JPH0630445A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record a stereoscopic image while keeping compatibility with a convensional system by recording normal video image information by a convensional format and independently executing the PCM recording of stereo scopic image information. CONSTITUTION:The stereoscopic image information is photographed by two video camera (a right eye information R11, a left eye information L12) directed toward an object 10. R information is inputted to an image processing circuit 15 similarly to a normal video camera and video signal processing is executed. On the other hand, sounds obtained from stereophonic microphones 19, 20 are subjected to well known sum/difference stereophonic audio signal processing, and are inputted to a recording circuit 17 together with the video signal and supplied to a head switching circuit 18. On the other hand, L signal is inputted to a difference detecting circuit 13, which outputs difference information between L and R information. A data compressing circuit 14 reduces the redundancy of the difference information to limit the data volume to volume to be processed by a PCM circuit 16. The obtained both-eye parallax information digital signal and the convensional analog VTR signal are supplied to heads 24, 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention captures stereoscopic image information.
The present invention relates to an imaging device for recording.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of consumer video, for example, "Photo Industry" magazine, July 1986, p. 44-P. 49 In order to reproduce binocular parallax, right eye information (R) and left eye information (L) are displayed alternately in fields to introduce binocular parallax, as described in 49 “Recent Stereoscopic Imaging Technology”. What is presented to the viewer in a time division manner is known. That is,
When the period t is the field time, the display timing is as shown in FIG.

[0003]

However, the information of the right-eye information (R) and the information of the left-eye information (L) are alternated in the fields by V.
When recorded on the TR, the left and right images appear to overlap each other during normal reproduction, and there is a problem that compatibility as a VTR system cannot be maintained.

Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of recording a stereoscopic image while maintaining compatibility with a conventional system.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of image pickup means for picking up stereoscopic image information based on the binocular parallax theory, and a plurality of images obtained by the image pickup means. An image difference calculating means for detecting a difference between information and compressing and outputting the difference, an image information recording means for recording at least one of a plurality of image information obtained by the imaging means, and the image difference calculating And a difference information recording means for recording the output of the means as digital data.

[0006]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, the conventional image information recording means is used for the main image, and the right eye information (R) and left eye information (L) difference information is data-compressed for the stereoscopic parallax information. The difference information recording means records the digital data later.

That is, in recent years, a VTR using a PCM audio recording system has been required in response to a demand for higher sound quality of an audio signal.
Have been developed, it is possible to record the compressed digital data using these VTRs and the like.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an image pickup recording system in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of the magnetic track pattern of the VTR tape recorded by the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 by taking the 8 mm VTR standard as an example.

The operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to an example using a PCM area of 8 mm VTR standard.

In FIG.
The stereoscopic image information is picked up by two video cameras (11 for the right eye information (R) and 12 for the left eye information (L)).
The R information is input to the image processing circuit 15 and subjected to image signal processing as in the case of an ordinary 8 mm VTR video camera. On the other hand, the sound obtained from the stereo microphones 19 and 20 is subjected to well-known sum difference stereo sound signal processing in the sound processing circuit 23 via the amplifiers 21 and 22. Then, it is input to the recording circuit 17 for analog recording together with the video signal, is combined with the tracking 4f pilot as an RF signal, and is supplied to the head switching circuit 18.

On the other hand, the L information is input to the difference detection circuit 13, and the difference information between L and R is output. Since the image correlation of the information of L and R is very strong, the information amount is drastically reduced in the state of this signal, but the data redundancy is further reduced by the data compression circuit 14 and can be handled by the PCM circuit 16. Limit the amount of data from 0.5 to 1.5 Mbps.

The digital signal of the binocular disparity information thus obtained and the conventional analog VTR signal are passed through the head switching device 18, and are thus arranged 180 degrees opposite to each other.
Supply to the heads 24 and 25. These heads 24, 25
Is provided on the rotating drum 26, and this drum 26
The recording shown in FIG. 2 is performed on the magnetic tape 27 wound around.

In FIG. 2, the diagonal track forms a well-known television signal that constitutes one frame picture in the odd-even field and has compatibility with the conventional one. And
Since a PCM data recording area is provided below the track, the parallax information is recorded here in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the reproducing system in this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the 2 on the drum 26 is played during playback.
The signals reproduced from the two heads 24 and 25 are redistributed into analog signals and digital signals by the head switching device 18,
It is supplied to the analog reproducing circuit 34 and the PCM reproducing circuit 31.

The analog reproduction circuit 34 performs well-known 8 mm VTR reproduction signal processing. Further, the sum / difference signal AFM-demodulated by the audio reproduction circuit 36 is amplified via the amplifiers 37L and 37R and reproduced by the speakers 41L and 41R.

The video signal obtained from the analog reproduction circuit 34 is input to the video reproduction circuit 35 and is returned to the analog moving image signal. Here, the R information is supplied to the display 40 via the terminal 39. The difference information output from the decompression circuit 32 is added to the R information by the recomposition circuit 33 and recombined as L information. In this way, the L information is output to the output terminal 38 and is supplied together with the R information to the spectacles-free type display 40 configured by the lenticular method or the like to reproduce a stereoscopic image.

FIG. 5 shows a recording system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

There is a theory that either the difference information or the L or R information does not hinder the stereoscopic effect even if the band is narrow. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, in order to further reduce the data amount of the parallax information. It is possible to adopt a circuit configuration in which the band limiting circuits 50 and 51 are inserted in the preceding stage of the difference detection circuit 13.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the normal video image information is recorded in the conventional format, and the stereoscopic image information is separately recorded by PCM. Therefore, the compatibility with the conventional system is maintained. It becomes possible to record a stereoscopic image.

Further, since it is possible to obtain information on both the left and right eyes for each field, it is possible to reproduce an easy-to-see stereoscopic image without screen flicker.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a recording system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a recording track pattern in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a reproduction system in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a recording system in another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 subject 11 video camera (for R) 12 video camera (for L) 13 difference detection circuit 14 data compression circuit 15 video processing circuit 16 PCM circuit 17 analog recording circuit 18 head switching circuit 19, 20 stereo microphone 21, 22 amplifier 23 audio Processing circuit 24, 25 Magnetic head 26 Rotating drum 27 Magnetic tape 31 PCM reproducing circuit 32 Expansion circuit 33 Adder 34 Analog reproducing circuit 35 Video reproducing circuit 36 Audio reproducing circuit 40 Display device 41L, 41R Speaker

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image pickup means for picking up stereoscopic image information based on the binocular parallax theory, and a difference between a plurality of image information obtained from the image pickup means is detected, and the difference is data-compressed. An image difference calculation means for outputting, an image information recording means for recording at least one of the plurality of image information obtained by the image pickup means, and a difference information recording means for recording the output of the image difference calculation means as digital data. An imaging device comprising: