Monitoring system

Abstract

In a monitoring system, when a monitoring display instruction is received from a smartphone, a master device transmits an image transmission request to a plurality of cameras, each of the cameras transmits image data obtained by an image capturing unit to the master device in response to the image transmission request from the master device, the master device generates a plurality of separate images in order to display images from the plurality of cameras on a single screen in a distributed manner, and transmits image data of a monitoring screen of the plurality of separate images to the smartphone, and the smartphone includes a display/input unit and displays the monitoring screen of the plurality of separate images transmitted from the master device on the display/input unit.

1 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A monitoring system comprising:
 a plurality of cameras each including an imager and a DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) compliant communicator; and   a DECT master device that, in operation, performs wireless communication with the plurality of cameras according to a DECT communications protocol, performs wireless communication with one or more DECT cordless handsets according to the DECT communications protocol, and is connected to a fixed telephone network to communicate with other fixed telephones;   wherein the DECT master device, in operation, receives a monitor display request, via a wireless router, from a smartphone that is connected to a mobile phone network to communicate with other mobile telephones, and transmits an image request to the plurality of cameras;   the plurality of cameras, in response to the image request from the DECT master device, send a plurality of images respectively to the DECT master device; and   the DECT master device, when receiving the plurality of images respectively from the plurality of camera, forms one multiple-segmented image that includes the plurality of images in multiple segments of the multiple-segmented image, and transmits the multiple-segmented image via the wireless router to the smartphone for display on the smartphone.   
     
     
         6 . The monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein the DECT master device, after transmitting the multiple-segmented image to the smartphone for display, when receiving a display request directed to one of the multiple segments of the multiple-segmented image from the smartphone, transmits one of the plurality of images corresponding to the requested one of the multiple segments as a single image to the smartphone for display on the smartphone. 
     
     
         7 . The monitoring system of  claim 6 , wherein the DECT master device, when receiving the display request directed to one of the multiple segments of the multiple-segmented image, generates the single image using image data of the one of the plurality of images corresponding to the requested one of the multiple segments and transmits the single image to the smartphone. 
     
     
         8 . The monitoring system of  claim 6 , wherein the DECT master device, when receiving the display request directed to one of the multiple segments of the multiple-segmented image, stops forwarding image data from the camera(s) other than the camera that images the requested one of the plurality of images, and forwards image data from the camera that images the requested one of the plurality of images as the single image to the smartphone. 
     
     
         9 . The monitoring camera system of  claim 5 , wherein each of plurality of cameras further includes a wireless LAN communicator. 
     
     
         10 . A monitoring method based on a monitoring system, the monitoring system comprising: (a) a plurality of cameras each including an imager and a DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) compliant communicator; and (b) a DECT master device that, in operation, performs wireless communication with the plurality of cameras according to a DECT communications protocol, performs wireless communication with one or more DECT cordless handsets according to the DECT communications protocol, and is connected to a fixed telephone network to communicate with other fixed telephones; the monitoring method comprising:
 receiving, at the DECT master device, a monitor display request, via a wireless router, from a smartphone that is connected to a mobile phone network to communicate with other mobile telephones,   transmitting, from the DECT master device that has received the monitor display request, an image request to the plurality of cameras,   transmitting, from the plurality of cameras that have received the monitor display request respectively, a plurality of images respectively to the DECT master device,   forming, at the DECT master device, one multiple-segmented image that includes the plurality of images in multiple segments of the multiple-segmented image, and   transmitting, from the DECT master device, the multiple-segmented image via the wireless router to the smartphone for display on the smartphone.   
     
     
         11 . The monitoring method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the DECT master device, a display request directed to one of the multiple segments of the multiple-segmented image from the smartphone, and   transmitting, from the DECT master device, one of the plurality of images corresponding to the requested one of the multiple segments as a single image to the smartphone for display on the smartphone.   
     
     
         12 . The monitoring method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 generating, at the DECT master device, the single image using image data of the one of the plurality of images corresponding to the requested one of the multiple segments.   
     
     
         13 . The monitoring method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 stopping forwarding image data from the camera(s) other than the camera that images the requested one of the plurality of images, and   forwarding image data from the camera that images the requested one of the plurality of images as the single image to the smartphone.   
     
     
         14 . The monitoring method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of cameras further includes a wireless LAN communicator.