Monitoring system and monitoring method

Abstract

In a sound source display system, an omnidirectional camera captures an image of a monitoring area. A microphone array collects a voice in the monitoring area. A monitoring monitor displays the image of an imaging area captured by the omnidirectional camera. A sound pressure calculator in a directivity control device calculates a sound pressure indicating a source of a sound in the image of the imaging area using voice data of the voice collected by the microphone array. An output controller in the directivity control device compares the sound pressure and threshold values (first threshold value, second threshold value), and causes sound image information in which the sound pressure is converted into visual information according to the result of comparison, to be displayed on the monitoring monitor so as to be superimposed on the image of the imaging area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A monitoring system, comprising:
 a camera;   a microphone array configured to collect sound in a monitoring area; and   a signal processor configured to
 determine whether or not the sound in the monitoring area exceeds a sound source detection threshold value, 
 perform, in response to the sound in the monitoring area exceeding the sound source detection threshold value, an operation that adjusts a position of the camera to be directed at a source of the sound in the monitoring area. 
   
     
     
         2 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a recorder including a controller configured to control data recording,   wherein, subsequent to the adjustment of the position of the camera, the recorder starts a data recording.   
     
     
         3 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera and the microphone array are coaxially disposed. 
     
     
         4 . The monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lighting device,   wherein the signal processor is configured to trigger, prior to the adjustment of the position of the camera, the lighting device to light the monitoring area.   
     
     
         5 . The monitoring system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a display,   wherein the signal processor is configured to trigger, subsequent to the lighting device lighting the monitoring area, the display to display an image data captured by the camera.   
     
     
         6 . A monitoring method in a monitoring system including a camera, a microphone array, and a signal processor, the monitoring method comprising:
 collecting, by the microphone array, sound in a monitoring area;   determining, by the signal processor, whether or not the sound in the monitoring area exceeds a sound source detection threshold value;   performing, by the signal processor and in response to the sound in the monitoring area exceeding the sound source detection threshold value, an operation, which includes adjusting a position of the camera to be directed at a source of the sound in the monitoring area.