JPH05244595A - Remote supervisory equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the remote supervisory equipment in which plural supervisory stations use one image pickup device in common and each station makes remote supervision in a direction desired to be supervised. CONSTITUTION:An image pickup device 11 able to pick up an image continuously timewise is provided to a supervision point and an image pickup direction revision device 12 sequentially revising the image pickup direction of the image pickup device 11 is provided and a supervision direction command device 13 commanding the supervisory direction is provided to a supervisory station and a frame extract device 14 extracting a picture signal of a frame designated by a picture signal obtained by the image pickup device 11 is provided, and a picture signal synthesizer 15 joining picture signals in the unit of frames extracted by the frame extract device 14 to synthesize the picture signal able to be displayed on a picture display device 16 is provided to the supervisory equipment.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote monitoring device for transmitting monitoring images to a plurality of monitoring stations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example of a remote monitoring device for transmitting monitoring images to a plurality of monitoring stations will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the outline thereof will be described with reference to FIG. 9. In a distant surveillance device using a moving image, a video camera 93 is installed at a surveillance point which is a place to be monitored, and an image captured by the video camera 93 is monitored. It is sent to a location and displayed on the monitor 94. At this time, the orientation of the video camera 93 can be made variable, and the orientation of the video camera 93 can be changed by the remote operation of the operation switch 91 from the monitoring station.

The image taken by the video camera 93 is sent to the monitor 94, and this image is monitored at the monitoring station. To change the monitoring direction, operate the operation switch 91 to send a control signal to the attitude control device 92, and
The posture of the camera 93 is controlled to change the shooting direction.
By the way, in remote monitoring, there are cases where a plurality of observers at different monitoring stations monitor the same monitoring point. In this case, it is not economical to install the same number of remote monitoring devices as shown in FIG. 9 corresponding to the monitoring station, and the devices on the monitoring point side including the attitude control device 92 and the video camera 93 should be shared. Is desirable.

As a conventional distant monitoring device that shares the device on the monitoring point side as described above, there is one shown in FIG. FIG. 10 shows a remote monitoring device that supplies monitoring images to monitoring stations 1 to N installed at N locations. In FIG. 10, 101 ₁ to 101 _N are operation switches installed at the monitoring stations 1 to N, 102 is an attitude control device,
Reference numeral 103 is a video camera, 104 ₁ to 104 _N are monitors installed at the monitoring stations 1 to N, and 105 is a control right management circuit.

In the remote monitoring device shown in FIG. 10, the same monitoring image is distributed to each monitoring station. A monitor 104 and an operation switch 101 are installed at the monitoring station, and images taken by the video camera 103 are displayed on the monitors 104 ₁ to 104 _N, respectively. When the monitor wants to change the shooting direction of the video camera 103, a control signal is transmitted to the control right management circuit 105 by the operation switch 101 installed at each monitoring station 1 to N. The control right management circuit 105 is a circuit that manages the control right for controlling the attitude control device 102, and at the same time manages the control right of the observer so that only one control signal is transmitted to the attitude control device 102. The content of this management is to prevent the competition in which two or more control signals are simultaneously transmitted to the attitude control device 102, or to ignore the control of a specific monitor. The attitude control device 102 controls the video signal based on the control signal sent from the control right management circuit 105.
It controls the orientation of the camera 103.

[0006]

In remote monitoring, when a plurality of supervisors at different monitoring stations monitor the same monitoring point, the desired directions may differ. For example, in the case of monitoring road traffic congestion, there are times when the monitor at the monitor station 1 wants to monitor the north side of the video camera installation site, while the monitor at the monitor station 2 wants to monitor the south side. However, as described above, the conventional distant monitoring device shown in FIG. 10 does not allow two or more direction controls at the same time, and employs a configuration in which the same monitoring image is transmitted to all monitoring stations. .. Therefore, until the control right is acquired, only the image in the direction different from the direction to be monitored can be obtained,
It is inconvenient for monitoring work.

The present invention provides a remote monitoring device which solves the problems as described above and is capable of remote monitoring in a desired direction.

[0008]

[Solving Means] To capture a plurality of images of a monitoring point by a photographing device 11 installed at the monitoring point and display the photographed images on an image display device 16 provided for each of the monitoring stations 1 to N, a plurality of images can be displayed. In a distant monitoring device that monitors the same monitoring point in a monitoring station, a shooting device 11 that can continuously shoot images is provided at the monitoring point.
A monitoring direction indicating device 1 which includes a photographing direction changing device 12 for sequentially changing the photographing direction of the
3 is provided at a monitoring station, and a frame extracting device 14 for extracting an image signal of a designated frame from an image signal obtained by the image capturing device 11 is provided. The frame-by-frame image signals extracted by the frame extracting device 14 are connected to each other. A distant monitoring device including an image signal synthesizing device 15 that synthesizes image signals that can be displayed on the image display device 16 is configured.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment is an example in which the video camera 11, which is a photographing device, is rotated around a vertical axis in order to monitor 360 degrees in the horizontal direction. There are N monitoring points.
In FIG. 1, 11 is a video camera, 12 is a posture control device, 13 ₁ to 13 _N are operation switches, 14 ₁ to 14 _N are frame extracting circuits, 15 ₁ to 15 _N are image signal synthesizing circuits, and 16 ₁ to 16 _N is a monitor that is an image display device.

The attitude control device 12 controls the rotation of the video camera 11 about a vertical axis. The rotational motion is a constant angular velocity motion of R rotation per second. At this time, the video camera 11
Takes F frames at equal intervals per rotation. FIG. 2 shows a top view of the shooting direction of the video camera 11.
Shown in. In this embodiment, each of F directions shown in FIG. 2 is photographed R times per second, and a monitoring image of R frames per second is obtained for each of the F directions. It should be noted that in shooting with the video camera 11, it is preferable to employ an electronic shutter in order to prevent blurring due to rotational movement. In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cable connected to the video camera 11 is actually the video camera 1.
It goes without saying that it is provided with a structure that does not get entangled with the rotation of 1.

The observer operates each operation switch 13₁Na
Ishi 13_NControl signal to instruct the monitoring direction.
Lame extraction circuit 14₁Through 14_NSend to. Monitoring
The direction is selected from among the F directions shown in FIG.
It Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the frame extraction circuit 1
Four₁Through 14_NOperation switches from each monitoring station.
Video only the frame in the direction indicated by
It is extracted from the image signal of the camera 11. This example is the same
The image signal of R frame is extracted in one second in the direction.
It When performing the extraction, the video camera 11
Correspondence between the image signal transmitted from the camera and the shooting direction
is necessary. For this association, the attitude control device 1
2 shows the signal indicating the direction of the video camera 11 every moment.
Boom extraction circuit 14₁Through 14_NSent to the current bidet
What is the image signal sent from the camera 11?
It is used to correlate whether it is a direction image signal.
It Frame extraction circuit 14₁Through 14_NIs as described above
Image signal synthesis circuit
15₁Through 15_NSend to. Figure 3 shows a video camera
Image signal obtained from 11 and frame extraction circuit 14 ₁Na
Ishi 14_NIt is a figure which shows the relationship of the image signal output from
It Fig. 3 shows the case where the supervisor at the monitoring station 1 monitors the direction 1.
Of the frame extraction circuit 14₁Is the direction 1 flare
Extract the In this case, the frame extraction circuit 14₁Hakata
Only the frame of direction 1 can be extracted.
The outer frames 2 to F are cut. Frame
Boom extraction circuit 14₁Through 14_N3 from each of
Frames other than the specified direction are
Only the input signal is output.

Image signal synthesizing circuit 15₁Through 15_NIs
Frame extraction circuit 14₁Through 14 _NSent from
Monitor 16 based on the image signal₁Through 16_NOn the table
Synthesize the signals that can be shown. Because the frame
Boom extraction circuit 14₁Through 14_NImage signal obtained from
Direction 1 frame, direction 2 frame ... direction (F
-1) F frames, direction F frames
It contains only one frame of the signal
Due to this, normal display is possible even if input to the monitor 16 as it is.
This is because you cannot do it. Therefore, this example
, The image signals other than the image signal in the specified direction are
The same frame at the position of (F-1) frames
The image signal appears repeatedly after copying the frame (F-1) times.
The image signal synthesis is performed as described above. In this way the image signal
If combined, monitor 16 that receives this₁Through 1
6_NIncludes F frames of time and free in the specified direction.
Screen is displayed. FIG. 4 shows the frame extraction circuit 14₁
Through 14_NImage signal output from the
Road 15₁Through 15_NRelationship with the image signal synthesized by
When the supervisor of the monitoring station 1 monitors the direction 1
It is an example. In this case, the image signal synthesis circuit 15₁Is
The image signal of direction 1 is repeatedly output. In addition, this implementation
For example, monitor 16₁Through 16_NFrame rate and
If the frame rate of the video camera 11 matches
If the two frame rates are different,
Changes when the number of repetitions of image signals in the same direction is changed.
To synthesize an image signal that matches the sync signal on the monitor side.
To do so.

According to the remote monitoring device as described above, the supervisors at the N monitoring stations can simultaneously monitor the different directions simultaneously, and the monitoring direction is F as shown in FIG.
Any one of the directions can be selected.
That is, for example, the person who is monitoring the monitoring station 1 is in the direction 1 shown in FIG.
, And at the same time, an observer at the monitoring station 2 can carry out monitoring activities to monitor the direction 4 shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the video camera 11 is used.
This is an example in which the robot is moved at a constant angular velocity around one axis, but if a method is adopted in which shooting is performed in synchronization when the user wants to shoot in the same direction even if rotational movements other than this are performed, monitoring activities are similarly performed. be able to. As for the shooting direction, instead of shooting 360 degrees at equal intervals, shooting may be performed at different intervals. The same monitoring activity can be carried out not only by rotating around one axis but also by rotating around two axes, translational movement, or a combination of rotational movement and translational movement. Furthermore, if the zoom is changed, it is possible to monitor images with different magnifications at each monitoring station.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the
Although the photographing direction is directly changed by rotating the camera 11 itself, the photographing direction can be indirectly changed by rotating the mirror instead of rotating the photographing device. This embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, 51 is a video camera, 52 is an attitude control device, and 5
3 ₁ to 53 _N are operation switches, 54 ₁ to 54 _N
Is a frame extracting circuit, 55 ₁ to 55 _N are image signal combining circuits, 56 ₁ to 56 _N are monitors, 57 is a mirror to be rotated, 58 is an image rotating circuit, 59 is an image enlarging circuit, 51
Reference numeral 0 is a mirror image processing circuit.

The attitude control device 52 rotates the mirror 57 about a vertical axis. The rotational motion is a constant angular velocity motion of R rotation per second. The mirror 57 is tilted at 45 degrees from the vertical axis, and the image in the mirror 57 is photographed by the video camera 51 in the vertical axis direction, whereby a horizontal image is obtained. That is, the video camera 51 is installed on the rotation axis of the mirror 57. Then, the video camera 51 shoots F frames at equal intervals every time the mirror 57 makes one rotation. The shooting direction is as shown in FIG. 2 as in the first embodiment. Therefore, also in this embodiment, the F directions shown in FIG. 2 are photographed R times per second, and the monitoring image of R frames per second is obtained for each of the F directions. It should be noted that it is effective to employ an electronic shutter, for example, in order to prevent blurring due to the rotational movement of the mirror 57 when shooting with the video camera 51.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the image obtained by the video camera 51 is the axis of rotation of the mirror 57 and the mirror 57.
The top and bottom rotates around the intersection between and. In the example of FIG. 6, the video camera 51 captures an image in which the vertical direction is tilted by 90 degrees. (The top direction of the video camera 51 is the lower side of the paper surface, and the ground direction is the front side of the paper surface.) The image rotation circuit 58 corrects such rotation of the image to obtain a correct image in the top and bottom direction. Circuit,
The direction of the mirror 57 is obtained from the attitude control device 52, and the image is rotated around the rotation center. At this time, if only the rotation is simply performed, as shown in FIG. 7, a portion that is not displayed on the video camera 51 enters the screen and becomes unsightly. This occurs because the image frame of the video camera 51 is rectangular (if the image frame of the video camera 51 is circular,
Such problems do not occur). Therefore, in this embodiment, the output image of the image rotation circuit 58 is enlarged by the image enlargement circuit 59 so that the portion not reflected by the video camera 51 is displayed outside the screen. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining how to enlarge. The center of enlargement is the image rotation circuit 58.
The center of rotation at. Further, the enlargement ratio is √ (1 + r ² ) when the aspect ratio of the image frame of the video camera 51 is r. The image thus enlarged does not include an image outside the image frame of the video camera 51.

Since the image thus obtained is a reflection image by a mirror, the left and right are inverted. Therefore, the mirror image processing circuit 510 reverses the right and left. The output signal of the mirror image processing circuit 510 is the frame extraction circuits 54 ₁ through 54 5.
Sent to 4 _N. Monitor operation, frame extraction circuit 54
The operation of ₁ to 54 _N, the operation of the image signal synthesizing circuits 55 ₁ to 55 _N , and the display on the monitors 56 ₁ to 56 _N are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

The second remote monitoring device constructed as described above
In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, N observers can simultaneously monitor in different directions, and the monitoring direction is any of the F directions in FIG. Select. Since the video camera is fixed in this embodiment, it is not necessary to adopt the configuration for avoiding the entanglement of the connection cable of the video camera as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the mirror 57 is moved at a constant angular velocity about one axis, but in the case of other rotational movements, it is possible to take a picture synchronously when the direction of the picture is desired. It can be carried out similarly. Also, regarding the shooting direction, it is also possible to shoot at different intervals instead of shooting 360 degrees at equal intervals. Also, 1
Not only the rotational movement about the axis but also the rotational movement about the two axes, the translational movement, or the combination of the rotational movement and the translational movement can be similarly performed. Depending on the movement, the image may be reflected multiple times using two or more mirrors, eliminating the need for an image rotation circuit, an image enlarging circuit, and a mirror image processing circuit.
The enlarging method in the image enlarging circuit may be different. Also, if the zoom of the video camera is changed, it is possible to monitor images with different magnifications for each observer.

Although the present invention has been specifically described based on the two embodiments, the present invention should not be limited to these two embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that it can be implemented by

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the same point is monitored from a plurality of monitoring stations, one image pickup device is shared, but the monitoring direction is different for each monitoring station. It is possible to select. That is, there is no problem of control right in the monitoring direction like the conventional remote monitoring device of FIG. 10, and a plurality of monitoring persons can monitor each monitoring direction without affecting other monitoring persons. The monitoring direction can be changed at any time. Therefore, the monitoring person can freely set the monitoring direction without being disturbed by the operation of the monitoring person at another monitoring station, so that the monitoring activity can be efficiently advanced.
Since the image pickup device is shared by a plurality of observers, it is more economical than the case where an image pickup means is installed for each observer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a shooting direction of a video camera.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an image signal output from a video camera and an image signal output from a frame extraction circuit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an image signal output from a frame extraction circuit and an image signal output from an image signal synthesis circuit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the principle of rotation of an image taken by a video camera.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a problem when an image is simply rotated in an image rotation circuit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a method of enlarging in an image enlarging circuit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a remote monitoring device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional example of a remote monitoring device that transmits monitoring images to a plurality of locations.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 to N Surveillance Station 11 Imaging Device 12 Attitude Control Device 13 Monitoring Direction Indicator 14 Frame Extractor 15 Image Signal Synthesizer 16 Image Display

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The same monitoring point is monitored at a plurality of monitoring stations by photographing an image of the monitoring point by a photographing device installed at the monitoring point and displaying the photographed image on an image display device provided for each monitoring station. In the distant monitoring device, a monitoring device that includes a shooting device capable of continuously shooting in time at a monitoring point and a shooting direction changing device that sequentially changes the shooting direction of the shooting device to the monitoring direction is provided. A direction indicating device is provided at the monitoring station, and a frame extracting device for extracting the image signal of the designated frame from the image signal obtained by the image capturing device is provided. A remote monitoring device comprising an image signal synthesizing device for synthesizing image signals that can be displayed on a display device.