Patent ID: 6055014
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A control apparatus comprising:an image taking means for photographing an image of a predetermined photographic object;a driving means for driving said image taking means in any arbitrary direction;a photographic-object detecting means for detecting a position of said photographic object on said image photographed by said image taking means;a first control means for controlling said driving means so as to minimize the magnitude of a displacement of said position of said photographic object detected by said photographic-object detecting means from a predetermined reference position on said image;a dividing means for dividing a space photographable by said image taking means into first and second spaces in accordance with the position detected by said photographic-obiect detecting means, said first space allowing said image taking means to photograph an image thereof and said second space inhibiting said image taking means from photographing an image thereof; anda second control means for finding a driving range allowing said image taking means to be driven therein and for driving said image taking means only within said driving range so as to prevent said image taking means from photographing an image of said second space.