JPH06217318A - Automatic tracking system and camcorder mounting it - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the automatic tracking system and the camcorder mounted with it in which an equipment main body is automatically directed to a sound source equipment through a comparatively inexpensive configuration using an existing equipment. CONSTITUTION:The automatic tracking system is provided with a sound source equipment 1 sending a specific sound and stereophonic left/right microphones 5, 6 receiving the specific sound from the sound source equipment 1 and also with a camcorder 4 having a direction control section comprising BPFs 11, 12 controlling the direction of the main body so as to eliminate a signal level difference of the specific sound fetched between the left and right microphones 5, 6 and comprising DETs 13, 14 or the like.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic tracking system suitable for use in a device equipped with stereo left and right microphones, for example, a stereo camera-integrated video tape recorder or a stereo tape recorder. It is suitable for implementation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a stereo type video tape recorder with a built-in camera is capable of stereophonically recording the sound of the spot by the left and right microphones at the same time as the shooting. When I tried to shoot myself, I fixed it on a tripod and set it so that the shooting direction was in my direction.

[0003]

However, in such a shooting method, the shooting direction is fixed, and once the shooting direction is set and the user leaves the camera-integrated video tape recorder, the shooting is performed. I was able to capture only the direction, and I was not able to freely change the shooting direction while shooting with myself as the subject.

In a stereo type tape recorder or the like, a listener can control the direction of the tape recorder main body by a remote control transmitter so that a sound with a sense of presence due to the stereo effect can always be heard in an optimal front position. There is something. However, with such a control method, it is necessary to perform remote control operation with the remote control transmitter so that the front of the tape recorder main body always faces you, and the front of the tape recorder main body with left and right speakers is automatically arranged. I was not supposed to turn to the listener. Also. Such remote control devices have been relatively expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an automatic tracking in which the main body of the apparatus automatically faces the sound source device with a relatively inexpensive structure using existing equipment. An object of the present invention is to provide a system and a camera-integrated video tape recorder equipped with the system.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a sound source device that emits a specific sound and stereo left and right microphones that take in the specific sound from the sound source device, and the left and right microphones thereof. The automatic tracking system is configured by a device main body including a direction control unit that controls the direction of the main body so that there is no difference in the signal level of the specific sound that is captured between them. Then, such an automatic tracking system is mounted on a camera-integrated video tape recorder having stereo left and right microphones.

[0007]

According to the automatic tracking system having such a configuration,
The device body faces the sound source device, and when the sound source device moves, the device body also changes its direction following the movement. Therefore, if you want to shoot yourself using a videotape recorder with a built-in camera equipped with such a system, by carrying a sound source device, the shooting direction will automatically face you. , Even if it moves, the shooting direction is automatically changed to follow it.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An automatic tracking system mounted on a stereo type camera-integrated video tape recorder will be described below with reference to the drawings as an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a sound source device that carries a specific sound, for example, when it is attempting to photograph itself, and in this case, a 23 KHz oscillation signal that does not interfere with the sound and can be taken in by the left and right microphones on the main body side. An oscillator 2 that outputs (a low-frequency sine wave) and a speaker 3 that emits a sound (a single sound in this case) corresponding to an oscillation signal from the oscillator 2 as a specific sound. When it is turned on, it is set to an operating state where a specific sound is emitted.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a camera-integrated type video tape recorder main body, and reference numerals 5 and 6 denote left and right microphones arranged toward the subject side in the same manner as photographing lenses (not shown) provided on the main body 4 side. The specific sound from the sound source device 1 is also captured together with the sound below. Reference numerals 7 and 8 denote first and second amplifiers for amplifying output signals from the left and right microphones 5 and 6, and reference numerals 10 and 10 denote voices obtained by attenuating the signal components of the specific sound from the output signals of the first and second amplifiers 7 and 8. In the first and second traps with a trap frequency of 23 KHz that passes only the signal, the audio signal that has passed through the first and second traps 9 and 10 is processed by the audio processing circuit in the subsequent stage and then recorded. ing.

In the figure, the portion surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line is a direction control unit which is activated when the camera-integrated video tape recorder 4 is set in the tracking mode, for example.
1 and 12 are 23 from the output signals of the first and second amplifiers 7 and 8.
First and second band-pass filters 13 and 14 for extracting only a specific sound signal component of KHz, first and second for detecting output signals from the first and second band-pass filters 11 and 12, respectively, and converting them to a DC voltage, The second detection circuit, 15 is a comparator that compares the DC voltage output from the first and second detection circuits 13 and 14, and 16 is a motor drive that rotates the motor 17 forward and backward based on the comparison result of the comparator 15. In the circuit, by driving the motor 17, the camera-integrated video tape recorder main body 4 is rotationally driven in the left-right direction on the tripod, and the shooting direction thereof is changed.

Therefore, when the photographer wants to photograph himself / herself, when the photographing direction of the camera-integrated video tape recorder 4 fixed on the tripod is preset so as to face the photographer's own direction and the photographer moves away from the tripod, for example, If the shooting direction is too far to the right when viewed from the body 4 side, by turning on the power switch on the side of the sound source device 1 that is being carried in advance to put it in the operating state, a specific value taken from the left microphone 5 is specified. The signal level of the sound becomes higher than the signal level from the right microphone 6. Therefore, the output of the comparator 15 becomes positive (H level), and the motor 17 is rotated positively (plus).

As a result, the camera-integrated video tape recorder main body 4 is driven to rotate leftward on the tripod, and when the shooting direction is toward itself, the specific sound taken from the left and right microphones 5 and 6 is taken. Signal level becomes equal, the output of the comparator 15 becomes "0", and the motor 17
Will stop rotating. In this way, when you try to shoot yourself as a subject, the so-called automatic subject tracking function is realized, in which the orientation of the camera-integrated video tape recorder is automatically controlled so that the shooting direction faces you. Will be.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the specific sound outside the audible range of 23 KHz is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the audio system frequency specification of the video tape recorder with a built-in camera is up to 17 KHz. If not, a specific sound with an audible frequency of 18 KHz may be used. Also, the case where the present invention is applied to a stereo type video camera recorder with a built-in camera has been described. However, for example, a stereo type tape recorder that can rotate in the left-right direction with respect to the pedestal may be used. The orientation on the pedestal is automatically controlled so that In that case, the remote control transmitter for controlling the operation of the tape recorder body may also be used as the sound source device.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, the stereo left and right microphones provided in the device main body are used so that the device main body automatically faces the sound source device. An automatic tracking system can be realized at a low cost with a simple structure. For example, when the present invention is applied to a camera-integrated video tape recorder equipped with high-performance left and right microphones, a microphone amplifier, etc., it is possible to always shoot an image of the subject in an optimum state.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 sound source device 4 camera-integrated video tape recorder main body 5, 6 left and right microphone 15 comparator 16 motor drive circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sound source device that emits a specific sound, and stereo left and right microphones that take in the specific sound from the sound source device are provided, and a signal level difference between the left and right microphones of the specific sound that is taken in is eliminated. An automatic tracking system, comprising: a device body having a direction control unit for controlling the direction. 2. A camera-integrated video tape recorder equipped with the left and right microphones and a direction control unit for mounting the automatic tracking system according to claim 1.