JP2897448B2 - Video camera equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera apparatus having an optical zoom function and an electronic zoom function and capable of adjusting a zoom speed when switching between the optical zoom and the electronic zoom.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, video camera devices have been reduced in weight, price, and image quality. In providing high-value-added products, multifunctionality and miniaturization are important factors. It has become to.

An example in which the optical zoom function and the electronic zoom function in the conventional video camera apparatus operate continuously will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 701 denotes a zoom switch;
02 is a zoom lens, 703 is an image sensor, 704 is a signal processing circuit, 705 is an electronic zoom magnification detecting device, 706 is an electronic zoom control device, 707 is an electronic zoom processing circuit, 7
08 is a zoom position detecting device, 709 is a zoom lens driving circuit, 710 is a memory, 801 to 809 in FIG. 8 are the same as 701 to 709 in FIG. 7, and 810 is an imaging element driving circuit.

The continuous operation of the conventional optical zoom and electronic zoom configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the operation of switching from the optical zoom to the electronic zoom will be described. T of zoom switch 701
The zoom lens 702 is driven to the telephoto side by a switch on the side (hereinafter, referred to as Tsw). Although Tsw is also input to the electronic zoom control device 706, during the optical zoom operation that has not reached the telephoto end, the electronic zoom control device 706 uses the output signal of the zoom position detection device 708 to output Tsw.
Invalidate the information. When the optical zoom magnification is increased and the zoom position detecting device 708 determines that the position of the zoom lens 702 has reached the telephoto end, the information of Tsw input to the zoom lens driving circuit 709 is invalidated and the electronic zoom control device is activated. Tsw input to 706 is validated. Then, the electronic zoom control device 706 increases the electronic zoom magnification from 1 based on the information of Tsw,
The electronic zoom function is operated by controlling the reading position of the memory 710. The electronic zoom processing circuit 707 performs interpolation on the output signal cut out from the memory 710 in accordance with the electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device 705, and outputs the result as a duplicate video signal.

Next, the operation of switching from the electronic zoom to the optical zoom will be described. W of zoom switch 701
The electronic zoom control unit 706 causes the electronic zoom magnification to approach 1 × by a switch on the side (hereinafter, referred to as Wsw). In addition, although Wsw is input to the zoom lens driving circuit 709, the information of Wsw is invalid in the zoom lens driving circuit 709 by the output signal of the electronic zoom magnification detecting device 705 during the electronic zoom operation in which the electronic zoom magnification does not reach 1x. To When the electronic zoom magnification decreases and the electronic zoom magnification detecting device 705 determines that the electronic zoom magnification has reached 1 ×, the information of Wsw input to the electronic zoom control device 706 is invalidated, and at the same time, the zoom driving circuit 709 is used. Wsw entered in is made valid. And
Start driving the zoom lens from the telephoto end to the wide angle side.

As means for operating the electronic zoom function, the reading of the memory 710 used in FIG. 7 is controlled by controlling the reading of the image pickup device 803 in FIG. The operation at the time of switching between the zoom and the electronic zoom is the same control as in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0009]

However, in the above configuration, when switching from the optical zoom to the electronic zoom, the accuracy of detecting that the position of the zoom lens is at the telephoto end varies, and the electronic zoom is always present. Switching to zoom is rare, and switching from electronic zoom to optical zoom requires a preparation period for driving the zoom lens, and the zoom operation stops for the preparation period.

[0010] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an optical zoom,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a video camera device that includes a device for controlling the speed of each of the electronic zooms and performs a continuous operation of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom with high accuracy.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a video camera apparatus comprising: an image pickup device; a zoom lens; a zoom lens driving circuit; a zoom position detecting device; An electronic zoom control device, an electronic zoom magnification detecting device, an electronic zoom processing circuit, and an electronic zoom speed control device are provided.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the continuous operation of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom can be accurately performed by the above-described configuration.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a video camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is a zoom switch, 102 is a zoom lens, 103 is an image sensor, 104 is a signal processing circuit, 105 is an electronic zoom magnification detecting device, 106 is an electronic zoom control device, 107 is an electronic zoom processing circuit, and 108 is zoom. A position detecting device, 109 is a zoom lens driving circuit, 110 is a memory, 111 is an electronic zoom speed control device, and 112 is an optical zoom speed control device.

The continuous operation of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom of the video camera device configured as described above will be described.

First, the operation of switching from the optical zoom to the electronic zoom will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing whether Tsw is made valid or invalid in the electronic zoom speed detecting device 11 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 according to the respective magnifications of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom (vertical). In the axis, “H” is valid and “L” is invalid.
The solid line (A) is for the optical zoom speed controller 112 and the dotted line (B) is for the electronic zoom speed controller 111).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the zoom speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device 111 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 according to the respective magnifications of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom when Tsw is effective. (On the vertical axis,
“O” is a range where Tsw is invalid. In the figure, the solid line (C) is for the optical zoom speed controller 112 and the dotted line (D) is for the electronic zoom speed controller 11.
1).

When the optical zoom magnification is equal to or smaller than Kth by Tsw, the optical zoom speed controller 112 sets the zoom speed to α.
And the zoom lens 102 is driven to the telephoto side. Although Tsw is also input to the electron beam speed control device 111, since the optical zoom magnification is equal to or smaller than Kth, the electronic zoom control device 1 is output from the zoom position detection device 108.
At 06, the information of Tsw is invalidated. When the optical zoom magnification is Kth or more and Kmax or less (Kmax is the magnification of the optical zoom when the zoom lens reaches the telephoto end), the speed (α−
In step β), the zoom lens 102 is driven, and at the same time, Tsw input in the electronic zoom speed control device 111 is made valid, and the electronic zoom is operated at the set speed β. Further, when the optical zoom magnification reaches Kmax, the information of Tsw input to the optical zoom speed control device 112 is invalidated, and at the same time, the zoom speed set in the electronic zoom speed control device 111 is set to α and the electronic zoom is operated. Let it. The electronic zoom processing circuit 107 performs an interpolation operation on the output signal cut out from the memory 110 according to the electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device 105, and outputs the result as a duplicate video signal.

It should be noted that Kth is set to a value that can absorb variations in accuracy when detecting that the zoom lens 102 is located at the telephoto end.

Next, the operation of switching from the electronic zoom to the optical zoom will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing whether Wsw is made valid or invalid in the electronic zoom speed control device 111 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 according to the respective magnifications of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom (vertical). In the axis, "H"
Is valid and "L" is invalid. In the figure,
(A solid line (E) is for the optical zoom speed controller 112 and a dotted line (F) is for the electronic zoom speed controller 111).

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the zoom speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device 111 and the optical zoom speed control device 112 according to the respective magnifications of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom when Wsw is effective ( On the vertical axis,
“O” is a range where Tsw is invalid. In the figure, the solid line (G) is for the optical zoom speed controller 112 and the dotted line (H) is for the electronic zoom speed controller 11.
1).

When the electronic zoom magnification is equal to or larger than Dth by Wsw, the electronic zoom speed controller 111 sets the zoom speed α to bring the electronic zoom magnification closer to 1 ×. Although Wsw is input to the optical zoom speed control device 112, the information of Wsw is invalidated in the optical zoom speed control device 112 by the output signal of the electronic zoom magnification detection device 105 because the electronic zoom magnification is equal to or more than Dth. When the electronic zoom magnification is equal to or less than Dth and equal to or more than 1 time, the electronic zoom is operated at the speed (α-γ) set by the electronic zoom speed control device 111, and at the same time, the optical zoom speed control device 112 is operated.
The input Wsw is made valid, and the zoom lens 102 is driven toward the wide angle side at the set speed γ. Further, when the electronic zoom magnification reaches 1 ×, Wsw input to the electronic zoom speed control device 111 is enabled, and at the same time, the zoom speed set by the optical zoom speed control device 112 is set to α, and the zoom lens 102 is set to a wide angle. Drive to the side.

Dth is set to a value that does not stop the zoom operation when switching from the electronic zoom to the optical zoom in consideration of a preparation period from when the zoom lens is stopped to when driving is started.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. 6, 601 is a zoom switch, 602 is a zoom lens, 603 is an image sensor,
604 is a signal processing circuit, 605 is an electronic zoom magnification detecting device, 106 is an electronic zoom control device, 607 is an electronic zoom processing circuit, 608 is a zoom position detecting device, 609 is a zoom lens driving circuit, and 610 is a circuit for driving an image sensor. ,
611 is an electronic zoom speed control device, and 612 is an optical zoom speed control device.

In this embodiment, as means for operating the electronic zoom function, in the first embodiment, the reading of the memory 110 is controlled by controlling the reading of the image sensor 603. The operation at the time of switching between the optical zoom and the electronic zoom is the same control as in the first embodiment.

[0028]

As described above, the present invention provides a zoom speed control device for each of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom.
An object of the present invention is to realize a video camera device capable of performing a continuous operation of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom with high accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a video camera device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing a determination state of an operation used in the present apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a zoom speed when increasing a zoom magnification used in the present apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing a determination state of an operation used in the present apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram of a zoom speed when a zoom magnification used in the present apparatus is reduced.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a video camera device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a conventional video camera apparatus that performs electronic zoom using a memory.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a video camera device that performs electronic zoom using a conventional image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 zoom switch 102 zoom lens 103 image sensor 104 signal processing circuit 105 electronic zoom magnification detecting device 106 electronic zoom control device 107 electronic zoom processing circuit 108 zoom position detecting device 109 zoom lens driving circuit 110 memory 111 electronic zoom speed control device 112 optical zoom Speed control device 610 Circuit for driving image sensor

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An image pickup device for converting an optical signal incident from a subject into an electric signal; a zoom lens for changing a magnification of an image incident on the image pickup device; and an optically changing image magnification by the zoom lens. A zoom position detection device that detects a magnification of an operation to be performed (hereinafter, referred to as an optical zoom) from the zoom lens, a signal processing circuit that outputs an output signal of the imaging element as a video signal, and a memory that stores the video signal. A memory, and an electronic zoom speed control device that controls a speed of an operation (hereinafter, referred to as an electronic zoom) of electrically enlarging or reducing a video signal written in the memory by controlling a reading position of the memory; An electronic zoom magnification detecting device for detecting a magnification of the electronic zoom from the electronic zoom speed control device; and a speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device. An electronic zoom control device that controls an electronic zoom according to an electronic zoom processing circuit that performs an interpolation operation on an output signal from the memory according to an electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device; An optical zoom speed control device for controlling a zoom speed, and a zoom lens drive circuit for controlling the optical zoom in accordance with the speed set by the optical zoom speed device, wherein the optical zoom and the electronic zoom are linked. when performing the expansion of the image signal, an optical zoom which has been detected by said zoom position detecting device
From the wide-angle end of the camera to the wide-angle end from the telephoto end of the optical zoom
Operate the zoom lens during zooming to the magnification of
The optical zoom is performed, and the optical zoom is performed from the predetermined magnification.
During the period up to the telephoto end of the
The electronic zoom is performed by the
The electronic zoom speed from the telephoto end to the telephoto end of the electronic zoom
A video camera device wherein electronic zoom is performed by a degree control device. 2. An image pickup device for converting an optical signal incident from a subject into an electric signal, a zoom lens for changing a magnification of an image incident on the image pickup device, and a zoom for detecting a magnification of the optical zoom from the zoom lens. A position detection device, a signal processing circuit that outputs an output signal of the image sensor as a video signal, an electronic zoom speed control device that controls the speed of the electronic zoom according to the magnification of the optical zoom, and the electronic zoom speed control device. An electronic zoom magnification detecting device for detecting a magnification of the electronic zoom, an electronic zoom control device for controlling the electronic zoom according to the speed set by the electronic zoom speed control device, and reading of the image sensor from the electronic zoom control device And a video signal interpolating the video signal according to an electronic zoom magnification detected by the electronic zoom magnification detection device. An electronic zoom processing circuit for outputting a video signal, an optical zoom speed control device for controlling the speed of the optical zoom by the electronic zoom magnification, and a zoom lens for controlling the optical zoom according to the speed set by the optical zoom speed control device and a driving circuit, when performing the expansion of the image signal in conjunction with the optical zoom and the electronic zoom, the zoom position
Optical from wide-angle end of optical zoom detected by detector
Zooms to the specified magnification from the telephoto end to the wide-angle end.
During this period, the zoom lens is operated to perform optical zoom.
The period from the predetermined magnification to the telephoto end of the optical zoom
Is used by the electronic zoom speed controller together with the optical zoom.
Electronic zoom from the telephoto end of the optical zoom.
Up to the telephoto end of the camera by the electronic zoom speed controller.
A video camera device for performing electronic zoom . 3. An optical signal incident from a subject is an electric signal.
An image sensor that converts the image into an image, and doubles an image incident on the image sensor.
A zoom lens for changing the rate, and the zoom lens.
Optical zoom to change the image magnification optically.
A zoom position detecting device for detecting from the zoom lens;
A signal processor that outputs an output signal of the image sensor as a video signal.
Logic circuit, a memory for storing the video signal,
The video signal written to the memory is
Controlling the readout position to electrically enlarge and reduce
Electronic zoom speed control device that controls the speed of the electronic zoom
Position, and the electronic zoom speed control device doubles the electronic zoom.
An electronic zoom magnification detecting device for detecting a ratio;
Electronic zoom control according to the speed set by the zoom speed controller.
An electronic zoom control device for controlling the
Force signals are detected by the electronic zoom magnification detecting device.
An electronic zoom processing circuit that performs interpolation calculation according to the zoom magnification.
Optical zoom speed control to control the path and optical zoom speed
Device and the optical zoom speed to the speed set by the device
A zoom lens drive circuit that controls the optical zoom according to
Of the image signal in conjunction with the optical zoom and the electronic zoom.
When performing enlargement, it is detected by the zoom position detection device.
Wide angle from optical zoom wide end to telephoto end of optical zoom
During the zooming period to the specified magnification at the end,
The optical zoom is performed by operating the zoom lens at the speed α, and the predetermined
Optical zoom from magnification During the period up to the far end, the electronic zoom
At a speed β lower than the speed α by the
The sub-zoom is performed and the zoom lens is moved at the speed (α-
β) to perform optical zoom and telephoto of optical zoom
The electronic zoom speed control from the end to the telephoto end of the electronic zoom
It is characterized by performing electronic zoom at speed α by the control device
Video camera device.