JPH11196307A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute fine image pickup operation by lighting an object by infrared rays. SOLUTION: A video signal from a camera signal processing circuit 4 and a sound signal from an amplifier 7 are supplied to a modulation circuit 10 through muting circuits 8, 9, and a modulation signal is supplied to an infrared- ray emitting circuit 11. A switch 13 for attaching/detaching an infrared-ray cut filter 2 is provided to attach/detach the filter 2 by the operation of the switch 13, and an operation signal from the switch 13 is supplied to a drive control microprocessor 12. Key signals from a data transmission ON switch 14 and an infrared-ray light-ON switch 15 are supplied to the microprocessor 12 and a control signal from the microprocessor 12 is supplied to the muting circuits 8, 9 and the circuit 11 to control the emission of infrared rays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus suitable for use in, for example, a VCR integrated video camera apparatus, a video camera apparatus, an electronic still camera apparatus, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a VCR-integrated video camera apparatus, there is a problem that the S / N of a video signal is deteriorated due to a decrease in the level of a signal to be captured at low illuminance such as at night.

On the other hand, in such a VCR-integrated video camera device, in many cases, a CCD image pickup device is used for an image pickup section. In general, an infrared cut filter is provided on the image pickup surface of such a CCD image pickup device, and the infrared cut filter also lowers the level of the video signal to be picked up.

[0004]

Therefore, a means for detaching the infrared cut filter provided in the above-mentioned image pickup section is provided, and the infrared cut filter is detached at low illuminance such as at night to obtain a good image pickup (NIGH).
(TSHOT) has been proposed. However, there is a case where sufficient imaging cannot be performed only by detaching the infrared cut filter in this way.

On the other hand, among the above-described VCR-integrated video camera apparatuses, there has been proposed an apparatus having infrared data transmission means for transmitting, for example, an imaged / recorded video signal or audio signal to the outside using an infrared signal.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and the problem to be solved is that in the conventional apparatus, sufficient imaging can be performed only by detaching the infrared cut filter. It is not possible in some cases.

[0007]

Therefore, in the present invention, when the infrared cut filter is detached, the infrared data transmission means is turned on to illuminate with infrared light. Is illuminated with infrared rays from the infrared data transmission means, and good imaging can be performed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS That is, the present invention has a means for transmitting data using infrared rays, and a means for releasing an infrared cut filter provided in an image pickup section so as to release the infrared cut filter at low illuminance. In an imaging apparatus capable of performing image capturing, the infrared data transmission means is turned on when the infrared cut filter is detached to perform illumination by infrared light.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an example of a VCR-integrated video camera device to which an imaging device according to the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 1, image light from a subject is supplied to a CCD image pickup device (imager) 3 through a lens system 1 and an infrared cut filter 2. This image sensor 3
Is supplied to the camera signal processing circuit 4 to form a video signal, and this video signal is supplied to, for example, a recording circuit 5 of a VCR device (not shown). The audio signal from the microphone 6 is supplied to the recording circuit 5 through the amplifier 7.

At the same time, the above-mentioned camera signal processing circuit 4
And the audio signal from the amplifier 7 are supplied to the modulation circuit 10 through the mute circuits 8 and 9, respectively. The signal modulated by the modulation circuit 10 is supplied to the infrared light emitting circuit 11, and the emission of infrared light is controlled according to the above-described modulation signal.

Thus, the emission of infrared light is controlled in accordance with, for example, a video signal picked up by the image pickup device 3 and an audio signal picked up by the microphone 6, or a video signal and an audio signal recorded and reproduced by the recording circuit 5. These signals are transmitted to the outside as infrared data.

On the other hand, in this apparatus, a microprocessor 12 for drive control is provided. The infrared cut filter 2 is provided with a mechanism (not shown) for mounting / detaching the filter 2. A switch 13 for operating the mounting / removal of the filter 2 is provided, and the operation is performed such that the mounting / removing of the filter 2 is performed by operating the switch 13. At the same time, the operation signal of the switch 13 is also supplied to the microprocessor 12 described above.

Further, the microprocessor 12 is supplied with a key signal from a key input circuit 16 such as an on switch 14 for data transmission and an infrared light on switch 15. Then, the control signal from the microprocessor 12 is supplied to the above-mentioned mute circuits 8 and 9. A control signal from the microprocessor 12 is supplied to the infrared light emitting circuit 11 to control infrared light emission.

In the microprocessor 12, in response to the operation of the data transmission ON switch 14 and the infrared light ON switch 15, the infrared emission control (ON / OFF and output) of the infrared emission circuit 11 is performed. , Mute circuits 8 and 9 are controlled, for example, as shown in the table of FIG.

That is, in the table of FIG. 2, when the data transmission ON switch 14 and the infrared light ON switch 15 are both OFF (OFF), the infrared emission of the infrared light emitting circuit 11 is OFF (OFF), and the output is small. Is done. Further, the mute circuits 8 and 9 are both in a mute state.

When the data transmission on switch 14 is off (OFF) and the infrared light on switch 15 is on (ON), the infrared emission of the infrared light emitting circuit 11 is on (ON) and the output is high. Is done. Further, the mute circuits 8 and 9 are both in a mute state.

Further, when the data transmission on switch 14 is on (ON) and the infrared light on switch 15 is off (OFF), the infrared light emission of the infrared light emitting circuit 11 is on (ON) and the output is low. You. In addition, the mute circuits 8 and 9 are both set not to mute.

When both the data transmission ON switch 14 and the infrared light ON switch 15 are ON (ON), the infrared light emission of the infrared light emitting circuit 11 is ON (O
N), the output is high. In addition, the mute circuits 8 and 9 are both set not to mute.

That is, in this device, when the infrared light on switch 15 is turned on, the emission output of infrared light is increased, and illumination is sufficiently performed.
In addition, the infrared light emission in the infrared light emitting circuit 11 is controlled so as to be turned on when the filter 2 is detached by an operation signal from the switch 13 for mounting / removing the filter 2 described above.

In the table of FIG. 2, when the data transmission ON switch 14 and the infrared light ON switch 15 are both OFF (OFF), the infrared emission of the infrared light emitting circuit 11 is OFF (OFF). , The emission output,
The mute circuits 8 and 9 may be in any mute state, but are set as described above for convenience.

Therefore, in this device, when the infrared cut filter is detached, the infrared data transmitting means is turned on to illuminate the object with infrared light, so that the subject is illuminated with infrared light from the infrared data transmitting means and good imaging is performed. be able to.

As a result, in the conventional apparatus, it may not be possible to perform a sufficient imaging simply by detaching the infrared cut filter, but according to the present invention, these problems can be easily solved. You can do it.

Thus, according to the above-described image pickup apparatus, there is provided a means for transmitting data using infrared rays, and a means for detaching the infrared cut filter provided in the image pickup section so that the infrared cut filter can be detached at low illuminance. In an apparatus that enables imaging, the infrared data transmission means is turned on when the infrared cut filter is detached, and illumination is performed by infrared light, so that the subject is illuminated with infrared light from the infrared data transmission means and good imaging is performed. Is what you can do.

[0025]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the infrared cut filter is detached, the infrared data transmitting means is turned on to illuminate the object with infrared rays by illuminating with infrared rays. Thus, good imaging can be performed.

According to the present invention, these problems can be easily solved by a conventional apparatus in which sufficient imaging cannot be performed simply by detaching the infrared cut filter. You can do it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of an imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a table for explaining the operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Lens system, 2 ... Infrared cut filter, 3 ... CC
D imaging device (imager), 4 ... camera signal processing circuit, 5 ... recording circuit, 6 ... microphone, 7 ... amplifier,
8, 9 mute circuit, 10 modulation circuit, 11 infrared light emitting circuit, 12 microprocessor for drive control, 1
3 ... Switch for operating attachment / detachment of filter, 14
... On switch for data transmission, 15 ... On switch for infrared light, 16 ... Key input circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup device comprising: means for transmitting data using infrared rays; and means for detaching an infrared cut filter provided in an image pickup section, thereby enabling imaging with the infrared cut filter detached at low illuminance. An imaging apparatus, characterized in that, when the infrared cut filter is detached, the infrared data transmission means is turned on to perform illumination by infrared light. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an output of the infrared ray is changed between when transmitting data using the infrared ray and when illuminating with the infrared ray.