JP2000002927A - Automatic universal head, supporting structure thereof and photographing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute panorama VR(virtual reality) photographing and object VR photographing, without twining a cable around a universal head. SOLUTION: A fixing member 11 for fitting a digital camera in a casing 10 is provided and a DC motor 12 projected not to disturb the rotation of an output shaft 15 by the casing 10 is fixed therein. Then, a camera control circuit 13 for supplying a control signal related to the rotation of the DC motor 12 toward the digital camera 22 from the outside of the casing 10 through the cable 23 is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic pan head apparatus mounted with a camera or a subject and rotated, a supporting structure thereof, and a photographing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Examples of virtual reality (VR) technology using a plurality of still images include, for example, "QuickTime VR" by Apple Inc. of the United States and "PhotoVist" by LivePicture Inc.
Some software such as “a” use a panoramic VR image or an object VR image.

[0003] Among them, the panorama VR has a camera mounted on a camera platform and shoots the surrounding scenery and the like while rotating the camera. In this case, the panorama VR has a 360-degree surrounding so that a part of the adjacent shooting screen overlaps. Is divided into multiple shots,
After that, these photographed images are subjected to image processing to obtain a seamless 1
One image is created. With such a seamless image, an image at an arbitrary angle of a 360-degree image can be displayed as if looking around from the center position.

On the other hand, the object VR carries a subject on a camera platform, and subjects the subject to divisional photographing by rotating the subject by a predetermined angle, and then subjects the photographed images to a series of image processing by image processing. Image data is created, and an image is displayed as if the subject is viewed from an arbitrary position around the subject.

[0005] Such panorama VR and object V
To shoot the R image, a camera shooting tripod has been used. That is, in panorama VR photography, for example, a camera is mounted on a camera photography tripod, and the surroundings are photographed by manually rotating and moving the camera at regular intervals. Further, in the shooting of the object VR, for example, a disk-shaped plate is mounted on a camera shooting tripod, a subject is mounted on the plate, and the subject is manually rotated by a predetermined angle and fixed around the subject. The subject is divided and photographed by the camera.

Recent film cameras using photographic film and digital cameras using a CCD image pickup device have a microcomputer built in the camera body, so that the operation of the camera can be electronically controlled from outside. It has become.

Therefore, for example, in panorama VR photography, a camera is mounted on an automatically rotating pan head and rotated, and a photographing signal is transmitted to the camera in synchronization with each rotation of the camera at a fixed angle, and Is performed, and by repeating this photographing operation, a 360-degree panoramic VR image is automatically obtained.

[0008]

However, in order to transmit a photographing signal to the camera, it is necessary to connect the camera platform and the camera by a cable or the like. It becomes entangled with the head with the rotation of the camera. For example, when a surrounding scene is photographed by panoramic VR photographing, when a person or the like enters the scenery and the photographing is repeated, or when the panoramic VR photographing is repeated continuously, the cable rotates several times, and the cable becomes a pan head. Get entangled with.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic pan head device, a supporting structure thereof, and a photographing system capable of performing panoramic VR photographing and object VR photographing without a cable tangling with the pan head.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided at a predetermined portion of the housing and adapted to be coupled to the camera or a camera platform mounting portion. The mounting member is fixed in the housing, and the output shaft protrudes from the side of the housing opposite to the side on which the camera mounting member is mounted, so that the rotation of the output shaft is not hindered by the housing. A motor, a rotating member that rotates integrally with the output shaft of the motor, and has a coupling portion provided in a predetermined portion for coupling to an external member, and a control signal related to the rotation of the motor. And a camera control circuit for externally supplying the camera to a camera used for photographing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic pan head device according to the first aspect, the rotating member is integrally formed as a rotating member by setting a motor output shaft itself to a predetermined size and shape.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a first connecting portion for connecting to the camera mounting member of the automatic camera platform device is formed, and the camera is mounted on a portion separated from the first connecting portion by a predetermined distance. A head / camera support member on which a camera support portion is formed, and a second joint portion for mounting a subject, which is coupled to a rotating member of the automatic camera head device, is formed. A subject support member that is connected to a rotating member of the automatic pan head device via the second coupling portion and rotates with the rotation of the motor when the automatic pan head device is attached via the first coupling portion; And a supporting structure of the automatic head device provided with:

According to the fourth aspect, a housing, a camera mounting member provided at a predetermined portion of the housing, and adapted to be coupled to a camera or a camera platform mounting portion, And a motor provided with an output shaft protruding to the opposite side of the housing from the side on which the camera mounting member is mounted, so that rotation of the output shaft is not hindered by the housing. Rotates together with the output shaft of
A coupling member for coupling with an external member is provided at a predetermined portion, and a control signal related to the rotation of the motor is led out from a predetermined portion of the housing to a camera applied to photographing. And an automatic head device provided with a camera control circuit for supplying the camera head and a first coupling portion to be coupled to a camera mounting member of the automatic head device, and a predetermined distance from the first coupling portion. Head and camera support member with a camera support for attaching the camera to the part
A second coupling portion for mounting the subject and coupled to the rotating member of the automatic pan head device is formed, and the automatic pan head device is fixed to the pan head / camera support member via the first coupling portion. A subject support member that is connected to the rotating member of the automatic camera platform device via the second coupling portion when attached and rotates with the rotation of the motor; a camera control circuit and a camera of the automatic camera platform device; And a control signal line for electrically connecting the
The camera control circuit is a photographing system that controls photographing of the camera through a control signal line in synchronization with each rotation of the motor by a predetermined angle.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram of the automatic pan head device. The housing 10 of the automatic head is formed in a substantially cubic or cylindrical shape. A fixing member 11 as a camera mounting member is provided on a surface 10a on one side of the housing 10 at a substantially central portion of the surface 10a. The fixing member 11 is formed with a male screw 11a so as to fit with a camera head mounting portion such as a female screw of a camera used for photographing or a mounting screw of a camera tripod.

The DC motor 1 is provided inside the housing 10.
2, a camera control device 13 and a dry battery 14 are provided. The DC motor 12 has a motor body fixed in the housing 10. The output shaft (rotating member) 15 of the DC motor 12 is
1 is provided to protrude to the outside of the housing 10 from a surface 10b opposite to the surface 10a to which the device 1 is attached. In this case, the fixed member 11 is placed on the surface 1 such that the lens center of the camera is on the rotation axis of the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12.
0a. The output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 is integrally formed as a rotating member by making the output shaft itself of the DC motor 12 a predetermined size and shape. However, for example, the output shaft 1 of the DC motor 12
When the diameter of 5 is small, a configuration may be adopted in which a rotating member is separately connected to the output shaft 15 to rotate the rotating member integrally. The output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 is provided rotatably with respect to the housing 10 so that its rotation is not hindered by the housing 10. further,
A female screw 15a, which is the same as the camera tripod hole, is cut on the distal end side of the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12.

The camera control circuit 13 has a function to derive a control signal related to the rotation of the DC motor 12 from a predetermined portion of the housing 10 to the outside and supply the control signal to a camera used for photographing. I have. That is, the camera control circuit 13 is connected to the connector 16 for transmitting a control signal related to the rotation of the DC motor 12, for example, a photographing signal.

The camera control circuit 13 is connected to a switch panel 17 as shown in FIG. The switch panel 17 is provided with a start switch 18, a rotation switch 19, and an angle switch 20. The start switch 18 is for starting the operation of the automatic pan head device.

The rotation switch 19 is a start switch 1
When the button 8 is pressed, the camera is automatically rotated by 360 degrees in a step rotation to perform photographing, and can be selected in, for example, automatic, step, or reverse positions. Of these, the automatic position is for automatically rotating the entire circumference 360 degrees and stopping by step rotation as described above, and the step position is for rotating and stopping only one step and the reverse rotation position. Is for returning by one step.

The angle switch 20 sets the step rotation speed in step rotation, here, the angle of one step rotation to 0, for example.
The angle can be selected at each position of 12 degrees or 24 degrees, and the setting information of the selected one-step rotation drive angle is input to the CPU 131.

FIG. 3 is a specific block diagram of the camera control circuit 13. The start switch 18, the rotation switch 19, and the angle switch 20 of the switch panel 17 are connected to the CPU 131, and a start / rotation angle detection circuit 132 and a motor drive circuit 13 are connected to the CPU 131.
3 and the serial communication circuit 134 are connected.

The start / rotation angle detection circuit 132 includes:
In response to the operation of the start switch 18, a start signal is given to the CPU 131, and when the rotation of the DC motor 12 starts, a rotation angle signal from a rotation angle detection encoder attached to the DC motor 12 is detected and transmitted to the CPU 131. The CPU 131 has a function of causing the CPU 131 to recognize the current rotational displacement due to the rotation of the DC motor 12, that is, the rotation angle of one step rotation or the rotation of 360 degrees around the entire circumference.

The motor drive circuit 133 has a function of supplying electric power for driving the DC motor 12 in accordance with a motor drive signal issued from the CPU 131. The serial communication circuit 134 is connected via a cable 23 to, for example, a digital camera 22 used for panorama VR shooting or object VR shooting, sends out a shooting signal to the digital camera 22, and It has a function of inputting a shooting / recording completion signal.

The CPU 131 has a start switch 18,
It controls the rotation switch 19, the angle switch 20, the start / rotation angle detection circuit 132, the motor drive circuit 133, and the serial communication circuit 134, and has a function of issuing each command according to the program of the automatic pan head control flowchart shown in FIG. Have.

The battery 14 supplies power to the DC motor 12 and the camera control circuit 13 through the motor drive circuit 133. Next, panoramic VR shooting and object VR using the automatic pan head device configured as described above
The shooting will be described.

First, panoramic VR photography will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, a camera tripod 20 and a digital camera 22 for use in panoramic VR shooting are prepared.

The automatic pan head device is mounted on the camera tripod 20 by fitting the mounting screw 21 of the camera tripod 20 to the female screw 15a formed on the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12. A digital camera 22 is attached to the fixing member 11 of the automatic pan head device by fitting to a female screw of the camera 22.

The connector 1 of the camera control circuit 13
6 and the digital camera 22 are connected by a cable 23 as a control signal line. When the photographing preparation as described above is completed, the camera control circuit 13 of the automatic pan head device
Is the digital camera 22 from the serial communication circuit 134 through the cable 23 in step # 1 shown in FIG.
The data is exchanged between the digital camera 22 and the digital camera 22, and the connection of the digital camera 22 is confirmed. When the start switch 18 of the switch panel 17 is pressed in this standby state, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 2, confirms that the start switch 18 is on, and then proceeds to step # 3.
In step # 4, the selection state of the angle switch 20 is checked, and in step # 4, the mode is set to each setting condition.

Next, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 5.
, A photographing signal is transmitted from the connector 16 through the serial communication circuit 134. This shooting signal is sent to cable 2
3 to the digital camera 22.

The digital camera 22 receives a photographing signal from the camera control circuit 13 and performs a photographing release operation to photograph one surrounding scene or the like, and stores the first image data in a memory card attached to the camera. Transfer to
During the transfer of the image data, the imaging operation is disabled.

The photographing by the digital camera 22 is completed, and the photographing / recording completion signal is transmitted to the serial communication circuit 13.
When input to the camera control circuit 13 through step 4, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 6 and issues a step rotation command for rotating the camera platform by one step to the motor drive circuit 133. In this case, the step rotation command is a step angle corresponding to the angle selected by the angle switch 20. As a result, the DC motor 12 receives power supply from the motor drive circuit 133 and rotates one step. At this time, since the DC motor 12 is fixed to the housing 10 and the digital camera 22 is attached to the housing 10, the rotation of the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 causes the automatic head device and the digital camera 22 to rotate. Rotates one step on the tripod 20 as a unit.

The automatic camera platform and the digital camera 2
Start / rotation angle detection circuit 13 for one step rotation with 2
2 detects a rotation angle signal from a rotation angle detection encoder attached to the DC motor 12, and causes the CPU 131 to recognize the current rotation displacement due to the rotation of the DC motor 12, that is, the rotation angle of one step rotation.

When the end of the one-step rotation is recognized, the camera control circuit 13 rotates the number of steps set by the angle switch 20 in step # 7, that is, the step rotation, and completes the photographing over 360 degrees around the circumference. It is determined whether or not the number of steps has not reached the set number of steps.
From the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. As a result, the digital camera 22 performs the photographing release operation again at the position rotated by one step to photograph the second image such as the surrounding scenery.

When photographing by the digital camera 22 is completed, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 6 and issues a step rotation command to rotate the camera platform by one step. Rotate. Also at this time, the DC motor 12 is fixed to the housing 10 and the digital camera 2
2 is attached, the rotation of the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 causes the automatic head device and the digital camera 22 to rotate.
Rotate together on the tripod 20 by one step.

When this one-step rotation is completed, the camera control circuit 13 sets the angle switch 2 in step # 7.
It is determined whether or not the number of steps set by 0 has been reached. If the set number of steps has not been reached, the flow returns to step # 5 again to send a photographing signal from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. .

Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and the digital camera 22 is rotated stepwise to perform panoramic photography over 360 degrees around the entire circumference. In addition, the panoramic shooting time of 360 degrees per rotation is a short time of, for example, about 1 minute and 20 seconds.

In order to obtain a panoramic image with time, it may be set so that the panorama photography over the entire circumference 360 degrees is repeated a plurality of times after performing the panorama photography over the entire circumference 360 degrees.

As described above, in the panorama VR photographing, the automatic pan head device and the digital camera 22 are integrated to form a tripod 2.
Since the camera is rotated one step above zero, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the camera platform or the tripod 20 even when panoramic photography is performed over 360 degrees around the entire circumference. Further, when photographing the surrounding scenery, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the camera platform or the tripod 20 even if a person or the like enters the scenery and the photographing is repeated, or the panorama VR photographing is continuously repeated.

Next, FIG.
This will be described with reference to the imaging system shown in FIG. The functions of the CPU 131, the start / rotation angle detection circuit 132, the motor drive circuit 133, and the serial communication circuit 134 in the camera control circuit 13 will be described in the following description in order to avoid a complicated description of the photographing operation. The operation is omitted here.

In this object VR photography, a support 24 as a camera platform / camera support member and a turntable 25 as a subject support member are prepared. The support 24 is formed from a base 26 and a camera adapter 27. A female screw is formed on the base 26 as a first coupling portion to be fitted to the fixing member 11 of the automatic head device. The fixing member 11 of the automatic head device is fitted to this female screw, The device is fixedly provided on the base 26. In this case, the manner in which the automatic pan head device is attached is inverted when viewed from the panorama VR shooting.

The camera adapter 27 is formed with a male screw to be fitted with a female screw of the digital camera 22, and the digital camera 22 is fixedly attached by the male screw. The connector 16 of the camera control circuit 13
And the digital camera 22 are connected by a cable 23.

On the other hand, a turntable 25 is attached to the output shaft 15 of the automatic head device so as to be fitted to the female screw 15a. The turntable 25 has a male screw 2 as a second coupling portion fitted on the bottom surface with the female screw 15a.
5a is formed, and the subject 28 is placed on the turntable surface.

When the preparation for photographing as described above is completed, the camera control circuit 13 of the automatic camera platform device confirms the connection of the digital camera 22 through the cable 23 in step # 1 and enters a standby state. In # 4, the start switch 1 of the switch panel 17
When the push button 8 is pressed, the selection state of the angle switch 20 is confirmed, and the mode is set to each setting condition.

Next, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 5
, A photographing signal is transmitted from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. The digital camera 22 receives the photographing signal and
Take one image.

When the photographing by the digital camera 22 is completed, the camera control circuit 13 causes the digital camera 22 to rotate the turntable 25 by one step in step # 6.
A step rotation command is issued to the C motor 12. Since the DC motor 12 rotates one step in response to the step rotation command, the turntable 25 rotates one step with the subject 28 placed thereon.

When this one-step rotation is completed, the camera control circuit 13 sets the angle switch 2 in step # 7.
It is determined whether or not the number of steps set by 0, that is, the rotation of the steps is completed, and the shooting of the object 28 from the 360-degree direction is completed. If the set number of steps is not reached, the process returns to step # 5. Returning, the photographing signal is transmitted from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. As a result, the digital camera 22 takes one image of the subject 28 again from the direction rotated by one step.

Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and the turntable 25 is rotated one step at a time, and the object 28 is photographed from the direction of 360 degrees around the object 28 by the object VR. Thus, even when the object VR is photographed from the 360-degree direction, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the support 24 or the like. Furthermore, even if the subject 28 is re-shot or the object VR shooting is repeated continuously, the cable 2
3 does not become entangled with the support 24 or the like. Further, the object VR photographing can be performed by the same automatic pan head device used in the panorama VR photographing.

Next, another specific example of panorama VR photography will be described with reference to FIG. As the digital camera 22, for example, a digital camera Camedia C-840L (trade name) manufactured by Olympus Optical Industrial Co., Ltd. is used.

On the other hand, the camera control circuit 13 of the automatic pan head device
A control program for controlling the digital camera 22 according to the automatic pan head control flowchart shown in FIG.

An L-shaped camera adapter 29 is fixedly attached to the fixing member 11 of the automatic pan head device. The camera adapter 29 has an L-shaped short side portion 29.
a is attached to the fixing member 11, and the digital camera 22 is attached and fixed to the long side portion 20b. The digital camera 22 is mounted in the vertical direction. In this case, the lens system 22a of the digital camera 22, that is, the central position of the CCD element is positioned so as to be coaxial with the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 in the automatic pan head device.

The connector 1 of the camera control circuit 13
6 and a data input / output terminal of the digital camera 22 are connected by a cable 23. When the photographing preparation as described above is completed, the camera control circuit 13 of the automatic camera platform device
In step # 1, the connection of the digital camera 22 is confirmed through the cable 23. In the following steps # 2 to # 4, the start switch 18 of the switch panel 17 is turned on, the selection state of the angle switch 20 is checked, and each setting is performed. Set the mode to the condition.

Next, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 5
, A photographing signal is transmitted from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. The digital camera 22 receives a shooting signal from the camera control circuit 13 and shoots one surrounding scenery or the like.

When the photographing by the digital camera 22 is completed, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 6 and issues a step rotation command to rotate the camera platform by one step. Thereby, the DC motor 12 rotates one step. At this time, since the DC motor 12 is fixed to the housing 10 and the digital camera 22 is attached to the housing 10 via the camera adapter 29, the rotation of the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 causes the automatic camera platform to rotate. The device and the digital camera 22 are integrated into a tripod 20.
Rotate one step above.

When this one-step rotation is completed, the camera control circuit 13 sets the angle switch 2 in step # 7.
It is determined whether or not shooting with the number of steps set by 0 has been completed, and if the set number of steps has not been reached,
Returning again to step # 5, the photographing signal is transmitted from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. As a result, the digital camera 22 again takes one picture of the surrounding scenery and the like at the position rotated by one step.

When photographing by the digital camera 22 is completed, the camera control circuit 13 proceeds to step # 6 and issues a step rotation command to rotate the camera platform by one step, and rotates the DC motor 12 by one step. Let it. At this time, the DC motor 12 is
And the digital camera 22 is attached to the housing 10, so that the rotation of the output shaft 15 of the DC motor 12 causes the automatic pan head device and the digital camera 22 to rotate one step on the tripod 20. I do.

When this one-step rotation is completed, the camera control circuit 13 sets the angle switch 2 in step # 7.
It is determined whether or not the number of steps set by 0 has been reached. If the set number of steps has not been reached, the flow returns to step # 5 again to send a photographing signal from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23. .

Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and the digital camera 22 is rotated stepwise to perform 360-degree panoramic photography. Thus, in panoramic VR shooting,
Since the digital camera 22 and the digital camera 22 are integrally rotated via the tripod 20 by one step via the camera adapter 29 and the camera adapter 29, the cable 23 remains connected to the camera platform and the tripod 20 even when panoramic photography over 360 degrees is performed. Do not get entangled with Further, when photographing the surrounding scenery, when a person or the like enters the scenery and re-shooting, or when the panorama V
Even if the R shooting is repeated, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the camera platform or the tripod 20.

Further, since the digital camera 22 is attached to the camera adapter 29 in the vertical direction, the angle of view in the vertical direction can be made large, and a wide range of panoramic photography can be performed.

In such panoramic VR photography, the center position of the CCD element of the digital camera 22 is
It is necessary to position the digital camera 22 so as to be on the same axis q as the output shaft 15. However, since the arrangement position of the CCD element of the digital camera 22 is different for each camera, it is the same by using the camera adapter 29 suitable for the camera. Can support panoramic VR photography using various cameras.

Next, another specific example of object VR photography will be described with reference to FIG. Here, as the digital camera 22, for example, a digital camera Camedia C-840L (trade name) manufactured by Olympus Optical Industrial Co., Ltd. is used.

In this object VR photography, the support
8 and a camera adapter 29 erected on the support 28
Is prepared. The support base 28 has a nested slide structure, and has a movable arm 30 slidably provided in the direction of arrow A. The movable arm 30 has a predetermined portion provided with a female screw to be fitted to the fixing member 11 of the automatic pan head device. Accordingly, the distance between the digital camera 22 and the subject 28 can be adjusted by sliding the movable arm 30 in the direction of arrow A.

A slide hole 31 is formed in the camera adapter 29 in a vertical direction, and a mounting screw 32 that fits with a female screw of the digital camera 22 is inserted in the slide hole 31. It is mounted movably.

With such a configuration, the movable arm 30
To adjust the distance between the digital camera 22 and the subject 28, and to adjust the height of the digital camera 22 up and down along the direction in which the slide holes 31 are formed. Is arranged at the center of the screen.

When the preparation for photographing as described above is completed, the camera control circuit 13 of the automatic camera platform confirms the connection of the digital camera 22 through the cable 23 in step # 1, and switches in the following steps # 2 to # 4. When the start switch 18 on the panel 17 is pressed, the selected state of the angle switch 20 is checked, and the mode is set to each setting condition.

Next, the camera control circuit 13 executes step #
In step 5, a photographing signal is transmitted from the connector 16 to the digital camera 22 through the cable 23, and the digital camera 22 photographs one subject 28.

When the photographing by the digital camera 22 is completed, the camera control circuit 13 causes the digital camera 22 to rotate the turntable 25 by one step at step # 6.
A step rotation command is issued to the C motor 12, and the turntable 25 is rotated one step with the object 28 placed thereon.

When this one-step rotation is completed, the camera control circuit 13 sets the angle switch 2 in step # 7.
It is determined whether or not shooting has been completed by the number of steps set by 0, and if the set number of steps has not been reached, the flow returns to step # 5 again to send the shooting signal to the connector 16.
To the digital camera 22 through the cable 23, and the subject 28 is photographed again from the direction rotated by one step.

Thereafter, the above operation is repeated, and the turntable 25 is rotated one step at a time to photograph the object 28 from the direction of 360 degrees around the object VR. In this way, even when the object VR is photographed from the 360-degree direction, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the support 28 or the camera adapter 29. Further, even when the subject 28 is re-photographed or the object VR photography is continuously repeated, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the support 28 or the camera adapter 29 or the like. Further, the object VR photographing can be performed by the same automatic pan head device used in the panorama VR photographing.

Further, the digital camera 22 and the subject 2
8 and the digital camera 22
Can be adjusted, and the subject 28 can be arranged at the center of the screen of the digital camera 22.

As described above, in one embodiment,
A DC provided with a fixing member 11 for attaching the digital camera 22 to the housing 10 and protruding into the housing 10 so that rotation of the output shaft 15 is not hindered by the housing 10.
Since the motor 12 is fixed and the camera control circuit 13 for supplying a control signal related to the rotation of the DC motor 12 from the outside of the housing 10 to the digital camera 22 via the cable 23 is provided, the panorama VR is provided. Even when shooting or object VR shooting is performed, the cable 23 does not become entangled with the automatic pan head device or the like. Even when the surrounding scenery or the subject 28 is shot again, even if the panorama VR shooting or the object VR shooting is continuously repeated. Cable 2
3 does not become entangled with an automatic head device or the like.

Since the dry battery 14 is provided in the housing 10, the DC motor 12 and the camera control circuit 1
It is not necessary to lead a cable for supplying power to the outside of the housing 10, and this cable allows the panorama V
The cable 23 does not become entangled with the automatic pan head device or the like by the R shooting or the object VR shooting.

Further, as described above, by attaching the digital camera 22 to the camera adapter 29 in the vertical direction, the angle of view in the vertical direction can be widened, and a wide range of panoramic photography can be performed.

Further, by using the support 28 having the slide structure and the camera adapter 29 having the slide holes 31 formed therein, the distance between the digital camera 22 and the subject 28 can be adjusted and the height position of the digital camera 22 can be adjusted. The subject 28 can be arranged at the center of the screen of the digital camera 22.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but may be modified as follows. For example, as shown in FIG.
0 and a step switch 41 may be provided. The photographing switch 40 can be selected at each position of an interlocking operation and a manual operation. The interlocking operation is to automatically rotate the entire circumference 360 degrees one step at a time. Is performed by manual release. In this manual, for example, when taking a picture of a landscape, the timing of shooting can be set so that a human or the like does not enter the screen. Since the automatic photographing is not performed and only the one-step rotation operation is performed simply, it can be used as a rotating camera platform of a digital camera or a normal film camera not supported by the camera control circuit 13. The step switch 41 sets the number of steps when rotating the digital camera 22 or the subject 28.
It has an up terminal and a down terminal.

Further, a photographing attachment 42 may be used as shown in FIG. 10 instead of the support 28 having the slide structure. The photographing attachment 42 has an arm portion 44 provided on a camera platform mounting portion 43.
Are formed at a plurality of locations. If this photographing attachment 42 is used, for example, the digital camera 22 is fixedly arranged via a camera adapter or the like in any one of a plurality of camera fixing stand mounting holes 45, and an automatic pan head device is mounted on the pan head mounting portion 43. A turntable is connected to the output shaft 15 of the automatic pan head device, and a subject is mounted on the turntable to perform object VR photography. It is also possible to reduce the consumption of the dry battery 14 by using a mechanical drive such as a mainspring instead of a motor as the rotary drive source.

[0075]

As described in detail above, claim 1 of the present invention,
According to 2, it is possible to provide an automatic pan head device capable of performing panorama VR imaging and object VR imaging without a cable tangling with the pan head.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a support structure of an automatic camera platform device for mounting a camera or an automatic camera platform device when an object VR is photographed without a cable tangling with the camera platform.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, each time the subject is turned by a predetermined angle, the camera is controlled in synchronization with the camera, and even when the object VR is photographed, the automatic pan head device and the camera are electrically connected. It is possible to provide an imaging system that can perform object VR imaging without a cable being entangled with an automatic pan head device or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic pan head device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a switch panel connected to a camera control circuit in the camera platform device.

FIG. 3 is a specific block configuration diagram of a camera control circuit in the camera platform device.

FIG. 4 is an automatic camera platform control flowchart of the camera control circuit.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining panoramic VR imaging using the camera platform device.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining object VR imaging using the camera platform device.

FIG. 7 is a view showing another specific example for explaining panoramic VR imaging using the camera platform device.

FIG. 8 is a view showing another specific example for explaining object VR imaging using the camera platform device.

FIG. 9 is an external view showing another example of the switch panel in the camera platform device.

FIG. 10 is an external view of a photographing attachment used in the camera platform device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: housing, 11: fixing member, 12: motor, 13: camera control circuit, 14: battery, 15: motor output shaft, 16: connector, 17: switch panel, 20: camera tripod, 23: cable, 24 : Support table, 25: turntable, 26: base, 27, 29: camera adapter, 28: subject, 30: movable arm.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A housing, a camera mounting member provided on a predetermined portion of the housing, and formed to fit with a camera or a camera platform mounting portion, fixed in the housing, And a motor provided with an output shaft protruding on the opposite side of the housing from the side on which the camera mounting member is mounted, and a motor provided so that rotation of the output shaft is not hindered by the housing. A rotating member provided integrally with the output shaft and having a coupling portion for coupling to an external member, and a control signal related to rotation of the motor being transmitted from the predetermined portion of the housing to the outside; A camera control circuit for deriving and supplying the derived camera to the camera applied for photographing. 2. The rotary member according to claim 1, wherein the output shaft itself of the motor has a predetermined size and shape, and is integrally formed as the rotary member.
Automatic head device as described. 3. A camera support for mounting the camera to a portion which is formed at a predetermined distance from the first connection portion, the first connection portion being connected to the camera mounting member of the automatic pan head device. A head and camera support member having a portion formed thereon, and a second coupling portion for mounting the subject, which is coupled to the rotating member of the automatic head device, is formed on the head and camera support member. On the other hand, when the automatic head device is fixedly attached via the first coupling portion, the automatic head device is connected to the rotating member of the automatic head device via the second coupling portion, and 2. A support structure for an automatic pan head device according to claim 1, further comprising: a subject supporting member that rotates with the rotation. 4. A housing, provided on a predetermined portion of the housing,
The camera or a camera mounting member formed so as to be fitted to the camera head mounting portion, and a side where the output shaft is fixed in the housing and the output shaft of the housing is attached to the camera mounting member. A motor protruding to the opposite side and provided so that rotation of the output shaft is not hindered by the housing; and a coupling for rotating integrally with the output shaft of the motor and coupling to an external member. A rotating member provided in a predetermined portion, and a camera control for outputting a control signal related to rotation of the motor to the outside of the housing from a predetermined portion and supplying the control signal to the camera applied to photographing An automatic head device provided with a circuit;
And a camera support member on which a camera support for mounting the camera is formed at a portion separated from the first joint by a predetermined distance, and a subject mounted thereon. A second coupling portion that couples with the rotating member of the automatic pan head device is formed, and the automatic pan head device is fixed to the pan head / camera support member via the first coupling portion. A subject support member connected to the rotating member of the automatic pan head device via the second coupling portion when attached, and rotated with the rotation of the motor; a camera control circuit of the automatic pan head device And a control signal line for electrically connecting the camera and the camera, wherein the camera control circuit controls the photographing of the camera through the control signal line in synchronization each time the motor is turned by a predetermined angle. Characterized by That imaging system.