# US 9,883,103 B2 · Imaging control apparatus and method for generating a display image, 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 9,883,103 B2 - Document ID: US9883103B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/730,607 - Filed: 2015-06-04 - Published: 2015-12-17 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-13 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tomohiro Goto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883103B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture - H04N 5/265: Mixing - H04N 23/635: {Region indicators; Field of view indicators} - H04N 23/661: Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An imaging control apparatus that controls a capturing range in which an image is captured generates a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging control apparatus that controls a capturing range in which an image is captured, the apparatus comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain settings regarding a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and settings regarding an order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured; and a generating unit configured to generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on the settings regarding the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and the settings regarding the order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit is configured to generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is sequentially changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges so as to tour through the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges by the image capturing, or a range not to be captured by the image capturing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the generating unit is configured to change the display image according to changes in the plurality of capturing ranges that are toured. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit is configured to generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, in a capturable range that can be captured by an image capturing unit by changing the capturing range of the image capturing unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the generating unit has a mode in which an image showing the capturable range and the display image are superimposed and displayed and a mode in which the image showing the capturable range is displayed without the display image being superimposed thereon. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit is configured to generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, according to a change ability of a changing unit for changing a capturing direction to a pan direction and a tilt direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit is configured to generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and a speed at which the capturing range is changed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit is configured to generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, a time required to capture the one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, and a time required to capture the another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit includes a transmission unit configured to transmit the generated display image via a network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit is configured to obtain a captured image captured by an imaging apparatus via a network so as to superimpose the obtained captured image and the display image. ### Claim 11 A method for generating a display image in an imaging control apparatus that controls a capturing range in which an image is captured, the method comprising: obtaining settings regarding a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and settings regarding an order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured; and generating a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on the settings regarding the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and the settings regarding the order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, comprising generating a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is sequentially changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges so as to tour through the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges by the image capturing, or a range not to be captured by the image capturing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, comprising generating a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, in a capturable range that can be captured by an image capturing unit by changing the capturing range of the image capturing unit. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program that generates a display image, wherein the computer program is configured to: obtain settings regarding a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and settings regarding an order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges is captured; and generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on the settings regarding the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and the settings regarding the order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the computer program is configured to: generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is sequentially changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges so as to tour through the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges by the image capturing, or a range not to be captured by the image capturing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the computer program is configured to: generate a display image showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, in a capturable range that can be captured by an image capturing unit by changing the capturing range of the image capturing unit. ### Claim 17 An imaging control apparatus that controls a capturing range in which an image is captured, the apparatus comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain settings regarding a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges captured by a capturing unit and settings regarding an order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges is captured; and a generating unit configured to generate a display image showing a capturing direction of the capturing unit that is changed so as to change the capturing range from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on an ability of the capturing unit to change the capturing direction to a pan direction and an ability of the capturing unit to change the capturing direction to a tilt direction, and showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on the settings regarding the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and the settings regarding the order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the generating unit is configured to generate a display image showing the capturing direction of the capturing unit that is changed so as to change the capturing range from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and a display image showing the capturing direction of the capturing unit that is changed so as to change the capturing range from said another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to said one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges. ### Claim 19 An imaging control method for controlling a capturing range in which an image is captured, the method comprising: obtaining settings regarding a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges captured by an image capturing unit and settings regarding an order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges is captured by the image capturing unit; and generating a display image showing a capturing direction of the image capturing unit that is changed so as to change the capturing range from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on an ability of the image capturing unit to change the capturing direction to a pan direction and an ability of the image capturing unit to change the capturing direction to a tilt direction, and showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on the settings regarding the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and the settings regarding the order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program that generates a display image, wherein the computer program is configured to: obtain settings regarding a plurality of predetermined capturing ranges captured by an image capturing unit and settings regarding an order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges is captured by the image capturing unit; and generating a display image showing a capturing direction of the image capturing unit that is changed so as to change the capturing range from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on an ability of the image capturing unit to change the capturing direction to a pan direction and an ability of the image capturing unit to change the capturing direction to a tilt direction, and showing a range to be captured by image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges or a range not to be captured by the image capturing performed while the capturing range is changed from one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges to another one of the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges, based on the settings regarding the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges and the settings regarding the order in which the plurality of predetermined capturing ranges are captured.