US-12627892-B2 - Dynamic input/output characteristic control apparatus for imaging system, control method, and storage medium

US12627892B2US 12627892 B2US12627892 B2US 12627892B2US-12627892-B2

Abstract

A control apparatus includes at least one memory, and at least one processor to select an imaging device operated from at least one imaging device connected to the control apparatus, acquire information indicating whether the selected imaging device is performing distribution, acquire an input signal for instructing a driving mechanism of the selected imaging device on a driving speed in a pan or tilt direction, and determine a control signal corresponding to the acquired input signal, the control signal being a signal that is output to the driving mechanism and that instructs the driving mechanism on a driving speed, wherein the control signal corresponding to the input signal is determined based on a first input/output characteristic in a case where the selected imaging device is performing distribution, and the control signal is determined based on a second input/output characteristic in a case where the imaging device is not performing distribution.

Inventors

Takao Kimura

Assignees

CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240612
Priority Date: 20230623

Claims (14)

1 . A control apparatus comprising: at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor, wherein execution of the stored instructions causes the at least one processor to: select an imaging device to be operated from at least one imaging device communicatively connected to the control apparatus; acquire information indicating whether the selected imaging device is performing distribution; acquire an input signal for instructing a driving mechanism of the selected imaging device to change an imaging direction of the selected imaging device in a pan direction or a tilt direction; and generate and output a control signal corresponding to the input signal using the acquired information, the control signal being a signal that is output to the driving mechanism and that indicates a driving speed at which the driving mechanism is to change the imaging direction of the selected imaging device, wherein the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a first driving speed that is generated based on a first input/output characteristic in a case where the selected imaging device is performing distribution, and the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a second driving speed that is generated based on a second input/output characteristic different from the first input/output characteristic in a case where the imaging device is not performing distribution, and wherein the first driving speed is different from the second driving speed.
2 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first driving speed is slower than the second driving speed.
3 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first input/output characteristic includes a first upper limit value of the driving speed indicated by the control signal, wherein the second input/output characteristic includes a second upper limit value of the driving speed indicated by the control signal, and wherein the first upper limit value is smaller than the second upper limit value.
4 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein execution of the stored instructions further causes the at least one processor to determine the first input/output characteristic based on the first upper limit value and determine the second input/output characteristic based on the second upper limit value.
5 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second upper limit value is a maximum speed at which the driving mechanism can drive.
6 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein execution of the stored instructions further causes the at least one processor to determine the first upper limit value based on the second upper limit value.
7 . The control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein execution of the stored instructions further causes the at least one processor to set the first upper limit value and the second upper limit value.
8 . The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input signal indicates an instructed driving speed.
9 . A control apparatus comprising; at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor, wherein execution of the stored instructions causes the at least one processor to: select an imaging device to be operated from at least one imaging device communicatively connected to the control apparatus; acquire information indicating whether the selected imaging device is performing distribution; acquire an input signal for instructing a driving mechanism of the selected imaging device to change a zoom or focus of the selected imaging device at an instructed driving speed; and generate and output a control signal corresponding to the input signal using the acquired information, the control signal being a signal that is output to the driving mechanism and that indicates a driving speed at which the driving mechanism is to change the zoom or focus of the selected imaging device, wherein the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a first driving speed that is generated based on a first input/output characteristic in a case where the selected imaging device is performing distribution, and the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a second driving speed that is generated based on a second input/output characteristic different from the first input/output characteristic in a case where the imaging device is not performing distribution, and wherein the first driving speed is different from the second driving speed.
10 . The control apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first driving speed output is slower than the second driving speed.
11 . The control apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first input/output characteristic includes a first upper limit value of the driving speed indicated by the control signal, wherein the second input/output characteristic includes a second upper limit value of the driving speed indicated by the control signal, and wherein the first upper limit value is smaller than the second upper limit value.
12 . A control method comprising: selecting an imaging device to be operated from at least one imaging device communicatively connected to a control apparatus; acquiring information indicating whether the selected imaging device is performing distribution; acquiring an input signal for instructing a driving mechanism of the selected imaging device to change an imaging direction of the imaging device in a pan direction or a tilt direction; and generating and outputting a control signal corresponding to the input signal using the acquired information, the control signal being a signal that is output to the driving mechanism and that indicates a driving speed at which the driving mechanism is to change the imaging direction of the selected imaging device, wherein the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a first driving speed that is generated based on a first input/output characteristic in a case where the selected imaging device is performing distribution, and the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a second driving speed that is generated based on a second input/output characteristic different from the first input/output characteristic in a case where the imaging device is not performing distribution, and wherein the first driving speed is different from the second driving speed.
13 . The control method according to claim 12 , wherein the input signal indicates an instructed driving speed.
14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer execute a method comprising: selecting an imaging device to be operated from at least one imaging device communicatively connected to a control apparatus; acquiring information indicating whether the selected imaging device is performing distribution; acquiring an input signal for instructing a driving mechanism of the selected imaging device to change an imaging direction of the selected imaging device in a pan direction or a tilt direction; and generating and outputting a control signal corresponding to the input signal using the acquired information, the control signal being a signal that is output to the driving mechanism and that indicates a driving speed at which the driving mechanism is to change the imaging direction of the selected imaging device, wherein the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a first driving speed that is generated based on a first input/output characteristic in a case where the selected imaging device is performing distribution, and the driving speed indicated by the control signal is a second driving speed that is generated based on a second input/output characteristic different from the first input/output characteristic in a case where the imaging device is not performing distribution, and wherein the first driving speed is different from the second driving speed.

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present relates to a control apparatus, a control method, and a storage medium. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the field of video production, there have been increasing opportunities to use a camera capable of remotely operating the imaging direction of the camera in a pan direction or a tilt direction. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-114521 discusses a control apparatus for controlling the imaging direction of a camera, which includes an adjustment unit for adjusting an upper limit value for the driving speed of the camera in the pan direction or tilt direction. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a control apparatus includes at least one memory storing instructions, and at least one processor that, upon execution of the stored instructions cause the at least one processor to select an imaging device to be operated from at least one imaging device communicatively connected to the control apparatus, acquire information indicating whether the selected at least one imaging device is performing distribution, acquire an input signal for instructing a driving mechanism of the selected imaging device for changing an imaging direction of the selected at least one imaging device on a driving speed in a pan direction or a tilt direction, and determine a control signal corresponding to the acquired input signal using the acquired information, the control signal being a signal that is output to the driving mechanism and that instructs the driving mechanism on a driving speed, wherein the control signal corresponding to the input signal is determined based on a first input/output characteristic in a case where the selected at least one imaging device is performing distribution, and the control signal corresponding to the input signal is determined based on a second input/output characteristic different from the first input/output characteristic in a case where the imaging device is not performing distribution. Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an imaging system. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram and a functional block diagram of the control apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of control of the control apparatus. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an input/output characteristic of a shift amount and a driving speed of an operation unit of the control apparatus. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating input/output characteristic of a shift amount and a driving speed of the operation unit of the control apparatus when an upper limit value of the driving speed is changed. FIGS. 6A and 6B are conceptual diagrams illustrating input/output characteristic of a shift amount and a driving speed of the operation unit of the control apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The exemplary embodiments to be described are examples of means of practicing the present disclosure, and should be modified or changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of an apparatus to which the present disclosure is applied and various conditions, and the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments. A part of each exemplary embodiment described below may be appropriately combined. (Configuration of Imaging System) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging system including a control apparatus 200 according to a first exemplary embodiment. The imaging system includes the control apparatus 200, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras 100 and 110, and a switcher 300. One or more PTZ cameras may be provided. (PTZ Camera) The PTZ cameras 100 and 110 are cameras capable of PTZ operation. The PTZ cameras 100 and 110 respectively include video output terminals 102 and 112, control communication terminals 103 and 113, tally lamps 101 and 111, and pan driving units, tilt driving units, zoom driving units, and focus driving units (not illustrated). The video output terminals 102 and 112 are terminals that output video captured by the PTZ cameras 100 and 110, and standards such as serial digital interface (SDI) and high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI)® are given as examples. Video outputting is not limited to the above examples, and may be a communication standard such as Ethernet in which video is packetized by internet protocol (IP). The control communication terminals 103 and 113 are terminals for receiving a control signal output (transmitted) from the control apparatus 200, and an example of the control communication terminals is an IP communication standard such as Ethernet. The standard is not limited to the example, and may be a serial communication standard such as recommended stand