External device control method, imaging device control method, imaging system control method, external device, imaging device, and imaging system

[0057]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a surveillance camera 1100 as an imaging device according to a first embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1001 denotes an imaging optical system, reference numeral 1003 denotes an imaging element, and reference numeral 1005 denotes an image processing circuit. Further, reference numeral 1011 denotes an encoding buffer, reference numeral 1015 denotes an encoding circuit, reference numeral 1019 denotes a communication circuit (hereinafter, may be referred to as an interface (IF) circuit), reference numeral 1021 denotes a communication buffer, and reference numeral 1023 denotes a communication port.

[0058]Reference numeral 1027 denotes a central arithmetic processing unit (hereinafter, may be referred to as a CPU), reference numeral 1029 denotes an electrically erasable, programmable read-only memory (hereinafter, may be referred to as an EEPROM), and reference numeral 1031 denotes a CPU memory.

[0059]Reference nu

[0304]FIGS. 12A to 12C illustrate a configuration example of a PTZPresetTourStartingConditionExtension type according to a second embodiment. The same elements as those in the first embodiment will be referred to with the same signs as those in the first embodiment, and explanation of those same elements will be omitted.

[0305]FIG. 12A illustrates a configuration example of a PTZPresetTourStartingConditionExtension type. Referring to FIG. 12A, the first field of the PTZPresetTourStartingConditionExtension type is an ExtendedRecurringDuration field. This field is described as a PTZPresetTourRecurringDurationExtended type.

[0306]Further, the next field of the PTZPresetTourStartingConditionExtension type is an ExtendedDirection field. This field is described as a PTZPresetTourDirectionExtended type.

[0307]In the second embodiment, the last field of the PTZPresetTourStartingConditionExtension type is an Extension field. This field is a field reserved for future extension.

[0308]FIG. 12B illust

[0318]FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate a configuration example of a PTZPresetTourStartingCondition type according to a third embodiment. The same elements as those in the foregoing embodiments will be referred to with the same signs as those in the foregoing embodiments, and explanation of those same elements will be omitted.

[0319]In the PTZPresetTourStartingCondition type illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the capability of the surveillance camera 1100 according to the third embodiment for a random operation regarding a preset tour is described with an attribute element of this type.

[0320]FIG. 13A illustrates a configuration example in the case where an XML pre-defined string type is used for the attribute element.

[0321]In the configuration example of the PTZPresetTourStartingCondition type illustrated in FIG. 13A, the first attribute is ExtendedRecurringDuration. This attribute is used for issuing an instruction to determine the standby time between a tour and the next tour in a random ma