JPH04373371A - Video camera system with thermal picture detecting means - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera system that uses thermal images to perform automatic photographing operations such as tracking and photographing a human body.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A video camera has a remote control function that uses a motor to operate the camera while viewing a monitor screen.

0003

However, in the above-mentioned conventional techniques, a third person mainly operates the camera angle while looking at a monitor screen, and it is difficult to perform automatic photographing without an operator.

[0004] The present invention provides a system that can automatically take pictures using a video camera with a relatively simple system configuration.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a thermal image detection means consisting of a plurality of pyroelectric thermal detection element groups.

[0006]Furthermore, the present invention provides a connection between the video camera main body and the main body support part by a lens direction setting means consisting of a one-axis or two-axis rotation mechanism, and the thermal image detecting means is fixed to the main body support part. At the same time, it is placed directly facing the subject.

The present invention also provides for detecting a person using the thermal image detecting means and the human body determining means.

Further, in the present invention, the position of the detected person is determined by the human body position detection means, and the imaging frame determining means scans the lens direction setting means so that the imaging frame is almost fixed at an arbitrary position.

[0009]Furthermore, the present invention provides that by specifying a person, the lens direction setting means and the lens angle of view setting means are scanned so as to substantially fix this person at an arbitrary position and an arbitrary size in the imaging frame. It is something to do.

The present invention also provides a camera lens zoom mechanism in which the human body determining means detects a plurality of people, and the lens direction setting means and the lens angle of view setting means detect a plurality of persons so that all the persons are included in the imaging frame. It is used to scan.

[0011] Also, according to the present invention, zoom-up and zoom-down are performed centering on a person.

Further, the present invention has a receiving means and a wireless transmitting means, and has general operation functions as well as imaging scene setting means corresponding to the above functions.

Further, in the present invention, a pyroelectric thin film is used for the pyroelectric heat detection element group. Further, in the present invention, the pyroelectric heat detection element group is arranged one-dimensionally on a linear axis, and has a rotation axis parallel to the linear axis or inclined at a certain angle, and the A two-dimensional image is obtained by rotating a group of pyroelectric heat detection elements.

[0014]

[Operation] The present invention realizes automatic photographing by a video camera by detecting a human body using a thermal image and tracking the human body.

[0015]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a video camera, 2 is a main body support part, 3 is a thermal image detection means, 4 is a lens direction setting means having a two-axis rotation mechanism, and 5 is a person to be photographed.

[0017] Here, the lens direction setting means 4 may be a rotation mechanism with one axis on the left and right sides. Thermal image detection means 3 is attached to the main body support part 2, and is placed directly facing the subject.
The direction, size, number of people, etc. of the person 5 are detected, and the lens direction setting means 4 controls the video camera 1 to face the person 5.

The thermal image detecting means 3 includes a plurality of pyroelectric heat detecting element groups. Methods for measuring temperature without contact include methods using quantum infrared sensors, methods using infrared CCDs, and methods using thermal infrared sensors. Quantum infrared sensors and infrared CCDs have high sensitivity and fast response speed, but require cooling (about -100 to -200°C).
, unsuitable for consumer use. On the other hand, thermal infrared sensors have relatively low sensitivity and slow response speed, but they do not require cooling. The thermal image detection means 3 utilizes the pyroelectric effect in a thermal infrared sensor.

FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the video camera system of the present invention. The video camera 1 has a built-in lens angle of view setting means for performing a zoom operation.

The main body support section 2 includes a thermal image detecting means 3, a human body determining means, a human body position detecting means, an imaging frame determining means,
A lens direction setting means and a receiving means are built-in.

[0021] The wireless remote control has built-in imaging scene setting means and wireless transmission means.

When a desired function is selected by the imaging scene setting means, the thermal image detecting means 3 detects the thermal image including the person via the wireless transmitting means and the receiving means, and the human body determining means and the human body position detecting means detect the person. Determine the number of people, position, size, etc., use the imaging frame determining means to determine the angle, size, etc. of the imaging frame centered on the person, and operate the lens direction setting means and lens angle of view setting means to set the video camera. This involves determining the direction of the lens and the amount of zoom, and then starting shooting.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the functions of the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3(a), the direction of the lens is controlled so that the detected person is fixed at an arbitrary position in the imaging frame. In the same figure, (b) is for controlling the lens direction and angle of view so that the detected person is fixed at an arbitrary position and an arbitrary size in the imaging frame. In the figure, (c) is for controlling the lens direction and angle of view so that all of the detected persons are included in the imaging frame.

In the same figure, (d) is for controlling the lens direction and angle of view so as to zoom up and zoom down the detected person around an arbitrary position in the image pickup frame.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the thermal image detection means 3 according to the present invention. 6a to 6e are pyroelectric heat detection elements (hereinafter referred to as elements); 7 is a group of pyroelectric heat detection elements; and 8 is a rotating shaft. In FIG. 4(a), the rotation axis 8 is parallel to the pyroelectric heat detection element group 7, and in FIG. 4(b), the rotation axis 8 is inclined at a constant angle θ with respect to the pyroelectric heat detection element group 7. Indicates when The angle θ is selected depending on the structure of the main body support portion 2 to be incorporated and the setting of the detection viewing angle.

Next, a mechanism for obtaining a thermal image using the pyroelectric heat detection element group 7 will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 5(a) shows the stereoscopic viewing angle of the detected thermal image, and FIG. 5(b) shows the detected thermal image. The pyroelectric heat detection element group 7 has five elements, which divide the viewing angle into five parts in the vertical direction.

The pyroelectric heat detection element group 7 is used in combination with an optical lens. The viewing angle in the horizontal direction is set narrowly, and the viewing angle in the horizontal direction is sequentially moved as the rotation axis 8 rotates. The pyroelectric heat detection element group 7 measures the temperature each time it is sequentially moved, thereby obtaining a two-dimensional thermal image shown in FIG. 5(b).

In addition, the commonly used pyroelectric infrared sensor is a so-called bulk type that uses a sintered body of a pyroelectric thick film, but this bulk type has the problem that the thermal time constant cannot be made small and the response is slow. have points. Therefore, by using a pyroelectric heat detection element using a pyroelectric thin film made of PbTiO3 or the like, the response time can be reduced to about 1/10 of that of the bulk type. By using a pyroelectric heat detection element using this pyroelectric thin film and shortening the response time, the behavior of the human body can be detected with high accuracy. Furthermore, if a pyroelectric thin film is used, it is possible to further downsize the device.

[0029]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, by adding a thermal image detection means consisting of a plurality of pyroelectric heat detection element groups to a video camera, it is possible to detect a person and automatically track and photograph the person. becomes. Unmanned photography becomes possible, which eliminates the complexity of photography and increases the degree of freedom in photography. Additionally, since various functions can be added to the remote control, camera operation becomes easier, and anyone can easily create a video in which they are the main character.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, a thermal image can be detected with a relatively simple system configuration by rotating a group of pyroelectric thermal detection elements arranged one-dimensionally.

Furthermore, by using a group of pyroelectric heat detection elements made of pyroelectric thin films, the response speed of thermal images can be improved. This has the effect of making the system more compact.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

[Fig. 1] Configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 2: Internal block diagram of the video camera system of the present invention

FIG. 3 (a) is an explanatory diagram of the functions of one embodiment of the present invention; (b) is an explanatory diagram of the functions of one embodiment of the present invention; (c) is an explanatory diagram of the functions of one embodiment of the present invention; d) is an explanatory diagram of the functions of one embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 4 (a) is a block diagram of an embodiment of the thermal image detecting means in the present invention; (b) is a block diagram of an embodiment of the thermal image detecting means in the present invention;

[Figure 5] (a) is an explanatory diagram of the mechanism for obtaining thermal images (b) is an explanatory diagram of the mechanism for obtaining thermal images.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Video camera 2 Main body support part 3 Thermal image detection means 4 Lens direction setting means 5. People 6a Pyroelectric heat detection element 6b Pyroelectric heat detection element 6c Pyroelectric heat detection element 6d Pyroelectric heat detection element 6e Pyroelectric heat detection element 6f Pyroelectric heat detection element 7 Pyroelectric heat detection element group 8 Rotation axis

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A video camera system having thermal image detection means comprising a plurality of pyroelectric thermal detection element groups. 2. A video camera main body and a main body supporting part are connected by a lens direction setting means consisting of a one-axis or two-axis rotation mechanism, and the thermal image detecting means is fixed to the main body supporting part and is fixed to the main body supporting part. 2. The video camera system according to claim 1, wherein the video camera system is disposed facing directly in the direction. 3. The video camera system according to claim 2, wherein a person is detected by the thermal image detection means and the human body determination means. 4. The video according to claim 3, wherein the position of the detected person is determined by the human body position detection means, and the imaging frame determining means scans the lens direction setting means so as to substantially fix the position at an arbitrary position of the imaging frame. camera system. 5. By specifying a person, the lens direction setting means and the lens angle of view setting means are scanned so as to substantially fix the person at a desired position and a desired size in the imaging frame. 3. The video camera system described in 3. 6. The human body determining means detects a plurality of people, and the lens direction setting means and the lens angle of view setting means scan the zoom mechanism of the camera lens so that all the people are included in the imaging frame. The video camera system according to claim 3. 7. The video camera system according to claim 5, wherein the zoom-up and zoom-down are performed centering on a person. Claim 8: comprising a receiving means and a wireless transmitting means,
A video camera system having an imaging scene setting means corresponding to the function according to any one of claims 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in addition to a general operation function. 9. The video camera system according to claim 1, wherein a pyroelectric thin film is used for the pyroelectric heat detection element group. 10. The pyroelectric heat detection element group is arranged on a linear axis.
1 . The pyroelectric heat detection element group is arranged in three dimensions and has a rotation axis parallel to the linear axis or inclined at a certain angle, and the two-dimensional image is obtained by rotating the pyroelectric heat detection element group around the rotation axis. Video camera system described.