Networked camera system and a monitoring method thereof

A networked camera system, comprising:

• a plural number of networked cameras;
• a networked monitor;
• an index server;
• and
• a network, wherein said cameras, said monitor and said server are connected, respectively, through said network, for monitoring a picture transmitted from said networked camera on said networked monitor, and wherein
• each of said networked cameras has networked camera information for discriminating said networked cameras, respectively, and networked camera information of other networked camera, and comprises:
• an image pickup element for picking up the picture;
• a first search unit for searching connection information of requiring monitor from the networked camera information of said other networked camera upon receipt of a request of said networked monitor;
• and a transmitter for transmitting said picked-up monitor picture and the connection information searched out by means of said first search unit, to said networked monitor, upon receipt of a request from said networked monitor,
• said index server comprises:
• a register for registering the networked camera information of each of said networked cameras;
• a second search unit for searching connection information to the networked camera corresponding to the request of said networked monitor from said networked camera information registered;
• and a transmitter for transmitting said connection information searched to said networked monitor,
• said networked monitor comprises:
• a transmitter for transmitting said monitoring object to said index server;
• a connection request unit for connecting to a networked camera, to which a use requires monitoring, from the connection information transmitted from said index server or the connection information transmitted from said networked camera, thereby requesting a monitor picture thereto;
• a controller unit for controlling destination of connection by said connection request unit;
• and a display for displaying the monitor picture transmitted from said networked camera thereon, and
• said networked camera and said networked monitor transmits the picture picked-up through connection to each other, and exchange to the networked camera requiring the monitoring is conducted by said first search unit and said transmitter of said networked camera.

A monitoring method comprising the following steps of:

• a step for connecting a networked camera, having a unit for setting networked camera information and a unit for picking up a monitor picture therein, to a network;
• a step for registering said networked camera information to an index server, which is connected to said network;
• a step for designating a monitoring region desired to the networked monitor connected to said network;
• a step for transmitting the monitoring region designated from said networked monitor to said index server;
• a step for searching the networked camera information upon basis of said monitoring region received, from the networked camera information registered, in said index server;
• a step for transmitting said networked camera information searched to said networked monitor;
• a step for selecting the networked camera information of the networked camera, to which the monitoring is required, from the networked camera information received by said networked monitor;
• a step for transmitting a connection request from said networked monitor to the networked camera having said networked camera information selected;
• a step for transmitting the monitor picture, from the networked camera, on which said connection request is made, without passing through the index server, to the networked monitor connected to each other;
• and
• a step for displaying the monitor picture received on said networked monitor.