JP2005176284A - Personal digital assistant with stereo camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a personal digital assistant with a stereo camera, including a stereo camera section having a pair of lenses and imaging devices right and left, a stereo finder combined with a viewer having a pair of oculars and display devices right and left, and a personal digital assistant section connecting to public communication lines by radio. <P>SOLUTION: In order to mount a stereo camera section 2 having the pair of lens and imaging devices right and left, and a stereo finder and viewer section 3 having the pair of oculars and display devices right and left, on the personal digital assistant having a small device mounting space and a small mounting surface area, attention is paid to both side face portions of the personal digital assistant having a relatively small utilization factor, on which the devices required for the stereo camera are mounted. Thus, without sacrificing an ordinary operation as personal digital assistant, the personal digital assistant with the stereo camera, having functions of the stereo camera and the stereo finder combined with a viewer mounted thereon, is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention includes a stereo camera unit having a pair of left and right lenses and an image sensor, a stereo finder / viewer unit having a pair of left and right eyepieces and a display element, and a portable information terminal unit that is wirelessly connected to a public communication line. The present invention relates to a portable information terminal with a stereo camera.

  Some conventional portable information terminals with cameras are equipped with multiple camera units, but each one is intended for monocular photography, and pushes portability, convenience, and connectivity to the Internet to the front. Inexpensive digital camera-like functions were provided to users. This conventional camera-equipped portable information terminal was an inexpensive and low-functional camera that was originally attached to the portable information terminal as a bonus to differentiate it from other portable device manufacturers and other carriers. With the establishment of the product genre of camera-equipped personal digital assistants, it will be used for applications similar to digital cameras, which are single products, and some devices with solid-state imaging devices exceeding 1 million pixels will appear. Is progressing.

  On the other hand, the stereo camera using 35mm film released by David White in the United States in 1947 mainly uses reversal film, with an average interpupillary distance and a lens attached to the left and right at once. A set of 23 × 24 mm stereo images is taken. For viewing, it was common to place the shot slides in pairs on a dedicated mount and view them with a dedicated viewer. This stereo photo format is called a realist format. Since the stereo cameras currently on the market are mainly used ones in the 1950s, functions that are common to current cameras such as exposure meters and autofocus functions are not installed.

Problems to be solved by the invention

As described above, camera-equipped personal digital assistants are aiming for digital cameras that reflect user needs and are moving toward digital cameras. However, an unlimited increase in the number of pixels in solid-state image sensors directly contributes to an increase in sales. This is not to say that it has resulted in an increase in the cost rate within the reasonable price range as a portable information terminal, and at the same time, it has introduced a model with the same specifications as each company, creating a situation where differentiation is difficult . The problems and problems of the portable information terminal with camera are listed below.
(1) As a product genre of camera-equipped personal digital assistants has already been established and widely spread and generalized, it has become a daily equipment and its novelty has begun to be lost.
(2) Although the trend toward digital cameras due to the improvement in the number of pixels of the solid-state image pickup device is aimed at improving the image quality for the purpose of differentiation, there is a limit to the cost applied to the camera unit due to the nature of a portable information terminal .

The other stereo camera has a prominent advantage compared to normal monocular photography in the sense of realism and sensibility that stereo photography has, but in order to enjoy stereoscopic images from reversal film It was difficult to distribute video to others due to the necessity of obtaining a dedicated viewer, the time and cost of copying a reversal film, and so on. Despite the 3D vision technology that was born out of the desire for more realistic things that humans originally have, there are several problems that could not be overcome with such conventional technologies, It has been forced to withdraw from the market, and there is almost no recognition in the market. The issues and problems are listed below.
(1) Existing stereo cameras are of the 1950's and are difficult to operate because they are not equipped with functions common to current cameras such as exposure meters and autofocus functions.
(2) Since a reversal film is used, it takes time and money to copy to another person.
(3) A dedicated viewer is required for browsing.

  An object of the present invention is to overcome the above problem group by a synergistic effect by integrating both technologies of a stereo camera and a portable information terminal with a camera, and to realize a portable information terminal with a stereo camera.

Means for solving the problem

  According to a first aspect of the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a pair of right and left lenses and an image sensor for a portable information terminal with a small device mounting space and a small mounting surface area are provided. Focus on both sides of a portable information terminal with a relatively low utilization rate as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to implement a stereo camera unit provided and a stereo finder / viewer unit provided with a pair of left and right eyepieces and display elements. However, by arranging the devices necessary for the construction of the stereo camera in this part, the function as a stereo camera and the function as a stereo finder / viewer can be achieved without sacrificing the normal operation as a portable information terminal. , Implements both functions.

  According to a second aspect of the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image display element according to a specification in which an image display element surface of a small area of the stereo finder / viewer unit is enlarged and viewed through an eyepiece. In other words, even if the number of solid-state image pickup elements of the stereo camera unit that supplies video to the image display element is reduced, a clear and good image can be visually recognized and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The third solving means in the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the invention of claim 3 is equipped with a function of adjusting the optical axis interval of the eyepiece part of the stereo finder and viewer unit according to the distance between the pupils that varies depending on individual differences, It adjusts to the distance between the pupils of each user.

The image data file that can be photographed and browsed by the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the invention of claim 4 corresponds to a stereo still image and a stereo moving image.
The portable information terminal newly generates a pair of left and right images captured by the stereo camera unit as a single image data file in which the left and right images are connected side by side in the image processing module unit, and the data in the portable information terminal A portable information terminal with a stereo camera, which is stored in a storage unit and prevents dissipating images that must be stored and distributed in a pair of left and right.

  According to a fifth aspect of the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the invention of claim 5, an image data file stored after shooting in the data storage unit or acquired by data communication and data movement by a memory card is stored as an image. The processing module unit reads out the images as left and right images and displays them on the stereo finder / viewer unit, thereby enabling stereoscopic viewing.

  According to a sixth aspect of the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the image data file stored in the data storage unit is cut out by the image processing module unit and only one side image portion is cut out as monocular image data. It is characterized in that it is used in an information terminal and transmits data to a terminal such as another portable information terminal or a personal computer other than the portable information terminal.

  The seventh solving means in the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the invention of claim 7 is characterized in that the image data file that can be photographed and viewed in the stereo finder / viewer section is a stereo still image and a stereo moving image. To do.

  The eighth solving means in the portable information terminal with a stereo camera of the invention of claim 8 is a mobile phone, a PHS phone, a PDA device (Personal Digital Assistant) or a digital radio phone.

The invention's effect

  As is apparent from the above description, the portable information terminal with a stereo camera provided by the present invention has both a camera unit and a viewer unit, so that one portable information terminal with a stereo camera can shoot and view a stereo image. It became possible to complete.

  In addition, the product according to the present invention is a product that can be widely spread to the general public as a portable information terminal, and the portable information terminal has already acquired a means for exchanging a still image and a moving image through a memory card or communication. Compared to conventional monocular images, it has a business spillover due to its reality, such as communication between users of stereo still images and stereo moving images based on mobile information terminals with stereo cameras and application to promotions, advertisements, etc. It is possible to expect great effects.

  The present invention is intended to add a value added in a completely different dimension of a stereo camera to the high image quality / high value part of a portable information terminal with a camera. It provides functions beyond digital cameras as stand-alone products, and provides new usage and browsing methods.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the figure, the basic form of a portable information terminal with a stereo camera provided by the present invention is a stereo camera unit 2 having a pair of left and right lenses and imaging elements on both sides of the portable information terminal 1, and a pair of left and right eyepieces and display elements. Equipped with a stereo finder / viewer unit 3 and a shutter button 4.

  First, the left and right still images and moving images digitized by the imaging device of the stereo camera unit 2 can be confirmed in real time by the display device of the stereo finder / viewer unit 3.

  In this state, when the shutter button 4 is pressed, the left and right stereo still images and stereo moving images are newly generated by the image processing module unit 6 as one image data file 8 in which the left and right images are connected side by side. It is written and stored in the image data recording unit 7 in the portable information terminal 1.

  As described above, the image data file 8 saved by photographing or exchanged from the memory card and acquired from the network is read out from the image data recording unit 7 and the still image or moving image of the left eye and right eye is read by the image processing module unit 6. Are displayed on the left and right corresponding parts of the stereo finder / viewer unit 3 so that the user can enjoy stereoscopic viewing.

  Furthermore, if you need a monocular image that requires compatibility, such as display on the main liquid crystal display panel of a portable information terminal or transmission of an image to a mobile phone other than a portable information terminal with a stereo camera, an image data recording unit A half of one side of the image data file 8 stored in 7 can be cut out by the image processing module unit 6 and used.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various aspect can be implemented in the range which does not change the summary of this invention.

The front perspective view of the portable information terminal with a stereo camera which shows embodiment of this invention Rear perspective view of portable information terminal with stereo camera Rear view of portable information terminal with stereo camera System concept of portable information terminal with stereo camera

Claims (8)

  For mounting a stereo camera unit having a pair of left and right lenses and an image sensor on a portable information terminal with a small device mounting space and a small mounting surface area, and a stereo finder / viewer unit having a pair of left and right eyepieces and display elements, FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, paying attention to both side portions of a portable information terminal having a relatively low utilization rate, and arranging devices necessary for constructing a stereo camera in this portion, normal operation as a portable information terminal A portable information terminal with a stereo camera, which implements both a function as a stereo camera and a function as a stereo finder / viewer without sacrificing image quality.   The portable information terminal is a stereo camera unit that supplies an image to the image display element or the image display element according to a specification that the image display element surface of the small area of the stereo finder / viewer unit is enlarged by an eyepiece. The portable information terminal with a stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein a clear and good image can be visually recognized and manufacturing cost can be reduced even if the number of image pickup elements is reduced.   The portable information terminal is equipped with an eyepiece optical axis interval adjustment function of a stereo finder / viewer unit according to the inter-pupil distance that varies depending on individual differences, and is adjusted to the inter-pupil distance of each user. The portable information terminal with a stereo camera according to claim 1 or 2.   The portable information terminal newly generates a pair of left and right images captured by the stereo camera unit as a single image data file in which the left and right images are connected side by side in the image processing module unit, and the data in the portable information terminal The portable information terminal with a stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal has a stereo camera and prevents dissipation of an image that must be stored and distributed in a pair of left and right.   The portable information terminal reads out an image data file stored in a data storage unit after photographing or acquired by data communication and data movement by a memory card as a left and right video by an image processing module unit and a stereo finder / viewer unit The portable information terminal with a stereo camera according to claim 1, which enables stereoscopic viewing by displaying on the mobile phone.   The portable information terminal uses the image data file stored in the data storage unit as a monocular image data by cutting out only one side image portion in the image processing module unit and uses it in the portable information terminal and other portable information terminals and portable information. 5. The portable information terminal with a stereo camera according to claim 4, wherein data is transmitted to a terminal such as a personal computer other than the terminal.   6. The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal includes a stereo still image and a stereo moving image as image data files that can be photographed and viewed in a stereo finder / viewer unit. Information terminal.   8. The portable information terminal with a stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the portable information terminal is a cellular phone, a PHS phone, a PDA device (Personal Digital Assistant), or a digital wireless phone.

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