JP2003037755A - Underwater supervisory system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an underwater supervisory system, in which an underwater supervisory unit without the need for connection to a ground operation section by a cable is constituted, and which is thereby easily installed and carried and is free from the possibility of the cable being broken. SOLUTION: The underwater supervisory system comprises the ground operation section 10 and the underwater supervisory unit 12, and the underwater supervisory unit 12 has a case 20, to which a buoy 18 is fitted and which supports a universal head 22, a television camera 24, a battery 30, a portable telephone set 32, a control box 34, a solar battery panel 36 and an antenna 38. Thus, it is no longer required to interconnect the ground operation section 10 and the underwater supervisory unit 12 by a cable, so as to facilitate installation and carrying works and to preclude the possibility of broken cable.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an underwater monitoring system, and more particularly to an underwater monitoring system for remotely monitoring water by operating a camera and a camera platform remotely.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 4, an underwater monitoring device for monitoring the growth of fish in a farm or the like includes a television camera 1 for underwater photography, and a pan head 2 for panning and tilting the television camera 1. , A platform 3 and a controller 3 for remotely controlling the television camera 1 on the ground. The TV camera 1 and the platform 2 are fixed on the seabed, and are connected to the controller 3 on the ground by a cable 4. By operating the controller 3, the underwater monitoring device pans and tilts the television camera 1 to photograph underwater, and displays the photographed image on the ground monitor 5.

[0003]

However, the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 has a problem that it is difficult to install the television camera 1 and the platform 2 on the seabed. Further, since the TV camera 1 and the platform 2 cannot be easily carried around, one TV camera 1 and one platform 2 had to be arranged for each place to be monitored.

Further, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, there is a risk that the cable 4 arranged in the water will be cut by tides and fish, and the cable 4 must be thick and strong.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can be easily installed and transported.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide an underwater monitoring system that does not have the risk of disconnecting the cable.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a camera for underwater photography, a pan / tilt head for pan / tilt operation of the camera, a pan / tilt head and the camera are provided. In an underwater monitoring system including a remote control operation unit, a camera having a waterproof structure in which a float member is attached to float on the water surface supports the camera and the platform, and the case wirelessly. Communication means for communicating with the operation section, control means for controlling the camera and the platform based on a signal from the operation section, and electric power obtained by power generation means such as a solar cell for the camera and the platform. And a power supply means for supplying the power.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a case having a waterproof structure for supporting the camera and the platform is provided with wireless communication means,
Since the power supply unit with the power generation unit is housed, it is not necessary to connect the platform and the operation unit with a cable, and the case can be easily carried. Further, since the float member is attached to the case so as to float, the case can be installed simply by putting it in water, and it can be easily performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the inside of the case is partitioned into a plurality of waterproof chambers, and each of the waterproof chambers accommodates the communication means, the control means, and the power supply means, so that water has entered the case. Even in this case, it is possible to prevent the communication means, the control means, and the power supply means from being simultaneously flooded.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of an underwater monitoring system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the underwater monitoring system of the present embodiment mainly comprises a ground operation unit 10 and an underwater monitoring unit 12.

The ground operation unit 10 is composed of a telephone 14 and a personal computer 16 connected to the telephone 14. An operator operates the personal computer 16 to remotely operate the underwater monitoring unit 12 using a telephone line. To do. In addition,
The personal computer 16 may be directly connected to the telephone line.

As shown in FIG. 2, the underwater monitoring unit 12 is mainly composed of a donut-shaped buoy 18, a waterproof case 20 to which the buoy 18 is attached so as to float, and a pan head attached to the lower end of the case 20. 22 and this pan head 22
A TV camera 24 that is pan / tilt operated by
Composed of.

The case 20 is constructed by completely sealing a cylindrical side wall 20A with a top plate 20B and a bottom plate 20C, and the inside of the case 20 is formed by two partition plates 26, 26.
It is divided into two rooms 28A, 28B and 28C. Each of the rooms 28A to 28C is a closed space, and accommodates the battery 30, the mobile phone 32, and the control box 34 in order from the lower room 28A. It should be noted that if the heavier objects are accommodated in order from the lower room 28A, the underwater monitoring unit 12 becomes stable when floated on water.

The top plate 20B of the case 20 has a diameter larger than that of the side wall 20A, and projects from the side wall 20A to form a flange. Therefore, when the case 20 is inserted into the doughnut-shaped buoy 18 from above, the top plate 20B is hooked on and engaged with the buoy 18.

A solar cell panel 36 is attached to the top plate 20B, and the solar cell panel 36 is connected to the battery 30 in the case 20. Therefore,
When the solar cell panel 36 is irradiated with sunlight, the light energy of the sunlight is converted into electric energy, and the electric power obtained by this is stored in the battery 30. The stored electric power can be supplied to the TV camera 24, the platform 22,
It is supplied to the control box 34 or the like. Since the solar cell panel 36 itself has a waterproof structure, it is attached to the outside of the case 20, but may be housed inside the case 20 having a waterproof structure. In that case, the solar cell panel 36 is arranged in the uppermost room 28C of the case 20, and the top plate 20B is made transparent. As a result, the solar cell panel 36 is irradiated with sunlight to generate electricity.

An antenna 38 is erected on the top plate 20B. The antenna 38 is connected to the mobile phone 32 housed inside the case 20, and various signals can be transmitted and received using the antenna 38.

A pan head 22 is attached to the bottom plate 20C of the case 20. The platform 22 is a gate-shaped support 40.
The camera housing 42 is rotatably supported by the support 40. In the pan / tilt head 22, a pan motor (not shown) horizontally rotates the support body 40 to pan the camera housing 42, and a tilt motor (not shown) tilts the camera housing 42.

The television camera 24 is housed inside the camera housing 42 in a waterproof state. The television camera 24 is fixed with the taking lens 44 facing the observation window 42A of the camera housing 42, and underwater photography can be performed through the taking window 42A. A plurality of illumination windows 42B, 42B, ... Are arranged in a ring shape on the periphery of the photographing window 42A. LED inside the illumination window 42B
A light source (not shown) or the like is attached, and light is emitted from the light source toward the subject. A transparent cover glass (not shown) is attached to the illumination window 42B and the photographing window 42A, and the illumination window 42 is covered by the cover glass.
B and the photographing window 42A are closed. The illumination window 42
Instead of providing B and an LED (not shown), an illumination such as a light may be attached to the camera housing 42 or the case 20. In addition, the camera 24 and the housing 42
Instead of housing the camera 24 and the platform 22, the camera 24 and the platform 22 may be housed in the waterproof case 20. In that case,
By using the transparent case 20, it is possible to take a picture while the television camera 24 is housed in the case 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the platform 22 and the television camera 24 are connected to a control box 34. This control box 34 is connected to the mobile phone 32,
The personal computer 1 of the ground operation unit 10 via the mobile phone 32.
6 can be communicated with. Therefore, the personal computer 16
When the pan / tilt amount is input by operating the keyboard 16C or the like of the computer 16, the control unit 16B of the personal computer 16 sends a signal indicating the operation amount to the underwater monitoring unit 12 via the telephone 14.
Send to. Control box 34 of underwater monitoring unit 12
Receives this signal via the mobile phone 32, and based on the received signal, the camera platform 22 and the TV camera 2
Control 4 As a result, the television camera 24 is panned / tilted by a remote operation from the ground operation unit 10, and underwater photography is performed.

Further, the control box 34 compresses a signal of an image taken underwater by the television camera 24 to compress the signal.
Send from 2. In the ground operation unit 10, the operation unit 16B of the personal computer 16 receives the signal via the telephone 14 and displays it on the monitor 16A. As a result, the image captured by the TV camera 24 can be viewed on the ground. In the above-described embodiment, the telephone line is used for communication, but wireless communication may be used. Further, not only the image but also the charge amount of the battery 30 may be communicated and displayed on the monitor 16A.

Next, the operation of the underwater monitoring system configured as described above will be described.

In the underwater monitoring system of this embodiment, the underwater monitoring unit 12 is provided with the mobile telephone 32 and the antenna 38 so that the underwater monitoring unit 12 can communicate with the ground operation section 10 by radio. No need to connect cables. Moreover, since the solar cell panel 36 and the battery 30 are provided in the underwater monitoring unit 12 so as to cover the required electric power by power generation, a cable for power supply is connected to the underwater monitoring unit 12 to supply general electric power from the ground. You don't have to. Therefore, since the underwater monitoring unit 12 of the present embodiment does not have a cable for connecting to the ground, it can be easily carried.

Further, the underwater monitoring unit 12 includes a case 2
Since the buoy 18 is attached to 0 so as to float, the installation work only needs to put the underwater monitoring unit 12 into the water. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the installation work can be easily performed.

Furthermore, since the underwater monitoring unit 12 does not need to be connected to the ground by a cable, there is no risk of the cable being cut and falling into an uncontrollable state. Further, since there is no cable, the underwater monitoring unit 12 can be installed in an area away from the ground or a place where water flows strongly.

Further, the inside of the case 20 is partitioned into a plurality of waterproof rooms 28A to 28C, and each of the rooms 28A to 28C is divided.
Since the battery 30, the mobile phone 32, and the control box 34 are accommodated in C, respectively, even when water enters the case 20, the battery 30, the mobile phone 32, and the control box 34 are simultaneously flooded. There is no fear.

The case 20 may be provided with propelling means such as a propeller (not shown) so that it can travel by itself.

Further, a GPS receiver or the like may be housed in the case 20 so that the position of the case 20 can be accurately recognized.

[0028]

As described above, according to the underwater monitoring system of the present invention, the camera, the platform, the communication means, the control means, and the power supply means are attached to the case of the waterproof structure in which the float member is attached so as to float. Since it is configured so that the unit other than the operation unit is housed as one unit, it can be easily carried and installed. Further, since this unit is provided with the wireless communication means and the power supply means with the power generation means, there is no need for a cable connected to the operation section, and there is no fear of disconnection of the cable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an underwater monitoring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the underwater photographing unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of an underwater monitoring system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a conventional underwater monitoring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Ground operation part, 12 ... Underwater monitoring unit, 14 ... Telephone, 16 ... PC, 18 ... Buoy, 20 ... Case, 2
2 ... Platform, 24 ... TV camera, 26 ... Partition plate, 28
A to 28C ... Room, 30 ... Battery, 32 ... Mobile phone, 34 ... Control box, 36 ... Solar cell panel, 38
... antenna, 40 ... support, 42 ... camera housing,
44 ... Shooting lens

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An underwater monitoring system comprising a camera for underwater photography, a pan / tilt for panning / tilting the camera, and an operation unit for remotely operating the pan / tilt, wherein a float member is attached. The camera and the platform are supported by a waterproof case that floats on the surface of the water, and the case has a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the operation unit, based on a signal from the operation unit. An underwater monitoring system comprising: control means for controlling the camera and the platform, and power supply means for supplying power obtained by a power generating means such as a solar cell to the camera and the platform. . 2. The inside of the case is partitioned into a plurality of waterproof chambers, and the communication unit, the control unit, and the power supply unit are separately housed in the plurality of waterproof chambers. The underwater monitoring system according to 1.