Abstract: This invention provides an image input system capable of setting an arbitrary imaging inhibited area. This system displays a map showing the positions of cameras arranged in an office and the directions in which these cameras can be aimed, or displays the view angles of the cameras. An operator designates an imaging inhibited area on the map. In accordance with the designated imaging inhibited area, a limiting direction is calculated for each camera, and each camera is so controlled as not to point in that direction. Even when cameras are fixed, the system controls display so that an imaging inhibited area is not displayed.

Abstract: In order to freely select, locate and display an image from a remote place on a monitor to facilitate observer's use, disclosed are apparatus and methods arranged to perform operation of drag and drop of a symbol to a specific position on a map showing the symbol indicating information of the position where an image generator is set, thereby establishing logical network connection with a video transmission terminal to which the image generator is connected, to display a video in an arbitrary display area, to perform the drag and drop operation of the video displayed in the video display area to another video display area, thereby changing a video display position, and to perform the drag and drop operation thereof to a display stop symbol, thereby disconnecting the logical network connection to stop the video display of the video camera.

Abstract: This invention provides an image input system capable of setting an arbitrary imaging inhibited area. This system displays a map showing the positions of cameras arranged in an office and the directions in which these cameras can be aimed, or displays the view angles of the cameras. An operator designates an imaging inhibited area on the map. In accordance with the designated imaging inhibited area, a limiting direction is calculated for each camera, and each camera is so controlled as not to point in that direction. Even when cameras are fixed, the system controls display so that an imaging inhibited area is not displayed.

Abstract: This invention provides an image input system capable of setting an arbitrary imaging inhibited area. This system displays a map showing the positions of cameras arranged in an office and the directions in which these cameras can be aimed, or displays the view angles of the cameras. An operator designates an imaging inhibited area on the map. In accordance with the designated imaging inhibited area, a limiting direction is calculated for each camera, and each camera is so controlled as not to point in that direction. Even when cameras are fixed, the system controls display so that an imaging inhibited area is not displayed.

Abstract: A camera control system for displaying a video image inputted from a plurality of cameras, wherein in order to easily control each camera, a map showing positions of cameras is prepared. Along with the map, icons indicating the positions of cameras are displayed on the map so that the directions of the cameras can be identified on the map. An operator is able to select a camera referring to the map and see the video image of the selected camera. When each of the cameras is to be operated, an operator uses a pointing device to operate an icon for a camera on the map. In this camera control system, a camera corresponding to each icon can be controlled for zooming, panning, tilting and focusing by operating the icon for each camera. An operator may delete, add or move the icon for a camera according to an actual structure of the camera system.

Abstract: In order to freely select, locate and display an image from a remote place on a monitor to facilitate observer's use, disclosed are apparatus and methods arranged to perform operation of drag and drop of a symbol to a specific position on a map showing the symbol indicating information of the position where an image generator is set, thereby establishing logical network connection with a video transmission terminal to which the image generator is connected, to display a video in an arbitrary display area, to perform the drag and drop operation of the video displayed in the video display area to another video display area, thereby changing a video display position, and to perform the drag and drop operation thereof to a display stop symbol, thereby disconnecting the logical network connection to stop the video display of the video camera.

Abstract: In order to freely select, locate and display an image from a remote place on a monitor to facilitate observer's use, disclosed are apparatus and methods arranged to perform operation of drag and drop of a symbol to a specific position on a map showing the symbol indicating information of the position where an image generator is set, thereby establishing logical network connection with a video transmission terminal to which the image generator is connected, to display a video in an arbitrary display area, to perform the drag and drop operation of the video displayed in the video display area to another video display area, thereby changing a video display position, and to perform the drag and drop operation thereof to a display stop symbol, thereby disconnecting the logical network connection to stop the video display of the video camera.

Abstract: A camera control system for displaying a video image inputted from a plurality of cameras, wherein in order to easily control each camera, a map showing positions of cameras is prepared. Along with the map, icons indicating the positions of cameras are displayed on the map so that the directions of the cameras can be identified on the map. An operator is able to select a camera referring to the map and see the video image of the selected camera. When each of the cameras is to be operated, an operator uses a pointing device to operate an icon for a camera on the map. In this camera control system, a camera corresponding to each icon can be controlled for zooming, panning, tilting and focusing by operating the icon for each camera. An operator may delete, add or move the icon for a camera according to an actual structure of the camera system.

Abstract: In order to freely select, locate and display an image from a remote place on a monitor to facilitate observer's use, disclosed are apparatus and methods arranged to perform operation of drag and drop of a symbol to a specific position on a map showing the symbol indicating information of the position where an image generator is set, thereby establishing logical network connection with a video transmission terminal to which the image generator is connected, to display a video in an arbitrary display area, to perform the drag and drop operation of the video displayed in the video display area to another video display area, thereby changing a video display position, and to perform the drag and drop operation thereof to a display stop symbol, thereby disconnecting the logical network connection to stop the video display of the video camera.

Abstract: In order to freely select, locate and display an image from a remote place on a monitor to facilitate observer's use, disclosed are apparatus and methods arranged to perform operation of drag and drop of a symbol to a specific position on a map showing the symbol indicating information of the position where an image generator is set, thereby establishing logical network connection with a video transmission terminal to which the image generator is connected, to display a video in an arbitrary display area, to perform the drag and drop operation of the video displayed in the video display area to another video display area, thereby changing a video display position, and to perform the drag and drop operation thereof to a display stop symbol, thereby disconnecting the logical network connection to stop the video display of the video camera.

Abstract: An image retrieval method and apparatus for searching a plurality of images stored in an image file for a desired image are disclosed. When a designated image for designating an image to be retrieved for is input, and its color is designated, the sizes and colors are compared between description information which stores the feature of each of regions obtained by dividing each of images to be searched stored in the image file, and feature data of the designated image. In this manner, the regions, which are determined to be included in the designated image, of image data are obtained, and the similarities between the obtained regions of image data and the designated image are calculated. Image data having higher similarities are read out from the image file, and are displayed while being sorted in the descending order from the highest similarity.

Abstract: An image retrieval method and apparatus for searching a plurality of images stored in an image file for a desired image are disclosed. When a designated image for designating an image to be retrieved is input, and its color is designated, the sizes and colors are compared between description information which stores the feature of each of regions obtained by dividing each of images to be searched stored in the image file, and feature data of the designated image. In this manner, the regions, which are determined to be included in the designated image, of image data are obtained, and the similarities between the obtained regions of image data and the designated image are calculated. Image data having higher similarities are read out from the image file, and are displayed while being sorted in the descending order from the highest similarity.

Abstract: A terminal device which can set a connection status of a communication tool line between terminal devices in various ways and an electronic conference system having such a terminal device are provided. The terminal device for communicating information between remote terminal devices comprises a connection status operation/control unit for setting a connection status of a line to be used by the communication tool, a connection modification unit for changing the line connection in accordance with the content set by the connection status operation/control unit, a connection status modification convey unit for outputting the content set by the connection status operation/control unit to other terminal device, and a connection status modification inform unit for receiving the content of the modification of the line connection from the other terminal.

Abstract: A control unit controls an image searching system which performs a high quality search for a desired image in an image database by using color information. A sample image determined by an operator is used as a key to the search, and is input to a sample image input unit. A sample color information extraction unit extracts HSV color space data from the sample image, and an image color information extraction unit extracts HSV color image data from a plurality of images stored in the image database. A contribution factors deciding unit decides a contribution factor for each component in the HSV color space, and a candidate image deciding unit calculates a similarity between the plurality of images stored in the database and the sample image. Image candidates are determined based on the calculated similarity, and the image candidates are displayed on a display unit. The desired image is then selected from the displayed image candidates.