JP7638623B2 - Imaging device, information processing device, control method, program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an imaging device, an information processing device, a control method, a program, and a storage medium.

Conventionally, there are imaging devices with multiple imaging units, as in Patent Document 1. Some imaging devices with multiple imaging units have a drive unit for each imaging unit, and drive the imaging unit on a circular rail to change the shooting direction. In addition, imaging devices with multiple imaging units also use a preset patrol function to shoot images according to patrol settings, as in Patent Document 2.

JP 2018-169488 A JP 2017-17649 A

However, the range of movement of each imaging unit on the rail changes depending on the position of the adjacent imaging unit. Therefore, if the position of the adjacent imaging unit changes, it may not be possible to capture images as the user intended in accordance with the patrol settings.

The object of the present invention is to enable an imaging device having multiple imaging units to take images in a cyclical manner regardless of the position of each imaging unit when the cyclical function is set.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized in having a plurality of imaging units that can move circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change the shooting areas of the plurality of imaging units, an acquisition unit that acquires information on a plurality of shooting areas for cyclic shooting in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to shoot, and a setting unit that groups the plurality of shooting areas based on a reference value related to the distance between the shooting areas.

According to the present invention, when a patrol function is set in an imaging device having multiple imaging units, patrol shooting can be performed regardless of the position of each imaging unit.

1 is a block diagram of an imaging system including an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an imaging device. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating changes in the driving range of the imaging unit in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a patrol function setting method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a flow of grouping according to the first embodiment. 11 is a flowchart of a tour function setting process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a panoramic image in which a rotation function is set with priority given to the number of 13 is a flowchart of a tour function setting process according to the second embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of a relationship between a photographing time and a patrol time in each 13 is a flowchart of a tour function setting process according to the third embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of a panoramic image for which a patrol function is set when there is a limit to the patrol shooting area. 13 is a flowchart of a patrol function setting process according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a patrol function setting method according to the fifth embodiment. 13 is a timing chart of an imaging unit according to the fifth embodiment. 13 is a flowchart of a tour function setting process according to the fifth embodiment.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the figures. In the figures, parts having the same functions are given the same numbers, and repeated explanations are omitted. Note that the configurations shown in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations shown in the figures.

[First embodiment]
The configuration of an imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an imaging system 1000 according to this embodiment. The imaging system 1000 includes an imaging device 101 and a client device 103 (information processing device). The imaging device 101 includes an imaging unit 104, a driving unit 105, an image processing unit 106, a driving control unit 107, a storage unit 108, a network processing unit 109, and a system control unit 110. The imaging device 101 is connected to the client device 103 via a network 102.

The imaging unit 104 receives light on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 112 via the lens group 111, amplifies the received light data with an amplifier 113, and outputs an imaging signal. The imaging device 101 includes multiple imaging units 104. In FIG. 1, two imaging units, imaging unit 104a and imaging unit 104b, are illustrated as an example. Note that each imaging unit may have the same configuration. Hereinafter, the imaging device 101 will be described as having two imaging units, imaging unit 104a and imaging unit 104b, but this is not limited to this, and two or more imaging units 104 may be provided.

The drive unit 105 operates a pan motor (not shown) upon receiving instructions from the drive control unit 107. However, the drive unit 105 is not limited to a pan motor, and may operate a tilt motor or a zoom motor. The drive unit 105 drives the imaging unit 104 to change the shooting position including the shooting direction and shooting magnification. Here, the drive unit 105a drives the imaging unit 104a, and the drive unit 105b drives the imaging unit 104b.

The image processing unit 106 receives an imaging signal from the imaging unit 104, and performs image processing such as development processing in a video processing unit (not shown) to generate a captured image. The generated captured image is transmitted to the storage unit 108 and the network processing unit 109. The storage unit 108 stores the captured image generated by the image processing unit 106. Note that the storage unit 108 may be disposed in the client device 103.

The network processing unit 109 converts the captured images from the image processing unit 106 in accordance with a network protocol and distributes them to the client device 103 via the network 102.

The system control unit 110 includes a CPU (computer) and memory (ROM, RAM), and the CPU performs overall control of each component of the imaging device 101 and sets various parameters in accordance with a computer program loaded from the memory. Specifically, the system control unit 110 controls the image processing unit 106, network processing unit 109, drive control unit 107, etc.

The network 102 is a local area network (LAN) on a network, and may be composed of a router or the like that satisfies a communication standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark). The network 102 is connected to the imaging device 101 and a client device 103 (described later) by a LAN cable or the like.

The client device 103 can communicate with the imaging device 101 via the network 102. The client device 103 includes a network processing unit 114, a shooting direction instruction unit 115, a display unit 116, a tour setting unit 117, and a system control unit 118.

The network processing unit 114 receives the captured images distributed via the network 102 and outputs them to the display unit 116.

The shooting direction instruction unit 115 receives a drive instruction input by the user using an input means such as a mouse or a keyboard. The shooting direction instruction unit 115 transmits the input instruction to the imaging device 101 via the network 102, and the drive control unit 107 drives the drive unit 105 in response to the instruction.

The display unit 116 displays the captured images received from the imaging device 101 on the image display unit 119. Here, the image display unit 119a displays the captured images of the imaging unit 104a, and the image display unit 119b displays the captured images of the imaging unit 104b.

When shooting in a circular manner, the patrol setting unit 117 receives instructions such as a shooting area and a patrol time input from the user in advance. The drive control unit 107 drives the drive unit 105 in response to the instructions. Note that the patrol function here is a function in which the imaging device 101, which can move the angle of view, stores multiple shooting areas (shooting positions) and automatically captures images of these shooting areas in sequence at regular intervals. Here, the shooting area is a concept that includes the shooting direction (pan/tilt direction) and the zoom position in the shooting direction. Such a function is also called preset patrol. In addition, the setting for performing such patrol shooting is called patrol setting. Furthermore, the shooting area set by the patrol setting unit 117 to perform patrol shooting is called patrol shooting area. Note that the shooting area and patrol time of the patrol setting may be automatically set by the patrol setting unit 117.

The system control unit 118 includes a CPU and memory, and the CPU performs overall control of each component of the client device 103 and sets various parameters according to a computer program loaded from the memory. Specifically, the system control unit 118 transmits information input by the shooting direction instruction unit 115 to the imaging device 101 via the network processing unit 114, and displays various data received from the imaging device 101 on the display unit 116.

The appearance of the imaging device 101 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of the imaging device 101. FIG. 2(A) shows a front view of the imaging device 101 from the horizontal direction. The imaging device 101 has an imaging unit 104a and an imaging unit 104b. FIG. 2(B) shows a plan view of the imaging device 101 from the vertical direction in an installed state. The imaging units 104 are arranged on a rail unit (guide unit) 201. The imaging units 104 can be driven independently and move on the rail unit 201 in accordance with the instructions of the drive control unit 107. Specifically, the imaging units 104 move circumferentially along the rail unit 201. Note that the rail unit 201 is used here as an example, but is not limited to this.

The change in the driving range of the imaging unit 104 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the change in the driving range of the imaging unit 104 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3(A) shows the imaging device 101 before the imaging unit 104 is driven. The imaging unit 104a is positioned at 180°, and the imaging unit 104b is positioned at 0°.

Since the imaging units 104a and 104b move on the same rail section 201, they can be driven within a range where they do not collide with each other. That is, the driving range is the range in which each imaging unit 104 can move without colliding with the adjacent imaging unit 104. In FIG. 3(A), the driving range of the imaging unit 104a is from 30° to 330°. The remaining range is outside the driving range because it will collide with the imaging unit 104b. In FIG. 3(A), the shooting area 301 is located at a position of 130°. Therefore, since it is within the driving range of the imaging unit 104a, the shooting area 301 can be photographed by driving the imaging unit 104a.

Figure 3 (B) shows the imaging device 101 after driving the imaging unit 104b. Because the position of the imaging unit 104b has changed to a position of 150°, the driving range of the imaging unit 104a has changed from 0° to 120° and from 180° to 360°. In Figure 3 (B), the shooting area 301 is located outside the driving range of the imaging unit 104a. Therefore, the shooting area 301 cannot be captured by the imaging unit 104a because it would collide with the imaging unit 104b.

In this way, if the driving range of the imaging unit 104 changes, it may not be possible to capture images as expected. When performing cyclic settings, it is necessary to set the imaging area 301 and the imaging unit 104 that captures the imaging area 301, taking into account changes in the driving range.

In this embodiment, in order to perform shooting according to the cyclic setting even when the driving range of the imaging unit 104 has changed, the cyclic function setting is performed based on the cyclic shooting setting value. The cyclic shooting setting value includes, for example, a value related to the distance between the cyclic shooting areas 402 (shown in FIG. 4), the number of cyclic shootings, or the cyclic time. Note that the number of cyclic shootings is the number of shooting areas for which cyclic shooting is performed. Furthermore, the cyclic time is defined as the time during which the imaging unit 104 stops and shoots the cyclic shooting areas 402. A cyclic function setting method in which the distance between the cyclic shooting areas 402 is prioritized in the first embodiment, the number of cyclic shootings in the second embodiment, and the cyclic time in the third embodiment will be described.

Below, with reference to FIG. 4, a method of setting the patrol function according to the first embodiment of the present invention when the distance between patrol shooting areas 402 is prioritized will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the patrol function setting method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4(A) shows an example of a panoramic image 401 for which the patrol function is set with priority given to the distance between patrol shooting areas 402. When setting up the patrol, the panoramic image 401 is acquired before starting the setting. The panoramic image 401 is acquired, for example, by arranging the imaging units 104 at equal intervals to capture images in all directions. However, the method is not limited to this, and a wide-area image may be acquired with one imaging unit 104 instead of acquiring a panoramic image.

After acquiring the panoramic image 401, the patrol setting unit 117 uses the panoramic image 401 to set a patrol shooting area 402 to be photographed by the patrol function. The patrol shooting area 402 may be an arbitrary area selected by the user, or may be automatically set based on the subject, for example. At this time, parameters such as the patrol speed may be set. After setting the patrol shooting area 402, the system control unit 110 compares the distance between the patrol shooting areas 402 with a reference value (threshold value) and groups the patrol shooting areas 402 that are equal to or less than the reference value (threshold value) as the same group 403. Details of the grouping will be described later. The distance is compared at the optical axis center of the patrol shooting area 402. In other words, the distance between the optical axis centers of the patrol shooting areas 402 is used. The reference value may be set automatically or manually by the user. Also, the patrol shooting area 402 with the smallest distance may be grouped as the same group 403 without being set as a numerical value.

The system control unit 110 groups the patrol shooting areas 402, and ends the grouping if the number of groups 403 matches the number of imaging units 104. On the other hand, if the number of groups 403 exceeds the number of imaging units 104 (equal to or greater than the number of imaging units 104), the system control unit 110 changes the reference value to a value greater than the previously set value and performs grouping again. If the number of groups 403 is less than the number of imaging units 104 (equal to or less than the number of imaging units 104), the system control unit 110 changes the reference value to a value less than the previously set value and performs grouping again. After grouping, the system control unit 110 determines the imaging unit 104 that will capture the patrol shooting areas 402 of each group 403, and sets the order of rotation (patrol order) within each group 403.

Figure 4 (B) shows an external plan view of the imaging device 101 after patrol setting, viewed from the vertical direction in the installed state. Here, group 403a is set to be photographed by imaging unit 104a, and group 403b is set to be photographed by imaging unit 104b. As can be seen from this figure, range 405a in which patrol shooting areas 402a to 402c included in group 403a are located does not overlap with range 405b in which patrol shooting area 402d included in group 403b is located. By grouping in this way, it is possible to photograph patrol shooting area 402 in group 403 even if the driving range of the imaging unit 104 changes.

Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining the flow of grouping according to the first embodiment. Figures 5(A), 5(B), and 5(C) show the flow of grouping by comparing the distance between cyclic shooting areas 402 with a reference value, with grouping being performed in the order of Figures 5(A), 5(B), and 5(C). Here, the driving range that changes depending on the position of the imaging unit 104 is only in the horizontal direction, so the explanation will be limited to the horizontal direction. Also, the interval between one graduation on the horizontal axis 404 is 1.

First, in FIG. 5(A), the reference value is set to 1. Since the central axis of patrol shooting area 402a is located at α0 and the central axis of patrol shooting area 402b is located at α1, the horizontal distance between patrol shooting area 402a and patrol shooting area 402b is 1, which is less than the reference value. Therefore, patrol shooting area 402a and patrol shooting area 402b are in the same group 403a. Since the distance between patrol shooting area 402c and patrol shooting area 402d is not less than 1, they are not in the same group 403a. Therefore, they are grouped as shown in FIG. 5(B).

Next, in FIG. 5(B), the reference value is set to 3. Here, when comparing with multiple patrol shooting areas 402, the comparison is performed using the patrol shooting area 402 that is the farthest away. For example, in FIG. 5(B), patrol shooting area 402a and patrol shooting area 402b are grouped, so the comparison is performed with patrol shooting area 402c, which is farther away from patrol shooting area 402a than patrol shooting area 402b.

The central axis of patrol shooting area 402a is located at α0, and the central axis of patrol shooting area 402c is located between α2 and α3, so the horizontal distance between patrol shooting area 402a and patrol shooting area 402c is 3 or less, which is less than the reference value. Therefore, patrol shooting area 402a, patrol shooting area 402b, and patrol shooting area 402c are in the same group 403a. Since the distance for patrol shooting area 402d is not 3 or less, it is not in the same group 403a. Therefore, they are grouped as shown in FIG. 5(C).

Below, a flowchart of a method for setting the patrol function when the distance between patrol shooting areas 402 is prioritized according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the patrol function setting process according to the first embodiment. Each operation (step) shown in this flowchart can be executed by the system control unit 110 controlling each unit.

First, in step S501, the imaging unit 104 acquires a wide-area image. Next, in S502, the network processing unit 109 also functions as an acquisition unit, and acquires information on the patrol shooting area 402 set using the wide-area image acquired in S501 from the client device 103. If the parameters of the patrol function and the reference distance value have been set by the user, they are acquired in S502. Then, in S503, the system control unit 110 executes grouping processing based on the reference distance value.

After grouping, in S504, the system control unit 110 compares the number of groups 403 with the number of imaging units 104. If the number of groups 403 matches the number of imaging units 104 (Yes), the system control unit 110 ends the grouping process. Then, in S505, the system control unit 110 sets the imaging units 104 that will capture the patrol shooting areas 402 in the group 403. After setting the imaging units, in S506, the patrol order of the patrol shooting areas 402 is set.

On the other hand, if the number of groups 403 and the number of imaging units 104 do not match in S504 (No), the system control unit 110 changes the reference distance value in S507 and performs grouping again. After executing S507, the process returns to S504, and the system control unit 110 compares the number of groups 403 and the number of imaging units 104. The same process is repeated until the number of groups 403 and the number of imaging units 104 match. Note that in addition to the distance between the cyclic shooting areas 402, grouping may also be performed taking into consideration the number of cyclic shooting areas 402 or the cyclic speed (the driving speed of the imaging units 104).

In this embodiment, the driving ranges of the imaging units 104 do not overlap, so even if the driving range of the imaging units 104 changes, shooting can be performed according to the rotation settings.

Second Example
In the second embodiment, a case where the number of cycles is prioritized in the cycle function setting will be described. In the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 7, a cycle function setting method in the case where the number of cycles is prioritized according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

7 is a diagram showing an example of a panoramic image 401 in which the rotation function is set with priority given to the number of rotations. When the number of rotations is set with priority, the system control unit 110 first sets a reference value for the number of rotations. The reference value is calculated by the following formula (1).

Standard value of the number of trips = Number of trip shooting areas / Number of imaging units (1)

If the calculation result of formula (1) is divisible, the calculation result is set as the reference value of the number of cycles. For example, in FIG. 7, the number of cyclic shooting areas 402 is 4 and the number of imaging units 104 is 2, so the reference value 2 is calculated from formula (1). Therefore, the system control unit 110 sets the reference value of the number of cycles to 2. A case where the calculation result of formula (1) has a remainder will be described later.

Below, with reference to FIG. 8, a flowchart of a method for setting the patrol function when the number of patrols is prioritized according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the patrol function setting process according to the second embodiment. Steps similar to those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same step numbers, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, each operation (step) shown in this flowchart can be executed by the control of each part by the system control unit 110.

First, the processes of S501 and S502 are performed in the same manner as in FIG. 5. Then, in S701, the system control unit 110 calculates a reference value for the number of cycles. Next, in S702, the system control unit 110 checks whether there is a remainder at the time of calculation. If there is a remainder, in S703, the system control unit 110 increments the reference value of the number of cycles for the groups 403 corresponding to the remainder by +1, and proceeds to S704. Specifically, for example, if the number of cyclic shooting areas 402 is 5 and the number of imaging units 104 is 2, the remainder is 1, so that the group 403a has a reference value of 3 and the group 403b has a reference value of 2. At this time, it is preferable to group the locations of the cyclic shooting areas 402 that are close to each other with a reference value of 3.
If there is no remainder, S703 is skipped and the process proceeds to S704. Then, in S704, the system control unit 110 executes grouping processing based on the reference value of the number of tours. Thereafter, similarly to FIG. 5, the processing of S505 and S506 is carried out. Note that an upper limit may be set for the number of tours that can be set for each of the imaging units 104. When an upper limit is set, the number of patrol shooting areas 402 included in the group 403 may be less than the reference value.

According to this embodiment, the number of cyclic shooting areas 402 of each imaging unit 104 can be made equal. The more the number of cyclic shooting areas 402, the longer it takes to switch between captured images. Therefore, by making the number of cyclic shooting areas 402 of each imaging unit 104 equal, the difference in the switching time between captured images in the imaging units 104 can be reduced.

Third Example
In the third embodiment, a case where the patrol time is prioritized in the patrol function setting will be described. In the third embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. Hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 4(A) and Fig. 9, a patrol function setting method in which the patrol time is prioritized according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 4(A) will be described as a panoramic image 401 in which the patrol function is set with priority given to the patrol time.

When the round time is prioritized, the system control unit 110 first sets a reference value for the round time, which is calculated by the following formula (2).

Standard value of patrol time = Total value of patrol time / Number of cameras (2)

In formula (2), the total value of the patrol time is the total value of the time that the imaging unit stops once in each of the multiple imaging regions and captures images. If the calculation result of formula (2) is divisible, the calculation result is set as the reference value of the patrol time. For example, if the total value of the patrol time is 12 in FIG. 4A, since the number of imaging units 104 is 2, the reference value of the patrol time is calculated as 6 from formula (2). Therefore, the reference value of the patrol time is set to 6. The case where the calculation result of formula (2) has a remainder will be described later.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the shooting time and the patrol time of each patrol shooting area 402. Although the number of patrol shooting areas 402 in each group is not the same, the total patrol time is the same.

Below, with reference to FIG. 10, a flowchart of a method for setting the patrol function when patrol time is prioritized according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the patrol function setting process according to the third embodiment. Steps similar to those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same step numbers, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, each operation (step) shown in this flowchart can be executed by the control of each part by the system control unit 110.

First, as in FIG. 5, the processes of S501 and S502 are performed. Then, in S901, the system control unit 110 calculates the reference value of the patrol time. Next, in S902, the system control unit 110 checks whether there is a remainder at the time of calculation. If there is a remainder, in S903, the reference value of the patrol time for the group of the remainder is increased by +1, and the process proceeds to S904. Specifically, for example, if the total value of the patrol time is 13 and the number of imaging units 104 is 2, the remainder is 1, so the reference value of group 403a is 6 and the reference value of group 403b is 7. If there is no remainder, S903 is skipped and the process proceeds to S904. Then, in S904, the grouping process is performed based on the reference value of the patrol time. Thereafter, the processes of S505 and S506 are performed as in FIG. 5. Note that an upper limit of the total patrol time that can be set for each imaging unit 104 may be set. If an upper limit is set, the total patrol time value for group 403 may be less than the reference value.

According to this embodiment, the number of cyclic shooting areas 402 of each imaging unit 104 can be made equal. If shooting areas with long cyclic times are concentrated in one imaging unit, it will take time to switch the captured images. Therefore, by making the cyclic times of each imaging unit 104 equal, the difference in the switching time of the captured images in the imaging units 104 can be reduced.

[Fourth embodiment]
In the fourth embodiment, a case where there is a limit to the patrol shooting area 402 will be described. The fourth embodiment will be described assuming that it is set before the first, second, and third embodiments. Also, in the fourth embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

Below, a method for setting the patrol function when there is a limit to the patrol shooting area 402 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a panoramic image 401 for which the patrol function is set when there is a limit to the patrol shooting area 402.

When adjacent patrol shooting areas 402 are to be photographed by different imaging units 104, in other words, when patrol shooting areas 402 to be photographed simultaneously are included in the patrol setting, the system control unit 110 sets a restriction that the target patrol shooting areas 402 cannot be set to the same group. For example, in FIG. 11, it is considered that the shooting areas 402a and 402b are photographed by different imaging units 104 to perform wide-area photography. In this case, although the shooting areas 402a and 402b are adjacent to each other, a restriction that the same group cannot be set is set. As a result, the system control unit 110, for example, sets the shooting area 402a to group 403a and the shooting area 402b to group 403b. In other words, the system control unit 110 groups the patrol shooting areas 402 to be photographed simultaneously so that they are in different groups. After setting the restriction that the same group cannot be set, the patrol function setting method of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment is implemented.

Below, with reference to FIG. 12, a flowchart of a method for setting the patrol function when the patrol shooting area 402 is limited according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the patrol function setting process according to the fourth embodiment. Steps similar to those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same step numbers, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, each operation (step) shown in this flowchart can be executed by the control of each part by the system control unit 110.

First, similarly to FIG. 5, the processes of S501 and S502 are performed. Then, in S1101, it is confirmed whether there is a limit to the patrol shooting area 402. If there is a limit, in S1102, the patrol shooting area 402 with the limit is made unable to be set in the same group. If there is no limit to the patrol shooting area 402 in S1101, S1102 is skipped and the process is terminated.

Fifth Example
In the fifth embodiment, a case where grouping is performed across the patrol shooting area 402 will be described. The fifth embodiment will be described assuming that it is set before the first, second, and third embodiments. Also, in the fifth embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

Below, a method for setting the tour function when grouping is performed across groups 403 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a method for setting the tour function according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13(A) shows a panoramic image 401 with the tour function set when grouping is performed across groups 403.

When it is desired to specify the image capture unit 104 to capture images for each patrol shooting area 402, it is possible to group across groups 403. For example, in FIG. 13A, groups 403a and 403b are positioned alternately. In other words, range 405a in which patrol shooting areas 402a and 402c included in group 403a are positioned and range 405b in which patrol shooting areas 402b and 402d included in group 403b are positioned partially overlap. When grouping across groups 403, it is necessary to adjust the drive timing of adjacent image capture units 104. Details of the drive timing adjustment will be described later.

Figure 13 (B) shows an external plan view of the imaging device 101 after the patrol setting is set, viewed from the vertical direction in the installed state. For example, in Figure 13 (B), when the imaging unit 104b is photographing the patrol shooting area 402b, in order to drive the imaging unit 104a to photograph the patrol shooting area 402c from the patrol shooting area 402a, it is necessary to drive the imaging unit 104b.

Figure 14 is a timing chart of the imaging unit 104 in the fifth embodiment. Figures 14(A) and 14(B) show timing charts of the imaging units 104a and 104b when capturing images with the cyclic setting of Figure 13. Hi indicates a state in which the imaging unit 104 is capturing images of the cyclic capture area 402, and Low indicates a state in which the imaging unit 104 is not capturing images of the cyclic capture area 402.

When grouping across groups 403, if the number of trips and the length of the shooting time can be the same, they are made the same and cycled simultaneously. However, some error is acceptable. In other words, in this specification, "same" includes the case where there is some error. For example, FIG. 14(A) shows a timing chart when the number of trips and the shooting time are made the same and cycled. As can be seen from this figure, here, the number of trips, the length of the shooting time, and the timing of the imaging units 104a and 104b are made the same and cycled. The shooting of the cyclic shooting area 402a and the cyclic shooting area 402b is started at the same time, and after the same shooting time has elapsed, the imaging units 104a and 104b are driven at the same time. Then, the cyclic shooting area 402c and the cyclic shooting area 402d are photographed at the same time. By making the number of trips and the shooting time the same, it is possible to cycle without colliding with the adjacent imaging units 104.

When grouping across groups 403, if the number of tours and the shooting time cannot be the same, the shooting times are shifted during the tour. For example, FIG. 14(B) shows a timing chart for the case where the shooting times are shifted during the tour.

When photographing the patrol shooting area 402a and the patrol shooting area 402b, the photographing time of the image capturing unit 104b is shortened and the image capturing unit 104b is driven first, and the image capturing unit 104a is driven after the image capturing unit 104b is driven. That is, at least the image capturing unit 104b adjacent to the direction in which the image capturing unit 104a is to be driven is driven in the same direction, and then the image capturing unit 104a is driven. Also, as can be seen from FIG. 14B, at this time, the time during which the image capturing unit 104a photographs the patrol shooting area 402a and the time during which the image capturing unit 104b photographs the patrol shooting area 402b overlap at time t1. Time t1 is the same length as the time during which the image capturing unit 104b photographs the patrol shooting area 402b. Furthermore, when photographing the patrol shooting area 402c and the patrol shooting area 402d, the photographing time of the image capturing unit 104a is shortened and the image capturing unit 104a is driven first, and the image capturing unit 104b is driven after the image capturing unit 104a is driven. That is, at least the image capturing unit 104a adjacent to the direction in which the image capturing unit 104b is to be driven is driven in the same direction, and then the image capturing unit 104b is driven. Also, at this time, the time during which the image capturing unit 104a photographs the patrol shooting area 402c and the time during which the image capturing unit 104b photographs the patrol shooting area 402d overlap at time t2. Time t2 is the same length as the time during which the image capturing unit 104a photographs the patrol shooting area 402c. By shifting the photographing time and the timing of the tour in this way, it is possible to tour without colliding with the adjacent image capturing units 104.

Below, with reference to FIG. 15, a flowchart of a method for setting a patrol function when grouping across groups 403 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a patrol function setting process according to the fifth embodiment. Steps similar to those shown in FIG. 5 are given the same step numbers, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, each operation (step) shown in this flowchart can be executed by the control of each part by the system control unit 110.

First, similar to FIG. 5, the processes of S501 and S502 are performed. Then, in S1301, the system control unit 110 checks whether grouping across groups 403 is to be performed. If grouping across groups 403 is to be performed, in S1302, the system control unit 110 checks whether the number of tours and the shooting time can be made the same. If they can be made the same, in S1303, the number of tours and the shooting time are set to be the same. If they cannot be made the same in S1302, in S1304, the shooting times are set to be staggered. In this way, it is possible to accommodate a variety of tour settings.

<Other embodiments>
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, combinations of the respective embodiments are also included in the disclosure of this specification.

In the first embodiment, a method for setting the patrol function has been described in which the distance between patrol shooting areas 402 is prioritized, in the second embodiment, the number of patrols is prioritized, and in the third embodiment, the patrol time is prioritized. The above-mentioned embodiments may be combined to set the patrol function. For example, the patrol function may be set with the number of patrols being prioritized, and then a parameter may be set to determine which patrol shooting setting value is to be prioritized, such as setting a reference value for the distance between patrol shooting areas 402 and grouping them.

Furthermore, the functions of the system control unit 110 (setting unit) may be possessed by the client device 103.

The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more of the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that realizes one or more of the functions.

101 Imaging device 102 Network 103 Client device 104 Imaging unit 105 Driving unit 107 Driving control unit 108 Storage unit 110, 118 System control unit 115 Shooting direction instruction unit 117 Tour setting unit 1000 Imaging system

Claims (16)

A plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit;
A drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units;
A drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change the shooting areas of the plurality of image capturing units;
an acquisition unit that acquires information on a plurality of shooting areas for cyclic shooting in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to capture images;
and a setting unit that groups the plurality of shooting regions based on a reference value related to a distance between the shooting regions. The imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reference value is the distance between the optical axis centers of the imaging areas. A plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit;
A drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units;
A drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change the shooting areas of the plurality of image capturing units;
an acquisition unit that acquires information on a plurality of shooting areas for cyclic shooting in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to capture images;
and a setting unit that groups the multiple shooting areas so that a cycle count, which is the number of shooting areas included in the group where the cyclic shooting is performed, becomes a reference value determined based on a total cycle count and the number of the imaging units. A plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit;
A drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units;
A drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change the shooting areas of the plurality of image capturing units;
an acquisition unit that acquires information on a plurality of shooting areas for cyclic shooting in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to capture images;
and a setting unit that groups the multiple shooting areas so that a cycling time, which is the time it takes for the imaging unit to photograph the multiple shooting areas, becomes a reference value determined based on a sum of the cycling times and the number of the imaging units. The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, when the number of imaging units does not match the number of groups, the setting unit changes the reference value and continues the grouping process, and when the number of imaging units matches the number of groups, the setting unit ends the grouping process. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, when the set multiple shooting areas include two shooting areas to be shot simultaneously, the setting unit sets one of the two shooting areas and the other shooting area different from the one of the two shooting areas to different groups. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the setting unit sets a first group including a first shooting area and a second shooting area, and a second group including a third shooting area and a fourth shooting area, and when the first shooting area, the third shooting area, the second shooting area, and the fourth shooting area are located in this order in the moving direction of the imaging unit, the setting unit shifts the time at which each of the shooting areas of the multiple imaging units is photographed. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the setting unit sets a first group including a first shooting area and a second shooting area, and a second group including a third shooting area and a fourth shooting area, and when the first shooting area, the third shooting area, the second shooting area, and the fourth shooting area are located in this order in the moving direction of the imaging unit, the setting unit overlaps the time for photographing each of the shooting areas of the multiple imaging units. An imaging device having a plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, and a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change an imaging area of the plurality of imaging units; and an information processing device that is capable of communicating via a network,
a rotation setting unit that sets a plurality of shooting areas for the rotational photography in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to take images,
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of shooting areas are grouped based on a reference value relating to a distance between the shooting areas in the imaging device. An imaging device having a plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, and a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change an imaging area of the plurality of imaging units; and an information processing device that is capable of communicating via a network,
a rotation setting unit that sets a plurality of shooting areas for the rotational photography in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to take images,
An information processing device characterized in that, in the imaging device, the multiple imaging areas are grouped so that the number of cycles, which is the number of imaging areas included in the group for which the cyclic shooting is performed, is a reference value determined based on the total number of cycles and the number of the imaging units. An imaging device having a plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, and a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change an imaging area of the plurality of imaging units; and an information processing device that is capable of communicating via a network,
a rotation setting unit that sets a plurality of shooting areas for the rotational photography in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to take images,
An information processing device characterized in that, in the imaging device, the multiple shooting areas are grouped so that a cyclic time, which is the time it takes for the imaging unit to photograph the multiple shooting areas, becomes a reference value determined based on the sum of the cyclic time and the number of the imaging units. A control method for an imaging device having a plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, and a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change an imaging area of the plurality of imaging units, comprising:
A control method for an imaging device, characterized by obtaining information on a plurality of shooting areas for cyclic shooting in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to shoot, and setting the plurality of shooting areas to be grouped based on a reference value related to the distance between the shooting areas. A control method for an imaging device having a plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, and a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change an imaging area of the plurality of imaging units, comprising:
A control method for an imaging device, characterized by acquiring information on a plurality of shooting areas for cyclic shooting in which the plurality of imaging units are rotated to shoot, and grouping the plurality of shooting areas so that a cycle number, which is the number of the shooting areas for which the cyclic shooting is performed and included in a group, is a reference value determined based on a total cycle number and the number of the imaging units. A control method for an imaging device having a plurality of imaging units that are movable circumferentially along a guide unit, a drive unit that drives the plurality of imaging units, and a drive control unit that controls the drive unit to change an imaging area of the plurality of imaging units, comprising:
A control method for an imaging device, characterized in that the multiple shooting areas are grouped so that a cycling time, which is the time it takes for the imaging unit to photograph the multiple shooting areas, becomes a standard value determined based on the total value of the cycling time and the number of the imaging units. A program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to any one of claims 12 to 14. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 15.

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