JP2002112096A - Camera and method for adjusting camera function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera in which the structure can be simplified as a whole and a method for adjusting the camera function. SOLUTION: In the camera and the method for adjusting the camera function, an imaging region comprises an effective region corresponding to a specified TV system and an extension region having a larger angle of view as compared with surrounding effective region. After the video signal of an image formed in the imaging region is outputted, a pixel group corresponding to a decimation pattern dependent on the zoom ratio is decimated among pixel groups forming an image based on the video signal and then the video signal of decimated pixel group is interpolated to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective region.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera device and a method for adjusting a camera function, and is suitably applied to, for example, a video camera equipped with a camera shake correction function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a video camera having a zoom lens system, a focal length is changed to a telephoto side or a wide-angle side while a focal point is kept constant by moving a zoom lens to change a zoom ratio. To change the subject distance.

In recent years, there has been proposed a video camera equipped with an electronic zoom function of electronically changing a focal length using an image pickup device instead of or in addition to such a zoom lens system. This electronic zoom function is a function that converts an image signal smaller than the light receiving screen size of the image sensor into a video signal equivalent to the light receiving screen size, and changes the focal length to the telephoto side without moving the zoom lens. is there.

[0004]

However, in a video camera having such an electronic zoom function, it is impossible to obtain an image signal having a size larger than the size of the light receiving screen of the image sensor. Even if we could, we couldn't zoom to the wide-angle side.

On the other hand, when the zoom ratio of the zoom lens is changed to a wider angle side, the size of the zoom lens is increased, so that there is a problem that the configuration of the entire apparatus becomes complicated. Further, when a wide-angle lens is added to a zoom lens system, it is necessary to correct so-called distortion, and there is a problem that the correction work requires time and effort for the user.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to propose a camera device and a camera function adjusting method capable of simplifying the configuration of the entire device.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an angle of view are compared with the effective area formed around the effective area. An image pickup element that outputs an image signal of a picked-up image formed in the image pickup area, and an image pickup element that forms a picked-up image based on the video signal. Thinning means for thinning out the corresponding pixel group with a thinning pattern that changes
Memory means for storing the video signals of the pixel groups thinned out by the thinning means, and video signals of the pixel groups stored in the memory means which are sequentially read out and interpolated so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area And an interpolation means for performing the interpolation.

As a result, in this camera device, by interpolating a group of images decimated by a decimating pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area, it is possible to obtain an effective area and an extended area. As in the case where all the pixel groups in the area are reduced to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area, an image zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side can be obtained.

In the present invention, there is provided an imaging area including an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area formed around the effective area and having a larger angle of view than the effective area. Then, after outputting a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region, a pixel group corresponding to a thinning pattern that changes according to a zoom ratio among pixel groups forming a captured image based on the video signal is thinned out. The video signals of the thinned pixel group are interpolated so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area.

As a result, in this camera function adjusting method,
By interpolating a group of images decimated by a decimating pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area, it is as if all the pixel groups of the effective area and the extended area are in the image of the effective area. As in the case where the image is reduced to an image corresponding to a corner, an image zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side can be obtained.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Configuration of Video Camera According to the Present Embodiment In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a video camera as a whole.
The image pickup signal S1 is obtained by performing photoelectric conversion on the image pickup surface of the ge Coupled Device (charge coupled device)
It is sent to a DS (Correlated Double Sampling) and an AGC (Auto Gain Control) unit 4.

The CDS and AGC unit 4 reduces the noise component by clamping the signal level at a predetermined position during a period in which reset noise occurs in the image signal S1, and automatically adjusts the amplitude of the image signal S1. By controlling the output to a predetermined value, a change in contrast is prevented. The imaging signal S2 obtained in this manner is sent to the subsequent analog / digital conversion (A / D) section 5, where it is converted into a digital imaging signal D1, and then sent to the signal processing section 6.

The signal processing section 6 has a digital image pickup signal D1.
After performing Y / C separation, gamma correction, white balance adjustment processing, and the like, this is converted into a video signal D2 by matrix processing. The video signal D2 is converted into an analog signal by a digital / analog conversion (D / A) unit 7 and then output to the outside via an output terminal (not shown).

In this video camera 1, as shown in FIG. 2, of a pixel group having a total number of 680,000 pixels forming an image pickup area P arranged on the image pickup surface of the CCD 3 according to a predetermined television system. An area A1 having an effective pixel number of 380,000 pixels in the central portion (hereinafter referred to as an effective area) A1 is used as an image to be actually projected, and compared with the effective area A1 formed around the effective area A1. A surplus extended area (hereinafter, referred to as a camera shake correction area) A2 for a surplus 300,000 pixels having a large angle of view is used as a camera shake correction image.

When the user actually selects the normal mode, the signal processing unit 6 uses a screen portion corresponding to the effective area A1 of the frame screen F1 based on the digital image pickup signal D1 as an image to be actually projected. On the other hand, when the user selects the camera shake correction mode, the signal processing unit 6 uses the screen portion corresponding to the effective area A1 of the frame screen F1 based on the digital imaging signal D1 as an image to be actually projected, The effective area A1
The screen portion corresponding to the camera shake correction area A2 formed around is used as a camera shake correction image.

An angular acceleration sensor 8 is provided in the video camera 1 so as to detect vertical vibration, horizontal vibration and rotation (or tilt) of the entire video camera 1. The detection result of the angular acceleration sensor 8 is sent to the controller 9 as a sensor output signal S3, and the controller 9 controls the video camera 1 based on the sensor output signal S3.
When the camera shakes in a predetermined direction, the control signal S4 is sent to the CCD 3 so that the subject image projected on the imaging surface of the CCD 3 shifts in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction (the effective area A1 and the camera shake). The reading position (photoelectric conversion position) of the correction area A2) is changed.

When the user selects the zoom function mode instead of the camera shake correction mode, the control unit 9 generates a pixel thinning signal S5 representing a predetermined thinning pattern set in advance according to the zoom ratio by using a timing generator (TG: Ti
ming Generator) 10. The timing generator 10 supplies a timing pulse TP corresponding to the pixel thinning signal S5 to the CCD, thereby sequentially extracting pixels for each line from the imaging surface of the CCD 3 (the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2) in accordance with the timing pulse TP. After reading, the signal is transmitted to the signal processing unit 6 as a digital image signal D3 via the CDS / AGC unit 4 and the A / D conversion unit 5.

In this video camera 1, the angle of view from wide angle to telephoto can be adjusted to a desired size by operating the zoom lever (not shown) by the user, and based on the result of the adjustment, The control unit 9 determines the zoom ratio.

Under the control of the control unit 9, the signal processing unit 6 sequentially executes a pixel group based on the digital image pickup signal D3, that is, a pixel group thinned out by a thinning pattern based on a pixel thinning signal S5 generated by the control unit 9. It is stored in the line memory 11.

As shown in FIG. 3A, a pixel group based on the digital image pickup signal D3 is a frame screen F1.
This is a pixel group thinned out from the (effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2) by the thinning pattern based on the thinning control signal S5 described above, and as shown in FIG. A corresponding image F2 can be formed.

Actually, the thinning pattern varies stepwise according to the zoom ratio from telephoto to wide-angle, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 6A, and changes the zoom ratio to the telephoto side. As the zoom ratio is changed to the wide-angle side, the effective area A1 and the entirety of the camera shake correction area A2 are thinned out at substantially equal intervals while the ratio of thinning out from the camera shake correction area A2 is lower (FIG. 4A). (FIG. 6A).

As described above, the signal processing unit 6 interpolates the pixel group based on the digital image pickup signal D3 while sequentially reading the pixel group from the line memory 11, and then performs a smoothing process so as to be continuously connected.

Pixel groups actually thinned out by the thinning patterns shown in FIGS. 4A to 6A are shown in FIGS.
After each of the images F2 corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1 as shown in FIG. 6 (B) is formed, interpolation processing is performed on each of the images, thereby obtaining the images as shown in FIGS. 4 (C) to 6 (C). An image F2 'is formed.

After that, the signal processing section 6 performs Y / C separation, gamma correction, white balance adjustment processing, and the like on the digital image pickup signal D3 that has been subjected to the interpolation processing and the smoothing processing, and then performs the matrix processing. To a video signal D4. The video signal D4 is converted into an analog signal in a digital / analog (D / A) section 7 and then output to the outside via an output terminal (not shown).

(2) Operation and Effect of the Present Embodiment In the above configuration, in the video camera 1, when the zoom function mode is designated by the user, the signal processing unit 6 controls the pixel group forming the imaging surface of the CCD 3. The pixel groups thinned out by the thinning pattern corresponding to the zoom ratio designated by the user are sequentially stored in the line memory 11.

At this time, when the user adjusts the zoom ratio so as to change to the wide angle side, the signal processing unit 6 determines that both the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 as the zoom ratio changes from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side. The pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1 is extracted from the line memory 11 while increasing the thinning position and the thinning interval toward the periphery of the camera shake correction area A2 in accordance with the degree of change in the zoom ratio. Store.

As described above, the signal processing unit 6 interpolates the extracted and stored image group so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1 while sequentially reading the image group stored from the line memory 11. Thereafter, by performing a smoothing process so as to be continuously connected, it is as if the entire pixel group of the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 in the electronic zoom were reduced to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1. Thus, an image zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side can be obtained.

In the method of reducing the entire pixel group in the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 in the electronic zoom to obtain an image zoomed to the wide angle side, it is necessary to provide a frame memory in the signal processing system. Since the line memory 11 having a relatively small storage capacity is sufficient for practical use by the amount of the thinned out pixel groups, the configuration in the signal processing system can be further simplified.

Furthermore, unlike the case of performing a wide-angle zoom optically using a zoom lens system, the operation of correcting so-called distortion does not take much time and labor, so that the operability of the user at the time of imaging is easily improved. can do.

According to the above configuration, this video camera 1
In the case where the user changes the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side in the zoom function mode, not only the effective area A1 but also the camera shake
Thus, by obtaining a pixel group with a predetermined thinning pattern according to the change in the zoom ratio and performing interpolation so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1, the effective areas A1 and As in the case where all the pixel groups in the camera shake correction area A2 are reduced to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1, an image zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side can be obtained, and thus the entire imaging screen is reduced. The overall configuration of the apparatus can be simplified as compared with an electronic zoom that zooms to a wide angle side and an optical zoom using a zoom lens system.

(3) Other Embodiments In the above embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the video camera 1 having the electronic zoom function has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied to a video camera having an electronic zoom function added to the function. In this case, in the video camera 1 shown in FIG.
A zoom lens system is provided in front of the CCD 3 to change the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the telephoto side by moving the zoom lens, while changing the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side by the above-described electronic zoom according to the present invention. You can do it.

In the above-described embodiment, of the pixel groups forming the captured image P based on the image pickup signal (video signal) S1, the corresponding pixel group is thinned out with a thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio. As means, the control unit 9 and the timing generator 10 in the video camera 1
Has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the point is that the effective area A in which the captured image P is formed is
As long as a pixel group having an angle of view corresponding to the zoom ratio can be extracted from 1 and the camera shake correction area (extended area) A2, the thinning means can be widely applied to various other configurations.

At this time, the image pickup result of the CCD 3 is thinned out with a thinning pattern that changes in accordance with the zoom ratio as it is. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image pickup result of the CCD 3 is stored in a frame memory via a signal processing system. (Not shown), and the signal processing unit 6 may thin out pixel groups in a thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio under the control of the control unit 9.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the thinning pattern is set as shown in FIGS. 4A to 6A in which the transition from the telephoto side to the wide-angle side is performed stepwise. The present invention is not limited to this, and the point is that when the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, the camera shake correction area A2 is changed from both the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 according to the degree of change of the zoom ratio. While increasing the thinning-out position and the thinning-out interval toward the peripheral side, the effective area A
If a pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of 1 can be extracted,
Various other patterns may be set as the thinning patterns.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an image pickup is made up of an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area formed around the effective area and having a larger angle of view than the effective area. Although a case has been described in which a general CCD 3 is applied as an imaging element having a region and outputting a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region, the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the image pickup device having the above-described extended region added thereto can be formed, the present invention may be widely applied to various other image pickup devices.

In this case, the extended area is used as an area for detecting the amount of camera shake based on the effective area, and after the amount of camera shake is detected by the signal processing section 6 as the camera shake amount detecting means, the detected area is determined based on the detection result. In the above, a case has been described in which an image having a size corresponding to the effective area is cut out from the captured image formed in the imaging area. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the extended area may be an area for detecting the amount of camera shake. Alternatively, the imaging area may be formed by simply adding the effective area as an extended area without using the area.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the line memory 11 is used as the memory means for storing the video signal of the pixel group formed from the pixel group forming the captured image P by the thinning pattern changing according to the zoom ratio. Has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.
The present invention can be widely applied to various memory means such as a commonly used frame memory.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the video signals of the pixel groups stored in the line memory (memory means) 11 are sequentially read out and interpolated so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1. A description will be given of a case where the interpolation unit and the smoothing processing unit that performs smoothing processing so as to continuously connect images corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1 interpolated by the interpolation unit are configured by the signal processing unit 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various other configurations may be applied as the interpolation means and the smoothing processing means. Further, the interpolation means and the smoothing processing means may be configured separately. good.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area formed around the effective area and having a larger angle of view than the effective area are provided. An imaging element that outputs an image signal of a captured image formed in the imaging area, and a thinning pattern that changes according to a zoom ratio among a group of pixels that form the captured image based on the video signal. A thinning means for thinning out the corresponding pixel group, a memory means for storing the video signal of the pixel group thinned out by the thinning means, and a video signal of the pixel group stored in the memory means for sequentially reading out the effective area. By providing an interpolation means for performing interpolation so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view, it is possible to reduce all pixel groups in the effective area and the extended area to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area. As with the can to obtain an image zoom to the wide angle side from the standard angle of view, thus possible to realize a camera apparatus capable of easily the configuration as a whole unit.

Further, according to the present invention, an imaging area composed of an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area formed around the effective area and having a larger angle of view than the effective area is provided. After outputting a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region, a pixel group corresponding to a thinning pattern that changes according to a zoom ratio among pixel groups that form a captured image based on the video signal. By decimating, by interpolating the video signal of the decimated pixel group so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area,
As in the case where all the pixel groups of the effective area and the extended area are reduced to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area, it is possible to obtain an image zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, thus configuring the entire apparatus. Can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video camera according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view for describing an imaging area arranged on an imaging surface of a CCD.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an image thinned out from a frame screen.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for describing a thinning pattern according to a zoom ratio.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for describing a thinning pattern according to a zoom ratio.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for describing a thinning pattern according to a zoom ratio.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Video camera, 2 ... Projection lens, 3 ... CC
D, 4 CDS / AGC section, 5 analog / digital conversion (A / D) section, 6 signal processing section, 7 digital / analog conversion (D / A) section, 8 angular velocity sensor , 9 ... control unit, 10 ... timing generator,
11: line memory, P: imaging area, A1: effective area, A2: camera shake correction area (extended area).

Claims (8)

[Claims] An imaging area comprising an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area formed around the effective area and having a larger angle of view than the effective area,
An image sensor that outputs a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region; and a pixel group corresponding to a thinning pattern that changes according to a zoom ratio among pixel groups that form a captured image based on the video signal. Thinning means, a memory means for storing the video signals of the pixel group thinned out by the thinning means, and a video signal of the pixel group stored in the memory means, which are sequentially read out, and the angle of view of the effective area is read out. And an interpolating means for interpolating so as to form an image corresponding to. 2. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising a smoothing processing means for performing a smoothing processing so as to continuously connect images corresponding to the angle of view of said effective area interpolated by said interpolation means. apparatus. 3. The extended area is an area for detecting an amount of camera shake based on the effective area, and includes an amount of camera shake detection means for detecting the amount of camera shake, and is detected by the amount of camera shake detection means. 2. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein an image having a size corresponding to the effective area is cut from a captured image formed in the imaging area based on the camera shake amount. 3. 4. When the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide-angle side, the thinning-out means sets the extended area from both the effective area and the extended area in accordance with the degree of change of the zoom ratio. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the thinning pattern is set so as to extract a pixel group corresponding to an angle of view of the effective area while increasing a thinning position and a thinning interval toward a peripheral side of the camera. 3. apparatus. 5. An imaging area comprising an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area formed around the effective area and having a larger angle of view than the effective area,
A first step of outputting a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region; and a pixel group corresponding to a thinning pattern that changes according to a zoom ratio among pixel groups forming a captured image based on the video signal. And a third step of interpolating the thinned video signal of the pixel group so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area. Camera function adjustment method. 6. The camera function adjustment according to claim 5, further comprising a fourth step of performing a smoothing process so as to continuously connect the interpolated images corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area. Method. 7. In the first step, the extended area is an area for detecting an amount of camera shake based on the effective area. After detecting the amount of camera shake, the extended area is added to the detected amount of camera shake. 6. The camera function adjusting method according to claim 5, wherein an image having a size corresponding to the effective area is cut out from the captured image formed in the imaging area based on the image. 8. In the second step, when the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, the zoom ratio is changed in accordance with the degree of change of the zoom ratio from both the effective area and the extended area. 6. The thinning pattern according to claim 5, wherein the thinning pattern is set so as to extract a pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area while increasing the thinning position and the thinning interval toward the periphery of the extended area. Camera function adjustment method.