WO2004012457A1

WO2004012457A1 - Remote control monitoring system

Info

Publication number: WO2004012457A1
Application number: PCT/JP2003/007561
Authority: WO
Inventors: Takahiro Narumi
Original assignee: Systemk Corporation
Priority date: 2002-07-26
Filing date: 2003-06-13
Publication date: 2004-02-05
Also published as: AU2003242413A1; JP2004064276A

Abstract

A remote control monitoring system (1) using a Web camera (2). The system (1) comprises at least one Web camera (2), at least one sensor (3) for detecting a sensor reaction in the imaging zone of the Web camera (2), a sensor reaction receiver (4) where data on presence/absence of a sensor reaction of the sensor (3) is stored, and a base managing device (5) for temporarily storing the image captured by the Web camera (2), extracts a single image and/or a continuous image from the temporarily stored images if a sensor reaction is detected regularly or irregularly, and transmitting the extracted single image and/or the continuous image to an image storage server (6) over a network (8).

Description

Description Remote monitoring system Technical field

The present invention relates to a remote monitoring system using a web camera. Background art

A camera that has a network function for security and surveillance inside or outside a building (a camera and a server (power camera) that controls the camera are integrated or installed near the camera) A sensor is attached to a so-called web camera (hereinafter referred to as a web camera). When the sensor responds, an image captured by the web camera is transmitted to a specific computer terminal via a network such as the Internet. There are trusted remote monitoring systems.

In the above remote monitoring system, the image captured by the web camera is continuously transmitted to a specific computer terminal via a network, and the image is received and stored by the specific computer terminal. This is a system that sends notifications from the web camera to the specific computer terminal.

Such a conventional remote monitoring system has a system configuration as shown in FIG. 2, in which a camera server processes a sensor response, and an image captured by a web camera is used as a sensor by an image storage server. The process of storing it along with the reaction and the process of browsing it in response to a request to view the real-time image of the web camera from the user terminal are performed in parallel. Therefore, a heavy load is imposed on the web camera (especially the camera server), and there are problems that a part of the captured image cannot be transmitted and that the transmission of the captured image is greatly delayed. In particular, since the camera server provided in the web camera needs to be space-saving, a large server usually used on a network In particular, when sensor reactions occur frequently, real webcams have not been able to perform the above three processes in parallel.

Further, since the image is transmitted to the user terminal after the sensor response, the user cannot view the image before the sensor response. Disclosure of the invention

In view of the above problems, the present invention reduces the load on the camera server in the web camera by performing the processing of the web camera and the sensor separately, so that even if the camera server does not have a high processing capability, the sensor response can be reduced. The process of remote monitoring is performed in parallel with the process of storing the image captured by the web camera together with the sensor response in the image storage server, and the process of browsing in accordance with the request to view the real time image of the web camera from the user terminal. A possible remote monitoring system was invented. By storing the images before and after the sensor response on a server (image storage server) such as a data sensor, it is possible to browse images before the sensor response. Furthermore, the image captured by a camera is conventionally recorded on a video tape, but it can be digitized and stored, and when a data center is used, a storage space is not required.

The invention of claim 1 stores at least one or more web cameras, at least one or more sensors for detecting a sensor response within the imaging range of the web camera, and presence or absence of a sensor response by the sensor. The sensor response receiving device and the image taken by the web camera are temporarily stored, and the presence or absence of the sensor response stored in the sensor one response receiving device is checked periodically or irregularly. A base management device that extracts a single image and / or a continuous image from the temporarily stored image and transmits the extracted single image and / or Z or continuous image to an image storage server via a network. It is a remote monitoring system. The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the site management device extracts one image at a time when a sensor response has occurred from the temporarily stored image, and uses the extracted image as a single image to the image storage server. This is a remote monitoring system that performs image processing.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the site management device extracts one or more images before and / or after the time when the sensor response has occurred from the temporarily stored images, and the extracted one or more images This is a remote monitoring system that performs continuous image processing that transmits images as continuous images to the image storage server.

The invention according to claim 9 is that the image taken by the web camera is temporarily stored, the presence or absence of a sensor response is checked periodically or irregularly, and if there is a sensor response, the temporarily stored image is stored. A site management device that extracts a single image and / or a continuous image from a computer and transmits the extracted single image and / or the Z or continuous image to an image storage server via a network.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the base management apparatus, the base management device extracts one image at a time when there is a sensor reaction from the temporarily stored image. The extracted image is stored as a single image in the image storage. It is a site management device that performs single image processing to be sent to the server.

The invention of claim 11 is characterized in that the base management device extracts one or more images before and / or after the time when the sensor responded from the temporarily stored image, and the extracted one image This is a site management device that performs continuous image processing for transmitting the above images as continuous images to the image storage server.

According to the inventions set forth in claims 1 to 3, and claims 9 to 11, even if the camera server provided with the web camera has a low processing capability, it can process the sensor response, It is possible to parallel the process of storing the image captured by the camera with the sensor response in the image storage server, and the process of browsing according to the web camera's real-time image browsing request from the user terminal, In the invention according to claim 4, the site management device generates a site-side file transmission completion file for determining whether or not the continuous image has been successfully transmitted, and transmits the continuous image to the image storage server. At the same time, it is determined that the continuous image has been successfully transmitted by receiving the server-side file transmission completion file indicating that the continuous image has been successfully transmitted from the image storage server. If not, it is a remote monitoring system that sends a continuous image to the image storage server again.

In the invention according to claim 12, the site management device generates a site-side file transmission completion file for determining whether or not the continuous image has been transmitted normally, and stores the continuous image in the image storage server. It is determined that the continuous image has been transmitted normally by receiving the server-side file transmission completion file indicating that the continuous image has been transmitted from the image storage server. If the image data cannot be transmitted to the image storage server, the site management device transmits the continuous image to the image storage server again.

According to the inventions of claims 4 and 12, it is possible to completely avoid the problem that some images cannot be transmitted due to a traffic error or the like occurring when transmitting a continuous image to the image storage server. Can be transmitted to the image storage server.

The invention according to claim 5, wherein the site management device transmits the single image to the image storage server after extracting the single image, and extracts the continuous image, and when the network is free, A remote monitoring system for transmitting the continuous image to the image storage server.

The invention according to claim 13 is characterized in that the site management device transmits the single image to the image storage server after extracting the single image, and extracts the continuous image when the network is free. And a site management device for transmitting the continuous image to the image storage server.

According to the inventions of claims 5 and 13, a single image (a web camera at the time of sensor reaction) that the user wants to view immediately The image captured by the camera is highly urgent from the viewpoint of crime prevention, etc., and the amount of data is small compared to the continuous image, so even if it is immediately transmitted to the image storage server, there is almost no load on the network. Continuous images with a large amount of data are transmitted to the image storage server as appropriate according to the state of network traffic. By providing such a two-step transmission process, it is possible to achieve both the promptness of the sensor response required by the user and the leveling of network traffic.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the base management device, when a sensor response is received, notifies a predetermined notification destination of a notification mail notifying that the web camera and / or the sensor 1 has responded. This is a remote monitoring system that sends

The invention according to claim 14 is characterized in that, when there is a sensor response, the site management device informs a predetermined report destination that the web camera and Z or the sensor has responded. It is a site management device that sends mail.

According to the inventions of Claims 6 and 14, when the site management device recognizes that a sensor response has occurred, the sensor has detected some response, and therefore, what the response was. The user wants to confirm. Therefore, in such a case, it becomes possible by transmitting a report mail to a preset user. At this time, it is preferable to attach a single image to the notification mail.

The invention according to claim 7 is the remote monitoring system, wherein the image storage server stores the single image and the Z or continuous image received from the site management device of the remote monitoring system and transmits the single image and the Z image to the user terminal.

The invention according to claim 8 is the remote monitoring system, wherein the image storage server is installed in the day.

The invention according to claim 15 is a method for receiving a single image and / or a continuous image from a remote monitoring system that extracts a single image and / or a continuous image from an image captured by a web camera and transmits the single image and / or the continuous image to an image storage server. , Accumulation Is an image storage server.

In the invention according to claim 16, the image storage server is an image storage server installed in a data center.

According to the inventions of Claims 7, 8, 15, and 16, images captured by conventional cameras (surveillance cameras, etc.) have been recorded on videotape. When the image storage server is installed in the data center, the storage space can be saved. In addition, since the storage locations of the captured images can be dispersed, the security of data can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional system configuration. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a process flow of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process flow of the single image processing. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of a continuous image processing process. Figure 6 shows an example of a notification email. FIG. 7 is an example of a report mail setting screen. FIG. 8 is an example of a continuous image reproduction screen. Fig. 9 is an example of a daily sensor one reaction number browsing screen. FIG. 10 is an example of an hourly sensor reaction number browsing screen. Fig. 11 shows an image of the web camera and the sensor from the lower front. Figure 12 shows an image of the webcam and sensor from below. Fig. 13 shows an image diagram when a web camera and a sensor are installed in a nursery. <Fig. 14 shows an example of an authentication screen. FIG. 15 is an example of a menu screen. FIG. 16 is an example of a real-time image browsing screen. FIG. 17 is an example of a real-time image browsing screen. FIG. 18 is an example of a sensor reaction image list display screen. Explanation of reference numerals

1: Remote monitoring system

2: Webcam

3: One sensor

4: Sensor response receiver

5: Site management device

6: Image storage server

7: User terminal

8: Best mode for carrying out the network invention

An example of the system configuration of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the system configuration diagram of FIG. The remote monitoring system 1 has at least one or more web cameras 2, at least one or more sensors 3, sensor-one-reaction receiving devices 4, and site management devices 5. Data can be transmitted and received via the network 8. When a plurality of web cameras 2 and sensors 13 are used, it is preferable to use a known switcher hub.

The web camera 2 is a known web camera that periodically (for example, every 0.5 seconds) images of a place where the user wants to perform remote monitoring (a place to be monitored) and transmits the image to the site management apparatus 5. The web camera 2 is provided with or near a camera server, and transmits the captured image to the site management device 5. Further, the web camera 2 has an IP address indicating the location on the network 8, and the user can access the web camera 2 from the user terminal 7 and browse the captured image in real time. In the present specification, the web camera 2 and the camera server provided inside or near the web camera 2 are collectively referred to as a web camera 2.

The sensor 3 is a known sensor 3. Further, the sensor 3 is installed in or near the web camera 2, and the image of the web camera 2 is taken. Sensor response within the image area can be detected.

The sensor response receiving device 4 is a device that stores the presence or absence of a sensor response by the sensor 3.

The site management device 5 temporarily stores images received from the web camera 2 and checks periodically (for example, every second) or irregularly whether there is a sensor response stored in the sensor response receiving device 4. When there is a sensor response, the image received from the web camera 2 and temporarily stored are subjected to single image processing and / or continuous image processing, and the single image and Z or continuous image are stored in the image storage server 6. This is a device that transmits data via the network 8. The single image is composed of a single still image captured by the web camera 2, and the continuous image is composed of a plurality of still images captured by the web camera 2. Therefore, when continuous images are played back continuously in chronological order, they appear to be moving like moving images. The single image processing is a process of extracting one image at a time when a sensor response has occurred from the temporarily stored image and transmitting the extracted image to the image storage server 6 as a single image. At the time of this transmission, it is preferable to transmit the single image after compressing it.

Continuous image processing refers to one or more images before and / or after the time of one sensor response from the temporarily stored images (which may be either only before, after only, or both before and after). For example, it refers to the process of extracting 4 images (2 seconds before and 16 images after 8 seconds) and transmitting one or more extracted images to the image storage server 6 as a continuous image. At the time of this transmission, it is preferable that the continuous image be compressed and then transmitted while the network 8 is free. Also, when transmitting continuous images to the image storage server 6, the communication becomes unstable depending on the network environment, and some images cannot be transmitted due to a traffic error or the like during continuous image transmission. May occur. In order to avoid such a problem, the site management device 5 generates a site-side file transmission completion file for determining whether or not a continuous image has been transmitted normally. The continuous image is transmitted to the image storage server 6. It is also sent when performing. this The site-side file transmission completion file is transmitted to the image storage server 6 after the continuous image, and whether or not the continuous image has been successfully transmitted can be determined based on whether the site-side file transmission completion file has been transmitted. It works. Also, it is determined whether or not the site-side file transmission completion file has been transmitted. The file name of the continuous image is written in the site-side file transmission completion file, and the file name and the image storage server 6 can receive the file. The image storage server 6 generates a server-side file transmission completion file indicating that the continuous image has been transmitted, and if the verification is successful, the image storage server 6 manages the site. Transmit to device 5. When the server-side file transmission completion file can be received by the site management device 5, it is determined that the site-side file transmission completion file has been transmitted, that is, the continuous image has been successfully transmitted.

In addition, when the user has made a setting for transmitting an image when the sensor 13 has responded to the user terminal 7 (that is, a notification mail setting), the base management apparatus 5 notifies the user terminal 7 of the fact. It is also a transmitting device. Fig. 6 shows an example of a report mail. It is preferable to send a single image attached to this notification mail. This notification mail setting is preferably performed from the notification mail setting screen shown in FIG. From the user terminal 7, the user accumulates the email title on the alert email setting screen, the destination of the alert email, the start and end times for sending the alert email, and whether to attach an image (report email settings). This is performed for the server 6, the image storage server 6 (described later) stores the notification mail settings, and transmits the stored notification mail settings to the site management device 5. The base management device 5 receives the notification mail setting, and if the sensor 13 responds, according to the setting (for example, if the time when the notification mail can be transmitted is set, the setting is performed) Judgment is made as to whether it is during the time zone.) A report mail is transmitted to the user terminal 7.

The image storage server 6 can transmit and receive data between the remote monitoring system 1 and the user terminal 7 via the network 8, and can receive a single image and / or a continuous image received from the site management device 5 of the remote monitoring system 1. It is a server that stores images.

Further, the image storage server 6 receives the access from the user terminal 7, and transmits the single image and / or the continuous image to the user terminal 7 for viewing. FIG. 8 shows an example of the continuous image reproduction / transmission screen. Fig. 8 (a) shows the case where the thumbnail images of the still images constituting the continuous image are not displayed, and Fig. 8 (b) shows the case where the thumbnail images of the still images constituting the continuous image are displayed. It is.

Further, the image storage server 6 stores the single image and the Z or continuous image in association with the reaction time of the sensor 3 so that the number of response times of the target web camera 2 per day and hour can be obtained. Can be viewed on the user terminal Ί. Fig. 9 shows the screen for browsing the number of sensor reactions per day, and Fig. 10 shows the screen for browsing the number of sensor reactions per hour. By selecting the date in the daily sensor response number browsing screen of FIG. 9, the hourly sensor response number browsing screen of FIG. 10 is displayed on the user terminal 7.

In addition, when the image storage server 6 receives the continuous image and the base-side file transmission completion file from the base management apparatus 5, it generates a server-side file transmission completion file and transmits it to the base management apparatus 5.

The image storage server 6 stores the report mail setting received from the user terminal 7 and transmits the report mail setting to the site management device 5.

The image storage server 6 is preferably installed in a data center from the viewpoint of operational efficiency and the like.

The user terminal 7 is a known computer terminal owned by the user (computer terminals include a mobile phone having a network 8 function, PHS, PDA, and the like).

Next, an example of the process flow of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 and the system configuration diagram of FIG. First, a user who wishes to send a notification mail using the remote monitoring system 1 sends the notification mail setting from the user terminal 7 to the notification mail shown in FIG. Preferably, the setting is performed on the file setting screen. From the user terminal 7, the user inputs the e-mail title of the e-mail setting screen, the destination of the e-mail notification, the start time and end time for sending the e-mail, and whether or not to attach an image (report e-mail setting). Then, the image data is transmitted to the image storage server 6 via the network 8. Upon receiving this, the image storage server 6 stores the notification mail setting. The image storage server 6 transmits the report mail setting received by the image storage server 6 from the user terminal 7 to the site management device 5, and the site management device 5 stores the notification mail setting.

The web camera 2 is provided with a sensor 3 inside or in the vicinity thereof. Fig. 11 shows an image of the web camera 2 and the sensor 13 from the lower front. Fig. 12 shows an image from below. Fig. 13 shows an image when a web camera 2 and a sensor 13 are installed in a nursery. Fig. 13 shows the case where a webcam 2 and a sensor 3 are installed in the nursery. However, in addition to this, the user is required to enter the building entrance, corridor, stairs, meeting room, parking lot, rooftop, etc. It can be set up wherever remote monitoring is desired (monitoring target location). After the webcam 2 and the sensor 3 are installed at the monitoring target location, the webcam 2 periodically (for example, every 0.5 seconds) or irregularly captures the monitoring target location (S100), and the site management device. The captured image is transmitted to 5 (S110). The timing of imaging by the web camera 2 may be any evening. The site management device 5 temporarily stores the image received from the web camera 2 (S120).

In addition, when the web camera 2 captures an image, the sensor 13 also operates (S130), and detects a sensor response within the imaging range of the web camera 2. The presence / absence of the sensor response is stored in the sensor response receiving device 4.

The site management device 5 temporarily stores images received from the web camera 2 and periodically (eg, every one second) or irregularly checks for the presence or absence of a sensor response stored in the sensor one-reception receiving device 4. Yes (S140). If there is a sensor response as a result of checking the presence or absence of the sensor response stored in the sensor response receiver 4 (S150), the site management device 5 receives the image received from the web camera 2 and temporarily stores the image. Then, the single image processing and / or the continuous image processing are performed on the image data, and the single image and the Z or continuous image are transmitted to the image storage server 6 via the network 8 (S160, S170).

The single image processing is a process of extracting one image at a time when a sensor response has occurred from the temporarily stored image and transmitting the extracted image to the image storage server 6 as a single image. That is, the base management device 5 extracts the image of the time at which the sensor response occurred from the temporarily stored image by matching the time at which the sensor response occurred with the single image (S300). Then, the extracted image is compressed (S310). In the present embodiment, the case where the image compression processing is performed will be described. However, since the processing is for reducing the amount of data transmitted from the site management apparatus 5 to the image storage server 6, the processing need not be performed. Further, the site management device 5 transmits the image compressed in S310 (or the single image extracted in S300 if no compression processing is performed) to the image storage server 6 (S320). Continuous image processing refers to one or more images before and / or after the time when the sensor response occurred from the temporarily stored image (either before, only after, or both before and after) (for example, This is the process of extracting 4 images (2 seconds before and 16 images after 8 seconds) and transmitting one or more extracted images to the image storage server 6 as continuous images. In other words, before and after the time when the sensor response occurred (before and after this can be set arbitrarily, for example, 2 seconds before the sensor response and 8 seconds after the sensor response. Therefore, if the web camera 2 captures two images per second, 4 before sensor reaction, after sensor reaction

16 images are extracted) from the temporarily stored images, and compressed as a continuous image (S410). This compression processing is processing for reducing the amount of data transmitted from the site management device 5 to the image storage server 6 as in the case of the single image processing, and thus need not be performed. When transmitting continuous images to the image storage server 6, the network Depending on the environment, the communication may be unstable, causing problems such as the inability to transmit some images normally due to the occurrence of traffic errors during continuous image transmission. To avoid such a problem, the site management device 5 generates a site-side file transmission completion file for determining whether or not the continuous image has been transmitted normally (S420). It is also transmitted when transmitting to the storage server 6 (S430). This site-side file transmission completion file is transmitted to the image storage server 6 after the continuous image, and whether or not the site-side file transmission completion file has been successfully transmitted depends on whether the site-side file transmission completion file has been transmitted. (S440), and the site-side file transmission is completed. If the file cannot be transmitted, there is a high possibility that the continuous image has not been transmitted normally. The point file transmission completion file is transmitted to the image storage server 6.

In S440, it is determined that the file name of the continuous image is written in the file transmission completion file on the site side, and the file name is compared with the file name received by the image storage server 6, and the collation can be performed. In this case, the image storage server 6 generates a server-side file transmission completion file indicating that the continuous image has been transmitted, and transmits the file from the image storage server 6 to the site management device 5. When the server-side file transmission completion file can be received by the site management device 5, it is determined that the site-side file transmission completion file has been transmitted, that is, the continuous image has been successfully transmitted.

Further, the site management device 5 transmits the single image to the image storage server 6 as soon as possible after the extraction of the single image, and stores the continuous image after the extraction, when the network 8 is free. It is preferable to send it to the server 6. The vacant state of the network 8 can be realized by the image storage server 6 monitoring network traffic by a known method. A single image that the user wants to view immediately (an image captured by the web camera 2 when the sensor responds) is highly urgent from the viewpoint of crime prevention and the amount of data is small compared to a continuous image. Immediate transmission to the image storage server 6 causes almost no load on the network 8, but continuous images with a large amount of data are transmitted to the image storage server 6 as appropriate according to the state of network traffic. By providing such a two-stage transmission process, it is possible to achieve both the promptness of one sensor response required by the user and the leveling of network traffic.

If there is a sensor response in S150, the base management device 5 informs the user that the sensor 13 has responded based on the notification mail setting. The mail is transmitted to the user terminal 7 (S180). The notification mail may be transmitted by the site management device 5 after a sensor response, or after a single image process and a Z or continuous image process. It is also preferable to attach a single image to the report mail. Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the base management device 5 sends a notification mail in order to notify the user of the sensor response as quickly as possible has been described, but an image to be described in a later process will be described. After the storage server 6 receives the single image, a notification mail may be transmitted to the user terminal 7. The user receives the notification mail at the user terminal 7, and when a single image is attached, the user can know who came by viewing the image. For example, if a suspicious individual is captured in a single image, it is possible to notify the manager, security company, police authority, etc., and take appropriate measures.

If there is no sensor response in S150, the site management device 5 deletes the temporarily stored image after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, one hour, one day, etc.) from temporary storage in S120. Yes (S190). This makes it possible to keep the storage capacity of the storage device of the base management device 5 within a certain limit.

By single image processing or continuous image processing of S160 or S170. When the image storage server 6 receives a single image or continuous image transmitted from the site management device 5, the single image or continuous image is compressed. Is If they are not compressed, they are decompressed, and if they are not compressed, the received image is stored in the image storage server 6 (S200).

It is preferable that the image storage server 6 stores the image file after changing the file name of the image file before storing the single image or the continuous image. When changing the file name, use a different image file name for each web camera 2 and link the code (base code) of the base management device 5, information for identifying the web camera 2 (web camera ID), date and time information, and the like. It is preferred that it consists of a number. As a result, even if the file names of the images captured by the web camera 2 have different formats (that is, different manufacturers and different models), the file names can be unified. It is possible to judge by date and time.

Further, the image storage server 6 stores the single image and the Z or the continuous image in association with the reaction time of the sensor 3 (that is, stores the single image and the Z or the continuous image and the single reaction time of the sensor). As a result, the number of sensor responses per day and hour of the target webcam 2 can be changed to the daily sensor per reaction number browsing screen shown in Fig. 9 or the hourly sensor one reaction number browsing screen shown in Fig. 10 by the user terminal. It can be viewed at 7.

The user accesses the image storage server 6 spontaneously, not by receiving the report e-mail sent from the site management device 5 in S180, but by real-time image of the webcam 2 or past single image Or You may browse a series of images. In this case, the authentication information (for example, login ID or password) given to the user from the authentication screen shown in FIG. 14 is input from the user terminal 7 and the image is stored in the image storage server 6. The authentication is performed. When the authentication is successfully performed, the image storage server 6 transmits the menu screen shown in FIG. 15 to the user terminal 7. If the authentication fails, the user is prompted to re-enter the authentication information. If the user wants to view the real-time image of webcam 2, select webcam 2 from the menu screen. With this selection, the image storage server 6 connects the web camera 2 and the user terminal 7 via the base management device 5, and the web camera 2 currently captures an image. The webcam 2 transmits the image to the user terminal 7. The real-time image browsing screen at this time is shown in Fig. 16 and Fig. 17. Fig. 16 shows the webcams No. 1 (webcam for imaging small conference rooms), No. 2 (webcam for imaging large conference rooms), and No. 3 (images of parking spaces from the rooftop) In this case, each real-time image of the web camera is divided and displayed on one screen, and FIG. 17 shows a case where the real-time image of the web camera No. 2 is enlarged and displayed on one screen. It is.

When the user wants to view the number of sensor responses and the single image and the Z or continuous image at the time of the sensor response, the user can use the main screen of FIG. (If not, it may be other than the main screen.) By selecting "Sensor Response List" from Fig. 9, the daily sensor response number browsing screen in Fig. 9 and the hourly sensor response number browsing screen in Fig. 10 can be displayed. It is displayed on the user terminal 7. In this case, the number of responses per sensor per day or hour stored in the image storage server 6 may be extracted and graphed.

When the user selects the time shown in FIG. 10 from the user terminal 7, the image storage server 6 extracts a sensor response image list display screen of a single image having a sensor response at the time, and the user terminal 7 Send to. An example of the sensor response image list display screen is shown in FIG. By selecting a specific image from the list of single images, for example, a single image at 10:02:17, the continuous image playback screen shown in Fig. 8 is displayed on the user terminal 7, and the image storage server 6 The continuous image is transmitted to the user terminal 7 and reproduced. By changing the webcam 2 and the date and time from the sensor response image list display screen in Fig. 18, it is also possible to view the sensor response image list display screen of a single image that has a sensor response at a different date and time. .

Conventionally, a system configuration as shown in Fig. 2 is adopted, in which processing of sensor reactions and image captured by the web camera 2 are sent to the image storage In the case where the processing for storing together with the server response and the processing for browsing according to the request for browsing the real-time image of the web camera 2 from the user terminal 7 are performed in parallel, the camera server in each web camera 2 Since the two processes were performed, a heavy load was placed on the camera server. Also, since the camera server is required to be space-saving, its processing capacity is not high, and therefore, it was virtually impossible to perform these processes in parallel. Through this, even if the processing capacity of the camera server in the web camera 2 is not high, the above three processes can be performed in parallel.

In the past, images captured by cameras were stored on videotape, but can be converted into data and stored, and can also be stored as complete continuous images without data loss. Further, when the image storage server 6 is installed in the data center, the management efficiency of each image can be improved and the data security can be improved. In other words, if there is an image storage server 6 in a company, etc., an intruder who has invaded the company destroys the image storage server 6 from which he or she may have been picked up, so that all of the evidence such as intrusion is Although data will be lost, such problems will be eliminated if the data center is set up every night. Industrial applicability

According to the present invention, the load on the camera server in the web camera is reduced by separately performing the processing of the web camera and the processing of the sensor. The process of storing the image captured by the web camera together with the sensor response in the image storage server and the process of browsing according to the web camera's real-time image browsing request from the user terminal are performed in parallel, and the remote monitoring process is performed. A possible remote monitoring system becomes possible. The images before and after the sensor response are stored in a server (such as an image storage server). B) By storing it on the top, it is possible to browse images before the sensor reaction. In addition, images captured by conventional cameras have been recorded on videotape, but they can be digitized and stored, and when a data center is used, no storage space is required. .

Claims

Claims 1. At least one or more webcams,

At least one or more sensors for detecting one reaction of the sensors within the imaging range of the web camera;

A sensor response receiving device that stores the presence or absence of a sensor response by the sensor;

The image taken by the web camera is temporarily stored, and the presence or absence of the sensor response stored in the sensor response receiving device is checked periodically or irregularly. If there is a sensor response, the temporary storage is performed. A site management device that extracts a single image and a continuous image or a continuous image from the images being transmitted, and transmits the extracted single image and Z or the continuous image to an image storage server via a network;

A remote monitoring system comprising:

2. The site management device,

Performs a single image process of extracting a single image at a time when a sensor response has occurred from the temporarily stored image and transmitting the extracted image as a single image to the image storage server.

The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein:

3. The site management device,

A sequence of extracting one or more images before and / or after the time of the sensor response from the temporarily stored images and transmitting the extracted one or more images as a continuous image to the image storage server. 2. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring system performs image processing.

4. The site management device is

Generate a site-side file transmission completion file to determine whether or not the continuous image was successfully transmitted, The continuous image can be transmitted normally by transmitting the continuous image together with the image storage server and receiving the server-side file transmission completion file indicating that the continuous image has been successfully transmitted from the image storage server. Judge that

If the image cannot be transmitted normally, transmit the continuous image to the image storage server again.

The remote monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that:

5. The site management device is

Transmitting the single image to the image storage server after extracting the single image;

After the extraction of the continuous image, the continuous image is transmitted to the image storage server when the network is free.

The remote monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that:

6. The site management device,

When there is a response from the sensor, a notification mail is transmitted to a predetermined report destination to notify that the webcam and / or the sensor has reacted.

The remote monitoring according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

7. The image storage server:

Store the single image and / or the continuous image received from the site management device of the remote monitoring system and send it to the user terminal

The remote monitoring according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that:

8. The image storage server comprises:

Installed in data center

The remote monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

9. Temporarily store the images captured by the webcam,

Check periodically or irregularly for the presence of a sensor response, and if there is a sensor response, extract a single image and a Z or continuous image from the temporarily stored image,

Send the extracted single image and / or continuous image to the image storage server via the network

A base management device, characterized in that:

10. The site management device,

10. The site management device according to claim 9, wherein:

1 1. The site management device

A sequence of extracting one or more images before and / or after the time of the sensor response from the temporarily stored images and transmitting the extracted one or more images as a continuous image to the image storage server. 10. The site management device according to claim 9, wherein the site management device performs image processing.

1 2. The site management device,

Generate a site-side file transmission completion file to determine whether or not the continuous image was successfully transmitted,

A server that transmits the continuous image together with the image storage server and indicates that the continuous image has been successfully transmitted from the image storage server. By receiving the file transmission completion file, it is determined that the continuous image has been transmitted successfully,

If the image cannot be transmitted normally, the continuous image is transmitted again to the image storage server.

The site management device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that:

1 3. The site management device

The site management device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that:

1 4. The site management device,

When there is a sensor response, a notification mail is sent to a predetermined report destination to notify that the webcam and / or the sensor has responded.

The site management device according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that:

15. Receive and accumulate the single image and / or the continuous image from the remote monitoring system that extracts the single image and the Z or continuous image from the image captured by the web camera and transmits it to the image storage server.

An image storage server, characterized in that:

1 6. The image storage server,

It is installed in the day and evening center

The image storage server according to claim 15, wherein: