JPS63129332A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To preclude influence caused by a hand shake by controlling the time lag from the generation of a recording trigger to image recording based on the detection result of an image blur detecting means when the recording trigger is generated and the detection result of the brightness of a subject. CONSTITUTION:A decision circuit 36 sets the shutter time lag corresponding to the speed of the hand shake based on a hand shake quantity obtained by an integrator 35 and light measurement data found by a light measuring circuit 42. Then this shutter time lag time is set in a 2nd timer 37, which reaching the set timer time, outputs a high-level signal to an AND gate 40. A timing generating circuit 38 sends a high-level signal as a start of exposure control to the AND gate 40 when a switch 24 is turned on, so when the 2nd timer 37 outputs the high-level signal to the AND gate 40, the AND gate 40 sends the a high-level signal indicating exposure to an exposure control means 41. Consequently, the influence of the hand shake is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an imaging device that can prevent the effects of camera shake.

[Prior Art] - As a method for preventing camera shake caused by a photographer in IQ, there are methods to use a flash, a method to use a gyro, or a method to move a lens to correct the optical axis. However, when using flash,
There were problems such as not being able to photograph distant objects and changing the color temperature of the film surface.

Further, regarding the gyro, it is necessary to rotate the gyro in advance, and there is a problem that it is difficult to change the composition intended by the photographer due to the gyro effect. In addition, moving the optical axis of the camera lens has the problem that it takes time to move the optical axis, making it impossible to follow the speed of camera shake.

Therefore, in conventional cameras of this type, cameras have been considered that display camera shake images from the images before and after the shutter by providing a means for photographing and displaying images, but in this type of camera, after the photograph is taken, It turned out that the camera was shaky, and I ended up taking a wasted photo. For this reason, the drawback that it was difficult to prevent camera shake remained.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional example, and
An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device capable of preventing hand shake when taking a photograph.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve such an object, the present invention includes means for generating a recording trigger, and first detection means for detecting subject image blur when the recording trigger is generated. , a second detection means for detecting the brightness of the subject; The present invention is characterized by comprising means for controlling a time lag from when a recording trigger occurs until image recording is performed based on the detection result of the second detection means.

[Operation] The present invention detects an image after a recording trigger occurs according to the photometric brightness of the subject detected by the second detection means and the amount of image blur that occurs when the recording trigger detected by the first detection means occurs. Since the time until recording is set by the time lag control means, it is possible to obtain photographed images with less influence of camera shake.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the appearance of the embodiment of the present invention.

In Figure 2, 1 is the camera body, 2 is the Irrl
This is the shutter release button that directs the shadow. 3 is a display means for displaying photographed images, and is a liquid crystal display device (LC).
D) is used. 4 is a light-receiving element that captures an image from a subject, and is an area sensor using a solid-state image sensor (CCO). Reference numeral 5 denotes an optical system for the CCD 4, which forms an image of the object to be photographed on the CCD 4.

6 is a photographing optical system that exposes the film surface 7.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of a switch linked to the stroke of the release button 2 in the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, the contact piece 21 is a common terminal. The contact piece 22 is electrically connected to the contact piece 21 by the first stroke of the release button 2 by the photographer. When the photographer further depresses the release button 2 with a second stroke, the contact piece 23 becomes electrically conductive with the contact piece 24, and then with the contact piece 21 with a third stroke.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a circuit configuration in an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, numeral 31 is an A/D conversion means for converting analog image outputs sequentially output in time series by the CCD 4 into digital values, and also outputs image data to a display means 3 (not shown). 32 is a CCD driver circuit that drives the CCD 4. 33 is a storage means such as a random access memory for storing image data, and 34 is a storage means for storing image data, and 34 stores the absolute value of the brightness difference between the image data stored in the storage means 33 and the image data output from the D/D conversion means 31. It is a calculation means to find.

35 is an integrator that adds up the cumulative amount of the difference as the amount of camera shake, and 36 is a discrimination circuit that sets the delay time from when the switch 24 is turned on to when the shutter is released based on the accumulated amount of camera shake. It is. A second timer 37 counts the delay time determined by the discrimination circuit 36, and a counter may be used, for example.

38 is a timing generation circuit that generates the operation timing of each component device according to the present invention, and 39 is a first timer that counts the time from when the switch 23 is turned on to when the switch 24 is turned on. It is. 40 is an AND gate.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention in such a configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

In the present invention, the switch 22 is turned on by the first stroke, and the switch 23 is turned on by the second stroke.
A first timer 39 counts the time from "on" until the switch 24 turns "on," and based on this counted time, the amount of camera shake obtained from an integrator 35, which will be described later, and photometry data obtained from a photometry circuit 42. Discrimination circuit 3
6 is intended to set a shutter time lag according to the speed of camera shake, specifically, a delay time from when the switch 24 is turned on until the shutter (not shown) opens.

In FIG. 4, when the switch 22 is turned on by pressing the first stroke of the release button 1 by the photographer, the output of the CCD 4 is sent to the display means 3 until the switch 23 is turned on at timing B. The captured image is displayed on the display means 3. Next, as soon as the photographer decides to take a photo and presses the second stroke, the switch 23 is turned on at timing B. The switch 23 is turned on.
At the moment when the signal is turned on, the first timer 39 starts at timing D.
Start counting the time. Also, the switch 23
A/D from CCD4 at timing E at the same time as ON °°
Data converted into digital values via the conversion means 31 is stored in the storage means 33. This storage instruction is transmitted from the timing generation circuit 38 to the storage means 33 via the signal line I1.1.
sent to.

The second stroke further advances, and when the switch 24 is turned on at timing C in the third stroke, the $1 timer 39 stops. Therefore, the time from when the switch 23 is turned on until when the switch 24 is turned on can be determined.

The difference between the image data stored in the storage means 33 at timing E1 when the switch 23 was turned on in parallel with the operation of the first timer 39 and the output of the A/D conversion means 31 at timing E. An absolute value is determined by the calculation means 34. This absolute value is integrated by the integrator 35 with respect to the data of the imaged screen.This calculation instruction is issued from the timing generation circuit 38 via the signal line I12.

The determination circuit 36 calculates the shutter time lag from the output of the integrator 35, the output of the time measured by the first timer 39, and the photometry data measured by the photometry circuit 42. here,
If the total amount of camera shake counted by the integrator 35 is y1, and the time from "on" of the switch 23 measured by the first timer to the time when the switch 24 is turned "on" is X, and the photometry data is W, then the discrimination circuit 36 calculates the shutter time lag Z using, for example, z=-Ax+By-Cw.

Note that A, B, and C are constants determined from the photographing conditions. Note that this method of determining the time lag Z is merely an example, and the present invention also includes determining the time lag using various other functions.

Therefore, the shorter the time X from when the switch 23 is turned on until the switch 24 is turned on, that is, the release time lag The longer the shutter lime lag Z becomes, the shorter it becomes.

In addition, when the camera shake ff1y is large, the shutter time is short and camera shake is less likely to occur, so the shutter time lag 2 becomes longer, so you can wait for the camera shake to subside.
The smaller the camera shake amount y is, the shorter the shutter time lag Z becomes.

The brighter the imaging environment is, the shorter the shutter time is, and the less likely camera shake will occur, resulting in a shorter shutter time lag. When the shutter time lag Z is calculated by the determining means 36 in this way, the second timer 37 sets this shutter time lag time Z. When the set timer time (shutter time lag) is reached, the second timer outputs a "low level" signal to the AND gate 40 at timing F shown in FIG.

When the switch 24 is turned on, the timing generation circuit 38 outputs a high level signal to the AND gate 40 as a signal to start exposure control, so the second timer 37
outputs a "high level" signal to the AND gate 40, the AND gate 40 sends a "high level °" signal to the exposure control means 41 to instruct exposure. When the exposure control means 41 receives this exposure instruction signal, it drives the shutter drive means 43 to open the shutter and start film exposure.

The time lag time of the second timer 37 set in this embodiment is compared with a threshold value using a comparator, and if the time lag time becomes longer than the threshold value, the detection signal of this comparator causes the shutter to be activated. It is also possible to prohibit opening and display a warning.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a specific configuration of the main components in the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, at the timing when the switch 23 is turned on in response to the stroke of the shutter release button 2, the timing generator 38 outputs the RAM 1 in the storage means 33.
When a storage instruction command is sent to the signal line 02 through the path buffer 101, the A/D conversion means 3 for one screen is sent.
The output from 1 is stored in RAM 102. A counter 103 that generates a clock corresponds to the address of the RAM 102 and the output of the A/D conversion means 31.

Next, when the switch 24 is turned on, the output from the A/D conversion means 31 for one screen and the RAM 10 are output at this timing.
A subtracter 104 calculates the difference between the data stored in the subtracter 104, and an absolute value circuit 105 calculates the absolute value of the difference, that is, a luminance difference, and outputs the result to an adder 106.

The adder 106 in the integrator 35 sums up the brightness difference data calculated above in the register 109, and outputs the summed data to the discrimination circuit 36 through the path buffer 10B. Therefore, the total sum of brightness differences is calculated for the data of the entire imaged screen.

If the photographer causes camera shake, the image position of the subject will change to CCD4.
As a matter of course, a change in brightness can be seen at the same imaging position on the CCD 4. The present invention focuses on this point and obtains the amount of camera shake by calculating the sum of the luminance differences.

For example, when the background is dark and the subject is bright, or vice versa, it should be easy to see that the greater the amount of camera shake caused by the photographer, the greater the sum of the luminance differences.

FIG. 6 shows a timing generation circuit 38 in an embodiment of the present invention.
An example of a specific configuration is shown below.

In FIG. 6, when switch 22 is turned "on", power is supplied to the circuit. The clock of the clock generation circuit 203 is counted up by the counter 202, and the value of this counter is used as an address to output the timing.
It is supplied to OM201.

From the ROM 201, the CCD driver 32 is stored in an address every time an address is specified. Storage means 3
3. Calculating means 34. Timing data to the exposure control means 41 etc. is provided on the data line fl+2. of the ROM 201. Ilr
, is output via IL2°-213.

When the photographer presses the shutter release button 2 further and the switch 23 is turned on, the latch circuit 205, which is made up of a flip-flop, for example,
Since the "ON" signal is latched and a write signal is sent to the recording means 33 via the signal line J2, one screen data at this timing sent from the CCD 4 is stored in the storage means 33.

At the same time, the counter 39, which is the first timer, starts counting up. Next, the "on" signal of the switch 24 latched by the latch circuit 204 is inverted by the inverter 206. When the inverted "low level" signal is input to the AND gate 207, the first timer 39 is stopped.

Therefore, it is possible to measure the time from when the switch 23 is turned on until when the switch 24 is turned on.

Note that the latch circuit 2 is used as a stop signal for the first timer 39.
Instead of using the output of latch 209, the output of latch 209 may be used.

The output of the latch circuit 204 is also input to the AND gate 210. The decoder 211 detects that the address counter value has reached a constant value. When this detection signal is sent from the decoder 211 to the AND gate 210, the latch circuit 209 stores it in the ROM 20 as upper address data.
A "high level" signal will be sent to the upper address bit of 1.

Therefore, the timing generation circuit 38 can instruct new timing after the switch 24 is turned on. Although this embodiment shows an example of the configuration of the timing generation circuit 38 using the ROM 201, the timing generation circuit for each device is configured with a counter, a latch circuit, etc., and the clock from the reference clock generator 203 is It is also possible to count and send a predetermined timing signal to each of the above devices.

FIG. 7 shows the discriminating means 36 and the second
An example of a specific configuration of the timer 37 is shown below.

In FIG. 7, 36 is a discriminating means, which utilizes a decoder. From switch 23 “on” to switch 24
A first timer 39 that stores the time until "on" of the
The output from the integrator 35, the output of the value corresponding to the amount of screen shake (camera shake amount), and the output of the photometric value from the photometry circuit 42 are manually input to the decoder 36, and the output from the integrator 35 is inputted to the decoder 36, and the output from the integrator 35 is manually inputted to the decoder 36. The interval time is output to comparator 302.

That is, when the time measured by the first timer 39 is long, the shutter time lag is short because the release button 2 is pressed down slowly, and when the shooting environment is bright, the shutter time lag is short and the output of the integrator 35 is large. The interval time is determined by configuring the output of the decoder 36 in such a manner that the output of the decoder 36 is correlated, such that when the image blur is large, the shutter time lag is increased.

The second timer 37 receives the exposure start signal from the timing generation circuit 38 on the signal line 111. When the counter 304 receives the signal through the AND gate 305, the counter 304 counts up in synchronization with the clock signal input to the AND gate 3θ5. Comparator 302 outputs a "high level" signal to AND gate 40 when the outputs of decoder 301/3B and counter 304 match, instructing the end of the shutter time lag, that is, the start of exposure.

In this embodiment, a decoder is used in the discrimination circuit 36, but the discrimination circuit 36 is configured using a subtracter, an adder 1 multiplier, etc., or a ROM, and the above-mentioned formula Z=-Ax+
The calculation output calculated by By −Cw may be performed. Here, A, B, and C are constants, and X is the first timer 3.
9, y is the output value of the integrator 35, and W is the output value of the photometry circuit 4.
This is the output value of 2.

FIG. 8 shows the circuit configuration of the exposure control means 41 in the embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 58, 8 is an SPC which is a light receiving element for photometry, and a photocurrent generated at 5 pca is converted into a compressed voltage by an operational amplifier 352 and a diode 353 for logarithmic compression. When the photocurrent is 15pc, the operational amplifier 352 outputs . Here Tvc
is the reference voltage, k is the Boltzmann constant, T is the absolute temperature, and q
is the electron charge, and io is the reverse saturation current of the diode 353.

The output voltage of the operational amplifier 352 is
Enter into the base of 5. When the collector current is Ic, the following equation holds true.

and (2) can be written as follows.

Therefore, Ic= TVc' x 1zpc
(4) As described above, the photocurrent multiplied by TV c' flows to the collector of the transistor 355.

When exposure is started, the switch 356 is turned off, and the time setting capacitor 354 is charged by the collector current of the transistor 355. Note that Vcc is the power supply of the circuit.

This voltage is determined by a comparator 358 as a reference voltage 357.
When this voltage becomes larger than the reference voltage, the output of the comparator 358 changes from high level to low level. The AND gate 359 outputs a high level from the timing of the start of exposure until the output of the comparator 358 becomes low level, controls the transistor 361 via the resistor 360, and energizes the coil 362. This coil 362 controls a shutter (not shown) to obtain proper exposure.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a configuration in a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the to/D conversion means 31 in the first embodiment,
Storage means 33. Arithmetic means 34. Integrator 359 discrimination circuit 36. This is an example in which a microcomputer (MPU) processes the functions performed by the first timer 39 and the second timer 37. In FIG. 9, the same parts as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

401 is an MPU, and the MPU 401 is an arithmetic processing unit (
CPU) 401-1, A/D converter 401-2.
ItRAM4013. It has ll0M401-4. C
Pt1401-1 is the first
Execute the control procedure shown in Figure 0. A/D converter 401-
2 is the image data captured by the CCD 4 and the photometry circuit 42
Analog-to-digital conversion of photometric data obtained from

The RAM 401-3 is a storage means for storing the image data, stores variables used in the control procedure shown in FIG. 9, and serves as a counter.

Figure 1O shows MPII401 in the second embodiment of the final period.
An example of the control procedure is shown below.

In Figure 1O, when the power of the camera body is turned on,
Register HN in RAM4Q1-3 and CPU401-1
K is cleared and other component devices are initialized (step Sl).

Next, when the release button 2 is pressed and the switch 22 is turned on, the CCD 4 is driven. The first image data taken in by the CCD 4 is digitally converted by the A/D converter 401-2 and then displayed on the display means 3. Thereafter, the captured image continues to be displayed until the switch 23 is turned on (steps 52 and 53).

When the switch 23 is turned on, an initial value is assigned to the register H serving as a first timer and counting of the reference clock is started (step S4). Next, in step S5, the MPUI instructs the CCD driver 32 to drive CC[14, and outputs data for one imaged screen from the CCD 4 to the A/
After D conversion, it is stored in RAM401-3 and M
The PII 401 counts the elapsed time using the register H (steps S6 to Sa).

Next, when the MPU 401 detects that the switch 24 is "on" (step 510), it stops counting the reference clock of the register H (step 5it). Next, the CCD driver 32 is commanded to drive the CCD 4, and after converting one pixel worth of image data obtained from the CCD 4 into a digital signal,
Import into register I in PU401-1 (step 5
12-513).

Next, the CPU 401-1 stores the RAM 401 in step S14.
-3 is read, and the difference between this stored data and the image data stored in register I is determined (steps 514 to 515).

In step 517, the difference between the above image data is stored in register J.
Cumulative total. Below, the procedure of steps 512 to 518 will be explained by C.
This is performed for data for one image screen of CD4, and the cumulative difference y of the image data is determined.

When the cumulative difference y for one imaging screen is determined, the time value X stored in register H, the cumulative difference y stored in register J, and the photometric data sent from the photometric circuit 42 are digitally converted. By the value W, Z=-8x+By-C
w is calculated and this calculated value Z is stored in register K serving as the second timer 37 (step 519).

Next, subtract 1 unit time from the register for each reference clock, and when the value in the register becomes °°0'', the MPU4
01 sends an exposure start signal to the exposure control means 41, and starts film exposure by the exposure drive means 43 (step 5).
22). When the MPt 1401 receives the exposure completion signal from the exposure control means 41, this control means ends. Thereafter, by executing this control procedure every time a photograph is taken, it is possible to take photographs without the influence of camera shake.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when detecting image blur, the difference between the images at the time of the first stroke and the second stroke of the release button was determined, but the present invention is not limited to this. Other methods may also be used.

Further, in order to record the image, film exposure was performed in this embodiment, but the subject image may be converted into an electrical signal and recorded on, for example, a magnetic medium.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since the time dag is determined according to both the image blur when the recording trigger occurs and the brightness of the subject, the occurrence of image blur can be prevented.
Moreover, the time lag can also be shortened. This allows you to obtain high-quality photos, and if the camera shake is at the 8i edge,
It is also possible to stop photographing by prohibiting the exposure operation and issuing a warning of camera shake, thereby achieving the effect of eliminating wasted film.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration in the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance in the embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 shows the stroke of the release button 2 in the embodiment of the invention. An explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the interlocked switches 22, 23, 24, Fig. 4 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation timing in the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 shows an example of the circuit configuration of the main part in the embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram shown in FIG. 6 is a timing generation circuit 38 in an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the discrimination circuit 36 and the second timer 37 in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. A circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of the circuit 42, FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration in an embodiment of the tube 2 of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the tube 2 of the present invention.
3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure. 4...CCD. 33...Storage means, 34...Calculation means, 35...Integrator, 36...Discrimination circuit, 38...Timing generation circuit, 41...Exposure control means. Figure 3 Figure 6 % close

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) means for generating a recording trigger; first detection means for detecting subject image blur when the recording trigger is generated; second detection means for detecting brightness of the subject; and means for controlling a time lag from when the recording trigger occurs until image recording is performed based on the detection results of the first and second detection means. 2) A first detection means detects a first stroke of the release button that instructs the recording trigger, and a third detection means detects a second stroke of the release button that is further advanced than the first stroke. a fourth detection means; a time measurement means for measuring the time from the time when the first stroke is detected to the time when the second stroke is detected; 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising calculation means for calculating a difference between the image information captured at the time of detection of the second stroke and the image information captured at the time of detection of the second stroke.