JP2001086386A - Pan head control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pan head system, reduced in the space and the cost and excellent in its expandability by loading a modem to every operating unit for connecting a circuit to a pan head, when plural pan heads are controlled by plural operating units via the public telephone circuits, connecting the operating units via a communication cable and enabling every operating unit to use the modem of another operating unit. SOLUTION: Pan heads U1-U3 are connected to and disconnected from operating units OP1-OP3 by modems M1-M3 and M1'-M3' and via public telephone circuits L1-L3 respectively. A communication cable C is connected among the units OP1-OP3. Then a certain operating unit can simultaneously use its own modem and a modem of another operating unit to secure connection among plural circuits via the cable C.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a camera platform control system, and more particularly to a camera platform control system for remotely controlling a camera platform and a camera mounted on the camera platform via a telephone line or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a television camera is installed outdoors as a weather camera or the like, a remote control head is used. A remote control head (hereinafter referred to as a head) is connected to an operation unit in a broadcasting station via a communication line such as a telephone line, and the operation unit allows the head and a television camera mounted on the head from within the broadcasting station. Can be remotely controlled.

[0003] In a camera head control system in which the camera head can be remotely controlled by an operation unit via a communication line, Japanese Patent No. 2638098 discloses that a connection point of a telephone line is switched in one operation unit. A pan head control system that controls a plurality of pan heads is described. Conventionally, a plurality of heads are connected to one line control unit via a switch box for each operation unit so that the head can be remotely operated by any of the plurality of operation units. Another pan head control system is known which is connected to each pan head via a camera. The changeover switch box is a device for the operator to perform operations such as connection and disconnection of the telephone line and selection of the pan head to be controlled. The line control unit performs the operation with each operation unit and the pan head according to the operation in the changeover switch box. This is a device that switches communication with the phone and connects and disconnects the telephone line. According to the present system, since a plurality of lines can be connected in advance, it is convenient in that the head to be controlled can be quickly switched.

[0004]

However, in the pan head control system described in Japanese Patent No. 2638098,
There is no statement that multiple operation units are used. Also,
In another head control system using a changeover switch box and a line control unit, multiple head lines can be simultaneously connected to each operation unit, so that the head to be controlled can be quickly switched. However, on the other hand, it is necessary to connect cables between the operation unit and the changeover switch box, the changeover switch box and the line control unit, and the line control unit and the modem, respectively. There was a disadvantage that space was required. Further, in this pan head control system, since the number of operation units and the number of pan heads that can be connected by the line control unit are predetermined, there is a problem that the number of head units cannot be increased any more. There has been a problem that an arrangement space for the line control unit itself is required.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pan head control system which can achieve space saving and cost reduction, and has excellent system expandability.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a head control system for controlling a plurality of heads from a plurality of operation units through a communication line. And a modem for connecting a line with the camera platform, and each operation unit is connected with a communication cable so that each operation unit can use a modem of another operation unit.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is the first invention.
In the invention described in the above, connection line selecting means for selecting which communication line is to be connected among communication lines connected or disconnected by the modem of each operation unit, and a pan head through which communication line among the connected communication lines A use line selecting means for selecting whether to control is provided in each operation unit.

According to the present invention, each operating unit is provided with a modem for connecting a line to the camera platform, and each operating unit can use a modem of another operating unit. Therefore, the modem is integrated with each operating unit. It is easy to provide, and even if the modem is not provided integrally with the operation unit, there is no need to provide a line control unit or the like for controlling the line as in the related art, so that space saving and cost reduction can be achieved. Further, there is no limit on the number of heads and the number of operation units to be installed, and the system can be easily expanded as needed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a pan head control system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a camera platform control system according to the present invention. The pan head control system shown in the figure can control three pan heads U1, U2, and U3, and television cameras TV1, TV2, and TV3 mounted on each pan head with three operation units OP1, OP2, and OP3. It is a system that did. The number of heads and TV cameras shown here,
The number of operation units is an example, and these numbers can be arbitrarily changed.

Each operation unit OP1, OP2, OP3
Are the modems M1, M2, M3 mounted inside, respectively.
Are connected to public telephone lines L1, L2, L3 (hereinafter, simply referred to as lines) which can be connected or disconnected. On the other hand, modems M1 ', M2', M3 'are also connected to the heads U1, U2, U3, respectively, and the lines L1, L2, M3' are connected via the modems M1 ', M2', M3 '.
Connected to L3. Therefore, by setting the lines L1, L2, L3 to the connected state, each of the operation units OP1, OP
2, OP3 and each head U1, U2, U3 are connected, and a control signal relating to head control output from each operation unit OP1, OP2, OP3 is transmitted to each head U1, U2, U3.

In this embodiment, the operation unit OP
1, OP2, OP3 and heads U1, U2, U3 are one-to-one.
For example, when a line is connected by controlling the modem M1 of the operation unit OP1, the modem M1 is always connected to the modem M1 'of the camera platform U1.

Each of the operation units OP1, OP2, O
The P3s are connected to each other by a communication cable C, and can transmit and receive data to and from each other by network transmission such as a LAN (Local Area Network). In addition, each operation unit can use a modem of another operation unit using the communication cable. Therefore, in the system shown in the figure, each operation unit can simultaneously connect a plurality of head lines using its own modem and a modem of another operation unit. It is a system that can quickly switch the head to be controlled without performing it.

Each operation unit OP1, OP2, OP3
Have the same configuration, and each has a panel control unit PC
1, PC2, PC3, modems M1, M2, M3, and modem controllers MC1, MC2, MC3.

The operation of the operation unit OP1 will be described. The panel control unit PC1 detects an operation of an operation panel, which will be described later, and, based on the detected operation, transmits various command signals and a control signal to be transmitted to a platform to be controlled. A signal (hereinafter, referred to as a pan head control signal) is output to the modem control unit MC1. Further, the panel control unit PC1 controls turning on / off of a lamp disposed in a switch of the operation panel or the like.

The modem controller MC1 determines whether the command signal given from the panel controller PC1 is for itself or another operating unit OP2, OP3. If the command signal is for itself, the command signal is given. The predetermined control is executed based on. For example, when a command signal for commanding connection or disconnection of the line L1 corresponding to the operation unit OP1 is given, the modem M1 is controlled in accordance with the command signal to control the head U1 associated with the operation unit OP1.
Line L1 to or from the modem M1 'is connected or disconnected.
When a command signal for changing the head to be controlled to the head U1 is given, the mode is changed to a mode in which the head control signal supplied from the panel controller PC1 is output from the modem M1 to the line L1 thereafter. Set.

On the other hand, when the command signal given from the panel control unit PC1 is for the operation units OP2 and OP3, the command signal is sent to the corresponding operation unit OP.
2. Transfer to OP3 modem control units MC2 and MC3.
As described above, each of the modem control units MC1, MC2, MC3
Can transmit and receive signals mutually by communication via the communication cable C. When the modem control unit MC1 transfers a command signal to the other modem control units MC2 and MC3, the communication cable C is used. You. Thereby, the modem control unit MC that has received the command signal from the modem control unit MC1
2, MC3 performs the same control as that performed by the modem control unit MC1 based on the command signal. For example, when a command signal for instructing connection or disconnection of the line L2 is given to the modem control unit MC2, the modem control unit MC2 controls the modem M2 to connect or disconnect the line L2. When a command signal for setting the head to be controlled to the head U2 is given to the modem controller MC2, the panel controller P
C1 via the modem control unit MC1 and the modem control unit MC
2 is set to a mode in which the pan head control signal transferred to 2 is output to the line L2 via the modem M2.

The transfer of the command signal to another modem control unit using the communication cable C is performed by the operation unit OP.
Similarly, the modem control unit MC1 of the operation unit OP1 is transmitted from the modem control unit MC2 of the operation unit OP3 to the modem control unit MC1 of the operation unit OP1. Other modem control unit MC as in the case where the signal is given.
2. Controls connection and disconnection of the line L1 according to the command signal transferred from the MC3.

Next, the operation units OP1, OP2, OP
The configuration of the third operation panel will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel 10 is provided with a camera platform operation unit 12 for controlling the operations of the camera platform and the television camera, and a line operation unit 14 for line control. The camera platform operation unit 12
A focus knob 16 for mainly operating the focus of the television camera, a zoom knob 18 for operating the zoom, a joystick 20 for operating pan / tilt of the camera platform, and the like are provided. Note that switches and the like for executing various functions are provided in the camera platform operating unit 12 in addition to the above operating members, but the description of these operating members will be omitted. When these operation members are operated, the panel control units PC1, PC2, and PC3 in the operation unit output a pan head control signal based on the operation.

On the other hand, the line operation unit 14 has online switches OL1 to OL5 and TAKE switches T1 to T1 from No. 1 to No. 5 corresponding to the numbers of the plurality of mounted heads.
5 are provided. In the system shown in FIG.
Assuming that number 1 is numbered 1, number 2 is assigned to head U2, and number 3 is assigned to head U3, online switches OL4, OL5 and TAKE switches T4, T5 of Nos. 4 and 5 are provided.
Is not used. Although the number of online switches and TAKE switches provided on the operation panel is five in FIG. 2, it is not limited to this.

The online switches OL1 to OL5 are switches for giving an instruction to connect or disconnect the line of the camera platform corresponding to the number. Online switch OL
When the online switches OL1 to OL5 are turned on while the white online lamps (lighted in the upper half of the online switches) in 1 to OL5 are turned off, the line of the camera head corresponding to the number of the turned on online switch is connected. And its online lamp lights up. Online switches OL1 to OL5 where the online lamp is on
Is turned on, the line of the camera head corresponding to the number of the online switch is disconnected, and the online lamp is turned off. If a line is already connected by the line operation unit of another operation unit, a red BUSY in the online switch for instructing connection or disconnection of the line is provided.
The lamp (lights up in the lower half of the online switch) turns on, prohibiting use of that line in this operating unit.

By turning on a plurality of online switches, a plurality of lines can be simultaneously connected.

The TAKE switches T1 to T5 are switches for selecting a line to be actually used among the lines connected by the online switches OL1 to OL5, that is, a pan head to be controlled. TE corresponding to one of the online switches whose online lamp is lit
When the KE switch is turned on, the pan head corresponding to the number of the TEKE switch becomes a control target, and the pan head control signal is transmitted via a line connected to the pan head. Further, the white TAKE lamp in the turned-on TAKE switch is turned on.

As described above, the lines of a plurality of heads are connected by the on-line switch, and the line to be actually used is selected by the TAKE switch, so that the line is connected only by switching the TAKE switch to be turned on. The camera platform to be controlled can be switched instantaneously without the need for time.

Next, regarding the operation of the pan head control system configured as shown in FIG. 1, the operation panel 1 of the operation unit OP1 will be described.
A case where 0 is operated will be described as an example. First, the operator turns on the power supply of the operation unit OP1 and turns on the online switch corresponding to the line to be connected in advance among the online switches OL1 to OL3 of the operation panel 10 shown in FIG. For example, the line L1 of the head U1 and the head U
To connect the second line L2, the first online switch OL1 and the second online switch OL2 are turned on.

When one of the online switches is turned on, the panel control unit PC1 shown in FIG. 1 gives a command signal for instructing connection of the line of the camera platform corresponding to the online switch to the modem control unit MC1. Modem control unit M
C1 determines whether the line instructed to connect is the line L1 connected to the modem M1, and if it determines that the line is the line L1 connected to the modem M1, the C1 controls the modem M1. The line L1 is connected to the modem M1 'of the camera platform U1. On the other hand, the line instructed to connect is connected to another operation unit O
Line L connected to modems M2, M3 of P2, OP3
2. If it is determined that it is L3, the panel control unit PC
1 to the corresponding operation unit OP
Via the communication cable C to the second modem control unit MC2 or the modem control unit MC3 of the operation unit OP3. The modem control units MC2 and MC3 that have received the command signal control the modems M2 and M3, respectively, to connect the lines L2 and L3.

For example, when the first online switch OL1 and the second online switch OL2 are turned on as described above, the modem control unit MC1 and the modem control unit MC1 are turned on.
2 respectively connect the line L1 and the line L2.

Subsequently, the operator turns on the TAKE switch corresponding to the line actually used, that is, the number of the camera platform to be controlled, among the lines connected by the online switch. For example, when the camera platform U1 is to be controlled, the TAKE switch T1 is turned on.

When any one of the TAKE switches T1 to T3 is turned on, the panel control unit PC1 controls the pan head corresponding to the TAKE switch and uses the line connected to the pan head. To the modem controller MC1. Modem controller MC
Reference numeral 1 designates whether or not the head to be controlled is a head U1 based on a command signal, and when the head to be controlled is the head U1, a head provided from the panel control unit PC1 thereafter. A mode is set for outputting a control signal to the line L1 via the modem M1. On the other hand, when the camera platform to be controlled is the camera platform U2 or the camera platform U3, the command signal given from the panel control unit PC1 is transmitted to the modem control unit MC2 of the operation unit OP2 or the modem control unit OP3 of the operation unit OP3. The data is transferred to the control unit MC3 via the communication cable C. The modem control units MC2 and MC3, which have received the command signal, enter a mode in which a pan head control signal provided from the panel control unit PC1 via the modem control unit MC1 is output to the lines L2 and L3 via the modems M2 and M3. Set. For example, when the second TAKE switch is turned on, the modem control unit MC2 sets a mode in which the pan head control signal is output to the line L2 via the modem M2.

As described above, the head to be controlled is set to TAK.
When selected by the E switch, the operator operates each operation member of the camera platform operation unit 12 of the operation panel 10 to control the selected camera platform, and performs pan / tilt operation of the camera platform, zoom and focus of the TV camera. Such an operation is instructed.
The panel control unit PC1 outputs a camera platform control signal for instructing the operation of the camera platform and the television camera to the modem control unit MC1 based on the operation of the camera platform operation unit. Modem controller MC
1 outputs a pan head control signal to the line L1 via the modem M1 according to the mode set as described above when the use of the line L1 is selected by the TAKE switch. As a result, the pan head control signal is transmitted to the pan head U1 via the line L1, and the pan head U1 (and the television camera TV1 mounted on the pan head U1) operate according to the pan head control signal. On the other hand, when the use of the line L2 or the line L3 is selected by the TAKE switch, the modem control unit MC1 of the corresponding operation unit OP2 operates.
2 or the camera platform control signal is transferred to the modem controller MC3 of the operation unit O3 via the communication cable C. The modem control units MC2 and MC3 that have received the head control signal output the head control signal to the lines L2 and L3 via the modems M2 and M3 according to the mode set as described above.
For example, when the use of the line L2 is selected by the TAKE switch, the head control signal is transferred to the modem MC2, and the modem control unit MC2 outputs the head control signal to the line L2 via the modem M2. As a result, the camera platform U2 or the camera platform U3 corresponding to the turned-on TAKE switch
The pan head control signal is transmitted to the pan head, and the pan head U2 or the pan head U3 operates according to the pan head control signal.

In the above embodiment, the case where the camera platform control system is constituted by three camera platforms and three operation units has been described. However, the number of camera platforms and the number of operation units may be arbitrarily changed. be able to. For example, when five heads and TV cameras are installed, five operation units corresponding to each head can be connected using five telephone lines, and communication between the five operation units is performed. What is necessary is just to connect with the cable C. Also, the number of heads and the number of operation units do not necessarily have to match,
For example, if the number of heads is smaller than the number of operation units, the modem of the operation unit that does not support the head may be used instead. In the case where the number is larger than the number of units, the unit having only the communication function, that is, the unit having only the modem control unit and the modem may compensate for the shortage of the operation unit.

Further, in the above embodiment, the correspondence between each head and each operation unit is determined in advance, and the line connected via the modem of each operation unit is connected to the fixed head. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to connect a line to an arbitrary camera platform by using a modem of each operation unit. In this case, for example, the operator preferentially connects the line to the head corresponding to the number of the online switch that was first turned on in a certain operation unit by using the modem in the operation unit, continue,
If the operator turns on another online switch,
A method of connecting a line to a camera platform corresponding to the number of the online switch using a modem in which another operation unit is not used can be used.

In the above embodiment, each of the operation units OP1 to OP3 has a communication function, that is, a modem control unit MC1.
MC3 and the modems M1 and M2, the modem control units MC1 and MC3 and the modems M1 and M2 may be connected to the operation unit by cables.

In the above embodiment, each head U1 to U3 and each operation unit OP1 to OP are connected to each other by using a public telephone line.
However, the present invention can be applied to communication lines other than public telephone lines. Also,
When the communication line does not require a modem, the modem of each of the operation units OP1 to OP3 is unnecessary.

[0035]

As described above, according to the camera platform control system of the present invention, each operating unit is provided with a modem for connecting a line to the camera platform, and each operating unit uses a modem of another operating unit. Since it is made possible, it is easy to provide a modem integrally with each operation unit, and it is not necessary to provide a line control unit or the like for controlling a line as in the related art even if the modem is not provided integrally with the operation unit,
Space saving and cost reduction can be achieved. Also,
There is no limit on the number of heads and operation units to be installed, and the system can be easily expanded as needed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a camera platform control system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an operation panel of the operation unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

U1 to U3: head, TV1 to TV3: TV camera, O
P1 to OP3 ... operation units, M1 to M3, M1 'to M
3 'modem, L1 to L3 line, PC1 to PC3 panel control unit, MC1 to MC3 modem control unit, OL1
OL4: Online switch, T1 to T4: TAKE switch

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04Q 9/00 301 H04Q 9/00 301E F term (Reference) 2H105 AA12 5C022 AA01 AB61 AB65 AC00 AC27 AC31 AC32 AC69 AC75 5C054 AA02 CD04 CE12 CF03 CF06 CG05 DA09 EA01 EA03 FF02 HA38 5K048 BA10 DC07 5K101 KK11 MM05 NN06 QQ11

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A head control system for controlling a plurality of heads from a plurality of operation units through a communication line, wherein each operation unit includes a modem for connecting a line with the head, and a communication cable is provided between the operation units. Connect with
A head control system characterized in that each operation unit can use a modem of another operation unit. 2. A connection line selecting means for selecting which communication line to connect or disconnect from a communication line connected or disconnected by a modem of each operation unit, and controlling the camera platform through which communication line among the connected communication lines. 2. The pan head control system according to claim 1, wherein a use line selecting means for selecting whether to perform the operation is provided in each operation unit.