JP2001359083A - Imaging unit mounted on mobile body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging unit mounted on a mobile body that can easily pick up an image of an object while moving the mobile body. SOLUTION: The imaging unit is mounted on a helicopter and provided with an object position entry section 125 that is used to enter an absolute position of a place in a building where a fire takes place, a camera 103 that images the fire in the building, an imaging direction revision section 105 whose one end is fixed to the helicopter 150 and to the other end of which the camera 103 is turnably fitted, a flight direction detection section 111 to detect the flight direction of the helicopter and a GPS 109 that detects the absolute position of the helicopter. The imaging direction revision section 105 turns the camera with respect to the mobile body at a turning angle obtained on the basis of the absolute position of the helicopter, the absolute position of the fire in the building and the flight direction of the helicopter. Thus, the camera can automatically capture the fire in the building in its frame.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus mounted on a moving body, and more particularly, to an image pickup apparatus mounted on a moving body capable of imaging a subject even when the moving body and the subject relatively move. The present invention relates to an imaging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an image of a wildfire or the like is taken as a subject using a camera mounted on a helicopter, it is necessary for a helicopter operator and a camera photographer to perform respective tasks.

[0003] Also, when an image of an automobile moving on the ground is taken by a camera mounted on a helicopter, two persons, a helicopter operator and a camera photographer, are required.

[0004]

However, the conventional imaging method requires two persons, a helicopter operator and a camera photographer, and these two persons take pictures of the subject while cooperating well. . For example, a helicopter operator needs to move the helicopter to a place where it is easy to take a picture with the camera, and the camera operator needs to adjust the angle of the camera so that the subject is easily reflected.

As described above, in the conventional imaging method, not only two workers are required, but also the degree of communication between the two workers affects the image quality. .

An object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of easily picking up an image of a subject while moving a moving object. That is.

[0007]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging apparatus mounted on a moving body, the imaging apparatus including: a position for inputting an absolute position of a subject; Input means, imaging means for imaging the subject,
One end is fixed to the moving body, the other end is rotatably mounted with the imaging means, the imaging direction changing means, the moving direction detecting means for detecting the moving direction of the moving body, and the absolute position of the moving body is detected. And a position detecting means, wherein the imaging direction changing means rotates the imaging means with respect to the moving body based on the absolute position of the moving body, the absolute position of the subject, and the traveling direction of the moving body.

According to the present invention, the absolute position of the moving object, the absolute position of the subject, and the movement of the moving object are determined by the imaging direction changing means having one end fixed to the moving body and the other end rotatably mounted with the imaging means. The imaging unit is rotated with respect to the moving body based on the direction. Therefore, the imaging direction of the imaging unit is determined in consideration of the relative positional relationship between the moving body and the subject and the relative difference between the imaging direction of the imaging unit and the traveling direction of the moving body. As a result, it is possible to provide an imaging device capable of easily imaging the subject while moving the moving body.

Preferably, the position input means of the image pickup apparatus comprises:
Includes receiving means for receiving the absolute position transmitted from the subject.

According to the present invention, since the absolute position transmitted from the subject is received, the subject can be imaged even when the subject moves.

Preferably, the imaging direction changing means of the imaging device includes an automatic tracking means for maintaining a subject included in the imaging frame of the imaging means in the imaging frame.

According to the present invention, the subject included in the imaging frame of the imaging means is maintained in the imaging frame.
Therefore, once the imaging direction is determined so that the subject is included in the imaging frame, the subject can be automatically included in the imaging frame thereafter.

Preferably, the image pickup apparatus further includes a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the image pickup means and the subject, and the image pickup means changes an angle of view in accordance with the measured distance. It has a double function.

According to the present invention, the angle of view is changed in accordance with the measured distance, so that the subject is imaged at a desired ratio within the imaging frame.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or corresponding members, and description thereof will not be repeated.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The imaging apparatus 100 includes a camera 103 for capturing an image of a subject 151, an imaging direction changing unit 105 having one end fixed to the moving body 150 and the other end rotatably mounted on the moving body 150, and the camera 103 including the moving body 150. A rotation angle detection unit 107 for detecting a rotation angle of rotation relative to the vehicle, and a global positioning system (global positioning sys.) For detecting an absolute position of the moving object 150.
tem: hereinafter referred to as “GPS”) 109 and the moving object 150
A traveling direction detector 111 for detecting the traveling direction of
A subject position input unit 125 for inputting an absolute position of the subject 151; an absolute position of the subject 151;
The control unit 101 determines the imaging direction of the camera 103 based on the absolute position of the moving object 150 and the traveling direction of the moving body 150, and an output unit 115 for outputting an image captured by the camera 103 to an external device.

The camera 103 is a digital camera using a charge-coupled device (hereinafter, referred to as "CCD") as a light receiving device. The camera 103 outputs a still image and a moving image to the output unit 1
15 is output. Further, the camera 103 has a zoom mechanism and can change the angle of view at which the subject 151 is imaged.

The imaging direction changing unit 105 has a movable body 1 at the lower end.
It is fixed to 50 and has a coupling portion for connecting the camera 103 at the upper end. The coupling unit has two degrees of freedom to rotate the camera 103 in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction with respect to the moving body 150. Therefore, the camera 103 is controlled by the imaging direction changing unit 105 to
, With two degrees of freedom, horizontal and vertical.

The rotation angle detection unit 107 detects the rotation angle of the coupling unit of the imaging direction changing unit 105. The rotation angle is detected corresponding to each axis since the joint has two degrees of freedom. Since the rotation angle is a rotation angle relative to the moving body 150, the rotation angle includes a rotation angle at which the camera 103 rotates horizontally with respect to the moving body 150 and a rotation angle at which the camera 103 rotates vertically. The horizontal rotation angle and the vertical rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection unit 107 are determined by the control unit 1.
01 is output.

The GPS 109 detects the absolute position of the moving body 150. The absolute position is represented by a position on the ground, and is, for example, three-dimensional information including latitude, longitude, and altitude. Therefore, the moving body 150 may run on the ground or fly in the air.
The GPS 109 applies a radio wave transmitted from an artificial satellite to detect the absolute position, a radio wave transmitted from a specific position on the ground to detect the absolute position, and the like. can do.

The traveling direction detector 111 detects the traveling direction of the moving body 150. The traveling direction detection unit 111 can use a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, or the like.
The traveling direction is represented by the direction in which the moving body 150 travels,
The detected traveling direction is output to the control unit 101.

The subject position input unit 125 is used to input a subject 151
A keyboard or a receiving device for inputting the absolute position of the device. When the subject position input unit 125 is a keyboard,
The operator of the imaging device 100 inputs the absolute position of the subject 151 from the keyboard. The subject position input unit 12
If 5 is a receiving device, the absolute position information of the subject 151 is transmitted from the transmitter of the subject 151 and received. The absolute position of the subject 151 input by the subject position input unit 125 is transmitted to the control unit 101.

The control unit 101 detects an imaging direction of the camera 103 from the rotation angle of the camera 103 detected by the rotation angle detection unit 107 and the traveling direction of the moving body 150 detected by the traveling direction detection unit 111. I do. Further, the control unit 101 obtains the imaging direction of the camera 103 from the absolute position of the subject 151 input by the subject position input unit 125 and the absolute position of the moving object 150 detected by the GPS 109. Then, the rotation angle necessary for pointing the camera 103 in the obtained imaging direction is output to the imaging direction changing unit 105. The processing performed by the control unit 101 will be described later in detail.

The output unit 115 outputs a moving image or a still image captured by the camera 103 to an external device. The output unit 115 may be a transmitter, and can perform wireless communication with an external device.

Next, a case where the mobile unit is a helicopter and the imaging device 100 is mounted on the helicopter will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the positions of the subject and the imaging device when the imaging device according to the first embodiment captures a fire in a building as the subject. Referring to FIG. 2, a fire 151A has occurred on the sixth floor of a building. This fire 151A
Since the object is captured by the camera 103, the moving body 150A turns around the fire 151A. In the figure, the fire 151A is imaged from the helicopter 150A, and the fire 151A is imaged from the helicopter 150B.
The case where A is imaged is shown. In this case, as the traveling direction of the helicopter 150A changes, the absolute position of the helicopter 150A also changes. On the other hand, fire 151A
Does not change its position.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the imaging direction control process performed by the imaging device according to the first embodiment. First, the imaging device 100 receives an absolute position of a subject from the subject position input unit 125 (step S1). As the absolute position of the subject, the latitude, longitude and altitude of the subject are input. Alternatively, by inputting the address of the building where the fire has occurred, the coordinates on the map may be specified from the previously input map data. By doing so, it is not necessary for the operator to check the position of the subject using the map, and the input becomes easy.

Then, the traveling direction of the moving body is detected by the traveling direction detecting section 111 (step S2), and the GPS1 is detected.
09 to detect the position of the moving object (step S
3). The imaging direction of the camera 103 is determined from the absolute position of the moving object and the absolute position of the subject. The imaging direction is represented by an azimuth. Then, the rotation angle of the camera 103 is determined from the traveling direction of the moving body and the obtained imaging direction (step S4). Then, the obtained rotation angle is transmitted from the control unit 101 to the imaging direction change unit 105, and the camera 1
03 rotates according to the rotation angle. As a result, the subject 151 is contained in the frame of the camera 103.

Then, it is determined in step S5 whether or not the imaging has been completed. If the imaging has been completed, the process is terminated, and if not, the process proceeds to step S2. Therefore, the rotation angle of the camera 103 is controlled until an instruction to end imaging is given, so that the subject 151 is controlled so as to be within the frame of the camera 103.

As described above, in the imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment, the imaging direction changing unit 105 is operated so that the camera 103 can image the object by inputting the absolute position of the object. Control. Therefore, a person who operates the imaging direction of the camera 103 becomes unnecessary. In addition, the helicopter operator can concentrate on the helicopter operation, and can safely capture the subject.

[Second Embodiment] Next, an image pickup apparatus according to a second embodiment will be described. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging device 200 according to the embodiment. The imaging device 200 according to the second embodiment includes a receiving unit 127 instead of the subject position input unit 125 of the imaging device 100 according to the first embodiment. The receiving unit 127 receives the absolute position of the subject 151 from the subject 151 by wireless communication. The subject 151 is
The absolute position is always measured, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the measured absolute position to the receiving unit 127 is provided. Other configurations are the same as those of the imaging device according to the first embodiment, and thus description thereof will not be repeated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positions of a vehicle and an image pickup device when a moving vehicle is picked up as an object by the image pickup device according to the second embodiment. Referring to FIG. 5, a vehicle 151B as a subject is moving at a predetermined speed in the direction of the arrow. Further, the helicopter 150C is
Turn over B.

While the helicopter 150C is turning over the vehicle 151B, the camera 103 captures an image of the vehicle 151B. While imaging the vehicle 151B with the camera 103, the helicopter 150C constantly moves its position,
Since the vehicle 151B is also moving at a predetermined speed, the helicopter 151C and the vehicle 151B have different absolute positions if the time is different.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the imaging direction control process performed by the imaging device 200 according to the second embodiment. Referring to FIG. 6, first, receiving section 1
At 27, it is determined whether or not the absolute position of the subject has been received from the subject 151 (step S11). If the absolute position of the subject has been received, the process proceeds to step S12, and if not, the process stands by until the absolute position of the subject is received.

In step S12, the traveling direction detector 11
1, the traveling direction of the moving body 150 is detected (step S1).
2) The absolute position of the moving object 150 is detected by the GPS 109 (step S13).

Then, the imaging direction of the camera is determined from the absolute position of the subject 151 and the absolute position of the moving body 150. The imaging direction of the camera is represented by an azimuth. Then, the rotation angle of the camera is determined from the determined imaging direction of the camera and the traveling direction of the moving body (step S14).

The determined rotation angle is determined by the imaging direction changing unit 1.
05, and the imaging direction is changed by rotating the camera 103. As a result, the subject 151 is included in the frame of the camera 103.

Then, it is determined whether or not the imaging has been completed (step S15).
If not, the process returns to step S11. Then, the above-described processing is repeatedly performed.

As described above, in the imaging device according to the second embodiment, both the moving object on which the imaging device is mounted and the subject move. For this reason, in the imaging device according to the second embodiment, the absolute position is always received from the subject side, and the absolute position of the subject and the absolute position of the imaging device are detected. For this reason, the relative position between the subject and the imaging device is always grasped, and the imaging direction of the camera is determined.

[Third Embodiment] Next, an image pickup apparatus according to a third embodiment will be described. FIG.
1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 7, an imaging device 300 according to the third embodiment has a configuration in which an automatic tracking control unit 119 is added to imaging device 100 according to the first embodiment. Other configurations are similar to those of imaging apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, and thus description thereof will not be repeated.

The automatic tracking control unit 119 is connected to the camera 103 and receives still images from the camera 103 at predetermined intervals. The automatic tracking control unit 119 is connected to the imaging direction changing unit 105 and controls the camera 103 to move the moving object 15.
A rotation angle to be rotated in the horizontal or vertical direction is transmitted with respect to 0. The rotation angle transmitted by the automatic tracking control unit 119 is a rotation angle necessary for performing image processing on a still image received from the camera 103 and moving the camera 103 so that a subject is included in a frame of the camera 103. .

Next, the automatic tracking processing performed by the automatic tracking control unit 119 will be described. The automatic tracking process is the first
This is a process that is performed after the imaging direction control process performed by the imaging device 100 according to the present embodiment is performed and the subject 151 is included in the frame of the camera 103.
The processing performed by the automatic tracking control unit 119 is the
This is effective because the subject can be accurately tracked for one small movement. Therefore, by using the imaging direction control process and the automatic tracking control process described in the second embodiment together, both processes can be complemented.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing the function of the automatic tracking control unit 119. Referring to FIG. 8, automatic tracking control section 119 includes image processing section 121 and movement amount calculating section 12.
3 is included. A still image is input from the camera 103 to the image processing unit 121 at a predetermined timing. The image processing unit 121 extracts an edge from the input still image. The shape of the subject image included in the image is extracted from the extracted edge. Then, the center of gravity of the extracted shape is obtained and transmitted to the movement amount calculation unit 123.

The moving amount calculating section 123 includes an image processing section 121
A vector having the coordinates of the center of gravity of the subject image in the transmitted image as the end point and the coordinates of the center of gravity of the image as the start point is obtained. Based on the direction of this vector and the scalar amount, the camera 103
Is calculated, and the calculated rotation angle is output to the imaging direction changing unit 105 as a control signal.

As described above, in the image pickup apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment, since the automatic tracking control section 119 is provided, if the subject 151 is roughly contained in the frame of the camera 103 by the image pickup direction control processing, Is controlled by the automatic tracking control unit 119 to control the imaging direction changing unit 105 so that the subject always falls within the frame of the camera 103.

When the automatic tracking control unit 119 controls the imaging direction of the camera 103, the rotation angle of the camera 103 is controlled so that the subject 151 is substantially at the center in the frame of the camera. Thus, the imaging direction control process,
By using the two automatic tracking processes, the processes can be complemented and used.

Furthermore, by providing the camera 103 with a zoom mechanism, a powerful image can be output from the output unit 115. At this time, the zoom magnification is controlled by the control unit 10.
The distance is automatically determined from the distance between the subject 151 and the camera 103 obtained in step 1 and the size of the subject 151. For example, the calculation is determined so that the zoom ratio increases as the distance increases. The relationship between the type of the subject and the zoom ratio may be such that data indicating the relationship between the distance and the zoom ratio predetermined for each subject is stored.

The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating positions of a subject and an imaging device when the imaging device according to the first embodiment captures an image of a building fire as a subject.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an imaging direction control process performed by the imaging device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating positions of a vehicle and an imaging device when an image of a moving vehicle is taken as a subject by the imaging device according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an imaging direction control process performed by the imaging device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing functions of an automatic tracking control unit 119.

[Explanation of symbols]

100, 200, 300 imaging device, 101 control unit,
103 camera, 105 imaging direction changing unit, 107 rotation angle detecting unit, 109 GPS, 111 traveling direction detecting unit, 115 output unit, 119 automatic tracking control unit, 121
Image processing unit, 123 Moving amount calculating unit, 125 Subject position input unit, 127 Receiving unit, 150 moving body, 151
subject.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Hiroshi Okada 2-13-13 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City Inside Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Hideo Hotomi 2-3, Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi No. 13 Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5C022 AA01 AB62 AB66 AC27 AC31 AC42 AC69 5C054 AA01 AA05 CA04 CC05 CF06 CG07 EH07 HA18

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device mounted on a moving body, comprising: position input means for inputting an absolute position of an object; imaging means for imaging an object; one end fixed to the moving body; An imaging direction changing unit in which the imaging unit is rotatably mounted; a traveling direction detecting unit for detecting a traveling direction of the moving body; and a position detecting unit for detecting an absolute position of the moving body. An imaging apparatus, wherein the changing means rotates the imaging means with respect to the moving body based on an absolute position of the moving body, an absolute position of the subject, and a traveling direction of the moving body. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position input unit includes a receiving unit that receives an absolute position transmitted from the subject.
An imaging device according to claim 1. 3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging direction changing unit includes an automatic tracking unit that maintains a subject included in the imaging frame of the imaging unit in the imaging frame. 4. An angle-of-magnification function for changing an angle of view according to the measured distance, further comprising a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the imaging means and a subject. The imaging device according to claim 1, comprising: