JP3218065B2 - TV door phone 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 television intercom apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to a television intercom apparatus capable of performing zooming of a desired portion of a display image displayed on a monitor according to an instruction of a responder and automatically returning to a predetermined focal position after the zooming operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent miniaturization, weight reduction, and cost reduction of video cameras, intercoms with monitors (hereinafter referred to as TV doorphones) capable of displaying a visitor's figure on a monitor using a monitor screen are commercially available. Has been

[0003] However, depending on the mounting position of the camera of the slave unit, the height of the visitor, the position where the visitor stands, and the like,
In many cases, it is not possible to capture the image of a visitor.
As a means for solving these drawbacks, a TV door phone capable of controlling the direction of a lens unit of a camera of a slave unit from a master unit side in a room is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 162347.

In this television door phone apparatus, the above-mentioned drawback is improved by moving the lens up, down, left and right, but the lens uses a fixed focus.

[0005]

In the apparatus according to the above-mentioned application, the imaging range of the lens is limited, so that a visitor stands at a position opposite to the direction in which the lens is moved or a person who is tall has a lens. If the orientation is adjusted, even a young person such as a young person cannot be projected on a monitor. There is an inconvenience in operation that the direction of the lens must be changed from the master unit in each case. When the direction of the lens is changed, it is necessary to reset the lens to the original direction. Alternatively, it is generally inconvenient to perform an operation such as aligning the lens in a frequently used direction. Further, the mechanism is complicated to move up, down, left and right, which increases the price and generates noise.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, if a wide-angle lens is used as a lens of a camera of a slave unit to cover an area which can be imaged by a fixed focus lens that moves up, down, left and right as described in the above-mentioned application, The disadvantages of the application can be compensated. However, simply employing a wide-angle lens that always covers a predetermined imaging range results in a smaller image of the visitor than the screen, resulting in poor recognition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a lens of a slave unit with a zoom function to enlarge a necessary image to improve recognizability, and to automatically return to a predetermined position after use.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a monitor is provided.
Parent having a control means and a control means having a timer circuit.
Device provided with a camera and imaging means having an electric zoom lens
And video signals, audio signals, and control signals between the master unit and the slave unit.
Signal transmission means, and the control means described above.
These signals are passed through the impedance conversion circuits of the master unit and slave unit.
Video signal, audio signal, and control signal
Change the focal point of the zoom lens by sending and receiving signals at the stage
I did it.

[0009]

Since the device of the present invention has the above-described configuration,
Using a zoom lens for the camera of the slave unit, usually setting the focal length on the short focal length side (wide angle side), widening the imaging range, and setting the camera mounting position, visitor standing position, height, etc. Covering the added imaging range, there is no possibility that the image is not captured under these conditions. You can check the number of visitors even if there are several visitors.

[0010] In addition, the focal length is controlled from the master unit side in the room while looking at the monitor, the necessary imaging range is zoomed up, the image of the required part is enlarged, the visitor is confirmed, and the recognition is improved. Can be improved.

When the zoom lens is used at a wide angle, there is no need to move the lens up, down, left and right, and this mechanism is omitted, manufacturing is facilitated, cost can be reduced, and downsizing can be realized. The noise generated by this mechanism can be reduced and the discomfort of the monitored visitor is reduced.

Since a timer circuit is provided on the master unit side, if it is set and stored in advance at the most frequently used angle of view (for example, the ultra-wide-angle side, that is, the short focal length side, or the long focal length side or the middle thereof), a visit is made. The zoom lens automatically returns to the predetermined focal length after a certain period of time after the response of the user or after the end of the monitor, so that it is not necessary to manually return the focal position of the zoom lens after use.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The parent device A is placed indoors, and the child device B is placed outside the entrance. Both are connected by a signal line C, through which a video signal, an audio signal, a control signal of a zoom lens, a calling signal, and the like are transmitted. The power supply unit D supplies required power to the master unit A and the slave unit B.

The master unit A comprises the following parts. A monitor 1 for displaying an image of the slave unit B, a video signal demodulation circuit 2, a power supply unit 3 receiving the low voltage of the power supply unit D and generating a power supply required to operate the master unit A and the slave unit B, and a signal line C An impedance conversion circuit 4 for supplying an audio signal, a video signal, an operation signal, and an operation power supply of the slave unit B to perform impedance matching of the signal line C, a transceiver 5 for talking with the slave unit B, and operating the zoom lens to the long focal length side. A switch 6a, a switch 6b for operating the zoom lens to the short focal length side, a monitor switch 6d for operating the slave unit B to monitor the entrance from the indoor side, and a signal corresponding to each of the switches when receiving the input of the switch. , A timer circuit 16, a zoom position initial setting switch 17, and the like. The timer circuit 16 includes the slave unit B
And a timer for counting an arbitrarily determined time after the end of the call between the mobile phone and the master unit A or after the monitor switch 6d is operated. The zoom position initial setting switch 17 is a switch for determining whether to set the zoom position of the zoom lens to the long focal length or the short focal length. The call control circuit 21 controls the call of the master unit A.

The slave unit B comprises the following parts.
A zoom lens 20, an image sensor 8 such as a CCD for photoelectrically converting an image of the zoom lens, a video signal circuit 7 for processing an output signal from the image sensor 8 into a video signal, and an impedance for matching the video signal to the impedance of the signal line C A conversion circuit 9, a call control circuit 10 for transmitting a visitor's voice signal from the microphone 19 to the base unit A, and a voice signal of a respondent from the handset 5 of the base unit A to the speaker 12, and a switch from the base unit A. An operation signal circuit 13 for receiving signals of 6a, 6b and 6d and receiving a signal for operating the call button 11 and transmitting a signal for activating the master unit A, and a motor for driving a zoom motor 15 for changing the zoom ratio of the zoom lens 20 The drive circuit 14 and the like. The zoom motor 15 is formed integrally with the zoom lens 20, and changes the zoom ratio of the zoom lens 20 by its forward and reverse rotation. The zoom lens 20 has a horizontal angle of view of 70 ° to 1 at a wide angle, for example.
Use 20 °.

The operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.
First, on the master unit A side, the zoom position initial setting switch 17 is set to, for example, the short focus side in consideration of the mounting position of the slave unit B and the like. In some cases, it may be set on the long focal length side for the convenience of the user. This setting is performed when the zoom position initial setting switch 17 is ON and the short focal length
Time can be the long focus side. Further, when it is desired to set the zoom ratio at an arbitrary position between the long focus and the short focus, the zoom ratio can be set at an arbitrary position by combining a variable resistor and a plurality of switches. The state of the zoom position initial setting switch 17 is read, and a signal is transmitted to the impedance conversion circuit 9 of the slave unit B via the impedance conversion circuit 4 and the signal line C via the timer circuit 16 and the operation signal transmission circuit 6c. .

On the slave unit B side, the signal received by the impedance conversion circuit 9 is decoded, transmitted to the motor drive circuit 14 via the operation signal circuit 13, and the zoom motor 15 is operated to move the zoom lens 20 to the short focus side. Is set to The zoom position initial setting switch 17 is used only at the time of installation and is used for setting the initial position without using it normally. Also, it may be provided on the slave unit B side.

When the visitor presses the call button 11, this signal is applied to the operation signal circuit 13, and passes through the impedance conversion circuit 9, the signal line C, the impedance conversion circuit 4, and
A ringing tone is generated at the base unit A in addition to the base unit A. At the same time, the slave unit B is in the operating state, and the image formed by the zoom lens 20 and the imaging device 8 is transmitted to the video signal circuit 7 and the impedance conversion circuit 9, the signal line C, the impedance conversion circuit 4, the video signal demodulation circuit 2, and the like. Via, the image of the visitor is reflected on the monitor 1 of the master unit A.

The caller confirms the ringing tone and the image on the monitor 1, picks up the handset 5, and can talk to the visitor.

Since the zoom lens 20 is set on the short focus side as an initial setting position, the entire image and the number of visitors can be confirmed. However, since it is set on the short focus side, it is difficult to recognize the details because the image of the visitor is small. Therefore, by operating the switch 6a, the zoom lens 20 is moved from the short focus side to the long focus side, and the monitor 1 is set. You can zoom in to see more details. That is, by operating the switch 6a, the operation signal transmission circuit 6c transmits a signal for changing from the short focus side to the long focus side, that is, a signal for rotating the zoom motor 15 forward, for example. When the switch 6b is operated, the operation is reversed, and a signal for inverting the zoom motor 15 is transmitted.

The signal from the operation signal transmission circuit 6c is transmitted to the operation signal circuit 13 via the impedance conversion circuit 4, the signal line C, and the impedance conversion circuit 9 of the slave unit B. Here, the signal is decoded, the zoom motor 15 rotates (for example, forward rotation) instructed by the motor drive circuit 14, and the zoom lens 20 moves to the long focal length side.
As a result, a zoomed-in visitor image is displayed on the monitor 1. When the call between the master unit A and the slave unit B, that is, the call between the responder and the visitor is completed and the handset 5 is set, the timer circuit 16 starts counting, and after a predetermined time elapses, the zoom position is set. After confirming the state of the initial setting switch 17, an inversion signal for returning to the initial setting position (in this case, the short focus side) is sent to the operation signal transmitting circuit 6c, and the operation signal circuit 13 of the slave unit B passes through the above-described path. Then, an inversion signal is sent to the motor drive circuit 14, and the zoom motor 15 is inverted to move the zoom lens 20 to the short focus side, that is, the initial setting position, and return to the original imaging range.

Next, when the entrance is monitored from the master unit A without a visitor, the monitor switch 6d is operated to operate the monitor 1 of the master unit A and the slave unit B as disclosed in the conventional example. It is in the operating state. However, in this case, the call control circuit 21 does not operate. The front door is displayed on the monitor 1 as a wide-angle (short focal point) image. The monitor operates the switch 6a or 6b as needed to switch the zoom lens 2
The image projected on the monitor 1 can be enlarged or reduced for viewing by changing the focus of 0.

When a predetermined time elapses after the operation of the switch 6a, 6b or 6d, the timer circuit 16 starts operating simultaneously with the operation of the switch.
The monitor operation ends, and the screen of the monitor 1 disappears. At the same time, the timer circuit 16 reads the state of the zoom position initial setting switch 17, sends a signal of the initial position to the operation signal circuit 13 of the slave unit B as described above, and controls the zoom motor 15 through the motor drive circuit 14. By rotating the zoom lens, the zoom lens 20 is set at the initial setting position (short focus side).

[0025]

According to the present invention, a video signal, an audio signal and
And impedance conversion with control signals provided to the master unit and slave unit
Each signal can be sent and received via a circuit.
A special signal line (transmission) for controlling the zoom lens
Transmission line) and can be implemented with the conventional signal line configuration.
Ru it is possible to simplify the transmission means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A master unit B slave unit C signal line 1 monitor 2 video signal demodulation circuit 3 power supply unit 4 impedance conversion circuit 5 handset 6a, 6b, 6d switch 6c operation signal transmission circuit 7 video signal circuit 8 image sensor 9 impedance conversion circuit 10 call Control circuit 11 Call button 13 Operation signal circuit 14 Motor drive circuit 15 Zoom motor 16 Timer circuit 17 Zoom position initial setting switch 20 Zoom lens 21 Call control circuit

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-239779 (JP, A) JP-A-1-268364 (JP, A) JP-A-2-196586 (JP, A) JP-A-3-1229989 (JP) , A) JP-A-63-74327 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A master unit including a monitor unit and a control unit having a timer circuit, a slave unit including an image pickup unit having an electric zoom lens, and a video signal between the master unit and the slave unit.
Means for transmitting an audio signal and a control signal, and the video signal, the audio signal, and the control signal are transmitted by the same transmission means via the impedance conversion circuits of the master unit and the slave unit. Transmitting and receiving a signal to change a focal length of a zoom lens , and
When a predetermined time has elapsed, the control means
Signal to return the focus of the lens to the specified position
Video signal, audio signal and
Sends control signals to slave units via the same transmission means
Operation signal through the impedance conversion circuit of the slave unit.
Path, zoom lens focal length via motor drive circuit
TV intercom apparatus characterized by changing the following .