JP2009025546A - Object selection system, server device, and client device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To switch objects by one action of an operation input device even when the content of the object is not known in advance. <P>SOLUTION: In a server device 11: a map selection section 112 determines, on the basis of designated position information of a map and aspect ratio information of a map transmitted from a client device 12, the map range in one map selected from a plurality of maps; and an object management section 111 extracts objects 13 included in the map range and, when the number of the extracted objects exceeds the number of buttons of a remote control device (operation input device) 124 transmitted from the client device, narrows down the number of the extracted objects into the number of the buttons. In the client device 12, a channel button assignment section 121 assigns each of the objects narrowed down by the narrow-down operation to each button of the remote control device 124. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected, and a server device and a client device in the object selection system.

  As a prior art for associating a TV channel with a channel button of a remote control device (hereinafter referred to as “remote control device”) which is one type of operation input device, there is a system disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, for example. In this system, when there are more TV channels than the number of channel buttons, TV channels are allocated to each page according to the program contents, and the page is associated with the channel button. When selecting a TV channel, first, a page is selected, and a TV channel allocated to the page is selected.

  Further, as a conventional technique for searching for a searchable object such as a network camera installed at a store or various points as a search target and selecting an object from the search result, for example, Patent Document 2 below There is also a system as described in Non-Patent Document 1 below.

  When there are a plurality of target points, the system of Patent Literature 2 displays the map with the smallest map scale including each point. In this system, the corresponding point is searched based on the search information such as the area range and facility name input by the user. As a result, when a plurality of points are searched, the areas each including the points obtained from the input information are displayed on the screen at the minimum map scale.

  Further, in the system of Non-Patent Document 1, search results are displayed every 10 items, and when “next 10 items” is clicked, the map scale is automatically changed to the one that includes the 10 objects of interest and displayed.

JP 2001-36823 A JP 2002-122439 A Internet <URL: http://www.google.co.jp/maps>

  The system of Patent Document 1 has been proposed in order to switch objects by simply pressing a channel button once when selecting an object with a channel button for an object whose location can be specified. Yes. However, in the system of Patent Document 1, it is difficult to allocate to a page when the content of an object is not known in advance.

  In addition, as in Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 1, in a system in which target objects are displayed in a superimposed manner on a map and switched by selecting each object, objects are matched to the number to be narrowed down such as the number of channel buttons. Cannot narrow down. For this reason, a situation occurs in which more objects than the number of channel buttons to be assigned are displayed on the map, and there is a problem that the objects cannot be switched by one action of the operation input device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to enable an object to be switched with one action of an operation input device even when the contents of the object are not known in advance. To do.

  An object selection system according to the present invention is an object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected, and the server device includes object information and a plurality of objects related to the plurality of objects. A storage means for storing map information relating to the map, and selecting one map from the plurality of maps, and in the one map based on the specified position information of the map and the aspect ratio information of the map transmitted from the client device Map selection means for determining a map range, and an object included in the map range is extracted based on the object information, and the number of the extracted objects is larger than the number of buttons of the operation input device transmitted from the client device. If there are many, the extracted object is narrowed down to the number of buttons and the Object management means for determining an object to be assigned to a button of the input / output device, and the client device assigns each object determined by the object management means to each button of the operation input device; and the operation When a button of the input device is operated, display control means for performing control for acquiring the content from the object corresponding to the operated button and displaying the acquired content on the display device.

  The server device of the present invention is the server device in an object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected to each other, in the object information and the plurality of maps related to the plurality of objects. Storage means for storing such map information, and a map range in the one map based on the map specified position information and the map aspect ratio information selected from the plurality of maps and selected from the client device A map selection means for determining the number of objects included in the map range based on the object information, and the number of the extracted objects is greater than the number of buttons of the operation input device transmitted from the client device The extracted object is narrowed down to the number of buttons and the operation input device is And a object management means for determining an object to be allocated for the button.

  The server device of the present invention is the client device in an object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected to each other. Aspect ratio information of the map and information on the number of buttons of the operation input device are transmitted, and the server device selects one map selected from a plurality of maps based on the specified position information of the map and the aspect ratio information of the map. A map range in a map is determined, and objects included in the map range are extracted based on object information relating to the plurality of objects, and the number of extracted objects is greater than the number of buttons of the operation input device. In this case, a process of narrowing down the extracted object to the number of buttons is performed. Button allocation means for assigning each object narrowed down to each button of the operation input device, and when the button of the operation input device is operated, the content is acquired from the object corresponding to the operated button, Display control means for performing control to display the acquired content on the display device.

  According to the present invention, even when the content of an object is not known in advance, the object can be switched by one action of the operation input device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the embodiment described below, an example in which a network camera is applied as an object is shown. The embodiment described below is an example of means for realizing the present invention, and the present invention can also be applied to a modified or modified embodiment described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an object selection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the object selection system according to the present embodiment includes an object selection server device 11, a client device 12, a plurality of network cameras 13 that are objects, and a network 14. The object selection server device 11, the client device 12, and the network camera 13 are connected via a network 14 so that they can communicate with each other.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the object selection server device 11 includes an object management unit 111, a map selection unit 112, and a data storage unit 113. Here, the object management unit 111 manages a plurality of network cameras 13 connected to the network 14 based on arrangement position information related to the installation position of the network camera 13 that is an object. The map selection unit 112 selects one map from a plurality of maps with different scales based on the information on the designated position, the aspect ratio of the map, and the number of channel buttons to be assigned, and also selects one map of the selected map. Determine the map area. The data storage unit 113 stores various information and various data.

  The client device 12 includes a channel button assignment unit 121, a display control unit 122, a display device 123, and a remote control device 124. Here, the channel button assignment unit 121 assigns the channel button number of the remote control device 124 to the object information acquired from the object selection server device 11. When the channel button of the remote control device 124 is pressed, the display control unit 122 acquires the contents of the object assigned to the channel button and performs control to display on the display device 123. The display device 123 displays various information and various images based on control by the display control unit 122. The remote control device 124 is an operation input device that is operated when a user performs a remote operation.

  As described above, the network camera 13 corresponds to the object in the present embodiment, and a plurality of network cameras are arranged at predetermined positions.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that network camera information (object information), map information, and the like related to the network camera 13 are stored in the data storage unit 113. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the network camera information (object information) stored in the data storage unit 113 of FIG. 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of map information stored in the data storage unit 113 of FIG. 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, as the network camera information, for each network camera 13, ID information related to the network camera and arrangement position information indicating latitude and longitude are shown. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the map information includes scale information and movement distance information for each map.

  In the present embodiment, the client device 12 is a TV client device. The operation of the TV client device is performed via the remote control device 124. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of the remote control device 124 of FIG. 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the remote control device 124 includes a plurality of channel buttons 1241 corresponding to the respective channels, a plurality of direction buttons 1242 corresponding to the vertical and horizontal directions, and a determination button 1243. .

Next, the processing procedure of the object selection system of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for assigning a network camera (object) to each channel button in the object selection system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, in step S501 of FIG. 5, the client device 12 sends the data related to the designated position information designated by the user using the remote control device 124, the aspect ratio information of the map to be displayed, and the channel button number information to be assigned to the object selection server device. 11 to send.

  Subsequently, in step S <b> 502, the object selection server device 11 activates the map selection unit 112, and the map selection unit 112 selects and acquires the largest (detailed) map from the data storage unit 113.

  Subsequently, in step S503, the map selection unit 112 determines a map range in the acquired map based on the aspect ratio information transmitted in step S501 with the designated position information transmitted in step S501 as the center.

  Subsequently, in step S504, the object selection server device 11 activates the object management unit 111, and the object management unit 111 acquires information on the network camera 13 included in the map range determined in step S503 from the data storage unit 113. To do. That is, the object management unit 111 performs an extraction process of the network camera (object) 13 included in the map range determined in step S503.

  Subsequently, in step S505, for example, the object management unit 111 determines whether the number of network cameras acquired in step S504 is less than the number of channel buttons transmitted in step S501.

  If it is determined in step S505 that the number of network cameras acquired in step S504 is less than the number of channel buttons transmitted in step S501, the process proceeds to step S506. In step S506, the map selection unit 112 determines whether or not the data storage unit 113 has a next scale map.

  If the result of determination in step S506 is that there is a next scale map in the data storage unit 113, processing proceeds to step S507. In step S507, the map selection unit 112 selects and acquires the next scale map from the data storage unit 113. That is, in this step S507, processing for changing the scale of the map to be selected is performed. Then, it returns to step S503 and the process after step S503 is performed again.

  As a result of the determination in step S505, if the number of network cameras acquired in step S504 is not less than the number of channel buttons transmitted in step S501 (i.e., more than that), the process proceeds to step S508. In step S508, for example, the object management unit 111 determines whether the number of network cameras acquired in step S504 is larger than the number of channel buttons transmitted in step S501.

  If it is determined in step S508 that the number of network cameras acquired in step S504 is greater than the number of channel buttons transmitted in step S501, the process proceeds to step S509. In step S509, the object management unit 111 sequentially removes the network camera 13 from the network camera 13 having the longest distance from the specified position indicated in the specified position information transmitted in step S501. Refine to minutes.

  If it is determined in step S506 that there is no map at the next scale, if it is determined in step S508 that the number of network cameras is not greater than (i.e., equal to) the number of channel buttons, or the processing of step S509 is completed. If so, the process proceeds to step S510.

  In step S510, the object selection server device 11 acquires from the data storage unit 113 the travel distance information of the reduced scale map in the map range determined in step S503. Then, the object selection server device 11 transmits the map range information and the movement distance information, and the network camera information (object information) related to the network camera (object) determined in steps S504 to S509 to the client device 12.

  When various types of information are received from the object selection server device 11, the client device 12 activates the channel button assignment unit 121 in step S511. The channel button assigning unit 121 associates the channel button number with the network camera information and assigns the network camera (object) 13 to each channel button.

  Through the processes in steps S501 to S511, each channel button 1241 of the remote control device 124 and the network camera information (object information) are associated with each other. In the processing procedure shown in FIG. 5, an example is shown in which processing is performed on the scale ranges of all the scale maps stored in the data storage unit 113. However, for example, even if the scale range to be processed is set by the user, good.

  Next, a case where the user presses the channel button 1241 of the remote control device 124 will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure when the channel button of the remote control device is pressed by the user in the object selection system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, in step S601 of FIG. 6, when the user presses the channel button 1241 of the remote control device 124, the client device 12 detects this and activates the display control unit 122. For example, the display control unit 122 acquires network camera information (object information) assigned to the pressed channel button number from the channel button assignment unit 121.

  Subsequently, in step S602, the display control unit 122 requests an image from the corresponding network camera 13 based on the network camera information (object information) acquired in step S601. In other words, the display control unit 122 performs processing for acquiring video from the corresponding network camera 13.

  Subsequently, in step S603, the display control unit 122 performs control to display the content transmitted from the network camera 13 requested in step S602, that is, the network camera video, on the screen (TV screen) of the display device 123.

  Through the processes in steps S601 to S603 described above, when the user presses the channel button 1241 of the remote control device 124, the video of the corresponding network camera 13 is displayed on the display device 123.

  Next, a case where the assignment of an object to a channel button is changed using a map displayed on the screen (TV screen) of the display device 123 will be described.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a processing procedure in the case of changing the assignment of objects to channel buttons using a map displayed on the screen (TV screen) of the display device in the object selection system according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart to show.

  First, in step S701 in FIG. 7, the client device 12 transmits to the object selection server device 11 the specified position information that the user has designated to move using the remote control device 124 and the aspect ratio information of the map to be displayed. For example, the user uses the direction button 1242 of the remote control device 124 to move the cursor on the map displayed on the screen (TV screen) of the display device 123 and designates the movement of the map. At this time, the movement distance for one press of the direction button 1242 is determined by the movement distance information transmitted from the object selection server device 11 in step S505. Then, the client device 12 transmits the position information moved by this moving distance to the object selection server device 11 as designated position information.

  When the designated position information related to movement and the aspect ratio information of the map to be displayed are received from the client device 12, the object selection server device 11 subsequently activates the map selection unit 112 in step S702. Then, the map selection unit 112 determines the map range in the currently displayed scale map using the aspect ratio information transmitted in step S701 with the designated position information transmitted in step S701 as the center. That is, the map selection unit 112 uses the aspect ratio information transmitted in step 701 from the currently displayed scale map with the position information transmitted in step 701 as the center, and determines the map range of the map. Thereafter, the object selection server device 11 transmits the determined map range information to the client device 12.

  When the map range information is received from the object selection server device 11, the client device 12 subsequently activates the display control unit 122 in step S <b> 703. Then, the display control unit 122 performs control to display a map based on the map range information received from the object selection server device 11 on the screen (TV screen) of the display device 123.

  Subsequently, in step S <b> 704, for example, the client device 12 determines whether or not the user has instructed to move the map again via the remote control device 124. If the result of this determination is that map movement has been instructed, the process returns to step S701, and the processes in and after step S701 are performed again.

  On the other hand, if the result of determination in step S704 is that there is no instruction to move the map, the process proceeds to step S705. In step S705, the client device 12 transmits data relating to the determined designated position information, map aspect ratio information, and channel button number information to be assigned to the object selection server device 11. Here, for example, when the user presses the enter button 1243 of the remote control device 124, the client device 12 decides the designated position information, and at the same time, the map aspect ratio information and the channel button number information are sent to the object selection server. Transmit to device 11.

  Then, when the process of step S705 ends, the process proceeds to step S502 in FIG. 5, and the processes after step S502 are performed.

  By the process shown in FIG. 7, the process of moving the designated position using the map displayed on the screen (TV screen) of the remote control device 124 and the display device 123 and changing the assignment of the object to the channel button is performed. Is called. In the present embodiment, an example in which a TV remote control device 124 is used as an operation input device for a user to perform an operation input has been described. However, for example, various buttons on a mobile phone are applied as an operation input device. Are also included in the present invention. That is, in the present embodiment, an example in which an object is assigned to each channel button 1241 of the remote control device 124 has been described, but the present invention can be applied to a form in which an object is assigned to a number button on a mobile phone.

In the present embodiment, when the number of network cameras (objects) 13 included in the map range determined by the map selection unit 112 is greater than the number of buttons of the remote control device (operation input device) 124, the object is represented by the number of buttons. (S509). Specifically, in the present embodiment, when narrowing down the objects to the number of buttons, the object having the longest distance from the designated position indicated in the designated position information designated by the user is sequentially excluded to perform the narrowing down. ing.
According to such a configuration, even when the contents of the object are not known in advance, the object can be switched by one action of the remote control device (operation input device) 124.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the number of network cameras (objects) 13 included in the map range is less than the number of buttons on the remote control device (operation input device) 124, the next scale map is acquired (S507). ), Changing the map area.
According to such a configuration, the number of objects included in the map range can be increased, and the number of objects that can be switched by one action of the remote control device (operation input device) 124 can be increased.

  1 in the object selection server device 11 and the client device 12 constituting the object selection system according to the present embodiment described above can be realized by operating a program stored in a RAM, a ROM, or the like of a computer. Each step of FIGS. 5 to 7 showing the processing procedure of the object selection method by the object selection system according to the present embodiment can be realized by operating a program stored in a RAM or ROM of a computer. These programs and computer-readable storage media storing the programs are included in the present invention.

  Specifically, the program is recorded in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, or provided to a computer via various transmission media. As a storage medium for recording the program, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, a magneto-optical disk, a nonvolatile memory card, and the like can be used in addition to the CD-ROM. On the other hand, as the transmission medium of the program, a communication medium in a computer network (LAN, WAN such as the Internet, wireless communication network, etc.) system for propagating and supplying program information as a carrier wave can be used. In addition, examples of the communication medium at this time include a wired line such as an optical fiber, a wireless line, and the like.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to an aspect in which the function of the object selection system according to the present embodiment is realized by executing a program supplied by a computer. Such a program is also included in the present invention when the function of the object selection system according to the present embodiment is realized in cooperation with an OS (operating system) running on a computer or other application software. Further, even when all or part of the processing of the supplied program is performed by the function expansion board or function expansion unit of the computer and the function of the object selection system according to the present embodiment is realized, such a program is included in the present invention. include.

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the object selection system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows embodiment of this invention and shows an example of the network camera information (object information) preserve | saved at the data storage part of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows embodiment of this invention and shows an example of the map information stored in the data storage part of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows embodiment of this invention and shows an example of schematic structure of the remote control apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence which allocates a network camera (object) to each channel button in the object selection system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure when a channel button of a remote control device is pressed by a user in the object selection system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure when changing the assignment of an object to a channel button using a map displayed on a screen (TV screen) of a display device in the object selection system according to the embodiment of the present invention. .

Explanation of symbols

11 Object Selection Server Device 12 Client Device 13 Network Camera (Object)
14 Network 111 Object management unit 112 Map selection unit 113 Data storage unit 121 Channel button allocation unit 122 Display control unit 123 Display device 124 Remote control device 1241 Channel button 1242 Direction button 1243 Determination button

Claims (5)

An object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected,
The server device
Storage means for storing object information relating to the plurality of objects and map information relating to a plurality of maps;
Map selection means for selecting one map from the plurality of maps and determining a map range in the one map based on the specified position information and map aspect ratio information transmitted from the client device;
If the object included in the map range is extracted based on the object information, and the number of extracted objects is greater than the number of buttons of the operation input device transmitted from the client device, the extracted object is the button And object management means for determining objects to be assigned to the buttons of the operation input device by narrowing down to a number,
The client device is
Button allocation means for assigning each object determined by the object management means to each button of the operation input device;
Display control means for performing control to acquire the content from the object corresponding to the operated button when the button of the operation input device is operated, and to display the acquired content on the display device. Feature object selection system.   The object management means, when narrowing down the extracted objects to the number of buttons, sequentially narrows down objects by sequentially excluding objects having the longest distance from the designated position indicated in the designated position information. Item 4. The object selection system according to Item 1. The server device in the object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected,
Storage means for storing object information relating to the plurality of objects and map information relating to a plurality of maps;
Map selection means for selecting one map from the plurality of maps and determining a map range in the one map based on the specified position information and map aspect ratio information transmitted from the client device;
If the object included in the map range is extracted based on the object information, and the number of extracted objects is greater than the number of buttons of the operation input device transmitted from the client device, the extracted object is the button Object management means for determining objects to be assigned to the buttons of the operation input device by narrowing down to a number.   The object management means, when narrowing down the extracted objects to the number of buttons, sequentially narrows down objects by sequentially excluding objects having the longest distance from the designated position indicated in the designated position information. Item 4. The server device according to Item 3. The client device in the object selection system in which a plurality of objects, a server device, and a client device are communicably connected,
To the server device, the specified position information of the map and the aspect ratio information of the map, and information on the number of buttons of the operation input device,
The server device determines a map range in one map selected from a plurality of maps based on the specified position information of the map and the aspect ratio information of the map, and based on the object information related to the plurality of objects. Extracting the objects included in the map range, and when the number of extracted objects is greater than the number of buttons of the operation input device, the processing to narrow down the extracted objects to the number of buttons,
Button assigning means for assigning each object narrowed down by the narrowing process to each button of the operation input device;
Display control means for performing control to acquire the content from the object corresponding to the operated button when the button of the operation input device is operated, and to display the acquired content on the display device. Feature client device.

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