JP2010130061A - Motor-driven universal head camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a motor-driven universal head camera device, capable of correctly stopping the direction of a camera even in a non-conduction state, and to achieve lower power consumption of the motor-driven universal head camera device. <P>SOLUTION: The motor-driven universal head camera device includes a horizontal rotating mechanism and a vertical rotating mechanism and is used mainly for an outdoor monitoring system. In the unit, non-excitation brakes are attached to a horizontal rotating shaft and a vertical rotating shaft, respectively, and the non-excitation brakes are operated to bring each of the rotating shafts into a fixed (static) state, and the power consumption of the motor-driven universal head camera device in monitoring in a static state (fixed point monitoring sate) is remarkably reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a surveillance camera, and in particular, an electric pan head mainly for an outdoor surveillance system, which is composed of an electric pan head that rotates horizontally and vertically by a motor, an outdoor camera housing, a camera, a lens, a heater, a fan, and the like. The present invention relates to a pan head camera device.

Conventionally, in an electric pan head camera device, even when monitoring a stationary state in which the horizontal and vertical rotation mechanisms are not driven, the direction of the camera moves to an unintended direction due to external factors (vibration, strong wind, etc.). . In order to prevent this, the electric pan head camera device has a structure in which each rotary shaft ensures the positional accuracy by always passing a constant excitation current to a motor that is a part of the horizontal rotation mechanism or the vertical rotation mechanism. .
However, constantly supplying a constant current to the motor has been a major obstacle to power reduction. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for reducing power consumption by performing schedule management and suspending functions other than those necessary for the time and time when the user does not use, and Patent Document 2 describes the amount of power storage and power generation. Describes a technique for reducing power consumption by limiting the operation of the camera platform. However, in any case, the reduction in power consumption when all the functions of the pan head camera are operating, in particular, the means for maintaining the orientation of the camera due to the above external factors, etc. are not considered much.
In Patent Document 3, as a function of preventing the head from swinging, a solenoid, a plunger that is moved in the first direction by the solenoid, a lever that is rotatably provided to the plunger, and a non-energization of the solenoid Sometimes, an urging means for urging the plunger to move in the axial direction and attracting the lever, and a turning device (a pan head) for turning a camera for imaging a monitoring object with respect to the pedestal part Measures have been taken to provide an attachment portion attached to a camera turning device attached in a state of having.

JP 2005-86607 A JP 2007-78195 A JP 2003-198884 A

As described above, conventionally, as described in Patent Document 3, in order to prevent the camera platform from rotating when energized and to prevent the camera platform from rotating when not energized, rotation between the fixed platform and the camera platform is performed. There was a stopper mechanism to suppress. However, in order to operate this stopper mechanism, a large braking force is required, and there is a problem that it is difficult to accurately stop the camera for a surveillance camera.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to realize an electric pan head camera apparatus capable of accurately stopping the orientation of a camera even in a non-energized state. It is to realize low power consumption.

In order to achieve the above object, an electric pan head camera apparatus according to the present invention is an electric pan head camera apparatus including a fixed portion, a rotating portion, and a camera housing portion, wherein the camera housing portion is controlled by a camera housing portion. And a camera module for imaging the field of view. The rotation unit includes a microcomputer for controlling the camera device, a horizontal rotation mechanism unit equipped with a horizontal rotation axis non-excitation brake, and a vertical rotation axis non-excitation. A vertical rotation mechanism portion on which a brake is mounted, and when the microcomputer for controlling the camera device receives a low power consumption mode in response to an external command via the fixed portion, the horizontal rotation mechanism portion and the The power to be supplied to the vertical rotating shaft mechanism is turned off.
Preferably, when the low power consumption mode is received, the power is turned off after the rotating unit is rotated to a predetermined preset position.
Preferably, a current or voltage limited to a predetermined value is supplied to each motor driver provided in the horizontal rotation mechanism unit and the vertical rotation mechanism unit. Further, the value of the limited current or voltage is a minimum value capable of generating a predetermined holding torque in the corresponding stepping motor of the horizontal rotation mechanism unit or the vertical rotation mechanism unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a camera device capable of reducing power consumption and a monitoring system using the camera device.

An electric pan head camera apparatus according to the present invention is an electric pan head camera apparatus that is mainly used in an outdoor monitoring system and includes a horizontal rotation mechanism and a vertical rotation mechanism, and includes a non-excitation brake on each of the horizontal rotation axis and the vertical rotation axis. By mounting and operating this non-excitation brake, each rotating shaft is fixed (stationary), and the power consumption of the electric pan head camera device during monitoring in this stationary state (fixed point monitoring state) is greatly reduced. Made possible.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, the electric pan head camera apparatus of the present invention will be described. 1A to 1D are block diagrams showing an outline of an embodiment of the electric camera platform camera apparatus of the present invention. The electric pan head camera device includes a camera housing portion 53 for imaging the inside of the monitoring visual field, a rotating portion 54 for rotating the camera housing portion 53 to a desired visual field range, and a fixing portion 55. Furthermore, a rotating shaft for rotating the rotating unit 54 and a slip ring 50 for supplying electric power from the fixing unit 55 are provided between the fixing unit 55 and the rotating unit 54.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing a configuration of the camera housing portion 53, and FIG. 1D is a block diagram showing a configuration of the fixing portion 55. FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the rotating unit (1), and FIG. 1C is a block diagram showing the configuration of the rotating unit (2). That is, the rotation unit 54 is configured as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C.
1A and 1B respectively show VIDEO, GND (V), VLENS, +5 V (CAM), TX / RX, GND (CAM), CAM_DC, FG, +12 V (MT), +12 V (CAM), GND (CAM). ), +36 V (MT), and GND (MT), etc.
1B and 1D show signal lines such as (B), {TX (+), TX (-), RX (+), RX (-)}, AC (L), and AC (N). Or they are connected by a power line.
Further, FIGS. 1B and 1C are coupled by signal lines or power lines such as (A), +12 V (MT), and +36 V (MT).

  In the camera housing part 53 of FIG. 1A, 1 is defrost glass, 2 is a wiper motor, 3 is a heater, 4 is a fan, 5 is a zoom lens, 6 is a camera module part, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are power relays, 11 is a driver IC for driving the zoom and focus, 12 is a microcomputer for controlling the camera housing, and 13 is a DC / DC converter.

  1B and 1C, 14 and 15 are signal relays, 16 is a coaxial multiplexing circuit unit, 17 is a power relay, 18 is a three-terminal regulator, 19 is a photocoupler, and 20 is RS-485. The driver IC 21 is a microcomputer for controlling the camera device that controls the electric pan head camera device by a control command input from the outside via a control line and a built-in operation program, and 22 is for controlling the microcomputer 21 and the camera housing unit. Photocoupler for transmitting and receiving signals between microcomputers 12, 23 is a non-volatile memory, 24 is a temperature sensor IC, 25 and 26 are AC / DC converters, 27 and 28 are power relays, 29 is a fan, 30 and 31 Is a DC / DC converter, 32 and 33 are power relays, 34 is a rotation sensor, and 35 is an original. Sensor, 36 is a motor driver for vertical rotation, 37 is a gear, 38 is a stepping motor for vertical rotation, 39 is a heater for gear, 40 is a non-excitation brake for a vertical rotation axis, 41 is a relay for electric power, and 42 is for horizontal rotation A motor driver, 43 is an origin sensor, 44 is a rotation sensor, 45 is a horizontal rotation stepping motor, 46 is a gear, 47 is a gear heater, 48 is a non-excitation brake for a horizontal rotation shaft, and 49 is a power relay.

  Reference numeral 541 denotes a vertical rotation mechanism, which includes a rotation sensor 34, an origin sensor 35, a vertical rotation motor driver 36, a gear 37, a vertical rotation stepping motor 38, a gear heater 39, and a non-excitation brake for a vertical rotation shaft. 40 and a power relay 41. A horizontal rotation mechanism 542 is a horizontal rotation motor driver 42, an origin sensor 43, a rotation sensor 44, a horizontal rotation stepping motor 45, a gear 46, a gear heater 46, and a non-excitation brake for a horizontal rotation shaft. 48 and a power relay 49.

Further, in the fixing portion 55, 51 is a surge protection circuit, 52 is a surge protection circuit and fuse, and 56, 57 and 58 are terminals.
The terminal 56 is a terminal (VIDEO OUT) that outputs an image captured by the electric pan head camera to the outside, and the terminal 57 is a terminal to which a control line for transmitting / receiving control signals or control information to / from the outside is connected. (For example, RS-485 port), and the terminal 58 is a power supply terminal.

  Further, in FIGS. 1A to 1D, since all the power supply lines are complicated to illustrate, they are omitted unless necessary. For example, an AC voltage (AC (L), AC (N)) input from the surge protection circuit of the fixed unit 55 and the fuse 52 to the rotating unit 54 via the slip ring 50 is input to the AC / DC converter 26, DC +36 V (MT) and GND (MT) voltages are converted and output, and DC +36 V (MT) and GND (MT) voltages are input to DC / DC converters 30 and 31, and +5 V (MT) and +12 V ( MT), and AC voltage (AC (L), AC (N)) is input to the AC / DC converter 25, converted to DC + 12V (CAM) and GND (CAM) voltage and output. However, those connections were omitted.

Further, +12 V (MT), +12 V (CAM), GND (CAM), DC +36 V (MT), and GND (MT) are also supplied from the rotating unit 54 to the camera housing unit 53.
In the camera housing portion 53, + 12V (CAM) is input to the DC / DC converter 13, and the DC / DC converter 13 converts it into + 5V (CAM) and VLENS (zoom lens driving) voltages and outputs them.
Note that (MT) means a motor or fan drive power supply, and (CAM) means a camera-related circuit drive power supply. In the normal mode, both (MT) power and (CAM) power are supplied. In the low power consumption mode, (MT) power is not supplied and only (CAM) power is supplied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outline of the electric pan head camera apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 53 denotes a camera housing portion, 54 denotes a rotating portion, and 55 denotes a fixed portion.
In FIG. 2, the fixing portion 55 is a portion that is fixed and is a portion that does not move to the installation location. A configuration of the electric pan head camera apparatus when the fixing portion 55 is installed on a horizontal surface will be described.
A rotating part 54 that rotates horizontally is provided on the fixed part 55, and a camera housing part 53 that rotates in the vertical direction beside the rotating part 54. In the camera housing portion 53, a camera device for capturing an image within the visual field range is accommodated.

1A to 1D, the electric pan / tilt head camera apparatus has two operation modes of a normal control mode and a low power consumption mode (ECO mode).
In either of the two operation modes, the devices that are always supplied with power and are operating are the microcomputers 12 and 21 and the RS-485 driver IC 20. However, when the external control line connected to the terminal 57 is a coaxial multiplexing system, the coaxial multiplexing circuit 16 is always supplied with power, and for this purpose, the relay 17 is also turned on (closed state), Further, the relays 14 and 15 operate so that the video signal lines of the camera module unit 6 and the slip ring 50 are connected to the coaxial multiplexing circuit 16. Also, the driver IC 11 for zoom and focus and the zoom lens 5 also operate so as to be held under predetermined setting conditions so that the camera module unit 6 can capture images.
Note that devices that do not require a power source in operation, such as the three-terminal regulator 18, are not mentioned.

  In power supply in the normal mode, the relays 7 and 8 are turned on, and the relays 9 and 10 are automatically controlled according to the ambient temperature reading by the temperature sensor IC 24. Similarly, the relay 27 is turned on, and the relays 28 and 32 are automatically controlled according to the ambient temperature reading by the temperature sensor IC 24. Similarly, the relays 33, 41, and 49 are turned on, and at least one of the horizontal rotation and the vertical rotation can be quickly performed by the control from the outside.

In the embodiment of the electric pan head camera apparatus of FIG. 1, the microcomputer 21 receives and controls a control command input from the outside via a control line in the normal mode, thereby reducing the electric pan head camera apparatus. An electric power (ECO) mode can be set.
In the low power consumption mode, the orientation (horizontal position (rotation angle), vertical position (rotation angle)) of the camera housing portion 53 is fixed (non-controllable) at a predetermined position (predetermined angle). In this mode, the power supplied to the apparatus is the minimum and power consumption for obtaining a monitoring image.

In the low power consumption mode, the power to each functional block is as follows: relay 7 is turned on, relays 8 to 10 are turned off (open state), relay 27 is turned on, relays 28 and 32 are turned off, and relays 33, 41, and 49 are turned on. It is supplied in the off state.
That is, even in the two operation modes of the normal control mode and the low power consumption mode, in addition to the microcomputers 12 and 21 and the RS-485 driver IC 20 that are always supplied with power and operate, the defrost glass 1, Power is supplied to the DC / DC converter 13, the driver IC 11, the zoom lens 5, and the camera module unit 6. No power is supplied to the fan 29, the heaters 39 and 47, the motor driver 36 for vertical rotation, the motor driver 42 for horizontal rotation, and the non-excitation brakes 40 and 48.
When the electric pan head camera device is not installed in a cold region, it is not necessary to supply power in the low power consumption mode, and the defrost glass 1 is not required.

  As described above, in the low power consumption mode, no power is supplied to the non-excited brakes 40 and 48, so the non-excited brake 40 attached to the horizontal rotating shaft and the non-excited brake 48 attached to the vertical rotating shaft operate. To do. For this reason, even if the relay 33 is turned off and the excitation current to the motors 38 and 45 is set to 0, the rotation axis is not shifted by the brake, and it is possible to continue outputting a stable monitoring image.

  Further, when the microcomputer 21 receives and controls a low power consumption mode “off” command transmitted from the outside, the electric camera platform camera device returns to the normal mode in which horizontal rotation and vertical rotation are possible.

With reference to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the operation of the electric head camera apparatus of the present invention in the low power consumption mode will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure in the low power consumption mode of the embodiment of the electric pan head camera apparatus of the present invention. The electric camera platform camera device operates in the normal mode, and the microcomputer 21 controls the entire device (see FIG. 1).
In FIG. 3, the microcomputer receives a control command for executing the low power consumption mode (ECO mode) from the outside, and starts the ECO mode operation. That is, the following processing steps are executed by switching the operation mode of the electric camera platform camera device from the normal mode to the low power consumption mode.

In step 301, supply of power supply circuits other than equipment related to camera video acquisition and video output is stopped. That is, the camera housing portion 53 supplies power to the defrost glass 1, the microcomputer 12, the DC / DC converter 13, the driver IC 11, the zoom lens 5, and the camera module portion 6, and the rotation portion 54 has an RS-485 driver. The power (current or voltage) supplied to the equipment other than the IC and the microcomputer 21 for controlling the camera device is cut off (turned off).
In step 302, a current or voltage limited to a predetermined value is supplied to the motor drivers 36 and 42 of the vertical rotation mechanism unit 541 and the horizontal rotation mechanism unit 542, respectively. For example, the limited current or voltage value is a minimum value that can generate a predetermined holding torque in the corresponding stepping motor 45 or 38 of the horizontal rotation mechanism unit 542 or the vertical rotation mechanism unit 541.
In addition, although the process of step 301 and the process of step 302 are normally performed simultaneously, you may process in order as FIG. 3 and conversely may perform step 301 after the process of step 302. .
In step 301, the power source may be shut off after the electric head is rotated to a predetermined preset position before the power source is shut off.

  In step 303, the current electric pan head is set at a pan angle (horizontal rotation angle) and a tilt angle (vertical rotation angle), for example, preset positions determined in advance for each electric pan head camera device during the low power consumption mode operation. Determine whether it is set. If there is a positional deviation in the pan angle or tilt angle, the process proceeds to step 307. If it is determined that there is no positional deviation, the process proceeds to step 304.

In step 307, at least one of the motor drivers for vertical rotation or horizontal rotation that is determined to have a positional deviation is instantaneously restored. In step 308, it is determined whether or not the rotation angle position in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction is at a predetermined position. If the rotation angle position is in a predetermined position (there is no positional deviation), step 302 Returning to step 309 if there is a displacement. In step 309, a correction value for correcting the positional deviation is calculated, and in step 310, the vertical or horizontal stepping motor is driven by the correction value calculated for correcting the positional deviation. Thereafter, the process returns to step 307, and the process is repeated until there is no displacement.
In addition to the pan angle or tilt angle, other factors related to the angle of view (viewing field range) (such as setting conditions of the lens optical system such as zoom magnification) are also determined, and corrections are also made for these conditions. May be.

Further, the predetermined position is preferably the most important point (for example, a preset position) for the electric pan head camera device to monitor.
Furthermore, when the one electric pan head camera apparatus has a plurality of important points that need to be monitored, a plurality of target positions in step 308 in the embodiment of FIG. 3 are set, and when “Yes” is determined in step 308. This can be achieved by changing the target position determined in step 303 and step 308 to the next target position. Even more preferably, step 303 can be performed at predetermined time intervals to allow sufficient time for monitoring at one critical monitoring point, and by setting the time interval longer, Enables reduction of power consumption.

In step 304, it is determined whether or not the low power consumption mode is switched to the normal mode. If it is determined that it is necessary to switch, the process proceeds to step 305, and if not, the process returns to step 303.
For example, if there is a control command to switch to the normal mode from the outside of the electric camera platform camera device, the process proceeds to step 305 to switch to the normal mode.

In step 305, the motor driver for vertical rotation and horizontal rotation is restored, and the process proceeds to step 306.
In step 306, the supply of power supply circuits other than the devices related to camera video acquisition and video output stopped in step 301 is resumed. As a result, the low power consumption mode is terminated and the normal mode is restored.
In addition, although the process of step 305 and the process of step 306 are normally performed simultaneously, you may process in order as FIG. 3 and conversely may perform step 305 after the process of step 306. .

Preferably, for the lens optical system (for example, zoom magnification, squeezing, etc.), the initial conditions (setting conditions that automatically return when power supply is cut off) are set to the predetermined lens optical system. By setting the value to be a value, it is not necessary to supply current to the driver IC for zoom and focus driving and the zoom lens (see FIG. 1) during the low power consumption mode operation.
More preferably, with respect to the pan angle and the tilt angle, the initial condition is set quickly so that the important point that needs to be monitored is set at the predetermined position when the electric pan head camera is installed. Monitoring can be reliably performed.

  According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the electric pan head camera device and the monitoring system using the electric pan head camera device.

The block diagram which shows a part of structure of one Example of the electrically-driven pan head camera apparatus of this invention. The block diagram which shows a part of structure of one Example of the electrically-driven pan head camera apparatus of this invention. The block diagram which shows a part of structure of one Example of the electrically-driven pan head camera apparatus of this invention. The block diagram which shows a part of structure of one Example of the electrically-driven pan head camera apparatus of this invention. The perspective view which shows the outline of one Example of the electrically-driven pan head camera apparatus of this invention. The flowchart explaining the process sequence of the low power consumption mode of one Example of the electrically-driven pan head camera apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Defrost glass, 2: Wiper motor, 3: Heater, 4: Fan, 5: Zoom lens, 6: Camera module part, 7-10: Relay, 11: Driver IC, 12: Microcomputer for camera housing part control , 13: DC / DC converter, 14, 15: Relay, 16: Coaxial multiple circuit section, 17: Relay, 18: Three-terminal regulator, 19: Photocoupler, 20: RS-485 driver IC, 21: For camera device control Microcomputer, 22: Photocoupler, 23: Non-volatile memory, 24: Temperature sensor IC, 25: AC / DC converter, 26: AC / DC converter, 27, 28: Relay, 29: Fan, 30, 31: DC / DC converter, 32, 33: Relay, 34, 35: C 36: Motor driver, 37: Gear, 38: Stepping motor, 39: Heater, 40: Non-excitation brake, 41: Relay, 42: Motor driver, 43: Origin sensor, 44: Rotation sensor, 45: Stepping motor, 46: Gear, 47: Heater, 48: Non-excitation brake, 49: Relay, 50: Slip ring, 51: Surge protection circuit, 52: Surge protection circuit and fuse, 53: Camera housing part, 54: Rotation part, 55: Fixed parts 56, 57 and 58 are terminals, 541: vertical rotation mechanism part, 542: horizontal rotation mechanism part.

Claims (1)

In the electric pan head camera apparatus provided with the fixed part, the rotating part, and the camera housing part,
The camera housing portion includes a camera housing portion control microcomputer and a camera module portion that captures an image within the field of view.
The rotation unit includes a camera device control microcomputer, a horizontal rotation mechanism unit that mounts a horizontal rotation shaft non-excitation brake, and a vertical rotation mechanism unit that mounts a vertical rotation shaft non-excitation brake
When the camera device control microcomputer receives a low power consumption mode in response to an external command via the fixed unit, the power supplied to the horizontal rotation mechanism unit and the vertical rotation shaft mechanism is turned off. An electric pan head camera device.

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