Printing production system

Abstract

To reduce the mounting cost of a physical sensor and to automatically photograph an object at suitable timing.SOLUTION: An imaging system includes a receiving unit 11 that receives a video signal from an imaging device 2, a detection unit 12 that detects a person area from the video signal, a determination unit 13 that determines whether the person area is within a predetermined area set to the angle of view of the imaging device, and a generating unit 14 that generates an image file from the video signal when the person area is within the predetermined area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging system and a print production system. [Background technology]

[0002] In theme parks and the like, a service is provided in which visitors are photographed, the printed photographs are attached to original mounts, and the photographs are sold to visitors. In addition, a service is provided in which a camera is installed in an attraction and a moment during the experience of the attraction is automatically photographed. For example, a ride photo is known that automatically photographs an exciting moment, such as the moment when a roller coaster falls.

[0003] Conventional automatic photography systems require the installation of a physical sensor to detect the approach / passage of a subject, which is costly. In addition, after the physical sensor detects the subject, it is sometimes not possible to capture the image at the optimal timing. For example, when photographing passengers on an attraction, the speed at which the attraction moves may differ depending on the passenger's weight (physique), and if photography is performed a certain amount of time after the sensor detects the subject, the distance to the camera differs depending on the passenger, which can result in variation in the size of the person in the captured image. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3913453 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system and a print production system that can reduce the installation cost of a physical sensor and automatically capture an image of a subject at an appropriate timing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The photographing system of the present invention comprises a receiving unit that receives a video signal from a photographing device, a detection unit that detects a person area from the video signal, a determination unit that determines whether the person area is within a specified area set in the angle of view of the photographing device, and a generation unit that generates an image file from the video signal if the person area is within the specified area.

[0007] The print production system of the present invention comprises the photography system of the present invention, an acquisition unit that acquires a user's identification information via a reader, a transmission unit that transmits the image file and the identification information, a server device that associates and stores the image file and the identification information received from the transmission unit, and an image printing device that, upon receiving input of identification information, notifies the server device of the input identification information, receives from the server device an image file associated with the notified identification information, and prints out the received image file. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the cost of mounting a physical sensor and to automatically capture an image of a subject at an appropriate timing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a print product production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2a to 2c are diagrams showing examples of detection areas and person areas. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the function of a control device. [Diagram 5] 5a and 5b are diagrams showing examples of detection areas and person areas. [Figure 6] 6a and 6b are diagrams showing examples of detection areas and person areas. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing changes in the pose of a subject. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing changes in the pose of a subject. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a print production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the print production system includes a control device 1, a photographing device 2, a display device 3, a reader 4, a server device 5, and an image printing device 6, and prints out an image photographed by the photographing device 2. The photographing device 2 is, for example, a digital camera.

[0012] This print production system is introduced into leisure facilities and the like, and for example, the photographing device 2 photographs a scene in which a user U (a visitor to the facility) is enjoying an attraction.

[0013] The photographing device 2 transmits a video signal captured by the image sensor to the control device 1 in real time. For example, as shown in FIG. 2a, a video signal of the angle of view area A0 of the photographing device 2 is transmitted to the control device 1. The control device 1 sets a detection area A1 within the angle of view area A0. The control device 1 generates an image file (e.g., still image data) when a subject falls within the detection area A1. The position and size of the detection area A1 are arbitrary, but it is set, for example, in the center of the angle of view area A0.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2b, when a user riding an attraction enters the viewing angle area A0, the control device 1 detects the person from the video signal and obtains a person area A2.

[0015] 2c, when the person area A2 falls within the detection area A1, the control device 1 generates an image file from the video signal. For example, when the person area A2 reaches the center of the detection area A1, the image file is generated.

[0016] The control device 1 displays the generated image file on the display device 3. As shown in Fig. 1, after enjoying the attraction, the user U checks his / her image displayed on the display device 3 and holds the ticket T over the reader 4. The ticket T is distributed to each user U upon entering the park, and has a two-dimensional code printed on it that indicates the visitor's unique identification information. The reader 4 reads the two-dimensional code and transmits the identification information to the control device 1.

[0017] The control device 1 associates the image file with the identification information and transmits them to the server device 5. When leaving the park, the visitor U has the image printing device 6 read the two-dimensional code on the ticket T. The image printing device 6 notifies the server device 5 of the identification information obtained from the two-dimensional code. When the server device 5 is notified of the identification information from the image printing device 6, it transmits the image file linked to this identification information to the image printing device 6. The image printing device 6 prints and outputs the image file received from the server device 5 on paper. The visitor U can obtain a commemorative print 7 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0018] Next, the configuration of the control device 1 will be described. The control device 1 is a computer equipped with a communication unit, a storage unit, a CPU, etc., and the CPU executes a shooting program to realize the functions of a video signal receiving unit 11, a person detecting unit 12, a determining unit 13, an image file generating unit 14, a display processing unit 15, an identification information acquiring unit 16, and a data transmitting unit 17, as shown in Fig. 4. The storage unit 10 stores a trained model that outputs a detection frame (a rectangle circumscribing a person) surrounding a person appearing in an input image.

[0019] The video signal receiving unit 11 receives the current video signal in real time from the image capturing device 2 via a wired or wireless network. The video signal is a frame (moving image) generated by the image capturing device 2 at regular time intervals. The video signal is stored in a buffer (not shown). The buffer deletes the oldest signal and stores the latest signal.

[0020] The human detection unit 12 detects a person from a video signal. For example, the human detection unit 12 inputs a video signal (each frame) to a trained model that outputs a detection frame surrounding a person appearing in an input image, and detects a human area A2 (see FIG. 2b) based on the output detection frame.

[0021] The determination unit 13 determines whether or not the human area A2 detected by the human detection unit 12 is located at the center of a detection area A1 that is set in advance within the viewing angle area A0.

[0022] When it is determined that the person area A2 is located in the center of the detection area A1, the image file generating unit 14 generates an image file using the frame at that time, and stores it in the storage unit 10.

[0023] The display processing unit 15 displays the generated image file on the display device 3. The display device 3 is, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0024] The identification information acquisition unit 16 acquires, from the reader 4, the user's identification information indicated by the two-dimensional code printed on the ticket.

[0025] The data transmission unit 17 transmits the image file displayed on the display device 3 and the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition unit 16 to the server device 5 in association with each other.

[0026] In this way, in this embodiment, a person is detected from the video signal generated by the image capture device 2, and an image file is generated when the person is located near the center of the angle of view, so that users enjoying an attraction can be automatically captured at a suitable timing. Even in an attraction where the moving speed varies depending on the physique of the passenger, an image capturing the user near the center of the angle of view can be obtained. In addition, since a physical sensor for detecting the passage of a subject is not required, the installation cost of the physical sensor can be reduced.

[0027] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which an image file is generated when the person area A2 is located in the center of the detection area A1, but an image file may also be generated when the entire person area A2 is within the detection area A1, as shown in FIG. 5a.

[0028] 5b, generation of an image file may be started when a part of the person area A2 enters the detection area A1. For example, a video of the period when at least a part of the person area A2 overlaps with the detection area A1 or continuous still images (continuous images) at regular time intervals may be generated.

[0029] An image file may be generated based on the size of the person area A2 in the detection area A1. For example, as shown in FIG. 6a, when the size of the person area A2 is less than a predetermined value, an image file is not generated. As shown in FIG. 6b, when the size of the person area A2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, an image file is generated. This allows an image of the user to be obtained at a constant size regardless of the user's physique.

[0030] An image file may be generated when the user assumes a specific pose (posture). In this case, a trained model that outputs the posture of a person appearing in an input image is stored in the storage unit 10. For example, when the determination unit 13 determines that the person area A2 is included in the detection area A1, it inputs a video signal (frame) to the trained model to obtain an output result of the person's pose. The determination unit 13 determines whether the pose of the output result is a predetermined pose. If it is determined to be the predetermined pose, an image file is generated.

[0031] 7 shows an example of capturing a photo of a user who is jumping on a trampoline and raising both hands in a "banzai" pose. In the frame at time T1, the person area A2 is included in the detection area A1, but since the pose is not a "banzai" pose, no image file is generated.

[0032] In the frames at times T2 and T3, the person area A2 is included in the detection area A1 and the user is raising his / her arms in the air, so image files are generated.

[0033] In the frame at time T4, the person is raising his / her head in a cheery pose, but since part of person area A2 is outside detection area A1, no image file is generated.

[0034] 8 shows an example of generating a file when a specific pose is reached from a video signal of a user's golf swing. Since the axis of the body hardly moves during the swing, the person area A2 is always within the detection area A1.

[0035] A video from when a pose such as that in the frame at time T10 is detected until when a finishing pose such as that in the frame at time T11 is detected, or continuous still images (continuously shot images) at regular intervals may be generated.

[0036] The golf club may be detected from the video signal, and the generation of a video or continuous images may be started when the golf club reaches a specific angle. For example, the generation of a video or the like may be started when the golf club reaches an angle parallel to the ground, such as in the frame at time T10.

[0037] In the above embodiment, human detection from a video signal can be performed by image processing based on a difference comparison with the background. However, if the image capture device 2 is installed outdoors and the background is not fixed, such as the sky, human detection based on difference comparison becomes difficult, so it is preferable to utilize machine learning.

[0038] In the above embodiment, an example of detecting people in real time from the video signal received from the image capture device 2 has been described. However, if real-time performance is not required, video data may be stored and frames of the stored video data may be analyzed using machine learning technology to detect people and generate an image file.

[0039] The ticket T may have a barcode printed thereon instead of a two-dimensional code.

[0040] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 Control device 2. Imaging Device 3 Display device 4 Reader 5. Server equipment 6. Image Printing Device

Claims

[Claim 1] An imaging system comprising: a receiving unit that receives a video signal from an imaging device; a detection unit that detects a person area from the video signal; a determination unit that determines whether the person area is within a predetermined area set in the angle of view of the imaging device; and a generation unit that generates an image file from the video signal if the person area is within the predetermined area, wherein the determination unit determines whether a person detected from the video signal is making a predetermined pose, and the generation unit generates an image file if the person area is within the predetermined area and the person is making a predetermined pose; An acquisition unit that acquires user identification information via a reader; a transmission unit that transmits the image file and the identification information; a server device that stores the image file and the identification information received from the transmission unit in association with each other; an image print device that, upon receiving input of identification information, notifies the server device of the input identification information, receives an image file associated with the notified identification information from the server device, and prints out the received image file; A print production system comprising:

Images