Patent Description:
There are occasions when a person that requires care such as a child or an elderly person rides a moving body such as an aircraft or a train unaccompanied. In such a case, there is a demand by the family or guardian of the passenger to check on, by image, the state of the passenger from outside the moving body.

While it is possible to use an image captured by a camera disposed in the moving body, doing so may violate the privacy of other passengers. As such, from a practical standpoint, it has been difficult for the family or guardian of a passenger to check on the passenger from outside a moving body.

<CIT> A1relates to an imaging method, wherein an image including a plurality of people is captured and transmitted to devices belonging to people recognized within the image, The people may then approve or disapprove the image and, based thereon, portions corresponding to the people are removed from the image, which is subsequently published.

<CIT> relates to a camera system for counting passengers of a vehicle.

<CIT> relates to a monitoring system installed on a vehicle for determining whether or not seats of the vehicle are occupied.

The present disclosure provides an image transmission apparatus, a camera system, and an image transmission method useful for safely checking on the state of a passenger from outside a moving body.

Next, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the following, an example of a case in which the moving body is a commercial aircraft will be described.

Unless otherwise stipulated in each embodiment, as used in the following description, the shape, functions, and the like of the "camera" shall not be construed as being limited, and the term "camera" shall encompass dome, box, movable (pan and tilt), fixed, analog, digital, omnidirectional (<NUM>°), wired, wireless, and other types of cameras. The terms "image" and "image signal" shall be construed as encompassing videos and still images.

The phrase "processing to remove image region" shall be construed as encompassing masking the image region. The term "masking" shall be construed as encompassing modifying predetermined values so that the pixel values of the same image region are all a uniform color or subjecting the image region to mosaic or blurring processing.

In the following description, an example is given of a system that basically combines cameras and a separate device (a server or the like), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and embodiments are possible in which cameras are implemented alone.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a camera system <NUM> is installed in an aircraft <NUM>. The camera system <NUM> is communicably connected to a ground monitoring system <NUM> via an aircraft wireless device <NUM> installed in the aircraft <NUM>, a satellite wireless device <NUM>, and a ground wireless device <NUM>.

As described later, the camera system <NUM> includes a camera <NUM> and a server <NUM>. The camera system <NUM> captures images of the interior of the aircraft <NUM>, and outputs the captured images out of the aircraft via the aircraft wireless device <NUM>.

The aircraft wireless device <NUM> is installed in the aircraft <NUM> and controls an antenna (not illustrated in the drawings) that enables communication with the satellite wireless device <NUM>, and controls wireless signals for transmitting and receiving. Note that the aircraft wireless device <NUM> may bypass the satellite wireless device <NUM> and communicate directly with the ground wireless device <NUM>, such as in air-to-ground communication. The satellite wireless device <NUM> is a satellite that communicates with the aircraft wireless device <NUM> and the ground wireless device <NUM>. The ground wireless device <NUM> is capable of transmitting and receiving various signals to and from the satellite wireless device <NUM>, and is connected to the ground monitoring system <NUM>.

In one example, the ground monitoring system <NUM> includes a server owned by an airline company and devices owned by passengers and family members of the passengers that use the airline company. A passenger and/or family member of the passenger sends a confirmation request for an in-flight image for a specific aircraft (reserved aircraft or aircraft that the passenger is riding on) to the server from a device such as a smartphone or tablet. The server receives the image transmission request from the device and transmits an image transmission request signal to the camera system <NUM> via each of the ground wireless device <NUM>, the satellite wireless device <NUM>, and the aircraft wireless device <NUM>.

In an overall configuration such as that described above, in response to the request from the ground monitoring system <NUM> (the image transmission request signal), the camera system <NUM> transmits images, audio, and the like of the interior of the aircraft from the aircraft wireless device <NUM> to the ground monitoring system <NUM> via the satellite wireless device <NUM> and the ground wireless device <NUM>.

Note that the ground monitoring system <NUM> can be simultaneously connected to the wireless devices of a plurality of aircraft and, in the present disclosure, the operations and processing of the ground monitoring system <NUM> can be simultaneously executed for the camera systems of a plurality of aircraft.

<FIG> illustrates the relationships between seats and imaging ranges of cameras installed in the aircraft <NUM>. In <FIG>, the aircraft advancing direction D1 of the aircraft <NUM> is depicted as being in the left paper direction. In the aircraft <NUM>, seats <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> are arranged from front to back in the aircraft advancing direction D1. Cameras <NUM> and <NUM> are installed in the ceiling of an aisle area A23. In this case, the seats <NUM> to <NUM> are included in an imaging range A21, which is the imaging range of the camera <NUM>, and the seats <NUM> to <NUM> are included in an imaging range A22, which is the imaging range of the camera <NUM>.

Note that the number of seats, the positions of the cameras, and the imaging ranges illustrated in the drawings are merely examples and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in order to transmit the image of a passenger seated in a specific seat, the camera must be selected that has the imaging range that covers the specific seat. For example, in order to transmit the image of the passenger seated in seat <NUM>, the camera <NUM> that has the imaging range that covers the seat <NUM> is selected.

<FIG> illustrates the configuration of the camera system <NUM>. The camera system <NUM> includes a camera <NUM>, a camera <NUM>, and a server <NUM> that connects to the cameras <NUM> and <NUM>. Note that an example of the camera system <NUM> is described that includes two cameras (the camera <NUM> and the camera <NUM>). However, configurations are possible in which one camera or three or more cameras are provided.

The camera <NUM> includes an imager <NUM> and an image outputter <NUM>. The camera <NUM> includes an imager <NUM> and an image outputter <NUM>.

The imagers <NUM> and <NUM> each include a lens and an image sensor. The lens collects light that enters from outside the camera <NUM> and forms an image on the imaging surface of the image sensor. Examples of the lens include fisheye lenses and wide-angle lenses. The image sensor is, for example, an imaging device of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or a charged-coupled device (CCD). The image sensor converts the optical image formed on the imaging surface to an electrical signal.

In one example, each of the image outputters <NUM> and <NUM> includes a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP). Data (frames) of the captured image that are recognizable by humans are generated by performing predetermined signal processing using the electrical signals from the imager <NUM>, and the generated data is output as image signals.

The imager <NUM> captures the image of the imaging range A21 illustrated in <FIG>, and transmits an image signal to the image outputter <NUM>. Likewise, the imager <NUM> captures the image of the imaging range A22, and transmits an image signal to the image outputter <NUM>.

The image outputter <NUM> outputs the image signal, sent from the imager <NUM>, to the server <NUM>. Likewise, the image outputter <NUM> outputs the image signal, sent from the imager <NUM>, to the server <NUM>.

The server <NUM> includes a selector <NUM>, a receiver <NUM>, an image processor <NUM>, a transmitter <NUM>, and a storage <NUM>.

In one example, the selector <NUM> and the image processor <NUM> are constituted by a processor <NUM> that includes a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), or the like. The processor <NUM> realizes the functions of the selector <NUM> and the image processor <NUM> by executing a program that is stored in the memory.

The receiver <NUM> receives an image transmission request signal Re1 that is sent from the ground monitoring system <NUM> via the ground wireless device <NUM>, the satellite wireless device <NUM>, and the aircraft wireless device <NUM>.

The image transmission request signal Re1 includes imaging subject information that identifies the passenger to be imaged. The imaging subject information includes seat information that identifies the seat of the passenger to be imaged, and identification information of the passenger to be imaged (hereinafter referred to as "passenger identifying information").

The imaging subject information may be input in real-time (during travel) from the ground monitoring system <NUM>, or may be received prior to boarding and registered in the storage <NUM> or the like.

In one example, the seat information is the seat number. The passenger identifying information is information that identifies the passenger and, for example, is a ticket number, a reservation number, a member registration number for the airline company, a passport number, a password, or the like. From the standpoint of security and to limit the in-flight images that can be checked to those captured on the aircraft <NUM>, when transmitting the image transmission request signal Re1 from the ground monitoring system <NUM> to the server <NUM>, authentication information known only to the passenger may be simultaneously sent with the identifying information, and authentication processing (described later) may be performed.

The selector <NUM> receives the image signals output from the image outputter <NUM> of the camera <NUM> and the image signals output from the image outputter <NUM> of the camera <NUM>. The selector <NUM> acquires the image transmission request signal Re1 from the receiver <NUM>. As described later, the selector <NUM> selects the image captured by one camera among the plurality of cameras <NUM> and <NUM>.

A described later, the image processor <NUM> executes processing to remove other image regions aside from the image region that covers the passenger to be imaged from the image of the camera <NUM> or <NUM> that was selected by the selector <NUM>.

The transmitter <NUM> outputs, to the aircraft wireless device <NUM>, an image signal Im1 of the image processed by the image processor <NUM>, and transmits the image signal Im1 to the ground monitoring system <NUM> via the satellite wireless device <NUM> and the ground wireless device <NUM>.

The storage <NUM> is configured from a semiconductor member, a magnetic disk, or the like. In one example, the storage <NUM> stores tables T1 and T2 illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. The passenger identifying information (ticket number, reservation number, a member registration number for the airline company, password, or the like) and the seat information (seat number or the like) are associated and stored in the table T1. The seat information, camera information, and image region information are associated and stored in the table T2. The selector <NUM> uses these pieces of information for the authentication processing (described later) and for the selection of the camera image.

The camera information is information that identifies the camera that has the imaging range that covers a seat. In this case, each camera has an imaging range that covers a plurality of seats and, therefore, a plurality of seat information is associated with each camera and stored. When the image captured by the one camera has an imaging range that covers a plurality of seats (or passengers), the image region information is information that specifies the image region that covers the position of the seat (or passenger) to be imaged. For example, when, as illustrated in <FIG>, the imaging range of the camera <NUM> includes seats <NUM> to <NUM> and the requested imaging subject is the seat <NUM> (passenger P1), image region 41a is associated with the seat <NUM> (passenger P1) and stored, as illustrated in <FIG>.

The aircraft wireless device <NUM> that is connected to the camera system <NUM> includes a signal converter <NUM>. The signal converter <NUM> converts the image signal Im1 to a wireless signal and outputs the wireless signal. The outputted wireless signal is sent to the ground monitoring system <NUM> via the satellite wireless device <NUM> and the ground wireless device <NUM>.

The operations of the camera system <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>.

When the receiver <NUM> receives an image transmission request signal Re1 (S101; YES), the server <NUM> executes the following processing.

Authentication processing is executed by the selector <NUM> of the server <NUM> using the imaging subject information included in the image transmission request signal Re1. In one example, the selector <NUM> carries out the authentication processing by comparing the seat information and the passenger identifying information included in the imaging subject information with the seat information and the passenger identifying information of the table T1 of <FIG> that is stored in the storage <NUM> (S102). When, as a result of the comparison, the identifying information matches (S103; YES), step S104 is executed.

Note that a configuration is possible in which the imaging subject information included in the image transmission request signal Re1 includes only the passenger identifying information. In this case, the imaging subject information is compared with the passenger identifying information of the table T1 of <FIG> and, thereafter, the seat of the passenger is identified based on the correspondence relationship with the seat information of table T1.

The selector <NUM> identifies the seat of the passenger to be imaged based on the imaging subject information (S104). The selector <NUM> references the table T2 stored in the storage <NUM> to identify the camera that corresponds to the identified seat (S105), and selects the image captured by that camera (S106).

The selected image is processed by the image processor <NUM> (S107). Specifically, the image processor <NUM> references the table T2 (<FIG>) stored in the storage <NUM> to acquire the image region information (for example, coordinate values or the like) that corresponds to the seat information of the passenger to be imaged. The image processor <NUM> performs processing to remove image regions other than the image region that corresponds to the image region information.

<FIG> illustrates an example of the processing carried out by the image processor <NUM>. Here, an example of a case is described in which the seat specified by the imaging subject information is the seat <NUM>, and the image that includes the passenger P1 seated in the seat <NUM> is processed. As illustrated in <FIG>, the seat <NUM> is covered in the imaging range A21 of the camera <NUM>.

The unprocessed image <NUM> is an image signal that is input to the image processor <NUM> from the image outputter <NUM> of the camera <NUM>. The image includes, in addition to the passenger P1 seated in the seat <NUM>, the other passengers seated in the seats <NUM> to <NUM> that are covered in the imaging range A21 (<FIG>) of the camera <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the processed image <NUM> is an image signal that is output from the image processor <NUM>. The image processor <NUM> performs processing so that the image regions that cover passengers other than the passenger P1 seated in the seat <NUM> are covered by a privacy mask <NUM>. This processing is performed based on the information of table T2 of <FIG>. Note that the shape of the privacy mask <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is an example, and a configuration is possible in which masks are used that cover only the faces of the other passengers.

Additionally, the image processor <NUM> may be configured to remove, by facial recognition, the image regions other than the image region that covers the passenger to be imaged. For example, a configuration is possible in which the image processor <NUM> acquires feature information of the face of the passenger to be imaged, and performs processing to remove face regions that do not correspond with that feature information.

The processed image is sent, as the image signal Im1, by the transmitter <NUM> to the ground monitoring system <NUM> (S108). If there is an end operation (stop request from the ground monitoring system <NUM> or the like), the processing is ended.

Meanwhile, when the identifying information does not match and authentication fails in step S103 (S103; NO), the processor <NUM> of the server <NUM> sends a notification, indicating that an image will not be sent, from the transmitter <NUM> to the ground monitoring system <NUM> (S110).

In the camera system <NUM> according to the present disclosure, the server <NUM> as the image transmission apparatus is an apparatus that connects to the plurality of cameras <NUM> and <NUM> that image the interior of a moving body, namely the aircraft <NUM>. The server <NUM> includes the receiver <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, and the transmitter <NUM>. The receiver <NUM> receives the image transmission request signal Re1 and the imaging subject information that identifies the passenger to be imaged from the ground monitoring system <NUM>, which is an external device of the aircraft <NUM>. The processor <NUM> selects, based on the imaging subject information, an image captured by at least one camera of the plurality of cameras <NUM> and <NUM>, and executes processing to remove, from the selected image, the other image regions aside from the image region that covers the passenger to be imaged. The transmitter <NUM> transmits the processed image to the ground monitoring system <NUM>.

Typically, it is not possible to check on, by image, situations in an aircraft from outside the aircraft <NUM>. However, when, for example, a child or elderly person is unaccompanied, there is a demand by the family of the passenger to check on, by image, the state of the passenger during travel. In this case, it is possible to capture an image of the passenger using a camera that is installed in the aircraft and transmit that image out of the aircraft. However, if that captured image is sent without modification, there is a risk of violating the privacy of the other passengers. Additionally, since, unlike typical monitoring cameras, an image that includes a specific image target is selected from images captured by a plurality of cameras, there is a high risk of transmitting an image of the wrong person.

In the camera system <NUM> according to the present disclosure, the identifying information and the seat information of the passenger and the characteristics of the images captured by the cameras installed in the aircraft <NUM> are used. As such, it is possible to safely check on the state of a specific passenger from outside the aircraft while maintaining the privacy of the other passengers in the aircraft.

Additionally, in the camera system <NUM> according to the present disclosure, when an incident or accident occurs in the aircraft, images, audio, and the like of what occurred on-site at the time of the incident or accident can be recorded in the ground monitoring system <NUM>, and the recorded content can be reviewed after the incident or accident in order to investigate the cause of the incident or accident. Moreover, the images, audio, and the like in the aircraft <NUM> can be analyzed in real-time and used in a variety of applications. <NUM>-<NUM> Modification Examples.

The server <NUM> executes steps S201 to S203 in the same manner as steps S101 to S103 of the processing of <FIG>. The imaging subject information received together with the image transmission request signal Re1 includes feature information that enables facial recognition of the passenger to be imaged. Note that this feature information is not limited to being received together with the image transmission request signal Re1, and may be acquired in advance and stored in the storage <NUM> or the like.

The selector <NUM> selects, based on the seat information included in the imaging subject information or the seat information stored in the storage <NUM>, the image captured by the corresponding seat camera (S204). The processor <NUM> uses the passenger identifying information to perform facial recognition of the selected image (S205). When the facial recognition is successful, the image captured by that seat camera is selected (S206).

However, when the facial recognition in step S205 fails, the processor <NUM> of the server <NUM> acquires the images captured by the plurality of in-aircraft cameras (S207), and uses the passenger identifying information to perform facial recognition on the images captured by the various in-aircraft cameras that were acquired (S208). When there is an image that passes the facial recognition, the image captured by the in-aircraft camera that output that image is selected (S209).

The selected image is processed by the image processor <NUM> in the same manner as described for steps S107 to S108 of <FIG> (S210). The image captured by the in-aircraft camera that was selected in step S209 is subjected to processing to remove the image regions other than the image region that covers the passenger for which facial recognition was successful. The processed image is sent, as the image signal Im1, to the ground monitoring system <NUM> via the transmitter <NUM> (S211).

Meanwhile, when the identifying information does not match and authentication fails (S203; NO) or when the facial recognition in step S205 or S208 fails, the processor <NUM> sends a notification, indicating that an image will not be sent, to the ground monitoring system <NUM> via the transmitter <NUM>.

Note that, if the passenger to be imaged is not included in the image of the seat camera in step <NUM>, this means that the passenger indicated in the seat information of the passenger identifying information and the passenger that is actually seated in that seat do not match. In this case, the processor <NUM> of the server <NUM> may determine the seat information of the passenger for which facial recognition was successful from the selected image of the in-aircraft camera, and correct the seat information held by the server <NUM>.

Moreover, a configuration is possible in which the facial recognition processing is repeated at a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times when the passenger is not present in the seat in steps S205 or S208 (when recognition of a human face is not possible).

During take-off and landing of the aircraft and when it is necessary to prepare for sudden turbulence, passengers must be seated in the seats to ensure safety. Conventionally, crew members visually determine that passengers are seated by walking back and forth in the narrow aisles of the large aircraft and checking to confirm that each passenger is seated.

<FIG> illustrates the arrangement of a security camera system <NUM> in the aircraft. Note that the number and disposal locations of the cameras to be installed are examples.

<FIG> illustrates an imaging range of a camera to be installed in the aircraft. As illustrated in <FIG>, the interior of the aircraft is roughly divided into seat areas A62 and an aisle area A63. A camera <NUM> is installed in the ceiling of the aisle area A63. In this case, the imaging range of the camera <NUM> is as indicated by an imaging range A61.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating the configurations of a security camera system <NUM> and an aircraft system <NUM>.

The security camera system <NUM> includes the camera <NUM> and a server <NUM>. In this case, an example is described in which one camera is provided, but a configuration is possible in which two or more cameras are provided.

The camera <NUM> includes an imager <NUM> and an image outputter <NUM>. The operations of the imager <NUM> and the image outputter <NUM> are the same as those of the imager and the image outputter of Embodiment <NUM> and, as such, redundant descriptions thereof are avoided.

The server <NUM> includes an image analyzer <NUM> and an outputter <NUM>.

The image analyzer <NUM> receives image signals that are output from the image outputter <NUM> of the camera <NUM>. Additionally, the image analyzer <NUM> receives sit-down request information Re2 that is issued from the aircraft system <NUM> when taking off, landing, or when sudden turbulence is expected.

Moreover, upon receipt of the sit-down request information Re2, the image analyzer <NUM> analyzes the image signals and determines if there are passengers that are not seated. Then, when there is a passenger that is not seated, the image analyzer <NUM> calculates the positional information of the passenger based on an identification number, installation location, and the like of the camera that captured the image of the passenger, and issues a notification, as a not-seated alert Al1, to the aircraft system <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates an example of an image <NUM> output from the image outputter <NUM> of the camera <NUM>. The image analyzer <NUM> acquires the image <NUM>, determines the seat areas A62 and the aisle area A63, and analyzes whether a passenger is present in the aisle area A63. In the example illustrated in <FIG>, since a passenger P2 is present in the aisle area A63, the not-seated alert Al1 is issued via the outputter <NUM> to the aircraft system <NUM>, and the crew members are notified.

Note that the image analyzer <NUM> can determine if the person present in the aisle area is a passenger or a crew member based on clothing, hair style, movement, or the like. Thus, the generation of not-seated alerts Al1 about crew members can be suppressed.

Note that a configuration is possible in which the image analyzer <NUM> executes an analysis of the image signal not only upon receipt of the sit-down request information Re2, but also at a predetermined cycle after the sit-down request information Re2 is received. As a result of this configuration, the content of the not-seated alert Al1 can be updated and notified to the crew members as a time series. For example, it is possible to exclude passengers from the not-seated alerts A11, who were in the aisle area immediately after the fasten seatbelt sign was turned on (immediately after receipt of sit-down request information Re2) but sat down right away. Additionally, it is possible to identify aisle areas in which passengers are present for an extended amount of time after the fasten seatbelt sign has been turned on, and not-seated alerts Al1 can be updated so as to direct the crew members to those aisle areas with priority.

Furthermore, the image analyzer <NUM> may count, in the image signal, the number of people present in an aisle area, and change the priority of the positional information included in the not-seated alert Al1 depending on the number of people. For example, assume that five passengers are present in an aisle area captured by a first camera and one passenger is present in an aisle area captured by a second camera. In this case, the image analyzer <NUM> can assign higher priority to the positional information in the aircraft calculated based on the installation location of the first camera than to the positional information in the aircraft calculated based on the installation position of the second camera, include this priority in the not-seated alert A11, and notify the crew members. As a result of this configuration, the crew members can efficiently start guiding passengers to their seats, beginning with the locations where there are more passengers in the aisle areas.

During take-off and landing of the aircraft and when it is necessary to prepare for sudden turbulence, the seated state of each passenger can be confirmed without the crew members needing to walk back and forth in the aisles, and the workload of the crew members prior to take-off and landing can be lightened.

The embodiments described above have been given as examples of the technology that is disclosed in the present application. However, the technology according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and changes, substitutions, additions, and omissions can be applied to the embodiments. Moreover, the constituents described in the embodiments may be combined to create new embodiments.

In the embodiments described above, an example is described in which the moving body is an aircraft, but the technology according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the technology according to the present disclosure may be installed in a train, a bus, a marine vessel, or other vehicle.

Moreover, the processor <NUM> of the server <NUM> may be implemented by a processor that is constituted by a dedicated electronic circuit that is designed to realize a predetermined function. Examples of such a processor include an FPGA and an ASIC.

Additionally, the program for performing the processing of each functional block of the server <NUM> may be stored in a storage device such as a hard disk or ROM. In this case, the program is read out to the ROM or RAM to be executed.

The processing of each functional block of the server <NUM> may be realized by hardware, or may by realized by software (including cases when realized by an operating system (OS) or middleware, or with a predetermined library). Furthermore, the processing of each functional block of the server <NUM> maybe realized by mixed processing by software and hardware.

Programs and methods that cause a computer to execute the processing of the various functional blocks of the server <NUM>, and computer-readable recording media on which those programs are stored are within the scope of the present disclosure. Examples of computer-readable recording media include flexible disks, hard disks, CD-ROMs, MOs, DVDs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-RAMs, BDs (Blu-ray Disc), and semiconductor memory. The computer program is not limited to being stored on the recording media described above, and may be acquired over an electric telecommunication line, a wireless or wired communication line, a network such as the Internet, or the like.

Each step described in the flowcharts may be executed by a single device, or may be shared and executed by a plurality of devices. Furthermore, when a single step includes a plurality of processes, the plurality of process of that single step may be executed by a single device, or may be shared and executed by a plurality of devices.

Claim 1:
An image transmission apparatus (<NUM>) connectable to a plurality of cameras (<NUM>, <NUM>) disposed in a vehicle (<NUM>) that image an interior of the vehicle (<NUM>), the image transmission apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a receiver (<NUM>) that receives, from an external device (<NUM>) of the vehicle (<NUM>), an image transmission request including imaging subject information that identifies a passenger of the vehicle (<NUM>) to be imaged;
a processor (<NUM>) that selects, based on the imaging subject information, an image captured by at least one camera of the plurality of cameras (<NUM>,<NUM>), and executes processing to remove, from the image, other image regions aside from an image region that covers the passenger to be imaged; and
a transmitter (<NUM>) that transmits the image that has been processed to the external device (<NUM>);
characterized in that
the plurality of cameras (<NUM>, <NUM>) include a first camera that has an imaging range covering a seat of the vehicle (<NUM>), and a second camera that has an imaging range covering a plurality of seats,
the imaging subject information includes seat information of the vehicle (<NUM>), and identification information that indicates a feature of a face of the passenger to be imaged, and
the processor (<NUM>)
acquires an image captured by the first camera that corresponds to the seat of the seat information,
determines, based on the identification information, whether the passenger to be imaged is included in the image captured by the first camera,
when the passenger to be imaged is included in the image captured by the first camera, selects the image captured by the first camera,
when the passenger to be imaged is not included in the image captured by the first camera, selects, based on the identification information, an image captured by at least one second camera that has an imaging range covering the passenger to be imaged, and
changes the seat information when the passenger to be imaged is not included in the image captured by the first camera.