JPH08160504A - Automatic photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To attain automatic photographing without troubling an operator, at the time of photographing a face for an IC card and a driver's license. CONSTITUTION: A seating detecting sensor 22 such as a photosensor, a magnetic sensor and a mechanical switch is embedded in a chair 21 for an object and when the fact that the object is seated is detected, the information of the fact is transmitted to the side of a camera 11 and adjustment is attained to eliminate a deviation in a cross direction and a longitudinal direction. Then, the automatic photographing is executed by the camera 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic photographing apparatus used for manufacturing a driver's license, an IC card, etc., and more particularly to an automatic photographing apparatus for automatically photographing a person sitting on a chair.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A driver's license, an IC card, or the like has a partly photographed face or a separately photographed face. In order to take these facial photographs, the chair and the photographing device are arranged in advance so as to face each other at an appropriate interval, and the photographer (operator) looks at the photographed person (operator) seated in the chair while looking at the optimum photographing state. After confirming that it has changed, you can press the release button to shoot.

[0003]

Conventionally, the timing of photographing has been set at the discretion of the operator. This was not necessarily done by reflecting the will and behavior of the person being photographed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic image capturing apparatus capable of automatically capturing images under favorable conditions by reflecting the will and behavior of the person to be photographed without bothering the operator.

[0004]

The object is to provide a seating detecting means for detecting the seating in an automatic photographing apparatus in which a chair is provided at a position facing a camera and a subject sitting in the chair is photographed. When the seating detection means detects seating, the detected signal is transmitted to the camera to enable automatic shooting of the camera.

The above-mentioned automatic photographing is provided with a left-right position detecting means for detecting the left-right position of the subject, and the automatic photographing is enabled only when the right-left position detecting means detects that the subject is in an appropriate position. In the preferred embodiment, a distance measuring means for measuring the photographing distance from the camera to the subject is provided, and the automatic photographing is performed only when the distance measuring means detects that the distance is within a predetermined range. Is a preferred embodiment.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic photographing apparatus of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a camera, which is a camera adapted to take a facial photograph on an IC card, a driver's license or the like. A monitor 12 displays the range photographed by the camera 11 on the CRT. The monitor 12 is an indispensable member when the operator takes a picture of the person to be photographed, but the automatic photographing apparatus of the present invention does not require any operation by the operator. Reference numeral 13 denotes a camera support, which supports the camera 11 and the monitor 12, and constitutes the photographing device 1.

Reference numeral 21 is a chair, and 31 is a background plate. When the person to be photographed sits on the chair 21 placed on the front surface of the background plate 31, the automatic image pickup apparatus of the present invention detects the seating by the seating detection sensor 22 provided in the chair 21, and the seating detection signal detected is used by the image pickup apparatus. When the image is sent to 1, the camera 11 installed toward the chair automatically takes a picture of the person to be photographed.

The seating detection sensor 22 is a sensor that operates when the subject is seated on the chair 21 by embedding it in the chair 21 or the like. For example, the seating surface 21a of the chair 21 is provided with a small hole. May be an optical sensor including a light emitting element and a light receiving element for detecting seating when the seated person is blocked by pants or the like, or the seating surface 21a may be provided with a member corresponding to a sponge-like seating pad. In addition, a position sensor such as a magnetic sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, or a micro switch that detects seating by utilizing the fact that the seat cushion is deformed or pressure is applied when the person is seated may be used. .

A seating detection signal from the seating detection sensor 22 is transmitted to the photographing device 1. The transmission method may be a wired method using a signal conductor (electric wire), an optical fiber, or the like, or a wireless method such as optical communication, infrared light communication, or radio wave communication.

In the image pickup apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a command is designated, and when the command is invalid, all signals are ignored regardless of the ON / OFF signal from the seating detection sensor 22. If the command specification is valid
The state becomes Enable, and the state change of the seating detection sensor 22 is monitored. FIG. 2 shows the transfer of information between the photographing apparatus 1 and the seating detection sensor 22 when the command designation is valid. The seating detection sensor 22 detects the seating of the person being photographed,
When the state becomes N, the photographing apparatus 1 starts to start and counts for a fixed time set by a timer. Regardless of whether the seating detection sensor 22 is ON or OFF, the time required for the so-called twice sitting or posture to be adjusted to a stationary posture is given during counting of the timer. Here, the stationary posture refers to a state in which the person sits on the chair 21 and sits down a second to sit back and sits twice, or after the balance between front, rear, left, and right has been adjusted, and the operation has stopped. After the time-out, automatic photographing is performed, and when the seating detection sensor 22 is turned off (the photographed person stands up from the chair 21), the photographing state is reset and waits for the next photographed person to sit down.

In the automatic photographing apparatus of the present embodiment, automatic photographing is performed only when the person to be photographed is seated and in a stationary posture in which the front / rear deviation and the lateral left / right deviation have been corrected.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a method for detecting the lateral displacement of the photographed person in the lateral direction. A large number of light receiving sensors 32 arranged in a row in the lateral direction are provided on a background plate 31 behind the chair 21. A shaded portion (the output level of the light receiving sensor 32 in the shaded portion is "0") shaded by the person to be seated against the irradiation from the front and a portion x ₁ which is not shaded by the person to be photographed on both sides, x ₂ (the output of the light receiving sensor 32 at the unshielded portions x ₁ and x ₂ is “1”), and the following judgment and instruction are made.

X ₁ −x ₂ = Δε Sit at a proper position in the center → Automatic shooting is possible x ₁ −x ₂ > Δε Sit to the right → Move to the left x ₂ −x ₁ <Δε Sit to the left → Move to the right, but set Δε within the range that can be considered appropriate at the center.

When the person to be photographed is seated on one side of the right side or the left side, a message is issued to move to the left or right by a voice signal or a character signal. When the person sits in the proper position or the subject moves to the proper position, a message such as "Please do not move" is displayed.

In the above embodiment, the background plate 31 is provided with a row of light receiving sensors 32 in the lateral direction. Instead of this, a reflecting mirror is provided so that the light emitted from the front side is reflected by the camera side. By detecting the reflected light, it is possible to detect the left and right shifts as in the case where the light receiving sensor is used.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a method of detecting a shift in the front-back direction of the person to be photographed. A distance measuring method used in a small camera is used. For example, in an active distance measuring method, light from the camera side is detected. A signal is emitted, and the distance L'to the person to be photographed is obtained based on the information reflected from the person to be photographed. If the person to be photographed is L-α≤L'≤L + β, there is no deviation in the front-back direction. , Send a message such as "Please do not move as it is" with a voice signal or a character signal. Here, L is a fixed focal length on the subject side of the taking lens of the camera 11, and α and β are front and rear depths of field.

There is also a method in which the person to be photographed does not have to worry about the displacement in the front-rear direction without performing the adjustment in the front-rear direction as described above. For example, when the subject is seated on the chair 21, the camera 11 is equipped with a lens having a diameter and a focal length that are within the depth of field of the taking lens even if the subject is displaced forward and backward. When the method is adopted, the correction for the front-back misalignment is unnecessary.

As a method of eliminating the need to correct the front-back misalignment, the height of the back of the chair 21 is increased so that the back of the chair is seated so that the head of the person to be photographed is seated. It becomes impossible to move the head back and forth from the position where In this case, the backrest of the chair 21 is provided with a detection member such as a microswitch for detecting whether or not the head is in contact with the backrest, and the detection member has a headrest even when the person being photographed is seated. When it is detected that the head is not in contact with the backrest (OFF state), a message such as “Please put your head on the backrest.” Is displayed and it is detected that the head is in contact with the backrest (ON state). At this time, a message such as “Please do not move as it is” can be issued.

In the automatic photographing apparatus of the present embodiment described above, when the person to be photographed sits down, the timer for a predetermined time starts counting, and when the time-out occurs, there is a shift in the front and rear direction and a lateral direction in the sitting state. If the camera is in a stationary posture in which the left and right shifts are corrected, the shutter is released with time and automatic shooting is performed. The flow chart shown in FIG. 5 shows a flow of automatic photographing performed in parallel with the above time counting or without performing the time counting.
It should be noted that in this flow, the flow of "Is there a front-back misalignment?" May be omitted in the automatic imaging apparatus that does not require the correction of the misalignment in the front-back direction, and the "display indicating that the shooting is performed" may be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the vertical shift due to the difference in the sitting height of the person to be photographed has not been described.
For example, a reflecting mirror is provided in front of the camera 11, and the height of the seat surface of the chair 21 is photographed so that the person to be photographed is in a state in which his or her face is reflected on the reflecting mirror (faces directly to the camera). It is possible for a person to make adjustments (in this case, use a chair with an elevator function for the chair 21) or to raise or lower the platform with the camera 11 mounted on it using the remote control to correct the vertical shift. Thus, the operation of performing the vertical correction can be incorporated into the flow of the automatic image capturing apparatus of the present invention.

Further, in the automatic photographing device described above,
Although a strobe lamp (not shown) emits light as auxiliary light at the same time as photographing, the seating detection sensor 22 is turned ON in combination with or instead of strobe light emission.
An illumination lamp such as an incandescent lamp may be turned on by (seating operation) and turned off when the seating detection means is turned off (starting operation) or when photographing is finished.

[0023]

According to the automatic photographing apparatus of the present invention (Claim 1) in which automatic photographing is performed by detecting seating, the following effects can be obtained.

Since an image is automatically taken, an operator is not required, and labor can be saved.

Since the photographing is performed at an appropriate timing according to the behavior of the person to be photographed without depending on the intention of the operator, the number of failures is reduced, resource saving and loss time are reduced.

The photographed person is relieved of the psychological pressure of being photographed by the operator.

The following effects can be obtained with the automatic photographing apparatus (Claim 2) of the embodiment in which automatic photographing is performed after adjusting the lateral shift of the photographed person.

In addition to the effect of the automatic photographing device described above, the photographed person is at the center position on the photographed screen,
Accurate shooting without failure under good conditions.

Further, in the automatic photographing apparatus of the embodiment (claim 3), the shift of the photographed person in the left-right direction is adjusted, and the photographing is automatically performed only when the photographed person is at a predetermined distance. can get.

In addition to the effect of the automatic photographing device described above, the photographed person is at the center position on the photographed screen, and the sharpness of the focus is good, so that it is accurate under good conditions without failure. It will be photographed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an automatic image capturing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the exchange of information between a photographing device and a seating detection sensor.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of detecting a left-right deviation of a photographed person.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for detecting a shift in the front-back direction of the photographed person.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of automatic shooting according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Imaging device 11 Camera 12 Monitor 13 Camera support 21 Chair 22 Seat detection sensor 31 Background plate 32 Light receiving sensor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An automatic photographing apparatus for providing an image of a subject seated in a chair by providing a chair at a position facing a camera, the chair being provided with a seating detection means for detecting seating, and the seating detection means being seated. An automatic image capturing apparatus, which transmits a detected signal to the camera when it detects that the automatic image capturing of the camera is possible. 2. A left-right position detecting means for detecting a left-right position of a subject is provided, and automatic photography is possible only when the left-right position detecting means detects that the subject is at an appropriate position. Item 1. The automatic image capturing apparatus according to item 1. 3. A distance measuring means for measuring a photographing distance from a camera to a subject is provided, and automatic photographing is possible only when the distance measuring means detects that the distance is within a predetermined range. The automatic image capturing apparatus according to claim 2.