JPH05103247A - Unmanned photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To integrally use this device with the video or the camera, to photograph a video continuously or at a prescribed interval while following-up a traveling object, and to operate the position control of a video or a camera according to the movement of the object by escaping the impossible following-up operation. CONSTITUTION:A remote control device which controls a remote device connected with the video or the camera, is equipped with a photographing starting switch 20 which controls the start and stop of the photographing, position signal selecting switch 25 which outputs a position signal, and delay time setting dial 22 which arbitrarily sets a time from the turning-ON of the photographing starting switch 20 until the start of the photographing or the like. On the other hand, the remote device is equipped with a means which operates the start and stop of the photographing by a photographing start and stop signal from the remote control device, and a means which allows the video or the camera to follow-up to a direction in which the position signal is outputted or the like, and the photographing is operated continuously or at the prescribed time interval from the start of the photographing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an unmanned photographing apparatus used in combination with a video or a camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method for manually controlling the direction of a camera from a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) at a remote place is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-139076. A method for automatically controlling the orientation of the camera in response to a light signal from a remote place is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-139998. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-280578 discloses a method in which an image from a video can be monitored by a remote control and the user can move while watching the image to determine a shooting position.
In all of these, the camera or video direction is controlled manually or automatically from a remote place with respect to a fixed subject, and it is not possible to automatically follow a moving subject. A method of photographing with a camera at regular time intervals is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-3230. A remote controller having a plurality of infrared signals to avoid interference is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-281897. However, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-11929, automatic focus control is generally infrared. Since light is used, the remote control may cause malfunction of the automatic focus control or malfunction of the remote control device due to infrared rays. A method for preventing malfunction by stopping the automatic focus control operation in the case of an instantaneous or sporadic case such as when an object passes in front of a subject is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-107312, however, a camera or a video. There is no disclosure of directional control of.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional technique has a problem that it cannot be solved in the following cases. (1) Recording video continuously or intermittently while following a moving subject. Portable high-speed auto-focused video and high-speed auto-focused and self-winding cameras have become popular and are used for fast-moving sports photography, etc. By looking at one's own or others' records, defects can be corrected or a model can be learned. In the past, it was necessary to ask someone else to take a picture, and even if there was a person who could take the picture, it was crowded (for example, on the slopes), and it was difficult to find the subject and miss the opportunity to take a picture. In addition, a video or camera is installed at a predetermined position, the person who is the subject instructs the start and stop of shooting from a remote location, and further, by issuing a position signal to let the video or camera follow the subject, unattended shooting is performed. What you can do. (2) It is possible to put a remote control in a pocket or the like and arbitrarily set the time until the start of shooting (provide a delay means in the remote controller or a remote device) to eliminate unnecessary shooting. (3) The shooting start signal should be easy and easy to recognize. (4) Perform position control according to the movement of the subject and record an image without unnecessary blur. It is an object of the present invention to provide an unmanned photographing device capable of solving the above problems.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, an unmanned photographing apparatus is provided with a remote control means for instructing the operation of a remote device, a means for issuing an instruction signal, and a means for issuing a position signal. Control device (remote control) and means connected to the video or camera to receive an instruction signal from the remote control, means to start and stop video or camera shooting by the instruction signal, follow the video or camera in the direction of the position signal The remote device is provided with a means for allowing the camera or the video to be shot continuously or at predetermined time intervals from the start of the shooting. In addition, the instruction signal for starting the shooting should be notified by sound or electrical stimulation, the delay means from receiving the instruction signal to the start of the shooting should be provided in the remote controller or in the remote device, and the tracking of the video or camera should be done by the position signal. Only at a certain time, one position signal is selected from a plurality of position signals.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the present invention, an image is recorded while following a moving subject, unnecessary shooting is eliminated by arbitrarily setting the time until the start of shooting, and an unnecessary tracking operation is avoided. Position control can be performed according to the movement of the subject.

[0006]

EXAMPLE An 8-mm video camera used in combination with the unmanned photographing apparatus of the present invention starts / stops photographing with a start / stop button. This operation is to instruct the start / stop of shooting from the outside by connecting the remote commander to the remote terminal of the video camera.
(Not shown). FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an autofocus system for an 8 mm video camera, which converts a high frequency component included in a video signal into a digital signal, integrates it, and drives a lens according to its maximum value. This is an auto focus method with a wide dynamic range and high accuracy. In FIG. 1, 1 is an autofocus lens, 2 is a charge coupled device (CCD), 3 is an amplifier, 4 and 5 are bandpass filters (BPF) having different characteristics, 6 is a changeover switch, 7 is an AD conversion circuit, 8 Is a screen division circuit,
9 is a digital integrating circuit, 10 is a microcomputer,
Reference numeral 11 is a lens drive motor, and 12 is a video signal processing circuit.
The video signal taken out from the CCD 2 is amplified by the amplifier 3, then the band thereof is limited by the BPF 4 or 5, and is converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 7. This BPF is 20
Two characteristics, BPF 4 of kHz to 2.4 MHz (A characteristic) and BPF 5 of 600 kHz to 2.4 MHz (B characteristic) are prepared, and the microcomputer 10 detects a focus shift,
When this deviation is large, it is automatically switched by controlling the switch 6 to the A characteristic and when it is small, the B characteristic. AD
The digital signal converted by the conversion circuit 7 is integrated by the digital integration circuit 9 via the screen division circuit 8 and taken out as a focus evaluation value (focus evaluation value) and sent to the microcomputer 10. After calculating the lens position information with the microcomputer 10, turn on the lens drive motor 11.
The focus is properly adjusted by controlling the selection of the rotation direction of the front lens and the rotation speed and the rotation speed.

FIG. 2 shows a remote controller to be carried by a person or an object as an object in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2
, 20 is a photographing start switch for instructing start / stop of photographing, 21 is an electric stimulation output terminal, 22 is a delay time setting dial, 23 is a sounder, 24 is a power switch, 25 is a position signal selection switch, and 26 is a test. A switch, 27 is an antenna, 28 is a charger connection terminal, and the shooting start switch 20 is a slide switch so that it does not move easily.
The delay time setting dial 22 is used to set the time from when it is turned on to when the shooting is actually started. Since the set value is taken in when the photographing start switch 20 is turned on, even if the delay time setting dial 22 moves thereafter, the set value is not affected. The position signal and the instruction signal are transmitted from the antenna 27 made of a flexible material. The antenna 27 is omnidirectional in the horizontal direction. Sound generator that informs the start of shooting with a sound
Reference numeral 23 is a piezoelectric element or a small speaker. The electric stimulation unit 30 shown in FIG. 3 is connected to the electric stimulation output terminal 21,
The electrode unit 31 is fixed to a shoulder or the like with an adhesive portion 32 for use.
The power source is a rechargeable battery, and the charger is connected to the charger connection terminal 28 for charging. The electrical stimulation unit 30 is an electrical stimulation output terminal
A high voltage is introduced to the electrode unit 31 which is connected to the connector 21 by the connector 34 and is closer to the lead wire 33, and is fixed to the human body by the adhesive portion 32 covering the electrode unit 31. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the electric circuit of the remote controller. In FIG. 4, 40 is a microcomputer, 41 is an oscillator, 42 is a buffer, 43 is a sounder, 44 is a booster circuit, 45 is a frequency multiplier, 46 is a power amplifier, 47 is an antenna, 48 is a shooting start switch, and 49 is A 3-bit position signal selection switch, 50 is a test switch, and 51 is a delay time setting dial. The microcomputer 40 operates with the clock of the oscillator 41, and the built-in timers T ₁ , T ₂ , T ₃ are independently controlled by software. The timer T ₁ produces a position signal generating signal (several MHz), which is oscillated into a high frequency (several hundred MHz) by the frequency multiplier 45 via the buffer 42 and further amplified by the power amplifier 46 and radiated into the air from the antenna 47. The timer T ₁ is made of software so as to operate until the photographing start switch 48 is turned on and off or the test switch 50 is pushed. The output signal from the timer T ₁ can be selected from eight types of signals by the microcomputer 40 judging the state of the position signal selection switch 49. Electrical stimulation to notify the start of imaging is obtained a high frequency (several tens of kHz) signal generated by the timer T ₂ as a high voltage by the booster circuit 44 via the buffer 42, the timer T ₂ are the soft to operate at a predetermined timing Controlled. The timer T ₃ produces a signal (several hundred Hz) for generating a sound for informing the start of photographing, and drives the piezoelectric element of the sound generator 43 via the buffer 42. The timer T ₃ operates at the same timing as the timer T ₂ . Delay time is the delay time setting dial
Set by moving 51. That is, the power supply voltage is divided to generate a predetermined voltage, which is input to the analog / digital converter incorporated in the main computer 40. This value is read when the photographing start switch 48 is turned on, and the delay time is set according to this value. The software is made to decide.
After this delay time, a pulse having a frequency f ₁ is transmitted as a photographing start signal for about 100 msec. When it is detected that the shooting start switch 48 is turned off, the frequency f ₂ is output as a shooting end signal.
The pulse of is sent for about 100 msec. The f ₁ and f ₂ are controlled by software so that the microcomputer 40 determines whether the photographing start switch 48 is ON or OFF and determines the mode of the timer T ₁ accordingly. Position signal frequency 900M
When the frequency is set to Hz and the antenna is a 1/4 wavelength vertical ground antenna, the length of the antenna 47 is about 8 cm, and the remote controller can be easily stored in a pocket or the like. Of course, the frequency does not have to be this value.

FIG. 5 shows an outline of the external appearance of a remote device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 52 is a horizontal motor storage portion, 53 is a vertical motor storage portion, 54 is a mounting portion provided with a screw 56 for fixing to a tripod mounting portion of a video or camera, 55 is an antenna that moves integrally with the mounting portion 54, Control circuit
(Not shown), a fixing base having a screw hole for incorporating the operation portion 57 and fixing it to a tripod or the like. The horizontal motor housing 52 is moved vertically by a vertical motor. Further, the mounting portion 54 is also moved in the horizontal direction by the horizontal motor, which allows it to be moved in both the horizontal and vertical directions. FIG. 6 shows a configuration of an electric circuit of a remote device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, 61 and 62 are horizontal position detecting antennas, 63 and 64 are vertical position detecting antennas, and 65 and 66.
Is an antenna switching circuit, 67 and 68 are high frequency amplifier circuits, 6
9 and 70 are super reproduction demodulation circuits, 71 and 72 are AF amplifiers, 73 and 74
Is a rectifier, 75 is a waveform shaping circuit, 76 is a 3-bit position signal selection switch, 77 is a mode selection switch, 78 is a microcomputer, 79 and 80 are step motor drivers, 8
Reference numerals 1 and 82 are stepping motors, 83 and 84 are buffers, and 85 is an oscillator. Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. Since the horizontal position detection and the vertical position detection are detected by shifting the timing, the horizontal and vertical antennas are switched by the signal from the output port O1 of the microcomputer 78. The antenna 61 of X ₁ amplifies the input signals from the group of Y ₁ and the antenna 63 by the high frequency amplifier circuit 67, passes through the super reproduction demodulation circuit 69 and the AF amplifier 71, and further shapes the waveform by the waveform shaping circuit 75 and the microcomputer 78. Input port of I ₁
Position signal selection switch 76 (SEL _{1 to} SEL ₃ )
Input port I ₂ of the microcomputer 78 connected to
The position control operation is performed by comparing with the position signal determined from the state of I ₄ to determine that the position signal is a predetermined position signal if they match. If this signal coincides with the shooting start signal, the output port O2 is set low and the accessory output is set to the shooting start state via the buffer 83, and at the same time the output port O3 is set to a momentary low and connected to the solenoid output via the buffer 84. Drives the solenoid for shutter operation. Alternatively, if it coincides with the photographing stop signal, the output port O2 is set to high to bring the photographing stop state. The AF-amplified signal is rectified by the rectifier 73, and the A / D conversion input AN _{1 of the} microcomputer 78 is input.
Connect to. At the same time, antenna ₂ for X ₂ and antenna 64 for Y ₂
The input signal from the group is amplified by the high frequency amplifier circuit 68, and then further rectified by the super reproduction demodulation circuit 70 and the AF amplifier 72.
After rectification by 74, A / D conversion input A of microcomputer 78
Connect to N ₂ . The difference DX between the reception signal levels of the antennas X ₁ and X ₂ is calculated from AN ₁ and AN _2, and the stepping motor 81 (MX) is driven according to this value. Similarly antenna Y
The difference DY between the received signal levels of ₁ and Y ₂ is calculated, and the stepping motor 82 (MY) is driven according to this value, DX, DY
The stepping motors 81 and 82 are controlled so that In this embodiment, a two-phase stepping motor is used, and pulses from the timer / counter outputs T ₁ , T ₂ and T ₃ , T _{4 of} the microcomputer are applied to the stepping motor drivers 79, 80 to drive them. The timer / counter is DX,
The pulse determined by the manipulated variable obtained by calculating the proportional integral deviation (PID) from the value of DY is output. The positioning control operation can be performed by the mode selection switch 77 (MOD ₁ , MOD ₂ ) according to the movement of the subject such as movement in one direction like skiing and movement in all directions like soccer. MO
D ₁ and MOD ₂ are input ports I of the microcomputer 78
₅ , the coefficient of the PID calculation is changed according to the read state from I ₆ to perform control suitable for the motion of the subject. FIG. 7 shows the structure of a receiving antenna, which is a flat-wound antenna and has an 8-character characteristic with perfect directivity as shown in FIG.
The antenna is housed in the mounting portion 54 of FIG. 5 as shown in FIG.

[0009]

The present invention has the following effects as is apparent from the above embodiments. (1) Since you can shoot continuously from the start of shooting while following a moving subject, you can shoot at high speed, and you do not have to ask other people to shoot. (2) Intermittent shooting is possible from the start of shooting while following a moving subject, enabling long-time shooting, and is particularly suitable for shooting with a camera. It will also be possible without asking people to shoot. (3) Actual shooting can be started a predetermined time after receiving the shooting start signal, and this predetermined time can be set arbitrarily, so that useless time can be eliminated. (4) Since the photographer can be notified of the start of photographing by sound or electrical stimulation, there will be no loss of photographing. (5) By transmitting the position signal after the shooting start signal, useless battery consumption is suppressed and radio wave transmission is also avoided. Also,
The tracking of the object operates only when there is a position signal, and it is possible to avoid an unreasonable tracking operation and to perform position control according to the motion of the object by the control mode.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of a system diagram of an autofocus system in an 8 mm video camera.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a remote control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an electric stimulation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a remote control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a remote device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a remote device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a structural diagram of a receiving antenna of a remote device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a characteristic diagram of the receiving antenna shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing how the receiving antenna shown in FIG. 7 is housed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Autofocus lens, 2 ... CCD, 3 ... Amplifier,
4, 5 ... band pass filter, 6 ... switch, 7 ...
AD conversion circuit, 8 ... Screen division circuit, 9 ... Digital integration circuit, 10, 40, 78 ... Microcomputer, 11
… Lens drive motor, 12… Video signal processing circuit, 20,
48 ... Shooting start switch, 21 ... Electrical stimulation output terminal, 2
2, 51 ... Delay time setting dial, 23, 43 ... Sound generator, 2
4 ... Power switch, 25, 49, 76 ... Position signal selection switch, 26, 50 ... Test switch, 27, 47 ... Tentener,
28 ... Charger connection terminal, 30 ... Electrostimulation unit, 31
… Electrode unit, 32… Adhesive part, 33… Lead wire, 4
1, 85 ... Oscillator, 42, 83, 84 ... Buffer, 44 ... Booster circuit, 45 ... Frequency multiplier, 46 ... Power amplifier, 52 ...
Horizontal motor storage part, 53 ... Vertical motor storage part, 54 ... Mounting part, 55 ... Fixing base, 56 ... Screw, 61, 62 ... Horizontal position detection antenna, 63, 64 ... Vertical position detection antenna , 65, 66 ... Antenna switching circuit, 67, 68
… High-frequency amplifier circuit, 69, 70… Super reproduction demodulation circuit, 71,
72 ... AF amplifier, 73, 74 ... rectifier, 75 ... waveform shaping circuit, 77 ... mode selection switch, 79, 80 ... step motor driver, 81, 82 ... stepping motor.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A remote control device for use in combination with an auto-focus or fixed-focus video or camera, comprising means for instructing the operation of a remote device, means for issuing an instruction signal, and means for issuing a position signal. And means connected to the video or camera for receiving an instruction signal from the remote control device, means for starting shooting of the video or camera by a shooting start signal, means for stopping shooting of the video or camera by receiving a shooting stop signal, video Alternatively, an unmanned photographing device comprising a remote device having means for causing the camera to follow the direction in which the position signal is output, and performing video or camera photographing continuously or at predetermined time intervals from the start of photographing. 2. The remote control device or the remote device is provided with delay means for starting video or camera photographing after a predetermined time has elapsed after receiving an instruction signal from the remote control device. Unmanned imaging device described. 3. The unmanned photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device is provided with means for notifying the start of photographing, and the start of photographing is notified by sound or electric stimulation. 4. The unmanned photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting a position signal from the remote control device after a photographing start instruction and stopping the position signal after a photographing stop instruction. 5. The unmanned photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting one position signal from a plurality of position signals. 6. A means for outputting a position signal comprising a weak signal transmitter and an omnidirectional antenna, a directional antenna for receiving the position signal as a receiver, and a position control for controlling the direction of the antenna so as to maximize the reception sensitivity. The unmanned photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a tracking unit including a unit, wherein the directional antenna has a directivity in a horizontal direction or a horizontal / vertical direction. 7. The unmanned photographing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the follow-up means performs a position control operation only when there is a position signal. 8. The unmanned photographing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the following means includes means for selecting a plurality of control modes.