JP5086868B2 - Imaging apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus in which an internal memory is mounted and a control method thereof.

  An example of imaging with a conventional network camera will be described with reference to FIG. 11 is a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as “PC”), 12 is a captured image displayed on the PC 11, 13 is a network camera as an imaging device, 14 is an Ethernet as a network, and 15 is a network camera 13. Internal memory installed.

  The video and audio captured by the network camera 13 are periodically acquired by the PC 11 via the Ethernet 14 and displayed on the monitor as the captured image 12. The supervisor monitors in front of the PC 11. The PC 11 stores images and sounds during that time.

  However, since Ethernet is not a network dedicated to monitoring, it is used for other data transfer, and image and audio acquisition causes traffic congestion. Further, since the recording hard disk of the PC 11 has a capacity limit, the hard disk is lost as soon as recording is always performed. In order to solve these problems, a recent network camera 13 is equipped with an internal memory 15 in which voice and image data are stored. The internal memory 15 stores an operation history of the network camera 13 (time when various functions are operated, IP address of the partner PC 11, received command, internal processing, etc.) as a log. The PC 11 acquires the sound and image data of the internal memory 15 only when necessary, or notifies the PC 11 only when the network camera 13 detects an abnormality, and the PC 11 acquires the sound and image data of the internal memory. To do. This prevents an increase in traffic and hard disk depletion.

  In addition, the recent network camera 13 is equipped with an image stabilization function that is used in home video cameras and the like, and detects the shaking of the network camera 13 and controls the shaking of the image according to the magnitude of the shaking. The image is corrected and a stable image is taken. This anti-vibration method includes a gyro sensor and motion vector calculation for detection, and there are various correction methods such as optical correction or correction by image clipping.

However, in the above conventional example, when the monitoring camera is destroyed in a disaster, particularly in the case of an earthquake or the like, each data stored in the internal memory, in particular, a log which is system operation history information cannot be read. This is because the internal memory is mounted on the substrate and cannot be read easily unless the operation of the substrate is restored. Therefore, there is a problem that the history of what operation the camera has performed cannot be known.

  In addition, even in a system that periodically stores data in an external memory, if the memory is stored in the memory at the timing of destruction, the external memory is electrically destroyed, and similarly, even if the external memory is collected, reading is impossible. There is.

The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems, even if the abnormal condition, and an object thereof is to provide an imaging apparatus and its control method capable of protecting the data.

The first aspect of the present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, a shake detecting means for detecting a shake of the image pickup device, mounted on the imaging device, a first memory for storing the data of the image pickup apparatus, imaging swing detecting means After detecting a shake of the apparatus, and a control means for controlling to store the data of the image pickup device which is stored in the first memory to the second memory is capable of communicating external memory and the imaging device, the control means If the magnitude of the shaking detected by the shaking detecting means is larger than the first threshold value, only the log data of the imaging device among the data of the imaging device stored in the first memory is first set to the second. If the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means is larger than the second threshold value, which is larger than the first threshold value, log data of the imaging device is stored in the second memory. And then accessing the second memory It characterized that you control so as to prohibit.

The second aspect of the present invention relates to a control method for the imaging apparatus, when shake detecting means and the shake detection step of detecting a shake of the image pickup device, control means, shaking is detected in shake detecting step, the image pickup apparatus contains data of the implemented first memory stored the imaging device, and a control step of storing in the second memory is communicably connected external memory in the imaging device, the control means in the control step If the magnitude of the shaking detected by the shaking detecting means is larger than the first threshold value, only the log data of the imaging device among the data of the imaging device stored in the first memory is first set to the second value. When the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means is greater than the second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the log data of the imaging device is stored in the second memory. Later, to the second memory To control means controls so as to prohibit access.

  According to the present invention, data can be protected even when the imaging apparatus is in an abnormal state.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for capturing a panoramic image by controlling a network camera from a PC. Reference numeral 11 is a PC, 12 is a captured image displayed on the PC 11, 13 is a network camera as an imaging apparatus, and 14 is an Ethernet as a network. Reference numeral 15 denotes an internal memory as a first memory mounted on the network camera 13, and 26 denotes an external memory as a second memory detachably attached to the network camera 13 such as a memory card. The external memory 26 can also be connected to the network camera 13 via the Ethernet 14.

  The video and audio captured by the network camera 13 are periodically acquired by the PC 11 via the Ethernet 14 and displayed on the monitor as the captured image 12. The supervisor monitors in front of the PC 11. The PC 11 stores images and sounds during that time. The control means 16 controls each part of the network camera 13.

  Further, in order to prevent an increase in the traffic of the Ethernet 14 and the depletion of the hard disk of the PC 11, content data such as sound and images is stored in the content storage area 601 as the first storage area of the internal memory 15 as shown in FIG. Remember. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the operation history of the network camera 13 is stored as log data in a log storage area 602 as a second storage area different from the first storage area of the internal memory 15. The PC 11 acquires the sound and image data in the internal memory 15 only when necessary, or notifies the PC 11 and acquires the sound and image data in the internal memory 15 only when the network camera 13 detects a change. ing.

  An external memory 26 is detachably attached to the network camera 13, and images, sounds, logs, and the like can be freely read from and written to the external memory 26. Further, the network camera 13 has a vibration isolation function. That is, the network camera 13 is equipped with a circuit as a shake detection means 17 for detecting the shake of the network camera 13. When the shake detection means 17 detects the shake, the control means 16 performs image correction, and a stable image can be taken.

  Here, the operation of the network camera 13 immediately before the network camera 13 attached to the ceiling is destroyed due to a large earthquake will be described.

  When the shake detection means 17 detects a large shake, the control means 16 determines that an earthquake has occurred. At that time, the control means 16 starts an operation (including copying and moving) for storing the data stored in the internal memory 15 in the external memory 26. However, when the storage capacity of the internal memory 15 is large, it takes time to store, so the network camera 13 can be destroyed before the storage operation is completed. Therefore, log data, which is important for the network camera 13 and has an extremely small amount of data compared to the image and sound as content data, is preferentially stored in the external memory 26. Normally, log data has a data amount of several kilobytes, whereas an image has a data amount of about several tens of megabytes, which is tens of thousands times the log data.

  A processing flow of the network camera 13 when the shake detection means 17 detects a large shake will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S <b> 201, the control unit 16 stores data (image, sound, log, etc.) in the network camera 13 in the internal memory 15. This storage operation is periodically performed by the control means 16.

  In step S <b> 202, the control unit 16 determines whether or not the shake detection unit 17 has detected the shake of the network camera 13. When the shake detection unit 17 detects the shake of the network camera 13 (“YES” in step S202), the process proceeds to step S203. If the shake detection means 17 has not detected the shake of the network camera 13 (“NO” in step S202), the process returns to step S201.

  In step S <b> 203, the control unit 16 stores the log data stored in the log storage area 602 of the internal memory 15 in the external memory 26. As described above, the log data is preferentially stored in the external memory 26 because the amount of data is smaller than that of content data such as images and sounds. Next, the control means 16 stores the content data stored in the content storage area 601 of the internal memory 15 in the external memory 26 as necessary.

  Thereafter, the network camera 13 can be destroyed by a severe earthquake, but log data is stored in the external memory 26. Therefore, if the external memory 26 is removed and log analysis is performed by a card reader or the like, the history (log) until destruction can be confirmed.

  In this embodiment, the case where the external memory 26 is attached to the network camera 13 has been described. However, the same effect can be obtained even when log data is preferentially transferred to the external memory via the network.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, a case has been described in which log data is preferentially stored in the external memory 26 when shaking occurs. However, when the network camera 13 main body is destroyed, the process of destruction cannot be predicted. For this reason, depending on the order of the location to be destroyed, a write signal may be generated electrically and the data in the external memory 26 may be destroyed.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, access to the external memory 26 is prohibited when storage of necessary data such as log data is completed.

  FIG. 3 shows a processing flow of the network camera 13 according to the preferred second embodiment of the present invention. Steps S301 to S303 are the same as steps S201 to S203 in FIG.

  In step S304, as described above, the control unit 16 prohibits access to the external memory 26 at the time when storage of necessary data such as log data is completed. As a means for prohibiting access, there are various methods such as electrically disconnecting the power supply voltage of the external memory 26 to electrically isolate it or physically sending out a memory card.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent data in the external memory from being destroyed.

(Third embodiment)
In the first and second embodiments, the case where log data is preferentially stored in the external memory 26 when a shake such as an earthquake occurs has been described. However, in the network camera system having the external memory 26, the external memory 26 may be used to supplement the capacity of the internal memory 15. In that case, the contents of the internal memory are stored in the external memory 26 periodically or always.

  In such a system, when the shake detection means 17 detects a shake, it takes time to store the image and sound data, so there is a probability that the network camera 13 is destroyed during the write timing to the external memory 26. Get higher. Therefore, when the shaking detection means 17 detects shaking, only log data is preferentially stored without storing large data such as content data, and access to the external memory 26 is performed when log storage is completed. Ban. For example, about 2 Kbytes is enough for log data, but even if the compression rate is reduced by JPEG of VGA, the image is a few Mbytes of video for one second, 1000 times larger than the storage of log data take time. In this example, according to the present embodiment, the probability that the network camera 13 is destroyed during the write timing to the external memory 26 is 1/1000.

  FIG. 4 shows a processing flow of the network camera 13 according to the preferred third embodiment of the present invention. Steps S401 and S402 are the same as steps S201 and S202 of FIG.

  In step S <b> 403, the control unit 16 stores only the log data stored in the log storage area 602 of the internal memory 15 in the external memory 26.

  In step S404, the control means 16 prohibits access to the external memory 26 when log data storage ends.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the network camera from being destroyed during the write timing to the external memory.

(Fourth embodiment)
In the first, second, and third embodiments, when the shake detection unit 17 detects a shake, only the most important log data is stored in the external memory 26. However, there is a shake that the network camera 13 does not cause destruction. Therefore, the data to be stored is selected according to the magnitude of shaking.

  For example, when the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is larger than the first threshold value, the control means 16 first stores only the log data stored in the log storage area 602 in the external memory 26. Move to. Next, when the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is between the first threshold value and the second threshold value larger than the first threshold value, the control means 16 Judge that the shaking is not destroyed. Then, contents data other than the operation history such as images and sounds are sequentially transferred to the external memory 26. When the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is larger than the second threshold value, the control means 16 prohibits access to the external memory 26.

  FIG. 5 shows a processing flow of the network camera 13 according to the preferred fourth embodiment of the present invention. Step S501 is the same as step S201 in FIG.

  In step S502, the control means 16 determines whether or not the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is greater than the first threshold value. If the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is larger than the first threshold (“YES” in step S502), the process proceeds to step S503. When the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is not more than the first threshold value (“NO” in step S502), the process returns to step S501.

  In step S <b> 503, the control unit 16 stores only the log data stored in the log storage area 602 of the internal memory 15 in the external memory 26.

  In step S504, the control means 16 determines whether or not the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value. If the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is larger than the second threshold (“YES” in step S504), the process proceeds to step S505. When the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means 17 is equal to or smaller than the second threshold value (“NO” in step S504), the process returns to step S501.

  In step S505, the control means 16 prohibits access to the external memory 26 when the log data has been stored.

  Thus, according to this embodiment, data can be stored in the external memory in accordance with the magnitude of shaking.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, shaking such as an earthquake is taken as an example. However, an abnormality detection that detects the occurrence of an abnormal situation in the network camera 13 including a situation where the external memory 26 remains but the network camera 13 is destroyed, for example, a tsunami or a human destruction of the surveillance camera. Means may be provided. As a result, the same processing as that in the case of shaking such as an earthquake can be applied to these abnormal situations, and necessary data can be left in the external memory.

It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the network camera of suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process flow which concerns on suitable 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the processing flow which concerns on suitable 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process flow which concerns on suitable 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the processing flow which concerns on the suitable 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the storage area of an internal memory. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of a network camera.

Explanation of symbols

11 PC
12 Captured video 13 Network camera (imaging device)
14 Ethernet 15 Internal memory 16 Control means 26 External memory

Claims (7)

An imaging device comprising:
A swing detecting means for detecting a shake of the image pickup device,
A first memory mounted on the imaging device and storing data of the imaging device;
When the shake detection unit detects a shake of the imaging device, control is performed so that the data of the imaging device stored in the first memory is stored in a second memory that is an external memory capable of communicating with the imaging device. and a control unit that, the,
When the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means is greater than a first threshold value, the control means logs the image pickup apparatus among the data of the image pickup apparatus stored in the first memory. Only when data is first stored in the second memory, and the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means is greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the imaging after storing the log data of the device to the second memory, an imaging device for controlling to said Rukoto to prohibit access to said second memory.   The control means controls to prohibit access to the second memory when the data of the imaging device stored in the first memory is stored in the second memory. The imaging apparatus according to 1. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit prohibits access to the second memory by cutting off a power supply voltage of the second memory and electrically separating the power supply voltage. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the second memory is detachably attached to the imaging device. Said second memory, the imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that it is connected via a network to the image pickup device. Wherein when the magnitude of the shaking the shake detecting unit detects is between the second threshold and the first threshold value, the log data of the imaging device The data other than log data of the imaging device among the data of the imaging device stored in the first memory is sequentially stored in the second memory after being stored in the second memory. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A method for controlling an imaging apparatus,
A shake detection step of shake detecting means for detecting a shake of the image pickup device,
Control means, said After shaking is detected in shake detecting step, the external memory the data of the image pickup device which is stored in a first memory mounted in the imaging device, communicatively coupled to the imaging device includes a control step of storing in the second memory is a,
In the control step, when the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means is greater than a first threshold, the control means includes the imaging device data stored in the first memory. When only log data of the imaging device is first stored in the second memory, and the magnitude of the shake detected by the shake detection means is greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value. A method for controlling an image pickup apparatus , comprising: storing log data of the image pickup apparatus in the second memory and then prohibiting access to the second memory .

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