JP2006267374A - Stereoscopic imaging apparatus, mounting method and initializing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stereoscopic imaging apparatus that can be safely and easily installed. <P>SOLUTION: The stereoscopic imaging apparatus 3 includes: a first imaging section 10; a second imaging section 11; and a housing 12 holding the imaging sections 10 and 11. The first imaging section 10 has a first imaging lens 13, and a first lens barrel 14 holding the first imaging lens 13. Likewise, the second imaging section has a second imaging lens 15 and a second lens barrel 16. Each of the lens barrels 14 and 16 is moved between a photographing position shown by a solid line in the drawing and a stored position shown by a two-dot chain line in the drawing. The stereoscopic imaging apparatus is mounted while each of the lens barrels 14 and 16 is kept in the stored position. Thus, even if the apparatus strikes something, the imaging sections 10 and 11 are protected by the housing 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a stereoscopic imaging device that acquires a plurality of images with parallax by a plurality of imaging units, a method for attaching the stereoscopic imaging device, and an initialization device for the stereoscopic imaging device.

A stereoscopic imaging apparatus that acquires two images with parallax by arranging two imaging units including a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD in parallel is known, for example, in Patent Document 1. A subject reflected in both images with parallax can be analyzed three-dimensionally by a so-called stereo method. For this reason, in recent years, stereoscopic imaging apparatuses have begun to be used for biometric authentication (biometrics) cameras that specify shapes such as faces, and surveillance cameras that accurately grasp the number of people who have entered a surveillance area.
JP 2001-242521 A

  A stereoscopic imaging apparatus used as an authentication camera or a monitoring camera is attached to a predetermined installation location such as in the apparatus or indoors. However, in a place that is difficult to attach, such as in a device that is complicated by other equipment or a high place such as a ceiling, the stereoscopic imaging device may hit another equipment or a wall surface during the attachment. Since the stereoscopic imaging device described in Patent Document 1 is configured to screw the imaging unit to the camera body and expose the lens to the outer surface of the camera body, the lens may be damaged when it is struck. There has been a problem of damaging the imaging unit.

  In addition, as a solution to this problem, it may be possible to attach a cap, a protective cover, etc. to the imaging unit, but similarly to the difficulty in mounting the stereoscopic imaging device, it is difficult to remove these, The mounting operation of the stereoscopic imaging apparatus becomes complicated, and there is a concern that the removed cap or protective cover may be dropped into the apparatus or the like.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic imaging apparatus that can be safely and easily attached.

  In order to achieve the above object, the stereoscopic imaging device of the present invention corresponds to each of the imaging lens including a housing in which a plurality of imaging units each including an imaging lens and an imaging element are arranged with a predetermined interval. A lens barrel that moves between a storage position in which the imaging lens is stored in the housing and a shooting position that is advanced forward from the storage position in a state where the imaging lens is held, A moving means for moving each lens barrel from the storage position to the photographing position, and an initialization process for driving the moving means to move each lens barrel at the storage position to the photographing position are performed. Only when the initialization information indicates that the initialization process has not been performed, and a predetermined initialization execution instruction is input. Above Characterized by comprising a initialization control means for executing the synchronize process.

  It is preferable that the initialization control means changes the content of the initialization information so as to indicate that the initialization process has been performed after executing the initialization process.

  Further, it is preferable that communication means that enables mutual communication with an external device is provided, and an initialization command transmitted from the external device via the communication means is used as the initialization execution instruction.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that USB or IEEE1394 is used for the communication means, and power is supplied from the external device by bus power via these.

  Note that a power switch for switching the power ON / OFF may be provided so that the power switch ON operation is used as the initialization execution instruction.

  The lens barrels that have moved to the shooting position by the execution of the initialization process are held at the shooting position while the initialization information indicates that the initialization process has been performed. Is preferred.

  Moreover, it is preferable that each said lens barrel in the said storage position accommodates each said imaging lens in the position deeper than the end surface of the said housing | casing provided with the opening which exposes each said lens barrel.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the initialization information is stored in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a flag binarized by the processed and unprocessed initialization processes.

  Note that in the method for mounting the stereoscopic imaging device according to the present invention, a plurality of imaging units each including an imaging lens and an imaging element are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval, and each of the imaging units is disposed inside a casing that holds the imaging units. The respective imaging units are movable between a storage position for storing the imaging lens and a shooting position extended forward from the storage position, and the respective imaging units are set to the predetermined installation positions in the storage position. After the attachment, after attaching, each said imaging part is moved to the said imaging | photography position, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In addition, an operation instruction is input from the external device via a communication type that enables mutual communication with the external device, and the respective imaging units at the storage position are moved to the shooting position in accordance with the operation instruction. It is preferable to make it.

  In addition, you may make it move each said imaging part in the said storage position to the said imaging position according to turning on a power supply after attaching to the said installation location.

  Furthermore, the initialization apparatus of the present invention corresponds to each of the imaging unit including an imaging lens and an imaging element, a housing that holds a plurality of the imaging units side by side with a predetermined interval, and each of the imaging lenses. A lens barrel that moves between a storage position in which the imaging lens is stored in the housing and a shooting position that is extended forward from the storage position, with the imaging lens being held, A moving means for moving the lens barrel from the storage position to the photographing position, and an initialization process for driving the moving means to move the lens barrels at the storage position to the photographing position are performed. Only when the initialization information indicates that the initialization process has not been performed, and a predetermined initialization execution instruction is input. The initial A communication unit that enables mutual communication with a stereoscopic imaging device including an initialization control unit that executes processing; a display unit that displays the initialization information acquired from the stereoscopic imaging device via the communication unit; An input unit that receives an operation instruction from an operator, and an execution instruction control unit that transmits the initialization execution instruction to the stereoscopic imaging apparatus in response to the input of the operation instruction. .

  According to the stereoscopic imaging apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to perform attachment to a predetermined installation location in a state where each lens barrel is placed in a storage position where each imaging lens is stored in the housing. As a result, even when the stereoscopic imaging device is hit against another device or a wall surface during installation, the imaging lens, the lens barrel, and the like are protected by the housing, and there is no fear of damaging the imaging unit. Further, since each lens barrel in the storage position is moved to the photographing position in accordance with a predetermined initialization execution instruction without having to remove the cap or cover after the attachment, the attachment can be performed easily. Furthermore, each lens barrel is moved only when it indicates that the initialization process has not been performed based on the initialization information stored in the non-volatile memory. The lens barrel does not move to the storage position, and the durability of the attached stereoscopic imaging device can be improved.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of the stereoscopic imaging system 2. The stereoscopic imaging system 2 includes a stereoscopic imaging device 3 in which a first imaging unit 10 and a second imaging unit 11 are provided at a predetermined interval, and after the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is attached to a predetermined installation location, It comprises an initialization device 4 that performs initialization processing on the stereoscopic imaging device 3 and a communication cable 5 that connects them. For example, USB or IEEE1394 is used for the communication cable 5, which enables mutual communication between the stereoscopic imaging device 3 and the initialization device 4 and supplies power from the initialization device 4 to the stereoscopic imaging device 3. (So-called bus power).

  FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the stereoscopic imaging device 3. The stereoscopic imaging device 3 includes a first imaging unit 10, a second imaging unit 11, and a housing 12 that holds these imaging units 10 and 11. The first imaging unit 10 includes a first imaging lens 13 and a first lens barrel 14 that holds the first imaging lens 13. Similarly to the first imaging unit 10, the second imaging unit 11 includes a second imaging lens 15 and a second lens barrel 16 that holds the second imaging lens 15.

  Each of the imaging units 10 and 11 is attached to the housing 12 in a state of being slightly inclined inward so that the respective optical axes P1 and P2 are converged. The lens barrels 14 and 16 are movable along the optical axes P1 and P2. Each lens barrel 14 and 16 is, for example, in a storage position indicated by a two-dot chain line in the drawing at the time of shipment. After the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is attached to another device or the like, the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is moved to a photographing position indicated by a solid line in the drawing by an initialization process performed in accordance with an initialization command from the initialization device 4. An opening 12a for exposing the imaging units 10 and 11 and a screw hole 17 for attaching the stereoscopic imaging device 3 to a dedicated bracket, stay, and other devices are formed on the front surface of the housing 12. Yes.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the stereoscopic imaging device 3. The first imaging unit 10 includes a first lens barrel 14, a first feeding motor (moving means) 20, a first focus motor 21, a first motor driver 22, a first CCD (imaging device) 23, a first timing generator 24, The first CDS 25, the first AMP 26, and the first A / D converter 27 are included.

  In the first lens barrel 14, a zoom lens 13a, a focus lens 13b, a diaphragm 13c, and the like are incorporated as the first imaging lens 13. The first lens barrel 14 is extended to the photographing position and retracted to the storage position by driving the first extension motor 20. Further, the forward and backward movement of the zoom lens 13 a and the focus lens 13 b in the optical axis direction is performed by driving the first focus motor 21. The first feeding motor 20 and the first focus motor 21 are both connected to a first motor driver 22, and the first motor driver 22 is a CPU (initialization control means) that performs overall control of the stereoscopic imaging device 3. 40. The CPU 40 controls the first motor driver 22 to drive the first feeding motor 20 and the first focus motor 21.

  A first CCD 23 is disposed behind the first imaging lens 13. The first imaging lens 13 forms a subject image on the light receiving surface of the first CCD 23. The first CCD 23 is connected to the CPU 40 via the first timing generator 24, and the CPU 40 controls the first timing generator 24 to generate a timing signal (clock pulse). The first CCD 23 is driven when this timing signal is input.

  The first CCD 23 converts the subject image into an electrical signal by photoelectric conversion, and transmits this image signal to the first CDS 25 which is a correlated double sampling circuit. The first CDS 25 acquires an image signal from the first CCD 23 and outputs it as R, G, and B image data that accurately corresponds to the accumulated charge amount of each cell of the first CCD 23. The image data output from the first CDS 25 is amplified by the first AMP 26 and further converted into digital data by the first A / D converter 27. The digitized image data is output from the first A / D converter 27 to the image input controller 41 as right eye image data.

  The second imaging unit 11 has the same configuration as that of the first imaging unit 10, and includes a second lens barrel 16, a second feeding motor (moving means) 30, a second focus motor 31, a second motor driver 32, and a second CCD. (Image sensor) 33, second timing generator 34, second CDS 35, second AMP 36, and second A / D converter 37. Further, the second lens barrel 16 incorporates a zoom lens 15a, a focus lens 15b, a diaphragm 15c, and the like as the second imaging lens 15. Similar to the first A / D converter 27, the second A / D converter 37 outputs the left eye image data to the image input controller 41.

  The image input controller 41 is connected to the CPU 40 via the data bus 42, and each CCD 23, 33, each CDS 25, 35, each AMP 26, 36, and each A / D converter 27, 37 in accordance with a control command from the CPU 40. To control. The CPU 40 controls the image input controller 41 to temporarily store each image data in a predetermined area of the system memory 43.

  The system memory 43 includes a ROM, a RAM, and the like, stores various programs for controlling the stereoscopic imaging device 3 and setting information, and temporarily stores programs read by the CPU 40 and acquired image data. Functions as a buffer to store.

  An AF detection circuit 44 and an AE / AWB detection circuit 45 are connected to the CPU 40 via a data bus 42. The CPU 40 controls the AF detection circuit 44 to adjust the focus of the focus lenses 13 b and 15 b of the first imaging lens 13 and the second imaging lens 15 based on the image data acquired by the imaging units 10 and 11. Detects the AF detection value that is optimal for imaging, and controls the first and second motor drivers 22 and 32 based on the AF detection value to move the focus lenses 13b and 15b to the optimal positions. Further, the CPU 40 controls the AE / AWB detection circuit 45 to detect an AE / AWB detection value at which exposure adjustment and white balance correction are optimal for shooting based on the image data acquired by the imaging units 10 and 11. Based on this AE / AWB detection value, the apertures 13c and 15c and the CCDs 23 and 33 are controlled so that the exposure amount and the white balance correction are optimized.

  An image signal processing circuit 46 and a flash memory (nonvolatile memory) 47 are connected to the CPU 40 via a data bus 42. The image signal processing circuit 46 reads each image data from the system memory 43, performs various image processing such as gradation conversion, white balance processing, and gamma correction processing, and stores the image data in the system memory 43 again. To do. In the flash memory 47, an initialization flag (initialization information) 47a indicating whether or not the initialization processing of the stereoscopic imaging device 3 has been performed is set. For example, “0” is set in the initialization flag 47a when the initialization process is not performed, and “1” is set after the initialization process is performed. In the following description, when an initialization process is not performed, it is referred to as “initialization flag 47a is off”, and when an initialization process is performed, “initialization flag 47a is set”. It is called. The CPU 40 checks the state of the initialization flag 47a and determines whether or not the stereoscopic imaging device 3 has been initialized.

  Further, a communication I / F (communication means) 48 is connected to the CPU 40 via a data bus 42. A communication cable 5 is connected to the communication I / F 48, and a connector and a circuit conforming to the standard of the communication cable 5 are formed. The CPU 40 communicates with external devices including the initialization device 4 via the communication I / F 48 and the communication cable 5. A power supply control circuit 49 is connected to the communication I / F 48. The power supply control circuit 49 includes, for example, a filter for removing power supply noise, a limiter for preventing overcurrent, and the like, and stereoscopically captures bus power supplied via the communication cable 5 through the DC / DC converter 50. It supplies to each part of the apparatus 3. In addition, after various image processing is performed, each image data stored again in the system memory 43 is output to the communication I / F 48 and transmitted to the external device via the communication cable 5.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the initialization device 4. Each part of the initialization device 4 is controlled centrally by a CPU (execution instruction control means) 60. A system memory 62 connected to the CPU 60 via the data bus 61 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and stores various programs and setting information for controlling the initialization device 4, an initialization program for the stereoscopic imaging device 3, and the like. While storing, it functions as a buffer which memorize | stores temporarily the program etc. which CPU60 read. The initialization program transmits an initialization command to the stereoscopic imaging apparatus 3 in accordance with an operation instruction from the operator after activation, and initializes each lens barrel 14 and 16 in the storage position to the imaging position. Is executed.

  An LCD panel (display means) 63 is provided on the front surface of the initialization device 4 (see FIG. 1), and various images are displayed according to various programs stored in the system memory 62. The LCD panel 63 is connected to the CPU 60 via the LCD driver 64 and the data bus 61, and displays various images under the control of the CPU 60. A touch screen (input means) 65 is provided on the LCD panel 63. The touch screen 65 is connected to the CPU 60 via the touch screen driver 66 and the data bus 61, and when the surface is pressed, the coordinate point is transmitted to the CPU 60. The CPU 60 displays icons, check boxes, and the like on the LCD panel 63, detects that they are pressed by the touch screen 65, and accepts an operation instruction from the operator.

  In addition, a communication I / F (communication means) 67 and a power supply control circuit 68 are connected to the CPU 60 via a data bus 61. The communication cable 5 is connected to the communication I / F 67. The CPU 60 communicates with the stereoscopic imaging device 3 via the communication I / F 67 and the communication cable 5. The power supply control circuit 68 includes, for example, a filter for removing power supply noise and a limiter for preventing overcurrent. A battery 69 and a power switch 70 exposed on the outer surface of the initialization device 4 are connected to the power control circuit 68, and power from the battery 69 is supplied to the DC / DC converter 71 in accordance with ON / OFF of the power switch 70. send. The DC / DC converter 71 supplies the converted power to each part of the initialization device 4 by converting the power from the power supply control circuit 68 into a predetermined voltage. The power from the DC / DC converter 71 is also supplied to the communication I / F 67 and sent to the stereoscopic imaging device 3 as bus power. In addition, ON / OFF of the power supply of the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is controlled by whether or not bus power is supplied from an external device including the initialization device 4.

  Next, the operation of the stereoscopic imaging system 2 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the stereoscopic imaging device 3 in which the lens barrels 14 and 16 of the imaging units 10 and 11 are in the storage positions is attached to a predetermined installation location. For example, when the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is used as an authentication camera, the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is mounted in another device via the screw hole 17. Further, when the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is used as a surveillance camera, the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is attached to a dedicated bracket, stay, or the like through the screw hole 17, and is attached to a pillar or a ceiling.

  The lens barrels 14 and 16 in the storage position store the imaging lenses 13 and 15 in positions deeper than the end surface of the housing 12 provided with the opening 12a (see FIG. 2). For this reason, even when the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is hit against another device or a wall surface during mounting, the imaging lenses 13 and 15 and the lens barrels 14 and 16 are protected by the housing 12, so that each imaging There is no worry of damaging the parts 10 and 11.

  After the attachment of the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is completed, the stereoscopic imaging device 3 and the initialization device 4 are connected by the communication cable 5 to construct the stereoscopic imaging system 2, and the power switch 70 provided in the initialization device 4 is turned on. Turn it on. When the power switch 70 is turned on, the power of the battery 69 is supplied to each part of the initialization device 4 via the power control circuit 68 and the DC / DC converter 71. The CPU 60 to which power is supplied first accesses the system memory 62 and starts an initialization program stored therein. The CPU 60 displays various images on the LCD panel 63 based on the activated initialization program and supplies bus power to the stereoscopic imaging device 3 via the communication I / F 67 to activate the stereoscopic imaging device 3.

  The initialization device 4 that activated the stereoscopic imaging device 3 transmits a flag read command to the stereoscopic imaging device 3. The CPU 40 of the stereoscopic imaging device 3 that has received the flag read command accesses the flash memory 47 to read the state of the initialization flag 47 a and transmits the information to the initialization device 4. The CPU 60 of the initialization device 4 that has received the information of the initialization flag 47a determines whether or not the initialization flag 47a is set, and whether or not the stereoscopic imaging device 3 has been initialized based on the determination result. Judging. Further, the CPU 60 displays the determination result on the LCD panel 63.

  When the CPU 60 determines that the initialization process has not been performed, the CPU 60 displays an initialization command transmission icon on the LCD panel 63 together with the determination result. The CPU 60 transmits an initialization command to the stereoscopic imaging device 3 in response to the pressing operation of this icon by the operator. The stereoscopic imaging device 3 that has received the initialization command drives the feeding motors 20 and 30 via the motor drivers 22 and 32 to control the lens barrels 14 and 16 at the storage positions of the imaging units 10 and 11. Move to the shooting position. The CPU 40 of the stereoscopic imaging apparatus 3 records that the initialization processing has been performed by setting the initialization flag 47a after extending the lens barrels 14 and 16 to the photographing position, and ends the initialization processing. In addition, after each lens barrel 14 and 16 is extended to the photographing position, each image data of each imaging unit 10 and 11 is transmitted to the initialization device 4, and each image data is displayed on the LCD 63 of the initialization device 4. Adjustments such as focus and zoom may be performed.

  When the initialization process is completed, the initialization device 4 is disconnected, and another external device is connected to the communication cable 5 instead. Thereby, the stereoscopic imaging device 3 functions as an authentication camera, a monitoring camera, or the like.

  As described above, according to the stereoscopic imaging device 3 of the present embodiment, the lens barrels 14 and 16 are attached in the storage position without providing a cap or cover, and each lens is received by an initialization command from the initialization device 4. Since the lens barrels 14 and 16 are moved to the photographing position, the attachment can be performed safely and easily without the need to remove the cap or the cover.

  In the above-described embodiment, it is determined based on the state of the initialization flag 47 a set in the flash memory 47 whether or not the initialization processing of the stereoscopic imaging device 3 has been performed. Since the contents written in the flash memory 47, which is a non-volatile memory, do not disappear even when the power is turned off, the lens barrels 14 and 16 that have been initialized once and moved to the photographing position are, for example, As long as another command is not sent from the initialization device 4 or the like and the initialization flag 47a is not lowered, it does not move to the storage position again. The stereoscopic imaging device 3 used in a fixed state in another device or in the room does not need to move the lens barrels 14 and 16 to the storage position each time the power is turned on / off. By controlling this, the durability of the movable parts such as the feeding motors 20 and 30 can be improved. As the nonvolatile memory, for example, an EEPROM or the like can be used in addition to the flash memory 47.

  In the above-described embodiment, the initialization processing of the stereoscopic imaging device 3 is executed in response to the initialization execution instruction transmitted from the initialization device 4, but the configuration shown in FIG. The initialization process may be executed only by the imaging device. In addition, about the structural member substantially the same as the said embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  A battery 82 and a power switch 83 exposed on the outer surface of the stereoscopic imaging device 80 are connected to the power control circuit 81 of the stereoscopic imaging device 80. The power supply control circuit 81 sends power from the battery 82 to the DC / DC converter 84 in accordance with ON / OFF of the power switch 83. The DC / DC converter 84 converts the power from the power supply control circuit 81 into a predetermined voltage, and supplies the converted power to each part of the stereoscopic imaging device 80.

  The CPU 40 supplied with power from the DC / DC converter 84 first accesses the flash memory 47 and checks whether or not the initialization flag 47a is set. When the initialization flag 47a is off, the CPU 40 accesses the system memory 43 and starts the initialization program. The CPU 40 executes initialization processing of the stereoscopic imaging device 80 according to the started initialization program, and feeds the lens barrels 14 and 16 of the imaging units 10 and 11 in the storage position to the imaging position. After the feeding of the lens barrels 14 and 16 is completed, the CPU 40 sets the initialization flag 47a and ends the initialization process.

  After the initialization process, the stereoscopic imaging device 80 starts shooting by the imaging units 10 and 11. Each captured image data is transmitted to an external device via the communication I / F 48 or recorded in a memory card 86 that is detachably attached to the card slot 85. Note that data is read from and written to the memory card 86 by a media controller 87 connected to the CPU 40 via the data bus 42.

  As described above, the same effect can be obtained even when the ON operation of the power switch 83 is used as the initialization execution instruction. Of course, the method using the power switch 83 and the method using the initialization device 4 may be compatible.

It is a block diagram of a stereoscopic imaging system. It is an external appearance perspective view of a three-dimensional imaging device. It is a block diagram which shows the electrical structure of a three-dimensional imaging device. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of an initialization apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the initialization process. It is a block diagram which shows the other structural example of a stereo imaging device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Stereo imaging system 3 Stereo imaging apparatus 4 Initialization apparatus 5 Communication cable 10 1st imaging part 11 2nd imaging part 12 Case 12a Aperture 13 1st imaging lens 14 1st lens barrel 15 2nd imaging lens 16 2nd lens Lens barrel 20 First feeding motor (moving means)
23 1st CCD (imaging device)
30 Second feeding motor (moving means)
33 Second CCD (imaging device)
40 CPU (initialization control means)
47 Flash memory (nonvolatile memory)
47a Initialization flag (initialization information)
48 Communication I / F (communication means)
60 CPU (execution instruction control means)
63 LCD panel (display means)
65 Touch screen (input means)
67 Communication I / F (communication means)
83 Power switch

Claims (12)

In a stereoscopic imaging apparatus that acquires a plurality of images with parallax by arranging a plurality of imaging units each including an imaging lens and an imaging element with a predetermined interval therebetween,
A housing for holding each imaging unit;
Between the storage position provided corresponding to each of the imaging lenses and storing the imaging lens in the housing with the imaging lens held, and the shooting position extended forward from the storage position A lens barrel that moves with
Moving means for moving each lens barrel from the storage position to the photographing position;
A non-volatile memory that stores initialization information indicating whether or not an initialization process has been performed to drive the moving means to move the lens barrels in the storage position to the photographing position;
An initialization control means for executing the initialization process only when the initialization information indicates that the initialization process has not been performed and a predetermined initialization execution instruction is input. A featured stereoscopic imaging device.   2. The stereoscopic imaging according to claim 1, wherein the initialization control means changes the content of the initialization information so as to indicate that the initialization process has been performed after the initialization process has been executed. apparatus. Having communication means for enabling mutual communication with an external device;
3. The stereoscopic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an initialization command transmitted from the external device via the communication unit is used as the initialization execution instruction.   The stereoscopic imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit is USB or IEEE1394, and power is supplied from the external device by bus power through the communication unit. It has a power switch that switches the power ON / OFF,
5. The stereoscopic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an ON operation of the power switch is used as the initialization execution instruction. 6.   The lens barrels that have moved to the shooting position by the execution of the initialization process are held at the shooting position while the initialization information indicates that the initialization process has been performed. The stereoscopic imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The lens barrels in the storage position store the imaging lenses in positions deeper than an end surface of the housing provided with an opening for exposing the lens barrels. The three-dimensional imaging device according to any one of 1 to 6.   The initialization information is stored in the non-volatile memory in the form of a flag binarized by the processed and unprocessed initialization processes. The stereoscopic imaging device according to Item. In the mounting method of the stereoscopic imaging apparatus, in which a plurality of imaging units including an imaging lens and an imaging element are arranged side by side with a predetermined interval, and a plurality of images with parallax are acquired in a state where the imaging unit is mounted at a predetermined installation location.
Each imaging unit is movable between a storage position in which each imaging lens is stored inside a housing that holds each imaging unit, and a shooting position that is extended forward from the storage position.
Attach each imaging unit to the installation location in the storage position,
After attaching, each attachment part is moved to the said imaging position, The attachment method characterized by the above-mentioned.   An operation instruction is input from the external device via a communication unit that enables mutual communication with the external device, and the respective imaging units in the storage position are moved to the shooting position in accordance with the operation instruction. The mounting method according to claim 9, wherein the mounting method is characterized in that:   The mounting method according to claim 9, wherein after mounting at the installation location, each of the imaging units in the storage position is moved to the shooting position in response to turning on the power. An image pickup unit including an image pickup lens and an image pickup device, a housing for holding a plurality of the image pickup units side by side at a predetermined interval, and a state in which the image pickup lens is held corresponding to each of the image pickup lenses The lens barrel that moves between a storage position in which the imaging lens is stored in the housing and a photographing position that is advanced forward from the storage position, and the lens barrels from the storage position. Moving means for moving to the photographing position, and initialization information indicating whether initialization processing for driving the moving means to move the lens barrels at the storage position to the photographing position has been performed. Non-volatile memory to be stored and initialization control in which the initialization information indicates that the initialization process has not been performed and the initialization process is executed only when a predetermined initialization execution instruction is input means Communication means for enabling intercommunication between the stereoscopic imaging apparatus comprising a,
Display means for displaying the initialization information acquired from the stereoscopic imaging device via the communication means;
Input means for receiving operation instructions from an operator;
An initialization apparatus comprising: an execution instruction control unit that transmits the initialization execution instruction to the stereoscopic imaging apparatus in response to an input of the operation instruction.

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