JPH0575916A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically switch the aspect ratio of an equipment to be connected when a photographer switches the aspect ratio of a video camera. CONSTITUTION:In accordance with a control signal outputted from an aspect ratio switching circuit 6, plural video signals having respectively different horizontal compression degree are simultaneously sent to a view finder 3, a magnetic recording and reproducing circuit 4 and an external connecting equipment 5 together with control signals. The circuit 4 records the control signal simultaneously with the record of the video signals, and at the time of reproducing, outputs a similar control signal. The other connected equipments change the deflection angles of built-in display circuit parts in accordance with the control signals and switch respective aspect ratios to be displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera whose aspect ratio can be switched.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video camera outputs a signal having an angle of view of 4: 3 corresponding to the aspect ratio of a current TV signal. As a conventional example, for example, I / E / E, Transaction on Consumer Electronics, CIE27 February 1981P. P. 40-41
(IEEE Trans.Consumer Electrics, CE
-27 February 1981).

[0003]

The aspect ratio of the screen of the NTSC signal is 4: 3, but the aspect ratio of the movie is 1.
It is 6: 9. It is possible to create a video signal of this movie size with a camera-integrated VTR by compressing the video signal in the horizontal direction. As means for this, a conversion lens is provided in front of the lens of the video camera, the aspect ratio of the image pickup device is changed, or the method of reading a signal from the image pickup device is changed.

In the reproducing system, a movie size video signal is obtained by expanding the compressed signal to an aspect ratio of 16: 9, but the reproducing system circuits are all switching circuits for expanding to 16: 9. Is required, and it is troublesome for the operator to switch.

An object of the present invention is to switch the aspect ratio of a circuit to be automatically connected only by the operator selecting 4: 3 or 16: 9.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention controls the switching of the aspect ratio when the photographer selects a photographing mode in which the aspect ratio is different from 4: 3 such as movie size. Providing a means for generating a signal,
The video camera outputs a video signal whose aspect ratio is changed according to the control signal. Further, a control signal indicating that the aspect ratio has been switched is also output to the external connector so that the output destination circuit block is automatically switched.

[0007]

When the control signal is received, the television and viewfinder switch the aspect ratio to play back the image.
You can play back the video exactly as the photographer intended. In addition, the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit for magnetic recording / reproducing can simultaneously obtain the video signal and the control signal by recording the control signal at the same time, and the aspect ratio of the TV and the viewfinder can be automatically switched. ..

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, 1 is a camera, 2 is a signal switching circuit, 3 is a viewfinder, 4 is a magnetic recording / reproducing circuit, 5 is an external connector, and 6 is an aspect ratio switching circuit.

A video signal captured by the camera 1 is output as a luminance signal (Y signal) and a chroma signal (C signal). When the video signal captured by the video camera is directly output (camera mode). Since the video signal reproduced by the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit 4 may be output (reproduction mode) in some cases, the video signal output by the signal switching circuit 2 is switched. A specific example of this signal switching circuit is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, 10a to 10f are switches. All switches work together, and in camera mode r
The contact is switched to the ec side and to the play side in the reproduction mode. As a result, in the camera mode, the video signal output from the camera 1 is output to the viewfinder 3, the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit 4, and the external connector 5. In the reproducing mode, the video signal output from the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit 4 is output to the viewfinder 3 and the external connector 5.

The viewfinder 3 is for confirming whether or not the photographer is photographing the subject at the intended angle of view. The magnetic recording / reproducing circuit 4 records the video signal and reproduces it later. Is. Also, the external connector 5 is
Refers to televisions, projectors, etc.

The switching of the aspect ratio will be described first in the camera mode.

The control signal for changing the aspect ratio is obtained by the user switching the changeover switch 7 of the aspect ratio changing circuit 6. Power supply 8 by switch 7
, The control signal goes high, and when connected to the resistor 9, the control signal goes low. When the control signal becomes high, the camera 1 changes the signal reading area and the reading speed, performs horizontal signal compression, and outputs a video signal corresponding to an aspect ratio of 16: 9. A specific example will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows the pixel area of the image sensor of the camera 1, where the shaded area shows the area from which the signal is read. (A) is the area when the aspect ratio is 4: 3, and (b) is the aspect ratio. This is the area at 16: 9. Although (b) spreads horizontally,
Horizontal signal compression can be realized by reading the signal at the same time as in (a). On the other hand, in the viewfinder 3 and the external connector 5 via the signal switching circuit 2, when the control signal becomes high, the aspect ratio of the image reproduced by the cathode ray tube (CRT), which is the built-in display section, is displayed. Switch. This is to expand the video signal and switch the aspect ratio by changing the amplitude of the current supplied to the horizontal deflection circuit. A specific example will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the circuit configuration of the external connector 5, 11 is a signal processing circuit, 12 is a horizontal deflection circuit, and 13 is a horizontal deflection circuit.
Is a vertical deflection circuit, and 14 is a CRT.

The Y and C signals are processed by the signal processing circuit 11.
Converted to red (R), green (G), and blue (B) signals, CRT
It is output to 14. In order to output this signal to a target position on the CRT, the horizontal deflection circuit 12 and the vertical deflection circuit 13 control the signal.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing switching of the aspect ratio by the horizontal deflection circuit 12. (A) has an aspect ratio of 4:
In the case of No. 3, the image is projected on the area shown by the shaded area on the CRT. On the other hand, when the control signal becomes high, the amplitude of the current is increased in the horizontal deflection circuit of the CRT as shown in (b), the horizontal deflection angle is increased, and the aspect ratio of 16: 9 can be realized. .. The principle is the same for the viewfinder 3 as well, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit 4, the control signal may be recorded in any place of the recording medium and detected at the time of reproduction. Here, it is recorded as a duty change of the CTL signal. The case of detecting every time will be described.

In FIG. 6, 15 and 16 are recording circuits, and 1
7 is a signal processing circuit, 18 is a magnetic tape, 19 and 20 are heads, 21 is a recording track, and 22 is a linear track. The Y signal and the C signal are added by the signal processing circuit 17,
Data is recorded on the magnetic tape 18 via the recording circuit 16 and the head 20. Recording is performed in the form of a magnetic track 21, and a CTL signal which is a rectangular wave is recorded on the linear track 22 by the recording circuit 15 and the head 19 so that it can be accurately read during reproduction. At that time, the recording circuit 15 sets the duty to 1: 1 when the control signal is low, and sets the duty to 4: 1 when the control signal is high.

The reproducing operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). In FIG. 7A, the video signal recorded on the recording track 21 on the magnetic tape 18 is reproduced by the head 28 and the reproducing circuit 25, and separated by the signal processing circuit 26 into the Y signal and the C signal and output. .. At that time, the CTL signal recorded on the linear track 21 is read by the head 27 and the reproducing circuit 23 so that the video signal on the recording track 21 can be accurately read, while the discrimination circuit 24 determines the duty of the CTL signal. To generate a control signal. Fig. 7 (b) shows the CTL signal at the time of recording and reproduction
Shown in.

As described above, since the control signals can be simultaneously recorded / reproduced, the aspect ratios of the viewfinder 3 and the external connector 5 are automatically switched by using the simultaneously recorded control signals during reproduction. Can be realized.

As described above, according to this embodiment, in the video camera, the photographer only needs to select the aspect ratio, and the connected device can automatically switch the aspect ratio. .. In this embodiment, the control signal is an independent signal, but it is clear that the same effect can be obtained by multiplexing the control signal by means such as adding a DC offset to the video signal.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the signal switching timing of the control signal for switching the aspect ratio is synchronized with the vertical blanking period to suppress the signal disturbance due to the switching.

FIG. 8 shows a circuit configuration for generating a synchronous control signal, and 29 is a D flip-flop. The pulse timing in FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, signal names are unified.

It is assumed that the operator switches the aspect ratio during the video period. At this time, the D flip-flop 29
, The control signal (high) for switching 4: 3/16: 9 is applied to the D input, but the clock input (CK) is low,
Its output remains low. The output of the D flip-flop 29 is synchronized with the V-system pulse by applying the V-system pulse that becomes high in the vertical blanking period to the CK terminal, and the control signal (a) is obtained. This control signal A is newly added to 4: 3/16:
It is possible to synchronize the signal switching timing of the 4: 3/16: 9 switching signal with the vertical blanking period by supplying it to the camera 1 and the signal switching circuit 2 of FIG. 1 as the 9 switching control signal. Also, when switching from 16: 9 to 4: 3,
A control signal B synchronized with the V-system pulse is obtained by the D flip-flop 29.

In this embodiment, since the aspect ratio is switched during the vertical blanking period, the aspect ratio is not changed during the video period and the screen is not disturbed.

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the characters or graphic data to be added to the video signal are switched according to the aspect ratio, and the characters or graphic data are added without a sense of discomfort. In FIG. 10, 1 is the above-mentioned camera, 3
Reference numeral 0 is an adder circuit, and 31 is a data bank. Adder circuit 3
0 adds the data such as date obtained from the data bank 31 to the Y and C signals output from the video camera 1. The data bank 31 adds data according to the selected aspect ratio to the adder circuit 30 according to the control signal.
Since it is output to, the added character or graphic data can be automatically added with the desired aspect ratio.

[0027]

According to the present invention, when the photographer switches the aspect ratio in the video camera, all the devices connected to the video camera can automatically switch to the desired aspect ratio.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a signal switching circuit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a signal reading area of an image sensor.

FIG. 4 is a circuit configuration diagram of an external connector.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of aspect ratio switching.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a magnetic recording circuit.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a magnetic reproducing circuit.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a circuit that generates a synchronous control signal.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a timing chart.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a character addition circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Video camera, 2 ... Signal switching circuit, 3 ... Viewfinder, 4 ... Magnetic recording / reproducing circuit, 5 ... External connector, 6 ... Aspect ratio switching circuit, 7 ... Switch, 8 ... Power supply, 9 ... Resistance.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A camera which converts light into an electric signal and reads it as a video signal, a magnetic recording / reproducing circuit for recording and reproducing the video signal, a viewfinder, and the camera, the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit and the viewfinder. A video camera having a signal switching circuit for switching and connecting video signals, having means for generating a control signal for controlling switching of an aspect ratio of a video screen, and the camera reading the video signal in response to the control signal. A video camera characterized by changing the area and the reading speed. 2. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera outputs a video signal by compressing the video signal in the horizontal direction. 3. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic recording / reproducing circuit records the control signal on a magnetic tape simultaneously with a video signal. 4. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating the control signal synchronizes the switching timing of the control signal within a vertical blanking period of the video signal. 5. The data storage means for outputting character or graphic data at a horizontal compression ratio according to the control signal, and the data read from the data storage means by the camera. A video camera provided with means for adding to a signal.