JPH03246528A - Controller for optical axis direction of optical system of camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for a photographer to align the direction of the optical axis of the optical system by using a tripod when photographing oneself by receiving the output of a direction sensor by a control means and aligning the optical axis of the optical system to the target position of a subject when receiving a subject signal, and detecting the target position of the subject. CONSTITUTION:A camera main body 9 wherein the optical system 5 is incorporated is mounted on the placing plate 8a of a 2nd rotary base 8 and driven with a movement signal from a microcomputer 8, and 1st and 2nd rotary bases 7 and 8 are rotated as shown by arrows alpha and beta respectively to move the camera main body in three dimensions. Namely, the optical system 5 in the camera main body 9 is moved in three dimensions and the direction of its optical axis is controlled to the target position of the subject where there is a transmission part 1. Thus, the optical axis of the optical system is controlled in the direction of target position of the subject. Consequently, the subject signal is only sent from the target position to the camera main body on a table, a bench, etc., to direct the camera to the desired target position.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to cameras such as optical cameras, electronic still cameras, and digital still cameras, and particularly relates to cameras such as optical cameras, electronic still cameras, and digital still cameras. The present invention relates to an optical axis direction control device for an optical system of a camera that can automatically direct the camera toward a target position of a subject.

[Conventional technology]

With conventional cameras, when you want to take a picture of yourself, you either ask someone passing by to take a picture, or you mount the camera on a tripod, align the optical axis (the center of the viewfinder) in the direction you want to take the picture, and then It was necessary to quickly move in the direction set by the automatic shutter mechanism while waiting for time.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, asking strangers to take pictures every time you pass by can be intimidating, especially for people with poor social skills. In addition, the above-mentioned work, such as having to bring a tripod, attach the camera to it, and align the optical axis direction, is extremely troublesome. The present invention has been made with attention to such conventional problems, and provides an optical axis direction control device for an optical system of a camera that can omit the troublesome work described above when photographing oneself, and this invention. It is an object of the present invention to provide a direction sensor suitable for use in a device.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention disclosed in this application includes a transmitter that transmits an object signal from the target position of the object or its vicinity, and a direction sensor that receives the object signal and detects the direction of the target position of the object. , based on the output from this direction sensor, determine the amount of movement of the optical system necessary to direct the optical axis direction of the optical system from the current direction toward the target position of the subject, and generate a movement signal corresponding to the amount of movement. An optical axis direction control device for an optical system of a camera, comprising a control means for outputting an output, and a drive section for moving an optical system based on a movement signal output from the control means, and The direction sensor includes a support part having a part, and a plurality of light receiving elements scattered and fixed on the surface of the support part.

[Effect]

When the subject signal is transmitted from the transmitter, the direction sensor receives it and detects the direction of the target position of the subject. The control means receives the output from this direction sensor, determines the amount of movement of the optical system necessary to align the optical axis of the optical system from the current direction to the direction of the target position, and generates a movement signal corresponding to the amount of movement. Output. The drive section receives this movement signal and moves the optical system by the amount of movement.

Moreover, in the invention of claim 2, a plurality of light receiving elements are scattered on a part of the spherical surface or a part of the polyhedral surface that the support part has. Therefore, when light is emitted from the target position, the direction of the target position can be detected by detecting which of the plurality of light receiving elements receives the largest amount of light.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes an optical system constructed of a photographic lens and the like and incorporated into the camera body for forming an image of a subject. Further, reference numeral 1 is a transmitter for transmitting a predetermined radio wave signal. When a photographer wants to take a picture of himself/herself, the transmitter 1 can be used to hold the transmitter 1 in his/her hand and move it from the target position (for example, his chest or mouth) to the camera body 9 (bench, table, tripod, etc.). etc.). Reference numeral 2 denotes a direction finder that receives a radio wave signal from the transmitter 1 and detects the direction in which this signal is coming. This direction finder 2 can be a known one, such as (a) one that uses a loop antenna or an Adcock antenna and detects the direction based on changes in the directional characteristics of the receiving antenna depending on the direction of arrival of radio waves; (b) Using an interferometer or the like, the direction is detected based on the change in the phase difference of the received waves by multiple receiving antennas depending on the direction of arrival of the radio waves; (c) Each element in a circular array of antennas sequentially detects the direction. A method that simulates the circular motion of the receiving antenna by switching reception, and measures the direction by utilizing the fact that the Doppler frequency shift value of the received wave obtained as a result changes in a sine wave shape with respect to the direction of arrival of the radio wave, etc. can be used.

Next, reference numeral 3 denotes a microcomputer (microcomputer), which is an optical system 5 necessary for directing the optical axis direction of the optical system 5 from the current direction to the direction of the target position of the subject based on the output from the direction finder 2. The amount of movement is determined, and a movement signal corresponding to this amount of movement is output.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a drive unit that moves the optical system 5 in three-dimensional directions based on a movement signal from the microcomputer 3. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, this drive unit 4 has a support stand 6 placed on a table or bench, and a rotation direction on the support stand 6 in the direction of the arrow α in the figure (rotation direction with the direction of gravity as the center of rotation). ) is rotatably supported by a first rotary table 7, and the rotary table 7 rotates in the direction of arrow β in the figure (rotation direction with the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity as the center of rotation). It is composed of a freely supported second rotating table 8 and a motor (not shown) that drives the first and second rotating tables 7 and 8 in the α and β directions, respectively. . The camera body 9 incorporating the optical system 5 is placed on the mounting table 8a of the second rotating table 8. Therefore, in this embodiment, the motor is driven by a movement signal from the microcomputer 3, and the first and second rotating bases 7 and 8 are rotated in the direction of the arrow α and the direction of the arrow β, respectively, so that the camera body 9 is rotated. is moved in three dimensions. As a result, the optical system 5 within the camera body 9 is also moved in a three-dimensional direction, and the direction of its optical axis is controlled so as to point toward the target position of the subject where the transmitter 1 is located.

Next, the operation of the microcomputer 3 shown in FIG. 1 will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step S1, the microcomputer 3 determines whether a subject signal (radio wave signal) indicating the target position of the subject has been transmitted from the transmitter 1 and received by the direction finder 2. When this determination is YES, the process proceeds to step S2, and the direction of the subject (the direction of the target position of the subject) is determined based on the input from the direction finder 2. and step S3
Then, the amount of movement of the optical system 5 required to direct the optical axis direction of the optical system 5 from the current direction toward the subject direction determined in step S2 is calculated. Then, in step S4, a movement signal corresponding to this movement amount is output to the drive section 4. As described above, the optical axis of the optical system 5 is controlled in the direction of the subject.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when photographing oneself, it is possible to omit the troublesome work of directing the optical axis of the optical system toward the target position of the subject, which was conventionally done manually. That is, the camera body 9 is connected to the drive unit 4 (
More specifically, it is placed on the mounting table 8a) provided on the second rotating table 8 in FIG. Thereafter, by simply performing a simple operation such as picking up the transmitter 1, bringing it to one's chest or mouth, and transmitting, it becomes possible to photograph oneself.

Furthermore, by applying this embodiment to a conventional camera,
When the photographer wants to take a picture of himself/herself, the camera body 9
All you have to do is place the drive unit 4 with the camera on the table or bench 4, hold the transmitter 1 in your hand, and send signals from your chest or mouth. You don't have to do it. That is, after transmitting the object signal toward the camera body 9 on the table or the like, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the optical axis of the optical system is directed to the target position of the object (step SS) and the focus is set. (Step S6), adjusts the exposure (Step S7), waits for a predetermined time, and emits a warning sound several seconds before the predetermined time elapses (Step S8), and when the predetermined time elapses, the shutter switch is activated. It becomes possible to automate all subsequent photographing operations, such as turning on the camera and photographing (step S9). Incidentally, steps S6 to S9 in FIG. 4 are well known, and therefore their explanation will be omitted.

Next, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. Portions in FIG. 5 that are common to those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

In this other embodiment, a semiconductor laser 11 is used as a transmitter for emitting a subject signal (a signal indicating the target position of the subject) from the target position of the subject. In addition, in this embodiment, as a direction sensor that detects the direction of the subject by receiving a signal from the transmitter, the sensors shown in FIGS.
A direction sensor 12 as shown in the figure (front view) is used. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the direction sensor 12 includes a hemispherical support 13 and a large number of photodiodes a to q fixed on the hemispherical surface of the support 13 in a radial manner from the center. It is composed of. Further, the circular plane 1 on the opposite side to the hemispherical surface of the support body 13 of this direction sensor 12
3a (the part hatched with broken lines in FIG. 6, which corresponds to the cut plane when one complete sphere is cut in half) is the front surface of the camera body 9 (the part where the photographic lens of the optical system 5 is). The hemispherical surface of the direction sensor 12 protrudes from the front surface of the camera body 9.

In this other embodiment, when the semiconductor laser 11 is driven from the target position of the subject to irradiate the camera body 9 (orientation sensor 12 thereof) with laser light, this laser light is received by each of the photodiodes a to q. be done. At this time, since each of these photodiodes a to q is scattered on a hemispherical surface, the amount of light received by each of photodiodes a to q depends on the relative relationship between the semiconductor laser 11 and each of photodiodes a to q. In other words, the irradiation direction of the laser light from the semiconductor laser 11 (i.e., the direction of the subject)
Each will be different depending on the Therefore, it is possible to detect which photodiode among photodiodes a to q received the most amount of light (can be detected as a voltage value).
This makes it possible to detect the direction of the semiconductor laser 11, that is, the direction of the target position of the subject. That is, for example, the current direction of the optical axis of the optical system 5 is the direction (γ-a direction) along the line connecting the center point γ of the circular plane 13a (see FIG. 6) and the photodiode a, Furthermore, if the photodiode that received the largest amount of light when the semiconductor laser 11 was emitted was, for example, k, the current direction of the optical axis is the γ-a direction, while the direction of the subject is the center point γ. This is the direction of the line connecting photodiode k and photodiode k (γ-k direction). Therefore, by calculating the amount of movement of the optical system 5 necessary to change the direction of light bending from the γ-a direction to the γ-k direction, the driving unit 4
It becomes possible to easily obtain a movement signal for output to.

In particular, in this embodiment, a semiconductor laser 11 is used as a transmitter, and the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 11 has a narrow wavelength band and a large optical energy, so it is not easily affected by external light. Therefore, stable optical axis direction control operation can be expected even outdoors with strong external light.

In each of the embodiments described above, the drive section 4 is attached externally to the camera body 9, and the optical axis of the optical system 5 is moved by moving the entire camera body 9 using the drive section 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this; for example, the optical system built into the camera body is provided so as to be movable relative to the frame ((outer frame)) of the camera body, and the drive unit is installed inside the camera body. By incorporating it into
It is also possible to move only the optical system within the camera body (its frame) itself while remaining stationary by placing it on a table or the like.

Further, in the direction sensor 12 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a hemispherical support 13 in which a sphere is cut in half is used to fix the photodiodes a to q in a scattered manner, but instead of this, for example, A support body having a shape obtained by cutting a polyhedron such as an octahedron in half may be used.

Further, although the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 uses the semiconductor laser 11 as the transmitter, an infrared light emitting diode may be used instead.

[Efficacy of invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, the optical axis of the optical system can be controlled in the direction of the target position of the subject. In other words, by simply transmitting a subject signal from a target position such as your chest or mouth to the camera body on a table or bench, you can direct the optical axis of the optical system to the target position such as your chest or mouth. It is possible to direct it towards the direction. Therefore, when photographing oneself, it becomes possible to omit the troublesome work of manually adjusting the optical axis direction using a tripod as in the past. Further, according to the invention of claim 2, a direction sensor can be realized with a simple configuration.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the drive section of this embodiment, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the photographing operation of the camera to which this embodiment is applied, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view and a front view showing the configuration of the direction sensor shown in the figure.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transmitter that transmits a subject signal from the target position of the subject or its vicinity, a direction sensor that receives this subject signal and detects the direction of the target position of the subject, and a direction sensor that receives the subject signal from the target position of the subject. a control means for determining the amount of movement of the optical system necessary to direct the optical axis direction of the optical system from the current direction toward the target position of the subject based on the output and outputting a movement signal according to the amount of movement; An optical axis direction control device 2 for an optical system of a camera including a drive unit that moves the optical system based on a movement signal output from the control means, and a support unit having a part of a spherical surface or a part of a polyhedral surface. and a plurality of light receiving elements scattered and fixed on the surface of the support part.