Monitoring camera and monitoring camera control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016343221-A1
Application number	US-201615227455-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Feb 14, 2007
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image signal processing DSP subjects an image captured by an imaging element having a zoom lens to image processing for identifying a tracking target. In accordance with zoom information generated by the image signal processing DSP, the main CPU controls the zoom lens and controls a turn table that moves the imaging element in panning and tilting directions in accordance with pan and tilt information, to track the tracking target. During tracking of the tracking target, a determination is made, from information about movements of the tracking target generated by the image signal processing DSP, as to whether or not the target to be tracked has intruded the inside of the area from the outside. In a case where the target has intruded the inside of a preset area from the outside, an alarm command is produced when the target continually remains in the area for; e.g., one second.

First claim

1 . A system for tracking a moving subject, comprising:
an imager that captures an image for an imaging area within a monitoring area, the imaging area determined in accordance with an imaging direction of the imager; a rotator that changes the imaging direction of the imager by rotating the imager in a tilt direction or in a pan direction; a detector that detects the moving subject when the moving subject is captured by the imager; a processor that controls a movement of the rotator; wherein the processor rotates the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction via the rotator when the detector detects the moving subject in a preset area preset within the monitoring area by a user.

2 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 1 , further comprising
an image processor that inputs a plurality of images captured by the imager, tracks a movement of the moving subject included in the plurality of images, and outputs information with respect to the movement of the moving subject to the processor; wherein the processor rotates the rotator for tracking the moving subject in accordance with the information with respect to the movement of the moving subject output by the image processor.

3 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 2 , further comprising
an image converter that inputs the image, as an analog image, captured by the imager, converts the analog image to a digital image, and outputs the converted digital image to the image processor.

4 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 2 , further comprising
a zoom lens that is located in front of the imager; a zoom controller that controls a zooming process of the zoom lens, wherein the image processor generates zoom information based on the plurality of input images, and the zoom controller controls the zoom process of the zoom lens in accordance with the zoom information.

5 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 1 , wherein
the processor rotates the rotator in the tilt direction or in the pan direction such that the moving subject is positioned in a center of the image captured by the imager.

6 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 1 , further comprising
a camera apparatus that includes the imager, the rotator, the processor and a receiver, wherein the processor sets the imaging direction of the imager to be toward the preset area by rotating the imager in the tilt direction or in the pan direction via the rotator when the receiver receives a signal transmitted from another apparatus different from the camera apparatus.

7 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 1 , further comprising
a memory that stores location information indicating a position within the preset area, wherein the processor sets the imaging direction of the imager according to the location information to be toward the position within the preset area by rotating the rotator in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when the processor receives a predetermined input, the processor further rotates the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction via the rotator when the detector detects the moving subject in the preset area after setting the imaging direction of the imager according to the location information.

8 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 1 , wherein
the processor rotates the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction via the rotator when the moving subject intrudes an inside of the preset area from an outside of the preset area.

9 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 8 , wherein
the processor does not rotate the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction via the rotator when a first position (P) where the detector detects the moving subject is within the preset area.

10 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 8 , wherein
the processor rotates the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction via the rotator when the moving subject stops for a predetermined period.

11 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 1 , wherein
the imager configured to capture a plurality of images by rotating the imager, each of the captured plurality of images corresponding to each of partial areas of the monitoring area.

12 . A system for tracking a moving subject, comprising:
a processor; a memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
capturing, by an imager, an image for an imaging area within a monitoring area, the imaging area determined in accordance with an imaging direction of the imager;
moving the imager in a tilt direction or in a pan direction for changing the imaging direction of the imager;
tracking a moving subject by moving the imager in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when the moving subject intrudes a preset area preset within the monitoring area by a user.

13 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 12 , wherein the operations further including:
setting the imaging direction of the imager to be toward a position within the preset area by rotating the imager in the tilt direction or in the pan direction according to location information indicating the position within the preset area and being stored in the memory, and moving the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when detecting the moving subject within the preset area after setting the imaging direction of the imager according to the location information.

14 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 12 , wherein the operations further including:
moving the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when the moving subject intrudes an inside of the preset area from an outside of the preset area.

15 . The system for tracking a moving subject according to the claim 14 , wherein the operation further including:
non-moving the imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when a first position where the detector detects the moving subject is within the preset area.

16 . A method for tracking a moving subject, comprising:
capturing, by a first imager, a first image for a first imaging area within a first monitoring area, the first imaging area determined in accordance with an imaging direction of the first imager; moving the first imager in a tilt direction or in a pan direction for changing the imaging direction of the first imager; tracking a moving subject by moving the first imager in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when the moving subject intrudes a preset area preset within the monitoring area by a user.

17 . The method for tracking a moving subject according to claim 16 , further comprising:
setting the imaging direction of the first imager to be toward a position within the preset area by rotating the first imager in the tilt direction or in the pan direction according to location information indicating the position within the preset area and being stored in the memory, and moving the first imager for tracking the moving subject in the tilt direction or in the pan direction when detecting the moving subj

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Yuichiro
• Nakamura Yasuji
• Higuchi Kazutaka
• Ooyabu Satoru

Classifications

• H04N23/66

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• H04N23/69

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• G08B13/19652

  Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm · CPC title