JPH0761128B2 - Camera integrated VTR and video camera - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a camera-integrated VTR and a video camera,
In particular, it relates to a camera-integrated VTR and a video camera that can effectively create a title to be recorded at the time of shooting a subject.

BACKGROUND ART In a camera-integrated VTR, at the same time as shooting a subject, a title corresponding to the scene is overlaid and recorded on the screen.

In order to record such a title, a title created by printing or the like is photographed with a video camera, the photographed image is stored in advance in a memory mounted in the camera, and after the subject is photographed, it is stored in the memory. There is proposed a camera-integrated VTR that has a so-called superimpose function of reading out the created title and inserting it into the screen shot. In such an apparatus, when a title image created by printing or the like is shot by a video camera and a video signal representing the title image is created, the image created by printing or the like has a continuous gradation and Since it is unsuitable as an image, it is binarized by a predetermined threshold
It is performed as a binarized image. That is, the signal of one value is displayed in a color such as white and superimposed on the image of the subject photographed later.

In the conventional device, the threshold value for binarization is set to a constant value, so that an appropriate video signal of the title image cannot be obtained depending on the title image to be captured.
Therefore, it is desirable that the threshold for binarization can be changed to various values according to the title image to be captured.

By the way, when shooting and storing a title image with a camera-integrated VTR, after displaying the binarized image on an electronic viewfinder, the operator looks at this and confirms that the title image is appropriate. , Is stored in memory. Therefore, at the time of confirmation, the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder must be switched from the image of the subject to the binarized title image. Therefore, as described above, the threshold for binarization is
If it is attempted to change the value to various values according to the title image to be taken, the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder must be switched each time, and the operation may be complicated.

Aim The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, allows a threshold for binarization to be changed in shooting a title image, and allows a user to easily confirm the created title image. The purpose is to provide an integrated VTR and video camera.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a camera-integrated VTR that records a video signal obtained by imaging a subject on a recording medium includes a binarizing unit that binarizes the video signal according to a predetermined threshold value, and a binary value. Threshold changing means for changing the threshold of the binarizing means, and selecting means for selecting either a video signal obtained by imaging a subject or a video signal binarized by the binarizing means and outputting to the display means. When the threshold value is changed by the threshold value changing means, the binarized video signal is selected by the selection means, and the image represented by the binarized video signal is displayed on the display means. is there.

Further, according to the present invention, a video camera that outputs a video signal obtained by capturing an image of a subject changes binarizing means for binarizing the video signal by a predetermined threshold and the threshold of the binarizing means. The threshold value changing means includes a threshold value changing means and a selecting means for selecting one of a video signal obtained by picking up an image of a subject and a video signal binarized by the binarizing means and outputting the selected video signal to the display means. When the threshold is changed by, the binarized video signal is selected by the selection means, and the image represented by the binarized video signal is displayed on the display means.

Description of Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a camera-integrated VTR. It should be noted that functional parts not related to the description of the present invention, such as a part for processing a tone color signal, are not shown.

The camera-integrated VTR 100 according to the present embodiment has a recording function and a reproducing function in addition to the imaging function. Camera integrated VT
The R100 has a master lens 12, and behind the master lens 12, an imaging unit 1 such as a CCD that converts an optical image of a subject captured by the mounter lens 12 from an optical signal into a video signal.
4 are arranged. The imaging unit 14 includes a synchronization signal generation circuit 44
In accordance with the synchronization signal from, the optical image of the subject formed through the master lens 12 is converted into a video signal, and a luminance signal,
Formed into a standard color television format composite video signal including a color difference signal and a synchronization signal, and the composite video signal is output to the comparator 16, the recording unit 26, and the terminal of the switch 24.
Send to 24a.

The comparator 16 compares the video signal input from the imaging unit 14 with a predetermined threshold value, and binarizes the video signal according to the magnitude relationship with the threshold value. That is, as shown in FIG.
The video signal of the title image input from 14
It is binarized by the threshold level (threshold value) shown in the figure and converted into a video signal suitable as a title image as shown in FIG. 3B.

The threshold input terminal to the comparator 16 is the switch 22 terminal.
It is connected to 22a. The switch 22 is controlled by a control signal sent from the control unit 40 to the comparator 16,
Connect 22a to terminals 22b or 22c. The terminal 22b is connected to the fixed power supply V, and when the switch 22 is connected to the terminal 22b, a voltage of a certain threshold value is output from the fixed power supply V to the comparator 16.
Entered in. On the other hand, the terminal 22c is connected to the power supply V via the variable resistor Rv, and the value of the variable resistor Rv is changed by the control signal sent from the control unit 40 to the comparator 16, so that various threshold values are input to the comparator 16. It The comparator 16 binarizes the video signal using a fixed threshold value input from the terminal 22b or a changed threshold value input from the terminal 22c according to the selection of the switch 22.

The output of the comparator 16 is input to the memory 18. memory
Reference numeral 18 temporarily stores the video signal of the title image sent from the comparator 16 and outputs it to the synchronization signal adding circuit 20. The memory 18 also stores the video signal of the title image sent from the comparator 16 in response to the title storage instruction signal sent from the control unit 40.

The sync signal adding circuit 20 adds a vertical sync signal to the video signal of the title image sent from the memory 18 by the sync signal sent from the sync signal generating circuit 44. The output of the synchronization signal adding circuit 20 is connected to the recording unit 26 and the terminal 24b of the switch 24.

The switch 24 is controlled by a control signal sent from the controller 40, selects the terminal 24a or 24b, and connects it to the terminal 24c. The terminal 24c of the switch 24 is connected to the electronic viewfinder 32.
It is connected to the.

The electronic viewfinder 32 has a small CRT,
Video signal formed by the imaging unit 14 or comparator
The image signal is displayed by receiving the video signal of the binarized title at 16.

When the terminal 24a of the switch 24 is selected as shown in the figure, the video signal sent from the image pickup unit 14 is changed to the electronic viewfinder 32.
The image of the subject is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32 as it is. On the other hand, the switch 24
When the terminal 24b of is selected, the binarized video signal sent from the sync signal adding circuit 20 is transferred to the electronic viewfinder 32.
And the binarized image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32.

Although not shown, a signal obtained by mixing the video signal of the subject sent from the imaging unit 14 and the video signal of the binarized title image sent from the synchronization signal adding circuit 20 is sent to the electronic viewfinder 32. This makes it possible to display an image in which the title is superimposed (superposed) on the image of the subject.

The recording unit 26 mixes the video signal sent from the image pickup unit 14 and the video signal of the binarized title image sent from the sync signal adding circuit 20, and modulates the mixed signal into a signal to be recorded on a video tape, and a tape recording mechanism. Output to 24.

The tape recording mechanism 24 has a rotary head cylinder necessary for recording video and audio signals on a video tape, a tape drive mechanism such as a motor, and a tape loading section for loading a video cassette tape, and is input from the control section 40. It is driven according to the control signal. The tape drive mechanism 28 records the video signal on the video track of the video cassette tape loaded in the tape loading section via the video head.

The control unit 40 is advantageously composed of a microcomputer (CPU), and is connected to the synchronization signal generation circuit 44, the comparator 16, the memory 18, the switch 24, the recording unit 26, the tape drive mechanism 28, and the input unit 42. The control unit 40 has an input unit 42.
Depending on the connection status of each switch placed in
Sends control signals to each part of R100.

The input unit 42 is a camera-integrated type as shown in FIG.
A recording switch 56, which is arranged on the outer surface of the casing of the VTR100, for inputting the start and end of recording, a threshold changing switch 52 for changing the threshold for binarizing in the comparator 16, and storing the binarized title A title memory switch 54 for performing the operation, a title confirmation switch 58 for displaying the binarized title on the electronic viewfinder 32 and confirming the title, and a title recording switch 60 for recording the stored title on a video tape. Have

The threshold change switch 52 has a function of instructing two operations. The first function is to set the threshold value of the comparator 16 to the variable mode, and the second function is to change the threshold value to various values in the variable mode.

Each of these switches is operated by the photographer.

The operation of the camera-integrated VTR 100 as described above will be described.

When the main power of the camera-integrated VTR 100 is turned on by the operator, the control unit 40 outputs a control signal to the image pickup unit 14, converts the optical image of the subject formed through the master lens 12 into a video signal, and outputs the video signal. Is output to the comparator 16, the recording unit 26, and the terminal 24a of the switch 24. This operation is performed until the main power is turned off regardless of the connection state of the recording switch 56.

When the operator creates the video signal of the title image,
The printed title image is placed in front of the lens 12. The optical image of the title is input to the image pickup unit 14 through the lens 12, the image signal is created in the image pickup unit 14, and the comparator 16,
It is output to the recording unit 26 and the terminal 24a of the switch 24. The comparator 16 compares the video signal of the title image input from the imaging unit 14 with a threshold value and binarizes it.

When the threshold value changing switch 52 is not operated by the operator, the switch 22 is connected to the terminal 22b, and a constant voltage from the power source V is input to the comparator 16 as a fixed threshold value. The comparator 16 binarizes the video signal from the image pickup unit 14 based on the fixed threshold value. The binarized video signal is temporarily stored in the memory 18, read out, and sent to the synchronization signal adding circuit 20. In the sync signal adding circuit 20, the vertical sync signal is added by the sync signal sent from the sync signal generating circuit 44, and then the binarized video signal is sent to the recording unit 26 and the terminal 24b of the switch 24.

At this time, since the switch 24 is connected to 24a, the video signal from the image capturing unit 14 is sent from the terminal 24a to the electronic viewfinder 32, and the captured title image is directly displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32 as a binary image. It is projected without being converted.

When the operator turns on the title confirmation switch 58 of the input section 42, this instruction is sent from the input section 42 to the control section 40, and the control section
Switch by control signal sent from 40 to switch 24
24 is connected to 24b. As a result, the binarized video signal sent from the synchronization signal adding circuit 20 is sent to the electronic viewfinder 32, and the binarized title image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32. The operator checks the image of the title by looking at the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32, and when it determines that the image is appropriate as the title image, presses the title memory switch 54. By this, the video signal binarized by the comparator 16 at this time is stored in the memory.
Remembered in 18.

When the operator wants to change the threshold for binarization depending on the color, brightness, etc. of the printed title image, the threshold change switch 52 is operated to set the threshold to the variable mode. As a result, the control signal is sent from the control unit 40 to the switch 24, and the switch 24 is connected to the terminal 24b. Therefore, the title image based on the video signal sent from the synchronization signal adding circuit 20 is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32. Next, when the operator operates the threshold value changing switch 52 to change the threshold value, the switch 22 is connected to the terminal 22c by the control signal from the control unit 40, the variable resistance Rv is changed to various values, and the comparator The threshold value input to 16 changes. The comparator 16 performs binarization according to the changing threshold value, and the binarized video signal of the title is switched through the memory 18 and the synchronization signal adding circuit 20 to the switch 24.
Sent to. Since the switch 24 is connected to the terminal 24b, the video signal of the title is sent to the electronic viewfinder 32, and the title image based on the video signal binarized by various thresholds is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 32, respectively.
The operator looks at these title images, selects an appropriate threshold value, and presses the title memory switch 54. As a result, the video signal of the title image according to the threshold value is stored in the memory 18.

After storing the video signal of the title image in this way,
The operator presses the recording switch 56 to photograph the subject and record the title.

When the recording switch 56 is turned on, the control unit 40 controls the recording unit 26 and the tape drive mechanism 28, and the video signal of the image of the subject sent from the imaging unit 14 is recorded on the video cassette tape.

When the title recording switch 60 is further connected, the control unit
Reference numeral 40 controls the memory 18 to read out the stored video signal of the binarized title image. The video signal read from the memory 18 is added with a sync signal by the sync signal adding circuit 20 and sent to the recording unit 26. The recording unit 26 mixes the video signal of the image of the subject sent from the video unit 14 with the video signal of the title image sent from the synchronization signal adding circuit 30 according to the control signal from the control unit 40, and outputs it to the tape drive mechanism 28. .
As a result, the signal of the image in which the title is superimposed on the image of the subject is recorded on the video cassette tape.

When the operator turns off the title recording switch 60, the recording unit 26 receives only the video signal of the image of the subject sent from the image pickup unit 14 according to the control signal from the control unit 40.
Output to. As a result, thereafter, only the image signal of the subject is recorded on the video cassette tape.

In this way, the image of the subject and the title are recorded.

According to the camera-integrated VTR100 of this embodiment, the comparator
Since the image picked up by 16 is binarized and stored in the memory 18, the printed title image can be photographed and stored as a binarized title image. Moreover, since the threshold for binarization can be changed, it is possible to select an appropriate threshold according to the color tone of the title image to be photographed and the like. Furthermore, when the threshold is set to the variable mode,
Since the image binarized by the threshold value is always displayed on the electronic viewfinder, it is not necessary to instruct the switch to display the binarized image on the electronic viewfinder each time the threshold value is changed, and a simple operation is possible. It is possible to confirm a binary image with various thresholds.

In addition, the recording of the binarized title image is performed in addition to the image displayed by superimposing the image of the subject as described above,
Of course, only the title image may be recorded alone.

In the present embodiment, the present invention has been described by taking a camera-integrated VTR having a recording function and a playback function as an example. However, in addition to the camera-integrated VTR, other camera devices such as a separate video camera and a disk camera can be used. It can be applied.

Effect According to the present invention, the threshold value of the binarizing means provided in the camera-integrated VTR or the video camera for binarizing the video signal by a predetermined threshold value can be changed, so that the image to be captured can be changed. An appropriate title image can be created by binarizing with an appropriate threshold.

In addition, when the threshold value is changed, the binarized image is displayed in the finder without performing other operations, so that the threshold value selecting operation is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a camera-integrated VTR according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3A and 3B are binary image signals. It is a figure which shows the example of conversion. Explanation of symbols of main parts 14 …… Image pickup section 16 …… Comparator 18 …… Memory 22, 24 …… Switch 26 …… Recording section 28 …… Tape drive mechanism 32 …… Electronic viewfinder 40 …… Control section 52 …… Threshold change switch 54 …… Title memory switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A camera-integrated VTR for recording a video signal obtained by picking up an image of a subject on an easy-going medium, wherein the VTR includes binarizing means for binarizing the video signal by a predetermined threshold value. Threshold changing means for changing the threshold of the binarizing means, and selecting and displaying one of a video signal obtained by imaging the subject and a binarized video signal binarized by the binarizing means. Selecting means for outputting to the means, mixing means for mixing and outputting the binarized video signal with the video signal, and control means for controlling the selecting means, wherein the threshold varying means sets the threshold The control means includes a first means for setting a variable mode to be changed and a second means for variably setting the threshold value in the variable mode, and the control means is configured to set the variable mode when the variable mode is set.
Controlling the selection means so that the image represented by the binarized video signal is automatically displayed on the display means;
A camera-integrated VTR, wherein the display means displays an image represented by a binarized video signal according to a threshold value set by the means. 2. A video camera for outputting a video signal obtained by picking up an image of a subject, the camera comprising: a binarizing means for binarizing the video signal according to a predetermined threshold; Threshold changing means for changing the threshold, and selection for selecting and outputting to the display means any one of a video signal obtained by imaging the subject and a binarized video signal binarized by the binarizing means. Means, mixing means for mixing the binarized video signal with the video signal and outputting the mixed signal, and control means for controlling the selecting means, wherein the threshold variable means has a variable mode for changing the threshold. The control means has a first means for setting and a second means for variably setting the threshold value in the variable mode.
Controlling the selection means so that the image represented by the binarized video signal is automatically displayed on the display means;
A video camera, which causes the display means to display an image represented by a binarized video signal according to the threshold value set by the means.