JP2006311196A - Imaging apparatus and imaging method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control the position of an imaging apparatus to a position which is horizontal or has prescribed inclination to horizontal with respect to the place where the imaging apparatus is placed. <P>SOLUTION: A protector 32 composed of a soft material is attached to the lower part of a main body 31 having a photographing lens 33 and a display panel 34. At the time of self-timer photographing, the display panel 34 is raised, and the protector 32 is turned over and opened so that a semispherical opening side is turned downwards. The main body 31 and the protector 32 are connected by a column. The direction of rotation centering on an axis x matched with the optical axis of the photographing lens 33 is defined as a roll direction, the direction of the rotation centering on an axis z in a vertical direction orthogonal to the optical axis is defined as a panning direction, the direction of the rotation centering on an axis y in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the optical axis is defined as a tilting direction, and the respective directions can be displaced by a motor or the like. When control of the horizontal position is completed, the position is controlled so that the center of the face of an object person becomes the roughly center position of an imaging screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method for capturing a still image, a moving image, and the like.

  As mobile devices having a photographing function, digital cameras, mobile phones, and the like are becoming widespread. As an example of use of a digital camera, there is self-timer shooting for shooting a subject including itself. In self-timer shooting, the camera is first fixed, and the angle of view is adjusted so that you can shoot yourself at that position.

  Conventionally, a device described in Patent Document 1 below has been proposed as an apparatus for automatically adjusting the horizontal position of a video camera when shooting with a video camera attached to a tripod. The thing of patent document 1 attaches a video camera on the pan head which moves to the left-right direction and an up-down direction, uses the thing which incorporated the level which uses colored liquid as a lens cap, and image | photographs a level The video camera is controlled in a horizontal position.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-328195

  The device described in Patent Document 1 is a device that attaches a pan head to a tripod and cannot control the position with a single camera. In addition, in order to use a spirit level in which a colored liquid is sealed in a lens cap, The video camera is controlled at a horizontal position in one direction, and the optical axis direction of the lens cannot be controlled horizontally.

  In the self-timer shooting, it is necessary to find a horizontal place as a place where the camera is placed. In fact, there is no such place, or there is a problem that it takes time to find the place. Even if the camera can be installed on a horizontal place, it is troublesome to adjust the angle of view so that the subject person including himself can be photographed well.

  A tripod can be used to eliminate restrictions on where the camera is installed. However, carrying a tripod is cumbersome. Even if a tripod is used, setting the angle of view appropriately is an operation that requires skill.

  You can also extend the hand holding the camera, point the lens toward you, determine the angle of view using a display panel or mirror that faces the same side of the lens, and press the shutter. However, such a method has a problem that the angle of view is determined by the length of the hand and the composition of the photographed image becomes similar.

  In addition to self-timer shooting, it is desirable that the angle of view can be automatically set so that the target screen becomes a captured image even when the screen of the projector used for the presentation is shot and recorded.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device and an imaging method capable of imaging a subject person with an appropriate composition at the time of self-timer imaging, for example.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures one or both of a still image and a moving image;
A position changing unit for displacing the camera unit in a rotation direction around the first, second and third axes orthogonal to each other including an axis substantially coincident with the photographing direction;
An inclination detection unit for detecting the inclination of the camera unit with respect to the horizontal position;
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the position changing unit to control the image pickup unit to a horizontal position or a predetermined tilt position based on the tilt detected by the tilt detection unit.

The present invention also includes a step of detecting the tilt of the camera unit with respect to the horizontal position;
A position changing step of displacing the camera unit in a rotation direction around the first, second, and third axes orthogonal to each other, including axes that substantially coincide with the imaging direction, based on the detected inclination;
This is an imaging method comprising an imaging step of imaging one or both of a still image and a moving image after the position is changed.

  According to the present invention, even if the place where the imaging device is installed is inclined, the angle of view can be automatically set so that the target subject is in a desired position such as the center position of the shooting screen. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience that the face of the subject person is outside the captured image. In the present invention, when the imaging device is placed at the installation location, the control is started to place the imaging device horizontally or at a predetermined inclination, and the target subject is detected after the control is completed. The processing for detection can be simplified.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 indicates a camera unit. The camera unit 1 has the same configuration as a digital camera.

An imaging signal extracted from the camera unit 1 is supplied to the control unit 2. The control unit 2 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit). A control signal generated by the control unit 2 is supplied to the motor driver 3. The motor driver 3 generates drive signals for the pan motor 4, the tilt motor 5, and the roll motor 6. As these motors, for example, stepping motors can be used.

  The rotation directions around the three axes orthogonal to each other are defined as a pan direction, a tilt direction, and a roll direction. For example, in a state where the camera is facing the front, the direction of rotation about the axis substantially coincident with the optical axis of the photographing lens (that is, the photographing direction) is defined as the roll direction, and the vertical axis perpendicular to the optical axis is defined as the roll direction. The direction of rotation about the center is defined as the pan direction, and the direction of rotation about the horizontal axis orthogonal to the optical axis is defined as the tilt direction.

  Position detectors, for example, potentiometers 7, 8 and 9 are provided for detecting the rotation angles of the pan motor 4, the tilt motor 5 and the roll motor 6. The potentiometers 7, 8, and 9 convert the angle into a resistance value, and a voltage value or a current value corresponding to the change in the resistance value is supplied to the control unit 2. The control unit 2 receives information on the angle of each motor detected by the potentiometers 7, 8, and 9, and feedback-controls each motor so that a desired angle is obtained.

  The output signal of the acceleration sensor 10 is supplied to the control unit 2. The acceleration sensor 10 is, for example, a two-axis acceleration sensor having an acceleration detection portion that generates an output corresponding to accelerations of two axes orthogonal to each other. The acceleration sensor 10 is viewed from a camera against gravity from an output signal of the two-axis acceleration detection portion. Information on the inclination of the reference position can be obtained. That is, when the acceleration sensor 10 is tilted, a force is applied to the acceleration detection portion by gravity, and by measuring this force, the tilt angle with respect to the vertical direction can be obtained.

  By calculating the output signals of the two acceleration detection portions of the acceleration sensor 10, the acceleration sensor 10 can detect the inclination from the horizontal state. For example, a state in which both the roll direction and the tilt direction are perpendicular to the vertical direction can be made horizontal. The tilt motor 5 and the roll motor 6 are controlled based on the output signal of the acceleration sensor 10, and the posture of the camera is controlled horizontally. Controlling the camera posture horizontally is referred to as leveling as appropriate. A three-axis acceleration sensor can also be used.

An operation switch 11, a display LED (Light Emitting Diode) 12, a communication interface 13, and a display panel (for example, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)) 14 are connected to the control unit 2. The LED 12 is provided in a case on the front side of the camera and emits light according to the operating state of the camera. For example, LEDs of a plurality of colors, for example, four colors, are used as the LEDs 12, and the current operation state is displayed by blinking, turning on, and turning off the LEDs of each color. For example, the LED 12 displays a timer decrement operation of the self-timer, detection of a face image, completion of detection of a face image, detection of a moving subject, completion of detection of a moving subject, and the like. As the communication interface 13, Bluetooth, IrDA (Infrared Data Association), or the like can be used. The display panel 14 can display a screen during shooting and a recorded image.

  At the time of self-timer shooting, the current shooting state can be known by viewing the image on the display panel 14 from a remote location. In this case, in addition to the automatic control of the angle of view as described later, the communication interface 13 may be used to enable control such as fine adjustment by a remote control commander. A commander having a display unit may be used, and a captured image from the camera may be confirmed on the display unit at hand. Further, a mobile phone may be used as a commander.

  FIG. 2 shows a more detailed configuration of the camera unit 1. Three primary color filters are provided on the front surface of the image sensor. Reference numeral 20 denotes a front end to which three primary color signals from the image sensor are input. Four or more colors may be used as the color filter. The front end 20 performs processing such as correlated double sampling processing for removing noise components, gain control processing, and digital conversion processing on the color signal from the image sensor. Image data from the front end 20 is supplied to a signal processing unit 18 configured as an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit).

  The signal processing unit 18 is connected to a microcomputer (not shown) via a microcomputer interface 19. The microcomputer controls the entire operation of the digital still camera, for example, according to a predetermined program. Further, each block constituting the signal processing unit 18 is controlled by the microcomputer via the microcomputer interface 19. The microcomputer of the control unit 2 in FIG. 1 may be connected via the interface 19.

  The signal processing unit 18 performs interpolation processing, filtering processing, matrix calculation processing, luminance signal generation processing, color difference signal generation processing, and the like on the plurality of color signals input from the front end 20. The image signal generated by the signal processing unit is supplied to a display (not shown), and a captured image is displayed. Further, the image data from the signal processing unit 18 is compressed and stored in an internal storage medium, an external storage medium, or the like.

  Each block of the signal processing unit 18 will be described below. The offset correction processing unit 21 removes a noise component (offset component) included in the image signal supplied from the front end 10. The image signal from the offset correction processing unit 21 is output to the white balance correction processing unit 22 and white balance correction is performed. That is, the imbalance between the colors due to the difference in the color temperature environment of the subject and the difference in sensitivity due to the color filter on the sensor is corrected.

  The output of the white balance correction processing unit 22 is supplied to the vertical direction synchronization processing unit 23. The vertical direction synchronization processing unit 23 synchronizes temporally different vertical image data using a delay element, for example, a small memory, for vertical interpolation processing and filtering processing.

  A plurality of image signals synchronized by the vertical direction synchronization processing unit 23 are supplied to the interpolation processing, filter processing, high-frequency correction processing, and noise processing unit 24. Interpolation processing for interpolating color signals of a plurality of pixels in the minimum unit of the color filter into the phase of the same space, filter processing for appropriately limiting the signal band, and high frequency correction processing for correcting the high frequency component of the signal band Noise processing for removing noise components of the signal is performed.

  The image signal obtained by the processing unit 24 is supplied to the linear matrix processing unit 25. In the linear matrix processing unit 25, matrix calculation is performed and RGB color output can be obtained.

  The RGB output from the linear matrix processing unit 25 is supplied to the gamma correction processing units 26R, 26G, and 26B, respectively. The gamma correction processing units 26R, 26G, and 26B perform reverse correction of the nonlinear characteristics of the display device in advance, so that linear characteristics are finally realized.

  Output signals from the gamma correction processing units 26R, 26G, and 26B are supplied to a luminance (Y) signal generation processing unit 27 and a color difference (C) signal generation processing unit 28, respectively. The luminance signal generation processing unit 27 generates a luminance signal by synthesizing the gamma-corrected RGB signal with a predetermined synthesis ratio. The color difference signal generation processing unit 28 generates a color difference signal by synthesizing the gamma-corrected RGB signals with a predetermined synthesis ratio.

  The color difference signal generated by the color difference signal generation processing unit 28 is supplied to the band limiting and thinning processing unit 29, and a color difference signal in which the color difference signals Cb and Cr are time-division multiplexed is formed. As described above, the image processing apparatus using the four-color filter can improve the color reproducibility as compared with the apparatus using the three primary color filters.

  3A and 3B show the appearance of a camera according to one embodiment of the present invention. The camera comprises a disc-shaped main body 31 as a whole and a hemispherical protector 32 located at the lower part of the main body 31. The protector 32 is formed by molding a soft member such as rubber or elastomer. By covering the lower part of the main body 31 with the protector 32, the main body 31 can be prevented from being damaged, and the impact at the time of dropping can be reduced.

  A photographing lens 33 is provided on a part of the peripheral surface of the main body 31. A display panel 34 (corresponding to the display panel 14 in FIG. 1) is provided on the upper surface of the main body 31 so as to be rotatable with respect to the shaft 35. The display panel 34 includes an LCD, an EL (Electroluminescence) display, or the like. On the display panel 34, an image being photographed is displayed and a photographed image can be displayed. Although not shown, a plurality of switches and LEDs are provided on the surface of the main body 31. For example, four LEDs each emitting light of a different color are provided so that they can be seen from the front around the photographing lens 33.

  At the time of shooting, as shown in FIG. 3B, the display panel 34 is rotated about the axis 35, and the display surface 34a is raised substantially vertically. The display panel 34 is rotatable about a vertical rotation axis (not shown) so that the display surface 34a can be seen from the rear side, and as shown in FIG. 3B, the display surface 34a is in front, that is, on the subject side. It can be set to any of the states that can be seen from.

  When it is desired to take a picture with the camera placed, as shown in FIG. 3B, the protector 32 is turned over so that the hemispherical opening side faces downward. The opening of the protector 32 as described above can be detected by a sensor (not shown). For example, it is possible to detect whether the protector 32 is closed or open by detecting a difference in light amount between a state where the bottom surface of the main body 31 is covered by the protector 32 and a state where the bottom surface of the main body 31 is exposed. Since the protector 32 is made of a soft material, the camera can be stably placed even if there is some unevenness in the place where the camera is placed. At the time of self-timer shooting, as shown in FIG. 3B, shooting is performed with the display surface 34a of the display panel 34 facing the subject.

  FIG. 4 shows a connection configuration between the main body 31 and the protector 32. The front end of the support column 36 provided integrally with the protector 32 and the main body 31 are connected inside the main body 31. FIG. 4A shows a state where the bottom surface of the main body 31 is covered with the protector 32. In this state, in order to ensure stability, a protrusion 37 (which may be a rib) is integrally provided on the bottom of the protector 32. FIG. 4B shows a state where the protector 32 is opened.

  FIG. 5 shows the movement of the main body 31. As described above, the direction rotating around the axis x coinciding with the optical axis of the photographic lens 33 is defined as the roll direction, and the direction rotating around the vertical axis z perpendicular to the optical axis is defined as the pan direction. The direction of rotation about the horizontal axis y orthogonal to the optical axis is defined as the tilt direction. However, the definition of the roll direction and the tilt direction is relative. When the roll direction is rotated 90 ° in the pan direction from the state shown in FIG. 5, the rotation direction about the x axis becomes the tilt direction, and the y axis The direction of rotation about is the roll direction. The position of the camera is controlled in the roll direction and the tilt direction, and leveling can be performed even if the place where the camera is placed is tilted. For example, the displacement amount in the roll direction is ± 30 ° with respect to the horizontal position, the rotation amount in the pan direction is 320 °, and the rotation amount in the tilt direction is ± 30 ° with respect to the horizontal position.

  In this way, all three drive shafts intersect and intersect at right angles, so that the camera can always be kept horizontal while capturing images from the camera as long as the camera is placed on any slope. Will be able to pan. Therefore, it is possible to perform panoramic shooting by shooting every time the image is rotated by a predetermined angle and combining a plurality of obtained images. In addition, by setting the intersection of the drive axes so that the optical axis of the camera passes, distortion of the composite image during panoramic shooting can be reduced. In addition, the angle of view can be controlled so that the subject, for example, the face of a person is positioned at the center of the screen from the state where the leveling is completed.

  An actuator for displacing the main body 31 will be described. FIG. 6 shows an example of an actuator for displacing the main body 31 in the tilt direction and the roll direction. The displacement in the tilt direction and the roll direction is performed by a biaxial gimbal mechanism 41. The biaxial gimbal mechanism 41 is provided at the tip of the support column 36 of the protector 32. One shaft of the biaxial gimbal mechanism 41 is driven by a tilt motor 43 through a gear portion 42, and the other shaft is driven by a roll motor 45 through a gear portion 44.

  Thus, the displacement in the tilt direction and the roll direction is a relative movement of the camera body 31 with respect to the fixed protector 32 for leveling. On the other hand, the displacement in the pan direction is made by dividing the camera body 31 vertically into two parts and rotating the upper body relative to the lower body.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the main body 31 is divided into a lower main body 31a and an upper main body 31b. The lower main body 31 a is connected to the protector 32 via the support column 36. The upper body 31b has a photographic lens 33 and a display panel 34. A ring-shaped gear 46 is attached to the inside of the upper surface of the upper body 31b. A gear 47 that meshes with the gear 46 is fixed to the rotating shaft of the pan motor 48. Therefore, by controlling the rotation of the pan motor 48, displacement in the pan direction is possible. Note that the acceleration sensor 10 (see FIG. 1) is built in the main body 31b, and it is possible to always obtain tilt information of the main body 31b with respect to the direction of gravity.

  The protector 32 can be replaced with a clip leg 51 as shown in FIG. The clip leg 51 has a clip 52 to which a spring force is applied in the closing direction. For example, the camera can be fixed by sandwiching a handrail 53 between the clips 52. By using either the protector 32 made of a flexible material or the clip leg 51, a camera can be installed and photographed at almost any place. The sensor can detect that the clip leg 51 is opened and the camera is installed.

  The operation of the above-described embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 includes hardware operations, user command operations, and software operations of the control unit 2. In the first step S1, the camera is activated from the standby state.

  In step S2, when the user opens the protector 32 or the clip leg 51 and installs the camera, by detecting that the camera has been placed as a result of placing the camera with a sensor switch or the like, or by a user command, control processing for self-timer shooting Starts (step S3). For example, in the case of self-timer shooting with two people as subjects, it is normal to take a photo of a person who is different from the photographer and decide the approximate composition after deciding where to place the camera, and then perform self-timer shooting . When only the photographer is photographed, it is assumed that he / she stands at the position of the mark.

  However, when taking a picture with the camera in place, there is a problem that the face may not be captured due to the unevenness of the place where the camera is placed. Therefore, automatic control of the camera posture as described below is required. In order to determine an approximate composition during self-timer shooting, the photographer holds the camera almost horizontally. Further, in the case of performing processing for detecting a target subject such as a face, the processing can be simplified as compared with an image in which an image taken in a horizontal state is inclined. Therefore, when automatically controlling the camera posture during self-timer shooting, control is performed so that leveling is performed first.

  Step S4 is a leveling operation step. The tilt motor 5 and the roll motor 6 are controlled by the control unit 2 so that the posture of the camera is in a direction orthogonal to the direction of gravity, that is, horizontal from the output signal of the acceleration sensor 10. A control signal for each motor in a state where the leveling operation is completed is stored in the control unit 2.

  Next, in step S5, a face image is searched for by analyzing the captured image. Various known methods can be used as the face image detection method. For example, it is possible to use a method of detecting an eye / nose mouth which is a feature point of a face, determining that a detected image matches a face pattern as a face image, a method of comparing an image recognition result with a pattern on a database, and the like. If the face image cannot be searched, the process of step S5 is repeated. Since the LED indicates that the face is being detected, the face image can be detected by moving the position where the subject person stands. However, if face images cannot be detected for a predetermined time or longer, error processing may be performed.

  When the face image is searched, in step S6, the center of the face image is detected, and the pan motor, the tilt motor, and the roll motor are driven so that the center of the face image is framed at a substantially central position of the captured image. In this case, when the face images of a plurality of people are detected, the position where the centers of the face images of the plurality of subject persons are integrated is controlled so as to be approximately the center position of the captured image. In other words, face images of a plurality of subject persons are prevented from protruding from the frame of the shooting screen. Since the inclination detection is always performed even during this control, the leveling operation is performed when the leveling operation is required again.

  As described above, when framing is performed so that the center of the face image is substantially at the center of the photographed image, the process shifts to self-timer photography. In step S7, the self-timer starts. In step S8, it is determined whether or not the subject is moving. The movement of the subject is a preset movement, for example, a movement of a person. As an example, it is detected that an object having a certain area is constantly moving, and that the moving range of the center position of the area is within a certain range, thereby detecting a desired movement.

  If it is determined in step S8 that the subject has a predetermined movement, it is determined in step S9 whether or not the moving subject is in the approximate center position of the captured image. If it is determined that the position is not the center position, in step S10, the moving subject is corrected so as to be approximately the center position of the captured image.

  In step S11, a face image is searched. Since the moving subject is a hand other than the face, for example, the face image may be outside the shooting screen even if the angle of view is controlled so that the moving subject is at the center position. For this purpose, a face image is searched for in step S11. If a face image is detected, the process returns to step S8 (determining whether or not the subject has moved).

  If the face image cannot be found in step S11, the process returns to the leveling completion position (step S12). Thereafter, a search for a face image in step S5 is performed.

  If it is determined in step S8 that there is no moving subject, the timer is decremented in step S13. If it is detected in step S9 that the moving subject is substantially at the center position of the shooting screen, the process proceeds to step S11 (search for a face image). Thus, by setting a specific moving subject, the face image can be positioned at a position other than the center of the captured image.

  In step S13, the timer performs a decrement operation. In step S14, it is determined whether or not the value of the self-timer has become zero. If not, the process returns to step S8 (determining whether or not the subject has moved). When the value of the self-timer becomes 0, in step S15, the shutter is turned on and shooting is performed. Thereafter, the process returns to step S7 (self-timer start), and timer photographing is performed again. In this case, the self-timer photographing operation may be terminated.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing another example of automatic camera posture control according to the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a process corresponding to the process from step S1 (startup) to step S6 (center determination) in the flowchart of FIG. That is, step S7 (self-timer start) follows the processing of FIG. Since the process after step S7 is the same as that shown in FIG. 10, the description thereof is omitted. Similar to FIG. 9, FIG. 10 includes a hardware operation, a user command operation, and a software operation of the control unit 2.

  In another example shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to adjust the desired composition, that is, the position and size of the face image of the subject person using the zoom function of the camera. After the camera is activated, when the user opens the protector 32 or the clip leg 51 and installs the camera in step S21, the operation shifts to the mode setting process (step S22).

  As an example, three types of modes can be set. Mode 1 is shooting an up image of the face of the subject person. Mode 2 is shooting of an image of an upper body image of a subject person (referred to as a bust shot as appropriate). Mode 3 is shooting of a whole body image of a subject person. The mode setting is executed by the user operating a switch or the like. When the mode setting is completed, self-timer shooting control processing is automatically started in step S23.

  Step S24 is a leveling operation step. The tilt motor 5 and the roll motor 6 are controlled by the control unit 2 so that the camera is horizontal from the output signal of the acceleration sensor 10. A control signal for each motor in a state where the leveling operation is completed is stored in the control unit 2.

  Next, in step S25, a face image is searched for by analyzing the captured image. As a face image detection method, various methods such as a method using a color component and a contour can be used. If the face image cannot be searched, the process of step S25 is repeated. If a face image cannot be searched even after a predetermined time has elapsed, error processing may be performed.

  When a face image is found, framing is controlled according to the mode set in step S22. In each mode, the center position is controlled such that the center of the face image is the center in the left-right direction of the captured image.

  When the set mode is mode 1 (up face shooting), in step S26, the position of the face image is controlled so that the center of the face image is the center of the captured image, and then the face image is zoomed in. Is the maximum size in the screen. When the set mode is mode 2 (bust shot), in step S27, the position of the face image is controlled so that the center of the face image is 1/3 from the top of the captured image, and the subject The zoom operation is controlled so that the upper body of the person is photographed. When the set mode is mode 3 (whole body photography), in step S28, the position of the face image is controlled so that the center of the face image is 1/5 from the top of the photographed image, and the subject The zoom operation is controlled so that the whole body of the person is photographed.

  When the process of step S26, S27 or S28 is performed, the self-timer starts. As described above, by using the control of the zoom operation, the types of composition at the time of self-timer shooting can be increased.

  Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, panoramic photography can be performed. During panorama shooting, a panorama shooting mode is set, a camera is installed, and a leveling operation is performed. Thereafter, the shooting operation is started, and panorama shooting in the range of 360 ° is performed by the pan operation. The shooting operation is started automatically by the user pressing the shutter button. In the pan operation, the pan operation is stopped at an appropriate angle, for example, at a position of each rotation angle of 40 °, and photographing is performed. The panoramic image is completed by connecting eight images in the horizontal direction. A desired range may be set instead of the range of 360 °.

  The above-described embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the camera body is displaced by a biaxial gimbal mechanism with respect to a fixed protector. However, the camera may be displaced not only by this mechanism but also by another mechanism. Hereinafter, some examples of such a displacement mechanism will be described.

  A second example of the camera will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 61 indicates the camera as a whole, FIG. 11A shows a state other than during self-timer shooting, and FIG. 11B shows a state during self-timer shooting. A photographing lens 62 is attached to the front surface of the camera 61. A display panel (not shown) is provided on the back surface of the camera 61. The photographing lens 62 can be rotated in a horizontal plane, and position control in the pan direction is possible.

  Legs 63 are provided on the side surfaces of the main body case so as to be slidable up and down. The leg 63 has two legs whose roots are supported by a shaft 64 so as to be openable and closable. At the time of self-timer shooting, the legs 63 are slid downward and the legs are opened as shown in FIG. 11B. Support the camera body.

  On the other side surface of the camera body, a shaft storage portion 65 is provided, and a linearly moving shaft 66 that can be protruded from below the shaft storage portion 65 is provided. The position in the roll direction is controlled by the protruding amount of the shaft 66.

  The photographing lens 62 is displaced in the pan direction by a pan driving motor 67 as shown in FIG. 11C. The rotation of the tilt motor 68 is transmitted to the connecting shaft 70 via the gear mechanism 69, whereby the camera is displaced in the tilt direction. The lead screw 72 connected to the rotation shaft of the roll motor 71 rotates, and a gear (not shown) attached to the shaft 66 meshes with the lead screw 72, whereby the shaft 66 slides up and down.

  FIG. 12 explains the control of the roll position of the camera 61 described above. In the case where the rectangular block 73 schematically showing the place of the camera is inclined with the left side highly inclined with respect to the right side, the protruding amount of the shaft 66 is small, and the camera 61 is controlled horizontally in the roll direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 12B, when there is an inclination higher on the right side than on the left side, the protruding amount of the shaft 66 is increased, and the camera 61 is controlled horizontally in the roll direction.

  FIG. 13 shows the appearance of a third example of a camera to which the present invention is applied. The camera 81 is thin as a whole, and a rotating cover 82 is attached to the front surface. On the upper surface, a shutter button 83 and a folded display panel 84 are provided. As shown in FIG. 13A, the cover 82 is closed except during shooting.

  At the time of self-timer photographing, the cover 82 is rotated about 90 ° as shown in FIG. 13B. The rotated cover 82 becomes a leg portion that supports the camera 81. When the cover 82 is rotated, the photographing lens 85 covered with the cover 82 is exposed.

  As shown in FIG. 13C, two movable shafts 86 a and 86 b are provided on the bottom surface of the camera 81. The camera 81 is supported at three points: a cover 82 on the front surface side and movable shafts 86a and 86b provided on the back surface side on the bottom surface.

  FIG. 14 illustrates the tilt operation and roll operation of the camera 81. As shown in FIG. 14A, the height of the back side of the camera 81 can be changed by displacing the movable shafts 86a and 86b while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the tips of the movable shafts 86a and 86b on the bottom surface. . Since the height on the front side is defined by the cover 82, the camera 81 can be displaced in the tilt direction.

  As shown in FIG. 14B, the camera 81 can be displaced in the roll direction by changing the protruding amounts of the movable shafts 86a and 86b of the camera 81, respectively. For example, the protruding amounts of the movable shafts 86a and 86b are controlled in a complementary manner. In FIG. 14B, the photographic lens 85 is not shown.

  FIG. 15 shows the appearance of a fourth example of a camera to which the present invention is applied. A U-shaped notch is formed on the upper surface of the camera 91, and a rotatable cylindrical portion 92 is provided in the notch. A photographing lens 93 is provided in a part of the cylindrical portion 92. A display panel 9 is also provided. By rotating the cylindrical portion 92, the direction of shooting can be changed to a desired one. At the time of self-timer photographing, as shown in FIG. 15, the photographing lens 93 and the display panel 94 are positioned on the same surface side.

  The entire camera 91 is slidable in the horizontal direction on the cradle 95. The bottom surface of the camera 91 and the slide surface of the cradle 95 are arcuate. The camera 91 is slid by its own weight or by a motor. By supporting the camera 91 slidably on the cradle 95, the camera 91 slides on the cradle 95 by its own weight to a position where the camera 91 is horizontal even when the place to be placed is inclined.

  The direction of the photographic lens 93 of the camera 91 can be rotated by a motor, and position control in the pan direction can be performed. A cylindrical portion 92 having a photographing lens 93 can be rotated by a motor, and position control in the tilt direction can be performed. Sliding the camera 91 on the cradle 95 enables position control in the roll direction.

  16 and 17 show the appearance of a fifth example of a camera to which the present invention is applied. 16A shows the appearance of the front surface of the camera 101, and FIG. 16B shows the appearance of the back surface of the camera 101. The taking lens 102 faces the front subject, and the display panel 103 is provided on the back. FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B show states at the time of carrying and normal photographing.

  At the time of self-timer photographing, the camera 101 is deformed from the state shown in FIG. 16 to the appearance shown in FIG. The photographing lens 102 is attached to the lens block 104, and the lens block 104 and the block 105 are connected via an axis. Further, the block 105 is connected to the camera body via a vertical axis. The taking lens 102 and the display panel 103 face the subject side.

  In the camera 101, the lens block 104 rotates with respect to the block 105, so that the displacement in the tilt direction is made. As the block 105 rotates with respect to the main body, displacement in the pan direction is made. The camera 101 cannot be displaced in the roll direction.

  FIG. 18 shows the appearance of a sixth example of a camera to which the present invention is applied. The camera 110 has a disc-shaped main body as a whole, and is divided into an upper rotating part 111 and a lower fixing part 112. The rotating unit 111 is provided with a photographing lens 113 that protrudes from the surface of the rotating unit 111 only when in use by a pop-up mechanism. The taking lens 113 is rotatably attached to the shaft 114. A plurality of, for example, three legs 115a, 115b, and 115c project downward from the bottom surface of the lower fixing portion 112. Of the three legs, a leg 115a is extendable.

  In the camera 110, position control in the pan direction is performed by rotation of the rotating unit 111. The position of the tilt direction is controlled by rotating the photographing lens 113 with respect to the shaft 114. Furthermore, position control in the roll direction is performed by expanding and contracting the legs 115a.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the present invention can be similarly applied not only to still image shooting but also to moving image shooting. Further, although the movement of waving is used for correcting the center position, recognition of an object having a specific shape, recognition of an object of a specific color, or the like can be used. For example, correction may be made so that the center of the ball of a predetermined color is substantially the center position of the captured image.

  The present invention can be applied not only to self-timer shooting but also to shooting still images, panoramic shooting, or moving images following a face or a moving object. By recognizing the shape of the face and detecting the direction of the face, it is possible to take a picture with the camera facing in the direction in which the face of the person faces. Furthermore, it is possible to photograph a person who has a voice using a sound detector such as a microphone.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the horizontal position, and the posture of the camera may be controlled to a position having a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal, for example, a predetermined tilt angle. For example, when there is no appropriate place to place the camera, the subject 122 may be photographed by placing the camera 121 directly on the ground 120 as shown in FIG. In this case, good framing can be obtained by correcting the tilt so that the lower side of the angle of view matches the ground 120. When it is expected that such a shooting method is often used, the shooting direction of the camera may be controlled slightly upward instead of first controlling the shooting direction of the camera in the horizontal position.

  In the above-described embodiment, the inclination with respect to the vertical direction is detected. However, the inclination may be detected by recognizing and processing a specific image. For example, the inclination with respect to the horizontal position can be detected by recognizing the shape of the human head. In addition to human heads, you can also use building wall lines.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the camera part of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the protector in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance and movement of a main body of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows roughly the structure of the drive part of the tilt direction and roll direction in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows roughly the structure of the drive part of the pan direction in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the state which changed the protector in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the operation | movement at the time of self-timer imaging | photography of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the other example of the operation | movement at the time of self-timer imaging | photography of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the 2nd example of this invention. It is a schematic perspective view for demonstrating the position control of the roll direction of the 2nd example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the 3rd example of this invention. It is a basic diagram for demonstrating the position control regarding the tilt direction and roll direction of the 3rd example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the 4th example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance seen from the front surface and back surface of the 5th example of this invention, respectively. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the structure at the time of self-timer imaging | photography of the 5th example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the 6th example of this invention. It is a basic diagram which shows the other example of the imaging | photography method of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera part 2 ... Control part 4 ... Pan motor 5 ... Tilt motor 6 ... Roll motor 10 ... Acceleration sensor 14 ... Display panel 31 ... Camera body 32 ... · Protector 33 ··· Photography lens 34 · · · Display panel 41 · · · 2-axis gimbal mechanism 43 · · · Tilt motor 45 · · · Roll motor 48 · · · Pan motor

Claims (15)

An imaging unit that captures one or both of a still image and a movie;
A position changing unit for displacing the camera unit in a rotation direction about first, second, and third axes orthogonal to each other including an axis substantially coincident with the photographing direction;
An inclination detection unit for detecting the inclination of the camera unit with respect to a horizontal position;
An imaging apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the position changing unit based on the tilt detected by the tilt detection unit to control the imaging unit to a horizontal position or a predetermined tilt position. In claim 1,
The above-described tilt detection unit is an imaging device that is an acceleration sensor that detects the tilt of the camera unit with respect to the direction of gravity by detecting acceleration in two or three axes orthogonal to each other. In claim 1,
The image pickup apparatus that starts the control by the control unit by detecting that the apparatus is placed. In claim 1,
Furthermore, it has a detection unit for detecting the target subject in the shooting screen of the imaging unit,
An imaging apparatus that controls the position changing unit so that a center position of the target subject detected by the detection unit is substantially a center position in the shooting screen. In claim 4,
An image pickup apparatus that performs self-timer shooting automatically when the target subject comes to a substantially central position in the shooting screen. In claim 4,
An imaging apparatus in which the target subject is the face of a subject person. In claim 4,
An imaging apparatus in which the target subject is a moving object that performs a predetermined movement. In claim 4,
An imaging apparatus in which the target subject is an object of a predetermined color or shape. In claim 1,
Furthermore, the imaging unit has a zoom function,
The position changing unit is controlled so that the center position of the target subject detected by the detection unit becomes a desired position in the shooting screen, and the size of the target subject is set to a desired one. An imaging device that controls the zoom function. In claim 1,
Furthermore, it has a communication part,
An imaging apparatus in which the position changing unit can be remotely controlled. In claim 1,
An imaging apparatus having a support unit that supports a main body including the imaging unit, the position changing unit, the tilt detection unit, and the control unit at an installation location. Detecting the tilt of the camera unit relative to the horizontal position;
A position changing step of displacing the camera unit in a rotation direction centering on first, second and third axes orthogonal to each other including an axis substantially coinciding with the photographing direction based on the detected inclination;
An imaging method comprising: a photographing step for photographing one or both of a still image and a moving image after the position change. In claim 12,
The above-described position changing step is an imaging method that starts by detecting that the apparatus is placed. In claim 12,
Furthermore, it has a detection step of detecting a target subject in the shooting screen of the imaging unit,
An imaging method for displacing the camera unit so that the detected center position of the target subject is substantially the center position in the shooting screen. In claim 14,
An imaging method in which self-timer imaging is automatically performed when the target subject is approximately in the center of the imaging screen.

Images