JPH1023298A - Image pickup method and device using the image pickup method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect and recognize the presence of an object and its shape or the like, existing behind a screen on which a visual image is projected by projecting an invisible ray from the opposite side of the screen on which the visual video image is projected. SOLUTION: A video image by a visual light is projected to one side of a screen S by a projection means PV. A projection means PI projecting an invisible light is provided at the opposite side of the screen S. Then an image pickup means CI, picking up an invisible light pattern on the screen from the projection means PI, is provided to the side of the screen S at which the projection means PV is provided. Thus, when an object O, such as a person is present between the projection means PI and the screen S, since a shade of the object O appears in the pattern of the invisible light on the screen S, the presence and the shape of the object O or the like are identified without being affected by the visual image on the screen S by using a video signal, such as a TV signal, outputted from the image pickup means CI.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method for imaging an object behind a screen on which a visible image is projected, and an apparatus using the image.

[0002]

An object of the present invention is to detect and recognize the presence and shape of an object behind a screen on which a visible image is projected, and to perform monitoring using a pattern of the image of the detected and recognized object. Counting objects, and
The purpose is to obtain an image that is synthesized from the image projected on this screen and the pattern of this object or the image generated based on this pattern, and to perform control using the features of this pattern. I do.

[0003]

A visible image is projected onto the screen surface from one side of the screen, and invisible light is projected onto the other surface of the screen from the opposite side of the screen. Was picked up from the one side of the screen.

The image obtained from the image pickup means for picking up an invisible light pattern on the screen is displayed as it is on the display means or used for counting the number of objects picked up from the picked up image. Can be.

[0005] Further, a pattern obtained from the imaging means or an image created based on the pattern and an image projected from the image projection means can be combined and displayed on a display device.

Furthermore, a control signal corresponding to the image obtained from the image pickup means can be obtained. As specific examples of the control, the image projected by the image projecting means and the sounding means separately provided sound. Audio can be controlled.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a view showing the principle of the present invention, in which a video image such as a television image or a film image or a visual image such as a moving image or a still image is projected from one side of a screen S by using visible light. The image is projected on the screen S by the means PV. The FV provided before the projection means PV of FIG.
Is a visible light filter that transmits only visible light, and is for blocking invisible light included in the projection light from the projection means PV.

On the opposite side of the screen S, a projection means PI for projecting invisible light (in the present invention, an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength in an invisible region such as infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, etc.) toward the screen S is provided. Provide.

Then, the projection means P of the screen S
On the side provided with V, there is provided an image pickup means CI capable of picking up an invisible light pattern on the screen due to the invisible light from the projection means PI. In addition, FI shown in front of this imaging means is a filter that transmits only invisible light.

According to this configuration, the visible image from the projection means PV is projected on one surface of the screen S (the surface on the side where the projection means PV on the left side is provided in FIG. 1, hereinafter referred to as the front surface). Then, on the other surface of the screen S (the surface on the right side where the projection means is provided in FIG. 1, hereinafter, referred to as a rear surface), the light is transmitted and diffused from the projection means PV and visually recognized as an image. At the same time, invisible light from the projection means PI is projected on the rear surface opposite to the screen S.

The invisible light projected from the projection means PI is incident on the rear surface of the screen S, and is transmitted and diffused through the screen S to generate a pattern of invisible light on the front surface thereof. The invisible light pattern is imaged. The filter FI provided in front of the image pickup means CI is for preventing the projection light from the projection means PV and other visible light from entering.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when an object O such as a person exists between the projection means PI and the screen S, a shadow of the object O appears in a pattern of invisible light on the screen S. By using a video signal such as a television signal output from the imaging unit CI,
The presence or shape of the object O can be identified without being affected by the visible image on the screen S.

By utilizing the existence and shape of the object O identified by using the image signal obtained by the above-described imaging method and imaging apparatus, it is possible to cope with various uses.

For this purpose, a video signal such as a television signal from the image pickup means CI is sent to the subsequent processing means W. As the processing means W, for example, as shown by a dotted line in the figure, A display WD for directly displaying a video image captured by the imaging means CI, a video processing device WP for performing video processing or the like on the captured video signal or television signal, and a video recording device WV such as a VTR for directly recording the captured video. Alternatively, an image data storage device WM that converts a captured image into image data and stores the image data in an image memory, a magnetic storage device, or the like may be used.

For example, when the display WD is used, the shadow of the object O behind the screen S is projected on the display WD. It is possible to monitor a person or the like intruding or performing suspicious behavior.

Further, as described in claim 4, the present invention can be used, for example, to count the number of people behind the screen or the number of people passing therethrough. This can be achieved by electronically counting the images.

Further, as described in claim 5, by combining the image of the object O obtained by the imaging means CI and the image projected on the screen S from the image projection means PV, the image projection means PV An image of the shadow of the object (or person) O with the image projected on the screen S as a background can be obtained. At this time, a process of enlarging or reducing the image of the object O or moving the position can be performed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the image of the object O or a person corresponding to the object O is replaced with a character such as an animal or a so-called monster instead of the shadow of the object O, and an unrealistic image is obtained. Can be obtained.

Further, as described in the seventh to ninth aspects, the features of the image of the person, that is, the features such as the motion and posture of the person, are extracted, and a control signal is output based on the extracted features. The desired control can be performed in this manner, and as a specific control target, for example, a video from a video source V and a sound from a sound source can be controlled as in an embodiment described later.

The video recording device WR and the image data storage device WM shown as examples of the processing device W are for recording and storing television signals and image data. Is used to reproduce the video as it is at a desired time, or to display after performing the above-described processing by the video processing device WP, and to record and store again as a video signal or image data after this processing. be able to.

[0021]

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which an image picked up according to the present invention and a visible image projected by a projection means are combined and displayed on a monitor M, and is shown in the principle diagram of FIG. In the configuration using the video processing device WP, the video source V
And the monitor M is added.

A video signal such as a moving picture / still picture or a television picture from the picture source V is sent to a projection means PV to project a visible picture on a screen S and, at the same time, to a picture processing device WP. Video source V in WP
And the pattern on the screen S due to the invisible light imaged by the imaging means CI, and the background of the moving image, the still image, the television image, etc. from the image source V and the shadow of the person O The image combined with the pattern is projected.

At this time, since the person O sees the image from the projection means PV from the back side of the screen, the image on the screen S seen by the person O is inverted left and right. It is preferable to project the image on the screen S after inverting left and right in advance.

It should be noted that the image processing device WP is provided with
The video signal from the video source V can be scaled up or down to a desired size with respect to the size of the background video from the video source V. In the example shown on the monitor M in FIG. The image reduction processing is performed by the image processing device WP such that the size of the screen from the imaging unit CI becomes smaller than the size of the screen from the source V.

In this embodiment, the case where the screen S is large from the projection means PV with respect to the person O is shown. In this case, as shown in FIG. Projection means P
The invisible light from I may be projected.

However, in the above-mentioned example, since only the shadow of the person is projected, the image processing device WP causes other animals or so-called monsters to correspond to the image of the person obtained by the image pickup means CI. By superimposing the image of the generated animal or character on the image of the image source V as a background, the person O is replaced with the animal or character on the background screen and the motion of the character or the like is generated. Can be displayed corresponding to the movement of the person.

[0027] Such processing can be displayed by replacing the movement of the operator with the movement of the character, and is extremely effective in a computer game or an amusement apparatus using a computer.

The above-described replacement processing is performed, for example, by
A thinning process is performed on the image of the person O obtained from the imaging means CI to linearize each of the torso, arms, and legs of the person O, and the character corresponding to the character is determined based on the linearized skeleton and its movement. This can be achieved by configuring and moving parts.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment for performing control in accordance with the pattern of the invisible image picked up by the image pick-up means CI, and detects features such as the posture of the person O or the direction of the arm or fingertip. , The projection means V corresponding to this feature
A part of the visible image projected from the image is enlarged / reduced or selected, and the audio source AU is controlled corresponding to this feature so that a required sound is emitted from the speaker SP to, for example, the operator O. It is.

This embodiment can be applied to a learning device, a guide device, and the like. When the embodiment is applied to a learning device, it is possible to detect which part of the screen S is pointed from the direction of the operator O's finger or arm. If it points to the correct part, the video source V 'projects the "correct" video on the entire or partial screen S, and the audio source AU generates a sound such as "good". If the operator O points to the wrong part, the video source V 'projects a video that can be a hint for deriving a correct answer, and the audio source AU can provide a hint or a "wrong" content. A voice such as "Issued."

When the present invention is applied to a route guidance apparatus using a map, an entire map is projected on a screen S in advance, the direction pointed by the operator O is detected, and the pointed direction is detected. Can be enlarged and projected, or an enlarged view prepared separately can be projected, and the route guidance can be performed by voice from the voice source AU.

Since the image picked up from the invisible light pattern on the screen S is a two-dimensional image, an error is large when the direction pointed by a finger or an arm is detected from this image, and Although it is difficult to detect the area finely, it is possible to increase the accuracy by taking this area large or by detecting the length of the finger or arm before pointing beforehand and comparing it with this length. it can.

However, if a pointing rod having a known length is prepared and is pointed by this pointing rod, the direction of the pointing rod and the length of the pointing rod image on the two-dimensional image can be detected. By doing so, the pointing direction can be detected accurately.

[0034]

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a pattern of an object or a person between the rear surface of the screen and the invisible light projecting means without being affected by the visible image projected on the front surface of the screen. Since it can be used, it can be used not only for detecting an object or a person behind the screen and for monitoring the movement, but also for performing control.

Also, it is possible to obtain an image obtained by synthesizing the pattern of the object or the person with the image projected on the front of the screen. At this time, the pattern of the person or the like can be replaced with a character such as a monster. By applying the present invention to a game machine using a computer, the recreational effect can be remarkably enhanced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of an imaging method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an apparatus using the imaging method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an apparatus using the imaging method according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

S: screen, PV: video projection means, PI: invisible light projection means, CI: invisible light imaging means, W: processing means, O: object (person), FV: invisible light cutoff filter, FI ... visible light blocking filter

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A visible image is projected onto the screen surface from one side of a screen, and invisible light is projected onto the other surface of the screen from the opposite side of the screen. An imaging method characterized in that imaging is performed from the one side. 2. An image projection means for projecting a visible image on one surface of a screen, and a visible image projected by the image projection means can be visually recognized from the other surface, and at least a part of invisible light is transmitted and diffused. The screen, invisible light projection means for projecting invisible light from the opposite side of the screen to the image projection means on the other surface of the screen, and imaging means for imaging an invisible light pattern on the screen. An imaging device, comprising: 3. An image projecting means for projecting a visible image on one surface of the screen, the screen transmitting and diffusing at least a part of invisible light, and a screen of the screen opposite to the image projecting means. An apparatus comprising: an invisible light projecting unit that projects the invisible light onto the other surface; an imaging unit that captures an invisible light pattern on the screen; and a display unit that displays the captured image. . 4. An image projecting means for projecting a visible image on one surface of the screen, the screen transmitting and diffusing at least a part of invisible light, and a screen of the screen from a side of the screen opposite to the image projecting means. Invisible light projection means for projecting invisible light on the other surface, imaging means for imaging the pattern of invisible light on the screen, and counting means for counting the number of objects imaged from the imaged image An apparatus, comprising: 5. An image projection means for projecting a visible image on one surface of a screen, and a visible image projected by the image projection means can be visually recognized from the other surface and at least a part of invisible light is transmitted and diffused. The screen, and invisible light projection means for projecting invisible light to the other surface of the screen from the opposite side of the image projection means of the screen, and imaging means for imaging the pattern of invisible light on the screen, An apparatus for obtaining an image obtained by synthesizing an image projected from the image projection means and a pattern imaged by the imaging means. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an image obtained by synthesizing an image created based on a pattern imaged by said image pickup means and an image projected from said image projection means is obtained. 7. An image projection means for projecting a visible image on one surface of a screen, a visible image projected by the image projection means being visible from the other surface, and transmitting and diffusing at least a part of invisible light. The screen, and invisible light projection means for projecting invisible light to the other surface of the screen from the opposite side of the image projection means of the screen, and imaging means for imaging the pattern of invisible light on the screen, A control device for outputting a control signal according to the characteristics of the captured video. 8. An image projection means for projecting a visible image on one surface of a screen, a visible image projected by the image projection means being visible from the other surface, and transmitting and diffusing at least a part of invisible light. The screen, and invisible light projection means for projecting invisible light to the other surface of the screen from the opposite side of the image projection means of the screen, and imaging means for imaging the pattern of invisible light on the screen, Control means for controlling an image projected by the image projection means according to the captured image. 9. An image projection means for projecting a visible image on one surface of a screen, a visible image projected by the image projection means being visible from the other surface, and transmitting and diffusing at least a part of invisible light. The screen, and invisible light projection means for projecting invisible light to the other surface of the screen from the opposite side of the image projection means of the screen, and imaging means for imaging the pattern of invisible light on the screen, An apparatus comprising: a sound generating unit; and a sound control unit that controls a sound generated by the sound generating unit in accordance with the captured image.