KR20030003991A - Management system to providing independent pictures for each user - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An image information management system for providing independent image information to respective users is provided to simplify a camera system by the rotation control of images by software for preventing the overload of the camera system due to the increase in the number of the user. CONSTITUTION: An image information management system for providing independent image information to respective users includes an image input element(10) having a plurality of cameras(1-9) having different image capturing areas with reference to the center, and an image management server(20) for receiving and storing the images from the respective cameras of the image input element and selectively providing the images to at least more than one user connected via networks, wherein the image management server includes an image receiving part(21) for receiving the images from the cameras, an image storing part(22) for storing the received images, a network interface(23) for the connection with users' computers(30), and an image synthesizing and outputting part(24) for synthesizing the stored images according to corresponding imaginary camera control commands from the users' computers, coding the images according to a predetermined coding method and transmitting the images to the users' computers via the network interface.

Description

Management system to provide independent video information for each user {Management system to providing independent pictures for each user}

The present invention relates to a video information management system for providing independent video information to each user. The video information management system stores video information acquired by a camera and processes the video information at the request of a plurality of user computers connected through a network. The present invention relates to a camera system capable of providing image information to a plurality of users via a network by transmitting.

Camera systems that provide images captured by cameras to multiple locations over a network are used in many places, including security systems.

Currently, a camera is installed in a preschool or kindergarten where parents can view their children in the home through the Internet, install them at doorways to check visitors, or install them at construction sites to monitor construction sites remotely through a network. Such a camera system has been applied in various fields such as video conferencing between remote users and video chatting.

Images obtained by the camera are managed by a management server that stores and processes these images and transmits them to a plurality of user computers via a network.

In response to a request from a user computer connected to the management server through a network, the management server encodes and transmits the image obtained by the camera according to a predetermined encoding method, and the user computer transmits the encoded image transmitted from the management server. The video is decoded and played back using a predetermined video player.

However, in the conventional camera system, the camera installed remotely from the user was mostly fixed, and recently, a camera system capable of providing a simple pan / tilt function or a zoom function has been introduced. However, operation control of a camera in a camera system capable of providing such a simple pan / tilt function or a zoom function has a problem in that the camera cannot be controlled independently for each user.

In other words, even if a plurality of users can control the operation of cameras installed in remote locations, if a user controls the camera using his computer, the screen of the other user's computer will change accordingly.

Since the operation control of the camera gives priority to each user through the control command arrival time from each user's computer, many users who access the camera system have to wait for the control sequence to see the image they want to see. For example, an image that is not desired by the user may be displayed through the computer under the control of another person.

As a result, in the conventional camera system, in order to be able to control the camera independently for each user, as many camera systems as the number of users are required, this is hardly feasible in terms of cost or economy.

The present invention has been invented to solve the above problems, and installed in one or two-dimensional array of cameras having different image acquisition areas with respect to the center, respectively, and the images obtained from each camera through the network Provides a video information management system that provides independent video information to each user to synthesize the video according to the virtual camera control command from the connected user computer, encode it, and transmit it to the corresponding user computer. For that purpose.

It is still another object of the present invention to divide rows and lines of images received and stored from each camera into predetermined steps, respectively, and to respond to each step of a virtual camera control command from at least one user computer connected through a network interface unit. It provides a video information management system that provides independent video information to each user who synthesizes the video according to a predetermined coding method and transmits the video to a corresponding user computer through the network interface to enable finer control. .

1 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of an image information management system for providing independent image information to each user according to the present invention.

2 is an embodiment when nine cameras having a two-dimensional array are installed.

3A illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis in a left turn command.

3B illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis in a right turn command.

Figure 3c is an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the upper rotation command

Figure 3d is an embodiment of the image synthesis when the lower rotation command

3E illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis in a left upper rotation command.

Figure 3f is an embodiment of image synthesis when the lower left rotation command

Figure 3g is an embodiment of image synthesis when the upper right side rotation command

Figure 3h is an embodiment of image synthesis when the lower right rotation command

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which a left rotation direction is divided into ten steps among rows and lines of images obtained by nine cameras arranged in two dimensions in ten steps.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: video input means 20: video management server

21: Image receiving unit 22: Image storing unit

23: network interface unit 24: video synthesis output unit

30: your computer

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the image information management system for providing independent image information to each user according to the present invention is one or two cameras having different image acquisition area on the basis of the center; It is installed in a dimensionally arranged, and synthesized according to the virtual camera control commands from the user computer connected to the network through the image obtained from each of the cameras, characterized in that it is transmitted to the corresponding user computer.

According to an additional aspect of the present invention, an image information management system for providing independent image information to each user according to the present invention divides rows and lines of images received and stored from each camera into predetermined steps, and is connected through a network interface unit. In response to each step of the virtual camera control command from at least one or more user computers, the image is synthesized according to the above steps, and then encoded according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. .

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily understand and reproduce the present invention.

1 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of a video information management system for providing independent video information to each user according to the present invention.

An image information management system for providing independent image information to each user according to this embodiment includes an image input means 10 and an image management server 20.

Image information obtained by the image input means 10 is stored by the image management server 20, the image management server 20 is a virtual camera from a plurality of user computers 30 connected through a network According to a control command, the stored image is synthesized, encoded, and transmitted to the user computer 30. The user computer 30 which receives this is decoded and reproduced the encoded image through a predetermined image player implemented in software.

In detail, the image input means 10 includes a plurality of cameras having different image acquisition regions based on the center thereof. The camera includes at least three cameras that are arranged in one dimension so as to be symmetrical to both the left and right sides with respect to the center, or at least nine cameras that are two-dimensionally arranged so as to be symmetrical in the up, down, left and right directions based on the center. It contains a camera.

Accordingly, the image input means 10 provided with a plurality of cameras having different image capturing regions, respectively, obtains images from each camera and transmits the images to the image management server 20.

The image management server 20 receives and stores an image from each camera of the image input means 10 and selectively provides images received from the camera to at least one user connected through a network. The video receiving unit 21 includes an image receiving unit 21, an image storing unit 22, a network interface unit 23, and an image combining output unit 24.

The image receiver 21 receives an image from each camera of the image input means 10.

The image storage unit 22 stores the image received from the image receiver 21.

The network interface unit 23 is connected to the user computer 30 through a network to transmit and receive data.

The image synthesis output unit 24 corresponds to images stored in the image storage unit 22 in response to each virtual camera control command from at least one user computer 30 connected through the network interface unit 23. Synthesis is performed according to a virtual camera control command and encoded according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitted to the user computer 30 through the network interface unit 23.

Accordingly, the image information management system for providing independent image information to each user according to the present invention receives an image from each camera of the image input means 10 through the image receiver 21, and the image storage unit ( The image storage unit through the image synthesis output unit 24 in response to each virtual camera control command from at least one user computer 30 connected through the network interface unit 23 and stored through the network interface unit 23. The images stored at 22 are synthesized according to the corresponding virtual camera control command, and are encoded according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitted to the user computer 30 through the network interface unit 23.

The encoded image thus transmitted is decoded and reproduced by a predetermined image player implemented in software in the user computer 30.

Meanwhile, the virtual camera control command from the user computer 30 depends on the arrangement of the cameras.

2 is an embodiment when nine cameras having a two-dimensional array are installed.

Since the two-dimensional array of cameras includes a one-dimensional array in which cameras are installed left and right, and a one-dimensional array in which cameras are installed up and down, the operation relation for the one-dimensional array camera is the motion of the two-dimensional array camera. Detailed descriptions are omitted because they are included as part of the relationship.

2, camera 1, camera 2, camera 3, camera 4, camera 5, camera 6, camera 7, camera 8, camera 9 in order from the upper left to the lower right for convenience.

As shown, the camera arrangement of this embodiment is symmetrical up, down, left and right with respect to camera 5.

Each camera has its own image acquisition area, some of which may or may not partially overlap the image acquisition area of the cameras around it.

Images obtained by the cameras arranged as described above are received by the image receiving unit 21 of the image management server 20 and stored in the image storage unit 22.

The user connects to the image management server 20 through the network interface unit 23 of the image management server 20 to receive the images acquired by the respective cameras using his user computer 30.

When a user requests an image by accessing the image management server 20 using his or her user computer 30, the image management server 20 plays back the images acquired by the respective cameras on the user computer 30. Investigate whether a predetermined video player implemented in software is present in the user computer 30, and if present, encode the image acquired by the camera 5 at the center position as a basic video to the user computer 30. If it does not exist, the predetermined video player is transferred to the user computer in the form of an installation program installed and executed on the user computer 30 or a plug-in type existing and executed on the video management server. The image obtained by the camera 5 at the center position is encoded and transmitted to the user computer 30.

The video obtained by the basic video camera 5 thus transmitted is decoded and reproduced through the predetermined video player.

On the other hand, the predetermined video player has a control button for inputting a virtual camera control command for controlling the image, the virtual camera control command selected by the user's operation is transmitted to the image management server 20 through the network.

According to the transmitted virtual camera control command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the images stored in the image storage unit in response to the virtual camera control command, and converts the images into a predetermined encoding method. According to the encoding, the encoding is transmitted to the corresponding user computer 30 through the network interface unit and reproduced through the predetermined video player.

The virtual camera control command includes a playback command for reproducing an image, a stop command for reproducing an image, a pause command for resuming a video, and a zoom in / zoom out command for enlarging or reducing the corresponding image. It includes a pan / tilt function that controls the camera at the same time, left turn command, right turn command, upper turn command, lower turn command, upper left turn command, lower left turn command, upper right turn command, lower right Contains the rotation command.

The playback command, the stop command, the pause command and the zoom in / zoom out command are functions that are variously known and implemented before the application, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The technical gist of the present invention can be realized by providing each user with the number of camera systems in hardware in order to be able to control the camera independently, but this is almost impossible in terms of cost and economics. In the present invention, a plurality of cameras having different image capturing regions are installed, and the images obtained from them are synthesized by software, so that each user can have the same effect as the camera can be controlled independently.

Referring to Figure 2 will be described in detail a technique for giving each of these users the same effect as the camera can be independently controlled.

First, when a user inputs a left turn command of a camera through a predetermined video player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the left turn command is transmitted to the video management server 20 through a network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image acquired by the camera 5 and the image obtained by the camera 4, and then selects a predetermined range of the synthesized image. After selecting and encoding the image, the image is transmitted to the user's computer 30 through the network and executed.

3A illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of such a left turn command.

Since the image synthesis, the encoding method, and the like are already known and implemented in various ways before application, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

On the other hand, when a user inputs a right turn command of the camera through a predetermined video player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the right turn command is transmitted to the video management server 20 through the network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image acquired by the camera 5 and the image acquired by the camera 6, and then selects a predetermined range of the synthesized image. By selecting and encoding the image, the image is transmitted to the user's computer 30 through the network to be executed.

3B illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the right turn command.

On the other hand, when the user inputs the upper rotation command of the camera through a predetermined video player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the upper rotation command is transmitted to the image management server 20 through the network. In accordance with the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image acquired by the camera 5 and the image acquired by the camera 2, and selects a predetermined range of the synthesized images. By selecting and encoding the image, the image is transmitted to the user's computer 30 through the network to be executed.

3C illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the upper rotation command.

On the other hand, when the user inputs the lower rotation command of the camera through a predetermined video player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the lower rotation command is transmitted to the image management server 20 through the network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image acquired by the camera 5 and the image obtained by the camera 8, and then selects a predetermined range of the synthesized images. By selecting and encoding the image, the image is transmitted to the user's computer 30 through the network to be executed.

FIG. 3D illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the lower rotation command. FIG.

On the other hand, when the user inputs the upper left rotation command of the camera through a predetermined image player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the upper left rotation command is transmitted to the image management server 20 through the network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image obtained by the camera 5 and the image obtained by the camera 1, the camera 2 and the camera 4, By selecting and encoding a predetermined range among the images, the image is transmitted to the user computer 30 through a network to be executed, thereby obtaining an image such as the camera rotated to the upper left side.

3E illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the upper left rotation command.

On the other hand, when the user inputs a lower left rotation command of the camera through a predetermined image player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the lower left rotation command is transmitted to the image management server 20 through the network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image obtained by the camera 5 and the image obtained by the camera 4, the camera 7 and the camera 8, By selecting and encoding a predetermined range among the images, the image is transmitted to the user computer 30 through a network to be executed, thereby obtaining an image such that the camera is rotated to the lower left.

FIG. 3F illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the lower left rotation command.

On the other hand, when the user inputs the right upper rotation command of the camera through a predetermined image player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the upper right rotation command is transmitted to the video management server 20 through the network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image obtained by the camera 5 and the image obtained by the camera 2, the camera 3 and the camera 6, By selecting and encoding a predetermined range among the images, the image is transmitted to the user computer 30 through a network to be executed, thereby obtaining an image such as the camera rotated to the upper right side.

FIG. 3G illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the upper right side rotation command.

On the other hand, when the user inputs the lower right rotation command of the camera through a predetermined image player executed on the screen of the user computer 30, the lower right rotation command is transmitted to the image management server 20 through the network. According to the transmitted command, the image synthesis output unit 24 of the image management server 20 synthesizes the image obtained by the camera 5 and the image obtained by the camera 6, the camera 8 and the camera 9, By selecting and encoding a predetermined range among the images, the image is transmitted to the user computer 30 through a network to be executed, thereby obtaining an image such as the camera rotated to the lower right side.

3H illustrates an embodiment of image synthesis at the time of the lower right rotation command.

Now suppose that two users simultaneously command the first user to rotate the camera to the left and the second user to the right from the user's computer, and the image management server sends the camera to the first user through the video synthesis output unit. The image obtained by 5 and the image obtained by the camera 6 are synthesized, and a predetermined range of the synthesized images is selected and encoded, and then transmitted through a network, and the second user receives the image and the camera obtained by the camera 5. 2, by synthesizing the images obtained by the camera 3 and the camera 6, by selecting and encoding a predetermined range of the synthesized image and transmitting through the network, each user has the effect of controlling the camera independently.

Therefore, the rotation control of the image is possible in software, compared to a conventional camera system of hardware that actually rotates the camera by driving the motor unit of the camera according to the virtual camera control command, thereby simplifying the system, and the independent camera control of the conventional camera system. Although not possible, the present invention enables independent control of each user, and even if the user is greatly increased, only the load on the computer system is increased, and there is no waiting time for the user's virtual camera control command, so that a large load is not generated on the camera system. .

On the other hand, if the user is expected to increase significantly, it is possible to fix the load of the computer according to the synthesis of the image by implementing the rotation step by step.

That is, each row and line of the image received and stored from each camera are divided into predetermined steps, and the images are synthesized according to the above steps in response to the virtual camera control commands for each step from at least one user computer connected through the network interface unit. By encoding the data according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitting the same to the corresponding user computer through the network interface, step-by-step implementation is possible.

Therefore, as long as the network capacity permits the video management server to prepare such a composite image for each step in advance and encode and transmit the synthesized image to each of the corresponding user computers according to the step-by-step virtual camera control commands from multiple users connected through the network. All connected users have the same effect as their own independent camera control.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which a left rotation direction is divided into ten steps among rows and lines of images obtained by nine cameras arranged in two dimensions in ten steps.

When the rows and lines of the images obtained by nine cameras arranged in two dimensions are divided into ten stages, the maximum stage of left, right rotation and vertical rotation of each image is 10 stages, respectively. A total of 21 steps (the center camera 5 is a reference image and are not divided step by step), allowing up to 441 (= 21 × 21) synthesized images.

Thus, it is possible to respond to virtual camera control commands from all connected user computers as long as the capacity of the network allows.

In general, this step-by-step implementation is very effective since there may be hundreds or thousands of concurrent users when the camera is connected to the Internet.

By doing so, the video information management system for providing independent video information to each user according to the present invention can achieve the above object.

As described above, the image information management system for providing independent image information to each user according to the present invention can control the rotation of the image in software, thereby simplifying the system, and the structure is simpler than that of the conventional camera system. Each independent control has the effect of being effective, and a significant increase in the user does not create a significant load on the camera system has a useful effect.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, which is covered by the following claims.

Claims (18)

In the video information management system for providing a video to at least one user through a network, The image information management system: Image input means including a plurality of cameras each having a different image acquisition area with respect to a center; An image management server which receives an image from each camera of the image input means, stores the image, and selectively provides an image received from the camera to at least one user connected through a network; Including, The video management server: An image receiver which receives an image from each camera of the image input means; An image storage unit which stores an image received from the image receiver; A network interface unit for connecting to a user computer; In response to each virtual camera control command from at least one user computer connected through the network interface unit, images stored in the image storage unit are synthesized according to the corresponding virtual camera control command, and encoded according to a predetermined encoding method. An image synthesis output unit for transmitting to the user computer through a network interface unit; Image information management system for providing independent image information to each user, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, The image input means: Image information management system for providing independent image information to each user, characterized in that it comprises at least three cameras so as to be symmetrical to both left and right sides with respect to the center. The method of claim 1, The image input means: Image information management system for providing independent image information to each user, characterized in that it comprises at least three cameras so as to be symmetrical to both sides up and down with respect to the center. The method of claim 1, The image input means: Image information management system for providing independent image information to each user, characterized in that it comprises at least nine cameras symmetrically up, down, left, right relative to the center. The method of claim 2, The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the left, the image received by the central camera and the received images are sequentially synthesized according to the sequence of the cameras arranged from the central camera to the left, and the predetermined The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 2, The image synthesis output unit: If the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the right, the image received by the center camera and the received images are sequentially synthesized in the order of the cameras arranged to the right from the center camera, and the predetermined image is synthesized. The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 3, wherein The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera upward, the images received by the central camera and the received images according to the camera order arranged upward from the central camera are synthesized in this order, and predetermined. The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method of the transmission method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 3, wherein The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera downward, the image received by the central camera and the received images in the order of the cameras arranged downward from the central camera are synthesized in this order, and the predetermined image is synthesized. The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method of the transmission method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the left, the image received by the central camera and the received images are sequentially synthesized according to the sequence of the cameras arranged from the central camera to the left, and the predetermined The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: If the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the right, the image received by the center camera and the received images are sequentially synthesized in the order of the cameras arranged to the right from the center camera, and the predetermined image is synthesized. The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera upward, the received image is sequentially synthesized from the image received by the central camera and the received images according to the camera sequence arranged from the central camera to the upper side. The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method of the transmission method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera downward, the image received by the central camera and the received images are sequentially synthesized in the order of the cameras arranged from the central camera to the lower side, and predetermined. The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the encoding according to the encoding method of the transmission method and transmitted to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: If the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the upper left, the image received by the central camera and the images received according to the order of the cameras arranged from the upper left and adjacent to the upper camera Synthesizing and encoding the same according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitting the same to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: When the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the lower left, the images received by the central camera and the received images according to the order of the cameras arranged in the lower left side and adjacent to the lower camera And synthesizing them in sequence, and encoding the encoded data according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitting the encoded image information to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: If the virtual camera control command from the user's computer is a command to rotate the camera to the upper right, the image received by the central camera and the images received in the order of the camera arranged from the upper right side and adjacent to the upper camera Synthesizing and encoding the same according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitting the same to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 4, wherein The image synthesis output unit: If the virtual camera control command from the user computer is a command to rotate the camera to the lower right, the images received by the central camera and the images received according to the camera order arranged from the lower right side and adjacent to the lower camera And synthesizing them in sequence, and encoding the encoded data according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitting the encoded image information to the corresponding user computer through the network interface. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 16, The image synthesis output unit: Divide the rows and lines of the images received and stored from each camera into predetermined steps, and synthesize the images according to the above steps in response to each step of the virtual camera control commands from at least one user computer connected through the network interface unit, and The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user characterized in that the encoding according to a predetermined encoding method and transmitted to the user computer through the network interface. The method of claim 1, The video information management system for providing independent video information to each user, characterized in that the network is the Internet.