Image recording/reproducing apparatus in monitor system

(54) IMAGE RECORDING/REPRODUCING APPARATUS IN MONITOR SYSTEM

(75) Inventors: Shigeki Nagaya, Chofu (JP); Takafumi Miyatake, Hachioji (JP); Takehiro Fujita, Mitaka (JP); Akio Nagasaka, Kodaira (JP)

(73) Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/493,240

(22) Filed: Jan. 28, 2000

(30) Foreign Application Priority Data

Jan. 29, 1999 (JP) 11-021241

(51) Int. CI.7 G06F 17/30

(52) U.S. CI 707/1; 707/2; 707/3; 348/135;

348/143; 348/155

(58) Field of Search 707/500, 501,

707/502, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 709/217, 218, 219; 348/135, 143, 155; 382/100, 173, 232

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,229,850 A 7/1993 Toyoshima

5,809,202 A * 9/1998 Gotoh et al 386/69

5,969,755 A * 10/1999 Courtney 348/143

6,003,030 A * 12/1999 Kenner et al 707/10

6,006,265 A * 12/1999 Rangan et al 709/226

6,360,234 B2 * 3/2002 Jain et al 707/500.1

6,483,532 Bl * 11/2002 Girod 348/14.12

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

GB 2271460 4/1994

For image recording/reproduction in a monitoring system, a monitoring image signal as inputted is converted into a plurality ol time-serial digitized monitoring image frames to be stored temporarily in a first storage area. From the plurality ol digitized monitoring image frames stored in the first storage area, a plurality ol monitoring image frames relevant to at least one type ol concerned event for monitoring are extracted to be stored in a second storage area. A monitored event database having a data structure comprised ol elements each containing information concerning a storing location ol relevant monitoring image frame in the second storage area and information concerning attributes ol the relevant monitoring image frame for each ol the monitoring image frames stored in the second storage area is generated to be stored in a third storage area. In response to a perusal request issued by user by using a WEB browser and sent via a network, the monitored event database is searched lor acquiring a storing location ol plural monitoring image frames relevant to the perusal request in the second storage area to thereby select from the second storage area a plurality ol monitoring image frames relevant to the perusal request. The selected plural monitoring image frames are converted into HTML data to be sent to a display device connected via a network to be displayed on a display device in a two-dimensional layout or in the form ol time-serial animation.

21 Claims, 20 Drawing Sheets