JP2005201679A - Camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the stain of the optical part such as a lens or the like attached to a camera device by a simple constitution. <P>SOLUTION: In the camera device equipped with a housing part 114 for housing the optical member 131 such as the lens or the like and an illumination means 132 for illuminating a subject, light is emitted from the illumination means 132 in a state that the optical member 131 and the illumination means 132 are housed in the housing part 114 and a state captured by an imaging means is compared with a previously captured state to judge the stain of the optical member 131. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera device suitable for application to, for example, a digital camera device built in a mobile phone terminal, and more particularly to a camera device incorporating a light source such as a flash.

  In recent years, digital camera devices capable of electronic photographing (imaging) have become widespread. Also, it has become common to incorporate a digital camera device in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone terminal. Images taken by the digital camera device include a still image and a moving image.

  When photographing with this digital camera device, if the optical member such as the lens or the filter disposed on the front surface of the lens is contaminated, the captured image will also be contaminated. It is preferable that there is no contamination.

  In general, the stain on the lens or the like is wiped off when the user directly looks at the surface of the lens visually and determines that there is a stain. However, there are many cases where the user takes a picture without noticing the dirt on the lens or the like. In particular, in the case of a device such as a mobile phone terminal, the image displayed on a relatively small display is used to check the captured image. When I looked at the printed image, I noticed that the lens was dirty for the first time.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133620 discloses a process when dirt is attached to the surface of an image sensor in a digital camera device. The processing described in this document illuminates the position where dust is attached with the light from the backlight for illuminating the liquid crystal panel inside the camera device. There is a disclosure of detecting dirt and interpolating shooting data of a pixel at a position where dust is attached with data of surrounding pixels.
JP 2000-31314 A

  However, the process described in Patent Document 1 can only be used to detect dirt on the imaging surface of the imaging element, and cannot be used to detect dirt on optical members such as lenses. In other words, since the image is checked by using a light source in the camera device to detect the image, even if the optical component such as a lens that captures image light from an external subject is dirty, it cannot be detected. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of this point, and an object thereof is to enable detection of contamination of an optical component such as a lens attached to a camera device with a simple configuration.

  The present invention provides a camera device including a storage unit that stores an optical member such as a lens and an illumination unit that illuminates a subject, and causes the illumination unit to emit light in a state where the optical member and the illumination unit are stored in the storage unit. The state where the image is picked up by the image pickup means is compared with the state where the image was picked up before, and the contamination of the optical member is determined.

  By doing in this way, in the state where the optical unit such as a lens and the illumination unit that illuminates the subject are stored in the storage unit, the light passing through the optical member is imaged by causing the illumination unit to emit light, If the optical member is contaminated, an imaging state corresponding to the contamination is obtained, and the presence or absence of contamination of the optical member can be determined from a comparison with an imaging state in which there is no contamination previously captured.

  According to the present invention, if the camera device includes an optical member such as a lens and a storage unit that stores the illumination unit that illuminates the subject, the illumination unit emits light while the optical member and the illumination unit are stored in the storage unit. By simply taking an image and comparing it with a previously captured image, it becomes possible to easily detect dirt on optical members such as lenses, and it is easy to detect dirt without any special configuration for detecting dirt. It has the effect that can be detected.

  In this case, the storage unit is configured by a mechanism that rotates and stores the optical member and the illumination unit, so that the mechanism of the so-called lens rotation type camera device can be used as it is to detect dirt on the lens and the like.

  In addition, since the storage unit is configured by a cover that covers the optical member and the illumination unit, it is possible to detect contamination of a lens or the like by using a mechanism of a camera device with a so-called lens cover as it is.

  Moreover, the imaging by the control means is an imaging by light emission of the illumination means a plurality of times, and the brightness can be detected with high accuracy by changing the brightness for each light emission.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In this example, the present invention is applied to a mobile phone terminal incorporating a camera device. First, the overall configuration of the mobile phone terminal of this example will be described with reference to FIGS. The mobile phone terminal 100 of this example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is configured as a foldable mobile phone terminal, FIG. 3 shows an open state, and FIG. 4 shows a closed state.

  Referring to FIG. 3 in which the terminal is opened, the cellular phone terminal 100 rotates the first casing 110 and the second casing 120, each of which has a substantially elongated shape, by the hinge portion 101. Connected to a ready state. A cylindrical camera unit 130 is rotatably attached to the center of the hinge portion 101. The rotation center at the hinge portion 101 connecting the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 is substantially coincident with the rotation center of the camera unit 130.

  The first housing 110 is provided with a key 111 composed of dial keys such as numerals and various function keys, and a microphone 112 at the lower end. Among the function keys prepared as the keys 111, there are also keys relating to camera functions, such as a key for starting a function as a camera device and a shutter key for performing photographing. Note that some keys such as the shutter key may be arranged on a different surface from other keys. In the second housing 120, a display panel 121 composed of a liquid crystal display panel or the like is disposed, and a speaker 122 is disposed at the upper end. When used as a telephone, the display panel 121 displays a telephone number, mail text to be transmitted and received, and functions as a finder that displays a captured image when used as a camera device.

  The camera unit 130 incorporates components necessary for a camera such as an image sensor, and a photographing lens 131 is attached to the center. Lights 132 as illumination means for illuminating the subject at the time of shooting are arranged on both the left and right sides of the lens 131. As each light 132, for example, a white light emitting diode is used. Alternatively, other illumination means such as a strobe tube may be used. The camera unit 130 in which these are arranged is rotated (rotation in the direction indicated by θ1 in FIG. 3) by the user manually turning, for example, and the surface on which the lens 131 and the light 132 are arranged is The lens 131 and the light 132 are housed inside by being rotated to a lens housing position 114 (a lower position) configured by a gap with the first housing 110, and is not exposed to the surface of the terminal 100. is there. Whether or not the rotation state of the camera unit 130 is stored in the lens storage position 114 is detected by a rotation position detection unit 116 (not shown in FIG. 3) described later.

  When photographing, the surface of the camera unit 130 on which the lens 131 and the light 132 are disposed is directed toward the inner surface of the terminal 100 as shown in FIG. (Imaging) can be performed.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the cellular phone terminal 100 of this example is closed. As shown in FIG. 4, in the closed state, the key 111 on the first housing 110 side and the display panel 121 on the second housing 120 side shown in FIG. As for the camera unit 130, the surface in which the lens 131 and the light 132 are arranged can be directed outward by rotating in the direction indicated by θ1, and photographing can be performed. Of course, even in this closed state, the lens 131 and the light 132 can be housed inside by rotating to the lens housing position 114.

  Next, the positional relationship between the lens 131 and the light 132 in each rotation state of the camera unit 130 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams schematically illustrating the vicinity of the camera unit 130 of the mobile phone terminal 100 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the camera unit 130 is configured to be rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 136, and when shooting, the lens 131 and the light 132 are directed in the shooting direction as shown in FIG. 1. Then, at the time of storage, as shown in FIG. 2, the surface on which the lens 131 and the light 132 are arranged faces the lens storage position 114. Here, in this example, the light 132 is caused to emit light while being housed as shown in FIG. 2, and photographing is performed at the same time as the light is emitted, and the image of the lens 131 is taken from an image photographed by the light L from the light 132. Dirt is detected. The light L from the light 132 is reflected by the first housing 110 constituting the lens storage position 114, enters the lens 131, and is photographed. Details of this dirt detection processing will be described later.

  Next, an internal configuration centering on the camera function of the mobile phone terminal 100 of this example will be described with reference to FIG. In the camera unit 130, the image light of the subject is incident on the imaging surface of the imaging element 133 via an optical member such as a lens 131. Examples of the optical member other than the lens include a filter. Examples of the image sensor 133 include a CCD image sensor and a CMOS image sensor. The imaging signal output by the imaging element 133 is supplied to the imaging processing unit 134 and is sent to the data processing unit 113 in the first housing 110 as image data in a predetermined format. In the data processing unit 113, the supplied image data is stored in the memory 114 as necessary, displayed on the display panel, or sent to the outside via a telephone line or the like. The configuration of the processing system after the data processing unit 113 is omitted here. The processing in the data processing unit 113 is executed under the control of a CPU (Central Control Unit) 115 which is a control means of each unit of this terminal.

  Further, the first housing 110 has a rotation position detection unit 116 that detects the rotation position of the camera unit 130, and detects whether or not the lens 131 and the light 132 are in the housed state. Is supplied to the CPU 115. The light 132 in the camera unit 130 emits light with the power supplied from the drive unit 135. The supply of power from the drive unit 135 is controlled by the CPU 115.

  Next, a processing example when performing the lens dirt detection processing with the camera device built in the mobile phone terminal 100 of this example will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, when the camera function is activated by a key operation or the like by the user (step S11), the CPU 115 determines whether or not to store an initial state necessary for dirt detection (step S12). The storage of the initial state is executed, for example, in the initial setting mode. Here, when the initial setting state is not stored, the process proceeds to the determination in step S17 for determining the stain detection described later. When storing the initial state, the CPU 115 determines whether the lens 131 and the light 132 of the camera unit 130 are in the retracted state based on the information from the rotational position detection unit 116 (step S13). If it is not in the storage state, a display for instructing lens storage is performed on the display panel 121 (step S14), and the process returns to the determination in step S13 to wait for the storage state.

  If it is determined in step S13 that it is in the retracted state, the light 132 is caused to emit light (step S15), and at the same time, an image obtained by capturing the state of reflected light from the light 132 is stored in the memory 114. (Step S16). At this time, the image stored in the memory 114 is held until the initial setting is performed again as reference data for determining lens contamination.

  Next, it is determined whether or not a mode for performing stain detection has been set (step S17). If a mode for performing stain detection has been set, the CPU 115 determines whether or not the camera is based on information from the rotational position detector 116. It is determined whether the lens 131 and the light 132 of the unit 130 are stored (step S18). If it is not in the storage state, a display for instructing lens storage is performed on the display panel 121 (step S19), and the process returns to the determination in step S18 to wait for the storage state.

  If it is determined in step S18 that it is in the retracted state, the light 132 is caused to emit light (step S20), and at the same time, an image obtained by capturing the state of the reflected light of the light from the light 132 is stored in the memory 114. (Step S21). Then, the CPU 115 compares the image data as the reference data stored at the time of the initial setting with the image data captured this time, and determines whether or not the lens is dirty (step S22). As the determination here, for example, if there is a part that differs from the imaged brightness by a predetermined level or more, it is determined that there is a high possibility that the lens 131 is dirty. If the overall brightness differs by a predetermined level or more, there is a high possibility that the light emission luminance of the light 132 has changed, so it is not determined that there is dirt.

  If it is determined in step S22 that the lens is dirty, a display for warning the lens is displayed on the display panel 121 (step S23). For example, a message such as “The lens is dirty. Please clean it with a cloth for wiping the lens.” Is displayed to notify the user of the countermeasure against the stain. If it is determined in step S17 that the dirt detection mode is not set, or if it is determined in step S22 that the lens is not dirty, the process is terminated and the camera is ready for shooting based on a user operation. To do.

  Even when it is determined in step S22 that there is no dirt, a display for notifying dirt may be performed. The determination of the mode for performing the dirt detection in step S17 includes, for example, a case in which the mode for performing the dirt detection is set by a user operation, and a predetermined number of days have elapsed since the previous dirt detection. When the camera is activated, a mode for automatically detecting dirt may be entered. In addition, each time the camera is activated, the user may be confirmed by displaying whether or not stain detection is to be performed, and may be performed when directed to perform stain detection.

  Further, as a stain detection process, it is possible to detect the stain on the lens or the like by performing light emission a plurality of times under different conditions instead of performing all the stain determinations by one light emission of the light 132. good. The flowchart of FIG. 7 shows an example of the dirt detection process in this case. As described below, first, the light 132 is caused to emit light with the first brightness (step S31). And the image data imaged with the reflected light at that time about the predetermined 1st area | region in the image imaged is memorize | stored, and it compares with reference data (step S32).

  Next, the light 132 is first caused to emit light with a second brightness different from the first brightness (step S33). And the image data imaged with the reflected light at that time about the predetermined 2nd area | region in the image imaged is memorize | stored, and it compares with reference data (step S34).

  Next, the light 132 is first caused to emit light with a third brightness different from the first and second brightness (step S35). And the image data imaged with the reflected light at that time for the predetermined third region in the imaged image is stored and compared with the reference data (step S36).

  It is determined from any state of the area whether or not the lens is dirty at any position (step S37). If it is determined that any one of the areas is dirty, it is determined that the lens is dirty. In the case of such a determination, when image data as reference data is stored at the initial stage, it is necessary to emit light a plurality of times and perform imaging a plurality of times. In this manner, it is possible to determine the presence / absence of a dirt state in more detail by multiple light emission. In the case of this example, since two lights are provided, the light emission states of the two lights are not made to be the same, but the light emission states of the two lights are changed so that imaging is performed a plurality of times. Anyway.

  In addition, when the camera unit 130 is stored in the lens storage position 114, a member that easily reflects light is disposed on the surface of the first housing 110 where the light from the light 132 strikes, and enters the lens 131. The amount of light to be increased may be increased so that more efficient dirt determination can be performed.

  As described above, according to the mobile phone terminal 100 of this example, when the camera device built in the mobile phone terminal 100 is used, the contamination of the lens is detected at any time, and the surface of the lens 131 is contaminated. It will not be left in the attached state. In this case, the mechanism of the camera device is an original mechanism for rotating and storing the camera unit 130, and only a storage capacity for storing reference image data in the memory is newly required. As a result, the cost of the camera device can be realized almost unchanged.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In this example as well, the present invention is applied to a mobile phone terminal with a built-in camera device. In this example, the lens storage unit is a mechanism provided with a cover. 8 and 9 are diagrams showing the overall configuration of the mobile phone terminal of this example. The mobile phone terminal 200 of this example is configured as a foldable mobile phone terminal that can be folded openably and closably with the first housing 210 and the second housing 220. FIGS. 8 and 9 are both closed. The state is shown. Keys and display panels necessary for a telephone are arranged on the inner side (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 8, a lens 221 and a light 222 that are components as a camera device are arranged outside the second housing 220 of the mobile phone terminal 200, and imaging (not shown) is inside the lens 221. Components necessary for imaging such as an element are arranged, and an image light incident through an optical member such as a lens 221 can be captured while illuminating a subject with a light 222 as an illumination unit. The configuration for processing the output of the image sensor is the same as the configuration described in FIG. 5 and the like in the first embodiment already described.

  In this example, a lens cover 230 is disposed on the outer surface of the second housing 220 where the lens 221 and the light 222 are disposed, and the cover 230 is linearly formed in the direction indicated by the arrow a. As a configuration that can be moved. As shown in FIG. 8, when the cover 230 is opened, the lens 221 and the light 222 are exposed to the outside, and when the cover 230 is closed, the lens 221 and the light 222 are shown in FIG. Then, it is completely covered with the cover 230 and is in the housed state. A state in which the cover 230 is open and closed is detected by a cover position detection mechanism (not shown) and can be determined by the control unit.

  The cellular phone terminal 200 of this example causes the light 222 to emit light with the cover 230 serving as a storage member closed when the camera device is activated, and the reflected light of the light from the light 222 on the back surface of the cover 230. Is picked up to detect dirt on an optical member such as the lens 221. As the stain detection process, for example, the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 in the first embodiment described above can be applied. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the stain detection may be performed in a plurality of times. When dirt is detected, for example, a warning is given on a display panel (not shown).

  As described above, according to the mobile phone terminal 200 of this example, the camera device with the lens cover is built in, but the lens dirt can be detected with the lens cover closed, and the lens 221 has dirt on the surface. It will not be left in the attached state.

  In the case of the configuration of the present embodiment, a member that reflects light may be disposed on the back surface of the lens cover 230 so that the light from the light is efficiently reflected to the lens side when dirt is detected.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In this example, the present invention is applied to a digital camera device having a mechanism for rotating a camera unit. 10 and 11 are diagrams showing the overall configuration of the digital camera device of this example. In the digital camera device 300 of this example, a camera unit 320 is disposed on an upper portion of a housing 310 so as to be horizontally rotatable (rotation in the direction of θ2 shown in FIG. 10), and a lens 321 and a light are mounted on the camera unit 320. 322 is arranged. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the surface of the camera unit 320 on which the lens 321 and the light 322 are arranged is a rotation position toward the storage position 311 formed on the upper surface of the housing 310, so that the camera The unit 320 is stored. The storage state is detected by a rotation detection mechanism (not shown), and the control unit can determine the storage state.

  In the camera unit 320, components necessary for imaging such as an imaging device are arranged, and imaging of image light incident through an optical member such as a lens 321 is performed while illuminating a subject with a light 322 as an illumination unit. It can be configured. The configuration for processing the output of the image sensor is the same as the configuration described in FIG. 5 and the like in the first embodiment already described. However, in the case of this example, since it is a device constituted by a single digital camera device rather than a mobile phone terminal, only the processing related to the camera is performed.

  In this example, when the camera device is activated, the light is emitted from the light 322 while the camera unit 320 is housed, and the reflected light at the surface of the housing position 311 of the light from the light 322 is imaged. Such a contamination of the optical member is detected. As the stain detection process, for example, the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 in the first embodiment described above can be applied. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the stain detection may be performed in a plurality of times. When dirt is detected, for example, a warning is given on a display panel (not shown).

  As described above, according to the digital camera device 300 of the present example, it is possible to detect the dirt of the lens in the accommodated state of the lens, and the lens 321 is not left in a state where the dirt is attached.

  Even in the case of the configuration of the present embodiment, for example, a member that reflects light is disposed on the surface of the housing position 311 of the housing 310, and light from the light is efficiently reflected to the lens side when dirt is detected. You may do it.

  In each of the embodiments described so far, the example of the camera device built in the mobile phone terminal and the example of the digital camera device alone have been described. However, the camera device is built in various other electronic devices. It is also applicable to the case. For example, the present invention can be applied to a case where a digital camera device is built in a small data processing terminal device called PDA (Personal Digital Assistants).

It is a block diagram which shows the example at the time of imaging | photography of the terminal by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example at the time of accommodation of the terminal by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the state which opened the terminal by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the state which closed the terminal by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structural example of the terminal by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the stain | pollution | contamination detection process by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process example in the case of performing the dirt detection by the 1st Embodiment of this invention divided | segmented. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the state which opened the cover of the terminal by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the state which closed the cover of the terminal by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the state at the time of imaging | photography of the apparatus by the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the example at the time of accommodation of the apparatus by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Mobile phone terminal 101 ... Hinge part 110 ... 1st housing | casing, 111 ... Key, 112 ... Microphone, 113 ... Antenna, 114 ... Lens storage position, 115 ... CPU, 116 ... Rotation position detection part, 120 ... 1st 2 housings, 121 ... display panel, 122 ... speaker, 130 ... camera unit, 131 ... lens, 132 ... light (light emitting diode), 133 ... imaging device, 134 ... imaging processing unit, 135 ... drive unit, 136 ... rotating shaft , 200 ... mobile phone terminal, 210 ... first casing, 220 ... second casing, 221 ... lens, 222 ... light, 230 ... cover, 300 ... digital camera device, 310 ... casing, 311 ... lens housing section, 320 ... Camera unit, 321 ... Lens, 322 ... Light

Claims (4)

An optical member;
Imaging means for imaging image light of a subject incident through the optical member;
An illuminating means disposed in the vicinity of the optical member for illuminating the subject;
A storage section for storing the optical member and the illumination means;
In a state where the optical member and the illumination unit are stored in the storage unit, the illumination unit is caused to emit light, and the state captured by the imaging unit is compared with the state previously captured, and the optical member And a control device for determining dirt on the camera. The camera device according to claim 1,
The said accommodating part is a camera apparatus comprised with the mechanism in which the said optical member and the said illumination means are rotated and accommodated. The camera device according to claim 1,
The said accommodating part is a camera apparatus comprised with the cover which covers the said optical member and the said illumination means. The camera device according to claim 1,
The imaging by the control means is imaging by light emission of the illumination means a plurality of times, and the brightness is changed for each light emission.

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