JP2022092088A - Imaging apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To properly operate an imaging apparatus on the basis of a signal transmitted from a transmitter.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus controlled by an external transmitter includes a housing 12 in which an opening 15 through which light is taken into an imaging element 13 is formed, a lens cover 11 which is provided in the housing 12 and moved between an opening position for opening the opening 15 and a closing position for closing the opening 15, a plurality of radio communication modules 21 and 22 which is arranged in such a state that directions of printed circuit boards 21a and 22a are made different from each other in the housing 12 and receives the signal from the transmitter, and a cover control part which moves the lens cover 11 to the opening position and the closing position on the basis of the received signals of the radio communication modules 21 and 22. The cover control part changes the position of the lens cover 11, when received signal strength of any one of the plurality of radio communication modules 21 and 22 exceeds a threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus and a program for controlling the image pickup apparatus.

Surveillance cameras are installed in various places such as nursing care facilities, hospitals, factories, and stores from the viewpoint of crime prevention and disaster prevention (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Further, when operating a surveillance camera which is an image pickup device, it is required to protect the privacy of an individual who is a subject. Therefore, there has been proposed a technique of operating the surveillance camera only when a situation requiring recording is detected by voice or the like without constantly operating the surveillance camera.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-105612 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-278548

By the way, as a setting when operating a surveillance camera, it is conceivable to have a person who is a subject carry a transmitter such as a wireless tag and take a picture when the target person enters a predetermined shooting area. In this case, by attaching a wireless communication module capable of communicating with the wireless tag to the surveillance camera, it is possible to determine the entry of a person in the photographing area by using the received signal strength of the wireless communication module.

However, since the wireless communication module has directivity, it is assumed that the received signal strength of the wireless communication module does not increase appropriately depending on the approach path of the wireless tag possessed by the person. That is, even if the target person has entered the shooting area, the received signal strength of the wireless communication module may not be sufficiently increased, and it may be difficult to operate the surveillance camera properly. ..

An object of the present invention is to properly operate an image pickup apparatus based on a signal transmitted from a transmitter.

The image pickup device of the present invention is an image pickup device controlled by an external transmitter, and has a housing in which an opening for taking in light is formed in the image pickup element and an open position provided in the housing to open the opening. A cover that moves to a closed position that closes the opening, a plurality of wireless communication modules that are arranged in the housing with the substrates facing each other and receive a signal from the transmitter, and the wireless communication module. It has a cover control unit that moves the cover to an open position and a closed position based on the received signal of the above, and the cover control unit has a threshold value of the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules. If it exceeds, the position of the cover is changed.

The program of the present invention includes a housing in which an opening for taking in light is formed in the image pickup element, and a cover provided in the housing and moving to an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening. , The cover is opened and closed based on a plurality of wireless communication modules arranged in the housing with the substrates facing each other and receiving a signal from an external transmitter and the received signal of the wireless communication module. A program that controls an image pickup device having a cover control unit that moves to a position, and when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value in the cover control unit. The step of changing the position of the cover is executed.

According to the present invention, when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value, the position of the lens cover is changed. As a result, the image pickup apparatus can be appropriately operated based on the signal transmitted from the transmitter.

(A) to (C) are perspective views which show an example of the image pickup apparatus which is one Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a plan view of the image pickup apparatus, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the image pickup apparatus along the line aa of FIG. 2 (A). It is a block diagram which shows an example of the control system of an image pickup apparatus. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the communication distance and the received signal strength. (A) to (C) are diagrams showing the reception posture of the wireless communication module. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the reception posture and the reception signal strength. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the execution procedure of a shooting control. (A) and (B) are diagrams showing an example of the transition of the movement path and the received signal strength of the radio tag. (A) and (B) are diagrams showing an example of the transition of the movement path and the received signal strength of the radio tag.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Structure of image pickup device]
1 (A) to 1 (C) are perspective views showing an example of an image pickup apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIGS. 1A to 1C show a process in which the lens cover 11 of the image pickup apparatus 10 moves from the open position Po to the closed position Pc. 2 (A) is a plan view of the image pickup device 10, and FIG. 2 (B) is a cross-sectional view of the image pickup device 10 along the line aa of FIG. 2 (A).

As shown in FIG. 1A, the image pickup apparatus 10 used as a surveillance camera, a security camera, or the like has a housing 12 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the housing 12 of the image pickup device 10 accommodates an image pickup element 13 which is an image sensor such as a CCD, and the image pickup element 13 is viewed from the subject. A lens 14 that collects the light of the above is housed. Further, the housing 12 is provided with an opening 15 for taking light into the image pickup device 13 via the lens 14 and a lens cover (cover) 11 for opening and closing the opening 15 so as to be movable. The lens cover 11 that opens and closes the opening 15 is also called a lens barrier, a shutter, or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the lens cover 11 provided in the housing 12 is movable to an open position Po for opening the opening 15 and a closed position Pc for closing the opening 15. be. As shown in FIG. 1A, by moving the lens cover 11 to the open position Po, the lens cover 11 is separated from the opening 15, so that the opening 15 of the housing 12 is opened. As a result, the lens 14 can be exposed from the opening 15 of the housing 12, and the light from the subject can be taken into the lens 14. Further, as shown in FIG. 1C, by moving the lens cover 11 to the open position Po, the opening 15 of the housing 12 is closed by the lens cover 11. Thereby, the lens 14 can be covered by the lens cover 11 and the lens 14 in the housing 12 can be protected.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the housing 12 contains two wireless communication modules 21 and 22. Each wireless communication module 21 and 22 has printed circuit boards (boards) 21a and 22a provided with an antenna, and integrated circuit components 21b and 22b mounted on the printed circuit boards 21a and 22a. The integrated circuit components 21b and 22b incorporate a wireless communication circuit unit, various control units, and the like. Further, the printed circuit board 21a of the first wireless communication module 21 is arranged substantially parallel to the front plate portion 12a and the back plate portion 12b of the housing 12, and the printed circuit board 22a of the second wireless communication module 22 is a housing. It is arranged substantially parallel to the flat plate portion 12c and the bottom plate portion 12d of the twelve. As described above, the printed circuit board 21a of the first wireless communication module 21 and the printed circuit board 22a of the second wireless communication module 22 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other. That is, the first and second wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are arranged in the housing 12 with the printed circuit boards 21a and 22a facing each other.

The illustrated image pickup device 10 has a function of opening the lens cover 11 and starting shooting when a predetermined shooting execution condition is satisfied. The shooting execution conditions include that the wireless tag 40 such as an IC tag approaches a predetermined range, that a recorded signal transmitted from a mobile terminal such as a smartphone is received, and that infrared rays transmitted from a remote controller are received. It is set that the sound of the content is detected by the microphone 42 and the like. As shown in FIG. 1A, the image pickup apparatus 10 is provided with a lamp 23 that lights up during shooting, a card slot 24 into which a memory card 48 is inserted, a power port 25 to which a power cable is connected, and the like. ing.

[Control system of image pickup device]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the control system 30 of the image pickup apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the image pickup apparatus 10 has a control unit 31 composed of a CPU, a memory, and the like. The control unit 31 includes a condition determination unit 32 for determining the establishment of a shooting execution condition and a shooting stop condition, a power supply control unit 33 for controlling the power supply mode of the image pickup device 10, and a cover control unit 34 for controlling the opening and closing of the lens cover 11. , And a shooting control unit 37 for controlling the image pickup system 36 including the image pickup element 13 and the image processing unit 35. Further, two wireless communication modules 21 and 22 for receiving signals from the wireless tag 40 and the mobile terminal are connected to the control unit 31. Further, an infrared receiving unit 41 for receiving infrared rays from the remote controller is connected to the control unit 31, and a microphone 42 for detecting voice is connected to the control unit 31.

An actuator 44 is connected to the lens cover 11 that opens and closes the opening 15 of the housing 12 via a link mechanism 43. A drive circuit unit 45 is connected to the actuator 44, and a control unit 31 is connected to the drive circuit unit 45. Further, an image processing unit 35 such as an ISP is connected to the image sensor 13, and a control unit 31 is connected to the image processing unit 35. A memory 46 for storing data is connected to the image processing unit 35. In the memory 46, captured image data is temporarily recorded, feature data used for image recognition, and the like are recorded. Further, a power supply circuit unit 47 for generating power supply power is connected to the control unit 31, and a card slot 24 into which the memory card 48 is inserted is connected. A captured moving image or a still image is recorded on the memory card 48.

As the power supply mode, the image pickup apparatus 10 is set to a "standby mode" in which shooting is stopped and a "operating mode" in which shooting is being executed. The standby mode is a power supply mode for suppressing the power consumption of the image pickup apparatus 10, for example, a power supply mode for stopping power supply to a device other than the memory. The operation mode is a power supply mode in which various functions of the image pickup apparatus 10 are exerted, and is, for example, a power supply mode in which power is supplied to all electronic components. As will be described later, the power mode is switched from the standby mode to the operation mode when the predetermined shooting execution condition is satisfied, while the power mode is changed from the operation mode to the standby mode when the predetermined shooting stop condition is satisfied. Can be switched to.

[Received signal strength of wireless communication module]
Hereinafter, as a shooting execution condition for the image pickup device 10 to start shooting, an example is given that the external wireless tag (transmitter) 40 approaches a predetermined range with respect to the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 of the image pickup device 10. explain. That is, an example will be described in which a target person who is a subject is made to carry the wireless tag 40, and when the target person enters a predetermined shooting area, shooting is started by the image pickup apparatus 10. As described above, the image pickup apparatus 10 is provided with wireless communication modules 21 and 22 capable of communicating with the wireless tag 40. Therefore, the image pickup apparatus 10 determines whether or not the person possessing the wireless tag 40 has entered the predetermined shooting area based on the received signal strength of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, and determines whether or not the person has entered the predetermined shooting area, and the moving image, still image, or the like is displayed. I'm shooting. As a wireless communication method between the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 and the wireless tag 40, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark) can be used.

Here, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the communication distance and the received signal strength. The received signal strength is a numerical value indicating the strength of the received signal input to the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, and is called RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator). As shown in FIG. 4, as the communication distance becomes longer, that is, as the wireless tag 40 moves away from the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, the received signal strength of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 becomes weaker and decreases, while the communication distance increases. The shorter the length, that is, the closer the wireless tag 40 is to the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, the stronger and increases the received signal strength of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22.

Therefore, when the received signal strength exceeds the predetermined threshold value Xa, the image pickup apparatus 10 determines that the person has entered the shooting area and starts shooting, while the image pickup device 10 sets a threshold value Xb whose received signal strength is smaller than the threshold value Xa. If it falls below the limit, it is determined that the person has left the shooting area and shooting is stopped. That is, as shown by the arrow A1, from the time when the received signal intensity exceeds the threshold value Xa to the time when it falls below the threshold value Xb, since the shooting execution condition is satisfied, the image pickup apparatus 10 executes shooting. On the other hand, until the received signal intensity falls below the threshold value Xb and exceeds the threshold value Xa, the shooting stop condition is satisfied, so that the shooting by the image pickup apparatus 10 is stopped.

By the way, as shown by reference numeral α in FIG. 4, even if the distance between the wireless tag 40 and the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 is the same “Da”, the received signal strength of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 is predetermined. There was variation. As will be described later, the reception posture of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 is considered to be one factor for this variation in the reception signal strength.

Next, the change in the received signal strength depending on the receiving posture of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 will be described. 5 (A) to 5 (C) are diagrams showing the reception postures 1 to 3 of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the reception postures 1 to 3 and the reception signal strength. FIG. 6 shows the distribution of the received signal strength obtained by performing the reception test 100 times for each of the reception postures 1 to 3 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the distance between the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 and the wireless tag 40 is fixed to "Db (for example, 3 m)" in the receiving postures 1 to 3.

As shown in FIG. 5A, when the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are in the reception posture 1, the reception signal strength shown by the solid line L1 in FIG. 6 is obtained. Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (B), when the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are in the receiving posture 2, the received signal strength shown by the alternate long and short dash line L2 is obtained in FIG. 6, and FIG. 5 (C) shows. As shown, when the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are in the reception posture 3, the result is that the reception signal strength shown by the broken line L3 in FIG. 6 can be obtained. As described above, the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 have directivity, and it is considered that the received signal strength changes depending on the receiving posture. That is, since the detected received signal strength varies depending on the installation location of the image pickup apparatus 10 and the approach path of the wireless tag 40, it becomes difficult to properly determine whether or not a person or the like has entered the shooting area. There is a risk.

Therefore, the image pickup apparatus 10 of the present embodiment has two wireless communication modules 21 and 22 arranged in different directions of the printed boards 21a and 22a as wireless communication modules for receiving signals from the wireless tag (transmitter) 40. have. As a result, as will be described later, the strength of the received signal used for determining the approach to the shooting area can be stabilized, so that it is less likely to be affected by the installation location of the image pickup apparatus 10 and the approach path of the wireless tag 40. It can be appropriately determined that a person or the like has entered the shooting area.

In the present embodiment, as the reception postures of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, a reception posture 1 and a reception posture 3 capable of appropriately operating the lens cover 11 in the installation environment of the image pickup apparatus 10 are selected. There is. Needless to say, in another environment in which the image pickup apparatus 10 is installed, another combination may be selected as the reception posture of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22.

[Shooting control]
Subsequently, the shooting control until the shooting stop condition is satisfied and the shooting is stopped after the shooting execution condition is satisfied and the shooting is started will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the execution procedure of shooting control. Further, since the imaging control is executed by the control unit 31, the program according to the embodiment of the present invention is stored in a storage device (not shown) of the control unit 31. According to this program, the condition determination unit 32, the power supply control unit 33, the cover control unit 34, and the imaging control unit 37 of the control unit 31 execute each step described later. The flowchart shown in FIG. 7 shows a state in which the power supply mode is controlled to the standby mode, a state in which the lens cover 11 is moved to the closed position Pc, and a state in which shooting by the imaging system 36 is stopped. Execution starts with.

As shown in FIG. 7, in step S10, it is determined whether or not the received signal strength R1 of the first wireless communication module 21 exceeds a predetermined threshold value Xa. When it is determined in step S10 that the received signal strength R1 exceeds the threshold value Xa, it is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied because the wireless tag 40 is close to the predetermined range. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S10 that the received signal strength R1 is equal to or less than the threshold value Xa, the process proceeds to step S11, and whether or not the received signal strength R2 of the second wireless communication module 22 exceeds the threshold value Xa. It is judged. When it is determined in step S11 that the received signal strength R2 exceeds the threshold value Xa, it is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied because the wireless tag 40 is close to the predetermined range. If it is determined in step S11 that the received signal strength R2 is equal to or less than the threshold value Xa, the shooting execution condition is not satisfied. Therefore, the process returns to step S10, and the received signal strength R1 exceeds the threshold value Xa again. Whether or not it is determined.

As described above, when the received signal strength R1 is determined to exceed the threshold value Xa in step S10, or when the received signal strength R2 is determined to exceed the threshold value Xa in step S11, the wireless tag 40 is used. It is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied because the images are close to each other within a predetermined range. That is, when any one of the received signal intensities R1 and R2 exceeds the threshold value Xa while the lens cover 11 is closed, it is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied. As described above, when it is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S12, and the power supply mode is switched from the standby mode to the operating mode. Subsequently, in step S13, the lens cover 11 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, and in step S14, shooting by the imaging system 36 is started.

Subsequently, when shooting is started by satisfying the shooting execution condition, the process proceeds to step S15, and it is determined whether or not the shooting stop condition is satisfied. In step S15, it is determined whether or not the received signal strength R1 of the first wireless communication module 21 is lower than the predetermined threshold value Xb. If it is determined in step S15 that the received signal strength R1 is lower than the threshold value Xb, the process proceeds to step S16, and it is determined whether or not the received signal strength R2 of the second wireless communication module 22 is lower than the threshold value Xb. .. When it is determined in step S16 that the received signal strength R2 is below the threshold value Xb, it is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied because the wireless tag 40 is separated from the predetermined range. If it is determined in step S15 that the received signal intensity R1 is equal to or greater than the threshold value Xb, or if it is determined in step S16 that the received signal intensity R2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value Xa, the shooting stop condition is not set. Since this is true, the process returns to step S14, and it is determined whether or not the received signal intensities R1 and R2 fall below the threshold value Xb again while maintaining the shooting by the image pickup apparatus 10.

As described above, when it is determined in step S15 that the received signal strength R1 is below the threshold value Xb and in step S16 it is determined that the received signal strength R2 is below the threshold value Xb, the radio tag 40 is predetermined. It is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied because the distance is beyond the range. That is, when both the received signal intensities R1 and R2 fall below the threshold value Xb while the lens cover 11 is open, it is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied. When it is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied in this way, the process proceeds to step S17, and shooting by the imaging system 36 is stopped. Subsequently, in step S18, the lens cover 11 moves from the open position Po to the closed position Pc, and in step S19, the power supply mode is switched from the operating mode to the standby mode.

[summary]
As described above, the image pickup apparatus 10 of the present embodiment has two radios arranged in different directions of the printed boards 21a and 22a as a wireless communication module for receiving a signal from the wireless tag (transmitter) 40. It has communication modules 21 and 22. As a result, even when the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 have directivity, it is possible to reduce the influence of the installation location of the image pickup apparatus 10 and the approach path of the wireless tag 40. Therefore, it can be appropriately determined that a person or the like has entered the shooting area based on the strength of the received signal, and the lens cover 11 and the image pickup system 36 can be operated at an appropriate timing.

Here, FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams showing an example of the transition of the movement path and the received signal strength of the wireless tag 40. 8 and 9 show an example in which the image pickup device 10 is installed in the living room 50 in which the facility user U lives in the long-term care facility. In this case, the wireless tag 40 is possessed by the employee W, and the shooting is started when the employee W enters the living room 50, and the shooting is stopped when the employee W leaves the living room 50. It has become.

As shown in FIG. 8 (A), when the employee W enters the room along the arrow C1, the received signal strength R1 of the first wireless communication module 21 becomes the second as shown in FIG. 8 (B). It increases at an earlier timing than the received signal strength R2 of the wireless communication module 22. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9A, when the employee W enters the room along the arrow C2, as shown in FIG. 9B, the received signal strength R2 of the second wireless communication module 22 is increased. It increases at an earlier timing than the received signal strength R1 of the first wireless communication module 21. That is, the rising characteristics of the received signal strengths R1 and R2 change depending on the movement path of the employee W.

As described above, the shooting execution condition for starting shooting is that either one of the received signal intensities R1 and R2 exceeds the threshold value Xa. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 8B, when the employee W approaches the distance d1a, the received signal strength R1 exceeds the threshold value Xa (reference numeral a1), so that the lens cover 11 is opened for shooting. It will be started. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 9B, when the employee W approaches the distance d2a, the received signal strength R2 exceeds the threshold value Xa (reference numeral b1), so that the lens cover 11 is opened and shooting starts. Will be done. In this way, since the two wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are arranged so that the printed circuit boards 21a and 22a are oriented differently from each other, even if the movement path of the employee W changes, the timing is appropriate. The lens cover 11 can be opened to start shooting.

Here, when only the second wireless communication module 22 is provided as the wireless communication module for the image pickup apparatus 10 and the employee W enters the room along the arrow C1, it is shown in FIG. 8 (B). As described above, when the employee W exceeds the boundary of the shooting area (distance Dc) and further approaches the distance d1b, the received signal strength R2 exceeds the threshold value Xa (reference numeral a2), so that the lens cover 11 is opened for shooting. Is started. That is, by providing the two wireless communication modules 21 and 22 for the image pickup apparatus 10, the timing of starting shooting can be appropriately advanced as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 8 (B).

Further, when only the first wireless communication module 21 is provided as the wireless communication module for the image pickup apparatus 10 and the employee W enters the room along the arrow C2, as shown in FIG. 9B. In addition, when the employee W crosses the boundary of the shooting area (distance Dc) and further approaches the distance d2b, the received signal strength R1 exceeds the threshold value Xa (reference numeral b2), so that the lens cover 11 is opened and shooting is performed. It will be started. That is, by providing the two wireless communication modules 21 and 22 for the image pickup apparatus 10, the timing of starting shooting can be appropriately advanced as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 9B.

After that, when the employee W leaves the room, the shooting stop condition is satisfied when both the received signal strengths R1 and R2 fall below the threshold value Xb. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 8B, when the employee W is separated by the distance d1c, the received signal intensities R1 and R2 fall below the threshold value Xb (reference numeral a3), so that the lens cover 11 is closed for shooting. Is stopped. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 9B, when the employee W is separated by the distance d2c, the received signal intensities R1 and R2 are lower than the threshold value Xb (reference numeral b3), so that the lens cover 11 is closed for shooting. Is stopped. Since the lens 14 is covered with the lens cover 11 when shooting is stopped, it is possible to visually recognize that the imaging device 10 is in the shooting stopped state, and the facility user U who lives in the living room 50 from the viewpoint of privacy protection. Can give a sense of security. Further, the lens cover 11 is colored in red or the like, and the facility user U can clearly recognize that the lens 14 is covered with the lens cover 11.

As described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7 described above, in steps S10 and S11, when one of the received signal intensities R1 and R2 exceeds the threshold value Xa while the lens cover 11 is closed. It is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied. As described above, when it is determined that the shooting execution condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S13, the lens cover 11 is moved from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, and in the subsequent step S14, shooting is started by the imaging system 36. That is, the program stored in the control unit 31 changes the position of the lens cover 11 with respect to the cover control unit 34 when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules 21 and 22 exceeds the threshold value Xa. Perform the steps to be performed. That is, the program stored in the control unit 31 tells the cover control unit 34 that the received signal of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules 21 and 22 is received while the lens cover 11 is moved to the closed position Pc. When the intensity exceeds the threshold value Xa, the step of changing the position of the lens cover 11 from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, that is, the step of moving the lens cover 11 from the closed position Pc to the open position Po is executed.

Further, in steps S15 and S16, when both the received signal intensities R1 and R2 fall below the threshold value Xb under the state where the lens cover 11 is opened, it is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied. As described above, when it is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S17 to stop the shooting by the imaging system 36, and in the subsequent step S18, the lens cover 11 is moved from the open position Po to the closed position Pc. That is, in the program stored in the control unit 31, all the received signal strengths of the plurality of wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are set with respect to the cover control unit 34 under the state where the lens cover 11 is moved to the open position Po. When the value is below the threshold value Xb, the step of moving the lens cover 11 from the open position Po to the closed position Pc is executed.

In the above description, it is determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied when both the received signal intensities R1 and R2 are below the threshold value Xb under the state where the lens cover 11 is moved to the open position Po. The present invention is not limited to this, and when one of the received signal intensities R1 and R2 is below the threshold value Xb, it may be determined that the shooting stop condition is satisfied. That is, the program stored in the control unit 31 receives signals from one of the plurality of wireless communication modules 21 and 22 with the cover control unit 34 in a state where the lens cover 11 is moved to the open position Po. When the intensity is lower than the threshold value Xb, the step of moving the lens cover 11 from the open position Po to the closed position Pc may be executed.

Further, in the above description, when the received signal intensities R1 and R2 increase as the wireless tag 40 approaches the image pickup device 10, the lens cover 11 is opened to start shooting, while the wireless tag 40 is released from the image pickup device 10. When the received signal strengths R1 and R2 decrease due to the distance, the lens cover 11 is closed to stop the shooting, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the opening / closing operation of the lens cover 11 by increasing / decreasing the received signal intensities R1 and R2 may be set in the reverse of the above description. That is, when the received signal intensities R1 and R2 increase as the wireless tag 40 approaches the image pickup device 10, the lens cover 11 is closed to stop shooting, while the wireless tag 40 moves away from the image pickup device 10 to stop the reception signal. When the intensities R1 and R2 decrease, the lens cover 11 may be opened to start shooting.

As described above, even when the lens cover 11 is closed to stop shooting due to the increase in the received signal strengths R1 and R2, a plurality of programs stored in the control unit 31 are provided for the cover control unit 34. When the received signal strength of any one of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 exceeds the threshold value Xa, the step of changing the position of the lens cover 11 is executed. That is, the program stored in the control unit 31 receives signals from any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules 21 and 22 with the cover control unit 34 in a state where the lens cover 11 is moved to the open position Po. When the intensity exceeds the threshold value Xa, the step of changing the position of the lens cover 11 from the open position Po to the closed position Pc, that is, the step of moving the lens cover 11 from the open position Po to the closed position Pc is executed.

Further, when the lens cover 11 is opened and shooting is started as the received signal intensities R1 and R2 decrease, the program stored in the control unit 31 causes the cover control unit 34 to execute the following steps. That is, in the program stored in the control unit 31, all the received signal strengths of the plurality of wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are set with respect to the cover control unit 34 under the state where the lens cover 11 is moved to the closed position Pc. When the value is below the threshold value Xb, the step of moving the lens cover 11 from the closed position Pc to the open position Po is executed. Further, the program is not limited to the above-mentioned step, and the program stored in the control unit 31 is a plurality of wireless communication modules in a state where the lens cover 11 is moved to the closed position Pc with respect to the cover control unit 34. When the received signal strength of any one of 21 and 22 is lower than the threshold value Xb, the step of moving the lens cover 11 from the closed position Pc to the open position Po may be executed.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. In the above description, the wireless tag 40 is used as the transmitter for controlling the image pickup device 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet may be used as the transmitter. In the above description, the wireless tag 40 is possessed by a person, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the wireless tag 40 may be mounted on a transport robot or the like in a factory. Further, the shooting execution or shooting stop of the imaging device 10 may be controlled based on the infrared rays transmitted from the remote controller, and the shooting execution or shooting stop of the image pickup device 10 may be controlled based on the sound detected by the microphone 42. You may.

In the above description, two wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are housed in the housing 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more wireless communication modules may be housed in the housing 12. In this way, even when three or more wireless communication modules are provided, the wireless communication modules are arranged in the housing 12 by changing the orientation of the printed circuit boards. Further, in the illustrated example, the printed circuit boards 21a and 22a of the wireless communication modules 21 and 22 are arranged in directions orthogonal to each other, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the extension surface of the printed circuit board 21a and the printed circuit board 22a are arranged. The angle formed by the extension surface may be set to other than 90 °. That is, when arranging the wireless communication modules 21 and 22, the orientations of the printed circuit boards 21a and 22a are changed from each other as long as the printed circuit boards 21a and 22a are not parallel to each other. Further, in the above description, the program is stored in the storage device in the image pickup device 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the program may be stored in another storage device capable of communicating with the image pickup device 10.

The image pickup device 10 of the present embodiment has a structure in which the lens 14 is arranged in front of the image pickup element 13, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as the image pickup apparatus of another embodiment, a lensless structure in which the lens 14 is omitted may be adopted. In such an image pickup device having a lensless structure, a transmission film or the like can be used instead of the lens 14. The lens cover 11 may be simply referred to as a "cover".

10 Imaging device 11 Lens cover (cover)
12 Housing 13 Image sensor 15 Opening 21 Wireless communication module (1st wireless communication module)
21a Printed circuit board (board)
22 Wireless communication module (second wireless communication module)
22a Printed circuit board (board)
34 Cover control unit 40 Wireless tag (transmitter)
R1 Received signal strength R2 Received signal strength Xa Threshold Xb Threshold

Claims (7)

An image pickup device controlled by an external transmitter.
A housing in which an opening for capturing light is formed in the image sensor,
A cover provided in the housing and moving to an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening.
A plurality of wireless communication modules arranged in the housing so that the substrates are oriented so as to receive signals from the transmitter, and a plurality of wireless communication modules.
A cover control unit that moves the cover to an open position and a closed position based on the received signal of the wireless communication module.
Have,
The cover control unit changes the position of the cover when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value.
Imaging device. The cover control unit
When the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value while the cover is moved to the closed position, the cover is moved from the closed position to the open position.
When the received signal strength of all the received signal strengths of the plurality of wireless communication modules is below the threshold value while the cover is moved to the open position, the cover is moved from the open position to the closed position.
The imaging device according to claim 1. The cover control unit
When the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value while the cover is moved to the closed position, the cover is moved from the closed position to the open position.
When the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules is below the threshold value while the cover is moved to the open position, the cover is moved from the open position to the closed position.
The imaging device according to claim 1. As the plurality of wireless communication modules, a first wireless communication module and a second wireless communication module are provided.
The first wireless communication module and the second wireless communication module are arranged so that the substrates are orthogonal to each other.
The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A housing in which an opening for capturing light is formed in the image sensor,
A cover provided in the housing and moving to an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening.
A plurality of wireless communication modules arranged in the housing so that the substrates are oriented so as to receive signals from an external transmitter, and a plurality of wireless communication modules.
A cover control unit that moves the cover to an open position and a closed position based on the received signal of the wireless communication module.
Is a program that controls an image pickup device, which has
In the cover control unit,
When the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value, the step of changing the position of the cover is executed.
program. In the cover control unit,
A step of moving the cover from the closed position to the open position when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value while the cover is moved to the closed position.
When the received signal strength of all the received signal strengths of the plurality of wireless communication modules is below the threshold value under the state where the cover is moved to the open position, the step of moving the cover from the open position to the closed position is executed. ,
The program according to claim 5. In the cover control unit,
A step of moving the cover from the closed position to the open position when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules exceeds the threshold value while the cover is moved to the closed position.
A step of moving the cover from the open position to the closed position when the received signal strength of any one of the plurality of wireless communication modules is below the threshold value while the cover is moved to the open position. Let it run
The program according to claim 5.

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