JP2012095082A - Camera platform - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera platform capable of reducing the deterioration of an imaging device without changing neither an imaging direction nor a field angle even when light with high intensity is made incident to a camera lens.SOLUTION: A camera platform mounting a camera lens system and to be remotely operated by a terminal unit includes: an optical zoom part for optically changing the field angle of an image; a digital zoom part for electronically changing the field angle of an image; light amount detection means for detecting the amount of light; a calculation part for controlling the camera platform; and control means for reducing the zoom magnification of the optical zoom part and also increasing the zoom magnification of the digital zoom part when the detection value of the light amount detection means is equal to or more than a threshold.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pan head apparatus having a camera lens.

  The pan head device is installed on the rooftop of a building, and performs pan / tilt operation and zoom / focus adjustment of the camera lens by a remote terminal. Shooting of the pan head device is not always monitored by an operator, and is often operated in a non-monitoring state at a predetermined shooting angle. If the predetermined shooting angle includes the orbit of the sun, high-intensity sunlight enters the lens. At this time, if the camera lens is on the long focal length side (tele side), the parallel light incident on the front lens surface is condensed on the image sensor, and the image sensor deteriorates due to a temperature rise.

  In Patent Document 1, a cover that covers the camera lens when high-intensity light is incident on the camera platform is provided. In Patent Document 2, the pan / tilt device is pan-tilted when high-intensity light is incident on the pan / tilt head device.

JP 2007-142924 A JP-A-11-95315

  However, in Patent Document 1, when high-intensity light is incident on the pan head device, photographing is interrupted to protect the camera lens with the lens cover. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-260260, shooting is continued, but the panning / tilting operation is performed against the intention of the operator, so that the shooting target changes.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a pan / tilt head apparatus capable of reducing the deterioration of an image pickup element without changing the photographing direction and the angle of view even when high intensity light is incident on the camera lens.

  In order to achieve the above object, a pan head device according to the present invention includes an optical zoom unit that optically changes an angle of view of an image in an pan head device equipped with a camera lens device and remotely operated by a terminal, and an electronic device. A digital zoom unit that changes the angle of view of the image, a light amount detection unit that detects a light amount, a calculation unit that controls the pan head device, and the optical zoom unit when a detection value of the light amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value And a control means for increasing the zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit.

  Further objects and other features of the present invention will be made clear by the preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  According to the present invention, even when high-intensity light is incident on the inside of the camera lens, the light amount detection unit for the light incident on the inside of the pan / tilt head apparatus and the control means for increasing the digital zoom magnification by reducing the optical zoom magnification are always provided. An effect of reducing the deterioration of the image sensor while obtaining a subject to be photographed can be obtained.

The system block diagram of the pan head apparatus in Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the setting part 16 incorporated in the terminal 15 in Example 1 of this invention. FIG. 3 is an image diagram of image cropping in the digital zoom unit 12 in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the control operation of the luminance value calculating means 7a and the threshold value determination means 7b in Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the relationship between the luminance level in Example 1 of this invention, and the number of pixels. FIG. 2 is an image diagram of smooth digital zoom control and optical zoom control in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The system block diagram of the pan head apparatus in Example 2 of this invention. The figure which shows the relationship between the light wavelength and light intensity distribution in Example 2 of this invention. The figure which shows the brightness | luminance histogram when the sunlight and indoor illumination light in Example 2 of this invention were image | photographed. The figure which shows the control action in Example 2 of this invention. The composite image image figure of the operation information and image | video in Example 3 of this invention.

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

  The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The outline of the first embodiment shows a control method for increasing the digital zoom magnification by decreasing the optical zoom magnification so as to maintain the angle of view when high-intensity light is incident on the camera lens device 1 and exceeds a threshold value.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a pan / tilt head device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the setting unit 16 built in the terminal 15 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is an image diagram of image clipping in the digital zoom unit 12 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the luminance value calculation means 7a and the threshold value determination means 7b in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the luminance level and the number of pixels in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  FIG. 6 is an image diagram of smooth digital zoom control and optical zoom control in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  First, a system configuration diagram of the pan head apparatus in FIG. 1 will be described. 1 includes a housing 2 that houses a camera lens device 1, a head housing 3, a camera platform body 4 that includes the housing 2 and the head housing 3, a tilt drive unit 5 that rotates the housing 2, and a head housing. 3 is a pan drive unit 6 that turns 3, a calculation unit 7, a luminance value calculation unit 7 a, a threshold value determination unit 7 b, a storage unit 8, a communication unit 9 a, a communication unit 9 b, and an optical zoom unit 10 that can be remotely operated. An image sensor 11 having a color filter, an image processing unit 12 for converting a signal from the image sensor 11, a digital zoom unit 13 for enlarging the image and cutting out an image, a light amount detecting unit 14 for reading the luminance value of the image sensor 11, and a terminal Machine 15, setting unit 16, display unit 17a, and display unit 17b.

  The housing 2 houses the camera lens device 1 and protects it from external rain, dust, pests and the like. The camera lens device 1 constitutes an optical zoom unit 10, an image sensor 11, and an image processing unit 12. The optical zoom unit 10 is provided with a zoom mechanism that changes the angle of view by continuously changing the focal length, a focus mechanism that corrects the focus shift, an aperture mechanism that adjusts the light amount, and a filter switching mechanism. The image sensor 11 having a color filter is disposed at the image forming position of the optical zoom unit 10. The image formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 11 is converted into an amount of signal charge corresponding to the amount of incident light by each photosensor and transmitted to the image processing unit 12. The image processing unit 12 converts the luminance value input from the image sensor 11 into a video signal and transmits it to the display unit 17a and the display unit 17b through the communication unit 9a. At the same time, the image processing unit 12 transmits the signal charge to the light amount detection unit 14.

  The head housing 3 houses a pan driving unit 6, a tilt driving unit 5, a calculation unit 7, a storage unit 8, and a communication unit 9, and protects it from external rain and the like in the same manner as the housing 2. The housing 2 is rotationally driven in the tilt direction by the tilt driving unit 5, and the head housing 3 is rotationally driven in the pan direction by the pan driving unit 6. The calculation unit 7 is connected to a rewritable storage unit 8 that stores or rewrites data, programs, and the like. Based on a program stored in the storage unit 8, the optical zoom unit 10, the image processing unit 12, and the pan The drive unit 6 and the tilt drive unit 5 are controlled. The communication unit 9a connected to the calculation unit 7 and the communication unit 9b built in the terminal 15 transmit / receive input / output information.

  A configuration in which the housing 2 and the head housing 3 are combined is referred to as a pan head main body 4.

  The terminal 15 is used when the operator remotely operates the pan head main unit 4. The terminal 15 includes a communication unit 9b and a display unit 17b. The display unit 17b is a touch panel monitor or a liquid crystal monitor so that an operator can recognize information on the pan head device. The display unit 17b incorporates a setting unit 16, and the operator can recognize information on the pan head device from the output unit of various setting values as shown in FIG. In addition, the operator can give commands to the pan / tilt head device from the input unit of various setting values, and the intended object can be photographed by changing the photographing direction, the focal length, and the like from a remote place.

  The image processing unit 12 includes a digital zoom unit 13 and a light amount detection unit 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the digital zoom unit 13 transmits an image obtained by clipping the image on the image sensor 11 (broken line in FIG. 3a) to the display unit 17a (FIG. 3b) and the display unit 17b (FIG. 3b) in response to a command from the calculation unit 7. To do. At the same time, information notifying that the control for cutting out the image of the digital zoom unit 13 has been executed is output to the display unit 17b.

  The flow of the control operation of the luminance value calculation means 7a and the threshold value determination means 7b of Embodiment 1 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  The light amount detection means 14 converts the signal charge in each pixel transmitted from the image sensor 11 into a luminance value and transmits it to the calculation unit 7. The calculation unit 7 is provided with luminance value calculation means 7a. When the value transmitted from the light amount detection unit 14 is input to the calculation unit 7 (S001), the luminance value calculation unit 7a creates a luminance histogram for the pixels of the image sensor 11 (S002).

  FIG. 5A-1 is an image diagram when the optical zoom unit 10 is at the wide end and the digital zoom unit 13 is not controlled. FIG. 5B-1 is an image diagram when the optical zoom unit 10 is at the telephoto end and the digital zoom unit 13 is not controlled. FIG. 5A-2 shows a luminance histogram for the image of FIG. 5A-1, and FIG. 5B-2 shows a luminance histogram for the image of FIG. 5B-1. The horizontal axis indicates the luminance level, and the vertical axis indicates the number of pixels at each luminance level. At this time, the F-number value of the optical zoom unit 10 is substantially constant over the entire focal length, and when parallel light is incident, the luminance value per unit area on the imaging surface of the image sensor 11 is substantially constant. Yes.

  In FIG. 5A-2 and FIG. 5B-2, the horizontal axis is from 0 to 255 which is the highest luminance level. For example, when the proportion of sunlight on the image is small as shown in FIG. 5A-1, the peak of the luminance level is concentrated at a low place as shown in FIG. 5A-2. Next, when the proportion of sunlight on the image is large as shown in FIG. 5B-1, the peak of the luminance level is concentrated at a high place as shown in FIG. 5B-2.

  As shown in FIG. 5B-2, the luminance level α is set in the storage unit 8 as a default value of the pan head device on the horizontal axis of the histogram. The luminance value calculation means 7a integrates the luminance levels from α to 255 (S003), and sets the integrated value to β.

  The calculation unit 7 is provided with a threshold value determination unit 7b for the detection value of the light amount detection unit 14, and the threshold value γ is set in the storage unit 8 by default.

The threshold determination means 7b reads the threshold γ from the storage unit 8 (S004) and then compares it with the integral value β set on the histogram (S005).
When the threshold value γ ≦ integral value β, the values of the optical zoom unit 10 and the digital zoom unit 13 are read from the calculation unit 7 (S006), and then the target value of the magnification change between the optical zoom unit and the digital zoom unit is calculated (S007). ).

Next, “control means for decreasing the optical zoom magnification of the optical zoom unit 10 and increasing the digital zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit 13 (S008)” (hereinafter referred to as digital zoom control) is executed. As shown in FIG. 6, the absolute magnification obtained by multiplying the optical zoom magnification and the digital zoom magnification is prevented from changing. At this time, the optical zoom magnification and the digital zoom magnification are determined based on the difference between the threshold value γ and the integral value β.
When the threshold γ> the integral value β, the digital zoom control is not executed.

  A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10. FIG.

  The outline of the second embodiment shows a method for changing the threshold γ. The purpose of changing the threshold value is that the digital zoom control deteriorates the image quality by increasing the digital zoom magnification. In order to reduce this, the digital zoom control is set to a minimum frequency, and priority is given to photographing mainly using a normal optical zoom.

  FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram of the pan / tilt head device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the light wavelength and the light intensity distribution in Example 2 of the present invention.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a luminance histogram when photographing sunlight and indoor illumination light in Example 2 of the present invention.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a control operation in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  The configuration in the second embodiment includes a temperature detection unit 21, an indoor / outdoor mode input unit 16t built in the setting unit 16, and a threshold value changing unit 7c for changing the threshold value γ, and a power switch unit 31a provided in the head housing 3. .

  First, a threshold value changing method by the temperature detecting means 21 will be described.

  At least one temperature detecting means 21 is provided in the vicinity or inside of the pan head device, and measures the ambient temperature inside the housing 2 and the temperature of the image sensor 11. The temperature detection means 21 measures the temperature detection value and inputs it to the calculation unit 7.

The arithmetic unit 7 is provided with a threshold value changing means, and changes the threshold value γ according to the value of the temperature detecting means 21. For example, when the temperature detection value is Tc, the threshold γ is changed as follows.
Threshold value γ (= γ × Tc × temperature coefficient)
This is because when the ambient temperature inside the housing 2 is low, since the temperature of the image sensor 11 is low, the image sensor 11 does not deteriorate even if light is condensed on the image sensor 11, so that the frequency of digital zoom control is lowered. Change the threshold γ. On the other hand, when the ambient temperature inside the housing 2 is high, the imaging element 11 is likely to deteriorate, so the threshold γ is changed so as to increase the frequency of digital zoom control.

  Next, a threshold value changing method using the indoor / outdoor mode input unit 16t will be described.

  The operator changes the threshold value by instructing the installation location of the camera platform as “indoor installation or outdoor installation”.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an indoor / outdoor mode input unit 16 t is provided in the setting unit 16 of the terminal 15. When the operator selects the indoor / outdoor mode input unit 16t, either “indoor installation? Or outdoor installation?” Can be selected on the screen. When “indoor installation” is selected, the selection information is stored in the storage unit 8 through the calculation unit 7, and at the same time, the threshold value γ stored in the storage unit 8 is changed. If the operator does not input the indoor / outdoor mode input unit 16t, the default setting is “outdoor installation”.

For example, an operator
When “outdoor installation” is selected, the threshold value γ remains the default.
When “indoor installation” is selected, the threshold value is changed as a threshold value γ (= γ × indoor coefficient). The indoor coefficient is less than 1.0.

  This is because when the illumination light in the broadcast station studio is photographed in an indoor environment, the image sensor 11 does not deteriorate. The reason why the illumination light does not cause deterioration of the image sensor 11 is as follows. As shown in FIG. 8, the light intensity of sunlight increases rapidly from the ultraviolet region on the short wavelength side toward the long wavelength side, and has a light intensity peak at about 380 nm to 660 nm, and the light intensity is high energy. Is distributed. The sensitivity distribution of the image sensor 11 has a peak at about 660 nm. Comparing the light quantity distribution of sunlight and the sensitivity distribution of the image sensor 11, the image sensor 11 cannot sense a wavelength with high energy of 0 to 500 nm and high light intensity. On the other hand, the light quantity distribution of the indoor illumination light overlaps with the sensitivity distribution of the image sensor 11.

Thus, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the integral value βm when the sunlight is photographed and the integral value βn when the indoor illumination light is photographed are substantially the same. Due to the influence of 11 sensitivity ranges,
“Energy amount when photographing sunlight> Energy amount when photographing indoor illumination light”.

  Therefore, even if indoor illumination light is imaged, the deterioration of the image sensor 11 is small. Therefore, when the operator selects “indoor installation”, the indoor coefficient is set to less than 1 to reduce the frequency of digital zoom control.

  The operation flow of the second embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

First, the control (S101) is started when the power of the power switch 31a provided in the head casing 3 is ON. The value of the temperature detection means 21 is read (S102). It multiplies the value _{T C} and the temperature coefficient of the threshold γ and the temperature detecting means 21 (S103). The threshold value γ is stored in the storage unit 8 (S104). The set value of the indoor / outdoor mode input unit 16t stored in the storage unit 8 is read (S105). The calculation unit 7 determines whether it is “indoor installation” or “outdoor installation” (S106). The threshold value γ is read from the storage unit (S107). If the setting is indoor, the threshold γ is multiplied by the indoor coefficient (S108), and the value is stored in the storage unit 8 (S109). The threshold value γ is read (S110).

  The calculation unit 7 creates a luminance histogram, and calculates the integrated luminance value β (S111). The magnitudes of the threshold value γ and the integral value β are compared (S112). If the integral value β is larger, the magnification values of the optical zoom unit 10 and the digital zoom unit 13 are read (S113), and then the optical zoom unit. 10 and a target value for a change in magnification between the digital zoom unit 13 and the digital zoom unit 13 (S114).

  Next, “control means for reducing the optical zoom magnification of the optical zoom unit 10 and increasing the digital zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit 1313 is executed (S115). As shown in FIG. 6, the absolute magnification obtained by multiplying the optical zoom magnification and the digital zoom magnification At this time, the optical zoom magnification and the digital zoom magnification are determined based on the difference between the threshold value γ and the integral value β (S116).

  A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 7, and FIG. The outline of the third embodiment is that the operation information when the digital zoom control is executed is displayed on the display unit 17a.

  FIG. 11 is a composite video image diagram of operation information and video in the third embodiment of the present invention.

  The configuration in the third embodiment includes a recording device 40.

  The display unit 17a displays the video signal from the image processing unit 12, and the operator can view the video from the pan head device and is connected to the recording device 40. The recording device 40 records the video displayed on the display unit 17a. As shown in FIG. 2, the recording device 40 can be operated from the recording device setting 16 s of the setting unit 16. In addition, the operating state, the recording capacity, and the setting information can be output to the display unit 17b.

At the same time as the digital zoom control is executed by the arithmetic unit 7, the arithmetic unit 7 instructs the image processing unit 12 to synthesize the operation information of the digital zoom control and the video information and output a video signal (FIG. 11).

  A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The outline of the fourth embodiment describes a method of canceling the digital zoom control when the threshold value γ becomes equal to or less than the target value.

  When the digital zoom control is executed, the magnification value of the optical zoom and the magnification value of the digital zoom immediately before the execution are stored in the storage unit 8. Next, during execution of the digital zoom control, when the luminance value calculating means 7a determines that “threshold γ> integrated value β of luminance value”, the following processing for returning to the value input to the storage unit 8 is performed.

In particular,
Control means for increasing the zoom magnification of the optical zoom unit 10 and reducing the zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit 13 from the arithmetic unit 7 is executed.
Reset the threshold γ to the default value.
The operation information synthesized on the display unit 17a is deleted.

  A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The outline of the fifth embodiment describes that the same effect as that of the digital zoom control is aimed even when the camera platform is powered off.

  The configuration in the fifth embodiment includes a power switch unit 31 b provided in the terminal 15.

  Immediately after the operator switches the power switch unit 31 a or the power switch unit 31 b from ON to OFF, the power supply is still continued and the optical zoom magnification value and the digital zoom magnification value are stored in the storage unit 8. Next, the optical zoom unit 10 is driven to the wide end, and then the power is turned off.

  On the contrary, immediately after the operator switches the power switch unit 31a or the power switch unit 31b from OFF to ON, first, the optical zoom magnification value and the digital zoom magnification value are read from the storage unit 8, and the read value and the current value are read. If there is a difference, the optical zoom unit 10 and the digital zoom are driven with priority on the read value.

  As a result, even if the operator turns off the power supply and stops the pan head device, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the image sensor 11 due to high intensity light.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera lens apparatus 7 Calculation part 15 Terminal 10 Optical zoom part 13 Digital zoom part 14 Light quantity detection means

Claims (8)

  An optical zoom unit that optically changes the angle of view of an image, a digital zoom unit that electronically changes the angle of view of an image, and a light amount are detected in a pan / tilt head device that is equipped with a camera lens device and is remotely operated by a terminal. A light amount detection unit, a calculation unit that controls the pan head device, and a control that decreases the zoom magnification of the optical zoom unit and increases the zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit when the detection value of the light amount detection unit is equal to or greater than a threshold value. And a pan head device.   2. The pan / tilt head device according to claim 1, wherein the light amount detection unit reads and integrates a luminance value of each pixel of the image sensor.   The at least one temperature detection part is provided in the vicinity or the inside of the pan head apparatus, and the threshold value of the detection value of the light quantity detection means is changed according to the detection value of the temperature detection part. A pan head device according to claim 1.   4. The pan / tilt head device according to claim 1, further comprising a threshold value changing unit that changes a threshold value of the detection value of the light amount detecting unit. 5.   When the light amount detection value is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the display device includes a display unit that displays operation information of a control unit that decreases the zoom magnification of the optical zoom unit and increases the zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit. The pan / tilt head device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   6. The zoom magnification of the optical zoom unit is increased and the zoom magnification of the digital zoom unit is decreased when the detection value of the light amount detection unit changes below a threshold value. The pan head device according to the item.   2. The optical zoom unit is shifted to a wide end after storing magnification values of the optical zoom unit and the digital zoom unit in a storage unit when the power supply unit of the pan head apparatus is turned off. The pan / tilt head device according to any one of claims 6 to 6. The state of the optical zoom unit and the digital zoom unit stored when the power is turned off is read from the storage unit immediately after turning on the power unit of the camera platform device, and returned to the previous set value. 8. The pan head apparatus according to 7.