JP2985743B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus provided with separate image pickup units and display units connected to each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an imaging device such as a camera,
A viewfinder has been provided as a display unit for confirming a subject during imaging. This viewfinder is generally an optical viewfinder having a lens or a small CRT as shown in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 58-6469.
Although an electronic device using a camera is known, in this type of imaging device, a viewfinder that is configured to be movable with respect to the imaging device main body and is in close contact with the device main body when the imaging device captures an image is used. , And bring the eyes closer to look into the display unit.

[0003] For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-178962.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 1-106581 , an image pickup apparatus in which a display unit is provided on a main body and a camera unit is movable has been proposed.

[0004]

However, the former viewfinder must be used only to look into the viewfinder because at least one eye must be close to the viewfinder in order to "look into the viewfinder". It has the disadvantage that the conditions for use as an imaging device are limited, and of course it is almost impossible to take an image of itself while checking it on the video display. In use, the viewfinder is in close contact with the device itself Must be used from the main body of the device, so that it cannot be used immediately while being carried.

Further, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-178962 discloses
If the imaging device is mounted, attach a camera
The camera body with both hands.
Rotate the camera unit with respect to the main unit while holding it
However, there was a drawback that it was difficult and the usability was poor. Also,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-106581 discloses an image pickup apparatus.
In the case, a rotation axis is provided at the lower end of the main unit and the camera
When the camera is rotated with respect to the main unit,
The tip of the camera part protrudes greatly from the main body,
I can't just make it compact
Or the weight balance is poor and it is weak against external pressure
As a result, a strong rotating shaft is required, and
There was a drawback that selfishness was bad.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A device body in which an image display unit is arranged on one side of the imaging device ,
Rotatable with respect to the horizontal side of the device
And an imaging unit that is mounted on and horizontally supported in the horizontal direction , wherein the imaging device includes the imaging unit as the device main body.
By rotating against, together forming a first aspect and the second aspect, in the first aspect and the second aspect, so that the overall shape Gaho URN cuboid of the imaging device The gist is to be composed.

[0007] The invention according to claim 2 is the image pickup section.
Means that the longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis
The length in the longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the main body of the device.
The gist is to make it approximately the same as the dimension in the direction . Further
The invention according to claim 3, wherein the imaging unit includes an imaging lens on one surface side.
And an image sensor inside,
A first aspect is that the image display is performed on substantially the same surface of the imaging device.
And positioning the imaging lens unit.
In a second aspect, the image display is performed on mutually opposite surfaces of the imaging device.
And the image pickup lens unit.
To the effect.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an image pickup device of a videophone device will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows the external configuration. In the figure, 11 is a telephone body,
The receiver 12 is placed on the upper surface and the left end. Further, a push button 13, a display unit 14, and an imaging unit 15 are provided on the upper surface. The display unit 14 is attached to the imaging unit 15 so as to be freely tiltable, and is configured using, for example, a liquid crystal display panel, and its angle can be adjusted according to the position of the user using the telephone. .

The image pickup section 15 has a CCD image pickup device and respective circuits for controlling the CCD image pickup element, and can be separated from the display section 14 and the telephone body 11 as shown in FIG. The imaging unit 15 is connected to the telephone body 11 by, for example, a curl cord 16, and a separation switch for detecting a separation state is provided below the imaging unit 15 (not shown). When the separation switch detects that the imaging unit 15 has been separated from the display unit 14 and the telephone body 11 as shown in FIG. 2, the image obtained by the imaging unit 15 has a normal left and right inverted. The image is displayed on the display unit 14 as a real image instead of a mirror image.

FIG. 3 shows the internal circuit configuration of the telephone body 11, the display unit 14 and the image pickup unit 15, wherein 21 is a telephone line, 22 is a still picture TV phone modem, and the still picture TV phone modem. A telephone 23 for transmitting and receiving normal voice is connected to 22. The still picture TV telephone modem 22 is also connected to a microcomputer 24 for transmitting and receiving still picture images.

The microcomputer 24 writes / reads still picture video data to / from the memory 25 and displays the display unit 14 in accordance with the video data sent from the still picture TV telephone modem 22 or the controller 29 of the imaging unit 15. Drive and control the segment driver 26 and the common driver 27 in the same, and display the still image of the other party on the liquid crystal display panel 28, and the image data of the still image sent from the controller 29 for the still image TV phone. After being output to the modem 22 and subjected to data processing in accordance with the standard still image format, the data is transmitted to the other party via the telephone line 21.

The controller 29 controls the image pickup in the image pickup section 15. In the imaging unit 15, the image formed on the CCD image sensor 31 by the lens 30 is C
The signal is photoelectrically converted under the control of the CD controller 32 and sent to the A / D converter 33 as an electric signal. The A / D converter 33 digitizes a signal from the CCD image sensor 31 in accordance with a sampling clock from the CCD controller 32 to obtain video data. The obtained video data is sequentially sent to the controller 29.

The controller 29 converts the video data sequentially sent from the A / D converter 33 into an address sequence suitable for a mirror image / real image according to the open / close state of the above-described separation switch 35 provided below the imaging unit 15. Once written in the image memory 34, it is read out when one screen is completed and sent to the microcomputer 24.

A main power supply 36 is used as a power supply for supplying power to the circuits on the telephone body 11 and the display unit 14, and a sub power supply is used as a power supply for supplying power to each circuit on the imaging unit 15 side.
37 are provided.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed circuit configuration of the controller 29 for controlling the operation of each circuit on the image pickup section 15 side. In the figure, an image is captured by the CCD image sensor 31 and the A / D
The video data digitized by the converter 33 (“CC
D input) is first input to the input / output control circuit 29a in the controller 29.

The input / output control circuit 29a controls the column address counter 29b and the row address counter 29c to specify the address of the image memory 34, while outputting the input video data to the image memory 34 for writing. .

At this time, the input / output control circuit 29a controls the row address counter 29c according to the open / close state of the separation switch 35, that is, whether or not the imaging unit 15 is separated from the telephone body 11.
To send an instruction for up-counting / down-counting.
This is done by a 1-bit control signal,
When the control signal is "1", the row address counter 29
When the signal is sent to the count-up terminal of c, the count is up. When the signal is sent to the count-down terminal of the row address counter 29c, the count is down.

The video data written in the image memory 34 in this manner is read out by the address designation of the column address counter 29b and the row address counter 29c under the control of the input / output control circuit 29a at the time when one screen is completed, as described above. Are sent to the input / output control circuit 29a. At this time, the row address counter 29c always counts up regardless of the state of the separation switch 35 by the control signal of the input / output control circuit 29a. The video data read by the input / output control circuit 29a is sent to the microcomputer 24 of the telephone body 11 as it is.

In the above configuration, when the imaging unit 15 is mounted on the telephone body 11 and the display unit 14 as shown in FIG. 1, photoelectric conversion is performed by the CCD imaging device 31, and the A / D converter is used. The video data digitized in 33 is
The image memory is temporarily stored in the memory 29 by the instruction of the input / output control circuit 29a.
Written in 34.

At this time, the input / output control circuit 29a sets the control signal to the row address counter 29c to "0" and operates the row address counter 29c as a down counter. Therefore, the video data written into the image memory 34 is mirror image video data whose right and left are reversed. When the writing of one screen of the video data is completed, the input / output control circuit 29a reads the video data next.

At this time, the input / output control circuit 29a sets the control signal to the row address counter 29c to "1" and operates the row address counter 29c as an up counter. The read video data is sent from the controller 29 to the microcomputer 24 of the telephone body 11, and is temporarily stored in the memory 25.

The microcomputer 24 drives and controls the segment driver 26 and the common driver 27 in accordance with the video data stored in the memory 25 to display a video on the liquid crystal display panel 28. In this case, the video data is displayed as a mirror image. The microcomputer 24 reads this video data from the memory 25 in accordance with a user's instruction, and
The call is transmitted to the other party via the telephone modem 22 and the telephone line 21.

When the imaging unit 15 is separated from the telephone body 11 and the display unit 14 as shown in FIG. 2, the image is photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 31 and digitized by the A / D converter 33. Data is input / output control circuit in controller 29
The data is temporarily written into the image memory 34 according to the instruction of 29a. At this time, the input / output control circuit 29a sets the control signal to the row address counter 29c to "1" and operates the row address counter 29c as an up counter. Therefore, image memory
The video data written in 34 is real image video data.
When the writing of one screen of the video data is completed, the input / output control circuit 29a reads the video data next. At this time, the input / output control circuit 29a sets the control signal to the row address counter 29c to "1" as it is, and
Operate as an up counter. The read video data is sent from the controller 29 to the microcomputer 24 of the telephone body 11, and is temporarily stored in the memory 25. The microcomputer 24 drives and controls the segment driver 26 and the common driver 27 in accordance with the video data stored in the memory 25 to display a video on the liquid crystal display panel 28. In this case, the video data is displayed as a real image. The microcomputer 24 reads out the video data from the memory 25 in accordance with a user's instruction, and reads the still image TV telephone modem 22,
The call is transmitted to the other party via the telephone line 21.

The input / output control circuit 29a includes a CCD
When writing video data sent from the imaging device 31 via the A / D converter 33 to the image memory 34, the row address counter 29c is counted up / down in accordance with the state of the separation switch 35, and the real image / mirror image is obtained. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image memory 34
The line address counter 29c is always up-counted when writing to the memory, and when reading out, the row address counter 29c is up / down-counted according to the state of the separation switch 35 and read out, and the real image / mirror image of the video data is switched. You may make it control.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 shows the external configuration. In the figure, 41 is a telephone body,
A receiver 42 is placed on the upper surface and on the left end. Further, a push button 43, a display unit 44, and an imaging unit 45 are provided on the upper surface. The display unit 44 is integrated with the imaging unit 45 and
Can be separated. The display unit 44 itself includes, for example, a liquid crystal display panel 46 and its driving circuit.

The image pickup section 45 has a CCD image pickup element 47 provided on the same surface as the liquid crystal display panel of the display section 44 and respective circuits for controlling the CCD image pickup element 47, and an image pickup switch for instructing image pickup on a lower surface thereof. It has 48. Display unit 44 of imaging unit 45
6 is rotatable with respect to the display unit 44 as shown by an arrow A in the figure. In a state where the display unit 44 and the imaging unit 45 are separated from the telephone main body 41, FIG. As shown in the figure, the CCD image pickup device 47 of the image pickup section 45 and the liquid crystal display panel 46 of the display section 44 can be opposed in completely different directions.

In FIG. 6, the direction in which the image pickup section 45 faces the CCD image pickup element 47 is the same as the direction in which the display section 44 faces the liquid crystal display panel 46.
The case where the image pickup switch 48 is located on the upper surface thereof by 0 ° is shown. A connector 49 is provided below the display unit 44,
With this connector 49, the display unit 44 and the telephone body 41 are electrically connected.

FIG. 7 shows the telephone main body 41 and the display unit 44.
And 51 shows a telephone line, 52 shows a still picture TV phone modem, and a telephone 53 for transmitting and receiving normal voice is connected to the still picture TV phone modem 52. Is done. A microcomputer 54 for transmitting and receiving still picture images is connected to the still picture TV telephone modem 52.

The microcomputer 54 writes / reads still picture image data to / from the memory 55,
The controller controls transmission and reception of video data between the V-phone modem 52 and the controller 56 on the imaging unit 45 side.
The video data sent from is a still picture TV phone modem
After data processing is performed in accordance with the standard still image format in 52, the data is transmitted to the other party via the telephone line 21.

The controller 56 controls the display on the display unit 44 and the imaging on the imaging unit 45.
In the image pickup unit 45, a CCD image pickup device is provided by a lens 57.
The image formed on 47 is photoelectrically converted under the control of a CCD controller 58 and sent to an A / D converter 59 as an electric signal.

The A / D converter 59 digitizes a signal from the CCD image pickup device 47 in accordance with a sampling clock from the CCD controller 58 to obtain video data. The obtained video data is sequentially transmitted to the controller 56. Can be

The controller 56 writes the video data sequentially sent from the A / D converter 59 into the image memory 60, then reads out the video data when one screen is completed, and sends it to the microcomputer 54. Alternatively, the segment driver 61 and the common driver 62 in the display unit 44 are driven and controlled according to the video data, and displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 46.

A main power supply 63 serves as a power supply for supplying power to each circuit on the telephone body 41 side, and a sub power supply serves as a power supply for supplying power to each circuit on the display section 44 and the imaging section 45 side.
64 are provided. The sub power supply 64 is configured by, for example, a rechargeable battery, and is charged by the main power supply 63 in a state where the normal display unit 44 and the imaging unit 45 are connected to the telephone body 41, and the display unit 44 and the imaging unit 45 Power is supplied to each circuit of the display unit 44 and the imaging unit 45 while being separated from the telephone body 41.

Although not described in detail here, the controller 56 drives and controls the segment driver 61 and the common driver 62 in addition to the circuits in the controller 29 shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment. Is provided.

When the imaging switch 48 is operated with the display unit 44 and the imaging unit 45 separated from the telephone main body 41 as shown in FIG. An instruction is sent from 56 to the CCD controller 58, and photoelectric conversion in the CCD image pickup device 47 is executed. The image formed on the CCD image pickup device 47 by the lens 57 is photoelectrically converted and digitized by the A / D converter 59, and then temporarily stored in the image memory 60 by the controller 56.
Are written in sequence.

When the writing of one screen of the video data is completed, the controller 56 reads the video data next, and
The segment driver 61 and the common driver 62 are driven and controlled according to the contents, and an image is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 46.

Therefore, the user can select the display unit 44 and the imaging unit.
An arbitrary drawing, map, or the like that is desired to be transferred using the 45 can be picked up by the CCD image pickup device 47 by operating the image pickup switch 48 and displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 46.

When a desired image is obtained, the user mounts the display unit 44 and the imaging unit 45 on the telephone main body 41. Display
When transfer of the video data held in the image memory 60 and displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 46 is instructed while the camera 44 and the imaging unit 45 are mounted on the telephone body 41, the image memory 60 is written to the image memory 60 in accordance with the instruction. The stored video data is read again by the controller 56 and sent to the microcomputer 54 of the telephone main body 41.

The microcomputer 54 temporarily stores the video data in the memory 55, and then stores the video data in a still picture TV telephone modem.
In 52, data is processed according to the standard still image format,
The call is transmitted to the other party via the telephone line 21.

Further, the display unit 44 and the image pickup unit 45 are connected to the telephone body.
When video data of a still image is transmitted via the telephone line 51 while being attached to the computer 41, the video data is temporarily stored in the memory 55 by the microcomputer 54 and then transmitted to the controller 56. The controller 56 sequentially writes the video data into the image memory 60, reads out the video data, controls the driving of the segment driver 61 and the common driver 62, and causes the liquid crystal display panel 46 to display the video data.

[0042]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, according to the invention, one
A device body with an image display section on the
Pivotally attached to the horizontal side
And an imaging unit supported in a horizontal direction.
The imaging device, wherein the imaging unit is connected to the device main unit.
By rotating with respect to the body, a first mode and a second mode are achieved, and the first mode and the second mode are performed.
In aspect, since it is configured such that the overall shape Gaho URN cuboid of the imaging device, the user and the device body with both hands
While holding the imaging unit, the device body with respect to the
The imaging unit can be easily rotated, improving usability.
Can be done. Further, the device book of the imaging unit
The movement range for the body can be narrowed,
Compact as well as weight
Maintain good performance and improve usability.
You.

[0043]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a specific use state of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an entire circuit configuration according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a detailed circuit configuration in the controller of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an external configuration according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state where a display unit and an imaging unit in FIG. 5 are separated.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an entire circuit configuration according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 41 ... telephone body, 12, 42 ... handset, 13, 43 ... push button, 14, 44 ... display unit, 15, 45 ... imaging unit, 16 ... curl code, 21, 51 ... telephone line, 22, 52 ... Still picture TV telephone modem, 23, 53 ... telephone, 24, 54 ... microcomputer, 25, 55 ... memory, 26, 61 ... segment driver,
27, 62 ... common driver, 28, 46 ... liquid crystal display panel, 2
9, 56 ... controller, 29a ... input / output control circuit, 29b ...
Column address counter, 29c ... row address counter, 29d
... Inverter, 30,57 ... Lens, 31,47 ... CCD image sensor, 32,58 ... CCD controller, 33,59 ... A / D converter, 34,60 ... Image memory, 35 ... Separation switch, 36,63 ...
Main power supply, 37, 64 ... sub power supply, 48 ... imaging switch, 49
…connector.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus body having an image display section disposed on one side.
With respect to the horizontal side of the device body
An imaging unit which is freely mounted and supported in a horizontal direction , wherein the imaging device rotates the imaging unit with respect to the device main body.
By moving, with forming a first aspect and the second aspect, in the first aspect and the second aspect, it is configured such that the overall shape Gaho URN cuboid of the imaging device An imaging device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal direction is defined as a rotation axis direction.
The vertical dimension and the longitudinal dimension
Approximately the same as the vertical dimension of the main unit
The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: (3) The imaging unit has an imaging lens on one side thereof.
Along with disposing the part, equipped with an image sensor inside, In the first aspect, the image is formed on substantially the same surface of the imaging device.
It is a mode of positioning a display unit and the imaging lens unit, In the second aspect, the image is formed on opposite sides of the imaging device.
In this embodiment, the image display unit and the imaging lens unit are positioned.
The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein: