JPH08251627A - Method for adjusting position of stereoscopic camera and stereoscopic video signal generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To visually adjust a relative positional relation between right and left cameras for photographing a stereoscopic video by displaying a difference signal between 1st and 2nd videos photographed by 1st and 2nd cameras and adjusting the positions of respective cameras. CONSTITUTION: A subject which is symmetric about the right and left sides is photographed by right and left cameras 8R, 8L in a camera block 7 respectively from different directions. Then a difference signal VD between video signals VR, VL photographed by the cameras 8R, 8L is calculated by a difference circuit 2 and displayed on a monitor picture display part 6 as a camera position adjusting picture. Then the set positions of the cameras 8R, 8L are adjusted based on the displayed camera position adjusting picture. Since the camera position adjusting picture is formed by the difference signal VD between the cameras 8R, 8L, the positions of the cameras 8R, 8L can be accurately and simply adjusted by adjusting the set positions so as to reduce the display area of the camera position adjusting picture.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereoscopic camera position adjusting method for obtaining a left-eye image and a right-eye image using binocular parallax, and a stereoscopic image signal generator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a stereoscopic image is obtained by taking a left-eye image and a right-eye image by utilizing binocular parallax and displaying two image signals directly or on a monitor via a recording / reproducing device. There is known a stereoscopic television system capable of obtaining the following. In this stereoscopic television system, shooting is performed using, for example, a left camera that shoots a left-eye image and a right camera that shoots a right-eye image. That is, the two cameras correspond to the left eye and the right eye, and the convergence angle with respect to the subject (the angle between the visual axes of the cameras so that the visual axes of the cameras are concentrated on the subject) Will be installed.

FIG. 8 schematically shows the principle of shooting a stereoscopic television image by two cameras. As shown in this figure, the left camera 13 that captures a left-eye image
L and the right camera 13R that captures the left-eye image are horizontally arranged and each of the cameras 13L and 13R indicated by broken lines.
The image pickup lenses 14L and 14R provided in front of the image pickup device are installed with a convergence angle θ sandwiched by the visual axes, and an image of a subject 15, which is, for example, a cube, is taken.

Images taken by the left camera 13L and the right camera 13R, which are installed on the subject 15 as shown in FIG. 8, are as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and 9 (b), respectively. . FIG. 9A shows an image of the subject 15 taken by the left camera 13L, which is taken from the front surface 15a of the subject 15 to the left side surface 15b. Further, (b) of the figure is an image of the subject 15 taken by the right camera 13R, and is taken from the front surface 15a of the subject 15 to the right side surface 15c. Then, for example, these images are switched at a predetermined timing and alternately displayed, or displayed on the same screen through different polarizing plates so that the left and right eyes see these images separately by various methods. It becomes possible to recognize as a stereoscopic image on the screen or on the screen.

[0005]

By the way, in order to capture an image forming an accurate stereoscopic image as shown in FIG. 9, the vertical and horizontal directions of the visual axes of the imaging lens 14L and the imaging lens 14R and the direction of the camera. It must be installed at a position where the direction of rotation almost matches the line of sight of a person, and an accurate three-dimensional image cannot be obtained even if the installation position is slightly deviated. Therefore, it is necessary to install the left camera 13L and the right camera 13R so that the visual axes of the left camera 13L and the right camera 13R are exactly aligned with the line of sight of both eyes of a human.
It was difficult to accurately and easily confirm the relative positional relationship of the 3Rs. In particular, when capturing a long-distance subject as a stereoscopic image, it becomes difficult to output an accurate stereoscopic video signal because the distance between the two cameras becomes long.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, in which a symmetrical object is photographed from different directions by a first camera and a second camera, and then A difference signal between the first image and the second image captured by the first and second cameras is calculated, and the difference signal is displayed as a camera position adjustment image. Adjust the installation positions of the first and second cameras. Further, the camera position adjustment image is an absolute value signal of the difference signal.

In addition, a first camera and a second camera for photographing a symmetrical object from different directions;
Difference calculation means for calculating a difference signal between the first image and the second image captured by the second camera, and a synchronization signal for supplying a synchronization signal to the first and second cameras and the difference calculation means A stereoscopic video signal generator is provided with a supply means and an output means for selecting and outputting a difference signal on which the first and second images and the synchronization signal are superimposed. Further, an absolute value means for taking the absolute value of the difference signal calculated by the difference calculation means is provided.

[0008]

According to the present invention, since the camera position adjustment image can be formed by the difference signal between the left camera and the right camera,
By adjusting the installation position of each camera so that the display area of the camera position adjustment image becomes smaller, the camera position can be adjusted accurately and easily.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit block constituting the stereoscopic video signal generator of this embodiment. The stereoscopic video signal generator of the present embodiment includes a stereoscopic video signal processing unit 1 for calculating a differential signal between left eye / right eye video and a camera block 7 for shooting left eye / right eye video.
It is composed by. The left camera 8L and the right camera 8R forming the camera block 7 correspond to the left camera 13L and the right camera 13R shown in FIG. 8, and the video signal V _L viewed by the left eye and the video signal V viewed by the right eye V _It outputs _R.

In FIG. 1, a stereoscopic video signal processing unit 1 surrounded by a dot-dash line calculates components in each direction (up, down, left and right, rotation) of an object photographed by a left / right eye camera. In order to generate a camera position adjustment signal for adjusting the camera position, each circuit block shown below is used, for example.

The difference circuit 2 inputs the left-eye image signal V _L and the right-eye image signal V _R supplied from the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R and calculates a difference signal V _D of each signal. The absolute value circuit 3 takes the absolute value | V _D | of the difference signal V _D output from the difference circuit 2 and supplies the difference components as signals of the same polarity to the selection circuits 5L and 5R. That is, the absolute value signal output from the absolute value circuit 3 is used as a camera position adjustment signal indicating a shift between left-eye / right-eye images, and an adjusted image is formed by this camera position adjustment signal. The synchronization signal supply unit 4 supplies a synchronization signal to the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R, synchronizes these two cameras, and also supplies a synchronization signal to the difference circuit 2 and the absolute value circuit 3 to make the left camera 8L, the image captured by the right camera 8R and the camera position adjustment signal output from the difference circuit 2 and the absolute value circuit 3 are synchronized.

The selection circuit 5L is a switch for selecting and outputting the left eye image signal V _L supplied from the left camera 8L and the camera position adjustment signal supplied from the absolute value circuit 3, and the selection circuit 5R is the right camera 8R. A switch for selecting and outputting the right-eye video signal V _R supplied from the camera and the camera position adjustment signal supplied from the absolute value circuit 3. This selection circuit 5
Switching between L and 5R is performed synchronously, and the left / right eye image signals ( _VL , V) captured by the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are taken.
_R ) or the camera position adjustment signal output from the absolute value circuit 3 is selected and output.

The monitor image display section 6 includes selection circuits 5L and 5R.
Video signal selected by (left / right eye video signal ( _VL , V
_R ) or a camera position adjustment signal). When displaying a stereoscopic image, the monitor image display unit 6 switches the signals supplied from the selection circuits 5L and 5R, for example, at predetermined timings to alternately display or project the signals to display on the monitor screen or the screen. It is designed to form a three-dimensional image. The camera position adjustment signal supplied from the difference circuit 2 and the absolute value circuit 3 is output as it is.

The camera block 7 is composed of a left camera 8L, a right camera 8R, etc., and photographs a subject as a stereoscopic image. The camera position adjustment signal indicating the installation positions of the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R is calculated by the difference circuit 2 and the absolute value circuit 3 in the stereoscopic video signal processing unit 1, and the adjustment image displayed on the monitor image display unit 6 according to the calculation result. The installation position is adjusted based on. It should be noted that the camera block 7 and the video signal processing unit 1 can be configured separately. In this case, the two cameras provided in the camera block 7 may be configured by general video cameras or the like.

The case where the installation positions of the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are adjusted will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing a case where the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are installed at accurate positions and directions for capturing a stereoscopic image. Imaging lens 9
L and 9R are the imaging lenses 14L and 14 described in FIG.
It corresponds to R, is arranged in front of the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R, and is installed so that the visual axes of the respective lenses form a convergence angle θ. The installation table 10 is a table on which the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are installed, but each camera may be installed individually by a tripod or the like. Since the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R shown in FIG. 2 are installed at predetermined positions in the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, and the rotation direction, accurate stereoscopic images can be taken.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an image of a subject (cube) photographed by the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R installed as shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. An image of the subject captured by the left camera 8L, an image of the subject captured by the right camera 8R in FIG. 3B, and an image of the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R input to the difference circuit 2 in FIG. 3C. An image formed by the signal, FIG. 3D shows an adjusted image 12 when the same image portion of the subject 11 is removed by the difference circuit 2 and displayed on the monitor image display unit 6.
In these figures, the subject 11 is the subject 1 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
Similar to 5, the shape is, for example, a cube. The subject 11 photographed by the left camera 8L will be described with a subscript L, and the subject 11 photographed by the right camera 8R will be described with a subscript R. Further, in FIG. 3C, the subject 11R photographed by the right camera R8 is shown by a broken line.

The image of the subject 11L taken by the left camera 8L is as shown in FIG.
The video signals of 1L _a , the left side surface 11L _b , and the top surface 11L _c are input to the difference circuit 2. The subject 11R captured by the right camera 8R image will become as shown in FIG. 3 (b), a front 11R _a, right side 11R _b, and the video signal of the top surface 11R _c is the differential circuit 2 Is entered. That is, the video signal forming the video as shown in FIG. 3C is input to the difference circuit 2.

As shown in FIG. 3 (c), when the subject 11 is photographed by the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R installed at accurate positions, the front faces 11L _a and 11R _a and the top face 1 are taken.
1L _c, so that the overlap most of 11R _c. That is, the subjects 11L and 1L shown in FIGS.
1R is calculated by the arithmetic processing in the difference circuit 2 as shown in FIG.
The difference between the overlapping portions (a part of the front surface and the top surface) of the subjects 11L and 11R shown in (c) is “0”, and the signals of the other portions are output. The output signal temporarily detects the difference component of the video signals of the left and right cameras. Further, the absolute value is taken by the absolute value circuit 3, whereby the difference component becomes a signal having the same polarity. Then, by the camera position adjustment signal, the adjusted image 12 as shown in FIG. 3D is formed and displayed on the monitor image display unit 6.

When the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are accurately installed as shown in FIG. 2, _a part of the top surfaces 11L _a and 11R _a and the left side surface are installed as shown in FIG. 3D. The adjusted image 12 of only 11L _b and the right side surface 11R _b is displayed, and by monitoring this image, the current installation positions of the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R can be monitored. Also, the left camera 8L
When the installation position of the right camera 8R is incorrect, the display area of the adjusted image 12 displayed on the monitor image display unit 6 has a left-right symmetry shift as compared with the case shown in FIG. Therefore, by adjusting the installation position so that the display area of the adjusted image 12 becomes narrower on the left and right sides,
It becomes possible to obtain an accurate stereoscopic image.

The case where the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are not correctly installed will be described below. 4 and 5
5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are views showing an example in which the left camera 8L is installed above the right camera 8R, and FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. ) (B) (c)
3D corresponds to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the left camera 8L is installed above the right camera 8R and each camera is not installed horizontally, the subjects 11L and 11R photographed by each camera are taken. The image is as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). That is, the subject 11L captured by the left camera 8L is the subject 1 captured by the right camera 8R.
It is located below 1R. That is, the difference circuit 2 is supplied with a video signal forming a video as shown in FIG.

When the left camera 8L is installed above the right camera 8R in this way, the subjects 11L and 11R are the front portions 11L _a and 11R _a which are overlapped with each other.
The video signal other than a part of the above is output from the difference circuit 2. Then, in the difference circuit 2 and the absolute value circuit 3, left /
Right eye image signal (V _L, V _R) by the camera position adjustment signal absolute value is taken of the difference, 5 adjusts the image 12a as shown in (d) of the formed monitor image display unit 6
Will be displayed in.

The adjusted image 12a shown in FIG. 5 (d) is displayed so as to be spread in the vertical direction as compared with the adjusted image 12 shown in FIG. 3 (d). As the adjusted image 12a spreads in the upward direction in this manner, it indicates that the left camera 8L is installed so as to be displaced upward with respect to the right camera 8R. That is, when the adjusted image 12a as shown in FIG. 5D is displayed on the monitor image display unit 6, the display area spreads more like the adjusted image 12 shown in FIG. 3D. By adjusting the installation position of the left camera 8L in the vertical direction so as to be small, it is possible to capture an accurate stereoscopic image.

4 and 5 (a) (b) (c)
In (d), the case where the left camera 8L is displaced upward has been described, but when the left camera 8L is displaced downward, the adjusted image is displayed so as to spread downward. Similarly, when the right camera 8R is vertically displaced, the subject 11R is photographed with being displaced vertically, and the adjustment image displayed by this is vertically on the left side as the subject 11R is photographed. It will spread in the direction.

Next, for example, the left camera 8L is the left and right cameras 8R.
An example will be described in which it is installed with being shifted in the right rotation direction. 6 and 7 (a), (b), (c), and (d) are diagrams showing an example in which the left camera 8L is installed offset in the right rotation direction about the front-rear direction as an axis, and FIG. 2 and FIGS. 7 (a), (b), (c), and (d) are shown in FIG. 3 (a), respectively.
It corresponds to (b), (c) and (d).

As shown in FIG. 6, when the left camera 8L is displaced in the right rotation direction, the images of the subjects 11L and 11R photographed by the respective cameras are shown in FIG. 7 (a).
As shown in (b). That is, the left camera 8
As shown in FIG. 7A, L is twisted in the right rotation direction to photograph the subject 11L. That is, a video signal forming an image as shown in FIG. 7C is input to the difference circuit 2.

When the left camera 8L is installed by being twisted in the clockwise direction about the front-back direction, the subjects 11L and 11L
For R, for example, the signals of only _a part of the front portions 11L _a and 11R _a are subtracted and output from the difference circuit 2. Then, an adjusted image 12b as shown in FIG. 7D is formed by the camera position adjustment signal whose absolute value is taken by the absolute value circuit 3, and is displayed on the monitor image display section 6.

The adjusted image 12b in this case is shown in FIG.
Compared with the adjusted image 12 shown in FIG. In this way, the adjusted image 12b is displayed so as to spread in the right rotation direction, so that the left camera 8L is displayed.
Indicates that they are installed offset in the clockwise direction. That is, when the adjusted image 12b as shown in FIG. 7D is displayed on the monitor image display unit 6,
By adjusting the installation position in the rotational direction of the left camera 8L so that the spread of the display portion is minimized as in the adjusted image 12 shown in (d), it is possible to capture an accurate stereoscopic image. .

Incidentally, FIGS. 6 and 7 (a) (b) (c)
In (d), the case where the left camera 8L is installed so as to be displaced in the right rotation direction has been described, but when it is displaced in the left rotation direction, the adjusted image 12b is displayed so as to spread in the left rotation direction. Similarly, when the right camera 8R is installed so as to be displaced in the rotational direction, the subject 11R is captured while being displaced in the rotational direction, and the adjusted image displayed thereby is the subject 11R being captured. The right side spreads out in the direction of rotation.

In the present embodiment, an example in which only the left camera 8L is displaced from the predetermined position has been described. However, when the installation position of the right camera 8R is displaced from the predetermined position,
Even when both the left camera 8L and the right camera 8R are displaced from the predetermined positions, it is possible to adjust the installation position while looking at the adjustment image.

In the above embodiment, a cube whose left and right side surfaces are symmetrical has been described as a subject, but the subject for adjusting the camera position is not limited to a cube, and any subject that is substantially symmetrical in the left-right or up-down directions may be used. However, other objects can also be used. In this case, it is possible to detect the overall deviation of the installation position of the camera. Even in the case of an object that does not have complete symmetry, it is possible to detect the appropriateness or inadequacy of the camera position to some extent by superimposing and monitoring the video signal of the difference with the video signal of the subject. You can

The above-mentioned two cameras can be integrated video cameras which are integrated with a device for recording or reproducing a video signal, respectively, and these two cameras can be installed in the same device. It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the case of configuring one stereoscopic video signal generator mounted in an adjustable state.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the captured images of the first camera and the second camera for capturing a stereoscopic image can be displayed as the adjusted image, they are displayed on the display means. It becomes possible to visually confirm the installation positions of the first and second cameras while viewing the adjusted image. The relative positional relationship between the first camera and the second camera in the vertical direction, the horizontal position, the vertical twist, the horizontal twist, etc. can be easily adjusted while monitoring the adjustment image. There is an advantage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit block of a stereoscopic video signal generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an accurate installation state of a left camera and a right camera.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a subject photographed by the left camera and the right camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the left camera is installed with being shifted upward.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a subject photographed by the left camera and the right camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the left camera is installed displaced in the right rotation direction.

7 is a diagram showing a subject photographed by the left camera and the right camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a left camera, a right camera, and a subject for capturing a stereoscopic image.

9 is a diagram showing a subject photographed by the left camera and the right camera shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Stereoscopic Video Signal Generator 2 Difference Circuit 3 Absolute Value Circuit 4 Sync Signal Supply Section 5L, 5R Selection Circuit 6 Monitor Image Display Section 7 Camera Block 8L Left Camera 8R Right Camera 11 Subject

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A bilaterally symmetrical subject is photographed from different directions by a first camera and a second camera, and then a first image and a second image photographed by the first and second cameras. And calculating the difference signal as the camera position adjustment image, and adjusting the installation positions of the first and second cameras by the camera position adjustment image. . 2. The stereoscopic camera position adjusting method according to claim 1, wherein the camera position adjusting image is an absolute value signal of the difference signal. 3. A first camera and a second camera for photographing a symmetrical object from different directions, and a difference between a first image and a second image photographed by the first and second cameras. A difference calculation means for calculating a signal, a synchronization signal supply means for supplying a synchronization signal to the first and second cameras and the difference calculation means, and the first and second images and the synchronization signal are superimposed. An output unit that selects and outputs the difference signal that is present, and a stereoscopic video signal generator. 4. The stereoscopic video signal generator according to claim 3, further comprising absolute value means for taking an absolute value of the difference signal calculated by the difference calculation means.