JPH11341338A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transmit and receive photographing control information and image information by using electronic mail, which is transmitted and received through a telephone line network by controlling the operation of a camera by the reception of the electronic mail and outputting the photographing image information of the camera by the transmission of the electronic mail. SOLUTION: The function control part of a mail control part 15 controls a drive device control part 16, a drive device 17 and a clock part 18 based on the various kinds of control instructions by the input of a photographing instruction group separated from command mail. Then, the drive device 17 is operated by the input of control information from the drive device control part 16, and photographing by a CCD 20 is performed based on the control information of a CCD control part 19. The image data of images photographed by the CCD 20 are recorded and preserved in a memory 21. Thereafter, response mail is prepared by a mail preparation part, and the response mail is transmitted from a mail transmission part 12 via the telephone line network to a prescribed transmission destination via a mail BOX server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly, to a camera capable of controlling photographing and transmitting an image using a telephone network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for transmitting image information,
An image information transmission system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-95089 or a remote monitoring device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-65958 is known which controls a camera by remote control.

[0003] The image information transmission system includes an external video input means capable of inputting an image from an external camera or a VTR,
A peripheral device control unit capable of remotely controlling the external camera or VTR, and a videophone device having an operation unit for controlling the external camera or VTR are provided. This allows two or three persons to enjoy the scenery in a remote place or the video from a specific image database.

Further, the remote monitoring device transfers data such as a still image and a voice control signal over an ISDN basic interface line so that both a still image and a voice signal can be monitored on one line and a camera. The shooting position can be changed. Thus, the audio signal is always transmitted on the B1 channel of the ISDN basic interface line, and the image and the control signal are transmitted using the B2 channel in a time-division manner.

[0005]

Recently, e-mail, which is a means of communication between computer networks, has become widespread and has been widely used because of its low cost. It is desired to transmit and receive information and image information.

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of transmitting and receiving photographing control information and image information using electronic mail transmitted and received via a telephone line network.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a camera according to the present invention comprises means for connecting to a telephone network, and is operated and controlled by inputting an e-mail transmitted / received via the telephone network. And photographed image information is output by the e-mail.

[0008] With the above configuration, the electronic mail can be transmitted and received via the connection means with the telephone line network, the operation of the camera is controlled by the reception of the electronic mail, and the photographed image information of the camera is transmitted by the electronic mail. Is output.
As a result, it is possible to transmit and receive the shooting control information and the image information by using the electronic mail transmitted and received via the telephone line network.

[0009]

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

The camera according to the present invention uses an electronic mail which can be transmitted and received by a camera operator via a telephone network.
By transmitting camera control information such as shooting conditions and shooting time from a remote location to the camera to be operated, various operation controls of the camera are performed, and image data of a shot image taken by the operated camera is similarly converted. A remotely controllable camera that can be sent to the camera operator using email.

This camera receives a control mail for controlling the operation of the camera, such as a command mail containing various shooting information such as shooting time and shooting conditions, and operates the camera by the received command mail. The camera has a function of taking a picture and a function of creating a response mail including image data of an image photographed by the camera and transmitting it to, for example, a camera operator. The response mail may be used to notify only whether or not the command mail has been received. In this case, the image data is not included.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the camera 10 includes a mail receiving unit 11, a mail transmitting unit 1,
2. Address comparison unit 13, address storage unit 14, mail control unit 15, drive unit control unit 16, drive unit 17, clock unit 18, CCD (Charge Coupled De)
(charge: charge-coupled device) control unit 19, CCD 20, memory 21, and power supply control unit 22.

The mail receiving section 11 receives a command mail from the telephone network, and the mail transmitting section 12 transmits a response mail to the telephone network. Address comparison unit 13
Reads the address stored in the address storage unit 14, compares it with the address data input from the mail receiving unit 11, and outputs the comparison result to the mail control unit 15.

The address storage unit 14 is a memory that does not require power supply and is readable and writable by I / O, and stores a device address, which is identification information unique to the camera at the time of factory shipment or the like. Mail control unit 15
Generates control information based on various photographing information corresponding to the command mail input from the mail receiving unit 11 and outputs the control information to the drive unit control unit 16, the clock unit 18, and the CCD control unit 19. Further, it generates a response mail and outputs it to the mail transmitting unit 12.

A drive control unit 16 controls a drive 17, and the drive 17 drives each operation unit that operates in accordance with the photographing operation of the camera 10. The clock unit 18 can set an arbitrary time, and when the set time comes, the power supply control unit 2
By outputting an activation signal for activating the camera 10 to the camera 2, time management relating to photographing is performed. C
The CD control unit 19 controls a photographing operation by the CCD 20, and the memory 21 stores image data of a photographed image photographed by the CCD 20. The power supply control unit 22 turns on or off the main power supply of the camera body according to the input start signal or power supply off signal.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the mail control unit of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the mail control unit 15 includes a mail separation unit 23, a mail storage unit 24, a function control unit 25, and a mail creation unit 26.

The mail separating section 23 reads out information of the photographing command group and the address group included in the command mail from the command mail input from the mail receiving section 11, and separates them. The shooting command group includes various control commands for controlling the shooting operation of the camera 10, and the address group includes
It is composed of various addresses such as the target device address.

The mail storage unit 24 can store a plurality of pieces of information, and stores a shooting command group and an address group separated from the command mail by the mail separation unit 23.
The function control unit 25 controls the drive unit control unit 16, the drive unit 17, and the clock unit 18 based on various control commands by inputting a shooting command group similarly separated from the command mail.

After setting the photographing time in the clock section 18, the function control section 25 sends a power-off signal to the power control section 22 to turn off the main power of the camera 10. When the set shooting start time comes, the clock section 18 switches to the power control section 22.
To the camera 1 by the power control unit 22.
Power is supplied to the main unit 0, and the drive device control unit 16 operates via the function control unit 25. The drive device 17 is operated by input of control information from the operated drive device control unit 16, and the CCD 2 is controlled based on the control information of the CCD control unit 19.
0 is taken.

The image data of the image captured by the CCD 20 is recorded and stored in a memory 21. Thereafter, the mail creating unit 26 creates a response mail including the image data stored in the memory 21, the photographing time, the address stored in the mail storage unit 24, and the like. This response mail is transmitted from the mail transmission unit 12 to a predetermined destination via a telephone network via a mail BOX server that stores the mail.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the driving device of FIG. As shown in FIG.
Has a relay section 27, a wiper starting motor 28, a horizontal rotation motor 29, a vertical rotation motor 30, an enlargement / reduction motor 31, and a shutter opening / closing motor 32 connected to the relay section 27.

The relay section 27 is operated by the control information input from the drive control section 16 and operates the wiper starting motor 2.
8, horizontal rotation motor 29, vertical rotation motor 30, enlarged /
The operations of the reduction motor 31 and the shutter opening / closing motor 32 are individually controlled.

The wiper starting motor 28 can start the wiper in rainy weather.
With the vertical rotation motor 30, the pedestal to which the camera 10 is fixed can be rotated in the horizontal and vertical directions. The rotation of the pedestal causes the camera 10 on the pedestal to move.
Can be adjusted to any angle.

The enlargement / reduction motor 31 causes the camera 10
A photographed image can be enlarged or reduced by moving a lens mounted inside, and a shutter mounted for protecting the lens of the camera 10 can be opened and closed by a shutter opening / closing motor 32 before and after photographing.

Next, a procedure for identifying the address data input from the receiving unit 11 by the address comparing unit 13 will be described. When a command mail by e-mail is input to the camera 10 via the telephone line network, the address comparison unit 13
Reads the device address of the camera 10 stored in the address storage unit 14 and compares it with the target device address indicating the camera to be operated attached to the command mail.

As a result of the comparison, if it is determined that the device address of the camera 10 to which the command mail has been input does not match the target device address attached to the command mail and that the command mail does not target the camera 10, the camera 10 issues the command mail. Do not perform any processing based on email. On the other hand, as a result of the comparison, if the device address of the camera 10 matches the target device address of the command mail, and it is determined that the command mail is a command mail targeted for the camera 10, the mail control unit 15 executes a process based on the command mail.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of connecting the camera of FIG. 1 to a telephone line. As shown in FIG. 4, when a camera operator or the like transmits and receives a command mail and a response mail to and from the camera 10 by e-mail, for example, a HUB 34 as a relay unit is interposed between the camera 10 and the Cameras 10a, 10b, 10c
(In FIG. 4, three cameras are shown as an example.)
Is directly connected to the telephone line 33.

Each camera 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d
Each of the cameras 10 is stored in the address storage unit 14 (see FIG. 1).
It is assumed that the device addresses have been registered since the factory shipment of a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. The device address is a factory-set address value assigned to each of the cameras 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. It is necessary to register a destination address in the mail box servers 35 and 36 in advance. The destination address is the HUB 34 or the camera 10 that is the transmission destination of the command mail.
d is the address value.

The mail box server 35 has a function of storing electronic mails, and is a relay station capable of exchanging electronic mails with other mail box servers 36 via a telephone line 33 such as a public telephone or a subscriber telephone. is there. PC (Person
(Al Computer) 37 or the PC 38 transmits and receives an e-mail via the telephone line 33.

When an electronic mail is transmitted and received between the PCs 37 and 38, the HUB 34 and each of the cameras 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, first, a command mail transmitted from the PC 37 or the PC 38 is transmitted via the telephone line 33 to each mail BOX. The information is transmitted to the servers 35 and 36 and stored. next,
Each of the mail BOX servers 35 and 36 transmits the command mail to the HUB 34 or the camera 10d directly via the telephone line 33 according to the destination address of the stored command mail.

For example, three cameras 10a, 10b, 1
In the case of the building 39 where 0c is installed, it is necessary to connect to the telephone line 33 via the HUB 34, but in the case of the building 40 where one camera 10d is installed, the telephone line 33
Can be directly connected, and the HUB 34 is not required. Normally, the HUB 34 and the telephone line 33 are not connected, and when a command mail arrives from each of the mail box servers 35 and 36, and when each of the cameras 10a, 10b, 10c, 1
Only when sending a response mail from 0d, the telephone line 33
Connection is made.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the frame structure of a command mail. As shown in FIG. 5, the command mail 41 includes a mail header 42 at the tip of the mail, an address group 43, a shooting command group 44, and a mail footer 45 at the end of the mail.

The address group 43 includes a destination address 43
a, target device address 43b, source address 43c,
And the data of the distribution destination address 43d.

The destination address 43a is a mail address of a destination to which an e-mail is sent.
When sending to HUB34, it becomes the mail address of HUB34.
The mail address of the HUB 34 is the camera 10a, 10
b, 10c are common to all. The target device address is, for example, the address of the camera 10a when the target is the camera 10a.

The sender address 43c is a mail address indicating the sender of the command mail 41.
For example, when the command mail 41 is transmitted from the PC 37, the mail address of the PC 37 is used. The distribution destination address 43d is an address value indicating the distribution destination of the response mail from each of the cameras 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, and a plurality of settings are possible. For example, PC37 and PC3
When the distribution destination is 8, the mail address of the PC 37 and the PC 38 is used.

The photographing instruction group 44 includes a hardware reset 44a, a photographing start time 44b, a photographing end time 44c,
Each data includes a photographing interval time 44d, a pedestal rotation angle 44e, a wiper activation interval 44f, an enlargement / reduction 44g, and a resolution 44h.

The hardware reset 44a causes the camera 10, which is hardware, to be initialized. The shooting start time 44b is a time at which shooting of the CCD 20 is started,
The photographing end time 44c is a time to end the photographing, and the photographing interval time 44d indicates the time of the photographing interval between the photographing start time 44b and the photographing end time 44c. These setting values are stored in the clock unit 18 and managed by the clock unit 18.

The pedestal rotation angle 44e is the horizontal and vertical rotation angles of the pedestal, and the wiper activation interval 44f
Is the time of the wiper activation interval.
g is operation information of the enlargement / reduction motor 31, and is control data used in the drive device control unit 16. The resolution 44h indicates the resolution of the CCD 20, and C
This is data used in the CD control unit 19.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a frame structure of a response mail. As shown in FIG. 6, the response mail 46 is, for example, an example of a photographed image taken by the camera 10a. As in FIG. 5, the mail header 42 at the top of the mail, the mail footer 45 at the end of the mail, and the mail header Address group 4 between 42 and mail footer 45
7 and a photographed image data group 48.

The address group 47 includes a distribution destination address 43
d, source address 43c, and target device address 43b. Each of these addresses 43d, 43
c and 43b are the distribution destination address 43d, the source address 43c, and the target device address 43 in the command mail 41.
This is the same address value as b.

The photographed image data group 48 includes a Ready /
Each data of the Error code 48a and the image information 48b is included. The Ready / Error code 48a is for transmitting an operation status of the camera 10 to a camera operator or the like, and the image information 48b is image data of an image captured by the camera 10a.

The response mail 46 includes the camera 10a
Is used as a reply of the command mail 41 for controlling the camera 10a.
The y / Error code 48a alone is transmitted to the camera operator or the like without including the image information 48b. When the operation status of the camera is normal, a Ready code is stored. When the operation status is abnormal, an Error code is stored.

The response mail 46 is transmitted to the camera 10
a to the camera operator via the mail box server 35.

Next, a control operation by the camera having the above configuration will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a command mail and response mail transmission / reception process by the camera of FIG. As shown in FIG.
Is sent to the address comparing unit 13 via the mail receiving unit 11, and first, the device address of the address storage unit 14 and the target device address 4 described in the command mail 41 are
3b is compared, and the command mail 41 is transmitted to the camera 10a.
Is determined (step S10).
1).

As a result of the comparison, if the device address matches the target device address 43b (YES), the command mail 4
1 is sent to the mail control unit 15, and the address group 43 and the shooting command group 44 are separated from the command mail 41 (step S102). On the other hand, if the device address does not match the target device address 43b (NO), the address comparing unit 1
3 is repeated.

Next, the mail control unit 15 determines whether a hardware reset command is included in the shooting command group 44 (step S103). If a hardware reset command is included (YES), a hardware reset is performed to initialize the camera (step S).
104) If the hardware reset command is not included (NO), the shooting start time 44 in the shooting command group 44
b, the shooting end time 44c and the shooting interval time 44d are set in the clock unit 18 (step S105).

At this time, if each time can be set normally in the clock section 18, the Rea
If the Ready code is stored in the dy / Error code 48a and cannot be set normally in the clock unit 18,
The error code is stored in the Ready / Error code 48a.

Next, the Ready code or Error
After storing the code and creating the response mail 46,
The created response mail 46 is transmitted to the camera operator or the like via the mail transmission unit 12 (step S10).
6). After the transmission, the main power supply of the camera 10a is turned off by the processing operation of the power supply control unit 22 receiving the control command from the clock unit 18 (step S107).

Next, the processing of the clock unit 18 will be described. The clock unit 18 reads the time until the shooting start time comes (step S108), and determines whether the current time has become the same as the shooting start time (step S109).
When the shooting start time comes (YES), the main power is supplied to the camera 10a via the power control unit 22 and the camera 10a
Is started (step S110). On the other hand, if the shooting start time has not come (NO), the reading of the time is continued.

When the camera 10a is started, the driving device control unit 16, the driving device 17, the clock unit 18, the CCD control unit 1
9, and photographing by the CCD 20 is executed (step S1).
11), the image data of the image captured by the CCD 20 is stored in the memory 21 (step S112).

Next, the mail control section 15 creates a response mail 46 including the image data (step S).
113), the created response mail 46 is transmitted from the mail transmission unit 12 to the distribution destination based on the distribution destination address 43d (step S114).

As described above, according to the present invention, the camera 10
Has an e-mail transmitting unit 11 and an e-mail receiving unit 12 connected to the telephone line 33, and controls the operation of the camera 10 by inputting e-mail transmitted / received via the telephone line 33, and also transmits e-mail Captured image information can be output.

Therefore, transmission of an operation command to the camera 10 located at a remote place and reception of image data from the camera 10 can be performed using e-mail having a low communication cost. The cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the related art.

Further, since the control information is transmitted by e-mail, the operating conditions of the camera 10 to be remotely controlled can be set finely.
More accurate and wide-range control becomes possible. Furthermore, since transmission / reception is performed using e-mail, connection to the telephone line 33 enables transmission / reception with the camera 10 remotely controlled from anywhere.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
E-mail can be sent and received via the connection means with the telephone network, the operation of the camera is controlled by the reception of the e-mail, and the photographed image information of the camera is output by the transmission of the e-mail. It becomes possible to transmit and receive the photographing control information and the image information using the transmitted and received e-mails, and it is possible to greatly reduce the transmission and reception costs associated with the remote operation of the camera as compared with the related art.

Further, since the control information is transmitted by e-mail, the operating conditions of the remotely operated camera can be finely set to perform more accurate and wide-ranging control. Further, since transmission / reception is performed using electronic mail, transmission / reception with a remotely operated camera can be performed from anywhere by connecting to a telephone network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mail control unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of the driving device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection method between the camera of FIG. 1 and a telephone line.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a frame structure of a command mail.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a frame structure of a response mail.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a command mail and response mail transmission / reception process by the camera of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d Camera 11 Mail receiving unit 12 Mail transmitting unit 13 Address comparing unit 14 Address storage unit 15 Mail control unit 16 Drive unit control unit 17 Drive unit 18 Clock unit 19 CCD control unit 20 CCD 21 Memory 22 Power control unit 23 mail separation unit 24 mail storage unit 25 function control unit 26 mail creation unit 27 relay unit 28 wiper activation motor 29 horizontal rotation motor 30 vertical rotation motor 31 enlargement / reduction motor 32 shutter open / close motor 33 telephone line 34 HUB 35, 36 Mail box server 37, 38 PC 39, 40 Building 41 Command mail 42 Mail header 43 Address group 43a Destination address 43b Target equipment address 43c Source address 43d Distribution destination address 44 Shooting command group 44a C Hardware reset 44b shooting start time 44c shooting end time 44d shooting interval time 44e pedestal rotation angle 44f wiper activation interval 44g enlargement / reduction 44h resolution 45 mail footer 46 response mail 47 address group 48 shooting image data group 48a Ready / Error code 48b image information

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An electronic mail system comprising: means for connecting to a telephone line network, wherein operation is controlled by inputting an e-mail transmitted / received via the telephone line network, and photographed image information is output by the e-mail. camera. 2. An e-mail receiving section for receiving an e-mail composed of a command mail including various photographing information for photographing, and a mail transmitting section for transmitting an e-mail composed of a response mail including image data of a photographed image. The camera according to claim 1, comprising: 3. A mail control unit for generating control information based on the command mail input to the mail receiving unit, generating the response mail, and outputting the response mail to the mail transmitting unit. 3. The camera according to 2. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mail control unit is configured to execute the command by matching a target equipment address included in the command mail and specifying a target equipment operated by the command mail with a previously stored equipment address. 4. The camera according to claim 3, wherein the camera performs mail processing. 5. The mail control unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a destination address of a destination to which an e-mail is sent from the command mail; a target device address; a source address indicating a source from which the command mail is transmitted; A destination address indicating a distribution destination of the device, a hardware reset for initializing the target device, a shooting time indicating a time related to shooting, and various shooting conditions set for the target device are separated, and the response is performed. The mail stores the distribution destination address, the source address, the target device address, a Ready / Error code for notifying the operation status of the target device, image information captured by the target device, and the like. The camera according to claim 4, wherein 6. A mail receiving unit and a mail transmitting unit connected to a telephone network, an address storage unit storing the target device address, a device address stored in the address storage unit, and a target of the command mail. An address comparing unit that compares the device address, the mail control unit, and a control unit that performs various controls of the device based on the various shooting conditions and manages a set shooting time based on control information from the mail control unit. The camera according to claim 5, further comprising: a clock unit; and a memory that stores photographing data such as image information photographed by the device and outputs the photographing data to the mail control unit.