JPH0248647A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely operate an operation switch without losing a shutter chance by displaying the position of the operation switch and the position of an operator's finger which are detected by a sensor in a view finder. CONSTITUTION:In the view finder, the position of the operation button switch is displayed 8 and LEDs 9 are provided on the respective positions of the sensor 5, for example, the positions corresponding to the respective switches of a conductive rubber matrix switch. An output from the sensor 5 is supplied to a decoder 11 so as to discriminate the position which is depressed by the finger. The output for lighting the LED 9 on the above-mentioned position is supplied to an LED array 13 through a driver 12 and the LED on the position depressed by the finger is lighted. Since the relative relation between the position of the operation switch and the position of the finger can be confirmed while looking through the view finder, the operation switch can be operated without errors.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a video camera having a viewfinder (
(including camera-integrated VTRs).

(Summary of the Invention) This invention provides a video camera with a means for relatively displaying the position of the operation switch and the position of the operator in the viewfinder, so that the operator does not take his eyes off the viewfinder. The desired operation switch can be operated reliably,
This has the effect of never missing out on the moment you want to capture.

[Conventional technology]

As video cameras have increased functionality, the number of operation switches has also increased. For example, in the case of a camera-integrated VTR, the camera/VTR selector switch, camera tele/wide zoom operation switch, and operation switches for VTR playback, fast forwarding, rewinding, search, etc. are arranged on the top of the main body case. Electronic shutter speed switching on the side of the case,
There are operation switches for fully automatic/manual switching, iris adjustment, white balance adjustment, etc., a switch for switching focus to manual, and a switch for playing recorded content in camera mode and displaying it on the viewfinder.

When shooting with a video camera, you do so while viewing the subject in the viewfinder.For this reason, if you want to operate any of the operation switches while shooting, you have to search for them by hand and operate them. .

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, searching for and operating the operation switch by hand may lead to erroneous operation. This is especially true in the case of recent video cameras, which have an increasing number of operation switches as described above.

For this reason, conventionally, when switching the operation mode while shooting with a video camera, first put the video camera in standby mode (recording pause for VTRs), take your eyes off the viewfinder, and visually check the position of the operation switch. check,
After operating this, I had to start shooting. Therefore, I often missed the moment I wanted to capture with a video camera.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a video camera that allows a user to operate operation switches reliably while looking through a viewfinder, and prevents the user from missing the moment he or she wants to photograph.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A video camera according to the present invention includes a sensor for detecting the position of the operator's finger in the vicinity of the operation switch or in an area including the operation switch, and a sensor for detecting the position of the operator's finger in the area including the operation switch, and a sensor for detecting the position of the operator's finger in the area including the operation switch. 1st indicating position
and a second display indicating the position of the operator's finger.

[Effect]

In the viewfinder, the position of the operation switch is indicated by a first display. During shooting, the operator searches for the operation switch while looking at the viewfinder, and the sensor detects the position of the operator's finger, and that position is displayed as a second display in the viewfinder. Ru.

Therefore, you can check the relative positional relationship between the finger position and the operation switch position while looking through the viewfinder.
There will be no more mistakes in selecting the operating switches.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking the case of a camera-integrated VTR as an example.

FIG. 2 shows the side appearance of the camera-integrated VTR, where 1 is the camera and VTR body, 2 is the camera lens, 3 is the viewfinder, and 4 is a tape cassette loading section. In this example, the viewfinder 3 may be either optical or electronic.

In the main body 1, S1 to S7 indicate operation button switches, and 5 is a sensor for detecting the contact position of a finger. They are arranged in a stitched manner. As this sensor 5, for example, a touch sensor made of a conductive rubber matrix switch is used. In this case, the switch intervals in the matrix are set to match the size of the finger.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a display within the viewfinder 3. As shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes an image display section for displaying a subject image, and in the case of an optical type, this is the image forming surface of the subject image, and in the case of an electronic type, it is a screen of a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal display.

An operation button switch position display panel 7 is installed on the left side of the image display section 6. The position display 8 of the operation button switch can be printed on the panel, for example. The name of each operation button switch may be used as a position indication.

Sensor 5 for operation button switch position display 8
For example, light emitting diodes 9 indicated by O in the figure are provided at each position corresponding to each switch of the conductive rubber matrix switch.

Then, among the conductive rubber matrix switches, the light emitting diode 9 at the position pressed by the finger is turned on.

FIG. 3 is an example of a circuit that drives the light emitting diode 9. In FIG.

That is, the output of sensor 5 is supplied to decoder 11. The decoder 11 determines which position is pressed by the finger, and an output for lighting the light emitting diode at the determined position is supplied to the light emitting diode array 13 via the driver 12. Therefore, the light emitting diode 9 at the position pressed by the finger lights up.

In this way, while looking through the viewfinder 3,
Since the relative positional relationship between the position of the operation switch and the position of the finger can be confirmed, the operation switch can be operated without error without taking your eyes off the viewfinder 3 during photography and temporarily stopping photography.

In addition to the light emitting diode array, for example, a liquid crystal display device or the like may be used as the means for displaying the finger position.

In the above example, the operation button switch position display 8 and the finger position display are displayed in a separate position from the image display section 6 of the viewfinder 3.
It is also possible to make these displays electronic and synthesize them with images on the image display section 6.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the circuit configuration in that case, and FIG. 5 shows an example of the display on the image display section 6 of the viewfinder 3 in that case.

In FIG. 4, 21 is a cathode ray tube constituting the electronic viewfinder 3. In FIG. An image signal vS of a subject image when photographing is supplied to this cathode ray tube 21 via a switch circuit 22. The switch circuit 22 is normally switched to the input end 22a side of the image signal VS, and as will be described later, only when the output of the AND gate 23 is "1",
It is switched to the other input end 22b side. The other input terminal 22b of the switch circuit 22 is supplied with a DC voltage EH corresponding to the white level of the image from the DC power supply 24.

25 is a display synthesis on/off switch, one terminal 25
When it is switched to the terminal 25b, one input terminal of the AND gate 23 becomes "1" and the AND gate 23 is opened, and when it is switched to the other terminal 25b, the AND gate 23 is closed.

In this example, the positions of the operation switches 31 to S7 and the position of the operator's finger are the addresses (X,
Y) (X is a horizontal address, Y is a vertical address) and its position is displayed on the screen.0 For example, the operation button switches 31 to S7 are as shown in FIG. , is displayed as a white rectangular display 41 on the screen of the cathode ray tube 21.

In FIG. 4, the ROM 26 stores, for example, data of one pixel and one focus for forming a white rectangular display 1o at the corresponding position on the screen as the position display of the operation button switches 31 to S7. For example, switch S
1 is the four points on the screen (il, j+) + (iz, L) l(i
If it is displayed as a white rectangular display 41 in the rectangular area surrounded by l, L) l (i, j,), then the ROM 26
The address (X, Y) is (f+ ~1g, J
+ )+ (j+ ~L, jz), (1+, L~
j! L(1g, rl, between Jl and j are stored. Similarly, "1" is stored in the address of the rectangular area that should display the positions of switches 32 to S7. Other addresses ``0'' is stored in .

Vertical address counter 2 is connected to the address terminal of ROM26.
7 and the output of horizontal address counter 28 are supplied.

The vertical address counter 27 is reset by a pulse VD with a vertical period, and a pulse HD with a horizontal period is supplied to its clock terminal.

The output of this vertical address counter 27 indicates an address Y in the vertical direction.

The horizontal address counter 28 is reset by a horizontally periodic pulse HD, and a pulse of, for example, 4 fsc (fsc is a color subcarrier frequency) is supplied to its clock terminal. The output of this horizontal address counter 28 indicates address X in the horizontal direction.

Therefore, when it comes to the address of the rectangular area where the positions of the operation button switches 81 to S7 are to be displayed, the ROM 26
The output will be "1", and for other addresses it will be "0".
”. The output of the ROM 26 is supplied to the other input terminal of the AND gate 23 via an OR gate 32.

The position of the operator's finger is also converted into an address on both sides of the cathode ray tube 21 and displayed in white. That is, the output of the sensor 5 is supplied to the decoder 29, and the position where the finger is pressed is detected. The output of the decoder 29 is the address conversion circuit 3
0, and the detected position is converted into an address (x, y) on the screen of the cathode ray tube 21 that is predetermined in relation to the display positions of the operation switches 31 to S7. This address may indicate the address of multiple pixels instead of one pixel.

The output of the address conversion circuit 30 is supplied to a comparison circuit 31 and compared with the output of the vertical address counter 27 and the output of the horizontal address counter 28. When the horizontal and vertical addresses match, the output of the comparison circuit 31 becomes rlJ. . The output of the comparison circuit 31 is supplied to the other input terminal of the AND gate 23 via an OR gate 32.

When the switch 25 is switched to the terminal 25b, the AND gate 23 is closed, so the switch circuit 22
is always switched to the input end 22a side, and only the subject is displayed on the screen of the cathode ray tube 21 of the viewfinder 3.

When the switch 25 is switched to the terminal 25a, the AND gate 23 becomes open.
The output becomes "1" at the address of the position display rectangular area of each of the operation button switches 31 to S7, and becomes "1" at the address corresponding to the position pressed by the finger. Therefore, on the screen of the cathode ray tube 21 of the viewfinder 3, the position of each operation button switch 31-37 is displayed as a plurality of white rectangular displays 41 along with the subject image, and the position pressed by the finger is indicated at 42 in FIG. It will be displayed in white as shown.

As described above, the screen in the viewfinder 3 displays the operation switch position and the operator's finger position relative to each other, so you can easily press the desired operation switch without making a mistake while looking through the viewfinder 3. Can be selected and operated.

In the example in Figure 4, instead of filling in the entire rectangular area for displaying the position of the operation switch with white, a code identifying each operation switch and a letter representing the name of the operation button are displayed in each area. 1-bit data may be stored in the ROM 26, or the position display may be displayed as a separate shape other than a rectangle, corresponding to each operation switch.

Further, the operation switch position display and the finger position display may be displayed on a part of the screen, or may be displayed over the entire screen.

In addition, instead of using the switch circuit 22 to switch between the video signal VS and the position display signal, the video signal S and the position display signal are mixed, so that the subject image is displayed even in the position display part. , it can also be made transparent. In the above example, the sensor 5 is not limited to one using conductive rubber, but can also be one using various other sensor elements, such as a pressure-sensitive element, a heat-sensitive element, an element that detects the hum of the human body, etc.

Also, insert sensor 5 between the operation switches. Instead of arranging the sensor 5, the sensor 5 may be arranged including the position of the operation switch.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, the position of the operation switch and the position of the finger searching for it can be displayed relative to each other in the viewfinder, so you can easily set the desired position without taking your eyes off the viewfinder during shooting. You can search for and operate the operation switch. Therefore, unlike in the past, there is no need to miss a scene you want to photograph.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display in a viewfinder of a video camera according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external side view of an example of a video camera according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an example of essential parts of a video camera according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of another example of the essential parts of the video camera according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of display within the viewfinder. Explanation of main symbols in drawings

Claims (1)

[Claims] A sensor for detecting the position of an operator's finger in the vicinity of the operation switch or in an area including the operation switch; and a first display indicating the position of the operation switch in the viewfinder; and means for generating a second display indicating the position of the finger.