JPH11109500A - Remotely controlled universal head controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an image from being drastically deviated from an objective shot by a manual operation (adjustment instruction) after calling the shot by setting an allowable adjustment range making a specified photographic position (shot) as a reference at the time of setting the specified photographic position. SOLUTION: At the time of setting a shot, an allowable adjustment range as for four parameters such as panning, tilting, zooming and focusing is set and stored in a memory 52. When the specified shot is called out by a shot selection switch 64, a selected shot-numbered two-color light emitting lamp 78 is lighted in red. Then, when either of a joy stick 54, a zoom operation lever 56 or a focusing operation knob 58 is operated after calling out the shot, it is judged whether the adjustment amount is within the range of an allowable adjustment width, in the case that the adjustment amount is within the range of the allowable adjustment width, the two-color light emitting lamp 78 is changed to be lighted in yellow, on the other hand, in the case that the adjustment amount exceeds the allowable adjustment width, the lamp is turned off and the fact is informed to an operator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control head control apparatus, and more particularly to a remote control head used in a video conference system or the like and having a shot function capable of setting / calling a specific shooting position (shot). It relates to a control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A remote control head (Pan / Tilt Head) is equipped with a television camera or the like, and performs a pan / tilt operation, focus and zoom adjustment of the camera by remote control from an operation unit. For example, in a video conference system, a remote control head provided in a conference room can be operated from a remote place to photograph a desired subject such as a speaker or an explanation panel.

[0003] Pan, tilt, zoom and focus positions are set in advance for specific shots such as the face of a speaker sitting on a seat, an explanation panel, and a model placed on a desk. A function (shot function) of calling a shot by button operation and automatically controlling a camera for the shot is also known. In a remote control head control device having such a shot function,
When a shot button associated with a shot to be recalled is operated, a shot lamp indicating the shot is turned on to notify the operator that the camera is set at the set point.

[0004]

However, in the conventional remote control head control device, setting / calling of shots is performed for a specific point, and the operator can focus, zoom, etc. from the called setting point. When the player operated even a little, the shot lamp was turned off. Therefore, if the focus, zoom, etc. are readjusted manually from the called shot, the operator may not be able to grasp the relationship between the actual shooting position and the set point, and there is a danger that the operator will be greatly deviated from the intended shot. Had to be operated.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and defines an adjustable range for a set shot by an operator, and determines whether or not a camera operation is performed within this range. An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control head control device that can be easily understood by an operator.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a shot storing means for storing a specific photographing position defined by four elements of pan, tilt, zoom, and focus. In a remote control pan head control device that automatically controls a television camera to the shooting position by retrieving information from the shot storage means in accordance with the above, the pan, tilt, zoom, and focus allowances are set based on the specific shooting position. Adjustment width setting means for setting an adjustment range;
Display means for displaying whether or not an adjustment instruction by the pan operation means, the tilt operation means, the zoom operation means, and the focus operation means is performed within an allowable adjustment range set by the adjustment width setting means. It is characterized by.

According to the present invention, there is provided a remote control head control device having a function (shot function) for reproducing a specific shooting position (shot) stored in the shot storage means in response to an external operation such as a switch operation. An allowable adjustment range is set at the shot position to give the shot a width. Then, it is displayed on the display means that the adjustment instruction by the pan operation means, the tilt operation means, the zoom operation means, and the focus operation means is performed within the allowable adjustment range after the shot is called, and the operation means When the adjustment instruction exceeds the allowable adjustment range, the fact is displayed on the display means. Accordingly, the operator can easily grasp the relationship between the called shot position and the actual shooting position by the subsequent adjustment, and can prevent an image from being greatly deviated from a target shot.

Further, in order to embody the present invention, a two-color light emitting lamp is used as the display means, and when the television camera is set at the shooting position based on the information of the shot storage means, When the color light emission lamp is lit in the first color and the adjustment instruction by the pan operation means, the tilt operation means, the zoom operation means, and the focus operation means is performed within the allowable adjustment range, the two-color light emission lamp is turned on. The two-color light emitting lamp is configured to be turned on in a second color and to be turned off when an adjustment instruction by at least one of the operation means exceeds an allowable adjustment range. .

With this configuration, the operator can easily grasp the relationship between the called shot position and the actual shooting position by the subsequent adjustment. As a specific mode of setting the allowable adjustment range in the adjustment width setting means, for example, a specifying means for specifying one vertex of a cube (regular hexahedron) centering on a specific shooting position is provided, and the specifying means specifies the vertex. It is conceivable to set a cube defined by the vertex to be set as the allowable photographing range.

In addition, a sphere may be used instead of the cube, and the sphere defined by the radius specified by the specifying means may be set in the adjustment width setting means as an allowable photographing range. In addition, a plurality of sizes of a cube or a sphere centering on a specific shooting position may be defined, and the size may be selected by the selection unit.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation restricting means for restricting an operation exceeding the allowable adjustment range set by the adjustment width setting means, so that only an operation within the allowable adjustment range is enabled. . As a result, it is possible to prevent an image that greatly deviates from a target shot.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a remote control head control device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a remote control head control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The remote control head control device 10 mainly includes a head body 14 on which the TV camera 12 is mounted, and an operation unit 16 for operating the head body 14, both of which are provided with a communication line (for example, a serial communication line). ) 18 so that they can communicate with each other.

The head body 14 includes a pan driving motor 20,
And a tilt drive motor 22. These motors 20 and 22 control the pan axis 24 and tilt axis 2 of the camera platform.
6 is driven to rotate, and the pan / tilt operation of the television camera 12 is performed. The television lens 30 is provided with a focus drive motor 34 for driving the focus lens group 32 and a zoom drive motor 38 for driving the variable power (zoom) lens group 36. Focus lens group 3 by the rotational driving force of motor 34
4 moves back and forth along the optical axis to perform focus adjustment, and the variable power lens group 36 moves back and forth along the optical axis by the rotational driving force of the zoom drive motor 38 to perform zooming.

The head body 14 has a central processing unit (head control CPU) 4 for controlling a pan / tilt operation, a zoom operation, a focus operation and the like in accordance with an operation from the operation unit 16.
The motors 20, 22, 34, and 38 are connected to the camera platform control CPU 40 via D / A converters 42, 43, 44, and 45, respectively. still,
Reference numeral 46 in the figure denotes a bus including a plurality of signal paths.

The camera platform control CPU 40 is connected to the operation unit 16 via an I / O port 48 and a communication modem 50.
Various command signals (data) for instructing the rotation angle in the tilting direction, zoom movement, focus movement, etc.
It is input to PU40. Based on these input command signals, the camera platform control CPU 40
A drive control signal for controlling 2, 34 and 38 is output. Further, a memory 52 is connected to the camera platform control CPU 40, and the camera control CPU 40 records various data input through the I / O port 48 in the memory 52, or stores the data in the memory 52. Data can be freely read and used.

Next, the configuration of the operation unit 16 will be described. The operation unit 16 includes a joystick (pan operation means, tilt operation means) 54 for instructing a pan / tilt operation, a zoom operation lever (zoom operation means) 56,
Operation means such as a focus operation knob (focus operation means) 58, a shot setting mode switch 60, an adjustment width setting mode switch 62, and a shot selection switch 6
4 and other various switch means relating to the shot function.

Each operating means 5 such as a joystick 54
4, 56 and 58 are A / D converters 66, 67 and 6 respectively.
8 and a bus 70 to an I / O port 72,
An operation signal corresponding to the operation amount of each of the operation means 54, 56, 58 is transmitted to the camera platform body 14 via the communication modem 74. The shot setting mode switch 60 is a switch for storing (preset) a specific shooting position (shot) defined by four elements of a pan direction, a tilt angle, a zoom position, and a focus position. On the other hand, the adjustment width setting mode switch 62 is a switch for setting a mode for setting an adjustment width (allowable adjustment range) allowable for the preset specific shot.

The shot selection switches 64 are provided with switches for n shots from the first to the n-th (n is a natural number).
Through the I / O port 72. As will be described in detail later, a two-color light emission lamp (corresponding to a display means) 78 is provided for each shot selection switch 64, and the corresponding lamp is turned on in response to the operation of the shot selection switch 64 ( (See FIG. 2).

Further, the operation unit 16 has a central processing unit (operation unit CPU) 80 and a memory 82, and the operation unit CPU 80 is connected to the camera platform body 14 via the I / O port 72 and the communication modem 74. . Memory 82
Stores a program (software) for operating the present system, and the operation unit CPU 80 comprehensively controls the operation unit 16 and the camera platform body 14 according to the program recorded in the memory 82.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the operation unit. The operation unit 16 shown in FIG.
A focus operation knob 58 is disposed substantially at the upper center, a joystick 54 is disposed on the right side, and a zoom operation switch 56 is disposed on the left side. The operation unit 16 is provided with eight shot buttons 84 corresponding to the shot selection switches 64. Two shot light emitting lamps 78, 78,...
Is arranged. In the figure, reference numeral 86 denotes a main power switch, and a shot setting mode switch 60 and an adjustment width setting mode switch 62 are disposed on the right side of the main power switch 86.

The joystick 54 is mounted on the TV camera 1
The direction of the pan / tilt operation and the operation speed of 2 are instructed. When the joystick 54 is operated in the horizontal direction in the figure, the panning of the camera can be instructed. When the joystick 54 is operated in the vertical direction in the figure, the tilting of the camera is instructed. can do. Further, the operation speed can be instructed by the angle at which the joystick 54 is tilted from the reference position (vertical position).

The zoom operation lever 56 is constituted by a so-called seesaw switch, and is swingable based on a neutral position.
Move the zoom operation lever 56 to the tele (T) side or wide (W)
When the zoom lens is operated to the side, the television lens 30 is driven in the telephoto direction or the wide direction, and the zoom speed can be adjusted by the amount of depression (operation amount) of the zoom operation lever 56. When the focus operation knob 58 is rotated clockwise in the figure, the focus lens group 32 is moved to infinity (∞).
Side, and when rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the focus lens group 32 moves to the close side.

Thus, the operator (operator) operates the joystick 54, the zoom operation lever 56, the focus operation knob 58 and the like while checking the image taken by the television camera on a monitor (not shown). We can photograph subject. The operation of the remote control head control device configured as described above will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting a specific shot. When storing a shot, first, the shot setting mode switch 60 is pressed (ON) to set a shot setting (storage) mode. This switch operation starts the shot storage process (step S101).

Next, a desired shot is set by appropriately operating the joystick 54, the zoom operation lever 56, and the focus operation knob 58 of the operation unit 16 (step S102). In FIG. 3, zoom, focus,
Pan and tilt are abbreviated as Z, F, P, and T, respectively. When a shot to be stored is determined, a shot number to be associated with the shot is selected, and a shot button 78 of the shot number is pressed to store the set value data defining the shot in the memory 52 (step S104). Thus, the memory 52 stores the step S
The four values of the zoom position, focus position, pan position, and tilt angle of the shot set in 102 are stored together with the shot number.

Subsequently, the adjustment width setting mode switch 62 is pressed (ON) to switch to the adjustment width setting mode (step S106). Then, an allowable adjustment range (adjustment width) of the manual operation is set for each of the parameters of zoom, focus, pan, and tilt based on the shot point set in step S102 (step S1).
08). Specifically, the joystick 54, the zoom operation lever 56, and the focus operation knob 58 of the operation unit 16 are appropriately operated based on the set shot point to set the maximum value of the zoom, focus, pan, and tilt movement amounts. .

For example, eight vertices of a rectangular parallelepiped (hexahedron) including a shot point are designated by the joystick 54, and the inside of the rectangular parallelepiped is automatically set as an allowable adjustment range by using a calculation function of the pan head control CPU 40. It is possible. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a function of specifying the size of the cube by designating any one vertex of the cube centered on the shot point with a joystick and automatically setting the inside of the cube as an allowable adjustment range.

After the setting of the adjustment width is determined, the data of the adjustment width is stored in the memory 52 (step S).
110), the process ends (step S112). By repeating the above procedure, eight shots from the first shot to the eighth shot can be stored. In addition to the above method of setting and inputting the allowable adjustment range, for example, the size of the cube centering on the shot point is S (small), M (medium), and L (large).
The type of adjustment may be determined in advance, and the adjustment width may be automatically set by selecting the size by the selection unit.
The radius is not limited to a cube but may be a sphere. In this case, a radius centering on a shot point is specified.

Next, the shot reproduction process will be described with reference to FIG. When the shot button 84 of the operation unit 16 is pressed (ON), the shot reproduction process is started (step S201), and the data of the shot associated with the selected shot button 84 is called from the memory 52 (step S202). And
Based on the shot point data called from the memory 52, each motor 20, 2
2, 34 and 38 are controlled, and the television camera 12 moves to the pan position, the tilt angle, the zoom position, and the focus position indicated by the shot point data (step S204).

At this time, the two-color emission lamp 78 of the called shot number lights up in red (step S206).
The selected shot can be easily grasped. After the call of the shot, if any of zoom (Z), focus (F), pan (P), and tilt (T) is adjusted by manual operation from that position (step S208), When any one of the joystick 54, the zoom operation lever 56, and the focus operation knob 58 is operated (step S208), it is determined whether or not the adjustment amount is within the range of the adjustment width stored in the memory 52. Is performed (step S210).

If it is within the range of the adjustment width, the two-color light emitting lamp 78 lit in step S206 is changed from red light to yellow light (step S21).
2) An adjustment operation according to the operation amount is performed (step S216). By changing the lighting colors of the two-color light-emitting lamps, the operator can easily grasp that the photographing is being performed within the allowable adjustment range near the shot point. The lighting colors of the two-color light-emitting lamps are not limited to the above examples.

After performing the adjusting operation in step S216, the process returns to step S208. On the other hand, if the adjustment amount exceeds the range of the adjustment width stored in the memory 52 in step S210, the two-color light emission lamp 78 is turned off (step S214), and a predetermined adjustment width from the shot point is manually operated. Notify the operator that the shooting has shifted beyond. Then, an adjustment operation according to the operation amount is performed (step S216).

If no manual adjustment instruction is issued in step S208, the process ends (step S218). In the above embodiment, the case where the adjustment operation can be performed even when the adjustment instruction (operation amount) of the manual operation after the shot call exceeds the predetermined adjustment range has been described. It is also possible to adopt a mode in which no more operation is accepted.

That is, when the manual operation adjustment instruction exceeds the set adjustment range, the camera platform control CPU 4
At 0, the adjustment operation is prohibited. As a result, only operations within the range of the predetermined adjustment width become effective, and it is possible to prevent a large deviation from the shot point. When the shot reproduction mode is released by a release means such as a shot release button, the above-described restriction on the adjustment operation is released, and free operation becomes possible.

[0034]

As described above, according to the remote control head control device of the present invention, a specific photographing position (shot) defined by the four elements of pan, tilt, zoom, and focus is used for the shot position. And setting an allowable adjustment range on the basis of, and displaying whether or not an adjustment instruction by the pan operation means, the tilt operation means, the zoom operation means, and the focus operation means after the shot call is performed within the allowable adjustment range. Is displayed, the operator can easily grasp the relationship between the called shot position and the actual shooting position by the subsequent adjustment.

Thus, in the adjustment operation after the shot is called, it is possible to prevent the image from largely deviating from the target shot.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a remote control pan head control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an example of an operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a shot setting procedure.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a shot reproduction process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Remote-control head control device 12 ... TV camera 14 ... Head body 16 ... Operation unit 20 ... Pan drive motor 22 ... Tilt drive motor 30 ... TV lens 34 ... Focus drive motor 38 ... Zoom drive motor 52 ... Memory 54 ... Joystick 56 ... Zoom operation lever 58 ... Focus operation knob 62 ... Adjustment width setting mode switch 64 ... Shot selection switch 78 ... Two color emission lamp 84 ... Shot button

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. Four types of pan, tilt, zoom, and focus
Remote control pan head control having a shot storage means for storing a specific shooting position defined by an element, retrieving information from the shot storage means in response to an external operation, and automatically controlling a television camera to the shooting position In the apparatus, an adjustment width setting unit that sets an allowable adjustment range of pan, tilt, zoom, and focus based on the specific shooting position, and adjustment by a pan operation unit, a tilt operation unit, a zoom operation unit, and a focus operation unit Display means for displaying whether or not the instruction is performed within the allowable adjustment range set by the adjustment width setting means, and a remote control head control device. 2. A two-color light-emitting lamp is used for the display means. When the television camera is set at the shooting position based on information of the shot storage means, the two-color light-emitting lamp emits a first color light. The two-color emission lamp is lit in a second color when the adjustment instruction by the pan operation means, the tilt operation means, the zoom operation means, and the focus operation means is performed within the allowable adjustment range; The two-color emission lamp is configured to be turned off when an adjustment instruction by at least one of the pan operation unit, the tilt operation unit, the zoom operation unit, and the focus operation unit exceeds the allowable adjustment range. 2. The remote control head control device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising designating means for designating one vertex of the cube centered on said specific photographing position, wherein said shot setting is performed with a cube defined by the vertex designated by said designating means as an allowable adjustment range. 2. The remote control head control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to set the control means. 4. An adjustment width setting means having designation means for designating a radius of a sphere centered on the specific photographing position, wherein the sphere defined by the radius designated by the designation means is an allowable adjustment range. The remote control head control device according to claim 1, wherein the remote control head control device is configured to be set to: 5. A size of a cube or a sphere centering on the specific photographing position is defined in advance, and a selection unit for selecting the size of the cube or the sphere is provided. 2. The remote control head control device according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined cube or sphere having a size is set as an allowable adjustment range in said adjustment width setting means. 6. The remote control head control device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation restricting unit that restricts an operation exceeding an allowable adjustment range set by the adjustment width setting unit.