JP4427701B2 - Camera device and camera function adjustment method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a camera device and a camera function adjustment method, and is suitable for application to, for example, a video camera equipped with a camera shake correction function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a video camera having a zoom lens system, by moving the zoom lens and changing the zoom ratio, the subject distance is changed so as to change the focal length to the telephoto side or the wide angle side while keeping the focal position constant. It is made to change.
[0003]
A video camera of recent years has been proposed in which an electronic zoom function for electronically changing a focal length using an image sensor is used instead of or in addition to such a zoom lens system. This electronic zoom function is a function that changes the focal length to the telephoto side without moving the zoom lens by converting an image signal smaller than the light receiving screen size of the image sensor into a video signal equivalent to the light receiving screen size. is there.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a video camera having such an electronic zoom function, it is not possible to obtain an image signal larger than the light receiving screen size of the image sensor. Therefore, even if it can be zoomed to the telephoto side, it is zoomed to the wide angle side. I couldn't.
[0005]
On the other hand, when the zoom ratio of the zoom lens is changed to the wide angle side, there is a problem that the configuration of the entire apparatus becomes complicated as the size of the zoom lens increases. Further, when a wide-angle lens is added to the zoom lens system, it is necessary to correct so-called distortion, and there is a problem that it takes time and labor for the correction work for the user.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to propose a camera device and a camera function adjustment method capable of simplifying the configuration of the entire device.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve such a problem, in the present invention, an imaging area comprising an effective area according to a predetermined television system and an extended area having a larger angle of view than the effective area formed around the effective area. An image sensor that outputs a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region, and a pixel group that forms a captured image based on the video signal according to a zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side. The thinning means for thinning out the corresponding pixel group with a changing thinning pattern, the memory means for storing the video signal of the pixel group thinned out by the thinning means, and the video signal of the pixel group stored in the memory means are sequentially read out. , and a interpolating means for interpolating to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area, the thinning means, when the zoom ratio is changed to the wide angle side from the standard angle of view, the effective area and extension area A thinning pattern is set so as to extract a pixel group corresponding to the field angle of the effective region while increasing the thinning position and the thinning interval toward the peripheral side of the expansion region according to the degree of change in the zoom ratio from both. I made it.
[0008]
As a result, in this camera device, an image group obtained by thinning out a thinning pattern in which the thinning position and the thinning interval are widened from the standard angle of view toward the peripheral edge of the extended area according to the zoom ratio on the wide angle side is displayed in the effective area. By interpolating to form an image corresponding to a corner, an image zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide-angle side without compressing the image obtained from the effective region and the extended region without providing a zoom lens or the like. Obtainable.
[0009]
In the present invention, there is an imaging area composed of an effective area according to a predetermined television system and an extended area having a larger angle of view than the effective area formed around the effective area, A first step of outputting a video signal of a captured image formed in the imaging region, and a thinning that changes in accordance with a zoom ratio from a standard angle of view to a wide angle side among a group of pixels forming a captured image based on the video signal A second step of thinning out the corresponding pixel group in the pattern, and a third step of interpolating the video signal of the thinned pixel group so as to form an image corresponding to the field angle of the effective area In the second step, when the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, the thinning position and the thinning position from both the effective area and the extended area toward the peripheral side of the extended area according to the degree of change of the zoom ratio. Decimation interval While expanding respectively, and to set the thinning pattern to extract a pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area.
[0010]
As a result, in this camera function adjustment method, an image area obtained by thinning out a thinning pattern in which the thinning position and the thinning interval are widened from the standard angle of view toward the peripheral side of the extended area according to the zoom ratio on the wide angle side is effective area. By interpolating so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the image, it was zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side without providing a zoom lens or the like, and without compressing the image obtained from the effective area and the extended area . An image can be obtained.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
(1) Configuration of Video Camera According to this Embodiment In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a video camera as a whole, and imaging light L1 incident through a projection lens 2 is imaged by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 3. The imaging signal S1 is obtained by performing photoelectric conversion on the surface, and this is sent to a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) and AGC (Auto Gain Control) unit 4.
[0013]
The CDS and AGC unit 4 reduces the noise component by clamping the signal level at a predetermined position during a period when reset noise is generated in the imaging signal S1, and automatically adjusts and outputs the amplitude of the imaging signal S1. Is controlled to a predetermined value to prevent the contrast from changing. The imaging signal S2 obtained in this way is sent to the subsequent analog / digital conversion (A / D) unit 5, converted into a digital imaging signal D1, and then sent to the signal processing unit 6.
[0014]
The signal processing unit 6 performs Y / C separation, gamma correction, white balance adjustment processing, and the like on the digital imaging signal D1, and then converts the digital imaging signal D1 into a video signal D2 by matrix processing. The video signal D2 is converted into an analog signal in the subsequent digital / analog conversion (D / A) unit 7 and then output to the outside through an output terminal (not shown).
[0015]
In this video camera 1, as shown in FIG. 2, a central portion corresponding to a predetermined television system is selected from the pixel group having a total number of 680,000 pixels forming the imaging region P arranged on the imaging surface of the CCD 3. An area of 380,000 effective pixels (hereinafter referred to as an effective area) A1 is used as an image that is actually projected, and the angle of view is larger than that of the effective area A1 formed around the effective area A1. A large surplus area of 300,000 pixels (hereinafter referred to as an image stabilization region) A2 is used as an image for image stabilization.
[0016]
When the user actually selects the normal mode, the signal processing unit 6 uses the screen portion corresponding to the effective area A1 in the frame screen F1 based on the digital imaging signal D1 as an image that is actually displayed. On the other hand, when the user selects the camera shake correction mode, the signal processing unit 6 uses the screen portion corresponding to the effective area A1 in the frame screen F1 based on the digital imaging signal D1 as an image that is actually displayed. A screen portion corresponding to the image stabilization area A2 formed around the effective area A1 is used as an image for image stabilization.
[0017]
An angular acceleration sensor 8 is provided in the video camera 1 so that vertical vibration, left-right vibration, and rotation (or tilt) of the entire video camera 1 can be detected. The detection result of the angular acceleration sensor 8 is sent to the control unit 9 as a sensor output signal S3. When the video camera 1 swings in a predetermined direction based on the sensor output signal S3, the control unit 9 sends a control signal to the CCD 3. By sending S4, the readout position (photoelectric conversion position) of the imaging surface (effective area A1 and camera shake correction area A2) so that the subject image projected on the imaging surface of the CCD 3 is shifted in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. To change.
[0018]
When the user selects the zoom function mode instead of the camera shake correction mode, the control unit 9 generates a pixel thinning signal S5 representing a predetermined thinning pattern set in advance according to the zoom ratio as a timing generator (TG: Timing Generator). 10 to send. The timing generator 10 applies a timing pulse TP corresponding to the pixel thinning signal S5 to the CCD, so that pixels are sequentially added from the imaging surface (effective area A1 and camera shake correction area A2) of the CCD 3 for each line according to the timing pulse TP. After reading, the digital image signal D3 is sent to the signal processing unit 6 via the CDS / AGC unit 4 and the A / D conversion unit 5.
[0019]
In this video camera 1, the user can adjust the angle of view from the wide angle to the telephoto to a desired size by operating a zoom lever (not shown), and based on the adjustment result, the control unit 9 Is designed to determine the zoom ratio.
[0020]
Under the control of the control unit 9, the signal processing unit 6 sequentially selects a pixel group based on the digital imaging signal D 3, that is, a pixel group thinned out with a thinning pattern based on the pixel thinning signal S 5 generated by the control unit 9. To store.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 3A, the pixel group based on the digital imaging signal D3 is a pixel group that is thinned out from the frame screen F1 (the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2) with the thinning pattern based on the above-described thinning control signal S5. As shown in FIG. 3B, the pixel group can form an image F2 corresponding to the field angle of the effective area A1.
[0022]
Actually, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 6A, the thinning pattern varies stepwise according to the zoom ratio from the telephoto to the wide angle, and the camera shake correction is performed as the zoom ratio is changed to the telephoto side. While the ratio of thinning out from the area A2 is low (FIG. 4A), as the zoom ratio is changed to the wide angle side, the effective area A1 and the image stabilization area A2 are thinned out at almost equal intervals. (FIG. 6A).
[0023]
As described above, the signal processing unit 6 performs the smoothing process so that the pixel groups are continuously connected after interpolating the pixel groups while sequentially reading the pixel groups based on the digital imaging signal D3 from the line memory 11.
[0024]
The pixel group that is actually thinned by the thinning pattern shown in FIGS. 4A to 6A described above corresponds to the angle of view of the effective area A1 as shown in FIGS. 4B to 6B. After each image F2 is formed, each image is interpolated to form images F2 'as shown in FIGS. 4C to 6C.
[0025]
Thereafter, the signal processing unit 6 performs Y / C separation, gamma correction, white balance adjustment processing, and the like on the digital imaging signal D3 subjected to the interpolation processing and smoothing processing, and then performs the video signal by matrix processing. Convert to D4. The video signal D4 is converted into an analog signal in the subsequent digital / analog (D / A) unit 7 and then output to the outside through an output terminal (not shown).
[0026]
(2) Operation and effect of the present embodiment In the video camera 1 described above, when the zoom function mode is designated by the user, the signal processing unit 6 selects the user from the pixel group that forms the imaging surface of the CCD 3. The pixel groups thinned out by the thinning pattern corresponding to the zoom ratio designated by the above are sequentially stored in the line memory 11.
[0027]
When the user adjusts the zoom ratio to change to the wide angle side at that time, the signal processing unit 6 increases the zoom ratio from both the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 as the zoom ratio changes from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side. A pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1 is extracted while expanding the thinning position and the thinning interval toward the periphery of the camera shake correction area A2 in accordance with the degree of the change, and then stored in the line memory 11.
[0028]
As described above, the signal processing unit 6 sequentially reads out the extracted and stored image groups from the line memory 11 and performs interpolation processing on the pixel groups so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1. By performing the smoothing process so as to be connected to each other, the standard image is displayed in the same manner as when all the pixel groups of the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 in the electronic zoom are reduced to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1. An image zoomed from the corner to the wide-angle side can be obtained.
[0029]
Further, in the method of obtaining an image zoomed to the wide-angle side by reducing all the pixel groups in the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 in the electronic zoom, it is necessary to provide a frame memory in the signal processing system. Since the line memory 11 having a relatively small storage capacity is sufficient for thinning, the configuration in the signal processing system can be further simplified.
[0030]
Further, as in the case of optically wide-angle zoom using a zoom lens system, the correction work of so-called distortion does not take time and effort, so that the user operability at the time of imaging can be facilitated. it can.
[0031]
According to the above configuration, in the video camera 1, when the user changes the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side in the zoom function mode, not only the effective area A1 but also the camera shake correction area in the imaging screen of the CCD 3 The effective area A1 in the electronic zoom is obtained by obtaining the pixel group from A2 with a predetermined thinning pattern corresponding to the change in the zoom ratio and interpolating so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1. Similarly to the case where the entire pixel group in the camera shake correction area A2 is reduced to an image corresponding to the field angle of the effective area A1, an image zoomed from the standard field angle to the wide angle side can be obtained, and thus the entire imaging screen can be obtained. The overall configuration of the apparatus can be simplified compared to electronic zoom that reduces and zooms to the wide-angle side, and optical zoom that uses a zoom lens system.
[0032]
(3) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the video camera 1 having the electronic zoom function has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the optical zoom function has an electronic function. It can also be applied to video cameras with a zoom function. In this case, in the video camera 1 shown in FIG. 1, a zoom lens system is provided in front of the CCD 3 to change the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the telephoto side by moving the zoom lens, while zooming from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side. The ratio may be changed by the electronic zoom according to the present invention described above.
[0033]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, as a thinning unit that thins out a corresponding pixel group with a thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio among the pixel group that forms the captured image P based on the imaging signal (video signal) S1. Although the case where the control unit 9 and the timing generator 10 in the video camera 1 are applied has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and in short, the effective area A1 for forming the captured image P and the camera shake correction area (extended) If a pixel group having an angle of view corresponding to the zoom ratio can be extracted from the area (A2), the thinning means can be widely applied to various other configurations.
[0034]
At this time, the image pickup result of the CCD 3 is thinned out as it is with a thinning pattern that changes in accordance with the zoom ratio. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image pickup result of the CCD 3 is sent to a frame memory (not shown) via a signal processing system. 1), and the signal processing unit 6 may be thinned out with a thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio under the control of the control unit 9.
[0035]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the thinning pattern is set as shown in FIGS. 4A to 6A, in which the thinning pattern is gradually changed from the telephoto side to the wide angle side, has been described. Not limited to this, the point is that when the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, both the effective area A1 and the camera shake correction area A2 move toward the periphery of the camera shake correction area A2 according to the degree of change in the zoom ratio. As long as the pixel group corresponding to the field angle of the effective area A1 can be extracted while widening the thinning position and the thinning interval, various other patterns may be set as the thinning pattern.
[0036]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, there is an imaging area including an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area having a larger angle of view than the effective area formed around the effective area. However, the case where the general CCD 3 is applied as the image pickup element that outputs the video signal of the picked-up image formed in the image pickup area has been described. As long as an image sensor to which an extended region is added can be formed, the present invention may be widely applied to various other image sensors.
[0037]
In this case, the extended region is used as a region for detecting a camera shake amount based on the effective region, and after detecting the camera shake amount by the signal processing unit 6 as a camera shake amount detection unit, imaging is performed based on the detection result. Although the case where an image having a size corresponding to the effective area is cut out from the captured image formed in the area has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the extended area is used as an area for detecting the amount of camera shake. Alternatively, the imaging area may be formed by adding the effective area as an expanded area.
[0038]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the line memory 11 is applied as memory means for storing the video signal of the pixel group thinned out from the pixel group forming the captured image P with the thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio. Although the case of doing so has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be widely applied to various memory means such as a normally used frame memory.
[0039]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the interpolation means for sequentially reading out the video signals of the pixel groups stored in the line memory (memory means) 11 and interpolating so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1; The smoothing processing means for performing the smoothing processing so as to continuously connect the images corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area A1 interpolated by the interpolation means is described as being configured from the signal processing unit 6. The present invention is not limited to this, and various other configurations may be applied as the interpolation unit and the smoothing processing unit, and the interpolation unit and the smoothing processing unit may be configured separately.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, an image area obtained by thinning out a thinning pattern in which the thinning position and the thinning interval are widened from the standard field angle toward the peripheral side of the extended area in accordance with the zoom ratio on the wide angle side. By interpolating so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the image, it was zoomed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side without providing a zoom lens or the like, and without compressing the image obtained from the effective area and the extended area . An image can be obtained, and thus a camera apparatus and a camera function adjustment method that can simplify the configuration of the entire apparatus can be realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a video camera according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining an imaging region arranged on an imaging surface of a CCD.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an image thinned out from a frame screen;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a thinning pattern according to a zoom ratio.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a thinning pattern according to a zoom ratio.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a thinning pattern according to a zoom ratio.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Video camera, 2 ... Projection lens, 3 ... CCD, 4 ... CDS / AGC part, 5 ... Analog / digital conversion (A / D) part, 6 ... Signal processing part, 7 ... Digital / Analog conversion (D / A) part, 8 ... Angular velocity sensor, 9 ... Control part, 10 ... Timing generator, 11 ... Line memory, P ... Imaging area, A1 ... Effective area, A2 ... Shake Correction area (extended area).

Claims (6)

An imaging area having an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area having a larger angle of view than the effective area formed around the effective area is formed in the imaging area. An image sensor that outputs a video signal of the captured image;
Thinning means for thinning out the corresponding pixel group with a thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side among the pixel group that forms the captured image based on the video signal;
Memory means for storing video signals of the pixel groups thinned out by the thinning means;
Interpolating means for sequentially reading out video signals of the pixel groups stored in the memory means and interpolating so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area ,
The thinning means is
When the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, the thinning position and the thinning interval from both the effective area and the extended area toward the peripheral side of the extended area according to the degree of change of the zoom ratio. The thinning pattern is set so as to extract a pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area while expanding each
Camera equipment. The camera apparatus according to 請 Motomeko 1 Ru comprising a smoothing processing means for smoothing so as to be connected to an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area interpolated by the interpolating means continuously. The extended area is an area for detecting a camera shake amount based on the effective area.
Comprising a shake amount detecting means for detecting the shake amount;
Based on the camera shake amount detected by the camera shake amount detection means, an image having a size corresponding to the effective area is cut out from the captured image formed in the image pickup area.
The camera apparatus according to 請 Motomeko 1. An imaging area having an effective area corresponding to a predetermined television system and an extended area having a larger angle of view than the effective area formed around the effective area is formed in the imaging area. A first step of outputting a video signal of the captured image;
A second step of thinning out the corresponding pixel group with a thinning pattern that changes according to the zoom ratio from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side among the pixel group that forms the captured image based on the video signal;
A third step of interpolating the thinned video signal of the pixel group so as to form an image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area , and
In the second step,
When the zoom ratio is changed from the standard angle of view to the wide angle side, the thinning position and the thinning interval from both the effective area and the extended area toward the peripheral side of the extended area according to the degree of change of the zoom ratio. The thinning pattern is set so as to extract a pixel group corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area while expanding each
Camera function adjustment method. The interpolated camera function adjusting method according to 請 Motomeko 4 Ru comprising a fourth step of smoothing to the image corresponding to the angle of view of the effective area leading to continuous. In the first step,
The extended region is a region for detecting a camera shake amount based on the effective region, and after detecting the camera shake amount, a captured image formed in the imaging region based on the detected camera shake amount. Cut out an image with a size corresponding to the effective area from
Camera function adjusting method according to 請 Motomeko 4.

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