Visualizing camera position in recorded video

1. A method for displaying one of a plurality of images stored in a storage server, the images captured by a controllable camera, the method comprising the steps of:

constructing a representation of a field of view accessible by the camera;

retrieving, from the storage server, the stored image and a plurality of parameters characterizing a plurality of control states of the camera when the image was captured; and

displaying: (a) the retrieved image; (b) the representation; and (c) an indicator on the representation dependent upon the parameters,

wherein the method displays a video clip comprising sub-clips of the stored images,

wherein the displaying step comprises, for successive sub-clips of the video clip, the steps of displaying: (1) the sub-clip, and (2) an indicator on the representation dependent upon parameters associated with the sub-clip, and

wherein for each successive sub-clip in the video clip, the indicator associated with the sub-clip is displayed for a time period after the sub-clip ceases to be displayed.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the representation of the field of view accessible by the camera is determined by the camera.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the determination of the representation of the field of view comprises the steps of:

capturing a set of images covering the field of view; and

combining the set of images to form the representation of the field of view.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the control states of the camera comprise, associated with the stored image, a camera identifier, a time of capture, a pan attribute, a tilt attribute, and a zoom attribute.

5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying:

a video clip of the stored images; and

an indicator on the representation dependent upon a plurality of parameters associated with the video clip.

6. A method according to claim 5 , for further displaying a second video clip of a second set of stored images captured by a second controllable camera, the method comprising the further steps of:

constructing a second representation of a field of view accessible by the second camera;

retrieving, from a memory, the second set of stored images and a plurality of parameters, associated with the second set of images, characterizing a plurality of states of the second camera when the second set of images were captured; and

for the second video clip, displaying:

(1) the retrieved second set of images;

(2) the second representation; and

(3) an indicator on the second representation dependent upon the plurality of parameters associated with the second set of stored images.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the representation of the field of view accessible by the camera and the representation of the field of view accessible by the second camera are combined into a composite representation upon which is displayed:

(1) the video clip of images;

(2) the indicator dependent upon the plurality of parameters associated with the video clip of the images;

(3) the second video clip of the second set of stored images; and

(4) the indicator dependent upon the plurality of parameters associated with the second video clip.

8. A method according to claim 5 , comprising further steps of:

displaying, on a timeline representation, a time interval during which at least one stored image was captured;

designating a time interval on the timeline representation; and

searching the stored images for at least one image associated with the designated time interval.

9. A method according to claim 8 , comprising a further step of:

presenting, on the representation of the field of view, the parameters characterizing the control states of the camera during the designated time interval.

10. A method according to claim 9 , comprising a further step of:

designating the representation of the field of view to display the image associated with the designated time interval.

11. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

displaying, on a timeline representation, a time interval during which at least one stored image was captured; and

displaying, on the timeline representation, a time interval associated with the indicator being displayed.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the displayed time interval representation associated with each indicator being displayed shows a display identifier.

13. A method according to claim 11 , comprising the further steps of:

designating a region on the representation of the field of view; and

searching the stored images for at least one image which at least partially covers the designated region.

14. A method according to claim 13 , comprising a further step of:

representing, on the timeline representation, a time interval during which the image which at least partially covers the designated region was captured.

15. A method according to claim 14 , comprising a further step of:

designating the timeline representation to display the image which at least partially covers the designated region.

16. An apparatus for displaying one of a plurality of images stored in a storage server, the images captured by a controllable camera, the apparatus comprising:

a storage server storing the plurality of images;

means for constructing a representation of a field of view accessible by the camera;

means for retrieving, from the memory, the stored image and a plurality of parameters characterizing a plurality of control states of the camera when the image was captured; and

means for displaying: (a) the retrieved image; (b) the representation; and (c) an indicator on the representation dependent upon the parameters,

wherein the means for displaying displays a video clip comprising sub-clips of the stored images,

wherein the displaying comprises, for successive sub-clips of the video clip, the steps of displaying: (1) the sub-clip, and (2) an indicator on the representation dependent upon parameters associated with the sub-clip, and

wherein for each successive sub-clip in the video clip, the indicator associated with the sub-clip is displayed for a time period after the sub-clip ceases to be displayed.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising means for displaying:

a video clip of the stored images; and

an indicator on the representation dependent upon a plurality of parameters associated with the video clip.

18. An apparatus for displaying one of a plurality of images stored in a storage server, the images captured by a controllable camera, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing a program; and

a processor for executing the program, said program comprising:

(1) code for constructing a representation of a field of view accessible by the camera;

(2) code for retrieving, from a memory, the stored image and a plurality of parameters characterizing a plurality of control states of the camera when the image was captured; and

(3) code for displaying: (a) the retrieved image; (b) the representation; and (c) an indicator on the representation dependent upon the parameters,

wherein the code for displaying displays a video clip comprising sub-clips of the stored images,

wherein the displaying comprises, for successive sub-clips of the video clip, the steps of displaying: (1) the sub-clip, and (2) an indicator on the representation dependent upon parameters associated with the sub-clip, and

wherein for each successive sub-clip in the video clip, the indicator associated with the sub-clip is displayed for a time period after the sub-clip ceases to be displayed.

19. A computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program for directing a processor to execute a method for displaying one of a plurality of images stored by a storage server, the images captured by a controllable camera, said program comprising:

code for constructing a representation of a field of view accessible by the camera;

code for retrieving, from a memory, the stored image and a plurality of parameters characterizing a plurality of control states of the camera when the image was captured; and

code for displaying: (a) the retrieved image; (b) the representation; and (c) an indicator on the representation dependent upon the parameters,

wherein the code for displaying displays a video clip comprising sub-clips of the stored images,

wherein the displaying comprises, for successive sub-clips of the video clip, the steps of displaying: (1) the sub-clip, and (2) an indicator on the representation dependent upon parameters associated with the sub-clip, and

wherein for each successive sub-clip in the video clip, the indicator associated with the sub-clip is displayed for a time period after the sub-clip ceases to be displayed.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program for directing a computer to execute a method for displaying one of a plurality of images stored on a storage server, the images captured by a controllable camera, said program comprising:

code for constructing a representation of a field of view accessible by the camera;

code for retrieving, from a memory, the stored image and a plurality of parameters characterizing a plurality of control states of the camera when the image was captured; and

code for displaying: (a) the retrieved image; (b) the representation; and (c) an indicator on the representation dependent upon the parameters,

wherein the code for displaying displays a video clip comprising sub-clips of the stored images,

wherein the displaying comprises, for successive sub-clips of the video clip, the steps of displaying: (1) the sub-clip, and (2) an indicator on the representation dependent upon parameters associated with the sub-clip, and

wherein for each successive sub-clip in the video clip, the indicator associated with the sub-clip is displayed for a time period after the sub-clip ceases to be displayed.