JP2684907B2 - TV intercom - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a television intercom capable of capturing an image of a visitor's face with a television camera at an entrance, a gate, or the like of an ordinary household, and monitoring the interior of the house.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of TV intercom consists of a slave unit with a built-in TV camera installed at the entrance of a general home, a gate, etc., and a master unit installed inside the house with a built-in monitor. Image the visitors standing on
The video signal is sent to the master unit, and the monitor confirms the visitor on the monitor.

In such a TV intercom, in order to capture an image of a visitor standing in front of the entrance on the monitor,
Although a mechanical viewing angle adjustment function has been added, once the field of view is fixed, the image is taken with a constant field of view. I could not take an image.

In order to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks, the direction of the television camera in the slave unit is mechanically changed under the control of the master unit to obtain a desired field of view, or a wide-angle imaging lens is used, In some cases, the imaging field of view is set wide in advance.

[0005]

However, the former one requires a mechanical mechanism and a driving unit because the angle of the television camera needs to be mechanically changed in two horizontal and vertical two-axis directions. However, there is a drawback in that it is likely to cause a failure and shorten the service life.

In the latter case, since the monitor screen of the master device is small, the visitors are displayed in a small size in a part of the screen,
It had the drawback of being difficult to see.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a television intercom which has a simple structure and allows a visitor to be surely and easily watched. .

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] An image pickup means for picking up an image of a visitor or the like, a slave having an image output circuit for outputting a video signal from the image pickup means to a transmission line, and an image transmitted through the transmission line. A / D conversion means for digitizing the signal and the A / D conversion means are designated by a cursor on the image center
Cursor output from the A / D converting means and A / D conversion control means only outputs a sampling pulse to a portion to be the enlarged display in accordance with the sampling pulses
The image memory for storing the image data of only the portion to be enlarged and designated by the cursor and the read timing of the image data stored in the image memory are changed from the write timing to the image memory and designated by the cursor.
And a read control means for outputting a control signal for enlarging a portion to be enlarged and displayed, and a D / A for D / A converting the image data read by the read control means.
A conversion unit and a monitor for displaying the analog image signal output from the D / A conversion unit on the screen, a cursor display control unit for controlling the position and size of the cursor displayed on the monitor, and the position of the cursor are set in advance. And a parent device having a cursor position setting means.

[0009]

In the television intercom of the present invention, the cursor display control means causes a cursor of a predetermined size to be displayed near the face of the visitor displayed on the screen, and based on the control signal from the cursor display control means. Then, according to the sampling signal from the A / D conversion control means, only a predetermined area of the entire imaged area is written in the image memory, and the image signal stored in the image memory is read out from the read control means. Thus, reading is performed at a timing different from that at the time of writing, and only the predetermined area is enlarged and displayed on the monitor.

Further, a predetermined position of the cursor is set in advance in the cursor position setting means, and the A / D conversion control means takes in the signal from the cursor position setting means prior to the signal from the cursor display control means. The cursor can be displayed at the predetermined position.

[0011]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a child device installed at the entrance, gate, etc. of a general home, which images a visitor and outputs a video signal thereof.

The child device 1 is an image pickup means 11 for picking up an image of a visitor.
And a video output circuit 12 for transmitting the video signal output from the image pickup means 11 from the slave unit 1 to the master unit 2 described later.

The video output circuit 12 includes a balancing circuit when the video signal and the power supply are superimposed by using a simple pair line such as a telephone line as a transmission line.

The image pickup means 11 is preferably a CCD image pickup device in terms of cost and stability, and has a wide angle so that a visitor stands in front of the child device 1 and absorbs variations in height and the like. It is good to set.

Reference numeral 3 is a transmission line composed of a coaxial cable or a telephone line, and the video signal output from the slave unit 1 is transmitted to the master unit 2.
Transmit to

Reference numeral 2 denotes a parent device installed inside the house, which takes in a video signal input from the child device 1 through the transmission line 3 and monitors the video.

The master unit 2 includes an A / D conversion unit 21, an image memory 22, a D / A conversion unit 23, a monitor 24, an A / D conversion control unit 25, a read control unit 26, a cursor display control unit 27 and a cursor position. The setting means 28 is included.

The video signal from the slave unit 1 is input to the A / D conversion means 21 and converted into, for example, 8-bit digital image data per pixel according to the sampling signal from the A / D conversion control means 25.

This digital image data is stored in the image memory 22.
Is stored once. The memory size of the image memory 22 is
For example, it is 512 × 512 or 256 × 256.

The digital image data stored in the image memory 22 is read by a read signal from the read control means 26, converted into a video signal as an analog signal by the D / A conversion means 23, and displayed on the screen of the monitor 24. Is displayed in.

The A / D conversion control means 25 generates a sampling pulse for digital conversion only during the period of the sampling region in the video signal. Here, as shown in FIG. 2A, the sampling area 5 is a partial area in the imaging area 4 that is temporarily held in the image memory 22 for enlarged display. As shown in 2 (b), it is a rectangular area having the same aspect ratio as the imaging area 4 displayed on the monitor 24.

The sampling area 5 is normally set by the cursor display control means 27 by bringing a cursor of a predetermined size to a predetermined position, but the cursor position set by the cursor position setting means 28 is set. Is inputted to the A / D conversion control means 25, the signal from the cursor position setting means 28 is changed to the cursor display control means 2
The signal from 7 is preferentially fetched and the cursor is displayed on the monitor 24.

Here, in the cursor position setting means 28,
The position of the cursor that the family member wants to set on the screen of the monitor 24 is input in advance.

For example, in the case where the position of the caller (visitor) standing in front of the cordless handset 1 is determined, and a visitor other than the caller often stands on the right side of the caller, refer to FIG. The cursor K1 may be set by the cursor position setting means 28 at a position as shown, that is, at a position where the caller is highly likely to be displayed.

Writing to the image memory 22 of the sampling area 5 is performed based on a control signal from the cursor display control means 27, as shown in FIG. Sync signal 1 of video signal 6
This is performed by generating the sampling pulse 9 in the period 8 corresponding to the sampling region 5 in the horizontal period 7 between 0.

The sampling pulse generated from the A / D conversion control means 25 is used as a sampling signal in the A / D conversion means 21, and the image memory 22 is also used.
Is used as a write signal. Therefore, the number of sampling pulses and the size of the image memory 22 may be the same, for example, both may be 256 × 256.

With such a configuration, the image memory 22
Since it is not necessary to store the entire imaging field of view, it is sufficient to prepare a memory for only the sampling area, so that the memory capacity can be saved.

In the read control means 26, the image memory 2
A control signal for reading the digital image data of the sampling area 5 stored in 2 in the next frame is output.

At this time, in order to perform enlarged display, reading is performed at a timing different from that at the time of writing.

The image data corresponding to the period 8 corresponding to the sampling region 5 in the horizontal period 7 of the video signal 6 is read out as the data of the entire horizontal period 7 as shown in FIG. 5B.

That is, in the horizontal direction, 256 read signals are evenly distributed over the entire horizontal period 7.

Generally, a general video signal has 525 scanning lines, and the size of the image memory 22 in the vertical direction is 256, which is only half of the scanning lines. Form the screen.

That is, in the vertical direction, if the same contents are displayed over two interlaced fields, the same data will be arranged in two lines. As a result, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the entire screen is enlarged and displayed.

Here, regarding the display position of the cursor,
When the call is started, the cursor position set in the cursor position setting means 28 is automatically displayed, that is, when the call is started, the A / D conversion control means 25 causes the signal from the cursor position setting means 28 to be displayed. Is preferentially fetched over the signal from the cursor display control means 27, the cursor is always displayed at a predetermined position at the start of a call, and at a position where the caller is likely to be displayed on the monitor 24. Therefore, the trouble of moving the cursor by the cursor display control means 27 and searching for the caller can be saved.

The cursor can be moved from that position by the cursor display control means 27.

Further, when the cursor is displayed at a predetermined position on the screen of the monitor 24 by the signal of the cursor display control means 27, the A / D conversion control means 25 sends the signal from the cursor position setting means 28. When a signal for capturing is input from the outside (operator on the master unit side), the signal from the cursor position setting means 28 is preferentially captured over the signal from the cursor display control means 27. Since the operator (family member) on the master unit side can immediately move the cursor to a predetermined place and enlarge it on the screen at any time by, for example, pressing a priority button (not shown) or the like. is there.

Thereafter, a signal from the cursor display control means 27 may be used to continuously move the cursor from the above-mentioned preferentially displayed position, or the cursor may be returned to the position of the cursor before pressing the priority button. Then, it may be moved from that position.

Next, an actual operation procedure will be shown. Assuming that a visitor, for example, a parent and child accompanied by a parent M1 and a child M2 visit, and a call is started, the monitor 24 is displayed in FIG.
As described above, the entire wide-angle field of view in which the cursor K1 is indicated in advance by the cursor position setting means 28 is displayed at the position set by the family member.

When the operator (family member) on the master unit side instructs the cursor K1 having an area of a predetermined size displayed on the screen of the monitor 24 to enlarge, as shown in FIG. 3 (b). The parent M1 shown in the area K1 is enlarged and displayed on the entire screen.

Then, after that, the cursor display control means 2
7 to move the cursor K1 to K as shown in FIG.
2 is moved to the position of the child M2, and the enlargement instruction is given in the same manner as described above, the area K is displayed as shown in FIG.
The child M2 shown in 2 is enlarged and displayed on the entire screen.

In the above embodiment, the image memory 22
However, in this case, the frame input to the image memory 22 and the frame for displaying the content are alternately displayed, and the screen flickers slightly. If there is no problem.

If one wishes to eliminate this phenomenon,
It is possible to display a complete moving image by preparing two image memories 22, switching them alternately, and repeating input and enlarged display alternately.

[0044]

As described above, according to the television intercom of the present invention, the cursor display control means displays a cursor of a predetermined size in the vicinity of the face of the visitor displayed on the screen, and the cursor display control means. Based on the control signal from the A / D conversion control means, only a predetermined area in the entire imaged area is written in the image memory by the sampling signal from the A / D conversion control means, and the image signal stored in the image memory is
By the read control signal from the read control means, the read is performed at a timing different from that at the time of writing, and only the predetermined area is enlarged and displayed on the monitor. Further, the predetermined position of the cursor is preset in the cursor position setting means. Since the A / D conversion control means can capture the signal from the cursor position setting means in preference to the signal from the cursor display control means and display the cursor at the predetermined position, it is often used in the image memory. Memory capacity
It was possible to provide a TV intercom that can monitor visitors without fail, with a simple configuration, and with a simple configuration, and that can immediately move the cursor to a predetermined position on the screen of a preset monitor. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a monitor screen for explaining the above operation.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a monitor screen for explaining the above operation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a monitor screen for explaining the above-described operation.

FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of the above.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Child device 2 Parent device 3 Transmission line 11 Imaging means 12 Video output circuit 21 A / D conversion means 22 Image memory 23 D / A conversion means 24 Monitor 25 A / D conversion control means 26 Read control means 27 Cursor display control means 28 Cursor position setting means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A slave unit having an image pickup means for picking up an image of a visitor or the like, a video output circuit for outputting a video signal from the image pickup means to a transmission line, and a video signal transmitted through the transmission line is digitized. A / D converting means for outputting the sampling pulse only to the A / D converting means and the portion to be displayed enlarged in the video signal designated by the cursor A
A / D conversion control means and a cursor output from the A / D conversion means according to the sampling pulse
Portion to be displayed is specified expanded by enlarge try image memory for storing image data of only the portion to the cursor timing of reading image data stored in the image memory is changed from the writing timing to the image memory has Read control means for outputting a control signal for enlarging the image, a D / A conversion means for D / A converting the image data read by the read control means, and an analog image signal output from the D / A conversion means. And a cursor display control means for controlling the position and size of the cursor displayed on the monitor and a master unit having cursor position setting means for presetting the position of the cursor. And the TV intercom.