JP5138996B2 - Iris control device for TV camera - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an auto iris that automatically adjusts the iris of a lens according to the brightness of a subject photographed by the lens, and an iris control device for a television camera that performs a manual iris that adjusts the iris of a lens by manual operation.

  In a television camera, a video engineer performs iris control using a control panel connected to the television camera body for maintenance before photographing and operation during photographing.

  For maintenance before shooting, an MCP (Maintenance Control Panel) having a rotary encoder and a knob connected to the rotary encoder is generally used. In this case, the amount of aperture before operation of the knob detected by the rotary encoder is detected. Data of relative values corresponding to the rotation operation direction and the rotation operation amount of the knob is output (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Therefore, the MCP itself does not have a control value as an absolute value, and performs relative value control according to the relative rotation angle of the knob. MCPs can be connected simultaneously.

  Further, when the MCP is connected to a plurality of television cameras while switching through a CSU (Camera Select Unit), the television cameras can be switched and controlled without changing the iris value.

  On the other hand, during operation during shooting, an OCP (Operation Control Panel) / RCP (Remote Control Panel) having a potentiometer and a knob connected to the potentiometer is generally used. In this case, detection is performed when the knob is operated. The absolute value data corresponding to the amount of change of the potentiometer is output (for example, Patent Document 2).

  Therefore, the OCP itself has a control value as an absolute value, and the mechanical limit of the knob can be made to correspond to the open end and the closed end on the lens side, respectively, and corresponds to the iris state of the TV camera on a one-to-one basis. Can be controlled.

  Also, since the iris control amount according to the absolute rotation angle of the knob is determined, for example, if a knob with a setter click is used, it can be easily returned to the iris median value, and the knob is returned to its original position. By returning, the lens side can be easily returned to the original iris state, and there is an advantage that the operation feeling is good.

When performing manual iris, as shown in FIG. 6, the MCP 111 outputs relative value data to the manual file 112, and the OCP / RCP 113 outputs absolute value data to the volume file 114 and adds these values. The data is added by the device 115, the added value data is stored in the target file 116, and the data stored in the target file 116 is output.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-338003 JP-A-6-205285

  During an operation during shooting, it is desired to control one television camera simultaneously by a plurality of control panels while maintaining a good operation feeling. Multiple MCPs can be connected to one TV camera at the same time, but in the case of MCP, there is no mechanical limitation on the rotation angle of the knob, and the iris state depends on the absolute rotation angle of the knob. Therefore, the operation feeling is poor, and there is a problem that the original iris state cannot be restored unless the answer display on the MCP is viewed.

  In the case of OCP / RCP, since absolute control is performed according to the absolute rotation angle of the knob, a plurality of OCP / RCP cannot be connected to one television camera at the same time. Further, when a plurality of OCP / RCPs are connected to one television camera while switching, camera data jumps occur according to the position of each OCP / RCP knob.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an iris control device for a television camera capable of simultaneously controlling one television camera with a plurality of control panels while maintaining a good operation feeling.

An iris control device for a television camera according to the present invention comprises:
An auto iris mechanism for performing auto iris that automatically adjusts the iris of the lens according to the brightness of the subject photographed by the lens;
A manual file for storing data for a manual iris for adjusting the iris of the lens by manual operation;
A potentiometer and a control panel connected to the potentiometer, and a control panel for outputting to the manual file relative value data corresponding to a time difference in the amount of change of the potentiometer detected when the knob is operated. Features.

According to the present invention, the relative value data corresponding to the time difference of the change amount of the potentiometer detected when the knob connected to the potentiometer is operated, the data for the manual iris for adjusting the lens iris by manual operation. Is added to the relative value data, and the data formed by such addition is used for the manual iris. Therefore, the operation feeling is improved by using a potentiometer whose iris control amount is determined according to the absolute rotation angle of the knob. Further, since relative value data is provided as data for manual iris, relative value control is performed on the TV camera, and as a result, one TV camera can be controlled simultaneously by a plurality of control panels. become.

  Preferably, an iris control file that stores data for iris control, and when switching from the auto iris to the manual iris, the manual file is back-calculated based on the iris control file, and the back-calculation result is returned to the manual file. And an inverse calculator for outputting to the manual file as data to be stored. When switching from auto iris to manual iris, the manual file is back calculated based on the iris control file that stores the data for iris control, and the back calculation result is output to the manual file as data to be stored in the manual file. The iris at the start of manual iris can be fixed to the iris at the end of auto iris.

  Preferably, the control panel further includes means for invalidating the operation of the knob when switching from the auto iris to the manual iris. After switching from auto iris to manual iris, manual iris can be performed with a knob connected to the potentiometer. However, depending on the position of the knob when the auto iris is switched to the manual iris, there are cases where the iris cannot be fully opened or closed, which is so-called unilateral. By means for disabling the operation of the knob, the operation of the knob can be disabled while the knob is being moved (for example, returned to the center).

Further, in the present invention, when the control panel compares the data stored in the manual file with the data corresponding to the amount of change of the potentiometer during the manual iris, these data do not match. Further includes means for clearing data stored in the manual file and outputting data corresponding to the amount of change of the potentiometer to the manual file. This makes it possible to match the position of the knob with the actual iris position of the lens during manual iris.

  A rotary encoder and a knob connected to the rotary encoder, and relative value data corresponding to the rotation operation direction and the rotation operation amount of the knob from the aperture amount before the knob operation detected by the rotary encoder is stored in the manual file. It can also have other control panels to output. In this case, the relative value data according to the time difference of the amount of change of the potentiometer and the relative value data according to the rotation operation direction and the rotation operation amount of the knob are output to a common manual file. There is no need.

An embodiment of an iris control device for a television camera according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an iris control device for a television camera according to the present invention. The iris control device for a television camera according to the present embodiment includes a lens system 1, a photoelectric conversion unit 2, a video processing unit 3, an auto iris processing circuit 4, an iris control file 5, and an adder 6 in the television camera body. A control unit 12 comprising an attenuator 7, switches 8 and 9, an inverse calculator 10 and a manual file 11, connected to the TV camera body, a knob 13, an A / D converter 14, a buffer 15, 16, a subtractor 17, a comparator 18, a display 19, and switches 20, 21, 22, and 23.

  In the present embodiment, the photoelectric conversion unit 2, the video processing unit 3, the auto iris processing unit 4, the adder 6, and the attenuator 7 constitute an auto iris mechanism. The switch 23 constitutes the invalidation means. The comparator 18 and the switches 20 and 21 constitute the clearing means.

  The lens system 1 includes a lens, a lens iris drive mechanism, and the like, and light passing through the lens is converted into an electric signal by a photoelectric conversion unit 2 having an image sensor and the converted electric signal is converted into a video processing unit. 3 is input. The video processing unit 3 outputs the video signal to an auto iris processing circuit 4 that controls the iris of the lens so that the video signal level automatically becomes appropriate automatically according to the video signal. The auto iris processing circuit 4 outputs an auto iris signal for automatically adjusting the iris according to the brightness of the subject to one input unit of the adder 6.

  A signal related to data stored in the manual file 11 (which will be described in detail later) is supplied to the other input section of the adder 6 through an attenuator 7 that reduces the data amount to, for example, 1/5. The output of the adder 6 is supplied to the iris control file 5 through the switch 8 during auto iris. The data stored in the iris control file 5 is supplied to the lens system 1 for iris control. By such an auto iris mechanism, the relative value data can be finely adjusted ± 1 stop (corresponding to 1/5 data amount).

  In a control 12 such as an OCP / RCP used during an operation during photographing, a knob 13 is connected to a potentiometer (not shown), and a change amount of the potentiometer detected when the knob 13 is operated is an A / D converter. 14 is A / D converted, and the A / D converted value is stored in the buffer 15 as VR_DATA.

  When the knob 13 is operated again, VR_DATA is similarly stored in the buffer 15. However, VR_DATA before one operation is transferred to the buffer 16 through the switch 23 and stored in the buffer 16 as OLD_VR_DATA.

  VR_DATA and OLD_VR_DATA are subtracted by the subtractor 17, and difference data between VR_DATA and OLD_VR_DATA is output to the manual file 11 as relative value data. Therefore, relative value data corresponding to the time difference in the amount of change of the potentiometer detected when the knob 13 is operated is output to the manual file 11, and the relative value data is added to the data stored in the manual file 11. Data formed by such addition is used for the manual iris.

  According to the present embodiment, as data for manual iris adjustment for adjusting the iris of the lens by manual operation, data obtained by adding relative value data to data already stored in the manual file 11 is used. Therefore, the operation feeling is improved by using a potentiometer whose iris control amount is determined according to the absolute rotation angle of the knob. Further, since relative value data is provided as data for manual iris, relative value control is performed on the TV camera, and as a result, one TV camera can be controlled simultaneously by a plurality of control panels. become.

  When performing absolute control according to the absolute rotation angle of the knob as in the conventional OCP / RCP, when the command between the TV camera body and the control panel is reconnected by turning the TV camera ON / OFF, etc. If the knob position on the control panel differs before and after reconnection, camera data jumps.

  According to the present embodiment, manual iris is performed using relative value data, that is, the operation amount of the knob 13 is sent as relative value data, so that the position of the knob on the control panel differs before and after reconnection. No jump of camera data occurs.

Next, how to fix the iris when the auto iris is switched to the manual iris will be described with reference to FIG.
When the switch 22 of the control panel 12 is switched from the AUTO side to the MANU side to switch from the auto iris to the manual iris (Step S1), the switching information is sent to the switches 8 and 9 of the TV camera (Step S2).

  The switch 9 is switched from the AUTO side to the MANU side so that the contents of the iris control file 5 do not change even if the switch 8 is temporarily switched from the AUTO side to the MANU side, and the manual file 11 is instantly recreated by the inverse calculator 10. (Step S3). After creating the manual file 11, the switch 9 automatically returns to the AUTO side. The inverse calculator 10 stores an iris control file 5 for the manual file 11 in advance, and the manual file 11 is calculated backward from the iris control file 5.

  Thereafter, the switch 8 is switched from the AUTO side to the MANU side (step S4), the iris control file 5 by manual iris is created, and the data of the created iris control file 5 is supplied to the lens system 1 (step S5). .

  The operation of the flowchart shown in FIG. 2 is performed in an instant. As a result, when the auto iris is switched to the manual iris, the iris of the lens is fixed to the iris at the end of the auto iris.

Next, the operation of disabling the knob operation when switching from auto iris to manual iris will be described.
When the auto iris is switched to the manual iris, the manual operation with the knob 13 becomes possible. However, depending on the position of the knob 13 when the auto iris is switched to the manual iris, the so-called one-way operation in which the iris cannot be fully opened or closed may be caused. is there. According to the present embodiment, by using the switch 23 that can invalidate the operation of the knob 13, it can be prevented from becoming one-sided.

  When the switch 23 is switched from the OFF side to the ON side, the data A / D converted by the A / D converter 14 is simultaneously written in the buffers 15 and 16. As a result, the calculation result of the subtracter 17 is always zero, and the manual file 11 is not increased or decreased. Even if the switch 23 is switched from the ON side to the OFF side, the operation of the knob 13 is invalid when the switch 23 is on the ON side, and only the operation of the knob 13 after the switch 23 is switched to the OFF side is valid. become.

  For example, consider the case where the video engineer is dissatisfied with the control of the auto iris mechanism during auto iris and the knob 13 is turned to the right to perform correction (FIG. 3A). When the auto iris is switched to the manual iris, the manual iris is performed with the iris fixed. However, when the knob 13 is further operated, the volume is limited to the hard limit in the clockwise direction (open side). State), the iris is not opened any more, an inoperable area is generated on the open side, and a dead zone area is generated on the close side (FIG. 3B).

  After the switch 23 is switched to the ON side, the knob 13 is rotated counterclockwise (closed) to return the knob 13 to the vicinity of the center position, and the switch 23 is switched to the OFF side again, whereby the knob 13 is rotated clockwise. (Fig. 3C). In this case, since the iris position on the lens side is not near the center even when the knob 13 is returned to the vicinity of the center, a dead zone area is generated on the open side and an inoperable area on the close side, contrary to the case of FIG. 3B. May occur. However, the dead zone region can be operated by operating the switch 23.

  As a result, even during the ON AIR tally (when the TV camera image is being used while on the air), the auto iris can be switched to the manual iris, and the operation range can be set by the knob 13 even after the auto iris is switched to the manual iris. Iris control can be performed while ensuring.

Next, clearing of data in the manual file at the time of manual iris will be described with reference to FIGS.
As described above, the switch 23 can be used so that it does not become one-sided. However, it is desirable to match the position of the knob 13 with the actual iris position of the lens during manual iris.

  For this purpose, first, the data stored in the manual file 11 is sent to the control panel 12 (step S11). In the comparator 18, VR_DATA stored in the buffer 15 and the data stored in the manual file 11 are sent. (Step S12), and when these data do not match, the fact is displayed on the display 19 (step S13). This shows that the position of the knob 13 and the actual iris position of the lens do not match.

  When the switch 20 is switched from the OFF side to the ON side (momentary) (step S14), switching information of the switch 20 is sent to the television camera body, and the manual file 11 is cleared (step S15). The manual file 11 is cleared, for example, by setting the data to the median value.

  Thereafter, the switch 21 is switched from the OFF side to the ON side, and VR_DATA stored in the buffer 15 is sent to the manual file 11 and added to the cleared manual file 11 (step S16). As a result, the position of the knob 13 matches the actual iris position of the lens (FIG. 5). When the position of the knob 13 coincides with the actual iris position of the lens, the full range iris operation by the knob 13 becomes possible.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and many changes and modifications can be made.
For example, it has a rotary encoder and a knob connected to it, and outputs relative value data according to the rotational operation direction and rotational operation amount of the knob from the aperture amount before the knob operation detected by the rotary encoder to a manual file Other control panels can also be provided as MCPs used for operations during shooting. In this case, the relative value data corresponding to the time difference of the change amount of the potentiometer can be output to the manual file 11 as shown in FIG. 1, so the volume file 114, the adder 115 and the target as shown in FIG. The file 116 can be omitted.

  Also, when switching from auto iris to manual iris, disable the knob operation or clear the manual file data during manual iris to secure the operating range and eliminate unilateral, switch from auto iris to manual iris It can be done at other times.

  Since the relative value control is performed in the present invention, the connection between the control panel and the TV camera can be changed without changing the iris value of the lens. You can eliminate the dominant.

  Further, even when a plurality of control panels are connected to the television camera, it is possible to secure the operation range and eliminate unilaterality when viewed from a predetermined control panel.

It is a figure which shows the iris control apparatus of the television camera by this invention. It is a flowchart of fixation of the iris at the time of switching auto iris to manual iris. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation | movement which invalidates operation of a knob when switching from an auto iris to a manual iris. It is a flowchart of the clear of the data of the manual file in the case of a manual iris. It is a figure for demonstrating clearing of the data of the manual file in the case of a manual iris. It is a figure for demonstrating the iris control of the conventional television camera.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens system 2 Photoelectric conversion part 3 Image processing part 4 Auto iris processing circuit 5 Iris control file 6 Adder 7 Attenuator 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23 Switch 10 Inverse calculator 11,112 Manual file 12 Control panel 13 Knob 14 A / D converter 15, 16 Buffer 17 Subtractor 18 Comparator 19 Display 111 MCP
113 OCP / RCP
114 Volume file 116 Target file

Claims (4)

An auto iris mechanism for performing auto iris that automatically adjusts the iris of the lens according to the brightness of the subject photographed by the lens;
A manual file for storing data for a manual iris for adjusting the iris of the lens by manual operation;
A potentiometer and a knob connected to the potentiometer, and relative value data corresponding to the time difference of the change amount of the potentiometer detected when the knob is operated are added to the data of the manual file, and the added data With multiple control panels used for manual iris ,
The control panel compares the data stored in the manual file with the data corresponding to the amount of change of the potentiometer during the manual iris, and if these data do not match, the control file clear the stored data, the iris control unit of the television camera which the data corresponding to the variation of the potentiometer, characterized in further Yusuke Rukoto clear means for outputting the manual file. An iris control file for storing data for iris control;
A back calculator that back-calculates the manual file based on the iris control file when switching from the auto iris to the manual iris, and outputs a back-calculation result to the manual file as data to be stored in the manual file; The iris control device for a television camera according to claim 1, comprising: The control panel is
2. The iris control device for a television camera according to claim 1, further comprising invalid means for invalidating the operation of the knob when switching from the auto iris to the manual iris.   A rotary encoder and a knob connected to the rotary encoder, and relative value data corresponding to the rotation operation direction and the rotation operation amount of the knob from the aperture amount before the knob operation detected by the rotary encoder is stored in the manual file. 2. The iris control device for a television camera according to claim 1, further comprising another control panel for outputting.

Images