Teleconference image input device

• US 6,476,862 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1995
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.), Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamada, Tetsuya, Ohyama, Atsushi, Kawahara, Hiroyuki, Tatsumi, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US08/565,221
• Time in Patent Office: 2,532 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.715, 348/15, 348/211, 348/373, 348/345, 348/223, 348/212, 348/213, 348/14.03, 348/14.05, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

An image input device having: an image pickup unit to photograph an object and generate an image signal; an optical axis control unit to enable an optical axis of the image pickup unit to be moved; and a control unit to interlockingly control the optical axis control unit and the image pickup unit is described. The image input device may also have signal processing means for performing predetermined processes on the image signal, such as white balancing and automatic focusing. The image input device in accordance with the present invention is particularly suited for use in a television conferencing system.

Claims

1. An image input device comprising:

a) image pickup means for picking up an object image to generate an image signal, said image pickup means including an image pickup element for converting an optical image into an electric signal;

b) optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

c) control means for interlocking controlling said optical axis control means and generation of said image signal by said image pickup means, said control means also for controlling a charge accumulating time of said image pickup element and said optical axis control means.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said image pickup element so as to set longer charge accumulating time when said optical axis control means operates than when said optical axis control means is inoperative.

3. An image input device comprising:

a) image pickup means for picking up an object image to generate an image signal;

b) image pickup control means for controlling said image pickup means, said image pickup control means for controlling an operative timing of automatic white balancing on said image signal which is generated from said image pickup means to form a video signal;

c) optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

d) control means for controlling interlock of a control operation of said optical axis control means and the operative timing controlled by said image pickup control means.

4. A device according to claim 3, further having input means for inputting a control signal from an external device, and wherein said control means operates in accordance with the control signal inputted by said input means.

5. An image input device comprising:

a) image pickup means for picking up an object image to generate an image signal;

b) signal processing means for executing automatic white balancing on said image signal which is generated from said image pickup means to form a video signal;

c) optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

d) control means for interlocking controlling said optical axis control means and the automatic white balancing of said signal processing means, wherein said control control means and said optical axis control means,

wherein said control means initializes the interlock so as to set said zoom means into an initial state in which said zoom means is located at a wide end.

6. An image input device comprising:

a) image pickup means for picking up an object image, said image pickup means including

image pickup control means for controlling an operative timing of focus adjusting means for adjusting the object image to be picked up into an in-focus state, zoom means for enlarging the object image to be picked up and signal processing means for executing a predetermined signal process on an image signal which is generated from said image pickup means;

(b) optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

(c) control means for controlling interlock of operations of said image pickup control means, and said optical axis control means,

wherein said control means initializes the interlock so as to set a zoom state into an initial state in which said zoom means is located at a wide end and to set a focus state into the in-focus state.

7. An image input device comprising:

image pickup means for converting an object image into an electrical signal;

image pickup control means for controlling an operative timing of a signal processing for converting an optical signal into the electrical signal, of said image pickup means;

optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

control means for controlling interlock of a control operation of said optical axis control means and an operation of said image pickup control means;

further comprising signal processing means for executing a predetermined signal process to the electrical signal which is generated from said image pickup means, and wherein said control means also interlockingly controls said processing means;

wherein said predetermined signal process is a process to adjust a white balance of said electrical signal; and

wherein said control means inhibits the white balance adjusting operation during the operation of said optical axis control means.

8. An image input method comprising:

a) an image means to generate an image signal, said image pickup means including an image pickup element for converting an optical image into an electric signal;

b) an optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

c) a control step of interlocking controlling said optical axis control step and generation of said image signal in said image pickup step, said control step also of controlling a charge accumulating time of said image pickup element and said optical axis control step.

9. An image input method comprising:

a) an image pickup step of picking up an object image by image pickup means to generate an image signal;

b) an image pickup control step of controlling said image pickup means, said image pickup control step of controlling an operative time of automatic white balancing on said image signal which is generated from said image pickup means to form a video signal;

c) an optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

d) a control step of controlling interlock of a control operation in said optical axis control step and operative timing controlled in said image pickup control step.

10. An image input method comprising:

a) an image pickup step of picking up an object image by image pickup means to generate an image signal;

b) a signal processing step of executing automatic white balancing on said image signal which is generated from said image pickup means to form a video signal;

c) An optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

d) a control step of interlocking controlling said optical axis control step and the automatic white balancing in said signal processing step, wherein said control step inhibits the automatic white balancing during the operation in said optical axis control step.

11. An image input method comprising:

a) an image pickup step of picking up an object image pickup means to generate an image signal, said image pickup means including zoom means for enlarging the object image to be picked up;

b) an image pickup control step of controlling said image pickup means, said image pickup control step including a step of controlling an operative timing of a predetermined signal process on said image signal which is generated from said image pickup means;

c) an optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

d) a control step of controlling interlock of operations in said image pickup control step and said optical axis control step,

wherein said control step initializes the interlock so as to set said zoom means into an initial state in which said zoom means is located at a wide end.

12. An image input method comprising:

a) an image pickup step of picking up an object image by image pickup means;

b) an optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved;

c) a first detecting step of detecting a current position of said optical axis moved in said optical axis control step;

d) a second detecting step of physically detecting only an original position of said optical axis in the optical axis control as the current position of said optical axis moved in said optical axis control step; and

e) a control step of controlling the position of the optical axis of said image pickup means in accordance with outputs of said first detecting step and said second detecting step.

13. An image input method comprising:

a) an image pickup step of picking up an object image by image pickup means, said image pickup means including

an image pickup control means for controlling an operative timing of focus adjusting means for adjusting the object image to be picked up into an in-focus state, zoom means for enlarging the object image to be picked up and signal processing means for executing a predetermined signal process on an image signal which is generated from said image pickup means;

b) an optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

c) a control step of controlling interlock of operations of said image pickup control means, and said optical axis controls step,

wherein said control step initializes the interlock so as to set a zoom state into an initial state in which said zoom means is located at a wide end and to set a focus state into the in-focus state.

14. An image input method comprising:

an image pickup step of converting an object image into an electrical signal by using image pickup means;

an image pickup control step of controlling an operative timing of a signal processing for converting an optical signal into the electrical signal, in said image pickup step;

an optical axis control step of enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

a control step of controlling interlock of a control operation in said optical axis control step and an operation in said image pickup control step;

further comprising a signal processing step of executing a predetermined signal process to the electrical signal which is generated in said image pickup step, and wherein said control step also interlockingly controls said processing step;

wherein said predetermined signal process is a process to adjust a white balance of said electrical signal; and

wherein said control step inhibits the white balance adjusting operation during the operation in said optical axis control step.

15. An image input device comprising:

a) image pickup means for picking up an object image to generate an image signal, said image pickup means including zoom means for enlarging the object image to be picked up;

b) image pickup control means for controlling said image pickup means, said image pickup control means controlling an operative timing of a predetermined signal process on said image signal which is generated from said image pickup means;

c) optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved; and

d) control means for controlling interlock of operations of said image pickup control means and said optical axis control means,

wherein said control means initializes the interlock so as to set said zoom means into an initial state in which said zoom means is located at a wide end.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said control means is also operative to set said image pickup control means into an initial state.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein said image pickup control means includes white balance adjusting means for adjusting the white balance of the image signal which is generated from said image pickup means and wherein said image pickup control means operates said white balance adjusting means.

18. A device according to claim 15, comprising input means for inputting a control signal from an external device, and wherein said initialization of said image input device is executed when said input means inputs a signal to instruct the execution of the initialization from said external device.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein said image pickup means includes focus adjusting means for adjusting the object image to be picked up into an in-focus state,

and said control means controls said image pickup means to operate said focus adjusting means.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein said control means is also operative to set said image pickup control means into an initial state.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein said image pickup control means includes white balance adjusting means for adjusting a white balance of the image signal which is generated from said image pickup means and wherein said image pickup control means operates said white balance adjusting means.

22. A device according to claim 18, wherein said image pickup control means includes white balance adjusting means for adjusting the white balance of the image signal which is generated from said image pickup means and wherein said image pickup control means operates said white balance adjusting means.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein said optical axis control means sets the optical axis to a predetermined position within a controllable range.

24. A device according to claim 23, further having memory means for storing position information indicative of said predetermined position, and said optical axis control means reads out the position information from said memory means and sets the optical axis to the predetermined position.

25. A device according to claim 18, wherein said control means is also operative to set said optical axis control means into an initial state.

26. A device according to claim 25, wherein said optical axis control means sets the optical axis to a predetermined position within a controllable range.

27. A device according to claim 15, wherein said initialization is executed when a power source of said image input device is turned on.

28. A device according to claim 27, wherein said image pickup means includes focus adjusting means for adjusting the object image to be picked up into an in-focus state;

and said control means controls said image pickup means to operate said focus adjusting means.

29. A device according to claim 27, wherein said image pickup control means includes white balance adjusting means for adjusting the white balance of the image signal which is generated from said image pickup means and wherein said image pickup control means operates said white balance adjusting means.

30. A device according to claim 20, wherein said optical axis control means sets the optical axis to a predetermined position within a controllable range.

31. A device according to claim 30, further having memory means for storing position information indicative of said predetermined position, and said optical axis control means reads out the position information from said memory means and sets the optical axis to the predetermined position.

32. A device according to claim 27, wherein said control means is also operative to set said optical axis control means into an initial state.

33. A device according to claim 32, wherein said optical axis control means sets the optical axis to a predetermined position within a controllable range.

34. An image input device comprising:

a) image pickup means for picking up an object image;

b) optical axis control means for enabling an optical axis of said image pickup means to be moved;

c) first detecting means for detecting a current position of said optical axis moved by said optical axis control means;

d) second detecting means for physically detecting only an original position of said optical axis in the optical axis control as the current position of said optical axis moved by said optical axis control means; and

e) control means for controlling the position of the optical axis of said image pickup means in accordance with outputs of said first detecting means and said second detecting means.

35. A device according to claim 34, further comprising input means for inputting a signal indicative of the optical axis position from an external device, and wherein said optical axis control means operates in accordance with the signal inputted by said input means.