JPH01264487A - Camera rotating base controller for video conference - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To send a proper image conformed to the progress of proceedings by providing plural directional microphones and automatically changing the direction of a television camera in response to the voice of a speaker. CONSTITUTION:For plural directional microphones 6, their sensitivity and directivity are adjusted so that the directions of the seats of persons present at a conference can be detected from the position of a television camera 1. When the respective directional microphones 6 catch the voice of the speaker under this state, a comparing circuit 7 recognizes one direction in which a sound volume level is high for constant time or longer from sound volume levels detected by the respective directional microphones 6 and presumes that the direction is the direction of the speaker. Here, a motor control circuit 8 controls the motor of a camera rotating base 4 so that the camera 1 can be automatically directed to the direction presumed by the circuit 7. Thus, the proceedings of the conference can be executed smoothly, and the proper image based on the proceedings can be sent to the other party.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a camera rotary table control device for a video conference that controls a camera rotary table that rotates a television camera in a video conference.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional video conferencing camera rotary table control device. In the figure, 1 is a television camera;
Reference numeral 2 designates an operation switch operated by a person attending the video conference to adjust the direction of the television camera 1, 3 a camera rotating table control device, 4 a camera rotating table, and 5 a self-portrait monitor for displaying a self-portrait.

Next, the operation will be explained. In a video conference, usually 2
If there are more than 100 attendees, the video will be sent to the other party as the proceedings progress, with either all members or only the speaker being photographed. As a method for appropriately selecting this subject, in order to point the television camera 1 at each seated attendee and zoom in, conventionally the television camera 1 is mounted on a camera rotating stand 4. The attendee himself/herself operated the operating switch 2 to control the direction of the television camera 1 while viewing the image displayed on the self-portrait monitor 5.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As described above, the conventional camera rotating table control device for a video conference is configured to perform control operations only by the operations of the attendees, so the attendees of the video conference change the direction of the television camera 1 according to the progress of the proceedings. If you have a difficult time concentrating on the topic, or are unfamiliar with the operation,
There were problems, such as not being able to send appropriate video to the other party in line with the progress of the proceedings.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it eliminates the trouble of having to control the camera direction in parallel with the proceedings, and it also makes it possible to always display images that are in line with the proceedings. The purpose of the present invention is to obtain a camera rotating table control device for video conference that can be provided to the other party.

[Means to solve the problem]

The video conference camera rotary table control device according to the present invention includes:
Directional microphones with direction sensitivity are arranged evenly in the direction of multiple attendees, a comparison circuit estimates the speaker's direction from the detected volume of each directional microphone, and a motor control circuit controls the camera rotating table according to the estimation. The TV camera is controlled so that it points in the direction of the speaker.

[Effect]

The comparison circuit in this invention estimates the direction of the speaker based on the volume level from each microphone arranged evenly, and the motor control circuit uses this estimation to rotate the camera rotating base so that the television camera is pointed in nine directions. Control.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1st
In the figures and FIG. 2, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 3 showing the prior art are given the same reference numerals. In the figure,
6 is a directional microphone with high direction sensitivity; 7 is a comparison circuit that estimates the speaker's direction based on the volume level of each directional micro, depending on which direction the directional micro has a higher volume; 8 is a comparison circuit T is a motor control circuit that controls the direction of the camera rotary table 4 according to the estimated direction, and the camera rotary table control device 3 is composed of the directional micro, the comparison circuit 7, and the motor control circuit 8. In this embodiment, the camera rotating table control device 3 is mounted on the television camera 1 and is oriented in the same direction as the rotation of the television camera 1.

Next, the operation will be explained. The directional micros are arranged horizontally and radially at equal intervals on the lens side of the television camera 1, and their sensitivity and directivity are adjusted so that the direction of the attendees' seats can be specified from the position of the television camera 1. When each of the directional micros catches the speaker's sound in such a state, the comparator circuit I recognizes the direction in which the level was high for a certain period of time from the volume level detected by each of the directional micros,
The direction is estimated to be the direction of the speaker. The motor control circuit 8 controls the motor of the camera turntable 4 so as to direct the television camera 21 in the direction estimated by the comparison circuit T. Note that the motor control circuit 8 can also move the camera rotating base 4 based on control information from the operation switch 2.

In this case, if an initial value of the location direction of the attendees is set in advance in the comparison circuit 7, the speaker can be accurately photographed within the frame of the screen based on the approximate direction information of the volume level.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the camera rotating table control device 3 was placed on top of the television camera 1 and mounted so as to face the same direction as the television camera 1, but the camera rotating table controlling device 3 is It may be mounted separately from the camera rotation table 4 in a fixed direction.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows the case where one television camera is controlled, as shown in FIGS. By controlling the video channel (by the rotary table control device 3), even when the speaker changes and one television camera 1 rotates, the speaker and all the speakers are shown on the other television camera 1. I can do it. In this way, an invalid screen while the camera is rotating can be eliminated, and a smoother and more realistic conference can be held.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, parts corresponding to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above are designated by the same reference numerals. 1
0 is a video channel that switches between the two television cameras 1 and selects the image to be sent to the other party, and 11 is a system control circuit that performs overall video switching when the speaker changes and control of each camera rotating table 4. . In this case, the camera turntable control device 3 is fixed under one of the camera turntables 4, and the television camera 1. Camera rotating table 4. Two systems of motor control circuits 8 are provided.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. The system control circuit 11 outputs control information for each camera rotating table 4 and switching information for the video channel 10 to each motor control circuit 8 and video channel 10 when the speaker changes according to a preset mode. For example, when the speaker changes, if the mode is set to show the images of everyone, one of the TV cameras 1 should capture the images of all the speakers in advance, and the other TV camera 1 should capture the images of the speakers. Start projecting. Next, when the comparison circuit T receives information that the direction of the next speaker has changed, it switches the video channel 10 to display the images of everyone, and in the meantime, it switches the other TV in the direction of the next speaker. Rotate camera 1. Finally, when the rotating television camera 1 captures the next speaker, the video channel 10 is switched again to display the image of the speaker. Through the operations described above, the attendees can provide a more appropriate image to the other party without any troublesome operations.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the television camera is configured so that its direction can be automatically changed in response to the voice of the speaker. By omitting these operations, it is possible to concentrate on the proceedings.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a video conference camera rotary table control device according to an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a camera control system according to an embodiment of the invention, and FIG. A block diagram showing a camera control system of a camera rotary table control device for video conferencing according to another embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a video conference camera rotary table control device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional camera control system. 1 is a television camera, 2 is an operating switch, 3 is a camera rotating table control device, 4 is a camera rotating table, 5 is a self-portrait monitor, 6 is a directional microphone, T is a comparison circuit, 8 is a motor control circuit, 10 is a video channel; 11 is a system control circuit; In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a video conference camera rotating table control device for controlling a camera rotating table that rotates a television camera when photographing all participants or only a speaker in a television conference, the direction of the speaker is provided. a plurality of directional microphones for detecting the direction of the speaker, a comparison circuit for detecting the direction of the speaker from the audio output level from each of the directional microphones, and a direction of the television camera rotating base according to output information from the comparison circuit. A camera rotary table control device for a video conference, comprising a motor control circuit for performing control.