JP2000078592A - Video camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color image pickup device and monochromatic image pickup device for dark field of view and to switch the devices smoothly and accurately even when the illumination to a subject changes greatly and frequently. SOLUTION: According to whether the output signal from an illumination sensor 5 is higher than a certain level, a controller 3 performs switching between a 1st state wherein an infrared-ray projector 6 is turned on and the video signal outputted from the monochromatic image pickup device 2 for dark field of view is sent to a monitor 4 and a 2nd state wherein the video signal outputted from the color image pickup device 1 is sent to the monitor 4. A fixed stop is used as the stop of the photographic lens 5a of the illumination sensor 5 and then the switching state of the 1st and 2nd states becomes stable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera device for capturing an image of a subject using an image capturing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a video camera apparatus which captures an image of a subject using an imaging apparatus having a solid-state imaging device (CCD) or the like. As this video camera device, there has been proposed a video camera device provided with a color imaging device that receives visible light and captures a color image. Such a video camera device is convenient because a color image can be observed through a monitor or the like, but it cannot capture an image unless the subject has a certain level of illuminance.

On the other hand, when the illuminance of a subject is low,
There has been proposed a video camera apparatus configured to irradiate an infrared ray to the subject with an infrared projector and capture the reflected light of the infrared ray by the night-vision monochrome imaging apparatus. Such a video camera device can observe the image of the subject regardless of the level of the illuminance of the subject, but the obtained image is a monochrome image.

[0004]

By the way, in the case of using the above-mentioned video camera apparatus, if a subject has a certain level of illuminance or more, a color image pickup apparatus can be used to produce a color image. It is convenient for observation, but when the illuminance of the subject is low, a camera equipped with a monochrome imaging device for night vision must be used.

[0005] When the illuminance of a subject is intense and changes frequently, for example, in a theater or on the stage of a theater, the situation in which a video camera device equipped with a color image pickup device should be used and the darkness of the subject should be considered. The situation in which a video camera device having a visual monochrome imaging device should be used is frequently switched. Therefore, in such a situation, even if both a video camera device having a color imaging device and a video camera device having a night-vision monochrome imaging device are prepared, which video camera should be used? Is difficult to determine, and it is troublesome to switch the video projected on the monitor from the video by one video camera device to the video by the other video camera device.

Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above situation, and is provided with a color image pickup device and a monochrome image pickup device for night vision, in which the illuminance of a subject is intense and changes frequently. Another object of the present invention is to provide a video camera device in which the switching between the color imaging device and the monochrome imaging device for night vision is smoothly and accurately performed.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a video camera device according to the present invention comprises an illuminance sensor for detecting the illuminance of a subject, a controller to which an output signal from the illuminance sensor is sent, An infrared projector controlled by the controller, a monochrome imaging device for night vision that captures reflected light of an infrared ray emitted by the infrared projector from the subject, controlled by the controller, and a color imaging device controlled by the controller.

The controller sends a video signal output from the night-vision monochrome imaging device to the monitor by causing the infrared projector to emit light, depending on whether the output signal from the illuminance sensor is higher than a certain level, and It is characterized by switching between a video signal output from the color imaging device and a second state in which the video signal is sent to a monitor.

Further, when the controller is switched from the first state to the second state,
The level of the output signal from the illuminance sensor when switching to the state, and the level of the output signal from the illuminance sensor when switching from the second state to the first state,
The user can arbitrarily set it.

The illuminance sensor includes a photographic lens having a manual aperture, and an image sensor for capturing an image formed by the photographic lens, and outputs an output signal corresponding to the illuminance of the subject. Can be used.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the video camera apparatus according to the present invention comprises photographic lenses 1a and 2a, respectively.
And a CCD (solid-state imaging device) (not shown).

The color image pickup apparatus 1 converts an image of a subject formed by the photographing lens 1a into B (blue), G (green) and R (green).
(Red) and is configured to receive an image by a CCD. The color separation is performed by a color filter or a color separation prism. That is, the color imaging device 1 is configured to receive visible light reflected by the subject or emitted by the subject.

The monochrome image pickup device 2 for night vision is configured to receive an image of a subject formed by the taking lens 2a by a CCD having a center of spectral sensitivity in near-infrared light. That is, this monochrome imaging device for night vision 2
Is configured to receive near-infrared light reflected by or emitted from the subject.

Each of these imaging devices 1 and 2 is an AGC
(Auto iris) function. This AGC function is a function of controlling the aperture of the photographing lens by an aperture control signal (iris signal) corresponding to the level of an imaging signal obtained by imaging with a CCD. If the level of the imaging signal is higher than a reference value, the aperture is stopped. Is closed, and if the level of the imaging signal is lower than the reference value, the aperture is opened to maintain the level of the video signal (video signal) output from the imaging devices 1 and 2 at a constant level.
Therefore, the level of the video signal output from these imaging devices 1 and 2 is not proportional to the illuminance of the subject due to the operation of the AGC function.

Each of these imaging devices 1 and 2 has a CC
A predetermined signal processing is performed by the video signal processing circuit on the imaging signal obtained by the imaging by D, and the image signal is transmitted to the controller 3 via the signal cables 7 and 8 as the video signal. The controller 3 sends one of the video signal sent from the color imaging device 1 and the video signal sent from the night-vision monochrome imaging device 2 to the monitor 4 via the signal cable 10. Whether the controller 3 sends the video signal from the color imaging device 1 or the video signal from the night-vision monochrome imaging device 2 to the monitor 4 depends on an output signal from an illuminance sensor 5 described later.

That is, an illuminance sensor 5 for detecting the illuminance of a subject is connected to the controller 3 via a signal cable 9. The illuminance sensor 5 has the same structure as the imaging device. That is, the illuminance sensor 5 has a photographing lens 5a and a CCD for photographing an image formed by the photographing lens 5a, and outputs an iris control signal (iris signal) corresponding to the level of an imaging signal obtained by imaging by the CCD. Output. However, the illuminance sensor 5 has a manual (fixed) lens aperture and does not have an AGC (auto iris) function. Therefore, this illuminance sensor 5
The aperture control signal output from the camera corresponds to the illuminance of the subject. Then, the illuminance sensor 5 sends an aperture control signal to the controller 3 via the signal cable 9.

The aperture control signal output from the illuminance sensor 5 is a so-called DC output, and is 0 V when the illuminance of the subject is high and 0 V when the illuminance of the subject is low with respect to the manually set aperture state. Outputs an infinite level output of 1 V to 6 V depending on the degree of the low level.

An infrared projector 6 whose emission illuminance is controlled by a projector controller 3a of the controller 3 is connected to the controller 3 via a cable 11. The infrared projector 6 is a monochrome image pickup device 2 for night vision.
Emits near-infrared light corresponding to the sensitivity of

The controller 3 has a comparison circuit, which compares the aperture control signal sent from the illuminance sensor 5 with a fixed reference level in step st1, as shown in FIG. I do. The controller 3 causes the infrared projector 6 to emit light and outputs a video signal output by the night-vision monochrome imaging device 2 to the monitor 4 based on whether the output signal from the illuminance sensor 5 is higher than the reference level.
And a second state in which the video signal output from the color imaging device 1 is sent to the monitor 4. The user can arbitrarily set the reference level by operating the manual aperture of the photographing lens 5 a of the illuminance sensor 5 or by operating a circuit in the controller 3.

That is, when the output signal from the illuminance sensor 5 is lower than the reference level, the controller 3 proceeds to step st2, makes the infrared projector 6 emit light, and outputs the monochrome image pickup device 2 for night vision at step st3. The first state is established by sending the video signal to the monitor 4. Then, at step st4, the first reference level J when the reference level is switched from the first state to the second state.
Return as H.

If the output signal from the illuminance sensor 5 is higher than the reference level, the controller 3 proceeds to step st5, turns off the infrared light projector 6, and proceeds to step s.
At t6, the video signal output from the color imaging device 1 is
To the second state. Then, in step st7, the reference level is returned as the second reference level JL at the time of switching from the second state to the first state.

Here, the first and second reference levels JH,
Both JL are close to the reference level in the initial state, but as shown in FIG. 4, the first reference level JH is a higher level than the second reference level JL. That is, JH> JL. Since the first reference level JH is higher than the second reference level JL, when the level of the output signal from the illuminance sensor 5 is close to the reference level,
Instability in which switching between the first state and the second state frequently occurs is eliminated.

In the first state, the subject 1
01 is illuminated by the infrared light emitted by the infrared projector 6,
The reflected light of the infrared light by the subject 101 is imaged by the night-vision monochrome imaging device 2. The video captured by the night-vision monochrome imaging device 2 in this manner is displayed on the monitor 4.

In the second state, visible light such as light from a lighting device (not shown) or natural light
And the reflected light is imaged by the color imaging device 1. The image captured by the color imaging device 1 in this manner is displayed on the monitor 4.

[0026]

As described above, in the video camera apparatus according to the present invention, the illuminance sensor for detecting the illuminance of the subject, the controller to which the output signal from the illuminance sensor is sent, and the infrared ray controlled by the controller A light projector, a night-vision monochrome imaging device controlled by the controller to capture the reflected light of the infrared light emitted by the infrared projector from the subject, and a color imaging device controlled by the controller. The first state in which the infrared projector emits light and the video signal output by the night-vision monochrome imaging device is sent to the monitor, and the video signal output by the color imaging device is sent to the monitor, depending on whether the output signal is higher than a certain level. Switching to the second state.

That is, the present invention comprises a color image pickup device and a night-vision monochrome image pickup device. Even when the illuminance of the subject is intense and changes frequently, the color image pickup device and the night-vision monochrome image pickup device are used. It is possible to provide a video camera device in which switching is performed smoothly and accurately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a video camera device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the video camera device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of a controller of the video camera device.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a state switching operation in the video camera device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 color imaging device, 2 monochrome imaging device for night vision, 3
Controller, 4 monitors, 5 illuminance sensors, 6 infrared projectors, 101 subjects

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An illuminance sensor for detecting an illuminance of a subject, a controller to which an output signal from the illuminance sensor is sent, an infrared projector controlled by the controller, and an infrared ray emitted by the infrared projector controlled by the controller A monochrome imaging device for night vision that captures light reflected by the subject, and a color imaging device controlled by the controller, wherein the controller determines whether an output signal from the illuminance sensor is higher than a certain level. Switching between a first state in which a video signal output from a monochrome imaging device for night vision is transmitted to a monitor by emitting an infrared projector and a second state in which a video signal output from a color imaging device is transmitted to a monitor. Video camera device. 2. A level of an output signal from the illuminance sensor when the controller switches from the first state to the second state, and a level when the controller switches from the second state to the first state. 2. The video camera device according to claim 1, wherein a level of an output signal from the illuminance sensor can be arbitrarily set by a user. 3. The illuminance sensor includes a photographing lens having a manual aperture, and an image pickup device for photographing an image formed by the photographing lens, and outputs an output signal corresponding to the illuminance of the subject. The video camera device according to claim 1, wherein