JPH089424A - Stereoscopic image pickup controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To optimize control parameters such as focus, iris and convergence angle of an image pickup device based on parallax information obtained from left and right images by providing a means for calculating a parallax amount for each correspondent area of both left and right images and a means for controlling the control parameter of an image pickup means based on this parallax amount. CONSTITUTION:The outputs of video camera 1 and 2 for left and right images are transmitted to a parallax amount calculating circuit 5, and the parallax amount of each correspondent area of both left and right pictures is calculated. The focus and iris information outputted from signal processing circuits 3 and 4 and the parallax amount for each divided area outputted from the parallax amount calculating circuit 5 are transmitted to a CPU 6. The CPU 6 calculates an object distance for each area based on the interval of video cameras 1 and 2, present convergence angle theta, present zoom magnification and parallax amount of each area. Then, the focus and iris of the respective video cameras 1 and 2 are controlled for the object distance in a picture based on the distribution and the focus and iris information and the convergence angle theta is controlled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image pickup control device for controlling an image pickup means for picking up left and right images for a stereoscopic image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a stereoscopic image pickup device which picks up left and right images using an image pickup means, displays the picked up left and right images on a display device, and reproduces a stereoscopic image. In such a stereoscopic image device, the focus and iris of the image pickup means are controlled by an autofocus function and an auto iris function which are well known in ordinary video cameras.

That is, the focus is controlled by a so-called active method in which infrared rays are irradiated to measure a distance by the reflection position of the reflection term, a so-called passive method in which a high frequency component of a video signal from an image pickup device such as a CCD is detected. ing.

The iris is controlled by a method of controlling by the average value of the signal amplitude of the entire screen, a method of dividing into several parts of the screen and comparing and controlling the brightness of each part.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a stereoscopic image pickup control device capable of optimizing control parameters such as focus, iris, and convergence angle of an image pickup means based on parallax information obtained from left and right images. With the goal.

[0006]

A stereoscopic image pickup control apparatus according to the present invention includes a parallax amount calculation unit for calculating a parallax amount for each corresponding region of the left and right images picked up by the image pickup unit, and the calculated parallax amount. It is characterized by comprising control means for controlling the control parameter of the imaging means based on the quantity. The control parameters of the image pickup unit include focus, iris, angle of convergence, and the like.

[0007]

The parallax amount for each corresponding region of the left and right images picked up by the image pickup means is calculated. Then, the control parameter of the image pickup unit is controlled based on the calculated parallax amount.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a stereoscopic image pickup system.

This image pickup system comprises a left image video camera 1 for picking up a left image and a right image video camera 2 for picking up a right image. Each of the video cameras 1 and 2 is provided with a focus adjusting mechanism, an iris adjusting mechanism, and a convergence angle adjusting mechanism in addition to the lens and the CCD.

Here, the focus is the focus position. The iris is an iris and is related to the depth of focus (width of the distance at which it is in focus). The larger the iris, the shallower the depth of focus, and the smaller the iris, the deeper the depth of focus. The vergence angle is an angle θ formed by the optical axes of the two video cameras 1 and 2.

The outputs of the video cameras 1 and 2 are sent to the signal processing circuits 3 and 4, respectively. Each signal processing circuit 3, 4
Generates a predetermined video signal from an input signal and outputs it, and also generates focus information and iris information based on the input signal by a conventional autofocus and auto-iris method.

The outputs of the video cameras 1 and 2 are also sent to the parallax amount calculation circuit 5. The parallax amount calculation circuit 5 calculates the parallax amount for each of the corresponding areas of the left and right screens. For example,
The left and right screens are divided into 64 regions, and the parallax amount is calculated for each corresponding region.

The focus information and iris information output from the signal processing circuits 3 and 4 and the parallax amount for each divided area output from the parallax amount calculation circuit 5 are sent to the CPU 6. In addition, the CPU 6 includes the video cameras 1, 2
The information about the current convergence angle θ, the current zoom information, and the like are sent from the. Further, the CPU 6 is provided with a storage unit (not shown), and this storage unit stores information such as the distance between the two video cameras 1 and 2 (corresponding to the inter-eye distance).

The CPU 6 calculates the subject distance for each area based on the distance between the video cameras 1 and 2, the current convergence angle, the current zoom magnification, and the parallax amount of each area.
Then, the focus and iris of each of the video cameras 1 and 2 are controlled and the angle of convergence is controlled based on the distribution of the subject distance within the screen, the focus information and the iris information. That is, the focus adjustment mechanism, the iris adjustment mechanism, and the convergence angle adjustment mechanism of both video cameras 1 and 2 are controlled based on the distribution of the subject distance within the screen, the focus information, and the iris information.

For example, the focus is controlled so that the focal position approaches a distance having a high frequency in the object distance distribution. Further, if the subject distance distribution is biased toward the far distance side, the convergence angle θ is controlled to be small, and if the subject distance distribution is biased toward the short distance side, the convergence angle θ is controlled to be increased. .

If the subject distance distribution is gentle and uniform, the iris is reduced so that the depth of focus becomes deep. If the subject distance distribution is concentrated, the concentrated distance range is covered. The iris is controlled so that the focal depth can be obtained. The iris may be controlled so that the depth of focus is proportional to the object distance width of the image within a predetermined range on the screen.

In the above embodiment, two video cameras 1,
The left and right images are picked up by 2, but as the image pickup means for picking up the left and right images, a left image and a right image are time-divisionally and alternately formed on one image pickup device. It is possible to use, for example, a light receiving surface which is divided into two, and a left image is formed on one side and a right image is formed on the other side.

As a method of adjusting the convergence angle θ,
In addition to the method of rotating the optical system of the image pickup means, there is a method of performing image processing on the output of the image pickup means, but the present invention can be applied to any case.

[0019]

According to the present invention, control parameters such as focus, iris, and convergence angle of the image pickup means can be optimized based on the parallax information obtained from the left and right images.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging system for stereoscopic images.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 Video camera 3, 4 Signal processing circuit 5 Parallax amount calculation circuit 6 CPU

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A parallax amount calculating means for calculating a parallax amount for each corresponding region of the left and right images captured by the imaging means, and a control for controlling a control parameter of the imaging means based on the calculated parallax amount. A stereoscopic image pickup control device including means. 2. The stereoscopic image pickup control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control parameter of the image pickup means is focus. 3. The stereoscopic image pickup control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control parameter of the image pickup means is an iris. 4. The stereoscopic image pickup control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control parameter of the image pickup means is a convergence angle.