JPH08214203A - Tracking type television camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To easily execute positioning by manual operation by reducing the driving speed of a television(TV) camera by a zooming position signal corresponding to the image pickup focal distance of a power zooming lens at the time of a long focal distance as compared with a short focal distance. CONSTITUTION: A zooming position signal corresponding to the image pickup focal distance of the power zooming lens 1 and outputted from a zooming position generating means 8 is inputted to a speed correcting means 9. The means 9 drives the TV camera at a slow driving speed through a moving device 5 when the lens 1 is in a long focal distance as compared with a short focal distance. Thereby the driving speed is reduced at the time of a narrow view angle in the long focal distance state of the lens 1 and a target can easily be tracked. When the zooming position signal is moved from the longest focal distance up to the shortest focal distance, the means 9 can change the driving speed stepwise.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tracking type television camera apparatus, and more particularly to a television camera including a power zoom lens for changing an image pickup focal length based on a zoom signal and an image pickup apparatus for outputting an image pickup signal, and the above zoom. From the zoom command means for generating a signal, the camera moving device attached to the television camera for changing the image pickup direction of the television camera at a predetermined driving speed based on the image pickup direction change signal, and the movement instruction means for generating the image pickup position movement signal. In other words, the present invention relates to a tracking-type television camera device including a tracking device that moves a portion to be imaged of the television camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a tracking type television camera device may be used as a surveillance camera used for surveillance of pachinko halls, banks, shops, etc. and crime prevention of buildings.

This tracking type television camera will be explained by taking, for example, one installed in a pachinko hall as an example, as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of sets of television camera devices 52 _{-1 to} 52 _-n are provided in a control device 51. It is installed via the communication line 53 to configure the system.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, each television camera device has a power zoom lens 53, a television camera 54 which is an image pickup device, and a pantilter 55 which is a camera moving device for moving the image pickup position of the television camera. And a servo unit 56 for performing servo control of the power zoom lens 53 and the pan tilter 55. As shown in FIG. 10, the power zoom lens 53 includes a zoom motor 61 that drives the zoom mechanism of the lens, a focus motor 62 that drives the focus mechanism, a zoom potentiometer 64 that detects the zoom position, and a focus position. A focus potentiometer 63 for detection is provided.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the pan tilter 55 drives a pan motor 65 for driving the panning (rotation along the horizontal direction) of the television camera 54 and a tilting (rotation along the vertical direction) drive. Tilt motor 6
6 and a pan potentiometer 67 for detecting a panning position, and a tilt potentiometer 68 for detecting a tilt position.

As shown in FIG. 10, the servo unit 56 outputs signals from the motor driver 69 for driving the motors 61, 62, 65 and 66 and the potentiometers 63, 64, 67 and 68. A / D converter 70 for converting the signal into a digital signal, and the A / D converter 70
Based on a signal from the motor controller and a photographing command from the control device 51, the motors 61, 62, 65, 66 are driven by the motor driver 69.
A CPU 71 that servo-controls via a communication I / O that is an interface for communication between the control device 51 and the CPU 71.
It consists of F72.

When tracking is performed in such an apparatus, the pan tilter 55 moves the photographing position by panning or tilting the camera 54 according to the locus designated by the control unit 51 by the servo unit 56, or by the designation. Zooming in to enlarge a specific subject by increasing the focal length of the lens or zooming out to capture a wide area by shortening the focal length of the lens.

In order to automatically perform the tracking operation, when a certain event occurs, the television camera is automatically pointed to a predetermined position to perform zooming and focusing.

For example, when the glass door of the pachinko machine is opened in the pachinko hall, the TV camera 54 is moved by the pantilter 55 in the predetermined TV camera device 52 _-i so that the image of the table is fully captured. Move
The power zoom lens 53 is zoomed and focused. The selection, position drive, zoom, and focus data for these TV camera devices are stored in a storage device (not shown) by manually driving and teaching the camera when the system is started up. Is.

When the automatic tracking is actually performed, when the glass door of the pachinko machine is opened, the control device 51 transmits the camera number and the automatic tracking command to the servo unit 56 based on the door opening signal. Servo unit 5
In No. 5, the received number data and the current Pantilter 55
The driving directions of the motors 65 and 66 are determined based on the potentiometer data 67 and 68, and the motors 65 and 66 are stopped in a predetermined position by driving them in a predetermined direction.

Then, the respective motors 61 and 62 of the power zoom lens 53 are driven to take a picture of a predetermined stand on the entire image pickup screen.

In this way, the television image data taken by the television camera is monitored by the monitor device, and the image data is recorded by the video recorder and recorded.

In such a television camera device,
In addition to automatically operating the television camera as described above, in order to manually track the subject specified by the operator, the control device 51 is provided with manual zoom command means and movement command means, and the operator controls The servo unit 56 outputs a rightward drive command, a leftward drive command, an upward drive command, a downward drive command of the pan tilter 55, and a zoom-in command and a zoom-out command of the power zoom lens 53.
To allow panning, tilting and zooming of the TV camera.

[0014]

By the way, in the conventional tracking type television camera apparatus as described above, the tracking speed is constant in both the zoomed out state and the zoomed in state.

Therefore, in the zoomed-out state where the viewing angle is wide, the moving speed of the object on the screen is slow, and therefore the position of the object can be easily adjusted manually to the center of the screen.

However, in the zoomed-in state where the viewing angle is narrow, it is not easy to manually adjust the target object to the center of the screen because the moving speed of the subject on the screen is fast. This will be described, for example, when a 10 × zoom lens having a focal length of 4.8 mm to 48 mm is used.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, when the focal length is 4.8 mm (zoom-out state, field angle 67 °), the width of the range displayed on the screen at a lens-subject distance of 1 m is about 1.
It is 3m. In other words, a size of 1.3 m is displayed on the full screen.

On the other hand, when the focal length is 48 mm (zoom-in state, angle of view 7.6 °), the distance between the lens and the subject is 10 m.
The width of the area reflected by is about 1.3 m.

Here, in such a state, the panning speed of the camera in the direction of the arrow (angle for panning in 1 second)
When panning at a ° / sec, the time required for a certain point A (object) to move from the right end to the left end of the screen is as follows.

When zoomed out: 67 ° (angle of view) ÷ a ° / sec (moving angular velocity) = (67 /
a) seconds

During zoom-in 7.6 ° (angle of view) ÷ a ° / sec (moving angular velocity) = (7.6
/ A) seconds

From this point, the time required for point A to move from the right end to the left end of the screen is (7.6 / a) ÷ (67 / a) ≈0.11 (times) when zooming in compared to when zooming out.

This means that the moving speed of the target object on the monitor screen when zooming in is moving at a speed of 8.8 times that when zooming out, and the target object A is caught in the center of the screen. Turns out to be more difficult when zoomed in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tracking type television camera device which can easily perform manual tracking even in a zoomed-in state.

[0025]

The first means for solving the above-mentioned problems in the present invention is, as shown in FIG. 1, a power zoom lens 1 for changing the image pickup focal length based on the zoom signal and an image pickup signal. , A zoom command means 4 for generating the zoom signal, an image pickup direction change signal attached to the television camera 3, and the image pickup direction of the television camera 3 at a predetermined driving speed. In the tracking type television camera device, which comprises a camera moving device 5 to be changed and a movement command means 6 for generating the image pickup position movement signal, and a tracking device 7 for moving the image pickup portion of the television camera 3, the power zoom lens. The zoom position generating means 8 for outputting a zoom position signal corresponding to the imaging focal length of No. 1 and the TV camera 3 in the tracking device 7 When the driving speed is long focal length zoom position signal is that with the speed correction means 9 for slower than when a short focal length, a.

In the second means of the present invention, the zoom position generating means 8 of the tracking type television camera device of the first means is a potentiometer for generating an output corresponding to the zoom operation position of the power zoom lens 1. That is what I did.

According to a third means of the present invention, the speed correcting means 9 of the tracking type television camera device of the first means operates from the time when the zoom position signal has the longest focal length to the time when the zoom position signal has the shortest focal length. That is, the driving speed is changed continuously.

[0028]

According to the tracking type television camera apparatus according to the first means of the present invention, the zoom position signal corresponding to the imaging focal length of the power zoom lens 1 output from the zoom position generating means 8 is received, and the speed correcting means is received. Makes the driving speed of the TV camera slower when the zoom lens has a long focal length than when the zoom lens has a short focal length. Therefore, when the lens has a long focal length and a narrow angle of view, the driving speed of the TV camera becomes small, which is easy. Tracking can be performed. Further, the speed correcting means 9 changes the drive speed stepwise from the time when the zoom position signal has the longest focal length to the time when the zoom position signal has the shortest focal distance, and the speed correcting means has a simple structure. it can.

According to the second means of the present invention, the potentiometer as the zoom position generating means 8 generates an output corresponding to the zoom operation position of the power zoom lens 1,
The speed correction means corrects the drive speed of the television camera 3 in the tracking device 7 based on the actual zoom operation position.

According to the third means of the present invention, the speed correcting means 9 continuously changes the drive speed from the time when the zoom position signal has the longest focal length to the time when the zoom position signal has the shortest focal length, and the The moving speed of the camera also continuously changes from a high speed to a low speed from the longest focal length to the shortest focal length, which makes manual tracking even easier.

[0031]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of a tracking television camera device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

2 to 8 show an embodiment of a tracking type television camera device according to the present invention.

In the following examples, the tracking type television camera device has a power zoom lens 1 as shown in FIG.
0, a television camera 13 including an image pickup device 12, and the television camera 13 is a camera moving device and is attached to a pantilter 15 for panning and tilting the television camera 13. See again Pantilter 15
Is provided with a servo unit 16, and the servo unit is provided with speed correction means. Also, this Panchi Luther 1
5, a control device 21 is provided via a communication line, and the control device 21 has an automatic tracking command means, a manual zoom command means,
A movement command means is provided.

In the following embodiments, the potentiometer 11 used in the conventional example is used for the power zoom lens 10 as the zoom position generating means. As shown in FIG. 2, the potentiometer 11 divides the constant voltage of the servo unit 12 for zoom drive control according to the zoom position, and outputs the zoom position signal as a potentiometer signal. There is.

In each of the embodiments, the servo unit 16
On the basis of this potentiometer output, the motor driving voltage for panning and tilting is controlled in association with the zoom position, so that the panning and tilting speeds are fast during zoom-out and slow during zoom-in.

In each of the embodiments of the tracking type television camera device according to the present invention, the servo unit 16 is different in specific means for correcting the drive output of the motor of the pan tilter 15 based on the input potentiometer output. Is.

The means of each embodiment will be described below.

[First Embodiment] This embodiment is based on the first and second embodiments.
It corresponds to the second, third and fourth means, and has a configuration in which the motor drive voltage of the pantilter is switched in three stages in accordance with the zoom position.

The present embodiment uses the above-mentioned automatic tracking type camera, in which the servo unit 21 has a CPU 2
2, the CPU 22 has three ports P1 (v>
A), P2 (A>v> B), and P3 (B> v) outputs are turned on, and the motor drive voltage is set to three levels (for example, 12 V, 8 V).
V, 6V).

In the figure, reference numeral 23 is an A / D for converting the potentio output into a digital signal and inputting it to the CPU 22.
Converters, Q1, Q2, and Q3 are switching transistors, and ZD1 and ZD2 are zener diodes for voltage setting.

According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
When the potentiometer output value v is larger than point A, C
The PU outputs P1 = 0, P2 = 1, P3 = 1. Therefore, the transistor Q1 becomes conductive and + 12V is supplied as the motor drive voltage.

When the potentiometer output value is between the points A and B, the CPU P1 = 1, P2 = 0, P
Outputs 3 = 1. Therefore, the transistor Q2 becomes conductive, and the motor drive voltage drops by 4V by the Zener diode (ZD1), and + 8V is supplied.

When the potentiometer output value is smaller than the point B, the CPU outputs P1 = 1, P2 = 1 and P3 = 0. Therefore, the transistor Q3 becomes conductive, and the motor drive voltage is the Zener diode (ZD2) voltage 6
The voltage drops by V and + 6V is supplied. The above operations are summarized in Table 1.

[0044]

[Table 1]

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment corresponds to the above-mentioned first, second, third and fourth means as in the case of the above-mentioned first embodiment, and sets the motor driving voltage of the pan tilter to 3 depending on the zoom position.
The present invention is applied to a manual tracking type camera in which the CPU is not mounted in the servo unit, which is configured to switch to the step.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, comparators 31 and 32 for comparing the potentiometer output with reference values A and B are provided to the servo unit 30, and this comparator 3 is provided.
1, 32 and two transistors Q1 for switching
1 and Q12 and two Zener diodes ZD11 and ZE12 for voltage setting are provided, and as in the first embodiment, FIG.
Control the motor drive voltage as shown in.

According to this embodiment, when the potentiometer output value is larger than the point A, the comparators 31, 3 are
The output of 2 is CMPOUT (1) = “L”, CMPOU
T (2) = “L”, the transistors Q1 and Q2 become conductive, and + 12V is supplied as the motor drive voltage.

When the potentiometer output value is between point A and point B, the comparator output is CMP.
OUT (1) = “H”, CMPOUT (2) = “L”, the transistor Q1 is non-conductive, Q2 is conductive, and the motor drive voltage is the zener diode (Z
D11) The voltage drops by 4V and + 8V is supplied.

Further, when the potentiometer output value is smaller than point B in FIG. 1, the comparator output is CMPOU.
T (1) = “H” and CMPOUT (2) = “H” are set, the transistors Q1 and Q2 are turned off, and the motor drive voltage drops by the Zener diode (ZD2) voltage 6V and + 6V is supplied. Table 2 shows the operating state of this example.

[0050]

[Table 2]

In each of the above embodiments, the voltage is switched in three stages, but the number of stages is not limited to three and may be two or four or more. This should be designed according to the system such as the zoom ratio of the camera.

[Third and Fourth Embodiments] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment continuously changes the motor drive voltage according to the zoom position of the zoom lens, and corresponds to the first, second, third and fifth means.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6, as shown in FIG. 6, the servo unit 35 includes an operational amplifier 36 for inputting the potentiometer output and a transistor Q31.
Resistors R1 and R2 are provided to stabilize the motor drive voltage using the potentiometer output as a reference voltage.

In this embodiment, the potentiometer output (V _PO ) is applied to the (+) side terminal of the operational amplifier 36 and the motor drive voltage V
A value obtained by dividing _M by resistors R1 and R2 is connected to the (−) side terminal of the operational amplifier 36, and the output of the operational amplifier controls the transistor Q1. Therefore, V _M is stabilized at the voltage obtained by the following equation. V _M = (R1 + R2) V _PO / R2

The motor drive voltage V _M changes linearly with the potentiometer output (V _PO ) as shown in FIG. Therefore, the tracking operation of the pantilter is fast at zoom out,
Zooming in slows down.

However, in general, the change in the angle of view in the zoom state and the change in the tracking speed due to the change in the motor drive voltage obtained in this embodiment are not linear, and when panning and tilting are performed in all zoom states, the monitor screen is displayed. In the above, the moving speed of the subject cannot always be constant.

Therefore, when the CPU 41 is mounted on the servo unit 40 as in the automatic tracking system, the motor drive voltage is corrected by the CPU 41 as in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. Optimal control is possible. In the figure, 42 is an A / D converter for converting a potentiating signal into a digital signal, and 43 is a D / A converter for converting a correction signal from the CPU 36 into an analog signal.

According to the fourth embodiment, by the CPU 36,
A desired motor drive voltage can be obtained by using the potentiation signal as an optimum signal.

As described above, according to the tracking type television camera device according to each of the above-described embodiments, the tracking speed is controlled in association with the zoom state, so that the tracking speed setting operation is unnecessary and the usability is good.

Further, if the tracking speed is corrected in the zoom-in state only during the manual tracking and the tracking speed is not slowed down during the automatic tracking, the tracking speed at the time of the automatic tracking is sacrificed. There is no.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The tracking type television camera device receives a zoom position signal corresponding to the imaging focal length of the power zoom lens output from the zoom position generating means, and the speed correcting means drives the television camera in the tracking device based on the zoom position signal. Since the speed is set to be slower when the lens has a long focal length than when the lens has a short focal length, it is possible to easily perform manual alignment even in a zoomed-in state.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of a tracking television camera device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a potentiometer which is a zoom position generating means of the tracking type television camera device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a tracking television camera device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the position of the zoom lens of the tracking television camera device shown in FIG. 3 and the motor drive voltage of the pantilter.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a tracking type television camera device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a tracking type television camera device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a graph showing the relationship between the position of the zoom lens of the tracking television camera device shown in FIG. 6 and the motor drive voltage of the pantilter.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a tracking television camera device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a conventional tracking television camera device.

10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the tracking television camera device shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the zoom state of the tracking television camera device, the angle of view, and the speed on the screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Power Zoom Lens 2 Imaging Device 3 TV Camera 4 Zoom Command Means 5 Camera Moving Device 6 Movement Command Means 7 Tracking Device 8 Zoom Position Generating Means 9 Velocity Correcting Means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A television camera comprising a power zoom lens for changing an image pickup focal length based on a zoom signal and an image pickup device for outputting an image pickup signal, a zoom command means for generating the zoom signal, and an image pickup attached to the television camera. A camera moving device for changing the image pickup direction of the TV camera at a predetermined drive speed based on the direction change signal and a movement command means for generating the image pickup position movement signal, and a tracking device for moving the image pickup place of the TV camera. In the tracking type television camera device, a zoom position generating means for outputting a zoom position signal corresponding to the imaging focal length of the power zoom lens, and a short focal length when the zoom position signal of the zoom position generating means is a long focal length. Speed correction hand that slows down the driving speed of the TV camera in the tracking device than when Tracking type TV camera device equipped with steps. 2. The tracking type television camera device according to claim 1, wherein the zoom position generating means is a potentiometer that generates an output corresponding to a zoom operation position of the power zoom lens. 3. The tracking television camera device according to claim 2, wherein the speed correction means changes the driving speed stepwise from when the zoom position signal has the longest focal length to when the zoom position signal has the shortest focal length. . 4. The tracking type television camera device according to claim 2, wherein the speed correction means continuously changes the drive speed from when the zoom position signal has the longest focal length to when the zoom position signal has the shortest focal length. .