Granted Patent B2

US 9,288,452 · App. 14/086,193 · Granted Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

Claims (63)

1. A monitoring apparatus for controlling an image capturing device and a shutter which limits a capturing area of the image capturing device, the monitoring apparatus comprising:

a capturing area controller, configured to transmit a first control signal over a first communication link to a designated camera to cause the image capturing device to align the designated camera and to prepare to capture an image in an actual capturing area of the image capturing device;

a shutter controller, configured to transmit a second control signal over the first communication link to open the shutter after the first control signal is transmitted and after the designated camera has been substantially aligned, in response to the first control signal, enabling the capturing of the image in the actual capturing area, and

a communicator that receives first information sensed by a sensor over a second communication link,

wherein the actual capturing area of the image capturing device is selected by the capturing area controller from a capturable area of the image capturing device in accordance with the first information, which is sensed by the sensor and transmitted over the second communication link from the sensor to the capturing area controller through the communicator.

2. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the capturing area controller selects the actual capturing area of the image capturing device in accordance with the first information, and transmits the first control signal to cause the image capturing device to capture the image in the actual capturing area selected by the capturing area controller.

3. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first information contains position information indicative of a position of the sensor, and

the actual capturing area is selected based on the position information.

4. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the actual capturing area is selected to contain a sensing area by the sensor in the actual capturing area.

5. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the capturing area controller gives an instruction to the image capturing device to control a capturing direction or a zooming operation of the image capturing device.

6. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein even in a case where the sensor or another sensor detects second information, the actual capturing area is selected based on the first information without using the second information.

7. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the shutter controller transmits the second control signal to open the shutter in response to receiving a first response signal responsive to the first signal from the image capturing device.

8. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the shutter controller transmits the second control signal to open the shutter when a given time period is elapsed after the first control signal is transmitted.

9. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein in a case where the first information contains first position information indicative of a position of the sensor, the actual capturing area is selected based on the first position information,

whereas in a case where the first information does not contain the first position information, the actual capturing area is selected based on second position information indicative of a default position.

10. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a preset capturing area corresponding to the sensor is selected as the actual capturing area.

11. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the shutter controller transmits a third control signal to close the shutter in response to receiving third information which is sensed by the sensor or another sensor, and

the capturing area controller transmits a fourth control signal to cause the image capturing device to move the actual capturing area after the third control signal is transmitted.

12. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the capturing area controller causes the image capturing device to change the actual capturing area to a predetermined capturing area.

13. A monitoring system, comprising:

an image capturing device for capturing an image;

a shutter which limits a capturing area of the image capturing device;

a monitoring apparatus for controlling the image capturing device and the shutter; and

a sensor,

wherein the sensor senses and transmits first information over a second communication link to the monitoring apparatus,

the monitoring apparatus includes:

a receiver, configured to receive the first information; and

a transmitter, configured to transmit a first control signal and a second control signal over a first communication link to the image capturing device, wherein the first control signal causes the image capturing device to align and to prepare to capture an image in an actual capturing area of the image capturing device, and the second control signal opens the shutter after the designated camera has been substantially aligned,

the image capturing device receives the first control signal and captures the image in the actual capturing area,

the shutter receives the second control signal, and opens in accordance with the second control signal after the image capturing device has been substantially aligned enabling the capturing of the image in the actual capturing area, and

the actual capturing area of the image capturing device is selected by the monitoring apparatus from a capturable area of the image capturing device in accordance with the first information which is sensed by the sensor.

14. The monitoring system according to claim 13 ,

wherein the first control signal contains an instruction for the image capturing device to control a capturing direction or a zooming operation of the image capturing device.

15. The monitoring system according to claim 13 ,

wherein the first information contains position information indicative of a position of the sensor, and

the actual capturing area is selected based on the position information.

16. The monitoring system according to claim 13 ,

wherein a preset capturing area corresponding to the sensor is selected as the actual capturing area.

17. The monitoring system according to claim 13 ,

wherein the sensor senses and transmits second information,

the receiver of the monitoring apparatus receives the second information,

the transmitter of the monitoring apparatus transmits third control signal to close the shutter and fourth control signal to move the actual capturing area in accordance with the first information, and

the image capturing device moves the actual capturing area after the shutter closes.

18. A method for controlling an image capturing device and a shutter in a monitoring system, the method comprising:

sensing first information by a sensor;

selecting, by a capturing area controller, an actual capturing area of the image capturing device in accordance with the first information;

aligning the image capturing device toward the selected actual capturing area and preparing capture an image in the selected actual capturing area of the image capturing device; and

opening the shutter after the image capturing device is substantially aligned toward the selected actual capturing area enabling the image capturing device to capture the image in the selected actual capturing area.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

sensing third information by the sensor or another sensor;

controlling the shutter to be closed in accordance with the third information; and

causing the image capturing device to move the actual capturing area after the shutter is controlled to be closed.

Assignments (9)