Environmental image display control system, program, and environmental image display control method

Abstract

To facilitate monitoring of the internal state of an environment forming device.SOLUTION: An environmental image display control system 1 includes an acquisition unit 2 that acquires an environmental image inside an environment formation chamber 7a that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment, which captured by a camera 8 provided in an environment formation device 7 including the environment formation chamber 7a, and a display control unit 4 that displays an environmental image on a display 12, and an input reception unit 3 that accepts the specification of a range in the environmental image from a user. The display control unit 4 displays the range in the environmental image designated by the user as a new independent environmental image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display control technology for an environmental image captured in an environmental creation room in an environmental creation device. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-22480 (Patent Document 1) discloses an environmental test device equipped with a television camera observation device. This environmental test device includes a test tank with a heat-insulating, sealed structure. A test object is inserted into the test tank. The interior of the test tank is set and maintained at a desired temperature by selectively operating a heater or a cooler depending on the environmental test of the test object. A CCD camera for observing the test object is disposed inside the test tank. The CCD camera is housed in a case. A liquid tube is disposed inside the case. Liquid is circulated through the liquid tube to maintain the temperature inside the case within the operating temperature range of the CCD camera. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-22480 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an environment creating device capable of adjusting the environment, such as the temperature of the internal space, as in the above-described conventional technology, the camera that captures the internal space is required to be able to withstand that environment. Therefore, it is preferable that the cameras installed in the environment creating device are not complex in structure, and that the number of cameras is not too large. On the other hand, for a user who monitors the status inside the environment creating device using images captured by the cameras, it is preferable that the internal space can be monitored from various perspectives. For example, it is preferable that multiple locations can be monitored simultaneously, or that a specific portion can be enlarged and monitored.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an environmental image display control system, a program, and an environmental image display control method that make it easier to monitor the internal state of an environment forming device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An environmental image display control system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires an environmental image of an environment creating room captured by a camera installed in an environment creating device having an environment creating room that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment, a display control unit that displays the environmental image on a display, and an input receiving unit that receives a designation of an area in the environmental image from a user. The display control unit displays the area in the environmental image designated by the user as a new, independent environmental image. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an environment forming system including an environmental image display control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a screen transition diagram showing an example of display control. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a screen transition diagram showing a modified example of display control. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a screen transition diagram showing a modified example of display control. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of environmental conditions recorded in the storage unit 6. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for accepting designation of environmental conditions. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which a detection result by a change detection unit is displayed. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a change detection process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Configuration 1) An environmental image display control system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires an environmental image of an environment creating room captured by a camera installed in an environment creating device having an environment creating room that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment, a display control unit that displays the environmental image on a display, and an input receiving unit that receives a designation of an area in the environmental image from a user. The display control unit displays the area in the environmental image designated by the user as a new, independent environmental image.

[0009] According to the above configuration 1, among the environmental images captured inside the environment creating room, an image of a range specified by the user is displayed as a new independent environmental image. Therefore, the user can display the range he or she wants to see in the displayed environmental image as a separate environmental image. This allows the user to monitor the inside of the environment creating room from various perspectives. Therefore, it becomes easier to monitor the internal state of the environment creating device.

[0010] The manner in which a user specifies a range in an environmental image may be, for example, a manner in which a user specifies a range in an environmental image that is already displayed. This allows the user to directly specify the range that the user wants to view. Note that the input receiving unit may receive the range specification when the environmental image is not displayed, or may receive the range specification in an area other than the environmental image that is already displayed.

[0011] The mode of displaying a range of an environmental image specified by a user as a new, independent environmental image can be, for example, a mode of displaying an image of the specified range separately from an environmental image that is already displayed. In this case, both the original environmental image and the new environmental image are displayed in a visible state. Note that there may also be cases where an image of the range specified by the user is displayed as a new environmental image when there is no environmental image already displayed.

[0012] (Configuration 2) In the above configuration 1, the environmental image display control system may be able to access a storage unit that records at least one preset setting range in the environmental image. The input receiving unit may receive a designation of the setting range stored in the storage unit from the user. The display control unit may display an image of the setting range designated by the user in the environmental image as a new, independent environmental image. This allows the user to designate a preset setting range and have a new environmental image of that range displayed. For example, the user may be able to omit the operation of designating a range by designating a position on the environmental image.

[0013] (Configuration 3) In the above configuration 1 or 2, the environmental image display control system may be able to access a storage unit that records past environmental images of the environment forming room that were taken in the past. The input receiving unit may receive a designation of the past environmental image along with a designation of a range in the environmental image. When the user designates the past environmental image along with the designation of the range, the display control unit may display an image of the range designated by the user in the designated past environmental image as a new, independent environmental image. This allows the user to designate and display past environmental images for the designated range in the environmental image. This enables monitoring from a wider variety of perspectives.

[0014] (Configuration 4) In any of the above configurations 1 to 3, the environmental image display control system may be able to access a storage unit that stores past environmental images of the environment forming room captured in the past, in association with the environmental conditions of the environment forming room at the time the past environmental images were captured. The input receiving unit may receive a designation of the environmental conditions from the user. The display control unit may display past environmental images whose capture time is the time when the environmental conditions designated by the user occurred. This allows the user to extract and display past environmental images that satisfy the designated environmental conditions.

[0015] In configuration 4, the display control unit can display, as a new, independent environment image, a range specified by the user in a past environment image, the capture time of which is the time when the environmental condition specified by the user occurred. The input receiving unit may, for example, receive from the user a specification of a range in the environment image in addition to a specification of the environmental condition. Alternatively, the range specified by the user when a past environment image was displayed in the past may be recorded in the storage unit, and the display control unit may display the past environment image of the recorded range when playing back the past environment image.

[0016] (Configuration 5) In any of the above configurations 1 to 4, the display control unit may display a plurality of ranges specified by the user as a plurality of environmental images each independent of one another. The environmental image display control system may further include a change detection unit that detects changes in each of the plurality of environmental images. This allows changes to be detected in each of the plurality of ranges specified by the user. Therefore, for example, the user can efficiently detect changes by specifying a range in which he or she particularly wants to detect changes.

[0017] (Configuration 6) In the above configuration 5, the change detection unit may detect a change in the environment creating room using a result of detecting a change in each of the plurality of environmental images, thereby making it possible to detect a change in the environment creating room by comprehensively considering changes in a plurality of ranges specified by the user.

[0018] (Configuration 7) An environment creation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an environment creation device having an environment creation chamber that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment, a camera mounted on the environment creation device for capturing images of the interior of the environment creation chamber, an acquisition unit for acquiring an environmental image of the environment creation chamber captured by the camera, a display control unit for displaying the environmental image on a display, and an input receiving unit for receiving a user's designation of an area in the environmental image. The display control unit displays the area in the environmental image designated by the user as a new, independent environmental image. This facilitates monitoring of the status of the environment creation chamber.

[0019] A program according to an embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to execute an acquisition process for acquiring an environmental image of an environment creating chamber photographed by a camera provided in an environment creating device having an environment creating chamber that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment, a display control process for displaying the environmental image on a display, and an input acceptance process for accepting a designation of an area in the environmental image from a user. The display control process includes a process for displaying the area in the environmental image designated by the user as a new, independent environmental image.

[0020] An environmental image display control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a computer-executed environmental image display control method. The environmental image display control method includes an acquisition step of acquiring an environmental image of an environment creating room photographed by a camera mounted in an environment creating device having an environment creating room that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment, a display control step of displaying the environmental image on a display, and an input receiving step of receiving a user's designation of an area in the environmental image. In the display control step, the area in the environmental image designated by the user is displayed as a new, independent environmental image.

[0021] (Embodiment) (System configuration example) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an environment creation system including an environmental image display control system 1 according to this embodiment. The environment creation system includes an environment creation device 7, a camera 8, a converter 9, and an environmental image display control system 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the display control system 1). The environment creation device 7 includes an environment creation room 7a capable of adjusting the environment. The camera 8 captures images of the inside of the environment creation room 7a. Images of the inside of the environment creation room 7a captured by the camera 8, i.e., environmental images, are made accessible by the converter 9 via a network. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the camera 8 is connected to the converter 9. The converter 9, the environment creation device 7, and the display control system 1 are communicatively connected to each other via the network. The display control system 1 can acquire the environmental images captured by the camera 8 via the converter 9. The display control system 1 controls the display of the environmental images on a display 12. The display control system 1 is configured, for example, by a computer connected to a network.

[0022] The environment creating device 7 is a device that creates an environment within the environment creating chamber 7a. Therefore, the environment creating device 7 includes a device for adjusting the environment of the environment creating chamber 7a. The environment that can be created by the environment creating device 7 can be, for example, a physical environment including temperature, humidity, air pressure, or weather such as rain, snow, wind, and fog, or a chemical environment including atmospheric chemical components. Examples of devices for adjusting the environment include a heater, cooler, humidifier, dehumidifier, fan, air pump, snow machine, rain machine, or sprayer. The environment creating device 7 may also control such devices to control the temporal changes in the environment to conform to a set pattern. The environment creating chamber 7a can accommodate an object. The environment creating chamber 7a may be, for example, an insulated tank formed using insulated walls. The environment creating chamber 7a may also be referred to as a tank. The environment creating device 7 is used for environmental testing, storage, processing, or the like of an object. Examples of processing include heating, aging, brewing, and smoking. The environment forming device 7 may be, for example, an environment testing device. The environment forming device 7 may have an input unit 7b that accepts operation and setting inputs. The input unit 7b may be, for example, a touch panel or a combination of a display and buttons.

[0023] The camera 8 is positioned at a position where it can capture images of the inside of the environment creating chamber 7a. In the example of FIG. 1, the camera 8 is housed in a case inserted into a through-hole connecting the environment creating chamber 7a to the outside. The case may have an air conditioning mechanism that draws in and exhausts air from outside the environment creating chamber 7a. It is preferable that the camera 8 be operable within the environmental change range of the environment creating chamber 7a. Although not limited thereto, the camera 8 may be, for example, one with an operational temperature range of at least -30°C to +140°C. Alternatively, the camera 8 may be one with an operational humidity range of at least 0% RH to 98% RH. The camera 8 may be, for example, a fixed-focus camera with a wide viewing angle. The viewing angle of the camera 8 is not limited thereto, but may be, for example, 100° or more horizontally and 60° or more vertically.

[0024] The converter 9 converts data of the environmental image captured by the camera 8 so that it can be provided on the network. The converter 9 may have a function as a server that provides environmental images in response to requests received via the network, for example. The converter 9 may also be connected to the environment forming device 7 and configured to convert sampling data of the environment forming device 7 so that it can be provided on the network. The network may be, for example, the Internet or a local network. The network may also include at least one of a wired and a wireless communication path.

[0025] The display control system 1 includes an acquisition unit 2, an input reception unit 3, a display control unit 4, and a change detection unit 5. The acquisition unit 2 acquires an environmental image captured by a camera 8. The acquisition unit 2 may receive the environmental image from a converter 9. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 2 may access a storage unit in which the environmental image is recorded and acquire the environmental image from the storage unit. The input reception unit 3 receives input from a user via an input device 11. The input device 11 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a mouse, a keyboard, a button, a controller, or a touch panel integrated with a display 12. The display control unit 4 displays the environmental image acquired by the acquisition unit 2 on the display 12. The display control unit 4 controls the display mode of the environmental image.

[0026] The input receiving unit 3 receives a specification of a range in the environmental image from the user. The display control unit 4 displays the range in the environmental image specified by the user as a new, independent environmental image. FIG. 2 is a screen transition diagram showing an example of this display control. In the example shown in FIG. 2, an environmental image G11 captured by the camera 8 is displayed in the image area G1 on the screen A1 displayed on the display 12. The date and time of capture are displayed together with the environmental image G11. In addition, the operating status of the camera 8 (capturing) and sampling data (setting values, measurement values) of the environment forming device 7 are also displayed together with the environmental image G11. In addition, a button for controlling the start or stop of capture by the camera 8 is also displayed.

[0027] The user specifies a range K1 in this environmental image G11 with a cursor Cs. The specified range K1 is indicated by, for example, a dotted line superimposed on the environmental image G11. In this example, a range K1 including an object Tg1 stored in the environmental formation chamber 7a is specified. When the user clicks the "Duplicate" button B1 with the range K1 specified, an enlarged image of the specified range K1 is displayed as a new, independent environmental image G21, as shown on screen A2. In addition to the image area G1 already displayed on screen A2, a new image area G2 for displaying the environmental image G21 is displayed. This allows the user to simultaneously view both the already displayed environmental image G11 and the new environmental image G21 of the specified range.

[0028] In the example of FIG. 2, the new environmental image G21 displays an enlarged version of the specified range K1. That is, the new environmental image G21 is displayed larger than the size of the specified range K1 in the environmental image G11. This enlargement is performed by digital zoom. This allows the user to simultaneously monitor both the original environmental image G11 and the environmental image G21 in which the specified range is enlarged. Note that in the example of FIG. 2, an interface (for example, enlarge and reduce buttons) is provided for receiving instructions to enlarge and reduce the displayed environmental images G11 and G21 by digital zoom.

[0029] Both environmental images G11 and G21 are environmental images currently being captured by the camera 8. In this case, the displayed environmental images G11 and G21 are updated in real time in accordance with the capturing operation of the camera 8. That is, both environmental images G11 and G21 are updated in synchronization with the capturing operation of the camera 8. The environmental images G11 and G21 are updated in accordance with the capturing operation of the camera 8 while maintaining their respective display ranges.

[0030] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the input accepting unit 3 accepts the specification of a range K1 by accepting the user's specification of a position on the environmental image G11. As a variation of this, the input accepting unit 3 may accept the specification of a preset setting range. For example, data indicating at least one preset setting range may be recorded in the storage unit 6. The input accepting unit 3 may display the recorded setting range in a selectable manner. The user can specify the setting range by selecting the setting range. When the setting range is specified, the display control unit 4 displays an image of the specified setting range in the environmental image as a new, independent environmental image.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a screen transition diagram illustrating a modified example of this display control. In the example of FIG. 3, preset setting ranges K1 to K4 are displayed on screen A3, superimposed on environmental image G31. These setting ranges K1 to K4 may be displayed in response to a user instruction (e.g., clicking the "Preset Display" button B3). The input receiving unit 3 reads the setting ranges K1 to K4 from the storage unit 6 and displays them superimposed on the environmental image G31. In addition, a button ("Preset Copy" button) B2 for receiving designation of these setting ranges K1 to K4 is displayed. When the user clicks button B2 while the setting ranges K1 to K4 are displayed on environmental image G31, enlarged images of the setting ranges K1 to K4 are displayed independently as new environmental images G41a to G41d, as shown on screen A4. This allows the user to designate the range they want to view as a new environmental image without having to perform an operation such as specifying a position on the environmental image G31.

[0032] A plurality of different patterns of setting ranges may be stored in the storage unit 6. The input receiving unit 3 may display a plurality of setting ranges so that the user can select a setting range. For example, in FIG. 3, the setting range displayed superimposed on the environmental image G31 may be switched each time the user clicks the "Preset Display" button B3.

[0033] The preset setting range may be recorded based on a user's designation. The input receiving unit 3 may receive advance registration of the setting range from the user by, for example, displaying a setting range registration screen. Alternatively, the range specified by the user by specifying a position on the environmental image may be recorded in the storage unit 6. This range previously specified by the user may be recorded in the storage unit 6 as the setting range, so that the user can select it later. In other words, the history of range designations by the user may be used as the setting range.

[0034] Alternatively, the display control system 1 may automatically determine and record the set range based on the positions of objects recognized by image processing of the environmental image. For example, the input receiving unit 3 may display a range surrounding each of the objects recognized in the environmental image as the set range selectable by the user.

[0035] In the example of FIG. 3, five image areas G3, G4a to G4d are displayed on the screen A4. A portion of the image area G3 overlaps with the newly displayed image areas G4a and G4c. When displaying a new environmental image, the display control unit 4 may adjust at least one of the layout and size of the environmental image so that the overlap between the multiple environmental images does not exceed a predetermined amount. Furthermore, at this time, at least one of the layout and size of the environmental image may be adjusted so that the range specified by the user is enlarged and displayed. For example, the display control unit 4 may automatically adjust the display size of each environmental image so that the overlap between the newly displayed environmental image and other environmental images is equal to or less than a predetermined amount and the range specified by the user is enlarged and displayed. This makes it easier for the user to monitor multiple environmental images.

[0036] 3, a new, independent environmental image G31 is displayed for each of a plurality of ranges specified by the user in the environmental image G31. This makes it easier to simultaneously monitor, for example, a plurality of objects placed in the environment creating chamber 7a.

[0037] The above example is an example in which an environmental image being captured by the camera 8 is displayed in real time. As a modified example, the input receiving unit 3 may receive a specification of a past environmental image captured in the past along with a specification of a range in the environmental image. The display control unit 4 may display the range specified by the user in the past environmental image as a new environmental image. The past environmental image is recorded in the storage unit 6 accessible by the display control system 1.

[0038] Fig. 4 is a screen transition diagram showing a modified example of this display control. On screen A5 in Fig. 4, an environmental image G51 being captured, i.e., a current environmental image G51, is displayed in image area G5. A user's range designation for the current environmental image G51 is accepted. The user can designate a desired range K5 to be displayed by designating any position on the environmental image G51 with the cursor.

[0039] In the image area G5, along with the current environment image G51, an input area D1 for accepting the designation of a past environment image and a "Display" button B4 for instructing the display of the past environment image are further displayed. When the user inputs the time of the past environment image they want to display in the input area D1 and clicks the "Display" button B4, an enlarged image of the past environment image of the range corresponding to the specified range K5 is newly displayed, as shown in screen A6. As the past environment image G61, an environment image G61 corresponding to the time input in input area D1 is displayed. In the newly displayed image area G6, the shooting date and time of the past environment image G61 are displayed together with the past environment image G61. The past environment image G61 may be updated according to the elapsed time. In other words, playback of the past environment image G61 may start from the time specified in input area D1. In this way, on screen A6, the enlarged image G61 of the specified range of the past environment image designated by the user and the current environment image G51 are simultaneously displayed. This allows the user to monitor the current environment image G51 while comparing it with the past environment image G61.

[0040] In the example of FIG. 4, a time is input as the specification of the past environment image. As a variation of this, the input receiving unit 3 may receive specification of environmental conditions from the user in order to determine the past environment image to be displayed. In this case, the memory unit 6 stores the past environment image in association with the environmental conditions in the environment forming room at the time the past environment image was captured. The display control unit 4 displays on the display 12 a past environment image whose capture time is the time when the environmental condition specified by the user occurred.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of environmental conditions recorded in the storage unit 6. In the example of FIG. 5, the recording date and time of the environmental image captured by the camera 8 is recorded as the shooting time. The operating state of the environment forming device 7, the environmental setting values ​​and measurement values ​​are recorded in association with the shooting time as the environmental conditions. Furthermore, image data for identifying a past environmental image is recorded in association with the shooting time. The image data may be, for example, data indicating an image file or an image ID.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for accepting the designation of an environmental condition. Screen A7 shown in FIG. 6 is an example of a screen for accepting the designation of a temperature set value as an environmental condition. On screen A7, an image area G7 for accepting the designation displays a graph showing the change in the environmental condition over time and an input area D2 for specifying the environmental condition. In this example, input of a temperature range (at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit) is accepted as the designation of the environmental condition. When the user inputs an environmental condition (e.g., a temperature range of 80°C or higher), the time period during which the environmental condition occurred is displayed in a graph. For example, the time periods (t1 to t2, t3 to t4, t5 to t6) during which the set temperature was 80°C or higher are highlighted in the graph. Note that the designation of the environmental condition is not limited to the above example, and in addition to a numerical range, a state such as an operating state may also be designated. The environmental condition may be, for example, a temperature set value, a measured temperature value, a humidity set value or measured value, etc. In this way, the input receiving unit 3 can receive, as a designation of an environmental condition, at least one of the operating state of the environment forming device 7 or the set value or measurement value of the environment formed by the environment forming device 7. Note that the input receiving unit 3 may also receive designation of a plurality of environmental conditions.

[0043] When an environmental condition is input in the image area G7 in FIG. 6 and the "OK" button B5 is clicked, the display control unit 4 reads from the storage unit 6 a past environment image whose capture time is the time period when the specified environmental condition occurred, and displays it on the display 12. The display control unit 4 can, for example, sequentially display a plurality of past environment images for the above time periods (t1 to t2, t3 to t4, t5 to t6). In this case, the display control unit 4 may sequentially display the plurality of past environment images for the above time periods by automatic scrolling, or may sequentially display them in response to a user operation. The user operation can, for example, click on a graph as shown in FIG. 6, or click on a button to instruct the display of the next image, etc.

[0044] In this case, the display control unit 4 may display an image of a range specified by the user in the past environment image. In the example of FIG. 6, a past environment image G51a, whose capture time is time t1 in the time zone in which the environmental condition occurred, is displayed in the image area G7. A range K5a specified by the user when the past environment image G51a was previously displayed is displayed superimposed on the past environment image G51a. When the "OK" button B5 is clicked, the display control unit 4 may display the past environment image of this range K5a as a new environment image. Furthermore, the past environment image G51a in the image area G7 may accept a range specification from the user. The user can specify a range that they wish to view in the past environment image. When the user specifies a range in the past environment image G51a, the past environment image of the specified range is displayed.

[0045] When sequentially displaying multiple past environment images for a time period under specified environmental conditions, the display control unit 4 may sequentially display multiple past environment images within a range specified by the user. For example, as in the example of FIG. 6, when the user specifies the environmental conditions and the range K5a, enlarged images of the range K5a of multiple past environment images for the time period under the specified environmental conditions may be sequentially displayed. In this case, the user can sequentially display enlarged images of the range K5a of multiple past environment images by specifying the range K5a once when specifying the environmental conditions, without having to specify the range K5a for each of the multiple past environment images.

[0046] When the display control unit 4 independently displays a range specified by the user in an environmental image as a new environmental image, the change detection unit 5 executes image processing for each newly independently displayed environmental image to detect changes. For example, when the display control unit 4 displays multiple ranges specified by the user as multiple environmental images each independent of one another, the change detection unit 5 detects changes in each of the multiple environmental images.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which the detection results by the change detection unit 5 are displayed. Screen A8 shown in FIG. 7 displays new, independent environmental images G91, G101, and G111 for each of the multiple ranges K6 to K8 specified by the user in the environmental image G81. The change detection unit 5 performs image processing on each of these multiple, independent environmental images G91, G101, and G111 to detect changes. The multiple, independently displayed environmental images G91 to G111 are updated as the camera 8 performs a photographing operation. The change detection unit 5 can determine whether or not a change has occurred by comparing each of the updated environmental images G91 to G111 with a reference image. The reference image can be, for example, an environmental image of the same range that was photographed before the environmental image being the target of change detection. The display control unit 4 displays the determination results of the change detection unit 5 for each of the environmental images G91 to G111 together with these environmental images G91 to G111. In the example of FIG. 7, environmental images G91 to G111 and the determination results of the change detection unit 5 are displayed in image areas G9 to G11 corresponding to the designated ranges K6 to K8, respectively.

[0048] In this way, the change detection unit 5 performs image processing to independently detect changes in each of the environmental images enlarged and displayed independently for the range specified by the user. This allows for more accurate detection of changes in the user-specified range. Furthermore, the user can monitor whether or not there is a change in each of the environmental images displayed independently of each other. This makes it easier for the user to monitor changes in the object. Furthermore, the environmental image G111 in which a change has been detected by the change detection unit 5 may accept a further range specification from the user. This allows the user to specify a range where a change is believed to have occurred and have that range displayed independently as a new environmental image. As a result, for example, the user can focus on monitoring the changed parts of the object.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a change detection process for an environmental image by the change detection unit 5. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the change detection unit 5 acquires one environmental image to be subjected to change detection (S1). If a reference image is available (YES in S2), the change detection unit 5 compares the environmental image acquired in S1 with the reference image (S3). In the comparison process, for example, the amount of change in the environmental image relative to the reference image can be calculated based on the difference between the value of each pixel in the environmental image and the value of the corresponding pixel in the reference image. If the amount of change calculated as a result of the comparison process is equal to or greater than a threshold, the change detection unit 5 determines that there is an image change (S4). In this case, the reference image is cleared (S5). Information indicating that there is an image change is also displayed together with the environmental image. If it is determined in S2 that there is no reference image, the reference image is updated to the environmental image acquired in S1 (S7). If it is determined in S3 that the amount of change in the environmental image acquired relative to the reference image is less than the threshold, the reference image is also updated to the environmental image acquired in S1 (S7). The processes of S1 to S7 are repeatedly executed until the change detection unit 5 determines that the process is finished (YES in S8). For example, the process is determined to be finished (YES in S8) when an instruction to finish is input from the user. If NO in S8, the process waits for a certain period of time, and then an environmental image is acquired in S1. The waiting time may be, for example, a time corresponding to the refresh rate of the environmental image.

[0050] The process shown in FIG. 8 can detect changes in each environmental image. The change detection may be, for example, abnormality detection. Note that the change detection process is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the previously acquired environmental image is used as a reference image to determine changes in the current environmental image. Alternatively, for example, an initial image may be used as the reference image, and the presence or absence of a change may be determined based on the amount of change between the reference image and the acquired environmental image. Furthermore, multiple images may be used as the reference image.

[0051] The change detection unit 5 may detect changes in the environment creating room 7a using the change detection results for each of the multiple environmental images G91-G111 that are displayed independently of one another. That is, the change detection unit 5 can determine whether or not a change has occurred based on the multiple change detection results for the multiple environmental images G91-G111. This enables comprehensive change detection that takes into account the detection results for each of the multiple environmental images G91-G111.

[0052] For example, the change detection unit 5 may determine that a change has occurred in the environment creating room 7a when a change is detected in at least one of the multiple environmental images G91 to G111. Alternatively, the change detection unit 5 may determine that a change has occurred in the environment creating room 7a when a change is detected in all of the multiple environmental images G91 to G111. Alternatively, a change in the environment creating room 7a may be detected based on the amount of change detected in each of the multiple environmental images G91 to G111.

[0053] The change detection unit 5 can, for example, display the detection results of changes in each of the multiple environmental images G91 to G111, as well as the detection results of changes in the environment forming chamber 7a based on these detection results, together with the environmental images G91 to G111.

[0054] According to the above-described embodiment, by independently displaying a range specified by the user in the environmental image as a new environmental image, it becomes possible to monitor the environmental image captured by the camera 8 from various perspectives. As a result, it becomes easier for the user to monitor the inside of the environment forming room. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, display control enables monitoring from various perspectives. Therefore, it is possible to improve the ease of monitoring for the user without complicating the optical configuration or physical mechanism of the camera 8 or increasing the number of cameras. In other words, it is possible to easily monitor the internal state of the environment forming device while avoiding a complicated camera configuration.

[0055] The display control system 1 can be configured, for example, by one or more computers having a processor and a memory. The functions of the acquisition unit 2, the input reception unit 3, the display control unit 4, and the change detection unit 5 are realized by the processor executing a predetermined program. Such programs and non-transitory recording media on which they are recorded are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The storage unit 6 can be configured by a storage device (storage or memory) accessible by the computer constituting the display control system 1. The storage unit 6 may be a storage device built into the computer constituting the display control system 1, or may be a storage device accessible by the computer via a network.

[0056] The display control system 1 is configured by a computer capable of communicating with the converter 9 and the environment forming device 7. As an example, as shown in FIG. 1, at least a portion of the display control system 1 may be implemented in a computer connected to the converter 9 and the environment forming device 7 via a network. In this case, for example, the display control system 1 may be implemented in a server or computer terminal connected to the network. As a modified example, at least a portion of the display control system 1 may be implemented in the computer of the converter 9 or the environment forming device 7. For example, when the display control system 1 is implemented in the computer (controller) of the converter 9 or the environment forming device 7, another computer (e.g., a computer terminal) connected to the converter 9 or the environment forming device 7 via the network may be able to access the display control system 1. In this case, the display control system 1 can receive input from a user via, for example, an input device of the other computer and control the display of an environmental image on the display of the other computer. Furthermore, at least one of the input device 11 or the display 12 may be provided in the converter 9 or the environment forming device 7. As an example, the input unit 7b of the environment forming device 7 can be used as the input device 11 of the display control system 1. The functions of the acquisition unit 2, the input reception unit 3, the display control unit 4, and the change detection unit 5 of the display control system 1 may be distributed among a plurality of computers.

[0057] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the environment creating device and the display control system 1 do not have to be connected. The change detection unit 5 may be omitted from the display control system 1. The environment creating device may be, in addition to an environmental testing device, a heating device such as an oven, a storage cabinet with an air conditioning function, or the like.

[0058] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the above-described embodiments can be appropriately modified and carried out without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: Environmental image display control system, 2: Acquisition unit, 3: Input reception unit, 4: Display control unit, 5: Change detection unit, 6: Memory unit, 7: Environmental creation device, 7a: Environmental creation room, 8: Camera

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires an environmental image of the inside of an environment creating chamber captured by a camera provided in an environment creating device that includes an environment creating chamber that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment; a display control unit that displays the environmental image on a display; an input receiving unit that receives a designation of a range in the environmental image from a user, the display control unit simultaneously displays a plurality of ranges in the environmental image specified by the user on the display as a plurality of environmental images each independent of each other, a change detection unit that detects a change in each of the plurality of environmental images; The display control unit displays the determination result of the change detection unit for each of the plurality of environmental images together with the plurality of environmental images.

2. 2. The environmental image display control system according to claim 1, a storage unit that stores at least one preset range in the environmental image; the input receiving unit receives, from the user, a designation of the setting range stored in the storage unit; The display control unit displays an image of the setting range specified by the user in the environmental image as a new independent environmental image.

3. 3. The environmental image display control system according to claim 1, A storage unit that records past environmental images of the environment creating room that have been captured in the past is accessible; the input receiving unit receives a designation of the range in the environmental image as well as a designation of the past environmental image; The display control unit is an environmental image display control system that, when the user specifies the range along with the past environmental image, displays an image of the range specified by the user in the specified past environmental image as a new, independent environmental image.

4. 3. The environmental image display control system according to claim 1, a storage unit that stores past environmental images of the environment forming room captured in the past in association with the environmental conditions of the environment forming room at the time of capturing the past environmental images, and the storage unit is accessible; the input receiving unit receives a designation of an environmental condition from the user; The display control unit displays a past environmental image captured at a time when the environmental condition specified by the user occurred.

5. 3. The environmental image display control system according to claim 1, The change detection unit detects a change in the environment creating room using a result of detecting a change in each of the plurality of environmental images.

6. an environment forming device having an environment forming chamber that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment; a camera provided in the environment creating device for capturing images of the inside of the environment creating chamber; an acquisition unit that acquires an environmental image of the environment creating room captured by the camera; a display control unit that displays the environmental image on a display; an input receiving unit that receives a designation of a range in the environmental image from a user, the display control unit simultaneously displays a plurality of ranges in the environmental image specified by the user on the display as a plurality of environmental images each independent of each other, in an environment forming system, a change detection unit that detects a change in each of the plurality of environmental images; The display control unit displays the judgment results of the change detection unit for each of the plurality of environmental images together with the plurality of environmental images.

7. an acquisition process for acquiring an environmental image of the inside of an environment forming chamber photographed by a camera provided in an environment forming device having an environment forming chamber that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment; a display control process for displaying the environmental image on a display; an input receiving process for receiving a designation of a range in the environmental image from a user; The display control process is a program including a process of simultaneously displaying a plurality of ranges in the environmental image specified by the user on the display as a plurality of environmental images each independent of each other, and further comprising: a change detection process for detecting a change in each of the plurality of environmental images; and displaying a determination result of the change detection process for each of the plurality of environmental images together with the plurality of environmental images.

8. An environmental image display control method executed by a computer, comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring an environmental image of the inside of the environment forming chamber photographed by a camera provided in an environment forming device having an environment forming chamber that can be adjusted to a predetermined environment; a display control step of displaying the environmental image on a display; an input receiving step of receiving a designation of a range in the environmental image from a user, In the display control step, a plurality of ranges in the environmental image specified by the user are simultaneously displayed on the display as a plurality of environmental images each independent of each other, a change detection step of detecting a change in each of the plurality of environmental images; The environmental image display control method further comprises a step of displaying a determination result of the change detection step for each of the plurality of environmental images together with the plurality of environmental images.

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