JP2002311470A - Image motion compensating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that incompatibility is generated in an effect of hand shake between in the case of photography while observing a view finder for which no comparatively strong effect of compensation of the hand shake is required and in the case of photography while observing a liquid crystal monitor for which the comparatively strong compensation of the hand shake is required by a photographer. SOLUTION: By which of a plurality of display devices for which different effects of the compensation of hand shake are required the photographer photographs is discriminated, in the case of the photography for which no comparatively strong effect of the compensation of hand shake is required, the effect of the compensation of hand shake due to difference of an image pickup pose of the photographer is adjusted by attenuating a hand shake compensation signal during period of such photography and a stable compensation performance of an image motion is obtained irrespective of difference of the image pickup poses of the photographer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image motion compensator used for a camera shake correction function of a video camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, consumer video cameras (hereinafter referred to as "video movies") have become smaller, lighter, and have higher optical zoom magnifications. It has become one of the most common home appliances. However, on the other hand, miniaturization, weight reduction,
The increase in the magnification of the optical zoom and the spread of video movies to consumers who are not familiar with shooting have also caused a problem of instability of the screen due to camera shake during shooting. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, many video movies equipped with an image motion compensator have been developed and commercialized.

As an image motion compensating device of an image pickup apparatus, for example, an image pickup unit having an image pickup optical system and a solid-state image pickup device is supported by a gimbal mechanism, and this is driven based on motion information of the image pickup apparatus itself obtained from an angular velocity sensor. A method for correcting image movement by controlling ("Development of image blur prevention technology for video cameras" Technical Report V of the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan)
ol. 11, No. 28, pp. 19-24 (198
7)).

In the above system, an imaging unit of an imaging device is rotatably supported at a center of gravity of the imaging device by a gimbal mechanism. The captured image is stabilized by controlling the attitude of the imaging unit by the actuator that has been set.

[0005] As another example, a method of correcting a motion of an image by providing a variable apex angle prism in front of an image pickup optical system and controlling the same based on information from an angular velocity sensor ("optical camera shake"). Correction System "Technical Report of the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan, Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 15-20
(1993)).

In the above method, two glass plates are connected by a bellows made of a special film, and a variable apex angle prism filled with a liquid having a high refractive index is provided in front of a solid-state image sensor. Pitching obtained from an angular velocity sensor,
Based on information on the movement of the imaging device in the two directions of yawing, the two glass plates of the variable apex angle prism are provided in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, to bend the optical axis of the incident light and stabilize the movement of the captured image. It is to let.

As another example, a frame for reading only a part of the image on the solid-state image sensor as an output image is provided, and the frame is moved by changing the drive timing of the solid-state image sensor. There is a method of correcting the movement of an image by using the method.

The above-mentioned method uses a solid-state image pickup device having a larger number of pixels than a standard solid-state image pickup device conforming to a broadcasting method, and uses a photographing lens to obtain information on movement of an image pickup device in two directions of pitching and yawing obtained from an angular velocity sensor. The movement of the captured image is stabilized by converting the amount of movement of the image on the solid-state imaging device based on the focal length and changing the reading position (frame) of the image from the solid-state imaging device according to the movement of the captured image. Things.

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, camera shake caused by a difference in photographing posture when a photographer photographs a video camera with a viewfinder or a liquid crystal monitor movably mounted on the video camera. In order to perform the same image stabilization for the difference between the two, the photographer can view the LCD monitor that requires a relatively strong image stabilization effect while shooting while looking at the viewfinder, which does not require a relatively strong image stabilization effect. There is a problem that the effect of the camera shake correction becomes uncomfortable with the actual shooting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and determines whether a photographer is photographing with a viewfinder or a liquid crystal monitor, and attenuates a camera shake correction signal during the period during photographing with the viewfinder. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image motion correction device that adjusts a camera shake correction effect due to a difference in imaging posture of a photographer and enables stable imaging regardless of a difference in imaging posture of the photographer.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, an image motion compensator according to the present invention comprises: an image forming means for optically forming light from a subject on a solid-state image sensor; An image pickup device comprising an image pickup device for converting an optical image obtained by the above into electric information and outputting it as a photographed image, two first display means for optically or electrically displaying an input from the image pickup device, and a second display device Display means, a changeover switch for switching the output to the first display means and / or the second display means, a motion detection means for detecting the motion of the imaging device, and an output based on the output of the motion detection means. Correction signal determining means for determining a correction signal, attenuation coefficient determining means for determining a coefficient for attenuating the output of the correction signal determining means based on the state of the changeover switch, and an output of the correction signal determining means. And a correction signal generating means for generating a signal for correcting the movement of the imaging apparatus based on the serial multiplied by the attenuation coefficient determination unit signal. With this configuration, it is determined whether the photographer is photographing with the first display means or the second display means, and when photographing that does not require a relatively strong effect of camera shake correction, the camera shake correction signal in that period is attenuated. By doing so, it is possible to adjust the camera shake correction effect due to the difference in the photographing posture of the photographer, and obtain the image motion correction performance that enables stable photographing regardless of the photographer's photographing posture.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming means for optically forming an image of light from a subject on a solid-state image pickup device, and an optical image obtained by the image forming means. An imaging device including an imaging unit that converts the information into electrical information and outputs the captured image, and two first display units and a second display unit that optically or electrically display an input from the imaging device; A changeover switch for switching output to the first display means and the second display means or both;
Motion detection means for detecting the motion of the imaging device; correction signal determination means for determining a correction signal based on the output of the motion detection means; and attenuating the output of the correction signal determination means based on the state of the switch. An attenuation coefficient determining means for determining a coefficient to be performed, and a correction signal generating means for generating a signal for correcting the movement of the imaging apparatus based on a signal obtained by multiplying the output of the correction signal determining means by the attenuation coefficient determining means. A motion compensating device, which determines whether the photographer is photographing with the first display means or the second display means, and when photographing with a display device which does not require a relatively strong effect of camera shake correction, By attenuating the correction signal with the attenuation coefficient determined by the attenuation coefficient determining means from the state of the changeover switch, the camera shake correction effect due to the difference in the imaging posture of the photographer is adjusted, 'S image motion correction capability which enables a difference to stable shooting regardless of the imaging position is obtained.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image motion compensating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes optically forming light from a subject on a solid-state image sensor. The imaging unit 2 is an imaging unit that converts an optical image obtained by the imaging unit 1 into electrical information and outputs it as a captured image. The imaging unit 3 is an imaging processing unit. The unit includes an imaging unit 1 and an imaging unit 2.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a changeover switch 6 from the imaging processing unit 3.
The output of the imaging processing unit 3 is optically or electrically displayed on a first display unit, which is a first display unit including a large-sized liquid crystal display unit for displaying a video signal input through the LCD. Is required to use a relatively strong camera shake correction effect. The first display unit corresponds to a large-sized liquid crystal display unit mounted on a video camera. In general, when the liquid crystal display unit is photographed visually, camera shake of the user tends to increase. is there.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a changeover switch 6 from the imaging processing unit 3.
Display unit 4 for displaying a video signal input through the
A second display unit, which is a second display unit having a smaller display unit, displays the output of the imaging processing unit 3 optically or electrically. No correction effect is required. This second display unit
It is equivalent to an electronic viewfinder mounted on a video camera, and in general, when photographing with the electronic viewfinder visually, the degree of camera shake of the user is lower than when photographing using the liquid crystal display unit. Tend to be.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a changeover switch which is a changeover means for changing over the output to the first display unit 4 and the second display unit 5 or to both of them.
When the terminal is connected to the terminal B, the terminal is connected to both the first and second display units 4 and 5, and when the terminal is connected to the terminal C, the terminal is connected to the second display unit 5.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a motion detecting section which is a motion detecting means for detecting a motion (so-called camera shake) of the imaging processing section 3, which may be an angular velocity sensor for detecting the angular velocity of the motion of the entire imaging processing section 3, or Motion vector detection means for detecting a motion vector of an image from an image may be used.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a correction signal determination unit which is a correction signal determination unit, which determines and outputs a correction signal based on the output of the motion detection unit 7. Even in the case of image stabilization (so-called optical image stabilization) in which only a part of an image captured by driving and controlling a solid-state imaging device is read, only a part of an image recorded in the image memory by driving the image memory (A so-called memory-type image stabilization) by reading the image data.

Numeral 9 denotes an attenuation coefficient determining unit which is a coefficient determining means.
Determine the attenuation coefficient by which to multiply the output of In this embodiment, when the changeover switch 6 is connected to the terminal A, this attenuation coefficient outputs a coefficient (for example, 1) that does not attenuate the correction signal. When the changeover switch 6 is connected to the terminal C, Coefficient for attenuating the correction signal by a predetermined amount (for example, 0.8)
However, as another configuration, the attenuation coefficient when connected to the terminal C may be set to 1, and the attenuation coefficient when connected to the terminal A may be set to a numerical value larger than 1 (for example, 1.2). .

Reference numeral 11 denotes a multiplier for calculating the correction signal from the correction signal determination unit 8 and the attenuation coefficient from the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9. In this embodiment, the multiplier 11 performs multiplication processing. Not something.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a correction signal generation unit which is a correction signal generation unit, which generates a signal for correcting the movement of the imaging processing unit 3.

The operation of the image motion compensating apparatus according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

First, an optical signal of an incident object is formed into an image by an image forming unit 1 in an image processing unit 3, and is converted into an electric signal (video signal) by the image forming unit 2 and output. Next, the user performs a predetermined operation to display any one of the first display unit 4, the second display unit 5, and both of the first and second display units 4 and 5. decide. In a general video camera, when a liquid crystal display unit (corresponding to the first display unit 4 of the present embodiment) that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body is opened (visible), the changeover switch 6 is turned on. Terminal A
When the liquid crystal display unit is closed, the switch 6 is connected to the terminal C, and an image is displayed on an electronic viewfinder (corresponding to the second display unit 5 in the present embodiment). Is controlled as follows.

Here, the control of the camera shake correction accompanying the switching of the display unit will be described.

First, when a relatively strong effect of the camera shake correction is required (when the photographing is performed by the imaging processing unit 3 while checking the first display unit 4), the connection state of the changeover switch 6 is set. (Information that it is connected to the terminal A) is input to the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9 and the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9
Determines a coefficient that does not attenuate the correction signal. On the other hand, the motion detection unit 7 detects the motion of the imaging processing unit 3, and the correction signal determination unit 8 outputs a correction signal according to the detected motion.

The correction signal from the correction signal determination unit 8 is input to the multiplication unit 11 and is multiplied by the attenuation coefficient from the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9. In this case, since a strong camera shake correction effect is not required, the multiplying unit 11 outputs a correction signal that is hardly attenuated. The correction signal output from the multiplier 11 is input to the correction signal generation unit 10 and corrects the movement of the imaging processing unit 3.

Next, when the effect of strong camera shake correction is not required (when the photographing is performed by the image pickup processing unit 3 while checking the second display unit 5), the connection state of the changeover switch 6 is changed. Information (information that it is connected to terminal C)
Is input to the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9, and the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9 determines a coefficient that attenuates the correction signal. On the other hand, the motion detection unit 7 detects the motion of the imaging processing unit 3, and the correction signal determination unit 8 outputs a correction signal according to the detected motion.

The correction signal from the correction signal determination unit 8 is input to the multiplication unit 11 and is multiplied by the attenuation coefficient from the attenuation coefficient determination unit 9. In this case, since a strong camera shake correction effect is required, the multiplication unit 11 outputs a correction signal attenuated by the attenuation coefficient. The correction signal output from the multiplier 11 is input to the correction signal generation unit 10 and corrects the movement of the imaging processing unit 3.

In the changeover switch 6, the terminal A is switched to the terminal C or the terminal C is switched to the terminal A.
When the damping coefficient switches from the first coefficient to the second coefficient,
Within the preset switching time, it may be changed continuously or stepwise.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is determined which one of a plurality of display devices requiring different effects of camera shake correction is being taken by the photographer, and the effect of relatively strong camera shake correction is determined. When shooting that does not require shooting, the camera shake correction signal during that period is attenuated to adjust the camera shake correction effect due to the difference in the photographing posture of the photographer. can get.

[0032]

As described above, the present invention adjusts the respective camera shake correction effects when shooting a video camera using an electronic viewfinder and when shooting using a liquid crystal display unit. Thus, stable image motion correction performance can be obtained regardless of the difference in the photographing posture of the photographer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image motion correction device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 imaging unit 2 imaging unit 3 imaging processing unit 4 first display unit 5 second display unit 6 changeover switch 7 motion detection unit 8 correction signal determination unit 9 attenuation coefficient determination unit 10 correction signal generation unit 11 multiplication unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H054 AA01 BB11 5C022 AA11 AB55 AC01 AC13 AC18 AC42

Claims (7)

[Claims] An imaging unit that optically forms light from a subject on a solid-state imaging device; an imaging unit that converts an optical image obtained by the imaging unit into electrical information and outputs the electrical information as a captured image. Imaging processing means comprising: first and second display means for displaying a video signal from the imaging processing means;
Switching means for selectively outputting a signal from the imaging processing means to one of the first display means, the second display means, and one of the first and second display means; Motion detecting means for detecting, a correction signal determining means for determining a correction signal based on an output of the motion detecting means, and a coefficient for outputting a coefficient for performing an operation on the output of the correction signal determining means depending on a connection state of the switching means Image motion correction, comprising: a determination unit; and a correction signal generation unit configured to generate a signal for correcting a motion of the imaging processing unit based on a signal obtained by calculating the coefficient determination unit on an output of the correction signal determination unit. apparatus. 2. The output of the coefficient determining means changes continuously when switching from the first display means to the second display means or when switching from the second display means to the first display means. 2. The image motion compensator according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The output of the coefficient determining means changes stepwise when switching from the first display means to the second display means or when switching from the second display means to the first display means. 2. The image motion compensator according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The image motion compensator according to claim 1, wherein the correction signal generation means reads out only a part of the image photographed by the solid-state imaging device by controlling the driving of the solid-state imaging device. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction signal generating means reads out only a part of the image recorded on the image memory by controlling the driving of the image memory. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion detecting means is an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity of the motion of the image processing means itself. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion detecting means is a motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector of the image from the photographing processing means.