JP2008085715A - Photographing system, photographing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily photograph an object such as a stuffed toy and a child. <P>SOLUTION: A positional relationship between the stuffed toy 4 disposed at a photographing place and a human figure 5 present at the photographing place is detected. A camera 6 is zoomed, panned and/or tilted to bring the stuffed toy 4 and the human figure 5 into a predetermined positional relationship. When the stuffed toy 4 and the human figure 5 are brought into the predetermined positional relationship, photographing is performed, and an image is captured. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing system and a photographing method suitable for photographing in a photographing studio, and a program for causing a computer to execute the photographing method.

In the photo studio of a photo shop, a professional photographer is asked to shoot, and children are photographed with various objects such as stuffed animals, children's houses, trees etc. installed in the photo studio, and the photo is left in commemoration Yes. However, it is difficult for a child to remain stationary during shooting. For this reason, there has been proposed a camera that can change the distance measuring operation range of the subject by following the subject within the angle of view of the camera (Patent Document 1). By using such a camera, it becomes easy to focus on a moving child, so that an image without failure can be obtained.
JP-A-5-61092

  However, if the child is in front of the photographer, the child becomes nervous, and it is difficult to shoot with a natural expression. The technique described in Patent Document 1 is easy to focus on the subject, but it is difficult to photograph at the timing when the child has a natural expression. In addition, if the child moves strongly, the child may be hidden in the shadow of the object in the shooting studio, so that a preferable image cannot be easily obtained.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to make it particularly easy to photograph an object and a child.

An imaging system according to the present invention includes an imaging unit having a zoom function, a pan function, and a tilt function for acquiring an image by imaging,
Detecting means for detecting a positional relationship between an object existing at the shooting location and a person existing at the shooting location;
The photographing means is zoomed, panned and / or tilted so that the object and the person have a predetermined positional relationship, and the photographing is performed when the object and the person have the predetermined positional relationship. Control means for controlling the photographing means so as to acquire the image.

  Examples of the “object” include a stuffed animal, a child's house, and a tree as described above. Note that the object need not be fixed at the shooting location, and may be placed so as to be movable.

  In the imaging system according to the present invention, the detection unit detects the positional relationship between the object and the person by recognizing the position of the object and the person included in the through image acquired by the imaging unit. It may be a means.

  In the photographing system according to the present invention, the detecting means may be means for detecting the position of the object based on a signal output from an object IC tag attached to the object.

  In this case, it is preferable that the object IC tag is attached to the top of the object.

  In the photographing system according to the present invention, the detection means may be means for detecting the position of the person based on a signal output from a person IC tag carried by the person.

  In this case, it is preferable that the person IC tag is attached to the person's shoes.

  In particular, the person IC tag is preferably attached to the toe portion and the heel portion of the shoe.

  Further, in the photographing system according to the present invention, the detection means is a means for further detecting that the person's face faces the front, and the control means further includes the control unit when the person's face faces the front. It is good also as a means to control the said imaging | photography means so that an image may be acquired.

A photographing method according to the present invention is a photographing method in a photographing system including a photographing unit having a zoom function, a pan function, and a tilt function, which acquires an image by photographing.
Detecting the positional relationship between an object present at the shooting location and a person present at the shooting location;
Zoom, pan and / or tilt the photographing means so that the object and the person are in a predetermined positional relationship,
The image is acquired by performing the photographing when the object and the person are in the predetermined positional relationship.

  In addition, you may provide as a program for making a computer perform the imaging | photography method by this invention.

  According to the present invention, the positional relationship between the object and the person is detected, and the photographing unit is zoomed, panned and / or tilted so that the object and the person have a predetermined positional relationship. Then, when an object and a person have a predetermined positional relationship, shooting is performed and an image is acquired. This eliminates the need for a cameraman when shooting. Therefore, the child is not nervous at the time of shooting, and the child can obtain an image with a natural expression. In addition, since shooting is not performed in a state hidden behind the shadow of the object, an image in which the object and the child are in a preferable positional relationship can be acquired. Moreover, since a photographer is not required, labor costs can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a shooting studio using the shooting system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, in this photography studio, the background 2 is installed on the floor 3. A bear stuffed animal 4 is installed in front of the background 2, and the imaging system 1 of the present embodiment including the camera 6 is arranged in front of the background 2. Then, the stuffed animal 4 and the person 5 are photographed by the camera 6.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the photographing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging system 1 according to the first embodiment performs various controls such as image data recording control and display control, and also controls the CPU 12 that controls each part of the imaging system 1 and operates the CPU 12. A system memory 14 including a ROM in which programs to be executed and various constants are recorded, and a RAM serving as a work area when the CPU 12 executes processing, a display unit 16 including a liquid crystal monitor for performing various displays, and a display unit 16, a display control unit 18 that controls 16, an input unit 20 including a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel for performing various instructions and inputs to the imaging system 1, and an input control unit 22 that controls the input unit 20. Prepare.

  The photographing system 1 also includes an image reading unit 24 for reading image data from the camera 6, an image reading control unit 26 for controlling the image reading unit 24, and a hard disk 28 for storing various information including image data. .

  In addition, the photographing system 1 zooms, pans and tilts the camera 6 and also provides a camera driving unit 30 for instructing the camera 6 to perform photographing, and the stuffed toy 4 based on a through image acquired by the camera 6. And a detection unit 32 that detects a positional relationship with the person 5 as a subject. Note that the through image is an image acquired by sequentially capturing an image of the subject regardless of the operation when the camera 6 is in a shooting preparation state before shooting.

  Here, in the first embodiment, an image of a reference pattern representing a preferable positional relationship between the stuffed animal 4 and the person 5 is stored in the hard disk 28. FIG. 3 shows an image of a reference pattern. As shown in FIG. 3, the reference pattern P1 includes an area E1 corresponding to the outer shape of the stuffed toy 4 and an area E2 into which the person 5 is to enter.

  The detection unit 32 performs pattern matching between the through image acquired by the camera 6 and the reference pattern P1, and the zoom amount, pan amount, and panning amount of the camera 6 so that the stuffed animal 4 is located in the area E1 and the person 5 is located in the area E2. // Tilt amount (hereinafter referred to as a set value) is calculated. Then, the calculated set value is input to the camera driving unit 30. The camera driving unit 30 performs zooming, panning and / or tilting of the camera 6 based on the set value.

  In addition, the detection unit 32 inputs a shooting instruction to the camera driving unit 30 so that shooting is performed when the stuffed toy 4 is located in the area E1 of the reference pattern P1 and the person 5 is positioned in the area E2. If the stuffed animal 4 and the person 5 are separated from each other, the positional relationship between the stuffed animal 4 and the person 5 may not be the reference pattern P1 even if the camera 6 is zoomed, panned and / or tilted. In such a case, the calculation of the set value is continued until the positional relationship between the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 becomes the reference pattern P1, that is, until the person 5 approaches the stuffed toy 4.

  Next, processing performed in the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing performed in the first embodiment. The CPU 12 starts processing when the operator gives an instruction for photographing from the input unit 20, the image reading unit 24 reads the through image acquired by the camera 6 (step ST1), and the detection unit 32 uses the through image and the reference pattern P1. (Step ST2). Then, the stuffed toy 4 in the area E1 determines whether or not the person 5 is located in the area E2 (step ST3). If step ST3 is negative, a set value is calculated (step ST4).

  Then, the camera driving unit 30 drives the camera 6 based on the set value calculated by the detecting unit 32, that is, the camera 6 is zoomed, panned and / or tilted (step ST5), and the process returns to step ST1.

  If step ST3 is affirmed, the detection unit 32 outputs a shooting instruction to the camera driving unit 30 (step ST6). As a result, the camera drive unit 30 takes an image with the camera 6 (step ST7), and the process ends.

  Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, an image in which the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 are arranged can be obtained.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, since the camera 6 is driven to perform shooting so that the positional relationship between the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 becomes the reference pattern P1, a cameraman is not required for shooting. . Therefore, particularly when a child is a subject, the child is not nervous at the time of shooting, and the child can obtain a natural expression image. Further, since shooting is not performed in a state hidden behind the shadow of the stuffed toy 4, an image in which the stuffed toy 4 and the child have a preferable positional relationship can be acquired. In addition, since a cameraman is not necessary, the labor cost of the cameraman can be reduced in the shooting studio.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a shooting studio using the shooting system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted here. A shooting studio using the shooting system 1A according to the second embodiment embeds a communication element (hereinafter referred to as an IC tag) 7 such as a small non-contact IC memory tag capable of wireless communication in the head portion of the stuffed toy 4. At the same time, IC tags 8A and 8B are embedded in the toes and heels of the shoes of the person 5 as the subject, and the position and height of the stuffed toy 4 and the position and orientation of the person 5 are determined using the IC tags 7, 8A and 8B. It is intended to be detected.

  For this reason, a plurality of sensors 9 for detecting the positions of the IC tags 7, 8A, 8B are two-dimensionally arranged in a predetermined range 3A in front of the background 2 of the floor 3. In addition, a plurality of sensors 10 for detecting the height of the IC tag 7 from the floor 3 are arranged two-dimensionally between the background 2 and the camera 6 perpendicularly from the floor 3.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the imaging system 1B according to the second embodiment replaces the detection unit 32 in the first embodiment with the position and height of the stuffed animal 4 and the person 5 based on the outputs of the sensors 9 and 10. The point provided with the detection part 34 which detects the position and direction of is different from the first embodiment.

  Here, the IC tags 7, 8A, 8B output signals representing different ID information at predetermined time intervals, and the sensors 9, 10 are signals representing the ID information output by the IC tags 7, 8A, 8B. Is received, the reception information indicating that it has been received is output to the detection unit 34 together with the corresponding ID information. The detection unit 34 detects the positions of the IC tags 7, 8A, and 8B based on the position of the sensor 9 that outputs the reception information and the corresponding ID information. Then, the position of the stuffed toy 4 is detected based on the position of the IC tag 7, the position of the person 5 is detected based on the positions of the IC tags 8A, 8B, and the orientation of the person 5 is determined based on the positional relationship between the IC tags 8A, 8B. To detect.

  Further, the detection unit 34 detects the height of the IC tag 7, that is, the height of the stuffed toy 4 based on the position of the sensor 10 that has output the received information.

  Then, the detection unit 34 calculates the zoom amount, pan amount and / or tilt amount (hereinafter referred to as a set value) of the camera 6 so as to face the detected stuffed animals 4 and the person 5. Then, the calculated set value is input to the camera driving unit 30. Thereby, the camera driving unit 30 controls zoom, pan and / or tilt of the camera based on the set value.

  In addition, the detection unit 34 inputs a shooting instruction to the camera driving unit 30 so that shooting is performed when the positions and orientations of the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 have a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern may be a state in which the stuffed animals 4 and the person 5 are arranged and the person 5 faces the camera 6.

  Next, processing performed in the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing performed in the second embodiment. The CPU 12 starts processing when the operator gives an instruction for photographing from the input unit 20, and the detection unit 34 receives the outputs of the sensors 9 and 10 (step ST <b> 11), and based on the output results of the sensors 9 and 10. Then, the position and height of the stuffed toy 4 and the position of the person 5 are detected (step ST12). Then, the detection unit 34 determines whether or not the camera 6 is facing the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 based on the detected position (step ST13), and calculates a set value when step ST13 is negative (step ST13). Step ST14). Then, the camera driving unit 30 drives the camera 6 based on the set value calculated by the detecting unit 34, that is, the camera 6 is zoomed, panned and / or tilted (step ST15), and the process returns to step ST11.

  If step ST13 is positive, the detection unit 34 determines whether the positions and orientations of the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 are in a predetermined pattern (step ST16). If step ST16 is negative, the process returns to step ST11 considering that the person 5 moves. If step ST16 is affirmed, the detection unit 34 outputs a shooting instruction to the camera driving unit 30 (step ST17), whereby the camera driving unit 30 performs shooting with the camera 6 (step ST18), and the process ends.

  Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5, an image in which the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 are arranged can be obtained. Even if the person 5 moves around the stuffed toy 4, the camera 6 can follow the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 by detecting the positions of the IC tags 7, 8A, 8B. 5 can be obtained. In addition, when the person 5 is hidden behind the stuffed toy 4 or when the person 5 is positioned in front of the stuffed toy 4, shooting is not performed, so an image in which the stuffed toy 4 and the person 5 are arranged is displayed. You can definitely get it.

  In the first and second embodiments, the face is detected from the through image acquired by the camera 6, it is determined whether the detected face is facing the front, and the face is facing the front. It is also possible to issue a shooting instruction only during the period. Thereby, the face of the person 5 acquired by imaging | photography can be made to face the front.

  Moreover, in the said 2nd Embodiment, although the height of the stuffed toy 4 is detected by the sensors 9 and 10 arrange | positioned two-dimensionally, the signal which the IC tags 7 output which the sensors 9 and 10 receive is received. You may make it detect the height of the stuffed toy 4 by determining the intensity | strength of an electromagnetic wave and calculating the distance from the sensors 9 and 10 according to the intensity | strength.

  In the second embodiment, the IC tags 8A and 8B are embedded in the shoes of the person 5 to detect the position and orientation of the person 5, but the camera 6 can be used without using the IC tags 8A and 8B. May detect the face from the acquired through image, and detect the position and orientation of the person 5 based on the detected position and orientation of the face.

  In the first and second embodiments, the stuffed toy 4 is installed in the shooting studio. However, in addition to the stuffed toy, it is also possible to shoot using objects such as children's houses and trees. . In this case, in the first embodiment, the reference pattern may include an area corresponding to the outer shape of the object. In the second embodiment, an IC tag may be attached to an object to be used.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, a program that causes a computer to function as means corresponding to the above-described detection units 32 and 34 and performs processing as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 is also an embodiment of the present invention. One. A computer-readable recording medium in which such a program is recorded is also one embodiment of the present invention.

The figure which shows the example of the imaging | photography studio using the imaging | photography system by the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a photographing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure showing a reference pattern image The flowchart which shows the process performed in 1st Embodiment. Figure showing an image of a stuffed animal and a person The figure which shows the example of the imaging | photography studio using the imaging | photography system by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The schematic block diagram which shows the structure of the imaging | photography system by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the process performed in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A Shooting system 2 Background 3 Floor 4 Stuffed toy 5 Person 6 Camera 7, 8A, 8B IC tag 9, 10 Sensor 12 CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 System memory 16 Display part 18 Display control part 20 Input part 22 Input control part 24 Image reading part 26 Image reading control part 28 Hard disk 30 Camera drive part 32,34 Detection part

Claims (10)

An imaging means for obtaining an image by shooting, having a zoom function, a pan function, and a tilt function;
Detecting means for detecting a positional relationship between an object existing at the shooting location and a person existing at the shooting location;
The photographing means is zoomed, panned and / or tilted so that the object and the person have a predetermined positional relationship, and the photographing is performed when the object and the person have the predetermined positional relationship. And a control means for controlling the photographing means so as to acquire the image.   The detection unit is a unit that detects a positional relationship between the object and the person by recognizing positions of the object and the person included in a through image acquired by the photographing unit. The imaging system according to 1.   3. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is means for detecting the position of the object based on a signal output from an object IC tag attached to the object.   4. The photographing system according to claim 3, wherein the object IC tag is attached to the top of the object.   5. The photographing according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is a unit that detects a position of the person based on a signal output from an IC tag for a person possessed by the person. system.   6. The photographing system according to claim 5, wherein the person IC tag is attached to a shoe of the person.   The photographing system according to claim 6, wherein the IC tag for person is attached to a toe portion and a heel portion of the shoe.   The detection means is means for further detecting that the face of the person is facing the front, and the control means further includes the photographing means for acquiring the image when the face of the person is facing the front. 8. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the photographing system is a control means. In a photographing method in a photographing system including photographing means having a zoom function, a pan function, and a tilt function for acquiring an image by photographing,
Detecting the positional relationship between an object present at the shooting location and a person present at the shooting location;
Zooming and / or tilting the photographing means so that the object and the person are in a predetermined positional relationship,
An imaging method, wherein the image is acquired by performing the imaging when the object and the person are in the predetermined positional relationship. In a program for causing a computer to execute a shooting method in a shooting system including a shooting unit having a zoom function, a pan function, and a tilt function to acquire an image by shooting,
A procedure for detecting a positional relationship between an object existing at the shooting location and a person existing at the shooting location;
A procedure for zooming, panning and / or tilting the photographing means so that the object and the person have a predetermined positional relationship;
And a program for acquiring the image by performing the photographing when the object and the person are in the predetermined positional relationship.

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