JP2002064737A - Automated exploration/tracking camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automated exploration/tracking camera system that traces a specific object over a wide area, so as to automatically display the object. SOLUTION: The automatic exploration/tracking camera system is provided with an identification mark 10 attached to the object, a fixed camera 1 having sensitivity to at least the identification mark 10 and a wide-angle visual field, a moving camera 2, placed in the vicinity of the fixed camera 1 and uses the same range as the wide angular visual field range for its moving range visual field, drive sections 3, 4, 5 that are connected to the moving camera 2 to horizontally and vertically drive the moving camera 2, and a control section 6 that gives a control signal to direct the visual field of the moving camera 2 in the direction of the identification mark 10 to the drive sections 3, 4, 5, on the basis of a video signal of a video image 10i of the identification mark 10 photographed by the fixed camera 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera for searching for a specific object existing in a wide area and photographing the object while tracking the object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a theater or the like is projected by a video camera,
In some cases, such as when recording a video, an actor who is on a wide stage is set as a target, and the camera is chasing that person. At present, the cameraman looks for the actor with the naked eye and points the camera in that direction.When the cameraman enters the field of view of the viewfinder, he orients the camera so that the actor is at a desired position such as the center position on the viewfinder. ing. However, in a scene where there are many actors on the stage and dressed in the same way, considerable visual acuity and skill are required for the photographer to find the actor and point the camera in that direction.

[0003] JP-A-9-322047 and JP-A-1
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 0-276359 discloses a video camera having a tracking function. However, the video cameras described in these publications do not track a predetermined subject, but track a moving subject in the field of view of the camera. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2000-59668 discloses a video camera in which a subject itself operates with a remote control unit to track the subject. However, with this video camera, the subject cannot be tracked by an operation of a third party.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an automatic search and tracking camera capable of following a specific subject in a wide area and automatically displaying the subject. The purpose is to provide a system.

[0005]

The following is a description of an automatic search and tracking camera system of the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, with reference to FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, an automatic exploration and tracking camera system to which the present invention is applied is composed of an identification mark 10 attached to a subject and a fixed camera 1 having a sensitivity to at least the identification mark 10 and having a wide angle of view. A movable camera 2 disposed near the fixed camera 1 and having the same range as the range of the wide-angle field of view in the movable range, and a driving unit 3.4 connected to the movable camera 2 and driving it vertically and horizontally. 5 and
A control unit 6 for providing a control signal to the driving units 3, 4 and 5 based on the video signal of the identification sign image 10 i projected by the fixed camera 1 to direct the field of view of the movable camera 2 toward the identification sign 10. .

The identification mark 10 is preferably an infrared light emitter, and the fixed camera 1 is preferably sensitive to infrared light.

The present invention can be properly implemented by providing the display devices 7 and 8 for displaying the field of view 2E of the movable camera 2 superimposed on the field of view 1E of the fixed camera 1.

A plurality of fixed cameras 1 and movable cameras 2 can be provided.

The control unit 6 superimposes the field of view 2E of the movable camera 2 on the field of view 1E of the fixed camera 1, and obtains the center 2C of the field of view of the movable camera 2 from the identification sign image 10i projected by the fixed camera 1.
It can be properly implemented by using a value obtained by calculating the distance and direction to the control value as a control value.

Further, the control unit 6 may use the value of a trajectory obtained by tracking the visual field 2E of the movable camera 2 displayed on the display device 7 to the identification sign image 10i by the operation unit 9 as a control value.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an automatic search and tracking camera system to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment showing the same more specifically. This system is installed for photographing the stage of a theater, and a fixed camera 1 and a movable camera 2 are arranged toward the stage. The mechanisms such as the control unit 6, the display device 7, and the operation unit 9 are arranged at locations where the photographer can easily operate while looking over the stage, such as the sleeves of the stage and one of the audience seats. The identification mark 10 is an infrared light emitting diode, and is attached to the performer A's chest or the like, pretending to be a necklace or a chestband.

The fixed camera 1 is an infrared video camera provided with a wide-angle objective lens, and covers the entire stage as a field of view for photographing. The movable camera 2 is a full-color video camera, and is equipped with a zoom lens. The side surface is supported by a shaft, the shaft is connected to the stepping motor 3 and can be turned up and down, and the upper surface is also supported by the shaft and the shaft is connected to the stepping motor 4 and can be turned right and left. The movable camera 2 is configured to rotate within a range in which images can be captured up to the upper, lower, left, and right ends of the entire stage. The fixed camera 1 and the movable camera 2 are arranged close to each other. The fixed camera 1 and the movable camera 2
Multiple arrangements are made at different angles overlooking the stage. The video signal of the movable camera 2 is output to the external device 11. As the external device 11, for example, a video tape recorder or C
A display device such as an RT can be connected.

The details of the control unit 6 are as follows: an arithmetic circuit (CPU) 21, program software 22, keyboard 2 shown in FIG.
3, input / output (I / O) port 24, video detection circuit 25,
It comprises a system controller 26. Arithmetic circuit 21
According to an equation given from the program software 22 and the keyboard 23, the identification sign image 10i on the display device 7 of the identification sign 10 projected by the fixed camera 1 and the center 2C of the visual field 2E of the movable camera 2 (see FIG. 1) Calculate the distance and direction between them and input / output (I / O) port 2 as an operation signal
4 and output to the system controller 26. At the same time, a video signal of the visual field 2E of the movable camera 2 and its center 2C is generated.

A system controller 26 instructs a driving power source 5 of the stepping motor 3 and the stepping motor 4 as a driving unit of the movable camera 2 for a rotation direction and the number of steps for each motor. The image detection circuit 25 is a circuit that detects the identification sign image 10i on the display device 7 from the video signals of the plurality of fixed cameras 1 and specifies one fixed camera 1. The video switch 28 is a circuit that switches between the video signal of the fixed camera 1 and the corresponding video signal of the movable camera 2.

The display device 7 displays a video signal of the fixed camera 1 or a movable camera 2 switched by the video switch 28.
And a video board 8 that combines the video signal of the movable camera 2 with the field of view 2E of the movable camera 2 and the center 2C thereof output from the arithmetic circuit 21 for display.

The operation unit 9 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and a trackball. The operation unit 9 instructs the system controller 26 to move the movable camera 2.

The automatic search and tracking camera system of the above embodiment operates as follows. In this automatic exploration and tracking camera system, a plurality of fixed cameras 1 photograph the entire stage from various directions. Sign 10
Enters the field of view of one of the fixed cameras 1. From the plurality of fixed cameras, the fixed camera 1 having the video signal of the identification mark is specified by the video detection circuit 25, and the video signal of the fixed camera 1 is supplied to the video board 8 via the video switch 28. The display device 7 has an identification sign image 10
i is displayed (see FIG. 1). At first, the movable camera 2 may be oriented in any direction, but it is assumed that the movable camera 2 faces the center of the stage. Since the direction of the movable camera 2 is an instruction result of the operation unit 9, the arithmetic circuit 21 generates a video signal for displaying the visual field 2E and the center 2C of the movable camera 2 in the center of the display device 7, and displays the video signal. Is done.

Here, when tracking is performed automatically,
When the program software 22 is read into the arithmetic circuit 21 by operating the keyboard 23, the arithmetic circuit 21 calculates the distance and direction from the center of view 2C of the movable camera on the display device 7 to the identification sign image 10i. After that, it is output to the system controller 26.

When tracking is performed in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit 9, for example, the mouse of the operation unit 9 is operated, and the center of the visual field 2 C
Is dragged and superimposed on the identification sign image 10i (see the arrow on the display device 7 in FIG. 1), the drag locus is output to the system controller 26 as an instruction signal.

The rotation direction and the number of steps of the stepping motor 3 and the stepping motor 4 are instructed from the system controller 26 to the drive power source 5, and these motors 3 and 4 rotate to move the movable camera 2 up and down and left and right. Then, the center of the visual field faces the direction of the identification mark 10.

The video switch 28 is on the fixed camera 1 side. To switch to the movable camera 2 side, when a switching signal is input from the operation unit 9, the system controller 26 and the input / output (I / O) port 24 Then, the switching signal enters the video switch 28 via the video detection circuit 25 and is switched to the movable camera 2 side. Then, the video signal of the movable camera 2 is sent to the video board, and the display device 7 (see FIG. 2) displays the image Ai of the performer and the image 10i of the identification sign on his chest.

During a series of tracking operations, a video signal initially appearing in the field of view 2E on the display device 7 of FIG. After the switch 28 is switched to the movable camera 2 side, the signal matches the video signal shown on the display device 7 in FIG.

The fixed camera 1 and the movable camera 2 are
The camera is not limited to a movie camera as long as it outputs a video signal, and may be a still camera. The present invention is not limited to a movie camera, but may be a combination of still cameras. In particular, the combination of the fixed camera 1 as a still camera and the movable camera 2 as a movie camera has necessary and sufficient functions as the automatic search and tracking camera system of the present invention, is suitable for the purpose, and has excellent economical efficiency. Become something.

[0025]

As described in detail above, the automatic search and tracking camera system to which the present invention is applied can track a specific subject in a wide area and automatically project the subject. For example, if you have a large number of performers on the stage and want to point the camera at a particular performer,
The cameraman can reliably track the actor without the need for the cameraman to search for the actor or to turn the camera in that direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration block diagram of an automatic search and tracking camera system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an automatic search and tracking camera system to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a fixed camera, 1E is the field of view of the fixed camera 1, 2 is a movable camera, 2E is the field of view of the movable camera 2, 2C is the center of the field of view,
3 and 4 are stepping motors, 5 is a drive power supply, 6 is a control unit, 7 is a display device, 8 is a video board, 9 is an operation unit, 1
0 is an identification sign, 10i is an identification sign image, 11 is an external device, 21 is an arithmetic circuit, 22 is program software, 23 is a keyboard, 24 is an input / output port, 25 is an image detection circuit, 26 is a system controller, and 28 is video. Switch, A is a performer.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An identification sign attached to a subject, a fixed camera having sensitivity to at least the identification sign and having a wide angle of view, and being arranged near the fixed camera and having the same range as the wide angle of view. A movable camera having a range as a field of view in a movable range, a driving unit connected to the movable camera and driving it vertically and horizontally, and a video signal of the image of the identification sign projected by the fixed camera, A control unit for providing a control signal to the drive unit for turning the field of view to the direction of the identification mark. 2. The automatic exploration and tracking camera system according to claim 1, wherein the identification mark is an infrared light emitter, and the fixed camera has sensitivity to infrared light. 3. The automatic exploration and tracking camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a display device that superimposes and displays the field of view of the movable camera on the field of view of the fixed camera. 4. The automatic search and tracking camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said fixed cameras and a plurality of said movable cameras. 5. The control unit superimposes the field of view of the movable camera on the field of view of the fixed camera, and calculates the distance and direction from the image of the identification sign displayed by the fixed camera to the center of the field of view of the movable camera. 2. The automatic search and tracking camera system according to claim 1, wherein is a control value. 6. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets, as a control value, a trajectory value obtained by tracking the visual field of the movable camera displayed on the display device up to the image of the identification mark. Automatic search and tracking camera system.