JPH0698231A - Remote control image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide remote control and external synchronism by transmitting a remote control signal through one transmission line to an image pickup part away from an operation part by multiplexing a control signal and a synchronizing signal. CONSTITUTION:At an operation part 315, the various kinds of remote control are multiplexed to a position corresponding to the video operating period of the synchronizing signal. This multiplex signal is supplied through a transmission line 309 to a separating circuit 308 on the image pickup part side. At the separating circuit 308, the synchronizing signal and the control signal are supplied to a prescribed circuit after the separation is detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus capable of remotely controlling an image pickup section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image pickup apparatus, the main objects that need to be controlled are adjustment of a lens section and operation setting of a signal processing section and its peripheral circuits. The adjustment of the lens unit includes focus, zoom, iris, etc., all of which are driven by a motor. There are many objects such as gain switching, white balance, external / internal synchronization switching, and screen display as operation settings of the signal processing unit and its peripheral circuits. These settings are usually performed by changing the voltage. An analog signal by a variable resistor is used for continuous control, and a digital signal by a switch is used for stepwise control. Originally, these controls are performed by the image pickup unit, but remote control may be required in some cases.

For example, when the operation unit for instructing control cannot be added to the image pickup unit because the image pickup unit is downsized, or when the image pickup unit is installed in a place where it cannot be directly operated for monitoring. is there.

FIG. 4 shows a conventional remote control system. The image pickup unit includes a lens system 101 and an electric circuit system 102. The lens system 101 includes a lens drive circuit 103, and the electric circuit system 102 includes an image sensor 10
4, an element driving circuit 105, a signal processing circuit 106, a power supply circuit 107, and the like. Further, from the electric circuit system 102 to the lens system 101, a power line and a transmission line 108 for performing auto iris control are provided.

Control signal transmission lines for remote control include a lens system control transmission line 109, an external synchronization signal transmission line 110, and a signal processing circuit control transmission line 111.
Further, a power supply transmission line 112 and a video output transmission line 11
Often 3 is also provided. Reference numeral 114 is a lens control operation unit, 115 is a reference signal generation unit, 116 is a signal processing circuit control operation unit, 117 is a power supply, and 118 is a motor.

According to the above-mentioned conventional remote control system, since the transmission lines 109 to 113 are used, a large number of cables are used in combination, and when viewed as a system, it is extremely complicated and the cost of the transmission line is high. Next, the external synchronization method conventionally used in the image pickup apparatus will be described.

The external synchronization is to synchronize the image pickup element driving circuit in the image pickup apparatus with the external reference synchronizing signal. The video signal and the sync signal are necessary for scanning the video on the monitor screen, and the sync signal includes a horizontal sync signal and a vertical sync signal, which are usually added together to form a composite signal. When performing external synchronization in the imaging device, it is the synchronization signal or composite signal that is used as the reference signal,
Horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals are separated in the image pickup device, and a phase locked loop circuit (PLL circuit) adjusts the phase of the drive circuit. In an image system in which one image pickup device is combined with one monitor, external synchronization is not necessary, but FIG.
When a plurality of image pickup devices are used by switching as shown in (1), the phases of the video signals obtained from the respective image pickup devices are deviated without external synchronization, so that the screen is disturbed at the moment of switching.
In FIG. 5, 201 is a lens system, and 202 to 20
Reference numeral 5 is an image pickup device, 208 to 211 are output video signals from each device, 206 is a reference signal generator, and 207 is a reference synchronization signal. The switch 212 selectively supplies each video signal to the monitor 214. Such a system is often used for broadcasting stations and commercial purposes. Conventionally, the reference signal used for external synchronization is used only for synchronization and is not used at all during the video scanning period.

[0008]

In the conventional remote control system, if the lens system, the external synchronization system, and the signal processing circuit system are separately provided and control is performed by different transmission lines, the system becomes very complicated. Therefore, the cost of the transmission line also increases.

In view of this, the present invention focuses on the fact that the video scanning period is not used in the reference signal when the external synchronization is taken, and the control signal is multiplexed with the synchronization signal, and one signal is provided to the image pickup unit distant from the operation unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control image pickup device which enables remote control signals to be transmitted through the transmission path and realizes remote control and external synchronization.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided means for multiplexing a control signal for controlling an image pickup section and transmitting the multiplexed signal from an operation section to the image pickup section during a video scanning period in a synchronizing signal, and the means. A means for separating a synchronization signal and a control signal from the transmitted multiplexed signal, and controlling the imaging unit using the separated control signal, and an external synchronization of the imaging unit using the separated synchronization signal. And means for taking.

[0011]

By the above means, the synchronization signal and the control signal can be transmitted by one transmission path, so that the system configuration can be simplified.
Cost can be reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. 301
Is a lens system, and the driving unit 303 controls iris, zoom, focus, and the like. An electric circuit system 302 includes an image sensor 304 and an element driving circuit 30 inside.
5, a signal processing circuit 306, a power supply circuit 307, and the like are provided. 308 is a separation circuit that separates the multiplexed and transmitted signal into a synchronization signal and a control signal,
It may be integrated with the electric circuit system unit 320 or prepared as an independent unit.

The control signal separated and detected by the separation circuit 308 is divided into a lens system control signal 310 and a signal processing circuit system control signal 312. Separation circuit 308
Is composed of a sync separation circuit, a counter circuit, a data discrimination circuit, a sample hold circuit, and a control voltage generation circuit.

From the operation unit 315, a multiplexed signal obtained by multiplexing the synchronizing signal and the control signal is output and input to the separation circuit 308 via the transmission line 309. The power supply voltage from the power supply unit 316 is introduced into the power supply circuit 307 via the transmission path 313. The output video signal derived from the signal processing circuit 306 is supplied to the monitor 317 via the transmission path 314.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example in the case of the internal synchronization type. In this embodiment, the output video signal derived from the signal processing circuit 306 is sent to the monitor 317 via the transmission line 314.
Is supplied to the operation unit 315. The operation unit 315 multiplexes the control signal with the synchronization signal and outputs the multiplexed signal via the transmission line 309.
Supply to. Since other parts are the same as those in the previous embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the respective parts and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a method of multiplexing a control signal with a synchronization signal. The part of the sync signal with 401 is the vertical sync signal, and the part with 402 is the horizontal sync signal. In this example, 1-bit information is transmitted in one horizontal scanning period of the video scanning period of the synchronizing signal. If the number of scanning lines is 525 lines / frame, 1
Information up to 525 bits can be multiplexed in the frame.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The control signal is multiplexed with the synchronization signal, and the remote control signal can be transmitted to the image pickup unit distant from the operation unit through one transmission path, and remote control and external synchronization can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of multiplexing a synchronization signal and a control signal.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a remote control system in a conventional imaging device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a construction example in a multi-imaging system.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 301 ... Lens system, 302 ... Electric circuit system, 303 ... Lens driving unit, 304 ... Imaging device, 305 ... Imaging device driving circuit, 306 ... Signal processing circuit, 307 ... Power supply circuit, 308
... Separation circuit, 309 ... Transmission path, 316 ... Power supply section, 317
…monitor.

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 26, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All drawings

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

[Fig. 2]

[Figure 3]

[Figure 4]

[Figure 5]

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. The operation side aims to control means for inputting a synchronization signal from the outside or internally generating a synchronization signal and an imaging side at a distance during a video scanning period of the synchronization signal. A multiplexing unit that multiplexes and transmits a control signal is provided, and on the imaging side, a separating unit that separates a synchronization signal and a control signal from the multiplex signal, and the separated synchronization signal are separated. A remote control image pickup device comprising: means for synchronizing and controlling an image pickup section using the control signal. 2. The remote control image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for separating the synchronizing signal and the control signal is separated and independent of the image pickup section. 3. The remote control image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multiplexing means uses a synchronizing signal separated from a video signal outputted and transmitted from the image pickup section. 4. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein when the control signal is detected, the separating means has means for adding identification information indicating detection to a video signal output from the image pickup section. Imaging device.