JP3498852B2 - Pan head information display controller - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides pan / tilt directions in a pan / tilt of a TV camera used for obtaining weather information, and pan / tilt information such as the focus position and angle of view of the photographing lens of the TV camera. More specifically, the present invention relates to a controller for displaying the pan head information on the same screen together with the map information around the pan head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pan head for supporting and driving a TV camera for obtaining weather information is installed on the roof of a building or the like, and the pan head is located away from the installation position, for example, from inside the building. It is known to remotely control the pan head and the TV camera by specifying the pan direction and the tilt direction, and the focus and zoom amounts of the TV camera.

In this way, when operating the pan head and the TV camera from a remote position, the operator operates the pan head and the TV camera in the current state, for example, the above-described pan and tilt directions and the focus and zoom amounts. If it is possible to visually recognize (hereinafter, these directions and respective amounts are collectively referred to as pan head information), it is extremely convenient for performing the remote operation.

Conventionally, the pan head information is visually represented by turning on a predetermined portion of a plurality of LEDs arranged in the operation unit, and further, a 7-segment LED.
It is known that the values are numerically represented by using, for example, pan ... 128 °, tilt ...- 5.7 °, focus position ... 200 m.

[0005]

However, the display of pan head information in the above-mentioned conventional technique is difficult for the operator to perceive. Further, according to such a conventional technique, it is difficult to recognize how much the actual shooting range of the television camera covers.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a pan head information display controller capable of displaying the pan head and the state of a television camera in an easily understandable manner. .

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pan head information display controller capable of displaying the current shooting range of a television camera easily and intuitively.

[0008]

A pan head information display controller according to the present invention stores map information in the vicinity of the present position in accordance with present position information relating to the present disposition position of a pan head of a television camera. Information reading means for reading from the unit, pan head information converting means for converting pan head information relating to the shooting direction of the television camera to graphic display information, and the read map information and the graphic display information are displayed. It is characterized by comprising an information synthesizing means for synthesizing the map information and the graphic display information so as to be superimposed and displayed on the screen and sending the synthesized information to the image display unit.

Further, when the pan head information is information about the pan and tilt directions, it is possible to display an arrow indicating the direction on the display screen so as to overlap the map information near the pan head position. When the pan head information is information about the angle of view of the photographing lens of the TV camera, it is possible to display a fan-shaped area indicating the angle of view on the display screen in an overlapping manner with the map information near the pan head position, Further, when the pan head information is information on the focus position of the photographing lens of the television camera, it is possible to display a mark indicating the focus position on the display screen so as to be superimposed on the map information near the pan head position. .

The "map information" means not only a so-called map showing a part of the earth's surface in a plan view, but also a part showing the earth's surface in a side view, a bird's-eye view and a perspective view. It means information about a map in a broad sense such as tamono.

[0011]

According to the above construction, the platform information is made into a graphic form and displayed on the display screen so as to be superimposed on the map information in the vicinity of the platform mounting position. The information can be easily recognized, and the pan head and the TV camera can be conveniently operated remotely.

If the pan direction and the tilt direction are superimposed on the map information and displayed by arrows in the screen displaying the map information, it is possible to check at a glance whether or not the television camera is accurately facing the shooting target direction. The remote control of the platform becomes extremely easy.

Further, based on the angle of view of the lens of the television camera, if an area included in the range of the angle of view is superimposed on the map information and expressed as a fan-shaped area centered on the platform mounting position,
It is possible to judge at a glance what kind of object is actually included in the shooting range, and it becomes extremely easy to make fine adjustments in remote operation of the platform or the television camera.

Furthermore, by superimposing the focus position on this map information and indicating it with a mark, it is possible to judge at a glance where the in-focus position is, and remote operation of focus adjustment becomes easy. .

[0015]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a platform control system for a television camera incorporating the apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention.

The television camera 1 is composed of a camera body 2 and a zoom lens 3, and the camera body 2 is supported by a pan head 4 capable of panning in a turning direction and tilting in a vertical tilting direction. The platform 4 is installed on a fixed portion by a tripod 5 or the like. The pan and tilt operations of the platform 4 can be driven by a servo motor. Similarly, zoom and focus operations in the zoom lens 3 of the television camera 1 can be driven by a servo motor.

The pan, tilt, zoom, and focus operations are configured so that they can be remotely controlled based on the operator's operation of the platform controller 10. The platform 4 of the TV camera 1 and the platform controller 10 may be connected by a communication means such as a cable 21, and a telephone line may be used as the communication means. Further, the cable 21 also includes wiring for transmitting the video signal from the television camera 1, so that the video signal from the television camera 1 is sent to the image display section 22, and the image display section 22 receives the television camera. The image taken by is displayed.

Further, pan head information (pan direction, tilt direction, focus position, zoom ratio and field angle position) is sent from the pan head controller 10 to the display controller 40 via the cable 31. Head information is this information controller
This display controller 40
Of the map information, which is read from a CD-ROM (may be an IC card or the like) storing map information, and is combined with the map information near the mounting position of the platform 4, and the combined signal is a cable.
It is sent to the image display unit 42 via 41. The position of the platform 4 is determined based on the current position information from the GPS receiver (not shown) located near the platform 4, and the display controller
CPU in 40 judges.

In the image display section 42, the map information including the pan head information is displayed based on the transmitted composite signal,
This allows the operator to pan and tilt the pan head 4 in each direction,
The focus position, zoom ratio, and angle of view of the TV camera 1 can be recognized at a glance.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the inside of the display controller 40. The platform information from the platform controller 10 and the current position information of the platform 4 from the GPS receiver 43 are input to the I / O port 51 of the display controller 40 and sent to the CPU 52. The CPU 52 is connected to a ROM 53 in which a normal device program is stored and a RAM 54 in which various information is stored. Further, predetermined map information is read out from a CD-ROM 55 storing map information and combined with pan head information. It is connected to a display data transmission unit 56 that outputs the generated map information to the external image display unit 42.

In order to manually input various data such as the current position information, the keyboard 57 arranged on the front surface of the display controller 40 has an I / O port 51.
It is connected to the.

Next, the signal processing operation of the display controller 40 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

That is, first, the GPS receiver 43 to the platform 4
Of the current position information is determined (S1), and if the current position information is acquired, the current position information is imported (S2),
If not, the current position information is manually input from the keyboard 57 (S3).

When the current position information of the platform 4 cannot be obtained from the GPS receiver 43, for example, when the GPS receiver 43 is not connected to the display controller 40, or the GPS receiver 43 operates. There are cases where the switch is in the OFF state.

Next, the input position information is stored in the RAM 54.
(S4).

Further, pan from the platform controller 10
Head information such as tilt directions, focus positions, and zoom ratios is input (S5), a predetermined graphic processing is performed on the pan head information to convert it into graphic display information, which is temporarily stored in the RAM 54 ( S6).

Next, the current position information is read from the RAM 54, and the map information in the vicinity of the mounting position of the platform 4 is read from the CD-ROM 55 based on the current position information (S7).

Next, the map information read from the CD-ROM 55 and the graphic display information are combined, and then this combined information is transferred to the display data sending section 56 (S8). After this,
The combined information is sequentially sent from the display data sending unit 56 to the external image display unit 42 at a predetermined timing (S).
9).

Further, the processing operation of subjecting the pan head information to the graphic display information by converting it into graphic display information and synthesizing the map information with the map information is, for example, once the map information is stored in the RAM 54 (a video RAM provided separately). Alternatively, the pixel information stored at a predetermined address may be replaced with the pixel information of the platform information that has been subjected to the graphic processing.

As a result, the image shown in FIG. 4 or 5, for example, is displayed on the image display section 42.

That is, in the display screen shown in FIG. 4, a plane map near the platform placement position is displayed on most of the screen, and the platform 4 is placed in this plane map. An arrow indicating the pan direction of the platform 4 is displayed based on the position where the pan is located. Also, a side view at the position where the platform 4 is arranged is displayed below the screen,
In this side view, an arrow indicating the pan direction of the platform 4 is displayed with reference to the position where the platform 4 is arranged. In addition, a side view of the mounting position of the camera platform 4 is displayed below the screen, and in this side view, the position of the camera platform 4 is used as a reference for the camera platform 4. An arrow indicating the tilt direction is displayed. Further, the length of this arrow represents the zoom ratio. Since the arrows indicating the pan and tilt directions and the magnitude of the zoom ratio are displayed in the display screen of the image display unit 42 in this manner, the operator can judge the current state of the platform at a glance. Therefore, it becomes extremely easy to correct the pan and tilt directions and the zoom ratio.

On the other hand, in the display screen shown in FIG. 5, a plane map near the platform mounting position and a side view at the platform mounting position are shown, as in the display screen shown in FIG. , The angle-of-view range of the lens of the television camera 1 centered on the pan direction and the tilt direction in these plan maps and side views (shooting region; set according to zoom ratio)
Is displayed as a fan-shaped area so as to be distinguishable from other areas. As a method of displaying this fan-shaped area in a distinguishable manner from other areas, the brightness of this fan-shaped area is significantly increased, but significantly decreased, compared with the brightness of other areas.
The color tone of this fan-shaped area is changed significantly compared to the color tones of other areas. It is also possible to express this photographing area only by the contour line showing the outer edge of the fan-shaped area.

On the right side of the display screens shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, information on the pan direction, tilt direction, horizontal angle of view and focus position is displayed numerically, and the operator graphically displays the information. It is possible to recognize the pan head information better from both the pan head information displayed and the pan head information displayed by this number.

The pan / tilt head information display controller of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various other modes can be modified.

For example, the map information is analog video (RG
B) When input by a signal, the display controller 40a having a circuit configuration as shown in FIG. 6 may combine the map information near the platform mounting position and the platform information subjected to the graphic processing. It is possible. The controller 40 is shown in FIG.
Only some of the circuits in a are shown.

That is, in the controller 40a shown in FIG. 6, each signal of the RGB video signal carrying the map information is input to the amplifier section 61, the gain is changed at a predetermined timing for each signal, and then the gain is changed. The respective RGB signals are sent to the image display section 42a.

The pan head information input to the display controller 40a is sent to the CPU 52 via the I / O port 51a.
Entered in a. The CPU 52a causes the mask gate circuit 62 to generate a predetermined mask gate signal as graphic display information based on the pan head information.
A gate control signal based on the pan head information is sent to. As a result, a predetermined mask gate signal is sequentially input from the mask gate circuit 62 to the amplifier section 61 in response to the input of the timing pulse, and for example, the RGB signals of the amplifier section 61 are output at signal timings corresponding to the fan-shaped area representing the shooting area. The gain for will change.

There are various modes of changing the gain for each of the RGB signals. For example, only the R signal is 1/2.
Signal level of R, G, B signals all 1 /
Reduce to a signal level of 2.

In the above embodiment, the angle of view is 1: 1.
The information relating to the zoom ratio corresponding to is output from the camera platform controller 10 like other camera platform information. Instead of this, the focal length f of the zoom lens 3 output from the camera platform controller 10 and From the width (vertical width or horizontal width) H of the image pickup element of the TV camera 1, the angle of view θ = 2ta
It is also possible to calculate the angle of view θ by the CPU 52 in the display controller 40 using the formula n ⁻¹ (H / 2) / f.

Further, in the above embodiment, the CD-ROM is used as the map information storage unit for storing the map information, but an IC card or other storage means may be used instead. Further, when the platform is fixed and the platform placement position does not change, the current position information is always the same data, so it is possible to use one type of map information.

Although not shown in the above embodiment, it is possible to display a mark (for example, an X mark) indicating the focus position on the display screen or change the reduction ratio of the displayed map. , Furthermore, by providing a scrolling function, when the target object is displayed on the display screen, the platform mounting position is removed from the frame of the display screen, the platform mounting position is moved to a desired position on the display screen, etc. It is also possible to perform various operations.

[0043]

As described above, according to the camera platform information display controller of the present invention, the map information in the vicinity of the platform mounting position is superposed with the visualized camera platform information to display one image. Since it is displayed on the screen, it becomes easy for the operator to sensuously recognize pan / tilt directions, focus position, angle of view, and other pan head information. Operations such as direction correction are extremely easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a camera platform information display controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a camera platform control system incorporating the camera platform information display controller shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a display controller shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image displayed on an image display unit by the camera platform information display controller shown in FIG.

5 is a schematic view showing another example of an image displayed on the image display unit by the camera platform information display controller shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a display controller different from the display controller shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 TV camera 4 Pan head 10 Pan head control controller 21, 31, 41 Cable 22, 42, 42a Image display unit 40, 40a Display unit controller (Controller for pan head information display) 43 GPS receiver 52, 52a CPU 54 RAM 55 CD-ROM 56 Display data sending unit 61 Amplifier unit 62 Mask gate circuit

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A map information reading means for reading map information near the current position from a map information storage unit according to current position information on a current position of a pan head of the TV camera, and a shooting direction of the TV camera. And the like, and the map information so that the read map information and the graphic display information are displayed in a superimposed manner on the display screen. A pan head information display controller comprising: information synthesizing means for synthesizing the graphic display information and sending it to the image display unit. 2. The pan head information is information on pan and tilt directions, and the graphic display information is information for displaying arrows indicating the pan and tilt directions on the display screen. The pan head information display controller according to claim 1. 3. The pan head information is information about an angle of view of a taking lens of a television camera, and the graphic display information is information for displaying a fan-shaped area representing the angle of view on the display screen. The controller for displaying pan head information according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that. 4. The pan head information is information on a focus position of a photographing lens of a television camera, and the graphic display information is information for displaying a mark indicating the focus position on the display screen. The pan head information display controller according to claim 1.