Control apparatus, control system, command transmission method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

A control apparatus configured to be connected to at least one image capturing apparatus by wireless communication, the control apparatus comprising:

• a detection unit configured to detect an operation made by a user;
• a transmission unit configured to transmit, by multicast or broadcast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to start a prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus that is connected to the control apparatus, in response to the detection unit detecting an operation for instructing to start the prescribed operation, and to transmit, by multicast or broadcast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to end the prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to the detection unit detecting an operation for instructing to end the prescribed operation;
• and
• a response unit configured to transmit, in response to an inquiry about a status of the operation related to the prescribed operation that has been started in each, image capturing apparatus in response to reception of the command for instructing to start the prescribed operation, information that indicates the status of the operation to each image capturing apparatus from which the inquiry originated.

A control system in which at least one image capturing apparatus and a control apparatus are configured to be connected by wireless communication, the control system comprising:

• a detection unit, in the control apparatus, configured to detect an operation made by a user;
• a transmission unit, in the control apparatus, configured to transmit, by multicast or broadcast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to start a prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to the detection unit detecting an operation for instructing to start the prescribed operation, and to transmit, by unicast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to end the prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to the detection unit detecting an operation for instructing to end the prescribed operation;
• a processing unit, in each image capturing apparatus, configured to start the prescribed operation in response to reception of the command for instructing to start the prescribed operation that has been transmitted by the transmission unit, and to end the prescribed operation in response to reception of the command for instructing to end the prescribed operation that has been transmitted by the transmission unit, and transmit a response to the control apparatus;
• and
• a control unit, in the control apparatus, configured to confirm the response that is transmitted from each image capturing apparatus, and to cause the transmission unit to retransmit, by unicast, the command for instructing to end the prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus whose response is not confirmed.

A control system in which at least one image capturing apparatus and a control apparatus are configured to be connected by wireless communication, the control system comprising:

• a transmission unit, in the control apparatus, configured to transmit, by multicast or broadcast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to start a prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to detection of an operation for instructing to start the prescribed operation, and to transmit, by multicast or broadcast via the wireless communication, a command for instructing to end the prescribed operation to each image capturing apparatus, in response to detect on of an operation for instructing to end the prescribed operation;
• an execution unit, in each image capturing apparatus, configured to start the prescribed operation in response to reception of the command for instructing to start the prescribed operation, and transmit an inquiry about a status of the operation related to the prescribed operation to the control apparatus at a prescribed interval;
• a response unit, in the control apparatus, configured to transmit, in response to the inquiry about the status of the operation related to the prescribed operation from each image capturing apparatus, information that indicates the status of the operation to each image capturing apparatus from which the inquiry originated;
• and
• a stop unit, in each image capturing apparatus, configured to end the prescribed operation if the command for instructing to end the prescribed operation is received or if the information that indicates the status of the operation indicates end of the prescribed operation, and stop transmitting the inquiry.