JP2009182641A - Interphone device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an interphone device in which a living room master unit is not made large in size even though the living room master unit is provided with both a backlight correction mode and a night vision mode, and also excellent in user-friendliness. <P>SOLUTION: An entrance phone slave unit 2 is provided with an illumination detection sensor 12 for detecting the illumination of an imaging area, a backlight correction processing part 10 for performing the backlight correction of a video image picked up by a camera 8, a night vision control part 9 for making the camera 8 perform a night vision operation, and a control part 11 for controlling the operation of each part. The living room master unit 3 is provided with a video image correction button 26 for commanding an entrance slave unit 2 to correct a video image wherein, upon receiving an operation of the video image correction button 26, the control part 11 detects the illumination of the imaging area, operates either the backlight correction processing part 10 or the night vision control part 9 on the basis of the detected illumination, and transmits a backlight corrected video image or a video image picked up by a night vision operation to the living room master unit 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is installed at a front door, etc., and an entrance cordless device with a camera for a visitor to call a resident, and installed in a living room or the like so as to be able to communicate with the entrance cordless device, and can display an image captured by the camera The present invention relates to an intercom apparatus including a living room parent device having a display unit.

  In an intercom device equipped with a camera in the front door unit and a monitor in the living room base unit, the imaging area may become too bright due to backlight or the like, and the image displayed on the monitor may be difficult to see. . In view of this, an intercom apparatus (for example, Patent Document 1) has been devised that includes a backlight correction processing unit that performs backlight processing on an image captured by a camera in a parent device. On the other hand, a night vision camera has been devised in which an imaging area that is too dark can be suitably imaged by operating the camera at a low shutter speed.

JP-A-5-236478

Here, it is fully conceivable that the imaging area that can be captured by the camera of the entrance unit is too dark, so when you try to use the camera installed in the entrance unit as a night vision camera, set the backlight compensation switch on the base unit. The conventional intercom device is simply equipped with a night-vision camera on the entrance cordless handset, and a separate night-vision switch is provided on the base unit for instructing the entrance cordless handset to operate the camera in the night-vision mode. When the configuration is adopted, the number of switches provided in the living room parent unit increases, which causes problems such as an increase in the size of the living room parent unit, narrowing of the design freedom of the living room parent unit (design is limited), and cost increase.
It is also conceivable to reduce the number of members in the room master unit by providing a switch button for switching video display control in the intercom device between the backlight correction mode and the night vision mode each time it is operated. However, in such a configuration in which the changeover switch is provided, since a mode different from the mode that is actually selected may be selected first, it is troublesome to use, and a CPU that supervises the video display control of the intercom device (for example, a room parent) There is a problem that a load is applied to the CPU of the machine and it is easy to break down.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and although the back light correction mode and the night vision mode are both provided, the living room base unit does not increase in size and is easy to use. It is intended to provide an excellent intercom device.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is an entrance cordless handset provided with a camera for photographing a visitor, and connected to the entrance cordless handset so as to be able to communicate with each other. An intercom device comprising a main unit with a display unit for displaying a video, an illuminance detection unit for detecting the illuminance of the imaging area, and a backlight for correcting the video imaged by the camera. While comprising a backlight correction processing unit, a low speed control unit for causing the camera to perform image pickup operation at a low shutter speed, and a control unit for controlling operations of the illuminance detection unit, the backlight correction processing unit, and the low speed control unit, In addition, command means for instructing the entrance slave unit to correct the image can be operated by a resident, etc., and the control unit picks up an image by the illuminance detection unit according to the operation of the command unit in the living room master unit. Detect the illuminance of the area When it is determined that the imaging area is high illuminance based on the detected illuminance, the backlight correction processing unit is operated, and the captured image is transmitted to the parent unit after being corrected for backlight by the backlight correction processing unit. When it is determined, the low-speed control unit is operated, and an image captured at a low-speed shutter speed is transmitted to the parent room.
According to this configuration, it is only necessary to provide one instruction means as an instruction means for instructing video correction on the side of the living room master unit, thereby reducing the number of members, and further reducing the size of the living room master unit and improving the degree of design freedom. Etc. can be achieved. In addition, since it is automatically selected whether to operate the backlight correction processing unit or the low-speed control unit in the entrance cordless handset, it is easier to use and uses unnecessary video processing than a simple switch. By eliminating control switching, no load is applied to the control unit or the like of the entrance cordless handset. Furthermore, since the control unit and the backlight correction processing unit are provided in the entrance cordless handset, a signal related to the determination of the video processing control can be performed by one-way communication from the living room base phone to the entrance cordless handset. Therefore, the communication related to the determination of the video processing control can be made simple and smooth, and the cost of the communication circuit related to the communication can be reduced.

In the invention described in claim 2, in the invention described in claim 1, in the entrance unit, the camera includes an automatic exposure control unit for performing automatic exposure control, and the automatic exposure control unit is an illuminance detection unit. It is characterized by.
According to this configuration, there is no need to separately provide an illuminance detection sensor or the like in the entrance unit, and there is an effect that the number of members in the entrance unit can be reduced and the entrance unit can be downsized. In addition, since the illuminance determination can be performed based on the brightness of the camera lens and the like, there is an effect that a more appropriate illuminance determination can be performed on the actually captured image. Furthermore, since it is possible to perform more gradual illuminance detection compared to an illuminance detection sensor or the like, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of flicker and the like, and the dynamic range for performing illuminance detection is widened. Therefore, there is also an effect that the control unit can execute video processing control according to the situation.

  According to the present invention, it is only necessary to provide one instruction means as an instruction means for instructing correction of an image on the side of the living room master unit, thereby reducing the number of members, and further reducing the size of the living room parent machine and improving the degree of freedom of design. Etc. can be achieved. In addition, since the control unit and the backlight correction processing unit are provided in the entrance cordless handset, a signal related to the determination of the video processing control can be performed only once in one direction from the living room base phone to the entrance cordless handset. Therefore, the communication related to the determination of the video processing control can be made simple and smooth, and the cost of the communication circuit related to the communication can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, an intercom apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the intercom device 1.
The intercom device 1 is installed at the entrance, etc., and the entrance cordless handset 2 for a visitor to call a resident, and is installed in the living room etc. so as to be able to communicate with the entrance cordless handset 2, so that the resident responds to the call. It consists of the living room base unit 3. The entrance cordless handset 2 includes a call button 4 that can be operated by a visitor, and includes a microphone 5, a speaker 6, and a handset voice unit 7. The machine 3 is called, and a call can be made with the room base unit 3 in response to a response from the room base unit 3. In addition, the entrance cordless handset 2 is equipped with a camera 8 capable of night-vision operation (that is, operation at a low shutter speed), a night-vision control unit 9 for operating the camera 8 in night-vision operation, and a camera 8. Are provided with a backlight correction processing unit 10 for backlight correction of an image captured by the camera and a control unit 11 for controlling operations related to the video processing. Further, the entrance cordless handset 2 is provided with an illuminance detection sensor 12 for detecting the brightness (illuminance) of the imaging area imaged by the camera 8. Reference numeral 13 denotes a modulation unit for modulating the image captured by the camera 8 or the image subjected to the backlight correction processing so that the image can be transmitted to the living room parent unit 3, and 14 denotes various signals and the like with the living room parent unit 3. This is a slave interface for transmitting and receiving video.

  On the other hand, the living room base unit 3 includes a call button 21 that can be operated by a resident, and includes a microphone 22, a speaker 23, and a base unit voice unit 24. When the call button 21 is operated in response to the call, a call can be made with the front door 2. In addition, the living room master unit 3 is provided with a monitor 25 for displaying an image captured by the camera 8 of the entrance slave unit 2, and the monitor 25 is caused by the brightness of the imaging area captured by the camera 8. An image correction button 26 that is operated when the image displayed on the screen is difficult to view is provided. Reference numeral 27 denotes a demodulating unit for demodulating the video transmitted from the front cordless handset 2 so that it can be displayed on the monitor 25. Reference numeral 28 denotes a CPU for controlling a telephone call, video display, etc. in the room master unit 3. , 29 are master unit interfaces for transmitting and receiving various signals and images to and from the entrance slave unit 2.

Hereinafter, video display control in the intercom apparatus 1 which is a main part of the present invention will be described.
First, when the call button 4 of the entrance cordless handset 2 is operated by a visitor, the camera 8 starts a normal imaging operation, and the room master unit 3 displays an image captured by the normal imaging on the monitor 25. . Here, when it is difficult to visually recognize the image because the imaging area is too bright or too dark, the image correction button 26 is pushed by the resident. Then, when the CPU 28 of the room master unit 3 receives the operation of the video correction button 26, the CPU 28 transmits a correction command signal for correcting the video to be transmitted to the entrance slave unit 2.

When receiving the correction command signal, the control unit 11 of the entrance cordless handset 2 detects the illuminance of the imaging area by the illuminance detection sensor 12. When it is determined that the imaging area is high illuminance based on the detected illuminance detected by the illuminance detection sensor 12, the backlight correction processing unit 10 is operated, and the image captured by the camera 8 is corrected by the backlight correction processing unit 10. After that, modulation is performed and control is performed to transmit to the room master unit 3. Accordingly, the backlight-corrected video is displayed on the monitor 25 of the living room master unit 3.
On the other hand, when the control unit 11 of the entrance cordless handset 2 determines that the imaging area is low illuminance based on the detected illuminance, it operates the night vision control unit 9 to modulate the video imaged by the night vision operation and Control to transmit to the machine 3. Therefore, the image captured by the night vision operation is displayed on the monitor 25 of the living room master unit 3.
When the detected illuminance cannot be determined to be high illuminance or low illuminance (that is, in the intermediate range), the control unit 11 operates both the night vision control unit 9 and the backlight correction processing unit 10. Instead, the normal imaging operation is continued.

  According to the intercom apparatus 1 configured as described above, the entrance cordless handset 2 is provided with the illuminance detection sensor 12 for detecting the illuminance of the imaging area, and whether the imaging area has high illuminance based on the detected illuminance. Alternatively, a control unit 11 that determines whether the illumination is low is provided, and when a correction command signal is received from the living room base unit 3, appropriate video processing control is automatically selected and executed based on the detected illumination. . Therefore, it is only necessary to provide one video correction button 26 as a command means for commanding video correction on the side of the living room master unit 3, thereby reducing the number of members, and further reducing the size of the living room base unit 3 and improving the degree of freedom of design. Etc. can be achieved. In addition, since it is automatically selected whether to perform backlight correction processing or night-vision operation in the entrance cordless handset 2, it is easier to use and uses unnecessary video processing than a simple switch. Since the control is not switched, no load is applied to the control unit 11 of the front door unit 2, the CPU 28 of the living room base unit 3, or the like.

  Furthermore, since the control unit 11 and the backlight correction processing unit 10 are provided in the entrance cordless handset 2, a signal related to the determination of the video processing control may be transmitted only once from the living room base unit 3 to the entrance cordless handset 2. (That is, when the control unit 11 or the like is provided in the living room base unit 3, after transmitting a signal for instructing illuminance detection from the living room base unit 3 to the front door unit 2, the illuminance detected from the front door unit 2 is received, In the case of low illuminance, it is necessary to transmit a control signal to the front door 2 again so that the night vision operation is performed, which requires two-way communication and increases the number of times of communication). Therefore, the communication related to the determination of the video processing control can be made simple and smooth, and the cost of the communication circuit related to the communication can be reduced.

  In addition, the intercom device according to the present invention is not limited to the aspect described in the above embodiment, and the configuration related to the entrance cordless handset 2 and the living room base unit 3 is within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention. It can be changed as necessary.

For example, in the intercom apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, the illuminance detection sensor 12 is separately provided in the entrance cordless handset 2. However, if the camera 8 has an automatic exposure control unit, the control unit 10 includes It is also possible to determine the illuminance of the imaging area based on the photometric calculation result indicating the operation state of the automatic exposure control unit (that is, the automatic exposure control unit constitutes the illuminance detection unit).
By adopting this configuration, there is no need to provide the illuminance detection sensor 12, and there is an effect that the number of members in the entrance cordless handset 2 can be reduced, the size of the entrance cordless handset 2 can be reduced, and the like. In addition, since the illuminance determination can be performed based on the brightness of the lens of the camera 8 and the like, there is an effect that a more appropriate illuminance determination can be performed on the actually captured image. Furthermore, since more gradual illuminance detection can be performed as compared with the illuminance detection sensor 12, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of flicker and the like, and the dynamic range for performing illuminance detection is widened. Therefore, the control unit 11 performs video processing control depending on the situation, for example, an under correction mode including iris control when an extremely bright subject is imaged, switching of saturation processing for the purpose of improving visibility of high illuminance, outdoor -There is also an effect that switching of flicker suppression control by indoor determination and switching of auto white balance mode can be executed.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the intercom apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  1 .. Interphone device, 2 .... Entrance cordless device, 3 .... Living room parent device, 4 .... Call button, 8 .... Camera, 9 .... Night vision control unit (low speed control unit), 10 .... Backlight correction processing 11. Control unit 12. Illuminance detection sensor (illuminance detection unit) 25. Monitor 26. Image correction button (command means) 28. CPU.

Claims (2)

An intercom device comprising an entrance slave device having a camera for imaging a visitor, and a living room parent device connected to the entrance slave device so as to be able to communicate with each other and having a display unit for displaying an image captured by the camera Because
An illuminance detection unit that detects the illuminance of the imaging area, a backlight correction processing unit for correcting backlight captured by the camera, and a low-speed control for causing the camera to perform an imaging operation at a low shutter speed. A control unit that controls the operation of the illuminance detection unit, the backlight correction processing unit, and the low-speed control unit,
The living room master unit is provided with command means for commanding image correction to the entrance cordless handset so that operation by a resident or the like is possible.
When the control unit detects the illuminance of the imaging area by the illuminance detection unit in accordance with the operation of the command unit in the living room base unit, and determines that the imaging area has high illuminance based on the detected illuminance, the backlight The correction processing unit is operated, and the captured image is backlit by the backlight correction processing unit and then transmitted to the base unit. On the other hand, when it is determined that the illumination is low, the low speed control unit is operated and imaging is performed at a low shutter speed. An intercom apparatus, wherein the recorded video is transmitted to the room master unit.   2. The intercom apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes an automatic exposure control unit for performing automatic exposure control, and the automatic exposure control unit is used as the illuminance detection unit.

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