JP3764265B2 - Image monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image monitoring apparatus that enables monitoring of a region where a sensor is installed by displaying the state of the region as an image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, high-processing information terminals such as personal computers have been reduced in price, and package software that enables efficient construction of various application systems adapted to such information terminals has become widespread and advanced Transmission systems to which telecommunications technology is applied are becoming available at low cost under the liberalization of the market and the principle of competition.
[0003]
Therefore, in addition to public institutions and corporate bodies, many security systems that realize crime prevention in general households are constructed inexpensively as an organic combination of the above-mentioned information processing technology and telecommunications technology, and have high reliability. Has been achieved.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional image monitoring apparatus.
In the figure, the output of the camera 80 is connected to the corresponding multiplexing input of the multiplexing unit 82-1 via the encoding unit 81, and the outputs of the sensors 83-1 to 83-n are associated with the multiplexing unit 82-1. Connected to the multiplexed input. The output of the multiplexing unit 82-1 is connected to one end of the transmission path 85 via the transmission device 84-1, and the other end of the transmission path 85 is input to the multiplexing unit 82-2 via the transmission device 84-2. Connected to. One demultiplexed output of the multiplexing unit 82-2 is connected to the input of the branch amplification unit 87 via the decoding unit 86, and one output and the other output of the branch amplification unit 87 are respectively connected to the monitor 88 and It is connected to the input of VTR89. The other demultiplexed output of the multiplexing unit 84-2 is connected to the input of the alarm device 90.
[0004]
In the conventional example having such a configuration, the sensors 83-1 to 83-n are installed in an area to be monitored, and the camera 80 is attached to a pan head (not shown), and these sensors 83-1 to 83 are installed. Outputs image information indicating the situation of a region whose relative position is predetermined with respect to each location where -n is installed. The encoding unit 81 generates compressed image information by performing a predetermined compression encoding process on the image information, and the multiplexing unit 82-1 outputs the compressed image information and an alarm output from the sensors 83-1 to 83-n. A multiplexed signal is generated by multiplexing the information, and the multiplexed signal is sent to the transmission path 85 via the transmission device 84-1.
[0005]
On the other hand, the multiplexing unit 84-2 takes in the multiplexed signal received via the transmission path 85 via the transmission device 84-2 and separates the multiplexed signal into the compressed image information and the alarm information described above. . The decoding unit 86 restores the above-described image information by performing a predetermined decoding process on the compressed image information, and the branch amplification unit 87 provides the image information to the monitor 88 and the VTR 89 at a predetermined level.
[0006]
Therefore, the image captured by the camera 80 is displayed on the display screen of the monitor 88 in substantially real time, and is recorded on the video tape attached to the VTR 89 in parallel.
In addition, the alarm device 90 emits a predetermined acoustic signal when the alarm information separated by the multiplexing unit 84-2 indicates some event (for example, that an unauthorized intruder has been detected), An optical alarm (for example, flashing light emitted from an intermittently driven lamp) is issued.
[0007]
Therefore, in the monitoring center where the monitor 88, the VTR 89 and the alarm device 90 are installed, the person in charge can monitor the situation of the above-described area based on the image displayed on the display screen of the monitor 88. When it is recognized that “some event has occurred” according to any of the acoustic signals and alarms described above, the image information previously recorded in the VTR 89 is appropriately reproduced and displayed on the display screen of the monitor 88. By doing so, it is possible to grasp the situation of the similar region.
[0008]
In the conventional example described above, the image information output by the camera 80 is always recorded in the VTR 89 even when no event has occurred. For example, the multiplexing unit 84-2 is used for the recording. It may be automatically started only when the alarm information separated by indicates an event.
In the above-described conventional example, the image information output by the camera 80 is recorded on the video tape attached to the VTR 89. For example, a video disk drive capable of random access is applied instead of the VTR 89. May be.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional example, the monitoring performed by visually observing the display screen of the monitor 88 requires the patience of the person in charge, and also requires the adoption of an appropriate shift system because eye strain occurs. Even under such alternations, there was a possibility of missing.
[0010]
In addition, among the image information recorded in the VTR 89, the identification of the image information recorded in the period including the time point when the above-mentioned acoustic signal or alarm is issued is performed by rewinding or reproducing according to the manual operation of the VTR 89. As a result, the work is complicated, it takes time to grasp and deal with the situation adapted to the acoustic signal and alarm, and there is a high possibility of delay in dealing with the event that occurred.
[0011]
Furthermore, regarding an event that occurred during a period in which the recording medium (tape) mounted on the VTR 89 is being exchanged, it is difficult to grasp the situation corresponding to the event.
In addition, when a plurality of cameras are installed in place of the camera 80 and the area to be monitored is at a point remote from the monitoring center, effective conditions adapted to the alarm signal actually given are those. Since it is difficult to predict which one of the cameras will be obtained, the multiplicity of the multiplexing units 82-1 and 82-2 and the transmission capacity of the transmission apparatuses 84-1, 84-2 and the transmission path 85 And had to be set to a large value, which was expensive.
[0012]
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image monitoring apparatus that can automatically acquire the status of a period preceding a point in time when some event occurs as visible information.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention.
[0014]
The invention described in claim 1 has M (≧ n) planes corresponding to any one of the single or plural n cameras 11-1 to 11-n, and these cameras 11-1 to 11- Primary storage means 12 for repetitively recording image information given by n in parallel with these planes, and sensor 13 having a predetermined correlation with one or a plurality of cameras 11-1 to 11-n. -1 to 13-N, whether or not the alarm is given by any of the man-machine interface means 14 that takes a man-machine interface related to the notification and confirmation of the notification and the sensors 13-1 to 13-N When the result of the determination is true, the surface corresponding to the sensor that is the source of the corresponding alarm among the M surfaces of the primary storage means 12 precedes the time when the alarm is generated. Save image information recorded over a period of time The secondary storage means 15 and the image information stored by the secondary storage means 15 when the alarm notified by the man-machine interface means 14 is confirmed via the man-machine interface means 14. An alarm corresponding image sending means 17 for sending to the image display device 16 is provided.
[0015]
A second aspect of the present invention is the image monitoring apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising a timepiece 21 for giving a time, and the primary storage means 12 individually assigns the time given by the timepiece 21 to M planes. The secondary storage means 15 has a means for recording it in the stored image information or recording it as additional information common to the image information stored in these M planes. When the information is recorded by the primary storage unit 12 as supplementary information, the supplementary information corresponding to the image information to be stored is included in the image information.
[0016]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the timepiece 21 for giving time is provided, and the secondary storage means 15 provides the time given to the image information to be stored by the timepiece 21. It has the means to incorporate.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the image information provided by the single or plural cameras 11-1 to 11-N is included. The sound information indicating the sound emitted from the direction of the subject indicated by the image information is included, and the sound information included in the image information sent to the image display device 16 by the alarm-responsive image sending means 17 is electro-acoustic. An acoustic monitor means 22 for converting and restoring sound is provided.
[0017]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the primary storage means 12 outputs an alarm given by the sensors 13-1 to 13-N as M. The secondary storage means 15 includes a sensor 13 − which is included in the image information individually stored on the individual planes or recorded as supplementary information common to the image information stored on the M planes. When the alarm given by 1 to 13-N is recorded as common incidental information by the primary storage means, the incidental information corresponding to the image information to be stored is included in the image information. It has the means.
[0018]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the man-machine interface means 14 is configured to record a history of alarms given by the sensors 13-1 to 13-N. And the man-machine interface related to the confirmation of any of the alarms included in the history, the alarm-corresponding image sending means 17 confirms the confirmation when the confirmation is made via the man-machine interface means 14. The image information stored in the secondary storage means 15 is sent to the image display device 16 over a period preceding the time of occurrence of the alarm that is the target of the above.
[0019]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the man-machine interface means 14 is laid between the terminal to be used for the man-machine interface. The transmission path or network is provided with means for forming a path only during a period during which some transmission information for realizing notification and confirmation is to be transmitted.
[0020]
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the alarm-corresponding image sending means 17 is a transmission line laid between the image display apparatus 16 Alternatively, the network has means for forming a path only during a period in which image information is sent to the image display device 16.
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the primary storage means 12 has M (≧ n) surfaces corresponding to any one of the cameras 11-1 to 11-n. The image information given by -1 to 11-n is recorded cyclically in parallel with these planes. The secondary storage means 15 is the primary storage means 12 when an alarm is given by any of the sensors 13-1 to 13-N having a predetermined correlation with the cameras 11-1 to 11-n. The image information recorded over the period preceding the time of occurrence of the alarm is stored in the surface corresponding to the sensor that is the source of the corresponding alarm among the M surfaces of the. Further, the man-machine interface means 14 has a man-machine interface related to notification and confirmation of the notification regarding the alarms given by the sensors 13-1 to 13-N. The alarm image sending means 17 displays the image information saved by the secondary storage means 15 as described above when the alarm notified through the man-machine interface means 14 is confirmed in this way. Send to device 16.
[0021]
That is, when an event for which an alarm is given by any of the sensors 13-1 to 13-N occurs, image information indicating an image captured by the cameras 11-1 to 11-n prior to the event. Among them, the image information corresponding to the corresponding event is automatically extracted and displayed on the display screen of the image display screen 16, so that the troublesome work related to the monitoring is reduced as compared with the conventional example, and the monitoring is performed. Business efficiency can be improved.
[0022]
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the image monitoring apparatus according to the first aspect, the primary storage means 12 is an image in which the time given by the clock 21 is individually stored in M planes. It is included in the information or recorded as additional information common to the image information stored in these M faces. Further, when the time given by the clock 21 is recorded by the primary storage means 12 as the common auxiliary information described above, the secondary storage means 15 corresponds to the image information to be stored among the auxiliary information. Attached information to be included in the image information.
[0023]
That is, since the image displayed on the display screen of the image display screen 16 includes time information given by the clock 21, the time when the corresponding alarm is issued by any of the sensors 13-1 to 13-N. It is possible to analyze the image in terms of the relevance of the time corresponding to the time, the time preceding the time, and the elapsed time.
[0024]
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the invention described in claim 3, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1, the secondary storage means 15 is provided by the clock 21 to the image information to be stored. Include time.
That is, since the time is included in the image information stored in the secondary storage means 15 only after an alarm is issued by any of the sensors 13-1 to 13-N, the invention according to claim 2 In comparison, the storage capacity of the primary storage unit 12 does not increase, and the image information can be analyzed in relation to the time when the corresponding alarm is generated and the time elapsed from the time when the alarm is generated.
[0025]
The image monitoring apparatus according to the invention described in claim 4 is the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is given by a single or a plurality of cameras 11-1 to 11-N. The image information includes acoustic information indicating sound emitted from the direction of the subject indicated by the image information. The acoustic monitor means 22 performs electro-acoustic conversion on the acoustic information included in the image information sent to the image display device 16 by the alarm corresponding image sending means 17 to restore the sound described above.
[0026]
That is, since it is possible to monitor based on an image and sound during a period preceding the time point when the alarm is issued by any of the sensors 13-1 to 13-N, the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. In comparison, the efficiency and accuracy of the monitoring work can be improved.
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the invention described in claim 5, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the primary storage means 12 is given by sensors 13-1 to 13-N. The received alarm is included in the image information individually stored on the M faces, or is recorded as supplementary information common to the image information stored on these M faces. Further, the secondary storage means 15, when the alarm given by these sensors 13-1 to 13 -N is recorded by the primary storage means 12 as the common supplementary information described above, of the supplementary information, The incidental information corresponding to the image information to be stored is included in the image information.
[0027]
That is, the combination of alarms given by the sensors 13-1 to 13-N is stored in the secondary storage means 15 in association with the image information, and sent to the image display device 16 or the like. Even when the sensors 13-1 to 13-N are operated at a complicated timing according to the combination or arrangement of physical quantities to be sensitive, the image information is compared with the inventions according to claims 1 to 4. Analysis based on various forms becomes possible.
[0028]
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the invention described in claim 6, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the man-machine interface means 14 includes sensors 13-1 to 13-N. For a given alarm, a man-machine interface related to history notification and confirmation for any of the alarms included in the history is taken. Further, the alarm corresponding image sending means 17 stores the alarm for the confirmation subject to the secondary storage over a period preceding the time of occurrence when the confirmation is performed via the man-machine interface means 14. The image information stored in the means 15 is sent to the image display device 16.
[0029]
That is, even when the sensors 13-1 to 13-N are operated at a complicated timing according to the combination or arrangement of physical quantities to which a plurality of sensors are sensitive, they are included in the history described above and Monitoring work is appropriately advanced based on the image corresponding to the alarm selected by.
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the invention described in claim 7, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the man-machine interface means 14 is a terminal to be used for the man-machine interface. Means for forming a path only during a period in which some transmission information for realizing notification and confirmation is to be transmitted to a transmission line or network laid between the two.
[0030]
That is, in the period when no alarm is given by all of the sensors 13-1 to 13-N, in order to always enable transmission of transmission information indicating the generation of an alarm to be notified and the confirmation of the alarm, it is possible. Since the path formed in the example is not formed, the running cost is reduced as compared with the conventional example.
[0031]
In the image monitoring apparatus according to the invention described in claim 8, in the image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the alarm corresponding image sending means 17 is provided between the image display apparatus 16 and the image monitoring apparatus 16. A path is formed on the laid transmission line or network only during a period in which image information is sent to the image display device 16.
That is, in the period in which no alarm is given by all the sensors 13-1 to 13-N, a path used for transmission of image information to be recorded on a recording medium such as a VTR is not formed. Compared to running costs.
[0032]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a view showing an embodiment corresponding to the first to eighth aspects of the invention.
In the figure, components having the same functions and configurations as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the operation is omitted below.
The difference between the present embodiment and the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 is that cameras 80-1 to 80-n are provided instead of the camera 80, and logging is performed instead of the encoding unit 81 and the multiplexing unit 82-1. In that the terminal interface unit 51 is provided instead of the multiplexing unit 82-2, the decoding unit 86, and the branch amplification unit 87, and the display unit 52 and the operation unit 53 are provided instead of the VTR 89. is there.
[0033]
In the logging unit 50, the outputs of the cameras 80-1 to 80-n are connected to the n inputs of the encoding unit 54, respectively, and the output of the encoding unit 54 is switched via the branching unit 55 to the switching unit 56. And the write input of the primary memory 57 are connected. The read output of the primary memory 57 is connected to the write input of the secondary memory 58, and the read output of the secondary memory 58 is connected to the other input of the switch 56. The output of the switching unit 56 is connected to one multiplexing input of the demultiplexing unit 59-1, and the line terminal of the demultiplexing unit 59-1 is connected to one end of the transmission path 85 via the transmission device 84-1. . The outputs of the sensors 83-1 to 83-n and the separated output of the demultiplexing unit 59-1 are respectively connected to the corresponding inputs of the control unit 60, and the output terminal of the control unit 60 is the other of the demultiplexing unit 59-1. Connected to the multiplexed input. First to third control outputs of the control unit 60 are connected to control terminals of the primary memory 57, the secondary memory 58, and the switching unit 56, respectively.
[0034]
Further, in the terminal interface unit 51, the other end of the transmission path 85 is connected to the line terminal of the demultiplexing unit 59-2 facing the demultiplexing unit 59-1 described above via the transmission device 84-2. One demultiplexing output of the demultiplexing unit 59-2 is connected to the monitor 88 via the decoding unit 86. Further, the input of the display unit 52 and the output of the operation unit 53 are connected to the other separated output and multiplexed input of the demultiplexing unit 59-2, respectively.
[0035]
As for the correspondence between this embodiment and the block diagram shown in FIG. 1, the cameras 80-1 to 80-n and the encoding unit 54 correspond to the cameras 11-1 to 11-n, and the branching unit 55, the primary unit The memory 57 and the control unit 60 correspond to the primary storage unit 12, the sensors 83-1 to 83-n correspond to the sensors 13-1 to 13-N, the display unit 52, the operation unit 53, and the control unit 60 are man machines. Corresponding to the interface means 14, the control unit 60, the secondary memory 58 and the switching unit 56 correspond to the secondary storage means 15, the decoding part 86 and the monitor 88 correspond to the image display device 16 and the acoustic monitor means 22, The control unit 60 and the switching unit 56 correspond to the alarm corresponding image sending unit 17.
[0036]
The operation of the present embodiment corresponding to the first aspect of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Here, as far as the operation of the present embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claim 1 is concerned, for the sake of simplicity, the switching unit 56 and the control unit 60 are referred to as “demultiplexing unit 59-1, transmission device 84-”. 1. It is assumed that it is directly connected to the decoding unit 86, the display unit 52, and the operation unit 53 without passing through the transmission path 85, the transmission device 84-2, and the demultiplexing unit 59-2.
[0037]
The primary memory 57 has n planes individually corresponding to the cameras 80-1 to 80-n and arranged in a common address space.
The encoding unit 54 performs compression encoding processing in parallel with the image information 1 to image information n individually given by the cameras 80-1 to 80-n, thereby converting the image information 1 to image information n. N pieces of compressed image information corresponding individually are generated. The branching unit 55 gives these n pieces of compressed image information in parallel to the corresponding surfaces of the switching unit 56 and the primary memory 57, and the control unit 60 manages the area of the primary memory 57, and these compressed images. Information is cyclically written in parallel to the corresponding surface of the primary memory 57.
[0038]
Further, in such a state, the control unit 60 determines whether or not any alarm information is given from the sensors 83-1 to 83-n, and the n pieces given through the branching unit 55 as described above. The switching unit 56 is instructed to select any one of the compressed image information.
In the terminal interface unit 51, the decoding unit 86 restores the image information by performing a decoding process on the compressed image information selected by the switching unit 56, and provides the image information to the monitor 88.
[0039]
In the logging unit 50, the control unit 60 outputs a “normal signal” indicating that the alarm information is not given from the sensors 83-1 to 83-n.
The terminal interface unit 51 gives the “normal signal” to the display unit 52.
Therefore, in the monitoring center where the monitor 88, the display unit 52, and the operation unit 53 are installed, the person in charge can monitor the situation captured as an image by any of the cameras 80-1 to 80-n via the display screen of the monitor 88. Thus, it can be grasped as visible information, and it can be grasped that no event indicating an abnormal state has occurred.
[0040]
However, when alarm information is given by any of the sensors 83-1 to 83-n (here, for the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that it is indicated by the reference numeral “83-x” (1 ≦ x ≦ n)). Then, the control unit 60 outputs alarm information indicating the generation and attribute of the alarm information (indicating related equipment, area, etc.).
In addition, the control unit 60 specifies the address of the primary memory 57 to be written at that time (common to all surfaces) (hereinafter referred to as “alarm occurrence address”), and has already been recorded. As described above, in the process of writing that should be performed cyclically (for example, over 30 seconds), the area of the surface x that is the object of writing preceding (in the following, “preceding writing area”). )), And conversely (for example, for 10 seconds), the compressed image information written in the area of the surface x to be subsequently written (hereinafter referred to as “subsequent writing area”) is secondarily Save as a file in the memory 58.
[0041]
In the monitoring center, the terminal interface unit 51 gives the above-described alarm information to the display unit 52, and the display unit 52 displays that the alarm information described above has occurred and the attribute.
When the person in charge recognizes the generation and attribute of the alarm information and performs a predetermined operation on the operation unit 53, the control unit 60 provided in the logging unit 50 recognizes that fact.
[0042]
Further, the control unit 60 gives a command to the user to select the contents of the file described above, and requests the secondary memory 58 to read out the contents of the file.
In the terminal interface unit 51, the decoding unit 86 performs a decoding process on the above-described file contents (compressed image information) given instead of the compressed image information given from the switching unit 56 in advance. Among the sensors 83-1 to 83-n, the camera 80-x corresponding to the sensor 83-x that has output the alarm information optically monitors the situation captured before and after the alarm information is generated as visible information 88. Output to.
[0043]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the situation detected before and after the occurrence of an event is automatically and accurately specified and displayed, the workability related to the monitoring work is improved. Efficiency and work environment can be improved. In the following, an embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claims 2 and 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0044]
The difference in configuration between the present embodiment and the embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claim 1 is that a clock 60a whose output is connected to a corresponding input of the control unit 60, as shown by a dotted line in FIG. In the point provided.
The correspondence relationship between the present embodiment and the block diagram shown in FIG. 1 is as described above except that the timepiece 60a corresponds to the timepiece 21, and the description thereof is omitted here.
[0045]
The operation of this embodiment will be described below.
In the logging unit 50, the clock 60a gives the date and time by performing the regular clock time.
The control unit 60 associates a time stamp indicating the above-described date and time with a predetermined frequency for all the n pieces of compressed image information to be stored in the primary memory 57 or in common with these pieces of compressed image information. Record in the primary memory 57.
[0046]
In addition, the control unit 60 adds a time stamp indicating the date and time given by the clock 60a to the attribute included in the above-described emergency information, and transmits the emergency information.
Further, when some event has occurred and the compressed image information accumulated in the preceding writing area and the subsequent writing area is to be stored as a file in the secondary memory 58, the control unit 60 stores the compressed image information in the compressed image information. The time stamp associated and recorded in the primary memory 57 is included in the file.
[0047]
On the other hand, since the time stamp included in the attribute is displayed on the display unit 52 in the monitoring center, the person in charge can grasp the time of occurrence of each event that has occurred.
In the terminal interface unit 51, when the time stamp is included in the compressed image information given via the switching unit 56, the decoding unit 86 adds a time stamp to the image indicated by the compressed image information. Displayed with the indicated date and time (for example, as a telop).
[0048]
Thus, according to the present embodiment, the person in charge is automatically notified of the date and time when an event has occurred, and the camera corresponding to the situation that is automatically displayed on the display screen of the monitor 88 after the event has occurred. Since the date and time captured by is displayed together, it is possible to objectively monitor and grasp the chronological change of the situation as compared with the embodiment corresponding to the invention of claim 1.
[0049]
In the present embodiment, the compressed image information to be stored in the primary memory 57 is stored in association with a time stamp. However, such a time stamp is stored in the secondary memory 58 as a file, for example. The compressed image information to be stored may be included as part of the file.
The operation of this embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claim 4 will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0050]
In the present embodiment, the cameras 80-1 to 80-n are integrated with a microphone that converts sound emitted from the direction of the subject into an electric signal, and the electric signal is converted into a predetermined digital signal and superimposed on image information. .
The encoding unit 54 converts the image information superimposed with the digital signal into compressed image information by encoding without separation, and the decoding unit 86 decodes the digital signal in reverse. Is restored.
[0051]
The monitor 88 extracts digital information from the image information provided by the decoding unit 86, and displays an image indicated by the image information on a display screen, while electro-acoustic converting the sound indicated by the digital information. And output.
Further, with respect to the compressed image information recorded in the primary memory 57 and the compressed image information stored as a file in the secondary memory 58, the process of removing or suppressing the digital signal component included in these compressed image information is performed. Nothing is given.
[0052]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, in the monitoring center, the sound captured by the camera corresponding to the sensor in which an event has occurred is obtained via the monitor 88 together with the situation optically captured by the camera. The accuracy of grasping the situation is improved.
The operation of the present embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claim 5 will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0053]
In the logging unit 50, the control unit 60 uses all of the sensors 83-1 to 83-n for all the n pieces of compressed image information to be stored in the primary memory 57 or in common with these pieces of compressed image information. The combination of given alarm information is associated with a predetermined frequency and recorded in the primary memory 57.
In addition, when some event has occurred and the compressed image information accumulated in the preceding writing area and the subsequent writing area is to be stored as a file in the secondary memory 58, the control unit 60 stores the compressed image information in the compressed image information. A combination of alarm information associated and recorded in the primary memory 57 is included in the file.
[0054]
On the other hand, in the terminal interface unit 51, when the combination of the alarm information described above is included in the compressed image information given via the switching unit 56, the decoding unit 86 displays the image indicated by the compressed image information. The alarm information is added to (for example, as a telop) and displayed on the display screen of the monitor 88.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the person in charge is automatically notified of the combination of alarm information obtained by the sensors 83-1 to 83-n before and after a certain event occurs. Compared with the embodiment corresponding to the inventions described in -4, objective monitoring and grasping of time-series changes in the situation becomes possible.
[0055]
In the present embodiment, all of the alarm information obtained by the sensors 83-1 to 83-n is recorded in association with the compressed image information to be recorded on all the surfaces of the primary memory 57. Of these alarm information, a combination of only alarm information for which it is determined that the relevance with the sensor corresponding to each surface is useful may be associated and recorded.
[0056]
The operation of the present embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claim 6 will be described below with reference to FIG.
In the present embodiment, every time an event occurs, the control unit 60 identifies identification information (here, it is assumed that the detected sensor is shown for the sake of simplicity) and the time indicating the occurrence time. The combination with the stamp is sent to the display unit 52.
[0057]
Further, the control unit 60 appropriately adds the combination of the identification information and the time stamp described above to the compressed image information to be stored as a file in the secondary memory 58.
The display unit 52 stores the combination of the identification information and the time stamp transmitted by the control unit 60 as described above every time an event occurs, unless otherwise instructed by the operator, and stores the combination sequence in a time series. Display in ascending order (or descending order) and issue an alarm.
[0058]
When the operator designates “a combination that is determined to refer to the corresponding image in the combination row displayed as described above”, the operation unit 53 notifies the control unit 60 of the combination. .
The control unit 60 searches for a file including the combination notified from the operation unit 53 among the files stored in the secondary memory, and the embodiment corresponding to the inventions according to claims 1 to 5. Similarly, the contents of the file are sent to the terminal interface unit 51.
[0059]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, among the sensors 83-1 to 83-n, for example, a certain event is detected one after another by a plurality of sensors, such as a sensor installed along a route along which an intruder travels. Even in such a case, the operator makes a comprehensive decision based on the correlation between the time series and the sensor arrangement in addition to the identification information of these events and the time stamp. It is possible to accurately identify the part to be grasped.
[0060]
In this embodiment, every time an event occurs, the identification information and the time stamp described above are added to the event and sent to the display unit 52 as a history. If the operator can surely grasp a plurality of events that can occur in a chain by referring to a separately provided database or the like, these identification information and / or time stamp are either It may not be sent to the display unit 52.
[0061]
The operation of the embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claims 7 and 8 will be described below with reference to FIG.
The feature of this embodiment is that the logging unit 50 and the terminal interface unit 51 are not directly connected, and as shown in FIG. 2, the demultiplexing unit 59-1, the transmission device 84-1, the transmission path 85, and the transmission device 84-2 and the demultiplexing unit 59-2, and the demultiplexing unit 59-1 and the transmission device 84-1 are controlled under the control of the control unit 60 as described later.
[0062]
In the following, a multiplexing device and a demultiplexing process performed in both directions by the demultiplexing units 59-1 and 59-2, and a transmission apparatus between these demultiplexing units 59-1 and 59-2 and the transmission path 85 The communication interfaces 84-1 and 84-2 perform are well-known and are not directly related to the present invention, so the description thereof will be omitted.
The control unit 60 sends the compressed image information supplied from the cameras 80-1 to 80-n to the switching unit 56 via the encoding unit 54 and the branching unit 55 toward the terminal interface unit 51 unless particularly necessary. It is not handled as transmission information.
[0063]
Further, as in the embodiment corresponding to the inventions described in claims 1 to 6, the control unit 60 is configured to send the alarm information to the terminal interface unit 51 and to send any information from the terminal interface unit 51. By controlling the demultiplexing unit 59-1 and the transmission apparatus 84-1, only the period to be received and the period to transmit the compressed image information stored as a file in the secondary memory are used to control the multiplexing. A path is formed with the terminal interface unit 51 via the separation unit 59-1, the transmission device 84-1, the transmission path 85, the transmission device 84-2, and the demultiplexing unit 59-2.
[0064]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, a path is formed between the logging unit 50 and the terminal interface unit 51 only during a period during which any transmission information is to be transmitted or received. As a result, it is possible to accurately and efficiently grasp the situation that adapts to the event that has actually occurred.
In each of the above-described embodiments, no physical quantities detected by the sensors 83-1 to 83-n are disclosed. Alternatively, it may be various physical quantities obtained by performing predetermined signal processing on information obtained by temperature, vibration, angular velocity of a moving body, a range finder or a video camera.
[0065]
As for the video camera described above, any one of the cameras 80-1 to 80-n described above may be shared.
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the format of the compressed image information is not disclosed at all, but the compression encoding method to be applied to obtain such compressed image information is defined by, for example, ISO. Either “M-PEG” or image communication encoding method “H.32 *” standardized by ITU-T may be applied, and the storage capacity of the primary memory 57 and the secondary memory 58 is large. If this is permitted, the image information may be stored in these memories without being subjected to any compression processing.
[0066]
In the embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 2, the logging unit 50 is configured by a plurality of modules (encoding unit 54, branching unit 55, etc.) in which functions are distributed. For example, as shown in FIG.
・ Video encoder 61 and image projector connected to cameras 80-1 to 80-n
A processor 62 (corresponding to the encoding unit 54),
An audio encoder 63 connected to the microphones 80a-1 to 80a-n,
• Audio connected to the speaker 64 (for audio warnings and cautions)
Odecoder 65,
An input port (DI) 66 connected to the sensors 83-1 to 83-n,
Output port (DO) 6 connected to camera controllers 80b-1 to 80b-n
7,
Primary memory 57,
Secondary memory 58,
A communication interface connected to the terminal 69 (corresponding to the terminal interface unit 51, the monitor 88, the display unit 52, and the operation unit 53) via the intranet 68.
Ace 70,
As a personal computer or workstation that is connected to the microprocessor 71 that controls these operations and corresponds to the branching unit 55, the switching unit 56, the clock 60a, and the control unit 60 via the bus 72. It may be configured.
[0067]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the complexity of the work related to monitoring is reduced as compared with the conventional example, and the efficiency of monitoring work can be improved.
Further, in the invention according to claim 2, it is possible to narrow down the frames corresponding to the time when the alarm is actually issued and to analyze the image in relation to the time preceding the time and the elapsed time. It becomes.
[0068]
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is based on the relationship between the time of occurrence of the alarm and the time elapsed since the time of occurrence without increasing the scale of hardware compared to the invention according to claim 2. Image information can be analyzed.
In the invention according to claim 4, the efficiency and accuracy of the monitoring work can be improved as compared with the inventions according to claims 1 to 3.
[0069]
Furthermore, in the invention described in claim 5, even when a plurality of sensors are operated in a chained manner, it is possible to analyze image information based on various forms compared to the invention described in claims 1-4. Become.
In the invention according to claim 6, even if a plurality of sensors are operated in a chain, the monitoring work is advanced based on the image corresponding to the alarm selected by the operator.
[0070]
Furthermore, in the inventions according to claims 7 and 8, the running cost is reduced as compared with the conventional example.
Therefore, in the monitoring system to which these inventions are applied, the cost is not increased, the labor for the monitoring work can be saved, the efficiency and accuracy are improved, and the movable mechanism and the storage medium like the VTR are increased. By configuring the apparatus without including any member that involves the replacement work, it is possible to simplify work related to maintenance and operation and improve reliability.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the invention according to claims 1 to 8;
FIG. 2 is a view showing an embodiment corresponding to the first to eighth aspects of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of the logging unit.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional image monitoring apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
11, 80 cameras
12 Primary storage means
13,83 sensors
14 Man-machine interface means
15 Secondary storage means
16 Image display device
17 Alarm response image transmission means
21, 60a clock
22 Sound monitoring means
50 Logging unit
51 Terminal interface
52 Display
53 Operation unit
54, 81 encoding unit
55 Bifurcation
56 switching section
57 Primary memory
58 Secondary memory
59 Demultiplexer
60 Control unit
61 Video encoder
62 Image Processor
63 Audio encoder
64 speakers
65 Audio decoder
66 Input port (DI)
67 Output port (DO)
68 Intranet
69 terminals
70 Communication interface
71 microprocessor
72 bus
80a microphone
80b camera controller
82 Multiplexer
84 Transmission equipment
85 transmission line
86 Decryption unit
87 Branch amplifier
88 monitors
89 VTR
90 Alarm

Claims (8)

Primary storage means having M (.gtoreq.n) surfaces corresponding to either a single camera or a plurality of n cameras, and repetitively recording image information given by these cameras in parallel with these surfaces. When,
A man-machine interface means for taking a man-machine interface related to notification and confirmation of the notification about an alarm given by a sensor having a predetermined correlation to the single or plural cameras;
It is determined whether or not an alarm has been given by any of the sensors, and when the determination result is true, the sensor that is the source of the corresponding alarm among the M surfaces of the primary storage means. Secondary storage means for storing image information recorded over a period preceding the time of occurrence of the alarm on the corresponding surface;
An alarm corresponding image for sending image information stored by the secondary storage means to an image display device when the alarm notified by the man machine interface means is confirmed via the man machine interface means An image monitoring apparatus comprising a sending unit. The image monitoring apparatus according to claim 1,
Have a clock that gives the time,
The primary storage means is
Means for incorporating the time given by the timepiece into the image information stored individually on the M faces, or recording it as additional information common to the image information stored on these M faces,
Secondary storage means
In the case where the time given by the clock is recorded as the common supplementary information by the primary storage means, the supplementary information corresponding to the image information to be stored is included in the image information. An image monitoring apparatus comprising: The image monitoring apparatus according to claim 1,
Have a clock that gives the time,
Secondary storage means
An image monitoring apparatus comprising means for incorporating the time given by the clock into image information to be stored. The image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Image information provided by single or multiple cameras includes:
Acoustic information indicating the sound emitted from the direction of the subject indicated by the image information is included,
An image monitoring apparatus comprising: an acoustic monitor means for performing electro-acoustic conversion on acoustic information included in image information sent to an image display device by an alarm-responsive image sending means to restore the sound. The image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The primary storage means is
The alarm given by the sensor is included in the image information individually stored on the M surfaces, or has means for recording the additional information common to the image information stored on these M surfaces,
Secondary storage means
When the alarm given by the sensor is recorded by the primary storage means as the common supplementary information, the supplementary information corresponding to the image information to be stored among the supplementary information is included in the image information. An image monitoring apparatus comprising: The image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Man-machine interface means
For alarms given by sensors, take a man-machine interface related to notification of history and confirmation of any of the alarms included in the history,
The alarm response image sending means
When the confirmation is made through the man-machine interface means, the image information stored in the secondary storage means over the period preceding the time of occurrence of the warning that is the subject of the confirmation is stored in the image display device. An image monitoring apparatus that transmits the image. The image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Man-machine interface means
It has a means for forming a path only in a period during which some transmission information for realizing notification and confirmation is to be transmitted on a transmission line or network laid between a terminal to be provided for a man-machine interface. A featured image monitoring device. The image monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The alarm response image sending means
An image monitoring apparatus comprising means for forming a path in a transmission path or network laid between the image display apparatus only during a period in which image information is sent to the image display apparatus.

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