Abstract: Arbitrarily setting display patterns of live pictures or reproduced pictures per monitoring area in accordance with the purpose of use. Video signals 41 of the picture shot by monitoring cameras installed in a plurality of locations are digitized per monitoring area using the predetermined standard and recorded on video recording apparatus 8. The video signals 41 are displayed on a monitor (not shown) as live pictures. In this practice, the signals undergo the multi-screen processing via multi-screen reproduce/decoding control means 11 and displayed on screens split by monitoring camera in a monitoring area or by monitoring area.

Abstract: An image search apparatus, which searches for an arbitrary image on an HDD whereon images, obtained by monitor cameras, are recorded in a time sequence for each screen, has a CPU which sequentially reads images from the HDD for individual screens, comparing means compares an image read by the CPU with a subsequently read image, designates the subsequently read image as an arbitrary image when the two images do not match, and transmits the arbitrary image to the CPU as the search results. Therefore, the image search apparatus can easily search for an arbitrary image among images that have been photographed by cameras and have been recorded in a time sequence.

Abstract: Arbitrarily setting display patterns of live pictures or reproduced pictures per monitoring area in accordance with the purpose of use. Video signals 41 of the picture shot by monitoring cameras installed in a plurality of locations are digitized per monitoring area using the predetermined standard and recorded on video recording apparatus 8. The video signals 41 are displayed on a monitor (not shown) as live pictures. In this practice, the signals undergo the multi-screen processing via multi-screen reproduce/decoding control means 11 and displayed on screens split by monitoring camera in a monitoring area or by monitoring area.