Monitoring camera system and monitoring method

A first camera sends a first detection notification to a master device when detecting a person in a first imaging area, and starts transmission of a captured video of the first imaging area to the master device by shifting an operation mode from a sleep mode to a standby mode. The master device notifies a camera other than the first camera of a shift instruction to the standby mode in accordance with the first detection notification. The other camera shifts the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode in accordance with the shift instruction to the standby mode, and starts buffering of a captured video of a second imaging area, and when detecting the person in the second imaging area in the standby mode, the other camera sends a second detection notification of the person to the master device, and starts transmission of the captured video of the second imaging area buffered before a first predetermined time period after a point of time at which the person is detected in the second imaging area, to the master device.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a monitoring camera system including, for example, one or more cameras which detect movement of a person, and a monitoring method using the monitoring camera system.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, as a part of home security, a monitoring camera system in which, for example, one or more security cameras (that is, monitoring cameras) are installed in or around an individual house, and in a case where a person (for example, a visitor or a suspicious person) is taken in a video captured by each of the security cameras, the video is recorded, is realized.

Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2009-237648 discloses an operator safety inspection apparatus which performs safety inspection of an operator by determining abnormality in a case of detecting a state where the operator who moves onto an image has stopped for a certain period of time or more by image processing for the purpose of performing safety inspection of the operator who performs an independent work at an indoor work site. However, in the above-described Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2009-237648, similar to the monitoring camera system of the above-described home security, monitoring of a person (for example, a visitor or a suspicious person) who has approached the individual house using the videos captured by each of the plurality of monitoring cameras is not considered. Here, an example in which the technology described in the above-described Patent Literature is applied to the monitoring camera system of the above-described home security is assumed. In this case, for example, since each of the monitoring cameras constantly performs imaging regardless of the time zone in which the person who approaches the individual house is present and the time zone in which the person who approaches the house is not present, there is a problem that the power consumption of all of the monitoring cameras increases. In particular, in a case where the monitoring camera is operated by battery driving, frequent replacement of the battery is forced due to an increase in power consumption amount, and usability as a monitoring camera system is not excellent.

SUMMARY

The disclosure is devised in view of the above-described situation of the related art, and an object of the disclosure is to provide a monitoring camera system and a monitoring method which control each of a plurality of monitoring cameras so as to activate each of the monitoring cameras when monitoring is necessary without constantly operating each of the plurality of monitoring cameras, and improve usability by performing efficient monitoring while reducing the power consumption of all of the monitoring cameras.

According to the disclosure, there is provided a monitoring camera system in which a plurality of cameras and a master device which controls an operation mode of each of the cameras are capable of communicating with each other, in which a first camera among the plurality of cameras sends a first detection notification of a person to the master device when detecting the person in a first imaging area, and starts transmission of a captured video of the first imaging area to the master device by shifting the operation mode from a sleep mode to a standby mode, in which the master device notifies a camera other than the first camera among the plurality of cameras of a shift instruction to the standby mode in accordance with the first detection notification sent from the first camera, and in which the other camera shifts the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode in accordance with the shift instruction to the standby mode sent from the master device, and starts buffering of a captured video of a second imaging area, and when detecting the person in the second imaging area in the standby mode, the other camera sends a second detection notification of the person to the master device, and starts transmission of the captured video of the second imaging area including the captured video buffered before a first predetermined time period after a point of time at which the person is detected in the second imaging area, to the master device.

According to the disclosure, it is possible to control each of a plurality of monitoring cameras so as to activate each of the monitoring cameras when monitoring is necessary without constantly operating each of the plurality of monitoring cameras, and to improve usability by performing efficient monitoring while reducing the power consumption of all of the monitoring cameras.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the embodiment) in which a monitoring camera system and a monitoring method according to the disclosure are specifically disclosed will be described in detail with reference to the appropriate drawings. However, there is a case where description detailed more than necessary is omitted. For example, there is a case where detailed descriptions of already well-known matters and redundant descriptions on substantially the same configuration are omitted. This is to avoid the unnecessary redundancy of the following description and to make it easy to understand the disclosure for those skilled in the art. In addition, the attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

The monitoring camera system according to the embodiment has, for example, a configuration in which a plurality of monitoring cameras are installed within a site (for example, including an indoor space or an outdoor space, such as a garden and a garage, within the site) of a house (that is, an individual house) of a user of the monitoring camera system (hereinafter, abbreviated as “user”). However, the monitoring camera system according to the embodiment is not limited to security applications within the site of the individual house of the user, and for example, the monitoring camera system may be used as security application in any place of business, such as shops, factories, or offices.

In addition, the disclosure is not limited to the monitoring camera system, can also be expressed as a monitoring method using the monitoring camera system, and can also be defined as a category of a device which is an access point or a monitoring camera that configures the monitoring camera system or a category of a program for causing the access point or the monitoring camera to execute different types of predetermined processing respectively.

FIG. 1is a view illustrating a layout example in which access point10and cameras30A,30B,30C, and30D which configure monitoring camera system100according to the embodiment are respectively installed within the individual house of the user.FIG. 2is a view illustrating a system configuration example of monitoring camera system100according to the embodiment. Monitoring camera system100is installed, for example, within the individual house of the user, and has a configuration in which router20which is wirelessly connected to smartphone50and a plurality of cameras30A,30B,30C, and30D are connected to each other via access point10so as to communicate with each other. InFIG. 1, smartphone50and router20are omitted.

Access point10(an example of a master device) has a role as a gateway related to communication between various devices that configure monitoring camera system100(refer toFIG. 2). In other words, access point10is a control device which controls the overall operation of monitoring camera system100, is wirelessly connected to camera30, for example, using a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), such as Wifi (registered trademark, and is wire-connected to router20using a wired LAN.

Access point10has a function of controlling operation modes of a plurality of cameras30and a function of recording data of captured videos captured by each of cameras30. The operation mode is a mode that defines the operation state of camera30, and includes, for example, a sleep mode and a standby mode. The sleep mode is a state where the operation of each part other than infrared sensor313at each part (refer toFIG. 4) of camera30is temporarily stopped. The standby mode is a state where each part of camera30including infrared sensor313is operable.

Router20is wire-connected to access point10using the wired LAN, such as Ethernet (registered trademark), and is wirelessly connected to smartphone50using the wireless LAN, such as Wifi (registered trademark). Router20performs relay processing of data or information between the plurality of cameras30and smartphone50or between access point10and smartphone50. Router20configures monitoring camera system100, and is installed within the individual house of the user.

Four cameras30A,30B,30C, and30D are so-called monitoring cameras (security cameras), have a function of enabling calling and communicating with smartphone50via access point10and router20, and are wirelessly connected to access point10using the wireless LAN. InFIG. 1, as cameras, for example, camera30A for an entrance which images the entrance of the individual house as a main imaging area (an example of a first imaging area), and cameras30B,30C, and30D which are installed on outer walls or the like of the individual house and respectively image the surrounding (for example, a garden or a garage) of the individual house as different imaging areas, are installed.

In addition, although not illustrated inFIG. 1, one or more cameras similar to30A to30D may be additionally installed in a predetermined place (for example, a corridor or a room) within the individual house. In the following description, in a case where it is not particularly necessary to distinguish the type of cameras30A,30B,30C, and30D, the cameras are collectively referred to as “camera30”.

For example, as illustrated inFIG. 1, camera30A performs imaging so as to include the entrance of the individual house of the user as an imaging area in the standby mode. In other words, in the sleep mode, camera30A does not image the imaging area of camera30A in order to suppress an increase in power consumption.

Similarly, in the standby mode, camera30B performs imaging so as to include the surrounding (for example, the whole outer wall part of a Japanese-style room) of the individual house of the user as an imaging area. In other words, in the sleep mode, camera30B does not image the imaging area of camera30B in order to suppress an increase in power consumption.

Similarly, in the standby mode, camera30C performs imaging so as to include the surrounding (for example, the whole outer wall part of a living room) of the individual house of the user as an imaging area. In other words, in the sleep mode, camera30C does not image the imaging area of camera30C in order to suppress an increase in power consumption.

Similarly, in the standby mode, camera30D performs imaging so as to include the surrounding (for example, the whole garden) of the individual house of the user as an imaging area. In other words, in the sleep mode, camera30D does not image the imaging area of camera30D in order to suppress an increase in power consumption.

In the embodiment, for example, in order to simplify attachment of each of cameras30that configure monitoring camera system100to the ceiling or the wall surface inside the individual house or the pole or the outer wall outside the individual house, cameras30are respectively configured by battery driving. In other words, although will be described in detail later with reference toFIG. 4, each part of camera30is supplied with electric power necessary for operation from battery314, and is not supplied with constant electric power via an AC adapter or the like from a commercial power source. Therefore, when monitoring camera system100of the embodiment is specifically realized, since each of cameras30is driven by batteries, it is required that power consumption is suppressed such that power consumption of each of cameras30does not increase. Therefore, as described above, in a case where each of cameras30does not receive instructions from access point10, for example, each of cameras30is in the sleep mode (that is, power saving mode) where the operation of each part other than infrared sensor313which will be described later is inactive. Therefore, camera30according to the embodiment considerably reduces the complexity of attaching camera30to the inside of the individual house of the user, compared to attachment in a case of being supplied with constant electric power from the commercial power source.

Since camera30is configured by battery driving, in a case where a shift instruction of the operation mode (for example, a shift instruction to the standby mode) is not received from access point10, camera30sets the operation mode to the sleep mode. In other words, when receiving the shift instruction (for example, the shift instruction to the standby mode) of the operation mode from access point10, camera30shifts the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode. In addition, even when camera30does not receive the shift instruction (for example, the shift instruction to the standby mode) of the operation mode from access point10, for example, in a case where a person or a movement is detected by infrared sensor313of camera30itself, the operation mode may be autonomously shifted from the sleep mode to the standby mode. Accordingly, in a case where camera30does not receive or cannot receive the shift instruction of the operation mode from access point10, it is possible to autonomously shift the operation mode of camera30from the sleep mode to the standby mode, and to improve security of the individual house. On the contrary, in a case where infrared sensor313does not detect a person or movement for a certain period of time, camera30may autonomously shift the operation mode of camera30from the standby mode to the sleep mode. Accordingly, in a case where camera30does not receive or cannot receive the shift instruction of the operation mode from access point10, it is possible to autonomously shift the operation mode of camera30from the standby mode to the sleep mode, and to achieve power saving.

Smartphone50is wirelessly connected to access point10locally (that is, within the individual house of the user) via router20(for example, a wireless router) using the wireless LAN. Accordingly, smartphone50can transmit and receive data or information (for example, a calling function and a communication function) with various cameras30installed in the individual house via router20and access point10.

In addition, smartphone50is wirelessly connected to other mobile phones or smartphones via a broadband mobile telephone network (so-called a carrier network) using various wireless communication standards, such as 3G (third generation mobile communication system), 4G (fourth generation mobile communication system), or 5G (fifth generation mobile communication system). Therefore, smartphone50can transmit and receive data or information to and from other wirelessly connected mobile phones or smartphones via the broadband mobile telephone network.

FIG. 3is a block diagram illustrating an example of an inner configuration of access point10. Access point10includes controller101, wired LAN communication I/F103, wireless LAN communication I/F105, operator107, light emitting diode (LED)109, external recording medium111, and power source113.

Controller101is configured by using a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP), and performs signal processing for controlling the overall operation of each part of access point10, data input and output processing with other parts, data arithmetic processing, and data storage processing.

Controller101performs various settings (for example, new registration of camera30capable of communicating with access point10and resetting of various setting information) based on, for example, an operation signal from operator107.

In addition, controller101acquires the data of the captured video transmitted from camera30via wireless LAN communication I/F105, writes the data in external recording medium111, and records (that is, video recording) the data.

Further, controller101turns on or blinks LED109according to a turning-on or blinking pattern that corresponds to the operation state (for example, a state of being on and off the power source of access point10and a state of the presence or absence of access to external recording medium111) of access point10.

Wired LAN communication I/F103is wire-connected to router20using the wired LAN, such as Ethernet (registered trademark), and transmits and receives the data or information to and from router20.

Wireless LAN communication I/F105is wirelessly connected to camera30using the wireless LAN, such as Wifi (registered trademark), and transmits and receives the data or information to and from camera30.

Operator107receives the operation of the user with respect to access point10and sends an operation signal based on the operation to controller101. For example, operator107includes a button for instructing new registration of camera30which is capable of communicating with access point10and a button for instructing reset (deletion) of various pieces of setting information.

Under the control of controller101, LED109is turned on or blinked according to the turning-on or blinking pattern that corresponds to the operation state (for example, a state of being on and off the power source of access point10and a state of the presence or absence of access to external recording medium111) of access point10.

External recording medium111(an example of a storage) is configured by using a recording medium, such as a semiconductor memory (for example, an SD card), and records (that is, video recording) data of captured videos transmitted from camera30under the control of controller101.

Power source113is constantly supplied with power from, for example, a commercial power source, and supplies the power necessary for each operation with respect to each part of access point10.

FIG. 4is a block diagram illustrating an example of an inner configuration of camera30. Camera30has a configuration including controller309, storage303, and operator305, performs an operation related to imaging, and stores the operation in storage303or receives an input operation of a user or a third person (for example, a person who has approached the individual house of the user) in operator305.

Storage303is configured using, for example, a random access memory (RAM) and a read only memory (ROM), holds programs and data necessary for the operation of camera30in the ROM, and temporarily holds data or information in the RAM when performing various types of processing using the program and data in controller309. For example, storage303may temporarily buffer (store) the data of the captured video when buffering (refer to the description below) the data of the captured video performed after camera30shifts to the standby mode.

Operator305is configured by using buttons that can receive operations of the user or the third person (for example, a person who has approached the individual house of the user), and sends an operation signal based on the operation of the user or the third person to controller309.

Controller309is configured using a processor (for example, a CPU, an MPU or a DSP), and performs signal processing for overall control of the operation of each part of camera30, data input and output processing with other parts, data arithmetic processing, and data storage processing.

Controller309performs various types of setting (for example, setting of an angle of view defining the imaging area of camera30) or processing based on the operation signal from operator305.

Further, for example, when acquiring the shift instruction to the standby mode transmitted from access point10in the sleep mode, controller309shifts (that is, switches) the operation mode of camera30from the sleep mode to the standby mode.

Further, when controller309does not detect the person for a certain period of time after detecting the person (for example, a suspicious person who has approached the vicinity of the individual house of the user) by infrared sensor313, controller309shifts (switches) the operation mode of camera30from the standby mode to the sleep mode.

Camera30has wireless LAN controller321and wireless LAN communication I/F322. Using wireless LAN controller321and wireless LAN communication I/F322, camera30transmits data of the captured video captured by camera30or data of voice collected by camera30to router20and smartphone50via access point10wirelessly connected by the wireless LAN. In addition, using wireless LAN controller321and wireless LAN communication I/F322, camera30receives various types of data, information, or instructions related to the processing which are transmitted from smartphone50from router20or smartphone50via access point10wirelessly connected by the wireless LAN.

Camera30includes voice bus307, voice input and output controller304, speaker329, and microphone328, and performs calling processing by inputting and outputting the voice, for example, with smartphone50. A voice signal (voice data) collected by microphone328is input to video memory controller316via voice bus307, and is temporarily stored (buffered) or stored in video memory315as video together with the signal (data of captured image) of the captured image captured by capture312. In addition, when transmitting the data of the captured video buffered or stored in video memory315to access point10, camera30reads the data of the captured video from video memory315in video memory controller316and outputs the data to wireless LAN controller321. Wireless LAN controller321transmits the data of the captured video read from video memory315to access point10via wireless LAN communication IT322and an antenna.

Camera30includes capture312, video memory controller316, and video memory315, and stores the data of the captured video of the imaging area captured by capture312in video memory315via video memory controller316. Capture312is configured using a lens and an imaging element (for example, an image sensor, such as a charged coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). When buffering (refer to the description below) of the data of the captured video which is performed after camera30is shifted to the standby mode, video memory315temporarily buffers (stores) the data of the captured video.

As an example of a motion sensor, camera30integrally incorporates infrared sensor313(an example of a first sensor and a second sensor) which is a passive infra red (PIR) sensor. By detecting a change in heat (for example, infrared light) emitted from the person, infrared sensor313senses (detects) the presence of the person in a detection target region of predetermined infrared sensor313. In a case of detecting the presence of the person in the detection target region, infrared sensor313sends a person detection notification to controller309.

In the embodiment, although camera30is driven by battery314, infrared sensor313operates not only in the standby mode but also in the sleep mode. In other words, infrared sensor313constantly operates while the power source of camera30is on even when the operation mode of camera30is in either the sleep mode or the standby mode, and senses the presence of the person in the detection target region.

Battery314supplies necessary electric power to each part of camera30. Battery314is, for example, four D-size batteries used as a power source of camera30. In addition, battery314may be a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a nickel hydrogen battery, a lithium ion battery, or a lead battery, as well as a primary battery, such as a manganese dry battery or an alkaline dry battery.

Next, regarding the operation of monitoring camera system100according to the embodiment, a first use case (refer toFIGS. 5A and 5B) and a second use case (refer toFIGS. 6A and 6B) will be described.

FIG. 5Ais an explanatory view illustrating an example of an intrusion path when suspicious person SUS has gone into an imaging area of camera2after approaching an imaging area of camera1.FIG. 5Bis a sequence view illustrating an example of an operation order of access point10and each of cameras30which correspond to the intrusion path of suspicious person SUS illustrated inFIG. 5A. In order to make it easy to understand the description ofFIG. 5B, for example, camera1ofFIG. 5Bis camera30A ofFIG. 5A, camera2ofFIG. 5Bis camera30D ofFIG. 5A, and camera3ofFIG. 5Bis camera30B ofFIG. 5A, but the invention is not limited to the example of the combination of the cameras.

InFIG. 5A, an aspect in which suspicious person SUS unknown to the user approaches the entrance where camera30A is installed around the individual house of the user where monitoring camera system100illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2is installed, and then, intrudes the path that goes into the garden where camera30D is installed, is illustrated.

InFIG. 5B, the power sources of all of cameras1,2, and3(that is, cameras30A,30D, and30B) are turned on, but all of the cameras are in the sleep mode (S1).

While all of cameras30are in the sleep mode, suspicious person SUS (that is, an intruder into the site of the individual house of the user) approaches, for example, the imaging area (an example of the first imaging area) of camera30A, and the presence of suspicious person SUS is detected by infrared sensor313of camera30A (S2). When acquiring the detection notification indicating that suspicious person SUS has been detected by infrared sensor313in controller309, camera30A transmits the detection notification (an example of a first detection notification) to access point10(S3a) and the operation mode of camera30A is shifted from the sleep mode to the standby mode in controller309. In addition, after shifting the operation mode of camera30A to the standby mode, camera30A starts transmission of the data of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30A captured by capture312to access point10(S3b). In addition, the processing in which camera30A transmits the data of the captured video to access point10in step S3bcontinues, for example, until the person is not detected for a certain period of time (an example of a second predetermined time period) after suspicious person SUS is detected by camera30A.

When receiving the data of the captured video sent from camera30A in step S3b, access point10starts recording (that is, video recording) of the data of the captured video in external recording medium111in controller101(S4). In addition, when receiving the detection notification sent from camera30A in step S3a, access point10notifies cameras (for example, camera30D that corresponds to camera2and camera30B that corresponds to camera3) other than camera30A of the shift instruction to the standby mode in accordance with the detection notification, respectively (S5).

When receiving the shift instruction to the standby mode sent from access point10in step S5, camera30D that corresponds to camera2shifts the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode in controller309in accordance with the shift instruction. Further, after shifting the operation mode of camera30D to the standby mode, camera30D starts buffering (so-called pre-recording) of the captured video of the imaging area (an example of the second imaging area) of camera30D captured by capture312in controller309(S6), temporarily stores the buffered captured video in video memory315, and continues the buffering of the captured video (S7). Accordingly, as will be described later, camera30D can constantly store and hold the data of the captured video captured in a proximate predetermined time period (for example, several seconds, that is, an example of the first predetermined time period) earlier than the point of time (specifically, the point of time at which the processing of step S8is performed) at which the data of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30D is transmitted to access point10.

Similarly, when receiving the shift instruction to the standby mode sent from access point10in step S5, camera30B that corresponds to camera3shifts the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode in controller309in accordance with the shift instruction. Further, after shifting the operation mode of camera30B to the standby mode, camera30B starts buffering (so-called pre-recording) of the captured video of the imaging area (an example of the third imaging area) of camera30B captured by capture312in controller309(S6), temporarily stores the buffered captured video in video memory315, and continues the buffering of the captured video (S7). Accordingly, camera30B can constantly store and hold the data of the captured video captured in a proximate predetermined time period (for example, several seconds, that is, an example of the first predetermined time period) earlier than the point of time at which the data of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30B is transmitted to access point10.

Here, in a case where suspicious person SUS goes into the garden where camera30D is installed from the vicinity of the entrance where camera30A is installed, suspicious person SUS is detected by infrared sensor313of camera30D (S8). When acquiring the detection notification indicating that suspicious person SUS has been detected by infrared sensor313in controller309, camera30D transmits the detection notification (an example of the second detection notification) to access point10(S9a), the transmission of the data of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30D buffered after step S6to access point10is started (S9b). In addition, the processing in which camera30D transmits the data of the captured video to access point10in step S9bcontinues, for example, until the person is not detected for a certain period of time (an example of the second predetermined time period) after suspicious person SUS is detected by camera30D. Here, the characteristic feature of the embodiment is that, in step S9b, camera30D transmits not only the data of the captured video after suspicious person SUS is detected in step S8, but also the data of the captured video before a predetermined time period (for example, several seconds, that is, an example of the first predetermined time period) during which the buffering is already performed earlier than the point of time at which suspicious person SUS is detected, to access point10. Accordingly, camera30D can transmit the data of the captured video before the point of time at which suspicious person SUS is detected at the point of time of step S8(that is, while suspicious person SUS is approaching the imaging area of camera30D) to access point10and record the data in access point10.

When receiving the data of the captured video sent from camera30D in step S9a, access point10starts the recording (that is, video recording) of the data of the captured video in external recording medium111in controller101(S10). As described above, access point10can record (that is, video recording) the data of the captured video before the point of time at which camera30D detects suspicious person SUS at the point of time of step S8(that is, while suspicious person SUS is approaching the imaging area of camera30D). Therefore, access point10can store the captured video that can specify an action, for example, when suspicious person SUS goes into the site of the individual house from the imaging area of camera30A and approaches the imaging area of camera30D, it is possible to effectively perform efficient monitoring of the individual house of the user as a monitoring area. Further, when receiving the detection notification sent from camera30D in step S9a, access point10transfers and notifies other cameras (for example, camera30A that corresponds to camera1and camera30B that corresponds to camera3) of the detection notification, respectively (S11).

It is determined that camera30B extends the buffering time of the captured video started in step S7in controller309(S12) when receiving the detection notification (that is, the notification indicating that suspicious person SUS is detected in the imaging area of camera30D) transferred in step S11. In other words, since suspicious person SUS is detected by another camera (camera30D in the example ofFIG. 5B) installed on the outer wall or the like of the individual house of the user, there is a possibility that suspicious person SUS still remains around the individual house of the user, and thus, the buffering of the captured video is continued in other cameras (for example, camera30B) where suspicious person SUS has not approached the imaging area yet (S7).

Meanwhile, in a case where camera30A no longer detects the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) for a certain period of time (an example of the second predetermined time period) after detecting suspicious person SUS in step S2, camera30A stops transmission of the data of the captured video captured by capture312to access point10in controller309(S13), and further transmits a video recording stop instruction for stopping the recording of the data of the captured video of camera30A to access point10(S14). Accordingly, in accordance with the video recording stop instruction transmitted from camera30A in step S14, access point10can stop the recording (that is, video recording) of the data of the captured video captured by camera30A in external recording medium111, and thus, for example, when performing the monitoring, it is possible to effectively suppress an increase or tightening of the recording capacity based on the video recording of the data of the captured video in a state where the need for recording is low (for example, a state where there is no person). In addition, although not illustrated inFIG. 5B, since camera30A does not detect the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) around camera30A for a certain period of time (an example of the second predetermined time period), the operation mode may be shifted from the standby mode to the sleep mode immediately after S14. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption of camera30A.

FIG. 6Ais an explanatory view illustrating an example of the intrusion path when suspicious person SUS does not approach the other cameras and goes away from the individual house after approaching the imaging area of camera1.FIG. 6Bis a sequence view illustrating an example of an operation order of access point10and each of cameras30which correspond to the intrusion path of suspicious person SUS illustrated inFIG. 6A. In order to make it easy to understand the description ofFIG. 6B, for example, camera1ofFIG. 6Bis camera30A ofFIG. 6A, camera2ofFIG. 6Bis camera30D ofFIG. 6A, and camera3ofFIG. 6Bis camera30B ofFIG. 6A, but the invention is not limited to the example of the combination of the cameras. In addition, in the description ofFIG. 6B, the same step numbers are assigned to the same processing as the processing ofFIG. 5B, the description will be simplified or omitted, and different contents will be described.

InFIG. 6A, an aspect in which suspicious person SUS unknown to the user approaches the entrance where camera30A is installed around the individual house of the user where monitoring camera system100illustrated inFIG. 1andFIG. 2is installed, and then, runs away to escape from the individual house, is illustrated.

InFIG. 6B, the power sources of all of cameras1,2, and3(that is, cameras30A,30D, and30B) are turned on, but all of the cameras are in the sleep mode (S1).

As illustrated inFIG. 6A, since suspicious person SUS ran away to escape from the individual house after being detected in the imaging area of camera30A, suspicious person SUS was not detected by any of camera30A,30D, and30B after suspicious person SUS is detected in step S2.

Therefore, since camera30A no longer detects the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) for a certain period of time (an example of the second predetermined time period) after detecting suspicious person SUS in step S2, camera30A stops the transmission of the data of the captured video captured by capture312to access point10in controller309(S13), and further transmits the video recording stop instruction for stopping the recording of the data of the captured video of camera30A to access point10(S14). Accordingly, in accordance with the video recording stop instruction transmitted from camera30A in step S14, access point10stops recording (that is, video recording) of the data of the captured video captured by camera30A in external recording medium111. In addition, camera30A shifts the operation mode from the standby mode to the sleep mode (S1) immediately after step S14. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption of camera30A.

Similarly, since camera30D no longer detects the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) for a certain period of time (an example of the third predetermined time period) after starting the buffering of the data of the captured video of the imaging area (an example of the second imaging area) of camera30D in step S6, camera30D stops the buffering of the data of the captured video which was continued in step S7(S21). In addition, camera30D shifts the operation mode from the standby mode to the sleep mode immediately after stopping the buffering of the data of the captured video (S1). Accordingly, since a state where no one is around continues for a certain period of time, camera30D can stop unnecessary buffering of the data of the captured video and can be shifted to the sleep mode, and accordingly, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption in camera30D.

Similarly, since camera30B no longer detects a person (for example, suspicious person SUS) for a certain period of time (an example of the third predetermined time period) after starting the buffering of the data of the captured video of the imaging area (an example of the third imaging area) of camera30B in step S6, camera30B stops the buffering of the data of the captured video which was continued in step S7(S21). In addition, camera30B shifts the operation mode from the standby mode to the sleep mode immediately after stopping the buffering of the data of the captured video (S1). Accordingly, since a state where no one is around continues for a certain period of time, camera30B can stop unnecessary buffering of the data of the captured video and can be shifted to the sleep mode, and accordingly, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption in camera30B.

Above, in monitoring camera system100according to the embodiment, the plurality of cameras30(for example, cameras30A,30B,30C, and30D) and access point10which controls the operation modes of each of the cameras30can communicate with each other. When camera30A (an example of the first camera) among the plurality of cameras30detects the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) in the imaging area of camera30A, camera30A sends the person detection notification (an example of the first detection notification) to access point10, shifts the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode, and starts the transmission of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30A to access point10. In accordance with the detection notification sent from camera30A, access point10notifies cameras30(for example, cameras30B,30C, and30D) other than camera30A among the plurality of cameras30of the shift instruction to the standby mode. In accordance with the shift instruction to the standby mode sent from access point10, other cameras30shift the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode, and starts the buffering of the captured video of the imaging area (an example of the second imaging area) of the other cameras. In addition, when detecting the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) in the imaging area of other cameras30in the standby mode, other cameras30send the person detection notification (an example of the second detection notification) to access point10, and starts the transmission of the captured video of the imaging area of other cameras30including the captured video buffered before a predetermined time period (an example of the first predetermined time period) after the point of time at which the person is detected by the imaging area of other cameras30, to access point10.

Accordingly, monitoring camera system100does not always operate each of the plurality of cameras30, and when it is necessary to monitor each of cameras30(for example, when suspicious person SUS is detected in the imaging area of any of cameras30A), it is possible to perform efficient control to shift (that is, activate) the operation mode from the sleep mode to the standby mode. Therefore, monitoring camera system100can improve the usability of monitoring camera system100by performing efficient monitoring while reducing the power consumption of all of cameras30which configure monitoring camera system100.

Further, camera30A has infrared sensor313(an example of a first sensor) capable of detecting the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) in the sleep mode, and infrared sensor313detects the person in the imaging area of camera30A. Similarly, other cameras30have infrared sensor313(an example of a second sensor) capable of detecting the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) in the sleep mode, and infrared sensor313detects the person in the imaging area of other cameras30. Accordingly, since each of cameras30which configure monitoring camera system100detects the person (for example, a suspicious person) by infrared sensor313as a minimum operation even when camera30is in the sleep mode, even when cameras30are configured by driving of battery314, an increase in power consumption is suppressed and necessary minimum monitoring is performed.

In addition, access point10starts recording of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30A sent from camera30A in external recording medium111. Access point10starts the recording of the captured video of the imaging area of other cameras30which is sent from other cameras30and includes the captured video buffered before a predetermined time period after the point of time at which the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) is detected, to external recording medium111. Accordingly, access point10can record (that is, video recording) the data of the captured video before the point of time at which other cameras30(for example, camera30D) detects suspicious person SUS (that is, while suspicious person SUS is approaching the imaging area of camera30D). Therefore, access point10can store the captured video that can specify an action, for example, when suspicious person SUS goes into the site of the individual house from the imaging area of camera30A and approaches the imaging area of camera30D, it is possible to effectively perform efficient monitoring of the individual house of the user as a monitoring area.

Further, in a case where camera30A no longer detects the person for a predetermined time period (an example of the second predetermined time period) after detecting the person (for example, suspicious person SUS), camera30A transmits the recording stop instruction (one example of the video recording stop instruction) of the captured video of the imaging area of camera30A to access point10. In accordance with recording stop instruction sent from camera30A, access point10stops recording the captured video of the imaging area of camera30A in external recording medium111. Accordingly, since access point10can stop the recording (that is, video recording) of the data of the captured video captured by camera30A in external recording medium111in accordance with the video recording stop instruction (one example of the recording stop instruction) transmitted from camera30A, for example, when performing the monitoring, it is possible to effectively suppress an increase or tightening of the recording capacity based on the video recording of the data of the captured video in a state where the need for recording is low (for example, a state where there is no person).

Further, other cameras30includes camera30D (an example of the second camera) which images the second imaging area and camera30B (an example of the third camera) which images the third imaging area. Access point10transfers the detection notification sent from the camera30D to camera30B. In accordance with the detection notification transferred from access point10, camera30B continues buffering by extending the buffering time for buffering the data of the captured video of the imaging area of the camera30B. Accordingly, since suspicious person SUS is newly detected by other cameras (for example, camera30D) installed on the outer wall or the like of the individual house of the user, there is a possibility that suspicious person SUS still remains around the individual house, and thus, even in a case where suspicious person SUS approaches the imaging area of camera30B where the suspicious person SUS has not yet approached, camera30B can buffer all of the details in which the person approaches the imaging area as the captured video and record the buffered captured video in access point10.

In addition, in a case where other cameras30do not detect the person for a certain period of time (one example of the third predetermined time period) after starting the buffering of the data of the captured video by receiving the person (for example, suspicious person SUS) detection notification transmitted from access point10, the buffering of the captured video of the imaging area of other cameras30is stopped. Accordingly, since a state where no one exists around other cameras30continues for a certain period of time, other cameras30can stop unnecessary buffering of the data of the captured video and can shift the operation mode to the sleep mode, and accordingly, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption in other cameras30.

Above, while the embodiments according to the disclosure have been described with reference to the drawings, it is needless to say that the disclosure is not limited to the examples. It is apparent for those skilled in the art that various modification examples or correction examples can be conceived within the scope described in the claims and those skilled in the art understand that the examples naturally fall within the technical scope of the disclosure. Further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention, each of the configuration elements in the above-described embodiment may be combined in any manner.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of the master device which configures the monitoring camera system according to the disclosure, access point10has a function of controlling the operation mode of each of cameras30that configure monitoring camera system100and recording (video recording) the data of the captured video transmitted from each of cameras30(hereinafter, referred to as “master device function”). However, the master device function may be provided, for example, in any camera30among the plurality of cameras30that configure monitoring camera system100. In this case, in monitoring camera system100, the configuration of access point10can be omitted in the system configuration illustrated inFIG. 2, and the system configuration can further be simplified.

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, all of cameras30which configure monitoring camera system100may share the above-described master device functions (that is, both the video recording function and the notification function which will be described later). The sharing method is not particularly limited, but for example, the functions may be shared in a time-division manner between each of cameras30at predetermined time intervals, or may be sequentially shared by a specific plurality of cameras30in advance by turns. Even in this case, monitoring camera system100can further simplify the system configuration by making it possible to omit the configuration of access point10in the system configuration illustrated inFIG. 2, and can avoid a case of having all of the master device functions only in specific camera30, and thus, it is possible to suppress an increase in the processing load on specific camera30or the capacity of video memory315.

In addition, the master device function (that is, the video recording function and the notification function) themselves may be shared. As an example, each of cameras30respectively has the video recording function (that is, a function of recording the data of the captured video captured by the camera itself) therein, and further, may share a function of sharing the notification function (that is, a function of notifying of the instruction for shifting the operation mode to the sleep mode or the standby mode) with respect to other cameras30in a time-division manner between each of cameras30by turns. Accordingly, monitoring camera system100can further simplify the system configuration by making it possible to omit the configuration of access point10in the system configuration illustrated inFIG. 2, and can avoid a case of having all of the master device functions only in specific camera30, and thus, it is possible to suppress an increase in the processing load on specific camera30or the capacity of video memory315.