JP3315554B2 - Camera control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera control device, and more particularly, to a camera control device for controlling a shooting direction (pan / tilt) and a magnification (zoom).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as means for remotely controlling pan / tilt and zoom of a video camera, an operation lever, a joystick, a push button switch corresponding to rotation of two axes, or a button on a display imitating these are used. is there. In these, the rotation angle or the angular velocity is made to correspond to the angle of the lever, or rotation is performed in a corresponding direction such as up, down, left, or right while the button is pressed. Similarly, for zoom control, a button or the like for instructing movement to the wide (wide-angle) side or the tele (telephoto) side is used.

[0003]

In the above-described camera operating means or control device, for example, in the case of pan / tilt, the camera pans / tilts in accordance with the operation. Although suitable, it is unsuitable when it is desired to operate or control a target position regardless of the current camera position.

On the other hand, a method of directly inputting the respective angles of pan / tilt as numerical values and leaving the movement to the position to a control device is conceivable. In this case, the movable range of pan / tilt can be considered. There is a drawback that the operator cannot sensibly know which area of the eye falls within the field of view.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera control apparatus and method which solves such disadvantages.

That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera control device capable of simply and quickly controlling a target state regardless of the current camera state.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera control device which can clearly show an operator what the obtained visual field of view will be when controlling to a target state.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A camera control device according to the present invention controls at least a panable and tiltable camera, and has a potential maximum field of view defined by pan and tilt limits. A first frame indicating
And a display means for displaying a second frame indicating the current shooting range at a position within the first frame corresponding to the current shooting condition. Further, there are provided operating means for operating the second frame displayed on the display means, and control means for controlling the camera according to the position of the second frame by the operating means.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for taking in an image within a maximum field of view while moving the camera within a pan and tilt limit at a predetermined time, and displaying the image in the first frame. For example, when camera control is started, when a specific instruction is input by an operator, and / or when a camera operation input is determined.

Further, the camera has an externally controllable zoom, and the display means displays the first frame with a potential maximum field of view defined by pan and tilt limits and a wide end of the zoom. Then, the second frame is displayed so as to indicate the current shooting range of the position and size within the first frame corresponding to the current pan, tilt, and zoom conditions.

Alternatively, a camera operation area is set inside and / or in the vicinity of the second frame displayed on the display means, and the camera operation area is operated by an operation means including a pointing device such as a mouse. By doing
The display of the second frame may be updated and the camera may be controlled.

[0012]

According to the above-mentioned means, it is possible to intuitively grasp which part is currently being photographed within the range that can be photographed by panning / tilting. Further, the camera direction and zoom are controlled by operating the second frame that displays the current shooting range, so that the camera direction can be directly controlled in the target direction. As a result, operability is significantly improved.

Further, by capturing in advance the subject within the maximum field of view and displaying it in the first frame, it is possible to more precisely select a portion to be captured and to operate the camera to its direction and zoom value.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a video camera capable of panning / tilting and zooming, and reference numeral 20 denotes a camera control device which controls the video camera 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A display device 22 for displaying a potential maximum shooting range of the video camera 10 and a shooting range at a current value or a control value of pan / tilt and zoom; 24, a shooting direction indicating means for indicating a target shooting direction; 26 is a zoom instructing means for instructing a zoom value in a target photographing direction, 28 is a decision instructing means for instructing input of a new photographing range, and 29 is a command for updating a captured image of a potential maximum photographing range. Update instruction means, 30 is an interface with the video camera 10, 32 is a camera control device 20
Is a storage device that stores a control program of the CPU, control variables, and current values and limit values of pan, tilt, and zoom.

FIG. 2 shows a display example of the display device 22. The camera control device 20 of the present embodiment is configured as, for example, a part of a workstation serving as a communication terminal for a video conference system, and includes one of monitor screens of the workstation.
One window functions as the display device 22.

In FIG. 2, a rectangular frame 40 indicated by a broken line is
The position of the photographing optical axis at the limit of pan / tilt is shown. The outer rectangular frame 42 is a potential maximum photographing range (or field of view), and connects the outermost ends of the photographing range when the zoom is set to the wide end at the limit of pan / tilt. . In FIG. 2, as an example, 20 degrees vertically and 5 degrees horizontally
It is assumed that pan / tilt of 0 degree is possible. A bold solid line rectangular frame 44 indicates a field of view at a specific value (current value or control value) of pan, tilt, and zoom. When the pan angle is 50 degrees and the tilt angle is -20 degrees, the photographing range at the maximum wide angle is shown by a rectangular frame 46, and the photographing range at the maximum telephoto is shown by a rectangular frame 48.

The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows a main routine of the present embodiment. The processing of the instruction means 24 (S1), the processing of the instruction means 26 (S2), and the processing of the instruction means 28 (S3) are sequentially called. After the processing of the instruction means 28 (S3), if the pan, tilt, and zoom target values are determined (S4), the designation of a new photographing range ends, and the pan angle and the tilt angle according to the designated values are completed. Then, the camera 10 is controlled to the zoom value (S5). If not determined (S4), S1, S
Repeat steps 2 and S3.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed flowchart of S1. In the present embodiment, for example, a pointing device such as a mouse is used as the instructing unit 24, and the rectangular frame 44 shown in FIG. Specify a position. Needless to say, the center of the rectangular frame 44 cannot move to the outside of the rectangular frame 40.

More specifically, first, the instruction means 24
It is confirmed whether or not there is an input (S11). Here, the input means that while the mouse button is pressed on the rectangular frame 44,
It means that the mouse moves. If the mouse button has not been pressed, the processing in FIG. 4 ends, and the flow shifts to S2 in the main routine shown in FIG. If the mouse moves (S
11) It is determined whether or not the rectangular frame 40 indicating the pan / tilt limit has been exceeded (S12). If it has, the process returns to S11.
The value of the pan / tilt angle stored in the display device 22 is updated to a value corresponding to the new position of the rectangular frame 44.
Is displayed again at the new position on the screen (S1).
3).

FIG. 5 shows a detailed flowchart of S2. In the present embodiment, for example, as the zoom instruction means 26,
It is assumed that certain key inputs (eg, keys assigned to zoom up / down) or similar buttons on a graphical user interface are used.

It is confirmed whether there is an input from the instruction means 26 (S21). If there is no input, the process of FIG. 5 ends, and the routine goes to S3 of the main routine shown in FIG. If there is an input (S21), it is determined whether or not the zooming limit has been exceeded (S22). If it has, the process returns to S21 as it is, and if not, the zoom value stored in the storage device 34 is changed. While updating to a new value according to the input of the instruction means 26, the rectangular frame 44 is displayed again on the screen of the display device 22 at a size corresponding to the new zoom value (S
23). The center position of the rectangular frame 44 does not move.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed flowchart of S3. In this embodiment, for example, a specific key input (for example, an ENTER key) or a similar button on a graphical user interface is used as the instruction means 28. Check if there is any input (S31),
If not, the process ends, and if so, the values of the pan / tilt parameters and the zooming parameters of the rectangular frame 44 stored in the storage device 34 are output for other processing, and the process ends (S32).

In the present embodiment, the main routine has been described in which the input of the instruction means 24, 26, 28 is checked one after another by a polling method.
The processes in steps 26 and 28 may be interrupt processes or may be implemented as procedures started from a graphical user interface.

Although a specific key input is set as the instructing means 26, a specific control point is provided on the frame 44 by using a pointing device such as a mouse as shown in drawing software. Alternatively, zooming may be designated by moving the control point.
Furthermore, panning, tilting, and zooming can be integrally designated by using the operation of moving the frame 44 and enlarging / reducing it as seen in the drawing software.

In the above embodiment, the camera 10 is controlled in accordance with the determination of the new designation of the rectangular frame 44 (S5 in FIG. 3). For example, the camera 10 may be immediately controlled to the control value. It goes without saying that both control methods may be selectable as the operation mode.

An example of such pan, tilt, and zoom operations will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 9 with different hatching, the rectangular frame 44 (FIG. 2) that defines the current field of view overlaps the three regions 50, 52, and 54, that is, the four corners of the rectangular frame 44. The region 50 is divided into a rectangular region 52 extending along the four sides and a region 54 inside the regions 50 and 52, which are operation regions for pan, tilt, and zoom.

The area 54 is used for panning and tilting. When the mouse cursor is brought into the area 54, the mouse cursor takes a shape indicating that a pan / tilt operation is to be performed (in FIG. 9, the shape of the spread hand). When the mouse is dragged while pressing the mouse button in this state, the CPU 32 updates the rectangular frame 44 to the position moved by the corresponding moving direction and the moving amount, and also pans the camera 10 by a considerable angle. Tilt it. FIG. 9 shows an example in which the mouse cursor is moved in the upper left direction. As is well known, releasing the mouse button terminates the drag operation and terminates the pan / tilt operation. If the processing capability of the camera control device 20 is high, the rotation of the camera 10 can be controlled following the drag operation.
If the processing capacity is low, the camera 1
Only the rectangular frame 44 is updated without controlling 0, and the rotation of the camera 10 is controlled after the end of the drag operation.

For zooming, area 50 and area 52
Is used. When the mouse cursor is brought into the area 50 or the area 52, the mouse cursor has a shape indicating a zoom operation (in FIG. 9, a bidirectional arrow shape indicating enlargement / reduction of the rectangular frame 44). When the mouse is dragged while holding down the mouse button in this state, the CPU 32 updates the rectangular frame 44 to a size corresponding to the amount of movement toward the outside or inside while maintaining the aspect ratio. The camera 10 is controlled to the corresponding zoom value. Releasing the mouse button ends the drag operation and ends the zoom operation. It is preferable that the user can arbitrarily set the position to be fixed when the size of the rectangular frame 44 is changed. For example, there are a method of fixing the side or corner opposite to the side or corner where the mouse cursor is placed, a method of fixing the center of the rectangular frame 44, and the like. Also in the case of the zoom operation, whether to perform zoom control of the camera 10 following the drag operation depends on the processing capability of the camera control device 20.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the main routine shown in FIG. Here, a captured image corresponding to the maximum field of view is displayed in a rectangular frame 42 indicating a potential maximum field of view. That is, first, the zoom is set to the wide end, the pan is tilted from one limit to the other, and the maximum field of view is sequentially captured, stored in a memory (for example, the storage device 34), and stored in the rectangular frame 42. It is displayed so that it fits perfectly (S41). This makes it possible to see at a glance what kind of object or person is located in which part in the rectangular frame 42.

As in FIG. 3, the processing of the instruction means 24 (S4
2) and the processing of the instruction means 26 (S43) is called.
When there is a request for updating the maximum visual field image by the instruction means 29 (S4
4) Update the image displayed in the rectangular frame 42 (S4)
5). That is, while the zoom is at the wide end, while panning and tilting from one limit to the other limit, the maximum field of view is sequentially captured, stored in a memory (for example, the storage device 34), and fits perfectly in the rectangular frame 42. Display as follows.

The processing of the instruction means 28 is called (S4
6) If the input of the camera operation is confirmed (S47),
The control value corresponding to the new position of the rectangular
, Tilt and zoom are controlled (S48).

The image of the maximum photographing visual field displayed in the rectangular frame 42 is obtained by joining a plurality of captured images.
Distortion is noticeable at the joint, but does not impair the operational advantages of this embodiment. The update request (S44) is not limited to the operation of the dedicated instruction means 29 for that purpose. For example, it is clear that a plurality of specific operations may be an update request.

Further, the current photographed image may be fitted and displayed in the rectangular frame 44. FIG. 8 shows a flowchart in which FIG. 7 is modified in such a manner. That is, the camera control (S
48), the captured image of the camera 10 is fetched, and this captured image, that is, the current captured image is first used in S41 or S4.
5, the portion corresponding to the rectangular frame 44 of the image of the maximum visual field range stored in the storage device 34 is updated, and then the display of the image of the maximum visual field range within the rectangular frame 42 is updated (S).
49).

By doing so, it is possible to confirm which image portion in the maximum visual field range is actually photographed,
It is easy to determine how much to adjust the pan, tilt or zoom.

[0036]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to see at a glance what the pan, tilt or zoom is in within a controllable range, Irrespective of the above, it can be controlled immediately to any control value.

Further, by capturing an image in the maximum photographing visual field range and displaying the image in a frame indicating the maximum photographing visual field range, it becomes clear at a glance what kind of subject is in the photographable range when operating the camera. It is easy to understand how to operate the camera, and the operability is significantly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a display example of a display device 22 of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a main routine of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a detailed flowchart of S1 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of S2 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a detailed flowchart of S3 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a modified example of a main routine.

FIG. 8 is another modification of the main routine.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration in which a GUI for pan, tilt, and zoom operations is set so as to overlap a rectangular frame 44;

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Video camera 20: Camera control device 22: Display device 24: Imaging direction instructing device 26: Zoom instructing device 28: Confirmation instructing device 29: Update instructing device 30: Interface 32: CPU 34: Storage device 40: Pan / Tilt 42: A rectangular frame indicating a potential maximum shooting range (or field of view) 44: A rectangular frame indicating a current or control target shooting field of view 46: Pan angle 50 degrees, tilt angle -20 A rectangular frame indicating the shooting range at the maximum wide angle 48: A rectangular frame indicating the shooting range at the maximum telephoto 50, 52: A region for zoom operation 54: A region for pan and tilt operation

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. A camera controller for controlling at least a panable and tiltable camera, said first control indicating a potential maximum field of view defined by pan and tilt limits.
And a display means for displaying a second frame indicating a current shooting range at a position within the first frame and corresponding to the current shooting condition. 2. An operating means for operating the second frame displayed on the display means, and a second operating means provided by the operating means.
2. The camera control device according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the camera according to the position of the frame. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for taking in an image in a maximum photographing field of view while moving the camera within pan and tilt limits at a predetermined time, and displaying the image in the first frame. The camera control device as described in the above. 4. The camera control device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined time is a time when camera control is started. 5. The camera control device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined time is a time when a specific instruction is input by an operator. 6. The camera control device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined time is a time when a camera operation input is determined. 7. The camera includes an externally controllable zoom, and the display means displays the first frame with a potential maximum field of view defined by pan and tilt limits and a wide end of the zoom. 7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying a second frame within the first frame to indicate a current shooting range of a position and a size corresponding to current pan, tilt, and zoom conditions. 2. The camera control device according to claim 1. 8. An operation means comprising a pointing device such as a mouse for operating a camera operation area set inside and / or near the second frame displayed on the display means, and operation of the operation means 2. The camera control device according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit configured to update the display of the second frame according to the control and control the camera. 9. The control means updates a display position of the second frame and controls the camera in response to a predetermined drag operation of the operation means started from inside the camera operation area. Item 9. The camera control device according to item 8. 10. The control unit updates a display size of the second frame and controls the camera in response to a predetermined drag operation of the operation unit starting from inside the camera operation area. Item 9. The camera control device according to item 8.