KR20060056235A - Auto image pickup apparatus and control program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A control program incorporated in a control device of an automatic image pickup device and an automatic image pickup device that can detect changes in an object and thereby detect and capture a moving body without requiring an additional device. A detection condition for defining the detection area for moving body detection and the reference image is set (step S1), the threshold value detection amount is set (step S2), and the number of shots of the image is set as the end condition (step S3). Body detection photography is started (step S4). Every time an image displayed on the display unit is photographed (step S5), the amount of variation is calculated from the squared average of each color information of the pixels of the image (step S6), and it is judged whether the amount of variation is greater than the detection amount set in step S2. (Step S7) If large, the fuselage is detected, and an image is captured (step S8). When the number of images is captured by the set number of pieces, the fuselage detection shooting is completed (step S9).

Description

Program for controlling the automatic image pickup device and the automatic image pickup device

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram of the digital camera which is a kind of automatic imaging device in one Embodiment of this invention.

It is a figure which shows operation | movement of fuselage detection photography of the automatic imaging device in one Embodiment of this invention.

<Brief description of the major symbols in the drawings>

1 ... OPS (OPtical System),

OEC (OptoElectric Converter) (hereafter, imaging means),

3.CDS-ADC (Correlated Double Sampler-Analog Digital Converter) (sampling means),

4 ... timing circuit,

5 ... Digital Signal Processor (DSP),

6.DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory),

7 ... EEPROM (Electronically Erasableand Programmable Read Only Memory),

8 ... Memory card I / F (InterFace) (shooting data storage means),

9 CPU (Central Processing Unit) (computation means) (control means) (calculation condition change means) (subsampling means),

10 ... lens drive,

11.Flash control unit,

12 ... Flash,

13, the control unit (means for changing output conditions)

14 ... display control unit,

15 ...

16 Mike,

17 ... ADC (Analog Digital Converter),

18.Encoder,

19 ... decoder,

20 ... DAC (Digital Analog Converter),

21 ... speakers

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device such as a digital camera, a video camera, a closed circuit television (CCTV) for capturing an image, and more particularly, detects a moving subject and automatically photographs in response to it. A control program incorporated in an automatic imaging device and a control device (computer) of an automatic imaging device.

Conventionally, in a so-called nature photo in which a wild animal is photographed, the presence of a moving animal can be detected and photographed accordingly, thereby efficiently photographing. To realize this, for example, when two infrared detection sensors are disposed to face each other, connected to a shutter circuit of a digital camera or a video camera, and an animal passes between the infrared sensors, one infrared detection sensor emits light. When one infrared ray is no longer received (blocked) by the other infrared detection sensor, it detects that the animal has passed between the infrared sensors, and accordingly opens the shutter for a predetermined time to photograph the animal.

In addition, in a digital camera, a still image is taken every fixed time (for example, 1 second) by a function called time-lapse photography. In addition, CCTV used as a surveillance camera has a time lapse photographing function of capturing a still image every predetermined time (for example, 1 second) in parallel with photographing a continuous image. For example, compared to images continuously shot by CCTV by photographing the cicada's molt in time or by shooting a still image at a certain time at a store, a fixed image of a fixed color is fixed for a certain time. It can be obtained every time, and detailed information of the object to be monitored (for example, a cicada to escape, a person entering or leaving a store) can be obtained.

However, as described above, when the infrared sensor is connected to the shutter circuit of the digital camera and the body is detected and photographed, there is a problem that an infrared sensor must be provided in addition to the digital camera. In the above-described CCTV, since still images are taken every fixed time, the object is changed at the timing at which the image is taken (hereinafter, "the change of the image and the object are synchronized"). It has the following disadvantages. That is, when filming stripping of cicadas, the stripping itself is completed in a short time, and therefore the number of still images to be taken cannot be increased at the timing when stripping proceeds and a large number of still images are to be taken at short time intervals. Still images were taken continuously, there was a problem that the state in which the object changes could not be photographed, and therefore the body could not be detected and photographed. As a surveillance camera, for example, a person who enters a store needs to take a still image of a fixed body when the person enters a store, and obtain detailed information of the person. With or without (whether a person enters the store or not), a still image is taken at a certain time, and as a result, as in the above, the image of a change in an object cannot be photographed, and thus, the body cannot be detected and photographed. There was a problem that there was a case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems and various problems, and does not require an additional device, and detects a change in an object, thereby detecting an image of a moving body and controlling a device of an automatic image pickup device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control program that is organized in.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention proposes the following means.

The invention according to claim 1 includes: imaging means for converting an optical image into an electrical signal to obtain imaging data, and sampling means for sampling the imaging data obtained from the imaging means at a predetermined time interval; Calculating means for calculating a variation amount based on the sampled image data; And control means for storing the captured image data in the captured image data storage means when the amount of variation exceeds the threshold value.

According to the present invention, when the amount of variation of the image data is calculated by the calculation means, the amount of variation exceeds the threshold value, and a change of the threshold value or more occurs in the image data, the control means stores the image data in the image data storage means. do.

The invention according to claim 2 is the automatic imaging device according to claim 1, comprising: a calculation condition changing means for changing at least one of a region for calculating the amount of variation, the predetermined time interval, or the threshold value, as necessary. It is characterized by one.

According to the present invention, the calculation condition changing means changes at least one of an area for calculating the amount of variance, a time interval at which a reference image is taken, and a threshold value of the amount of variance, as necessary, according to the subject.

The invention according to claim 3 is the automatic imaging device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising a subsampling means for extracting pixels of the imaging data for determining the amount of variation by the computing means at predetermined intervals. It is characterized by.

According to the present invention, the data amount for calculating the amount of variation is reduced by the subsampling means extracting the pixels of each image data at predetermined intervals, and the amount of calculation performed by the calculating means is reduced.

The invention according to claim 4 is a subsampling means for extracting a part of color information of a pixel of image data for calculating the amount of disparity by the calculating means, using the automatic image pickup device according to any one of claims 1 and 2. Characterized in that provided.

According to the present invention, the data amount for calculating the amount of variation is reduced by the subsampling means extracting a part of the color information of each pixel of the image pickup data, and the amount of calculation performed by the calculation means is reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer for controlling an automatic image pickup device having image pickup means for converting an optical image into an electrical signal to obtain image data, and image data storage means for storing the image data as needed. Converting the optical image into an electrical signal to obtain imaging data; Sampling image data obtained from the image pickup means at a predetermined time interval; calculating a shift amount by the sampled image data; and when the shift amount exceeds a threshold, storing the image data Storing in the means; provides a program for controlling the automatic imaging device for executing.

According to the present invention, when the amount of variation of the captured image data is calculated, the amount of variation exceeds the threshold value, and a change of the threshold value or more occurs in the image data, the captured image data is stored in the image data storage means.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, one Embodiment of this invention is described with reference to drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera that is an example of an automatic image pickup device according to the present embodiment. In this figure, the digital camera includes an OPS (Optical System) 1, an OEC (OptoElectric Converter) 2 (above, imaging means), and a CDS-ADC (Correlated Double Sampler-Analog Digital Converter) 3 (sampling). Means), a timing circuit 4, a digital signal processor (DSP) 5, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 6, an electronically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) 7, a memory Card I / F (InterFace) 8 (imaging data storage means), CPU (Central Processing Unit) 9 (computation means) (control means) (calculation condition changing means) (subsampling means), and lens drive unit 10, flash control unit 11, flash unit 12, operation unit 13 (output condition changing unit), display control unit 14, display unit 15 as a finder, microphone 16, And an analog digital converter (ADC) 17, an encoder 18, a decoder 19, a digital analog converter (DAC) 20, and a speaker 21. In addition, the structure of the digital camera mentioned above is the same as that of a conventional digital camera.

The OPS 1 is a lens unit composed of tilting or several lenses for holding a lens. The OEC 2 is a photoelectric converter composed of CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) or C-MOS (Complementary-Metal Oxide Semiconductor) devices, and the OPS 1 is synchronized with the timing signal input from the timing circuit 4. The optical signal input at) is converted into an electrical signal. The CDS-ADC 3 synchronizes the image signal (electrical signal) input from the OEC 2 with the timing signal (for example, 1/15 second or 1/30 second period) input from the timing circuit 4. The sampler to sample and the AD converter which converts the output signal of this sampler to AD (Analog-Digital) conversion are output, The digital image signal converted into DSP5 from this AD converter is output. The DSP 5 outputs a trigger signal to the timing circuit 4.

In the memory card I / F 8, a memory card not shown in the figure is detachably mounted, and the DSP 5 performs digital signal processing on the digital image signal input from the CDS-ADC 3, and the signal is processed. The digital image signal is temporarily stored in the DRAM 6. The CPU 9 reads out the corresponding digital image signal via the DSP 5 and causes the display unit 15 to display an image corresponding to the digital image signal via the display control unit 14. When a new digital image signal is output from the DSP 5, the digital image signal temporarily stored in the DRAM 6 is overwritten by the new digital image signal.

In addition, the DSP 5 stores the digital image data subjected to the digital signal processing on the basis of the instruction of the CPU 9 via the memory card I / F 8 to the memory card I / F 8. It writes to a card (imaging data storage means). The EEPROM 7 stores the operation parameters of the DSP 5 so that they can be updated. The DRAM 6 temporarily stores data used when the DSP 5 executes a control program and digital image data as described above.

The CPU 9 controls each unit as follows by an instruction from the operation unit 13. That is, the CPU 9 outputs an operation instruction to the DSP 5, and inputs a flash on request signal from the DSP 5. In addition, the CPU 9 outputs a lens driving instruction to the lens driving unit 10, drives the flash 12 via the flash control unit 11, and supplies the display unit 15 to the display unit 15 via the display control unit 14. Display the display contents such as operation status.

The microphone 16 provided in the digital camera outputs an audio signal to the ADC 17, the signal AD converted in the ADC 17 is input to the encoder 18, and the signal encoded from the encoder 18 is a CPU ( 9) is entered. The CPU 9 writes the signal to the memory card via the DSP 5 and the memory card I / F 8. The CPU 9 also reads out the encoded audio signal written on the memory card via the memory card I / F 8 and the DSP 5. The CPU 9 outputs the encoded signal to the decoder 19, and the decoder 19 decodes the signal. The DAC 20 outputs the decoded corresponding signal to the DA conversion and the speaker 21. The speaker 21 makes a sound based on the audio signal output from the DAC 20.

Next, the operation | movement of the automatic imaging device which consists of a digital camera, a video camera, or CCTV in this embodiment is demonstrated. The basic concept of the automatic imaging device in the present embodiment is based on the image photographed by the OEC 2 at a certain time, compared with the image photographed at a different time from the corresponding time, and a certain amount in a predetermined area. The above change (variation amount) is observed. The moving body is detected, the image of the moving body is taken, and stored in the memory card. In addition, a part or all of the imaging area of the OEC 2 is selected as the area mentioned above. In the digital camera, the above-described processing is performed by a control program incorporated in the CPU 9 shown in FIG. In the video camera or the CCTV, the above-described processing is performed by a control program incorporated in a control unit for controlling the apparatus.

Next, the method for calculating the above-described amount of variation will be described.

First, the current picture and the previous picture are called picture Atn and picture Aref, respectively. Here, tn is a subscript indicating the sequence number of the time series of the image, and each time t1, t2,... Becomes ref is a subscript indicating the sequence number of the sequence in the reference image and becomes t0.

In addition, the image Atn and the image Aref are all of the imaging area of the OEC 2, and the image of the partial area is called image atn and image aref. The image atn and the image aref have, for example, a (R, G, B) signal, a (Y, Cb, Cr) signal, or a (Y, I, Q) signal.

Here, the (R, G, B) signal is considered. For example, when the image atn and the image aref are images existing in the rectangular area, the horizontal direction (: i = 0 to m) and the vertical direction (: j There are m * n pieces of information of (R, G, B) of = 0 to n). This is referred to as an image atnRi, j, an image atnGi, j, and an image atnBi, j.

The amount of variation (V) at this time,

It is called. Then, the amount of variation V described above is compared with a predetermined detection amount, and when the amount of variation V is larger than the amount of detection, the body is detected. In addition, by setting the detection amount to a small value, it is possible to detect the fuselage even if the fuselage changes minutely. In addition, according to the above-described formula, the amount of variation V is defined by the square average of each color information of the pixel.

Next, the operation of the automatic imaging device according to the present embodiment will be mainly described with the operation in the digital camera with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2.

First, the power of the digital camera is turned on, and the operation of the digital camera is started. When the user operates the operation unit 13 while looking at the display unit 15, the operation mode of the digital camera is shifted to the fuselage detection photographing mode which photographs when the body is detected. Then, whether or not the area (detection area) for determining whether the body is present is part or all of the imaging area of the OEC 2 is selected, and the image used as the reference when the body is detected under the detection condition is selected. The detection area and the detection condition are set (step S1). In addition, the image which becomes a reference | standard at the time of performing fuselage | body detection is an image acquired by OEC 2 at the time of transition to a fuselage detection photography mode, or the OEC 2 at the previous time point by a predetermined time interval. It is selected from either of the obtained images.

Next, the detection amount used for body detection is set (step S2). Subsequently, the condition in which the fuselage detection photographing ends (end condition), the number of images recorded on the memory card in the fuselage detection photographing mode in the digital camera is set (step S3), and the time when the fuselage detection photography is continued in the video camera or CCTV By this designation, it is set. And body-detection imaging is started by the operation of the operation part 13 (step S4).

Next, in the digital camera, an image input from the OPS 1 (hereinafter referred to as being photographed) is stored in the DRAM 6, and the image is displayed on the display unit 15 (step S5). In video cameras or CCTVs, motion picture shooting is started, and the captured images are displayed in a finder and stored in a DRAM 6 and a mass storage device (not shown) such as a video tape or a hard disk. In addition, in step S1, when setting is made that the image used as the reference when performing the body detection is an image at the start of the digital camera, the image at the start of the digital camera is stored in the DRAM 6. In other cases, the image captured by the DRAM 6 every predetermined time is overwritten and stored.

Then, after the image photographed in the DRAM 6 is stored, the photographed image and the image stored in the DRAM 6 are compared in the detection area set in step S1. That is, as described above, the amount of variation is calculated (step S6), and it is determined whether the amount of variation is greater than the detection amount set in step S2 (step S7). If the judgment is "YES", since a moving body is detected in the above-described detection area, an image is taken (step S8), digital image data is obtained, and stored in the memory card via the memory card I / F (8). The process then advances to step S9. On the other hand, when the judgment in step S7 is "NO", the body is not detected in the above-described detection area, and the process proceeds to step S9.

And the number of images of the number of shots or more determined by the end condition set in step S3 is recorded for the digital camera, or the time of the shooting time or more determined by the end condition set in step S3 for the video camera or CCTV, the fuselage detection shooting It is judged whether or not is continued (step S9). In other words, it is determined whether or not the condition for completing the fuselage detection shooting is satisfied. If the judgment is "YES", the fuselage detection shooting ends. On the other hand, when the judgment at step S9 is "NO", the process returns to step S5 and the operation by the following steps is repeated.

According to the above embodiment, the control program incorporated in the control unit of the CPU 9, the video camera, the CCTV, or the like in the conventional digital camera is used, and according to the variation amount of the image photographed by the OEC 2, Since the same fuselage detection photographing can be performed, it is possible to take an image of the fuselage only when the fuselage is detected in a predetermined area without providing a fuselage detection means such as an infrared sensor.

Further, according to the above embodiment, for example, even when a moving picture is taken using CCTV, a wild bird flying as a fuselage can be detected while taking a normal moving picture, and a still image of the wild bird can be taken. A still image with a fixed color can be obtained than the still image acquisition means of CCTV.

In addition, according to the above embodiment, it is possible to perform interval shooting, in which a still image is obtained as a trigger when a predetermined time has elapsed, as a trigger that a certain amount of change in the image is performed. As a result, for example, when attempting to follow-up the peeling of the cicada, only a large portion of the image change can be extracted and photographed, so that more reasonable information can be obtained.

Further, according to the above embodiment, in CCTV used as a surveillance camera, a moving picture is usually recorded, and when a presence of a moving body, for example, an invasion of a person, is detected, a still image for the body is taken and recorded. As a result, an image of a fixed blade can be obtained for the fuselage.

In addition, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the detection area is set and the detection condition is set in step S1, and the detection amount is set in step S2. However, the detection area, the detection condition, and the detection amount have been performed in the past. You can also set the values on the digital camera in advance and change their settings as necessary.

Further, in calculating the amount of variation in step S6, a subsampling process is performed for extracting a part of data from data included in the image without performing calculation on all the pixels present in the detection area, and performing the subsampling. An operation may be performed on the pixel to reduce the total amount of calculation. In other words, the pixels themselves may be spatially subsampled and extracted. That is, the subscripts i and j of the above-described pixels atnRi, j, arefRi, j are extracted, and only the pixels atnRi, j, arefRi, j for the remaining i and j are used to calculate the amount of variation, You may try to cut back

In addition, in a digital camera dealing with a color image, one pixel has various information about colors (for example, three primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue)). For example, in the above-described calculation of the amount of variation, for example, the calculation of the amount of variation using only the R signal, only the G signal, or only the B signal is performed without performing calculation on all the color information of one pixel. You may reduce the amount of calculation.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, the specific structure is not limited to this embodiment, The design change in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention is also included.

According to the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for example, as an element equivalent to a conventional digital camera, the imaging data obtained from the imaging means is provided without an external device such as an infrared sensor. According to the calculated amount of variation, there is an effect that can detect and capture the body.

According to the invention of claim 2, since the moving object detection condition can be changed according to the subject, the moving body detection photographing can be performed in accordance with the size of the subject, the moving method, and the like.

According to the invention according to any one of claims 3 and 4, there is an effect that the amount of calculation of the amount of variation can be reduced by reducing the amount of data for calculating the amount of variation, thereby simplifying the processing and reducing the cost of the apparatus.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, this is merely exemplary, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. . Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the invention should be defined only by the appended claims.

Claims (5)

Imaging means for converting an optical image into an electrical signal to obtain imaging data; Sampling means for sampling the imaging data obtained from the imaging means at predetermined time intervals; Calculating means for calculating a variation amount based on the sampled image data; And And control means for storing the captured image data in the captured image data storage means when the amount of variation exceeds the threshold value. The method of claim 1, And an calculating condition changing means for changing at least one of the region for calculating the amount of variation, the predetermined time interval, or the threshold value, as necessary. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And an subsampling means for extracting pixels of the imaging data for calculating the amount of variation by the calculating means at predetermined intervals. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And a subsampling means for extracting a part of color information of a pixel of the imaging data for calculating the amount of variation by the calculating means. In the control computer of the automatic imaging device which has imaging means which converts an optical image into an electrical signal, and acquires imaging data, and imaging data storage means which stores the said imaging data as needed, Converting an optical image into an electrical signal by the imaging means to obtain imaging data; Sampling the imaging data obtained from the imaging means at predetermined time intervals; Calculating a variation amount based on the sampled image data; And And storing the captured image data in the image pickup data storage means when the amount of variation exceeds the threshold value. The program for controlling the automatic image pickup device.

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