JPH0870398A - Image input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent an unpleasant feeling from being imparted to a viewer while a camera is moved. CONSTITUTION: A camera 32 outputs the video signal 34 of an object 30 to a video signal processing circuit 36. The camera 32 is possible to pan and tilt by a pan/motor 40 and a tilt/motor 42. A camera control circuit 44 rotates the motors 40 and 42 in accordance with the camera control signal from a camera control input device 46 and makes the camera 32 pan and tilt in an arbitrary direction. The circuit 44 outputs a camera moving signal 48 to a video signal processing circuit 36 while the camera pans and tilts. When the camera moving signal 48 is not inputted in the video signal processing circuit 36, the circuit 36 outputs the output video signal of the camera 32 as it is to an output terminal 38. While the camera moving signal is inputted, the circuit 36 outputs the video signal composed of specified images (for instance, the images including the characters while the camera is moved) in place of the output video signal 34 of the camera 32.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input device,
More specifically, it relates to an image input device capable of panning and tilting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional image input device. A camera 12 that captures an image of the subject 10
Outputs the video signal 14 of the subject 10. Camera 12
Is also installed on a pan head incorporating a pan motor 16 and a tilt motor 18, and a camera control circuit 20 rotates the motors 16 and 18 in accordance with a camera control signal from a camera control input device 22. , The camera 12 is panned and tilted in an arbitrary direction as shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the camera 12.

The camera control input device 22 is operated by a user, and is composed of, for example, a joystick, a touch panel type operation means, a computer, or the like. In a communication conference or a remote monitoring system, the camera control input device 2 is used.
2 and the camera control circuit 20 may be connected via a transmission line.

[0004]

In the conventional image input device, the image taken by the camera 12 is continuously output even during panning or tilting, and the panning or tilting is displayed on the monitor screen displaying the video signal 14. The image in the middle is displayed. Therefore, an actually stationary object appears to be moving on the monitor screen, which is unsightly and gives discomfort to the person watching the monitor screen.

[0007] In some cases, if you continue to look at the monitor screen, you may feel drunk, and you may feel sick.
In severe cases, it may cause nausea.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image input device which eliminates such inconvenience.

[0007]

An image input apparatus according to the present invention includes a camera section for picking up an image of a subject and outputting a video signal, and a video signal for processing the video signal of the camera section and outputting the video signal. The processing means, the camera control input means for inputting an instruction to move the camera section in the pan direction and the tilt direction, and the camera control signal from the camera control input means for controlling the camera section in the pan direction and the tilt direction. A camera control unit that outputs an operation signal to the video signal processing unit at the same time that the camera unit is moved, a pan motor that drives the camera unit in the pan direction, and a tilt motor that drives the camera unit in the tilt direction. And is provided.

[0008]

With the above means, the video signal can be processed by the video signal processing means while the camera section is moving so as not to give the viewer uncomfortable feeling.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. The camera 32 that images the subject 30 outputs a video signal 34 of the subject 30 to the video signal processing circuit 36. Although the details will be described later, the video signal processing circuit 36 outputs the output video signal 34 of the camera 32 as it is to the output terminal 38 when the camera 32 is stationary, and the camera 3
During the pan or tilt operation of 2, the output video signal 34 of the camera 10 is subjected to specific processing and output to the output terminal 38. The camera 32 is installed on a pan head having a pan motor 40 and a tilt motor 42 incorporated therein, and a camera control circuit 44 rotates the motors 40 and 42 in accordance with a camera control signal from a camera control input device 46. Camera 32 to pan and tilt in any direction.

Similar to the camera control input device 22, the camera control input device 46 is also operated by the user, and is composed of, for example, a joystick, a touch panel type operation means or a computer, and is used in a communication conference or a remote monitoring system. The camera control input device 46 and the camera control circuit 44 may be connected via a transmission line.

The camera control circuit 44 also outputs a camera moving signal 48, which indicates that the camera 32 is moving, to the video signal processing circuit 36 while the camera 32 is panning or tilting.

When the camera moving signal 48 is not input from the camera control circuit 44, the video signal processing circuit 36
The output video signal of the camera 32 is output to the output terminal 38 as it is. On the other hand, when the camera moving signal 48 is input from the camera control circuit 44, the video signal processing circuit 36
While the camera moving signal 48 is being input, the camera 3
Instead of the output video signal 34 of FIG. 2, a video signal of a specific still image (for example, an image of a single color on the entire surface) is output terminal 3
When the camera moving signal 48 is not input, the output video signal 34 of the camera 32 is output to the output terminal 38 as it is.

As a result, the viewer who sees the screen of the monitor connected to the output terminal 38 does not have to see the captured image while the camera 32 is panning or tilting.

As a video signal to be output by the video signal processing circuit 36 while the camera is moving, it is preferable to display that the video signal is moving by some method in order to prevent misunderstanding as a failure. For example, while the camera 32 is moving, as shown in FIG. 4, a video signal including characters such as “moving” may be substituted.

In the above example, while the camera 32 is moving,
Since no captured image is output, it is impossible to know where the camera 32 is currently capturing. To avoid this, for example, while the camera is moving, the captured image of the camera 32 is reduced and output as shown in FIG. 5, or the captured image of the camera 32 is reduced as shown in FIG. At the same time, a character such as “moving” may be combined and output under the reduced image. It is easy to add such a function to the video signal processing circuit 36.

In the above example, the captured image is not displayed at all on the monitor screen or is displayed in a reduced size, which is inconvenient for the viewer who wants to focus on the image. On the other hand, while the camera 32 is moving, the captured image is displayed at full scale while the frames are thinned to roughen the motion of the image. For example, the video signal processing circuit 36
However, while the camera is moving, the output video signal 34 of the camera 32
Are taken out once every several frames and output terminal 38
Output to.

By thinning out the frames to roughen the movement, the photographed image can be viewed on the entire monitor screen, and the discomfort of the photographed image during the pan or tilt operation of the camera 32 can be reduced.

If the frames are simply thinned out while the camera is moving, the movement may suddenly become rough and, on the contrary, anxiety may be felt. To prevent this, for example, a display indicating that the camera is moving, for example, a character indicating "camera moving" may be combined with the output video signal.

[0020]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the discomfort of the viewer who is viewing the captured image during the pan or tilt operation of the camera.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the camera 12, showing the pan and tilt directions.

FIG. 4 is an example of monitor output during camera movement.

FIG. 5 is another monitor output example during camera movement.

FIG. 6 is another monitor output example while the camera is moving.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Subject 12: Camera 14: Video signal 16: Pan motor 18: Tilt motor 20: Camera control circuit 22: Camera control input device 30: Subject 32: Camera 34: Video signal 36: Video signal processing circuit 38: Output Terminal 40: Pan motor 42: Tilt motor 44: Camera control circuit 46: Camera control input device 48: Camera moving signal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A camera unit for capturing an image of a subject and outputting a video signal, a video signal processing unit for processing the video signal of the camera unit and outputting the video signal, and a pan direction and a tilt direction for the camera unit. Camera control input means for inputting an instruction to move the camera section and the camera control signal from the camera control input means to control the camera section in the pan direction and the tilt direction to move the camera section, and at the same time, the video signal processing section. An image input device comprising: a camera control unit that outputs an operation signal to the camera; a pan motor that drives the camera unit in a pan direction; and a tilt motor that drives the camera unit in a tilt direction.