US-12619233-B2 - Control device, control method, and computer program

US12619233B2US 12619233 B2US12619233 B2US 12619233B2US-12619233-B2

Abstract

A vehicle control system includes at least one imaging device attached to a vehicle and that captures multiple images, and a control circuit that generates a composite image from the multiple images and displays the composite image on a display unit. The vehicle is operated according to a user operation on a portion of the display unit on which the composite image is being displayed.

Inventors

Kohtaro Sabe
Peter Duerr

Assignees

Sony Group Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240216
Priority Date: 20141017

Claims (20)

1 . A vehicle control method, comprising: capturing, via at least one camera attached to a vehicle, a plurality of images; generating a 2D composite image from the plurality of images, and displaying the composite image on a display: operating the vehicle based on flight route information; and generating the flight route information based on an input position of a user operation on the display, wherein the flight route information includes an imaging position.
2 . The vehicle control method according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging position includes a position at which an imaging process is executed or an imaging direction.
3 . The vehicle control method according to claim 1 , further comprising: transmitting the flight route information to the vehicle.
4 . The vehicle control method according to claim 1 , further comprising: generating an inspection target based on the input position of the user operation on the display.
5 . The vehicle control method according to claim 4 , further comprising: generating the flight route information to keep a distance constant from the inspection target.
6 . The vehicle control method according to claim 4 , wherein the inspection target is an inspection region.
7 . The vehicle control method according to claim 1 , wherein the user operation is a touch operation, and the vehicle is configured to fly based on the flight route information in response to the touch operation.
8 . The vehicle control method according to claim 4 , wherein the user operation is a touch operation, and the vehicle is configured to fly based on the flight route information in response to the touch operation.
9 . The vehicle control method according to claim 5 , wherein the user operation is a touch operation, and the vehicle is configured to fly based on the flight route information in response to the touch operation.
10 . The vehicle control method according to claim 6 , wherein the user operation is a touch operation, and the vehicle is configured to fly based on the flight route information in response to the touch operation.
11 . The vehicle control method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a hovering machine.
12 . The vehicle control method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an automobile.
13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon which when executed by circuitry cause the circuitry to perform a vehicle control method comprising: capturing, via at least one camera attached to a vehicle, a plurality of images; generating a 2D composite image from the plurality of images, and displaying the composite image on a display; operating the vehicle based on flight route information; and generating the flight route information based on an input position of a user operation on the display, wherein the flight route information includes an imaging position.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein the imaging position includes a position at which an imaging process is executed or an imaging direction.
15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , further comprising: transmitting the flight route information to the vehicle.
16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13 , further comprising: generating an inspection target based on the input position of the user operation on the display.
17 . A vehicle control system, comprising: at least one camera attached to a vehicle and configured to capture a plurality of images; and circuitry configured to: generate a 2D composite image from the plurality of images, and display the composite image on a display; operate the vehicle based on flight route information; and generate the flight route information based on an input position of a user operation on the display, wherein the flight route information includes an imaging position.
18 . The vehicle control system according to claim 17 , wherein the imaging position includes a position at which an imaging process is executed or an imaging direction.
19 . The vehicle control system according to claim 17 , wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the flight route information to the vehicle.
20 . The vehicle control system according to claim 17 , wherein the circuitry is configured to generate an inspection target based on the input position of the user operation on the display.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/056,730, filed Nov. 18, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/232,699, filed Dec. 26, 2018 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,520,334), which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/505,541, filed Feb. 21, 2017 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,198,003), which is a National Stage Entry of PCT/JP2015/005142 filed Oct. 9, 2015, which claims the benefit of Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2014-212953 filed Oct. 17, 2014, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a control device, a control method, and a computer program. BACKGROUND ART A technology relating to a method for capturing photographs using a camera installed in a radio-controllable flying body has been disclosed (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). Using the camera installed in such a flying body, it is possible to capture photographs from the sky or a position in which a tripod is difficult to set. Capturing using a camera installed in a flying body brings various advantages in that costs can be suppressed, and safe capturing, capturing at a low altitude or in a narrow place, capturing in proximity to a target, and the like are possible in comparison to when a real aircraft or helicopter is used. CITATION LIST Patent Literature [PTL 1] JP 2006-27448A SUMMARY Technical Problem In order to operate a mobile object such as a vehicle which may be an automobile, a flying body or robot equipped with such a camera, a dedicated controller is typically necessary. Here, when the user can simply designate a movement instruction to the mobile object using an image captured by the mobile object, even the user who is unaccustomed to an operation of a mobile object is considered to be able to move the mobile object to a desired position easily. In this regard, the present disclosure proposes a control system, a control method, and a computer program, which are novel and improved and capable of giving an instruction to move the mobile object intuitively using an image obtained by capturing the mobile object. Solution to Problem According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle control system, comprising at least one imaging device attached to a vehicle and configured to capture a plurality of images; and a control circuit configured to generate a composite image from the plurality of images, and to display the composite image on a display unit, wherein the vehicle is operated according to a user operation on a portion of the display unit on which the composite image is being displayed. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle control method, comprising capturing, via at least one imaging device attached to a vehicle, a plurality of images; generating a composite image from the plurality of images, and displaying the composite image on a display unit; and operating the vehicle according to a user operation on a portion of the display unit on which the composite image is being displayed. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, computer system, comprising: at least one processing unit; and a memory, the memory including a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the computer system to cause at least one imaging device attached to a vehicle to capture a plurality of images, generate a composite image from the plurality of images, display the composite image on a display unit, and operate the vehicle according to a user operation on a portion of the display unit on which the composite image is being displayed. Advantageous Effects of Invention As described above, according to one or more of embodiments of the present disclosure, a control system, a control method, and a computer program, which are novel and improved and capable of giving an instruction to move the mobile object intuitively using an image captured by the mobile object are provided. Note that the effects described above are not necessarily limited, and along with or instead of the effects, any effect that is desired to be introduced in the present specification or other effects that can be expected from the present specification may be exhibited. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for describing an overview of an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an exemplary system configuration of an inspection system 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an exemplary function configuration of a hovering camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an exemplary function configuration of a control terminal 200 according to an embodiment of