JPH04345377A - Camera controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily realize the switching of a CCU connected with a camera by wire and the CCU connected with the camera by radio for the camera. CONSTITUTION:A video camera 1 is connected with a CCU 2 by a cable 6. A radio adaptor 3 is equipped with a radio CCU part 31 connected with the video camera 1 by radio. The radio adaptor 3 is provided a switching 32 which switches an output video signal from the CCU 2 to the output video signal from the radio CCU part 31, and selectively takes one out as the output video signal. The switching of the CCU 2 to the radio CCU part 3 for the camera 1 can be realized by the switching of this switching means 32.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera control device capable of transmitting control signals and camera output either by wire or wirelessly.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Cameras for broadcasting stations have their apertures, etc. controlled by a camera control unit (hereinafter referred to as CCU) separate from the camera body, and are also controlled in synchronization with an external reference video signal. The video output from the camera is then sent to a CCU, through which it is supplied to, for example, a switcher.

[0003] In camera relay, normally cables such as triax are used to connect the video camera and C.
It is connected to the CU. However, depending on the usage situation, it may be difficult to connect with a cable. In such a case, the camera and CCU are connected by wireless communication.

[0004] In consideration of such usage conditions, some cameras are constructed so that the above-mentioned control signals and camera outputs can be transmitted either by wire or wirelessly. If you use a camera with this kind of configuration, you can use the camera and CCU depending on the situation during camera relay.
It will be possible to use both a cable connection and a wireless connection.

[0005] In this case, it is necessary to provide two CCUs, one for wired connection and one for wireless connection. On the other hand, the camera number corresponding to each input terminal of a switcher is usually assigned to one camera, and the same control panel is also used for one camera. Common. Therefore, the wired CCU and the wireless CCU must be connected to these switchers and control panels. Therefore, in the past, the wiring had to be reconnected to the switcher and control panel in order to change the connection of the CCU.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional method, each time a wired CCU and a wireless CCU are used, the switcher and control panel are
Wiring such as BNC cables must be reconnected, which is troublesome.

In view of the above points, the present invention provides a camera that does not require changing the wiring of the CCU to the switcher or control panel, whether the camera and the CCU are connected by wire or wirelessly. The purpose is to provide a control device.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, a camera control device according to the present invention is connected to a video camera 1 by a cable 6, and the camera control device according to the present invention is connected to a video camera 1 by a cable 6, and the reference numerals in the embodiments described below correspond. a camera control unit 2 that receives a video signal from the video camera 1 and outputs it as an output signal;
a wireless camera control unit 31 that is wirelessly connected to the video camera 1, controls the video camera 1, and receives video signals from the video camera 1;
It is characterized by comprising a wireless adapter 3 having a switch means 32 for switching between the output video signal of the camera control unit 2 and the output video signal of the wireless camera control section 31 and taking out the output video signal.

[0009]

[Operation] The wireless adapter 3 is equipped with a wireless camera control section 31 as a wireless CCU. By switching the switch 32 provided on the wireless adapter 3, the camera control unit 2 for wired connection can be connected.
The wireless adapter 3 can output the video signal by switching between the video signal from the camera controller 31 and the video signal from the camera control unit 31 for wireless connection. Therefore, there is no need to change the wiring of the CCU to the switcher or control panel.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the structure of an embodiment of a camera control device according to the present invention. In the same figure, 1
is a video camera, 2 is a CCU, and 3 is a wireless adapter. Further, 4 is a switcher that receives video signals from, for example, a plurality of cameras, switches them, and supplies them to a monitor. Reference numeral 5 denotes a control panel, which is provided for each video camera.

Video camera 1 and CCU 2 are connected by cable 6
connected by. The video camera 1 also has a wireless circuit, as will be described later, and can be connected to a wireless adapter 3 via a wireless channel.

The CCU 2 supplies camera control signals such as control signals for so-called genlock and aperture control to the video camera 1 via a cable 6. It also receives a genlocked video signal from the video camera 1 and a camera status signal for checking control status such as the aperture status via the cable 6, and outputs the video signal from the output terminal.

[0013] The wireless adapter 3 includes a wireless CCU section 31,
It includes a video signal changeover switch 32, a control signal changeover switch 33, and a changeover signal formation circuit 34.

The wireless CCU section 31 modulates the signals into VHF band signals in order to supply camera control signals such as genlock control signals and aperture control signals to the video camera 1 using, for example, an audio communication wireless line. and send it to camera 1. Furthermore, since the genlocked video signal from the video camera 1 is sent via a microwave line, for example, the video signal is received, the video signal is demodulated from the received signal, and this video signal is output from the output terminal. .

The video signal from the CCU 2 is supplied to the input terminal C of the video signal changeover switch 32 of the wireless adapter 3, and the video signal from the wireless CCU section 31 is supplied to the input terminal R. The video signal selectively obtained from the changeover switch 32 is supplied to the input terminal of the switcher 4 corresponding to the camera number of the video camera 1.

Further, a control signal from the control panel 5 is input to the control signal changeover switch 33 of the wireless adapter 3. The control signal obtained at the output terminal C of this changeover switch 33 is
supplied to In addition, the output terminal R of this changeover switch 33
The control signal obtained is supplied to the wireless CCU section 31.

The changeover switches 32 and 33 are switched to the input end C and output end C sides, respectively, when the power switch of the wireless adapter 3 is off. The switching signal forming circuit 34 forms a switching signal SW1 for these changeover switches 32 and 33. This switching signal forming circuit 34 is supplied with a signal Pon corresponding to the on/off operation of the power switch of this wireless adapter 3, and is also connected to a manual switch 35.
The state of the switching signal SW1 is determined by the operating state of the switch 35.

That is, when the power switch of the wireless adapter 3 is turned on, the changeover switches 32 and 33 are forcibly switched to the input terminal R and output terminal R sides by the switching signal SW1. When the manual switch 35 is pressed while the power switch is on, the switching states of the changeover switches 32 and 33 are reversed. Further, when the power switch of the wireless adapter 3 is turned off, the changeover switches 32 and 33 are forcibly switched to the input end C and output end C sides by the changeover signal SW1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example of the video camera 1 of this example.

That is, the video camera 1 includes a CCD solid-state image sensor 11 as an example of an image sensor, an image signal processing circuit 12, a synchronization control circuit 13 for genlock, and an output signal (video signal) of the image signal processing circuit 12. signal) when using the CCU 2 and the CCU unit 31 of the wireless adapter 3 as described later.
A changeover switch 14 that changes when in use, a wireless transmission circuit 15, a wireless reception circuit 18, a control signal changeover switch 19, a video transmission circuit 21 for sending video signals to the cable 6, and a control signal transmission and reception circuit. 22
It is equipped with

[0021] The wireless transmission circuit 15 modulates the video signal into a microwave band signal and transmits it. As described above, the wireless CCU section 31 is provided with demodulation means for returning the microwave video signal to the original band video signal. Further, the wireless receiving circuit 18 is connected to the wireless CC of the wireless adapter 3.
It receives a control signal modulated into a VHF band signal for audio contact radio and transmitted from the U section 31.

The image signal from the CCD solid-state image sensor 11 is supplied to an image signal processing circuit 12 . The imaging signal processing circuit 12 is supplied with a synchronization signal and subcarriers from a synchronization control circuit 13 . The synchronization signal and subcarrier from the synchronization control circuit 13 are sent to the CCU 2 or the wireless adapter 3.
The control signal from the CCU unit 31 synchronizes with the reference video signal. Therefore, the output video signal from the imaging signal processing circuit is so-called genlocked.

The video signal from this image signal processing circuit 12 is supplied to a switching circuit 14. This switching circuit 14 uses a wired/wireless switching signal SW2 to switch the wireless CCU of the wireless adapter 3 to the output terminal C side when the CCU 2 is used for camera control, that is, when the CCU 2 is wired.
When using the CU unit 31, that is, when using wireless, it is switched to the output terminal R side. The changeover switch 19 also
In addition, the switching signal SW2 changes the input terminal C when wired.
side, and when wireless, it is switched to the input terminal R side. This switching is performed, for example, by manual operation.

Therefore, when wired is selected in the camera 1, a control signal for genlock from the CCU 2 appearing at the input terminal 24b connected to the cable 6 is sent to the synchronous control circuit via the control signal transmitting/receiving circuit 22 and the switch 19. 13, and genlock control is performed.

The video signal from the imaging signal processing circuit 12 is then sent to the video signal sending circuit 21 via the switching circuit 14.
The video signal is supplied from the video signal sending circuit 21 to the terminal 24a to which the cable 6 is connected. Therefore, this video signal is transmitted via cable 6 to C
It is supplied to CU2. Note that in the case of this wired connection, a signal indicating the status of the camera's aperture, etc., is supplied from the status signal generation circuit 23 of the camera 1 to the terminal 24c to which the cable 6 is connected via the control signal transmission/reception circuit 22, and is transmitted to the CCU 2. be done.

On the other hand, when wireless is selected in camera 1, a control signal received by antenna 17 is supplied to synchronization control circuit 13 via wireless reception circuit 18 and switch 19, and genlock control is performed. The video signal from the imaging signal processing circuit 12 is supplied to the wireless transmission circuit 15 via the switching circuit 14, and is transmitted from the wireless transmission circuit 15 to the wireless CCU section 31 via the antenna 16.

A method of using the camera control system configured as described above will be explained below.

First, when the camera 1 is to be put into use under the control of the CCU 2, the power switch of the wireless adapter 3 is left in the OFF state. At this time, as described above, the switches 32 and 33 of the wireless adapter 3 are switched to the input terminal C and the output terminal C, respectively. Alternatively, when the power switch of the wireless adapter 3 is on, the switch 35 is operated to switch the changeover switches 32 and 33 to the input end C and output end C sides.

At this time, a control signal from the control panel 5 is supplied to the CCU 2 via the changeover switch 33 of the wireless adapter 3. Then, a signal for genlock and a camera control signal from the CCU 2 are supplied to the camera 1 via the cable 6, and the camera 1 is controlled. Then, the genlocked video signal from the camera 1 is supplied to the CCU 2 via the cable 6. This video signal is supplied from the CCU 2 to the switcher 4 via the changeover switch 32 of the wireless adapter 3.

Next, when the wireless CCU section 31 is used to control the camera 1, the wireless adapter 3
Turn on the power switch. Then, as described above, the switches 32 and 33 of the wireless adapter 3 are switched to the input terminal R and the output terminal R, respectively.

At this time, a control signal from the control panel 5 is supplied to the wireless CCU section 31 via the changeover switch 33 of the wireless adapter 3. And wireless CCU
A signal for genlock and a camera control signal from the unit 31 are supplied to the camera 1 via a wireless channel, and the camera 1 is controlled. Then, the genlocked video signal from the camera 1 is supplied to the wireless CCU unit 31 via the wireless channel. This video signal is
The signal is supplied from the wireless CCU section 31 to the switcher 4 via the changeover switch 32.

As described above, by simply turning on and off the power switch of the wireless adapter 3, the CCU 2 and the wireless CC are connected.
It can be switched with the U section 31, and there is no need to change the wiring connections as in the conventional case. Also, due to the presence of the switch 35, the power switch of the wireless adapter 3 is turned on and the wireless C
While the CU unit 31 is being used, it is also possible to switch to the usage state of the CCU 2.

In the above example, even when the wireless CCU section 31 is used, a control signal for genlock is sent to the camera 1 side, and a genlocked video signal is output from the camera 1. For example, a frame synchronizer or the like is used on the wireless CCU section 31 side to form an output video signal synchronized (genlocked) with an external reference signal, and at this time, the external reference signal obtained by the wireless CCU section and the camera 1 are synchronized. A camera control system that supplies an error signal of a synchronization signal with an output video signal to the camera 1 as a control signal, and ensures that the video signal from the camera 1 is in phase alignment with an external reference signal and at least the synchronization signal. The present invention is also applicable to Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-70471).

Further, in the above example, the changeover switches 32 and 33 are linked to the power switch of the wireless adapter, but it is of course possible to manually switch the switches 32 and 33.

[0035]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, by simply switching the switch provided on the wireless adapter,
The CCU for camera control can be switched between being used wired and being used wirelessly, and there is no need to change the wiring connections as in the past. Therefore, it is possible to easily switch between wired and wireless camera control units.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a camera control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a camera used in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Video camera 2 CCU for wired use 3 Wireless adapter 31 Wireless CCU section 32, 33 Selector switch 34 Switching signal forming circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Connected to a video camera by a cable,
a camera control unit that controls the video camera, receives a signal from the video camera, and outputs a video signal; and a camera control unit that is wirelessly connected to the video camera, controls the video camera, and outputs a video signal from the video camera. a wireless camera control unit that receives a signal from the camera control unit and outputs a video signal; and a wireless camera control unit that switches between an output video signal from the camera control unit and an output video signal from the wireless camera control unit, and selectively outputs one of them. A camera control device comprising: a wireless adapter having a switching means for outputting a video signal.