Multi-view camera

Abstract

The utility model relates to a multi-view camera, which comprises a plurality of camera groups arranged in an installation cavity, each camera group comprises a support assembly and a plurality of local cameras installed on the support assembly, the horizontal projection lines of the central axes of the view fields of the camera groups are intersected behind a lens, the shooting angles of the local cameras are different, the view fields of the two adjacent local cameras in the same camera group are adjacent, the horizontal projection lines of the central axes intersect in front of the lens, the view fields of the two remote local cameras in the adjacent camera groups are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the central axes intersect behind the lens. According to the scheme, the plurality of local cameras are divided into different groups, the plurality of groups are arranged in an outward unfolding manner, and the lenses of the cameras in the groups are arranged in an inward folding manner, so that a more compact structure can be realized while high resolution and wide view field are considered.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to camera equipment technical field especially is related to a multi -objective camera. BACKGROUND

[0002] Video monitoring has been widely applied in the security field due to its high reliability, timeliness and convenience. In order to overcome the problem that a single lens camera cannot balance between wide field of view and high definition, a multi -objective camera appears. The multi -objective camera contains multiple sub-cameras (or local cameras) with different shooting angles. The images of the local field of view shot by each local camera are spliced and fused to obtain a super high definition fusion image with a large or wide field of view.

[0003] At present, the multi -objective camera for shooting a wider field of view (horizontal field of view angle is generally greater than 150 degrees, such as 180 degrees, 270 degrees, etc.) contains multiple local cameras arranged in a ring or circular arc shape. The multiple lenses are expanded outward as a whole. When the number of lenses is large and lenses with large diameters are used, the arrangement structure will result in a large overall size of the multi -objective camera. After adding the corresponding size of the shell, the camera is very bulky. When used for high point installation, the safety risk increases. Moreover, the larger the size, the higher the cost. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the present application provides a multi -objective camera with a more compact structure.

[0005] A multi -objective camera, characterized in that it comprises a shell structure having a mounting cavity and a side wall with a viewing window; a plurality of camera groups arranged in the mounting cavity, each camera group comprising a support assembly and a plurality of local cameras mounted on the support assembly, the support assembly being connected to the shell structure, and the horizontal projection lines of the center axes of the fields of view of each camera group intersecting behind the lenses; the lenses of each local camera facing the viewing window, and the shooting angles of each local camera being different, wherein the fields of view of two local cameras adjacent in position in the same camera group are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the center axes thereof intersect in front of the lenses, and the fields of view of two local cameras at the distal end in the camera groups adjacent in position are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the center axes thereof intersect behind the lenses.

[0006] In one embodiment, the support assembly has a plurality of local camera mounting positions, each local camera mounting position having a lens hole penetrating through the front surface and the rear surface for mounting the lens of the local camera, wherein the horizontal projection lines of the center axes of two lens holes adjacent in position in the same support assembly intersect at a preset included angle in front of the lens hole, and the horizontal projection lines of the center axes of two lens holes at the distal end in two support assemblies adjacent in position intersect at a preset included angle behind the lens hole.

[0007] In one embodiment, the bracket assembly is composed of a plurality of bracket units, one of which provides one of the partial camera mounting positions.

[0008] In one embodiment, the bracket unit comprises a mounting portion having the partial camera mounting position and a first connecting portion protruding from the side of the lower end of the mounting portion, and the bracket units in the first row are connected to the inner bottom surface of the housing structure through the first connecting portion.

[0009] In one embodiment, the partial cameras in at least one of the camera groups are arranged in multiple rows, and the corresponding bracket units are arranged in multiple rows; the bracket unit further comprises a second connecting portion provided at the upper end of the mounting portion, and the first connecting portion of the bracket unit in the previous row and the second connecting portion of the bracket unit in the next row in the adjacent row are connected.

[0010] In one embodiment, the bracket assembly further comprises a connecting pad plate for connecting the bracket units in the adjacent rows, wherein the connecting pad plate is connected to the second connecting portion of the bracket unit in the next row, and the first connecting portion of the bracket unit in the previous row is connected to the connecting pad plate.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first connecting portion is provided with a first connecting hole, the second connecting portion is provided with a plurality of second connecting holes arranged side by side, the connecting pad plate is provided with a third connecting hole and a fourth connecting hole, the third connecting hole is arranged closer to the long edge end of the connecting pad plate than the fourth connecting hole; the connecting pad plate is connected by a first fastener passing through the third connecting hole and the second connecting hole of the proximal end of the two bracket units in the next row, and is connected by a second fastener passing through the fourth connecting hole and the first connecting hole of the bracket unit in the previous row.

[0012] In one embodiment, the multi-view camera further comprises a global camera, the bracket assembly of the camera group with the field of view in the middle position among the camera groups has a mounting position for mounting the global camera, and the horizontal projection line of the central axis of the field of view of the camera group with the field of view in the middle position coincides with the horizontal projection line of the central axis of the global camera.

[0013] In one embodiment, the side wall of the housing structure has a plurality of viewing windows, each of which is provided with a transparent protective sheet, and the lens of each of the partial cameras in the same camera group is directed towards the viewing window corresponding to the camera group.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the camera further comprises an insulation pad, a lower surface of the insulation pad is connected with an inner bottom surface of the shell structure, and the support assembly is connected with an upper surface of the insulation pad.

[0015] The multi-camera, by dividing the plurality of partial cameras into different groups, the horizontal projection lines of the center axes of the fields of view of each group (the center axes of the combined fields of view of the partial cameras in the group) intersect at the rear of the lens, the horizontal projection lines of the center axes of the partial cameras in each group intersect at the front of the lens, that is, each group is fitted as a large field of view lens, the lenses of the partial cameras in the group are arranged in a converging inward manner, so that the lens arrangement is more compact, and the plurality of fitted lenses are arranged in an outward expanding manner, and the fields of view of the two partial cameras located at the far ends of adjacent camera groups are adjacent, which can guarantee the wide field of view of the multi-camera. Compared with the arrangement manner of all lenses outward expanding in the prior art, the multi-camera provided by the scheme has a more compact structure while taking into account high resolution and wide field of view, can effectively reduce the volume and weight of the camera, and thus can save cost, improve installation convenience, and reduce installation risk. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment;

[0017] Figure 2 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment; Figure 1 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment;

[0018] Figure 3 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment; Figure 1 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment;

[0019] Figure 4 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment; Figure 3 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment;

[0020] Figure 5 The figure is a split structure diagram of the multi-camera in one embodiment;

[0021] REFERENCE SIGNS:

[0022] 1-shell structure; 11-window; 2-camera group; 21-support assembly; 211-lens hole; 212-support monomer; 2121-mounting part; 2122-first connecting part; 2123-second connecting part; 213-connecting pad; 22-partial camera; 3-global camera; 4-insulation pad. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the above objectives, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, so the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 to 5 The embodiment of the present application provides a multi-view camera, which comprises a shell structure 1 and a plurality of camera groups 2 (three are shown in the figure, which are 2a, 2b and 2c respectively). The shell structure 1 has a mounting cavity, and the side wall has a window 11 (three window are shown in the figure). Each camera group 2 is arranged in the mounting cavity, each camera group 2 comprises a support assembly 21 (the support assemblies contained in the three camera groups shown in the figure are 21a, 21b and 21c respectively), and a plurality of partial cameras 22 mounted on the support assembly 21, the support assembly 21 is connected with the shell structure 1, and the horizontal projection line (the projection line in the horizontal plane) of the field center axis of each camera group 2 (the field center axis of the combined field of view of each partial camera in the group) intersects at the rear of the lens. The lens of each partial camera 22 faces the window 11, and the shooting angles of each partial camera 22 are different, and the fields of view of each partial camera adjacent in the field of view partially overlap, so that the partial images captured by each partial camera can be spliced and fused based on the overlapping area by using an image splicing algorithm, and a fused image with a wider field of view (such as a field of view angle of 180 degrees or more) can be obtained.

[0025] Among them, the fields of view of two partial cameras 22 adjacent in position in the same camera group 2 are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the center axes intersect at the front of the lens, and the fields of view of two partial cameras 22 adjacent in position in the camera group 2 located at the far end are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the center axes intersect at the rear of the lens. As shown in the figure, the partial cameras 22b are adjacent to 22a and 22c in position, and the camera group 2b is adjacent to the camera group 2a and the camera group 2c in position. The horizontal projection lines of the center axes of two partial cameras 22 between different camera groups 2 do not intersect in front of the two lenses (may intersect in front of one lens and in rear of the other lens, or intersect in rear of both lenses).

[0026] It can be understood that the number of local cameras of the multi-camera provided in the embodiment is not limited, and can be 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc. The local cameras form multiple camera groups through a uniquely designed arrangement mode. The number of groups is usually 2 or more, and is related to the number of cameras and the size of the field of view after splicing. Generally, a multi-camera with more than 8 cameras and a field of view of about 180 degrees after splicing adopts 3 camera groups. The number of local cameras in each group is as equal as possible. The number of local cameras in the groups on both sides can be the same, and the groups on both sides are symmetrically arranged relative to the middle group. For example, Figure 1 The multi-camera shown in FIG. 6B includes 10 local cameras and 1 global camera. The middle group includes 4 local cameras, and the two groups on both sides each include 3 local cameras. Figure 5 The multi-camera shown in FIG. 6C includes 8 local cameras and 1 global camera. The middle group includes 2 local cameras, and the two groups on both sides each include 3 local cameras.

[0027] The shell structure of the multi-camera can be in the form of a bottom plate and an upper cover cooperating to form a mounting cavity, or in the form of a bottom plate and an upper cover cooperating to form a mounting cavity, or in other open cover forms. Each camera group can be mounted on the inner bottom surface of the shell structure (as shown in the figure, mounted on the bottom plate), or hung on the inner top surface or inner side surface of the shell structure. Generally, the central axes of each pair of local cameras with adjacent fields of view are parallel in the vertical direction (the vertical projection lines are parallel), and intersect in the horizontal direction (the horizontal projection lines intersect). The included angles of the horizontal intersection are equal.

[0028] In the embodiment, by dividing the multiple local cameras of the multi-camera into different groups, the horizontal projection lines of the central axes of the fields of view of each group (the central axes of the combined fields of view of the local cameras in the group) intersect at the rear of the lens. The horizontal projection lines of the central axes of the local cameras in each group intersect at the front of the lens, that is, each camera group can be fitted as a large field of view lens. The lenses of the local cameras in the group are arranged in a converging inward manner, so that the lens arrangement is more compact. The multiple fitted lenses are arranged in an outward expanding manner, and the fields of view of the two local cameras located at the far ends of adjacent camera groups are adjacent, which can guarantee the wide field of view of the multi-camera. Compared with the arrangement mode in the prior art in which all lenses are outwardly expanded, the multi-camera provided in the present solution has a more compact structure while taking into account high resolution and wide field of view, which can effectively reduce the volume and weight of the camera, thereby saving cost, improving installation convenience, and reducing installation risk.

[0029] Further, the support assembly 21 has a plurality of partial camera mounting positions, each of which has a lens hole 211 penetrating through the front surface and the rear surface of the support assembly 21. The lens hole 211 can be a threaded hole, and the lens of the partial camera 22 can be screwed to the lens hole 211 from the front surface of the support assembly 21. The image module of the partial camera 22 generally includes an image sensing unit and an image processing unit, and the circuit boards of the two are connected to the rear surface by copper columns. The center of the image module is arranged opposite to the center of the lens hole 211, so that light can pass through the lens to reach the image sensor of the image sensing unit, and then be processed into a digital image by the image processing unit. Among them, the horizontal projection lines A of the center axes of two lens holes 211 located adjacent to each other in the same support assembly 21 intersect at a preset angle in front of the lens hole 211 (in the direction of the camera shooting field of view), and the horizontal projection lines A of the center axes of two lens holes 211 located at the far end in the support assemblies 21 located adjacent to each other intersect at a preset angle in the rear of the lens hole 211 (in the opposite direction of the camera shooting field of view). The support assembly 21 can be an integrated structure integrally formed, or can be a split structure assembled separately. The support assemblies of each camera group can be connected or not connected, such as Figures 1 to 4 the multi-view camera shown in FIG. 1, in which the support assemblies are not connected and have a certain interval, Figure 5 the multi-view camera shown in FIG. 2, in which the support assemblies located in the middle are connected with the support assemblies located on both sides.

[0030] The local cameras can be arranged in a single row or multiple rows, and the arrangement of the camera groups can be different or the same, such as single row arrangement, multiple row arrangement, or partial single row arrangement and partial multiple row arrangement. Generally, when the camera number in a camera group is greater than 2, multiple row (at least two rows) arrangement can be used. Since the number of cameras and the arrangement of the multi-view camera are different in different application scenarios, the corresponding support assembly structure is different. If an integrated support assembly is used, it cannot be applied to multiple application scenarios, and the flexibility is poor. In order to improve the flexibility of the support assembly 21, the support assembly 21 can be composed of multiple support monomers 212, and each support monomer 212 provides a local camera mounting position. The support monomer 212 can include a mounting portion 2121, a first connecting portion 2122, and a second connecting portion 2123. The mounting portion 2121 has a local camera mounting position, that is, a lens hole 211 penetrating the front mounting surface and the rear mounting surface, and can install a local camera. The first connecting portion 2122 is protrudingly arranged at the lower end side of the mounting portion 2121, and the bottom surface of the first connecting portion 2122 is coplanar with the bottom surface of the mounting portion 2121. The second connecting portion 2123 is arranged at the upper end of the mounting portion 2121. The support monomers 212 in the first row can be connected to the inner bottom surface of the shell structure 1 through the first connecting portion 2122, and the first connecting portion 2122 of the support monomer 212 in the previous row can be connected to the second connecting portion 2123 of the support monomer 212 in the next row. Thus, the number and mounting position of the support monomers can be adjusted arbitrarily according to the specific number of cameras and the expected field of view angle of the multi-view camera to adapt to different application scenarios. It should be noted that when the support monomers in the previous row and the next row are connected, it can not be limited to the support monomers in the same camera group, such as the multi-view camera shown in Figure 5 The camera group in the middle position includes two local cameras in the second row (global cameras in the first row), and the support monomers corresponding to the two local cameras are connected to the first row support monomers of the camera groups adjacent to the two sides.

[0031] Further, the support assembly 21 can further include a connecting pad 213 for connecting adjacent rows of support monomers 212. The connecting pad 213 is connected to the second connecting portion 2123 of the support monomer 212 in the next row, and the first connecting portion 2122 of the support monomer 212 in the previous row is connected to the connecting pad 213.

[0032] Further, the first connecting portion 2122 is provided with a first connecting hole, and the second connecting portion 2123 has multiple second connecting holes arranged side by side, such as the multi-view camera shown in Figure 1 The upper end of the support monomer has three second connecting holes, Figure 5The upper end of the support unit of the multi-view camera shown has two second connection holes. The connecting pad 213 is provided with two third connection holes and two fourth connection holes, and the third connection holes are arranged closer to the long edge end of the connecting pad 213 than the fourth connection holes. The connecting pad 213 is connected by the first fastener through the third connection hole and the second connection hole at the proximal end of the two support units 212 in the next row, and is connected by the second fastener through the fourth connection hole and the first connection hole of the support unit 212 in the previous row. The arrangement of multiple second connection holes can further improve the flexibility of the support unit.

[0033] Further, the multi-view camera can also include a global camera 3, and the support assembly 21 of the camera group 2 with a field of view in a middle position has a mounting position for mounting the global camera 3, and the horizontal projection line of the field of view center axis of the camera group with a field of view in a middle position coincides with the horizontal projection line of the center axis of the global camera. The mounting position of the global camera 3 can also be provided by the support unit. Generally, the focal length of the global camera 3 is smaller than that of the local camera 22, and the field of view angle is larger, which can cover all or most of the field of view of the local camera. The image captured by the global camera 3 can be used for color correction and other processing of the stitched image.

[0034] Further, the side wall of the shell structure 1 has a plurality of view windows 11, each of which is provided with a transparent protective sheet (such as an explosion-proof glass sheet to protect the internal structure), and the lenses of each local camera 22 in the same camera group 2 are directed towards the view window 11 corresponding to the camera group. That is, a group of cameras share a view window. If the number of view windows is large, each view window is provided with a transparent protective sheet, which is costly and difficult to ensure airtightness. If the view window is large, it is difficult to process and costly to ensure the uniformity of light transmission of the transparent protective sheet, and the larger the transparent protective sheet, the more likely it is to deform during use, resulting in uneven light transmission and loss of imaging quality. Compared with using a small view window for each local camera or using a large view window for all local cameras, the size and number of view windows in this scheme are moderate, and the processing cost, airtightness, use stability and imaging quality can be considered.

[0035] Further, the multi-view camera also includes an insulating pad 4, the lower surface of the insulating pad 4 is connected to the inner bottom surface of the shell structure 1, and the support assembly 21 is connected to the upper surface of the insulating pad 4. In order to improve stability and protection strength, the shell structure and the support assembly are usually made of metal material, and the support assembly and the shell are physically isolated by the insulating pad, which can avoid the influence of static electricity or lightning on the internal camera during use.

[0036] In addition, the multi-view camera can also include a communication module, a heat dissipation module, a power interface and other components.

[0037] In the description of the utility model, it is understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like is the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the utility model and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the utility model.

[0038] In the utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection", "fixing" and the like should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrated; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intermediate medium, it can be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship of two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. For ordinary skilled person in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on another element or there can be a middle element. When an element is considered "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to another element or there can be a middle element. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are only for the purpose of illustration and do not indicate the only implementation.

[0040] The technical features of the above-described embodiments can be combined arbitrarily, and to make the description concise, all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are not described, however, as long as the combination of the technical features does not exist contradictory, it should be considered that it is within the scope of the description.

[0041] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation manners of the utility model, the description is more specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as a limitation on the scope of the utility model patent. It should be pointed out that for ordinary skilled person in the art, on the premise of not departing from the concept of the utility model, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which all belong to the protection scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model patent should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multi-camera, characterized in that, The application relates to a camera group structure, which comprises: a housing structure (1) having a mounting cavity, a side wall having a window (11); a plurality of camera groups (2) arranged in the mounting cavity, each of the camera groups (2) comprising a support assembly (21) and a plurality of partial cameras (22) arranged on the support assembly (21), the support assembly (21) being connected to the housing structure (1), and the horizontal projection lines of the central axes of the fields of view of the camera groups (2) intersecting at the rear of the lenses. The lenses of the partial cameras (22) are directed towards the window (11), and the fields of view of the partial cameras (22) are different, wherein the fields of view of two adjacent partial cameras (22) in the same camera group (2) are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the central axes thereof intersect at the front of the lenses, and the fields of view of two partial cameras (22) located at the distal ends of the adjacent camera groups (2) are adjacent, and the horizontal projection lines of the central axes thereof intersect at the rear of the lenses.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein, The support assembly (21) has a plurality of partial camera mounting positions, each of the partial camera mounting positions having a lens hole (211) penetrating through the front surface and the rear surface and used for mounting the lens of the partial camera (22), wherein the horizontal projection lines of the central axes of two adjacent lens holes (211) in the same support assembly (21) intersect at a preset included angle at the front of the lens hole (211), and the horizontal projection lines of the central axes of two lens holes (211) located at the distal ends of two adjacent support assemblies (21) intersect at the rear of the lens hole (211) at a preset included angle.

3. The camera of claim 2, wherein, The support assembly (21) is composed of a plurality of support monomers (212), and one support monomer (212) provides one partial camera mounting position.

4. The camera of claim 3, wherein, The support monomer (212) comprises a mounting portion (2121) and a first connecting portion (2122), the mounting portion (2121) has the partial camera mounting position, and the first connecting portion (2122) is arranged on the side surface of the lower end of the mounting portion (2121) in a protruding mode, and the support monomers (212) in the first row are connected to the inner bottom surface of the housing structure (1) through the first connecting portion (2122).

5. The camera of claim 4, wherein, The partial cameras (22) in at least one camera group (2) are arranged in multiple rows, and the corresponding support monomers (212) are arranged in multiple rows; the support monomer (212) further comprises a second connecting portion (2123), the second connecting portion (2123) is arranged on the upper end of the mounting portion (2121), and the first connecting portion (2122) of the support monomer (212) in the previous row is connected to the second connecting portion (2123) of the support monomer (212) in the next row in the adjacent rows of the support monomers (212).

6. The camera of claim 5, wherein, The support assembly (21) further comprises a connecting pad (213) for connecting the support units (212) in adjacent rows, wherein the connecting pad (213) is connected with the second connecting part (2123) of the support unit (212) in the next row, and the first connecting part (2122) of the support unit (212) in the previous row is connected with the connecting pad (213).

7. The camera of claim 6, wherein, The first connecting part (2122) is provided with a first connecting hole, the second connecting part (2123) is provided with a plurality of second connecting holes arranged side by side, and the connecting pad (213) is provided with a third connecting hole and a fourth connecting hole; the connecting pad (213) is connected by a first fastener passing through the third connecting hole and the second connecting hole of the proximal end of two support units (212) in the next row, and is connected by a second fastener passing through the fourth connecting hole and the first connecting hole of the support unit (212) in the previous row.

8. The camera of any of claims 1-7, wherein, The multi-view camera further comprises a global camera (3), and the support assembly (21) of the camera group (2) with a field of view in a middle position in each of the camera groups (2) has a mounting position for mounting the global camera (3), and the horizontal projection line of the field of view center axis of the camera group (2) with a field of view in a middle position coincides with the horizontal projection line of the center axis of the global camera (3).

9. The camera of claim 1, wherein, The side wall of the shell structure (1) has a plurality of view windows (11), each of the view windows (11) is provided with a transparent protective sheet, and the lens of each of the local cameras (22) in the same camera group (2) is directed towards the view window (11) corresponding to the camera group (2).

10. The camera of claim 1, wherein, The camera further comprises an insulation pad (4), the lower surface of the insulation pad (4) is connected with the inner bottom surface of the shell structure (1), and the support assembly (21) is connected with the upper surface of the insulation pad (4).

Images