JPS6348082A - Still image pickup camera for detecting object - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an accurate image of an object by providing first and second transferring means for detecting the object, a holding means to delay an output for a prescribed time, a comparison means to output an object- detection signal, and a means to take out an image. CONSTITUTION:The signal charges of a CCD image pickup part 3 are transferred to a CCD accumulation part 4 by means of first transferring pulses Pi, the signal charges of the CCD accumulation part are transferred to a horizontal shift register by means of second transferring pulses Ps whose number of pulses is set by the first transferring means for detecting object, and the signals charges of the horizontal shift register 5 are taken out as video signals by means of third transferring pulses T whose number of pulses is set. Said video signals are shifted in their output times by a holding means 15, and thus shifted video signals are compared with each other by a the comparator 17 to detect the charge in these signals. In such a manner, the presence of an object can be detected. Since the detection of an object is executed by the titled its own camera, the image of an object can be obtained accurately.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of the Invention) The present invention provides a CC
A CCD solid-state imaging device consisting of a D imaging section, a CCD storage section, and a horizontal shift register outputs a vertical synchronization signal and, in response to the vertical synchronization signal, accumulates signal charges for one field in the CCD imaging section. The present invention relates to an FT (frame transfer) type still imaging camera for detecting an object, which includes a timing generation section that outputs a first transfer pulse to be transferred to a CCD storage section.

(Prior art and its problems) In this type of conventional static imaging camera for object detection, an object detection sensor such as a photoelectric sensor is installed at a predetermined location in the middle of the product conveyance line, and when the sensor detects an object, The camera was configured so that the shutter would be released.

However, in the case of the conventional example having such a configuration, in addition to requiring an object detection sensor, a synchronization circuit for releasing the shutter in response to the detection of an object by the object detection sensor must be added. The drawback was that it was complicated and expensive.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of detecting an object with a simple and inexpensive configuration without requiring a special sensor, and accurately obtaining an image of the object. The purpose is to do so.

(Structure and Effects of the Invention) In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides, in the still imaging camera for detecting an object described at the beginning, a timing generating section that is provided with a timing generating section that generates a signal that is smaller than the horizontal line of the L field. a first object detection transfer means for transferring signal charges in the CCD storage section to the horizontal shift register by a set number of second transfer pulses Ps; a second object detection transfer means for transferring the signal charge of the horizontal shift register and extracting it as a video signal by a set number of third transfer pulses T; and a holding means for holding the video signal and delaying its output for a set time. and a comparing means for comparing the video signal and the video signal delayed by a set time by the holding means and outputting an object detection signal when a signal change is detected, the timing generating section being provided with: and image extracting means for extracting a video signal for one field in response to the object detection signal.

According to this configuration, when detecting an object, the signal charge of the CCD imaging section is transferred to the CCD storage section by the first transfer pulse Pi, and the second transfer pulse of the set side is transmitted by the first object detection transfer means. Ps transfers the signal charges in the CCD storage section to the horizontal shift register, and a set number of third transfer pulses T takes out the signal charges in the horizontal shift register as video signals, and holds the video signals. The presence of an object can be detected by shifting the output times using the means, comparing the temporally shifted video signals with each other using the comparison means, and detecting changes in the signals.

Therefore, since the object is detected by the object detection stationary imaging camera itself, there is no need for a special sensor, and there is no need for a synchronization circuit to turn off the image based on the object detected by the sensor. It has become possible to obtain accurate images of objects easily and inexpensively.

(Description of Examples) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a still imaging camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, ``■'' is a photographic lens, and 2 is a CCD solid-state image sensor, which converts an optical signal incident through the photographic lens 1 into an electrical signal.

The CCD solid-state imaging device 2 includes a CCD imaging section 3 and a CC
A D storage section 4 and a horizontal shift register 5 are provided.

As a result, during normal imaging, the CCD imaging section 3 accumulates signal charges photoelectrically converted according to the brightness of incident light, and out of the image data accumulated in the CCD imaging section 3, l Image data (signal charges) for 942 horizontal minutes are transferred manually in one clock of the first transfer pulse Pi.
1 of the CCD storage section 4.
Image data (signal charge) for a horizontal line is transferred to the horizontal shift register 5 by inputting one clock of the second transfer pulse PS, and a set number of first transfer pulses Pi and second transfer pulses Ps are input to the COD imaging unit. The accumulated signal charge for one field of 3 is transferred to the horizontal shift register 5 as a COD accumulation accumulation portion.

Further, the image data for one field transferred to the horizontal shift register 5 is transferred to the outside by inputting the third transfer pulse T.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a timing generator, which outputs a vertical synchronizing signal VD and a horizontal synchronizing signal HD, and also outputs the first transfer pulse Pi and the second transfer pulse Ps in response to the vertical synchronizing signal VD, and , third transfer pulse T
It is designed to output .

A counter 7 is configured to be cleared by the input of the vertical synchronizing signal VD and to count the horizontal synchronizing signal HD, and the counter 7 has a set value, and the counter 7 is configured to count the horizontal synchronizing signal HD. A start signal is output when the values match. This set value is set to a value smaller than the number of horizontal synchronizing signals HD in one field period, and the set value can be changed. Preferably, the activation signal is output twice at close timing using two set values.

8 is a COD clear pulse generating section, and the counter 7
The CCDI image section 3 and the CCD
A number of clear pulses CP greater than the number of pixels of each of the four CD storage pixels are generated to transfer and clear the signal charges existing or accumulated on the CCD imaging section 3 and the CCD CD storage.

The output terminal from the COD clear pulse generator 8 is connected to the input terminal of the first and 20th R gate (9.10), and the other input terminal of the first OR gate 9 is connected to the output terminal from the timing generator 6. The output terminal of the first transfer pulse Pi is connected to the other input terminal of the second OR gate 10, and the output terminal of the second transfer pulse Ps from the timing generator 6 is connected to the other input terminal of the second OR gate 10. 9.
10 output terminals are connected to a driver 11.

The signal charge (video output) transferred from the horizontal shift register 5 is amplified through the amplifying section 12, converted into a video signal by the signal processing section 13, and output.

The timing generator 6 is equipped with a first object detection transfer means, a second object detection transfer means, and an image extraction means for detecting an object such as a transported product.

The first object detection transfer means transfers the signal charges in the COD storage unit 4 to the horizontal shift register 5 by a set number of second transfer pulses Ps smaller than the number of horizontal lines of the L field. There is.

The second object detection transfer means transfers the signal charge of the horizontal shift register 5 using a set number of third transfer pulses T that is smaller than the number of vertical lines of the L field, and extracts it as a video signal.

The image extraction means generates a clear pulse CP from the COD clear pulse generator 8 in response to an object detection signal to be described later.
After clearing the signal charge of the CCD imaging section 3 by transfer, the next first signal is generated in response to the vertical synchronization signal VD.
The shutter period Tint is the period until the transfer pulse Pi and the second transfer pulse Ps are output, and the video signal for one field is taken out by the first transfer pulse Pi1, the second transfer pulse Ps, and the third transfer pulse T. It has become.

The video signal outputted from the amplifying section 12 is passed through a first hold circuit 14 and a second hold circuit 15 as a holding means.
The video signal is input via the first gate circuit 16 to one input terminal of a comparator 17 as a comparison means, and the video signal is input via the second gate circuit 18 to the other input terminal of the comparator 17. and said first
A sample pulse t is inputted from the timing generator 6 to each of the hold circuit 14, the first gate circuit 16, and the second gate circuit 18, and the second hold circuit 15
A sample pulse t delayed by a minute time τ than the sample pulse 1+ is inputted, and a comparator 17 compares the video signal output from the amplifying section 12 with the video signal delayed by a minute time τ. Therefore, when a change in brightness 1y in which the brightness of the video signal output from the second gate circuit 18 becomes larger than the brightness of the video signal output from the first gate circuit 16 is detected, an object detection signal is output. ing.

As shown in Fig. 2, the number of pixels for one field is 244 in the vertical direction and 780 in the horizontal direction. The number of pulses Ps and the number of third transfer pulses T output by the third object detection transfer means are set depending on the detection target.

That is, if the object B is to be detected when it reaches point A in the horizontal direction and n in the vertical direction as shown in the figure, the number of the second transfer pulses Ps is m, the third The number of transfer pulses T is n.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using the time chart shown in FIG.

In the object detection state, first, as shown in FIG. 3(a),
The charge on the CCDCD imaging section is transferred to the CCD storage section 4 by the first transfer pulse Pi. At this time, Fig. 3 (b
), the signal charges in the COD storage section 4 are simultaneously transferred to the horizontal shift register 5 by the second transfer pulse Ps.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3(b), by outputting m second transfer pulses Ps by the first object detection transfer means, the signal charge of the horizontal line on the m pixel surface from the bottom of the screen is is transferred from the COD storage section 4 to the horizontal shift register 5.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3(C), the signal charge of the nth vertical line from the left of the screen is transferred from the horizontal shift register 5 by the n third transfer pulses T by the second object detection transfer means. be transferred.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 3(d), the video signal is output from the amplifying section 12 and input to each of the first hold circuit 14 and the second gate circuit I8.

When the last pulse of the third transfer pulse T is output, in synchronization therewith, as shown in FIG. 3(e), a sample pulse 1+ is output from the timing generator 6, and sampling is performed using the sample pulse t. By this, Figure 3 (g
) as shown in FIG. A sample pulse t is output, and by sampling with the sample pulse t2, the result shown in FIG.
A second hold output from the second hold circuit 15 as shown in h) is obtained.

Then, the video signal from the amplifying section 12 and the second hold output are sampled and extracted by the third hold output.
A first gate output from the first gate circuit 16 as shown in FIG. 3(i) and a second gate output from the second gate circuit as shown in FIG. 3(D) are obtained.

The first and second gate outputs are compared by a comparator 17, and when there is a difference between the two, a comparator output as an object detection signal as shown in FIG. 3(k) is obtained.

During the period ■, the comparator output is output, but since it is an initial time, it is ignored by the timing generator 6.

In period ■, the video signal of the period ■ is held as the second hold output, and this video signal and the current video signal are compared, but since object B has not reached point A, there is no difference. There is no comparator output as an object detection signal.

During period ■, when object B reaches point A, a difference occurs between both video signals, and a signal representing the difference between the first gate output and the second gate output is output as a comparator output, and this is sent to the timing generator as an object detection signal. 6 will be man-powered.

When the object detection signal is input, in response to it, the image retrieval means outputs the COD clear pulse generating furnace 8 clear pulse CP in period (3) as shown in FIGS. 4(a) and (b). After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, in order to ensure the shutter period Tint (the shorter it is, the faster the shutter speed) , as shown in FIG. 4(g), the vertical synchronizing signal VD is output, and further, in response to the vertical synchronizing signal VD, the first transfer pulse Pi and the second transfer pulse Ps are used, as described above. The signal charges of the CCD imaging section 3 are transferred to the COD storage section 4, and the signal charges of the COD storage section 4 are transferred to the horizontal shift register 5. At this time, during the shutter period Tint, in response to the clear pulse CP, the horizontal synchronizing signal HD is output as shown in FIG. 4(f), and in response, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, a third transfer pulse T is output, and by this third transfer pulse T, the signal charge of the horizontal soft register 4 is taken out as a video signal, as shown in FIG. 4(d).

Therefore, the screen is scanned until an object is detected at a specific position, and after the object is detected, a still image of the detected object can be reliably captured.

The time required for the above object detection (see Fig. 3(a)) can be set to 256 μsec, which is approximately 3 seconds per second.
It is possible to detect an object in 900 frames.

Furthermore, it has been experimentally revealed that the shutter period Tint can be made as high as 1/2000 seconds using a normal light source, and can be used even if the object B moves quickly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a still imaging camera for object detection according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a screen, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are time frames for explaining the operation of the embodiment, respectively. It is a chart. 2... Solid-state imaging device, 3... CCD imaging section, 4... COD storage section, 5... Horizontal shift register, 6... Timing generation section, 15... Second as holding means Hold circuit, 17.
...Comparator as a means of comparison.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A CCD solid-state imaging device consisting of a CCD imaging section, a CCD storage section, and a horizontal shift register;
A still imaging camera comprising: a timing generation section that outputs a first transfer pulse for transferring one field's worth of accumulated signal charge of a CD imaging section to a CCD accumulation section, the timing generation section being equipped with, one field worth of signal charges; The set number of second transfer pulses Ps is smaller than the horizontal line of
a first object detection transfer means for transferring the signal charge of the CCD storage section to the horizontal shift register; and a third transfer means provided in the timing generation section, the set number of which is smaller than the number of vertical lines in one field. a second object detection transfer means for transferring the signal charge of the horizontal shift register by a pulse T and taking it out as a video signal; a holding means for holding the video signal and delaying its output for a set time; the video signal; a comparison means for comparing the video signal delayed by a set time by the holding means and outputting an object detection signal when a change in the signal is detected; A still imaging camera for object detection, comprising an image extraction means for extracting one field worth of video signals.