JPH1141513A - Video camera apparatus with illumination - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate nonuniformity of illumination and to provide satisfactory picked-up images by providing plural optical fibers with ends arranged around a camera, and providing illumination control means independently to the other end of each fiber. SOLUTION: An image pickup signal provided by a video camera unit 101 is inputted to a preamplifier and noise processing circuit 301. Around the camera unit 101, glass fibers 111 and 112 are arranged while directing their ends forwards. Light sources 211 and 212 are opposed respectively to other ends T1 and T2 of these fibers 111 and 112. Between the light sources 211 and 212 and the other fiber ends T1 and T2, heat absorption glasses 215 and 216 and iris members 217 and 218 are arranged. An iris control circuit 311 supplies an iris control signal to motors 221 and 222 while monitoring the output level of the preamplifier and noise processing circuit 301. The iris state of the iris members 217 and 218 are controlled and the intensity of illumination light on the left and right sides of an image pickup area is controlled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminated video camera device used for an industrial monitoring device, an endoscope device and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional endoscope apparatus is configured as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 100 denotes a camera head unit. The camera head unit 100 includes a video camera unit 101 using a solid-state imaging device. Inside the camera head unit 100, glass fibers 111, 11 with one end directed forward around the video camera unit 101.
2 are arranged. The other ends 113 of the fibers 111 and 112 are bundled and led to the illumination control unit 200.

[0003] The other end 1 of the fiber
13, a light source 201 is provided.
Is reflected by the reflecting mirror 202 and directed to the other end 113 side. Light source 201 and fiber other end 11
3, the heat ray absorbing glass 203 and the aperture member 204
Is arranged. The aperture state of the aperture member 204 can be controlled by a motor 205.

[0004] The motor 205 is controlled by a control signal from the signal processing device 300. The signal processing device 300 monitors a preamplification and noise processing circuit 301, a video signal processing circuit 302 for processing an output of the preamplification and noise processing circuit 301, and an output level of the preamplification and noise processing circuit 301. Drive circuit 30 for obtaining aperture control signal
3 A camera cable 103 derived from the video camera unit 101 of the camera head unit 100 is connected to an input terminal of the preamplification and noise processing circuit 301.

FIG. 9 shows an example of an image pickup angle between the camera head unit 100 and a subject. FIG. 4A shows a subject 40 having a surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the camera head unit 100.
1 shows a state in which an image is taken. On the other hand, FIG. 9B shows a state where an image of a subject 402 having a surface inclined in an oblique direction with respect to the axial direction of the camera head unit 100 is taken.

As can be seen from the above state diagram, FIG.
In the case of (A), the subject is evenly illuminated, but in the case of FIG. 9B, the subject is illuminated unbalanced.

[0007]

As described above, according to the conventional illuminated video camera apparatus, the illuminance of the illumination partially varies depending on the state of inclination of the camera head with respect to the subject. As a result, there is a problem that a good captured image cannot be obtained. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a video camera apparatus with illumination that eliminates non-uniformity of illumination and obtains a good captured image.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an imaging camera, a plurality of fibers having one end disposed around the imaging camera, and the other end having the other end disposed. The illumination control unit is provided with independent illumination control means for the other end of each fiber. By the above means, the illuminance of the imaging area can be partially adjusted according to the situation, which is effective for obtaining an image with uniform brightness.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. Video camera unit 10 of camera head unit 100
The imaging signal obtained in 1 is introduced into the preamplification and noise processing circuit 301 of the signal processing device 300 via the camera cable 103 in the cable section 120. Here, the video camera unit 1 is provided inside the camera head unit 100.
Glass fiber 1 with one end facing forward around 01
11 and 112 are arranged. This fiber 11
1 and 112 are independent of each other,
The other end portions T1 and T2 are guided to the illumination control unit 200 via the inside of. In the illumination control unit 200, light sources 211 and 212 face the other ends T1 and T2 of the fibers 111 and 112, respectively. Light source 211,
The light 212 is reflected by the reflecting mirrors 213 and 214, respectively, and applied to the corresponding other ends T1 and T2 of the fibers.

A heat ray absorbing glass 215 and a stop member 217 are arranged between the light source 211 and the other end T1 of the fiber. The aperture state of the aperture member 217 can be controlled by a motor 221. Further, between the light source 212 and the other end portion T2 of the fiber, a heat ray absorbing glass 216 and a diaphragm member 218 are arranged. The aperture member 218 can control its aperture state by a motor 222.

On the other hand, the preceding and noise processing circuit 301
Are supplied to the video signal processing circuit 302 and the aperture control circuit 311. Video signal processing circuit 30
Reference numeral 2 performs correction processing of the image signal with reduced noise, encodes the video signal into a desired format, and outputs the video signal.

The aperture control circuit 311 has an aperture drive circuit 303 that monitors the output level of the preamplifier and noise processing circuit 301 and obtains an aperture control signal. Here, the function of the aperture control circuit 311 will be described. Now, the camera head 10
At 0, it is assumed that the state viewed from the front is a state as shown in FIG. That is, it is assumed that the distal ends of the fibers 111 and 112 are arranged on the left and right sides of the imaging region of the imaging device to perform illumination. Then, by controlling the left and right apertures 217 and 218 in a state where the camera head unit 100 is oriented perpendicular to the flat subject, it is possible to adjust the reflected light from the subject input to the left and right imaging regions. . As a result, the average brightness on the left and right of the captured image
(B), it can be adjusted as shown in FIG.

This means that the intensity of the left and right illumination light can be controlled, the intensity of the reflected light from the subject can be adjusted, and the brightness of the left and right screens can be made substantially equal. FIG.
9 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of an aperture control circuit 311. FIG.

An input terminal 401 is supplied with an image signal from a preamplifier and noise processing circuit 301. This image pickup signal is input to the horizontal division circuit 402, is divided at a position substantially at the center of the horizontal period, the signal in the left area is input to the average luminance level detection circuit 403, and the signal in the right area is average luminance level detection. The signal is input to the circuit 404. In the case of division at a substantially middle position of the horizontal trunk, the division is performed with a certain overlap area. Next, the average luminance levels of the left and right regions are input to the difference detection circuit 405, and the difference information is obtained. This difference information is input to the motor drive pulse generation circuit 410. The motor drive pulse generation circuit 410 includes a microcomputer, a pulse generator, a logic circuit, and the like, and generates drive pulses and rotation direction control signals for the left and right motors 221 and 222 according to the difference information. The drive pulse and the rotation direction control signal are input to corresponding drive signal output circuits 411 and 412, respectively. The outputs of the drive signal output circuits 411 and 412 are output from the motors 221 and 221 respectively.
22.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is not limited to this, and the output of the average luminance level detection circuits 403 and 404 may be directly supplied to the drive signal output circuits 411 and 412. Good.

Further, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is not limited to this. Average luminance level detection circuits 403, 404
Is provided, but a peak detection circuit may be further provided. If a part having a high luminance is also photographed in accordance with the luminance and the image is combined with the image detected at the average luminance, a good image can be obtained in a wide dynamic range. For example, a plurality of images may be photographed by changing the illumination intensity for each frame or field period, and only the optimum portion may be sliced and extracted to obtain the best image.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. FIG. 4 shows another example of the illumination control unit 200. In this example, lenses 231 and 231 are disposed between fiber ends T1 and T2 and apertures 217 and 218, respectively.
32 are arranged. Further, lenses 234 and 235 are arranged between the stops 217 and 218 and the heat absorbing glass 236. A light source 237 and a reflecting mirror 238 are provided behind the heat absorbing glass 236. According to this configuration, there is one light source system, but two systems guide light from the light source to each of the fiber multi-ends T1 and T2.

FIG. 5 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. In the above embodiment, the camera head unit 100 includes:
Although the example in which the glass fiber guides the illumination light has been described, this embodiment is an example in which white light emitting elements 131 and 132 are provided, for example. The luminance of the light emitting elements 131 and 132 is controlled by a control voltage from an illumination control circuit 251 provided in the illumination control unit 200. Here, the illumination control circuit 251 includes, for example, the horizontal division circuit 402 and the average luminance level detection circuits 403 and 404 as described with reference to FIG.
And a difference detection circuit 405.
5, the light emitting element 131,
The luminance of 132 is controlled so that the average luminance level of the left and right image areas becomes substantially equal.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the screen is divided into left and right, and the luminance levels of the left and right screens are almost equal,
Although the left and right illumination illuminances are controlled, the number of illuminations is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

FIG. 6A shows an example in which the camera head unit 100 is provided with three light emission openings 601 (upper), 602 (lower left), and 603 (lower right). in this case,
The average luminance level of each area is measured in a form in which the screen is divided into an upper area, a lower left area, and a lower right area (see FIG. 3B). Each illumination is controlled so that the average luminance level of each area is substantially equal.

FIG. 7A shows three light emission ports 611 (upper left) and 612 in the camera head section 100.
This is an example in which (lower left), 613 (lower right), and 614 (upper right) are provided. In this case, the average luminance level of each area is measured in such a manner that the screen is divided into an upper left area, a lower left area, a lower right area, and an upper right area (see FIG. 3B). Each illumination is controlled so that the average luminance level of each area is substantially equal.

As described above, the illuminating light exits of the plurality of illuminating means are provided around the imaging surface of the imaging device. Then, each image dividing circuit detects the average luminance level of each divided area corresponding to each illumination light exit. Using the detected average luminance level, the illuminating means corresponding to each area is controlled so that the average luminance level of each area becomes substantially equal.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Eliminating non-uniformity of illumination and obtaining a good captured image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an operation example of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the aperture control circuit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a conventional video camera device with illumination.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a problem of a conventional video camera device with illumination.

[Explanation of symbols]

100: camera head unit, 101: video camera unit, 111, 112: glass fiber, 103: camera cable, 120: cable unit, T1, T2: fiber end, 211, 212: light source, 213, 214: reflecting mirror, 215, 216: heat absorbing glass, 217, 218
... Aperture members, 221, 222... Motors, 200... Lighting control units, 300.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An illumination control system comprising: an imaging camera; a plurality of illumination light emitting units each having one end disposed around the imaging camera; and another end configured to adjust a light output amount of the illumination light emitting unit. A video camera device with illumination, provided with illuminance adjustment means provided in the unit and independently adjusting the light output amount of each illumination light emission unit. 2. The light emitting section is one end of an optical fiber, the other end capable of adjusting the light output amount is the other end of the optical fiber, and the illuminance adjusting means illuminates the corresponding optical fiber. 2. An illuminated video camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light source for receiving light, and a diaphragm provided between each light source and an end of each corresponding fiber. 3. The light emitting section is composed of a light emitting element, the other end capable of adjusting the light output amount is a supply section for supplying a voltage to the light emitting element, and the illuminance adjusting means includes:
2. The video camera apparatus with illumination according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination adjustment circuit that applies a control voltage to each of said supply units independently. 4. The illuminated video camera device according to claim 1, further comprising an image division detection control unit for independently adjusting the light output amount. 5. The illuminance adjusting means includes one light source and a control unit that distributes output light of the light source to a plurality of light sources and independently controls the output amount of each light. The illuminated video camera device according to claim 1.