JP5123064B2 - Monitoring system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a monitoring system.

  In recent years, with the improvement of crime prevention awareness, convenience such as the ability to check the face of a visitor (outpatient) and the ability to record the face of a visitor when absent is evaluated. System) has become widespread (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, as such an intercom system, there has been proposed a system incorporating an imaging device for detecting and alerting a human body to alert the vicinity of a house and to prevent intrusion into the house (for example, , See Patent Document 2). Such an intercom system is also called a security intercom system.

  Here, in the thing shown in patent document 2, the monitoring system is comprised by the camera apparatus and the monitor apparatus.

  The camera device includes an image processing type human body detector, a heat ray type human body detector, an image storage unit that compresses a captured image (image data) group obtained by the imaging unit with respect to a time axis and stores the compressed image in a storage unit, When the presence of a person is detected, among the captured image groups accumulated by the image accumulating unit, past image data consisting of captured image groups having captured images whose imaging time is earlier than the detection time is transmitted to the monitor device in the order of the imaging times. And an image transmission unit that transmits real-time image data (image data being captured by the imaging unit) to the monitor device for a predetermined transmission time after the transmission of past image data is completed.

On the other hand, the monitor device includes an image display unit, a recording unit that sequentially records images based on the transmitted image data in the storage unit, and a reproduction unit that displays the images recorded in the storage unit on the image display unit.
JP 2004-120172 A JP 2007-194863 A

  In the monitoring system disclosed in Patent Document 2, a captured image obtained by the imaging unit from the camera device to the monitor device each time the presence of a person is detected by the image processing human body detector or the heat ray human body detector of the camera device. The group is transmitted and recorded as a moving image in the storage unit of the monitor device.

  In such a monitoring system, it is preferable that moving images are not missed. As a method for this, it is conceivable to increase the number of moving images that can be recorded in the storage unit. Here, an easy way to increase the number of videos that can be recorded in the storage unit is to increase the storage capacity of the storage unit, but using a storage unit with a larger storage capacity can increase the size of the monitor device, This will contribute to higher costs.

  Moreover, in the monitoring system shown in Patent Document 2, since the end of transmission of image data from the camera device to the monitor device is after a predetermined transmission time has elapsed since the presence of a person was detected, the camera device detected a person. Regardless of the length of the period, moving images having the same data size are recorded in the storage unit of the monitor device. For this reason, in the one disclosed in Patent Document 2, a moving image in which almost no person is captured is often recorded in the storage unit, and the storage area of the storage unit is used wastefully (the use efficiency of the storage unit is poor). There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system that can increase the number of moving images that can be recorded without increasing the storage capacity of a storage unit.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention of claim 1 includes a camera device and a monitor device, and the camera device includes an imaging unit that images a predetermined imaging region, and a detection target exists in the imaging region. A determination unit that determines whether or not, an image transmission unit that executes an image transmission process of transmitting captured images being captured by the imaging unit to the monitor device in time series, and an image transmission unit based on the determination result of the determination unit The monitor device has an image receiving unit that receives the captured image transmitted by the image transmitting unit, and a captured image group received in the time series in the time series order in the storage unit. A monitoring system including a recording unit for recording and an image display unit for displaying a group of captured images received in time series received by the image receiving unit, wherein the control unit determines that the detection target exists by the determination unit. The image transmission unit And transmission start processing for starting, running and transmission termination processing to end the image transmission process if it is determined that there is no sense target to the image transmitting unit by the determination unit after the execution of the transmission start processing, the camera device, A primary storage unit temporarily stores a group of captured images captured by the imaging unit and a determination result of the determination unit, and the control unit captures an image until a predetermined storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process. A primary storage process for storing in the primary storage unit a captured image group captured by the unit, and determination result data indicating a transition of a determination result in the determination unit until a predetermined storage time elapses from execution of the transmission start process; When the determination unit determines that the detection target exists in the imaging region a plurality of times based on the determination result data stored in the primary storage after the primary storage process is completed, it is determined that the detection target exists. In addition to the captured image group stored in the primary storage unit during the specified period, the captured image group stored in the primary storage unit during the period in which it is determined that the detection target exists is transmitted to the monitor device by the image transmission unit. And performing a retransmission process .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when it is determined by the determination unit that the detection target exists in the imaging region, instead of transmitting the entire captured image group being captured by the imaging unit from the image transmission unit to the monitor device. Only the captured image group being imaged by the imaging unit is transmitted from the image transmission unit to the monitor device. Therefore, since the captured image group when it is determined that the detection target exists in the imaging region is recorded as a moving image in the storage unit of the monitor device, the captured image in which the detection target does not exist is omitted from the captured image group. It becomes possible. Therefore, the capacity of moving images recorded in the storage unit can be reduced, and the number of moving images that can be recorded can be increased without increasing the storage capacity of the storage unit . Further, based on the determination result data, an appropriate picked-up image is selected from the picked-up image group picked up by the image pickup unit until a predetermined storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process, and the monitor device is again selected. Can be sent. For example, if the determination unit determines that the detection target exists in the imaging region a plurality of times from the execution of the transmission start process until the predetermined storage time elapses, it is determined that the detection target exists. In addition to the captured image of the period, the captured image during the period in which it is determined that the detection target exists can be transmitted to the monitor device by the image transmission unit. Therefore, in the case where the detection object does not exist in the imaging region and then enters the imaging region again, in addition to the captured image in the period in which it is determined that the detection target exists, the captured image in the period is also stored. Can be recorded in the department, without interruption. Therefore, it becomes easy to confirm the behavior of the detection object reflected in the captured image, and a sense of security can be given to the user .

  The present invention has an effect that the number of moving images that can be recorded can be increased without increasing the storage capacity of the storage unit.

(Embodiment 1)
The monitoring system of the present embodiment is incorporated in a door phone system for making a call between, for example, indoors and outdoors of a house.

  The door phone system shown in FIG. 2 includes a camera device (imaging device) 1 installed in the garden of the house H and a parent device (door phone parent device) installed in the house H (indoor). It comprises a monitoring device (monitoring device) 2 and a handset (door phone handset) 3 installed outside the house H (outdoors). The camera device 1 and the slave unit 3 are connected to the monitor device 2 by a transmission line. Moreover, since the subunit | mobile_unit 3 can employ | adopt a conventionally well-known thing, description of the subunit | mobile_unit 3 is abbreviate | omitted in this embodiment.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the camera device 1 includes an imaging unit 10 that continuously images a predetermined imaging region in time series. The image pickup unit 10 controls an image pickup element (not shown) made of a solid-state image pickup element such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) that functions as a camera together with the image pickup element. A device (not shown) is provided as a main component. As shown in FIG. 3A, the control device captures the output (charge) of the image sensor at a predetermined frame rate (for example, 15 FPS), and uses a predetermined format (for example, YUV format) based on the captured output of the image sensor. ) Digital data (hereinafter referred to as “captured image”) Pn (represented by P1 to P52 in FIG. 3 in order to distinguish time-series captured images) and output it. In addition, the control device has an automatic control function for the gain of the image sensor, a color control function for converting an image into a grayscale image, and the like. When a CMOS image sensor is used as the image pickup device, a one-chip camera in which the image pickup device and the control device are integrally configured using a system-on-chip (SoC) technology or the like may be used as the image pickup unit 10. it can.

  In addition to the imaging unit 10, the camera device 1 includes an image transmission unit 11 that performs an image transmission process for transmitting captured images being captured by the imaging unit 10 to the monitor device 2 in time series. Further, the camera device 1 determines whether or not a detection target (a person in the present embodiment) exists in the imaging region of the imaging unit 10 (whether or not the detection target is captured in the captured image of the imaging unit 10). An image processing unit 12 is provided as a determination unit. Furthermore, the camera device 1 includes a control unit (hereinafter referred to as “camera side control unit”) 13 that controls the image transmission unit 11 based on the determination result of the image processing unit 12. Further, the camera device 1 has an image storage unit (not shown) for storing captured images and a timer (not shown).

  The image transmission unit 11 is connected to an image reception unit 20 described later of the monitor device 2 by a transmission line (communication line) L. The image transmission unit 11 is configured using a communication interface, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like. When the image transmission unit 11 receives a transmission start signal, which will be described later, from the camera-side control unit 13, the image transmission unit 11 encodes a captured image being captured by the imaging unit 10 (transmission path encoding) and transmits it to the monitor device 2 (image). Execute transmission processing. The image transmission process is ended when a transmission end signal described later is received from the camera-side control unit 13. Here, the timing at which the captured image is transmitted from the image transmission unit 11 to the monitor device 2 is synchronized with the frame rate of the imaging unit 10. The image transmitting unit 11 executes a process (YUV / NTSC conversion process) for converting a captured image in YUV format into a captured image in NTSC format before encoding the captured image on a transmission path. However, if the monitor device 2 can reproduce the captured image in the YUV format, it is not necessary to execute the YUV / NTSC conversion process. In addition, the image transmission unit 11 performs a process of compressing the captured image, a process of enhancing the outline of the captured image, and the like as necessary.

  The image processing unit 12 determines whether or not the detection target is reflected in the captured image of the imaging unit 10 in a first process (contour extraction process) and a second process (moving contour extraction process). Then, a third process (moving area detection process) and a fourth process (area feature amount detection process) are executed. The image processing unit 12 includes a storage device such as a RAM, and is provided with a contour image storage unit (not shown) for storing the edge image created by the contour extraction processing for a certain period.

  In the contour extraction processing, a captured image obtained from the image capturing unit 10 is differentiated using a generally known SOBEL filter or the like to extract an edge (contour), and the edge image of each captured image is extracted from the contour image. This is a process of storing in the image storage unit for a certain period. The moving contour extraction process is a process of creating a composite image in which only the edges of the moving body are extracted by performing logical synthesis using the time-series edge images stored in the contour image storage unit. The moving area detecting process is a process of labeling the composite image created by the moving contour extracting process and detecting an area corresponding to a moving body (hereinafter referred to as “moving area”). If the moving area is represented by a moving frame such as a rectangle circumscribing the outline of the moving body, the amount of data is reduced and the calculation is facilitated. Also, if this method is used, unlike the frame difference or the like, there is no afterimage, and only the edge of the moved area can be extracted.

  The final region feature amount detection process includes an edge direction value distribution creation process and a determination process. In the edge direction value distribution creation process, the direction value of the moving edge part in the moving area is calculated based on the edge image stored in the contour image storage unit and the moving area of the moving object created in the moving area detection process. This is a process of extracting and creating the edge direction value distribution. The determination process uses the edge direction value distribution created in the edge direction value distribution creation process as the feature quantity in the edge direction of the movement area, and based on the feature quantity in the edge direction, whether the area movement is due to disturbance or depends on the detection target This is a process for determining whether it is a thing.

  Here, when determining whether the region movement is due to disturbance or due to a person based on the feature amount in the edge direction, an edge distribution can be used. In other words, the edge of the human body has more curved parts than the straight parts and has a complicated shape, so the edge directions are distributed in all directions, while the edges of structures such as shadows have many linear components. The fact that the edge distribution tends to be a biased distribution is utilized. In addition, in order to determine whether or not a certain moving area represents a human body, it is also possible to store the edge direction value distribution in a table and compare the distribution with the edge direction value distribution table based on the movement of the human body. .

  The image processing unit 12 outputs a human body detection signal (see FIG. 3B) to the camera side control unit 13 according to the result of executing the above processing. This human body detection signal is a detection state signal indicating whether or not a detection target exists in the imaging range of the imaging unit 10, and is set to a high level if it is determined that a detection target exists in the imaging range. If it is determined that there is no object to be detected in the range, the low level is set. The image processing unit 12 is, for example, a microcomputer (microcontroller, abbreviated as a microcomputer, also referred to as a CPU in a broad sense), and executes the above-described processing by executing a program stored in a memory with the CPU. . In addition to the microcomputer, a dedicated ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP, or the like can be used as the image processing unit 12.

  The camera-side control unit 13 is configured by, for example, a microcomputer that realizes various functions by executing a program stored in a memory by a CPU. When the camera-side control unit 13 receives a high-level human body detection signal from the image processing unit 12 (that is, when the image processing unit 12 determines that a person who is a detection target exists), transmission starts. A process and a notification start process are executed. The transmission start process is a process of outputting the above-described transmission start signal to the image transmission unit 11, and the notification start process is a process of outputting a notification start signal to a notification unit (not shown) provided in the camera device 1. . The notification unit is for intimidating notification to an intruder, such as a light used for visual threats, an electroacoustic transducer (buzzer or speaker) used for auditory threats, etc. From the reception of the notification start signal to the reception of the notification end signal described later, a threatening operation of turning on the light or outputting sound from the electroacoustic transducer is executed.

  When the camera-side control unit 13 receives a low-level human body detection signal from the image processing unit 12 after executing the transmission start process (that is, there is no person who is a detection target by the image processing unit 12). If it is determined that, the transmission end process is executed. The transmission end process is a process for outputting the above-described transmission end signal to the image transmission unit 11. The transmission end process may be performed after a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed since the low-level human body detection signal is received.

  Further, the camera-side control unit 13 executes a process of outputting the above-described notification end signal to the notification unit (notification end processing) after a predetermined alarm time has elapsed since the reception of the high-level human body detection signal. The alarm time is set as appropriate.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the monitor device 2 includes the above-described image receiving unit 20 that receives the captured image transmitted by the image transmitting unit 11. The monitor device 2 includes a storage unit 21 including a storage device such as a RAM, a recording unit 22, an image display unit 23 including an image display device such as a liquid crystal display device, and an overall control unit of the monitor device 2. And a control unit (hereinafter referred to as a “monitor-side control unit”) 24 for performing. Furthermore, although not shown, the monitor device 2 includes an operation input unit serving as a user interface for operating the monitor device 2 and a call device for making a call between the slave unit 3.

  The call device includes a communication unit that transmits and receives voice data to and from the handset 3, a microphone for voice input, a speaker for voice output, and the like. In addition, if the subunit | mobile_unit 3 is a thing with a camera, you may make it display the image imaged with the camera of the subunit | mobile_unit 3 on the image display part 23 at the time of operation | movement of the subunit | mobile_unit 3. As such a communication device, a conventionally well-known device can be adopted, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The image receiving unit 20 executes a process of decoding (transmission path decoding) the captured image received from the image transmitting unit 11 and sequentially outputting the decoded image to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23. In addition, when the image transmission unit 11 has performed the process of compressing the captured image, the image reception unit 20 performs the process of expanding the compressed captured image.

  The recording unit 22 executes a process (recording process) of recording the time-sequential captured image group (hereinafter referred to as “received image group”) received by the image receiving unit 20 in the storage unit 21 as a moving image. Here, the recording unit 22 starts the recording process when the received image group is received from the image receiving unit 20, and ends the recording process when the received image group is not received from the image receiving unit 20. That is, the recording unit 22 records the captured image group transmitted by the image transmission unit 11 of the camera apparatus 1 in the storage unit 21 as a moving image as it is.

  The image display unit 23 performs a process (received image display process) of displaying the received image group in chronological order. The received image display process is started when a received image group is received from the image receiving unit 20, and is ended when the received image group is not received. In addition, the image display unit 23 executes a process (reproduction process) for displaying a moving image recorded in the storage unit 21. The reproduction process is started when a reproduction start signal to be described later is received from the monitor-side control unit 24.

  The monitor-side control unit 24 is configured by, for example, a microcomputer that realizes various functions by executing a program stored in a memory by a CPU. When a predetermined operation is performed by the operation input unit, the monitor-side control unit 24 executes a process (reproduction notification process) for outputting the above-described reproduction start signal to the image display unit 23.

  Next, the operation of the monitoring system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A illustrates a captured image group captured by the imaging unit 10, FIG. 3B illustrates a human body detection signal, and FIG. 3C illustrates a captured image group transmitted by the image transmission unit 11. FIG. 3D shows a group of captured images that the recording unit 22 records in the storage unit 21. In the following description, for the sake of simplicity, the description will be made assuming that processing is executed at the same time while ignoring time lag due to processing time, transmission time, and the like.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the camera device 1 always captures an image of a predetermined area at a predetermined frame rate by the imaging unit 10 while being activated. The captured images P1... Captured by the imaging unit 10 are sequentially output to the image transmission unit 11 and the image processing unit 12.

  The image processing unit 12 determines whether or not a detection target exists in the imaging range of the imaging unit 10 at predetermined time intervals. Here, before the image processing unit 12 determines that the detection target exists (before time t1), as shown in FIG. 3B, the human body detection signal is at a low level. Therefore, the camera-side control unit 13 does not execute the transmission start process, and thus the captured image is not transmitted from the image transmission unit 11.

  Here, when it is determined by the image processing unit 12 that a detection target exists (time t1), a high-level human body detection signal is output to the camera-side control unit 13 as shown in FIG. Then, since the camera side control part 13 performs a transmission start process, the image transmission part 11 performs an image transmission process. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the captured image P being captured by the imaging unit 10 is transmitted to the monitor device 2.

  In the monitor device 2, the captured image is received by the image receiving unit 20 and sent to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23. In the image display unit 23, received image display processing for displaying received image groups in time series order is executed. In the recording unit 22, as shown in FIG. 3D, a recording process for recording the received image group as a moving image in the storage unit 21 is executed.

  Thereafter, when the image processing unit 12 determines that the detection target does not exist, a low-level human body detection signal is output to the camera-side control unit 13 (time t2). Then, the camera-side control unit 13 executes a transmission end process, whereby the image transmission process by the image transmission unit 11 is ended. Therefore, the received image group is not input to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23, and the recording process and the received image display process are ended.

  When the monitoring system of the present embodiment performs the above operation, the captured images P7 to P15 are transmitted from the camera device 1 to the monitor device 2 (see FIG. 3C), and thus the captured image is stored in the storage unit 21. P7 to P15 are recorded.

  That is, according to the monitoring system of the present embodiment described above, not all of the captured image group being captured by the imaging unit 10 is transmitted from the image transmission unit 11 to the monitor device 2, but is captured by the image processing unit 12. Only when it is determined that there is an object to be detected, the captured image group being imaged by the imaging unit 10 is transmitted from the image transmission unit 11 to the monitor device 2. Therefore, in the storage unit 21 of the monitor device 2, the captured image group when it is determined that the detection target exists in the imaging region is recorded as a moving image. Images can be omitted. Therefore, the capacity (data size) of moving images recorded in the storage unit 21 can be reduced, and the number of moving images that can be recorded can be increased without increasing the storage capacity of the storage unit 21. In addition, since the recording process of the recording unit 22 is ended by ending the image transmission process in the camera device 1, the camera device 1 can determine whether or not to end the recording process of the recording unit 22. Compared with the case where the monitor device 2 determines whether or not to end the recording process of the recording unit 22, the power consumption of the entire system can be reduced.

  Furthermore, in the image display unit 23, it is possible to omit the display of the captured image in which the detection target is not reflected in the captured image group, and therefore it is possible to suppress the display of useless captured images. Therefore, it is possible to reduce power consumption required for driving the image display unit 23.

  The configuration of the monitoring system of the present embodiment described above is merely an embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the above example, but is changed to the extent that does not depart from the spirit of the present invention. be able to. For example, in the present embodiment, communication between the image transmission unit 11 and the image reception unit 21 is performed by wired communication, but may be performed by wireless communication. The determination unit in the present embodiment is the image processing unit 12, but may be another sensor (for example, a heat ray sensor), or may be configured by the image processing unit 12 and another sensor (for example, a heat ray sensor). It may be. In this case, the determination unit determines whether or not a detection target exists in the imaging range based on each determination result, thereby improving the determination accuracy. This is the same in the second embodiment described later.

(Embodiment 2)
The monitoring system of this embodiment includes a camera device 1 and a monitor device 2 as in the first embodiment, but a part of the configuration is different from that in the first embodiment.

  The camera device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a primary storage unit (not shown) that temporarily stores a captured image group captured by the imaging unit 10 and a determination result of the image processing unit 12. The primary storage unit is configured by a part of the storage area of the image storage unit, for example. The primary storage unit may be configured by a storage device different from the image storage unit.

  In addition to the various processes described in the first embodiment, the camera-side control unit 13 in the present embodiment performs a primary storage process, a retransmission determination process, and a retransmission process.

  The primary storage process includes a group of captured images captured by the imaging unit 10 until a predetermined storage time (for example, 30 seconds) elapses from the execution of the transmission start process, and until the storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process. The determination result data indicating the transition of the determination result (time change of the human body detection signal) in the image processing unit 12 is stored in the primary storage unit. Here, when the human body detection signal becomes a low level before the storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process, and the camera side control unit 13 receives a high level human body detection signal again thereafter, the camera side control unit 13 performs the transmission start process again. Is executed, but the storage time is not recounted.

  The retransmission determination process is a process for determining, based on the determination result data, whether or not there have been a plurality of periods in which the human body detection signal is at a high level before the storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process. As a result of the retransmission determination process, if the period during which the human body detection signal is at a high level is once, the retransmission process is not executed. In this case, the determination result data used for the retransmission determination process and the determination result data The corresponding captured image group is deleted from the primary storage unit. On the other hand, when there are a plurality of periods when the human body detection signal is at a high level (for example, as shown in FIG. 4B), a retransmission process is executed.

  The retransmission process is a process in which the image transmission unit 11 transmits the captured image group stored in the primary storage unit to the monitor device 2 based on the determination result data stored in the primary storage unit. In the re-transmission processing in the present embodiment, the camera-side control unit 13 adds a captured image (human body detection signal) during a period when the human body detection signal is at a high level in addition to a captured image during a period when the human body detection signal is at a high level. Is taken as a transmission target in the image transmission unit 11, a retransmission image instruction signal indicating the captured image to be transmitted is created and given to the image transmission unit 11.

  In addition to the various processes described in the first embodiment, the image transmission unit 11 in the present embodiment performs an image retransmission process. The image retransmission process is executed when a retransmission image instruction signal is received. In the image retransmission process, the image transmission unit 11 reads a captured image instructed by the retransmission image instruction signal from the primary storage unit, and transmits the read captured image group to the monitor device 2. At this time, the captured image group transmitted to the monitor device 2 is assigned an identification code indicating that it is not an image transmission process but an image retransmission process. Note that after the image retransmission process is executed, the captured image group and the determination result data used for the image retransmission process are deleted from the primary storage unit.

  Note that the imaging unit 10 and the image processing unit 12 of the camera device 1 in the present embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  The monitor device 2 in the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the operations of the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23, and the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  When the recording unit 22 in the present embodiment receives the captured image group received by the image receiving unit 20, the recording unit 22 determines whether the captured image group is generated by the image transmission process or the image retransmission process of the image transmission unit 11. However, if it is based on the image transmission process, the recording process is executed. On the other hand, if it is based on the image retransmission process, a process (re-recording process) of storing the captured image group received from the image receiving unit 20 as a moving image in the storage unit 21 is executed, and the recording performed within the storage time is performed. The process (update process) which deletes the moving image recorded on the memory | storage part 21 by the process is performed. This is because the moving image recorded in the storage unit 21 by the re-recording process and the moving image recorded in the storage unit 21 by the recording process overlap, and the storage capacity of the storage unit 21 is wasted. It is. However, it is not always necessary to erase.

  When the image display unit 23 in the present embodiment receives the captured image group received by the image receiving unit 20, which of the image transmission process and the image retransmission process of the image transmission unit 11 is the captured image group? The received image display process is executed only when it is determined by the image transmission process. Therefore, the captured image group transmitted from the camera device 1 to the monitor device 2 by the image retransmission process is not displayed on the image display unit 23.

  Next, the operation of the monitoring system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A shows a group of captured images captured by the imaging unit 10, FIG. 4B shows a human body detection signal, and FIG. 4C shows a group of captured images transmitted by the image transmission unit 11. FIG. 4D shows a group of captured images that the recording unit 22 records in the storage unit 21 by re-recording processing. In the following description, for the sake of simplicity, the description will be made assuming that processing is executed at the same time while ignoring time lag due to processing time, transmission time, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the camera device 1 always captures an image of a predetermined area at a predetermined frame rate by the imaging unit 10 while it is activated. The captured images P1... Captured by the imaging unit 10 are sequentially output to the image transmission unit 11 and the image processing unit 12.

  The image processing unit 12 determines whether or not the detection target exists in the imaging range of the imaging unit 10 at a predetermined time interval, and before it is determined that the detection target exists (before time t1), As shown in FIG. 4B, the human body detection signal is at a low level. Therefore, the camera side control unit 13 does not execute the transmission start process. Therefore, the captured image is not transmitted from the image transmission unit 11.

  When the image processing unit 12 determines that a detection target exists (time t1), a high-level human body detection signal is output to the camera-side control unit 13 as shown in FIG. Then, since the camera side control part 13 performs a transmission start process, the image transmission part 11 performs an image transmission process as shown in FIG.4 (c). Moreover, since the camera side control part 13 performs a primary memory | storage process, the captured image group imaged by the imaging part 10 and the human body detection signal are sequentially memorize | stored in a primary memory part. In the example shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that the storage time expires at time t5.

  In the monitor device 2, the captured image received by the image receiving unit 20 is sent to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23, respectively. Since the captured image group received by the image receiving unit 20 is based on the image transmitting process of the image transmitting unit 11, the recording unit 22 performs the recording process, and the image display unit 23 executes the received image display process.

  Thereafter, when the image processing unit 12 determines that the detection target does not exist (time t2), a low-level human body detection signal is output to the camera-side control unit 13 as illustrated in FIG. Then, since the camera-side control unit 13 executes a transmission end process, the image transmission process by the image transmission unit 11 is ended. Therefore, the received image group is not input to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23, and the recording process and the received image display process are ended (in the example shown in FIG. 4, captured images P7 to P15 are recorded. ).

  After that, before the storage time elapses from the time (time t1) when the high-level human body detection signal is received from the image processing unit 12, the image processing unit 12 determines again that the detection target exists ( At time t3), as shown in FIG. 4B, a high-level human body detection signal is output to the camera-side control unit 13. In this case, since the camera control unit 14 executes the transmission start process again, as illustrated in FIG. 4C, the image transmission unit 11 executes the image transmission process. However, since the camera-side control unit 13 does not re-count the storage time, the storage time expires when the storage time elapses from the transmission start process at time t1 (time t5). In the monitor device 2, the recording process is started by the recording unit 22, and the received image display process is started by the image display unit 23.

  Thereafter, when the image processing unit 12 determines that no detection target exists (time t4), a low-level human body detection signal is output to the camera-side control unit 13 as shown in FIG. As a result, the camera-side control unit 13 executes a transmission end process, and the image transmission unit 11 ends the image transmission process. Therefore, the received image group is not input to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23, and the recording process and the received image display process are ended (in the example shown in FIG. 4, captured images P29 to P37 are recorded. ).

  Thereafter, when the storage time expires (time t5), the primary storage processing is ended in the camera-side control unit 13. By the primary storage process, the captured image group and the determination result data captured by the image capturing unit 10 from the execution of the transmission start process until the storage time elapses (time t1 to time t5) are stored in the primary storage unit. Will be remembered.

  After completion of the primary storage process, a retransmission determination process is executed. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the human body detection signal has a high level multiple times (time t1 to time t2, time t3 to time t4) during the storage time (time t1 to time t5). The controller 13 executes a retransmission process. In addition to the captured images P7 to P15 and P29 to P37 during the period when the human body detection signal is at the high level (time t1 to time t2, time t3 to time t4), the period during which the human body detection signal is at the high level (time t2 The captured images P <b> 16 to P <b> 28 at time t <b> 3) are transmission targets in the image transmission unit 11. Therefore, in the retransmission process, a retransmission image instruction signal indicating the captured images P7 to P37 is created as a captured image to be retransmitted, and is given from the camera side control unit 13 to the image transmission unit 11.

  When the image transmission unit 11 receives the retransmission image instruction signal from the camera-side control unit 13, the image transmission unit 11 executes image retransmission processing, and thus the captured images (captured images P <b> 7 to P <b> 37) instructed by the retransmission image instruction signal are received from the primary storage unit. It is read out and transmitted to the monitor device 2. After the image retransmission process is executed, the captured image group and the determination result data used for the image retransmission process are erased from the primary storage unit.

  In the monitor device 2, the captured image received by the image receiving unit 20 is sent to the recording unit 22 and the image display unit 23, respectively. Here, since the captured image group received by the image receiving unit 20 is based on the image retransmission processing of the image transmitting unit 11, the recording unit 22 executes re-recording processing and update processing. The captured images P7 to P37 are recorded in the storage unit 21 by the re-recording process, and the moving images (that is, the moving image constituted by the captured images P7 to P18 and the captured image recorded in the storage unit 21 at the time of the recording process by the update process). (Moving picture composed of P29 to P40) is deleted. On the other hand, the received image display process is not executed in the image display unit 23.

  When the monitoring system of the present embodiment performs the above operation, the captured images P7 to P15 are transmitted from the camera device 1 to the monitor device 2 (see FIG. 4C). Therefore, the captured images P7 to P15 are displayed on the image display unit 23. The captured images P7 to P15 are recorded in the storage unit 21 by the recording process performed by the recording unit 22. Thereafter, the captured images P29 to P37 are transmitted from the camera device 1 to the monitor device 2 (see FIG. 4C). Therefore, the captured images P29 to P37 are displayed on the image display unit 23. The captured images P29 to P37 are recorded in the storage unit 21 by the recording process performed by the recording unit 22. Then, after the storage time has elapsed, the captured images P7 to P37 are transmitted from the camera device 1 to the monitor device 2 (see FIG. 4C). In this case, although the captured image is not displayed on the image display unit 23, the captured images P7 to P37 are recorded in the storage unit 21 by the re-recording process performed by the recording unit 22, and the updated time is within the storage time. The captured images P7 to P15 and P29 to P37 recorded by the recording process executed in the above are deleted.

  Therefore, finally, a moving image composed of the captured images P7 to P37 is recorded in the storage unit 21. Therefore, the monitor device 2 does not record all the captured images P7 to P43 received from the camera device 1, but records the captured images P7 to P37. Note that if the period when the human body detection signal is at a high level does not occur a plurality of times within the storage time, the camera-side control unit 13 does not execute the retransmission process, which is the same as in the first embodiment (FIG. 3A). To (d)).

  According to the monitoring system of the present embodiment described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained. In addition to this, based on the determination result data, an appropriate captured image is selected from the captured image group captured by the imaging unit 10 until a predetermined storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process. It can be transmitted to the monitor device 2 again. In the case of the present embodiment, when the image processing unit 12 determines that the detection target exists in the imaging region a plurality of times during the period from the execution of the transmission start process to the elapse of a predetermined storage time, the detection target In addition to the captured image of the period determined to be present, the captured image of the period determined to be the detection target can be transmitted to the monitor device 2 by the image transmission unit 11. For this reason, even when the detection target does not exist in the imaging region and then enters the imaging region again, in addition to the captured image in the period in which it is determined that the detection target exists, the captured image in the period in between Is also recorded in the storage unit 21 and is not interrupted. Therefore, it becomes easy to confirm the behavior of the detection object reflected in the captured image, and a sense of security can be given to the user.

  Note that the predetermined storage time is preferably set to a time (30 seconds in the present embodiment) at which the same person who has left the imaging range of the imaging unit 10 may enter the imaging range again. This is because it is not necessary to interpolate the captured image until another person enters the imaging range of the imaging unit 10.

  By the way, as described above, in the primary storage process, the camera-side control unit 13 changes the human body detection signal to the low level before the storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process, and then outputs the high level human body detection signal again. Even when it is received, the storage time is not recounted. Therefore, in this case, the storage in the primary storage unit is terminated when the storage time elapses regardless of whether the human body detection signal is high level or low level. Therefore, for example, when the storage time elapses at a time between time t3 and time t4 in FIG. 4, the captured images P29 to P37 when the human body detection signal is at a high level are divided (disconnected). .

  Therefore, in the above-described primary storage processing, the camera-side control unit 13 has received the high-level human body detection signal again after the human body detection signal has become low level before the storage time has elapsed since the execution of the transmission start processing. Even in this case, a process of recounting the storage time (that is, extending the storage time) may be performed. In this way, it is possible to prevent the captured image group from being divided when the human body detection signal is at a high level.

  Further, another example in which a primary storage unit is provided in the camera apparatus 1 as in the present embodiment will be described below. In the monitoring system of this example, the processing content of the camera side control unit 13 and the processing content of the recording unit 22 are different from the above example.

  The camera-side control unit 13 in this example does not execute the retransmission determination process, and executes the retransmission process when the primary storage process ends. In the retransmission process, the camera-side control unit 13 first determines, based on the determination result data, that the human body detection signal is at a high level a plurality of times before the storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process. It is determined whether or not there has been (number of times determination). If the number of times during which the human body detection signal is at the high level is one as a result of the determination, the camera-side control unit 13 uses the image transmission unit 11 to capture the captured image during the period when the human body detection signal is at the high level. A retransmission image instruction signal is generated as a transmission target and is provided to the image transmission unit 11. On the other hand, if the number of times during which the human body detection signal is at a high level is a plurality of times as a result of the determination, the camera-side control unit 13 detects the human body in addition to the captured image during the period when the human body detection signal is at a high level. A retransmitted image instruction signal is created with a captured image during a period in which the signal is at a high level (a captured image in a period in which the human body detection signal is at a low level) as a transmission target in the image transmission unit 11, and is provided to the image transmission unit 11.

  Therefore, when the number of periods in which the human body detection signal is at a high level is 1, the image retransmitting process of the image transmitting unit 11 causes the imaging unit 10 to perform the transmission start process until the storage time elapses. Of the captured images, only the captured images during the period when the human body detection signal is at the high level are transmitted. For example, in FIG. 3, when the captured images captured by the imaging unit 10 from the time when the transmission start process is performed until the storage time elapses are P7 to P43, only the captured images P7 to P15 are transmitted. .

  On the other hand, when the number of periods in which the human body detection signal is at a high level is a plurality of times, the image retransmitting process of the image transmitting unit 11 causes the image capturing unit 10 to perform the transmission start process until the storage time elapses. Of the captured images, not only captured images during a period when the human body detection signal is at a high level but also captured images during a period when the human body detection signal is at a high level are transmitted. For example, in FIG. 4, when the captured images captured by the imaging unit 10 from the time when the transmission start process is performed to the time when the storage time elapses are P7 to P43, the captured images P7 to P15 and the captured images P29 to P29. In addition to P37, captured images P16 to P28 are also transmitted (that is, captured images P7 to P37 are transmitted).

  When the recording unit 22 in this example receives the captured image group received by the image receiving unit 20, the recording unit 22 determines whether the captured image group is due to image transmission processing or image retransmission processing of the image transmission unit 11. If it is based on the image retransmission process, the recording process is executed. On the other hand, if it is based on the image transmission process, the recording process is not executed. That is, the recording unit 22 stores the captured image group retransmitted from the camera device 1 in the storage unit 21 as a moving image.

  In this way, it is not necessary for the recording unit 22 to execute the re-recording process and the update process, so that the processing content of the recording unit 22 can be simplified. When the image transmission unit 11 executes the image transmission process, the image display unit 23 operates in the monitor device 2 but the recording unit 22 does not operate, and the image transmission unit 11 executes the image retransmission process. In the monitor device 2, the image display unit 23 operates without operating the image display unit 23, and therefore the image display unit 23 and the recording unit 22 do not operate simultaneously. Therefore, the load applied to the monitor device 2 can be reduced and the power consumption can be reduced.

It is a block diagram of the monitoring system of Embodiment 1. It is explanatory drawing which shows the installation condition of the monitoring system same as the above. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a monitoring system same as the above. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a monitoring system same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera apparatus 2 Monitor apparatus 10 Imaging part 11 Image transmission part 12 Image processing part (determination part)
13 Control Unit 20 Image Reception Unit 21 Storage Unit 22 Recording Unit 23 Image Display Unit

Claims (1)

The camera device includes a camera device and a monitor device. The camera device captures an image of a predetermined imaging region, a determination unit that determines whether a detection target exists in the imaging region, The monitor device includes an image transmission unit that executes image transmission processing for transmitting captured images to the monitor device in time series, and a control unit that controls the image transmission unit based on a determination result of the determination unit. An image receiving unit that receives the captured image transmitted by the image receiving unit, a recording unit that records the captured image group received in the time series order in the storage unit as a moving image, and a time series order received by the image receiving unit. A monitoring system having an image display unit that displays a group of captured images of
When the determination unit determines that the detection target exists, the control unit determines that the detection target is not present by the determination unit after executing the transmission start process for causing the image transmission unit to start the image transmission process and the transmission start process. Then, a transmission end process for causing the image transmission unit to end the image transmission process is executed ,
The camera device includes a primary storage unit that temporarily stores a group of captured images captured by the imaging unit and a determination result of the determination unit,
The control unit includes a group of captured images captured by the imaging unit until a predetermined storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process, and a determination result in the determination unit until a predetermined storage time elapses from the execution of the transmission start process A primary storage process for storing the determination result data indicating the transition of the image in the primary storage unit, and a detection target in the imaging region a plurality of times by the determination unit based on the determination result data stored in the primary storage unit after the primary storage process is completed When it is determined that an object is present, in addition to the captured image group stored in the primary storage unit for the period in which it is determined that the detection target is present, primary storage for a period in which it is determined that the detection target is present A re-transmission process in which a captured image group stored in the unit is transmitted to a monitor device by an image transmission unit .

Images