devices and the command format of the setting change command are appropriately designed.

FIG. 5 shows the above sequence, and FIGS. 6 and 7 show flowcharts of the respective devices.

In FIG. 6, the monitoring center searches the database (S31), extracts a command for the other party (S32), and issues a setting command if the user data after the call connection is on (S33). (S34).

In FIG. 7, the terminal at the monitoring place receives a setting change command from the monitoring center (S41), analyzes this (S42), and if it is not a terminal setting command, enters a peripheral device setting command process (S43). , S44),
When the specified device is connected, a setting command is transmitted to the specified device (S45, S46).

If the terminal setting command is not a setting end command, the same terminal setting command processing as in the case of FIG. 4 is performed (S47).

Therefore, in this embodiment, the first
As in the case of the third embodiment, it is possible to immediately control the monitoring system suitable for the device, and it becomes unnecessary to store the items to be set by the monitor.

(Third Embodiment) In this embodiment, at the end of the monitoring operation (when the call is disconnected), the settings of the peripheral devices connected to the video / audio transmission device at the monitoring location are changed at the start of the monitoring operation. This is a method of returning to the set state (the state set in the second embodiment; hereinafter, referred to as an initial setting state).

As described in the second embodiment, the peripheral device connected to the device is changed to a setting (initial setting state) suitable for the monitoring place at the start of communication, but thereafter performs monitoring work. As a result, the settings of the peripheral devices (such as the direction of the monitoring camera and the zoom) are changed. After that, when the monitoring task is terminated and the monitoring task is terminated in the same setting state, the monitoring task is reset to the initial setting state at the next start of the monitoring task.

Therefore, when it takes time to execute the setting, the start of the monitoring operation is delayed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the state is returned to the initial setting state by the following method.

When the monitoring operation is completed and the call is disconnected, the peripheral device setting command transmitted at the start of communication is transmitted again from the setting change command control unit on the monitoring center side. The setting change command control unit on the monitoring place that receives the peripheral device setting command executes various setting changes of the peripheral device specified by the command to return to the initial setting state.

FIG. 8 shows the above sequence, and FIGS. 9 and 10 show flowcharts of the respective devices. FIG. 9 showing the processing on the monitoring center side is the same processing as FIG. FIG. 10, which is the processing of the monitoring place, is the same processing as FIG.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even after the monitoring operation is completed, the monitoring operation can be promptly shifted to the monitoring operation by automatic control to the initial setting state when the monitoring is restarted at the next communication start.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the present embodiment, at the start of communication, a method is used to confirm whether the settings of peripheral devices connected to the monitoring place are in the initial setting state.

In the third embodiment, when the peripheral device at the monitoring place is set to the initial setting state at the end of the monitoring operation, the same setting is performed again at the next communication start, and useless processing is performed. Will be. Therefore, in the present embodiment, control to return to the initial setting state is performed by the following method.

Before transmitting the peripheral device setting command at the start of communication, control is performed using user data so as to determine whether the peripheral device at the monitoring location is in the initial setting state. If there is a peripheral device that is in the initial setting state, duplicate peripheral device setting commands are not transmitted. If all the peripheral devices are not in the initial setting state, the peripheral device setting command registered in the database is transmitted as it is.

FIG. 11 shows the above sequence, and FIGS. 12 and 13 show flowcharts of the respective devices.

In FIG. 12, after transmitting the peripheral device setting command (S71), the monitoring center checks whether or not all the peripheral devices are in the initial setting state (S72). Search the database (S
73), a command for the other party is extracted (S74), and when the user data is on (S75), a peripheral device which is not initialized is picked up (S76), and an initialization command is transmitted (S77).

In FIG. 13, the monitoring place receives the peripheral device setting confirmation command (S81), confirms the peripheral device setting status (S82), and reports the peripheral device setting status to the monitoring center (S83). Then, for the peripheral device that is not in the initial state, it waits for a peripheral device initial setting command from the monitoring center (S85), analyzes the received command (S86), and when the specified device is connected (S87). Then, an initialization command is transmitted to the designated device (S88).

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when the initial setting state is normally set, the transmission of the peripheral device setting command is omitted again, so that the setting can be prevented from being re-executed. Further, even when the initialization of the peripheral device has not been completed at the end of communication due to abnormal disconnection of a call or the like, the peripheral device can be reliably set to the initial setting state.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention, necessary setting change items for each monitoring location are stored in a database in advance, and the terminal settings and peripheral device settings are changed when connected to the terminal at the monitoring location. However, the terminal setting controls the setting change to be enabled / disabled by recognizing the end of the setting to each other, and when the call is disconnected, the peripheral device of the terminal at the monitoring place is
Since the initial setting state set at the time of connection of the call is returned and the setting of the items executed at the time of the next connection is omitted, the following effects are obtained.

(1) Immediately after the connection to the video / audio transmission device installed at the monitoring place, the setting is changed to the one suitable for the monitoring place, so that the monitoring work can be smoothly shifted to and the monitoring work can be reduced. Can be.

(2) When monitoring multiple monitoring locations,
Since there is no need to directly change different setting items for each monitoring place, it is not necessary for the observer to store the items to be set, and the effect of preventing omission of the items to be set can be expected.

(3) By returning to the initial setting state at the start of the monitoring service at the end of the monitoring service, it is possible to shift to the monitoring service more quickly.

(4) At the start of communication, by making a setting change by inquiring whether the peripheral device is in the initial setting state, it is possible to avoid transmitting a peripheral device setting command redundantly, thereby preventing re-execution of the setting. be able to. Further, even when the initialization of the peripheral device has not been completed at the end of communication due to abnormal disconnection of a call or the like, the peripheral device can be reliably set to the initial setting state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image / audio transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a terminal setting change sequence according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the monitoring center-side device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a monitoring place side device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an example of a peripheral device setting change sequence according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the monitoring center-side device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a monitoring place side device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an example of a peripheral device resetting sequence according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the monitoring center-side device according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a monitoring place side device according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an example of a peripheral device setting confirmation sequence according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the monitoring center-side device according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a monitoring place side device according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an overall view of a multipoint centralized monitoring system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 video input / output unit 2 video codec unit 3 audio input / output unit 4 audio codec unit 5 multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 6 network interface unit 7 setting change command control unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04Q 9/00 321 H04L 11/08 361

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A multi-point centralized station having a multi-point monitoring location and transmitting and monitoring video and audio between an image / audio transmission apparatus provided in a monitoring center and an image / audio transmission apparatus provided in a terminal for each monitoring location. In the monitoring system, the monitoring center stores a command group of terminal settings and peripheral device settings for each monitoring location in advance in a database, and registers the command group for each monitoring location registered in the database when connected to the image / audio transmission device of the monitoring location. A setting change command control unit for transmitting a terminal setting or peripheral device setting command group, wherein the terminal at the monitoring place analyzes the received setting command and changes a setting value of a specified setting item; A multi-point centralized monitoring system comprising: 2. The setting change command control unit of the monitoring center issues a terminal setting end command when all setting changes by the setting command are completed. The setting value by the command is temporarily stored, and when the call is disconnected during the setting change, the setting value is invalidated, and when the terminal setting end command is received, the temporarily stored setting value is enabled, and the non-volatile setting is performed. A multi-point centralized monitoring system characterized by storing data in a memory or the like. 3. The setting change command control unit of the monitoring center transmits the peripheral device setting command transmitted at the start of the monitoring job again when ending the monitoring job for the monitoring location. Is a multi-point centralized monitoring system, wherein various settings of peripheral devices are returned to an initial setting state set at the time of connection with a monitoring center by the peripheral device setting command received again. 4. The setting change command control unit of the monitoring center, when connecting to a terminal at the monitoring place, inquires whether or not peripheral devices of the terminal are in an initial setting state. Wherein the issuance of the peripheral device setting command is omitted.