Omnidirectional monitoring control system, omnidirectional monitoring control method, omnidirectional monitoring control program, and computer readable recording medium

An omnidirectional monitoring control method, comprising the steps of:

• processing an omnidirectional image taken by an omnidirectional camera capable of taking an omnidirectional image over a viewing angle of a maximum of 360 degrees;
• displaying the processed omnidirectional image;
• setting a prescribed range of the omnidirectional image as an omnidirectional monitoring range, and when the omnidirectional monitoring range is circular, dividing the omnidirectional monitoring range concentrically and radially into a plurality of monitoring areas based on input data representing the number of monitoring areas;
• detecting a movement of a subject in the omnidirectional monitoring range;
• specifying one of the monitoring areas based on a detection result obtained by the detecting section or manually;
• converting information on the monitoring area specified by the specifying section into control information for controlling the zoom camera to be at a prescribed position and to have a prescribed magnification ratio for zoom-photographing the monitoring area specified by the specifying section;
• and
• controlling the zoom camera to be at the prescribed position and to have the prescribed magnification ratio for zoom-photographing the monitoring area specified by the specifying section, based on the control information converted by the converting section.

A zoom camera control program embodied in a computer-readable medium for executing an omnidirectional monitoring control method comprising the steps of:

• processing an omnidirectional image taken by an omnidirectional camera capable of taking an omnidirectional image over a viewing angle of a maximum of 360 degrees;
• displaying the processed omnidirectional image;
• setting a prescribed range of the omnidirectional image as an omnidirectional monitoring range, and when the omnidirectional monitoring range is circular, dividing the omnidirectional monitoring range concentrically and radially into a plurality of monitoring areas based on input data representing the number of monitoring areas;
• detecting a movement of a subject in the omnidirectional monitoring range;
• specifying one of the monitoring areas based on a detection result obtained by the detecting section or manually;
• converting information on the monitoring area specified by the specifying section into control information for controlling the zoom camera to be at a prescribed position and to have a prescribed magnification ratio for zoom-photographing the monitoring area specified by the specifying section;
• and controlling the zoom camera to be at the prescribed position and to have the prescribed magnification ratio for zoom-photographing the monitoring area specified by the specifying section, based on the control information converted by the converting section.