JPH0541822A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To input a title display to a desired position of a screen by deciding the title input of a pattern based on noticed point information of a photographer from a sight line detection mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A video image displayed on a view finder screen 102 is led to an eye point E via an eyepiece 1. A sight line detector consists of a sight line detection system comprising the eyepiece 1, a dichroic mirror 2, a light receiving lens 4, an infrared ray light emitting diode 5, and a photoelectric conversion element array 6, an eye-ball optical axis detection circuit, an eye ball discrimination circuit, a sight axis correction circuit and a noticed point detection circuit or the like included in a signal processing circuit 109 being an arithmetic operation means. When a title display is superimposingly recorded on a picked-up pattern, a noticed pint cursor is displayed based on the noticed pint information of the sight line detection device, and the noticed point cursor is brought to a desired title input position by the movement of the noticed point, the position is decided by a switch 121 to input the title.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a camera of this type, various devices have been proposed in the past for detecting what position on an observation surface an observer observes, that is, a so-called line of sight (visual axis). For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-172552, a parallel light flux from a light source is projected onto the anterior eye part of an eyeball of an observer, and a corneal reflection image by reflected light from the cornea and an image forming position of a pupil are used for visual observation. Seeking the axis. FIG. 8 (A),
(B) is an explanatory view of the principle of this eye gaze detection method.
Is a schematic diagram of the line-of-sight detection optical system, and FIG. 7B is an intensity diagram of the output signal from the photoelectric element array 6 in FIG. In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 5 denotes a light source such as a light emitting diode that emits infrared light insensitive to the observer, and is arranged on the focal plane of the light projecting lens 3. The infrared light emitted from the light source 5 becomes parallel light by the light projecting lens 3 and is reflected by the half mirror 2 to illuminate the cornea 21 of the eyeball 201. Cornea 2 at this time
Corneal reflection image d by a part of infrared light reflected on the surface of No. 1
Passes through the half mirror 2, is condensed by the light receiving lens 4, and is re-imaged at the position Zd ′ on the photoelectric element array 6. 2
4 shows a pupil.

The luminous fluxes from the ends a and b of the iris 23 are
Photoelectric element array 6 via half mirror 2 and light receiving lens 4
The images of the end portions a and b are formed at the upper positions Za ′ and Zb ′. When the rotation 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
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. Further, when the Z coordinate of the generation position d of the corneal reflection image is Zd, and the distance between the curvature center O of the cornea 21 and the center C of the iris 23 is OC, the rotation angle θ of the eyeball optical axis a is OC × sin θ = Zc− Zd ... (1) The relational expression is almost 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 position of each singular point (corneal reflection image d and the edges a and b of the iris) projected on the surface of the photoelectric element array 6 as shown in FIG. The rotation angle θ of the axis a can be obtained. At this time (1)
The formula can be rewritten as β × OC × sin θ = (Za ′ + Zb ′) / 2−Zd ′ (2). 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 element array 6, and is usually a substantially constant value.

On the other hand, in the conventional camera-integrated VTR, when the photographer tries to input various functions during photographing, he or she has to look through the viewfinder and perform the operation. Further, in order to operate while checking the switches of various functions, it is necessary to once look away from the viewfinder, and the shooting screen may be disturbed or the subject may be lost. Furthermore, in recent years, camera integrated VTRs have been diversified due to diversified user applications.
There is a tendency for various functions associated with to increase. In view of such a background, for example, applying the above-described line-of-sight detection device,
By detecting the line of sight in the viewfinder and applying it to the function input, it becomes possible to easily perform the function input without taking the eyes off the viewfinder.

Further, for example, in the auto focus (hereinafter abbreviated as AF), auto iris control (hereinafter also referred to as AE), auto white balance (hereinafter AWB), etc. of a camera-integrated VTR, a main subject that changes from time to time. If the position of the eye can be accurately detected by the line-of-sight detection device, that is, if the position of the photographer's eyes is the position of the main subject, more accurate AF and AE that do not violate the intention of the photographer can be obtained. , AWB can be realized.

[0007]

However, as described above, even if the main subject is captured at the correct position as shown in FIG. 9A, the digital title should be input on this photographing record screen. In such a case, in the conventional camera-integrated VTR, in order to display and record the title near the center of the screen, if a title of “HAPPYBIRTHDAY!” Is input as shown in FIG. There is a drawback in that the titles cannot be entered at the position intended by the photographer, because the images may be displayed as they are superimposed on the subject as they are, resulting in a disorganized screen.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional example as described above, and in such a case, provision of means for allowing a photographer to input a title at a desired position where the photographer is gazing at the viewfinder screen is provided. It is an object.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided a video camera comprising an electronic viewfinder for displaying information on a video camera image pickup together with an image of a subject, wherein the electronic viewfinder has a line-of-sight position of a photographer. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, by providing a line-of-sight detection means for detecting the position of the title display on the photographing screen, the position of the title display is determined by the gaze point information by the line-of-sight detection means. To do.

[0010]

With the above-described configuration of the present invention, the line-of-sight detecting means in the electronic viewfinder can input a title from the point of interest information of the photographer to a desired position where the photographer is gazing at the finder screen. It will be possible.

[0011]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below based on examples. (Structure) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a main part of an embodiment of a camera-integrated VTR including a video camera, a video recorder, and an electronic viewfinder incorporating a line-of-sight detection mechanism according to the present invention. The same (corresponding) components as in A) are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an eyepiece lens, and a dichroic mirror 2 for transmitting visible light and reflecting infrared light is obliquely provided inside the eyepiece lens, which also serves as an optical path splitter. Reference numeral 4 is a light receiving lens, and 5 is an illuminating means, which is composed of, for example, three infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5c and 5b (not shown) arranged at respective positions described later. Reference numeral 6 is a photoelectric element array. Light receiving lens 4
And the photoelectric element array 6 constitute one element of the light receiving means.
The photoelectric element array 6 normally uses a device in which a plurality of photoelectric elements are arranged one-dimensionally in the direction perpendicular to the drawing.
A device in which photoelectric elements are arranged side by side is used. Each of these constituent elements 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 constitutes a visual axis detection system for the eyeball 201.

Further, 101 is an electronic viewfinder, 1
Reference numeral 02 indicates a finder screen. In this embodiment, the image displayed on the viewfinder screen 102 is guided to the eyepoint E via the eyepiece lens 1. The visual axis detection device according to the present embodiment includes the visual axis detection system configured by the members represented by the respective constituent elements 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 and the eye light included in the signal processing circuit 109 serving as a calculation unit. Axis detection circuit,
It is composed of an eyeball discrimination circuit, a visual axis correction circuit, a gazing point detection circuit, and the like.

In this line-of-sight detection system, the infrared light emitted from the infrared light-emitting diode 5 illuminates the eyeball 201 of the observer located near the eye point E in the figure. In addition, the infrared light reflected by the eyeball 201 is reflected by the dichroic mirror 2.
And is converged by the light receiving lens 4 to form an image on the photoelectric element array 6. In addition, the signal processing circuit 109
Is executed by the software of the microcomputer. Further, 130 is a video lens, 131 is a video lens drive circuit, 110 is a viewfinder image processing / display circuit, 140 is a video recorder (VTR), 13
Reference numeral 3 denotes a video image recording / reproducing circuit. Video lens 13
The video image photographed at 0 is transmitted through the video image signal processing circuit 132 to the viewfinder image processing display circuit 11
0, displayed on the viewfinder 101 and on the viewfinder screen 102, and at the same time, the video image recording / reproducing circuit 1
33 and recorded by the video recorder 140. Reference numeral 120 is a title creating circuit, and 121 is a switch for selecting and deciding a character and deciding a title position when the title is created.

(Gaze position detecting method) Next, a gaze position detecting method will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the line-of-sight detection system of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B).
Figure 1 shows the optical principle of the line-of-sight detection system. The infrared light emitting diodes 5a, 5b, 5c for illumination are used in pairs to detect the distance between the camera and the observer's eyeball, and the infrared light emitting diodes 5a, 5b are used according to the posture of the camera. The horizontal position and the vertical position are detected by the infrared light emitting diodes 5b and 5c. 2 and 3, the attitude detecting means of the camera is not shown, but the attitude detecting means using a mercury switch or the like is effective. The infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b are arranged at positions shifted with respect to the optical axis (X axis) of the light receiving lens 4 in the row direction (Z axis direction) of the photoelectric element row 6 and the direction orthogonal to this row direction. ..

In FIG. 3A, the luminous fluxes from the infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b which are separately arranged in the row direction (Z-axis direction) of the photoelectric element row 6 are corneal reflection images at positions separated in the Z-axis direction. e and d are formed respectively. At this time, the Z coordinate of the midpoint of the corneal reflection images e and d coincides with the Z coordinate of the center of curvature O of the cornea 21. Further, since the interval between the corneal reflection images e and d changes according to the distance between the infrared light emitting diode and the observer's eyeball, the positions e ′, d ′ of the corneal reflection images re-imaged on the photoelectric element array 6 are formed. It is possible to obtain the imaging magnification β of the reflected image from the eyeball by detecting See also FIG.
In (B), the infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b (not shown) arranged in the direction orthogonal to the row direction of the photoelectric element rows 6 illuminate the eyeballs of the observer obliquely from above, and therefore the eyeballs of the observer's eyeballs. Is not rotated in the vertical direction (in the XY plane), the corneal reflection image e (d is not shown) is formed in the + Y direction in the figure rather than the center of curvature of the cornea and the center of the pupil.

FIG. 4A is an explanatory view showing reflected images from the eyes projected on the plurality of photoelectric element array surfaces of the photoelectric element array 6 in this embodiment, and is projected on the photoelectric element array 6. It shows a reflection image from the eyeball. In the figure, the corneal reflection images e'and d'are re-formed on the photoelectric element array Yp '. An output signal obtained from the photoelectric element array Yp 'at this time is shown in FIG.

Next, the visual axis detection method in this embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence flowchart of FIG. First, the rotation angle of the eyeball optical axis is detected by the eyeball optical axis detection circuit included in the signal processing circuit 109. Next, photoelectric element array 6
The image signals are sequentially read from the −Y direction shown in FIG. 4A to detect the photoelectric element array (line) Yp ′ on which the corneal reflection images e ′ and d ′ are formed (step S1). At the same time, in step S2, the generation positions Zd 'and Ze' of the corneal reflection images e'and d'in the column direction are detected, and step S3
Then, the imaging magnification β of the optical system is obtained from the interval | Zd′−Ze ′ | of the corneal reflection image. Further, in step S4, boundary points Z2a 'and Z2b' between the iris 23 and the pupil 24 are detected on the photoelectric element array (line) Yp ', and step S5
Then, the pupil length on this photoelectric element array Yp '| Z2a'-Z2
b ′ | is calculated.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the photoelectric element array Yp 'on which a corneal reflection image is formed usually occurs in the -Y direction in the figure from the photoelectric element array Y0' where the pupil center C'is present. Another photoelectric element array Y1 ′ from which signals should be read is calculated from the values of the imaging magnification β and the pupil length (step S).
6). At this time, the photoelectric element array Y1 ′ is the photoelectric element array Yp ′.
Are set to have a sufficient distance with respect to. Similarly, when the boundary points Z1a ′ and Z1b ′ between the iris 23 and the pupil 24 on the photoelectric element array Y1 ′ are detected in step S7,
These boundary points (Z1a ', Y1'), (Z1b ', Y1
′) And the boundary points (Z2a ′, Y2 ′), (Z2b
The central position C '(Zc', Yc ') of the pupil is obtained by using at least three points out of', Y2 '). Further, the positions (Zd ', Yp') of the corneal reflection image, (Ze ', Yp
′), The rotation angles θz and θy of the optical axis of the eyeball are transformed by β × OC × sin θz≈Zc ′ − (Zd ′ + Ze ′) / 2 (3) β × OC × sin θy≈Yc′−Yp ′ + δY ′ (4) is satisfied (step S8). However, δY ′ is because the infrared light emitting diode is arranged in the direction orthogonal to the row direction of the photoelectric element row 6 with respect to the light receiving lens 4, so that the re-imaging positions e ′ and d ′ of the corneal reflection image are the photoelectric elements. Cornea 2 on row 6
This is a value for correcting the amount of shift in the Y axis direction with respect to the Y coordinate of the center of curvature of 1.

Further, in the eye discriminating circuit included in the signal processing circuit 109, it is determined in step S9 whether the eye of the observer looking into the viewfinder 101 is the right eye or the left eye based on the calculated distribution of the rotation angle of the eye optical axis. In step S10, the visual axis correction circuit corrects the visual axis based on the eyeball discrimination information and the rotation angle of the optical axis of the eyeball. In the gazing point detection circuit, step S1
At 1, the gazing point is calculated based on the optical constants of the finder optical system.

(Screen display) FIG. 6 (A), (B), (C)
An example of a display screen of the viewfinder 102 is shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 125 in FIG. 7B is a gaze point display cursor (mark) of the photographer. Further, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence corresponding to each of (A), (B), and (C) in FIG. 2 of the present embodiment, and according to this flowchart,
1 and 6 (A), (B), and (C) will be described. Figure 6
(A) shows an example in which the photographer has created a title in advance on the finder screen 102 before photographing, and switches the character desired by the photographer from the characters stored in the title generation circuit 120 of FIG. This is selected / determined by 121, and in the present embodiment, in order to commemorate the birthday of the main subject, "HAP
PY BIRTHDAY! ", Which is stored in the title creating circuit 120.

FIG. 6B is a screen when the photographer captures the main subject in the viewfinder screen 102 and takes a picture. The gazing point cursor 125 is displayed from the gazing point information of the line-of-sight detection mechanism. This movement of the gazing point causes the gazing point cursor 1 to move to the title input position desired by the photographer.
25, take the position with the switch 121, and select "HAPPY BIR" as shown in FIG.
THDAY! It is configured such that the title of "" is input.

(Other Embodiments) In the above embodiment, the switch 12 shown in FIG. 1 is used for determining the title input position.
Although No. 1 is used, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to perform this by detecting temporary loss of the gazing point information due to blinking of the photographer.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By determining the title input of the screen based on the photographer's gaze point information from the eye-gaze detection mechanism, the title can be input at the photographer's desired position, creating a coherent and higher-quality image. I can do it.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a main part of an embodiment of a camera-integrated VTR.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the line-of-sight detection system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an optical principle diagram of FIG.

FIG. 4 Reflected image on optical element array

FIG. 5 is a gaze detection method sequence flowchart

[Figure 6] Viewfinder display screen example

FIG. 7 is an operation sequence flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a gaze detection method

FIG. 9: Example of Finder screen for conventional title input

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 eyepiece 6 optical element array 101 electronic viewfinder 102 viewfinder screen 110 viewfinder image processing display circuit 120 title creating circuit 125 gazing point display cursor 140 video recorder (VTR) 201 eyeball

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video camera comprising an electronic viewfinder for displaying information on image pickup of a video camera together with an image of a subject, wherein the electronic viewfinder is provided with line-of-sight detection means for detecting the position of the line of sight of the photographer. A video camera, characterized in that, when superimposing and recording a title display, the position of the title display is determined by the gaze point information by the line-of-sight detecting means.