Monitoring camera device
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a monitoring camera apparatus which can measure camera installation height easily with a simple configuration. The monitoring camera apparatus includes a distance detecting unit and direction detecting unit. The distance detecting unit detects subject distance D to a subject using an autofocus function. The direction detecting unit detects a shooting direction θ of the imaging unit rotated by a rotating mechanism. A height calculating unit calculates camera installation height H by converting the detected subject distance D into vertical length using the shooting direction θ in which the subject distance D is detected.
1. A monitoring camera apparatus comprising:
an imaging unit for generating monitoring video;
an autofocus function for automatically adjusting focus of the imaging unit;
a rotating unit for rotating the imaging unit;
a distance detecting unit for detecting subject distance from the imaging unit to a subject using the autofocus function;
a direction detecting unit for detecting a shooting direction of the imaging unit; and
a height calculating unit for calculating camera installation height based on the subject distance detected by the distance detecting unit and the shooting direction detected by the direction detecting unit, the height calculating unit calculating the camera installation height by converting the detected subject distance into vertical length using the shooting direction in which the subject distance is detected,
wherein the rotating unit rotates the imaging unit to direct the imaging unit in a plurality of directions, and
the height calculating unit calculates, as the camera installation height, vertical height from an inclined plane passing through a line joining the lowest measurement point of the subject distance and the highest measurement point of the subject distance in space based on the plurality of subject distances obtained in the plurality of measurement use shooting directions.
2. The monitoring camera apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a measurement use shooting direction storage unit for storing a plurality of predetermined measurement use shooting directions in which the imaging unit is to be directed when the camera installation height is measured,
wherein the rotating unit rotates the imaging unit to direct the imaging unit in the plurality of measurement use shooting directions.
3. The monitoring camera apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising a lens control information storage unit for storing predetermined measurement use lens control information which affects depth of field, as lens control information used for the imaging unit when the camera installation height is measured, and wherein the monitoring camera apparatus controls a lens of the imaging unit according to the measurement use lens control information in the lens control information storage unit when measuring the camera installation height.
4. The monitoring camera apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the lens control information storage unit stores a measurement use aperture value as the measurement use lens control information.
5. The monitoring camera apparatus according to claim 4 , comprising a measurement use shutter speed storage unit for storing measurement use shutter speed, wherein the monitoring camera apparatus controls the imaging unit according to the measurement use aperture value and the measurement use shutter speed when measuring the camera installation height.
6. The monitoring camera apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the lens control information storage unit stores a measurement use zoom factor as the measurement use lens control information.
7. A camera height measuring method for measuring camera installation height of a monitoring camera, comprising:
a distance detecting step of detecting subject distance from an imaging unit to a subject using an autofocus function;
a direction detecting step of detecting a shooting direction of the imaging unit; and
a height calculating step of calculating camera installation height based on the subject distance detected by the distance detecting step and the shooting direction detected by the direction detecting step, the height calculating step calculating the camera installation height by converting the detected subject distance into vertical length using the shooting direction in which the subject distance is detected,
wherein the imaging unit is rotated to direct the imaging unit in a plurality of directions, and
in the height calculating step, vertical height from an inclined plane passing through a line joining the lowest measurement point of the subject distance and the highest measurement point of the subject distance in space is calculated, as the camera installation height, based on the plurality of subject distances obtained in the plurality of measurement use shooting directions.