JPS5860709A - Picture information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate various troubles of timing, by not using the picture signal, which is stored while an object is fluctuated, for the signal processing but using only the picture signal, which is stored while the object is still approximately, for the signal processing. CONSTITUTION:In a picture information processing device, data held in a sample holding circuit 5 is converted to a digital signal in an analog-digital converting circuit 6 and is taken into a central processing device 17 and is used for succeeding processings. When a pulse I is issued from a detecting circuit 23, a start pulse generating circuit 24 is operated again, and hereafter, data is taken into the central processing device 17 similarly. Thus, data obtained just after the operation of the detecting circuit 23 is abandoned, and next obtained data is held, and therefore, only required picture information is preserved to eliminate troubles of timing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for removing unnecessary image charges accumulated during fluctuations and the timing thereof when an object that is in an almost stationary state and in a fluctuating state is captured by an accumulation-type imaging device. This is an image information processing apparatus in which there are no timing problems for the processing system, especially if the interface circuit is used to take the above steps.

If you input completely different images one after another using an image sensor such as a storage type image pickup tube or a solid-state image sensor, when the image remains the same, the screen that was being captured will be both before and after the change. This means that the information is mixed. The storage type image sensor captures the instantaneous image '#l. This is due to the fact that the images are not actually being captured, but are being captured by accumulating images over a certain accumulation time on the collar.

Therefore, in order to obtain correct information, it is necessary to remove the images that were accumulated at the time of the image change among the constantly changing images. In this case, unnecessary images can be removed from the processing system in terms of software, but this is disadvantageous if the processing system is independent of the processing system where the image changes at high speed. In other words, if the image change is independent of the processing system and is fast, it is necessary to scan one screen immediately after the image changes to remove unnecessary image data and obtain the necessary image data immediately after. If you try to process it using software, you will need to adjust the timing with the image sensor. Furthermore, if a method is used in which all images including unnecessary images are input and only unnecessary images are removed, a large amount of memory will be required.

In view of the above problems, the present invention eliminates unnecessary image data and determines its timing using a separate interface circuit when image changes are independent of the processing system and occur at high speed. This is intended to provide an image information processing device that is free from timing problems, but this will be explained based on an example shown below. The basic optical system of the alignment device is shown. C and L are imaging lenses.

2 is an aperture 2 that is rotatably arranged around the optical axis () at or near the pupil in front of the lens l and is located inside the pupil.
3 is an image sensor such as a solid-state image pickup device provided at the focus position, and at the time of one explosion, an image Q is formed on the focus plane, that is, the image sensor 3, and (a Images Q and Q' are formed at exactly the same position in the direction perpendicular to optical axis 0 when the aperture 2a is located above as shown in (b) and when the aperture 2a is located below as shown in (b). However, when the focus is out of focus, that is, the front focus or the back focus, the image Q] or Q2 is formed at a position other than the focus plane, so it is perpendicular to the optical axis 0 with respect to the image Q on the image sensor 3. A blurred image is formed at a position shifted to the opposite side in each direction, and the image position moves as Ql-+Q1' or Q2→Q2' in case (a) and case (b). . Therefore.

If the image position is adjusted so that it does not move even when the light shielding plate 2 is rotated, the lens 1 can be properly focused. In addition, in the case of front focus and rear focus (kQ+ and Q2 have different moving directions, so if this is detected, it is possible to determine whether the image is front focus or rear focus, and if the image Q1 or Q2 is Since the amount of out-of-focus can be calculated from the amount of out-of-focus, it is possible to adjust the focus in - times.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an electric circuit of one embodiment of the present image information processing apparatus, and 2' is a shaft whose central axis 2'a is parallel to the optical axis 0 as shown in FIG. It can rotate around the axis 2''a, and its inner and outer parts have a rotation angle with the dividing line 2'b, which is made of a circumference of a circle with a radius of about 100 mm and coincides with the center of the optical axis 4, that is, the optical axis 0, as a boundary. These are transparent light shielding plates formed alternately at 90° intervals, and have the same function as the light shielding plate 2 shown in FIG. 3 is a 512-pit image sensor, for example, 15 is a two-sample hole circuit, and 6 is an analog-to-digital conversion circuit. 7 is a switch, 8 and 9 are memories, and IO is a shift register.

11 is a shift value setting circuit, 12 is a subtracter, 13 is an absolute value circuit, 14 is a memory, a 15-digit addition circuit, 16 is a memo I)
, 17 is a central processing unit, which constitutes the entire central processing circuit. 18 is a display device, 19 is a lens drive circuit, and 20 is a lens drive device. 21 is a light source, and 22 is a light receiving element arranged on the opposite side of the light source 21 with respect to the light shielding plate 2'.

23 is a light plate rotation detection circuit, 24 is a start nozzle generation circuit, 25 is a counter, and 26 is an image sensor driving time M! , 27 is the master clock, 28 is the counter,
A gate 29 and a gate control circuit 30 constitute an image information processing circuit.

Since the image information processing apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above, firstly, we will discuss the action centered on the central processing circuit.
(See FIG. 3) When the image sensor 3 receives an image formed by the light beam passing through the light beam, the light intensity distribution of the image is converted into a corresponding photoelectric signal. This photoelectric signal is held in a sample hold circuit 5, then converted into a digital signal in an analog-to-digital conversion circuit 6, and stored in a memory 8 via a switch 7.

Here, the memory 8 is 8-1.・・・・・・・・・＋8−
This is a series of 512 memory cards at s+z't. That is, in this example, the photoelectric output from the image sensor 3 is 5.
Since 12 pieces are obtained, these are sequentially converted from analog to digital and sequentially stored in memory 8-1.・・・・・・・・・・・・ 8
-51'2 husband fA (1), ・・・・・・・・・, /A
It is stored as (5)2). In addition, without sequential analog-to-digital conversion.

The photoelectric signals may be converted from analog to digital in parallel at once. Next, the light shielding plate 2' is rotated so that the light beam is in the second state, that is, the transparent part B of the light shielding plate 2' (see Figure 3).
The light beam is transferred to a state where it passes through, and a light beam is formed by the light beam. Similarly to the above, the light intensity distribution of the image is stored via the image sensor 3, the sample hole F' circuit 5, the analog-to-digital conversion circuit 6, and the switch 7.
is switched to the memory 9 side, and the photoelectric signal converted from analog to digital is stored in the memo IJg-,,...
, 9-512 fB(1), ......, I'
B (512). At this time, the light intensity distribution of the stored image is as shown in Fig. 4(a), for example, and the light intensity distributions in cases A and B are shifted, indicating that the image is not in focus. I understand.

Next, the amount of image shift in the case of A and B is calculated using correlation. For example, focusing on 128 bits out of 512 bits (Fig. 4(b)), image fAcn)
and fB(n). For example, 1m in case of A
? Fix r-19t to 319 bits, and set the image for B to 128 to 255, 129 to 256, 13 n to 257
．． ......, 255-382.256-38
When the correlation is calculated while shifting by 3 bits, the out-of-focus scene and direction can be determined from the amount of image shift in case B when the correlation value reaches its peak. As a specific example of the calculation formula,
According to FIG. 4(b).

Or 2mi■2 etc. can be considered. However, calculations are made from δ=-64 to δ-64, and ABS is an absolute value. Then, δI at which R(δ) has a peak (maximum value in the case of equation (1) and minimum value in the case of equation (2)) becomes the amount of image shift [Fig. 4] C)).

To explain this in detail using the above equation (2) based on the central processing circuit VC, first, the central processing unit 17
An address designation signal is issued from z=192, that is, memory 8.
The data stored in 1g2 is input to the subtracter 12. On the other hand, this address designation signal is also input to the shift register jO, where it is shifted by a predetermined value δ (-64 in this case) by the shift value setting circuit 11 to designate an address in the memory 9. Therefore, the contents of memo 'J964 are taken into the subtracter 12. The subtracter 12 calculates the differences fA (129) to J'B (64) between both data. This value is sent to the absolute value circuit 13, converted to an absolute value, and then stored in the memo IJ 14. and.

When the signal indicating that the data has been stored is input to the central processing unit 17, the central processing unit 17 shifts the address designation signals of the memories 8 and 9 based on this signal, and shifts the address designation signals of the memories 8 and 9 to 1fA (corresponding to z=193).
Calculate z) ~ fBcx + δ)1 in the same way as above and make a note +
714. Thereafter, the data is stored in the memory 14 repeatedly until X=319. And at this point, memory 1
Add all the contents of 4! 1315, z=192 memo 'J], and store it in 6-1. Next, according to a command from the central processing unit 17, δ is set to -63, 2 is changed again from z = 192 to 3 no 9, R(-63) is calculated in the same manner as above, and the memo') J (Stored in 3-2. Similarly, calculate sequentially with R(64)'! and store in memory J6. When the above is completed, memory 16-1 to 16-+29
If the contents of R(-64) to R(64) are input to the central processing unit 17 and compared, and the minimum value R(δo)k is detected, the image shift between the first state and the second state is determined. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4 (C), depending on the size of this δ0, the shifted fireflies will also change depending on the sign in the image shift direction [shifted forward with respect to the normal voice point position]. These signals are input to the lens drive circuit 19 and the lens drive device 2 (
) by driving the lens 1, automatic bowl alignment can be performed. In addition, the above signal is displayed on the display device ]8.

Of course, you can manually adjust the focus based on the display. Note that the above δ corresponds to each bit in the image sensor 3 and is an integer, but
Since R(δ) has been calculated.

By performing appropriate curve fitting etc.

A more pure value of δ can be obtained (Figure 4, cd)
). That is, even if the pitch interval of the image sensor is different, the image shift can be detected finely.

Next, we will discuss the principle of automatically removing unnecessary images from among the images captured by the image sensor 3, that is, overlapping images that occur when changing from either of the above-mentioned first and second states to the other. To explain based on the image information processing circuit,
FIG. 5 is a time chart, in which (a) shows changes in the image.

First, as the light shielding plate 2' rotates, the amount of light received by the light receiving element 22 changes over time as shown in FIG. 5(b).

Based on the output of the light-receiving element 22, the light-shielding plate rotation detection circuit 23 detects the pulse I generated every time the brightness changes and the change from dark to bright, as shown in FIGS. 5(C) and (d). Two kinds of (+) pulses are generated, ξ pulses ■, which are generated every time.Next, the positive pulses ■ are input to the start pulse generation circuit 24 and the counter 25 at the same time.

Then, the start pulse generating circuit 24 generates a start pulse as shown in FIG. Based on this signal, the drive circuit 26 drives the image sensor 3 according to the clock pulse (FIG. 5(f)) generated by the master clock 27, and sequentially outputs the photoelectric output stored in the image sensor 3. It is read out and transferred to the sample hole 1 circuit 5, but this sample hold circuit 5 uses a sample hold circuit (see Fig. s), which will be described later.
g)) Holds the transferred data only when it is input, and in other cases discards it without holding it.

Therefore, this data is not held because the sample hold and o pulse are not input at this time, but this is an unnecessary photoelectric signal that was accumulated when the first state changed to the second state. On the other hand, the counter 25 counts the clock pulses of the master clock 27 for a predetermined image accumulation time by inputting the pulse l, and the master clock pulse counts a predetermined number (at least 512 in this example).
Gives a signal when reached. This signal is simultaneously input to the start pulse generating circuit 24 and the counter 28.

Since the start pulse generation circuit 24 operates in the same manner as when it receives the signal from the detection circuit 23, data from the image sensor 3 is sequentially transferred to the sample and hold circuit 5 as described above.

On the other hand, the counter 28 starts counting the master clock signal from the signal from the counter 25, and sends the sample and hold signal to the sample and hold circuit 5 for each count. Since the timing of the supply of this sample hole IF reference ξ and the supply of data from the image sensor 3 exactly match, all data from the image sensor 3 is held in the sample hold circuit 5. The count number of this counter 28 is the image sensor
The number of pixels is the same as that of 3, and is 512 in this embodiment.

The data held by the sample hold circuit 5 is converted into a digital signal by the analog-to-digital conversion circuit 6.
Based on the above-mentioned principle, the data is imported into the central processing unit 17 and used for subsequent processing. Next, when the pulse I is output from the detection circuit 23, the start pulse generation circuit 24 operates again.
Thereafter, data is input into the central processing unit 17 in the same manner as described above.

As is clear from the above, the configuration is such that the data obtained immediately after the detection circuit 23 operates is discarded, and the data obtained next is held. Therefore,
Immediately after the detection circuit 23 operates, the photoelectric output obtained from the image sensor 3, that is, the image signal accumulated when the transparent part of the light shielding plate 2' changes from person to B or from B to A, is a mixture of two images. This is discarded because it is unsuitable for focus detection.
The image signal that starts image accumulation when .
This is an image signal of only one of the states, and is suitable for focus detection, so it is saved rather than thrown away.

In this way, only necessary image information can be saved.

Note that in this embodiment, focus detection cannot be performed unless information on the states of A and B is received as a pair (information on two images is required to detect an image shift). be.).

Furthermore, it would be a problem if image information were automatically sent to the central processing unit 17 even when the image information is not needed, so it is necessary to prevent this from happening. For this purpose, the above-mentioned Nosolus H- is used. That is, the gate control circuit 30
When the reading signal from the central processing unit 17 is inputted to the input terminal 17, and later the nozzle (2) is inputted from the detection device 23, an output is outputted and the gate 29iON is turned on to maintain that state.

Therefore, in this state, the operations from the generation of the start pulse to the generation of the sample hole pulse are performed as described above, and the image information is sent to the central processing unit in the order of B, A, B, A, etc. 17 are sent one after another.

On the other hand, when the image information is no longer needed in the central processing unit 17, the central processing unit 17 sends a signal to the gate control circuit 30, and the gate control circuit 30 turns off the gate 29 when the pulse ■ is input, and maintains the state. ·Hold.

Therefore, in this state, the sample and hold 6 pulses are not sent to the sample and hold circuit 5, so no data enters the central processing unit 17 at all. If you do the above, sB+1. ..., B, Aσ), and the central processing unit 17 always receives the same number of image information for B and A in sequence.
Focus detection becomes possible by using image information in the state as a pair.

Figure 6 shows an optical system that is slightly different from the optical system shown in Section 1, and 31 is a prism that is installed near the pupil and plays a role equivalent to the light shielding plate 2 in Figure 1. According to this, an image in focus that would normally be formed at position P is formed at positions P and Pz, and when out of focus, an image is formed at positions P1'+P2' or positions Pl'', P2'' An image is formed. If we consider this with reference to the optical axes 01 and 02 of the image at position r'l+P2 at the time of focus, position 1'! 'l''
2′ or the position Pl”, Pz” are respectively optical axis 01+
It can be seen that there is a lateral shift in the direction perpendicular to 02. In other words, the principle is the same as the optical system shown in Fig. 1, and while the method shown in Fig. 1 observes the image shift as vibration in a time-division manner, the method shown in Fig. 6 observes it in a space-division manner. You can think of it as observing focus from two places. Even with the method shown in Figure 6, the image position P
If i + Pz are close, two images can be captured with - image sensors, but since there is a risk that the periphery of the image formed at position PI will overlap with the image at position P2, a field diaphragm is provided to narrow the field of view in advance. It is best to narrow it down so that they do not overlap. If you compare the time-division method and the space-division method, the time-division method forms images in the same place, so the point where the images overlap is considered to be in focus, and the criterion for determining whether the explosion is in focus or not. Although it has the advantage of being easy to determine, it has the disadvantage of requiring a mechanically moving mechanism such as a rotating light-shielding plate.The space division method has the advantage of not requiring a mechanically moving mechanism, but it is the same. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to determine the criteria for determining in-focus or out-of-focus because an image cannot be formed at a particular location.

Fig. 7 shows the optical system of a microphotograph device using a focusing device including this device, where 41 is a light source, 42 is a collector lens, and 43 is an illumination system placed at the pupil position So of the optical system. Aperture stop, 44 is condenser lens, 45
46 is an objective lens, 47 is an eyepiece lens, 48 is a beam splitter, 149 is a film surface, and 50 is a relay lens.

51 is a focusing mirror, 52 is a viewer, and a light-shielding plate 2' shown in FIG. 3 is disposed near one of the pupil positions soIs and I82.

Note that the image information processing device according to the present invention can be applied not only to bin adjustment but also to various other applications. For example, when performing spectrophotometry with three beams using an image sensor, it can also be used to remove unnecessary information when inputting the standard beam and sample beam alternately using ξ- etc. I can do it. It can also be used when converting a movie film to a VTR. That is, movie film has black partitions between pictures, and the data resulting from this can be discarded as unnecessary data obtained when moving from one screen to another.

As described above, according to the image information processing device according to the present invention,
When inputting completely different images one after another to a storage type image sensor, a separate interface circuit removes unnecessary images when the image changes and determines the timing, so the processing system It is as if there are no timing problems.

Also, compared to processing using software, it requires less memory.

There is also the advantage that the number is small.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic optical system of a focusing device to which the image information processing device according to the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of an embodiment of the image information processing device according to the present invention, and FIG. is a front view of the light shielding plate of the above embodiment, FIG. 4 is a graph showing the light intensity distribution and correlation on the image sensor of the above embodiment, FIG. 5 is a time chart of the above embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a basic optical system, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an optical system of a microscopic photographic apparatus using the above embodiment. 1... Imaging lens, 2'... Light shielding plate, 3... Image sensor 14... Pupil, 5... Sample hold circuit, 6... Analog-digital conversion circuit, 7...・
Switch, 8.9... Memory, 10... Shift register, 11... Shift value setting circuit, 12... Subtractor,
13...Absolute value circuit, 14...Memory, 15...
Addition circuit, 16...Memory, 17...Central processing unit, 18...Display device, 19...Lens drive circuit, 2
0... Lens drive device, 21... Light source, 22...
Light receiving element, 23... Light shielding plate rotation detection circuit, 24...
Start noculus generation circuit, 25... counter, 2
6... Image sensor drive circuit, 27... Master clock, 28... Counter, 29... Gate,
30...Gate control circuit. Figure 3' 11-4 Figure 6 Figure 5 (j) 9-Breho-no-Ten ζIji ('Off-Diagram Procedural Amendment (Voluntary) December 22, 1980 Commissioner of the Patent Office Sir 1, Case Indication Special Application No. 56-159719 Publication No. λ Name of invention Image information processing device 3, person making the amendment Patent applicant 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 5-19 Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105 Telephone Tokyo ( 432) 4 5 7 6 (6582) Patent attorney Yasushi Shinohara 5, Detailed explanation of the invention in the specification subject to amendment - “ 6. Contents of amendment (1) “Image Q” on page 4, lines 2 to 5 of the specification letter , my father is Q,
is...formed," is corrected to the following sentence. ``The image Q is formed at a position other than the focus plane, that is, at a position other than the image sensor 3.Therefore, on the image sensor 3, a blurred image or Q is formed in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis O with respect to the image Q. □ (2) Change the ``continuation name'' on page 6, line 12 of the specification letter to ``generic term □
” - corrected. (3) Change “191-319” on page 7, line 17 of the specification letter to “
192-319”. (4) “Memory 9-64 J” on page 9, line 5 of the specification
(5) r fA(129) -f on page 9, line 7 of the specification
B(64) J't-1r fA(192) -fB(
128) Correct it as J. (6) Insert the following sentence after "...is arranged." on page 18, line 19 of the specification letter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] When a storage-type imaging device images an object that has both an almost stationary state and a fluctuating state, the image signal accumulated during the fluctuation by detecting the fluctuation state of the object is not used for signal processing, and the fluctuation state is detected. An image information processing device that uses only image signals accumulated during a nearly stationary state that starts after detecting a state and ends before detecting the next fluctuating state for signal processing.