Camera control method, and camera control device for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9509900-B2
Application number	US-201514697578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A camera control apparatus includes a database to store camera installation information of the cameras including a main camera and one or more sub-cameras; an image acquisition unit to acquire at least one image from the cameras; and a camera controller to convert image center coordinates of the image acquired by the main camera to three-dimensional coordinates on a three-dimensional reference coordinate system, by using the camera installation information, select at least one new main camera from among the one or more sub-cameras that include the three-dimensional coordinates as field-of-view information, and calculate a control value of the newly selected main camera for controlling the newly selected main camera to gaze the three-dimensional coordinates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling cameras, the apparatus comprising:
a database configured to store camera installation information of the cameras including a main camera and one or more sub-cameras;
an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images from the cameras; and
a camera controller configured to
convert image center coordinates of the image acquired by the main camera to three-dimensional coordinates on a three-dimensional reference coordinate system, by using the camera installation information, wherein the camera installation information includes (i) camera setup coordinates information and (ii) setup directional information of each camera of the main camera and the sub-cameras, and the camera installation information is generated based on the three-dimensional reference coordinate system,
select, from among the one or more sub-cameras, at least one sub-camera including the converted three-dimensional coordinates as field-of-view information, and set up the selected at least one sub-camera as at least one newly selected main camera,
calculate a control value of the newly selected main camera for controlling the newly selected main camera to gaze the three-dimensional coordinates; and
control the newly selected main camera based on the calculated control value by using the setup directional information so that the newly selected main camera sets the converted three-dimensional coordinates respectively as corresponding image center coordinates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein based on the control value, the camera controller is configured to control the newly selected main camera by using at least one of pan data, tilt data and zoom-in/zoom-out data so that the newly selected main camera sets the three-dimensional coordinates respectively as image center coordinates.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera controller is configured to generate, at certain time t and on the three-dimensional reference coordinate system, three-dimensional coordinates (X t , Y t , Z t ) as converted from a location of intersection between the ground and a principal axis of the main camera, corresponding to image center coordinates (x 1 t , y 1 t ) of the main camera.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera controller is configured to extract image center coordinates (x 1 t , y 1 t ) of the main camera by using an image coordinate system of the image that the main camera captures at certain time t.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the image coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system of the image from each of the cameras and has coordinates for representing opposite ends of the image by x and y axes, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the image acquisition unit is configured to interconnect with the cameras through a network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the setup coordinates information and the setup directional information are generated on the three-dimensional reference coordinate system, and
the setup directional information includes at least one of pan data, tilt data and zoom-in/zoom-out data of said each camera of the main camera and the sub-cameras.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the camera controller is configured to calculate a transfer path of the main camera by accumulating at least one control value of the main camera and the newly selected main camera as the camera controller transfers the duty of the main camera to the sub-camera to be recognized as the newly selected main camera.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein when the transfer path approaches a boundary of a field of view of the main camera, the camera controller is configured to change one of the sub-cameras, which has field-of-view information corresponding to the transfer path, into the newly selected main camera.

10. An apparatus for controlling cameras, the apparatus comprising:
a database configured to store camera installation information of the cameras including a main camera and one or more sub-cameras;
an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images from the cameras; and
a camera controller configured to
convert image center coordinates of the image acquired by the main camera to three-dimensional coordinates on a three-dimensional reference coordinate system, by using the camera installation information, wherein the camera installation information includes (i) camera setup coordinates information and (ii) setup directional information of each camera of the main camera and the sub-cameras, and the camera installation information is generated based on the three-dimensional reference coordinate system,
select, from among the one or more sub-camera, at least one sub-camera including the converted three-dimensional coordinates as field-of-view information, and set up the selected at least one sub-camera as at least one newly selected main camera,
calculate at least one control value of the newly selected main camera for controlling the newly selected main camera to gaze the three-dimensional coordinates,
control the newly selected main camera based on the calculated control value by using the setup directional information so that the newly selected main camera sets the converted three-dimensional coordinates respectively as corresponding image center coordinates,
calculate a transfer path from the main camera to the newly selected main camera by incrementing the control values of the main camera and the newly selected camera, and
change one of the sub-cameras into the new main camera based on the transfer path.

11. A method performed by an apparatus for controlling cameras, the method comprising:
acquiring images from the cameras including a main camera and one or more sub-cameras;
converting image center coordinates of the image acquired by the main camera to three-dimensional coordinates on a three-dimensional reference coordinate system, by using prestored camera installation information, wherein the camera installation information includes (i) camera setup coordinates information and (ii) setup directional information of each camera of the main camera and the sub-cameras, and the camera installation information is generated based on the three-dimensional reference coordinate system;
selecting, from among the one or more sub-cameras, at least one sub-camera including the converted three-dimensional coordinates as field-of-view information, and set up the selected at least one sub-camera as at least one newly selected main camera;
calculating a control value of the newly selected main camera for controlling the newly selected main camera to gaze the three-dimensional coordinates; and
controlling the newly selected main camera based on the calculated control value by using the setup directional information so that the newly selected main camera sets the converted three-dimensional coordinates respectively as corresponding image center coordinates.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising
generating, at certain time t and on the three-dimensional reference coordinate system, three-dimensional coordinates (X t , Y t , Z t ) as converted from a location of intersection between the ground and a principal axis of the main camera, corresponding to image center coordinates (x 1 t , y 1 t ) of the main camera.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising
extracting image center coordinates (x 1 t , y 1 t ) of the main camera by using an image coordinate system of the image that the main camera captures at certain time t.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising
calculating a transfer path of the main camera by accumul

Assignees

• Sk Telecom Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jo Young-Gwan

Classifications

• H04N23/633

  for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera · 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

• H04N23/661

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• H04N23/62 Primary

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• G08B13/19643 Primary

  wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, different control type · CPC title