JP3189366B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that can set an arbitrary photometric area when capturing an image with a television camera using a CCD (referred to as CCD).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of imaging apparatus, as shown in FIG.
2 is set, and the ALC (automatic light amount adjustment function) circuit is operated according to only the light amount in the photometric area 32. Therefore, under a backlight condition in which light enters outside the photometric area 32, the subject in the photometric area 32 can be viewed at an optimal light amount by the operation of the ALC circuit.

[0003] Further, with respect to the white balance, it is possible to match the color balance in the vicinity of the center, which is the image to be shot, by taking a balance in the photometric area 32.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional imaging apparatus, since the photometry area is fixed only at the center, if the television camera is installed so that the subject is outside the photometry area, the ALC is not sufficient. Since the circuit does not operate, there is a problem that the subject becomes dark and invisible under the backlight condition.

[0005] Further, since the photometry area is located at the center, there is a special color in the center, and it is more natural to adjust the white balance by avoiding the special color. Since the area is located at the center, there is a problem that the color of the center is adjusted as white.

The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and it is possible to set an optimum light amount by arbitrarily setting a place where light amount is adjusted, and to white balance a photometric area. The optimal color balance can be achieved by setting the location arbitrarily, so that no matter how the TV camera is installed, the subject to be viewed is not darkened by backlight or the like so that it cannot be seen. Further, the color balance is prevented from being destroyed by a special color.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of easily performing a setting operation of a photometric area.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention divides an imaging screen obtained by using a solid-state imaging device having an automatic light quantity adjusting function into multiple divisions and displays the divided blocks on the screen. And a means for arbitrarily selecting the block according to the subject and arbitrarily setting the photometric area. Further, the means for arbitrarily setting the photometric area can be used as an area setting for performing white balance. Things.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the present invention, by setting the photometry area arbitrarily, the subject to be viewed can be set to the optimum light amount condition regardless of the installation condition of the television camera. Further, even if the image pickup apparatus is fixed, the white balance can be adjusted with an optimal subject, so that the best image with the appropriate color balance can be realized.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a display example of a photometric area when the image pickup screen of the image pickup apparatus is divided into 25 parts. FIG.

In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 1 denotes an ALC (automatic light amount adjusting function) lens, 2 denotes a lens drive circuit for controlling the ALC lens 1, and 3 denotes a CCD.
Converts the light coming from the device into an electric signal. Reference numeral 4 denotes an A / D converter, which converts an electric signal from the CCD 3 into a digital signal. Reference numeral 5 denotes a signal processing unit for processing a digital signal from the A / D conversion unit 4, and as shown in FIG.
1 to 21-25, and 21-1 to 21-2, respectively.
Signal processing can be performed for each of the five blocks. 6 is a display circuit, 7 is a signal mixing unit,
The signal from the signal processing unit 5 and the signal from the display circuit 6 are mixed. Reference numeral 8 denotes a D / A converter, and a signal mixer 7
Is converted to an analog signal and sent to the output terminal 9. Reference numeral 10 denotes a photometry area selection switch.
The photometry area is arbitrarily set by arbitrarily selecting one of the blocks 21-1 to 21-25. Reference numeral 11 denotes a microcomputer, which controls the signal processing unit 5, the lens drive circuit 2, the display circuit 6, and the photometric area selection switch 10, respectively. Reference numeral 12 denotes an encoder which sends RY signals and BY signals as color information to the microcomputer 11.

The above configuration will be described in further detail below together with its operation. Light from the ALC lens 1 is converted into an electric signal by the CCD 3, converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 4, and input to the signal processor 5. As shown in FIG. 1B, for example, high-brightness light enters blocks 21-2, 21-3, 21-7, 21-8 of the imaging screen 21, and blocks 21-13, 21-1.
If the subject at 4, 21-17, 21-22 is too dark to see, the photometric area selection switch 10 is operated. Also, blocks 21-18, 21- 21 of the imaging screen 21 are displayed.
In the case where there is a highly colored ornament (red vase) in the portion of 19, 21-23, and the color is matched with red when white balance is taken on the entire imaging screen, the photometric area selection switch 10 is operated. Along with this, the microcomputer 11 controls the display circuit 6, mixes the divided line signal to be divided into 25 by the signal mixing section 7 for the object currently being photographed, and converts it into an analog signal by the D / A conversion section 8. Output to the output terminal 9. Next, the photometry area selection switch 10 is operated, and blocks 21-2 and
The portions 21-3, 21-7, 21-8 are masked, and the portions 21-18, 21-19, 21-23 are also masked only during white balance. Accordingly, the microcomputer 11 excludes the signals of the blocks 21-2, 21-3, 21-7, and 21-8, and controls the lens drive circuit 2 based on the signals of the other blocks. Also, it operates so as to exclude the signals 21-18, 21-19 and 21-23 when adjusting the white balance. At the same time, the display circuit 6 is controlled so that the blocks 21-2, 21-3, 21-7, 21-8 are painted out. , 21-8 are painted out. The display circuit 6 includes blocks 21-18, 21-
The portions 19 and 21-23 are controlled so as to synthesize a hatched video simultaneously with the video, and are output to the output terminal 9. on the other hand,
The lens drive circuit 2 includes blocks 21-2, 21-3,
Since the control is performed based on the signals of the remaining blocks excluding 21-7 and 21-8, the ALC lens 1 is operated in the opening direction more than at present. Accordingly, block 21-
13, 21-14, 21-18, 21-19, the light amount increases, and the output terminal 9 outputs the blocks 21-13, 21-18,
The subject of 1-14, 21-18, 21-19 looks bright. In addition, at the time of white balance, since the red vase 21-18, 21-19 and 21-23 are excluded and the color balance is adjusted, it is possible to adjust the balance so that red is not whitish.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, by operating the photometry area selection switch 10, the blocks 21-1 to 21-divided into 25 on the imaging screen 21 are obtained.
25 arbitrary blocks can be selected as the photometry area, and an invisible subject that is dark and invisible due to backlight or the like can be set to an optimal light amount and made visible. Similarly, a white balance can be adjusted by excluding a subject whose color balance is lost.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, an arbitrary block of a multi-divided imaging screen can be selected as a photometry area. The subject can be viewed with the optimal light quantity, and the subject that loses the color balance can be removed to obtain the optimal color balance. Also, since the selected block can be displayed, at a glance, it is possible to know where the current photometry area is, and therefore, the setting operation of the photometry area can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram illustrating an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a display example of a photometric area when an imaging screen of the imaging device is divided into 25 parts.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a photometric area of an imaging screen of a conventional imaging apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ALC lens 2 Lens drive circuit 3 CCD (solid-state image sensor) 4 A / D conversion part 5 Signal processing part 6 Display circuit 7 Signal mixing part 8 D / A conversion part 10 Photometry area selection switch 11 Microcomputer 12 Encoder

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shin Shinbe 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Haruo Kogane Tsunashima-Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 4-3-1, Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-141732 (JP, A) JP-A-3-70274 (JP, A) JP-A-1-154680 (JP, A) JP-A-60-120675 (JP, A) JP-A-4-334177 (JP, A) JP-A-3-276976 (JP, A) JP-A-62-147872 (JP, A) JP-A-2-56181 (JP, A) JP-A-2-20841 (JP, A) JP-A-61-104680 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5 / 222-5 / 257 H04N 5/335 H04N 9/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An imaging screen obtained by using a solid-state imaging device having an automatic light amount adjustment function is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the multi-divided blocks are displayed on a screen; and the blocks are arbitrarily selected according to a subject; Means for arbitrarily setting a photometry area , wherein the means for displaying the selected
An imaging apparatus characterized by displaying: 2. A means for dividing an imaging screen obtained by using a solid-state imaging device into multiple parts, displaying the divided blocks on a screen, arbitrarily selecting the blocks according to a subject, and arbitrarily setting a white balance. Means for performing
The means for indicating is to display the set block.
An image pickup device.