KR101704040B1 - Network camera and video transmitting method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of transmitting images by connecting a plurality of network cameras in a cascade manner and a network camera, and more particularly, to a network camera in which a network camera is cascade- When the switch hub is connected to one end of a connection path of a plurality of network cameras connected in a cascade manner, the switch transmits an image from the other end of the connection path to one end connected to the switch hub. The connection method of a plurality of network cameras can be simplified and the use efficiency of the connected LAN can be increased.

Description

[0001] NETWORK CAMERA AND VIDEO TRANSMITTING METHOD [0002]

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting an image by connecting a network camera in a cascade manner using a network camera having a three port switch and a network camera thereof, Terminal to transmit an image picked up or an image received through an input terminal to an output terminal, and a network camera therefor.

In recent years, video surveillance cameras such as CCTV cameras have also changed, and the emergence of network cameras is one of the changes. Network cameras are also called web cameras. The network camera is based on a high-performance embedded system with a built-in CCD camera, digitizes and compresses the image, transmits the data through the network, and restores the image in real time from anywhere on the Internet. do.

1, when a plurality of network cameras 1, 2, 3, and 4 are connected and used, a conventional network camera uses a 1: 1 Ethernet switch hub and a LAN You need to connect. In Fig. 1, four network cameras are connected.

In this case, the switch hub 6 should have at least four input terminals. Also, if a star-shaped connection method in which all four network cameras are connected to each other via the switch hub 6 is used, the connection line can be complicated. Also, when the data transmission capacity of each lan line is 100 M to 1000 M, and the data transmission amount for compression and transmission in one network camera is 1 to 10 Mbps, the usage efficiency of each lan line is only 0.1 to 10% do.

In the present invention, a plurality of network cameras are connected to a switch hub by a cascade method, thereby simplifying a connection method.

In the present invention, a plurality of network cameras equipped with a three-port switch are cascade-connected to transmit shot images in one direction, thereby increasing the efficiency of use of network connection lines.

A network camera having a three-port switch according to the present invention includes: an image recognition unit for capturing and acquiring images; A communication unit having a 3-port switch and transmitting or receiving an image; And a controller for determining whether to receive the image and transmitting the received image or the captured image to the outside using the communication unit.

A method of transmitting an image using a network camera having a three-port switch according to the present invention includes: an image recognition step of capturing and acquiring an image; Transmitting an image using a 3-port switch; And a controller for determining whether or not to receive the image and transmitting the received image or the captured image to the outside using the 3-port switch.

A method of transmitting an image using a network camera according to the present invention includes connecting a network camera in a cascade manner to one terminal of a 3-port switch installed in the network camera and connecting the network camera in a cascade manner When a switch hub is connected to one end of a connection path of a plurality of network cameras, an image is transmitted from the other end of the connection path to one end connected to the switch hub.

According to the present invention, in connecting a plurality of network cameras to a switch hub, the connection method can be simplified by connecting the network cameras in a cascade manner.

Also, according to the present invention, a plurality of network cameras equipped with a three-port switch are connected in a cascade manner, and a shot image is transmitted in a unidirectional manner, thereby increasing the efficiency of use of a network connection line.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing a connection method of a plurality of conventional network cameras.
2 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a method of connecting a plurality of network cameras according to the present invention.
3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a network camera according to the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of transmitting an image using a network camera according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. At this time, the configuration and operation of the present invention shown in the drawings and described in the drawings are explained as at least one embodiment, and the technical idea of the present invention and its core configuration and operation are not limited thereby.

The terms used in the present invention are selected from general terms that are widely used in the present invention while considering the functions of the present invention. However, the terms may vary depending on the intention or custom of the artisan or the emergence of new technology. Also, in certain cases, there may be a term selected arbitrarily by the applicant, in which case the meaning thereof will be described in detail in the description of the corresponding invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the term used in the present invention should be defined based on the meaning of the term rather than on the name of the term, and on the content of the present invention throughout the present invention.

2 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a method of connecting a plurality of network cameras according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, one network camera 10 is connected to the switch hub 60, and another network camera 20 is connected to the other end of the network camera 10. And another network camera 30 is connected to the other end of the other network camera 20. In this manner, a plurality of network cameras are connected in series, cascade, or daisy chain manner, starting with the switch hub 60. By connecting as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of network cameras can be connected and used in a simple manner. In addition, since the image photographed by the camera 40 is transmitted to the switch hub 60 through the camera 30, the camera 20, and the camera 10, the use of each lan line The efficiency can be increased up to 4 times. The cable connecting each network camera can transmit data by the tcp / ip communication method. As shown in FIG. 2, each network camera can be equipped with a 3-port Ethernet switch in order to connect the network cameras to each other in a cascade manner. In FIG. 2, the switch hub 10 is connected to the network camera 10, but not limited thereto, a digital video recorder and a computer may be connected.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a network camera according to the present invention. 3, a network camera 10 according to the present invention includes a communication unit 11, a control unit 12, an image processing unit 13, a storage unit 14, an image recognition unit 15, and a user input unit 16, . ≪ / RTI >

The communication unit 11 may include an interface for connecting to a computing device such as a computer, a switch hub, and the like. Further, the communication unit 11 can be connected to at least one camera and receive an image. The communication unit 11 can transmit the photographed image or the received image to another network camera or switch hub. The communication unit may include a hardware module for communicating with the computer or another network camera in the CP / IP, UDP, HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, NTP, DHCP, FTP, DDNS, RTP or RTSP protocol.

The communication unit 11 according to the present invention may include a 3-port Ethernet switch. The three-port switch may include three ports that function as at least one of an input terminal and an output terminal. When a plurality of network cameras are connected to the three port switch of the communication unit 11, an image received from one network camera connected to the input terminal can be transmitted through an output terminal or port to which another network camera is connected.

The control unit 12 may determine whether the image is received and transmit the received image or the captured image to the outside through the communication unit 11. [ The transmission point of the image may be another network camera, a switch hub, or a computer.

The control unit 12 can be set so that the three-port switch of the communication unit 11 operates as at least one of an input terminal and an output terminal. The control unit 12 identifies a plurality of devices connected to the communication unit 11. When one of the plurality of devices is a network camera, a port for connecting the network camera is set as an input terminal, and a port to which another device is connected is set as an output terminal Can be set. The other device may be at least one of a switch hub, a digital video recorder, and a computer.

When only one network camera is connected to the communication unit 11, the control unit 12 can set a port to which the connected network camera is connected as an output terminal.

In this case, the camera 40 connected to the end of the cascade connection path among the plurality of network cameras illustrated in FIG. 2 corresponds to the case. 2, the control unit 12 sets a port to which one network camera 30 is connected as an output terminal, and transmits the image captured and processed by the network camera to the neighboring network camera 30 have. In addition, the control unit 12 may transmit the photographed image using the output terminal, and generate and transmit header information including the data transmission direction information at the time of transmitting the photographed image. By transmitting the transmission direction information, it is possible to know the transmission direction of the image in the neighboring network camera 30 and other network cameras connected thereto in series.

When it is determined that a plurality of network cameras are connected to the communication unit 11, the control unit 12 connects the plurality of network cameras based on the data transfer direction information included in the image received from one of the plurality of network cameras The port can be set as an input terminal or an output terminal. That is, the network camera according to the present invention refers to the data transmission direction information generated and transmitted at the last end of the cascade connection path, and judges which network camera among the network cameras connected at both ends to receive the image or transmit the image can do.

The control unit may be a system on chip processor.

The image processing unit 13 can perform image processing such as compressing and decoding an image photographed by a network camera under the control of the control unit. The data amount of the image processing may be variable according to the memory of the image processing unit 13. [ The image processing unit 13 can compress the photographed images by distinguishing them in the mpeg, jpeg, and h.262 formats. The image processing unit 13 can transmit the compressed image to another network camera or a switch hub. The transmission of the image can be performed via the communication unit 12. [ 3, the image photographed by the image recognizing unit 12 is transmitted to the image processing unit via the control unit 14. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image photographed by the image recognizing unit 12 may be directly transmitted to the image processing unit 15 ) And can be processed.

The storage unit 14 may be a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, an SD or XD memory Etc.), RAM, ROM (EEPROM, etc.), and the like.

The storage unit 14 according to the present invention can store images taken by the image recognition unit 15, images processed by the image processing unit 13, and images received through the communication unit 11. [ In addition, the storage unit 14 may store data transmission direction information between a plurality of network cameras connected in a cascade manner. The storage unit 14 may store input or output setting information of each terminal of the three-port switch included in the communication unit 11. [

The image recognition unit 15 may be an image sensor (CCD / CMOS) for recognizing an image. The image recognizing unit 12 may include an optical filter for removing infrared rays to display the image in an accurate color before reaching the image sensor. The image sensor may convert the light energy into an electrical signal and transmit it to the control unit 14 for electrical digitization.

In addition, the image recognition unit 15 may include a camera module for photographing an image.

The user input unit 16 transmits a signal input by the user to the control unit 12 or a signal from the control unit 12 to the user. For example, the user input unit 16 can be turned on / off from a remote control device (not shown), such as a remote controller, or a channel selection unit (not shown), according to various communication methods such as a radio frequency (RF) communication method and an infrared , A screen setting, or the like, or to transmit a control signal from the control unit 12 to the remote control apparatus.

The user input unit 16 according to the present invention can receive a user selection of the port setting of the 3-port switch included in the communication unit 11. [

Meanwhile, in order to transmit an image using one network camera illustrated in FIG. 3, another network camera is connected to a terminal of a 3-port switch installed in a network camera in a cacade manner, When a switch hub is connected to an end or an end of a cascade connection path of a plurality of network cameras connected in a cascade connection path, an image can be transmitted from the other end or the other end of the cascade connection path to one end connected to the switch hub. That is, the transmission direction of an image between a plurality of network cameras connected in a cascade manner may be opposite to a direction from a switch hub to an end network camera.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of transmitting an image using a network camera according to the present invention.

In step S11, a network camera captures an image. The captured image can be compressed and decoded. In addition, the compressed and decoded image can be stored in the storage unit.

In step S12, the control unit 12 determines whether there is a video received through the communication unit 11. [ The received image may be received from another network camera connected in a cascade manner via the communication unit 11. [

In step S13, if there is a received image, it is transmitted through the communication unit 11 to the outside.

In step S14, the image captured and processed by the network camera itself is transmitted to the outside.

The reception image and the shot image transmitted in steps S13 and S14 may be transmitted through the output terminal of the communication unit 11 and transmitted simultaneously or sequentially. When another network camera or switch hub is connected to the output terminal of the communication unit 11, the image can be transmitted to another network camera or a switch hub.

Although not shown in Fig. 4, the setting of the input terminal or the output terminal of the three-port switch of the communication unit 11 can be set at the time of connecting a plurality of network cameras. In addition, the set information can be reset when a connection method of a plurality of network cameras is changed. For example, a case where a user disconnects a plurality of network cameras or further connects a new network camera to an end of a connection path may be included when the connection mode is changed.

Hereinabove, a video transmission method and a network camera therefor according to an embodiment of the present invention have been described.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Or may be selectively combined.

Meanwhile, the video transmission method of the present invention can be implemented as a code that can be read by a processor on a recording medium readable by the processor. The processor-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording apparatuses in which data that can be read by the processor is stored. Examples of the recording medium that can be read by the processor include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, and the like, and may also be implemented in the form of a carrier wave such as transmission over the Internet . In addition, the processor-readable recording medium may be distributed over network-connected computer systems so that code readable by the processor in a distributed fashion can be stored and executed.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 20, 30, 40: Network camera
6, 60: Switch hub
11:
12:
13:
14:
15: image recognition unit
16: User input

Claims (17)

A network camera having a three-port switch,
An image recognition unit for capturing and acquiring an image;
A communication unit having a 3-port switch and transmitting or receiving an image; And
And a control unit for determining whether or not to receive the image and transmitting the received image or the captured image to the outside using the communication unit,
Wherein the three-port switch includes three ports that function as at least one of an input terminal and an output terminal,
Wherein the control unit identifies a plurality of devices connected to the communication unit and sets a port for connecting a network camera to an input terminal when one of the plurality of devices is a network camera and sets a port for connecting another device to an output terminal Network camera. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a storage unit for storing data transmission direction information between the plurality of apparatuses and input or output setting information of each terminal of the 3-port switch,
Wherein the controller generates and transmits header information including the data transmission direction information when the received image or the captured image is transmitted using the output terminal. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit transmits the received image or the captured image to another network camera or switch hub connected to the output terminal. The method according to claim 1,
And a user input unit for receiving a user's selection of a port setting of the 3-port switch. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the other device comprises at least one of a switch hub, a digital video recorder, and a computer. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit sets a port to which the connected network camera is connected as an output terminal when one network camera is connected to the communication unit and transmits an image pickup using the output terminal, And generates and transmits header information including direction information. The method according to claim 1,
When a plurality of network cameras are connected to the communication unit, the control unit controls a port to which the plurality of network cameras are connected based on data transmission direction information included in the image received from one of the plurality of network cameras to an input terminal or an output terminal Set the network camera. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the communication unit transmits or receives video in a TCP / IP manner. A method for transmitting and receiving video using a network camera having a three port switch,
An image recognition step of capturing and acquiring an image;
Transmitting or receiving an image using a 3-port switch;
Determining whether the image is received, and transmitting the received image or the captured image to the outside using the 3-port switch;
Determining a plurality of devices connected to the three-port switch; And
Setting a port for connecting a network camera to an input terminal when one of the plurality of devices is a network camera and setting a port for connecting another device to an output terminal,
Wherein the three-port switch includes three ports that function as at least one of an input terminal and an output terminal. 10. The method of claim 9,
Further comprising storing the data transmission direction information between the plurality of devices and input or output setting information of each terminal of the 3-port switch,
Wherein the step of transmitting to the outside includes generating and transmitting header information including the data transmission direction information. 10. The method of claim 9,
And transmitting the received image to another network camera or switch hub connected to an output terminal. 10. The method of claim 9,
Receiving a user selection of a port setting of the 3-port switch. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the other device comprises at least one of a switch hub, a digital video recorder, and a computer. 10. The method of claim 9,
Setting a port to which the connected network camera is connected as an output terminal when the one network camera is connected to the three port switch and transmitting the photographed image or the received image using the output terminal;
And generating and transmitting header information including data transmission direction information at the time of transmission of the transmitted shot image or received image. 10. The method of claim 9,
When a plurality of network cameras are connected to the 3-port switch, a port to which the plurality of network cameras are connected is set as an input terminal or an output terminal based on data transmission direction information included in an image received from one of the plurality of network cameras The method comprising the steps of: 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the step of transmitting or receiving the video comprises transmitting or receiving the video in a TCP / IP manner. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit connects another network camera to a terminal of the 3-port switch mounted on the network camera in a cacade manner,
Wherein when a switch hub is connected to one end of a connection path of a plurality of network cameras connected by the cascade method, the network camera transmits an image from the other end of the connection path to one end of the switch hub.

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