JP2683958B2 - Anti-copying device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for preventing erroneous copying, and more particularly, it is provided in an image pickup device such as a portable camera-integrated video tape recorder, and when the image pickup device body is tilted by a predetermined angle or more, a photographer Relates to an erroneous copying prevention device for preventing unintentional start of shooting unintentionally.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A camera-integrated video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as "movie") is one of the devices whose operation is controlled according to the degree of inclination of a main body. In recent years, movies have been miniaturized so as to be highly portable, and for example, a user can hang the movie from his / her shoulder and move freely. In such a case, the recording start / stop switch may be operated for some reason while being carried, and the recording may be inadvertently started without the user's intention. To prevent this, a movie recording start / stop switch is attached to the main unit.

6 (a) and 6 (b) are external views of a recording start / stop switch attached to a conventional camera-integrated video tape recorder.

In FIG. 6 (a), the recording start / stop switch S1 fixedly attached to the side surface of the movie body is normally covered with a switch cover 2 and is protected so as not to be operated from the outside. There is. The switch cover 2 is attached rotatably around a fulcrum 2a. When the photographer starts or stops photographing using the movie, the photographer flips the switch cover 2 upward about the fulcrum 2a as shown in FIG. 6B, and then starts the recording start / stop switch. Operate S1. After that, the flipped up switch cover 2 is returned to the original position around the fulcrum 2a, the recording start / stop switch S1 is covered with the switch cover 2, and thereafter the switch S1 is carelessly set.
Is prevented from being operated, thereby preventing erroneous copying of the movie.

The method of providing the switch cover 2 to prevent the erroneous operation of the recording start / stop switch S1 is a manual operation based on the judgment of the photographer, but the switch S1 is automatically operated as follows. The function of preventing the erroneous copying of the movie caused by the erroneous operation is also implemented.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams for explaining the function of a recording start / stop switch which is attached to a conventional camera-integrated video tape recorder and operates in conjunction with the tilt angle of the main body. Is.

In FIG. 7A, a recording start / stop switch S1 is connected in series with an angle sensor switch S2, and an output side of the switch S2 is a microcomputer (hereinafter, abbreviated as a microcomputer) for controlling the movie itself. 6 is connected to the input terminal 5.

The angle sensor switch S2 is a glass ball 4
including. The glass bulb 4 makes the electrode 3 connected to the input terminal 5 side and the electrode 3 connected to the switch S1 side opposite to each other, and further has a fluid conductive material (for example, mercury) 7. It has a sealed structure. The angle sensor switch S2 including the glass ball 4 is fixedly provided inside the movie. Therefore, FIG.
In this state, the switching signal by the ON / OFF operation of the recording start / stop switch S1 provided on the outside of the movie main body is transmitted to the microcomputer via the electrode 3 electrically connected through the fluid conductive material 7. Given to 6. Therefore, when the microcomputer 6 is electrically connected to the switch S1 by the angle sensor switch S2 as shown in FIG. 7A, the microcomputer 6 starts the recording of the movie according to the external operation of the switch S1. It is possible to control the stop.

When the photographer suspends the movie from the shoulder or the like and moves it while carrying the movie, the movie body tilts, and when tilted by a predetermined angle or more, the angle sensor switch S2 of the angle sensor switch S2 is tilted as shown in FIG. 7B. The glass sphere 4 rotates, and accordingly, the liquid surface of the fluid conductive material 7 inside is inclined, and the inclination acts so as to cut off the conduction state between the electrodes 3 provided opposite to each other. Therefore, the ON / OFF signal of the recording start / stop switch S1 is not given to the microcomputer 6,
The microcomputer 6 shifts to an unacceptable state for switching the operation by the switch S1.

As described above, the angle sensor switch S2 fixedly installed inside the movie disconnects the recording start / stop switch S1 and the microcomputer 6 from each other when the movie body tilts at a predetermined angle or more. Since the moving body is separated, when the movie body is hung from the shoulder or the like and carried and moved, it is possible to prevent the recording from being inadvertently started, and effectively prevent erroneous copying.

[0011]

The above-described method of preventing erroneous copying of FIGS. 6A and 6B depends on the turning operation of the switch cover S2 about the fulcrum 2a of the switch cover S2. If the photographer forgets to cover the recording start / stop switch S1 with the switch cover 2, the switch S1 is apt to be erroneously operated, and the possibility of erroneous copying due to the movie is still high.

In the automatic error prevention method using the angle sensor switch S2 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the main body of the movie tilts to such an angle that the cutoff state is set during shooting, The angle sensor switch S2 starts /
It acts to electrically disconnect the stop switch S1 from the microcomputer 6. Therefore, at this time, the switch S
It is also impossible to switch the operation from recording to recording stop by one operation, and there is a problem that undesired video continues to be recorded thereafter.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to automatically record a picture when the main body of the image pickup apparatus in which the apparatus is mounted is in an operating state other than the recording state and the main body of the image pickup apparatus is tilted at a predetermined angle or more. It is an object of the present invention to provide a false copy prevention device that disables the function of the start / stop operation switch.

[0014]

An erroneous copy prevention device according to the present invention is provided in an image pickup device and prevents the image pickup device from accidentally taking an image.
An inclination detection unit that detects that the main body of the image pickup apparatus is tilted at a predetermined angle or more; and an instruction switch that is externally operated to instruct the image pickup apparatus to start and stop photographing.
An instruction invalidating means for invalidating the instruction output by the instruction switch; an activating means for activating the instruction invalidating means in response to a detection output of the tilt detecting means,
Mode detecting means for detecting that the image pickup apparatus is in a photographing mode; and, when the mode detecting means detects that the photographing mode is in the photographing mode, the instruction nullifying means for irrespective of the detection output of the tilt detecting means. And a disabling means for disabling.

[0015]

Since the mis-copying prevention device according to the present invention is constructed as described above, when the tilt detecting means detects that the main body of the image pickup apparatus on which the mis-copying prevention device is mounted is tilted by a predetermined angle or more, the instruction is invalidated. The converting unit operates so as to invalidate the instruction to start and stop the photographing of the image pickup apparatus by operating the instruction switch to output. Further, the instruction invalidating unit is forcibly disabled during the period when the mode detecting unit detects that the image pickup apparatus is in the shooting mode. Therefore, when the image pickup apparatus is in an operation state other than the recording state, if the display device is tilted by a predetermined angle or more, the instruction switch operation is automatically invalidated. That is, the recording operation is not inadvertently started when the photographer does not desire such as when the image pickup apparatus is hung from the shoulder and is tilted at a predetermined angle or more and carried.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an erroneous copying prevention device mounted on a camera-integrated video tape recorder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a device for preventing erroneous copying is a recording start / stop switch that is externally operated to instruct the start and stop of the recording operation of a camera-integrated video tape recorder (hereinafter abbreviated as movie) in which the device is installed. S
1. Microcomputer (hereinafter, abbreviated as a microcomputer) 6 for centrally controlling the operation of the movie 6. The microcomputer 6
Connection switch S3 for switching and controlling electrical connection and disconnection between switch S1 and switch S1, disabling switch S4 externally operated for disabling the miscopy prevention function, transistors Q1 to Q3, optical sensor 13, and rotating unit 11. Including.

The driving capability of making the terminals T8 of the transistors Q1 and Q2 low potential works when the terminal T5 is at a high level or during recording and when the terminal T4 is at a high level.

The recording start / stop switch S1
Is operated externally and is instantly turned on when recording starts,
The recording start signal is given to the microcomputer 6 via the switch S3. Also, when recording is stopped, it will be instantly turned on,
The signal is given to the microcomputer 6 through the switch S3.

The connection changeover switch S3 includes an input side terminal T1 and an output side terminal T2, and its ON / OFF state is changed over according to the output signal level of the transistor Q3. When the output signal level of the transistor Q3, that is, the signal level of the terminal T6 is high, the switch S3 is in the ON state, the terminals T1 and T2 are electrically connected, and the output signal of the recording start / stop switch S1 is in the ON state. Via the switch S3 at
Given to. On the other hand, when the output signal level of the transistor Q3, that is, the signal level of the terminal T6 is low, the connection changeover switch S3 is turned off, so that the electrical connection between the recording start / stop switch S1 and the microcomputer 6 is cut off and the switch S1 is turned off. The output signal is not given to the microcomputer 6.

The disabling switch S4 is externally operated to switch its ON / OFF state. The photographer
If it is expected that a shooting state in which the movie is tilted at a predetermined angle or more will occur, this switch S4 is used in advance.
Is externally operated to set it to the ON state, and the signal level of the terminal T7 is set to be always low. Therefore, when the disabling switch S4 is externally operated and is in the ON state,
Output signal level of transistor Q3, that is, terminal T6
The signal level at is always high, and accordingly the switch S3 is turned on. Therefore, the output signal of the switch S1 is continuously given to the microcomputer 6 through the switch S3 even if the movie is tilted by a predetermined angle or more when the movie is in the recording state.

The microcomputer 6 performs a signal input / output operation via the input side terminal T3 and the output side terminal T4. When the movie is once set to the recording mode by the switch S1, the microcomputer 6 outputs a signal having a high signal level through the terminal T4 in response to the switch S1.
By 1 the recording is continued until a signal to stop recording is input. That is, while the image pickup apparatus is in the recording mode, the microcomputer 6 keeps outputting the high level signal from the terminal T4 so that the microcomputer 6 can always receive the signal input from the recording start / stop switch S1.

It is assumed that the recording start switch S1 is depressed when the movie is in a horizontal state, and the microcomputer 6 determines the recording mode setting of the movie in response to the depression.

The rotating portion 11 is fixedly attached to the inner side surface of the movie. As will be described later in detail, the rotating portion 11 is provided with a rotating plate 10 which is fixed by a central axis (not shown) and which rotates about the center axis in conjunction with the inclination of the movie. The side surface of the rotating plate 10 is covered with a member that efficiently reflects the incident light emitted from the light emitting diode 14 of the optical sensor 13 provided in the vicinity of the rotating portion 11 and the reflecting portion 7.
And a non-reflecting portion 8 covered with a member that absorbs the incident light. The light reflected by the reflecting section 7 is received by the light receiving transistor 15 of the photosensor 13, and the electric signal obtained by photoelectric conversion according to the light receiving level is given to the transistor Q1 connected to the next stage. That is, the output signal of the light receiving transistor 15 of the optical sensor 13 is always at the high level during the period when the light receiving transistor 15 does not receive the light of the predetermined level, but once the light of the predetermined level or more is received, the signal is output. The level changes to low and is applied to the transistor Q1.

As described above, the sensor output level of the optical sensor 13 is changed by the rotation of the rotary plate 10 which is interlocked with the inclination of the movie in the rotary unit 11, so that the rotary unit 1
1 and the optical sensor 13 constitute a rotation angle sensor of the movie.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are views for explaining the structure of the rotation angle sensor including the rotation unit 11 and the optical sensor 13 shown in FIG. 1 above.

FIG. 2A is a plan view of the rotation angle sensor. FIG. 2B is a side view of the rotation angle sensor.

FIG. 2C shows the rotating part 1 of the rotation angle sensor.
It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of 1. Next, the structure of the rotation angle sensor will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 2A, the rotary plate 10 of the rotary unit 11 is fixed by a central shaft 12, and a weight is attached to the rotary plate 10 which rotates about the central shaft 12 in association with the inclination of the movie. 9 is attached. 2 (b) is
2A shows the structure of the rotation angle sensor of FIG. 2A from the side direction, and the circumference of the rotary plate 10 includes a reflection portion 7 that reflects light and a non-reflection portion 8 that does not reflect light. As shown in FIG. 2 (c), the reflecting portion 7 is provided with the reflecting portion 7 that reflects light on a part of the circumferential surface of the rotary plate 10.
The rotary plate 10 is mounted so as to rotate about the central axis 12 in association with the inclination of the movie, and the rotary plate 10 is always placed with the weight 9 in the downward direction, that is, in the direction of the optical sensor 13 due to the gravity of the weight 9. Rotate to continue. Therefore, when the movie is tilted, the rotating plate 10 rotates about the central axis 12 so that the reflecting portion 7 becomes the facing surface of the optical sensor 13 by the action of gravity of the weight 9.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the rotation angle detecting operation of the rotation angle sensor including the rotation unit 11 and the optical sensor 13 shown in FIG. 1 above.

As shown in the figure, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 14 of the optical sensor 13 is applied to the rotary plate 10.
At this time, the rotating plate 10 is moved depending on the tilted state of the movie body.
When the non-reflecting portion 8 faces the photosensor 13, the irradiation light is not reflected by the non-reflecting portion 8 and therefore no light enters the light receiving transistor 15. Therefore, the output signal level of the light receiving transistor 15 maintains the high state.

On the other hand, when the movie body tilts, the central axis 1
Since the rotary plate 10 rotates about the center 2 and the weight 9 tries to continue to be in the downward direction, the reflecting portion 7 faces the optical sensor 13. At this time, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 14 is reflected by the reflecting portion 7 and is received by the light receiving transistor 15, and accordingly the output signal level of the light receiving transistor 15, that is, the signal level at the terminal T5 in FIG. 1 changes from high to low. And changes.

As described above, the rotating portion 11 and the optical sensor 13
Thus, a rotation angle sensor that detects the tilt angle of the movie is configured. In the sensor, the movie body is stationary (horizontal)
When the state is tilted by a predetermined angle or more, the sensor output level of the optical sensor 13 is changed from high to low to detect that the movie body is tilted by a predetermined angle or more.

Next, the operation of the false copy prevention apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described. When the movie is held in the horizontal state, the non-reflective portion 8 of the rotary plate 10 of the rotary portion 11 fixedly attached to the inner side surface of the movie faces the optical sensor 13. Therefore, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 14 is not reflected by the rotating plate 10, and the signal level of the output terminal T5 of the light receiving transistor 15 maintains the high level. Therefore, through the transistors Q1 and Q3, the terminal T
Since the signal level of 6 becomes high, the connection changeover switch S
3 is turned on, and the instruction signals for starting and stopping the recording by operating the recording start / stop switch S1 are given to the microcomputer 6.

As described above, when the movie is kept in a steady state, that is, when the movie body is in the horizontal state, the output signal level of the optical sensor 13 is kept high and the connection changeover switch S3 is turned on. Switch S1 and microcomputer 6
Acts to establish the electrical connection of.

When the movie is hung from the photographer's shoulder or the like and carried, and the photographer moves, the movie device main body tilts greatly. In response to this, the rotating plate 10 of the rotating unit 11 rotates about the central axis 12, and the action of the weight 9 causes the reflecting unit 7 of the rotating plate 10 to face the optical sensor 13. At this time, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 14 is reflected by the reflector 7 and the signal level of the output terminal T5 of the light receiving transistor 15 changes from high to low. Accordingly, the signal levels of the output terminal T8 of the transistor Q1 and the input terminal T7 of the transistor Q3 become high, so that the switch S3 is turned off by the transistor Q3.
State. Therefore, the electrical connection between the recording start / stop switch S1 and the microcomputer 6 is made by the switch S.
It is cut off by 3 and no instruction signal for starting and stopping recording by operating the switch S1 is given to the microcomputer 6.

As described above, when the main body is greatly tilted while the movie is hung from the shoulder and moved, the connection changeover switch S3 is turned off, so the switch S1 is inadvertently turned on. At this time, it is possible to prevent the movie from being mistakenly recorded.

FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (e) are timing charts represented by signal levels of respective switches and terminals when the movie equipped with the erroneous copying prevention device according to the embodiment of the present invention is in a recording stopped state. Is.

FIGS. 5A to 5F are signal levels of respective switches and terminals when the movie equipped with the anti-copying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is in the recording state or the disabling switch is in the ON state. It is a timing chart figure represented by.

Next, the operation when the movie is in the recording stopped state will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (e).

When the movie is in the recording stopped state, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the signal level of the terminal T4 is always kept low by the output of the microcomputer 6. At this time,
When the movie shifts from the horizontal period T1 to the period T2 inclined by a predetermined angle or more, the level of the terminal T5 changes from high to low as shown in FIG. 4B, and FIG.
As described above, the switching signal of the switch S1 of the microcomputer 6
Therefore, it is possible to prevent erroneous copying due to the movie.

After that, when the main body is returned from the inclined state of the predetermined angle or more in the period T2 to the horizontal state in the period T3 again, the level of the terminal T5 in FIG. 4B changes from low to high again. As described above, the instruction signal of the changeover switch S1 in FIG. 4E shifts to a state in which it can be accepted by the microcomputer 6.

As described above, even when the movie is in the recording stopped state, the degree of inclination of the movie body is detected by the angle sensor, and when it is detected at a predetermined angle or more, the microcomputer 6 causes the recording start / stop switch. Since the instruction signal by S1 shifts to the unacceptable state, the switch S1 is inadvertently operated while the movie is being carried and moving,
It is possible to prevent the recording from being accidentally started.

Next, the operation when the movie is in the recording state will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the movie is in the recording state, as shown in FIG.
The signal level of the terminal T4 in (a) is always set to a high state by the output of the microcomputer 6. At this time, when the movie shifts from the horizontal state T4 to the period T5 inclined by a predetermined angle or more, the signal level of the terminal T5 changes from high to low as shown in FIG. The output level of changes to high. On the other hand, the microcomputer 6
Outputs a signal that keeps the output level of the transistor Q2 low, so that the potentials at the terminals T7 and T8 are pulled to a low potential by the output signal level of the transistor Q2, and the transistor Q3 receives the signal shown in FIG. ), The switch S3 acts to maintain the ON state. Therefore, when the movie is in the recording state, regardless of whether or not the movie is tilted, that is, the sensor output of the rotation angle sensor including the rotation unit 11 and the optical sensor 13 is invalidated, and recording is always started. / The stop switch S1 is processed so that the recording start and recording stop instruction signals are given to the microcomputer 6.

When the movie is in the recording state, the movie body may tilt more than a predetermined angle depending on the subject image. In such a case, the movie body may tilt more than the predetermined angle. It is necessary to continue recording without recording. In that case, the user operates the disabling switch S4 in advance. That is, the user sets the switch S4 to the ON state in advance and forcibly sets the signal level of the input side terminal T7 of the transistor Q3 to low. As a result, the connection changeover switch S3 maintains the ON state. In this way, if the disabling switch S4 is set to the ON state by an external operation, the microcomputer 6 is given an instruction signal to start and stop recording of the recording start / stop switch S1 regardless of whether or not the movie is tilted. You can

As described above, when the recording state or the disabling switch S4 is ON, the input terminal T of the transistor Q3 is turned on by the microcomputer 6 and the disabling switch S4.
The signal level of 7 is forcibly set to low, and the recording start / stop switch S1 is connected via the connection changeover switch S3.
The microcomputer 6 sends instruction signals for starting and stopping recording by
I am able to give Therefore, the disabling switch S4 is set in the recording state or by the intention of the photographer.
When is set to the ON state, the sensor output of the rotation angle sensor that detects the tilt of the movie body composed of the rotating unit 11 and the optical sensor 13 is invalidated, and switching is performed even when the movie body is tilted during the recording state. The recording state can be canceled by operating the switch S1.

[0049]

According to the erroneous copying prevention device of the present invention, when the tilt detecting means detects that the body of the image pickup apparatus in which the erroneous copying preventing device is mounted is tilted by a predetermined angle or more, the instruction invalidating means gives an instruction. The switch operates to invalidate an instruction regarding the start and stop of image capturing of the image pickup apparatus, and the instruction invalidation unit detects that the image pickup apparatus is in the image pickup mode by the mode detection unit. It is forcibly disabled for the period of time. Therefore, when the image pickup apparatus is in an operation state other than the recording state, if the display device is tilted by a predetermined angle or more, the instruction switch does not function automatically. That is, when the photographer does not desire recording, such as when the imaging device is hung from the shoulder and carried and tilted at a predetermined angle or more, an undesired image is displayed even if the instruction switch is inadvertently operated. It is not recorded, and the convenience of the image pickup apparatus is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an erroneous copying prevention device mounted on a camera-integrated video tape recorder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A to 2C are views for explaining the structure of a rotation angle sensor including the rotation unit and the optical sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a rotation angle detection operation of a rotation angle sensor configured to include a rotation unit and an optical sensor shown in FIG.

4A to 4E are represented by signal levels of respective switches and terminals when a camera-integrated video tape recorder equipped with an error prevention device according to an embodiment of the present invention is in a recording stop state. FIG.

5 (a) to 5 (f) are respective switches when a video tape recorder with a built-in camera equipped with an anti-copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is in a recording state or a disabling switch is in an ON state; It is a timing chart figure represented by the signal level of a terminal.

6A and 6B are external views of a recording start / stop switch attached to a conventional camera-integrated video tape recorder.

7A and 7B are schematic diagrams for explaining the function of a recording start / stop switch that is attached to a conventional camera-integrated video tape recorder and operates in conjunction with the tilt angle of the main body. is there.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S1 Recording start / stop switch S3 Connection selector switch S4 Disabling switch 6 Microcomputer 7 Reflecting part 8 Non-reflecting part 9 Weight 10 Rotating plate 11 Rotating part 12 Center axis 13 Optical sensor 14 Light emitting diode 15 Light receiving transistor Q1, Q2 and Q3 Transistor In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A misalignment preventing device, which is provided in an imaging device and prevents the imaging device from inadvertently capturing an image, wherein the tilt detecting means detects that the imaging device body is tilted at a predetermined angle or more. An externally operated instruction switch for instructing the imaging device to start and stop imaging, an instruction invalidating unit for invalidating an instruction output by the instruction switch, and a detection output of the tilt detecting unit. In response, the activation means for activating the instruction invalidation means, the mode detection means for detecting that the image pickup apparatus is in the photographing mode, and the mode detection means detected that the photographing mode is set. At this time, an improper copying prevention apparatus comprising: a disabling unit that disables the instruction disabling unit regardless of the detection output of the tilt detecting unit.