JP2764120B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus used for an apparatus for printing out characters and figures drawn on a wall surface.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, characters and figures written on a blackboard, a white board, a bulletin board, and the like are printed out on paper.
For example, an electronic blackboard is known. This electronic blackboard uses a whiteboard-like blackboard with a scanning function, and the characters and figures written on this blackboard are
Based on the scan information, print out on paper with an integrated thermal printer. Also, there is an apparatus, such as a copy machine, which arranges a document at a designated position, reads the document with a scanner, and prints out the document.

As described above, there are printers that print out characters and graphics on a special blackboard with a scanning function or the contents of a document at a predetermined position, but these devices do not have a normal blackboard with a scanning function. And letters and figures on walls or boards installed outdoors,
Furthermore, it is not possible to capture a sketch of a space or the like as information on a paper surface, that is, to print out on paper.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Therefore, characters and figures drawn on various wall surfaces such as a blackboard are made incident through a lens, the angle of view is determined while monitoring with a viewfinder, and the image is determined by a one-dimensional image sensor. There has been proposed a so-called image pickup printing apparatus that scans, operates a printer based on an image signal obtained as a result, and prints out characters and figures on paper.

However, this imaging and printing apparatus can directly image characters and figures drawn on a wall surface, or can change the angle of view using a zoom lens, but to image only a specific portion. However, it is not possible to change the vertical / horizontal ratio of the image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an imaging apparatus that captures only a part of the image with a simple configuration.

[Configuration of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: a viewfinder that monitors an image incident from an image pickup lens; and a one-dimensional image sensor that is driven along an image plane of the image. An imaging apparatus having a masking member that is configured to be displaceable along the image plane and that changes an imaging range by the displacement.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus of the first aspect, the one-dimensional image sensor is disposed to face the one-dimensional image sensor with the masking member interposed therebetween, and outputs an output equal to or more than a predetermined threshold from the pixel output of the one-dimensional image sensor. And a means for judging an effective area for judging a pixel which generates an output equal to or more than a predetermined threshold from each pixel output of the one-dimensional image sensor as an effective pixel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the masking member includes a pair of members that slide in directions opposite to each other with respect to the moving direction of the one-dimensional image sensor. One of
A sensor provided at an edge opposite to the starting position of the masking member on the starting position side of the three-dimensional image sensor for detecting that the one-dimensional image sensor has moved; and an effective area determined by the pair of masking members based on the sensor. Means for determining an effective area for determining

(Operation) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image input from the image pickup lens is changed so that a desired part in the image is extracted by operating a masking member while monitoring the image with a viewfinder. The sensor is driven to image only the portion extracted by the masking member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the first aspect, when a light source opposed to the one-dimensional image sensor with the masking member interposed therebetween is turned on, the light is incident on each pixel of the one-dimensional image sensor. Since the light attenuated by the masking member is incident on the pixels masked by the member, the output thereof is at a low level, and if the output is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the pixel generating the output is masked by the masking member. It can be determined that there are no valid pixels, and the valid area to be printed out can be determined.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when a pair of masking members that slide in opposite directions to each other with respect to a moving direction of the one-dimensional image sensor are used as the masking member, By detecting that the one-dimensional image sensor has moved to the edge of one of the masking members, the effective area formed between the pair of masking members can be detected.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a main body case.
An imaging lens 12 is provided on the front surface of 11, and a viewfinder 13 is provided on the upper surface, and a printer (not shown) for printing out captured information is housed in a space 14 inside and behind.

Further, an image such as a character or a figure drawn on a wall surface or the like enters from the imaging lens 12, and is formed as an inverted image on a reticle 15 provided on the image forming surface. The formed image can be visually observed from the window of the viewfinder 13 by the inclined mirror 16 provided behind the image.

The focusing screen 15 is slidably supported in the horizontal direction by upper and lower guide poles 18 provided in the horizontal direction via a support 17 and is driven in the horizontal direction by a stepping motor (not shown). A one-dimensional image sensor 20 is provided on one side of the focusing screen 15, as shown in FIG. The one-dimensional image sensor 20 includes a line in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a vertical direction.
Use a CCD.

On the front side of the reticle 15, a V masking member 21 for the vertical direction and an H masking member 22 for the horizontal direction are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the V masking member 21 has two upper and lower colored transparent plates, markers 21a and 21b, which extend in the horizontal direction, which is the direction in which the focusing screen 15 moves. 21a and 21b are configured to be individually movable up and down. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the right end of the upper marker 21a is integrally provided on the upper left side of the support body 23a provided in the vertical direction, and the left end of the lower marker 21b is provided in the same vertical direction. The support 23b is provided integrally on the lower right side. Each of the supports 23a and 23b has long holes 24a and 24b oriented vertically, respectively.
Guide pin 25 on body case 11 side that slidably penetrates 4b
Are supported so as to be able to move up and down. Thus the marker
One end of each of the support members 21a and 21b corresponds to the support members 23a and 23b, and the other end is supported by the guide pin 25 via the long holes 26a and 26b. Therefore, these markers 21a and 21b move up and down in conjunction with the up and down movement of the corresponding supports 23a and 23b.

Also, rack gears 27a, 2b are provided on the outer side of each support 23a, 23b.
7b is formed in the vertical direction, and is connected to the operation dials 29a and 29b via the corresponding gear mechanisms 28a and 28b, respectively. The operation dials 29a and 29b have an operation portion, that is, an outer peripheral surface that is exposed to the outside of the main body case 11, and are operated by rotating the operation dials 29a and 29b.
By moving 1a and 21b up and down, the masking amount in the vertical direction with respect to the maximum imaging area 30 is adjusted.

The H masking member 22 is, as shown in FIG.
A marker that is a pair of left and right colored transparent plates extending in the vertical direction
The markers 22a and 22b are configured to horizontally move in opposite directions. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper ends of the markers 22a and 22b are integrally attached to corresponding ones of the supports 32a and 32b provided in the horizontal direction, respectively. These supports 32a, 32b are provided with horizontally long holes 33a, 33b. In addition, each marker 2
Horizontal holes 34a, 34b are also provided at the lower part of 2a, 22b, and guide pins 35 on the main body case 11 side slidably penetrate these long holes 33a, 33b and the long holes 34a, 34b. doing. Therefore, the markers 22a and 22b and these markers 22
The supports 32a and 32b integral with the a and 22b are supported by guide pins 35 so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction.

Latch gears 36a, 3b are provided on the upper side of each support 32a, 32b.
6b are formed and mesh with the corresponding gears 37a and 37b, respectively. The gear 3 integrated with these gears 37a and 37b
8a and 38b themselves are also engaged with each other, and are configured to rotate in opposite directions to each other. Further, one gear 38b
Also meshes with the gear 40 of the operation dial 39. As shown in FIG. 1, the operation portion of the operation dial 39, that is, the outer peripheral surface is exposed to the upper outside of the main body case 11. Therefore, by rotating the operation dial 39, the pair of left and right markers 22a and 22b horizontally move in opposite directions via the gear 40, the gears 38a and 38b, the gears 37a and 37b, and the rack gears 36a and 36b.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 41 denotes an array of light sources, and the light source 41 uses, for example, an LED array in which a large number of LEDs are linearly arranged. The row-shaped light sources 41 are provided with the masking members 21 and 2 described above.
It faces the line CCD as the one-dimensional image sensor 20 at the start position with 2 interposed therebetween. The start position of the one-dimensional image sensor 20 refers to a position before the movement of the focusing screen 15 to which the one-dimensional image sensor 20 is attached, covering the imaging area 30 shown in FIGS.

A pair of markers 22 constituting the H masking member 22
A marker flag 42 for position detection is provided below the edge of the marker 22b on the starting position side of the one-dimensional image sensor 20 on the side opposite to the starting position. On the other hand, at the lower end of the one-dimensional image sensor 20, a sensor 43 such as an optical switch for position detection is provided. The sensor 43 outputs a detection signal when the one-dimensional image sensor 20 reaches the edge of the marker 22b and faces the marker flag 42 provided on the marker 22b.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 44 denotes a light shielding plate.
Is mounted slidably on the guide pole 18 in order to shield light from the window of the viewfinder 13 during imaging.

FIG. 5 shows a control system, which is totally controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) 46. That is, C
The PU 46 gives a lighting command to the row-shaped light sources 41 when an imaging command is added from the outside. Further, a drive pulse is given to the stepping motor 47 based on the imaging command. The stepping motor 47 moves the reticle 15 and the one-dimensional image sensor 20 integrated with the reticle 15 along the image plane. Further, the one-dimensional image sensor 20 is operated via the drive circuit 48 based on the imaging command. The output signal from each pixel of the one-dimensional image sensor 20 is shaped by a waveform shaping circuit 49 and is binarized by a binarizing circuit 50. The CPU 46 outputs print data to the printer control circuit 51 on the basis of the binarized image pickup signal, and operates the printer 52. The output signal of each pixel whose waveform has been shaped by the waveform shaping circuit 49 is also applied to a comparator 53, where it is compared with a threshold value V _TH . The output signal of the comparator 53 becomes a vertical (V) area signal, and is applied as an area determination signal to an area determination means, which is a function performed by the CPU 46. Also,
An output signal of the sensor 43, that is, a horizontal (H) area signal is applied to this area determination means as an area determination signal.

In the above configuration, the user first touches the imaging lens 12 against the wall surface on which the characters or figures to be printed are drawn.
Is set, and it is confirmed through the window of the viewfinder 13 whether the desired image is set. Then, while viewing the image captured on the window of the viewfinder 13, either the V masking member 21 or the H masking member 22, or
By moving both, the range to be imaged from the image is set arbitrarily.

Next, when an imaging command is given, the CPU 46 first turns on the row of light sources 41 and irradiates the one-dimensional image sensor 20 at the starting position. At the same time, the one-dimensional image sensor 20 is operated via the drive circuit 48 to generate an output signal for one line from each image. At this time, the output of the one-dimensional image sensor 20 is in the state shown in FIG. FIG. 6 shows each pixel number on the horizontal axis and the output voltage of each pixel on the vertical axis. That is, the V masking member 21 is located between the row of light sources 41 and the one-dimensional image sensor 20, and the pixels (1 to nH) (nL to nB) of the portion masked by the marker 21a or the marker 21b are provided. ), The output voltage is at a low level because the amount of light incident on the) is greatly reduced. Therefore, these output voltages are compared with a threshold value V _TH by a comparator 53 to obtain a V area signal as a result of the comparison. CPU4
The area determination means 6 uses the V area signal to determine the threshold V _TH
The valid pixels (nH to nL) that generate the above output are determined, and the vertical (V) direction effective area is detected.

Next, detection of an effective area in the horizontal (H) direction will be described.
That is, the CPU 46 causes the stepping motor 4
Since a drive pulse is applied to the device 7 to operate it, the one-dimensional image sensor 20 starts to move in the horizontal direction along the imaging plane. When the one-dimensional image sensor 20 moves to the right edge of the left marker 22b shown in FIG. 4, the sensor 43 detects the flag 42 and generates an output signal. The amount of movement until the sensor 43 generates a detection signal is detected by the number of drive pulses PL to the stepping motor 47. Also, the imaging area
The number of pulses Pc required for the movement to the center of 30 is known. Therefore, by adding the number of pulses of (Pc-PL) to the center position, the effective area in the horizontal direction can be specified.

The one-dimensional image sensor 20 is a stepping motor.
When moving horizontally along the image plane by 47, the imaging lens 12
, And an output signal is generated from each pixel. This output signal is waveform-shaped and binarized.
U46 outputs only the data corresponding to the effective area determined as described above to the printer control circuit 51.
As a result, the V masking member 21 and the H masking member
Only the image in the range specified by 22 is printed out by the printer 52.

The row-shaped light sources 41 are also turned on when the one-dimensional image sensor 20 returns to the starting position. If the one-dimensional image sensor 20 is stopped at a position where the amount of received light is maximized, the one-dimensional image sensor 20 can be correctly stopped at the starting position.

As described above, the V masking member 21 and the H masking member 22 can be used to specify only a specific portion of an image,
The function of capturing an image by changing the horizontal ratio can be achieved, and the applicable range is greatly expanded.

In addition, when setting an imaging lens on an imaging target, it has conventionally been necessary to accurately adjust the imaging range while looking at the viewfinder. However, since the V masking member 21 and the H masking member 22 are provided, the imaging range is reduced. A relatively rough setting of the degree of inclusion is sufficient. That is, the trimming can be easily performed by the V masking member 21 and the H masking member 22 after the setting.

Furthermore, since only data in the imaging range is handled, the time for scanning unnecessary portions can be eliminated, and unnecessary data is not transmitted.

In the above embodiment, the effective area in the horizontal direction is detected by a signal obtained when the sensor 43 detects the flag 42 provided on the one marker 22b and the number of known pulses up to the center position of the imaging range 30. However, the present invention is not limited to this detection method. For example, a flag may be provided on both markers 22a and 22b, and the effective area may be detected by detecting this with the sensor 43. In this case, both markers 22a and 22b may be moved individually.

In addition, both vertical and horizontal masking members are used.
Although 21 and 22 are provided, only one of them may be provided.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the imaging device of the first aspect, the image incident from the imaging lens is changed by operating a masking member while monitoring the image with a viewfinder so as to extract a desired part from the image. Can be driven to image only the portion extracted by the masking member, so that characters and figures can be easily trimmed to an arbitrary range and imaged.

According to the imaging device of the second aspect, in addition to the imaging device of the first aspect, when the light source opposed to the one-dimensional image sensor with the masking member interposed therebetween is turned on, the pixels masked by the masking member have the masking member. Therefore, it is possible to determine that a pixel that produces an output is a valid pixel that has not been masked by the masking member, and that an effective area to be printed out can be determined.

According to the image pickup apparatus of claim 3, claim 1 or 2
In addition to the imaging device described above, when a pair of masking members that slide in directions opposite to each other with respect to the moving direction of the one-dimensional image sensor are used as the masking members, the one-dimensional image sensor is an edge portion of one of the masking members. The effective area formed between the pair of masking members can be detected by detecting the movement of the masking member by the sensor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the relationship between a one-dimensional image sensor and a masking member in FIG. , FIG. 3 is a front view showing the vertical masking member and its operating mechanism in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a front view showing the horizontal masking member and its operating mechanism in FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system used in the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram for explaining an operation for obtaining a V area signal in FIG. 12 ... imaging lens, 13 ... viewfinder, 20 ... 1
2D image sensor, 21 ... V masking member, 22 ...
H masking member, 41 light source, 43 sensor, 46
A CPU that has an effective area determination unit as a function.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-190071 (JP, A) JP-A-2-25168 (JP, A) JP-A-2-29164 (JP, A) JP-A-63-1988 35066 (JP, A) JP-A-62-202655 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a view finder for monitoring an image incident from an image pickup lens; and a one-dimensional image sensor driven along an image forming plane of the image, wherein a displacement along the image forming plane is provided. An imaging apparatus, comprising: a masking member configured to be capable of changing an imaging range by the displacement. 2. A line-shaped light source arranged to face a one-dimensional image sensor with a masking member interposed therebetween and configured to output a pixel output of the one-dimensional image sensor at a predetermined threshold value or more; 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an effective area determining unit that determines a pixel that generates an output equal to or more than a predetermined threshold from each pixel output as an effective pixel. 3. The masking member comprises a pair which slides in opposite directions with respect to the moving direction of the one-dimensional image sensor. Of the pair of masking members, a masking member on the starting position side of the one-dimensional image sensor is provided. A sensor provided at an edge opposite to the starting position to detect that the one-dimensional image sensor has moved; and an effective area determining means for determining an effective area determined by the pair of masking members based on the sensor. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: