JP3230605B2 - camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly to a camera in which a sensor for detecting a tilt, a shaking or the like of the camera can be easily attached to the camera body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in order to correct camera shake at the time of photographing with a camera, the amount of shake is detected by an acceleration sensor attached to the camera, and photographed image data is adjusted based on the detected amount of shake. I get a blur-free image.
As a sensor, in addition to an acceleration sensor, use of an angle sensor for detecting a posture such as a tilt of a camera has been proposed.

[0003]

As described above, various types of image processing based on detection information from various types of sensors are very effective in obtaining appropriate image data. However, since the sensor itself is often composed of large parts, incorporating it in the camera body increases the size of the camera body,
In addition, the weight is increased and this is contrary to the important purpose of miniaturization. Further, the image processing using the sensor as described above is not always necessary, and it is preferable to remove the image processing in normal times.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of detachably mounting a required sensor on a camera body, enabling control based on information from the sensor at the time of mounting, and achieving a reduction in size and weight. It is in.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a camera according to the present invention is provided at a predetermined portion of the camera for detachably mounting the sensor unit for detecting the suitable posture or speed. The sensor unit is provided with: a sensor unit mounting portion; and control means for responding to a posture or acceleration detection output from the sensor unit when the sensor unit is mounted on the sensor unit mounting portion.

A camera according to another aspect of the present invention includes:
A camera mounting portion corresponding to a sensor unit mounting portion provided in a predetermined portion of the compatible camera, and a posture or acceleration detection output is supplied to the camera when the camera mounting portion is mounted on the sensor unit mounting portion of the camera. Sensor means for detecting the posture or acceleration.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a sensor unit mounting portion for detachably mounting a sensor unit for posture and speed detection on a camera is provided, and when the sensor unit is mounted on the sensor unit mounting portion, the camera side receives a signal from the sensor. The sensor is configured to respond to the detection output, so that the sensor can be used as needed while maintaining a light weight and a small size.

[0008]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a camera according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a video pin jack 114 and an L pin jack 115 for stereo sound are used.
And R pin jack 116 are connected to pins of various sensors, and changeover switches 112 and 113, 121 to 12
3, 141-143 and 151-153, the data from the various sensors is supplied to the A / D converter on the microcomputer side.
Further, when various sensors are not connected, output of reproduction data from the camera, recording of data supplied from the outside, and the like are performed.

FIG. 3 shows input / output terminals provided on a general camera body 100. As the input / output terminal, an S video terminal, a video terminal, and an audio terminal are generally provided, and each terminal is connected to a corresponding terminal on the monitor 200 side such as a television via cables C1 and C2.

FIG. 4 shows terminal pin jacks 111, 114, 115 and 116 of the camera body 100 shown in FIG.
External sensor 300 inserted and connected to each pin jack
Corresponding terminals (pin plugs) 111T, 114T, 115
T and 116T. The pin plugs 111T, 114T, 115T and 116T of the external sensor 300 have a structure corresponding to general power supply mini pin plugs, video pin plugs, L pin plugs and R pin plugs, and can be inserted into the pin jack of the camera body 100. Have been.

FIG. 5 shows the internal configuration of the external sensor 300. The external sensor 300 has three sensors 310, 320, and 330, and when attached to the camera body, power Vcc supplied from the power mini-plug 111T is supplied to each sensor. Each sensor 310, 3
The detection outputs from 20 and 330 are
T, 115T and 116T, and the camera body 1
It is supplied to the built-in microcomputer through the corresponding pin jack of 00.

Referring to FIG. 1, the circuit is set in four modes as shown in FIG. 2 by the switching control of the input / output switch 112 and the camera / video switch 113. That is, the input / output switch 11
2 and the camera / video switch 113 are both "L"
In the mode 1 in the state, the output of the AND circuit 160 is “L” and the other changeover switches 121 to 123, 14
The "L" terminal is also selected for 1-143 and 151-153,
The video output, audio Lch output, and audio Rch output reproduced by the camera are supplied to the amplifier 131, the changeover switch 121, the pin jack 114, the amplifier 133, the changeover switch 122, the pin jack 115, and the amplifier 135.
A changeover switch 123 is output via the path of the pin jack 116.

In the mode 2 in which the input / output switch 112 is in the "L" state and the camera / video switch 113 is in the "H" state, the "L" terminals are selected for the switches 121 to 123, and the switches 141 to 143 are selected. The “H” terminal is selected, and the “L” terminal is still selected for the change-over switches 151 to 153. Therefore, the changeover switch 14
The camera output, microphone L output, and microphone R output are output to the recording system via 1, 142, and 143. On the other hand, in mode 3 in which the input switch 112 is in the “H” state and the camera / video switch 113 is in the “L” state, the changeover switches 121 to 123 have the “H” terminal and the changeover switch 14
1 to 143 have "L"terminals;
3, the "L" terminal is still selected, and a signal supplied from the outside is input via the pin jacks 114, 115 and 116, and the changeover switch 121, the amplifier 132, the changeover switch 141, and the changeover switch 122, respectively. -Amplifier 134 -Changeover switch 142 and changeover switch 1
It is supplied to the recording system via the path of 23-amplifier 136-switch 143.

By the way, in mode 4 in which both the input / output switch 112 and the camera / video switch 113 are in the "H" state, the switches 121 to 123 and 1
In each of 41 to 143, an “H” terminal is selected, and pin jacks 114 to 116 for video and audio are selected.
No output to the side and no signal supply to the recording system are performed.
Changeover switches 151 to 15 according to the output from circuit 160
3 selects the "H" terminal. Therefore, the pin jacks 114, 115, and 116
And 151, switches 122 and 152, and changeover switch 1
Via 23 and 153, they are respectively connected to the microcomputer side. In the present embodiment, the detection output from the sensors connected to the pin jacks 114, 115, and 116 is sent to the microcomputer side using the mode 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the camera according to the above embodiment. In the present embodiment, the amount of camera shake is detected from the posture and acceleration information of the camera obtained by various sensors (three sensors in this example) attached to the camera to compensate for the camera shake, A change from the state to the photographing state is detected and determined, and control is performed so that the camera is set to a photographing operable mode. As the sensor, an angle sensor for obtaining posture information such as the tilt of the camera, an acceleration sensor or an angular velocity sensor for obtaining information on camera shake and movement are used.

In FIG. 6, an image formed on a CCD (imaging means) 12 via an optical system 11 such as a lens is
Is converted into an electric signal by the D / D converter 12 and the A / D converter 1
In step 3, it is converted to a digital signal. The digital signal is subjected to well-known predetermined signal processing in the imaging process unit 14, and
The signal is separated into a signal and a C signal, and written into the Y field memory and the C field memory of the field memory 15.
The Y signal and the C signal read from the field memory 15 are subjected to a Y interpolation process and a C interpolation process by an interpolation processing unit 16 and output to a recording system. Various synchronization signals are generated from the SG unit 17, the trigger unit 18 is driven to control the operation of the CCD 12, the operation timing of the imaging process unit 14 is controlled, and the writing to the field memory 15 is performed via the light control unit 19. Control the timing.

The A / D converter 21A includes a microcomputer 21
And converts information from the sensor into a digital signal. Therefore, the microcomputer 21 controls the read control unit 20 based on the information, and supplies the address signal A to be supplied to the field memory 15 and the interpolation processing unit 16.
In addition to compensating for camera shake by controlling dd and the interpolation coefficient k, it is possible to determine the reversal state of the camera based on the rotation angle information supplied from the A / D converter 21A and perform the corresponding recording control.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the camera according to the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, based on acceleration data obtained by converting the outputs from the horizontal (X) direction acceleration sensor 22 and the vertical (Y) direction acceleration sensor 23 into digital signals by the A / D converter 21A,
The microcomputer 21 performs image stabilization and controls recording as described above.

Further, in addition to the horizontal acceleration sensor 22 and the vertical acceleration sensor 23, an angle sensor 24 for outputting four rotation angle information about the X axis and the Y axis is provided, and a microcomputer is provided based on the obtained sensor outputs. Can also perform the recording control as described above.

The microcomputer 21 has a select switch 25
, A select signal for selecting the output of each of the above-mentioned sensors to be used when performing the recording control and controlling the camera operation is supplied. As shown in FIG. 8, the select switch 25 ignores the sensor output every time the switch is operated (OF).
F) Mode # 1, Mode # 2 using only acceleration information from acceleration sensors 22 and 23, Mode # 3 using only angle information from angle sensor 24, Mode # 4 using both information of the acceleration information and angle information , The modes change sequentially. This makes it possible to perform optimal and detailed recording control corresponding to the operation state. In the above-described embodiment, since the field memory and the interpolation processing circuit are built in the camera body, it is needless to say that a function such as an electronic zoom can be provided without a sensor unit.

[0021]

As described above, according to the camera of the present invention, various sensors can be mounted on the camera body very easily, and control based on necessary sensor information can be immediately performed upon mounting. Thus, a camera that can be reduced in size and weight can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a main part of a camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation mode of the embodiment circuit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing terminals of a general camera.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an external sensor used in the embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an internal configuration diagram of the external sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a camera according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation mode of a selector 25 in the embodiment of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 11 optical system 12 CCD 13, 21A A / D converter 14 imaging process unit 15 field memory 16 interpolation processing unit 17 SG unit 18 TG unit 19 write control unit 20 read control unit 21 microcomputer 22 horizontal acceleration sensor 23 vertical acceleration sensor 24 Angle sensor 25 Select switch 111, 114 to 116 pin jack 111T, 114T to 116T pin jack 112, 113, 121 to 123, 141 to 143, 1
51 to 153 changeover switches 131 to 136 Amplifier 160 AND circuit

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A sensor unit mounting portion provided at a predetermined portion of the camera for detachably mounting the sensor unit for detecting the suitable posture or speed, and a sensor unit mounted on the sensor unit mounting portion. A control unit responsive to a posture or acceleration detection output from the sensor unit. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit mounting portion also uses a video signal input / output terminal portion of the camera as a signal transmission terminal portion with the sensor unit. 3. A camera mounting portion corresponding to a sensor unit mounting portion provided in a predetermined portion of the camera, and a posture or acceleration detection output when mounted on the sensor unit mounting portion of the camera. A sensor unit for detecting a posture or an acceleration to be supplied. 4. The camera mounting section has a signal transmission terminal section for supplying a detection signal of the sensor means to the camera from a video signal input / output terminal section of the camera. 4. The sensor unit according to 3.