Monitor camera system

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to a surveillance camera system that transmits images of a surveillance camera to a terminal via a network, and in particular, makes it possible to automatically identify an abnormality of the surveillance camera.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the image of the surveillance camera is transmitted to the monitor using a dedicated coaxial cable, but in this method, the burden of wiring the coaxial cable becomes extremely large as the transmission distance becomes long. In recent years, a technique for compressing image data to reduce the amount of data and transmitting it has been developed, and a method of compressing data and transmitting it to a monitor through a network has also been adopted for images of surveillance cameras.

【0003】

Figure 6 shows a conventional surveillance camera system that transmits images and alarms over a network. In this system, the surveillance camera 41 connects to the network 43 via the network interface (I / F) section 42, and similarly, the monitor terminal 45 connects to the network 43 via the network I / F section 44. There is.

【0004】

The network I / F unit 42 makes a call, secures a communication line with the network I / F unit 44, and then sends out an image of the surveillance camera 41 and an alarm. These are transmitted to the monitor terminal 45 through the communication line and displayed by voice or the monitor screen.

【0005】

However, in this method, since each surveillance camera 41 is connected to the network via the network I / F section 42, as the number of surveillance cameras increases, the number of lines increases accordingly, and the system scale increases. There is a problem of expansion. Further, if the network I / F section 42 is configured to have an advanced circuit switching function, there is a problem that the cost of the system is increased due to the large number of the network I / F section 42.

【0006】

In order to solve these problems, the group of the present inventors has proposed a surveillance camera system provided with an alarm transfer unit that centrally manages image transmission of a plurality of surveillance cameras.

【0007】

As shown in FIG. 3, this system includes a video input unit 11 of the surveillance camera, a sensor 13 for detecting an abnormality, and an alarm transmitting unit 12 for transmitting an alarm signal when an abnormality occurs, corresponding to one surveillance camera. , A management unit 14 that manages and adjusts the video input unit 11 and the alarm transmission unit 12, and further connects to the LAN 15 to which the alarm transmission unit 12 and the management unit 14 of each surveillance camera are connected and the network of each surveillance camera. The alarm transfer unit 16 that collectively manages image transmission, the data network 17 to which the alarm transfer unit 16 is connected, the alarm receiving unit 18 that receives the images and alarms of each surveillance camera through the data network 17, and the images of the surveillance cameras are displayed. It is equipped with a video display unit 19 to be used. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the alarm transfer unit 16 includes an alarm input unit 21 for inputting an alarm, a video input unit 28 for inputting a video, and a data storage unit 25 for temporarily storing video and alarm data. , The management data storage unit 26 that stores the destination phone number, etc., the operation unit 23 that changes the settings of the surveillance camera, the line control unit 27 that controls the line of the data network 17, and the operation of image transmission. It includes a control unit 22 for controlling.

【0008】

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the management data storage unit 26 has a call destination table (FIG. 5 (a)) in which the alarm number attached to each surveillance camera and the telephone number of the call destination are described in association with each other. , Setting item management data (Fig. 5 (b)) that describes data such as the image size and image quality of each surveillance camera and the audio band of the alarm in association with the alarm number is stored. In the call destination table, a plurality of telephone numbers are described in descending order of priority for one alarm number.

【0009】

In this surveillance camera system, when an abnormality is detected by the sensor 13, the alarm transmitting unit 12 converts the image of the surveillance camera input from the video input unit 11 into JPEG, and attaches this image data to this terminal. Output to LAN15 together with the alarm number and alarm signal.

【0010】

The alarm number and the alarm signal are input to the alarm input unit 21 of the alarm transfer unit 16, and the image data is input to the video input unit 28. When the alarm number is input, the control unit 22 stores the alarm number and the date and time in the data storage unit 25. Further, one frame of image data input from the video input unit 28 is stored in the data storage unit 25 in association with the data.

【0011】

The control unit 22 also refers to the destination table stored in the management data storage unit 26, reads out the telephone numbers corresponding to the alarm numbers in the order of priority, and transmits the telephone numbers to the line control unit 27.

【0012】

The line control unit 27 calls the transmitted telephone number, receives an incoming call response from the alarm receiving unit 18, and sets a communication line with the alarm receiving unit 18. The control unit 22 stores the transmission destination number in the data storage unit 25 in association with the alarm number and the date and time, and transmits an alarm signal to the alarm reception unit 18 through this communication line. The image data input from the video input unit 28 is transmitted from the line control unit 27 to the alarm receiving unit 18 of the transmission destination through the secured communication line.

【0013】

The alarm receiving unit 18 displays the received alarm by voice or the like, and also expands the received image data and displays it on the video display unit 19.

【0014】

Further, the alarm receiving unit 18 calls the alarm transfer unit 16 to request an image stored in the data storage unit 25, or requests the current image of the video input unit 11. The request of the alarm receiving unit 18 is transmitted to the control unit 22 via the line control unit 27, and the control unit 22 reads the image data of the requested date and time and the alarm number from the data storage unit 25, and the line control unit 22. 27 transmits to the alarm receiving unit 18, or the management unit 14 of the surveillance camera is instructed to transmit an image, and the transmitted image is transmitted from the line control unit 27 to the alarm receiving unit 18.

【0015】

Further, in this system, the setting items of each surveillance camera are managed by the management data storage unit 26 of the alarm transfer unit 16. When it is necessary to change these setting items in order to change the alarm transmission conditions or the shooting conditions, the operation unit 23 of the alarm transfer unit 16 performs the change operation and manages the data storage unit. The setting item management data stored in 26 is rewritten.

【0016】

When the setting item is changed, the control unit 22 transmits the change data to the management unit 14 of the corresponding surveillance camera through the LAN 15. The management unit 14 adjusts the characteristics of the video input unit 11 or the alarm transmission unit 12 according to this data.

【0017】

In this way, since this surveillance camera system is provided with an alarm transfer unit 16 that centrally manages a plurality of surveillance cameras, the management is facilitated, and images and alarm signals are efficiently transmitted using a network. It becomes possible to do.

【0018】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, in a configuration in which a plurality of surveillance cameras are centrally managed, it becomes difficult to detect the surveillance camera when an abnormality occurs in any of the surveillance cameras.

【0019】

An object of the present invention is to improve these points, and to provide a surveillance camera system capable of determining whether or not a surveillance camera is operating normally.

【0020】

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, in the surveillance camera system of the present invention, an alarm transfer unit for centrally managing the transmission of images output from a plurality of surveillance cameras on the network is provided, and information indicating the state of the surveillance camera is processed in this alarm transfer unit. The monitored unit information calculation unit is provided to identify the abnormal operation of the surveillance camera and output an alarm.

【0021】

Therefore, if there is a camera that is not operating normally among the surveillance cameras that are centrally managed, an alarm is issued and this alarm is transmitted through the network.

【0022】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention provides an alarm transfer unit that centrally manages transmission of images output from a plurality of surveillance cameras on a network in a surveillance camera system that transmits images of a plurality of surveillance cameras through a network. This alarm transfer unit is provided with a monitored unit information calculation unit that processes information indicating the status of the surveillance camera to identify abnormal operations of the surveillance camera and outputs an alarm. The surveillance camera is centrally managed. It is possible to identify a camera that is not operating normally.

【0023】

In the invention according to claim 2, the monitored unit information calculation unit calculates a conditional expression using information indicating the state of the surveillance camera as a parameter, obtains the value of this conditional expression, and compares the value with the threshold value. This is intended to identify abnormal operations, and it is possible to quantitatively determine abnormalities in surveillance cameras.

【0024】

The invention according to claim 3 is such that the monitored unit information calculation unit calculates a conditional expression using information representing the states of a plurality of surveillance cameras to identify an abnormal operation, and a plurality of monitors are monitored. By quantitatively comparing the state of the cameras, it is possible to identify the abnormality of the surveillance camera.

【0025】

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

【0026】

The surveillance camera system according to the embodiment of the present invention has the same overall configuration as that shown in FIG. Further, in this system, the alarm transfer unit 16 that centrally manages a plurality of surveillance cameras includes an alarm input unit 21 for inputting an alarm, a video input unit 28 for inputting video, and a video or alarm, as shown in FIG. Data storage unit 25 that temporarily stores data, management data storage unit 26 that stores destination table and setting item management data, operation unit 23 that changes the settings of the surveillance camera, and the line of the data network 17. It includes a line control unit 27 that controls and a control unit 22 that controls the operation of image transmission, and further receives information from the video input unit 11 and the alarm transmission unit 12 sent from the management unit 14 of the surveillance camera. It includes a monitored unit information calculation unit 29 that analyzes and determines whether the monitored unit (video input unit 11 and alarm transmission unit 12) is operating normally.

【0027】

In this surveillance camera system, the operation of transmitting an image or an alarm to the alarm receiver 18 is the same as that described above. Here, the operation of the monitored unit information calculation unit 29 that detects an abnormality in the monitored unit will be mainly described.

【0028】

The management unit 14 of the surveillance camera outputs the information of the video input unit 11 and the alarm transmission unit 12 to the LAN 15, and inputs these information to the monitored unit information calculation unit 29 of the alarm transfer unit 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the monitored unit information calculation unit 29 is Step 1: When the information of the monitored part is entered, Step 2: Calculate the conditional expression f (x, y, z) with this information as a parameter. Step 3: Compare the value of the conditional expression with the threshold value to determine whether the monitored unit is operating normally. If it is not working properly Step 4: The monitored unit information calculation unit 29 generates an alarm and outputs it to the control unit 22 together with the alarm number. Step 5: The control unit 22 reads the telephone number corresponding to the alarm number from the destination table and notifies the line control unit 27, and the line control unit 27 dials the telephone number to the alarm receiving unit 18. Send an alarm.

【0029】

In this way, when the operation of the video input unit 11 or the alarm transmitting unit 12 of the surveillance camera is abnormal, the abnormality is detected by the alarm transfer unit 16 and an alarm is sent to the alarm receiving unit 18 corresponding to the surveillance camera. , The abnormality of the surveillance camera is notified.

【0030】

Next, a specific example of quantitatively detecting an abnormality in the monitored unit from the information of the monitored unit will be described.

【0031】

When the alarm receiving unit 18 requests the current image of the surveillance camera and the image input unit 11 outputs an image in response to this request, the monitoring camera management unit 14 monitors the bit rate N of the image transmission. Output to the information calculation unit 29.

【0032】

The monitored unit information calculation unit 29 temporally integrates the bit rate n of the request signal of the alarm receiving unit 18 that requests an image from the surveillance camera for each surveillance camera, and is also transmitted from the management unit 14. The bit rate N of the image transmission of the surveillance camera is integrated over time. Then, the ratio r (= ΣN / Σn)) of the integral value of n to the integral value of N is calculated, this r is compared with the threshold value, and when r exceeds the threshold value, that is, for the image request. If the image supply is abnormally high, it is determined that the surveillance camera has run out of control and an alarm is generated.

【0033】

Further, for example, when the first surveillance camera is arranged at the first entrance and the second surveillance camera is arranged at the second entrance, the bit rate with the time of the first surveillance camera as a parameter is used. The ratio to the bit rate with the time of the second surveillance camera as a parameter is calculated, and if the change in the value of that ratio with time is within the frame of steady change, it is identified as normal, and this If the change exceeds the constant change frame, an alarm is generated assuming that an abnormality has occurred in one of the surveillance cameras or an abnormal event has occurred.

【0034】

In this way, by analyzing the data of one surveillance camera or comparing the data of a plurality of surveillance cameras, it is possible to detect an abnormality occurring in the monitored unit.

【0035】

Further, the alarm output by the monitored unit information calculation unit 29 is held in the data storage unit 25 for a certain period of time without being immediately transmitted to the alarm receiving unit 18, and during that time, the monitored unit information calculation unit 29 from the monitored unit information calculation unit 29. When other alarms are output, they can be collectively transmitted to the alarm receiving unit 18, so that the number of transmissions can be reduced and the communication charge can be reduced.

【0036】

[Effect of the invention]

As is clear from the above description, the surveillance camera system of the present invention can identify a camera that is not operating normally from a plurality of surveillance cameras that are centrally managed and notify it with an alarm.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

A block diagram showing a configuration of an alarm transfer unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]

A flow chart showing the operation of the monitored unit information calculation unit of the embodiment, [Fig. 3]

A block diagram showing the configuration of a surveillance camera system that centrally manages image transmission, [Fig. 4]

Block diagram showing the configuration of the alarm transfer unit of the surveillance camera system, [Fig. 5]

Destination table (a) and setting item management data (b) stored in the data storage section of the alarm transfer section, [Fig. 6]

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the conventional surveillance camera system.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Video input section 12 Alarm transmitter 13 sensor 14 Management Department 15 LAN 16 Alarm transfer unit 17 Data network 18 Alarm receiver 19 Video display 21 Alarm input section 22 Control unit 23 Operation unit 24 timer 25 Data storage unit 26 Management data storage 27 Line control unit 28 Video input section 29 Monitored unit Information calculation unit 41 camera 42, 44 Network I / F Department 43 network 45 Monitor terminal