Abstract: A surveillance system having surveillance terminals and a surveillance center is configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type. The surveillance system comprises a plurality of surveillance terminals, which are connected to the surveillance center by a network, carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center. The surveillance center receives the hazard information signal, identifies what type of hazard source and the surveillance terminal that sent the hazard information signal, selects surveillance terminals to be alerted to the hazard from among the plurality of surveillance terminals, depending on the identified type of the hazard source and its locality, and sends a hazard alert signal to the selected surveillance terminals.

Abstract: A security camera system having one or more monitoring cameras, each of which transmits a digital video signal after compressing/encoding, are connected to a controller via a network. In the controller, a media control section stores the video signal supplied from the monitoring cameras in a storage medium and reads out the video signal as needed. Image processing for privacy protection is carried out to the real-time video signal supplied from the monitoring camera and the video signal read out from the storage medium. The level of the image processing for privacy protection is switched depending on the authority of a user who views the video image. Further, even for the same user authority, the image processing level for privacy protection is switched and adjusted depending on the size of the object in the video image.

Abstract: A surveillance system having surveillance terminals and a surveillance center is configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type. The surveillance system comprises a plurality of surveillance terminals, which are connected to the surveillance center by a network, carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center. The surveillance center receives the hazard information signal, identifies what type of hazard source and the surveillance terminal that sent the hazard information signal, selects surveillance terminals to be alerted to the hazard from among the plurality of surveillance terminals, depending on the identified type of the hazard source and its locality, and sends a hazard alert signal to the selected surveillance terminals.

Abstract: In a bitstream transcoder, the computational cost and the memory area are suppressed so that stream transcoding is performed with a reduced number of times of computing and a reduced memory area. The transcoder includes a VLD portion 11 for performing VLD on a bitstream encoded in MPEG-2 to output quantized DCT coefficients; an IQ portion 12 for receiving the coefficients, and outputting inverse-quantized DCT coefficients; a coefficient table 132 for storing a transformation matrix obtained by multiplying transformation matrices for operating band-limiting filter, IDCT, down-sampling and DCT, respectively, together in advance; a DCT scaling portion 13 for performing down-sampling on the DCT coefficients by use of the transformation matrix; a Q portion 15 for outputting quantized DCT coefficients down-sampled horizontally and vertically; and a VLC portion 16 for encoding the quantized DCT coefficients in MPEG-4 to output a bitstream.

Abstract: A surveillance system having surveillance terminals and a surveillance center is configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type. The surveillance system comprises a plurality of surveillance terminals, which are connected to the surveillance center by a network, carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center. The surveillance center receives the hazard information signal, identifies what type of hazard source and the surveillance terminal that sent the hazard information signal, selects surveillance terminals to be alerted to the hazard from among the plurality of surveillance terminals, depending on the identified type of the hazard source and its locality, and sends a hazard alert signal to the selected surveillance terminals.

Abstract: A security camera system having one or more monitoring cameras, each of which transmits a digital video signal after compressing/encoding, are connected to a controller via a network. In the controller, a media control section stores the video signal supplied from the monitoring cameras in a storage medium and reads out the video signal as needed. Image processing for privacy protection is carried out to the real-time video signal supplied from the monitoring camera and the video signal read out from the storage medium. The level of the image processing for privacy protection is switched depending on the authority of a user who views the video image. Further, even for the same user authority, the image processing level for privacy protection is switched and adjusted depending on the size of the object in the video image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a surveillance system, surveillance terminals, and a surveillance center, the surveillance system being configured to perform effective hazard alert signaling, depending on the hazard type, and a hazard and alert signaling method. The surveillance system of the invention where a plurality of surveillance terminals are connected to the surveillance center by a network carries out hazard and alert signaling. One surveillance terminal detects a hazard and sends a hazard information signal reporting what hazard has just been detected to the surveillance center.

Abstract: In a bitstream transcoder, the computational cost and the memory area are suppressed so that stream transcoding is performed with a reduced number of times of computing and a reduced memory area. The transcoder includes a VLD portion 11 for performing VLD on a bitstream encoded in MPEG-2 to output quantized DCT coefficients; an IQ portion 12 for receiving the coefficients, and outputting inverse-quantized DCT coefficients; a coefficient table 132 for storing a transformation matrix obtained by multiplying transformation matrices for operating band-limiting filter, IDCT, down-sampling and DCT, respectively, together in advance; a DCT scaling portion 13 for performing down-sampling on the DCT coefficients by use of the transformation matrix; a Q portion 15 for outputting quantized DCT coefficients down-sampled horizontally and vertically; and a VLC portion 16 for encoding the quantized DCT coefficients in MPEG-4 to output a bitstream.

Abstract: The large circuit scale problem is avoided by applying a systematic algorithm for both enlargement and reduction. A resolution conversion unit for converting the resolution of an input video signal with a magnification of M/N is provided with a storage part for storing the arithmetic result, an arithmetic part having an adding part for adding a positive integer M to an output of the storage part and a subtracting part for subtracting a positive integer N from the output of the storage part, a memory part for temporarily storing a video signal, a memory control part for generating a reading and/or writing control signal based on an output supplied from the arithmetic part, and a pixel value arithmetic part for calculating an output pixel value corresponding to a pixel value included in an input video signal based on an output supplied from the arithmetic part.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a security system and security apparatus with excellent user-friendliness. A receiver 5 acquires the phone number of a cellular phone carried by a visitor, the transfer function unit 204 checks the phone number thus acquired against the phone number of an anticipated visitor to identify the visitor, and transfers the information to a personal digital assistant (PDA) unit to be redirected if the transfer is judged to be necessary.

Abstract: A data processing system used for a net-order sale or the like includes a host apparatus connectable to a terminal apparatus via a network. The host apparatus includes a database in which cryptographic keys are registered in being caused to correspond to user IDs. The cryptographic keys are caused to be related in a one-to-one manner to appliance manufacture numbers of domestic electrical apparatuses onto which terminal apparatuses are integrated. The host apparatus retrieves, from the database, a cryptographic key corresponding to a user ID that accompanies a transaction request from the terminal apparatus. Using the retrieved cryptographic key, the host apparatus performs encryption/decryption processings of information data transmitted/received between the terminal apparatus and the host apparatus. Information having a one-to-one correspondence relationship with the appliance manufacture number of the domestic electrical apparatus is utilized as the whole of the cryptographic key.

Abstract: A still picture recording digital camera including a light quantity limiter for interrupting incident light to the camera; an image pickup unit including a pixel for converting the incident light to an electric pixel signal and outputting the pixel signal as a digital image signal; a signal processor for generating a digital image signal having a predetermined format; a recording unit for recording the digital image signal output from the image pickup unit or the signal processor; the light quantity limiter limiting the incident light quantity to a predetermined quantity and then interrupting the incident light; the image pickup unit outputting a dynamic picture digital image signal when the light quantity limiter is limiting the incident light quantity, and outputting a still picture image signal after the light quantity limiter has interrupted the incident light; and the signal processor performing different signal processing operations when the signal processor has received a digital image signal for a dyn

Abstract: A still picture recording digital camera including a light quantity limiter for interrupting incident light to the camera; an image pickup unit including a pixel for converting the incident light to an electric pixel signal and outputting the pixel signal as a digital image signal; a signal processor for generating a digital image signal having a predetermined format; a recording unit for recording the digital image signal output from the image pickup unit or the signal processor; the light quantity limiter limiting the incident light quantity to a predetermined quantity and then interrupting the incident light; the image pickup unit outputting a dynamic picture digital image signal when the light quantity limiter is limiting the incident light quantity, and outputting a still picture image signal after the light quantity limiter has interrupted the incident light; and the signal processor performing different signal processing operations when the signal processor has received a digital image signal for a dyn

Abstract: When defective pixels of a solid state image pickup device of a video camera are corrected by signal processes, a white spot noise is detected by closing an iris and by comparing the signal level and a level of only a dark current. Further, in this case, a gain of an AGC circuit for controlling a gain of a video signal is raised and a precise detection is executed. By executing such a detecting operation at the time of turn-on or turn-off of a power source, the user is not annoying. In the ordinary photographing, a reference level in detection of a white spot noise is set to an optimum value in accordance with a temperature of the solid state image pickup device or its peripheral temperature or the gain of the AGC circuit so that the white spot noise detection is not influenced by the temperature of the solid state image pickup device or the operating state of the AGC circuit.

Abstract: A still picture recording digital camera including a light quantity limiter for interrupting incident light to the camera; an image pickup unit including a pixel for converting the incident light to an electric pixel signal and outputting the pixel signal as a digital image signal; a signal processor for generating a digital image signal having a predetermined format; a recording unit for recording the digital image signal output from the image pickup unit or the signal processor; the light quantity limiter limiting the incident light quantity to a predetermined quantity and then interrupting the incident light; the image pickup unit outputting a dynamic picture digital image signal when the light quantity limiter is limiting the incident light quantity, and outputting a still picture image signal after the light quantity limiter has interrupted the incident light; and the signal processor performing different signal processing operations when the signal processor has received a digital image signal for a dyn

Abstract: When defective pixels of a solid state image pickup device of a video camera are corrected by signal processes, a white spot noise is detected by closing an iris and by comparing the signal level and a level of only a dark current. Further, in this case, a gain of an AGC circuit for controlling a gain of a video signal is raised and a precise detection is executed. By executing such a detecting operation at the time of turn-on or turn-off of a power source, the user is not annoying. In the ordinary photographing, a reference level in detection of a white spot noise is set to an optimum value in accordance with a temperature of the solid state image pickup device or its peripheral temperature or the gain of the AGC circuit so that the white spot noise detection is not influenced by the temperature of the solid state image pickup device or the operating state of the AGC circuit.

Abstract: A still picture recording digital camera including a light quantity limiter for interrupting incident light to the camera; an image pickup unit including a pixel for converting the incident light to an electric pixel signal and outputting the pixel signal as a digital image signal; a signal processor for generating a digital image signal having a predetermined format; a recording unit for recording the digital image signal output from the image pickup unit or the signal processor; the light quantity limiter limiting the incident light quantity to a predetermined quantity and then interrupting the incident light; the image pickup unit outputting a dynamic picture digital image signal when the light quantity limiter is limiting the incident light quantity, and outputting a still picture image signal after the light quantity limiter has interrupted the incident light; and the signal processor performing different signal processing operations when the signal processor has received a digital image signal for a dyn

Abstract: Output signals of a solid state image sensor 1 are processed in a signal processing circuit 3 and then supplied as brightness signals to a variable gain circuit 4, and gain of the circuit is varied for each color separation filter provided in the solid state image sensor 1, and in the case of achromatic objects, signal amounts for each color separation filter are made equal and moire is suppressed. In such a video camera, a noise reducer circuit 5 is provided and output signals of the variable gain circuit 4 are supplied to the noise reducer circuit 5 and adding processing is carried out during a plurality of horizontal scanning periods neighboring vertically thereby level variation (line pair) of the brightness signals for each horizontal scanning period is suppressed. A vertical resolution correction circuit 6 generates a vertical resolution correction signal from output signals of the signal processing circuit 3 there by degradation of the vertical resolution of the brightness signals is corrected.

Abstract: A video camera in which an output signal from a solid-state image sensor is converted into the corresponding digital signal at the horizontal reading cycle of the output signal, and the digital signal is digital-processed with a first predetermined clock (fs) synchronous with the reading cycle to provide a luminance signal and a color difference signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting a vertical aperture of an image generates a vertical aperture correction signal having no line pair component contained therein from a signal read out at every frame from an imaging apparatus using an imaging device of pixel mixing system, the circuit arrangement for realizing the vertical aperture correcting apparatus being such that an original signal, a 2H (H is a horizontal scanning period) delay signal and a 4H delay signal are generated from the imaging device and a sum of the original signal and the 4H delay signal is subtracted from the 2H delay signal to thereby generate a vertical aperture correction signal and also the circuit arrangement being such that luminance signal spectral characteristics are approximated at every horizontal scanning by adjusting a gain of a signal read out from the imaging device.