Image stabilizing apparatus for a portable video camera

• US 5,012,347 A
• Filed: 08/28/1989
• Issued: 04/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Antoine Fournier
• Original Assignee: Antoine Fournier
• Inventors: Fournier, Antoine
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greening, Wendy R.
• Application Number:
  US07/399,524
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 358/225, 358/222, 358/217, 33/318, 354/70, 350/500
• US Class Current: 348/208.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction

Abstract

The image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera is such that for angular variations about the optical axis of the camera, the horizontal and vertical deflection currents Ix and Iy of the camera are converted as a function of these variations by an angular measurement device integrally connected with the camera prior to being applied to the corresponding horizontal and vertical deflection coils of the camera.

Claims

1. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera comprising:

lens means, having an optical axis z, for projecting an image onto a plane extending in x and y directions perpendicular to said optical axis z;

photosensitive means, responsive to x and y direction scanning signals, for analyzing said image along x and y axes;

electrical means for supplying said x and y direction scanning signals; and

at least one measuring means for supplying signal values to said electrical means to control said x and y direction scanning signals, said at least one measuring means including gyrometric means for sensing the angular velocity of the camera body about one of said x, y and z axes and producing a corresponding output value, and integrator means, responsive to said output value from said gyrometric means, for deriving an angle of rotation value from said angular velocity value and for feeding said angle of rotation value to said electrical means to control said x and y scanning signals, said integrator means supplying an integrated output value of said angular velocity value for rapid movements of said camera body and providing a slow automatic return to zero of its output value when said angular velocity value is low.

2. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said measuring means is responsive to angular variations γ

about said optical axis z of the camera;

said electrical means normally provides x and y scanning signals Ix and Iy respectively to the corresponding horizontal and vertical deflection means of the camera in the absence of stabilization; and

said electrical means is responsive to said output values from said integrator means to provide x and y scanning signals I1x and I1y, respectively where

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">I1x=Ix cos γ

+Iy sin γ

, and

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">I1y=Iy cos γ

+Ix sin γ

.

3. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said measuring means is responsive angular variations α

about a horizontal said x axis;

said electrical means normally provides a y scanning signal Iy to the vertical deflection means of the camera in the absence of stabilization; and

said electrical means is responsive to said output values from said integrator means to provide a y scanning signal Iiy where Iiy=Iy+k1α

, and K1 is a coefficient dependent on the focal length of said lens means.

4. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 1 wherein said measuring means is responsive to angular variations β

about a vertical said y axis;

said electrical measuring means normally provides a said x scanning signal Ix to the horizontal deflection means of the camera in the absence of stabilization; and

said electrical means is responsive to said output values of said integrator means to provide an x scanning signal Iix, where Iix=Ix+K2β

, and wherein K2 is a coefficient dependent on the focal length of said lens means.

5. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said measuring means is further responsive to angular variations α

about a horizontal said x axis and angular variation β

about a vertical said y axis, and thus to arbitrary angular variations of the camera; and

said electrical means is responsive to said output values from said integrator means to provide x and y scanning signals I2x and I2y respectively where

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">I2x=Ix cos γ

+Iy sin γ

+K2β

=I1x+2Kβ

,

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">I2y=Iy cos γ

+Ix sin γ

+K1α

=I1y+2Kα

, and

wherein K1α and

K2β

are coefficients dependent on the focal length of said lens means.

6. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 5 including a respective said measuring means, each including a respective one of said gyrometric means connected to a respective one of said integrator means, for each of said x, y and z axes.

7. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 6 wherein each said gyrometric means is a rate gyro.

8. An image stabilization apparatus for a portable video camera as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said gyrometric means is a rate gyro; and

said electrical means includes converter means for converting said output values from said integrator means to respective sine and cosine values and linear function circuit means for combining said sine and cosine values with said signals Ix and Iy to provide said signals I1x and I1y.