JP6080609B2 - Shooting control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging control device that is communicably connected to an operating device that remotely operates an imaging device, and that can remotely operate the imaging device using the operating device.

  Conventionally, surveillance cameras and the like are controlled by remote operation from an operating device located away from the camera. In order to obtain desired shooting conditions, various control modes can be set and operated from the operating device. In television program production, images from remotely-operable cameras installed at various points are used, and for images used in broadcasting, operators often perform various operations on the cameras manually. A remote-controllable camera is used for monitoring a predetermined subject in a state where the operator does not perform a shooting operation after shooting is performed manually by an operator during broadcasting.

  When the operator operates the surveillance camera using the operation device, the operation device is operated by setting various shooting modes. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for changing a shooting mode during operation.

JP 2009-141629 A

  However, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, the shooting mode during the operation by the operator can be optimized, but after the operation by the operator is completed, the operator can appropriately perform the operation without the operator's operation. Unless an operation for deliberately returning to a desired shooting mode in which shooting can be performed is performed, shooting cannot be performed in an optimal state.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a photographing control device that enables an appropriate photographing mode to be set in accordance with a photographing situation in a camera after an operation by an operator is completed.

In order to achieve the above object, an imaging control apparatus of the present invention is an imaging control apparatus that is connected to an operation device that remotely operates an imaging device and that is communicatively connected to control the remote operation of the imaging device. Storage means for storing the initial value of the control mode of the control item of the photographing apparatus, and when the operation of the photographing apparatus by the operating device is canceled, the control mode of the control item is stored after a predetermined time has elapsed. And a control means for changing to the initial value stored in the means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographing control device that is communicably connected to an operating device that remotely operates the photographing device, and that controls the remote operation of the photographing device by the operating device, the photographing device comprising: Storage means for storing an initial value of the control mode of the control item, information acquisition means for acquiring information of an image photographed by the photographing device, and the information when the operation of the photographing device by the operating device is canceled Control means for changing the control mode of the control item to an initial value stored in the storage means based on image information from the acquisition means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging control apparatus that enables an appropriate control mode for each control item to be set in accordance with an imaging situation in a camera after an operation by an operator is completed.

Functional block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging system including the imaging control device of Examples 1 and 2 Initial value setting table Processing flow chart of operating device Examples of control modes and setting values for control items of the camera Processing flowchart of camera control in photographing control apparatus of embodiment 1 Process flow chart of control mode switching in photographing control apparatus of embodiment 1 Processing flow chart of control mode switching in photographing control apparatus of embodiment 2 Luminance level detection in the imaging control device of Embodiment 2 Functional block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging system including the imaging control device of Examples 3 and 4 Process flow chart of control mode switching of photographing control apparatus of embodiment 3 Process flow chart of control mode switching of photographing control apparatus of embodiment 4

[Example 1]
Hereinafter, processing of the photographing control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a photographing system including a photographing control device according to the first embodiment, which includes a camera device 1 capable of panning and tilting and an operating device 2 for operating a camera (photographing device). In the present embodiment, a case where the camera device has a configuration including the function of the imaging control device of the present invention is illustrated.

  The camera device 1 includes a communication unit 101 that is communicably connected to the operation device 2 and transmits and receives serial data. A CPU (control unit) 102 interprets data received by the communication unit 101 and performs various controls of the camera device 1. A focus control unit 103, a zoom control unit 104, a pan / tilt control unit 105, and an iris control unit 106 control respective control targets, that is, focus, zoom, pan / tilt, and iris in accordance with instructions from the CPU 102. The gain control unit 107 and the shutter control unit 108 control the gain and shutter speed of the imaging unit in accordance with instructions from the CPU 102. The setting input unit 109 executes input of various settings. The nonvolatile memory 110 stores setting items set by the setting input unit 109.

  Next, the configuration of the operation device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. An operation unit 201 is an operation unit for operating pan / tilt, zoom, and the like of the camera 1. The setting switching unit 202 switches various settings of the camera 1. A CPU 203 is a CPU of the operation device, converts requests from the operation unit 201 and the setting switching unit 202 into communication commands, and outputs them to the communication unit 204. The communication unit 204 transmits a communication command received from the CPU 203 to the camera 1. Also, it receives a camera information command sent from the camera 1 and passes it to the CPU 203.

  FIG. 2 is a table showing each control item of the camera and the initial value of the control mode of each control item. Initial values for control items such as iris, shutter speed, gain, focus, zoom, and pan / tilt control are shown. For each control item, it is possible to specify automatic control, manual control, movement to a specified position when maintaining the control mode switching command, and maintaining the previous setting state when the control mode switching command is issued. it can. The initial value of the control mode shown in FIG. It is also possible to change the initial value of the control mode using the setting input unit 109.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of processing in the CPU 203 of the operation device 2 for sending a command based on an operation on the operation device 2 to the camera device 1. In step 101, a connection command is transmitted to the camera apparatus 1. In step S102, the presence or absence of a reply from the camera apparatus 1 is checked. When a reply is received from the camera device 1, the process proceeds to step S103, and when there is no reply, the process returns to step S101. In step S103, a request for acquiring the status of each control item of the camera device 1 is transmitted to the camera device 1 to acquire the status (control mode) of each control item in the camera device 1 as shown in FIG. To do. The state of each control item is any setting state of automatic control, manual control, position designation, etc. at that time of iris, shutter speed, gain, focus, zoom, pan / tilt.

  In step S104, it is checked whether or not there is a control mode setting switching operation by the operation of the setting switching unit 202. If there is a control mode setting switching operation, the process proceeds to step S105, and setting switching information is transmitted to the camera 1. Here, the setting switching operation is an operation for switching the setting state of the control mode such as automatic control, manual control, and fixing at a specified position for each control item. In step S106, the state of the operation unit 201 is read, and operation information such as focus, zoom, pan / tilt position, etc. is transmitted to the camera 1. In step S107, it is checked whether or not the operation state of the camera device 1 by the operation device 2 has been released by a switch (not shown). If the operation is released, the process returns to step S108, and if not, the process returns to step S103. Communication with the camera device 1 is continued again. In step S108, operation cancellation information is transmitted to the camera apparatus 1.

  FIG. 5 is a process flowchart of camera control in the CPU 102 of the camera apparatus 1. In step S201, it is checked whether a connection command from the controller 2 is received. If a connection command is received, the process proceeds to step S202. In step S202, a connection command is returned to the controller 2.

  In step S203, it is confirmed whether a command for control mode setting switching information has been received. If received, the process proceeds to step S204 to execute control mode setting switching control for the corresponding control item, and control after switching. The mode (automatic control, manual control, position designation) is returned to the controller 2. In step S205, each control target (zoom, focus, iris, pan / tilt) is controlled based on the operation information from the operation device 2. In step S206, it is confirmed whether or not operation cancellation information has been received. If it has been received, the process proceeds to step S208, and if it has not been received, the process proceeds to step S207. In step S207, it is confirmed whether or not the communication with the operation device 2 has been disconnected. If the disconnection of the communication is confirmed, the process proceeds to step S208. If the disconnection of the communication is not confirmed, the process returns to step S203. Step S208 is a process executed in the camera device 1 after the operation by the operation device is completed, and the process proceeds to step S301 in the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing executed in the camera device 1 when the operation is completed or communication with the operating device is disconnected.

  In step S301, the initial value of the control mode stored in the memory 110 is read. In step S302, it is confirmed whether or not the initial value of the control mode read in step S301 is “maintain state”, and if “maintain state” is set, this processing flowchart is terminated and the original process (step Return to S208). If it is not the “state maintenance” setting, the process proceeds to step S303 to check whether the time condition (judgment condition) for changing the control mode is specified. If the time condition is specified, the process proceeds to step S304, and if not, the process proceeds to step S305. In step S304, it is checked whether the current time is within the range of the specified condition. If it is within the range of the specified condition, the process returns to step S305, and if it is out of the range, this processing flowchart is terminated and the process returns to step S208. In step S305, control is performed so that the setting value read in step S301 is obtained.

  For example, when the initial value of the iris control mode is “Auto”, the iris is set to the auto iris mode so that the iris control unit 106 automatically controls the iris according to the exposure state of the camera. Not only the iris but also the shutter speed and gain settings may be combined and linked by program control, and the iris control, shutter speed, and gain settings may all be set to the auto mode in step S305. Further, an operation of returning the pan / tilt / zoom position to a preset position (movement to a designated position) may be combined.

  As described above, the brightness of the monitoring target from the time when the operator manually adjusts the iris by setting the iris to the automatic mode after performing the operation with the operation device (after releasing the control right of the photographing apparatus). It is possible to photograph the monitoring target in an optimal state even when the value changes greatly. Further, after the operation by the operator is finished (after the control right of the photographing apparatus is released), it is possible to always set to a predetermined state (initial setting state).

  In the above embodiment, the determination condition for the control mode change is the time condition. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a predetermined time after the controller releases the control right to operate the camera device. The control mode may be set to an initial value on the condition that elapses.

[Example 2]
As a second embodiment of the photographing control apparatus of the present invention, a case will be described in which the iris control mode is changed using a change in luminance level as a trigger.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the camera control process of the second embodiment in the CPU 102 of the camera apparatus 1. In step S401, the control mode change check flag Flag is cleared to 0. In step S402, a luminance level is acquired from a luminance detection unit (not shown) that detects luminance from image information obtained by the camera device. In step S403, it is checked whether the control mode change check flag Flag is 1 and the luminance level exceeds a predetermined range (judgment condition). If the condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S404. If the condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S405.
In step S404, the iris control mode is changed to the auto mode, and the control mode change check flag Flag is cleared to zero. Steps S405 to S411 are the same as steps S202 to S207 described in the first embodiment. In step S410 or S411, when the release of the control right is detected and the process proceeds to step S412, the luminance level at this time is held and used as a reference value for determining a condition for changing the control mode. Further, the control mode change check flag Flag is set to 1, and the control mode check after the release of the control right (steps S403 and 404) is executed.

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for checking the luminance level change in steps S403 and S412. This indicates that the right to control the iris by the operating device 2 is released at time T1, and the brightness level V1 at this time is acquired. Thereafter, when it is detected that the luminance level exceeds a predetermined range ΔV with respect to V1, the iris control mode is switched to the auto mode. Until the brightness level exceeds a predetermined range ΔV with respect to V1, the iris position is maintained at the command position from the controller 2 when the control right is released.

  As described above, the iris is switched to the auto mode according to the change in the brightness level after the operation with the operation unit, so that even when the brightness of the monitoring target changes greatly after the operator manually adjusts the brightness, A monitoring target can be photographed. Further, if the luminance level does not change much after the manual adjustment is finished by the operating device, the monitoring target can be photographed in the manual adjustment state.

  In this embodiment, the case where the iris control mode is changed by detecting a change in luminance level has been described. However, for example, the focus control mode may be changed to autofocus by detecting a change in contrast of an image.

[Example 3]
As a third embodiment of the photographing control apparatus of the present invention, a case where a control mode is controlled in a camera switching apparatus (photographing control apparatus) that performs control switching between one operating device and a plurality of cameras will be described. In the present embodiment, the photographing control device (camera switching device) is configured independently of the camera device.

  FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of the photographing system according to the third embodiment. The imaging system of the present embodiment includes three cameras 1A, 1B, and 1C. An operation device 2 and three cameras 1A, 1B, and 1C are connected to the camera switching device 3 (shooting control device). The camera to be operated by the operation device 2 is switched and connected, and is selected from the operation device 2. It is a device that enables remote control of the camera. The operation device communication unit 301 transmits and receives serial data to and from the operation device 2. The setting input unit 302 performs input of various settings, and selects a control target camera, changes various setting information, and the like. The camera switching device 3 has a non-volatile memory (storage means) 303 and stores setting items set by the setting input unit 302. The CPU (control unit) 304 outputs various control data received by the communication unit 301 to the camera communication unit 305 (305A, 305B, or 305C) corresponding to the camera selected by the setting input unit 302. The camera communication unit 305 transmits the communication command input from the CPU 304 to the corresponding camera 1 (1A, 1B, or 1C).

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of camera control processing in the CPU 304 of the camera switching device 3. In step S601, it is checked whether a switching request for the control target camera is input from the setting input unit 302. If there is a switching request, the process proceeds to step S602. In step S <b> 602, the initial value setting of the currently controlled camera is read from the memory 303. In step S603, the read initial value setting is transmitted to the camera 1 (the camera that has finished the operation of the operation device 2 and is about to release control, for example, the camera 1A). In step S604, it is checked whether there is a reply with the same status as the setting transmitted in step S603 from the camera 1. If there is a reply, the process proceeds to step S605. For example, as in the first embodiment, when the initial value setting of the iris control mode is “Auto”, the iris control is set to the auto iris mode. Then, the iris control unit 106 in the camera 1 automatically controls the iris according to the exposure state of the camera. Next, in step 605, the control right of the camera under control is released, and in step S606, the control right is transferred to the camera that requested the switching.

  In the third and fourth embodiments described above, the system having a camera switching device that enables a plurality of photographing devices to be selectively operated from one controller is illustrated, but the present invention is limited to this configuration. Never happen. For example, even in a system having a camera switching device that makes it possible to selectively operate a plurality of photographing devices from each of a plurality of operating devices, the same operational effects can be enjoyed.

  With the above configuration, after selecting and connecting and operating one imaging device from an operation device capable of remotely operating a plurality of imaging devices, selecting another imaging device and connecting and operating it. When shooting, even if the shooting device is switched and used, it is possible to save the operator from having to set the shooting device that has been used back to a predetermined initial state (initial value of the control mode). .

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when the control right of the operating device is transferred to another photographing apparatus, the initial value of the control mode is set to the photographing apparatus from which the control right is released immediately before the transition. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the initial value of the control mode may be set in the camera after a predetermined time has elapsed since the control right camera is requested in S601 and the control right is disconnected from the imaging apparatus.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained with the configuration of the conventional camera according to the setting change command.

[Example 4]
As a fourth embodiment of the photographing control apparatus according to the present invention, a case will be described in which a control mode is changed by using a change in luminance level as a trigger in a camera switching apparatus that performs control switching between one controller and a plurality of cameras.

  The configuration of the photographing system in the present embodiment is the same as that in FIG. 9 described in the third embodiment. Similarly to the third embodiment, the camera switching device 3 selects the cameras 1A, 1B, and 1C to be operated by the operation device 2.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart of luminance information acquisition processing in the CPU 304 of the camera switching device 3 and shows an exchange with one camera among the plurality of cameras 1 connected to the camera switching device 3. Therefore, the process flowchart of FIG. 13 is executed for each of the cameras 1A, 1B, and 1C. Here, the exchange with the camera 1A will be described as an example.

  In step S701, the control mode change check flag Flag is cleared to zero. In step S702, the brightness level is acquired from the camera 1. In step S703, if the control mode change check flag Flag is 1 and the luminance level exceeds the predetermined range, the process proceeds to step S704. If the condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S705. In step S704, a request for changing the control mode (iris control mode) to the auto mode is transmitted to the camera, and the control mode change check flag Flag is cleared to zero. In step S705, it is checked whether there is a request to change the control right for the camera 1A from the setting input unit 302. If there is a request, the process proceeds to step S706, and if not, the process returns to step S702.

  In step S710 or S711, the release of the control right for the camera 1A is checked, and if the condition for release is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S712. In step S712, the luminance level at this time is held and used as a reference value for determining a condition for changing the control mode. Further, the control mode change check flag Flag is set to 1 so that the control mode check after the release of the control right (steps S703 and 704) is executed. The process of FIG. 13 is similarly performed for the camera 1B and the camera 1C.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the same effect as that of the second embodiment can be obtained with the configuration of the conventional camera according to the setting change command.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

102 CPU (control means)
110 memory (storage means)
303 Memory (storage means)
304 CPU (control means)

Claims (9)

An imaging control device that is communicably connected to an operating device that remotely operates the imaging device, and that controls remote operation of the imaging device by the operating device,
Storage means for storing an initial value of a control mode of a control item of the photographing apparatus;
Control means for changing the control mode of the control item to the initial value stored in the storage means after a predetermined time has elapsed when the operation of the photographing device by the operation device is canceled;
An imaging control apparatus comprising: An imaging control device that is communicably connected to an operating device that remotely operates the imaging device, and that controls remote operation of the imaging device by the operating device,
Storage means for storing an initial value of a control mode of a control item of the photographing apparatus;
Information acquisition means for acquiring information of an image captured by the imaging device;
Control means for changing the control mode of the control item to an initial value stored in the storage means based on image information from the information acquisition means when the operation of the photographing apparatus by the operation device is canceled; ,
An imaging control apparatus comprising: The storage means stores determination conditions for the control means to determine whether to change the control mode to an initial value,
The control means changes the control mode to an initial value based on the determination condition.
Imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that. The determination condition stored by the storage means is a time condition,
The control means changes the control mode to an initial value based on the time condition and current time information.
The imaging control apparatus according to claim 3 . The control items, aperture, shutter speed, gain, focus, zoom, pan, tilt, of at least one, that imaging control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the control mode includes at least one of manual, automatic, position designation for designating a position, and state maintenance for maintaining a current state. A plurality of photographing devices, and a photographing control device that is connected to be able to communicate with an operation device that selects and remotely operates the plurality of photographing devices, and controls remote operation of the plurality of photographing devices by the operation device,
Storage means for storing an initial value of a control mode of each control item of the plurality of imaging devices;
Control means for changing the control mode of the control item of the photographing apparatus to an initial value stored in the storage means after a predetermined time has elapsed when the operation of the photographing apparatus by the operation device is canceled;
An imaging control apparatus comprising: A plurality of photographing devices, and a photographing control device that is connected to be able to communicate with an operation device that selects and remotely operates the plurality of photographing devices, and controls remote operation of the plurality of photographing devices by the operation device,
Storage means for storing an initial value of a control mode of each control item of the plurality of imaging devices;
Information acquisition means for acquiring information of an image captured by the imaging device;
When the operation of the photographing apparatus by the operation device is canceled, the control mode of the control item of the photographing apparatus is changed to the initial value stored in the storage unit based on the image information from the information acquisition unit. Control means to
An imaging control apparatus comprising: A photographing device, wherein the operating device for an imaging apparatus for remotely operating, according to any one of claims 1 to 6 for controlling a remote operation of the imaging apparatus according to communicably connected to the operating device and the operating device An imaging system comprising: an imaging control device.

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