JP2002271676A - Imaging unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize an imaging unit that generates a wide range video by pasting videos photographed by a plurality of cameras. SOLUTION: A wide angle lens 2a and convex mirrors 2b-2g are provided at one-side ends of optical rods 4a-4g, and CCD cameras 3a-3g are connected to the other-side ends of the optical rods 4a-4g to arrange the wide angle lens 2a and the convex mirrors 2b-2g close to each other and a distance among NP points of the wide-angle lens 2a and the convex mirrors 2b-2g is selected small to reduce occurrence of parallax.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to a downsized imaging apparatus for obtaining a wide-range image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a case where it is desired to obtain a wide-range image such as a panoramic image by taking a point in a space as a viewpoint and photographing the periphery thereof on a horizontal plane.

As an apparatus for achieving such an object, there is an image pickup apparatus shown in FIG.
No. 35). As shown in the figure, eight cameras 42 are arranged upward on the circumference, and a reflecting mirror 41 in which eight plane mirrors 41a are combined is arranged inside the eight cameras 42. Each of the cameras 42 is connected to a video recording device 47 including a cutout unit 43, a reversing unit 44, a joining unit 45, and a recording unit 46. The light from each of the parts to be imaged is
The light enters each of the cameras 42 through a, and an image is obtained. These images are sent to the recording device 47, and the respective images are joined to obtain a panoramic image.

[0004]

However, as can be seen from FIG. 8, there is a problem that the image pickup device becomes large because it is composed of a plurality of cameras 42 and a large reflecting mirror 41.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus which solves such a problem.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup apparatus configured to divide a portion to be photographed into a plurality of portions to be photographed, An image pickup apparatus comprising a plurality of image pickup means for individually picking up an image of a portion to be imaged, and obtaining a wide-range image by combining images from the respective image pickup means. And an image sensor, and an optical transmission unit for transmitting light from the light input unit to the image sensor. The configuration of the imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The optical unit uses at least one of a convex mirror and a wide-angle lens. The configuration of the imaging device according to claim 3 is the optical unit according to claim 2, wherein the optical transmission unit includes a plurality of relay lenses. Or fiber lens or imaging The imaging device according to claim 4, wherein an optical rod having a lens is used, and in the configuration of claim 3, adjacent ones of images by the imaging element are set so as to overlap each other. In the configuration of the imaging apparatus according to claim 5, in claim 4, a principal ray passing through a Gaussian region is selected from among principal rays passing through the center of an aperture provided in the imaging unit,
A point intersecting the optical axis by extending a linear component in the object space of the principal ray is set as an NP point, and the inside of a sphere centered on any one of the NP points among the NP points in each imaging means In the NP point region, another NP point is arranged, and the configuration of the imaging apparatus according to claim 6 is such that, in claim 5, the radius of the NP point region is approximately 20 mm. It is characterized by having done.

The NP point and the NP point area are defined below. FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which light reflected by a subject (not shown) reaches the imaging unit 301 via the equivalent convex lens 300 and forms an image on the imaging unit 301. The equivalent convex lens expresses a group of a single or a plurality of lenses for forming an image on the imaging unit as one convex lens, and not only a lens but also a convex mirror or a concave mirror is a component of the equivalent convex lens. Here, the equivalent convex lens 300 includes lenses 302 to 308, and an aperture 309 is provided between the lens 304 and the lens 305. Among the innumerable chief rays passing through the center of the stop 309, a chief ray 311 whose lens aberration is negligible is selected through a Gaussian region near the optical axis 310, and a straight line in the object space 312 among the selected chief rays 311 is selected. A point where the component is extended and intersects with the optical axis 310 is defined as an NP (non-parallax) point 313, and a radius of 20 m centered on the NP point
The inside of the sphere within m is the NP point area 314. The reason why the NP point area is within the sphere having a radius of 20 mm centered on the NP point is that the NP point of another imaging means is located within the sphere having a radius of 20 mm centered on the NP point in any one of the imaging means. Further, if the NP points are close to each other, the occurrence of parallax can be suppressed to a negligible level. 315 is an image space.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a 360-degree surrounding area and a wide area above a horizontal plane, which is a part to be imaged, is divided into seven parts, and the seven parts to be imaged are individually photographed. Seven imaging means are provided. These seven image pickup means are composed of one image pickup means 1a for photographing vertically above and six image pickup means 1b to 1g for photographing 360 degrees around the horizontal plane.

The imaging means 1a to 1g are composed of a wide-angle lens (light entrance) 2a and a convex mirror (light entrance) 2b to 2g shown in FIG.
, CCD cameras (imaging elements) 3a to 3g, and convex mirror 2
Optical rods (light transmission units) 4a to 4g for connecting CCD cameras 3a to 3g with b to 2g and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the optical rods 4a to 4g are provided with relay lenses 6 arranged at fixed intervals inside a pipe 5 made of metal or resin having a diameter of about 6 mm and fixed. As a fixing means for fixing the relay lens 6 at a predetermined position, a pipe-shaped spacer (not shown) is provided between the adjacent relay lenses 6 inside the pipe 5, or both sides of the relay lens 6 in the pipe 5 are set inside. For example, it is extruded toward to form a protrusion. The lower portions of the optical rods 4b to 4g are bent at 90 degrees, and as shown in FIG. Mirror (or prism) 7 is provided. Instead of using an optical rod containing a plurality of relay lenses in the pipe 5, a selfoc lens (fiber lens) whose refractive index increases toward the center in the pipe 5 or an optical lens containing an imaging lens is used. It may be used.

The wide-angle lens 2a is attached to one end of an optical rod 4a as shown in FIG.
It is set to 120 degrees. A fish-eye lens may be used as the wide-angle lens. On the other hand, the convex mirrors 2b to 2g are housed in windows 8 formed at one ends of the optical rods 4b to 4g. In the convex mirrors 2b to 2g, the cross-sectional shape in the vertical direction in the drawing is arc-shaped, while the cross-sectional shape in the left-right direction is linear. For this reason, the angle of view in the vertical direction in the figure is large, and β = 120 degrees.

The CCD cameras 3a to 3g are composed of an eyepiece 16 and CCD image pickup devices 17a to 17d as shown in FIG. 4, and the CCD cameras 3a to 3g are optical rods 4a to 4g.
Is connected to the other end.

The seven image pickup means 1a to 1g are composed of the wide-angle lens 2a, the convex mirrors 2b to 2g and the CCD camera 3a as described above.
3g and the optical rods 4a to 4g, and the wide-angle lens 2a and the convex mirrors 2b to 2g, which are light-entering portions, are arranged in a small and concentrated manner at the center position of the portion to be imaged.

Next, a system for recording images captured by the CCD cameras 3a to 3g will be described with reference to FIG. An image composed of hundreds of thousands to several million pixels is formed for each of the CCD cameras 3a to 3g, and a driving portion for extracting brightness and color as electric charges is provided for each pixel. A timing generator 19 and a clock driver 20 connected to a central processing unit (CPU) 18 for transmitting a pulse.
Are connected to the respective CCD image sensors 17a to 17g. Each of the CCD imaging devices 17a to 17g has an amplifier (A) for amplifying the electric charge output from each pixel.
MP) 21a to 21g and converters (A / D) 22a to 22g for converting analog signals into digital signals. The multiplexer 23 collectively arranges seven images at each time among the images from the respective CCD image pickup devices 17a to 17g and arranges them in chronological order. It is connected to a driver (HDD) 24.

In addition, a CCD image pickup device 17a is provided so that an image being shot can be viewed on a monitor screen.
To 17 g are connected to the monitor 26 via the video driver 25.

Next, the operation of the imaging apparatus will be described.
When a plurality of images are connected to form a wide-area image, adjacent convex mirrors 2b to 2g are used as shown in FIG.
NP points 27a and 27b coincide with each other, and
Principle parallax if angle theta _a time in which a 28b, theta _b is Sessure a straight line P is ideal not occur.

However, optically the image pickup devices 28a, 28b
It is necessary to provide a member for supporting the image sensor around the image sensor, although it is necessary to make contact with the image sensors, and it is not practical to provide the image sensors 28a and 28b in contact with each other. It is possible. In addition, a little overlap is required to attach the images,
In the state of FIG. 5A, a wide-range image cannot be created.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the imaging devices 29a and 29b on the spherical surface A having a large diameter are physically separated from each other,
The angle of view with respect to the P points 30a and 30b is as shown in FIG. The reason why the image sensor is arranged on the spherical surface A having a large diameter in this way is that a large camera must be arranged near Q.

On the other hand, in the present invention, the wide-angle lens 2a,
Move the CCD camera 3a to a position away from the convex mirrors 2b to 2g.
By moving 3 g, the convex mirrors 2 b to 2 g and the like can be arranged close to each other, and the photographing surface is arranged on the small diameter spherical surface B in FIG. 5B. That is,
Another NP point is arranged in one of the NP point regions of the wide-angle lens 2a and the convex mirrors 2b to 2g. Thereby, the NP for the adjacent image pickup devices 32a and 32b is
The points 33a, 33b approach and an overlap 34 occurs. Assuming that the center is Q, the overlap portion 34,
The distances from the portion 31 close to Q are L ₁ and L ₂ .
As the distance from Q to the overlap portion is smaller, parallax is less likely to occur even for a nearby image, and a good image can be obtained. When all the NP points 33a and 33b overlap and coincide with the Q point, the NP point becomes single and the parallax becomes zero.

In order to perform photographing using an imaging device, the imaging device is installed at the center of the space to be photographed.
At this time, the images on the four sides and the upper side on the plane centered on the imaging device enter the wide-angle lens 2a and the convex mirrors 2b to 2g, are transmitted through the optical rods 4a to 4g, and are transmitted to the convex mirrors 2b to 2g.
The CCD image pickup devices 17a to 17g remote from the 2g and the like, but optically are convex mirrors 2b to 2g and the CCD camera 3a.
３3g is equivalent to a direct connection of 〜3g. As shown in FIG. 3, the wide-angle lens 2a has an angle of view of α = 120 degrees, and the convex mirrors 2b to 2g have an angle of view of β = 120 degrees, so that a wide range can be photographed.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the optical rods 4b to 4g bend the light in a U-shape as shown in FIG. Although the image is reversed, no problem occurs because the image is once taken into the hard disk driver (HDD) 24 and processed by the computer.

Seven wide-angle lenses 2a, convex mirrors 2b to 2g
The images captured from 7 CCD image pickup devices 17a to 17a
It is converted into an electric signal by 17g. Each CCD image sensor is as shown in FIG. In the figure, 35 is a single pixel, the pixel 35 are aligned m column until V ₁ ~V _m rows in the vertical direction, are arranged n or horizontally until H ₁ to H _n for each column. In the figure, reference numeral 36 denotes a vertical transfer unit for transferring charges in the vertical direction, and 37 denotes a horizontal transfer unit for transferring charges in the horizontal direction.

The pulses _{V 1, H 1, H 2} ... H n is generated by the clock driver 20 pulse timing is set by the timing generator 19, then V _2, H _1,
When H ₂ ... Pasuru from V ₁ row in the order that the H _n to V _m columns is generated, the charge generated in the pixel 35 at the position corresponding to this Pasuru move the little horizontal direction as shown by the arrows in FIG. 6 To the vertical transfer unit 36, moves downward in the vertical transfer unit 36, enters the horizontal transfer unit 37, and finally the horizontal transfer unit 3
7, the (m × n) pixels 35 at a certain time t are arranged in order in the order of moving from right to left in C7.
Amplifier (AMP) 2 for each of the CD imaging devices 17a to 17g
1a to 21g, and then the converter (A / D) 2
Analog signals are converted into digital signals by 2a to 22g.

(V₁H₁, V₁H_Two, V₁H_Three, ...), (V_Two
H₁, V_TwoH_Two, V_ThreeH_Three,…)…, V_m H_n(M × n) pixels at time t
One image is completed, and seven CCD image sensors 17a
T along the time axis from ~ 17g₁, T_Two, T_Three... t_xFootage of
Minute data is sent to the multiplexer 23 in parallel.
That is, here, seven CCDs are provided at each time t.
The images from the image sensor are grouped together (at₁, B
t₁, Ct₁, Dt₁, Et₁), (At_Two, Bt_Two, C
t_Two, Dt_Two, Et_Two), (At_Three, Bt_Three, Ct_Three, D
t_Three, Et_Three), ... (at_x, Bt_x, Ct_x, Dt _x, Et
_x) In the order of the hard disk driver (HDD) 24
Will be recorded.

If it is desired to view the recorded video when recording the video, the monitor 26 may be viewed. It is possible to switch and view any one of the individual images by the seven CCD cameras 3a to 3g and a wide-area image obtained by combining these images.

When it is desired to reproduce the video recorded on the hard disk driver (HDD), the video is displayed individually on the display 39 via the video processing means 38 as shown in FIG. Thus, the image can be displayed on the dome screen 40 as a wide-area image. That is, as shown in FIGS.
Light enters directly into a from above vertically, a window 8 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the optical rods 4b to 4g, and convex mirrors 2b to 2g are provided, and light from the horizontal direction is projected to the convex mirrors 2b to 2g. It is set so as to enter the inside of the optical rods 4b to 4g via 2g. As a result, FIG.
As shown in (a), the vicinity of the upper ends of the optical rods 4a to 4g constitutes the light incident portion 9. The CCD cameras 3a to 3g are connected to a base (not shown), and the optical rods 4a to 4g are accommodated in columns (not shown) provided upright on the base.

In such an image pickup apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, the windows 8 can be arranged close to each other. Therefore, in FIG. 5B, the NP point can be closer to Q, and the distance between the adjacent NP points can be increased. Can be reduced to reduce parallax.

In addition, at one end of each of the plurality of optical rods,
Only the wide-angle lens or only the convex mirror may be attached.

[0029]

As can be seen from the above description, claim 1
According to the imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6), a plurality of imaging units for capturing partial images for forming a wide-range image are provided as an imaging device. Since the light-receiving portions are arranged close to each other, the distance between the NP points can be reduced to reduce the parallax or to zero, and a high-quality wide-area image can be provided. . Also,
Since a convex mirror or a wide-angle lens is used for the light incident portion, the angle of view is large and a wide range can be photographed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a main part according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an optical rod in an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a light incident portion in the embodiment of the imaging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a video recording / playback system in an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 relates to an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention,
(A) is an explanatory diagram of an ideal state where NP points coincide, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of a case where the NP points change.

FIG. 6 shows C in the embodiment of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing movement of electric charges in a CD imaging device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for defining an NP point and an NP point area of the imaging means according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a to 1g: imaging means 2a: wide-angle lens 2b to 2g: convex mirror 3a to 3g: CCD camera 4a to 4g: optical rod 17a to 17g: CCD imaging device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G03B 19/02 G03B 19/02 37/00 37/00 A F-term (Reference) 2H054 AA01 BB07 2H059 BA03 BA11 5C022 AB61 AB62 AB68 AC42 AC51 AC69 AC78 CA02

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image pickup means for separately dividing a part to be photographed and assuming a plurality of parts to be photographed and individually photographing each part to be photographed, and pasting an image from each image pickup means. An imaging apparatus for obtaining a wide-range image, wherein the imaging unit includes a light input unit that receives light from a part to be captured, an image sensor, and an optical transmission unit that transmits light from the light input unit to the image sensor. An imaging device characterized by comprising: 2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light incident portion uses at least one of a convex mirror and a wide-angle lens. 3. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein an optical rod having a plurality of relay lenses, fiber lenses, or imaging lenses is used as the light transmission unit. 4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein adjacent ones of the images by the imaging element are set so as to overlap each other. 5. A chief ray passing through a Gaussian region is selected from chief rays passing through the center of a stop provided in the imaging means,
A point intersecting the optical axis by extending a linear component in the object space of the principal ray is set as an NP point, and the inside of a sphere centered on any one of the NP points among the NP points in each imaging means. 5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein another NP point is arranged in the NP point area. 6. A radius dimension of the NP point region is approximately 20 mm.
The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein: