# US 11,445,167 B2 · Display control apparatus, display control method, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,445,167 B2 - Document ID: US11445167B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/222,348 - Filed: 2021-04-05 - Published: 2021-07-22 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-23 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yasushi Shikata; Yoshiki Iwakiri - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445167B2 ## CPC - G09G 5/14: Display of multiple viewports - H04N 13/349: Multi-view displays for displaying three or more geometrical viewpoints without viewer tracking (for viewing without the aid of special glasses using fly-eye lenses H04N13/307) - H04N 5/2224: {related to virtual studio applications} - H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources} - H04N 13/282: for generating image signals corresponding to three or more geometrical viewpoints, e.g. multi-view systems - H04N 13/398: Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof - H04N 21/21805: {enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras} - H04N 21/2187: Live feed - H04N 21/23412: {for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects} - H04N 21/23418: {involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics (television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59)} - H04N 21/2365: Multiplexing of several video streams - H04N 21/26603: {for automatically generating descriptors from content, e.g. when it is not made available by its provider, using content analysis techniques} - H04N 23/63: by using electronic viewfinders - H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums - G09G 5/377: for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns (G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence) - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A display control apparatus configured to perform display control so as to display information on a plurality of image capturing apparatuses configured to capture images for generating a virtual viewpoint image includes acquisition means configured to acquire information on the plurality of image capturing apparatuses, and display control means configured to cause a display unit to display information on a communication connection of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses for transmitting an image captured by each of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses based on the information acquired by the acquisition means. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display control apparatus comprising: one or more memories storing instructions; and one or more processors executing the instructions to: generate an image including information for specifying a communication connection state of a plurality of image capturing apparatuses, information for specifying positions at which the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are installed, and information for identifying an image capturing apparatus directed to a predetermined region, wherein the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are configured to obtain captured images to generate a virtual view point image and include a first image capturing apparatus, a second image capturing apparatus which is connected with the first image capturing apparatus and a third image capturing apparatus which is connected with the second image capturing apparatus and which is connected with first image capturing apparatus via the second image capturing apparatus; and cause a display device to display the generated image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are configured to extract regions of objects included in the captured images, configured to generate images of the objects based on the extracted regions of the objects, and configured to transmit the generated images of objects. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The display control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the objects are moving objects. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The display control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the objects include at least one of a person and a ball. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of image capturing apparatuses further include a forth image capturing apparatus which is connected with the first image capturing apparatus via the second image capturing apparatus and the third image capturing apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a captured image obtained by at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is displayed together with the generated image via the display device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The display control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display device displays at least one of information on an orientation of at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses, information on focus, and information on exposure, superimposed on the captured image obtained by the at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated image indicates the communication connection state among the plurality of image capturing apparatuses, the positions at which the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is installed, and the information for identifying the image capturing apparatus directed to the predetermined region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to control displaying/hiding of at least one of display elements including the communication connection state among the plurality of image capturing apparatuses based on a user operation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is directed to one of a plurality of regions to be imaged, and wherein the generated image includes information for identifying an image capturing apparatus directed to one of the plurality of regions to be imaged as the information for identifying the image capturing apparatus directed to the predetermined region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated image includes information for specifying imaging directions of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses as the information for identifying the image capturing apparatus directed to the predetermined region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The display control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the imaging directions are indicated by line segments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The display control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, in the generated image, a line segment indicating an imaging direction of a fifth image capturing apparatus of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses and a line segment indicating an imaging direction of a sixth image capturing apparatus different from the fifth image capturing apparatus do not intersect with each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image in which graphics indicating states of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are arranged at positions corresponding to the positions at which the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are installed is generated. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the graphics indicate at least one of a data output state of each of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses and an error state of each of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to transmit information for setting an imaging parameter of at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses to the at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated image further includes information for specifying an imaging parameter set in at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The display control apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the imaging parameter is at least one of an aperture, a shutter speed, an ISO sensitivity, and a zoom. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to determine that at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is in an error state, in which the at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is unable to output data, the at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is not connected, or the at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses is unable to capture an image, and wherein a warning according to the determination result is displayed via the display device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated image further includes information on an angle of view of at least one of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses. ### Claim 21 A display control method comprising: generating an image including information for specifying a communication connection state of a plurality of image capturing apparatuses, information for specifying positions at which the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are installed, and information for identifying an image capturing apparatus directed to a predetermined region, wherein the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are configured to obtain captured images to generate a virtual view point image and include a first image capturing apparatus, a second image capturing apparatus which is connected with the first image capturing apparatus and a third image capturing apparatus which is connected with the second image capturing apparatus and which is connected with first image capturing apparatus via the second image capturing apparatus; and causing a display device to display the generated image. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a display control method comprising: generating an image including information for specifying a communication connection state of a plurality of image capturing apparatuses, information for specifying positions at which the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are installed, and information for identifying an image capturing apparatus directed to a predetermined region, wherein the plurality of image capturing apparatuses are configured to obtain captured images to generate a virtual view point image and include a first image capturing apparatus, a second image capturing apparatus which is connected with the first image capturing apparatus and a third image capturing apparatus which is connected with the second image capturing apparatus and which is connected with first image capturing apparatus via the second image capturing apparatus; and causing a display device to display the generated image.