JPH0530405A - Monitor camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce number of signal lines used to send a control signal controlling various operations of a camera in the monitor camera system. CONSTITUTION:A command signal inputted from an operation input section 12 is converted into a PB signal at a PB signal generating section 14 and sent to a PB signal identification section 22 of a monitor camera 20 through a signal line 40 and identified and sent to a camera mechanism section 26 and a tripod head drive section 28, by which the operation of the camera such as focusing and the direction of the camera due to the motion of the tripod head are controlled. The command of the various operations of the monitor camera 20 is delivered with a few signal lines.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a monitor camera system, and more particularly to a monitor camera system for controlling the movement of the camera by remote control.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For various purposes, it has been practiced to install a monitor camera at a predetermined place, and display an image picked up by the monitor camera on a monitor placed at a remote place for observation. In such a system, it is necessary to direct the monitor camera vertically and horizontally to a predetermined direction according to the subject and to control the focus (distance) and the iris (aperture) by remote control.

[0003]

Conventionally, in order to perform such various controls by remote control, a large number of signal lines connecting the monitor camera and the controller must be provided according to the type of control instruction. It was necessary to provide four signal lines for sending a control signal for driving a motor that changes the direction of the camera, and two or three signal lines for controlling other focus and iris. Therefore, a large number of signal lines must be installed according to the distance between the monitor camera and the controller, which causes a problem that the equipment becomes complicated and the cost increases.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitor camera system capable of remotely operating a monitor camera with a small number of signal lines.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a monitor camera for imaging a subject and outputting a video signal thereof, and a display for displaying a video transmitted from the monitor camera connected to the monitor camera via a signal line. In a monitor camera system having means and an operation means connected to the monitor camera via a signal line to remotely operate the monitor camera, the operation means includes an operation input section for an operator to input an instruction and an operation input section. PB for generating a PB signal in response to the specified instruction
The monitor camera includes a signal generating unit, and controls the operation of the monitor camera according to the PB signal identifying unit that identifies the PB signal sent from the operating means through the signal line and the instruction identified by the PB signal identifying unit. A control unit is included, and the operation of the monitor camera is controlled by the PB signal sent from the operating means through the signal line.

[0006]

Embodiments of a monitor camera system according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an overview of a monitor camera system according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the system according to the present invention comprises a monitor camera 20, an operation unit 10 for controlling the monitor camera 20, and a cable 40 connecting them. FIG. 3 shows a side view of the monitor camera 20, and FIG. 4 shows a front view of the operation unit 10.

An operator operates the operation unit 10 to remotely operate the monitor camera 20. From the operation unit 10, an instruction to orient the monitor camera 20 in a predetermined direction of up, down, left, and right according to a subject, and instructions for adjusting focus (distance), iris (aperture), and zoom are input. The instruction input from the operation unit 10 is sent to the monitor camera 20 through the cable 40.

The monitor camera 20 is composed of a camera 30 for picking up an image of a subject and a platform 32 on which the camera 30 is mounted. The platform 32 has a driving motor (not shown), and the motor is driven in accordance with an instruction sent from the operation unit 10 to move up and down and to the right and left, whereby the mounted camera 30 changes its direction.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the present system. The operation unit 10 includes an operation input unit 12 and a PB.
It has a signal generator 14. In order to control the monitor camera 20 from the operation input unit 12, the above-mentioned various instructions are input by the operator. The instruction input from the operation input unit 12 is sent to the PB signal generation unit 14. PB signal generator 14
Has an oscillator (not shown) for generating a predetermined frequency, and generates a PB signal (push button signal) according to the type of instruction input from the operation input unit 12.

As is well known, PB signals are 12 types of frequency signals generated based on 3 types of frequency signals and 4 types of frequency signals according to the arrangement of push buttons of a telephone. Therefore, since 12 kinds of signals can be output by using the PB signal, the above-mentioned 4 kinds of signals for controlling the orientation of the monitor camera 20 vertically and horizontally and the focus, iris, zoom and other signals of the monitor camera 20 are output. It can be instructed by 12 types of PB signals, and these control signals can be sent by two signal lines.

The control signal sent from the PB signal generating section 14 is sent to the PB signal identifying section 22 of the monitor camera 20 through the signal line 40. The PB signal identification unit 22 identifies the PB signal sent from the operation unit 10 and outputs a control signal indicating the content of the instruction sent by the PB signal to the operation control unit 24. The operation control unit 24 is a control unit that controls various operations of the monitor camera 20, and outputs control signals to the camera mechanism unit 26 and the platform drive unit 28 according to the control signals sent from the PB signal identification unit 22.

The camera mechanism section 26 is composed of various components of the camera, and in this system, in particular, controls focus, iris, zoom and the like in accordance with a control signal sent from the operation control section 24.

The platform drive unit 28 is composed of two motors (not shown), and the platform 32 is driven vertically and horizontally by driving these two motors. The platform drive unit 28 controls the vertical and horizontal rotations of these motors in accordance with the control signal sent from the operation control unit 24, and the rotation speed of each motor is set to, for example, a high speed.
Set to either slow.

From a portion irrelevant to the characteristics of the present system, for example, a monitor showing a state of a subject imaged by a video signal and an audio signal sent from the monitor camera 20, an image pickup means for picking up an image of the subject in the monitor camera 20, an image pickup means A modulation circuit that modulates an output video signal as necessary, a demodulation circuit that demodulates a modulation signal sent through a signal line in a monitor, and the like are omitted.

According to this system, the PB signal generator 14 of the operation unit 10 generates a PB signal in accordance with an instruction from the operator and sends it to the monitor camera 20. The PB signal sent to the monitor camera 20 is identified by the PB signal identifying unit 22, and is sent to the camera mechanism unit 26 and the platform driving unit 28 through the operation control unit 24, and the functions such as the direction and focus of the camera 30 are controlled. R.

Therefore, according to the present system, the signal for controlling the operation of the monitor camera 20 is sent out by the PB signal, so that the two signal lines are used to rotate the left and right motors and the up and down motors for driving the platform 32, respectively. You can control the rotation speed, focus, iris and zoom functions. Conventionally, for example, 6 to 7 signal lines have been required to control such a function. On the other hand, according to this system, since the monitor camera 20 can be controlled by the two signal lines, the system can have a simple structure and the cost can be reduced.

[0018]

According to the present invention, since the control signal is converted into the PB signal and sent to the monitor camera, the number of signal lines can be reduced and a simple and inexpensive system can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a monitor camera system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of a monitor camera system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the monitor camera of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the operation unit of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Operation unit 12 Operation input section 14 PB signal generator 20 monitor camera 22 PB signal identification section 24 Motion control unit 26 Camera mechanism 28 Pan head drive 30 cameras 32 pan head

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A monitor camera for picking up an image of a subject and outputting a video signal thereof, display means connected to the monitor camera via a signal line for displaying a video sent from the monitor camera, and a signal for the monitor camera. In a monitor camera system having an operating means for remotely operating the monitor camera connected via a line, the operating means includes an operation input section for an operator to input an instruction and an instruction input from the operation input section. And a PB signal generation unit that generates a PB signal according to the PB signal generation unit. The PB signal identification unit identifies the PB signal sent from the operation unit through the signal line, and the PB signal identification unit identifies the PB signal identification unit. A control unit that controls the operation of the monitor camera according to the instruction, and the mode is controlled by a PB signal sent from the operation unit through the signal line. A monitor camera system characterized by controlling the operation of a Nita camera. 2. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein the monitor camera includes a pan head, and control by the control unit includes vertical and horizontal movements of the pan head. 3. The monitor camera system according to claim 1, wherein the control by the control unit includes control of focus, iris, and zoom of the monitor camera.