JPH07104336A - Camera shake correcting method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a camera-shake correcting method and device capable of properly correcting camera-shaking with a compact lightweight system. CONSTITUTION:Signals outputted from angular velocity sensors 11, 12 for a pitch and a yaw are supplied to a microcomputer 34. The microcomputer 34 detects the fact that an apparatus is panned or tilted or not. When the apparatus is not panned or tilted, it is judged that the camera shaking occurs and variable prisms 41, 42, 61 and 62 are driven in a direction for correcting the camera- shaking.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image stabilization method and apparatus suitable for use in, for example, binoculars.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when looking at an object with binoculars or the like, it is sometimes desired to magnify the object. At that time, the subject can be magnified and viewed by moving the lens disposed in the binoculars to the high magnification side.

By the way, when the lens is set to the high magnification side, camera shake becomes a serious problem. In order to solve this problem, a gyro that rotates at high speed and has a large inertia is attached so that camera shake does not occur.

[0004]

However, in order to sufficiently suppress the occurrence of camera shake, when the above method is used,
The gyro itself becomes heavy. For this reason,
The binoculars themselves become very heavy and difficult to handle and transport. Further, the trajectory time until the rotation of the gyro stabilizes does not have the ability to correct camera shake. Furthermore, it also limits the movements of the observer's will, such as pan and tilt. For this reason, the above method may cause the user to feel tired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera shake correction method and apparatus capable of appropriately performing camera shake correction with a small and lightweight system.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an angular velocity sensor detects a shake of a device, and a variable prism for changing an optical axis of a transmitted light beam is controlled according to a detection result of the angular velocity sensor. This is the camera shake correction method.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a variable prism for arbitrarily changing an optical axis of a transmitted light beam, an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity of a device, and a microcomputer for controlling the variable prism according to a detection value of the angular velocity sensor. The image stabilization device is composed of

[0008]

The pitch angular velocity sensor 11 detects the shake of the binoculars in the pitch direction, and the yaw angular velocity sensor 12 detects the shake of the binoculars in the yaw direction. The outputs of the pitch angular velocity sensor 11 and the yaw angular velocity sensor 12 are supplied to the microcomputer 34. The microcomputer 34 detects whether or not the binoculars are panned / tilted. When not panned / tilted, the variable angle prisms 41, 42, 61 and 62 are driven.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of binoculars to which the present invention is applied. A lens unit 2 and a lens unit 3 are arranged on the front surface of the binoculars 1. Two variable angle prisms are provided in each lens unit.

An angular velocity sensor 4 is installed at the rear of the upper portion of the lens portion 2 side. The angular velocity sensor 4 detects an angular velocity when the binoculars 1 are moved, and includes a pitch (vertical direction) sensor and a yaw (horizontal direction) sensor. A yaw drive device 5 is disposed above the angular velocity sensor 4. When there is a detection output from the yaw angular velocity sensor, the yaw drive device 5 controls the tilt of the variable prism provided inside the lens unit 2 in the yaw direction. Further, a pitch drive device (not shown) is provided behind the side of the lens unit 2. When there is a detection output from the pitch angular velocity sensor, the pitch drive device controls the inclination in the pitch direction of the variable prism provided inside the lens unit 2.

The lens unit 3 has the same structure as the lens unit 2 side.
The yaw drive device 6 is also provided on the rear side of the upper part of the side, whereby the tilt in the yaw direction of the variable prism provided inside the lens unit 3 is controlled. In addition, a pitch drive device 7 is provided on the rear side of the side portion, whereby the inclination in the pitch direction of the variable prism provided inside the lens unit 3 is controlled.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the binoculars 1 to which the present invention is applied. As can be seen from the figure, the yaw drive device 6 and the pitch drive device 7 are arranged on the lens portion 3 side as described above. Further, a yaw driving device 5 and a pitch driving device 8 are arranged on the lens unit 2 side. In addition, 11 is a pitch angular velocity sensor and 12 is a yaw angular velocity sensor.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the two variable prisms provided inside the lens section. The lens unit includes a variable angle prism 21, a variable angle prism 22, a lens group 23,
The variable angle prism 21 and the variable angle prism 22 are connected by bellows (described later). An optically transparent liquid substance is enclosed inside the bellows. Variable angle prism 2
1 is rotatable in the pitch direction, and the variable angle prism 2
2 is rotatable in the yaw direction.

When there is no camera shake, the mirror surface of the variable angle prism 21 and the mirror surface of the variable angle prism 22 are kept in parallel, and the optical axis indicated by the dotted line goes straight to the lens group 23 without refraction. On the other hand, for example, when vertical shake occurs, that is, due to camera shake, the normal optical axis and the subject are
When the angle is deviated by the angle θ, the variable angle prism 21 is rotated in the arrow direction a in order to compensate the angle θ due to the camera shake. When lateral shake occurs, the variable angle prism 22 is rotated in the arrow direction b. As a result, camera shake can be corrected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation angle and the refraction angle of the variable angle prism and the detailed operation of the two variable prisms provided inside the lens portion. Hereinafter, the relationship and operation when the binoculars are swung upward will be described. In the same figure, the variable angle prism 21 has an angle θ from the parallel position.
_When rotated by ₁ , the relationship between the refraction angle θ ₂ inside the prism and the emission angle θ ₃ from the variable angle prism 22 is as follows. sin θ ₁ = n × sin θ ₂ sin θ ₃ = n × sin (θ ₁ −θ ₂ ). Note that n is the refractive index of the liquid substance enclosed in the bellows 24.

When the variable angle prism 21 is rotated by an angle θ ₁ when a light beam is incident, the variable angle prism 2
The light ray emitted from 2 is refracted by an angle θ ₃ . That is, when the binoculars are rotated upward by the angle θ ₃ due to camera shake, the variable angle prism 21 moves upward by the angle θ ₁
Is only rotated. As a result, camera shake can be corrected.

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of binoculars to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 5, the shake of the binoculars in the pitch direction is detected by the angular velocity sensor 11. The output of the angular velocity sensor 11 is supplied to the 10-bit A / D converter 33 via the filter 31A and the amplifier 32A. In addition, the yaw-direction shake of the binoculars causes the angular velocity sensor 12 to
Detected in. The output of the angular velocity sensor 12 is supplied to the A / D converter 33 via the filter 31B and the amplifier 32B. The output of the A / D converter 33 is supplied to the microcomputer 34. Note that noise and the like are removed by the filters 31A and 31B.

A drive coil 43 is provided for a variable angle prism 42 provided in the lens section 2 and rotatable in the yaw direction. The drive circuit 44 includes an error amplification circuit 45.
From the drive coil 4
3 is supplied. Drive coil 43 via drive circuit 44
The variable angle prism 42 is rotated in the yaw direction by driving the. Further, a photo sensor 46 is provided for the variable angle prism 42. The output of the photo sensor 46 is supplied to the position detection circuit 47. The position detection circuit 47 detects the rotational position of the variable angle prism 42. The output of the position detection circuit 47 is the comparison circuit 48.
Is supplied to. Also, for the variable angle prism 42,
A braking coil 49 is provided. The output of the braking coil 49 is supplied to the speed detection circuit 50. Speed detection circuit 50
Thus, the moving speed of the variable angle prism 42 is detected. The output of the speed detection circuit 50 is supplied to the error amplification circuit 45.

A drive coil 51 is provided for the variable angle prism 41 provided in the lens portion 2 and rotatable in the pitch direction. A drive signal is applied to the drive circuit 52 from the error amplification circuit 53, and the drive signal is supplied to the drive coil 51. By driving the drive coil 51 via the drive circuit 52, the variable angle prism 41
Is rotated in the pitch direction. In addition, the variable angle prism 4
For one, the photo sensor 54 is provided. The output of the photo sensor 54 is supplied to the position detection circuit 55.
The position detection circuit 55 detects the rotational position of the variable angle prism 41. The output of the position detection circuit 55 is supplied to the comparison circuit 56. Further, a braking coil 57 is provided for the variable angle prism 41. The output of the braking coil 57 is supplied to the speed detection circuit 58. The moving speed of the variable angle prism 41 is detected by the speed detecting circuit 58. The output of the speed detection circuit 58 is supplied to the error amplification circuit 53.

A drive coil 63 is provided for a variable angle prism 62 provided in the lens portion 3 and rotatable in the yaw direction. The drive circuit 64 includes an error amplification circuit 65.
Drive signal is given from the drive coil 6
3 is supplied. Drive coil 63 via drive circuit 64
The variable angle prism 62 is rotated in the yaw direction by driving the. Further, a photo sensor 66 is provided for the variable angle prism 62. The output of the photo sensor 66 is supplied to the position detection circuit 67. The position detection circuit 67 detects the rotational position of the variable angle prism 62. The output of the position detection circuit 67 is the comparison circuit 68.
Is supplied to. Also, for the variable angle prism 62,
A braking coil 69 is provided. The output of the braking coil 69 is supplied to the speed detection circuit 70. Speed detection circuit 70
Thus, the moving speed of the variable angle prism 62 is detected. The output of the speed detection circuit 70 is supplied to the error amplification circuit 65.

A drive coil 71 is provided for a variable angle prism 61 provided in the lens portion 3 and rotatable in the pitch direction. The drive circuit 72 includes an error amplification circuit 7
A drive signal is given from 3 and this drive signal is supplied to the drive coil 71. Drive coil 7 via drive circuit 72
By driving 1, the variable angle prism 61 is rotated in the pitch direction. A photo sensor 74 is provided for the variable angle prism 61. The output of the photo sensor 74 is supplied to the position detection circuit 75. The position detection circuit 75 detects the rotational position of the variable angle prism 61. The output of this position detection circuit 75 is the comparison circuit 7.
6 is supplied. Further, a braking coil 77 is provided for the variable angle prism 61. This braking coil 77
Is supplied to the speed detection circuit 78. The moving speed of the variable angle prism 61 is detected by the speed detecting circuit 78. The output of this speed detection circuit 78 is the error amplification circuit 73.
Is supplied to.

The angular velocity sensors 11 and 12 detect the shakes of the binoculars in the pitch direction and the yaw direction, and a control amount corresponding to the shakes in the pitch direction and the yaw direction is detected by the integrating circuit 3.
It is supplied to the pan / tilt determination circuit 38 via 6. The integration circuit 36 can obtain the change angle of the shake. The pan / tilt determination circuit 38 detects whether the binoculars are panned or tilted. When not panned or tilted, a control amount according to the touch in the pitch and yaw directions is obtained. This control amount is supplied to the comparison circuits 48 and 56. This control amount and the variable angle prism 41
And 42 are compared, and the comparison output is supplied to the error amplification circuit 45 and the error amplification circuit 53,
The variable angle prisms 41 and 42 are rotated. The speed at which the variable angle prisms 41 and 42 are rotated is controlled by speed detection circuits 50 and 58.

Similarly, the control amount output from the pan / tilt determination circuit 38 is supplied to the comparison circuits 68 and 76. This control amount is compared with the positions of the variable angle prisms 62 and 61, and the comparison output is supplied to the error amplification circuit 65 and the error amplification circuit 73, whereby the variable angle prisms 61 and 62 are rotated. The speed at which the variable angle prisms 61 and 62 are rotated is determined by the speed detection circuits 70 and 7.
Controlled by 8.

In the binoculars according to the above-described embodiment, the prism is controlled by using the pitch angular velocity sensor and the yaw angular velocity sensor, but the tilt of the binoculars may be corrected by using the tilt sensor.

In the above-described embodiment, the binoculars to which the present invention is applied have been described.
It can be applied to all terrestrial telescopes, astronomical telescopes, and other observation equipment that is affected by vibrations at high magnification.

[0026]

According to the present invention, by electrically controlling the variable angle prism by using each speed sensor,
A small and lightweight system can properly correct camera shake. Also, since it can be electrically controlled, it is possible to observe in a comfortable view without using a tripod or a heavy rotating gyro. In addition, since it is possible to compensate for absolute vibrations in the space, it is possible to compensate for vibrations of the object on which the observer is boarding in a ship, vehicle, aircraft, etc. It is also effective for applications where the ship is fixed to and the land is observed from above the ship. Further, since the dynamic resolution can be improved by correcting the vibration, it becomes possible to easily distinguish the signal, the character, and the like. Therefore, it is possible to exert an effect for observation from a vehicle or a ship.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of binoculars to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view of binoculars to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation of two variable prisms provided inside a lens unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between a rotation angle and a refraction angle of a variable angle prism and a detailed operation of two variable prisms provided inside a lens unit.

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of binoculars to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, 3 Lens part 5, 6 Yaw drive device 7, 8 Pitch drive device 11 Pitch angular velocity sensor 12 Yaw angular velocity sensor 41, 42, 61, 62 Variable angle prism

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G02B 27/64 9120-2K

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A camera shake correction method in which a shake of an apparatus is detected by an angular velocity detecting means, and a variable prism for changing an optical axis of a transmitted light beam is controlled according to a detection result of the angular velocity detecting means. 2. A variable prism for arbitrarily changing an optical axis of a transmitted light beam, an angular velocity detecting means for detecting an angular velocity of a device, and a control means for controlling the variable prism according to a detection value of the angular velocity detecting means. Image stabilization device. 3. A camera shake correction apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising tilt detecting means for detecting a tilt of the device, and controlling the variable prism according to a detection value of the tilt detecting means.