JPH1051386A - Optical space transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical space transmitter by providing an angle adjustment device to a moving part so as to adjust an output direction of an optical signal and to extend the arrival distance of the optical signal. SOLUTION: A transmission signal having a video signal and/or an audio signal is converted into an optical signal in this optical space transmitter and an optical signal output section 7 outputting an optical signal is provided to a moving part of the optical space transmitter and a light collection means collecting an optical signal is provided. Especially, the optical space transmitter is made up of a video camera 1 and the moving part is structured to be provided to a view finder section 6. Through the constitution above, an output direction of the optical signal is adjusted without new provision of the angle adjustment device to extend the arrival distance of the optical signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical space transmission apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical space transmission device in which an optical signal output section is arranged at a movable portion of the optical space transmission device so as to adjust the output direction of the optical signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a so-called video camera combining a CCD camera and a video tape recorder (referred to as VTR) has been marketed. In this video camera, at the time of shooting, the image of the subject and the sound from the microphone received by the CCD element of the CCD camera are sent to a video tape recorder and recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape.

At the time of reproduction, a video camera and a monitor such as a television receiver are connected by a signal cable, video / audio signals recorded on the recording medium are sent to the monitor, and the video / audio signals are sent to the monitor. Can be played.

Recently, at the time of reproduction, a video camera is not connected to a television receiver by a signal cable, but rather from an optical signal output section provided at an appropriate position of the video camera to a reception section of the television receiver. An optical space transmission system has been developed in which a video / audio signal, which is a transmission signal, is converted into an optical signal and optically transmitted.

In such an optical space transmission system, there is no need to connect a video camera, which is an optical space transmission device, and a television receiver, which is a monitor, with a signal cable or the like. It is not necessary to use nerves, and operability can be significantly improved. On the other hand,
Since the television receiver is placed in a fixed position and the video camera is often operated at an unspecified position, the optical signal emitted from the video camera is transmitted to the television regardless of the relative positional relationship between the two. It is required that the signal reaches the receiver of the John receiver.

For this purpose, it is necessary to reliably receive the optical signal in the receiving section of the monitor. In order to satisfy such demands, there have been roughly two types of conventional approaches.

One approach is to use a large number of light emitting diodes so that the receiver of the monitor is within the receivable range of the optical signal regardless of the position of the video camera relative to the position of the monitor. To use. In order to reach the optical signal at a distance of about 5 m in any direction, about 8 to 12 light emitting diodes are required, and the power consumption thereof reaches as much as 2 W.

The method of increasing the output of an optical signal by using a large number of light emitting diodes has a large number of components,
High power consumption and high cost. Therefore, there is another approach in which the number of components is reduced to reduce power consumption.

Another approach in the optical signal transmission system is to increase the light density by narrowing the beam cross-sectional area of the optical signal in order to increase the reach as long as possible without increasing the output of the optical signal output unit of the video camera. is there. According to this method, the number of light emitting diodes for obtaining the same reach distance can be reduced to one tenth or less, so that the number of components can be reduced and power consumption can be reduced, so that cost can be reduced.

In this method of increasing the light density by narrowing the beam bundle of the optical signal, the direction of the beam is adjusted in order to make the direction of the beam exactly coincide with the receiving section of the monitor, that is, the output direction of the optical signal is adjusted. Coordination is an important issue.

That is, the output direction of the optical signal must be able to be easily, accurately, and quickly directed to any direction regardless of the positional relationship between the video camera and the monitor.

Conventionally, in order to adjust the output direction of an optical signal,
A method of adjusting the video camera by mounting it on a tripod or a stand, a transmission unit with an optical axis movable mechanism, and the like have been considered.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, 1-2
In a method of using a light emitting diode to increase the light density by narrowing a beam bundle in order to extend the reach of an optical signal, for example, adjusting the angle using a tripod or a table, or adjusting the optical signal output There is a problem that a new angle adjusting mechanism is required, such as attaching an optical axis moving mechanism to the section. For this reason, the simplicity of the video camera is impaired, and the cost is increased.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems without providing a new angle adjusting mechanism.
An object is to provide an optical space transmission apparatus that can adjust the output direction of an optical signal and can extend the reach of the optical signal.

[0015]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an optical space transmission apparatus according to the present invention provides an optical signal output section for converting a video signal and / or an audio signal into an optical signal and outputting the optical signal in a predetermined direction. Wherein the optical signal output unit is provided on a movable portion of the optical space transmission device and includes a light condensing unit that condenses the optical signal.

According to the above configuration, the optical signal output from the optical signal output unit can change the output direction of the optical signal without moving the mounted optical space transmission device by moving the movable portion of the optical space transmission device. It can be adjusted and focused.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a first embodiment of a video camera which is an optical space transmission apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a video camera 1 as an optical space device.
From the receiving unit 2 of the television receiver 2A as a monitor, the infrared light 3 being a thin conical light signal indicated by a dotted line.
Indicates that a video / audio signal as a transmission signal is being transmitted.

The video camera 1 comprises a video tape recorder section 4, a CCD camera section 5, an electronic viewfinder section 6, and an infrared transmission section 7 which is an optical signal output section.
The video camera 1 has various shapes, and is not limited to the shape shown in FIG.

The video tape recorder section 4 has a built-in mechanism for recording and reproducing video and audio, and processes a video signal input from the CCD camera section 5 and an audio signal input from a microphone (not shown). A function of recording on a recording medium, processing of video / audio signals recorded on the recording medium, and a viewfinder unit 6 and an infrared transmitting unit 7
To send to the

The CCD camera section 5 has a built-in optical system composed of a plurality of lenses and the like, and a CCD element for several hundred thousand pixels which is installed at right angles to the photographing optical axis. At the time of shooting, light from the shooting target is received by the CCD through the optical system,
The output signal of each CCD is converted into a digital signal and supplied to the video tape recorder unit 4.

The viewfinder section 6 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, and has an eyepiece section 6a which is flared at the rear end thereof, and a rear end of the CCD camera section 5 at the forefront. A supported rotation mechanism 6b is provided.

The rotation mechanism 6b of the viewfinder 6 is
The entire viewfinder unit 6 can be manually tilted around an appropriate rotation axis provided in the CCD camera unit 5. This allows the user to tilt the entire viewfinder unit 6 vertically in any range from horizontal to vertical with the rotation mechanism 6b as a fulcrum.

An LCD is provided in the cylinder of the viewfinder section 6.
(Liquid crystal display). An image of a subject to be received by the CCD of the CCD camera unit 5 is displayed in color on the LCD. The image of the subject displayed on the LCD can be seen through the eyepiece of the eyepiece 6a of the viewfinder 6.

The user sets the viewfinder unit 6 having an angle adjusting function to a desired angle, looks at the eyepiece unit 6a, looks at the LCD image, and moves the subject to the C camera unit 5C.
Make sure it is in the center of the field of view of the CD.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the infrared transmitting section 7 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, and is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the viewfinder section 6. This infrared transmitter 7
Is a light emitting diode (LED) unit 7c that emits infrared light.
And a lens portion 7d formed of a convex lens as a light condensing means is provided on the front surface. When the video and audio of the subject recorded on the recording medium of the video tape recorder unit 4 of the video camera 1 are reproduced on the screen of the television receiver, by pressing a play button (not shown), the light emitting diode unit 7c emits light. Then, as shown in FIG. 1A, a video / audio signal (AV signal) is transmitted from the video camera 1 to the receiving unit 2.
Is transmitted by infrared light 3 which is an optical signal.

As shown in FIG. 2, the infrared transmitting section 7 includes an AV signal input section 7a, a modulating section 7b, a light emitting diode LED section 7c, and a convex lens section 7d.

The AV signal input section 7a has an amplifying circuit, a clamp circuit, and a pre-emphasis circuit, which are well known, and receives, for example, a video / audio signal from a video tape recorder or the like, and amplifies and shapes the signal. After that, the signal is output to the modulation section 7b.

The modulation section 7b has an FM modulator and a band-pass filter, and after FM-modulating a high-frequency signal with an output signal from the AV signal input section 7a, extracts a necessary signal component and extracts a light emitting diode LED. Output to the unit 7c.

The light emitting diode LED section 7c has a light emitting diode driver and one or two infrared light emitting diodes. The light emitting diode driver 1 applies an output signal from the modulation unit 7b to the infrared light emitting diode,
Light intensity modulation (or luminance modulation) of infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting diode is performed. As a result, infrared light, which is an optical signal, is output from the infrared light emitting diode.

The convex lens portion 7d includes a light emitting diode LED
It has a convex lens installed in front of one or two LEDs of the part 7c. The infrared signal output from the infrared LED of the LED unit 7c is condensed by the convex lens, and as a result, a narrow conical shape gradually spreading parallel or forward from the convex lens unit 7d toward the infrared receiving unit 2 on the receiving side. The infrared rays 3 of the luminous flux are emitted.

Returning to FIG. 1, the angle θ between the axis L1 of the viewfinder section 6 and the optical axis 3a of the infrared ray 3 is, for example, 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction of the viewfinder section 6.
When set to degrees, the outgoing direction 3a of the infrared rays 3 is set to be substantially horizontal or slightly upward.

With such a setting, when the height of the convex lens 7d is substantially equal to the height of the receiver 2 arranged on the upper surface of the television receiver 2A, when the inclination angle of the viewfinder 6 is 45 degrees, infrared rays 3 is a television receiver 2A
Receiver 2.

When the viewfinder section 6 is raised, FIG.
As shown in (a), the output direction 3a of the infrared light 3 is directed downward, and when the viewfinder unit 6 is laid down, FIG.
As shown in (b), the output direction 3a of the infrared light 3 is upward.

As described above, by adjusting the viewfinder section 6 according to the heights of the video camera 1 and the television receiver 2A, the optical axis 3 of the infrared light 3 is adjusted.
a, that is, if the output direction is adjusted and a play button (not shown) is pressed, the AV signal is transmitted from the infrared transmitter 7 to the receiver 2 while being superimposed on the infrared. Then, the video and audio recorded on the magnetic tape or the like can be reproduced by the television receiver 2A.

According to the video camera 1 of the first embodiment, since the viewfinder 6 capable of adjusting the angle is provided with the infrared transmitter 7 having one or two light emitting diodes, a new angle adjusting mechanism and the like are required. The output direction of the optical signal can be adjusted without using it. For this reason, the AV signal can be reliably transmitted from the video camera 1 to the receiving unit 2 by superimposing the AV signal on the infrared light, without impairing the convenience and without increasing the cost.

Next, a video camera 11 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4, the video camera 11 of the second embodiment incorporates an infrared transmitting section in the viewfinder section 16 and uses the eyepiece 20 as a focusing means.

The view finder section 16 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape similarly to the view finder section 6 of the first embodiment, and includes an eyepiece section 16a and a rotating mechanism 16b.
As shown in (b), a liquid crystal display 17, an infrared light emitting diode 18 constituting an infrared transmitting unit, and a half mirror 19 for optically reflecting an optical signal in a predetermined direction are built in. An eyepiece 16a includes: Eyepiece 2 to be a focusing means
0 is provided.

The liquid crystal display 17 is built in the rotation mechanism 16b of the viewfinder section 16 and displays an object at the time of photographing and displays a reproduced image at the time of reproduction.

The infrared light emitting diode 18 is provided on the inner surface of the viewfinder 16 near the focal length of the eyepiece 20, and outputs a video / audio signal superimposed on infrared light when a play button (not shown) is pressed.

The half mirror 19 is arranged on the optical axis L2 of the viewfinder section 16 and above the infrared light emitting diode 18, and reflects the infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting diode 18 toward the eyepiece lens 20. The subject and the reproduced image displayed on the liquid crystal display 17 are transmitted through the half mirror 19, so that the eyepiece 1
By looking into the liquid crystal display 17 from 6a, the subject and the reproduced image can be viewed.

The eyepiece 20 has an original function of enlarging and viewing an image of a subject formed by an objective lens.
The infrared light reflected by the half mirror 19 is collected and the receiver 2
It also has a function as a condensing means for sending out toward.

When a video is reproduced on the television receiver 2A using the video camera 11 configured as described above, the receiver provided with the eyepiece 16a of the viewfinder 16 in the television receiver 2A. Fire infrared rays toward 2. At this time, the viewfinder 16 is operated up and down to adjust the output direction of infrared rays.

When a play button (not shown) is pressed,
The infrared light emitting diode 18 outputs an infrared light on which a video / audio signal as a transmission signal is superimposed, and the infrared light is reflected by the half mirror 19 toward the eyepiece 20. Then, the infrared rays are collected by the eyepiece 20, and the collected infrared rays are output from the viewfinder 16 and emitted in the direction of the receiver 2, as shown in FIG.

As described above, the video camera 1 of the second embodiment
According to No. 1, since the infrared transmission unit is built in the viewfinder unit 16, if the viewfinder unit 16 is rotated,
The output direction of infrared light can be adjusted without using a new angle adjustment mechanism. In addition, since the infrared light, which is an optical signal, is collected by the eyepiece 20, the range of the infrared light can be increased. Therefore, the simplicity of the video camera 11 is not impaired, and the cost is not significantly increased.

In the above embodiment, the infrared transmitting unit is externally attached to or built in the viewfinder unit 16. However, not only the viewfinder unit 16 but also any part that can adjust the angle. Needless to say, it may be provided in any part of the optical space transmission device such as a video camera.

Although the video camera has been described in the above embodiment, the shape of the video camera is not limited to the shape shown in the above embodiment. For example, the video camera has a panel display constituted by a liquid crystal display element or the like. It goes without saying that there may be.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that any type of optical space device may be used as long as it converts at least a video signal and / or an audio signal into an optical signal and transmits the optical signal without being limited to a video camera. .

[0050]

According to the optical space transmission apparatus of the present invention, since an infrared transmitting section for outputting at least a transmission signal having a video / audio signal as an optical signal is provided in a movable portion of the optical space transmission apparatus, a new space transmission apparatus is provided. The output direction of the optical signal can be adjusted without using the angle adjusting mechanism. Further, since the infrared transmitting section includes the light collecting means, the reach of the optical signal can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a video camera which is an optical space transmission apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a functional configuration of an infrared transmitting unit of the video camera.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating adjustment of an output direction of the infrared transmission unit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a video camera of a second embodiment according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 11: video camera, 2: receiver, 3: infrared, 3
a: Optical axis, 4: VTR unit, 5: CCD camera unit, 6, 1
6: Viewfinder (EVF) unit, 6a, 16a: eyepiece unit, 6b, 16b: rotation mechanism unit, 7: infrared transmission unit,
7a: AV signal input unit, 7b: modulation unit, 7c: LED
Part, 7d: convex lens part, 17: liquid crystal display, 1
8: light emitting diode, 19: half mirror, 20: eyepiece.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical display location H04B 10/00 H04B 9/00 C H04N 5/00 5/225 5/44

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An optical space transmission device comprising an optical signal output unit for converting a video signal and / or an audio signal into an optical signal and outputting the converted signal in a predetermined direction, wherein the optical signal output unit comprises the optical space transmission An optical space transmission device, comprising: a light condensing means provided on a movable portion of the device and condensing the optical signal. 2. The space optical transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the space optical transmission apparatus is a video camera, and the movable part is a view finder section of the video camera. 3. The optical space transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light collecting means comprises a lens. 4. The optical space transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said optical signal output section is externally attached to said view finder section. 5. The light according to claim 2, wherein the optical signal output section is built in the viewfinder together with a half mirror that optically reflects the optical signal in a predetermined direction. Spatial transmission equipment. 6. The optical space transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the optical signal output section incorporated in the view finder section has a configuration in which an eyepiece also serves as a light collecting means.