JP3437263B2 - Remote control head - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control platform for automatically adjusting the focal length.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a remote control platform having a general automatic focus adjustment function. A television camera 1 is provided with a lens 2, and this lens 2 has a focus for changing its focus position. Position changing means 3 and view angle changing means 4 for changing the view angle are provided. The focus position changing means 3 is connected to the output of the focus position automatic setting means 5 for automatically adjusting the focus position (focus position), and the view angle changing means 4 has an angle of view for the operator to set the angle of view. The output of the setting means 6 is connected. On the other hand, the television camera 1 is provided with photographing direction changing means 7 for changing the photographing direction,
The shooting direction changing means 7 is connected to the output of the shooting direction setting means 8 for the operator to set the shooting direction.

When shooting, when the operator operates the angle of view setting means 6 and the direction of shooting setting means 8, the angle of view changing means 4 and the direction of shooting changing means 7 remotely control the angle of view and the shooting direction. , The image intended by the operator is taken.
At this time, the focus position is automatically adjusted by the focus position automatic setting means 5 and the focus position changing means 3 so that a focused image is always taken.

[0004]

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a remote control platform having a general automatic focus adjustment function and its surroundings as seen from above. The direction of the remote control platform 9 is changed from the announcer A1 to another. This is an example of the case of shooting the video during the change to the announcer A2. In such a case, if the focus position is always automatically adjusted as in the conventional case, the announcer A1 is initially in focus, but with the change in the direction of the remote control platform 9, the back wall W is changed. , The pillar P, the wall W, and the announcer A2 arranged in front are sequentially focused. For this reason, various objects whose distances from the remote control platform 9 are greatly different are brought into focus one after another.

Generally, the lens 2 for the television camera 1 is
Since the angle of view slightly changes due to the change in the focus position, the range on the screen is not constant due to the abrupt change in the focus position as described above, and the captured image becomes unnatural. Further, in a general video, not all the parts on the screen are accurately focused, and there are parts where the image is blurred. For this reason, the distribution of the blurred portion changes with a sudden change in the focus position, which gives a person viewing the image a feeling of strangeness. Further, in the remote control platform 9 having the conventional automatic focus adjustment function, since the performance of the automatic focus adjustment function is insufficient, when it is not possible to follow a rapid change in the field when the shooting direction is changed, There is a case where an erroneous operation such as reciprocating from near to infinity occurs without the focal position being fixed.

However, in the conventional remote control platform having the automatic focus adjustment function, the focus position is always automatically adjusted. Therefore, when the operator changes the shooting direction by the shooting direction setting means 8, the shooting direction is changed. Different from the case of fixing, various objects having different distances from the remote control platform pass through the shooting range of the TV camera 1 as the shooting direction changes. Here, if the focus position is adjusted by the automatic focus adjustment function using the automatic focus position setting means 5, the degree of blurring of the screen changes rapidly and frequently, and the obtained image becomes unnatural.

As a method for solving this problem, a method in which the operator manually switches the operation / non-operation of the automatic focus adjustment function is conceivable. In this method, the operator always determines whether or not the photographing direction is changed. It is necessary to monitor and is not suitable as a function of the remote control platform for the purpose of labor saving.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems,
It is to provide a remote control platform that prevents sudden changes in the focal position.

[0009]

A remote control pan / tilt head according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a remote control pan / tilt head having an automatic focusing function for detecting a changing speed of a photographing direction of a camera. Detecting means, calculating means for obtaining the changing speed of the photographing direction on the screen based on the changing speed of the photographing direction of the camera, the angle of view, and the focus position, and the calculating direction of the photographing direction on the screen by the output of the calculating means. A control means for stopping or decelerating the automatic focus adjustment function according to a change is provided.

Further, the remote control platform according to the present invention is a remote control platform having an automatic focus adjusting function, wherein a shooting direction change speed detecting means for detecting a change speed of a shooting direction of the camera, and the shooting direction of the camera. A calculating means for obtaining the changing speed of the shooting direction on the screen based on the changing speed, the angle of view and the focus position, and the photographing on the screen by the output of the calculating means in a state in which the automatic focus adjustment function is deactivated. And a control means for activating the automatic focus adjustment function when the changing speed at the time of deceleration of the direction reaches a predetermined speed before being stopped.

[0011]

In the remote control platform having the above-mentioned configuration, the control means stops or decelerates the automatic focus adjustment function based on the changing speed of the photographing direction on the screen obtained by the photographing direction changing speed detecting means and the calculating means.

Further, when the automatic focus adjustment function is inactive, when the change speed in the shooting direction on the screen during deceleration, which is obtained by the shooting direction change speed detection means and the calculation means, reaches a predetermined speed, the control means automatically adjusts the focus. Activate the function.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the first embodiment. A lens 12 attached to a television camera 11 is provided with a focus position changing means 13 for changing a focus position and a view angle changing means 14 for changing a view angle. The television camera 11 is provided with a photographing direction changing means 15 that changes the photographing direction. The view angle changing means 14 is connected to the view angle setting signal S1 of the view angle setting means 16 for setting the view angle, and the shooting direction changing means 15 is for the shooting direction setting signal S2 of the shooting direction setting means 17 for setting the shooting direction. Are connected, and the operator can perform photographing by operating these angle-of-view setting means 16 and photographing direction setting means 17.

The photographing direction changing means 15 is provided with a photographing direction change detecting means 18 for detecting a changing speed of the photographing direction of the television camera 11, and the photographing direction changing speed signal S3 of the photographing direction change detecting means 18 is provided. The angle-of-view setting signal S1 of the angle-of-view setting means 16 is both connected to the on-screen speed calculation means 19. Further, the on-screen speed signal S4 of the on-screen speed calculation means 19 is connected to the dead zone setting means 20. The dead zone setting means 20 has operating characteristics as shown in FIG. , 21b, the terminals of the switching means 21 can be switched, and at the same time, the switching signal S5 is output to the focus position set value holding means 22.

The focus position holding signal S6 of the focus position set value holding means 22 is fed back to the on-screen speed calculation means 19 and is also connected to the terminal 21a of the switching means 21. On the other hand, the focus position automatic setting signal S7 of the focus position automatic setting means 23 for automatically adjusting the focus position is the switching means 2
1 is connected to the terminal 21b and the focus position set value holding means 22, and the output of the switching means 21 is connected to the focus position changing means 13.

As the photographing direction changing means 15, a means for changing the angle of the camera, which is usually called panning or tilting, is used, but not limited to this, a wheel,
TV camera 1 with legs, robot arm, crane, etc.
There is no problem even if the means for changing the position of 1, the lens 12 or the remote control platform is used.

As the photographing change direction detecting means 18,
A means for detecting the photographing direction itself or a means for changing the photographing direction 15
A means for detecting the operating state of is used. Alternatively, the imaging change direction detecting means 18 is any one of a fixed portion of the remote control platform device or a positional relationship of the earth or the like to which the remote control platform device is fixed, or a detector of an angle with respect to a magnetic field, an electric field, an angular velocity, an angular acceleration, or the like. May be. Further, when detecting the operating state of the drive unit, the detection unit for detecting the voltage, current, pressure, flow rate, temperature, etc. of the drive unit, the torque of the power transmission unit,
There is no problem with any of the detectors of force, displacement, velocity and acceleration.

The focus position automatic setting means 23 changes the focus position based on the video signal of the TV camera 11 or the signal of the detector in place of the TV camera 11, and a method for sequentially obtaining an appropriate focus position by the feedback thereof. Alternatively, a method of measuring the distance to the object to be photographed and obtaining an appropriate focus position from the result is adopted.

The operator sets the angle of view by the angle of view setting means 16, drives the lens 12 by the angle of view changing means 14, and sets the shooting direction by the shooting direction setting means 17, thereby changing the shooting direction. TV camera 1 by means 15
Photographing is performed by driving 1. At this time, the on-screen speed calculation means 19 causes the shooting direction change speed signal S3 detected by the shooting direction change detection means 18 and the view angle setting means 16 to operate.
From the value of the angle-of-view setting signal S1 output from the focus position setting value holding unit 22 and the value of the focus position holding signal S6 output from the focus position setting value holding unit 22, the change speed of the shooting direction on the screen is calculated, and the result is the on-screen speed. The signal S4 is output to the dead zone setting means 20.

The shooting direction on the screen is stopped,
When the value of the on-screen speed signal S4 is 0, the dead zone setting means 20 connects the terminal 21b of the switching means 21 to the focus position changing means 13. When photographing is performed in this state, the focus position automatic setting signal S7 automatically set by the focus position automatic setting means 23 is transmitted to the focus position changing means 13 via the switching means 21, and the automatic focus adjustment functions.

Here, when the photographing direction is detected by the photographing direction change detecting means 17, the changing speed of the photographing direction is gradually accelerated at first, and is kept constant for a while, and then gradually reduced. It is common to stop. Therefore, when the on-screen speed signal S4 input to the dead zone setting means 20 is increasing, the dead band setting means 20 is switched to the switching means 21 at the switching speed V1 at a stage where the on-screen speed signal S4 is relatively small. The connection terminal is switched from the terminal 21b to the terminal 21a, and at the same time, the switching signal S5 is output to the focus position setting value holding means 22.

When the switching signal S5 is input, the focus position set value holding means 22 holds the focus position automatic setting signal S7 from the focus position automatic setting means 23 at that time and outputs the focus position holding signal S6 on the screen. It outputs to the speed calculation means 19 and the switching means 21. When shooting is performed in this state, the focus position holding signal S6 of the focus position setting value holding means 22 is changed to the switching means 2
1 is transmitted to the focus position changing means 13 and the focus position of the lens is held at the value of the focus position automatic setting signal S7 at the time when the connection terminal of the switching means 21 is switched.

On the contrary, when the on-screen speed signal S4 is decreasing, the dead band setting means 2 has the switching speed V2 at which the value of the on-screen speed signal S4 is faster than the switching speed V1 at the time of acceleration.
0 switches the terminal connected to the switching means 21 from the terminal 21a to the terminal 21b. In this state, as in the case where the shooting direction is stopped, the automatic focus adjustment function operates, and an image in focus can be shot automatically. As a result, automatic focus adjustment is started slightly earlier than the change of the shooting direction, and a more natural image can be shot.

If some unnaturalness is allowed in switching between automatic focus adjustment and focus position holding, the on-screen speed calculation means 19 and the dead zone setting means 20 are not provided, but are detected by the photographing direction change detection means 18. It is also possible to directly switch the terminal connected to the switching means 21 from the changing speed of the photographing direction. When the focus position changing means 13 is separated from the focus position automatic setting means 23, the switching means 21 switches the function of holding the focus position automatic setting signal S7 at that time.
In this case, the focus position setting value holding means 22 becomes unnecessary.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the second embodiment.
The same reference numerals denote the same members, the imaging direction change detection means 18 is not provided, and the imaging direction setting means 1
7 is provided with a photographing direction setting detecting means 26 for detecting the changing speed of the photographing direction setting value, and the photographing direction changing speed signal S8 of the photographing direction setting detecting means 26 is the on-screen speed calculating means 1
9 is connected. The photographing direction setting detection means 26
In addition to the means for directly detecting the change in the output signal of the photographing direction setting means 17, the means for detecting a change in the shape inside the photographing direction setting means 17 and the operator for photographing direction setting means 17
A means for detecting the contact state with respect to the, the means for detecting the contact state with respect to the photographing direction setting means by the operator, and the like are used.

The on-screen speed calculation means 19 is a photographing direction change speed signal S8 of the photographing direction setting detection means 26, and an angle of view setting means 1
The on-screen speed signal S4, which is the changing speed of the shooting direction on the screen, is calculated from the angle-of-view setting signal S1 of 6 and the focal length holding signal S6 of the focus position setting value holding means 22. It is possible to take a picture in the same manner. In the second embodiment, since the automatic focus adjustment / focus position holding is switched from the set value set by the photographing direction setting means 17 or the state thereof, a more direct operation can be performed.

Generally, both the output of the photographing direction setting means 17 and the output of the photographing direction detecting means 26 have the same form such as an electric signal, so that the photographing direction setting detecting means 26 is not provided as an apparatus and the photographing direction is not provided. The output of the setting means 17 may be directly connected to the on-screen speed calculation means 19. If some unnaturalness is allowed in the switching between automatic focus adjustment / focus position holding, the on-screen speed calculation means 19 as in the first embodiment.
Can be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the photographing direction setting means 1
7. The case where a person operates the angle-of-view setting unit 16 has been shown, but there is no problem even if a unit that automatically generates a set value at each time is used. Further, when the autofocus adjustment that was once suppressed works again, the focus position is the position just before the autofocus adjustment works. However, by predicting the focus position when the automatic focus adjustment works again and rewriting the held content of the focus position set value holding means 22, the change in the focus position when the automatic focus adjustment operates again becomes more natural.

Further, when the means for detecting the contact state of the operator with respect to the photographing direction setting means 17 is used, as long as the operator is in contact with the photographing direction setting means 17, the photographing direction does not change. By adopting a mechanism for holding the focus position, it is possible to switch whether or not to activate the automatic focus adjustment function without providing other means by a manual operation of the operator when the photographing direction does not change.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the third embodiment. The lens 32 attached to the television camera 31 has a focus position changing means 33 for changing the focus position and a view angle changing means for changing the view angle. 34 is provided, and the television camera 31 is provided with a shooting direction changing means 35 for changing the shooting direction. The view angle changing means 34 is connected to the view angle setting signal S11 of the view angle setting means 36 for setting the view angle, and the shooting direction changing means 35 sets the shooting direction setting means 3 for setting the shooting direction.
7 is connected to the photographing direction setting signal S12, and the operator can perform photographing by operating the view angle setting means 36 and the photographing direction setting means 37.

The photographing direction changing means 35 is provided with a photographing direction change detecting means 38 for detecting the changing speed of the photographing direction. The photographing direction changing speed signal S13 of the photographing direction change detecting means 38 automatically determines the focal position. Is connected to the focus position automatic setting means 39 for adjusting to
The on-screen speed signal S14 of 9 is connected to the focus position changing means 33. The focus position automatic setting means 39 is a photographing direction change speed signal detected by the photographing direction change detecting means 38.
It has a function to change the speed of focus adjustment in conjunction with S13. Its operation characteristics are as shown in FIG. When the speed is high, the focus is adjusted gradually.

The operator sets the angle of view by the angle of view setting means 36, drives the lens 32 by the angle of view changing means 34, and sets the shooting direction by the shooting direction setting means 37, thereby changing the shooting direction. TV camera 31 by 35
Drive to shoot. At this time, the photographing direction change detecting means 38 outputs the photographing direction changing speed signal S13 to the focus position automatic setting means 39, and the focus position automatic setting means 39 obtains the operation characteristics shown in FIG. 5 from the photographing direction changing speed signal S13. The speed of focus adjustment is determined with reference, and the focus position changing means 33 adjusts the focus position at that speed.

As described above, by changing the operation speed of the focus position automatic setting means 39 according to the on-screen speed signal S4, when the television camera 31 is moved quickly, the focus position is held or gradually adjusted, The focus position is rapidly adjusted when the speed of the television camera 31 becomes slow. First,
The second embodiment only activates / deactivates the autofocus function, while the third embodiment controls the speed of the autofocus function to obtain a natural image.

In the third embodiment, the focus position automatic setting means 39 having the operation characteristic as shown in FIG. 5 is used. However, the operation characteristic is not limited to this, and the automatic operation is performed as the on-screen speed signal S4 becomes faster. If the characteristic is such that the focus adjustment speed becomes slow, it is possible to change the operation characteristic in accordance with the actual use situation and the like. In particular, if the focus position automatic setting means 39 has a stepwise operation characteristic as shown in FIG. 6, the remote control platform can be simplified.

[0035]

As described above, the remote control platform according to the present invention automatically stops or reduces the operation of the automatic focusing function according to the changing speed of the shooting direction on the screen. Alternatively, when the automatic focus adjustment function is not activated and the speed of change in deceleration of the shooting direction on the obtained screen reaches a predetermined speed,
The control means actuates the autofocus function. As a result, when shooting while changing the shooting direction, it is possible to eliminate the unnaturalness caused by the sudden change in the focus position in the image, and at the same time, the sharp focus position that occurs when the shooting direction changes. It is possible to prevent a malfunction that makes it impossible for the automatic focus adjustment function to follow changes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing characteristics of dead zone setting means.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a graph of characteristics of a focus position automatic setting unit.

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram of the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram at the time of shooting.

[Explanation of symbols]

11,31 TV camera 12, 32 lens 13, 33 Focus position changing means 14, 35 Angle of view changing means 15 Shooting direction changing means 16 Angle of view setting means 17, 37 Shooting direction setting means 18, 38 Imaging direction change detecting means 19 On-screen speed calculation means 20 Dead band setting means 21 Switching means 22 Focus position setting value holding means 23, 39 Focus position automatic setting means

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A 63-110876 (JP, A) JP-A 4-90275 (JP, A) JP-A 63-110430 (JP, A) JP-A 5-56427 (JP , A) JP-A-4-277983 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5 / 222-5 / 257

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A remote-controlled platform having an automatic focusing function, the imaging direction change speed detecting means for detecting a change rate of the shooting direction of the camera, the imaging direction of the camera
How to shoot on screen based on change speed, angle of view, focus position
And calculating means for determining a rate of change of direction, and a control means for stopping or decelerating the automatic focus adjustment function according to the shooting direction change on the screen Ru good <br/> to the output of said arithmetic means Remote control pan head that is characterized. 2. A remote control platform having an automatic focusing function.
To detect the speed of change in the shooting direction of the camera
Direction change speed detecting means and the photographing direction of the camera.
How to shoot on screen based on change speed, angle of view, focus position
Calculating means for obtaining the change speed of the direction, and the automatic focusing device
With the Noh function inactive,
Change speed when decelerating the shooting direction on the screen
When the speed reaches a predetermined speed before the stop
And a control means for operating the dynamic focus adjustment function.
Remote control pan head to collect. Wherein the imaging direction change speed detection means the Ca
From a change in state of the drive means or said driving means changing the photographing direction of the camera, remote control pan head according to claim 1 or 2 to detect the rate of change of the imaging direction. Wherein said photographing direction change rate detecting means the Ca
Remote-controlled platform according the output or change in state of the photographing direction setting means for performing the photographing direction setting camera to claim 1 or 2 to detect the rate of change of the imaging direction. Wherein said photographing direction changing speed detecting means from the contact of the operator with respect to the imaging direction setting means, the mosquito
The remote-control platform according to claim 4 , wherein whether or not the shooting direction of the camera is changed is detected. 6. The control means is in an automatic focus adjustment state in which the focus adjustment function is activated, and deactivates the focus adjustment function.
The remote control platform according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the focus position holding state is switched to . 7. The control means is based on the output of the computing means.
In response to said rate of change of the photographing direction on the screen, a remote control pan head according to claim 1 which is adapted to vary the operating speed of the automatic focusing function that. 8. The remote control platform according to claim 6 , wherein the control means switches between the automatic focus adjustment state and the focus position holding state according to a dead zone characteristic. Wherein said control means remote-controlled platform of claim 7, the change in the operating speed of the automatic focusing, and so as to change stepwise.