Apparatus and method for controlling configuration of video camera

A controller for controlling an image input operation, comprising:

• image input means including at least one externally controllable input unit;
• selection means for selecting one from the at least one input unit, and receiving an image input from the selected input unit;
• image display means for displaying the image input from the input unit selected by said selection means;
• map display means for displaying a map indicating a target image input region of said image input means, and displaying, on the map, each of the at least one input unit as a predetermined symbol in correspondence with a position of the input unit;
• operation means for dragging the symbol on a display screen in accordance with an operation by a user, and when said operation means changes a direction of the symbol, a pan angle of the input unit is controlled in correspondence with the direction of the symbol, said operation means comprises coordinate indication means for indicating a desired coordinate position on the display screen of said map display means and determines a direction connecting the symbol corresponding to the selected input unit and the desired coordinate position indicated by said coordinate indication means as a change direction of the symbol, and said map display means displays the changed direction using a straight line;
• and
• output means for outputting a control command to the selected input unit so as to control the selected input unit corresponding to the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol by said operation means, said output means controls the pan angle, a tilt angle, a zoom ratio, and a focal length of the input unit.

A controller for controlling an image input operation, comprising:

• image input means including at least one externally controllable input unit;
• selection means for selecting one from the at least one input unit, and receiving an image input from the selected input unit;
• image display means for displaying the image input from the input unit selected by said selection means;
• map display means for displaying a map indicating a target image input region of said image input means, and displaying, on the map, each of the at least one input unit as a predetermined symbol in correspondence with a position of the input unit;
• operation means for dragging the symbol on a display screen in accordance with an operation by a user, when said operation means changes a tilt angle of the input unit corresponding to the symbol, said operation means comprises coordinate indication means for indicating a desired coordinate position on the display screen of said map display means and determines the changed tilt angle of the selected input unit corresponding to the symbol in correspondence with the position of the desired coordinate position indicated by said coordinate indication means with respect to a position of the symbol corresponding to the selected input unit;
• and
• output means for outputting a control command to the selected input unit so as to control the selected input unit corresponding to the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol by said operation means, said output means controls a pan angle, a zoom ratio, and a focal length of the selected input unit.

A controller for controlling an image input operation, comprising:

• image input means including at least one externally controllable input unit;
• selection means for selecting one from the at least one input unit, and receiving an image input from the selected input unit;
• image display means for displaying the image input from the input unit selected by said selection means;
• map display means for displaying a map indicating a target image input region of said image input means, and displaying, on the map, each of the at least one input unit as a predetermined symbol in correspondence with a position of the input unit;
• operation means for dragging the symbol on a display screen in accordance with an operation by a user, when said operation means changes a zoom ratio of the input unit corresponding to the symbol, a control command for controlling the zoom ratio of the input unit is outputted, said operation means comprises coordinate, indication means for indicting a desired coordinate position on the display screen of said map display means, said coordinate indication means designates an angle defined between two half lines having the symbol corresponding to the selected input unit as a central line, and the changed zoom ratio of the input unit corresponding to the symbol is determined in correspondence with the designated angle;
• and
• output means for outputting a control command to the selected input unit so as to control the selected input unit corresponding to the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol by said operation means, said output means controls a pan angle, a tilt angle, the zoom ratio, and a focal length of the input unit.

A controller for controlling an image input operation, comprising:

• image input means including at least one externally controllable input unit;
• selection means for selecting one from the at least one input unit, and receiving an image input from the selected input unit;
• image display means for displaying the image input from the input unit selected by said selection means;
• map display means for displaying a map indicating a target image input region of said image input means, and displaying, on the map, each of the at least one input unit as a predetermined symbol in correspondence with a position of the input unit;
• operation means for dragging the symbol on a display screen in accordance with an operation by a user, when said operation means changes a focal position of the selected input unit corresponding to the symbol, a command for controlling the focal position of the selected input unit is outputted, said operation means comprises coordinate indication means for indicating a desired coordinate position on the display screen of said map display means and determines a distance from the symbol corresponding to the selected input unit to the desired coordinate position indicated by said coordinate indication means as the changed focal position and
• output means for outputting a control command to the selected input unit so as to control the selected input unit corresponding to the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol by said operation means, said output means controls a pan angle, a tilt angle, a zoom ratio, and the focal length of the selected input unit.

A camera controller comprising:

• image display means for displaying an input image from a camera;
• map display means for displaying a map of a region where the cameras are disposed, and displaying, on the map, the camera as a predetermined symbol in correspondence with a position of the camera;
• operation means for permitting a user to directly point at the symbol on the map for changing a display state of the symbol and to drag the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• command generation means for generating a command for controlling the camera in accordance with a result of the operation of the symbol by said operation means;
• and output means for outputting a control command to the camera.

A camera controller comprising:

• at least one externally controllable camera;
• selection means for selecting one of the cameras and receiving an image input from the selected camera;
• image display means for displaying the image input from the camera selected by said selection means;
• map display means for displaying a map of a region where the cameras are disposed, and displaying, on the map, each of the cameras as a predetermined symbol in correspondence with a position of the camera, said map display means displays, on the map, a current field angle and a maximum pan angle of each of the at least one camera using a fan shape having the symbol corresponding to the camera as a center;
• operation means for operating the symbol on a display screen;
• and
• control means for controlling the camera corresponding the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol.

A camera control method for controlling a camera, comprising the steps of:

• displaying a map, and displaying a symbol of a camera on the map in correspondence with a position of the camera;
• displaying an input image input from the camera;
• permitting a user to directly point at the symbol on the map for changing a display state of the symbol and to drag the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• changing a state of the camera including a pan angle of the camera in accordance with a result of the direct operation of the symbol on the map.

A camera control method for controlling a remote camera, comprising:

• the display step of displaying a map, and displaying symbols of cameras on the map;
• the selection step of selecting a desired symbol from the symbols;
• the step of displaying an image input from the camera corresponding to the symbol selected in the selection step, the symbol selected in the selection step is displayed together with an auxiliary line used for operating a state of the camera corresponding to the symbol, and the state is changed by operating the auxiliary line by coordinate input means;
• and
• the change step of changing a state including a pan angle of the camera selected in the selection step.

A camera control method for controlling a remote camera, comprising:

• the display step of displaying a map, and displaying symbols of cameras on the map;
• the selection step of selecting a desired symbol from the symbols;
• the step of displaying an image input from the camera corresponding to the symbol selected in the selection step, the symbol selected in the selection step is displayed together with an auxiliary line used for operating a state of the camera corresponding to the symbol, and the state is changed by operating the auxiliary line by coordinate input means, the auxiliary line includes zoom lines representing a tilt angle and a tilt line indicating a tilt angle and
• the change step of changing a state including a pan angle of the camera selected in the selection step.

A camera controller comprising:

• image display means for displaying the image input from a camera;
• symbol display means for displaying the camera as a predetermined symbol and current field angle and maximum pan angle of the camera using a fan shape having the symbol corresponding to the camera as a center;
• operation means for operating the symbol on a display screen;
• and
• control means for controlling the camera corresponding to the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol.

A camera controlling method comprising the steps of:

• displaying the image input from a camera;
• displaying the camera as a predetermined symbol and current field angle and maximum pan angle of the camera using a fan shape having the symbol corresponding to the camera as a center;
• operating the symbol on a display screen;
• and
• controlling the camera corresponding to the operated symbol in accordance with an operation result of the symbol.

A controller for controlling an image input unit, comprising:

• a display control device arranged to display an image from the image input unit and a symbol which indicates a position of the image input unit on a map;
• a control device arranged to permit a user to directly point at the symbol for changing a display state of the symbol and to drag the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• an output device arranged to output a control command, which is generated on the basis of changing a display state of the symbol, for controlling the image input unit.

A camera control apparatus for controlling a remote camera, comprising:

• a display unit for displaying a map, and displaying symbols of cameras on the map;
• a selection unit for permitting a user select a desired symbol from the symbols;
• a display control unit for displaying an image input from the camera corresponding to the symbol selected by said selection unit, the symbol selected by said selection unit is displayed together with an auxiliary line used for operating a state of the camera corresponding to the symbol, and the state is changed by operating the auxiliary line by a coordinate input unit;
• and
• a change unit for permitting a user to change a state including a pan angle of the camera selected by said selection unit.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer program code for controlling a remote camera, said product comprising:

• displaying process procedure code for displaying a map, and displaying symbols of cameras on the map;
• selecting process procedure code for permitting a user to select a desired symbol from the symbols;
• display controlling process procedure code for displaying an image input from the camera corresponding to the symbol selected by said selecting process procedure code, the symbol selected by said selecting process procedure code is displayed together with an auxiliary line used for operating a state of the camera corresponding to the symbol, and the state is changed by operating the auxiliary line by a coordinate input process;
• and
• changing a process procedure code for permitting a user to change a state including a pan angle of the camera selected by said selecting process procedure code.

A control method for controlling an image input unit, comprising:

• a displaying step of displaying an image from the image input unit and a symbol which indicates a position of the image input unit on a map;
• a pointing step of permitting a user to directly point at the symbol for changing a display state of the symbol and to drag the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• an outputting step of outputting a control command, which is generated on the basis of changing a display state of the symbol, for controlling the image input unit.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program code for controlling an image input unit, said product comprising:

• displaying process procedure code for displaying an image from the image input unit and a symbol which indicates a position of the image input unit on a map;
• pointing process procedure code for permitting a user to directly point at the symbol for changing a display state of the symbol and to drag the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• outputting process procedure code for outputting a control command, which is generated on the basis of changing a display state of the symbol, for controlling the image input unit.

A controller for controlling an image input unit, comprising:

• a display control device arranged to display an image from the image input unit and a symbol which indicates a position and state of the image input unit on a map;
• a control device arranged to permit a user to directly point and drag the symbol for changing a display state of the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• an output device arranged to output a control command, related to a change of the display state of the symbol, for controlling the image input unit.

A control method for controlling an image input unit, comprising:

• a displaying step of displaying an image from the image input unit and a symbol which indicates a position and a state of the image input unit on a map;
• a pointing step of permitting a user to directly point and drag the symbol for changing a display state of the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• an outputting step of outputting a control command, related to a change of the display state of the symbol, for controlling the image input unit.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program code for controlling an image input unit, said product comprising:

• displaying process procedure code for displaying an image from the image input unit and a symbol which indicates a position and state of the image input unit on a map;
• pointing process procedure code for permitting a user to directly point and drag the symbol for changing a display state of the symbol on the map, by using a pointing device;
• and
• outputting process procedure code for outputting a control command, related to a change of the display state of the symbol, for controlling the image input unit.