JPH1169222A - Remote control camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] A camera system capable of externally controlling the recording mode or the start and stop of photographing for a photographing apparatus having a plurality of recording modes such as moving image recording and still image recording. I will provide a. A photographing apparatus (1) having a plurality of recording modes such as moving image recording or still image recording receives a control signal for switching a recording mode and a control signal for controlling photographing, and A means (10) for sending a signal for performing a desired control to a means for controlling the camera system in accordance with the control signal of (1), and a control for transmitting a control signal for switching a recording mode and controlling photographing. Department
(2) is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for remotely controlling a photographing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a photographing device suitable for a monitoring device or the like, a device which digitizes a photographed moving image and then compresses the digitized image can be considered. Interfac of CQ publisher as such a photographing device
e There is an MPEG camera as described in July 1997, p80-p85. This MPEG camera digitizes the captured moving image or still image and the collected sound, and then compresses the moving image and sound in a method conforming to the MPEG standard, and compresses the still image in a method conforming to the JPEG standard. The compression information is recorded on a PC card type hard disk or transferred to a personal computer (hereinafter, PC) via a serial port. As recording modes, there are still image modes with sound in which sound information is added to still images, in addition to moving images and still images.

[0003]

The MP described in the prior art
When trying to adapt an EG camera to a surveillance device, switching the recording mode according to the movement of the image captured by the camera reduces the consumption of the recording medium, such as when the captured image has little movement. it can. However, in the related art, there is no means for remotely controlling the recording mode and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photographing apparatus having a plurality of recording modes such as a moving image recording and a still image recording.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera system capable of externally controlling a recording mode or starting and stopping of photographing.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, means for transmitting a control signal for switching a recording mode and a control signal for controlling photographing, and a control signal for a photographing apparatus having a plurality of recording modes are provided. Is provided.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a remote control camera system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
In the above, 1 is an image taken by an image sensor such as a CCD
Audio compressed by a method that complies with the EG standard or JPEG standard, and that is collected by a sound collector such as a microphone
It can be compressed by the method conforming to the EG standard and the obtained compression information can be recorded or output via the output terminal.Moreover, these obtained compression information can be selected alone or in combination as multiple recording modes Camera 2, a system control unit that performs system control such as recording mode and photographing control, 3 is a receiving unit that receives first and second control signals, and 4 is a system control unit that receives the first control signal according to the received first control signal. A recording mode control means for outputting a signal to switch the recording mode, a photographing control means for outputting a signal to start or stop the photographing by the system control unit 2 based on the received second control signal, 6 an antenna, Reference numeral 7 denotes a control unit, which is a first control signal output unit 8 for selecting a recording mode and outputting a first control signal according to the selected mode.
And a second control signal output means 9 for selecting start and stop of shooting by the camera 1 and outputting a second control signal corresponding to the start and stop.
Transmitting means 10 for transmitting the first and second control signals
And an antenna 11.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The controller of the camera operates the control unit 7 to determine whether the mode of shooting with the camera 1 is a moving image, a still image, or to add audio information to the still image, and the like. The output means 8 outputs a first control signal corresponding to the determined mode. In particular, when the motion of the captured image is large, the mode is the moving image mode. When the motion is small, the mode is a mode in which audio information is added to the still image or the still image, or when the remaining amount of the recording medium or the battery is large. When the remaining amount of the recording medium or the remaining amount of the battery is low in the moving image mode, control is performed such as a mode for adding a still image or audio information to the still image. However,
The control method is not limited to this. Further, regarding the start and stop of shooting by the camera 1, the second control signal output unit 9 outputs a second start and stop corresponding to the start and stop of shooting.
Is output. These first and second control signals are transmitted from the transmitting means 10 to the camera 1 via the antenna 11. On the camera 1 side, after the first or second control signal is received by the receiving means 3 via the antenna 6, the first control signal is sent to the recording mode control means 4,
The second control signal is sent to the photographing control means 5, and the recording mode control means 4 and the photographing control means 5 switch the recording mode of the camera 1 to a desired mode or start photographing by the system control unit 2, respectively. , And a signal to stop the operation is transmitted to the system control unit 2, and the system control unit 2 causes the camera 1 to perform the control desired by the camera operator. The control of the control unit 7 may be automatically performed by a PC.

With the above operation, a photographing apparatus having a plurality of recording modes can be remotely controlled.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a remote control camera system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
In FIG. 1, components having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
Reference numeral 3 denotes transmitting means for transmitting the video signal output from the camera unit, 14 denotes an antenna, 15 denotes receiving means for receiving the transmitted video signal, and 16 denotes a monitor for displaying the received video signal.

The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, an image captured by the camera 1 is transmitted to the control unit 7 via the transmission unit 13 and the antenna 14, and is transmitted to the control unit 7.
On the side, the video signal is received by the receiving means 15 via the antenna 17 and then displayed on the monitor 16. This allows
The controller of the camera 1 can control the camera 1 while watching the currently captured image. Further, the receiving unit 3 and the transmitting unit 13 of the camera 1 may be combined as a transmitting / receiving unit so that either the antenna 6 or the antenna 14 may be omitted. Obviously, the configuration may be such that the transmission / reception unit 10 is combined and the antenna 11 or the antenna 17 is eliminated. Further, the control of the control unit 7 may be automatically performed by a PC as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a remote control camera system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
1 and 2 having the same functions as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and 18 is the remaining recording capacity of the recording medium of the camera 1 or the remaining capacity of the battery.
Information signal output means for detecting information such as the motion of the video taken by the camera and outputting an information signal corresponding thereto, 19 is a transmission means for transmitting the information signal output from the information signal output means 18, and 20 is a transmitted signal. It is a receiving means for receiving the information signal.

The difference between the third embodiment and the first and second embodiments will be described with reference to FIG. In the third embodiment, the information signal output unit 18 detects information such as the remaining recording capacity of the recording medium of the camera 1, the remaining capacity of the battery, and the movement of the video captured by the camera 1, and responds to the information. Output a signal. This information signal is transmitted from the transmission means 19 to the control unit 7 via the antenna 14,
On the control unit 7 side, the receiving unit 20 receives the information signal via the antenna 17. The received information signal is processed by a PC or the like, and the recording mode is determined in consideration of the size of the captured image, the remaining amount of the recording medium, the remaining amount of the battery, and the like. The first control signal corresponding to the mode is output, or the second control signal output means 9 outputs the second control signal corresponding to the start and stop of shooting.
Is output. The receiving unit 3 and the transmitting unit 19 of the camera 1 are combined as a transmitting / receiving unit,
Either the antenna 6 or the antenna 14 may be omitted, and the receiving unit 2 of the control unit 7 may be used.
0, and the transmitting means 10 are summarized as transmitting / receiving means,
It is clear that a configuration in which either the antenna 11 or the antenna 17 may be omitted may be adopted.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a remote control camera system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, components having the same functions as those in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Reference numeral 21 denotes a video signal output from the camera unit and an information signal output from the information signal output unit 18. The transmitting means 22 for transmitting is a receiving means for receiving the transmitted video signal and information signal.

The differences between the fourth embodiment and the second or third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the fourth embodiment, the video taken by the camera 1 shown in the second embodiment is transmitted, and the receiving unit 2 provided in the control unit 7
A function of displaying the data on the monitor 16 after receiving the data in the second
The information signal from the information signal output means 18 shown in the embodiment is transmitted and received by the receiving means 22 and then processed by a PC or the like to output the first control signal or the second control signal. Combining functions. Further, the receiving unit 3 and the transmitting unit 21 of the camera 1 may be combined as a transmitting / receiving unit to eliminate any one of the antenna 6 and the antenna 14. Further, the receiving unit 22 and the transmitting unit of the control unit 7 may be used. It is obvious that the antenna 10 or the antenna 10 may be omitted and the antenna 11 or the antenna 17 may be omitted.

The information signal output means 18 outputs signals corresponding to the characteristics of the captured image, such as the opening and closing of a door, the blinking of an electric light, the entry of a human, etc. Is output, the shooting mode of the camera 1 can be set to the moving image mode only in a situation that requires special attention, and in other situations, the control can be switched to the still image mode or the still image mode with sound. In addition, priorities are given to the characteristics of the captured image, combined with information such as the remaining amount of the recording medium or the remaining amount of the battery to control the switching of the recording mode and the start and stop of photographing. Is also possible. Such control is based on the third
This is also possible in the embodiment.

[0017]

According to the present invention, it is possible to remotely control a camera capable of capturing not only a moving image but also a still image having a very small recording capacity as compared with a moving image, and also a sound simultaneously with the still image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a remote control camera system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a remote control camera system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a remote control camera system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a remote control camera system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera, 2 ... System control part, 3 ... Receiving means, 4 ...
Recording mode control means, 5: photography control means, 6: antenna, 7: control unit, 8: first control signal output means, 9: second control signal output means, 10: transmission means, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Antenna, 12 ... Camera part, 13 ... Transmission means, 14
... Antenna, 15 ... Reception means, 16 ... Monitor, 17 ... Antenna, 18 ... Information signal output means, 19 ... Transmission means, 2
0: receiving means, 21: transmitting means, 22: receiving means.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Todaka 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Multimedia Systems Development Headquarters, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyasu Ikedo Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture 292 Hitachi, Ltd. Video Information Media Division (72) Inventor Tatsuru Fujihira 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Hitachi Video Information Media Division

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A mode for recording a moving image in an MPEG format, a mode for recording a still image in a JPEG format, and a mode for recording a still image in a JPEG format and simultaneously recording audio. Means for receiving a first control signal for controlling a mode,
Means for switching the recording mode according to the control signal, means for receiving a second control signal for controlling start or stop of photographing from outside, and start or stop of photographing by the received second control signal. A remote control camera system comprising: a video camera having means for performing the control; and means for transmitting the first and second control signals. 2. A mode for recording a moving image in an MPEG format, a mode for recording a still image in a JPEG format, and a mode for recording a still image in a JPEG format and simultaneously recording audio. Means for receiving a first control signal for controlling the first control signal;
Means for switching the recording mode according to the control signal, means for receiving a second control signal for controlling start or stop of photographing from outside, means for starting or stopping photographing according to the received second control signal A video camera comprising: means for transmitting a captured video signal; means for transmitting the first and second control signals; means for receiving the video signal; and displaying the received video signal A remote control camera system, comprising: 3. A mode for recording a moving image in the MPEG format, a mode for recording a still image in the JPEG format, and a mode for recording a still image in the JPEG format and simultaneously recording audio. Means for receiving a first control signal for controlling the first control signal;
Means for switching the recording mode in accordance with the control signal of the above, means for receiving a second control signal for controlling start or stop of an external photographing, means for starting or stopping the photographing in accordance with the received second control signal, Means for detecting information such as the remaining recording capacity of the recording medium, the remaining capacity of the battery, and the movement of the video captured by the camera, and outputting an information signal corresponding thereto; and a means for detecting the information. A video camera having means for transmitting the output information signal; means for transmitting the first and second control signals; and means for receiving the information signal output from the means for detecting the information. Features remote control camera system. 4. A mode for recording a moving image in an MPEG format, a mode for recording a still image in a JPEG format, and a mode for recording a still image in a JPEG format and simultaneously recording audio. Means for receiving a first control signal for controlling the first control signal;
Means for switching the recording mode in accordance with the control signal of the above, means for receiving a second control signal for controlling start or stop of an external photographing, means for starting or stopping the photographing in accordance with the received second control signal, Means for transmitting a captured video signal, means for detecting information such as the remaining amount of recording on the recording medium, or the remaining capacity of the battery, or the movement of the video captured by the camera, and outputting an information signal corresponding thereto; and A video camera comprising: means for transmitting the information signal output by the means for detecting the information; means for transmitting the first or second control signal; means for receiving the video signal; Means for receiving an information signal output from the means for performing the operation, and a monitor for displaying the received video signal or the received information signal. Mela system.