JPH0879587A - Television camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a light-weight and inexpensive television camera device which changes the image pickup area in an instant. CONSTITUTION: A CCD television camera 22 provided with a automatic focusing function which detects the deviation of the image pickup result to automatically control the focus is arranged in one end of a coupling member 24 to constitute a television camera device 20. A mobile reflection mirror 28 is attached to the other end of the coupling member 24 to cover the image pickup area of the CCD television camera 22. Its plane mirror 30 is vertically and horizontally turned by the drive part consisting of first and second motors 31 and 32. Consequently, the CCD television camera 22 picks up the image of an image pickup area A projected on the plane mirror 30, and the plane mirror 30 is vertically turned (in the direction or an arrow x) to obtain the picture as if the tilt function were operated, and the plane mirror 30 is horizontally turned (in the direction or an arrow y) to obtain the picture as if the pan function were operated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a television camera device, and more particularly to an inexpensive television camera device capable of changing its image pickup area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A television camera device can display a real-time image of an image pickup area at a remote place by displaying its output signal on a monitor television or the like. It is widely used as a video input unit for telephone devices and video conferencing devices.

Further, in order to change the image pickup area of such a television camera device by remote control, a television camera is mounted on a pan head which swings its head up and down, left and right according to a predetermined signal, and a chilled function and a pan function are provided. Is provided, or a television camera is provided with an adjustable telephoto lens and a wide function or a zoom function for expanding or enlarging an image pickup area. According to this type of television camera device, the image capturing area can be freely changed by external control, and a single television camera device can capture a wide image capturing range.

[0004]

However, the conventional TV camera device has the following problems. The tripod head that achieves the chilled function and the pan function is configured by a single-axis or multi-axis drive electric motor that operates by using a heavy weight television camera as a load. Therefore, the television camera device adopting the pan head system changes the image capturing area at high speed, and
In order to accurately position the imaging area, a high-output, high-resolution electric motor that resists the large inertial force of the TV camera is required. As a result, if it is attempted to change the imaging area at high speed, there is a problem that the entire driving device becomes large in size and expensive. In particular, the pan function required for a pan head tends to rotate the TV camera to the required image pickup position at high speed, and this tendency is strong. When attempting to realize a high-speed pan function with insufficient hardware, ,
It has been pointed out that the inertia causes the motor to run out of step.

Further, when the TV camera device is required to have a zoom or wide function, a large and heavy automatic telephoto lens is added to the optical system of the TV camera device.
The overall weight of the TV camera device has become even greater,
The above problems become significant. Therefore, a television camera device having all functions including a chilled function, a pan function, a zoom function, and a wide function becomes an extremely expensive and large-sized device.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to construct a television camera device capable of instantly changing the image pickup area by an inexpensive and small system.
The following composition was adopted.

[0007]

A television camera device according to the present invention comprises an image pickup means for outputting an image pickup result as an electric signal, and is a television camera device capable of changing an image pickup area by an instruction signal from the outside. The optical means for reflecting or refracting light is configured to be lighter in weight than the image pickup means, the optical means is arranged in the vicinity of the image pickup means and in a fixed image pickup area of the image pickup means, and the instruction signal from the outside is provided. Accordingly, the gist is that driving means for driving the optical means is provided.

Here, the optical means corresponds to an optical element such as a mirror or a prism, but the optical means is not limited to one that always exerts the action of reflecting or refracting light. A half mirror that looks different in the ratio of reflected light and transmitted light due to the difference in brightness before and after the mirror, or a liquid crystal that changes its reflection or transmission characteristics depending on the applied voltage, such as a carsel. It may be a mirror that acts as a mirror only when a predetermined signal is input by utilizing the above, or a concave or convex mirror whose curvature can be continuously changed.

Further, a plurality of optical means may be provided for the image pickup means, in which case the area changing means selectively arranges a plurality of viewpoint changing means in a predetermined image pickup area of the image pickup means, The optical axis may be changed by rotationally driving or linearly driving the optical means. Further, the optical means is not limited to the one configured by a single optical element, and it is also possible to construct an optical system that performs complicated optical processing such as an automatic telephoto lens by combining a plurality of optical elements.

[0010]

In the television camera device of the present invention configured as described above, the driving means drives the optical means which is lighter than the image pickup means, so that the fixed image pickup area of the image pickup means remains unchanged and the photographing area is changed. Can be done.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In order to further clarify the structure and operation of the present invention described above, preferred embodiments of the television camera device of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory view of a television camera device as an embodiment of the present invention. The television camera device 20 of the present embodiment is provided with a C having an autofocus function for automatically adjusting the focus by detecting the deviation of the image pickup result.
The CD television camera 22 is arranged at one end of the connecting member 24. The attachment of the CCD television camera 22 is not carried out via a drive unit such as a so-called platform, but as shown in the drawing, a connecting member 24 is provided by a screw 26.
Is screwed on directly. In addition, the CCD TV camera 22
The connection member 24 is attached so as to be oriented toward the other end thereof, so that the image pickup area thereof is the upper portion of FIG.

At the other end of the connecting member 24, the CCD
The movable reflecting mirror 2 is provided at a position covering the image pickup area of the television camera 22.
8 is attached. Here, the movable reflecting mirror 28 is approximately 45 with respect to the connecting member 24, as indicated by the alternate long and short dash line.
The plane mirror 30 is erected at an angle of degrees, and is rotated vertically and horizontally by a driving device. In the embodiment, the drive device includes a first motor 31 that rotates the plane mirror 30 around one axis and a second motor 3 that rotates the plane mirror 30 around another axis (usually an orthogonal axis).
It consisted of 2 and. The second motor 32 rotates the plane mirror 30 together with the first motor 31, but this point is shown in a simplified manner in the figure. Of course, it is also possible to arrange an electrostrictive element such as a piezo at each end of the plane mirror 30 and to freely change the angle of the plane mirror 30 by controlling expansion and contraction of these elements, separately from such a biaxial rotation system. is there. In this case, since the mass of each piezo element as a driving element is small, the response speed of the driving system can be increased. In any case, such a structure in which the mirror body is driven with two or more axes of freedom is adopted in an electric fender mirror mounted on an automobile or the like and is a known one.

In the television camera device 20 of this embodiment having such a configuration, the CCD television camera 22 takes an image of the image pickup area A projected on the plane mirror 30 of the movable reflecting mirror 28, and further rotates the plane mirror 30 in the vertical direction. If it is moved (arrow X in the figure), as if the CCD television camera 22 was chilled, the vertically displaced portion from the imaging area A is imaged, and the plane mirror 30 is rotated in the left-right direction (arrow Y in the figure). If this is done, as if the CCD television camera 22 were panned, the portion displaced left and right from the imaging area A is imaged.

The rotation of the plane mirror 30 is based on an area change signal input to the television camera device 20, and the movable reflecting mirror 2 is rotated.
8 is driven by a drive unit (not shown)
The image pickup result of the D television camera 22 is output from the television camera device 20 as an image pickup signal. Therefore, for example, if an area change signal is input to the television camera device 20 of this embodiment using a direction input device such as a well-known joystick, the image pickup signal output from the television camera device 20 will pan or chill the image pickup area A. As a result, it is possible to perform the same various effects as a TV camera device mounted on an ordinary platform. Moreover, at this time, the television camera device 2 of the present embodiment
As is clear from the above description, 0 is a heavy weight CC
The D television camera 22 is not driven vertically and horizontally by the platform, but the lightweight plane mirror 30 is merely rotated vertically and horizontally by the movable reflecting mirror 28 configured by a simple drive system. Therefore, the inertia during panning and chilling almost depends only on the mass of the plane mirror 30, and the drive system (not shown) can be configured by the motors 31 and 32 that are lightweight and have low output, so that the entire configuration of the television camera device 20 can be reduced. It can be cheap. Further, since the reflecting mirror 30 is used, the imaging area can be rotated by 2α with respect to the rotation angle α of the reflecting mirror 30, and wide-angle panning and chilling can be performed with a small movement. Note that the image captured is a mirror image that is mirror-reversed because the reflecting mirror 30 is used, but the electrical signal from the CCD television camera 22 may be processed and returned to the original state, or the prism inside the CCD camera 22 may be processed. Can be installed and processed. Of course, you can use it as it is.

Next, a description will be given of an embodiment in which a high-performance videophone device is constructed by using the TV camera device 20. FIG. 2 is a structural conceptual diagram of a videophone device 50 using the above-mentioned TV camera device 20. As shown in the figure, the videophone device 50 uses the video camera device 20 of the above-described embodiment as an image input unit and includes a CRT monitor 52 for monitoring an image pickup signal transmitted from the other party, and a voice input. As a part, a plurality of hands-free microphones 54, 56, 58 and a speaker 60 for outputting a voice signal transmitted from a communication partner are prepared. Further, in order to enable simultaneous communication of a call and an image, the videophone device 50 of the present embodiment mixes an image pickup signal input from the video camera device 20 and an audio signal input from a plurality of microphones 54 to 58. And a demodulation circuit 64 for separating the mixed signal input from the other party into an image pickup signal and an audio signal. TV camera controller 65
Outputs an area change signal to the television camera device 20 of the above embodiment to tilde and pan the area to be imaged by the television camera device 20, digitizes the image pickup signal input from the television camera device 20, and outputs it to the signal bus B. To do.

The modem circuit 66 is a DDX or ISDN.
It controls a communication protocol for executing the transmission and reception of the above mixed signals without error by using a large-scale and high-speed public line, such as a joystick 68, and when inputting the arrangement positions of the microphones 54 to 58 as described later. Is a directional input device used for.

Such a video telephone 50 has a CPU
70, a ROM 72, a RAM 74, and the like, and is configured as a logic circuit, and the following control is performed by a program prepared in the ROM 72 in advance.

The ROM 72 stores a preset program, a communication program, and a driver software for each of the above-described constituent circuits which are shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 4 in a non-volatile manner, and the CPU 70 appropriately reads out these programs and sequentially processes them. To execute. The RAM 74 also stores information in response to a request from the CPU 70, such as storing the arrangement positions of the microphones 54, 56, 58 described later.

Next, the operation of the videophone device 50 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. The preset program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is executed when the videophone device 50 is set up.
This is mainly executed to accurately image the positions of the three microphones 54, 56 and 58 by the television camera device 20. Therefore, this program installs the videophone device 50 for the first time or the microphone 5
This is performed after changing the arrangement positions of 4-58.

When this program is executed by the CPU 70, a command is first issued to the movable reflecting mirror 28 of the television camera device 20 to return the plane mirror 30 to the original position, and the image pickup signal output from the television camera device 20 is CRT. A series of initial setting processing (step 100) such as displaying on the monitor 52 and clearing a predetermined storage area of the RAM 74 is executed. Then, an input signal from the joystick 68 is accepted (step 120), and according to the input signal, the movable reflecting mirror 28 of the television camera device 20 is chilled,
An area change signal for instructing pan is output (step 14).
0). As a result, the TV camera device 20 is as if the CCD TV camera 22 is a chilled camera, as shown in FIG.
The image pickup area is changed as if panning, and the imaged image is displayed on the CRT monitor 52. The user operates the joystick 68 while watching the display on the CRT monitor 52, and changes the image pickup area until the arrangement positions of the microphones 54, 56, 58 and the image pickup area of the television camera device 20 match each other. When it is determined that the two match, the user operates a switch (not shown) provided on the joystick 68. With this, it is determined that the setting is completed (step 160), and the information of the set microphone 54, 56 or 58 and the area change signal at this time are stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 74 (step 18).
0). It should be noted that the flowchart of FIG. 3 describes only one set of discrimination information and storage of the area change signal for the sake of brevity, but by repeating the same routine by the number of arranged microphones, It will be easily understood that a pair of information including the microphone discrimination information and the area change signal for picking up the arrangement position of the microphone is sequentially stored in the RAM 74.

After such preparations are completed, the telephone number to which the video telephone device 50 at another place is connected is dialed from this video telephone device 50 to connect the two by means of the communication program shown in the flow chart of FIG. Communication becomes possible. It should be noted that this communication program is repeatedly executed by the CPU 70 until a line disconnection signal instructing the end of communication is input to the CPU 70.

When the communication line is connected, the CPU 70 first executes a communication line starting process (step 200). Here, the communication line activation process means the modem circuit 66.
To the CRT monitor 52 and the speaker 60 via the demodulation circuit 64 and the microphones 54 to 5
8 and the signal output lines from the television camera device 20 to the modem circuit 66 through the mixing circuit 62, all operating states are established, and bidirectional communication using a communication line is established. The devices that control these two-way communication leave the control of the CPU 70 after this start-up process and continue to operate until a line disconnection signal is input.

Such a communication line starting process (step 2
00), the CPU 70 causes the microphone 54
Monitor audio signals input from ~ 58 (step 2
20) Identify the microphone 54, 56 or 58 that is currently receiving a voice signal. Then, the identification information of the specified microphone n (here, n is any one of 54, 56, and 58) and the area change signal currently output to the television camera device 20 are the preset program ( It is determined whether or not they match as a set of signals stored in (see FIG. 3) (step 240), and if they match, step 22 is performed again.
After shifting to 0, the above-mentioned processing is repeated. That is, the arrangement position of the microphone n that has received the most recent voice input is maintained as the imaging area of the television camera device 20.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step 240 that the microphone n for which the voice signal has been input and the area change signal do not match, the CPU 70 proceeds to step 260 and the microphone n for which the voice signal has been input. The area change signal forming a pair with the distinction information of is read from the RAM 74 and output to the television camera controller 65. As a result, the television camera device 20 is fixed to the plane mirror 3
0 is driven, and the arrangement position of the microphone n whose voice input is newly confirmed by the monitor input of the microphone n this time (step 220) is set as the imaging area.

The video telephone device 50 having the above structure
Since the portion of the TV camera device 20 that occupies the largest volume is suppressed to be small and lightweight as described above, it can be naturally provided at a small size and at a low cost. Further, even when a plurality of people make a call using the plurality of microphones 54 to 58, the television camera device 20 follows the chilled function and the pan function so that the talking person becomes an imaging area. Moreover, the following speed of the television camera device 20 is as described above with reference to FIG.
It only requires a small amount of work to rotate 0 up and down or left and right, and it is executed at extremely high speed and speed. For this reason CRT
On the monitor 52, the images are smoothly and naturally switched as if the user's viewpoint were following the person with whom the call was made.

According to the television camera device 20 of the present embodiment described above, the pan and chill function can be achieved by rotating the lightweight plane mirror 30 vertically and horizontally by the movable reflecting mirror 28 constituted by a simple drive system. Since it is embodied, the inertia during driving is extremely small. Therefore, the drive system that embodies the pan and chilled function can be configured by a light-weight and low-output electric motor, and the high-performance TV camera device 20 can be provided in a lightweight and inexpensive manner. Therefore, the videophone device 50 using the TV camera device 20 of the present embodiment as an image input unit is also small,
Light weight and low cost.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the area changing means of the television camera apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the structure for rotating the plane mirror 30 vertically and horizontally as described above, and a more complicated operation is possible. May be performed. For example, the movable reflecting mirror 28 shown in FIG.
If the D television camera 22 is driven in the perspective, the image captured by the CCD television camera 22 is enlarged or reduced, and so-called zoom and wide functions can be realized. Of course, it is possible to realize only pan operation and chilled operation.

Although the simplest plane mirror 30 has been described as an example of the optical means in the above embodiment, if a concave or convex mirror whose curvature can be continuously changed is used, the image pickup area is simply changed to another position. Instead, it is possible to use the image of the imaging area in a different manner (for example, enlargement / reduction). It is also possible to provide a conventional pan head on the TV camera device 20 to allow the CCD TV camera 22 to pan or chill by this pan head, and to implement it in combination with the device of the present invention. In this case, the pan or chilled speed can be further increased, and the imaging range can be expanded. Since pan and chilled by the rotation of the plane mirror 30 and pan and chilled by the pan head can be different in speed and smoothness of movement, it is also preferable to use them properly and use them as an imaging effect. .

The above-described television camera device of the present invention can be used not only as the above-mentioned videophone device 50, but also as an image pickup means such as a monitoring device or a videoconference device. At that time, instead of using the method of changing the area change signal according to the arrangement position of the microphone, the area change signal is created in combination with the output of the fire detection sensor or the infrared sensor. It goes without saying that the embodiment can be carried out.

[0030]

As described above in detail, according to the television camera device of the present invention, the light reflected or refracted by the optical means for changing the reflection angle or the refraction angle by being driven by the area changing means (imaging An image of the area) is picked up by the image pickup means. Therefore, it is possible to construct a television camera device capable of changing the image pickup area instantaneously with an inexpensive and compact system, and further to freely design a comprehensive optical function of the optical means and the driving means to obtain a desired value. It has the excellent effect of enabling visual effects.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a television camera device as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of a videophone device using the TV camera device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a preset program of the videophone device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a communication program similarly executed by the videophone device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 ... TV camera device 22 ... CCD TV camera 24 ... Connection member 26 ... Screw 28 ... Movable reflecting mirror 30 ... Plane mirror 31 ... First motor 32 ... Second motor 50 ... Video telephone device 52 ... CRT monitor 54, 56, 58 ... Microphone 60 ... Speaker 62 ... Mixing circuit 64 ... Demodulation circuit 65 ... Television camera controller 66 ... Modem circuit 68 ... Joystick 70 ... CPU 72 ... ROM 74 ... RAM A ... Imaging area B ... Signal bus

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A television camera device comprising image pickup means for outputting an image pickup result as an electric signal and capable of changing an image pickup area by an external instruction signal, wherein at least optical means for reflecting or refracting light is used for the image pickup. A driving means for driving the optical means in response to an instruction signal from the outside, the optical means being configured to be lighter in weight than the means, the optical means being disposed in the vicinity of the imaging means and in a fixed imaging area of the imaging means. The provided TV camera device.