JPH0787430A - Souvenir photograph image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a device in which a souvenir photograph is picked up while using a preferred scene for a background picture in a natural pose without manual intervention and a problem of management of the device is not generated and a series of motions is outputted on a hard copy. CONSTITUTION:The device is provided with a video camera 1 installed toward an outdoor scene, a display device 4 displaying a video image picked up by the camera 1 to be a consecutive motion picture, a still picture memory 15 recording a displayed image on the display device in a predetermined timing and a video printer 3 providing an output of a recorded picture in the memory 15 to be a hard copy, and a timer circuit 14 starting its time count by a command switch 6 provides the recording timing of a still picture. The device is also provided with an information generating circuit 14 in which prescribed information is recorded and which provides an output of the recorded information in interlocking with the time count of the timer circuit 14 as voice or character information with time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device which is installed in a tourist resort or the like and automatically takes a commemorative photo in response to a customer's instruction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When taking a commemorative photo with a landscape as a background in a tourist spot, the photographer himself cannot be a subject, so it is usual to ask a passerby to take the photograph. There are some tourist spots where photo shops specializing in commemorative photographs are permanently stationed, but such tourist spots are rare.

[0003]

When asking another person for a commemorative photo, it is impossible to take the photo without an appropriate stranger, and the photo is not always taken exactly as desired. In addition, there are few tourist spots where a professional photo shop is permanently stationed, and the cost will increase if you request a photo shoot.

On the other hand, a photographing device using a video camera has been proposed as a photographing device for certification photographs and the like (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 2).
153497). This device displays an image captured by a video camera as a still image, and when the still image is appropriate, operates the print execution operation unit to print the still image on a predetermined recording paper by the printer. This makes it possible to print an optimum image as an identification photograph by an inexpensive and simple operation.

However, in this conventional device, the print execution operation and the still image change operation must be performed by the customer who is the subject himself, and therefore, only a photograph of the state in which they are being operated can be taken, and the photographing location is above the chest. There is no problem in the case of just a photo ID, but there is a problem if you want to take the whole body as a commemorative photo. This problem can be ameliorated to the extent that the photographed person is not operating the device by making the operation unit small and controlling the device remotely, but this type of device used by an unspecified number of people In the device, management problems of the remote control box occur, and the remote control box frequently breaks or is lost.

Further, in the above conventional apparatus, the image is temporarily stopped on the display and a print command is given when the image is appropriate. Therefore, while the still image is being printed by the printer, the image remains displayed on the display. This is rational as an ID photo device, but in the commemorative photo device where many third parties can see the display screen of the display,
The photographed image is exposed to the public by the display, which is not preferable. Further, the above-mentioned conventional method has a problem in that it is impossible to print images taken at continuous short time intervals.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional apparatus, and it is natural whether a full body image or a half body image is set against a landscape in a tourist spot. You can take souvenir photos in various poses without any human intervention, there is no problem in managing the device, you can also select the background according to your preference and a series of movements taken at shorter time intervals It is an object to obtain a device that can output as a copy.

[0008]

A commemorative photographing apparatus according to the present invention is a video camera 1 installed toward an outdoor landscape.
And a display 4 for displaying a video taken by the camera as a continuous moving image, a still image memory 15 for recording the display screen of the display at a predetermined timing, and a recorded image in the memory as a hard copy. And a video printer 3 for operating the still image memory 15, and the recording timing of the still image memory 15 is given by a timer circuit 14 which starts a timing operation by a command switch 6. By providing an information generating circuit 18 in which predetermined information is recorded in advance, the recorded information information can be output as voice or character information over time in synchronism with the timing operation of the timer circuit 14. Further, a second information generating circuit 23 for outputting prerecorded information information as an audio signal at a predetermined timing is provided, and the output timing of the information information recorded in the second information generating circuit is controlled by the infrared sensor 21 or another person. It can be provided from a detection sensor.

[0009]

Operation: A person who wants to take a souvenir picture, after inserting a coin or the like into the device, starts the timekeeping operation with the command switch 6, while watching the display 4 and away from the video camera 1 by a desired distance. If the pause is taken, the image displayed on the display 4 is output as a hard copy when the timer circuit 14 finishes the time counting operation. Therefore, at the timing of taking a picture (outputting an image), the person to be photographed does not need to operate the device at all, so that a commemorative photograph can be taken in any pose, whether it is a full body image or a half body image.

Since the display 4 always displays a moving image that has been captured by the video camera 1, if the user does not want the image of the subject to continue to be displayed on the display 4, after the capture is completed, It is only necessary to move away from the shooting range of the video camera 1. In addition, if a background is photographed in advance and the background is recorded in the composite image memory 31 so that the background can be arbitrarily selected and combined with the image of the subject photographed by the video camera 1 to be printed out, for example, a hotel When a souvenir photo-taking device is installed in a shop or in a shop, it is possible to take a souvenir photo against the scenery prepared in advance when it rains or when there is no time to go to the site. A technique for synthesizing images captured by a video camera is known as a chroma key technique, and thus the technique may be used as it is. Further, there is already known a video printer equipped with an editing device for converting a moving image captured by the video camera 1 into still images at short intervals, and arranging the still images in a matrix on one print. By using it, it is possible to obtain a photographing device that photographs, for example, a swing of golf or tennis as an exploded photograph and outputs it as one hard copy.
Even in such a case, the photographed person does not need to operate the device at the time of photographing, and the still image does not remain on the display, so that a decomposed photograph of natural movement can be obtained in a short time interval. .

Information that calls attention of the person to be photographed in conjunction with the timing operation of the timer circuit 14,
For example, by outputting information information such as "Is everyone on the display?" Or "Yes, I'm going to take cheese." , You can take a picture more reliably in your favorite pose. Further, the second information generating circuit 23 records information information having a content that prompts a passerby to take a commemorative photo, and outputs this as voice information when the person detection sensor 21 detects a passerby. By doing so, it is possible to notify a passerby that there is a commemorative photo taking device, and it is possible to improve the operation rate of the device.

[0012]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows the external appearance of the device. It has an external appearance imitating a popular character, etc., and is fixed as if holding the video camera 1 in the hand, and the mouth 2 is opened in a slit shape behind it. The hard copy outlet of the video printer 3 (FIG. 1) is connected. A display 4 is fitted in the chest portion, and a coin slot 5 and a command switch 6 are arranged at appropriate positions such as below the display. The amount of coins to be inserted and a simple operation procedure are displayed near the coin slot 5 and the command switch 6.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the apparatus of the first embodiment, in which an image captured by the video camera 1 is always displayed as a moving image on the display 4 through the controller 11. When the coin switch 12 detects insertion of a predetermined amount of coins, electricity is supplied to the circuit of the command switch 6 and the flip-flop 13 is set when the command switch 6 is operated. The timer circuit 14 starts the time counting operation by the set signal of the flip-flop 13. When the time-completion signal of the timer circuit 14 is given to the controller 11, the controller 11 transfers the image information at that time to the still image memory 15, then operates the video printer 3, and records it in the still image memory 15. The created image information is output as a hard copy. The outputted hard copy comes out from the slit 17 provided in the mouth portion of FIG.

On the other hand, the clock signal of the timer circuit 14 is sent to the information generating circuit 18 every moment, and the information generating circuit 18 outputs the previously recorded information information every time the clock time of the timer circuit 14 reaches a predetermined time. Each of them is output as an audio signal, and this audio signal is output as audio by the speaker 19. The contents and output timing of the information information are "2" when the timer circuit 14 starts the time counting operation.
I will take a picture in 0 seconds, so please pose while looking at the display. "Take 10 seconds before shooting, 10 seconds before shooting, is it displayed properly on the display?", And 5 seconds before shooting, "Will you take it? 1, 2, 3." The content that prompts is output at a predetermined timing.

The apparatus of the embodiment shown in the figure is provided with an infrared sensor 21 for detecting a person passing in front of the apparatus. The person detection output of this infrared sensor is passed through a gate circuit 22 to a second information generating circuit 23. It is given as an operation start signal. Second information generation circuit 2
In the 3rd section, along with a brief explanation of the scenery, record information information such as "Why not take a commemorative photo in front of this scenery?"
Such information information is output as voice through the speaker 19 in response to the human detection signal of 1.

The set signal of the flip-flop 13 is input to the gate circuit 22 between the infrared sensor 21 and the second information generating circuit 23 via the inverter 24, and the flip-flop 13 is set. The output of the infrared sensor 21 is not applied to the second information generating circuit when the apparatus is in the shooting operation. Further, the flip-flop 13 is reset by the operation end signal of the video printer 3 to end the photographing operation, and the output of the infrared sensor 21 is changed to the second information generating circuit 2.
3 will be input.

In the apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment, the video signal of the video camera 1 is constantly given to the display 4, and the image is always displayed on the display 4, but when the coin switch 12 is operated. The information of the video camera 1 may be displayed on the display 4. It is also effective to install the entire device on a freely rotatable swivel so that the direction of the video camera 1 can be freely selected.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, one of a plurality of backgrounds recorded in advance in the composite image memory 31 is selected instead of the actual scenery, and a commemorative photo is taken with the selected scenery as the background. In the block diagram of FIG. 3, instead of the second information generating circuit and the infrared sensor, the synthetic image memory 3 is used.
1 and the image selection circuit 32 are shown. A plurality of types of background images photographed in advance are recorded in the composite image memory 31, and the image selected by the background selection switch 33 is called by the image selection circuit 32 and given to the composition circuit 34. The background selection switch 33 is used in place of the command switch of the first embodiment, and the signal of the still image memory 15 is given to the video printer 3 by obtaining the synthesizing circuit 34. The circuit configuration of the other parts of FIG. 3 is the same as that described for the circuit of FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the appearance of a commemorative photographing device incorporating such a circuit. The commemorative photographing device 35 is housed in a rectangular casing like an ordinary vending machine, and is installed toward the blue screen 36. A video camera 1, a display 4, a coin slot 5, a banknote slot 37, a money return button 38, a money return slot 39, and a print outlet 17 are provided on the surface of the commemorative photographing device 35 facing the screen 36. , A background sample 40 recorded in the composite image memory 31 ...
And its selection switch 41 ... When the person to be photographed inserts a predetermined amount of coins or bills, the coin switch 12 is turned on and the background selection switches 41 ... Can be operated. Therefore, the person to be photographed selects one of the favorite backgrounds by pressing one of the selection switches 41 ... When one of the background selection switches 41 is pressed, the flip-flop 13
Is set and the timer circuit 14 starts counting operation,
Information is output from the information generating circuit 18, and the image signal selected from the composite image memory 31 by the image selecting circuit 32 is called and output to the combining circuit 34. Speaker 1 is the person being photographed
A pause is taken in front of the screen 36 in accordance with the sound output from 9, and the still image memory 15 records the image of the subject at the time when the timer circuit 14 times up. Then, the image recorded in the still image memory 15 and the image output from the image selection circuit 32 are combined by the combining circuit 34. In this combination, the image selection circuit 3 selects an area where a specific color (usually blue) in the image of the still image memory 15 is continuous.
The image from the video printer 3 is used to replace the image from No. 2 and the screen 36 is set to the color (blue) so that the selected background is embedded in the background of the subject.
Is output from.

The commemorative photographing device of the second embodiment as described above is
For example, it is used by being installed indoors in a hotel or a souvenir shop. For example, the commemorative photographing device 35 shown in FIG. 4 is placed on the swivel base 42, and the circuit of FIG. 1 and the circuit of FIG. The common part can be provided in common, and the switching of the circuit can be linked with the rotation of the commemorative photographing device 35 on the swivel base 42. That is, when the commemorative photographing device 35 of FIG. 4 is installed, for example, at the entrance of a hotel or the garden, and when the commemorative photographing device is directed to the outdoor landscape side, the circuit is switched to the circuit of FIG. 1 and when directed to the screen 36 side. By switching to the circuit of FIG. 3, it is possible to obtain a device capable of taking both a commemorative photo with a background of an actual landscape and a commemorative photo combined with a previously recorded background.

The circuit shown in FIG. 5 is a still image editing apparatus 4
3 shows an example of a circuit provided with 3, the still image is sent to the editing device 43 one after another at short time intervals from the time-up 5 of the timer circuit 14 and the controller 11, and the editing device 43 sends the still image. Images are reduced and still images sent one after another are arranged in a matrix on the video memory.
The image recorded in the still image memory 15 is output as a hard copy by the video printer 3 when a predetermined number of still images are arranged. The photographing apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is suitable for taking golf swings and tennis swings as disassembled photographs, and can be installed in a golf driving range or a tennis driving range to be used for taking continuous photographs of the form. . The circuit shown in FIG. 5 can be combined with the circuit shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 through a switch, and a commemorative photographing device capable of selecting whether to take an ordinary commemorative photograph or an exploded photograph can be obtained. is there.

[0022]

According to the present invention described above, the person to be photographed can take his or her favorite commemorative photograph without relying on others, and it is not necessary to operate the apparatus at the timing of photographing, so a natural pose You can take a commemorative photo at. Also, since the image taken on the display does not remain during the output of the print, the image of the photographed person will not be exposed to the eyes of an unscheduled third party, and even if it is installed outdoors in a tourist area, etc. No problems when shooting. Further, an apparatus capable of arbitrarily selecting a background and taking a disassembled photograph in which continuous movements are photographed can be obtained, and can be widely used for taking commemorative photographs in various modes.

If the photographing timing is output by voice or the like so as to call attention to the photographed person, the photographed person will not take a wrong photograph at the wrong photographing timing, and the apparatus itself will not exist. Since it can be configured cheaply using the equipment of, and can be installed in many places,
There is an effect that it is possible to provide a device that can surely and inexpensively take a commemorative photo as desired.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device configuration of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the external appearance of the first embodiment device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a device configuration of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a second embodiment device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a device configuration of a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Video Camera 3 Video Printer 4 Display 6 Command Switch 14 Timer Circuit 15 Still Image Memory 18 Information Generation Circuit 21 Infrared Sensor 23 Second Information Circuit 31 Composite Image Memory 33 Background Selection Switch 43 Editing Device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location // G03B 17/53 7256-2K

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A video camera (1) installed for outdoor scenery, a display (4) for displaying a video taken by the camera as a continuous moving image, and a display at a predetermined timing. A still image memory (15) for recording the display screen as a still image and a video printer (3) for outputting the recorded image of the memory as a hard copy are provided, and the recording timing of the still image memory (15) is a command switch ( 6) A timer circuit that starts the clock operation by
A commemorative photo device characterized in that it is given in (14). 2. A video camera (1), a display (4) for displaying an image captured by the camera as a continuous moving image, and a still image for recording the display screen of the display as a still image at a predetermined timing. Memory (15)
And a composite image memory (3
1) and its image selection means (32, 33) and video printer
(3) is provided, and the recorded image in the still image memory (15) and the image selected by the selecting means are combined to form a video printer.
The video camera (1) is a commemorative photo device which is installed toward the back panel of a predetermined color. 3. A video camera (1), a display (4) for displaying an image captured by the camera as a continuous moving image, and a display screen of the display at a plurality of predetermined continuous timings arranged in a matrix. And a still image memory (15) for recording as a single still image, and a video printer (3) for outputting the recorded image in the memory as a hard copy. ) The recording timing of (1) is given by the timer circuit (14) which starts the time counting operation by the command switch (6), the commemorative photographing device. 4. An information generating circuit (18) in which predetermined information is recorded in advance, and outputs the recorded information information as voice or character information over time in synchronism with the timing operation of the timer circuit (14). The commemorative photographing device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that. 5. An infrared sensor comprising a second information generating circuit (23) for outputting prerecorded information information as an audio signal at a predetermined timing, and the output timing of the information information recorded in the second information generating circuit is an infrared sensor. (21) The commemorative photographing device according to claim 4, characterized in that it is provided by another person detection sensor.