JP2010268367A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image capturing apparatus capable of appropriately capturing a subject image through simple operation. <P>SOLUTION: When displacing an imaging optical system of an imaging apparatus CA in order to image a document DCM, at a point in time when a partial image of a main PCB stored as a pattern beforehand enters a photographing screen, a control section interrupts driving of an actuator that drives the imaging optical system. Thus, a document DCM can be imaged at a suitable angle of view. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) type image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) type image sensor.

  In recent years, video cameras and digital cameras equipped with an imaging device using a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD type image sensor or a CMOS type image sensor have become widespread, and a solid having a high number of pixels so that a higher quality image can be obtained. A device equipped with an image pickup device using an image pickup element has been supplied to the market. In addition, with the spread of the Internet, so-called web cameras or the like that are attached to a personal computer to acquire a sender's image and transmit it to the other party are already on the market.

  By the way, there is an increasing need for digitizing documents for information security or remote communication using handwritten documents. There is a scanner as an apparatus conventionally used for digitizing a document. However, the scanner captures an image plane that faces the imaging optical system, and a large-sized scanner device equipped with a line sensor is often used particularly when a document containing characters is digitized on a desktop. However, there is a problem that the device itself is relatively bulky. On the other hand, a digital camera may be used instead of a scanner, but in this case, it is necessary to shoot with the image plane and the digital camera facing each other at a certain distance. There is a problem that it has to be placed on the floor or the like to take an image and is not easy to use.

  Here, in Patent Document 1, a CCD camera is built in the monitor frame portion surrounding the monitor so that character-based conversations such as e-mail and chat can be performed while sending images in real time through a computer network such as the Internet. A computer with a built-in camera is disclosed. Therefore, it is also conceivable that such a CCD camera is used to take an image of a paper material as a subject and transmit it to the other party.

Utility Model Registration No. 3113062

  However, in the prior art of Patent Document 1, the main purpose of the CCD camera is to photograph a user who operates a personal computer with a built-in camera. In such a case, the user himself / herself is displayed on a part of the display unit. You can also. However, when imaging a document placed on a desk using the camera-equipped personal computer disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to turn the display unit so that the axis of the CCD camera is directed to the document. There is a problem that it is difficult for the user to visually recognize the image of the material displayed on the screen, and part of the image of the captured material is cut off, resulting in poor usability.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image acquisition apparatus that can appropriately acquire an image of a subject with a simple operation.

The electronic device according to claim 1 is:
The body,
Imaging means capable of being displaced relative to the main body so as to change the direction of imaging;
Image acquisition means for acquiring an image based on a signal from the imaging means;
Displacement means for displacing the imaging means,
In response to setting a mode for imaging a planar subject arranged in the vicinity of the main body, the displacing means is based on image information relating to the main body in the image acquired by the image acquiring means. It is characterized by displacing.

  According to the present invention, in response to setting a mode for imaging a planar subject arranged in the vicinity of the main body, the displacement means is based on information on the main body in the image acquired by the image acquisition means. Since the image pickup means is displaced, the subject can be accurately picked up without bothering the user.

  When the electronic device according to claim 2 sets a mode for capturing an image of a user who operates the electronic device, the displacement unit tracks the user recognized by the image acquired by the image acquisition unit and performs an image. The imaging means is displaced so as to continue the acquisition. Thereby, the user can be accurately imaged without bothering the user.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus including a display unit that can tilt with respect to the main body, and the imaging unit is attached to the display unit. Thereby, since a document on a desk as a subject can be imaged by the imaging means from a high position of the display unit, an image that can easily read characters and the like can be acquired. Note that it is optional to perform keystone correction or the like on the acquired image.

  The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a sensor that detects a tilt angle between the main body and the display unit, wherein the displacing unit controls the angle when the sensor detects the angle detected by the sensor. It is used as information. This makes it difficult to discriminate characters and the like even when imaging a document on a desk as a subject, such as when the tilt angle between the main body and the display unit is too large or too small, limiting the displacement, An alarm can be output.

  The electronic apparatus according to claim 5 is characterized in that the displacement means displaces the imaging direction of the imaging means in the vertical direction. However, the displacement in the left-right direction is arbitrary.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image acquisition device that can appropriately acquire an image of a subject with a simple operation.

It is a perspective view of notebook type personal computer PC carrying imaging device CA concerning this embodiment. It is a block diagram of notebook type personal computer PC which mounts imaging device CA concerning this embodiment. It is a perspective view of imaging device CA. It is the figure which looked at notebook type personal computer PC from the side. It is a figure which shows the example of the image displayed on the monitor 112 of notebook type personal computer PC at the time of 1st imaging mode setting. It is a figure which shows the example of the image displayed on the monitor 112 of notebook type personal computer PC at the time of 2nd imaging mode setting.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a notebook personal computer (electronic device) PC equipped with an imaging device CA according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a notebook personal computer PC equipped with the imaging apparatus CA according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the imaging apparatus CA.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the notebook personal computer PC can be folded by connecting a main body PCB and a display unit PCD having a monitor 112 by a hinge PCH. Although not shown, an angle sensor for detecting an inclination angle of the display unit PCD with respect to the main body PCB is provided on the hinge PCH of the notebook personal computer PC.

  The imaging device CA as an imaging means is provided so as to be displaceable in a notch CT in the center of the upper side above the monitor 112 in the display unit PCD. The image pickup apparatus CA is incorporated in a notebook personal computer PC and uses the monitor 112 as a display means, so that an image captured by the monitor 112 can be confirmed and image processing can be performed at high speed using an image processing circuit on the personal computer side. It is preferable because it can be used for e-mail transmission, pasting to other materials, extraction of characters and pictures, and reuse. In addition, since the display unit PCD whose tilt angle with respect to the main body PCB can be adjusted by the hinge PCH can be used as a support unit of the imaging apparatus CA, there is also an advantage that a field angle at the time of imaging the document DCM placed on the desk can be secured.

  In FIG. 2, the imaging apparatus CA includes an imaging optical system 101, a solid-state imaging device 102, and an A / D conversion unit 103. On the other hand, the notebook personal computer PC includes a control unit 104, an optical system driving unit 105, a timing generation unit 106, an image sensor driving unit 107, an image memory 108, an image processing unit 109 serving as an image acquisition unit, an image The apparatus includes a compression unit 110, an image recording unit 111, a monitor 112, a keyboard 113, and an actuator AC for rotationally driving the imaging apparatus CA. In addition, the device includes a device used for a normal personal computer. Are omitted here. The actuator AC and the control unit 104 constitute a displacement unit.

  The imaging optical system 101 has a function of forming a subject image on the imaging surface (light receiving surface) of the solid-state imaging device 102. The solid-state image sensor 102 is an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and photoelectrically converts incident light for each of R, G, and B and outputs an analog signal thereof. The A / D conversion unit 103 converts an analog signal into digital image data. The imaging optical system 101 has a zoom function.

  The control unit 104 has a function of controlling the imaging device CA. The control unit 104 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and various programs read out from the ROM and expanded in the RAM, and various in cooperation with the CPU. Execute the process.

  The optical system drive unit 105 controls the drive of the imaging optical system 101 during focusing, exposure, zoom movement, and the like under the control of the control unit 104. The timing generator 106 outputs an analog signal output timing signal under the control of the controller 104. The image sensor driving unit 107 causes the solid-state image sensor 102 to output an analog signal in synchronization with the timing signal output from the timing generator 106.

  The image memory 108 stores image data so as to be readable and writable. The image processing unit 109 performs various image processes on the image data. The image compression unit 110 compresses captured image data by a compression method such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). The image recording unit 111 records image data on a recording medium such as a memory card set in a hard disk or a slot (not shown).

  The monitor 112 is a color liquid crystal panel or the like, and can display an image subjected to image processing after shooting, a through image before shooting, and the like. The keyboard 113 includes a mode setting command and various operation keys for inputting information, and outputs information input by the user to the control unit 104.

  In FIG. 3, a housing BX that holds the imaging optical system 101 and the solid-state imaging device 102 rotates about an axis SH that is fixed so as to be parallel to the surface of the monitor 112 with respect to the display unit PCD (FIG. 1). It is arranged so as to be movable, and is rotationally driven by an actuator AC. The control unit 104 drives and controls an actuator AC that tilts the imaging apparatus CA. The actuator AC preferably stores a home position at which the optical axis of the imaging optical system 101 is 90 degrees with respect to the display unit PCD, for example, by a built-in encoder or the like. In such a case, the actuator AC can displace the imaging device CA to the home position in response to an operation of a switch (not shown), power-off of the main body PCB, or the like.

  Here, operations in the imaging apparatus CA and the notebook personal computer PC will be described. The user can use the keyboard 113 to capture a first image capturing mode (a mode for capturing an image of a user who operates an electronic device) and a second image capturing mode (a plane disposed in the vicinity of the main body) capable of capturing a document DCM. Can be selected. It is preferable to set the focal length shorter in the second imaging mode than in the first imaging mode.

  Generally, when the user himself / herself is imaged in a TV conference or the like, as shown in FIG. 4A, the position of the face of the user US is the state in which the notebook personal computer PC is placed on the desk, and the imaging device Located above CA. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, the document DCM is positioned below the imaging device CA in a state where it is placed on a desk (not shown) in the vicinity of the main body PCB of the notebook personal computer PC.

  When the user sets the first imaging mode, first, the control unit 104 obtains the inclination angle of the display unit PCD with respect to the main body PCB by a sensor built in the hinge unit PCH, and uses this as control information, so that the actuator AC can be used. By driving control, the optical axis of the imaging optical system 101 is in the horizontal direction (for example, if the tilt angle of the display unit PCD with respect to the main body PCB is α degrees, the optical axis of the imaging optical system 101 with respect to the display unit PCD is (180−α) degrees. The photographing apparatus CA is rotationally displaced so as to face the setting. Next, the control unit 104 drives and controls the actuator AC to rotationally displace the photographing apparatus CA so that the optical axis of the imaging optical system 101 gradually faces upward (in the direction of arrow U in FIG. 3). Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, the face of the user US enters the angle of view.

  Here, the control unit 104 performs face recognition by controlling the image processing unit 109 to perform image processing on image data from the A / D converted solid-state imaging device 102. For face recognition, for example, a method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-265431 can be used. The control unit 104 extracts the face image FG extracted by face recognition of the image processing unit 109 (displayed by being surrounded by a frame FR in FIG. 5), and drives the actuator AC until the face image FG is located near the center of the screen. When the face image FG reaches the vicinity of the center of the screen, the driving of the actuator AC is interrupted and the position of the imaging device CA is set (see FIG. 5B). The display of the face image FG can be set not to be near the center of the screen but to an arbitrary position. Note that while the first imaging mode is set, the control unit 104 can continue to acquire the face image FG by driving the imaging optical system 101. For example, when the face is displaced due to the user standing up, the control unit 104 can drive the actuator AC until the face image FG is located near the center of the imaging screen. In addition to face recognition, motion detection technology may be used.

  Next, a case where the user sets the second imaging mode will be described. In such a case, the control unit 104 obtains an inclination angle of the display unit PCD with respect to the main body PCB by a sensor built in the hinge unit PCH, and uses this as control information to drive and control the actuator AC, thereby taking the imaging optical system 101. The optical axis of the image pickup optical system 101 is oriented in the horizontal direction (for example, if the tilt angle of the display unit PCD with respect to the main body PCB is α degrees, the optical axis of the imaging optical system 101 with respect to the display unit PCD is set to (180−α) degrees). The device CA is rotationally displaced. Next, when the control unit 104 drives and controls the actuator AC and rotationally displaces the imaging apparatus CA so that the optical axis of the imaging optical system 101 gradually goes downward (in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 3), the document DCM becomes Enter the angle of view.

  Here, the control unit 104 performs pattern matching by controlling the image processing unit 111 to perform image processing on the image data from the solid-state imaging device 102 converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion unit 103. Pattern matching is to determine whether or not an acquired image matches image information stored in advance by image processing. For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-140208 can be used. First, the position on the shooting screen is recognized from the outer shape of the document DCM. If the actuator AC is continuously driven, the end portion of the document DCM is passed, and a part of the main body PCB of the notebook personal computer PC enters the angle of view. With respect to a part of the image on the main body PCB, the control unit 104 stores the image information on the main body as a pattern in advance. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6A, a part of the image on the main body PCB is displayed on the screen. When entering, the control unit 104 stops driving the actuator AC. Thereby, the document DCM can be imaged at an appropriate angle of view as shown in FIG. After a partial image of the main body PCB enters the screen, the actuator AC can be reversed by a predetermined angle so that the partial image of the main body PCB does not appear in the screen. If the upper and lower ends of the document DCM protrude from the screen or the image of the document DCM is too small, the angle of view can be changed as appropriate by driving the imaging optical system 101 to zoom.

  In addition, when the tilt angle between the main body PCB and the display unit PCD is too large or too small, it is difficult to discriminate characters and the like even if the document DCM on the desk as a subject is imaged. The control information obtained by the sensor as the tilt angle of the display unit PCD with respect to the main body PCB can be used to limit the displacement of the imaging device CA or to output an alarm.

  FIGS. 6B to 6D are diagrams showing a modification of the present embodiment. In the modification shown in FIG. 6B, the control unit 104 stores the image of the operation pad MP provided on the main body PCB of the notebook personal computer PC as image information about the main body, and uses this to perform pattern matching. Is what you do. In the modification shown in FIG. 6C, the control unit 104 stores the image of the keyboard 113 provided on the main body PCB of the notebook personal computer PC as image information related to the main body, and performs pattern matching using this. Is. In the modification shown in FIG. 6D, the control unit 104 stores an image (for example, a barcode) of the product seal SL attached to the main body PCB of the notebook personal computer PC as image information related to the main body. Pattern matching is performed using this. Not limited to this, it is possible to store images of each part of the notebook personal computer PC and use it for pattern matching.

  The present invention can be applied not only to a notebook personal computer but also to an electronic device such as a mobile phone.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Image pick-up optical system 102 Solid-state image pick-up element 103 Conversion part 104 Control part 105 Optical system drive part 106 Timing generation part 107 Image pick-up element drive part 108 Image memory 109 Image processing part 110 Image compression part 111 Image recording part 112 Monitor 113 Keyboard AC Actuator BX Case CA Imager CT Notch DCM Document FG Face image FR Frame MP Operation pad PC Notebook PC PCB Main body PCD Display part PCH Hinge part SH Axis SL Product seal US User

Claims (5)

The body,
Imaging means capable of being displaced relative to the main body so as to change the direction of imaging;
Image acquisition means for acquiring an image based on a signal from the imaging means;
Displacement means for displacing the imaging means,
In response to setting a mode for imaging a planar subject arranged in the vicinity of the main body, the displacing means is based on image information relating to the main body in the image acquired by the image acquiring means. Displacement of electronic equipment.   When the mode for imaging the user who operates the electronic device is set, the displacement unit displaces the imaging unit so as to follow the user in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit. The electronic device according to claim 1.   The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatus includes a display unit that can tilt with respect to the main body, and the imaging unit is attached to the display unit.   A sensor for detecting a tilt angle between the main body and the display unit, and the displacement means uses the angle detected by the sensor as control information for displacing the imaging means. 3. The electronic device according to 3.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the displacement unit displaces the imaging unit in a vertical direction.

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