JPH099111A - Multi-direction image pickup camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the multi-direction image pickup camera which is improved so that no phantom is projected in a picked-up video image. CONSTITUTION: A mirror 3 having plural reflecting faces 31, 32 is arranged in front face of a lens 4. A ray reflected in the mirror 3 from plural directions is received by the lens 4 and an image is formed by an image pickup element 7. A partition plate 81 is provided between a ridge 33 of the mirror 3 and the lens 4. The partition plate 81 interrupts optically the plural reflecting faces 31, 32 to prevent production of a phantom.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-direction image pickup camera device for picking up multi-direction images such as left and right directions outside a vehicle,
In particular, the present invention relates to an improvement of a multi-direction image pickup camera device capable of picking up images in multiple directions at once with one camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when an automobile is approaching an intersection or the like, it is necessary to confirm the safety by recognizing the presence of another vehicle regardless of the presence of a traffic signal. However, when it is a place with poor visibility, it was difficult to see the road conditions on the left and right, for example. Therefore, in consideration of such problems as described above, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-109447,
There has been proposed a multi-directional image capturing camera device capable of performing safety confirmation by capturing images of left and right road conditions with a camera provided in front of an automobile. 6 to 10 are views showing a conventional technique. FIG. 6 is a top view of an automobile B equipped with the multi-directional image capturing camera apparatus A, and angles θ1 and θ2 indicate left and right image capturing ranges of the multi-directional image capturing camera apparatus A. The structure of the multidirectional imaging camera device A will be described. The multidirectional imaging camera device A includes a case C, a cover D, a mirror E, a lens F, a lens mount G, and a substrate H as shown in FIG.
And the windows I and J, the light ray L1 from the left and right with the ridgeline K of the mirror E as a boundary is reflected by the mirror E, the reflected light ray is received by the lens F, and the CCD (Ch on the substrate H
The image is formed on the image forming device M. Thus, the multi-directional image pickup camera device A picks up an image of the range of the left and right angles θ1 and θ2 of the automobile B.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional multi-directional image pickup camera device has some problems. First, the first problem is that a illusion appears in a captured image due to various reflections inside the multi-directional imaging camera device A. The mechanism by which this illusion occurs will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. For example, at night, when a light ray L1 from a headlight of another vehicle in the left direction enters through a window I on the left side, the light ray K1 is reflected by a mirror E and the reflected light ray is received by a lens F. An image is formed on the CCD element M. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the image of the light ray N is displayed in the left image a. At this time, if there is no light source in the right direction, nothing should be originally displayed in the right image b shown in FIG.
However, the light ray L2 incident through the window I on the left side is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the light is reflected by the window J on the right side, further reflected by the mirror E, received by the lens F, and focused on the CCD element M. As a result, the illusion of the light source N is displayed in the right image b as shown in FIG.

Next, the second problem is that the boundary line c between the left image a and the right image b formed on the CCD element M is unclear. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, there is nothing that indicates the boundary line c, so that the distinction between the left image a and the right image b is not clear, or as shown in FIG. 10, the boundary line c is displayed in a defocused state. The phenomenon was occurring. In the latter state, the ridgeline K of the mirror E is reflected, but the ridgeline K is too close to the lens F, so that the focus is out of focus and the boundary line c is out of focus. As a means for coping with the second problem, it is conceivable to use a superimpose circuit to electrically display a boundary line c between the left image a and the right image b, but it is possible to use multi-directional imaging. It is not a preferable countermeasure for increasing the price of the camera device. The present invention solves the first problem described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-directional image pickup camera device improved so that no illusion appears in a picked-up image.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 first arranges a mirror having a plurality of reflecting surfaces on the front surface of the lens, and a plurality of directions reflected by the mirror. A multidirectional imaging camera device configured to receive a light beam from a lens by a lens to form an image on an imaging device, wherein a partition plate is provided for optically blocking between the plurality of reflecting surfaces. A camera device is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multidirectional image pickup camera device characterized in that the partition plate is provided between a lens and a ridge line existing between a plurality of reflecting surfaces of the mirror. .

The invention according to claim 3 provides a multidirectional image pickup camera device, wherein one of the plurality of reflecting surfaces is set to the left of the vehicle and the other is set to the right. .

Further, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides a multidirectional image pickup camera device characterized in that the lens is arranged in front of a vehicle, and a light receiving direction thereof is set toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0009]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the drawings, 1 is a case, 2 is a cover, 3 is a mirror, 4 is a lens, 5 is a lens mount, and 6 is a lens.
Is a substrate, 7 is an image sensor, 8 is a mirror holder, 9 is a fixing plate, 10 is packing, 11 and 12 are anti-vibration rubbers, 13 is a filter, 14 is a spacer, and 15 is a sub-board. Hereinafter, each of these configurations will be described.

First, the case 1 is formed of a non-translucent member and is combined with the cover 2 to form a predetermined storage box. A packing 10 is attached to a joint surface between the case 1 and the cover 2 to form a watertight structure.

The cover 2 is opaque except for the left and right windows 21 and 22. For example, the left and right windows 21 and 22 formed of transparent acrylic resin may be formed by insert molding in a non-translucent member, or the left and right windows 21 and 22 may be formed after forming the cover 2 from transparent acrylic resin.
It is formed by using an appropriate means such as applying black coating to the other portions except for. Further, the cover 2 has a shielding portion 23,
Has 24. The shields 23 and 24 are used for the lens 4
The position is set so that a part of the image is projected by, and the black shadow of the shielding plates 23 and 24 reflected on the lens 4 serves as a boundary line c between the left image a and the right image b. Becomes

The mirror 3 has a triangular side surface, and is formed of synthetic resin and then aluminum is deposited on the two reflecting surfaces 31 and 32 to form a mirror surface. A ridgeline 33 exists between the two reflecting surfaces 31 and 32.

The lens 4 collects the light rays reflected by the reflecting surfaces 31 and 32 of the mirror 3, and the focal point thereof is set on the surface of the image pickup device 7, which will be described later. The lens 4 is mounted on the substrate 6 on which the image pickup device 7 is mounted by using the lens mount 5. A filter 13 for blocking light having a wavelength other than visible light and a spacer 14 are provided inside the lens mount 5.

In addition to the lens mount 5 supporting the lens 4, the substrate 6 includes a sub-board 15 and a terminal 6.
1 is installed, and an AV (Audio Visual) in the vehicle compartment is provided by the terminal 61 inserted into the hole 1a of the case 1.
al) device (not shown) is configured to be electrically connectable. Between the substrate 6 and the cover 2, anti-vibration rubber 11,1
2 is mounted, and the substrate 6 is elastically supported.

The image pickup element 7 is an element for converting the light imaged on the surface of the element into an electric image signal,
In this embodiment, a CCD element is used.

The mirror holder 8 is made of an opaque member and integrally formed with a partition plate 81. The mirror holder 8 supports the mirror 3 and is fixed to the case 1 using a fixing plate 9. The partition plate 81 is configured to optically block between the two reflecting surfaces 31 and 32 to prevent the light rays from wrapping around and prevent the illusion from occurring, and the ridge line 33 of the mirror 3 and the lens 4 are prevented. It is provided between and. Therefore, the light ray incident from the left window 21 is reflected only on the left reflecting surface 31 and does not go around to the right reflecting surface 32. Similarly, the light ray incident from the window 22 on the right side is reflected only on the reflecting surface 32 on the right side and does not go around to the reflecting surface 31 on the left side.

The multi-directional image pickup camera device thus constructed is attached to the front of the automobile, for example, near the bumper, and the light receiving direction of the lens is set to the rear of the automobile, and the left reflecting surface 31 is set to the automobile. The right reflecting surface 32 is directed to the right in the left direction. In this way, when the light receiving direction of the lens is set to the rear of the automobile, the image formed on the surface of the image pickup device 7 and the image displayed on the AV device are images that are not horizontally inverted, that is, images that are visually observed. And the visibility is excellent.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. For example, at night, as shown in FIG. 1, a light beam L1 from a light source N such as a headlight of another vehicle, which is located in the left direction, has a left window 2
When the light ray L1 is incident through the mirror 1, the light ray L1 is reflected by the reflection surface 31 on the left side of the mirror 3, and the reflected light ray is received by the lens 4 and forms an image on the image sensor 7. As a result, an image of the light ray N is displayed in the left image a as shown in FIG. At this time, since there is no light source in the right direction, nothing is displayed in the right image b shown in FIG.

Further, the lens 4 receives light rays from the range shown by the angle θ1 on the left side and the angle θ2 on the right side through the reflecting surfaces 31 and 32 of the mirror 3, and the surface of the image pickup device 7 is shown in FIG. The left image a from the left angle θ1 as shown in
And the right image b from the right angle θ2 is imaged. Further, the black shadows of the shields 23 and 24 reflected on the lens 4 are formed in the middle of the left image a and the right image b, and this serves as the boundary line c. At this time, since the shields 23 and 24 are located away from the lens 4, the shields 23 and 24 are in focus and a clear boundary line c can be obtained.

[0020]

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the second embodiment is similar to the shielding parts 25, 2
6, 27 and 28 are different from those of the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted, and here, the shielding portions 25, 26 and 2 will be described.
Only 7, 28 will be described. Shields 25 and 26 and shield 2
Although 7 and 28 are different types, they are shown in the same drawing in FIG. 5 for convenience. First, the one shield 25,
Reference numeral 26 denotes the shield portions 25 and 26 formed by attaching an opaque tape or the like, which is an embodiment suitable for improving existing products. The other shield 2
Reference numerals 7 and 28 denote shield portions 27 and 28 formed by providing a black plate inside the cover 2. in this case,
The function of the shielding portions 27 and 28 is deteriorated when external rays are reflected by the shielding portions 27 and 28. Therefore, it is desirable that the surfaces of the shielding portions 27 and 28 be rough surfaces, for example.

[0021]

According to the present invention, a mirror having a plurality of reflecting surfaces is arranged on the front surface of a lens, and light rays reflected from the mirror from a plurality of directions are received by the lens and focused on an image pickup device. In the multi-directional imaging camera device described above, since a partition plate that optically blocks between the plurality of reflecting surfaces is provided between the lens and the ridge line that exists between the plurality of reflecting surfaces of the mirror, It produces the effect that no illusion is projected. Further, when the light receiving direction of the lens is set to the rear of the car, the image formed on the surface of the image pickup device is not horizontally flipped, that is, the image as seen by the naked eye, which is excellent in visibility. . Therefore, there is an effect that the process of electrically inverting the image is not necessary.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of what is shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an image in which an illusion is prevented by the structure shown in FIG.

4 is an explanatory diagram of an image in which a clear boundary line is formed by the structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of an automobile equipped with a multi-directional imaging camera device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional technique.

8 is an explanatory diagram of an image in which an illusion occurs according to the conventional technique shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an image in which there is no boundary line in the related art shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an image in which a boundary line is unclear in the related art shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Case 2 Cover 21, 22 Window 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 Shielding Part 3 Mirror 31, 32 Reflecting Surface 33 Ridge Line 4 Lens 7 Image Sensor 81 Partition Plate

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A mirror (3) having a plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32) is arranged in front of a lens (4), and rays from a plurality of directions reflected by the mirror (3) are reflected by the lens (4). )
In the multi-directional image pickup camera device which receives the light and forms an image on the image pickup element (7), a partition plate (81) for optically blocking between the plurality of reflection surfaces (31, 32) is provided. Characteristic multi-directional imaging camera device. 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the partition plate () is provided between the lens (4) and the ridgeline (33) existing between the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32) of the mirror (3). 81) is provided. A multi-directional image pickup camera device. 3. The invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one (31) of the plurality of reflecting surfaces (31, 32) is set to the left of the vehicle, and the other (32) is set to the right. A multidirectional imaging camera device characterized by the above. 4. The multidirectional image pickup camera device according to claim 3, wherein the lens (4) is arranged in front of the vehicle, and a light receiving direction thereof is set to be rearward of the vehicle. .