JP2003075892A - Camera, camera system, control method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera which can shorten an image processing time by sending out image information accurately specifying the position of a body. SOLUTION: A camera 1 has a range finding unit 14 which has a light emitting element and a light receiving element, an image pickup element 13 which photographs a human, panning and tilting motors 17 and 18 which control and change the directions of the range finding unit 14 and image pickup element 13, and a control unit which detects the human with reflected light from the range finding unit 14, specifies the position of the face of the human according to a plurality of reflected signals detected by the range finding unit 14 by making the panning and tilting motors 17 and 18 change the detection direction of the range finding unit 14 to a direction different from the direction wherein the presence of the human is detected at least once, and controls the panning and tilting motors 17 and 18 so that the image pickup element 13 faces the position of the face of the human. The image pickup element is usable which eliminates the need for wide-angle photography and has a small number of pixels.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera, a camera system, a control method, a program, and a recording medium, and more particularly to a camera and a camera system capable of specifying a predetermined part of an object, a control method for the camera system, and the control method. And a recording medium having the program recorded therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an optical autofocus is generally used for focusing a camera. In the optical autofocus, for example, infrared light is emitted from a light emitting element and reflected on a subject, and the light receiving element detects the reflected light to measure the distance between the camera and the subject. Optical autofocus is relatively strong against external disturbances and can withstand outdoor use, but it requires human intervention to turn the camera toward the subject, and it is difficult to unmanned.

In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-2
Japanese Patent No. 89609 discloses a technique of pointing a camera in a voice direction emitted by a subject. According to this technology,
Since the camera can be automatically pointed in the voice direction,
Although it is possible to shoot people who make sounds,
There are problems that it is difficult to point the camera to an object that does not emit sound, and it is difficult to use it in a noisy environment such as outdoors.

By the way, in recent years, the development of an authentication system that automatically authenticates a person based on the image information of a person's face and a recognition system that automatically recognizes a specific part of an object are proceeding. Has been. In such a system, if the amount of image information is too large, it takes time for authentication / recognition, but if the amount of image information is too small, it causes erroneous authentication / erroneous recognition. After obtaining an image including an object and an object and performing a trimming process to reduce the background with a specific part of the face or the object in the center, a person authentication process and an object recognition process are performed.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned authentication system and recognition system, since the complicated image processing for specifying the human face or the part of the object is performed after capturing the image, the processing time of the image processing is long. As the image becomes longer, a high-resolution image is required to perform the trimming process on the face or a specific part, which requires an image sensor having a large number of pixels, resulting in high cost.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a camera and a camera system that can send image information that accurately specifies a part of an object to shorten the image processing time.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a detecting means for reflecting a signal sent from a transmitting element to an object and detecting a reflected signal at a receiving element, Direction control change means for controlling and changing the detection direction of the detection means, and the presence of the object is detected based on a reflection signal from the detection means, and the direction control change means sets the detection direction of the detection means at least once. A part specifying unit that changes a direction different from a direction in which the presence of an object is detected and specifies a predetermined part of the object based on a plurality of reflection signals detected by the detecting unit; a photographing unit that photographs the object; An image capturing direction changing unit that changes the image capturing direction of the image capturing unit, and an image capturing direction control unit that controls the image capturing direction changing unit so that the image capturing unit faces a predetermined portion of the identified object. .

According to this aspect, the detection means for reflecting the signal sent from the transmitting element to the object and detecting the reflected signal by the receiving element and the photographing means for photographing the object are provided, and the detecting direction of the detecting means is the direction control. Control is changed by the changing means, and the photographing direction of the photographing means is changed by the photographing direction changing means. The direction control changing means controls the detection direction of the detecting means, and the part specifying means detects the presence of the object based on the reflection signal from the detecting means. The part specifying means causes the direction control changing means to change the detection direction of the detection means at least once to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected,
The predetermined part of the object is specified based on the plurality of reflection signals detected by the detecting means in the different directions. Then, the photographing direction control unit controls the photographing direction changing unit so that the photographing unit faces the predetermined region of the object specified by the region specifying unit. According to the present invention, the predetermined part of the object is specified by the part specifying means, the photographing means is directed to the predetermined part of the object by the photographing direction changing means, and the specific part of the object can be photographed by the photographing means. Since it is not necessary to take a picture, the processing time for cutting out a predetermined part of the object can be shortened, and the cost of the shooting means can be reduced without the need for higher resolution of the shooting means required for the cutting out. Can be made.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a detecting means for reflecting an optical signal sent from a light emitting element to an object and detecting a reflected signal by a light receiving element, a photographing means for photographing the object, and detecting by the detecting means. Direction and a photographing direction of the photographing means, and direction change means capable of pan drive for controlling the detection direction and the photographing direction in a substantially horizontal direction and tilt drive for controlling in a substantially vertical direction, and the detecting means. The presence of the object is detected based on the reflection signal of, and the direction changing means detects the detection direction of the detecting means by changing the detection direction to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected at least once. A control unit that specifies a predetermined portion of the object based on a plurality of reflection signals and controls the direction changing unit so that the imaging unit faces the predetermined portion of the specified object. In this aspect, since the direction control changing means and the photographing direction changing means in the first aspect are made common and the detection direction and the photographing direction can be pan-tilt driven, it is possible to reduce the cost by making the driving section common, and The detection by the detecting means and the photographing by the photographing means can be performed in any direction, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element are used for the detecting means, so that the camera can be used outdoors.

Further, a third aspect of the present invention is a camera section having an image pickup means for picking up an object, a host section to which image information picked up by the image pickup means is supplied, the camera section and the host section. In the camera system, the camera unit includes a connecting unit that connects the detecting unit and a detecting unit that reflects a signal transmitted from the transmitting element to an object and detects a reflected signal by the receiving element; Direction changing means for controlling and changing the photographing direction of the photographing means, and one of the camera unit and the host unit,
The presence of the object is detected based on a reflection signal from the detecting means, and the direction changing means changes the detection direction of the detecting means to a direction different from the direction in which the existence of the object is detected at least once. The control means controls the direction changing means so as to specify a predetermined portion of the object based on the plurality of reflection signals detected by the means, and to cause the photographing means to face the predetermined portion of the specified object. According to this aspect, the control unit may be provided in either the camera unit or the host unit, so that the control unit can be arranged in any one of them depending on the size of the camera unit, the processing capacity of the host unit, and the like.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, detecting means for reflecting a signal sent from a transmitting element to an object and detecting a reflected signal by a receiving element, photographing means for photographing the object, and detecting direction of the detecting means. And a camera unit having a direction changing unit for controlling and changing the photographing direction of the photographing unit, a host unit to which image information captured by the image capturing unit is supplied, and a connection for connecting the camera unit and the host unit. And a means for controlling the camera system, the method being executed by a computer in any one of the camera unit and the host unit, detecting the presence of the object based on a reflection signal from the detecting unit, The direction changing means is caused to change the detection direction of the detecting means at least once to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected, and based on a plurality of reflected signals detected by the detecting means. And specifying a predetermined portion of the object Te, the imaging means controls the direction change means to face the predetermined portion of the object that is the identified comprises. A fifth aspect of the present invention is a program capable of executing the control method of the fourth aspect, and a sixth aspect is a computer-readable recording medium recording the program of the fifth aspect.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a person authentication camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a door 3 through which a person can enter and exit is provided on a wall surface (not shown). Near the door 3 (on the left side), a camera 1 for taking an image of the face (specific part of the object) of the person 2 standing in front of the door 3 is arranged. On the upper side of the camera 1, a sticker 5 for instructing the person 2 to turn his or her face toward the camera 1 is attached to the wall surface. Further, on the floor surface in front of the door 3, an authentication area 4 in which the camera 1 can photograph the face of the person 2 is defined in a rectangular shape. A pressure switch capable of detecting the person 2 in the authentication area 4 is embedded in the floor of the authentication area 4. The image information of the face of the person 2 photographed by the camera 1 is sent to a host unit (not shown) such as a personal computer through an interface (not shown) as a connecting unit. The host unit processes the image information of the face of the person 2 sent to extract data such as the feature amount of the face of the person 2 and matches the feature amount of the person 2 stored in the database of the host unit. When it does, the door 3 is unlocked.

As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 1 is provided with a platform 19 having an L-shaped cross section for supporting a box-shaped camera body 11. The camera body 11 has a photographing lens 12 for photographing the face of the person 2, and an image pickup device 13 such as a CCD arranged at the focal position of the photographing lens 12 for outputting image information by frame transfer or interline transfer. is doing. On the back side of the image sensor 13 of the camera body 11 (on the side opposite to the taking lens 12), a connector section for ensuring connection with a host section (not shown) is arranged. A distance measuring unit 14 having a light emitting window 15 and a light receiving window 16 is arranged above the camera body 11. Distance measuring unit 1
4, a light emitting element that emits infrared light is provided behind the light emitting window 15, and a light receiving element that receives reflected light reflected by the person 2 is provided behind the light receiving window 16.

A stepping motor (hereinafter referred to as a pan motor) 17 for pan-driving the camera body 11 in a substantially horizontal direction is arranged on the platform 19. A stepping motor (hereinafter referred to as a tilt motor) 18 that tilts the camera body 11 in a substantially vertical direction is arranged on the side surface of the platform 19. Therefore, the camera body 1
1 and the distance measuring unit 14 are configured to be movable integrally in the horizontal and vertical directions by driving the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18.

As shown in FIG. 3, a control unit 20 for controlling the driving of the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 is connected to the camera 1. Control unit 20 is CP
U, RAM, ROM, and a microcomputer 21 having a built-in interface, a driver 25 that causes the light emitting element 27 to emit light by an H (high) level signal from the microcomputer 21, and an amplifier that amplifies an analog signal by infrared reflected light received by the light receiving element 26 24, A / D converter 22 that normalizes the amplified analog signal and converts it into a digital signal, driver 28 that drives pan motor 17 in both forward and reverse directions, driver 2 that drives tilt motor 18 in both forward and reverse directions
Have nine. The microcomputer 21 is the A / D converter 2
2 and the A / D converter 22 is connected to the amplifier 2
4 is connected. The amplifier 24 is connected to the light receiving element 26. The microcomputer 21 is connected to the driver 25, and the driver 25 is connected to the light emitting element 27. Further, the microcomputer 21 is connected to the drivers 28 and 29, the driver 28 is connected to the pan motor 17, and the driver 29 is connected to the tilt motor 18. The microcomputer 21 is also connected to the pressure switch 31 described above.

Next, the operation of the camera 1 of this embodiment will be described. It should be noted that the microcomputer 21 has already completed the initial processing of expanding the program described in the ROM and the data such as the setting values described later to the RAM, and the camera body 11
It is assumed that a part specifying routine for directing the person to the face of the person 2 can be executed.

As shown in FIG. 4, in this part specifying routine, first, at step 102, the pressure switch 31
Wait until is turned on. When the pressure switch 31 is turned on, the driver 28,
The pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 are driven by the camera 29, and the camera 1 (camera body 11 and distance measuring unit 14)
The pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 so that the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 are moved in the initial direction O (in the initial position).
Stop driving. In the horizontal direction, the initial direction O is clearly set in a direction in which the person 2 does not exist, as shown in FIG. 5A, and in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 2 is set in the direction in which it exists. In the next step 106, an H level signal is sent to the driver 25 to turn on the light emitting element 27. As a result, the light receiving element 26 is ready to receive the infrared reflected light reflected by the person 2.

Next, at step 108, the driver 28 drives the pan motor 17. As a result, the camera 1 moves horizontally from the initial direction O to the terminal direction O ′ while keeping the vertical direction as the initial direction (FIG. 5).
(A), see also FIG. 6). Terminal direction O ′ is authentication area 4
It is set in the direction opposite to the initial direction O across which the person 2 is sandwiched and the direction in which the person 2 is not clearly present. In the next step 110,
It is determined whether or not there is a change in the signal received by the light receiving element 26. When the determination is affirmative, in step 112, the time elapsed from the time when the driver 28 started driving the pan motor 17 is acquired and stored in the RAM. If it is stored and the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 114. Such elapsed time can be calculated by the internal clock in the microcomputer 21.
In step 114, it is determined whether or not the camera 1 has reached (or is facing) the terminal end direction O ′, whether or not a predetermined time set in advance has elapsed from the time when the driver 28 started driving the pan motor 17. Determined by When the determination is negative, the process returns to step 108 to continue driving the pan motor 17, and when the determination is positive, the driving of the pan motor 17 is stopped and the process proceeds to step 116.

As shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and 6, when the camera 1 is moved from the initial direction O to the terminal direction O'by driving the pan motor 17, the direction of the camera 1 is the direction of the person 2.
Therefore, the signal received by the light receiving element 26 is changed at the points A and B which form the contour of the person 2 in the width direction. Therefore, in step 112,
The driver 28 at the point B and the elapsed time t ₁ from the time when the driver 28 at the point A starts driving the pan motor 17
Then, the elapsed time t ₂ is acquired from the time when the driving of the pan motor 17 is started and is stored in the RAM.

At step 116, the elapsed time t ₁ and the elapsed time t ₂ stored in the RAM are read out, and the points A and B are read.
The horizontal position of the middle point C of
The time for turning (returning) the camera 1 to the midpoint C by reversing 7 from the terminal direction O ′ is calculated. The number of pulses that the driver 28 sends to the pan motor 17 per unit time is set in advance, and the driving time of the pan motor 17 is proportional to the number of pulses, so that the direction from the terminal direction O ′ to the midpoint C until the camera 1 is directed. The drive time of the pan motor 17 can be calculated.

Next, at step 118, the pan motor 17 is rotated in the reverse direction until the camera 1 faces the midpoint C, and the camera 1
The pan motor 17 is stopped at the time point when the center point C is reached.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the camera 1 is
When the pan motor 17 is driven in the normal direction, the point A is moved from the initial direction O.
After passing through the point B and the direction B to the terminal direction O ′, the motor is temporarily stopped in the terminal direction O ′, and then the pan motor 17 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction to the center point C.

In the next step 120, the driver 29 drives the tilt motor 18 so that the camera 1 faces upward. As shown in FIGS. 5B and 6, the camera 1
Moves from the midpoint C to the vertical end (not shown). The vertical end can be set in consideration of the fact that there is no person whose height exceeds approximately 2.5 m and the installation position of the camera 1 in the vertical (height) direction.

In the next step 122, it is determined whether or not there is a change in the signal received by the light receiving element 26, and if the determination is affirmative, the time at which the driver 29 starts driving the tilt motor 18 is determined in step 124. The elapsed time from is acquired and stored in the RAM. When the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 126. In step 126, it is determined whether or not the camera 1 has reached the vertical end by whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the driver 29 started driving the tilt motor 18. If the determination is negative, step 12
Returning to 0, the drive of the tilt motor 18 is continued, and when the determination is affirmative, the drive of the tilt motor 18 is stopped and the process proceeds to step 128.

As shown in FIGS. 5 (B) and 6, when the camera 1 is driven from the center point C to the vertical end (not shown) by driving the tilt motor 18, the vertical (height) contour of the person 2 is drawn. A change is seen in the signal received by the light receiving element 26 at the point D forming the (end portion). Therefore, in step 124, the tilt motor 1 is applied to the driver 29 at the point D.
The elapsed time t ₃ from the time when the driving of No. 8 is started is acquired and stored in the RAM.

At the next step 128, a preset value in the vertical direction as a position of the person 2 from the point D (see FIG. 6).
The distance from the point D to the point E is read out). When the position of the face of the person 2 is specified as in the present embodiment, the distance from the point D to the point E is
For example, it can be set to about 10 cm. In step 130, the elapsed time t ₃ stored in the RAM is read out, and the set value (10) from the vertical end (not shown) is read.
The tilt motor 18 is rotated in the reverse direction to the target point E, which is lower by (cm), and the time for pointing (returning) the camera C is calculated. As in the case of the horizontal direction, the number of pulses that the driver 29 sends to the tilt motor 18 per unit time is preset, and the driving time of the tilt motor 18 is proportional to the number of pulses. The time to point the camera 1 from the end to the target point E can be calculated.

Next, at step 132, the tilt motor 18 is rotated in the reverse direction until the camera 1 faces the target point E, and when the camera 1 faces the target point E, the tilt motor 18 is stopped and the part specifying routine is ended. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the camera 1 is driven in the vertical direction by the normal rotation drive of the tilt motor 18 to pass from the midpoint C to the point D to the vertical end (not shown), and the vertical end. After temporarily stopping at, tilt motor 1
The reverse drive of 8 turns to the target point E.

Therefore, since the camera 1 faces the direction of the face of the person 2 (point E) after the end of the part identification routine, the host unit (not shown) displays image information centered on the face of the person 2 photographed by the camera 1. Can be captured.

According to the camera of this embodiment, the direction of the face of the person 2 can be specified, and the face of the person 2 can be photographed by the camera body 11. Since the trimming process for cutting out the face portion from the background or the like is unnecessary, the image processing time can be shortened and the image pickup device 13 generated in association with the trimming process.
It is possible to use a low-cost camera with a small number of pixels because it is not necessary to increase the resolution. In other words, by using the camera of this embodiment, the trimmed image can be obtained at the time of capturing the image without the need for the trimming process centering on the face of the person 2 after capturing the image. It is possible to shorten the processing time in the host unit and reduce the cost of the camera.

In this embodiment, the distance measuring unit 14
Although an example in which the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 are pan-tilt driven by the drivers 28 and 29 in which the camera and the camera body 11 are integrated, the distance measuring unit 14 and the camera body 1 are shown.
You may make it drive separately from 1. By doing so, the direction of the face of the person 2 can be specified by pan-tilt driving only the distance measuring unit 14, and the heavy camera body 11
Since it is possible to suppress the driving time of, the camera can be a low power consumption type.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the face of a person is specified has been shown, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to specify the part of an object.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the example in which the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 drive the distance measuring unit 14 and the camera body 11 in the horizontal and vertical directions has been described, but the directions may be set according to the target of the object to be recognized. By doing so, the end portion of the part of the object can be specified more accurately. Further, the portrait orientation and the landscape orientation may be selectable according to the shape of the object of the object. Therefore, “the object of the object imaged by the image-capturing means is predetermined, and a selection means for selecting one of a vertically long shape and a horizontally long shape with respect to the shape of the object is further provided. camera."
In response to this claim, "when the object selected by the selection means is vertically long, the control means controls the width of the object based on the change in the reflection signal of the detection means due to the pan drive of the direction changing means. Change of the reflection signal of the detecting means by tilt driving of the direction changing means by specifying both contours of the direction and using the middle point of the two points where the change of the reflection signal is detected as the center portion of the object in the width direction. Based on the above, at least one contour in the height direction of the object is specified, and a predetermined vertical position according to the target is determined based on the position of the specified one end, and the predetermined position of the object is determined. Of the object in the height direction based on the change of the reflection signal of the detection means by the tilt drive of the detection direction changing means when the object selected by the selection means is horizontally long Both contours are specified, and the midpoint between the two points where the change in the reflection signal is detected is set as the center portion in the height direction of the predetermined portion of the object, and the reflection signal of the detection means by the pan drive of the direction changing means. Of at least one contour in the width direction of the object on the basis of the change of the object, and the predetermined horizontal position of the object based on the position of the specified one end is defined as the horizontal position of the object. A camera characterized by being the central part in the width direction of the parts. "
Can also be included in the claims.

Further, in this embodiment, the distance measuring unit 14
Has shown an example of emitting and receiving infrared rays, but it may be possible to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves when an object is in the vicinity of the camera, and conversely when the object is far from the camera. Alternatively, the laser light may be emitted and received. Further, although the example in which the number of the light receiving elements 27 is one is shown in the present embodiment, if the number of the light receiving elements is plural (for example, two), the distance between the camera 1 and the person 2 can be measured. Therefore, even if the person 2 is slightly away from the camera 1, the camera 1 can be accurately focused on the person 2, and clearer image information can be obtained. On the contrary, if the authentication area 4 is defined as in the present embodiment, the taking lens 12 having a fixed focus can be used.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which the control unit 20 is provided on the camera 1 side has been shown, but such a control unit 20 is also provided on the host section (personal computer) side (not shown) described above by software. Since it can fulfill the function, it may be provided on the host unit side. In this case, an interface connecting the host unit side and the camera side may be added. Furthermore, FIG.
The site identification routine shown in can be recorded as a program in various recording media such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, MO, and ZIP.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, in order to direct the camera 1 to the target point E,
An example has been shown in which the initial direction (position) O is the direction in which the person 2 does not clearly exist in the horizontal direction and the direction in which the person 2 clearly exists in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, The target point may be specified by setting an initial direction (position) O different from that of the present embodiment. That is, in the case shown in FIG. 7, the upper side where the person is not clearly present is the initial direction O of the camera 1, the tilt is driven vertically downward, and the point A at which the signal changes is the upper end of the person, and the preset vertical direction is set. The tilt value of the camera 1 is read to the point B, and the point C (or the point D) at which the signal is changed by horizontally driving the camera 1 to the left or right at the point B is set to one of the widthwise directions of the person 2. A contour is used, and the point D (or point C) where the signal is changed by reversing the pan direction is the other contour in the width direction of the person 2, and the midpoint E of the points C and D is the target point. Further, in the case shown in FIG. 8, the position below the camera 1 in which the person is clearly present is set as the initial direction O, the tilt drive is performed vertically upward, and the point A at which the signal changes is set as the upper end of the person, which is set in advance. The set value in the vertical direction is read out, the camera 1 is tilted downward to the point B, and the point C (or point D) at which the signal is changed by horizontally driving the camera 1 to the left or right at the point B is the width of the person 2. One of the contours in the direction, the point D (or point C) where the signal is changed by reversing the pan direction is the other contour in the width direction of the person 2, and the midpoint E of the points C and D is the target point. It is a thing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the driver 2
The number of pulses to be sent to the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor 18 by 8 and 29 per unit time is preset, and the driving time of the pan motor 17 and the tilt motor is in proportion to the number of pulses. Although the example of calculating the midpoint C based on the elapsed time from the time when the driving of the pulse motor is started has been shown, if the number of pulses sent to the pulse motor is directly counted, the positional accuracy of the midpoint C etc. Can be increased.

In this embodiment, the signal change of the light receiving element 26 due to disturbance or the like is not mentioned, but when the signal value returns to the original value within a predetermined time after the occurrence of the signal change, an error is generated. If you consider it, camera 1 more
The accuracy of identifying the face of the person 1 can be improved. Therefore, “the specifying means considers an error when the state of the reception signal before the change is returned within a predetermined time after the change of the reception signal occurs. The camera according to any one of items 1. "or" the control means considers an error when it returns to the state of the reception signal before the change within a predetermined time after the change of the reception signal occurs. The camera according to any one of claims 7 to 10, which is also included in the scope of claims.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the predetermined part of the object is specified by the part specifying means, the photographing means is directed to the predetermined part of the object by the photographing direction changing means, and the specific part of the object can be photographed by the photographing means, it is not necessary to perform wide-angle photographing. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the processing time for cutting out a predetermined part of the object, and it is possible to reduce the cost of the image pickup means without requiring the high resolution of the image pickup means necessary for the cutout. The effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view schematically showing an arrangement position of a camera of an embodiment to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control unit of the camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a part identification routine executed by a microcomputer of the control unit of the camera of the embodiment.

5A and 5B are explanatory views schematically showing the pan-tilt direction of the camera of the embodiment, where FIG. 5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a side view.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a directional operation in which the camera of the embodiment faces a person's face.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing another directional operation in which the camera of the embodiment faces a person's face.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing another directional operation in which the camera of the embodiment faces the face of a person.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 camera 2 person (object) 11 camera body (imaging means) 14 ranging unit (detection means) 17 pan motor (part of direction control changing means, part of imaging direction changing means, part of direction changing means) 18 tilt Motor (part of direction control changing means, part of photographing direction changing means, part of direction changing means) 20 Control unit (region specifying means, photographing direction controlling means, control means) 26 Light emitting element 27 Light receiving element

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06T 1/00 400 G06T 1/00 400H H04N 5/232 H04N 5/232 C J 7/18 7/18 E F-term (reference) 2H105 AA03 AA06 EE16 5B047 AA23 CA11 CB21 5C022 AA01 AB24 AB63 AC27 AC42 AC69 5C054 AA01 AA05 CA04 CC02 CD06 CE16 CF01 CF05 CG07 EA01 FC12 FC13 FC16 FF02 HA18 HA22

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A detecting means for reflecting a signal sent from a transmitting element to an object and detecting a reflected signal by a receiving element, a direction control changing means for controlling and changing a detection direction of the detecting means, and a reflection from the detecting means. A plurality of detection units that detect the presence of the object based on a signal and cause the direction control changing unit to change the detection direction of the detection unit at least once to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected; The part specifying means for specifying a predetermined part of the object based on the reflection signal of the object, the photographing means for photographing the object, the photographing direction changing means for changing the photographing direction of the photographing means, and the photographing means are specified. And a shooting direction control means for controlling the shooting direction changing means so as to face a predetermined part of the object. 2. The direction control changing unit and / or the photographing direction changing unit is at least one of a pan drive for controlling the detection direction and / or the photographing direction in a substantially horizontal direction and a tilt drive for controlling in a substantially vertical direction. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the drive control of the camera is possible. 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the direction control changing unit and the photographing direction changing unit are common. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit and the photographing unit are configured to integrally change the detection direction and the photographing direction. Camera. 5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting element and the receiving element of the detecting means emit and receive infrared rays or laser light. 6. The receiving element of the detection means has a plurality of detection pairs, and the detection specifying means detects the presence of the object on the basis of the reflection signals from the plurality of detection pairs, and the direction control change means. The detection direction of the detection means is changed at least once to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected, and a predetermined part of the object is determined based on a plurality of reflection signals detected by a plurality of detection pairs of the detection means. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera is specified. 7. A detecting means for reflecting an optical signal sent from a light emitting element to an object and detecting a reflected signal by a light receiving element, a photographing means for photographing the object, a detecting direction of the detecting means and photographing of the photographing means. The direction is changed based on a reflection signal from the detecting means, and the direction changing means is capable of pan driving for controlling the detection direction and the photographing direction in a substantially horizontal direction and tilt driving for controlling in a substantially vertical direction. The presence of an object is detected, and the direction changing means is caused to change the detection direction of the detecting means at least once to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected, and based on a plurality of reflected signals detected by the detecting means. A control unit that specifies a predetermined part of the object and controls the direction changing unit so that the photographing unit faces the specified part of the specified object. 8. The control means specifies both contours in the width direction of the object based on a change in a reflection signal of the detection means caused by pan drive of the direction changing means. Camera. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the control unit specifies a midpoint between the two points where the change in the reflection signal is detected as a width-direction portion of the predetermined portion of the object. camera. 10. The object of the object photographed by the photographing means is predetermined, and the control means tilts from an upper side where the object does not exist in the direction changing means to a lower direction where the object exists. Driving or tilt driving in the opposite direction, at least one contour in the height direction of the target is specified based on the change of the reflection signal of the detecting means, and the position of the specified one contour is used as a reference. The camera according to claim 7, wherein a vertical position predetermined according to the target is specified as a height-direction portion of a predetermined portion of the object. 11. A camera unit having an image pickup unit for picking up an object, a host unit to which image information picked up by the image pickup unit is supplied, and a connecting unit for connecting the camera unit and the host unit. In the camera system provided with the camera unit, the camera unit controls the change of the detecting direction of the detecting unit and the photographing direction of the photographing unit by reflecting the signal transmitted from the transmitting element to the object and detecting the reflected signal by the receiving element. Direction changing means for detecting the presence of the object based on a reflection signal from the detecting means in any one of the camera section and the host section, and The detection direction is changed at least once to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected, and the predetermined portion of the object is specified based on a plurality of reflection signals detected by the detection means, A camera system having control means for controlling the direction changing means so that the photographing means faces a predetermined part of the identified object. 12. A detecting means for reflecting a signal sent from a transmitting element to an object and detecting a reflected signal by a receiving element, a photographing means for photographing the object, a detecting direction of the detecting means and a photographing direction of the photographing means. A camera including a camera unit having a direction changing unit for controlling and changing the camera, a host unit to which image information captured by the image capturing unit is supplied, and a connecting unit connecting the camera unit and the host unit. A method of controlling a system, which is executed by a computer in one of the camera unit and the host unit, detects the presence of the object based on a reflection signal from the detecting unit, and causes the direction changing unit to detect the detecting unit. The detection direction of the object is changed to a direction different from the direction in which the presence of the object is detected at least once, and the predetermined direction of the object is determined based on a plurality of reflection signals detected by the detection means. Identify positions, the imaging means controls the direction change means to face the predetermined portion of the object which is the specified control method comprising the steps. 13. A program that allows a computer to execute the control method according to claim 12. 14. A computer-readable recording medium in which the program according to claim 13 is recorded.