Patent Abstract:
A method of transmitting a moving image and surveillance system using the method are provided. The method includes: receiving a frame image having a first resolution from a camera; generating a first frame image having the first resolution and a second frame image having a second resolution with respect to the frame image of a moving image; extracting an image of a setting region from the first frame image having the first resolution that is higher than the second resolution; generating a combined frame image by combining the extracted image of the setting region and the second frame image having the second resolution; and transmitting the combined frame image to a client apparatus.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     Methods and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a method of transmitting a moving image and a surveillance system using the method, and more particularly, to a method of transmitting, by a host apparatus, a live-view moving image from a camera or a playback moving image from an image storing apparatus to a client apparatus through a communication network, and a surveillance system using the method. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     An example of a system that enables a host apparatus to transmit a live-view moving image from a camera or a playback moving image from an image storing apparatus to a client apparatus through a communication network includes a surveillance system. 
     The resolution of a moving image generated by a photoelectric conversion device of a camera, such as a charge coupled device (CCD), is relatively high. However, it is almost impossible to transmit a live-view moving image having high resolution to a client apparatus through a communication network. 
     Accordingly, a host apparatus drastically reduces the resolution of a moving image and then transmits the moving image having low resolution to the client apparatus. Thus, a user of the client apparatus may feel inconvenience due to an unclear moving image in a region of interest. 
     SUMMARY 
     One or more exemplary embodiments include a method of transmitting a moving image, wherein, when a host apparatus transmits a live-view moving image from a camera or a playback moving image from an image storing apparatus to a client apparatus through a communication network, the host apparatus is able to transmit a moving image effective to a user to the client apparatus regardless of a data amount, i.e., even if the data amount is relatively small, and a surveillance system using the method. 
     Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the exemplary embodiments. 
     According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of transmitting a moving image, the method including: receiving a frame image having a first resolution from a camera; generating a first frame image having the first resolution and a second frame image having a second resolution with respect to the frame image of the moving image; extracting an image of a setting region from the first frame image having the first resolution that is higher than the second resolution; generating a combined frame image by combining the extracted image of the setting region and the second frame image having the second resolution; and transmitting the combined frame image to a client apparatus. 
     The transmitting of the combined frame image may include transmitting the second frame image having the second resolution and the extracted image of the setting region together. 
     According to an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of transmitting a moving image, the method including: receiving a frame image having a first resolution from a camera; generating a first frame image having the first resolution and a second frame image having a second resolution with respect to the frame image of the moving image; extracting an image of a setting region from the second frame image having the second resolution that is lower than the first resolution; generating a combined frame image by combining the extracted image of the setting region and the first frame image having the first resolution; and transmitting the combined frame image to a client apparatus. 
     According to an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of transmitting a moving image, the method including: receiving a frame image of the moving image from a camera; generating two frame images having different resolutions with respect to the frame image of the moving image; extracting an image of a setting region from one of the two frame images; generating a combined frame image by combining the extracted image of the setting region and the other one of the two frame images; and transmitting the combined frame image to a client apparatus. 
     According to an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a surveillance system which uses the method of transmitting a moving image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a surveillance system using a method of transmitting a moving image, according to an exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram for describing the method of  FIG. 1 , according to a first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart for describing operations of a host apparatus of  FIG. 1  performing the method according to the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of an example of a frame image having a second resolution in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of an example of a frame image having a first resolution, which is obtained by enlarging a setting region of the frame image of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an example of a combined frame image transmitted according to the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram for describing a method of transmitting a moving image, according to a second exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart for describing operations of the host apparatus of  FIG. 1  performing the method according to the second exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of an example of a combined frame image transmitted according to the second exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions and accompanying drawings are for understanding one or more exemplary embodiments, and well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the exemplary embodiments with unnecessary detail. 
     Also, the descriptions and drawings are not provided to limit one or more exemplary embodiments, and the range of one or more exemplary embodiments shall be determined by claims. Terms used herein shall be construed as having meanings and concepts corresponding to technical aspects of the one or more exemplary embodiments to most suitably describe the one or more embodiments. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the list. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a surveillance system using a method of transmitting a moving image, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     In  FIG. 1 , D IMA  denotes moving image data input to a communication network  4 , for example, the Internet, from each of cameras  1   a  through  1   n , or moving image data input from the communication network  4  to each of client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n.    
     D COM  denotes a communication signal between each of the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  and the communication network  4 , or a communication signal between the communication network  4  and each of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n.    
     D IMAT  denotes complex moving image data input from the communication network  4  to a host apparatus  2 , or complex moving image data input from the host apparatus  2  to the communication network  4 . 
     D COMT  denotes a complex communication signal between the host apparatus  2  and the communication network  4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the host apparatus  2  is connected to the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  and the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  through the communication network  4 , such as the Internet. Here, the number of client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  is generally higher than the number of cameras  1   a  through  1   n.    
     The cameras  1   a  through  1   n  transmit the moving image data D IMA  of a live-view to the host apparatus  2  while communicating with the host apparatus  2 . 
     The host apparatus  2  may store and transmit the moving image data D IMA  from the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  while loading the moving image data D IMA  in a volatile memory, or store the moving image data D IMA  in a nonvolatile memory. For example, the host apparatus  2  may transmit the moving image data D IMA  loaded according to channels from the volatile memory to the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n , or store, in a recording medium such as a hard disk drive, the moving image data D IMA . 
     The host apparatus  2  may generate two frame images having different resolutions, extract an image of a setting region from one of the two frame images, and combine the extracted image of the setting region and the other one of the two frame images to obtain a combined frame image. Here, the setting region may be a region fixed by a user, or a variable region, such as a motion detecting region. Since technologies of motion detection and face recognition are well known, descriptions thereof are not provided. 
     By transmitting the combined frame image to at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n , a moving image may be effectively transmitted to the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  even if the moving image has a relatively low amount of data. 
     For example, if a resolution of the image of the setting region is relatively high and a region of interest to a user of the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  is the setting region, the user may conveniently view the moving image since the region of interest may be clear. This will be described in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 6 . 
     On the other hand, if the resolution of the image of the setting region is relatively low and a photographing refrain region, such as private region, is the setting region, a function of the photographing refrain region may be conveniently performed and an amount of transmission data may be reduced. This will be described in more detail later with reference to  FIGS. 7 through 9 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram for describing the method of  FIG. 1 , according to a first exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a flowchart for describing operations of the host apparatus  2  of  FIG. 1  performing the method according to the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 . The method according to the first exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 3 . 
     Any one of the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  transmits a frame image  201  having a first resolution, i.e., a high resolution, to the host apparatus  2 . If the frame image  201  is compressed, the host apparatus  2  restores the frame image  201 . That is, the frame image  201  is a restored frame image. For example, the frame image  201  may be a playback moving image from an image storing apparatus included in the host apparatus  2 . 
     When the frame image  201  is input from the any one of the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  in operation S 301 , the host apparatus  2  generates a frame image  203  having a second resolution that is lower than the first resolution in operation S 303 . 
     In other words, the host apparatus  2  generates a frame image  203 H having the first resolution, i.e., the high resolution, and the frame image  203 L having the second resolution, i.e., the low resolution, according to a resolution changing program  202 . Since a resolution changing algorithm is well known, descriptions thereof are not provided. 
     The frame image  201  and the frame image  203 H are the same frame images. In other words, the host apparatus  2  only generates the frame image  203 L according to the resolution changing program  202 . Alternatively, the host apparatus  2  may generate the frame image  203 H having a resolution that is higher than the second resolution and lower than the first resolution according to the resolution changing program  202 . 
     Next, the host apparatus  2  extracts an image  204  of a setting region from the frame image  203 H, in operation S 305 . 
     Then, the host apparatus  2  generates a combined frame image  205  by combining the image  204  and the frame image  203 L, in operation S 307 . 
     Then, the host apparatus  2  transmits a compressed combined frame image  208  to at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n , together with a compressed frame image  207  having the second resolution and a compressed image  206  of the setting region, in operation S 309 . 
     In operation S 309 , the host apparatus  2  compresses the image  204 , the frame image  203 L, and the combined frame image  205  to generate the compressed image  206 , the compressed frame image  207 , and the compressed combined frame image  208 , respectively. 
     Then, the host apparatus  2  transmits the compressed combined frame image  208 , together with the compressed frame image  207  and the compressed image  206 . The host apparatus  2  may transmit only the compressed combined frame image  208  to the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n.    
     By transmitting the compressed frame image  207  and the compressed image  206  in operation S 309 , the at least one of the client apparatus  3   a  through  3   n  may display the compressed frame image  207  and the compressed image  206  together in a form of picture-in-picture (PIP). Accordingly, the user of the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  may immediately determine whether the compressed image  206  is located in the compressed frame image  207 . A reference numeral  209  in  FIG. 2  denotes a PIP image obtained by restoring the compressed frame image  207  and the compressed image  206  by the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n . Also, a reference numeral  210  of  FIG. 2  denotes a main image obtained by restoring the compressed combined frame image  208  by the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n.    
     Operations S 301  through S 309  are repeated until an end signal is received in operation  5311 . 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of an example of a frame image  401  having a second resolution in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 5  is a diagram of an example of a frame image  501  having a first resolution, which is obtained by enlarging a setting region of the frame image  401  of  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a diagram of an example of a combined frame image  601  transmitted according to the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 through 6 , an image  601 A of a setting region in the combined frame image  601  is clearer than an image  401 A of a setting region in the frame image  401 . 
     When a resolution of the image  601 A of the setting region is relatively high and a region of interest to the user of the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  is the image  601 A of the setting region, the user may conveniently view a moving image since the region of interest is clear. 
     According to the first exemplary embodiment described above with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 6 , since the combined frame image  601  is transmitted to the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n , a moving image may be effectively transmitted to the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  even if the moving image has a relatively low amount of data. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram for describing a method of transmitting a moving image, according to a second exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 8  is a flowchart for describing operations of the host apparatus  2  of  FIG. 1  performing the method according to the second exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 7 . The method according to the second exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1, 7, and 8 . 
     Any one of the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  transmits a frame image  701  having the first resolution, i.e., the high resolution, to the host apparatus  2 . Here, if the frame image  701  is compressed, the host apparatus  2  restores the frame image  701 . That is, the frame image  701  is a restored frame image. For example, the frame image  701  may be a playback moving image from the image storing apparatus included in the host apparatus  2 . 
     When the frame image  701  is input from the any one of the cameras  1   a  through  1   n  in operation S 801 , the host apparatus  2  generates a frame image  703 L having the second resolution that is lower than the first resolution in operation S 803 . 
     In other words, the host apparatus  2  generates a frame image  703 H having the first resolution, i.e., the high resolution, and the frame image  703 L having the second resolution, i.e., the low resolution, according to a resolution changing program  702 . Since a resolution changing algorithm is well known, descriptions thereof are not provided. 
     The frame image  701  and the frame image  703 H are the same frame images. In other words, the host apparatus  2  generates only the frame image  703 L according to the resolution changing program  702 . Alternatively, the host apparatus  2  may generate the frame image  703 H having a resolution that is higher than the second resolution and lower than the first resolution. 
     Then, the host apparatus  2  extracts an image  704  of a setting region from the frame image  703 L in operation S 805 . 
     Next, the host apparatus  2  generates a combined frame image  705  by combining the image  704  and the frame image  703 H in operation S 807 . 
     Then, the host apparatus  2  transmits the combined frame image  705  to at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  in operation S 809 . The host apparatus  2  may generate a compressed combined frame image by compressing the combined frame image  705 , and transmit the compressed combined frame image to the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n . A reference numeral  710  of  FIG. 7  denotes an image obtained by restoring the compressed combined frame image by the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n.    
     Operations S 801  through S 809  are repeated until an end signal is received in operation  5811 . 
       FIG. 9  is a diagram of an example of a combined frame image  901  transmitted according to the second exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , when a resolution of an image  901 A of a setting region is relatively low, and a photographing refrain region, such as a private region, is the image  901 A of the setting region, a function of the photographing refrain region may be conveniently performed and an amount of transmission data may be reduced. 
     According to the second exemplary embodiment described with reference to  FIGS. 7 through 9 , by transmitting the combined frame image  901  to at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n , a moving image may be effectively transmitted to the at least one of the client apparatuses  3   a  through  3   n  even if a data mount of the moving image is relatively low. 
     As described above, according to one or more exemplary embodiments, after two frame images having different resolutions are generated, an image of a setting region is extracted from one of the two frame images and the extracted image is combined to the other one of the two frame images to obtain a combined frame image. 
     By transmitting the combined frame image to a client apparatus, a moving image may be effectively transmitted to the client apparatus even if the moving image has a relatively low amount of data. 
     For example, if a resolution of the image of the setting region is relatively high, and a region of interest to a user of the client apparatus is the setting region, the user may conveniently view the moving image since the region of interest is clear. 
     On the other hand, if the resolution of the image of the setting region is relatively low, and a photographing refrain region, such as a private region, is the setting region, a function of the photographing refrain region may be conveniently performed and an amount of transmission data may be reduced. 
     The exemplary embodiments can be implemented through computer readable code on a computer readable recording medium to control at least one processing element to implement any above-described embodiment. The computer readable recording medium may be any type of recording device that stores data which can be read by a computer system. 
     The computer readable recording medium may include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over a network coupled to computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributive manner. Furthermore, the processing element may include a processor or a computer processor, and processing elements may be distributed and/or included in a single device. 
     It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each exemplary embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other exemplary embodiments. 
     While one or more exemplary embodiments have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6