JP2007135072A - Video camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video camera device for enabling setting about a predetermined setting item among setting items which can be set on a setting screen to be performed by the same operation as the case of performing setting on the setting screen even when a monitor screen is not viewed from an operator or even when a monitor is not connected to the video camera device because a setting position of the video camera device and a setting position of the monitor are separated. <P>SOLUTION: One or plural indicator lamps for enabling setting states of special setting items to be displayed so as to be each identifiable relating to one or plural setting items (hereinafter described as special setting items) which are selected beforehand from among plural kinds of setting items which are settable on the setting screen are provided in a video camera device body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a video camera apparatus.

  In a video camera device for surveillance purposes that does not have a built-in monitor, function and image quality settings are made using mechanical switches and volumes, or a monitor is connected to the video camera device and a setting screen is displayed on the monitor. Or doing it above.

  Generally, in a low-end video camera device, only basic settings are possible, and the settings are made by mechanical switches and volumes.

  In the case of a video camera device with many functions and adjustment items, a monitor is connected to the video camera device, a setting screen is displayed on the monitor, and settings are made on the setting screen based on the operation of the video camera device body. It has become. When the setting is performed on the setting screen, the setting screen is displayed on-screen on the image that is normally captured in order to be able to confirm the change of the captured image accompanying the setting change. The setting screen is often displayed and controlled by a microcomputer in the video camera device. If the video camera device is equipped with a communication function, the setting screen can be displayed on the monitor by remote control.

  By the way, in a video camera device for monitoring purposes that does not have a built-in monitor, the installation location of the video camera device and the installation location of the monitor are often different. In such a video camera device, in order to set functions and image quality on the setting screen based on the operation of the video camera device body, it is necessary to bring a monitor near the video camera device. However, most of the setting items set on the setting screen are usually set to initial values so that the setting need not be changed.

  However, some items set on the setting screen have a high necessity for change. For example, the on / off setting of the flicker mitigation function needs to be set to on in the region where the power supply frequency is 50 Hz and off in the region of 60 Hz. It is very troublesome to bring a monitor close to the video camera device only for setting items that need to be changed in this way.

  According to the present invention, with respect to predetermined setting items that can be set on the setting screen, the monitor screen cannot be seen from the operator because the installation location of the video camera device is separated from the installation location of the monitor, or It is an object of the present invention to provide a video camera device that allows settings to be made by an operation similar to that for setting on a setting screen even when a monitor is not connected to the video camera device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a video having a function of displaying a setting screen on-screen on a monitor connected to the video camera device and performing various settings on the setting screen based on the operation of the video camera device main body. In the camera device, for each of one or a plurality of setting items (hereinafter referred to as specific setting items) selected in advance from a plurality of types of setting items that can be set on the setting screen, the setting state of the specific setting item is displayed. When one or a plurality of indicator lamps for displaying in an identifiable manner are provided in the video camera apparatus main body and the operation mode is a mode for performing various settings on the setting screen, each of the specific setting items is displayed. For the specific setting item currently selected, the display state of the indicator lamp provided for the specific setting item is the current setting item's current state. As a display state corresponding to the constant state, characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling a display lamp provided for each of the specific setting item.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein each specific setting item takes two different setting states, and one indicator lamp is provided for each specific setting item. The indicator lamps corresponding to the specific setting items are characterized by distinguishing two setting states according to a lighting state and a blinking state.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the specific setting item is a setting item for turning on / off the flicker reduction function.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first and second aspects of the invention, the specific setting item is a setting item for turning on / off the flicker reduction function and a setting item for turning on / off the backlight correction function. It consists of two setting items.

  According to the present invention, for a predetermined setting item that can be set on the setting screen, the monitor screen cannot be seen from the operator because the installation location of the video camera device and the installation location of the monitor are separated. Even when the monitor is not connected to the video camera device, the setting can be performed by the same operation as the setting on the setting screen.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a video camera device and a monitor connected to the video camera device.

  The video camera apparatus 1 is provided with a menu button 11 for displaying a menu screen (setting screen) on the monitor 2 and performing various settings, and a setting button 12 that can be moved left and right and up and down. Further, the video camera device 1 has a predetermined setting item on the menu screen even when the installation location of the video camera device is far from the installation location of the monitor or when the monitor is not connected to the video camera device. LEDs 13 and 14 are provided for enabling the setting to be performed by the same operation as in the case of setting in.

  When the menu button 11 is pressed, the operation mode becomes the menu screen display mode, and the menu screen is displayed on the monitor 2 on the screen.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a menu screen displayed on the monitor 2 when the menu button 11 is pressed.

  A plurality of setting item names and setting states are displayed on the menu screen. A triangle is displayed on the left side of the currently selected setting item. When a downward arrow is displayed on the right side of the setting state, it indicates that a lower menu exists for the setting item.

  In this example, the following items are displayed on the menu screen.

(1) "FLICKER": Flicker reduction function on / off setting (2) "BLC": Backlight compensation function on / off setting (3) "IRIS": Iris adjustment (4) "WHITE BALANCE": White balance setting (5) " AGC GAIN ": Auto gain corn troll gain adjustment (6)" GAMMA ": Gamma correction gamma value setting (7)" SHUTTER ": Shutter speed setting (8)" APERTURE ": Contour correction setting (9) “DAY / NIGHT”: Setting whether or not to switch to black and white shooting at night (10) “OPTION”: Item for performing other settings (11) “PRESET”: Item for returning the setting value to the initial value ( 12) “MENU”: Item for forcibly closing the menu screen

  When the setting button 12 is pressed upward or downward, the triangle symbol moves, and all selected items are changed. When the setting button 12 is pressed to the left or right while a certain item is selected, the setting state is sequentially changed.

  For example, when the menu screen is displayed on the monitor 2 when the operator presses the menu button 11, the top item “FLICKER” is selected. In this state, every time the operator presses the setting button 12 to the left or right, the setting state alternately changes between OFF and ON. The setting contents are immediately reflected when the setting state changes.

  In order to end the menu screen, the operator may select the item “MENU” at the bottom and then press the menu button 11. Then, the menu screen display mode ends and the menu screen is deleted. When the operation mode is the menu screen display mode, if no operation is performed for a certain period of time, the menu screen display mode is terminated and the menu screen is deleted. Even when the monitor 2 is not connected to the video camera device 1, when the menu button 11 is pressed, the operation mode becomes the menu screen display mode, and when the setting button 12 is operated in this state, the video camera device is in video. The same operation as when the monitor 2 is connected to the camera device 1 is performed.

  By the way, most of the items set on the menu screen are set with initial values so that it is not necessary to change the setting. However, among the items set on the menu screen, there are items that are highly necessary to be changed and it is not necessary to check the captured image at the time of setting. Typical items are "FLICKER" (flicker reduction function) and "BLC" (backlight correction function).

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the LED 13 is provided for the item “FLICKER” (flicker reduction function), and the LED 14 is provided for the item “BLC” (backlight correction function). As shown in FIG. 1, corresponding item names are clearly specified below the LEDs 13 and 14. These LEDs 13 and 14 are display-controlled in conjunction with corresponding items displayed on the menu screen. These LEDs 13 and 14 are connected to the video camera device 1 when the operation mode is the menu screen display mode even when the monitor 2 is not connected to the video camera device 1. The display is controlled in the same way as in the case.

  Therefore, when “FLICKER” or “BLC” is set using the LEDs 13 and 14, the operator first presses the menu button 11 to set the operation mode to the menu screen display mode. However, when the monitor 2 is not connected to the video camera device 1 or when the monitor 2 is connected to the video camera device 1 but is away from the video camera device 1, the operation mode is set. The operator cannot confirm whether or not is in the menu screen display mode. Therefore, when the operation mode becomes the menu screen display mode, one of the items corresponding to the LEDs 13 and 14 is set to be automatically selected. Here, when the operation mode is the menu screen display mode, the item “FLICKER” is automatically selected.

  The LED 13 is normally turned off. When the item “FLICKER” is selected, the LED 13 is turned on or blinked according to the current setting contents. In this example, the lighting state indicates that the setting state of the flicker reduction function is OFF, and the blinking state indicates that the setting state of the flicker reduction function is ON. Accordingly, when the operation mode is changed to the menu screen display mode by pressing the menu button 11 by the operator, the LED 13 is turned on or blinking, so that the operator has changed the operation mode to the menu screen display mode. I can confirm that.

  Each time the operator presses the setting button 12 to the left or right while the LED 13 is lit or blinking, the setting state alternates between OFF (lit state) and ON (flashing state). To do. Therefore, the operator can set the setting state of “FLICKER” to a desired setting state by operating the setting button.

  To select another item, the operator presses the setting button 12 upward or downward. By this operation, when the item “BLC” is selected, the LED 14 is turned on or blinked according to the current setting contents. In this example, the lighting state indicates that the setting state of the backlight correction function is OFF, and the blinking state indicates that the setting state of the backlight correction function is ON. In this state, every time the operator presses the setting button 12 to the left or right, the setting state alternately changes between OFF (lighting state) and ON (flashing state). Therefore, the operator can set the setting state of “BLC” to a desired setting state by operating the setting button.

  The LED 13 is turned off when an item other than the item “FLICKER” is selected. Similarly, the LED 14 is turned off when an item other than the item “BLC” is selected. When the operation mode is the menu screen display mode, if no operation is performed for a predetermined time, the menu screen display mode ends.

  FIG. 3 shows the procedure of the display control processing of the LEDs 13 and 14 executed by the control device in the video camera device when the operation mode is the menu screen display mode.

  When the operation mode is the menu screen display mode, first, it is determined whether or not the item “FLICKER” is selected (step S1).

  If the item “FLICKER” is selected, it is determined whether or not the setting state of the item “FLICKER” is ON (step S2). If the setting state of the item “FLICKER” is ON, the LED 13 is caused to blink (step S3), and then the process returns to step S1. If it is determined in step S2 that the setting state of the item “FLICKER” is OFF, the LED 13 is turned on (step S4), and the process returns to step S1.

  If it is determined in step S1 that the item “FLICKER” is not selected, the LED 13 is turned off (step S5), and then it is determined whether or not the item “BLC” is selected (step S6). ).

  If the item “BLC” is selected, it is determined whether or not the setting state of the item “BLC” is ON (step S7). If the setting state of the item “BLC” is ON, the LED 14 is blinked (step S8), and the process returns to step S6. If it is determined in step S7 that the setting state of the item “BLC” is OFF, the LED 14 is turned on (step S9), and the process returns to step S6.

  If it is determined in step S6 that the item “BLC” is not selected, the LED 14 is turned off (step S10), and the process returns to step S1.

  When the menu screen display mode is ended, all the LEDs 13 and 14 are turned off, and the display control process for the LEDs 13 and 14 is ended.

  In the above embodiment, the LEDs 13 and 14 are provided for the item “FLICKER” and the item “BLC”, but the setting item for providing the LED can be arbitrarily selected.

  In the above embodiment, the setting state of the setting item is identified by the lighting state and the blinking state of the LED. However, the setting item can be set by changing the blinking period or the emission color. The state may be identified. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of LEDs for one setting item, it is possible to identify the setting states of three or more modes.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the video camera apparatus and the monitor connected to the video camera apparatus. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a menu screen displayed on the monitor 2 when a menu button 11 is pressed. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the display control process of LED13, 14 performed by the control apparatus in a video camera apparatus, when an operation mode is a menu screen display mode.

Explanation of symbols

1 Video Camera Device 2 Monitor 11 Menu Button 12 Setting Buttons 13 and 14 LED

Claims (4)

In a video camera device having a function for displaying a setting screen on-screen on a monitor connected to the video camera device and performing various settings on the setting screen based on the operation of the video camera device body,
For each of one or a plurality of setting items (hereinafter referred to as specific setting items) selected in advance from among a plurality of types of setting items that can be set on the setting screen, the setting state of the specific setting item is displayed in an identifiable manner One or a plurality of indicator lights are provided in the video camera device main body,
When the operation mode is a mode for performing various settings on the setting screen, for the specific setting item currently selected among the specific setting items, the indicator lamp provided for the specific setting item Control means for controlling the indicator lamp provided for each specific setting item so that the display state of the specific setting item becomes a display state according to the current setting state of the specific setting item Video camera device. Each specific setting item has two different setting states, and one indicator lamp is provided for each specific setting item, and the indicator lamp corresponding to each specific setting item is lit and blinks. 2. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two setting states are identified by the state. 3. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific setting item is a setting item for turning on / off the flicker reduction function. 3. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the specific setting item includes two setting items, a setting item for turning on / off the flicker reduction function and a setting item for turning on / off the backlight correction function. apparatus.

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