Camera device, imaging system, control method, and program

A camera device comprising:

• an imaging unit, including a sensor, that continuously acquires captured image data;
• a pan/tilt mechanism that adjusts an imaging direction of the imaging unit;
• a controller including circuitry that controls the pan/tilt mechanism, the controller further analyzes the captured image data and determines first target information based on the analyzed captured image data, the first target information indicating a position of a tracking target;
• and
• a camera-side communication unit including circuitry that can communicate with a terminal device which operates the camera device and the camera-side communication unit receives second target information from the terminal device,
• wherein, when both the first target information and the second target information are input, the controller controls the pan/tilt mechanism on the basis of the second target information, and
• when only one of the first target information and the second target information is input, the controller controls the pan/tilt mechanism on the basis of the only one input information of the first target information and the second target information,
• wherein the controller further corrects the first target information on the basis of the second target information,
• wherein the terminal device further includes a controller that monitors a frame rate of the captured image data transmitted to the camera-side communication unit,
• wherein a plurality of the terminal devices are connected to the camera device through terminal-side communication units of the plurality of terminal devices,
• the terminal-side communication unit of each of the plurality of terminal devices outputs information of the frame rate monitored by the controller and the second target information, and
• the controller compares the information items of the frame rates output from the terminal-side communication units of the terminal devices and corrects the first target information on the basis of the second target information which is output from the terminal-side communication unit of a terminal device with the highest frame rate.

An imaging system comprising a camera device and a terminal device, wherein:

• the camera device includes:
• an imaging unit, including a sensor, that continuously acquires captured image data;
• a pan/tilt mechanism that adjusts an imaging direction of the imaging unit;
• a camera-side controller including circuitry that controls the pan/tilt mechanism, the controller further analyzes the captured image data and determines first target information based on the analyzed captured image data, the first target information indicating a position of a tracking target;
• and
• a camera-side communication unit including circuitry that can communicate with a terminal-side communication unit of a terminal device which operates the camera device and the camera-side communication unit receives second target information from the terminal device;
• the terminal device includes:
• the terminal-side communication unit including circuitry that can communicate with the camera-side communication unit;
• and
• a terminal-side controller including circuitry that analyzes the captured image data and determines the second target information based on the analyzed captured image data, the second target information indicating the position of the tracking target and outputs the second target information through the terminal-side communication unit,
• when both the first target information and the second target information are input, the camera-side controller controls the pan/tilt mechanism on the basis of the second target information,
• when only one of the first target information and the second target information is input, the camera-side controller controls the pan/tilt mechanism on the basis of the only one input information of the first target information and the second target information,
• wherein the camera-side controller further corrects the first target information on the basis of the second target information,
• wherein the terminal-side controller monitors a frame rate of the captured image data transmitted to the camera-side communication unit,
• wherein the terminal device includes a terminal-side target information correction unit that corrects the second target information on the basis of the first target information, and
• when, after the frame rate monitored by the terminal-side controller is equal to or less than a first frame rate threshold value, the frame rate is equal to or greater than a second frame rate threshold value, the terminal-side target information correction unit corrects the second target information.

A method for controlling a camera device comprising an imaging unit, including a sensor, that continuously acquires captured image data, a pan/tilt mechanism that adjusts an imaging direction of the imaging unit, a controller including circuitry that controls the pan/tilt mechanism, the controller further analyzes the captured image data and determines first target information based on the analyzed captured image data, the first target information indicating a position of a tracking target, and a camera-side communication unit including circuitry that can communicate with a terminal device which operates the camera device and receives second target information from the terminal device, the method comprising:

• when both the first target information and the second target information are input, controlling the pan/tilt mechanism on the basis of the second target information;
• when only one of the first target information and the second target information is input, controlling the pan/tilt mechanism on the basis of the only one input information of the first target information and the second target information,
• wherein the first target information is corrected on the basis of the second target information,
• wherein a frame rate of the captured image data transmitted to the camera-side communication unit is monitored,
• wherein the second target information is corrected on the basis of the first target information, and
• when, after the frame rate that is monitored is equal to or less than a first frame rate threshold value, the frame rate is equal to or greater than a second frame rate threshold value, the second target information is corrected.