JPH04316286A - Video camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress a sense of incompatibility due to the speed for zoom switching by controlling respective zoom speeds of optical zoom and electronic zoom in a video camera device capable of continuously operating the optical zoom function and the electronic zoom function. CONSTITUTION:An optical zoom controller 112 which controls the optical zoom speed and an electronic zoom speed controller 111 which controls the electronic zoom speed are provided, and the former is connected to a zoom driving circuit 109, and the latter is connected to an electronic zoom controller 106. The optical zoom speed and the electronic zoom speed are controlled in accordance with the optical zoom power and the electronic zoom power respectively to suppress a sense of incompatibility due to the speed for zoom switching.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera device having an optical zoom function and an electronic zoom function, and which makes it possible to adjust the zoom speed when switching between optical zoom and electronic zoom.

0002

[Prior Art] In recent years, video camera devices have become lighter, cheaper, and have higher image quality, and in order to provide high-added-price products, multifunctionality and miniaturization are important factors. It has become to.

An example in which the optical zoom function and electronic zoom function of a conventional video camera device operate continuously will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

In FIG. 7, 701 is a zoom switch;
02 is a zoom lens, 703 is an image sensor, 704 is a signal processing circuit, 705 is an electronic zoom magnification detection device, 706 is an electronic zoom control device, 707 is an electronic zoom processing circuit, 7
08 is a zoom position detection device, 709 is a zoom lens drive circuit, 710 is a memory, 801 to 809 in FIG. 8 are the same as 701 to 709 in FIG. 7, and 810 is an image sensor drive circuit.

The continuous operation of the conventional optical zoom and electronic zoom configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIG.

First, the operation of switching from optical zoom to electronic zoom will be explained. T of zoom switch 701
The zoom lens 702 is driven to the telephoto side by a switch on the side (hereinafter referred to as Tsw). Tsw is also input to the electronic zoom control device 706, but during optical zoom operation which has not reached the telephoto end, the output signal of the zoom position detection device 708 causes the electronic zoom control device 706 to output Tsw.
information will be invalidated. When the optical zoom magnification increases and the zoom position detection device 708 determines that the position of the zoom lens 702 has reached the telephoto end, the Tsw information input to the zoom lens drive circuit 709 is invalidated and at the same time the electronic zoom control device The Tsw input in 706 is made valid. Then, the electronic zoom control device 706 increases the electronic zoom magnification from 1x based on the information of Tsw, and
The electronic zoom function is operated by controlling the read position of the memory 710. The electronic zoom processing circuit 707 performs an interpolation calculation on the output signal cut out from the memory 710 according to the electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device 705, and outputs it as a duplicate video signal.

Next, the operation of switching from electronic zoom to optical zoom will be explained. W of zoom switch 701
A side switch (hereinafter referred to as Wsw) causes the electronic zoom magnification to approach 1x in the electronic zoom control device 706. Also, Wsw is input to the zoom lens drive circuit 709, but during electronic zoom operation where the electronic zoom magnification has not reached 1x, the information on Wsw is invalidated in the zoom lens drive circuit 709 by the output signal of the electronic zoom magnification detection device 705. Make it. When the electronic zoom magnification decreases and the electronic zoom magnification detection device 705 determines that the electronic zoom magnification has reached 1x, the Wsw information input to the electronic zoom control device 706 is invalidated and at the same time the zoom drive circuit 709 Validate the Wsw entered in . and,
Start moving the zoom lens from the telephoto end to the wide-angle end.

Note that the electronic zoom function is operated by controlling the readout of the memory 710 used in FIG. 7, whereas in FIG. The operation at the time of switching between zoom and electronic zoom is the same control as in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0009]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with the above configuration, when switching from optical zoom to electronic zoom, there is variation in the accuracy when detecting that the zoom lens position is at the telephoto end, and the electronic zoom is always being used. Switching to zoom is rare, and when switching from electronic zoom to optical zoom, a preparation period is required to drive the zoom lens, and the zoom operation is stopped for the preparation period.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides optical zoom,
The present invention provides a video camera device that is equipped with a device that controls the speed of each electronic zoom and that performs continuous operation of optical zoom and electronic zoom with high precision.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, a video camera device of the present invention includes an image pickup element, a zoom lens, a zoom lens drive circuit, a zoom position detection device, an optical zoom speed control device, an electronic zoom control device;
It has a configuration including an electronic zoom magnification detection device, an electronic zoom processing circuit, and an electronic zoom speed control device.

0012

[Operation] With the above-described configuration, the present invention can perform continuous operation of optical zoom and electronic zoom with high precision.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A video camera apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is a zoom switch, 102 is a zoom lens, 103 is an image sensor, 104 is a signal processing circuit, 105 is an electronic zoom magnification detection device, 106 is an electronic zoom control device, 107 is an electronic zoom processing circuit, and 108 is a zoom 109 is a zoom lens drive circuit, 110 is a memory, 111 is an electronic zoom speed control device, and 112 is an optical zoom speed control device.

The continuous operation of optical zoom and electronic zoom of the video camera device configured as described above will be explained.

First, the operation of switching from optical zoom to electronic zoom will be explained using FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing whether Tsw is enabled or disabled in the electronic zoom speed detection device 11 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 depending on the respective magnifications of optical zoom and electronic zoom. In the axis, "H" is valid and "L" is invalid. Also, in the figure,
The solid line (A) is for the optical zoom speed control device 112, and the dotted line (B) is for the electronic zoom speed control device 111).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the zoom speeds set by the electronic zoom speed control device 111 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 according to the respective magnifications of optical zoom and electronic zoom when Tsw is valid. (On the vertical axis, “
O'' is the range in which Tsw is invalid. Also, in the figure,
The solid line (C) is for the optical zoom speed control device 112, and the dotted line (D) is for the electronic zoom speed control device 111).

When the optical zoom magnification is less than Kth due to Tsw, the optical zoom speed control device 112 adjusts the zoom speed to α.
, and the zoom lens 102 is driven to the telephoto side. Tsw is also input to the electron beam speed control device 111, but since the optical zoom magnification is less than Kth, the electronic zoom control device 111 receives the output signal from the zoom position detection device 108.
In 06, the Tsw information is invalidated. When the optical zoom magnification is Kth or more and Kmax or less (Kmax is the optical zoom magnification when the zoom lens reaches the telephoto end), the speed (α-
β), the zoom lens 102 is driven, and at the same time, Tsw input to the electronic zoom speed control device 111 is enabled, and the electronic zoom is operated at the set speed β. Furthermore, when the optical zoom magnification reaches Kmax, the Tsw information input to the optical zoom speed control device 112 is invalidated, and at the same time the zoom speed set in the electronic zoom speed control device 111 is set to α to operate the electronic zoom. let The electronic zoom processing circuit 107 performs an interpolation calculation on the cutout output signal from the memory 110 according to the electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device 105, and outputs it as a duplicate video signal.

Note that Kth is set at a value that can absorb variations in accuracy when detecting that the zoom lens 102 is located at the telephoto end.

Next, the operation of switching from electronic zoom to optical zoom will be explained using FIGS. 1, 4, and 5.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing whether Wsw is enabled or disabled in the electronic zoom speed control device 111 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 depending on the respective magnifications of optical zoom and electronic zoom (vertical "H" on the axis
is valid and "L" is invalid. Also, in the figure,
The solid line (E) is for the optical zoom speed control device 112, and the dotted line (F) is for the electronic zoom speed control device 111).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the zoom speeds set by the electronic zoom speed control device 111 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 according to the respective magnifications of optical zoom and electronic zoom when Wsw is valid ( On the vertical axis, “O
” is the range in which Tsw is invalid. Furthermore, in the figure, the solid line (G) is for the optical zoom speed control device 112, and the dotted line (H) is for the electronic zoom speed control device 111).

When the electronic zoom magnification is equal to or higher than Dth due to Wsw, the electronic zoom speed control device 111 sets the zoom speed α to bring the electronic zoom magnification close to 1x. Although Wsw is input to the optical zoom speed control device 112, since the electronic zoom magnification is greater than Dth, the information on Wsw is invalidated in the optical zoom speed control device 112 by the output signal of the electronic zoom magnification detection device 105. When the electronic zoom magnification is 1 times or more below Dth, the electronic zoom is operated at the speed (α-γ) set in the electronic zoom speed control device 111, and at the same time, Wsw inputted in the optical zoom speed control device 112 is enabled. , set speed γ
The zoom lens 102 is driven to the wide-angle side. moreover,
When the electronic zoom magnification reaches 1x, Wsw input to the electronic zoom speed control device 111 is enabled, and at the same time the zoom speed set by the optical zoom speed control device 112 is set to α, and the zoom lens 102 is set to the wide-angle side. drive.

Note that Dth is set to a value that does not stop the zoom operation when switching from electronic zoom to optical zoom, taking into account the preparation period from when the zoom lens is stopped to when it starts to drive.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, 601 is a zoom switch, 602 is a zoom lens, 603 is an image sensor,
604 is a signal processing circuit, 605 is an electronic zoom magnification detection device, 106 is an electronic zoom control device, 607 is an electronic zoom processing circuit, 608 is a zoom position detection device, 609 is a zoom lens drive circuit, and 610 is a circuit that drives an image sensor. ,
611 is an electronic zoom speed control device, and 612 is an optical zoom speed control device.

In this embodiment, the electronic zoom function is operated by controlling the readout of the image sensor 603, whereas in the first embodiment the electronic zoom function is operated by controlling the readout of the memory 110. The operation when switching between optical zoom and electronic zoom is controlled in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0028]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention provides a zoom speed control device for each of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom.
It is possible to realize a video camera device that can perform continuous operations of optical zoom and electronic zoom with high precision.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a video camera device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Characteristic diagram showing the operation judgment status used in this device

[Figure 3] Characteristic diagram showing the zoom speed when increasing the zoom magnification used in this device

[Figure 4] Characteristic diagram showing the judgment state of the operation used in this device

[Figure 5] Characteristic diagram of zoom speed when lowering the zoom magnification used in this device

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a video camera device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 7] Block diagram showing a video camera device that performs electronic zoom using conventional memory.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a video camera device that performs electronic zoom using a conventional image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Zoom switch 102 Zoom lens 103 Image sensor 104 Signal processing circuit 105 Electronic zoom magnification detection device 106 Electronic zoom control device 107 Electronic zoom processing circuit 108 Zoom position detection device 109 Zoom lens drive circuit 110 Memory 111 Electronic zoom speed control device 112 Optical zoom speed control device 610 Circuit that drives the image sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image sensor that converts an optical signal incident from a subject into an electrical signal, a zoom lens that changes the magnification of an image incident on the image sensor, and an image sensor that optically changes the magnification of the image by the zoom lens. a zoom position detection device for detecting the magnification of the operation (hereinafter referred to as optical zoom) from the zoom lens; a signal processing circuit for outputting the output signal of the image sensor as a video signal; and a signal processing circuit for storing the video signal. a memory, and an electronic zoom speed control device that controls the speed of an operation (hereinafter referred to as electronic zoom) of electrically enlarging or reducing the video signal written in the memory by controlling the reading position of the memory; an electronic zoom magnification detection device that detects the magnification of electronic zoom from the electronic zoom speed control device; an electronic zoom control device that controls electronic zoom according to the speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device; an electronic zoom processing circuit that interpolates an output signal according to the electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device; an optical zoom speed control device that controls the speed of optical zoom; and the device for the optical zoom speed. and a zoom lens drive circuit that controls the optical zoom according to the speed set by the zoom position detection device. The optical zoom speed is controlled by the electronic zoom speed control device according to the output signal of the zoom position detection device and the electronic zoom magnification detection device. A video camera device characterized in that the zoom speed when switching between optical zoom and electronic zoom can be adjusted by controlling the zoom speed. 2. An image sensor that converts an optical signal incident from a subject into an electrical signal, a zoom lens that changes the magnification of an image incident on the image sensor, and a zoom that detects the magnification of the optical zoom from the zoom lens. a position detection device, a signal processing circuit that outputs the output signal of the image sensor as a video signal, an electronic zoom speed control device that controls the speed of electronic zoom according to the magnification of optical zoom, and the electronic zoom speed control device an electronic zoom magnification detection device that detects a magnification of electronic zoom; an electronic zoom control device that controls electronic zoom according to a speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device; and a readout of the image sensor from the electronic zoom control device. an electronic zoom processing circuit that interpolates the video signal into an interpolated video signal according to the electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device; and a zoom lens drive circuit that controls the optical zoom according to the speed set by the optical zoom speed control device, and controls the image signal by linking the optical zoom and the electronic zoom. When enlarging or reducing, the electronic zoom speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device is controlled according to the output signal of the electronic zoom magnification detection device, and the speed of the electronic zoom is controlled by the zoom position detection device and the electronic zoom magnification detection device. A video camera device characterized in that the zoom speed at the time of switching between optical zoom and electronic zoom can be adjusted by controlling the speed of optical zoom set by the optical zoom speed control device according to each output signal.