JPH0898083A - Controlling method for signal extract area of image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate checking of a defect of an image pickup face of an image pickup element and adjustment of the field angle. CONSTITUTION: A control signal MD is fed from a LANC controller 9 to a hand-shake correction microcomputer 6. The microcomputer 6 generates control data TC, ZC based on the control signal MD. The control data TC is fed to a timing generator 8. A signal RC is fed from the generator section 8 to an image pickup element 3 and a picture element signal of a scanning area 3b is read from an image pickup face 3a and fed to a video signal processing section 4, from which signal data DY, DC are fed to a zoom processing section 5. The control data ZC are fed to a zoom section 5 to extract data for one horizontal scanning period in a timing based on the control data ZC from the signal data DY, DC extended in the horizontal scanning direction to form signal data DYZ, DCZ and they are fed to a processing section 4, in which a luminance signal Y and a chrominance carrier signal C are obtained. The LANC controller 9 displays an image at an optional image on the image pickup screen 3a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signal extraction area control method for an image pickup apparatus, which is suitable for application to a video camera capable of electronically correcting a camera shake condition.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a video camera which does not have a function of electronically correcting a shake condition, an image pickup device (for example, CC which converts an optical image into a pixel signal which is an electric signal)
In the case of inspecting the defect of D), an image based on the pixel signals of the entire area of the imaging surface on which the optical image of the subject is formed is displayed on the underscan monitor, and the displayed image is visually inspected to inspect the defect. Is done. In addition, when adjusting the angle of view of this video camera, for example, move the video camera body so that the center point of the subject for angle of view adjustment is located at the center of the image pickup screen of the video camera, and then perform alignment. The angle of view is adjusted so that a predetermined area of the subject is displayed.

[0003]

By the way, in a video camera having a function of electronically correcting a camera shake state, an image is formed on the basis of a pixel signal in a predetermined area of an image pickup surface on which an optical image of a subject is formed. To be done. Therefore, even when the defect of the image pickup device is inspected using the underscan monitor, the pixel signal for forming an image is not based on the pixel signal of the entire image pickup surface, and thus the predetermined area The defect could not be inspected in other areas (margin areas). Further, when the video camera body is moved to adjust the angle of view as described above, the adjustment work is complicated because it is necessary to move the video camera to perform alignment.

Therefore, the present invention provides a signal extraction area control method for an image pickup apparatus, which facilitates inspection of defects on the image pickup surface of an image pickup element and adjustment of the angle of view.

[0005]

A signal extraction area control method for an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes an image pickup element for converting an optical image of a subject into pixel signals, and a signal for extracting pixel signals for a predetermined area of the image pickup element. In an image pickup apparatus having an extraction unit and an operation control unit for controlling the operation of the signal extraction unit, a control signal is externally supplied to the operation control unit of the image pickup apparatus, and a predetermined region of the image pickup element is arbitrarily set based on the control signal. It is variable.

[0006]

According to the present invention, the operation of the image pickup device for converting the optical image of the subject into pixel signals, the signal extraction means for extracting the pixel signals of a predetermined area from the pixel signals from the image pickup device, and the operation of the signal extraction means are described. A control signal is externally supplied to the operation control means of the image pickup apparatus having an operation control means for controlling, and the signal extraction means is controlled based on this control signal to read a pixel signal from an arbitrary region of the image pickup device.

Therefore, when the signal extraction area control method of the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention is used in, for example, a video camera having a function of electronically correcting a camera shake state, a pixel signal of an arbitrary area of an image pickup surface of an image pickup device is used. Therefore, it is possible to easily inspect the image sensor for defects and adjust the angle of view.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A signal extraction area control method for an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 1 is an example applied to a video camera.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a camera unit. An optical image of the subject is formed on the image pickup surface 3 a of the image pickup device 3 by the lens unit 2 of the camera unit 1. The imaged optical image of the subject is converted into pixel signals by the image sensor 3. The image sensor 3 is supplied with a read control signal RC from a timing generator unit 8 which will be described later. Based on the read control signal RC, pixel signals for a predetermined area are read from the image pickup surface 3a and the video signal processing unit 4 is read. Is supplied to. The read area is the scanning area 3b, and the other areas are the margin areas 3c.

In the video signal processing section 4, the luminance signal data DY and the color signal data DC are generated from the supplied pixel signals and are supplied to the zoom processing section 5. Further, a luminance signal Y and a carrier color signal C are formed based on the zoom luminance signal data DYZ and the zoom color signal data DCZ supplied from the zoom processing section 5, and are supplied to a video signal output terminal (not shown).

In the zoom processing section 5, the luminance signal data DY
The color signal data DC is expanded in the horizontal scanning direction by a predetermined multiple, and the data for one horizontal scanning period is extracted from the expanded data to generate zoom luminance signal data DYZ and zoom color signal data DCZ. For example, the luminance signal data DY and the color signal data DC are 1.2 in the horizontal scanning direction.
Data for one horizontal scanning period is extracted from the expanded data, and zoom luminance signal data DYZ and zoom color signal data DCZ are generated. The zoom luminance signal data DYZ and the zoom color signal data DCZ
Is about 83% of the data in one horizontal scanning period of the scanning area 3b.
It is generated based on the data of.

In the zoom processing section 5, the luminance signal data DY and the color signal data DC are expanded by a predetermined multiple in the horizontal scanning direction and the vertical scanning direction based on an operation signal from a zoom operation switch section (not shown), and this expansion is performed. The electronic zoom operation is performed by extracting the data for one horizontal scanning period and one vertical period from the data. The operation of the zoom processing unit 5 is performed by a microcomputer that controls a camera shake correction operation (hereinafter referred to as “camera shake correction microcomputer”).
It is controlled by the control data ZC from 6.

The camera shake correction microcomputer 6 is supplied with focus data Df indicating the focal length of the lens from the lens unit 2. Also, an angular velocity sensor unit 7 for detecting camera shake
Is supplied with the angular velocity signal SAGV indicating the horizontal vibration or the vertical vibration caused by the camera shake.

In the camera shake correction microcomputer 6, the image pickup device 3 is based on the supplied focus data Df and the angular velocity signal SAGV.
The amount of movement of the scanning area 3b in the vertical scanning direction is calculated.
Based on the calculated movement amount, correction data for moving the scanning region 3b in the vertical scanning direction is generated. Offset data for setting the position of the scanning region 3b in the approximate center of the imaging surface 3a in the initial state before starting the image stabilization is added to the correction data. This added data is supplied as the control data TC to the timing generator unit 8.

Further, in the camera shake correction microcomputer 6, based on the supplied focus data Df and the angular velocity signal SAGV, the data of one horizontal scanning period is obtained from the extended luminance signal data DY and color signal data DC in the zoom processing section 5. The extraction timing is calculated. Correction data for correcting the timing for extracting the data for one horizontal scanning period from the data extended based on the calculated timing is generated. Offset data for extracting data for one horizontal scanning period from the central portion of the expanded data in the initial state before starting the image stabilization is added to the correction data. This added data is supplied to the zoom processing section 5 as control data ZC.

Since the offset data can be set in advance based on the specifications of the timing generator section 8 and the zoom processing section 5, if the offset data is stored in advance in the internal memory of the camera shake correction microcomputer 6, The calculation processing of the camera shake correction microcomputer 6 can be facilitated.

In the timing generator section 8, a read control signal RC for reading out pixel signals for a predetermined area from a predetermined position on the image pickup surface 3a of the image pickup device 3 is generated based on the control data TC supplied from the camera shake correction microcomputer 6. Is generated. By supplying the read control signal RC to the image pickup device 3, the image pickup surface 3a of the image pickup device 3 as described above.
From, pixel signals for a predetermined area are read out.

This embodiment is constructed as described above,
When the camera shake correction function is disabled, the camera shake correction microcomputer 6 outputs the control data TC and the control data ZC, which are offset data, to the timing generator 8 respectively.
And to the zoom processing unit 5. For this reason, the position of the scanning region 3b is set substantially at the center of the image pickup surface 3a, and the pixel signal of the central portion is extracted from the pixel signal of the image pickup surface 3a.
Further, the zoom processing unit 5 extracts data for one horizontal scanning period from the central portion of the expanded data. Therefore, the luminance signal Y and the carrier color signal C based on the pixel signal of the central portion of the imaging surface 3a are formed.

Next, when the camera shake correction function is activated, the camera shake correction microcomputer 6 automatically adds the offset data and the data for correcting the camera shake. The added data is supplied as the control data TC and the control data ZC to the timing generator 8 and the zoom processing unit 5, respectively. Therefore, the position of the scanning region 3b is moved in the vertical scanning direction based on the control data TC, the extraction of the pixel signal is automatically controlled so as to correct the camera shake from the pixel signal of the imaging surface 3a, and the zoom processing unit is also provided. 5
In order to correct camera shake based on control data ZC, 1
Since the timing of extracting the data in the horizontal scanning period is automatically controlled, the image based on the luminance signal Y and the carrier color signal C is an image in which camera shake is corrected.

In such a video camera, when inspecting a defect of an image pickup element or adjusting an angle of view, the camera shake microcomputer 6 is connected via a LANC (a local bus for controlling a plurality of video devices in association with each other). LANC controller 9 is connected.

Now, the operation when the LANC controller 9 is connected will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

For example, when the LANC controller 9 is operated to inspect a defect of the image pickup device, step S
At T1, the operation signal MD is supplied to the camera shake correction microcomputer 6 via the LANC, and the process proceeds to step ST2.

In step ST2, the data for one horizontal scanning period is extracted from the correction data for moving the scanning region 3b in the vertical scanning direction based on the supplied operation signal MD and the data expanded in the zoom processing section 5. Correction data for correcting the timing is calculated by the camera shake correction microcomputer 6. When the LANC controller 9 is connected, the correction process based on the focus data Df and the angular velocity signal SAGV is stopped.

Next, in step ST3, step ST2
Offset data is added to the correction data calculated in step S4, and the process proceeds to step ST4.

In step ST4, the added data of the correction data and the offset data is the timing generator 8
Then, the scanning area 3b is supplied to the zoom correction section 5 and the scanning area 3b is moved to an arbitrary position on the imaging surface 3a. Further, in the zoom processing unit 5, the extraction timing for extracting the data of one horizontal scanning period from the expanded data is changed.

Therefore, by operating the LANC controller 9, it is possible to extract a pixel signal of an arbitrary region of the image pickup surface 3a of the image pickup device 3 to form an image, so that a defect can be easily inspected. . Further, also in the angle of view adjustment, the pixel signal of an arbitrary region of the imaging surface 3a can be similarly extracted to form an image, so that the angle of view adjustment can be easily performed without moving the video camera body.
Further, the LANC controller 9 can easily confirm the correction limit of the camera shake correction microcomputer 6. If the correction data based on the operation signal MD is stored in the memory in advance, it is necessary to perform the arithmetic processing by the camera shake correction microcomputer 6 by reading the correction data based on the operation signal MD from the data stored in the memory in a timely manner. Since it is eliminated, inspection and adjustment can be performed in a short time.

In the embodiment described above, the correction in the vertical scanning direction is to move the position of the scanning area 3b, and the correction in the horizontal scanning direction is extracted from the expanded data by the zoom processor 5. Although the extraction timing of the data in the horizontal scanning period is changed, the scanning area 3b
It is also possible to provide margin areas on both the left and right sides of and to move the position of the scanning area 3b in the horizontal direction to perform correction in the horizontal scanning direction. In this case, since the correction by the zoom processing unit 5 is unnecessary, it is possible to display an image of an arbitrary area of the imaging surface 3a only by the control data TC without calculating the control data ZC.

Further, according to the present invention, since the screen can be moved to an arbitrary area within the range of the image pickup device, it is possible to realize a new feature in combination with, for example, an automatic subject recognition technique.

[0029]

According to the present invention, an image pickup device for converting an optical image of a subject into pixel signals, a signal extraction means for extracting pixel signals for a predetermined area from the pixel signals from the image pickup device, and a signal extraction means. A control signal is externally supplied to the operation control means of the image pickup apparatus having the operation control means for controlling the operation, and the signal extraction means is controlled based on this control signal to read the pixel signal from an arbitrary area of the image sensor. Be done. Therefore, when the signal extraction area control method of the image pickup apparatus according to the present invention is used in, for example, a video camera having a function of electronically correcting the camera shake state, a pixel signal of an arbitrary area of the image pickup surface of the image pickup device is extracted. Therefore, it is possible to easily inspect the image sensor for defects and adjust the angle of view.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment in which a signal extraction region control method for an image pickup device according to the present invention is applied to a video camera.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation when a LANC controller is connected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 camera section 2 lens section 3 image pickup element 3a image pickup surface 3b scanning area 3c spare area 4 video signal processing section 5 zoom processing section 6 camera shake correction microcomputer 7 angular velocity sensor section 8 timing generator section 9 LANC controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup device for converting an optical image of a subject into a pixel signal, a signal extracting device for extracting a pixel signal for a predetermined region of the image pickup device, and an operation control device for controlling the operation of the signal extracting device. In an image pickup apparatus having the image pickup apparatus, a control signal is externally supplied to an operation control unit of the image pickup apparatus, and a predetermined area of the image pickup element is arbitrarily changed based on the control signal. Method.