JPH03129976A - Remote control system for equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain remote control of an equipment by operating the equipment in an opposite direction by a control variable equivalent to nearly twice a difference between the time when a command stopping the equipment is received to a receiver and the time when the command is inputted to a transmission section and then stopping the equipment. CONSTITUTION:Clock sections 16, 26 are respectively provided to a transmitter 1 and a receiver 2 and when a command stopping an equipment is inputted to the receiver 2, the command is sent to the transmission 1 together with the time of the input of the command. The transmitter 1 activates the equipment in an opposite direction by a control variable equivalent to nearly twice a difference between time when a command stopping the equipment is received to the receiver and the time when the command is inputted to the transmitter and then stops the equipment. Thus, even when the transmission speed of a communication line 3 is slow, the equipment is stopped at a state when the information is acquired by applying stop operation of the equipment based on the information relating to the equipment received by the receiver 2. Thus, even when a remarkable delay exists in a transmission data, the remote control of the equipment is properly implemented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a remote control method for equipment using a communication line, and is used, for example, to control the direction of a surveillance camera.

[Prior Art] Image monitoring systems that transmit images captured by television cameras to remote locations using communication lines have been widely used for crime prevention and equipment monitoring. Furthermore, video conferencing systems that allow people in remote locations to have a conference while viewing images are also widely used.

By the way, since image data generally has a large amount of data, transmitting moving images requires an expensive broadband transmission line. Therefore, image data is compressed to 64K.
Many systems have been devised for transmitting image data in the form of semi-moving images or still images using low-speed digital lines such as BPS or analog general telephone lines. In such a system, it takes a considerable amount of time for the image captured by the TV camera to be played back on the receiver side. This time 1i varies depending on the line capacity, data compression method, distance between terminals, etc. Therefore, it is difficult to say in general terms, but approximately 64K
Several hundred tases using a system using bps digital line
In a system using an analog general telephone line, a delay of several seconds to several minutes occurs.

Therefore, the image reproduced on the receiver side is actually an image from several hundred LSees to several minutes ago.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the image transmission system as described above, there is a demand for the image receiving side to control the direction, zoom, aperture, etc. of the television camera installed on the transmitting side. .

However, since the image reproduced on the receiver side is an image from a while ago, there is a problem in that it is extremely difficult to remotely control the television camera on the transmitter side while viewing the reproduced image. In addition to image transmission systems like this, when operating some kind of equipment from a remote location, there may be large propagation delays due to slow lines or long distances.
Similarly, when there is a delay in transmitting information regarding the device or in transmitting a command for controlling the device, there is a similar problem in that it is extremely difficult to operate the device.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and its purpose is to provide remote control of equipment that allows accurate remote control of the equipment even if there is a considerable delay in transmitted data. The goal is to provide a method.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the invention according to claim 1, in order to solve the above problems, as shown in FIG. The receiver 2 receives information regarding the device via the communication line 3, inputs a command to stop the device through an input section such as the key input section 25, and receives this command through the communication line 3 while receiving the command. In a system that remotely controls equipment by transmitting the command to the transmitter 1 via the receiver 2, a clock section 26 is added to the receiver 2 to transmit the command to the transmitter 1 and also transmit the time when the command was input. The information is transmitted to the machine. The transmitter 1 includes a clock section 16 that is synchronized with the clock section 26 of the receiver 2.
is added, and when a command to stop the device is received, the clock unit 1 records the time when the command was received.
6, the device is operated in the opposite direction by a control amount corresponding to approximately twice the difference from the time when the command was input, and then the device is stopped.

Furthermore, in the invention as claimed in claim 2, when transmitting the information regarding the device from the transmitter 1 to the receiver R2, the time at which the information was obtained is added and transmitted. When a command to stop the device is input to the receiver 2, the time received from the transmitter 1 at that time is transmitted to the transmitter 1 together with the command. Then, transmitter 1 receives [
When a command to stop the device is received from transmitter 1, the time added to the command and the command are sent to transmitter 1.
Control is performed to increase the control amount corresponding to the difference between the time and the time received at the time.

[Operation] In the invention as claimed in claim 1, information regarding the device is transmitted from the transmitter 1 to the receiver 2 at a remote location via the communication line 3, and the receiver 2 transmits information regarding the device based on the received information. In a system for remotely controlling a device, the transmitter R1 and the receiver R2 are each equipped with a clock section 16°26, and when a command to stop the device is input to the receiver 2, the command is sent to the transmitter along with the time when the command was input. 3, and in transmitter 1, rM1 corresponds to approximately twice the difference between the time when the command to stop the device was received and the input time.
Since the device is moved in the opposite direction by n amount and then stopped, even if the transmission speed of the communication line 3 is slow,
If the device is stopped based on the information regarding the device received by the receiver 2, the device can be stopped with that information obtained.

In addition, in the invention as claimed in claim 2, when transmitting information regarding the device from the transmitter 1 to the receiver 8!2, the time at which the information was obtained is added and transmitted, and the receiver 2 transmits the information regarding the device. When a command to stop is input, the time received from transmitter 1 at that time is sent to transmitter 1 along with the command, so transmitter 1 transmits to receiver 2.
When receiving a command to stop a device from , it is possible to know at what time the command corresponds to information about the device obtained.

Then, when transmitting at receives a command to stop the device from receiving fi2, it moves the device in the opposite direction by a control amount corresponding to the difference between the time added to the command and the time when the command was received by transmitter 1. After making it work,
Since I controlled the equipment to stop, the receiving fi
If the device is stopped based on the information regarding the device received in step 2, the device can be stopped with that information obtained. Furthermore, since the clock section 26 of the receiver 2 is no longer necessary, there is no need to synchronize the time between the transmitting till and the receiver 2.

[Example] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

The transmitter 1 and the receiver 2 are connected via a communication line 3.The transmitter 1 has a television camera 1 for photographing the monitoring area.
1 is connected to a camera rotating stand 14 that can rotate the television camera 11 left and right. Send to communication line 3,
Also, a communication control unit 1 that receives data from a communication line 3
3, a rotary table control section 15 that controls the camera rotary table 14, and a clock section 16. The signal input section 12 includes an A/D converter for converting a video signal into image data, and may also include an image data compressor and the like as necessary.

An operation key 24 for remotely controlling the CRT 21 and the camera turntable is connected to the receiver 1112, and a communication control unit receives image data from the communication line 3 and sends data such as commands to the communication line 3. 23 and the image data received from the communication control unit 23 as a video signal.
It is comprised of a signal output section 22 that outputs to the RT 21, a key input section 25 that inputs signals from the operation keys 24, and a clock section 26. The signal output unit 22 includes a D/A converter and the like for converting image data into a video signal, and also includes an image data decompressor and the like when the image data is compressed. Note that the clock section 16 of the transmitter 1al and the clock section 26 of the receiver 2 are set so that their times match.

The operation of the embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. The image captured by the camera 11 is sent to 411
1 is converted into image data by the signal input unit 12, and sent to the communication line 3 by the communication control unit 13.
receives the image data from the communication line 3 by the communication control unit 23, converts it into a video signal by the signal output unit 22, and outputs it to the CRT.
Output to 21. Therefore, on the receiver 2 side, the CRT
By viewing the image displayed on the transmitter 21, it is possible to know the situation on the remote transmitter 1 side. However, since the communication line 113 is slow, there is a considerable delay before the video captured by the television camera 11 is displayed on the CRT 21. This delay time is assumed to be t (seconds). For example, if you want to see an image a little more to the right, press the right direction operation switch 24+ of the operation keys 24 for remote control of the camera rotating table. , detects this and transmits a camera right direction operation command from the communication control unit 23. When the transmitter 1 receives this camera rightward operation command, the transmitter 1 causes the rotary table controller 15 to rotate the camera rotary table 14 in the right direction. During this time, TV camera 11
The image taken in from is sequentially transmitted to the receiver 2 through the communication line 3 and displayed on the CRT 21, so a person can see that the television camera 11 is rotating clockwise by looking at the image on the CRT 21. I understand. If you want to stop the rotation of the television camera 11 at a certain point while watching the video that changes sequentially, you release the right direction operation switch 24b of the operation keys 24. However, at this time, the CRT 2
The image displayed on 1 was captured from the television camera 11 seconds before (time T0).
Therefore, the television camera 11 has turned too much in the right direction by one second. The key power unit 25 detects that the operation switch 24b is released, and transmits a camera operation stop command from the communication control unit 23. At this time, the camera operation stop command is received by the clock unit 26 of the receiver 2. The indicated time (temporarily assumed to be T) is added.

On the transmitter 1 side that received the camera operation stop command, the television camera 1
Rotate 1 in the opposite direction, that is, to the left, and stop. The difference between times T1 and T2 is the delay time from when the camera operation stop command is issued until the same command is received by the transmitter 1, and the delay time until the image captured from the television camera 11 is displayed on the CRT 14. It can be considered almost the same as time. Therefore, even if the delay time is unknown, time T can be reached by rotating and stopping the television camera 11 in the opposite direction, that is, to the left, for a time twice as long as the difference between times T1 and T2. TV camera 11 at a position equivalent to the position of TV camera 11 in
can be stopped.

In addition, when compressing/expanding image data, if the time required for compression/expansion cannot be ignored compared to the delay time t, add the compression/expansion time to twice the time difference between times T1 and T2. During this time, the television camera 11 may be rotated in the opposite direction, that is, to the left, and then stopped.

Next, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the invention according to claim 2. In the method shown in FIG. 3, data corresponding to one image captured by a television camera includes the shooting time T n -z, T n-+ *T at which the image was captured.
n, . . . are added and transmitted from the transmitter 1 to the receiver 2 via the communication line 3. Therefore, although the clock section 16 of the transmitter 1 is necessary, the clock section 26 of the receiver 2 may be omitted.In the embodiment shown in FIG. It shall be transmitted as frame communication data.

Therefore, of the two frames for image data transmission, one
The shooting time will be added to the frame. Now, if the right direction operation switch 24b of the operation key 24 for remote control of the camera rotary table is pressed on the side of the receiver 2, the key power section 25 detects this and the communication control section 23 controls the camera right direction operation. Send commands. When the transmitter 1 receives this camera right direction operation command, the transmitter 1 controls the rotating table controller 15.
The camera rotating table 14 is rotated to the right. During this time, the image captured from the television camera 11 is sequentially transmitted to the receiver 2 side through the communication line 3 and displayed on the CRT 21, so that when a person sees the image on the CRT 21, the television camera 11 rotates to the right. I know what you're doing. When you want to stop the rotation of the television camera 11 at a certain point while watching a video that changes sequentially,
Release the right direction operation switch 24& of the operation keys 24, but at this time the image displayed on the CRT 21 is
This is captured from the camera 11 at time Tn, and therefore the camera 11 has turned too far to the right. The key human power section 25 detects that the operation switch 24b has been released, and transmits a camera operation stop command from the communication control section 23. At this time, the camera operation stop command includes the image received from the transmitter 1. The transmitter 1 side that receives the camera operation stop command adds the photographing time Tn added to the data, and uses the photographing time Tn added to the command and the current time indicated by the clock section 16 of the transmitter 1. The television camera 11 is rotated in the opposite direction, that is, to the left, for the time corresponding to the difference in Tx, and then stopped. As a result, the television camera 11 returns to the camera position at the photographing time Tn, so that the television camera 11 can be stopped at the desired camera position on the receiver 8!2 side.

In the embodiment, a case has been described in which the television camera 11 is rotated to the right. However, when rotating the television camera 11 to the left, the left direction operation switch 24a may be operated instead of the right direction operation switch 24b; The operation is similar.

In addition, in the embodiment, only the horizontal direction control of the camera was described, but it is also possible to control the vertical direction, zoom, aperture, etc. Also, as in the embodiment, it is possible to remotely control the television camera. For example, when remotely controlling the positioning of movable equipment captured by a TV camera, or even when using VT.
Operations such as playback, stop, fast forwarding, rewinding, etc. may be performed by remote control while viewing the reproduced image of R from a remote location.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, in the present invention, information regarding a device is transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver at a remote location via a communication line,
In a system in which the receiver remotely controls the device based on the information received, the transmitter and the receiver are equipped with a clock section, and when the receiver sends a command to stop the device to the transmitter, it is necessary to The time is transmitted to the transmitter, and the transmitter operates the device in the opposite direction by a control amount equivalent to approximately twice the difference between the time when the command was received and the input time, and then operates the device. Since the device is stopped, even if the transmission speed of the communication line is slow, the device can be stopped while the receiver is trying to stop the device.

Further, in the invention as claimed in claim 2, the information regarding the device is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver with the time at which the information was obtained, and the receiver sends a command to stop the device to the transmitter. sometimes transmits to the transmitter the time it was received from the transmitter when that command was entered into the receiver;
When the transmitter side receives a command to stop the equipment from the receiver, it reverses the equipment by a control amount corresponding to the difference between the time added to the command and the time the command was received by the transmitter. Since the control is performed to stop the a2ii after it has been activated, the effect is that even if the transmission speed of the communication line is slow, the device can be stopped while the receiver is trying to stop the device. In addition, there is no need to provide a clock section on the receiver side, and therefore there is an effect that there is no need to synchronize the clock sections of the transmitter and receiver.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the same operation as the above, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the invention according to claim 2. 1 is a transmitter, 2 is a receiver, 3 is a communication line, 16°264
This is the clock club.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a system in which information about a device is transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver in a remote location via a communication line, and the receiver remotely operates the device based on the received information, the receiver has the ability to stop the device. an input section for inputting a command to stop the device, a clock section for reading the time when a command to stop the device is input, a command for receiving information about the device, and a command for stopping the device and inputting the command. The transmitter includes a communication control unit that transmits information regarding the device and receives commands from the receiver, and a clock unit that is synchronized with a clock unit of the receiver. When a command to stop the device is received from the receiver, the time when the command was received by the transmitter is read from the clock section on the transmitter side, and the time when the command was input on the receiver side is approximately twice the difference from the time when the command was input on the receiver side. 1. A remote control method for a device, comprising: a device control unit that controls the device to operate in the opposite direction by a control amount corresponding to , and then to stop the device. (2) In a system in which information about a device is transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver in a remote location via a communication line, and the receiver remotely operates the device based on the received information, the transmitter contains information about the device. a clock section for reading the time when the information was obtained, a communication control section for transmitting information about the device with the time at which the information was obtained and receiving commands from the receiver, and a communication control section for stopping the device from the receiver. When a command is received, the device is operated in the opposite direction by a control amount corresponding to the difference between the time added to the command and the time when the command was received by the transmitter, and then the device is stopped. The receiver includes an input section for inputting a command to stop the device, and an input section for receiving information about the device and the time added to the information, and a command for stopping the device and the corresponding input section. 1. A remote control method for equipment, comprising: a communication control unit that transmits time received from a transmitter when a command is input.