JPH08149369A - Video camera system for multi-vision - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a system being able to cope with a change in the size of an object after installation of a video camera without moving a video camera main body or to provide an inexpensive system built up easily employing only a required minimum number of video cameras in which installation adjustment of the video camera is made very simple, the positioning of each shared video image is easily and surely conducted. CONSTITUTION: In the video camera system using plural sets of video cameras 6-9 to generate a video signal for multi-vision, each of the video cameras 6-9 is provided with a video image processing means segmenting a display picture element area in a valid picture element area of an image pickup element at an optional position and a size to provide the output of the video image and an external control means controlling the video processing means, and the multi-vision use synthesis image is generated by adjusting electronically the display picture element area segmented from the valid picture element area of each image pickup element.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-vision video camera system capable of fine display on a large screen,
In particular, the present invention relates to a video camera system that generates (combines) multi-vision video signals using a plurality of video cameras.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a multi-vision system, an image is projected on a screen by a projection unit corresponding to each divided screen, and one large screen is obtained by synthesizing a plurality of divided images on the screen. A large amount of information can be displayed on one large screen. If a video signal for display for such a multi-vision system is to be obtained from one video camera, the amount of information is insufficient and the definition is insufficient. Therefore, it is desired to generate a multi-vision video signal using a plurality of video cameras.

A conventional technique for generating a high-definition multi-vision video signal using a plurality of video cameras is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-68193 (name: "multi-vision document presentation device"). The ones mentioned are mentioned.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration disclosed in the above-mentioned prior application. In FIG. 5, 27 is a mirror, 28 is a screen, 29 is an objective lens, 30 is a video camera, and 31 is a subject. As shown in FIG. 5, in the prior art according to the above-mentioned prior application, the objective lens 29 and the mirror 27 are arranged between the subject 31 and the screen 28, and the screen 28
From the side that passes through, the images projected on the screen 28 are shared by the plurality of video cameras 30, and the images shared by the video cameras 30 are combined to generate a multi-vision video signal. ing.

By adopting the above-mentioned structure, even after the apparatus of FIG. 5 is installed, even if the size of the subject changes, the objective lens 29 can be adjusted to always achieve the maximum size and definition. It has been made possible to obtain a multi-vision video signal having.

[0006]

In the prior art according to the above-mentioned prior application, as described above, the trimming adjustment when the size of the subject changes after the apparatus is installed becomes easy and simple. However, when the device is installed, images captured by a plurality of video cameras are generated (synthesized) on a multi-vision screen, so the initial adjustment work for aligning each shared image is still quite difficult, There is a problem that it is complicated and takes a lot of time.

[0007] In order to generate a multi-vision screen, the image of the subject is shared by the respective video cameras and the images are taken. Alignment (mechanical and optical alignment) was necessary. However, this alignment requires a lot of time and effort because the direction of each video camera body is moved up and down, left and right, and back and forth to make fine adjustments, which is an extremely complicated work.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points,
The purpose is to make installation and adjustment work of the video camera extremely easy in a multi-vision video camera system that generates video signals for multi-vision using multiple video cameras, It is an object of the present invention to provide a system capable of easily and reliably performing the position alignment of the video camera, and moreover, even if the size of the subject changes after the video camera is installed, it can be dealt with without moving the main body of the video camera. Another object is to provide an inexpensive and easy-to-construct system that uses only the minimum necessary video camera.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a video camera system for generating a video signal for multi-vision by using a plurality of video cameras, each video camera including an image sensor. From the effective pixel area of each image sensor, the image processing means is provided which can cut out the display pixel area from the effective pixel area at an arbitrary position and size and output as an image, and the external operation means which can control the image processing means. The display pixel area to be cut out is electronically adjusted to generate a multi-vision combined image.

Here, a video camera having a function of cutting out a display pixel area from an effective pixel area of an image pickup device at an arbitrary position and size and outputting it as an image is a video camera having a so-called electronic image stabilizing function. And is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-77483 (name: “image blur prevention camera”). In the video camera of this prior application, an image processing unit capable of cutting out a display pixel area from an effective pixel area of an image sensor at an arbitrary position and size and outputting it as an image, and detecting a shake of a video accompanying a shake of a subject image. A shake detection means for feeding back the cut-out information to the image processing means, and changing the position of the display pixel area within the effective pixel area according to the size and direction of the shake of the image, thereby causing the shake of the subject image. I try to prevent it.

In the video camera used in the present invention, in the video camera having the above-described structure, the video processing means is manually operated instead of the feedback loop of the shake detection means for detecting the shake of the video and outputting the cut-out information. It is equipped with external control means that can be controlled.

[0012]

The video camera according to the present invention operates so as to cut out the display pixel area within the effective pixel area of the image pickup device at an arbitrary position and size and output it as an image by operating the external operation means. . Therefore, when installing the video camera, the installation work of moving the direction of the main body of each video camera up and down, left and right, and back and forth may be a rough adjustment, and the image alignment can be electronically adjusted by the operation of the external operation means described above. By doing so, it can be easily performed.

Further, even if the size of the subject changes after the video camera is installed, it can be easily dealt with by electronically adjusting the display pixel area cut out from the effective pixel area of the image pickup device. The multi-vision video signal can be easily obtained without the optical components such as the objective lens, the mirror and the screen as in the prior art shown.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to one illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a multi-vision video camera system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although this embodiment is an example of application to four-screen multivision in which four video cameras are vertically and horizontally combined, the number of video cameras to be combined is arbitrary in the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a subject, 2 to 4 are divided image pickup ranges of the subject 1, and 6 to 9 are first to fourth video cameras. In the present embodiment, a system for generating a video signal for multi-vision is provided with four first to fourth video cameras 6 to 9 and, although not shown, each video camera captures a subject 1. The first video camera 6 captures an image capturing range 2, the second video camera 7 captures an image capturing range 3, and the third video camera 8 captures an image capturing range 4. And then the 4th
The video camera 9 is adapted to image the imaging range 5. Although not shown, a multi-vision device for displaying a multi-vision video signal is provided for each of the video cameras 6 to 6.
The video signal output from 9 is sent to the video signal input terminal of each corresponding projection unit of the multivision device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one of the video cameras used in this embodiment. In the figure, 10
Is a device body of the video camera, 11 is a lens, 12 is an image sensor, 13 is a signal processing circuit, 14 is a video signal output from the video camera, 15 is a drive circuit of the image sensor 12, 1
Reference numeral 6 is a control circuit, 17 is an external operation switch, and the video signal 14 output from the signal processing circuit 13 is input to a multivision device (not shown).

In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the subject image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image pickup device 12 via the lens 11.
Here, the number of pixels in the effective pixel area of the light receiving surface of the image sensor 12 is larger than the number of pixels required to generate a standard video signal, and from this effective pixel area,
A pixel range having an arbitrary size and a rectangular shape is cut out and output as a display pixel area. That is, based on a command from the control circuit 16, the drive circuit 15 selects an arbitrary display pixel area from the effective pixel area, and outputs only the signal from the selected display pixel area from the image sensor 12 to the subsequent stage. It is designed to let you. The selective extraction (cutout) of the signal by the drive circuit 15 is performed by forcibly discharging the signal (accumulated charge) of the unnecessary area in the effective pixel area during the blanking period. Since it is already known,
The detailed explanation is omitted here. Then, the image sensor 1
The signal output from 2 is processed by the signal processing circuit 13 and output as a video signal 14. It should be noted that the signal processing circuit 13 also operates so as to interpolate the signals for the insufficient pixels by using the adjacent pixel signals when the cut-out display pixel area is smaller than the standard (note that the pixel signals are insufficient). , This method is also known as a so-called electronic zoom function).

Now, the operator operates the external operation switch 17
Is operated to instruct to output an image of a pixel range of a rectangular arbitrary size and arbitrary position from the effective pixel area of the light receiving surface, a control command a corresponding thereto is output from the external operation switch 17. It is output to the control circuit 16. As a result, the control circuit 16 causes the control signal b corresponding to the control command a.
To the drive circuit 15, and the drive circuit 15 outputs the control signal b
The drive signal c corresponding to is generated and output to the image sensor 12. Then, the image sensor 12 outputs a signal from the designated display pixel area in accordance with the timing of the drive signal c.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an effective pixel area and a display pixel area on the light receiving surface of the image pickup device 12 described above.
In the figure, 18 indicates the entire light receiving surface, 19 indicates an effective pixel area, and 20 indicates a display pixel area. As described above, by operating the external operation switch 17, the display pixel area 20 can be freely moved vertically and horizontally within the effective pixel area 19 of the light receiving surface 18, and the display pixel area 20 is cut out at an arbitrary position and an arbitrary size. The signal of the desired area can be obtained. Therefore, after the video camera is installed, the image position can be moved and adjusted by operating the switch.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram when the images of the respective video cameras are associated with the multivision screen. In the figure, 23 is a multi-vision first screen, 24 is a multi-vision second screen, 25 is a multi-vision third screen, and 26 is a multi-vision fourth screen. The screen obtained by combining ~ 26 is a multi-vision combining screen. FIG. 4 further shows an image of the imaging state of the first video camera 6 that captures a partial image of the subject corresponding to the multi-vision first screen 23. In the figure, 21 indicates the first video camera 6. Reference numeral 22 denotes an effective pixel area of the image sensor, and 22 denotes a display pixel area.

Now, the first screen 23 of the multi-vision is
When an image is displayed at a position displaced on the multi-vision composite screen as shown in FIG. 4A, the image alignment between the displaced screen and another screen is performed by operating the external operation switch 17 of the video camera. As shown in FIG. 4B, the display pixel area 22 is moved and adjusted in the left direction and the up direction in the drawing so that the image positions of the adjacent other screens are aligned with each other.

Although each video camera is provided with the external operation switch 17 in the above-described embodiment, a manually operable controller for outputting the control command a to the control circuit 16 of each video camera may be provided.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the video camera is installed, the installation work for moving the direction of the main body of each video camera up, down, left and right and back and forth may be a rough adjustment, and the image alignment can be performed. By electronically adjusting by the operation of the external operation means, it can be performed easily and surely,
Therefore, the video camera system for multi-vision of this kind has a remarkable effect that the installation work of the video camera can be performed easily and in a short time. Further, even if the size of the subject changes after the video camera is installed, it can be easily dealt with by electronically adjusting the display pixel area cut out from the effective pixel area of the image sensor. It is possible to construct an inexpensive multi-vision video camera system without the need for adding members and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multi-vision video camera system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video camera used in a multi-vision video camera system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an effective pixel area and a display pixel area on the light receiving surface of the image pickup element of the video camera used in the multi-vision video camera system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a multi-vision composite screen based on images picked up by each video camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a conventional multi-vision video signal generation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Subject 2 Image Capture Range of First Video Camera 3 Image Capture Range of Second Video Camera 4 Image Capture Range of 3rd Video Camera 5 Image Capture Range of 4th Video Camera 6 1st Video Camera 7 2nd Video Camera 8th 3 video camera 9 4th video camera 10 device body of video camera 11 lens 12 image sensor 13 signal processing circuit 14 video signal 15 image sensor drive circuit 16 control circuit 17 external operation switch 18 light receiving surface 19 effective pixel area 20 display pixel area 21 Effective pixel area of image sensor of first video camera 22 Display pixel area of image sensor of first video camera 23 Multivision first screen 24 Multivision second screen 25 Multivision third screen 26 Multivision fourth screen 27 Mirror 28 screen 29 objective lens 30 video camera 1 subject

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A video camera system for generating a video signal for multi-vision using a plurality of video cameras, wherein each video camera has a display pixel area within an effective pixel area of an image sensor at an arbitrary position and size. Image processing means capable of being cut out and output as an image. A control command is sent to the image processing means by an external operation means that can be manually operated, and the display pixel area cut out from the effective pixel area of each image sensor is electronically operated. A video camera system for multi-vision, which is characterized in that a synthetic image for multi-vision is generated by mechanically adjusting. 2. The video camera system for multi-vision according to claim 1, wherein the external operation means is provided in each of the video cameras. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the size of the subject for multi-vision is changed,
It is characterized in that a composite image for multi-vision is generated by electronically adjusting the display pixel region cut out from the effective pixel region of each image sensor without moving the main body of each video camera. Video camera system for multi-vision.