JP2767289B2 - Image input device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input apparatus, and more particularly, to an initial operation control unit thereof.

[Conventional conventional]

Conventionally, an image input device performs a known white balance adjustment, manually adjusts a white balance,
Alternatively, the white balance adjusting means operates only when an operation button or the like is pressed.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the conventional example, when the power is turned on and the operation of the image input apparatus is started, the white balance adjustment unit is not in an appropriate state. However, it is necessary to operate the white balance adjusting means by operating the above operation, and there is a problem that the operation is troublesome and the operability is poor.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems of the conventional example. When the power is turned on, the control unit turns on a lighting switch of the lighting unit to turn on the lighting unit. It is an object to improve the operability when the power is turned on by automatically operating the white balance adjustment means after a lapse of a predetermined time or until the white balance adjustment means is in an appropriate state.

[Means for solving the problem]

For this reason, in the present invention, a mounting table for an image to be read, imaging means for photoelectrically converting the image, support means for the imaging means, and illumination means for illuminating the image,
And a white balance adjusting unit for adjusting a white balance, wherein when the power of the image input device is turned on, after a lighting switch of the lighting unit is turned on, the lighting unit is turned on. The object of the present invention is achieved by providing a control means for controlling the white balance adjusting means to operate for a predetermined time or until an appropriate state is reached after a lapse of time.

[Action]

In the image input device according to the present invention, when the power of the image input device is turned on, the control unit controls the white balance adjustment unit to be constant after a lapse of time from when a lighting switch of the lighting unit is turned on to when the lighting unit is turned on. Control is performed so as to operate until time or an appropriate state is reached.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line XX of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the camera 2 in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a top view of the operation unit of the remote control device 10 in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of this embodiment, and FIG. Rotary encoder shown
FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the control means E for controlling the operation of this embodiment.

First, an outline of the configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG.

In FIG. 1, Y is an image input device, 1 is a mounting table on which an image 1a to be read is mounted, and the mounting table 1 is used to prevent irregularly reflected light from entering the camera 2 from the mounting table 1.
Is a diffuse reflection plate. Reference numeral 2 denotes a camera fixed to and supported by the horizontal support unit 3, and includes a color photoelectric conversion unit that is an image pickup unit A that performs photoelectric exchange of the image 1a. Reference numeral 4 denotes a vertical support, which is fixed to the mounting table 1, the horizontal support 3 is connected to the mounting table 1 via the vertical support 4, and the horizontal support member 3 and the vertical support 4 It constitutes the support means B. Reference numeral 5 denotes an illuminating device which is illuminating means C provided on both upper sides of the mounting table 1 and is used when the mounting table 1 is dark, and can be turned on / off by a switch 6. Reference numeral 7 denotes a power switch of the apparatus, and 8 (FIG. 2) denotes an external input terminal for inputting a video signal from the outside. The external input input thereto is output from a monitor output terminal 9. Reference numeral 10 (FIG. 1) denotes a remote operation device (hereinafter, referred to as a remote controller) for electrically operating each operation member of the image input device. In the example shown in FIG. It may be an expression.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the camera 2, in which FIG.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) as an image pickup device serving as the image pickup means A, and inputs an image 1a on the mounting table 1 (FIG. 1) through a zoom lens 12 and a focus lens 13. The zoom lens 12 is fixed to a moving barrel 21 and is driven by a motor 15 via a cam barrel 19. Focus lens
Reference numeral 13 is attached to the focus frame 20 and is fixed to the movable barrel 22 and is driven by the motor 16. 14 is an aperture,
The motor 17 is driven to open and close. Reference numeral 18 denotes a fixed cylinder, which is fixed to the horizontal support 3 (FIG. 1), and the movable cylinders 21, 22 and the cam cylinder 19 are rotatably mounted.

Next, the operation unit of the remote control device 10 shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows the upper surface of the operation unit of the remote controller 10 shown in FIG. In the figure, 23 is a rotary dial for focus / zoom adjustment, 24 is a control switch for the dial 23,
This is selectively set at any one of the focus / zoom positions. The illustration shows the focus state.
Reference numeral 25 denotes an iris (aperture) button. When the plastic side is pressed, the aperture is opened, and when the minus side is pressed, the aperture is closed. By pressing the auto iris button 26, the aperture can be automatically adjusted. An input switching button 27 is a button for selecting an input from the input from the external input terminal 8 (FIG. 2) and the input from the camera 2. 28 is a negative / positive switching button. Reference numeral 29 denotes a white balance adjustment button constituting the white balance adjustment means D. While this button is pressed,
The automatic white balance adjusting means D is operated, and when the button is released, the state at that time is held.

Next, a configuration centering on the control system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of this embodiment, and shows a configuration centering on a control system. In FIG.
101 denotes a camera head for picking up an image of an object Y _1.
R is attached in front of the camera head 101, a lens for forming an image of an object Y ₁ on the imaging device CCD in the head, a plurality of zoom optical lens 102, aperture 103, zoom adjustment motor 104 And a motor 105 for focus adjustment and a motor 106 for aperture adjustment. Here, each of the motors 104, 105, and 106 is an element such as a DC motor, a step motor, and an ultrasonic motor, which can convert electrical energy into mechanical energy.
In response to a command from 2, a movement in a mechanically opposite direction is possible. In response to the movement in both directions, the zoom adjustment motor 104 is set to "tele" / "wide" and the focusing motor 1
05 is the focus “near” / “far”, and the aperture adjustment motor 106 is the aperture “open” / “close” operation, which enables adjustment of zoom, focus (focus), and aperture (exposure), respectively. (Details will be described later).

Image information of the object Y ₁ is a white balance (W, B) from the camera head 101 is white balance adjustment section D circuit 130, and output as a video signal of NTSC or the like via the switcher 133, the output line 107. At the same time, the camera head 101 outputs a luminance signal from a terminal b in order to detect the average luminance of the subject Y ₁ , and the luminance signal is input to an integration circuit 109 via a line 108. In the integration circuit 109, the integration is performed by the A / D converter. After A / D conversion by 111, it is a control device of the whole system and is inputted to a controller 112 constituting the control means E.

The camera head 101 sends a synchronizing signal from the terminal c to the integrating circuit 109 to give a reset timing of the integrated waveform, and also sends a timing pulse from the terminal d to the controller 112 to specify the timing for taking in the controller 112. ing. Reference numeral 113 denotes a rotary encoder, and its two outputs A and B are connected to the controller 112, and when the rotary encoder 113 is rotated rightward as shown in the output signal waveform diagram of the rotary encoder 113 shown in FIG. And when you turn left, It is configured to change. For this reason, the controller 112 receives the input (A, B) from the rotary encoder 113.
Thus, the rotation direction can be determined.

Reference numerals 114, 115, and 116 denote members for specifying zoom, focus, and aperture operations, respectively. For example, when the input from these becomes a "high" level, the controller 112 determines that the operation has been specified. Note that more than one operation cannot be specified at a time. In response to the rotation of the rotary encoder 113, the controller 112 follows the clockwise / leftward rotation, and if the zoom operation is designated, tele / wide, if the focus operation is designated, near / far, and if the aperture operation is designated, Perform opening / closing operations.

Reference numeral 117 denotes a member for designating automatic white balance adjustment which constitutes the white balance adjustment means D. For example, while this input is at the “high” level, the operation of the automatic white balance is performed and the “white” level is set to the “low” level. Then, the state at that time is held.

118 and 119 are up / down operation members, respectively.
When they go high, the controller 11
Reference numeral 2 denotes opening (up operation) / closing (down operation) of the aperture 103.

Reference numeral 120 denotes a negative / positive switching operation member, and the state of the negative / positive is changed each time the input from this becomes a "high" level.

Reference numerals 121, 122, and 123 denote input switching operation members, and the controller 112 selects one of the inputs c, d, and e of the switcher 133 through the switcher input lines a and b according to the input.

Reference numeral 124 denotes a light-on / light-off operation member of the lighting device 125 as the lighting means C, and its state is input to the controller 112. Reference numeral 125 denotes an illumination device which constitutes the illumination means C and illuminates the mounting table 1.

Reference numeral 126 denotes an integration circuit for integrating a BY (blue-luminance) signal from a white balance circuit 130 constituting the white balance adjustment means D. 127 performs A / D conversion, and inputs the result to the controller 112. A / D converter.

128 is an integration circuit for integrating the RY (red-brightness) signal from the white balance circuit 130, and 129 is an A / D converter that performs A / D conversion and inputs the result to the controller 112. .

131 is the D / A control value of B (blue) from the controller 112
A D / A converter 132 converts and inputs the (red) control value from the controller 112 to the white balance circuit 130 and inputs the same to the white balance circuit 130.
A converter.

Reference numeral 130 denotes a white balance circuit which is white balance adjustment means D for performing white balance adjustment based on the control value of B and the control value of R from the controller 112.
Is a switcher for selecting one of the inputs c, d, and e under the control of the controller 112 and outputting it to the video output 107.

Next, the operation control of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

When the power of the image input apparatus Y is turned on, the control unit E in the flow described below is turned on by the lighting switch 6 of the lighting unit C.
Is a means for controlling the white balance adjusting means D to operate for a predetermined time or until an appropriate state is reached after a lapse of time from the turning on of the lighting means C to the lighting of the lighting means C.

 Hereinafter, description will be made in accordance with the flow of FIG.

In the flowchart of FIG. 7, when the power is turned on and the controller starts operating, it is determined in step S1 whether or not the lighting switch of the lighting device that illuminates the mounting table is ON. If the switch is ON, the process proceeds to step S2. After waiting until the lighting device is turned on, the process proceeds to step S3. If not ON, proceed to step S3. In step S3, a timer for determining the end of white balance is started, and in step S4, the white balance adjusting means is operated, and the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, it is determined whether it is the white balance end time, and if it is the end time, the process proceeds to step S7. If it is not the end time, proceed to step S6,
It is determined whether the white balance is in a proper state. If the white balance is in a proper state, the process proceeds to step S7. If not, the process returns to step S4 and repeats steps S4 to S6. In step S7, processing according to the operation of the operation member is repeated until the power is turned off.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, when the power is turned on, the white balance adjusting means is automatically operated after waiting for a time from when the lighting switch of the lighting means is turned on to when the lighting apparatus is turned on, so that the power is turned on. This has the effect of improving operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line XX of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the camera 2 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a top view of the operation unit of the remote control device 10 of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of this embodiment, FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram of an output signal of the rotary encoder 113 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the control means for controlling the operation of this embodiment. A ... Imaging means B ... Support means C ... Illuminating means D ... White balance adjusting means E ... Control means Y ... Image input device 1 ... Placement table 1a ... Image 2 ... Camera 10 ... Remote control Apparatus In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A mounting table for an image to be read, an imaging unit for photoelectrically converting the image, a support unit for the imaging unit, an illumination unit for illuminating the image, and a white balance adjustment unit for adjusting a white balance. An image input device, comprising: when the power of the image input device is turned on, after a lapse of time from when a lighting switch of the lighting unit is turned on to when the lighting unit is turned on, the white balance adjusting unit. An image input apparatus, comprising: a control unit for controlling operation so as to operate for a predetermined time or until an appropriate state is reached.