JP2001136430A - Image capture device and its operation control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image capture device, which photographs a user standing in front of the image capture device and prints out a picture of the user, that obtains the picture with a desired size and desired lightness even when the users does not move. SOLUTION: A shutter speed and an aperture or the like are decided in response to zooming and the lightness depending on the number of photographed people. When the number of photographed people is set (step 42), a zoom lens is driven depending on the number of photographed people (step 44). When the lightness is set (step 43), the shutter speed and the aperture or the like are controlled to obtain the set lightness (steps 46, 47). The picture with the desired size and lightness can be obtained without the need for movement of the users.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus for photographing a subject such as a user and obtaining image data representing a subject image, and an operation control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is an image capture device typified by a sticker / printer device which photographs a user and prints and outputs the user's image on a sticker or the like. In such an image capturing device, a user stands in front of the image capturing device. A display screen is formed on a front surface of the image capturing device. The user is photographed by the camera in the image capturing device, and the image of the user is displayed on the display screen. The user moves back and forth and left and right by himself so that an image is taken at an appropriate position.

[0003] In addition, an image capturing apparatus is often provided with an auxiliary light source such as a fluorescent lamp or a strobe so that a user can be photographed with appropriate brightness. The user illuminated by the auxiliary light source is photographed.

In such an image capturing apparatus, the installation position of the camera and the zoom amount of the zoom lens of the camera are fixed. Therefore, to make the user's image larger,
The user himself approaches the image capturing device. To make a user's image smaller, the user himself moves away from the image capture device. In addition, since the light amount of the auxiliary light source is constant, the user himself approaches the auxiliary light source to brighten the image of the user. To darken the user's image, the user himself moves away from the auxiliary light source.

[0005] In the image capturing device, the size and brightness of the user's image cannot be changed unless the user himself approaches or goes away from the image capturing device or an auxiliary light source provided in the image capturing device. .

[0006]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to obtain images of users having different sizes or brightness without approaching or moving away from the image capturing device or the auxiliary light source.

An image capturing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a photographing means for photographing a subject with a zoom amount according to a setting to obtain image data representing a subject image, and a number setting means for setting the number of subjects to be photographed. A zoom amount control means for controlling the photographing means so as to perform photographing with a zoom amount corresponding to the number of persons set by the person number setting means, and an output device for outputting image data obtained by the photographing means. It is characterized by the following.

[0008] The first invention also provides an operation control method suitable for the above device. That is, in this method, the number of subjects to be photographed can be set in an image capturing apparatus provided with photographing means for photographing a subject with a zoom amount according to the setting and obtaining image data representing the subject image. The photographing means is controlled so as to photograph with a zoom amount corresponding to the set number of persons, and the obtained image data is output.

According to the first aspect, the number of subjects to be photographed can be set. When the number of subjects is set, the zoom amount is determined according to the set number of people (for example, the relationship between the number of people and the zoom amount is stored in advance). The subject is photographed with the zoom amount according to the set number of people, and image data representing the subject image is obtained. The obtained image data is output. For example, a subject image represented by the obtained image data is displayed on a display device, the subject image is printed, and the obtained image data is recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card, a floppy disk, or an optical disk. You.

A subject is photographed with the zoom amount changed according to the setting of the number of people. Therefore, the size of the obtained subject image also changes. The subject images having different sizes can be obtained without the subject itself moving. Moreover, the zoom amount can be changed only by setting the number of people. No cumbersome operation for changing the zoom amount is required.

[0011] The above-mentioned image capturing apparatus, for example, captures an image of a user located in front, displays an image of the user obtained by the capturing, and captures the image by moving the user himself while watching the displayed image of the user. It may be applied to a stationary image capture device that determines the angle.

An image capturing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention captures an image of a user located in front, displays an image of the user obtained by the imaging, and moves the user himself while watching the displayed image of the user. A stationary image capturing device for determining a photographing angle, a photographing means for photographing a subject and outputting image data representing a subject image, a brightness selecting means for selecting a desired brightness from a plurality of brightnesses, Adjusting means for adjusting the amount of exposure in the photographing means so that a subject image is photographed at a brightness corresponding to the brightness selected by the brightness selecting means; and outputting image data obtained by the photographing means. And an image data output device.

[0013] The second invention also provides a method suitable for the above device. That is, this method includes a photographing means for photographing a user located in front and obtaining image data for displaying a subject image, displaying a user image obtained by photographing by the photographing means, and displaying the displayed user's image. 2. Description of the Related Art In a stationary image capture device that determines a shooting angle by moving a user himself while watching an image, a desired brightness can be selected from a plurality of brightnesses, and the brightness according to the selected brightness is selected. The exposure amount in the photographing means is adjusted so that the image of the subject is photographed, and the obtained image data is output.

According to the second invention, a desired brightness can be selected. The exposure amount in the photographing means is adjusted so as to have the selected brightness. For example, the shutter speed, aperture, and the like of the photographing means are adjusted. A subject is photographed with the adjusted exposure amount.

An image having a desired brightness can be obtained without the user moving himself.

When an auxiliary light source (a strobe device, a fluorescent lamp, etc.) for irradiating the user with auxiliary light is provided, the amount of light emitted from the auxiliary light source will be adjusted according to the selected brightness. .

[0017] Even when the auxiliary light source is provided, an image having a desired brightness can be obtained without moving the user himself.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image capturing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A display screen 3 of a monitor display device is provided above the front surface of the image capturing device 1. Behind the monitor display screen 3, a digital video camera is provided. The user stands in front of the image capturing device 1 toward the monitor display screen 3. The user is photographed by the digital video camera via the monitor display screen 3. The photographed image of the user is displayed on the monitor display screen 3.

On the right side of the monitor display screen 3, a speaker for outputting the operation guidance by voice is provided. The user operates the image capturing device 1 according to the sound output from the speaker 4. Fluorescent lamps 14 are provided on the upper surface and both side surfaces of the image capturing device 1 for illuminating a user standing in front of the image capturing device 1.

At a substantially central portion of the front surface of the image capturing device 1, an operation portion 12 projecting from the front surface is formed. The operation unit 12 has a left button 5, a right button 6, an OK button 9 and a cancel button 10 for selecting the number of photographers and the brightness at the time of photographing, as described later. The operation unit 12 is also provided with a coin return slot 11.

Below the operation unit 12, a coin insertion slot 13 for inserting a coin as a usage fee when a user uses the image capturing apparatus 1 is formed.

A coin return slot is provided below the front surface of the image capturing device 1. Before printing the subject image, the coin return slot 11
The coin inserted from 13 is returned from the coin return slot.

In the image capturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, a subject image obtained by photographing and a template image are combined and printed as necessary. On the right side of the coin return slot 15, there is provided a print discharge slot 16 for discharging a print of a synthesized image or a user image not synthesized with the template image.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a part of the electrical configuration of the image capturing device 1. As shown in FIG.

The entire operation of the image capturing device 1 is controlled by a control device.
Governed by 20. The control device 20 includes a memory for storing an operation program and other necessary data.

The digital video camera 21 is arranged at the back of the monitor display screen 3 as described above. The digital video camera 21 is controlled by the control device 20. The user standing in front of the image capturing device 1 is photographed by the digital video camera 21 through the half mirror 22 and the monitor display screen 3 as described above. Image data representing a subject image is obtained by the digital video camera 21. The obtained image data is
Input to the control device 20.

The image data obtained by the photographing is given to the display device 23 and displayed on the display screen of the display device 23. The subject image displayed on the display screen of the display device 23 appears on the monitor display screen 3 via the half mirror 22. The user of the image capturing device 1 looks at the image displayed on the monitor display screen 3.

The storage device 24 stores image data representing a template image. Operation unit 12 by user
The desired template image is selected by the operation in. Image data representing the selected template image is input to the control device 20. In the control device 20, the image data obtained by photographing the user and the selected template image data are combined. Image data representing the synthesized image is input to the printer 25. Printer 25
At, the image of the user combined with the template image is printed and released from the print release port 16 as described above.

Further, the ON / OFF of the fluorescent lamp 14 provided in the image capturing device 1 is also controlled by the control device 20.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the digital video camera 21.

The operation of the digital video camera 21 is controlled by a CPU 30 controlled by a control device 20.

The digital video camera 21 includes a strobe device 39. The light emission of the strobe device 39 is controlled by the CPU 30.

An optical image representing an object image incident through the stop 31 is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD 33 by the zoom lens 32. The zoom lens 32 can change the zoom amount from “2” (telephoto) to “15” (wide). C
A video signal representing the subject image is output from the CD 33 and input to the analog signal processing circuit 34. Aperture value at aperture 31,
The amount of zoom in the zoom lens 32 and the shutter speed of a so-called electronic shutter in the CCD 33 are controlled by the CPU 30, respectively.

The analog signal processing circuit 34 performs predetermined analog signal processing such as gamma correction and color balance adjustment. The video signal output from the analog signal processing circuit 34 is input to the analog / digital signal processing circuit 35,
It is converted to digital image data. The converted digital image data is input to the digital signal processing circuit 36. In the digital signal processing circuit 36, processing for generating luminance data and color difference data and other digital signal processing are performed.

The image data output from the digital signal processing circuit 36 is compressed in a compression circuit 37. The compressed image data is provided to the memory 38 and is temporarily stored. The image data stored in the memory 38 is read out according to the output control signal from the control device 20, and is provided to the control device 20. In the control device 20, the data is expanded. By providing the image data whose data has been expanded to the display device 23, as described above, the monitor display screen 3 is displayed.
The subject image is displayed above.

FIG. 4 shows an image capture device 1 according to this embodiment.
Shows the relationship between the number of photographers and the zoom lens position.

As the number of photographers is smaller, the zoom lens 32 is controlled so as to focus on a position closer to the image capturing device 1 (the zoom lens 32 is on the telephoto side). Zoom lens 32 so as to focus on a position distant from embedded device 1 (zoom lens 32 is on the wide side).
Is controlled.

As will be described later, when the number of photographers is set by the user of the image capturing device 1, the zoom / lens position is adjusted to the zoom lens position corresponding to the set number of photographers.
The lens 32 is controlled.

FIG. 5 shows an image capturing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.
3 shows the relationship between the brightness at the time of shooting and the shutter speed, aperture value, and whether or not the flash device 39 emits light.

As will be described later, the image capturing device 1 according to this embodiment allows the user to set the brightness at the time of shooting. When the brightness at the time of shooting is set to be bright, the CCD 33 is set to be set bright according to the setting.
, The aperture value of the aperture 31, and the emission of the flash in the flash device 39 are controlled.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image capturing device 1. 7 and 8 are examples of images displayed on the monitor display screen 3. FIG.

The user inserts a coin corresponding to the usage fee from the coin insertion slot 13 (step 41). Then, an image for selecting the number of photographed persons appears on the monitor display screen 3 as shown in FIG. The number of photographers is selected using the photographer selection image (step 42).

The photographing person selection image includes areas 61, 62 and 63 for selecting the number of photographing persons. The area 61 is "1
In this case, the number of photographing persons is set.
In this case, the number of photographers of "person" is set.
The number of photographers of "people (or more)" is set. Area 6
A frame F appears so as to surround 1, 62 or 63. When the left button 5 is pressed, the frame F moves to the left so as to surround the area on the left of the currently enclosing area. When the right button 6 is pressed, the frame F moves to the right so as to surround the area on the right side of the currently enclosing area.

When the OK button 9 is pressed, the number of photographers represented by the area surrounded by the frame F is selected.

When the number of photographers is selected, a brightness selection image shown in FIG. 8 appears on the monitor display screen 3, and the brightness at the time of photographing is selected (step 43).

The brightness selection image includes areas 71, 72 and 73 for selecting the brightness at the time of shooting. Area 71 is
This is set when shooting brightly.
Is set when shooting with the same brightness, and the area 73 is set when shooting dark. A frame F appears so as to surround the region 71, 72 or 73. Similarly to the image for selecting the number of photographed persons, when the left button 5 is pressed, the frame F moves to the left so as to surround the area to the left of the currently enclosed area. When the right button 6 is pressed, the frame F moves to the right so as to surround the area on the right side of the currently enclosing area.

When the OK button 9 is pressed, the brightness represented by the area surrounded by the frame F is selected.

The zoom lens 32 is controlled so that the position of the zoom lens corresponds to the set number of photographers (step 44, see FIG. 4).

With the digital video camera 21,
A user standing in front of the image capturing device 1 is photographed, and an image of the user is displayed on the monitor display screen 3 as described above (step 45).

The shutter speed (step 46), aperture value (step 47), and whether or not the flash device 39 emits light (step 48) are set according to the selected brightness at the time of photographing (see FIG. 5). .

The digital video camera 21 is shutter-released (step 49), and image data representing the image of the user is obtained. The obtained image data is combined with image data representing a desired template image selected by the user. The user image combined with the template image is printed by the printer 25 (step 5).
0).

FIGS. 9 to 13 show printed user images. Here, the template image is omitted.

FIGS. 9 to 11 show images obtained by photographing the user when the brightness at the time of photographing is set to “bright”.

FIG. 9 shows an image obtained by photographing the user when the number of photographed persons is set to "1". Since there is only one user to be photographed, the zoom amount is set to the tele side as described above. The size of the user in the obtained image is relatively large.

FIG. 10 shows an image obtained by photographing the user when the number of photographers is set to "2". Since there are two users to be photographed, the zoom amount is set to an intermediate value as described above. The size of the user in the obtained image is an intermediate size.

FIG. 11 shows an image obtained by photographing the user when the number of photographers is set to "3". Since there are three or more users to be photographed, the zoom amount is set to the wide side as described above. The size of the user in the obtained image is relatively small.

FIG. 12 shows an image obtained by photographing the user when the brightness at the time of photographing is set to “as is”. FIG. 13 shows an image obtained by shooting a user whose brightness at the time of shooting is set to “dark”. The narrower the hatching interval, the darker it is.

According to the image capturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the user can obtain an image of a desired brightness and a desired size without approaching or moving away from the image capturing apparatus 1. Become.

In the above-described embodiment, the image of the user is printed by the printer 25, but the image data representing the user is not necessarily printed, but may be recorded on a memory card, optical disk, floppy disk, or the like. Good. In this case, a driver suitable for each medium will be provided. Further, the strobe device may not only be turned on and off, but also be capable of adjusting the light emission amount.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image capturing device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the image capturing device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital video camera.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the number of photographers and the zoom / lens position.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the brightness at the time of shooting and the shutter speed, aperture, and the presence or absence of flash emission.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the image capturing device.

FIG. 7 is an example of a photographing person selection image.

FIG. 8 is an example of a brightness selection image.

FIG. 9 is an example of a printed image.

FIG. 10 is an example of a printed image.

FIG. 11 is an example of a printed image.

FIG. 12 is an example of a printed image.

FIG. 13 is an example of a printed image.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 Image capture device 3 Monitor display screen 5 Left button 6 Right button 9 OK button 20 Control device 21 Digital video camera 22 Half mirror 23 Display device 25 Printer 30 CPU 31 Aperture 32 Aperture 33 CCD 39 Strobe device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/76 H04N 5/76 E

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A photographing means for photographing a subject with a zoom amount according to a setting to obtain image data representing a subject image, a number setting means for setting the number of subjects to be photographed, and the number setting means. An image capturing device comprising: a zoom amount control unit that controls the photographing unit so as to photograph with a zoom amount corresponding to the number of people; and an output device that outputs image data obtained by the photographing unit. 2. A stationary image in which a user located in front is photographed, an image of the user obtained by photographing is displayed, and the photographing angle is determined by moving the user himself while looking at the displayed image of the user. In the capturing device, a photographing means for photographing a subject and outputting image data representing the subject image, a brightness selecting means for selecting a desired brightness from a plurality of brightnesses, and a brightness selecting means selected by the brightness selecting means. So that the subject image is captured with the brightness corresponding to the brightness,
An image capturing device, comprising: an adjusting unit that adjusts an exposure amount in the photographing unit; and an image data output device that outputs image data obtained by the photographing unit. 3. An auxiliary light source for irradiating a user with auxiliary light, and a light amount adjusting means for adjusting an output light amount of the auxiliary light source according to the brightness selected by the brightness selecting means. Item 3. The image capturing device according to Item 2. 4. An image capturing apparatus comprising a photographing means for photographing a subject with a zoom amount according to a setting and obtaining image data representing a subject image, wherein the number of subjects to be photographed is settable. An operation control method for an image capturing device, comprising: controlling the photographing means so as to perform photographing with a zoom amount corresponding to the number of persons, and outputting obtained image data. 5. A photographing means for photographing a user located ahead and obtaining image data for displaying a subject image, displaying a user image obtained by photographing by the photographing means, and displaying the displayed user image. In a stationary image capture device that determines the shooting angle by moving the user himself while watching the image, a desired brightness can be selected from a plurality of brightnesses, and the brightness according to the selected brightness is selected. An operation control method for an image capturing device, comprising: adjusting an exposure amount of the image capturing means so as to capture an image of a subject; and outputting obtained image data.