JPH05183798A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To select a required function without hesitation while looking into a finder and to set the selected function for photographing without causing a camera shaking. CONSTITUTION:This camera is provided with an electronic view finder unit 101 indicating the image of an object and plural registration functions provided for a video camera, a line-of-sight detection means S detecting the line of sight given by an eye 201 looking into the electronic view finder unit 101 and detecting an attention point on an electronic view finder screen 102, and a system control means 112 performing the photographing control by means of a display function when the attention point is moved to a registration function display on the electronic view finder screen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera which is equipped with an electronic viewfinder unit and which is integrated with a video tape recorder or of the same type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a conventional video camera integrated with a video tape recorder.

Along with the generalization of zoom lenses, as a finder for confirming a photographing composition, a finder equipped with an electronic viewfinder unit for displaying a picked-up subject image on a small display such as a liquid crystal display element has become popular.

Due to the multifunctionalization of the video camera, the video camera body is equipped with a large number of switches and buttons for selecting and executing various functions. Figure 10
In the example shown in, the date button, ... focus button, ...
Slow shutter button ... Auto focus selector switch ... White balance button etc., at least 18
The individual operation buttons are arranged on one side of the miniaturized body, and it is possible to select various functions and shoot.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since various functions and modes are selected by the push button, it is difficult to select the target push button while looking through the finder. Video camera shake may occur when the push button is pressed. Space is limited and it is difficult to install many push buttons. There was a problem such as.

This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, paying attention to the fact that the number of pushbuttons that are constantly selected and operated is relatively limited. An object of the present invention is to provide a video camera in which necessary functions can be selected as they are without hesitation, and the selected function can be set and photographed without causing camera shake.

[0007]

Therefore, a video camera according to the present invention is provided with an electronic viewfinder unit for displaying an image of a subject and a plurality of registration functions of the video camera, and for a photographer on the electronic viewfinder screen. The above-mentioned object is achieved by a structure characterized by including a line-of-sight detecting means for detecting a gazing point, and a system control means for selecting and controlling a function on the electronic viewfinder screen based on the information of the gazing point. It's something to achieve.

[0008]

With the above structure, the electronic viewfinder unit displays an image of a subject and a plurality of registration functions of the video camera. The line-of-sight detecting means can detect the gazing point of the photographer on the electronic viewfinder screen.

Since the system control means selects and executes the information function of the gazing point on the electronic viewfinder screen, necessary functions can be selected and set by the line of sight while looking through the viewfinder. It does not shake.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A video camera according to the present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining the principle of the line-of-sight detection means, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the line-of-sight detection optical system, and FIG. 3 is an intensity diagram of an output signal from the photoelectric conversion element array 6.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 denotes a light source such as a light emitting diode that emits infrared light insensitive to an observer, and is arranged on the focal plane of the light projecting lens 3.

Infrared light emitted from the light source 5 becomes parallel light by the light projecting lens 3 and is reflected by the half mirror 7 to form an eyeball 201.
Irradiate the cornea 21. At this time, the corneal reflection image d by a part of the infrared light reflected on the surface of the cornea 21 is the half mirror 7.
And the photoelectric conversion element array 6
The image is re-imaged at the upper position Zd '.

The light fluxes from the ends a and b of the iris 23 pass through the half mirror 7 and the light receiving lens 4 and form images of the ends a and b at positions Za 'and Zb' on the photoelectric conversion element array 6. Form an image. When the transition angle θ of the optical axis a of the eyeball with respect to the optical axis of the light receiving lens 4 (optical axis a) is small, Z of the ends a and b of the iris 23 is set.
If the coordinates are Za and Zb, the coordinate Zc of the center position c of the iris 23 is expressed as Zc = (Za + Zb) / 2 (1).

If the Z-coordinate of the corneal reflection image generation position d is Zd and the distance between the center of curvature O of the cornea 21 and the center C of the iris 23 is OC, the transition angle θ of the optical axis a of the eyeball is OC * sin θ. = Zc-Zd (2) The relational expression is substantially satisfied.

Here, the Z coordinate Zd of the position d of the corneal reflection image.
And the Z coordinate Z of the center of curvature O of the cornea 21 match.
Therefore, the computing means 9 detects the singular points projected on the surface of the photoelectric conversion element array 6 as shown in FIG. 3, that is, the positions of the corneal reflection image d and the edges a and b of the iris to detect the eyeball. The transition angle θ of the optical axis a can be obtained. At this time, the equation (2) is rewritten as β * OC * sin θ = (Za ′ + Zb ′) / 2−Zd ′. However, β is a magnification determined by the distance L1 between the corneal reflection image generation position and the light receiving lens 4 and the distance L0 between the light receiving lens 4 and the photoelectric conversion element array 6, and is usually a substantially constant value.

Next, the flow for detecting the gazing point will be described. FIG. 4 is a flow chart of gazing point detection in the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is an eyeball reflection image diagram on the photoelectric conversion element array surface.

Za ', Zb', Zd 'shown in FIG. 5 are the positions of the edges a, b of the iris 23 and the corneal reflection image d, C'is the center position of the pupil, and Yb', Ya 'are the pupil circles. The upper and lower end coordinates, Yd ', are the Y coordinates of the corneal reflection image.

In FIG. 4, first, the corneal reflection image coordinates Zd 'shown in FIG. 5 are detected (step S1). Next, the coordinates Zb ', Za', Yb 'and Ya' of the boundary points between the iris and the pupil are detected (step S2). From the detected value, the pupil center C '
Is calculated (step S3). Then, the transition angle θ of the eyeball is calculated based on the above data (step S4).
The transition angle θ is calculated in two types, that is, in the Z-X plane (horizontal direction) and in the XY plane (vertical direction). The gazing point is calculated from the finally obtained transition angle (step S5).

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned visual axis detection method is applied to an electronic viewfinder of a video camera.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the essential parts of a first embodiment of the present invention. The same or corresponding parts as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals.

Reference numeral 1 is an eyepiece lens, and 2 is a dichroic mirror obliquely provided in the finder for transmitting visible light and reflecting infrared light, which also serves as an optical path splitter. 3 is a projection lens,
Reference numeral 4 is a light receiving lens, and 5 is an illuminating means, which is composed of an infrared light emitting diode, for example. Reference numeral 6 is a photoelectric conversion element array. The light receiving lens 4 and the photoelectric conversion element array 6 constitute one element of the light receiving means. The photoelectric conversion element array 6 normally uses a device in which a plurality of photoelectric elements are arranged one-dimensionally in the vertical direction of the drawing, but a device in which photoelectric elements are arranged two-dimensionally is used as necessary. 7 is a half mirror. The elements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 constitute a visual axis detection system for the eyeball.

Reference numeral 101 is an electronic viewfinder unit main body, and 102 is a finder screen. In this embodiment, the image displayed on the viewfinder screen 102 is guided to the eyepoint E through the eyepiece 1.

The line-of-sight detecting means S in the present embodiment is a line-of-sight detecting system composed of the members described above indicated by reference numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and a gazing point detecting means which is a calculating means. It is composed of a circuit 109.

In the line-of-sight detection system, the infrared light emitted from the infrared light-emitting diode 5 is reflected by the half mirror 7 and again by the dichroic mirror 2, and the eyeball 20 of the videographer located near the eye point E.
Illuminate 1. Then, the infrared light reflected by the eyeball 201 is reflected by the dichroic mirror 2 and is reflected by the half mirror 7.
And is converged by the light receiving lens 4 to form an image on the photoelectric conversion element array 6.

The signal photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion element array 6 is input to the gazing point detection circuit 109, the gazing point is detected by the microcomputer processing based on the above-mentioned flow, and the detected gazing point position information is electronic. The position is displayed on the viewfinder screen and sent to the system control means 112.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a video camera with a built-in video tape recorder according to the first embodiment of the above construction.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 51 is a program start button, 52 is an enter button, and 53 is a display button.

First, the program start button 51 is turned on.
To Next, press a switch that you frequently use during shooting, such as "high-speed shutter", "fade function", "title / superimpose function", "time-lapse function", etc. Next, the decision button 52 is pressed. When there are a plurality of functions to be registered, the button of the function to be registered is pressed again and the enter button 52 is pressed.
The above registration operation is repeated up to N times. Note that the number of repetitions of N times is a value determined by the memory capacity of the system control 112. When the registration is completed, the program start button 51 is finally turned off.

Next, the flow of operation when the function registered by the above-described operation is executed will be described.

When the photographer presses the display button 53, a command is sent from the system control 112 to the display circuit 114, and the functions registered by the above operation are displayed on the electronic viewfinder screen 102. Is an example of the viewfinder screen display, and the photographer pays close attention to an item to be selected from among several items displayed on the viewfinder screen. The line-of-sight detecting means S detects the position of the gazing point of the photographer by the above-mentioned operation, inputs it to the system control 112, and executes the function of the registered function display item in which the coordinate values of the gazing point are substantially the same.

The ∇ mark displayed at the bottom of the finder screen shown in FIG. 7 indicates that there are still some functions that are not displayed on the finder screen. As shown, the screen changes to show another registered feature.

When the photographer makes a selection by gazing at the function display, the function display menu automatically disappears.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 9 shows an example of an electronic viewfinder screen according to the second embodiment. The second embodiment is
The configuration is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, and the operation for the photographer to register an arbitrary function in the memory of the system control 112 is also similar to that of the first embodiment.

The operation flow when the photographer displays and selects the function registered during photographing will be described below. When the photographer presses the display button 53, the stem control 1
A command is sent from 12 to the display circuit 114.

The function of the display circuit 114 causes the names of the registered functions to be displayed at the four corners of the finder screen 102. When the photographer gazes at the display of the function to be executed, the gaze point detecting means S detects the gaze point position and sends the coordinate value to the system control 112. The system control 112 executes the corresponding function if the gazing point position coordinates substantially match the coordinates where the function name is displayed.

As described above, in the second embodiment, since the function names are displayed at the four corners of the finder screen, the subject image can be seen more easily, and the display positions of the function names are separated from each other to detect the line of sight. The accuracy can be increased.

With the above configuration and operation, the image of the subject and a plurality of registration functions of the video camera can be displayed on the screen 102 of the electronic viewfinder unit, and the line-of-sight detecting means S looks into the electronic viewfinder unit. It is possible to detect the line of sight from the reflected light from the eye 201 and detect the gazing point on the electronic viewfinder screen from the line of sight.

The system control means 112
Controls the shooting by displaying the registration function with the gazing point moved on the electronic viewfinder screen, so you can select and set the required function with your eyes while looking through the viewfinder. , The camera does not shake.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the electronic viewfinder unit for displaying an image of a subject is caused to display a plurality of registration functions of the video camera, and the visual line detecting means is used to display the electronic view of the photographer. The gaze point on the viewfinder screen is detected, and the system control means selects and executes the function based on the information on the gaze point on the electronic viewfinder screen, so you can select and set the required function while looking through the viewfinder. Therefore, it is possible to provide a video camera which can be surely and easily performed without hesitation, does not miss a photo opportunity, does not cause camera shake, and has excellent operability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a visual axis detection optical system.

FIG. 3 is an intensity diagram of an output signal from the photoelectric conversion element array.

FIG. 4 is a gazing point detection flowchart of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an eyeball reflection image diagram on the photoelectric conversion element array surface.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an example of an electronic viewfinder screen display of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an example of an electronic viewfinder screen display of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an example of an electronic viewfinder screen display in the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S line-of-sight detecting means 1 eyepiece lens 2 dichroic mirror 3 light projecting lens 4 light receiving lens 5 lighting means (infrared light emitting diode) 6 photoelectric conversion element array 7 half mirror 9 computing means 21 cornea 22 sclera 23 iris 24 pupil 101 electronic viewfinder unit Main body 102 Viewfinder screen 109 Gaze point detection circuit 111 Lens imaging system 112 System control means 114 Display circuit 201 Eyeball

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electronic viewfinder unit for displaying an image of an object and a plurality of functions of a video camera, line-of-sight detecting means for detecting a gazing point of a photographer on the electronic viewfinder screen, and an electronic viewfinder screen. A video camera, comprising: a system control means for selecting and controlling a function based on the information of the gazing point.